Elegant European Inspired Wedding Ideas

For those of us not living in a beautiful European spot, the history and quaintness of the villages and towns hold quite the appeal and it's something I think many of us would love to have on tap in our own countries. Coming from such a young country like New Zealand we have very little in the way of historic buildings so I'm always fascinated by them - from the architecture to the stories the walls can tell. The very lovely Southern California Wedding Photographer TARYN GREY sent us these beautiful images which transport us back to a little European hamlet and let us dream a little of what it would be like to live there!! Taryn attended the FORAGE & FERN workshop we held in Carmel last year and it's such a joy for me to see the progress in her work over the past year, and I know that brides who are lucky enough to book her for their wedding day will be forever thankful at having her on their team - she's an absolute delight!

Taryn tells us, "After a recent trip to Europe, I was enthralled with the beautiful history there that abounds down every cobblestone road and all the stunning landmarks. I came home realizing that America is indeed "The New World" and longed for the rich visual history of Europe. Until I went on a wonderful field trip with my son to The San Juan Batista Mission. This charming and romantic mission seemed to speak to me with it's worn massive stone walls, lovely landscaping, and rich textures. As I walked down the mission's beautiful brick corridors, I was instantly inspired and started creating a story line in my mind: A secret elopement of a Spanish sculptor who falls in love with his beautiful muse. I longed to create an intimate styled shoot of passion, longing, and love. I knew I wanted my models to fully embody this story line in both atheistic and interaction. I love his quiet strength balanced by her delicate femininity. I used a neutral colour palette and really wanted to juxtapose the rich, moody texture of the mission, with soft, flowy, and feminine details both in her SARAH SEVEN gown and the exquisite wedding stationery by KELSEY MALIE CALLIGRAPHY."

A huge thank you to TARYN GREY for sharing this beauty with us! For all our California brides, be sure to check out our curated vendor guide for talented Southern California Wedding Photographers and lots of incredible inspiration for your wedding day.