Ethereal Lovers In Venice

This is a bold statement - but I *think* this might be my all time favourite inspiration shoot we've featured on RMW...I know!!! Big words! It's just so dreamy though. And Venice is just so magical, you can't help but be enchanted by it. Both Bridal looks are stunning, the hair and make up is demure but flirty, the Katya Katya Shehurina dresses are to-die-for with exquisite detailing, the Kelly Spence accessories are divine (that rose gold leaf hair clip - gah!) and the colour palette of pale blues and blush pinks is just so on trend. Oh and I'm loving the tumbling blooms too and the gold accents! Honestly - it's all so gorgeous, I'm going to stop waffling now and let you enjoy it...

Weddings In Venice

Amy The Photographer: Venice is an incredibly romantic city, filled with mystery, impressive facades and more canals than you can count! For this elopement shoot, Laura Holden and Amy Fanton put their heads together with the goal of creating inspiration for brides who may be considering a Venetian elopement or destination wedding. Laura crafted two looks inspired by the softer watercolour tones of Venice to show off the breathy and ethereal side of this stunning city. Rather than opting for one of the striking palazzos as a backdrop, we created a look of organic elegance, including soft pastels in tones of blue, grey and green. Real life couple Lisa and Giacomo were completely perfect – young and vibrant they carried off the elegant attire and couldn’t have looked more in love throughout the whole day!

The Dresses

Our first look was created using the beautiful Alessandria dress from Katya Katya Shehurina. This look is so delicate and whimsical it seemed only right to pair it with delicate pearl hair accessories, bracelet and earrings made by Kelly Spence and let the dress’s blue slip do the talking (many of Shehurina’s dresses can be customized by choosing different coloured slips to be worn under a lace overlay). Such an unusual bridal look blended beautifully with the tones of the Piazza and as the sun rose behind our couple this soft and beautiful look came to life. With such a dreamy gown the contrast of the dress with the famous facades of this incredibly beautiful place made it look like they had eloped together, completely alone for moments of intimacy in a place which usually is so incredibly crowded! The second look with Katya Katya Shehurina’s striking Rosa dress gives a completely different feel; more edgy and fashion forward. With delicate cap sleeves and an incredible beaded bodice it was perfect for pairing with rose gold accessories, the Harvest comb, along with earrings and a bracelet from Spence’s collection. With this look we snuck down the back streets to contrast the ochre colours with this delicately creamy statement gown. Coincidentally — using Shehurina’s gowns was a match made in heaven as both dresses are from her current ‘Venice’ collection!

The Suit

The suave groom Giacomo wore a shawl collar dinner jacket from Hugh Harris and a refined and simple yet elegant look—bringing to mind Paul Newman arriving for the Venice Film Festival. 

The Beauty

Giulia Rioda was our talented hair and make-up artist, putting together an understated but glamorous look for Lisa and dapper grooming for Giacomo.

The Flowers

To compliment the beautiful bridal looks Francesca from Fiori Fantin created a loose, organic bouquet which is quite out of the norm in Italy, especially Venice, where brides tend to favour traditional bouquets of roses. Combining roses with astilbe and eucalyptus immediately gave the florals a modern look and brought a beautifully unexpected element. As a further nod to the culture and history of Venice, she chose a Murano glass vase to hold the centrepiece. 

The Decor

For our table setting we scouted a location that felt intimate and romantic, with beautiful colours and foliage surrounding a simple but elegant table. The draping of the linen was important to set off the informal atmosphere, so selecting a material that draped beautifully was key. The heavy chiffon, watery blue cloth was matched with delicately patterned plates and glassware with touches of silver.  Combining this beautiful colour palette Imogen Owen brought the stationery to life. To reflect the relaxed elegance of the shoot, the envelope was lined with an antique Venetian map (in perfectly matching colours, of course!) and showcased beautifully flowing calligraphy. Using complimentary tones, Imogen’s work brought variety and interest to the table setting.

The Cakes

As cakes are less traditional in Italy than most couples opt for in the UK, we took a different approach alongside Asma at The Sugared Saffron Cake Company to create three small cakes of different designs. Each perfectly complimented the colour palette of the shoot, added a touch of whimsy, and brought together the elegant patterns of the table settings.

Wedding Wanderlust

Overall it was a fantastic day shooting in Venice, one that had us all walking for miles to find those perfect hidden locations. We hope the gorgeous images from Amy Fanton and the dreamy film from Claudio at Whitesfilm will inspire no end of wanderlust!!