Oh where to start with this beautiful shoot from Jen Wojcik Photography? So much goodness! With beautiful French inspired styling and decor from Folklore Vintage Rentals, coordination by Carly Rae Design and gorgeous blooms by Pamela Lowe Floral Design it’s a complete feast for the eyes! The fabulous Jen tells us more about it their visionééò
ééòThe atmosphere at Cal-a-Vie Health Spa is like no other. Beautifully nestled in a sun-drenched valley of Vista, the vibrant natural landscape accentuates a serene Mediterranean-style village. Natural beauty and rustic elegance are everywhere you look. Each and every room at Cal-a-Vie boasts an impressive collection of 16th, 17th, and 18th century French antiques. Each of the 32 Mediterranean-style villas featuring terra cotta roofs, wide wooden plank doors, and window boxes brimming with flowers, has been individually decorated and luxuriously appointed with fine linens and hand-crafted furniture. Every window frames an appealing vista, and from your private terrace you can enjoy breathtaking views of the rolling, wooded hills.
Entering the chapel at Cal-a-Vie is as if you have been transported to another time and place. Over 400 years old and imported from France stone by stone it stands in a beautifully manicured garden next to L’Orangerie, Cal-a-Vie’s Reception Hall. Both buildings once belonged to The Convent of the Carmelites in Dijon, France and have been flawlessly resurrected on the grounds of Cal-a-Vie.
The overall inspiration for the shoot was the venue itself. The color palette was derived directly from the stonework and natural landscape at Cal-a-Vie. Pale gold and grey, warm terracotta, the slightest hint of an ashy blue, and faint lavender. The goal was to seamlessly blend the stunning natural landscape with the overwhelming beauty of the stunning antiques found in the interior d cor. The bride’s elegant Monique Lhullier gown stuns, but does not overpower the scene. It simply accentuates it.
Our sweetheart table or “table pour deux” stood beneath a gorgeous metal pavilion between two of the property’s lily ponds. The French tufted dining chairs and carved table were embraced by olive branches below a metal and crystal chandelier.
The lawn outside L’Orangerie extends straight out to the sky with nothing but natural beauty for miles and miles. We brought the inside out by using antique French sofas, chairs, and church pews in front of a well, adorned beautifully with white and blush garden roses, hydrangea, ferns, and olive branches.
Our main tablescape was placed on the patio of L’Orangerie. A beautifully aged and sun blanched farm table with a plank top and tapered legs. Olive branches extend the length of the table and in the center, a stone vessel with more hydrangea, garden roses, and fern. Dried lavender lay across the vintage French porcelain plates with mismatched crystal vintage goblets. Adjacent to the dining table is a French dish rack beautifully stacked with French porcelain.ééò
Photography | Jen Wojcik Photography, Venue | Cal-a-Vie Health Spa, Coordination | Carly Rae Design, Rentals + Design | Folklore Vintage Rentals, Styling | Folklore Vintage Rentals & Carly Rae Design, Florist | Pamela Lowe Floral Design, Cake | Hey There Cupcake!, Paper | Paper Scissors Print, Hair & Make-up | Ashlee Thelen, Laura Phillips, & Kim Finlan from the Beauty Department at Cal-a-Vie Health Spa, Jewelry | JNB, Videography | Caleb Wojcik Films, Models | Shamon Freitas
Headpiece | Erica Elizabeth
