Whimsy & Daydreams In The Walled Garden

The florals in this stunning inspiration shoot have got me totally spellbound. There's just something so beautiful about the soft, almost wilted end-of-summer blooms. These muted tones are reflected in every element of the shoot, from the romantic hair and beauty looks to the gorgeous woollen jumpers our beauties are wearing. Then stylish Otaduy gowns add an injection of style which keeps things fresh. The team describe the shoot as being 'a contemporary take on a traditional rose-tinted image of running through gardens with your skirt blowing in the breeze,' which I think is a perfect way to sum it up. Enjoy lovely ones, those blooms really are something else.

The Inspiration

The Team Behind The Shoot: This shoot started with a pair of bunny ears from Mimosa Bridal , beautifully crafted from fabric with delicate paper flowers. They’re the perfect quirky accessory for the ever-so-stylish bride. From there, we fell down the rabbit hole of styling. Our vision grew beyond a fantasy-inspired product showcase into a shoot evoking dreamy bohemian inspiration with a rosy glow and a softness around the edges.

The Venue

The Walled Garden in Temple Newsam was the setting for our shoot, in particular the greenhouse that stands proudly at the top. Inside are bare brick and whitewashed walls adorned with gorgeous bright climbing blooms and plushy flowerbeds – a backdrop paradise! To add to the ethereal element, we brought our own props, including a taxidermy doe (ethically sourced, of course) nestled in its own woodland created by Fox & Thorn. The greenhouse really was the perfect setting for the shoot as it also enabled some incredible shots through the (looking) glass, where we played with framing and prisms to add some magical lighting effects to the shots – all of the refraction and rainbow tints were there pre-edit. It was also the ideal setting for our tablescape, piled high with plates in creamy hues, flickering candles and sumptuous silks, all styled to perfection by Redamancy. With a brief of ‘florals florals florals’, Hannah’s Kitchen provided the incredible cake, complete with edible flower buttercream. It was a fresh and unique take on whimsical floral cakes and gave real forage-and-gather vibes, which we absolutely adored, with fab pops of colour. All of the stationery, including stunning layered invites and maps, was made by the talented Mimolo Design.

The Fashion

The rolling greens of the Walled Garden are also a sumptuous setting, which is where we took our outside shots. Our models wore Otaduy, an amazing designer who offers stunning bridal solutions for the contemporary bride who lives in the now but dwells in the romantic. Complete with a delicate, bespoke Gilly Page bracelet, Bloom Boutique necklaces, and gorgeously soft Suzanna James Knitwear for when the chill sets in, they looked effortlessly romantic and cool. Katie and Leela’s hair was done by the talented Joanna from Belle & Bride, featuring soft, loose curls and a bohemian braided updo, and their make-up done by Amy George Make-Up Artist, who enhanced their natural glow stunningly. Fox & Thorn threaded this vision together with artfully arranged flowers in gorgeous colours and textures.

Alice In Wonderland

Our inspiration was a twist on the much-adored ‘fantasy’ element behind much wedding styling. Without being overtly, obviously themed, our shoot draws upon whimsy and daydreams, with a contemporary take on a traditional rose-tinted image of running through gardens with your skirt blowing in the breeze. We describe it as “Alice in Wonderland without being twee, floral without being old-fashioned, stylised without being impersonal.”