Imperial Stables, Peterhof
ELL'AMOЯ
Ella and Roma
about
wedding
The main wedding day was held at the Imperial Palace Stables in Peterhof. The guys wanted to avoid standard venues, and this choice was the perfect homage to their personal history: it was on a horse ride that Roma proposed to Ella.
The ceremony was held in the courtyard of the complex. Despite the torrential rain that had been falling all day, the moment became truly lyrical and touching. We are convinced that rain is not a hindrance, but a special accent that adds romance.
The wedding dinner was held right in the building of the arena. Its architecture - powerful wooden vaults, Gothic windows, light walls - spoke for itself. We didn't want to overload the space, so we chose a minimalistic decor: white tables, handmade candle pots, and balanced lighting. We deliberately did not cover the sandy floor in order to preserve the authenticity of the place and not turn it into an ordinary banquet hall.
The main art object is a huge stone bas-relief with antique figures, handmade together with decorator Nastya Goncharova. He looked like he'd always been here. And after dark, during the after party, the bas-relief was transformed by digital projection, creating a completely new, modern atmosphere in the same room.
The highlight of the evening was the show. It was planned outside, but because of the rain, it was quickly moved inside, rearranging the direction so as not to lose the power of the idea. On this day, we showed another facet of love - not sublime, as in a palace, but mysterious, primordial, awakening instincts. Ella and Roma wanted to tell us that love is not only sweet romance, but also a depth of emotion that is visible only to two people.
The entire show was accompanied by a cappella singing by a choir composed of artists from the Mariinsky, Mikhailovsky Theaters and the Philharmonic. Music told us that love can be ambiguous, all-consuming, and it takes courage to step into its unknown. The guests saw a modern and very subtle show: an a cappella choir playing in the silence of a huge hall, ballet and Bolshoi Theater artist Ildar Gainutdinov. Ildar personified the masculine principle in love, and each of the dancers symbolized its separate element.
In the finale, Ella and Roma appeared on stage as the embodiment of the very love that this whole story was leading to.
The evening ended on a balustrade overlooking the hall, where guests could continue chatting at the afterparty, looking at the bas-relief transformed by the projection.
Epilogue
These two days have become a metaphor for love itself - multifaceted, like art in a palace, and sincere, like an emotion in the monumental walls of the stables. From an imperial reception to a frank conversation in the language of choreography and music. It was a journey that was able to reflect the feelings of Ella and Roma in their entirety.
