This shoot was inspired by the Cardinal bird and the laws of attraction. The brighter red the male bird, the stronger a mate he will be. I wanted this shoot to be about a deep romance, a strong courtship, and slightly reminiscent of a time past.
The setting is The Mill at Fine Creek. This used to be an old grits mill alongside a creek. It has since been turned into a venue but the old mill and creek still stand. We selected bright colors and luxe details to showcase the elements of the attention demanding cardinal. The tablescape was draped in satin and velvet, linens. The plates were stacked using natural elements, copper, stone, and glass. The menu cards were handwritten and accented with a wax seal, and the black flatware and taper candles tied it all together. The cake is hand painted and was set in the window of the old mill. We really wanted the set to look intimate but bold. We played with textures keeping them organic and cohesive.
The altar is actually on a rock in the middle of the creek. I didn’t want the feeling of the altar to be too heavy. I wanted it to blend in with the natural beauty of scenery. The dress and the jewelry are authentic vintage pieces. The jewelry is gold and opal. Diamonds just seemed a little too modern. The boutonnière is more of an art piece. The florist used copper pieces to create more of a statement. This again ties back to being the most impressive cardinal.
Through the entire process I kept coming back to a quote I had seen. I wanted the shoot to feel intense, bold, and slightly risky. The quote reads: You were a risk, a mystery, and the most certain thing I had ever known.” Beau Taplin.
The shoot was published on Chic Vintage Bride. Click here to see it out in the wild.
We had such a strong creative team on this. Each vendor was carefully selected based on their talent, their creative visions, and their energy. When you are working to create a feeling using only photos you have to ensure that every single detail has a place and can project emotion.
Here are all of the vendors who participated:
Photography – The Pinwheel Collective
Venue – The Mill At Fine Creek
Event Design & Planning – Swoon Soiree
Floral Designs – Black Iris Floral Events
Wedding Dress – Vintage
Wedding Dress Boutique – Meriweather Vintage
Hair – Rachel Shrader
Makeup – Phawn Lane
Wedding Stationery – Amanda Day Rose
Handmade Details – One Sweet Day in May
Wedding Cake – Commonwealth Cake Company
Rentals – Rent-E-Quip
Linen Rentals – La Tavola
Specialty Rentals – Swoon Soiree
Models – Sonnie Slagle & Justin Doerflein
As always, I would love to chat.
