A Botanical Wedding Inspiration Shoot Filled With Greenery

The world of weddings has seen a step away from traditional florals of late, embracing foliage, succulents, palms and ferns instead and we have to say we love the tropical feel they create. This shoot from Wisley Gardens combines gorgeous greenery with elegant table settings, there's a stunning floaty gown embellished with gold detailing, and a hot pair of models to bring it all to life. (I'm swooning over the Bridal hair and make up in this shoot)!!! The whole thing has been captured beautifully by Amy Fanton Photography and has a warmth and realness that some styled shoots completely lack, we're totally in love with this one. And if you fall for this styling too, have a look at these two real weddings for some more inspiration - Minerva & Eric used plants for their eco-conscious big day, and Ella & Magnus got married in a conservatory, brimming with greenery.

The Greenery

Amy The Photographer: The inspiration for the shoot was seeded in fascination with the exotic and lush scenery in the Wisley Garden greenhouse, as it is such a unique and refreshing departure from the more traditional venues available to brides in the London area! Located just outside of central London, the greenhouse instantly transports you to a botanical paradise set amongst enormous palms, orchids and other beautifully exotic greenery.

The Styling

Gilly from Amore Star Events seamlessly curated the look using a combination of whimsical, vintage and classic details and ensured that everything melded together perfectly. To go along with the botanical theme, Paul from Petal to the Metal dressed the table with a "jungle floor" consisting of succulents and limestone potted plants and ferns, interspersed with elegant vintage candlesticks. He also created tropical chair-back greenery arrangements to dress up the elegant Chiavari chairs from Bentley Brown and make a special place for the bride and groom. The look for the table was completed by Jie from DingaDing Terrariums, who created the most beautiful Terrarium display—using air plant terrariums hung from a bamboo pole above the table-- adding dimension and a playful, romantic and whimsical visual element. Jie also created a stunning display of terrariums hung from one of Wisley’s exotic trees that was perfect for romantic portraits of the couple and would be an amazing option for a couple giving their vows! As favors for the guests at the place settings, we created seed boxes wrapped in vintage (circa 200 year old) botanical prints found at Portobello Market displayed alongside garden themed signage from The Finer Details.

The Fashion

The dress worn by the bride from Heart Aflutter bridal had just the right amount of gold and delicate lace detail along the bustline and was balanced perfectly with the flowing, soft ivory tulle—giving the dress beautiful movement and volume. Katy Richards kept the makeup romantic, natural and dewey using a palate primarily of golds and neutral tones and finished the Bride’s look with a relaxed bohemian braided crown. The Bride’s delicate and organic feeling pearl bracelet was created by Donna Crain and added just the right amount of sparkle. The groom wore a light grey suit from Hugh Harris that was a refreshing departure from more traditional darker suit options, adding to the overall light airy feel in the botanic garden.

The Treats

The gorgeous cake from Le Papillon Patisserie was textured in a rich buttercream and adorned with pieces of gold leaf, orchids and succulent. And quite possibly my favourite detail from the entire shoot - signature cocktails and biscuits garnished in edible flowers were created by Gilly - and tasted just as delicious as they were beautiful!