It’s been a dream and goal of mine to plan my own styled shoot and last Spring, I succeeded in this goal and made my dream a reality! I’ve shared lots of snippets from this shoot online (it was too gorgeous not to!) but I’ve finally gotten around to pulling it all together in one blog to explain the thought process behind the concept, styling and design elements and share all of the beautiful details.
Concept:
I came up with the concept for this shoot from a desire to create the wedding cake of my dreams! Something that would push me creatively and challenge me technically. But it was important to still stay true to what I love: contemporary design with textural features and delicate sugar flowers. I was also keen for the cake to take centre stage – so often I see wedding cakes being hidden in the corner of a venue! I did lots of research on textures and colour palettes and was drawn to the iconic wedgewood china as the core inspiration behind my design. I loved the delicate nature of the china and it’s recognisable floral patterns, which are often showcased in beautiful shades of blue.
Venue:
One of the key factors in planning this shoot was finding the right venue. I wanted to create a real show-stopper of a wedding cake so the venue had to match this in terms of luxury and grandeur. The team researched lots of suitable venues but Somerley House was the perfect fit. It is just the most exquisite wedding venue; it has a stature and presence about it that is just magical.
Styling and design elements:
I knew we had to push the boundaries with every aspect of the styling for this shoot to do justice to this beautiful venue. It needed an abundance of florals, beautiful bridalwear and accessories, a stunning tablescape and of course, a wow-factor cake! With the help of Hannah Baskett (By Hannah Baskett) and Jamie Edward Photography, I assembled the most incredibly talented team to nail this brief!
Hannah (By Hannah Baskett) created the most beautiful tablescape featuring classic pieces to reflect the grandeur and history of Somerley House itself. As a base, paisley print linen was used in a beautiful pale blue hue. The cutlery was an antique gold set reflected in the touches of gold in the stationery and the glassware. For a statement pop of colour, a blue water glass was included to pick out the darker blue of the florals lining the length of the table. The place settings comprised layered white ceramic plates draped with a paisley napkin and built upon with vellum stationery and macaron favours, tied with silk ribbon.
Sarah (The Way to Bloom) excelled with the most stunning florals. The Way to Bloom’s floristry style is made of whimsical – elegant arrangements, meaning the shapes and concepts feel organic in the space, like they grew there overnight. Sarah and her team accomplished this by using different elements on the grounds of Somerley, like the Triton fountain, large stoned urns, and of course – the iconic tree. The flower choice was in theme with the Wedgwood inspiration whilst also bringing in the feel of hydrangea gardens that were frequent in the summers Sarah spent in coastal New England.
Bridalwear:
Our model’s first gown was Mara Marie Bridal’s ‘Langham’ gown. The gown is a one-shouldered gown made from organza jacquard fabric. The fabric features a gorgeous floral design and sparkles when captured in the light because of the metallic threads laced in the material. The gown was hand draped to highlight the beautiful nature of the organza. The second gown worn was Mara Marie Bridal’s ‘Rosebay’ gown. This gown has over 50m of champagne-coloured tulle in various layers, creating a gorgeous semi-sheer skirt. The hand-draped bodice is covered with lace appliqués and pearls that have all been applied by hand.
Clare Lloyd Accessories provided the bridal accessories for the shoot, and her aquamarine vintage headband, in particular, was a perfect fit for the concept of the shoot and the beautiful bridal gowns.
Cake Design & Dessert Table:
When coming up with the concept for my cake design, I took inspiration from Mara Marie’s beautiful gowns and the heavy influence of florals and floral patterns in the overall styling of the shoot. Fuelled with a desire to create the most beautiful cake design that took centre stage, I came up with a 5 tier design that featured textured draping over the bottom two tears, with a soft blue floral pattern embossed on contemporary panels around the middle two tiers using a gorgeous embosser by Angela Morrison. A touch more draping and more contemporary panels enveloped the top tier. Delicate pastel, blue and white sugar flowers adorned the top of the cake and the middle tiers.
I opted for a square design as I felt this contemporary look would fit perfectly with the concept of this shoot to ensure the cake would take centre stage and bring a real wow-factor to the setting. The cake stood tall on a clear, acrylic plinth to give it even more height and grandeur. I also knew when planning the shoot that I wanted the cake to be a real focal point amongst the styling, so when the main tablescape was laid out on the wonderful lawn at Somerley, I knew that the cake had to sit at the top of the grand stairs with the beautiful Somerley house as the most magnificent backdrop.
Wanting to add a real opulence to the shoot, I was keen to include a beautifully styled dessert table. Items included delicate macarons, intricately decorated cakesicles, beautifully decorated sugar biscuits, dainty meringue kisses and elegant cupcakes. All were decorated to compliment the Wedgewood theme of the shoot and beautifully styled by Hannah on her gold and glass shelving unit.
This gorgeous shoot was featured on the Coco Weddings blog. Read the full article here.
Styled Shoot Team:
Venue: @somerleyhouse @somerleyweddings_events
Concept & Planning: @louisehayescakedesign
Styling: @byhannahbaskett
Photography: @jamieedwardphotography
Models: @coupleofwans
Cake designs & dessert table: @louisehayescakedesign
Flowers: @thewaytobloom
Stationery: @lucca_studios
Signage: @willowrosestudio
Tablewear: @theluxecollectionuk
HMUA: @bridal_by_becky
Bridal designer: @maramariebridal
Suits: @boss @hugo_official
Rings: @lovers_rock_diamonds
Bridal Accessories: @clarelloydaccessories
Harpist: @noaharpist