Вася и Катя

We met by a not-so-accidental chance five years ago thanks to a popular dating app. It was the end of September when Vasya wrote to me in the chat. I still remember his first messages almost verbatim and that first impression he made on me. Vasya seemed very serious to me because he answered in short phrases. Later I learned that writing for him is real torture. Fortunately, he suggested meeting almost immediately, as a pen-pal romance definitely wouldn't have worked out for us.

We met at the "Geography" bar on Rubinshteina and, it seems to me, immediately understood that we were on the same wavelength. We had dinner and then walked for a long time along Nevsky. The most vivid impression of that meeting for Vasya was my pearl earrings. Whenever the topic of our first date comes up, he always remembers them. And I remember that he helped me get dressed: he held my coat when it was time to leave, and I absolutely loved that.

The proposal had a funny story. I had a suspicion that Vasya had bought a ring, as he had asked me what kind I liked (he knew how much importance I attach to details, especially such important ones, and didn't want to get it wrong). But what I certainly didn't suspect was *when* he would propose. Several times, in my opinion, in the most unsuitable places: in the kitchen, in the elevator, or in the parking lot, he would ask: "Maybe now?" And each time I would widen my eyes and say that we needed a special moment, and a parking lot wasn't the best idea. At some point, it became a game: Vasya seemed to deliberately choose the most awkward situations and ask: "Maybe now?"

The perfect moment was found in France, in the Alps, where we went skiing in December. It was a dazzlingly sunny day, we were riding up on a ski lift and admiring the view of Mont Blanc when, out of nowhere, that very box appeared in Vasya's hands.

I had imagined myself saying "yes" if not in an evening dress, then at least not in full ski gear, a helmet, and huge gloves. But it seems a better moment couldn't have been imagined!

I started preparing for the wedding as soon as Vasya proposed. Even before becoming a bride, I had compiled a list of all the people I wanted to entrust with organizing this magical day. The puzzle came together when I accidentally came across the Now Family page on Instagram and saw that the dream team in full force was creating perfect weddings under Veronika's guidance.

Of course, I called her immediately. I had long known that the celebration had to take place only at "Scandinavia," in my native St. Petersburg, on the shore of the bay. I wanted the wedding itself to be as light and effortless as a sea breeze. When I first went there with my mom and Veronika, walked along the alleys, admired the pine trees, and listened to the sound of the waves, all doubts disappeared.

The location largely defined the concept. I have always loved stories about pre-revolutionary summer residents who spent the whole summer on the bay: strolling in straw hats and white dresses, swimming, and reading. We wanted to capture that mood too.

On the other hand, Vasya and I adore music from the 50s and 60s and constantly listen to The Beatles and Frank Sinatra in the car. When it came to the band, we wanted the guys to play exactly the hits from those times, and when we started thinking about our looks—we turned for inspiration to the classic Hitchcock films we love to rewatch.

My morning look was inspired by Grace Kelly's boudoir dress from the film "Rear Window" and the image Natalie Portman wore in the promotional videos for the Miss Dior fragrance. Together with Katya Kuts, we managed to create an elegant outfit consisting of a bodysuit and a weightless dusty pink robe. The set was complemented with pearl jewelry.

Together with Veronika, we paid special attention to the details of that morning: candles, a vintage record player, vinyl records, a fragrance that would always remind me of that magical day, lipstick—everything was thoughtfully considered.

But, of course, the most memorable outfit was the wedding one. It was very important to me that all its elements told something about me. Conveyed my love for art, classic black-and-white films, hats, pearl jewelry, and Monsieur Dior's dresses from the 1950s. I tried to listen to and hear myself, and perhaps that's why I can now say that the look became a reflection of my true self. Thank you to Veronika for supporting me and reminding me every time that it's worth trusting myself.

First came the hat. I accidentally saw it in one of the pictures on Pinterest and fell in love! A couple of hours—and it turned out that this beauty was made in a specialized hat atelier in Madrid. To my disappointment, it turned out to be from last year's collection and was no longer available for purchase. But a few tearful emails did their job. The hat was recreated especially for me and, not without adventures, delivered to Moscow.

Next—the most difficult part—the dress! I needed to find something that would go with the hat, be elegant, minimalist, and incredibly feminine. After spending several fruitless hours in showrooms, it was decided to have the dress custom-made. While browsing through Pinterest photos with my friend Olya, we saw Grace Kelly's dress in the film "To Catch a Thief," and the idea came naturally. Her evening look became the starting point but was reinterpreted and supplemented. For example, in archival photos of Dior from the mid-20th century, I noticed that evening dresses often come in a duet with a weightless shawl. And I decided that a cape would fit perfectly into my look. The fairies from Wedding Atelier perfectly brought my idea to life.

The finishing touches were Dior shoes with a small heel and an inscription that couldn't have been more fitting for the occasion, a beaded bag from the 1950s, and vintage earrings with pearl droplets.

The beauty look also played an important role: a big thank you to Anya, who understood immediately which hairstyle would be perfect for the hat. Let me tell you, that was quite a challenge!

The inspiration for Vasya's look came from the perfect suits of Cary Grant and Clark Gable. To prevent the tuxedo from looking too prim, we decided to break from the canon and make it double-breasted—a nod to 60s fashion. Interestingly, Vasya printed the diamond-shaped cufflinks he loves on a metal 3D printer, as his work is connected with this advanced technology. The finishing touch was a black bow tie. We bought two of them: one for Vasya and one for our beloved pet—our dog Rocky, who also shared the magical moments of the wedding day. Together, Vasya and Rocky looked perfect!

Another source of inspiration was... the wallpaper! The wallpaper on the walls of the perfect room at the "Scandinavia" hotel, where I so wanted to spend the morning. It was sky blue—one of my most favorite shades. We chose a color palette to match it: beige, light gray, and, of course, blue. The invitations, ribbons on the napkins, flowers in the bouquet, candles—every detail of that day was done in our shades. Thanks to our guests, they also supported the wedding's color scheme.

A few words about the invitations: I am convinced that the celebration begins with them. It is very important that they reflect the concept and at the same time delight the guests, as they will be the ones looked over in anticipation of the celebration. Together with Ksyusha and Veronika, we came up with the idea to make the invitations on three sheets to fit all the necessary information, and to draw the house where the celebration would take place on the back. The invitations were placed in a blue envelope, with the finishing touch being a wax seal with a white narcissus—another leitmotif of the wedding.

It was the narcissus that adorned both my bouquet and the festive table. Apart from simple but stylish, in a good sense, country-style floral arrangements, there were only candles and tableware on the table. It was important for us that all the guests sit at one long table, as happens at warm family celebrations and as it was at our parents' weddings. This kind atmosphere was helped by the magician Taya, who found those very flowers for the bouquet and helped us choose 60s-style champagne glasses.

We decided to combine the feast and the civil registry office (ZAGS) on the same day and invite guests to share the exciting moments with us. Many people dislike ZAGS registrations and prefer off-site ceremonies. However, we always look at our parents' photos from ZAGS with tenderness and love and consider it, though amusing, a sweet Soviet tradition.

From ZAGS to the Scandinavia, we drove in a retro Jaguar Mark. I don't know if it's true, but they say it participated in the wedding procession of Prince William and Kate Middleton, as it was then owned by the Russian Embassy in the UK. The car undoubtedly helped us convey the spirit of that time and transported us and our guests to the 60s.

We intentionally decided to forgo a host but asked the vocalist, Anton, to help a little with the organization so guests would know who to approach if they wanted to make a toast.

A large part of our evening consisted precisely of touching toasts, stories, and memories. One of the most memorable was given by Vasya. We had agreed beforehand that only I would give the toast from both of us, as long speeches are not his forte. You can imagine my surprise when he not only gave a toast but also gave me a little tram, a symbol of our love. We often repeat the saying: "Love, love, I'll buy a tram." So he bought me one.

No home gathering is complete without songs to the guitar. My dad sang a few of his favorite songs for us and seemed to bring many guests to tears.

The only thing that could cheer them up was probably mine and Vasya's dance. For this important moment, we chose Frank Sinatra's song "When you're smiling", and we did pretty well, even though we only rehearsed the dance once, and even that was on the eve of the celebration.

Before delighting the guests with dessert, we decided to show them a slideshow. While preparing for the wedding, Vasya remembered how much we all love visiting each other and looking through childhood albums. We decided to show our guests our most funny and touching photos.

We didn't even notice how the celebration came to an end. That day flew by incredibly fast for us, and I later joked that I needed another wedding to enjoy all the magical moments.

Our main advice to all couples: there are no identical love stories and there shouldn't be identical weddings. You shouldn't blindly copy someone else's celebration; it's better to remember what is valuable specifically to you, what details make your heart flutter, what makes you laugh and what brings you joy, which flowers only you love and which images inspire you. You and your love story are unique and one-of-a-kind, and your wedding should be the same.

Well, overall, keep calm, no stress, don’t worry and Hakuna Matata ☺

VASYA & KATYA