Warning!!! TONS of photos in this post. Please be patient and let it load… I promise they’re each more gorgeous than the next, so it’s totally worth it! 🙂
I’ve already teased this wedding inspiration shoot once. And it’s been featured already on Ceremony Blog. And heavily on my website, along with the sites of most of the involved vendors. But I haven’t had the chance to fully blog it. And I’ve been wanting to.
I’m basically caught up with backlogged posts (now, two months after starting to post on a more regular basis!). But this one has been a long time coming.
Almost a year ago, Desiree from Penny Blooms Floral Design and I decided that we wanted to do a styled shoot together. We started discussing it in earnest in the Fall, and in December decided on a January 28th date. We originally had a completely different idea in mind. Eventually we’d like to see that one through, but at the time we couldn’t find all the pieces we’d hoped to use. So a week and a half before our scheduled shoot, we made the painful decision to cancel.
Only, we already had planned to do something that day. We’d already spoken with Iliana Morton Photography about taking pictures. And we had a lot of other ideas in our heads. Why not try to make something else happen?
So we sat together at one of our favorite restaurants (funnily enough, it was a favorite of both Desiree and I well before we met each other) and brainstormed. The design flowed fast and easy, and we knew we had a good idea.
Our Boho Glam inspiration shoot was born.
In just a week and a half, we were able to organize the entire shoot, from rentals to makeup to the amazing dress provided by FreePeople… Let’s just say that things just fell into place. And working with Desiree was like sharing a brain with someone else. We disagreed (ever so slightly) on one single point (out of hundreds) during the entire planning process. And even that was only a difference of opinion and resolved quickly. The rest of the planning went so smoothly it really did feel like ESP. More than once one of us would say something that the other had just thought. It really is an amazing feeling to design with someone who “gets” you!
Our original models were perfect for our original shoot idea. But once the look of the shoot was changed so dramatically, we had to look elsewhere. We simply didn’t have time to find a “groom,” but we were extremely lucky to find the perfect “bride.” Of course I’ve known her for an awfully long time. Because she’s my sister. 🙂 We started to discuss what look we wanted and I realized she fit it perfectly. So I asked if she was available that day, for fun photos in a pretty dress with professional hair and makeup. Who could pass up a proposition like that? 😉
Of course Desiree would provide the OMG!AMAZING! florals.
She and I also spent much of the week leading up to the shoot shopping for just the right pieces to use for the shoot itself, including the fantastic fabric we used for runner, accents, and napkins. Desiree also found the plastic horse figurines used at each place setting, and spray painted them purple to match our colors. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical (this was actually the point of disagreement; I voted for gold paint!), but she stuck to her guns. And I’m SO glad she did. They brought the perfect element of unexpected whimsy!
Since we didn’t have a lot of time to plan, it was a long shot to get any fashion. We actually went to a few thrift stores but couldn’t find what we liked. So I took the chance and contacted FreePeople Clothing. It was the day before the shoot when I got an e-mail from the Director of Marketing asking if we were still interested. WERE WE????
I drove up to the nearest store (a 40 minute drive) that evening, after grabbing a few last finds from a thrift store and stopping by Classy Covers to pick up tablecloths. And the store manager and her staff could not have been nicer. Seriously, what an excellent find! The dress we chose had literally just arrived on the shelves. It fit our shoot to a “T”, not to mention our model. She loved it so much that she bought it!
Her fabulous shoes were another find. After Desiree and I searched high and low for the perfect pair, our model stumbled upon them at Kohls!
The jewelry came from a variety of sources. But the big center necklace with the purple stone belonged to my grandma Noni. She was so stylish! The “engagement ring” is an Alexandrite from my great aunt.
Of course, outdoor settings don’t come with rentals in place. Since we were at Pioneer Park, we basically had an open slate. Desiree and I had a quite a few pieces, but Abbey Party Rentals filled out the rest, including the amazing amber glass goblets.
The incredible Ashley of Unbridled Beauty (whose logo is next up on my “to-blog” list!) had no good place to work. Without power or mirrors, she rolled up her sleeves and started doing our model’s hair and makeup – in the car and in a chair outside! But the results? STUNNING.
We also enlisted the services of Nicki of Calculated Whisk and Jessica of Sweeter by the Dozen, to make us cake balls and an unfrosted layer cake, respectively. Without much direction (and both dealing with tough mental and physical weeks), they demonstrated that they truly are both artists! (Side note: I actually designed both of their logos too!)
I spent much of our setup time perched on a ladder. I should mention that I’m not such a big fan of heights. But ribbons, frames, and Moroccan lanterns don’t hang themselves. And this? This was worth it.
Stationery was our biggest road bump. We had actually talked with two separate up-and-coming stationery designers, both of whom agreed to design our pieces and both of whom backed out. With just five days before the shoot, we realized that if I didn’t design the stationery, we wouldn’t have any. So I started designing. I stayed up late, got up early, and pretty much didn’t leave my computer. My printer did a super-rush job for me (thank you so much Derek!). Like every other part of the shoot, though, the design just flowed. I have to say that I think that this is my favorite stationery set that I’ve done to date. I adore it. Every part.
I can’t say enough how much I love the stationery. And I can’t believe I designed it in such a short amount of time!
The overall look of the shoot was really whimsical, incredibly gorgeous, and quite unified. I’m extremely proud of it, and of all the fantastic vendors who worked with us to create such a magical shoot!
I can’t help it… I need to show more photos!!!
Purple and Gold Boho Glam Inspiration Shoot 01*28*2012 Details:
Events by Elisa 