PARIS PRE-WEDDING PHOTOSHOOT - PREVIEW

I'm back in London after absolutely amazing weekend in Paris... Seriously, saying this still makes me stop for a second and comprehend it. I can't quite believe I was in Paris with Michael, and even had an all day pre-wedding photoshoot there! Paris is so beautiful and needless to say it's photographer's dream. I will be blogging personal photos and writing about the Paris I liked as well - keep an eye out, should make for an interesting read, and you might discover a few places you will want to visit when you are there. For now, below are a couple of images from a beautiful photoshoot with my couple, which I will blogging next week! Enjoy :)

RECENT FEATURES AND PRESS

In the last couple of months some of my wedding inspiration photoshoots have been featured in top UK wedding blogs and American Eco Beautiful Weddings magazine blog. I must say I'm absolutely chuffed, as I've got amazing feedback and comments from brides to be and wedding industry peers. 

My first Art Deco wedding inspiration shoot was featured on Love My Dress wedding blog

Eclectic wedding inspiration shoot published on fab Rock My Wedding blog

Eco Chic wedding inspiration shoot featured on Love My Dress, where I also ran a wedding photography competition

The same Eco shoot was published in American Eco Beautiful Weddings magazine blog

Click on the links if you would like to read the whole features or browse through blogs ;-)

Happy Thursday))

x

WEDDING PHOTOS PREVIEW - HAMPSHIRE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Preview of a couple of images from a wedding I photographed near New Forest National Park last Saturday. It was pouring down all day, apart from the time dedicated for newlyweds' photoshoot :-) So happy for the bride and groom!

ECO WEDDING INSPIRATION AND PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

Finally can share the last out of my three wedding inspiration shoots (you can see the previous two HERE and HERE)! This time it's all about Eco-Chic wedding ideas - something I'm really passionate about. There is also a wedding photography competition involved - one lucky reader of Love My Dress wedding blog can win a digital full day wedding photography package worth £1400 - more about it at the end of this post ;-)

Living in London, I know that it’s hard to imagine putting eco practices to life, as most of the time the term ‘eco’ is associated with countryside. So, apart from eco wedding inspiration, one of the ideas behind this shoot is to show brides and couples that it is possible to use eco elements in planning and designing a city wedding, and make it stylish, chic and elegant at the same time. I collaborated with Mary Lee Herrington from Forever & Ever Events , who is a London based event & wedding planner with a quirky and sophisticated approach to wedding styling, and who has a little black book of the best eco-conscious wedding suppliers.

In the part of the world where I come from originally – the US –  you can see many beautifully planned weddings and events that have an eco-conscious spirit. To be “eco” in wedding planning means simply to have a sensitivity towards the environment – so, focus on re-using products (such as, vintage fashions), sourcing businesses and props that are based locally, and serving locally sourced organic foods (which, to be frank, will taste better anyway because it’s organic and seasonal!). Already readers of Love My Dress have an “eco” conscious spirit because of their love for vintage. Vintage is inherently environmentally friendly because you are essentially re-using and recycling.  And from a stylist’s perspective (and one who was also once a bride and therefore understands that brides want to be unique and original), I particularly love vintage.

In styling this shoot and wanting to inspire Love My Dress readers, I wanted to show vintage styles that are timeless, rather than dated. I carefully worked with The Vintage Table (http://www.thevintagetable.co.uk) and displayed vintage crockery and linens that were chic and pretty.  Dasha and I also loved Kate Halfpenny collection of wedding dresses (http://www.halfpennylondon.com), which includes both her own designs and vintage dresses. Kate carefully sources vintage dresses that are timeless and classic!  Also eco-chic is Kate’s jewellery collection: she stocks vintage pieces as well as her own designs, which are handmade in the UK.  As for the all-important shoes, many brides these days will purchase shoes that they can re-use again after the wedding.  They may not realize this, but it is eco-friendly because you would be re-using them again and again. For this shoot, we used a pair of stylish heels from Emmy (http://www.emmyshoes.co.uk) and a style which can be worn with any cocktail dress after the wedding.

Not many couples realize that there are venues in the UK that are also environmentally friendly. One of them is RSA House (http://www.thersa.org/house), a venue in the heart of London, just a stone’s throw away from the Thames and Trafalgar Square.  As an eco-conscious venue, RSA House monitors its use of unnecessary energy and uses green energy providers and water management system.  Their in-house catering team also focuses on sourcing as many ingredients from within Britain as possible.

For flowers, I wanted to feature succulents, as bouquets made out of succulents will not only last for days and days following an event, but they are also cute as potted favors for guests.  Succulents also are the most low-maintenance of plants, so even those without green thumbs can take care of succulents!  The potted succulents are also a great way to dress a table by bunching them in different sizes and shapes.  Simply add a guests’ name tag to them and – voila! - you have just re-used table centerpieces as wedding favors!  The bouquet and succulents were provided by Hiden Floral Design (http://www.hidenfloraldesign.co.uk).

 

With catering for an eco-conscious wedding, the focus should be on locally sourced, organic foods.  This will also be better tasting food and your guests will be very happy (the biggest criticism that guests may have about a wedding usually centers on the food!).  But, as stylish people, we also want pretty food.  Have no fear, there are suppliers like Skye Cooks (http://www.skyecooks.co.uk), who specializes in organic catering and presents it beautifully, and Molly Bakes (http://www.mollybakes.co.uk), who also uses locally sourced ingredients and bakes the cutest little desserts.  Our wedding cake was provided by Anna Tyler Cakes (http://www.annatylercakes.co.uk), who also uses locally sourced ingredients for her cakes as well as organic ribbons to further pretty it up!  All of these suppliers provide modern and beautifully presented catering options that are also absolutely delectable. 

Many eco-conscious couples will opt not to use paper stationery for their weddings and will instead limit all their invitation information to a wedding website. However, once the wedding rolls around, you do still have to think about signage and place cards.  If you want to be environmentally friendly, it’s best to use a local stationer who also uses recycled paper. Coquette Paper & Press (http://www.coquettepaperandpress.com/), who is based in London, created small quirky signs for the dessert table that were all made from recycled paper and also made a personalized couple’s sign printed on recycled paper that was tied with natural raffia.
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The brains behind Coquette Paper & Press also happens to be a makeup and hair artist called Kate Taylor (http://www.katetaylormakeup.co.uk).  Kate did the makeup and hair for the shoot using organic makeup and hair products.

I hope you get lots of ideas for planning your wedding and making it more green and eco friendly! 
If you would like to enter the competition to win full day wedding photography package worth £1400, please head over to Love My Dress for more details.

Would love to hear your thoughts and all the 'green' wedding ideas you have!


List of supplier involved in the shoot:

Photography: Dasha of Exhibit Emotions Photography (http://www.exhibitemotions.com)
Styling and planning: Mary Lee Herrington of Forever & Ever Events (http://www.foreverandeverevents.com)
Event design, prop styling, dessert and buffet tables: Mary Lee Herrington of Forever & Ever Events (http://www.foreverandeverevents.com)
Venue: RSA House (http://www.thersa.org/house)
Dresses and jewellery: Kate Halfpenny (http://www.halfpennylondon.com)
Crockery & linens hire: The Vintage Table (http://www.thevintagetable.co.uk)
Catering: Skye Cooks (http://www.skyecooks.co.uk)
Desserts: Molly Bakes (http://www.mollybakes.co.uk)
Stationery: Coquette Paper & Press (http://www.coquettepaperandpress.com/)
Makeup & hair: Kate Taylor (http://www.katetaylormakeup.co.uk)
Flowers: Hiden Floral Design (http://www.hidenfloraldesign.co.uk)
Shoes: Emmy (http://www.emmyshoes.co.uk)

Wedding cake: Anna Tyler Cakes (http://www.annatylercakes.co.uk)

Model: Chloe Ruffel (http://www.modelmayhem.com/1451516)

WEDDING PHOTOS PREVIEW - TANIA AND STEVE

Want to share a couple of images from the wedding of Tania and Steve I photographed yesterday. It was a truly beautiful day despite the forecast of rain (Tania and I had been monitoring weather forecast for the whole week before the wedding, up to the last minutes, I think), and the sun was shining for them. Full set of their wedding images to come in a couple of weeks ;-)

CONTEMPORARY BRIDAL PHOTOSHOOT IN KENT

I've been dying to share this bridal inspiration photoshoot with you for a while! The idea of the shoot came about after I met Louise from Bow Occasions Weddings and Events last year. We started chatting about all things weddings and decided to work on a project together. We wanted to do something contemporary and fresh, so came up with an idea of Eclectic Chic inspiration shoot the styling of which would involve bright colours, stylish wedding dresses, beautiful wedding venue, gorgeous hair and make-up, and the most delicious looking dessert table.
Depending on the styling of your wedding day, sometimes it does payoff to be bold and brave with colour, be it flowers, accessories or other little touches.
Ethel and Will are a real couple, and it's been so great to capture that special connection and bond they have. Something I always aim to do on all my pre-wedding shoots and for all my lovely couples.

Ethel was wearing an amazing dress by Cymbeline, provided by Adamo Bridal boutique:

Beautiful bridal bouquet and table centerpiece designed and arranged by Kerris from Blue Dove Weddings:

 

Dessert table and main wedding table designed and arranged by Louise from Bow Occasions:

More beautiful dresses and styling ideas:

Well, hope you like this shoot and maybe you can get some inspiration from it)) Feel free to comment and leave some feedback below ;-)

Here is the list of suppliers involved:

Photography: by me :-) (I am a contemporary wedding photographer specialising in relaxed reportage wedding photography)

Venue: Winters Barns, Canterbury, Kent
Styling and Design: Bow Occasions
Dessert Table: Bow Occasions
Dresses: Adamo Bridal (Dress Designers – Alan Hannah, Cymbeline and Ugo Zaldi)
Make-Up: Mariam Jensen
Hair Styling: Love Your Hair Cassandra
Cupcakes and Cake Pops: Crumbs! Couture
Flowers: Blue Dove Weddings
Models: Victoria / Jess / Ethel
Paper Pom Poms: Paper Poms UK
Chairs: Ambassador Furniture Hire