At the very center of their personally-planned wedding celebration was an honoring of their multiculturalism as a couple—Austrian, American, and German traditions coming together. Christina grew up between America, Germany, and Austria, and Leo was born in Austria. They met and live in New York City—it was love at first sight that day three years ago in the Neue Galerie New York, a museum for German and Austrian art where Christina works and where the Café Sabarsky is located, one of the restaurants in the group for which Leo is the wine director and co-owner of one of its restaurants, Upholstery Store: Food and Wine. Art, food, and wine all play a major role in their careers and daily lives, and their style is a mix of modernism with tradition, elegance with a decided relaxedness.

It was clear to them from the beginning of planning that their wedding would fit perfectly to the Wachau Valley, a vineyard-filled paradise along the Danube River, west of Vienna. While Leo is from Styria in southeast Austria, known for its wine, spas, castles, and landscapes, the Wachau offered a matchless sort of destination for their guests who traveled from across the world to be with them (Austria, Germany, France, Sweden, Greece, England, America, and the United Arab Emirates!). Furthermore, Christina visited the area during family trips and also when she studied abroad in Austria and Leo has several winemaker friends and career-related acquaintances; this added another personal element for both of them.

They exchanged their vows in a bilingual Catholic ceremony in the stunning, blue-and-white Stift Dürnstein, a gem of Baroque architecture, with several guests having a key role. The post-church festivities took place in the highly-acclaimed Hofmeisterei Hirtzberger. It started with an outdoor cocktail and hor d’oeuvres hour in the courtyard and continued in their brilliantly restored restaurant spaces (with baroque rooms upstairs). A friend of Leo’s was the DJ and the Styrian band from his hometown played in between his sets, creating a wonderful, lively atmosphere, with selections for everyone.

The talented florist Fiona Seidl perfectly translated the couple’s style via loose wildflowers mixed with rare, untraditional blooms; each bouquet, boutonnière, and church pew décor were variations on a theme but different from each other, continuing the more relaxed, unique element. During the reception Christina switched from her veil, which had been clipped in with flowers and had a silk batin edge which picked up on her dress design, to a bountiful wreath which captured everyone’s attention and blended with the surrounding lush vineyard greenery.
Not to forget Christina’s extremely talented best friend since toddlerhood, Molly Suber Thorpe, has her own calligraphy and design studio, Plurabelle Studio, and created the entire bilingual paper goods suite from the save the dates to the church program to the tabletop cards and menu.

The couple session took place around the historical streets of Dürnstein and in the beautiful vineyards. Christina ran along the vines without her shoes on which evoked an intense release of energy!  Her gorgeous Rue de Seine dress completed the stylish Boho look perfectly.

I’m so thrilled to finally share my favourite images of this Modern Baroque Boho vineyard destination wedding in the Danube valley with you guys! Hope you enjoy it!
Love,
Melanie

PS: The wedding video from Fuchs & Honig Videography you’ll find at the end of this post. Don’t miss to check it out!

Vendors:
Venue: Stift Dürnstein & Hofmeisterei Hirtzberger I Florals: Fiona Seidl I Candlestick rentals: A Very Beloved Wedding & Lovely Weddings I Paper goods & calligraphy: Plurabelle Studio
 I
Cake: Café & Konditorei Raimitz I Hair and make-up: your choice Vienna
 I Bride’s Gown: Rue de Seine

 I Bride’s Rings: Blanca Monrós Gómez 

I Bride’s Veil: Erica Koesler I Bride’s Shoes: Vince Camuto I Groom’s Attire and Tie: Suitsupply  I Groom’s Ring: Catbird Brooklyn I Groom’s Shoes: Banana Republic I Lab: Carmencita Filmlab I Video: Fuchs & Honig