Alpine Inspired Wedding Registry

My favorite daydream-

and the vision that would become Chapel Journal—involves an ethereal, alpine landscape. A secret place high up in the mountains, fringed with flowers as spring descends upon its meadows, and frosted completely come wintertime—a scene inside a snow globe, if ever there were one.

In this reverie, I imagine mountains of unimaginable grandeur overlooking glittering alpine lakes, which in winter become frozen over. These provide the most picturesque place to ice skate, with the mountains serving as backdrop. The heavens above, more beautiful than any cathedral ceiling, grace the scene with sunsets for the ages-- light that grants the ice a pink glow. (Here, I could skate and feel as though I were gliding through the very clouds.) And piercing the sky is the tall spire of a beautiful church, untouched by the centuries. A reminder of beauty far holier, far purer—a beauty that surpasses even scenes as lovely as this one, although its invisible Presence dwells in hearts that will receive Him still.

When I first envisioned my Chapel, it was in the Swiss Alps—and I still dream of this place, often. But suffice it to say that my love of alpine things and places hardly ends there. I am captivated by Austria, Switzerland, Bavaria, the French Alps. Even the names of these places seem lifted straight from a storybook: Chamonix, Courchevel, Appenzell. Forever, I will be a snow and ice girl at heart, drawn to the seasons of ice skating and hot chocolate and warm cookies and fur. My preferred aesthetic could basically be alternatively described as chalet and après. Whether it’s the glamour of the French Alps or the welcome of a Swiss chalet; whether a horse carriage ride down Bavaria’s Romance Road or around the frozen lakes of Chamonix, my dreams have one thing in common—the Alps, the awe-inspiring backdrop against which they unfold.

When I think of alpine travels, I think of a train ride on the Glacier Express, looking out a glass window onto scenes of forbidding beauty: snow-capped mountains, frozen rivers, rugged terrain and, occasionally, a little snow-covered church—a sign of comfort, of grace. I dream of a Christmas in St. Mortiz, and in my dreams, I can ski, with finesse (maybe someday). Other times, the dream is all about cozy comfort, a slice of warm gingerbread in the drawing room of a lovely old hotel—probably Les Airelles. I am so captivated by the extremes these places offer: the most rugged, nearly otherworldly terrain to ski and snowshoe, and below the mountains, the most opulent village to explore. One moment, you could be flying down the pistes, the next, trading your skis for slippers and a cup of cocoa or coupe of champagne—or a stroll through Gucci. Such extremes of experience could only take place in a dreamscape, right?

What joy, to say a prayer in this place of flowers."

But alpine beauty hardly ends in the winter or with ski resorts—few sights are as charming, as soul-refreshing, as alpine flowers. A walk up to an alpine garden or meadow, what could be more enchanting? You have the majesty and grandeur of the mountains set against the tender and tiny perfection of the flowers. It’s hard to know what is more beautiful—the colorful jewels at your feet, or the mountains that rise above and beyond your gaze. Happiness on earth is fleeting, but surely it could be found, for a moment, in a basket full of alpine flowers (only in those places where flower-picking is permitted, of course). Such moments would allow the soul to bask in the beauty of all God creates, of His lavish care over even the smallest aspects of creation. What joy, to say a prayer in this place of flowers. When you descend from the mountaintop, you are greeted with a pastel village of cobbled lanes and centuries-old chalets. There are half-timber houses so charming they seem to be made of gingerbread. And of course, overlooking every town, the tall spire or steeple of its church, like a guardian angel that watches over those under her care.

All these dreams and all these alpine reveries bring me to this registry.

I wish more weddings (and more wedding registries, for that matter) took alpine or chalet inspiration. You don’t have to have a home in the mountains to love some of the registry’s prevailing themes: a love of all things soft and cozy, an appreciation for nature and flowers, a certain storybook charm. My version of alpine chic is wintry and wondrous-- less rustic and, you know, all about antlers and timbers (although the list has some subtle variations on the antler motif—every chalet needs just a touch!). While I can appreciate that style, I like to focus on the enchanting side of alpine beauty. The things that fill you with the awe of walking through a snowy village, or past a flower-filled chalet in spring, where a meadow garden inspires dreams of pretty picnics. It includes elegant options for every budget, with some incredible dupes— like an Amazon chandelier that could pass for a luxury Horchow piece. This registry embraces both wintry motifs and springtime colors and flowers, a testament to alpine beauty in every season. For alpine beauty is not just about winter and not just about skiing, as the joyful, springtime patterns and botanicals attest.

Set a springtime table with china adorned with alpine flowers and napkins stitched with daffodils: an ode to mountain meadows. As the weather cools, cozy up in a sherpa chair under an aptly named St. Moritz blanket. Maybe on days that feel indulgent, like snow days, bring out the very fancy antler trellis tea set to pair with a plate of gingersnaps or (if you’re going all-out) Springerle cookies.

These comforting and lovely things would uplift moments with loved ones.

I can imagine all these items being perfectly at home in my dream place: predictably, a Swiss chalet, white or pastel stucco, with hand-painted flowers on its walls and shutters. These comforting and lovely things would uplift moments with loved ones. Someday, a daughter could help me plant flowers in the window-boxes, or thumb through a book at bedtime—I could take her on a picture book journey through one of my favorite places, the Betty Ford Alpine gardens. But this registry isn’t just about me, however firmly my dreams seem to fixate on its alpine subjects. It is the beauty I wish to offer to you, as you imagine your moments at home. Perhaps you’ll be sparked to dream a little, of a first Christmas together, and the Wedgwood church ornament you place on the tree. Maybe you’ll envision everyday and occasion tables with a certain china collection. You don’t have to be devoted to mountain life or sport to find something to love here. All that’s required to connect is a love of nature, beauty, and the comforts of home—for that is what an alpine love affair is truly, in my mind, all about.

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