As couples seek custom experiences, wedding design has become increasingly popular. More and more, couples are viewing their wedding day as a storytelling experience, wanting their day to feel unmistakably their own, remarks Jordan McMills. With this wish in mind, McMills founded Soigné Styling, which helps couples cultivate a sense of place and tell immersive stories through design.
“Every couple carries a slightly different history, a different aesthetic instinct, a different sense of what feels like ‘them,’” says McMills, who serves as Soigné Styling’s Creative Director. “My job is to notice those details and translate them into something visual — a color, a texture, the way a room is lit at golden hour.”
This translation takes shape in the form of palette, texture, proportion, lighting, balance, and atmosphere. The results are thoughtfully designed moments and spaces that offer room to slow down and savor emotional moments, encouraging guests to reflect on how all the elements tie together to say something unique about the couple.
Creating this cohesive feel begins very early in the planning process, often when couples have nothing more than a mood or an abstract concept to work with. Couples may instinctively know the emotions they want their day to evoke but have no idea how to make it happen. “That gap — between instinct and execution — is exactly what a designer closes,” notes McMills. “A designer’s job is to take something instinctive and turn it into a considered plan [a] vendor team can execute beautifully.”
McMills also notes that a designer does not replace a traditional wedding planner. Rather, the two roles complement one another. While the designer is focused entirely on the visual and emotional layer of the celebration, the planner focuses on logistical details, such as timelines, budgets, vendor management, and making sure the day runs smoothly.
The planner’s presence on the wedding day itself is essential to keeping everything on track. In contrast, most of a designer’s work is actually complete before the wedding day arrives. McMills creates a detailed design plan well ahead of time and works with vendors to ensure that the plan will be executed faithfully on the big day. “We see ourselves as collaborators first — with a couple’s planner, with a venue’s team, with a photographer’s vision,” she shares.
These collaborations require hours of work and meticulous attention to detail. However, McMills’ ultimate goal is that none of the effort is visible in the finished design: “A room can look effortless and still be the result of a hundred small, deliberate decisions.” This idea inspires both her work and her brand name.
“‘Soigné’ is a French word that roughly translates to polished, well put-together or elegantly done with attention to detail — the kind of effortless elegance that actually takes a great deal of care to achieve. I’ve always loved that the word carries an implication of effort without ever showing it,” explains McMills.
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In addition to wedding design, Soigné Styling offers the Wedding Prep Ritual, which transforms “getting ready” from a to-do list item into a beautifully styled, calming experience that sets the tone for the wedding day. They also focus on Hospitality & Venue Experience Design and Brand & Editorial Styling.
Soigné Styling, soignestyling.com, @soignestyling, 225-384-0322
