There is so much to fall in love with, swoon over, and be utterly inspired by, from today's real wedding.
Jessica & Fred got married in Lisbon, and while we so often get to share destination weddings in France or Italy, we think a lot of couples will be looking to Portugal after they see this beautiful bash.
This morning we shared their wedding film, and now get set to have your breath taken away again with the photographs, also by the awesome Studio 1208.
Held against the epic backdrop of Igreja Da Sao Vicente de Fora, this wedding is one of those ones that shows why hiring a wedding planner (especially for a destination wedding) is such a good idea; Jasmine Lazzari and her team The Wedding Company are absolute pros.
As Jessica said in her words of wisdom for other couples, “The bride and groom set the tone for their wedding”, and this pair set it perfectly, with big smiles, laid back attitudes, and killer moves on the dancefloor.
It's difficult for a wedding this stylish and elegant to also be so fun and relaxed, but that's exactly what it was. An abundance of white blooms, clusters of candles, and glamorous attire were at home in an al fresco blue-tiled courtyard, filled with string lights, local wines, and live music.
You've been warned folks, you're about to fall in love…
Wedding Day Snapshot
Our Love Story
We had been neighbors for almost four years before we finally had a conversation (for more than three minutes) at a happy hour that my roommate had set up.
We hit it off, and then, the rest is history!
Fred proposed at my apartment. Early one morning, while I was in the shower, he decorated my living room with roses, candles, and lots of Champagne. I came into the living room completely surprised.
He handed me two presents. I opened the first, which was tickets to Clippers game that was taking place in a couple of hours. I was already excited about that.
And then…as I opened the second present, he got down on one knee!
The Inspiration
The theme was classical romance set in a historical setting.
Our colors were white, cream and gold to accent the iconic blue tiles in our venue.
Our wedding in three words? Fairytale, Beautiful, Fun.
Advice for Other Couples
1) Hire The Wedding Company if you are doing a wedding in Portugal!
2) Hire Studio 1208 if you are doing a destination wedding – you won’t regret it!
3) If you don’t want to spend too much money on the wedding, don’t invite too many people.
4) Destination weddings are the way to go!
5) Your guests won’t notice all the little details, so don’t worry about them yourself.
6) The bride and groom set the mood for the wedding – so have a great time and your guests will too!
The Photography & Videography
Studio 1208 was recommended to us by our friends Megan and Jeremy, who used them for their destination wedding in Positano, Italy.
We also met them at a gathering that Megan and Jeremy hosted – immediately, we became friends and felt like we’d known them for a long time.
When we got engaged, we looked at their website/portfolios, and were blown away.
We did our research, and no one could really compare with Nick and Maria’s quality work AND personality!
The Music
We had a string quartet for the ceremony, local jazz band for the cocktail hour, and DJ for the reception. The Wedding Company arranged everything. We were very pleased.
The Venue
We chose our venue for the history and the beauty of the palace, breath-taking views, lots of different rooms with many functions, the rooftop, the garden, the iconic blue tiles.
The Decor & Details
Our flowers were primarily peonies and roses with green leafy accents.
All our décor was expertly created by The Wedding Company and Jasmine Lazzari – the mastermind and owner of The Wedding Company.
We did our own party favors – we got each guest a bottle of Portuguese wine, and a goodie bag filled with travel essentials.
We dropped of the favors at the hotel where they guests were staying, which they got as they checked in.
The Budget
We picked a venue that was on its own, and had the most beautiful scenery that a wedding could ask for.
It was a historic church and palace that had so much to offer – so beautiful and unique in each and every way, so we didn’t really have to spend that much on décor and flowers.
We just relied on the natural beauty of the venue and the city of Lisbon, and Jasmine and her awesome team team used our budget to stylishly fill in the blanks.
Our Favourite Details
Since this was a destination wedding, we asked our guests to arrive two days early to explore the city with us so we could have some quality time together before the wedding.
We had a little itinerary planned, and everyone loved it! It was also a great chance for all the guests to get to know one another.
By the wedding day, everyone felt like family, and it made the wedding that much more memorable and fun.
The crazy dancing during the reception was also a favourite moment too!
The Refreshments
We served Portuguese wine and cocktails. Our food was also Portuguese themed.
The cake was a traditional wedding cake.
The Honeymoon
We went on a 12 night Mediterranean cruise right after the wedding.
I highly recommend it, because you need to celebrate the wedding and enjoy your time as husband and wife. It is the most incredible feeling to travel as man and wife right after the wedding.
It prolongs the “wedding experience”, and you get to truly relax after the wedding. I can’t imagine going back to work right after the best day of your life!
Isn't it just stunning? What an incredible location, what a gorgeous couple (Jessica's dress is so beautiful) and what amazing styling.
Apologies for the gushing, it's just that I'm usually more of a rustic over refined kind of gal, but I just love it all!
Thanks so much to Studio 1208, The Wedding Company Portugal, and of course, Fred & Jessica for sharing their epic destination wedding with us.
Oh and don't forget to watch their awesome wedding film for a whole other look at their day.
Be inspired by more incredible real weddings.
