A Vizcaya Wedding...Architecture and Romance Part I

If you've been wondering why I haven't been posting anything in the last week, I was, well, a bit preoccupied, wrapping things up and then attending the wedding of two incredible people.  In Miami.  At the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.  Oh.  My.  It. Was.  Bea-u-ti-ful...

guests arriving at the black-tie wedding

Before last week, I had never been to Miami Beach, where we stayed, or Miami itself, and had certainly never heard of the Vizcaya Mansion (which is now a museum).  I was so fortunate to discover it all, and I thought I would share it with you, as it is so rich in design, both architectural and botanical.  And of course, there was the wedding.  The wedding.  It was amazing. (But that's for Part II.)

 Vizcaya was the [Miami] winter residence of American industrialist James Deering from Christmas 1916 until his death in 1925.  Deering was a Vice President of the International Harvester Company, which produced agricultural equipment for a worldwide market.  (All text in italics, as well as historic images, were taken directly from VizcayaMuseum.org)

James Deering

Deering engaged the assistance of Paul Chalfin, a young New York painter, to supervise the entire project. 

Paul Chaflin, 1915

Deering and Chalfin traveled throughout Europe surveying residential architecture for ideas and obtaining components such as doors, wall panels, mantels and ceilings that would be incorporated into the proposed home. 

Here are some of the images I took to show you the magnificent and opulent design...

a set of hand painted doors

ceiling in the room of the doors above and below

the doors of this room lead on one side to the indoor courtyard

and directly opposite are these glorious doors to the coral-floored terrace overlooking parts of the gardens.

The house was intended to appear as an Italian estate that had stood for 400 years and had been occupied and renovated by several generations of a family.  More than 1,000 workers were employed in the Vizcaya project, including laborers and craftsmen from the Caribbean and Europe. 

an aerial shot of the original 180 acres of Vizcaya, taken in 1940

Also working on the project were architect F. Burrall Hoffman and Colombian landscape architect Diego Suarez. The expansive gardens combine elements of Renaissance Italian and French designs.

Diego Suarez 1967

Burral Hoffman 1912

I took the following pictures of the grounds.  Nothing was in bloom, unfortunately, and the lighting of dusk was a challenge for me, but I think you can get an idea of the beauty of the landscape...

There were only 80 people attending this wedding of our friend to his beautiful bride, and the groom had arranged for private use of the property just for this affair.  It was, I tell you from the heart, beyond words.  In my next post, Part II, I'll show you scenes from the wedding and more of the grounds.  From a design perspective, it is inspiring.  From a romantic perspective, it was killer on the emotions.  Yes, there were tears.  The good kind :)

Have you ever been to Vizcaya?

Talk to you soon,
Carol