Today, a romantic and luxurious micro wedding photoshoot from a fabulous London location. This is everything: from the beautiful images by Doriane Descamps to all the styling touches and our stunning bride and groom. I’m coming to realise that I love to hear how photoshoots work behind the scenes as well, so when lovely Tessa from A Touch of Nevaeh says how the creative team worked together, it wins my heart. Thank you Tessa for sharing this with us today!
It was really lovely working with other suppliers who all could see the same vision as me. We were like a little family, all working hard to get the space prepared and the models in place.
Planning, Concept & Styling: A Touch of Nevaeh www.atouchofnevaeh.com
Venue: Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park www.mandarinoriental.com
Photography: Doriane Descamps Doriane Descamps
Videographer: Stainlessly Wed
M.U.A.H: www.thepostichecollection.com
Floral Designer: Queen of Hearts Floral Design
Assistants/Waiters: ACE Crystal Clear Ace Crystal Clear Events
Bridal Gowns: Gillian Roberts Bridal www.gillianrobertsbridal.co.uk
Bridal Accessories: Honey V Tiaras www.honeyv.co.uk
Grooms Suits, Bow tie & Shoes: Mochee www.mochee.co.uk
Couple Stylist: Styled by Din www.styledbydin.co.uk
Celebrant: Dave the Celebrant Celebrant | Dave Octave Celebrant | London
Decor & Styling: Angels and Gypsies www.angelsandgypsiesevents.co.uk
Tableware/Dior Chairs: The Essential Events www.theessentialevents.com
Stationer: Arkhiventeros www.Arkhiventeros.com
Cake Designer: Bespoke Bakes by Danielle www.bespokebakes.co.uk
Mini Dancefloor: Av365 Event production | Audio Visual 365 | London
Wedding Bands & Ring: Lavinn Lazare Jeweller
B.T.S Photography: Toyin Photography Capturing Priceless Moments (toyinphotography.com)
Video background Pianist: Arkhiventeros Music Jordan Condison
We styled a stunning Luxury Summer Micro Wedding in the astounding Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. MO Hyde park is a luxury 5 star hotel where Royalty and celebrities have graced its walls. It was an absolute honour to be given the opportunity to style this grand ballroom.
When I first laid eyes on the Ballroom in the Mandarin Oriental I automatically fell in love, a stunning ballroom with 24-carat gilding, breathtaking chandeliers and views through floor-to-ceiling windows over Hyde Park. MO Hyde Park exudes an enticing mix of elegance and luxury.
Known to be the location where HM Queen Elizabeth II learned to dance with her sister, the late Princess Margaret and where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge celebrated their engagement, this luxury 5-star hotel has the royal seal of approval. The Loggia’s private Royal Entrance from Hyde Park can be used for special occasions with permission from the Royal Parks. It truly is any couple’s dream wedding reception location.
I envisioned a luxurious, micro wedding setting which featured lilac accents, providing a simple yet effective pop of colour which was also reflected in the flowers provided by the lovely Bilen from Queen of Hearts Floral Design, as well as a touch of elegance. Bilen created impressive floral arrangements using summer flowers and greenery, which made this room look even more special, bringing the outdoors inside.
The Tablescape was laid by myself and Celestine from Angels and Gypsies who also provided luxurious decor i.e. her gold vintage candlestick holders. The table was set for 12 guests for a perfect Micro Wedding. The luxurious tableware and Dior chairs were provided by Valerie of The Essential Events. Tariq from Arkhiventeros absolutely blew us away with his stationery package providing table number cards, escort cards and place card menus using a lilac signature wax seal. The final touch to the table were favours for guests, handmade sugar cookies by Bespoke Bakes by Danielle.
To complete the look a seamless mini dancefloor (8×8) was put together by Courtney of AV356 for only the bride and groom with bespoke design.
This creative idea was perfect especially with the current restrictions in place for weddings in this pandemic. Towards the back of the room, a small table displayed the classic three tier wedding cake, decorated by Bespoke Bakes by Danielle which featured flowers which were delicately hand painted to detail. One word from us Art!!
Our real couple Laura and Afiz completed my vision with their undeniable chemistry and love for one another which was captured beautifully by the creative Doriane Descamps photography and Stainlessly Wed videography. Laura wore two dresses provided by Gillian Roberts Bridal spring/summer collection and accessories by Honey V Tiara’s.
I visioned our bride to have a dreamy flawless makeup look bringing out her natural skin tone. Our bride’s hairstyle was an elegant updo style which were both executed by The Postiche Collection by Tyra-Jainae. Our groom wore two luxury tailor made suits from Mochee. The couple’s outfits and accessories were put together by Styled by Din.
The ceremony was held by the amazing Dave the Celebrant. Stefan from Lavinn Lazare Jewellery sealed the deal with his bespoke luxury wedding bands. Chrystell and the team from Ace Crystal Clear provided us with waiters and assisted the suppliers as and when needed to fill in the gaps, wow what a team!
Toyin Photography captured behind the scenes images for all suppliers’ which was a perfect touch to the day.
As we already had such an impressive starting point, it was really easy to achieve a great final look which was nothing short of amazing!! Each feature was thoughtfully placed simply to enhance the elegance and beauty of the room, thereby creating a luxurious Summer Micro Wedding setting for a bride and groom seeking luxury with minimal guests.
Today’s wonderfully styled shoot comes from lovely London and Cotswolds wedding planner Lucy Bull Weddings. The romantic and whimsical look has delightful touches of elegance throughout, with stunning florals and a gentle, welcoming luxe look. Thank you so much to Lucy for sharing this with us, and to all of the suppliers who collaborated in bringing this wonderful wedding inspiration to life. We are smitten!
Wedding Planner, vision and concept: https://lucybullweddings.co.uk
Photographer: https://www.danielle-smith-photography.com
Videographer: https://elegancefilms.com
Tablescape: https://www.theluxeoccasion.co.uk
Venue: https://ravensait.co.uk
Florist: https://www.hollyandtheivy.com
Stationery: https://www.sweetophelia.co.uk
Cake: http://www.jenscakery.co.uk
Hair and Make up: https://stormemakeupandhair.co.uk
Dress: https://evieyoung.com via https://www.thefarnhamboutique.com
Hair Accessories: https://www.donnacrain.com
Shoes: https://freyarose.com via https://www.laceandfavour.com
Catering: https://www.didianddot.co.uk
With an increase in intimate weddings, my vision for our styled shoot was to create an outdoor wedding picnic located on the daisy-dotted lawn of an island venue on the River Thames. Low wooden tables surrounded by plump cushions, sumptuous grazing platters and an abundance of florals pulled our relaxed and informal wedding breakfast together. The subtle sequins of Evie Young’s Lyric dress, accompanied by the gold accents and velvet touches of the stationery, cake and tablescape added the hint of luxury.
The low wooden tables and overhanging beams were made by Erin from The Luxe Occasion with her own fair hands. She added subtle pinks through candles, cushions and linens to create a warm, romantic feel, whilst the champagne gold of the candle holders, cutlery and more linens delivered an element of luxury. Comfort for our bride and groom was ensured through plump floor cushions and rugs.
Florals by Holly and the Ivy Florist were a huge part of our shoot and were so important in softening the edges of the set up. Two large arrangements were placed on the wooden beams over our table, as well as two on the floor. They were made up of menta and charmant roses, foxgloves, delphiniums, salmon chrysanthemums and coral sunset peonies. The greenery was ivy, eucalyptus, cow parsley and mixed grasses. These four arrangements were then cleverly recycled on our moon arch which we used for the ceremony and behind the cake table. Silk and velvet ribbons in different shades of pink were draped through the floral arrangements along the tops of the beams for a whimsical, romantic look. Bud vases with peonies, roses, bunny tails and dried grasses were dotted along the centre of the tables, among the place settings. Our bride’s bouquet was made up of more menta roses, chrysanthemums, eucalyptus and dried grasses.
The overall look of our stationery suite was to be minimal with a hint of luxe. Jess from Sweet Ophelia Designs played around with textures, finally opting for vellum menus, gold wax seals, luxurious pink velvet ribbon and – the best bit – plantable seed paper invitations. This ensured that part of our suite was eco-friendly and sustainable by allowing guests to plant their invitations and think back to the wedding as they watch their wild flowers grow.
With a more intimate wedding, we felt that a double-height single tier cake would be the perfect creation. Jen from Jen’s Cakery iced the cake with pure white icing and decorated it with gold leaf, dried flowers (from Bloomz and Bakes) and a fresh menta rose around the base. Two pale pink macarons were also included; one each for the newlyweds! The overall look was simple, elegant and perfectly in-keeping with our romantic wedding breakfast.
The brief for hair and make up was, above all, to be subtle. Storme Webster opted for a half up hair do with soft waves intertwined with a delicate hair vine handmade by Donna Crain. Neutral tones were used for the make up for a soft, romantic bridal look that was both fresh and naturally enhancing.
Wedding Planner Lucy had always envisioned a two piece for her bride to wear and so coming across Evie Young’s Lyric skirt and top was exactly what she had hoped to find. An A-line skirt with a high waist was ideal for a floor picnic whilst the translucent sequins took our bride seamlessly into the dancing and celebrations of the evening. The soft, latte colour complemented the rest of the shoot perfectly and the delicate sequins added that touch of luxury, especially as they twinkled in the May sunshine. Freya Rose’s shimmering suede sandals rounded off the look and the ivory Mother of Pearl block heel ensured no sinking into the lush lawn of the wedding picnic venue.
No picnic is complete these days without an instagrammable grazing platter. The muted tones of the creamy cheese, crackers, cured meats, figs, rosemary, olives, dates, honey and nuts by Didi and Dot rounded off the set up. A three-tiered brie cake adorned with juicy blackberries and grapes added something special to the grazing plates.
And finally to the venue. Our picnic wedding breakfast took place on the lush lawn of Ravens Ait Island, located in the middle of the river, near Kingston Upon Thames. Surrounded by water, the location provided a peaceful setting whilst the large oak tree promised shelter from the sun (and rain!). Our bride and groom were able to arrive to and depart from their venue in style, on board the venue’s own motor boat.
Sumptuous blues and graceful styling make this shoot a real beauty. There are so many ideas to help you create a luxurious wedding look here, from the classiest florals to the navy and blue hues, and elegant, minimal wedding stationery. Thank you to lovely Sian at Amethyst Weddings for sending this our way! You’ll find a full supplier list below.
Photographer – https://www.jlawrence-photography.co.uk/
Stylist/ planner – https://www.amethystweddings.co.uk
Venue – https://www.nortonparkhotel.com/
Venue décor – https://dressedevents.co.uk/
Florist – https://www.pompandpetals.co.uk
Stationery – https://www.londonpapercrafts.com/
Table linen – https://www.365catererslinen.co.uk
The inspiration for this shoot originally came from the crystal chiavari charts that Emma at Dressed Events stocks. Everything else was pulled together around the crystal detail.
I chose navy blue to contrast with the crystal chairs so the chairs were the centre of attention. Navy is such a classic colour for weddings and is hugely under utilised. It’s perfect for any event and gives you a classic and formal look with a touch of luxury and elegance.
I chose to incorporate plenty of glassware with candles for the decor to create some additional detail and a few focal points for the ceremony setup whilst adding extra light and depth to the centre of the tables cape. A small gathering doesn’t need to be dull and lifeless. The table for 12 just oozes luxury and was so simple and inexpensive to create.
The white florals worked perfectly in the rooms we chose for the shoot as natural light was at a minimum particularly in the drawing room that we used for the ceremony.
Kay used the filling white blooms to great effect, creating striking arrangements for both the aisle and the table – hydrangeas “Schneeball” variety, sweet peas, nigella, phlox, spray veronica, stocks, roses and carnations.
The selection of grey candles is from Flying Tiger, Copenhagen.
I still love styled shoots – they’re fabulous for first glimpses of inspiration and ideas which will gradually make their way into real couples’ weddings on blogs and in magazines. I publish plenty: I send my calligraphy out to a select few. But when Krysta (For the Love of Weddings) asks for stationery or calligraphy I know the shoot will be insanely beautiful, and I jump at the chance to take part!
Working with my beautiful friend Amy Swann makes the process even more enjoyable. Since 2017 we’ve been making wedding invitations for luxury and intimate weddings all over the world. Amy’s illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to romantic, organic calligraphy lettering, and a creative brief from a client like Krysta is so exciting to work with!
Today’s shoot happened at Garthmyl Hall and was beautifully captured by Rebecca Goddard Photography. Planning and styling was by For the Love of Weddings with concept & design by Style & Bloom. The flowers take centre stage – Pheasant Botanica‘s work is always stunning! Our model wears bridal wear by Sienna Von Hildemar with jewellery by Glitzy Secrets. Hair was styled by Tabitha with makeup by Victoria Jones.
“Inspired by British Flowers Week, this was a fabulous collaboration with some of the best British wedding industry suppliers, who are clearly so passionately inspired by their natural surroundings. The shoot was a heavenly blend of modern elegance, romance and dramatic floral details, showcasing the incredible work of so many talented suppliers within the wedding industry.”
Full supplier list below…
Photography – Rebecca Goddard Photography
Venue – Garthmyl Hall
Floral-design – Pheasant Botanica
Planning & Styling – For the Love of Weddings
Concept & design – Style & Bloom
Stationery – By Moon & Tide + Amy Swann
Cake – Amy Swann Cakes
Silk runners/napkins/ribbons – PomPom Blossom
Bridalwear –Sienna Von Hildemar
Jewellery – Glitzy Secrets
Hair – Hair by Tabitha
Make-up – Victoria Jones Makeup
Videography – Rocksalt Photography
Confetti – Shropshire Petals
Candles – Hus & Hem
Crockery & glassware – John Lewis
Previously featured: Love My Dress
I’ve been so very lucky with the collaborations I’ve been asked to be a part of over the last couple of years. Working with talented people like Amy Swann and Jo Bradbury is an absolute dream – between them they transform my calligraphy by surrounding it with beauty. The florals in this blog post are out of this world – Fletcher & Foley we LOVE you!! I will forever be grateful to everyone I’ve had the pleasure to work with – and I hope there’ll be many more collaborations in the pipelines for the future. My calligraphy pens are ready!
This beautiful editorial was first featured in Unveiled magazine in 2018.
The shoot took place at Stretford Public Hall.
All images are by Jo Bradbury Photography
Floral Designer Fletcher & Foley
Flower Grower Carol’s Garden
Hair and MakeUp Amanda Jones
Cake and Flower Crowns by Amy Swann
Stationery by By Moon & Tide
Dresses by Village Bride
Model @olivia_heywood