Discretion is paramount for our clients, but they're oh-so-kind to let us share a peek behind the velvet rope
PAST PROJECTS
DAY ONE // AN AFTERNOON IN THE RIVIERA
While you could say that Paris is le premier amour for S&A, they sought to give their guests the freedom to explore the French countryside and glitzy Riviera in the days surrounding their mid-September fête - itself a blissful medley of festive rendezvous spanning 4 days in some of Provence’s most notable escapes.
When it’s Riviera vs. Provence, there’s no wrong answer. Fittingly, the events would commence with an energetic beach club bash at the famed Club 55. Sarah, Albert and their VIPs enjoyed a sea-sprayed juxtaposition to the elegant countryside events that would follow. Champagne and oysters were, bien sûr, on offer and S&A would steal a few moments beneath the radiant St. Tropez sun for a pre-wedding portrait shoot with the inimitable Liz Looker.
Two days later, Sarah and her best girls would take over the Cézanne-esque garden at Villa La Coste - itself a sweeping oasis of modern art, bespoke furnishings and mid-century leanings - for a Slim Aarons inspired garden party with Provencal valley, sparkling pool and soaring cypress tree views.
Multi-Day Events With One-Of-A-Kind Flows
Tess & Will
DAY TWO // THE JAZZ SOIREE
On Friday, guests were encouraged to let loose + explore the region at their own pace, whether that meant kayaking in the turquoise river canyon that is the Gorges du Verdon or a picnic in one of the region’s many storied hilltop villages. A precursor to the evening's Talented Mr. Ripley style Jazz Soiree, Sarah, Albert and their immediate family members would drop anchor at Villa La Coste's Michelin-starred restaurant helmed by Chef Hélène Darroze for an intimate Rehearsal Dinner inside a contemporary glass cube with a penchant for minimalism.
With cocktails and conversation overflowing, the couple and their fam jam made their way to Château de Fonscolombe, joining their guests for a boisterous toe-tapping, arm-swinging, champagne-knocking jig. A Django Reinhardt style jazz quartet harking all the way from Paris would serenade guests across half a dozen of the chateau’s ritzy salons and star-canopied terrace. Centuries-old terra cotta floors set the stage for cabaret-club style lounge vignettes, petites crêpes au sucre and a dynamite floral fireplace install peppered with sporadically positioned candlelight. If only these lavish silk-papered walls could talk!
DAY THREE // THE WEDDING
The magnificent guard of 200 year old plane trees bordering the avenue that extends from the Italianite chateau to the 18th c chapel created a natural aisle for the wedding ceremony. Willow & Oak sought to preserve the spirit of the setting with colors drawn from nature. Think: wooden crossback chairs with subtle cream cushions and neutral concrete pedestals to support limestone colored urns. Siloh Floral would follow suit with a largely monochromatic palette, whose varying shades of cream were interrupted only by soft accents of spun sugar blue and honeysuckle yellow.
Cocktail Hour would hold equal aesthetic promise - ikebana arrangements sprinkled atop chalky blue cocktail tables, green + burgundy Matilda Goad frames signaling that spicy margaritas and other fab cocktails were this hour's Get and lime-colored cocktail napkins featuring a charming tous ensemble message.
An al fresco dinner beneath a 300 year old atlas cedar tree would bring a roll call of blue hobnail glasses, simple stripe napkins and round menus featuring deconstructed elements of S&A’s wedding motif to the forefront at each place setting. Heralding in a rapturous mood for the rest of the evening, the 10 piece big band would initiate dancing with the likes of Soul Bossa Nova, but a speakeasy style after party in the aptly named "Disco Dungeon" would ensure the espresso martini and dancing-on-table energy continued until the early hours of the morning.
SARAH & ALBERT
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AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FRANCE
DAY ONE // THE WELCOME
Inspired by T&W's passion for exploring new places by foot, with food, history and local culture at the forefront, we pitched a "moveable feast" Welcome Party concept for this summer wedding in Bath, England. Since the couple had not traveled to Bath before selecting it as their wedding destination, this would give their guests a unique opportunity to discover the town in the same way they like to get acquainted with new places. The twist? We'd also highlight the meaningful destinations in their relationship along the way through thoughtfully appointed food stations with yummy small bites, wine pours and themed entertainment at each! Splitting up into small groups of 20-30 people, guests would follow an energetic guide along a labyrinth of historic churches, famous streets and ancient Roman baths at pre-determined rotations (because flow in food service + event pace is everything!). Culminating in a lively pub garden celebration, they'd enjoy casual pub trivia, American bar games and foot-stomping Trad Music.
Multi-Day Events With One-Of-A-Kind Flows
Natasha & Felix
DAY TWO // CROQUET IN THE COTSWOLDS
A relaxed intermission between big bash events, day two would be dedicated to free-time, lawn games and convivial transportation. We firmly believe in keeping the mystery alive and letting an event build, so it's only fitting that Bath's famous Narrowboats would be a surprise reveal for guests on the day! Taking different meeting point cues from personalized welcome booklets, a handful of departure points along the way would keep the flow seamless and allow guests to experience different routes to the final destination - an idyllic park along the Kennet and Avon Canal.
Greeted as they board with crisp rosé from the couple's favorite vineyard in France, they'd' find quintessentially British picnic baskets waiting for each couple once they arrive. Cheese, charcuterie and a fresh supply of sandwiches and tea cakes, they'd dine along the promenade of parasols, blankets, croquet and car boots (the latter spilling with citrus slices + bar equipment). Drinks are served tailgate style today!
DAY THREE // THE WEDDING
A cozy, heartfelt and authentic celebration of T&W's adventure-studded love story that combines the intimacy and elegance of classic French bistros with the playfulness of English country houses (in aesthetics and spirit). The Cotswolds' new "It Girl" private hire venue sets the stage for a wildflower meadow style ceremony inside a chic glass house. A drinks reception on the lawn of the Grade II Georgian manor's estate would be on deck - bocce, corn hole and other lawn games at the ready. Not to mention canapés served in seashell styled vessels harking back to the grotto-esque theme playing out throughout the Barlow & Barlow designed interiors. Dinner follows suit brasserie style - a jazz trio serenading inside an open plan room with mixed table styles, plush banquettes in velvet + upholstered fabrics, etched antique mirrors along the sage lacquered walls and more. We have to keep some details hush-hush! With an 8-person band on the docket even beyond midnight, raucously good time only begins to describe this unforgettable dance party.
TESS & WILL
Bath, UK
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DAY ONE // CHINESE TEA CEREMONY
With an impressive number of stamps in their passports, San Francisco based couple, Natasha & Felix, set out to create an electric wedding experience in the Alpilles region of France to honor their globally robust backgrounds, cultural heritages and cosmopolitan journeys together. Having first met at Stanford, the bride is Malaysian-American but spent her most formative years in Singapore, while most of the French-Swedish groom's childhood memories are anchored in Morocco.
To set their 3-day event amidst the rugged mountains, sweeping vineyards and towering plane trees of the Alpilles in motion, we pitched an intimate Chinese tea ceremony in the heart of Saint-Rémy. With a healthy dose of black, white, and Provencal limestone, Natasha's bold red ensemble is radiance personified. Following the traditional ceremony, the couple + their immediate family would make their way to the Michelin-starred restaurant where a delightful balance of old and new would greet them through aged herringbone parquet floors peppered with olive oil-green tufted velvet banquettes and Eileen Gray Roquebrune chairs.
Multi-Day Events With One-Of-A-Kind Flows
Nikita & James
DAY TWO // CARRIÈRES DES LUMIÈRES
Situated in an ancient limestone quarry on the heel of medieval hilltop village, Les Baux-de-Provence, this underground cultural + art space was one of Jean Cocteau's greatest visions... and the perfect setting for an entirely immersive Welcome Party with fantastical lights, club music, dragon dancers and culinary art.
Avant-garde, yet approachable, the feelings we sought to create included wonder, enchantment and blissful abandon. In crafting thoughtful video projections, guest transitions, live action food stations and light + music choreography, we took a nuanced, cinematic approach to their serendipitous story.
Finding yourself enveloped by never-before-seen footage from stunning Asia as they canvas the impossibly grand walls of an ancient limestone quarry is an artistic thrill to say the least; but accompanied by an original soundtrack, composed to fit and complement each moment scene, affords a truly one-of-a-kind, engaging and unforgettable kick-off to a destination wedding.
DAY THREE // THE WEDDING
We'd like to meet the person who wrote the book on storytelling through design, because man, are we hooked! As with all our projects, we took our cues from N&F's own story as we brainstormed a wedding day flow that they would be emotionally connected to in every way. Since they're wine connoisseurs through and through, we thought it only fitting to put a scenic vineyard on center stage for their exchange of vows.
Backdropped by Mount Ventoux and its adjoining neighbors, their ceremony in the vines would be followed by a fresh take on Cocktail Hour - a picnic in the valley featuring a custom blend from the grapes harvested on-site. Following an afternoon of leisure where guests could take a siesta by the pool or continue exploring Saint Rémy at their own pace, everyone would be shuttled to Neo-classical Chateau des Alpilles for dinner & dancing. Tables in the round would be decorated in an understatedly elegant style to complement the chateau's facade evocative of a 19th c architect’s watercolor. And teed up to succeed the final bon appétit, dancing in a glass house marquee would promise a lawlessly good time.
NATASHA & FELIX
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Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, france
DAY ONE // INDIAN CEREMONY & POOL PARTY
One day simply wasn't enough to celebrate Nikita and James' multicultural wedding in the Virginia countryside. As we contemplated a vibrant weekend flow and a design plan with depth, the winning idea was a full Indian ceremony to kick-off the weekend events, followed by a casual late afternoon pool party where guests from all over the world could break the ice.
After getting to know N&J over many a wine, iced coffee and afternoon tea, the design ideas flowed easily. For the Indian ceremony - a semi-circular seating plan surrounding a mandap with custom hand-carved panels, a colorful bangel bar cheekily named after the bride's favorite film, a baraat processional incorporating the groom's prized antique pennyfarthing and a lively ensemble of dohl drummers and sitar musicians. For the Pool Party, we conceptualized vibrant lounge vignettes and innovative Indian fare like a "Samosa Man" who would stroll the lawn with a rattan bar cart and serve guests dim sum style. And this is just the start!
Multi-Day Events With One-Of-A-Kind Flows
Sarah & Albert
DAY TWO // WESTERN WEDDING DAY
Our wedding day design schemes would build upon the spectacular energy of the day that preceded. A custom tented fête with sophisticated garden romance and modern whimsy, our core muse for this day was the bride's Oscar de La Renta gown. The wispy blues and voluminous tulle, paired with her floral print Gucci heels, set the stage for a poetic outdoor ceremony amidst Goodstone's ivy-covered ruins. We dreamed up a scene harking back to the South Korea proposal beneath a blossoming white tree - a captivating blend of pine needle, sandalwood, and honeysuckle fragrances swirling through the air. You bet we stealthily uncovered the bride's summer perfume faves to arrive at these aromas.
Fitting with the level of formality, we suggested a troupe of 20 servers lined up in parallel rows to hand-pass etched glass coupes of elderflower cocktails as they welcomed guests into the Cocktail Hour. A backgammon table, cigar bar and Jardins des Tuileries inspired seating chart beckoned from the distance. We still get goosebumps picturing 20 calligraphed sailboats, one for each table, bobbing in the pool!
The reception brief was "wooded glen turned fairytale setting" - a hundred floating basket chandeliers twinkling over a mix of square and rectangular tables. The couple's custom chinoiserie-style print would make an encore throughout, appearing in the wraps for the mini telescope place cards we encouraged guests to use for stargazing at the end of the night, the larger-than-life band backdrop and the inner linings of the Persian Tea and Bourbon Bar Tents.
Glimpse a handful of the custom furniture we designed with the fabulous Social Supply Design Co. for the wedding weekend! We presented a handful of options to the couple for each vignette, including an Indian Mithai Display with sweets including ladoo, jalebi, barfi, peda, halwa and more; a round pink tamour wood bar for the enchanted garden reception; and the pièce de résistance... a mandap turned band backdrop featuring a custom chinoiserie print inside the panels, LED butterflies tucked in throughout that would glow on + off with the music and a Moroccan tile print dance floor to complement!
NIKITA & JAMES
Up next
MIDDLEBURG, VA
Colorways with pizazz
{our palette hall of fame}
SPOTLIGHT
A quintessentially English garden wedding {feat.}
A double decker bus guest arrival
An interactive scone "TAKE-AWAY" window
A ceremony floorplan inspired by fashion week
custom scalloped popcorn boxes for late night bites
a + p
Our Clients Are Sensational!
“It is not an exaggeration to say our wedding would not have happened without Alexis, Haley, and the Willow & Oak team. As an opinionated, design-centric couple with a very clear vision, we didn't make their job easy. From the moment we first got in touch with them, they went above and beyond to make it all work, all while balancing our family dynamics, budget, and (many) nonnegotiables.
When choosing wedding planners, we prioritized a team who was open to executing our vision, not theirs. We hired Willow & Oak because of the team behind them, especially Alexis, who met every request, late email, and idea with enthusiasm and kindness.
We had high expectations of W&O, and somehow they exceeded them. It’s hard to articulate the number of variables at play: sourcing and vetting vendors, site visits, contract negotiating, budgeting, coordinating logistics and details, communicating with guests...and Willow & Oak did it all while staying calm and positive.
You learn a lot throughout the wedding planning process only to seemingly never need to reuse this knowledge. One of the most important learnings is to surround yourself with vendors that contribute to the energy you want to have for the special day. Amidst what is inevitably a blur, Alexis and Haley's calm and positive energy is something that resonated.
Willow & Oak truly went above and beyond to make sure that our wedding was everything we had hoped for and more, and we would recommend them to anyone looking for wedding planners that listen to who you are, what you want, and never hesitate to go above and beyond. "
kind words & Warm Fuzzies
Sarah & albert | aix en provence, france
