Veil & Vows: an Alternative Wedding Wonderland
If you’ve ever walked through a traditional wedding expo and thought, “This doesn’t really feel like me…” then Veil & Vows is exactly the kind of place you’ve been searching for.
This year, Fior Design Studio helped bring the whimsical Alice in Wonderland theme to life through custom hand-painted watercolor stationery & signage.
Vendor Team: Joelle Dardis Photography , Century Decor Studio, Victorian Belle Weddings & Events, Just Elizabeth by Design, Little Banana Bakery, Under Your Spelle, Maraschino Makeup, NW Rose Events, Timeless Events
A Wedding Show for the Wonderfully Unconventional
Hosted at the breathtaking Victorian Belle Mansion, Veil & Vows is a wedding show designed for couples who want something a little darker, dreamier, nerdier, more whimsical or artistic - or simply more them.
Storybook Details Brought to Life
This season’s event transformed the historic Victorian Belle Mansion into a living, breathing Alice in Wonderland fantasy. Each vendor was invited to interpret the theme in their own unique way. I had the honor of creating custom stationery and signage for the “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” experience in the Gazebo. From whimsical hand-painted directional signs to custom-shaped menus, every detail was designed to make guests feel as though they had truly fallen down the rabbit hole.
An Enchanting Historic Venue
And there could not be a more perfect setting than the Victorian Belle Mansion itself. Built in 1885 as a gift from a husband to his wife, the mansion was literally created as an extravagant gesture of love. Today, the historic estate serves as one of Portland’s most enchanting wedding venues, complete with lush gardens, stained glass windows, and a sweeping view of the city.
What Even is an Alternative Wedding? (There Are No Rules Here!)
Alternative weddings are becoming increasingly popular because couples are realizing something important:
Your wedding does not have to look like everyone else’s.
An “alternative wedding” can mean anything from gothic to geeky, fantasy or avant-garde. Maybe you want references to your favorite books and movies woven throughout the decor. Maybe you want to skip the traditional white dress entirely and walk down the aisle in your favorite color instead.
At my own wedding, I included subtle nods to Lord of the Rings, Twilight, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones. Those personal touches made the day feel uniquely ours, and that’s exactly what alternative weddings are all about!
Cue the Whimsy!
From the moment you arrived at Veil & Vows, it was clear that this was not a typical wedding show. Guests entered through a portal-like archway made of twisting branches, with Cheshire Cat himself perched above. From there, the property opened into a surreal dreamscape filled with oversized mushrooms, floral installations, fountains with cherub statues, luxurious velvet draping, and beautifully layered table settings.
Live painters created artwork in real time while guests wandered the mansion grounds. Tea party tables overflowed with clocks, candlesticks, and topsy turvy cakes. Around any corner, you might stumble upon the Queen of Hearts herself.
What made Veil & Vows feel so different from a traditional wedding expo was how immersive everything felt. Rather than rows of vendor booths in a convention center, it felt like walking through a fully realized wedding experience.
Custom Art for a Perfectly Mad Affair
For Veil & Vows, I designed a collection of custom stationery & signage pieces inspired by the whimsical chaos of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.
Throughout the property, guests encountered colorful directional signs shaped like arrows, lettered in playful calligraphy. Signs pointing out locations like the Queen’s Garden Ceremony & Pavilion directed guests in a way that was fun and functional.
At the gazebo entrance, where my booth was located, I created a large welcome sign inviting guests into the tea party. The piece featured a painted top hat adorned with hand-lettered calligraphy, displayed in an antique gold frame atop an easel.
For the table setting, I designed watercolor placecards and dessert menus with a colorful, tea-stained watercolor theme. Each placecard featured names of Alice in Wonderland characters, and were tied with an ornate brass key for an extra storybook detail.
The dessert menus were one of my favorite pieces: custom-cut into the shape of a top hat and displayed on antique brass stands for added height and drama.
These are the kinds of details I absolutely love creating: pieces that feel artistic, immersive, and entirely unique to the event.
Your Wedding Should Look Like You!
At Fior Design Studio, I specialize in custom wedding stationery and signage for couples who want something beyond the expected.
I love working with couples who are drawn to the unusual, the artistic, and the deeply personal. I believe that your wedding stationery should feel like an extension of your love story.
And honestly? Your stationery sets the tone for the entire experience.
Your save the dates are the very first interaction guests have with your wedding. They immediately tell your guests whether they’re stepping into a gothic manor, an enchanted forest, or a whimsical tea party.
Why not make that first impression unforgettable?
For the Couples Who Never Saw Themselves in “Traditional” Weddings
If you’ve ever felt like the wedding world wasn’t built for you- this space was.
Your wedding doesn’t have to follow formulas, it can be as out-there as you want it to be. The most meaningful weddings are the ones that genuinely reflect the couple at the center of them.
Veil & Vows left me overflowing with inspiration and wonder. It reminded me that weddings can have personalities all of their own. That is the kind of wedding world I want to help create.
If you’re dreaming of one-of-a-kind wedding stationery, I would absolutely love to help bring that vision to life. Contact me to schedule your free consultation and start dreaming up your custom wedding stationery & signage.