Anastasia Andenmatten 6/13/25 Anastasia Andenmatten 6/13/25

Cheeky French Garden-Inspired Wedding Tablescape at Solage Calistoga

Bold, colorful wedding inspiration from Solage Calistoga, featuring a cheeky French garden-inspired summer tablescape with pattern play, seasonal blooms, and layered design.

There’s something super special about a wedding tablescape that feels both bold and inviting — like stepping into a highly curated home full of color, texture, and unexpected details. That was exactly the vision behind this editorial shoot at Solage in Calistoga, in collaboration with a team of creative Bay Area vendors. Our goal with this design was to inspire couples and planners dreaming of a wedding that’s anything but ordinary.

We set out to create a maximalist summer tablescape that blends the romantic charm of an al fresco meal in Provence with cheeky, modern, layered design elements. The result was a bold and playful look that feels as comfortable as it does elevated — perfect for weddings in Napa Valley, Calistoga, or anywhere in the Bay Area where design matters.

The Inspiration

“The world needs more colour right now, doesn’t it?” — The Liberty Book

This sentiment guided the entire creative direction. Everybody loves the relaxed vibe of a garden dinner in Provence, but what if we put a spin on it and pushed it toward something bolder — more modern, more vibrant, and a little cheeky.

My first non-negotiable design detail: stripes. They set the foundation for our pattern play. From there, I centered the design around the handcrafted, hand-painted vessels from Vaiselle, a contemporary homeware label infused with French heritage and Mediterranean flare.

To make the design feel like a highly curated, well-appointed home set within the garden, we envisioned layers:

Soft, inviting seating via cushions and pillows
Detailed bespoke linens with unexpected textures
Functional but playful lighting via portable tabletop lamps

The result was immersive, welcoming, and full of personality.

The Floral Design

Instead of starting with the flowers, I finalized the color palette and tabletop design first, then turned to the floral design. I knew I’d be sourcing hyper-seasonal ingredients from local farms at the peak of Spring, so I trusted that the right blooms would be available to bring it all to life.

Once I had the vessels selected, I built out color-blocked floral moments to complement their patterns without competing with them. Because the tabletop was already maximalist, I leaned into delicate, traditional blooms to balance the look and keep it rooted in the romantic garden setting we were trying to evoke. Every floral moment was intentional, yet simple. All vessels contained one ingredient. Standout blooms included:

The most charming dusty lavender and blue delphinium
Fresh-cut bearded irises from my own garden
A mixed collection of poppies, garden roses, sweet peas, and hydrangea from local growers

Tabletop Styling

Styling the tabletop was all about mixing, matching, and harmonizing. I wanted the table to feel like a layered, curated interior filled with personal, beautiful, and unexpected choices.

Some of my favorite design highlights:

Linens: Custom embroidered napkins (the hand-stitched tulips, gah!) in alternating tones with contrast rolled hems made from European linen by Vada Goods, alongside the bold Drayton Stripe Oxford table linen from BBJ La Tavola acted as our foundation for pattern play.
Glassware and Dinnerware: We kept the tableware traditional but complementary to our color blocked moments, pulling from Catalog Atelier’s beautiful collection of stoneware plates, colored glassware, and horne flatware.
Candles and holders: One of my favorite details! Bold wax taper candles in blue-on-blue stripes, with beautifully textured holders. These small details made a big impact.
Placemats: Vada Goods’ bespoke round ruffled placemats with contrast stitching were a FUN, playful visual moment and so much fun to design together.
Playful Effortless Paper Goods: Studio Lameraner added to the ‘perfectly imperfect’ vibe we were looking for with a layered wavy edge soft scallop menu card with white ink calligraphy — the kind of handmade, one-of-a-kind detail that wows guests.
Seating: Cushions on every chair brought in another opportunity for texture and stripes, while maintaining that inviting vibe. The Paris chair from Theoni Collection was the perfect fit.

From Moodboard to Reality

Maximalism presents a real design challenge to balance and harmonize all of the elements in a way that feels intentional, not chaotic. This was a game of trusting my eye, making thoughtful choices, and editing as we went. Lots of trial and error!

As a wedding florist, I always create a digital rendering in Canva to map out a design. This was my north star throughout the sourcing and planning process for this project to make sure we were properly balancing patterns, textures, and tones leading up to shoot day.

Seeing this rendering come to life made the whole creative process feel that much more rewarding.

The Team Behind the Vision

This shoot came together because of a dream team of creatives who all brought their A-game. Solage was such a wonderful host with such beautiful, welcoming grounds. Adriana Klas has such a positive, collaborative approach to everything she does (along with an amazing eye for detail), and was crucial in bringing this to life from inception. Alyssa of All The Deets coordinated the many moving parts beautifully and seamlessly, with such a warm attitude. Maddy of Vada Goods and Karina of Studio Lameraner were both DREAMS to work with — down for anything, and bringing such fun ideas to the table. ⁠

This was a true passion project — a chance to play, experiment, and create something we were all genuinely excited about. We all walked away feeling creatively fulfilled and proud of what we made.

Who This Design Is For

We get it! A maximalist tablescape isn’t for everyone — and that’s the point. This vision was designed with the following in mind:

Brides and planners who want to push the envelope
Clients who value curated, artful, memorable designs
Clients who want to surprise and delight their guests
Planners who aren’t afraid to have fun and go bold

If you’re looking for something that feels personal, elevated, and unforgettable, a maximalist floral design can help your wedding stand out — for all the right reasons.

Ready to Create Something Unexpected and Unforgettable?

If you’re planning a luxury wedding or event in the San Francisco Bay Area and seeking a floral designer to bring bold, artful designs to life, let’s chat! I’d love to hear more about your goals, and collaborate together via a high-touch floral design experience to create something extraordinary together.

Inquire here to get the conversation started!

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR VENDOR TEAM

Florals & Design | @anastasiaandenmatten⁠

Venue | @solageauberge⁠

Photo | @adrianaklas⁠

Planner | @allthedeets_⁠

Video | @koryfilms⁠

Content Creator | @thecandidbride_⁠

Hair & Makeup | @bridalbyjasminek⁠

Bespoke Linens | @vadagoods

Rentals | @theonicollection @catalogatelier⁠

Linens | @bbjlatavola⁠

Stationery | @studio_lameraner⁠

Dress | @eleanorsbridal⁠

Anastasia Andenmatten 12/19/24 Anastasia Andenmatten 12/19/24

Japanese Wedding Inspiration in California Wine Country

The beauty of Japanese gardens in springtime was the inspiration for this wedding design at Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa Valley, California — one of my favorite Bay Area venues! From the Ikebana-inspired tablescape to the interactive escort display designed to take guests on a walk through a Japanese garden, each moment transports us to another place.

Sharing our latest publication feature in Wedding Sparrow.

“The beauty of Japanese gardens in springtime is the inspiration for this organic wedding editorial at Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa Valley, California. Designed by Northern California wedding planner, Jacinda Weddings & Events, natural Japanese-inspired elements were woven throughout every detail, from the Ikebana floral art to the interactive escort display.

The floral design by Anastasia Andenmatten highlighted spring elements and blooming branches, such as dogwood, Japanese sweet pea, Pieris japonica, and hellebores, arranged in modern stoneware vessels," explains Jacinda. The textured linens and floral plates mirrored the shape of the dogwood blooms in the centerpieces.

Japanese garden elements were woven throughout many details, including the rippling water in the Ikebana dining table arrangements, and the escort display. The escort table featured individual escort cards artfully set atop black stones and natural moss with beautiful floral elements. Stepping away from the ubiquitous escort wall concept, we designed a dynamic and interactive escort table where guests would embark on a little hunt to find their name in this unique Japanese garden display.

The invitation suite by Elsa Madeline featured original artwork was inspired by Japanese calligraphy brushstrokes and x-ray florals. This artwork was mirrored in the ethereal painted rice paper appliqué on the contemporary square wedding cake by Pretty Please Bakeshop.

VENDOR TEAM