Sleeping Beauty Romance

I think lots of us have a special place in our hearts for Disney, yes it's totally unrealistic, outdated and a little, ok a lot, sexist. But we can't help it, we grew up on it. So this Disney princess inspired wedding inspiration is guaranteed to appeal to your inner Aurora. And FYI, it's totally ok to be a feminist and have an inner Princess. Sleeping Beauty is the perfect fairytale to apply to the wedding world, a hidden forest, overgrown florals, a stolen kiss. We adore Kayleigh's interpretation here, yes it's over the top, yes it's probably a little more out-there than you'd have on your own wedding day, but the whole thing is pure unadulterated escapism and we LOVE it.

The Inspiration

Kayleigh The Stylist & MUA: I am hugely inspired by fairytales and the whimsical and magical things in life - one day the idea struck me that I would love to do a collection of shoots based on our most favourite fairytale princesses - and what their wedding day would look like, including classic elements from both the stories that we love to read and the films we love to watch. Aurora is a simply divine source of inspiration, growing up in the forest, we ran with the idea that her wedding would be a wonderful floral celebration. Rebecca Carpenter photographed for us, an absolute dream of a photographer who completely GOT the vision. I’m sure you will agree she did such a great job of creating dreamy and magic photographs that evoke real emotion from the day.

The Venue

We used the wonderful Chelsea Physic Gardens in bloom. The Chelsea Physic Gardens have a really intimate fairytale feel, despite being in the centre of London! We loved the tranquility of the venue, the numerous nooks and crannies that you could get lost in and of course, the magic of the beautiful garden and flower displays. Perfect for a fairytale wedding.

The Flowers

I’m not kidding when I tell you that Hannah from Saint Floral bought an entire florist shop with her to complete our installations. Being at Chelsea Physic Gardens, we felt it only natural to include a heavy floral influence as part of Aurora’s wedding. Hannah says “With the ever-magical Chelsea Physic Gardens as our backdrop; rich in ancient Ceanothus & Judas trees, unexpected corners of dark botanical beauty & majestic aquatic ferns housed in moss-laden greenhouses, this played an orchestral part in the play on light and shade so prevalent in true Brothers Grimm/Disney fairytale” I set to curate each floral scene to echo the sweet melody of Aurora’s soprano aria & her ethereal grace, arrays of translucent petalled-blooms in the palest blues and sugar pinks recalling the fairies & Aurora’s gown which dances between spellbound colour, amongst pops of dark & sultry florals & thorn-rich branches as a reminder of Maleficent’s haunting undertone.

The Tablescape & Styling

The table was one of my favourite things, with a gorgeous wild floral centrepiece, bespoke pink and blue cocktails created by The Cocktail Service accompanied by delicate chocolates by The Painted Peacock. We loved the idea from the original story, when the fairy-godmothers are all arguing “make it pink, make it blue!”. We ran with this, trying to include it in all elements of our story with Aurora. Valentina from The Stars Inside says “We wanted to explore feminine shades of pink and blue, as a playful nod to the original story, and complement these with a palette of earthy browns, whites, and greens to echo the colors of the botanical garden itself. Inspired by Aurora's secret hideaway in the forest, we used wooden textures alongside visuals of flora and fauna, and romantic details fit for a princess' sleeping enchantment. Our bride is graceful and powerful like nature itself, and her surroundings lay still, like a Spring frozen in time.”

The Cake & Food

Marlarkey Cakes provided our dessert station and cake - and she really went wild with the pink and blue theme. Everything was so well done - looking like truly the fairies could not agree on the cakes. Everything looked so delicate, complimented wonderfully by the beautiful floral artistry. Platter London also supplied some gorgeous food arrangements for guests, replicating a medieval feast fit for a Princess! They were truly delicious and added such a wonderful element to the day.

The Disney Princess Bride


Audrey Ashley supplied us with two dresses - for the bride who likes to change it up. The first had gorgeous floral detailing across the chest area, and the tulle flowed beautifully in the wind. The second dress was pink, a lovely nod to Aurora herself who ultimately ends up in a pink dress! We loved the long sleeves of this one and the intricate floral detailing all over.

The Beauty

As well as styling and organising the shoot, my day job is actually a makeup artist, so I got to do what I do best and create our Princess! I wanted Gemma, our model, to have a fresh and natural look, with timeless pinks on the eye to tie in with the styling. Hair by Cassandra styled the hair, providing three looks, starting the day with a half up half down relaxed do - for the table sitting, and ending with gorgeous flowing curls, to compliment the flowing fabrics of the dress.

The Accessories

Aurora was spoilt with accessories for her wedding. Hermione Harbutt provided headpieces, my personal favourite being this gorgeous gold tiara fit for a Princess. It was so so detailed and beautifully crafted, The full length veil provided by McFayden Millinery was breathtaking, with the gold handcrafted flowers tying in nicely with the tiara and styling. Everything was finished off with gorgeous delicate jewellery by Clare Lloyd and beautiful shoes by Charlotte Mills. 


The Stationery


Wonderland Invites has actually provided stationery for every single shoot in this series so far - every single time included subtle references to the stories entwined so delicately in her designs. Working closely with Pom Pom Blossom, who provided our gorgeous silks, something easily overlooked within a wedding but adding such a tasteful, delicate detail on both the table and the stationery. Jenna says “To honour the surroundings of the gardens, I wanted to create stationery which was soft, elegant and natural. Combining pastel watercolours with soft vellum, silks and wax seals, the overall effect was super pretty and delicate. Hand torn edges reflected the organic surroundings. I also created a pretty silk banner which was light and airy, perfect for flowing in a summers breeze”.

The Video



JW Creates made us this absolutely beautiful video that perfectly sums up the magic of the day. Walk with us through the story of Aurora’s wedding day!

{Watch The Film}