{Wedding Inspiration} Fresh, Clean, Green Style Shoot

I recently teamed up with a fabulous group of vendors to design a one-of-a-kind inspiration shoot for weddings and special occasions. The shoot took place in Yemmassee, SC at a beautiful cypress tree farm. The concept for the shoot was simple, fresh, clean and green. Allison Reisz Photography captured every from the day. Her photography style is both artistic and edgy, which is the perfect accompaniment to my design style. You can see the entire gallery here!

To complement the colors of Mother Nature, I chose a clean, environmentally friendly palette of greens, yellow, ivory and mahogany. The eco-friendly blooms of succulent flowers inspired the floral designs created for the shoot. Succulents are a smart alternative to cut flowers because they require very little watering to flourish and will last forever.

The ceremony design was created to look rustic, yet elegant. Guests were seated on long wooden benches and the aisle was marked with 3-4’ tall mahogany pillar candleholders draped in Spanish moss. To soften the look of the ceiling and brighten up the barn-turned-chapel, we embellished the reclaimed wood beams with sheer ivory fabric. The most unique element of the ceremony décor was the 20’ long Spanish moss aisle runner. It pulled everything together and added the perfect finishing touch to the ceremony décor.

For the reception shoot, I envisioned an elegant, unpretentious backyard wedding where guests felt relaxed by nature. We positioned everything under an ancient magnolia tree, which provided long beautiful branches adorned with the beauty of magnolia leaves and hanging moss, perfect for my idea of suspending anything I could from it. The dining table featured a long Spanish moss runner set over a burlap tablecloth with rattan chargers, lemon yellow napkins and colorful menu cards. Hanging over the reception table were moss-lined baskets filled with many candles. They reminded me of the tree swings I played on when I was a child and brought back some sweet youthful memories. I draped the bride and groom’s chairs in long, sheer ivory fabric to add a touch of elegance and keep the table from looking like an everyday picnic.

Instead of a traditional tiered wedding cake, guests were treated to individual wedding cakes that were presented on an eclectic mix of fine-bone china. The sugar magnolia flower and lavender stems complemented the overall theme of the shoot and tied in a piece of nature.

Stationed underneath an adjacent magnolia branch was the self-serve beverage bar, where guests could help themselves to a selection of fine wines, a variety of micro-brewed beer and mint-infused lemonade. The hanging mirror behind the beverage tub gave the perception of a 360-degree view of the surrounding beauty of nature.

After dinner, guests could wander down the lantern-lit pathway to a cozy lounge stationed in front of an area of low-lying branches full of beautiful magnolia leaves and Spanish moss. To provide ample lighting over the lounge, we secured a large wrought-iron chandelier to the tree’s strongest branch and hung it directly over the ottoman. It was the perfect embellishment to the design of the reception space.

We thought it would be fun for the guys to setup a whiskey tasting bar and cigar station. It was a fun little added extra for the shoot that could easily be incorporated into your Big Day. I suggest saving the whiskey bar for the cocktail hour only though 🙂

For styling of the bride, I chose two different wedding dresses for her to wear: a long, traditional dress for the ceremony and a shorter alternative for the reception. The traditional dress was designed by Vera Wang and featured a beautiful corset backing that added a conservative touch of sexiness to her overall look. We topped off her look by combining the colors of her flowers in a jade-toned chunky necklace and matching earrings. The reception dress was designed by Ramona Keveza and was blush in color with floral frills along the one shoulder. For the groom, we opted for a less-traditional light gray suit with an ornamental succulent bloom boutonniere.