Start Slideshow View Grid Start Slideshow 47

There Was a Fire Ceremony at This Wedding in Southampton

By Shayna Seid | Photography by 

Deborah Grace Panes

Zuzanna Buchwald, a meditation teacher, model, and mental health advocate, and Count Graff Karl Ludwig Constantin Georg Julio Maria von Salm Hoogstraeten (or Ludifor short) met at a pool party in Southampton. Her Jack Russell Terrier jumped into the pool, where he was the only one swimming. We didnt date for five years, after we met, but to me, it was love at first sight, Zuzanna says. After two years of seeing each other seriously, he proposed twice! The first ask happened spontaneously during a music festival in Poland, and the second happened a few weeks later at their home in Southampton with flowers and his great grandmothers ring.

The number two seemed to be a consistent theme, as the newly engaged couple knew they were going to have two weddings—one in the States and one in Poland, for their European families. For the American I do, they chose to have the ceremony and reception at their familys estate in the Hamptons. Since the first proposal happened during a music festival, they decided to dub these nuptials the Festival of Love. The aesthetic was supposed to be bohemian, imperfect, thought-provoking, esoteric, inspiring, and based on natural elements and the summer season. The dress code was celestial,and the symbols of the wedding were a moon (to represent the feminine) and a star (to represent the masculine), the bride explains. To help plan their summer solstice event, the couple hired Kim Zabriskie.

In 2014—well before she was engaged—Zuzanna saw a dress at a fashion show and knew it was the one. Shortly after the proposal, she called the designer only to find out that only two were made. It seemed like she had come to the end of the road, but she used the original look to inspire something new with couturier and tailor Guillermo Molina. She completed the ceremony look with a tiara made out of crystal quartz by Gillian from Elemental Child.

For her party outfit, the bride looked to Hedy Lemarr in Ziegfield Girl for inspiration and special ordered a dress from Louise Black Designs. I wanted it to be celestial and formal, but festival-y at the same time. Louise made it possible with an off-white creation embroidered with gold stars,says Zuzanna. Her second starry headpiece was found via the Etsy shop: Mascherina

When the nearly 300 costumed guests arrived to the cocktail hour before the ceremony, they got to intuitively choose between a moon or star quartz necklace. Little did they know that this selection would determine which side they would sit on for the service. Zuzanna walked down the aisle with her father to Adam Maalouf and Miguel Santa Maria playing the cello and hand pans. She met her fiancé and the minister under an arbor decorated by Ivie Joy. After speeches by the couple about intention and gratitude, the fire ceremony began.

Ludi lit a fire in the pit, while the minister explained the symbolism of fire across cultures. Then the couple, with the grooms mother and brides father, gave offerings and threw puffed rice and dried sage into the flames. As the fire pit burned, Zuzanna and Ludi exchanged heartfelt vows and rings. Everyone then gathered around the couple to symbolize the feminine and masculine coming together to create a big family and followed the newlyweds in a procession, illuminated by fire lanterns, to the reception.

The first two hours, after the ceremony, were dedicated to the purely plant based meal, served buffet style by Hampton Aristocrat. Guests were free to sit where they pleased under six beautiful tents, provided by Juliet Teakle from the Pavilion Tent Company. Then came the festival activities, where a tarot reader, customized intuitive poetry station, aura photo booth, rosé-on-tap cart, and fire pit were waiting for them. I loved looking down at the tent village we built and really feeling like I was at the festival of my dreams! the bride exclaims.

At 10:30 P.M., the pool house was opened to reveal an official dance floor space with lights strung and projections of galaxies showing, done by KM Productions. It was supposed to make you feel like youre dancing in a space ship on the way to a pastel-colored planet, shares Zuzanna. Once 2:00 A.M. passed, a Rolling in Dough Pizza truck pulled up to make vegan pizzas for extra energy, and the last guests didn’t leave until 10:00 A.M. the next morning.