You know Noah James as Andrew on The Chosen, but today we’re giving you a look inside the actor’s romantic, Renaissance-inspired wedding!
Noah and his wife Norma wanted to create a wedding day that felt romantic + charmingly historical. A warm, jewel-tone fairytale. A celebration Shakespeare might show up at.
“While we didn’t want it to be heavy handed, we wanted a bit of dramatic flair for the night,” say Norma + Noah, who teamed up with planners and event designers from XOXO Weddings to bring their whimsical vision to life at The Oak Room in Malibu, California.
There was a ceremony bower full of burgundy roses. There was a reception seating chart made from rough-edged parchment and golden wax seals. There were historically inspired oil paintings of the bride + groom. Erin Marton Photography captured the dreamy old-world day so beautifully, and we can’t wait to show you the pics!
The First Look
How dreamy is the full-skirt beaded bodice illusion neckline wedding gown that Norma fell in love with at Wedding Societe? A modern fairytale princess bride!
Pre-Ceremony Portraits
If you’re as charmed by Nora’s romantic bridal silhouette as we are, definitely check out our collection of the best fairytale princess wedding dresses.
Angela Tam created Norma’s loose + textured blonde waves and neutral glam makeup look.
If rocking a tux on your big day like Noah did sounds like the move but you’re not sure where to start, explore our A to Z guide to men’s formalwear.
We are in love with the rich, warm jewel tone floral creations from The Little Branch that filled Norma + Noah’s day. So much lush greenery bursting from this bridal bouquet!
Bride Norma remembers how the couple balanced the responsibilities of wedding planning decisions: “Noah had a knack for finding options quickly. For instance, after weeks of searching for venues across different states, I couldn’t find the right one. When I let him take over, he found the perfect venue on his first try – The Oak Room on Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, California. The venue was ideal due to its natural beauty, abundant natural light and rustic charm, which created a romantic ambiance for celebrating with loved ones.”
Norma’s mismatched bridal party color palette was red, rosy, and beyond romantic ❤️
Our collection of the best places to buy bridesmaid dresses is super helpful if you’re hunting for a bridesmaid dress for your bestie’s big day that checks all the boxes.
Enchanted “I Do’s”
This ceremony arch!! We’re obsessed with the way that the twisting branch structure and explosions of rich red, yellow, and orange florals established a whimsical fairytale feel.
This shimmery tulle rose gold flower girl dress is too cute for words.
This is how you smile when you’re exchanging wedding rings from Harry Winston 💍
Check out our vow-writing template + guide to put your own stamp on the ceremony like Norma + Noah did.
Our Musical Choices Processional: "The Path of the Wind" by Joe Hisaishi from "My Neighbor Totoro" (played by Vitamin String Quartet)
Recessional: "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" by ABBA
First Dance: "Golden Slumbers" by The Beatles
“Making the wedding a celebration of us as a couple, and not a generic celebration was one of the most important things to us,” say Norma + Noah. “That started with the ceremony itself, and a constant inclusion of our family and friends and their participation as “audience”. The readings and poems we chose, how we crafted our vows, everything was trying to support the idea that this wedding could only be about our story as a couple and not a “paint by numbers” kind of approach.”
A Renaissance Reception
So into Norma + Noah’s unique Shakespearean reception seating chart and the opulent fruit, flowers, and gold decor they paired it with.
Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding The anniversary dance, a tradition that saw couples take to the dance floor to celebrate enduring love. The last two couples standing were Noah's parents, with 34 years of marriage, and Norma's grandparents, a remarkable 70 years together. It was a touching testament to the joy of being surrounded by a loving family.
If you plan a romantic Renaissance-inspired wedding that doesn’t feature custom historic oil paintings of the bride + groom, you might be doing it wrong.
SusieCakes created this white three tier scallop-iced wedding cake adorned with fresh + colorful flowers.
Our Advice To Those Planning Now Take on the planning together as a team! That way each aspect of the night feels like your story together. And then you both are invested and loving how everything is coming together."
Congratulations, Norma + Noah! Your romantic Renaissance wedding day was dreamy, dramatic perfection! So happy for you both!
photography: Erin Marton Photo // venue name: The Oak Room, Malibu, California, United States // event design: xoxo design // planning: xoxo design // florals: The Little Branch // wedding dress boutique: Wedding Societe // bride's ring: Harry Winston // hair stylist: Angela Tam // makeup artist: Angela Tam // groom attire: Indochino // groom's ring: Harry Winston // videography: Goodtimes Media Group // paper goods: Margaux Paperie // cake: Susie Cakes // music: DJ Tempoe
