Reminiscing of childhood summer holidays spent in Lago and Maggiore, Kaja and Jonas began dreaming and talking about a wedding in Italy. They stumbled upon Villa Frua in Stresa and fell in love with it at once. Their wedding was a relaxed outdoor affair, set in a lush garden bursting with blooming jasmine, evergreen trees, and glimmering bistro lights, framed by the natural beauty of the surrounding mountains. Kaja was a vision in our ethereal Rosa Gown. Their summer wedding mirrored the vibrant summer when they first met - at a mutual friend's party.
In December 2020, Jonas surprised Kaja with a night at a hotel in downtown Oslo overlooking the Oslo fjord. They went to a charming restaurant and, after dinner, took a romantic stroll along the city’s promenade - stopping in a little park where you can see the skyline of Oslo by the water. Under the twinkling Christmas lights, Jonas went down on one kneeand asked for Kaja’s hand in marriage.
“It was perfect, just us two in the cold Norwegian winter.”
THE COUPLE
Kaja van der Schoor & Jonas Brhane
WEDDING DAY
June 11, 2022
GUESTS
80
TO US, MARRIAGE MEANS...
Partnership and a declaration of our love. Marriage is knowing that you have a partner that will be an unconditional support for life. After ten years together it was the perfect moment to celebrate our love and commit to each other in front of our friends and family. A celebration of everything we have achieved and everything that is yet to come.
THE MOST TREASURED WEDDING MOMENT
The walk in to the ceremony with my father. The moment I saw Jonas standing there looking at me was like nothing I haveexperienced before. Also, the whole feeling during the day. The love from all of our friends and family, the butterflies before the wedding, the good vibe and just the pure joy of celebrating love and the effort our guests had made by coming all the way to Italy for us.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Petit del a Crème. We fell in love with their style at once and their personalities. For us it was important to have a photographer who can find those special moments that will show in the pictures later. It was a perfect match!
FINDING YOUR DREAM WEDDING GOWN
Kaja's journey to finding her dream wedding gown was a difficult one, as she’d never been a fan of voluminous, ball-gown style dresses, and didn’t identify with them, “I was looking for something in natural fabric, not too white, a classic gown with an effortless look.” One of her bridesmaids took her on a surprise trip to our retailer, Carefully Collected, in Drøbak right outside of Oslo. She was immediately drawn to the Bo & Luca section, and the Rosa gown was the second wedding dress she ever tried on. Kaja reminisced about feeling like a bride in this piece, but most importantly - she felt entirely herself in it, “It represented everything I wanted. From the classic shape and the bohemian vibe to the cheeky side parts.”
WEDDING DAY SCENT
Chloè signatur parfum
WEDDING RINGS
Van Bruun, Naomi & Paul
WEDDING DAY ACCESSORIES
Something borrowed; pearl earrings from my childhood friend. My engagement ring from Van Bruun, and veil from White by Green.
HAIR & MAKEUP
My stepmom just worked as a hairdresser, so she did my hair, and my aunt is a makeup artist, so I kept it in the family. This made it very comfortable for me on a day with many emotions.
BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES
My bridesmaids choose their own dresses. I wanted them to feel the most comfortable in a style they know they like. I just wanted the color to be champagne or soft pink.
FLOWERS & BOUQUETS
MIIA events and flowers. Our wedding planner Valentina (La Lindi) made this happen. We loved the clean and colourful decoration, and my bouquet was so beautiful, and with “something blue”. The seating chart was also very smart and elegant for a wedding with so many people and made the seating easy and effective. The decoration blended so nicely with the garden and every guest got a small bouquet at the end of the night.
SPECIAL WEDDING SONGS
There are a couple of songs that are important for us because they have followed us through our time together, and always bring up good memories. When I walked in for the ceremony, we had Alicia Keys's song “If I ain't got you” playedon the piano by my uncle, who is a musician. For our first dance, the song “Latch” by Sam Smith was played on piano by my uncle and sung by Clara, a family friend.
FOOD & DRINKS
A close family friend and her son who I have known my whole life were responsible for the food and drinks. They live close to Stresa and have a restaurant in the area (Tadini Emanuele). It was important for us to have local food and wine.
HONEYMOON
Two days after the wedding we rented a car and drove to the coast and had a few days in Portofino and Genova. We have two kids so it is limited how long we can stay away alone. We are hoping to take a longer delayed honeymoon this year.
ADVICE FOR BRIDES-TO-BE
Take your time, and don’t stress. I was as cool as a cucumber leading up to the wedding and during the whole day. Enjoy the day and take in every moment. Take some time with your partner and step away for a few minutes and just take it all in. This is your time! If you are getting married in the summertime or somewhere hot, think about the fabric for the dress. A gown with natural fabric like silk, will not be too hot and uncomfortable during the day. It is important that you feel good about yourself on your special day. Don’t think about what other people will like or dislike. Everybody is different and that is beautiful.
Also, do yourself a favour and hire a wedding planner.
THE WEDDING VENDORS
Venue: Villa FruaFlowers and décor: MIIA Events and Flowers
Wedding planner and stylist: Valentina, La Lindi events
Photography: Petit del a Crème
Food and drinks: Tadini Emanuele and Elisabetta Il Cortile