By reading the title of this blog post, I can imagine a lot of you are conjuring up a certain episode of Game Of Thrones in your minds. Well fear not, I did not photograph the Red Wedding (could you imagine if they hired a photographer for their wedding - I know a photographer would not have existed in the GOT world - so maybe an artist interpreter.. or something?!), instead I worked with some awesome wedding suppliers to create a styled wedding shoot based around the colour red.

When starting this project, I knew that I wanted to go for something a bit different, perhaps tapping into my own tastes and elements that inspire me. I started looking at “Rock ‘n’ Roll Weddings” on Pinterest, which came up with alternative couples, leather jackets and industrial venues. I liked what I was searching for but felt like the images were repeating themselves and I wasn’t feeling particularly inspired. I then started to search for colours. I came across several moody toned images, featuring lots of blacks and golds. I began to feel more excited about the project and delved deeper as I discovered some ethereal bridal portraits, particularly outside and using berry tones. That’s when it hit me that red should be the main focus for the wedding, particularly in the styling. Using red as the main colour meant I could use accents of white and green to bring the palette together. I made the bold decision to avoid a classic white wedding dress. White wedding dresses only became popular after Queen Victoria’s wedding in 1840. Prior to that, a bride could wear whatever colour she liked, but it would have been desirable to reflect the social status of her family. Later on, many people assumed white was used to symbolise purity and virginity, however the symbolism was never the original intent. All of the clothes are from ASOS apart from the models’ shoes and the white shirt worn by Rob.

With this in mind, I searched for suppliers who would be able to provide alternative wedding supplies. I wanted to capture the day as though we were going through a wedding day itinerary, focusing on both the details and important wedding moments. I did not want to over pose the models as I wanted it to reflect my wedding style: happy, relaxed and candid. I let them chat and have a laugh, just like I would with any of my couples. Photo taking should be seen as fun and enjoyable for all involved. One fun element I really wanted to include was bubble confetti. I first came across this on a photography forum and thought the idea of using bubbles instead of flowers was a really interesting modern twist. I armed the suppliers with bubbles and they really went for creating this whimsical effect! Have a lil read at how the other suppliers interpreted the theme, what fun ideas and suggestions they have for alternative weddings and anything they currently offer.

Every bride has their own preference for hair and make-up, whether is it natural, super glam or alternative. In the 1960s, brides started to get more creative with their make-up choices, using various colours and products. Eyes were kept minimal with a pop of colour else where on the face. Rebecca Morello went for a similar style, opting for natural eye make-up and dark lipstick as the pop of colour. Rebecca also suggests matching your eyeshadow or lipstick to the colour of your flowers. It’s a bold statement that’s sure to give you that extra wow factor that you’ll see in your photos for years to come. Floral crowns or individual blossoms blended into soft curls are a key 2019 trend. If your inner fairy queen is calling, answer her prayers with some minute blooms such as Gypsophila or Soleirolia Soleirolii. Rebecca is offering all 2019 brides £50 make-up for their wedding day and £25 per bridesmaid. Bargain! :)

So you know the look you are going for your day, now the challenge is to find a location that embodies that! The Keeper’s Green is an open field with countless possibilities. The field has lots of beautiful features including: a log cabin, a wildflower garden, willow walk, a fire pit, stunning scenery and so much more. Having so many options, means there are so many ways you can personalise it and that comes with endless photo opportunities! Perfect! This wonderful locations also comes with a tractor, so you may arrive to your wedding in style! The venue is also available for birthdays, parties and festival hire, so no matter what your celebration entails, The Keeper’s Green has it covered!

The invites are the first sneak peek into your wedding adventure, so give your guests a little hint for what is in store. For our outdoor wedding, Alex Tsoncheva used greenery to suggest where the wedding will take place. You can also use the invites to show off your colour scheme or theme. You can then carry on this design through the use of other stationary on your wedding day, such as, name places, menu, order of the day, table plans and anything else you can come up with! Wedding planning can be quite stressful, so put your own flair into your day and make sure you enjoy every moment of it. Alex reminded us of a wise quote from RuPaul “That is the key to navigating life - don’t take it too seriously. That’s when the party begins.”

Flowers are bloomin’ beautiful. Megan @ Bridget’s Flowers recommended going for a dried bouquet as this trend is becoming popular again. The stunning warm hues and interesting textures of unusual blooms, seed pods and dried grass suits both modern and vintage themed weddings. The pretty, pale bouquet Megan prepared for the shoot compliments the vibrancy of the red dress and suit, whilst bringing back hints of a traditional white wedding, creating an ethereal, romantic bridal look. Dried flowers are easy to preserve if you are planning on keeping your bouquet as a keepsake.

When it comes to alternative weddings, creating a mood board is extremely helpful. Especially when it comes to cake. Look on Pinterest for ideas regarding colour, shades, design ideas, textures and anything that catches your eye - even if the images aren’t actually of cakes! Take all these ideas to your meeting with your cake maker, they will then be able to take all the mixed up ideas and create a variety of designs to suit your theme and budget. The main thing is to research your cake makers, as some will specialise in certain areas others don’t, which can be key to creating the alternative style you want. For our outdoor wedding, Stacey’s Cakey Bakes created a cake perfect for a dark fairytale. The cake was designed like a tree stump, coloured in black with a beautiful bark texture. Around the cake, Stacey places roses, buds and vines to give it a romantic twist.

Party Time! You’re ready to dance the night away! Who better to celebrate your day than with Globe Trotter Cocktail Bar. They offer two set ups: horse box or flower wall bar. Both set ups are perfect for a festival feel, outdoor wedding. If you’re looking for something a bit different, Globe Trotter Cocktail Bar have you covered. You can also rename the cocktails to tie in with your wedding. Say if you were going for a Game Of Thrones Wedding (sorry, back to that concept again!), you could name the drinks after the different places, characters or houses. Amy @ GTCB advised that previous couples have named the cocktails after the bride and groom.

As you can see, we had an absolute blast photographing this styled wedding. I highly recommend these suppliers and strongly believe they will help to make your day freakin’ awesome! I’m incredibly passionate about creating photos that are full of character and tell your story through creative reportage and ninja photography skills! If you would like to find out more, drop me a message here or check out my price list here.

If you’re seeing more from this shoot, follow the link below.

The Red Wedding Gallery.

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The Red Wedding

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