Featured on Love My Dress.
All images taken by Weddings By Tom.
This is one I have been sitting on for a while now and it well past its due date on the blog. For something so stylish and minimalistic, it has grown a lockdown belly and boy, does it need its time in the light. Let's birth this thing!
When asked to come on board for this shoot by Alex at Wonderous Wedding, it was an immediate yes. Alex creates the most amazing concepts which are so in-line with my ethos when it comes to creativity and thinking outside the box. Alex is a very talented and artistic soul and she designed concepts which are inspired by imagery, design, colour and texture rather than following a specific trend. I love this way of working: it provides creative freedom and allows for play which I believe are two elements which give suppliers and designers the best tools for making beautiful imagery. Alex provided a palette and small snapshot of inspiring images, gathered a great team together and we made this....
The Queen's Hotel is a very interesting space in Southsea. It has all the grandeur of a Victorian seaside hotel - the space, the details and high ceilings, but what it also has (at the time of shooting) is a very cool disused space in the lofty heights of the third floor which was a perfect setting for our shoot to take place. Peeling walls, bare plaster, old rooms which haven't been touched for years and the odd unloved painting were our backdrop for the first part of the day, later moving to the stylish dining room with its beautiful mural and the grandeur of the reception space - all juxtaposing and clashing in all their awesomeness.
The Styling - Luna And The Lane
It was important for me, when designing the table styling, to give the idea of using pastels a firm shake up. Long gone are the days when pastels were the go-to palette that every couple thought they had to use. Latterly, we have been far more experimental with colour, monochrome and neutrals and so it was important to bring the old faithful pastel crashing back and making a statement. Having such a fantastic palette - dusky rose, bright blue, peach and pink afforded Rhiannon and I the opportunity to play and set colour combos against each other. The fact that she had chosen to use such a diverse range of forms in her flowers and foliage meant that we could create some interesting shapes on out table dance floor! I wanted the tableware to be simple and uncluttered. I used stoneware and elegant but contemporary cutlery and with the addition of the perspex hexagonal place names by The Lovely Little Details, the table setting we achieved looked modern and original.
The Gowns - Creatiques Bridal Boutique
Two gowns were chosen for their silhouettes - the first a stunning off the shoulder full-skirted dress with a stunning cut out front by Justin Alexander, the second a flowing bell-sleeved gown by Lillian West.
The Florals - Willow and Wisps
Rhiannon is a total genius when it comes to designing arrangements and instillations which are textured and modern. They have a pizazz and a quality about them which seem to tell a story. The table arrangements and bouquet were full of contrasts - flowers that resembled choral and the shape of a brain (look, it does!) were mixed with a veritable smorgasbord of dyed ferns, bleached stems, dried grasses, cotton, tulips and carnations to give shape and form. She designed a pastel palette without any old-school frou-frou. The pop of blue set the whole thing off - don't be afraid of blue, folks!
Accessories - Ashley Wild Bridal and Alabaster Dream
The accessories are always a key part to the look. Earrings by Alabaster dream gave an elegant and fragile look to the first gown. These particular pieces are very popular with brides and are hand made so each is unique.
The veils and headpieces were all hand crafted by Ashley who has begun to be my go-to for unique, stylish and trend setting accessories. Ashley has an amazing selection of different pieces and is always up for creating something bespoke. We loved playing with the coloured veils, combining the pastel shades to create different hues.
The Cake - Harrt Cakes
Oh my!! Now this was a cake and a half. There aren't many words needed to sell this beauty. Becky created a totally unique piece of art here, using the palette and the modern forms from the moodboard. Dressed with the structural florals, it was a showstopper.
Suppliers:
Concept and Planning @wonderouswedding
Styling @lunaandthelane
Florals @willowandwisps
Images @weddingsbytom
Gowns @creatiquesbridalboutique
Cake @harrtcakes
Accessories @ashletwildbridal and @alabaster.dream
Shoes @sasha_archer_shoes
Stationery @thelovelylittledetails
Model @charlottegodfrey