Norwegian fashion powerhouse Julie Varner wore Oscar de la Renta, Tom Wood and Pearl Octopuss.y for her Mallorca nuptials

The paths of Bik Bok’s Oslo-based creative director Julie Varner and Emil Tingulstad initially crossed due to common business interests. But while it seems their meet-cute was written in the corporate stars, it nearly never happened. “I was actually supposed to meet with Emil’s brother,” Julie says, “but he was away at the time. So I ended up meeting Emil, who was going to pitch a business opportunity for me to invest in,” she recounts. “As fate would have it, I sensed right away that Emil would be a significant part of my life.”

Despite Julie's immediate feelings, it took about a year and half for the pair to, in Julie’s words, “embrace what was meant to be” and become a couple. “I’m really glad we took our time, building a solid foundation of respect and friendship before diving into a true romantic relationship,” she says, reflecting on their early phase of courtship with her now-husband.

Fast forward four years, and the pair have officially tied the knot in Julie's "second home" of Mallorca – marked with a four-day celebration surrounded by their loved ones. “Having spent nearly 16 years in Mallorca, I've grown quite familiar with the island, as has my family,” Julie says. “When Emil and I decided to get married, we wanted to discover a place that truly reflected our personalities, something we could make uniquely ours.” The couple stumbled upon the breathtaking finca Son Mir, initially captivated by its driveway. “Emil had caught glimpses of it countless times when we landed on the island. We were drawn to this venue primarily because of that enchanting driveway, and we knew right away that we had to hold our ceremony there. The fact that no one had ever done it before made it all the more appealing to us.”

Mallorca also just so happened to be the site of their proposal as well, which Julie describes as a “memorable day”. She and her family were so busy with a redecoration project on the island – including the relocation of a hefty 100kg wooden table – that it slipped her mind that Emil had invited her for a boat trip. “A sweaty and fatigued Emil managed to pull the boat ashore, playfully suggesting that I should consider wearing something other than my bikini,” she recalls. “We set off for a charming bay named Dragonera, where Emil began recounting our shared history. I was a bit confused why he suddenly took such a thorough trip down memory lane, but I went with it."

They took a dip in the water, with Emil then offering champagne to Julie. “Still unaware of what was unfolding, I took a sip of my champagne and turned away. There stood Emil in his swim shorts, with a stunning ring.” Her heart skipped a beat – mainly due to her fear that the ring would slip into the water. She said 'yes' and the pair then returned to shore, celebrating over a meal with Julie’s parents at the very table they had carried earlier that day.

Given Julie’s line of work, it’s no surprise that she describes curating her five bridal outfits as being “undoubtedly the most significant aspect" of the wedding for her, alongside, of course, enjoying quality time with her loved ones. “It was vital to me to find my own unique path, making every little detail special and distinct.” Those distinct details were largely achieved through Julie’s scouring for vintage accessories, where she unearthed pieces that were truly one-of-a-kind to wear for the celebrations.

The first outfit for the couple’s pre-wedding dinner, attended by their closest family and friends, was a long silk Saint Laurent skirt paired with a basic tank by Bik Bok. She carried a silver Bottega Veneta ‘Jodie’ bag, but it was Pearl Octopuss.y that really completed the look: with Julia wearing both a fringed blazer and jewellery by the Norwegian brand.

For the first day of official celebrations, the dress code was colour. While guests aptly followed sartorial dress code direction and were decked out in eye-popping hues, Julie and Emil took a more subtle approach with a pops of blue against all-white. Wearing an optic-white silk halterneck dress, custom designed and created with her Bik Bok team, Julie wore vintage Chanel earrings and vintage Celine sunglasses in a soft baby blue hue for "a playful touch", while Emil donned a white ensemble grounded with blue Manolo Blahnik loafers.

For the big day, Julia uncovered the perfect gown by Oscar de la Renta in London. “I never thought I’d go for lace,” she says. “I hadn’t even considered trying on the one I ultimately chose, but when I did, it was an instant ‘yes’. I felt like myself in it.” she paired the dress with PVC mules from Muaddi (“my all-time favourite shoe brand"), and showed her Norwegian design allegiance by completing the look with Tom Wood hoop earrings and sparkling Pearl Octopuss.y cuffs.

Julie was without a bag, with good reason. “I didn't carry a handbag, I left my phone at home to be fully present,” she explains. With a nod to tradition, Julie opted for something borrowed and something blue as well: the former being a diamond ring gifted from her father to her mother, and the latter being lace underwear from her very own Bik Bok.

To offset the ‘wow’ factor of her gown and jewels, Julie opted for a natural beauty look. “My makeup had a radiant, peachy look with a touch of eyeliner and some bronzer to enhance my cheeks,” she says. “For my hair, I opted for my signature look – a sleek, high bun. This turned out to be a great choice, especially since it rained heavily during the first half of our day.”

Rain was a mainstay throughout the days of celebrations. "On the first day, I even worried we might have to cancel," Julie says. Adding to the unexpected hurdles, the wedding day also included a power breakdown across the entire venue just a few minutes before she walked down the aisle. "That meant no lights, no heat, and no music," she said. Luckily, Julie wasn't aware of the outage dramas at play at the time – and her wedding planners had cleverly improvised by generously serving more champagne to guests. "Then, like a small miracle, the power returned and the ceremony proceeded as planned!"

Amid the chaos, the rain was also cause for some special moments for the bride. Julie was driven to the wedding venue by her mother in an old white vintage Porche ("It was just my mum and me in that car, and I couldn't help but burst into laughter, urging her to drive faster"). Upon arrival to Son Mir, the wet weather forced them to sit and wait in the car for about 45 minutes until it cleared. “We couldn’t stop smiling,” she recalls. “It was actually nice that we had to wait, because I got to cool off for a bit before the ceremony – and could share that with my mum. It turned out to be one of the absolute coolest moments of the whole weekend for me.”

With the staging of the wedding across the grounds of the finca, the couple envisioned creating the feeling of a fashion show for the celebration, with a Jacquemus-esque outdoor runway style set-up complemented by white carpets and white floral arrangements: calla lilies, orchids, and roses.

"It felt incredibly surreal," Julie reflects. "I'd been envisioning that day for so many years, ever since I was a 14-year-old girl who dreamt about her wedding. Surprisingly, I didn't shed a single tear – instead, I laughed. When I caught sight of Emil, it felt like an extra layer of peace washed over me. It felt like coming home, and it wasn't scary at all, just pure fun."

After the ceremony – and some heartfelt speeches from family members, including Julie’s 85-year-old grandma (also wearing Oscar de la Renta) – the couple and their guests flowed into after-party mode. The bride’s party look was a custom design by London-based Clip Peppiat, hand-beaded with all-white pearls with a small silver heart detail at the back. “It was short, tight and so much fun,” Julie say of the look, which she completed with Chanel platforms. “I had planned to wear heart earrings too, but forgot them in the excitement.”

The celebrations wrapped with a relaxed pool party at the family home the following day. Julie opted for an effortless long lace with a high slit – a design crafted especially for the occasion by her mother. "It felt incredible to wear a dress she designed, and she even hand-engraved a label with the date and my name on it. I loved it, and it made me feel fantastic," she says.

See all the snapshots from the Julie and Emil's four-day celebrations below: