There are few color combinations as classic as black & white. 
Every decade has its own interpretation of black and white—so what are the keys to designing with the dazzling duo right now? Stylist and event planner Allison Baddley of La Fete knows. For proof, Baddley marries black and white, mixing matte finishes with elegant accents inside Park City’s historic-meets-haute Washington School House. Meanwhile, photographer Heather Nan balances sexy and sweet fashion. Here’s how they pulled it off.
Pair rough with refined
Want to keep matte finishes exciting? Partner them with shimmering metallics and sultry shapes. “I’d call this look: Blanc Noir,” describes Baddley, a Francophile-at-heart whose signature style weds feminine and masculine details. “My creative side is definitely French.” Velvety linens set a backdrop for hand-thrown dinnerware. Modern menus, printed on translucent paper, sit atop nubby, linen napkins.
Peddle New Blooms
Sure, when it comes to white wedding flowers, roses rule. But Baddley showcases atypical beauties like luminaria, astilbe, fuzzy grasses and skeleton fern to steal the show. “This is a very seasonless look,” she explains. “You can use most of these flowers any time of the year. Spring, winter or fall. They even work in the mid-summer when you’re wanting to cool off.”
Edit. Then, edit again
Coco Chanel is claimed to have once said, “Before you leave the house, take off one accessory.” Well, the same can be said about floral design. “I added a few stems of black foliage to the centerpieces and mantelpieces, then removed them,” Baddley explains of her composition process. “Black can overwhelm quickly.” She limits the charcoal to simply shaped items like plates and candle holders, along with subtle accents in the paper suite.
Add Feminine Mystique
Leave it to Heather Nan—who adds boudoir to her photography repertoire—to pull out the stops by adding dark lace and inky gems to a bride’s wardrobe. Onyx and black diamonds go above and beyond to foster the luxe look. Feeling shy about signing up for a boudoir photo-shoot? Nan encourages all brides to do it. “Not only is it an empowering experience, but the images also make a great gift for your groom,” Nan says. “Brides put a lot of work into their health and body during wedding prep. It’s as great as a gift for the bride as it is for the groom.”
Push the Envelope
If a strict, two-tone palette is too stiff for you, loosen up with paper options. A paper suite by Refine’s Nikkol Christiansen showcases various papery, including handmade, cotton-pressed and vellum. “In keeping with my less-is-more aesthetic, I intentionally created white space on each piece so there was plenty of breathing room, allowing the important details to be the focal point,” Christiansen says.
Eat the Cake. All of It
For ten years, Cassidy Hansen of Flour & Flourish has made an art form out of wedding pastries. “Some brides want something totally out of the ordinary, so here, we’re doing a modern white cake,” she says. One of our most popular flavors is Samoa, which works in this design. It’s made of two layers of vanilla cake, two layers of chocolate cake, two layers of coconut caramel and a layer of chocolate buttercream.” Baddley recommends Flour & Flourish’s vanilla crème brûlée. Bon appetit!
Vendors:
Photos and model styling: Heather Nan | @heathernan
Styling, florals, rentals: La Fete Floral | @lafetefloral
Venue: Washington School House, Park City | @washingtonschoolhouse
Cake: Flour & Flourish | @flourandflourish
Hair: Cassandra Dunn | @cassandradunnhairmu
Makeup: Lesley Lind | @lesleylind
Jewelry: O.C. Tanner Jewelers | @octannerjewelers
Gown: Leanne Marshall | @leannemarshallofficial
Model: Jacqueline Varela, Niya models | @jacquelinevare
