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Updated Jan 21, 2025Matilda Djerf's Engagement Party Was a "Full Circle" Celebration of Her Love Story
An exclusive look inside the lifestyle entrepreneur's coastal soirée, one year after her engagement.
Photo: Filippa Trajkovski
Nearly one year after her engagement, Matilda Djerf is just entering wedding planning mode—and she wouldn't have it any other way. The lifestyle entrepreneur and her husband-to-be, Rasmus Johansson, celebrated their relationship milestone 11 months after he popped the question with an intimate party at their coastal summer home in Sweden. There was no better place for the celebration, Djerf tells The Knot, as it's the exact spot where he asked her to marry him. "We wanted our engagement party to feel really special and very us, so that's why we decided to have it at our summer house—the place where we also got engaged," she says. "It felt like such a full-circle moment to gather our family and closest friends there for this celebration. I have spent every summer there since my childhood, so some of my best memories are from that island and now I have even more memories to cherish."
While the average engagement length is 15 months, according to data from The Knot, Djerf and Johansson are intentionally soaking up their time as fiancés before they focus their attention to planning their nuptials. "I truly love being engaged, it's such a beautiful chapter. We wanted to have some time to enjoy the engagement just the two of us first and then it felt natural to also have a celebration," Djerf says. "We both love a good party and I personally think we should celebrate more in life!"
The bride-to-be collaborated with wedding planner Alice Wilkes to bring her vision to life, complete with thoughtful personal touches that served as a nod to her love story. "We had such a great time working together and they truly understand my vision and taste," Djerf says. "The details we incorporated really made the biggest difference, like the custom wine bottle labels with a drawing of our summer house, the embroidered tablecloths with our initials, the hand-painted serving plates, and more."
FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT
Considering the design was heavily influenced by the seaside setting, the menu served as an extention of the location as well. "The moment we started planning, I knew I wanted to work with Malin Persson on the food," she explains, adding she wanted to take her guests on a "food journey." The meal began with small bites like churros with roe and sour cream, which Djerf describes as "out of this world." Dinner was a lavish seafood platter that was synonymous with the West Coast setting, complete with fresh lobster rolls. To finish off the meal, guests enjoyed sweets like donuts and cotton candy.
Known for her classic, feminine sense of style, Djerf began the party in a vintage Tom Ford Gucci dress that her stylist, Maren Taylor, sourced at the very last minute. By a stroke of good fortune, Taylor connected with a couple who was traveling from Los Angeles to Sweden, and they brought the dress with them just in time for Djerf's party. "It's such a special piece and I'm so happy I got my hands on it for this occasion," she says. After, she changed into a vintage Vera Wang look.
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Now that the engagement party is over, Djerf and Johansson have their sights set on the wedding day. "We have secured our dream location and are starting the real planning process very soon," she says.
It's a highly anticipated next chapter for Djerf and Johanson, who are partners in both life and business. The pair launched Djerf Avenue, a mega-popular fashion and beauty brand, in 2019. "My partner and co-founder, Rasmus, and I were having breakfast at a café in Los Feliz when I remember reading the word 'Avenue,' and my mind started playing around with it," Djerf writes on the company's website. "I said 'Djerf Avenue' out loud, and we both looked at each other with excitement. We had found our name."
Originally serving as the CEO, Johansson transitioned to the role of Interim Chief Marketing Officer in 2025. Djerf continues to serve as the brand's Creative Director. In a 2022 interview with Forbes, the influencer opened up about transitioning into the world of fashion entrepreneurship with her partner. "I made some design collaborations with two Australian and one Swedish brand. And during that time, I felt like I brought so much to the table. I had so much insight and felt like I wasn't getting as much in return. I wanted to decide where items were produced, what models to use, and how to shoot the model photos, as well as whether or not to retouch. But I wasn't allowed into that decision-making," she said. "I was also doing modeling gigs when I started, and was shocked at the way this world worked. One brand edited me three sizes smaller. I seriously questioned it, knowing what these companies were showing online wasn't what the customer was getting when they ordered the garments."
She continued, "That's when Rasmus and I decided to try it out and do it our own way. We just went for it with no business plan or anything." Their leap of faith was worth it: In 2023, they were highlighted as two of Forbes Europe's 30 Under 30 honorees for retail and e-commerce.
Matilda Djerf's Engagement Party Vendors
Planner: Alice Wilkes Design; Photographer: Filippa Trajkovski; Catering: Malin Persson; Stylist: Maren Taylor; Dresses: Tom Ford, Vera Wang
