Up today, we’re featuring what just might be the West Coast’s most perfect art deco venue….
In 1925, James Oviatt was already a successful businessman. His department store, Alexander & Oviatt, had been attracting a high-end Los Angeles clientele in downtown LA for nearly a decade. He was in the midst of plans for their next expansion, a new building, constructed from the ground up…
… when he took a business trip to Europe. The original building design was in Italian Romanesque style, but luckily for us, he happened to find himself in Paris at the dawn of a new age… 1925 was the year of Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, the birthplace of Art Deco.
Oviatt was awed by these new designs, and upon his return to the States, he ordered the architects to construct the new building in the brand new style. He spared no expense, importing over ten tons of Lalique glass for use throughout the building.
And so the first true art deco building made its debut in Los Angeles in 1928 (and it included a 10 room art deco penthouse on top for Oviatt’s own residence.) The store closed in the 60s, but both the main space (a restaurant and venue now known as “Cicada“) and The Oviatt Penthouse are available for weddings and events, and they are the perfect backdrop to a Los Angeles art deco wedding. Take a look!
(also: If you are an art deco fan who happens to be visiting Los Angeles, be sure to check out the wonderful LA Conservancy and their incredible walking tours. They have an Art Deco Tour that features Cicada and the Oviatt Penthouse, and the other stops on the tour are a delight as well. They do great work!)
This lovely inspiration shoot features a styled art deco wedding in Kansas City, Missouri at a fabulous vintage venue, The Philips Hotel…. Submitted by Michelle Marie Photographie, this shoot has it all: amazing deco details, gorgeous gowns, handsome groom’s wear, and a truly striking handmade deco headpiece. Click the images below for more detail! Photographer: …
This incredible vintage style New York City wedding, from photographer Brian Hatton, is a straight-up stunner from start to finish. Dominique and Roberto flew 200+ guests and loved ones from Mexico to NYC to celebrate their vintage inspired wedding at the Central Park Boathouse. The couple’s portraits in the city and park are some of …
The Berkeley City Club is one of Northern California’s most beautiful vintage wedding venues: a gorgeous private social club, hotel and event venue, designed and built in the late 1920s by architect Julia Morgan. And it is absolutely, positively stunning. There’s both indoor and outdoor space and incredible architectural details throughout. This would be the …
Absolutely adore this elegant 1920s style wedding in Hartford, Connecticut. Sent to us by photographer Michael Justin Studios, these two grooms celebrated their big day with carefully selected vintage design elements, a fabulous art deco venue and quite possibly the world’s best wedding tuxes (LOVE.) Click the images below for larger photos and more details …
Art Deco Venue | Cicada + The Oviatt Penthouse
Up today, we’re featuring what just might be the West Coast’s most perfect art deco venue….
In 1925, James Oviatt was already a successful businessman. His department store, Alexander & Oviatt, had been attracting a high-end Los Angeles clientele in downtown LA for nearly a decade. He was in the midst of plans for their next expansion, a new building, constructed from the ground up…
Photo via Flickr user Floyd B. Bariscale
… when he took a business trip to Europe. The original building design was in Italian Romanesque style, but luckily for us, he happened to find himself in Paris at the dawn of a new age… 1925 was the year of Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, the birthplace of Art Deco.
Paris Art Exposition, c.1925
Oviatt was awed by these new designs, and upon his return to the States, he ordered the architects to construct the new building in the brand new style. He spared no expense, importing over ten tons of Lalique glass for use throughout the building.
And so the first true art deco building made its debut in Los Angeles in 1928 (and it included a 10 room art deco penthouse on top for Oviatt’s own residence.) The store closed in the 60s, but both the main space (a restaurant and venue now known as “Cicada“) and The Oviatt Penthouse are available for weddings and events, and they are the perfect backdrop to a Los Angeles art deco wedding. Take a look!
(also: If you are an art deco fan who happens to be visiting Los Angeles, be sure to check out the wonderful LA Conservancy and their incredible walking tours. They have an Art Deco Tour that features Cicada and the Oviatt Penthouse, and the other stops on the tour are a delight as well. They do great work!)
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Art Deco Wedding | Kansas City, Missouri
This lovely inspiration shoot features a styled art deco wedding in Kansas City, Missouri at a fabulous vintage venue, The Philips Hotel…. Submitted by Michelle Marie Photographie, this shoot has it all: amazing deco details, gorgeous gowns, handsome groom’s wear, and a truly striking handmade deco headpiece. Click the images below for more detail! Photographer: …
Vintage Style New York City Wedding | Dominique + Roberto
This incredible vintage style New York City wedding, from photographer Brian Hatton, is a straight-up stunner from start to finish. Dominique and Roberto flew 200+ guests and loved ones from Mexico to NYC to celebrate their vintage inspired wedding at the Central Park Boathouse. The couple’s portraits in the city and park are some of …
Berkeley City Club || Vintage Venue
The Berkeley City Club is one of Northern California’s most beautiful vintage wedding venues: a gorgeous private social club, hotel and event venue, designed and built in the late 1920s by architect Julia Morgan. And it is absolutely, positively stunning. There’s both indoor and outdoor space and incredible architectural details throughout. This would be the …
1920s Style Wedding | Kurt + Justin | Hartford, Connecticut
Absolutely adore this elegant 1920s style wedding in Hartford, Connecticut. Sent to us by photographer Michael Justin Studios, these two grooms celebrated their big day with carefully selected vintage design elements, a fabulous art deco venue and quite possibly the world’s best wedding tuxes (LOVE.) Click the images below for larger photos and more details …