It's not often we get to see a Honeymoon Shoot. We often focus on the wedding and forget all the excitement of the amazing getaway that awaits the next day! Today's shoot comes from an incredible team led by Trish Thomas of Essential Wedding Design. I love the austere charm of this shoot, and of the whole 1950s theme in general. The birdcage veil, the gloves, the perfectly tailored suits, and the stolen little moments in between the "properness" of it all.
Of her inspiration for the shoot, Trish said, "I often look at how people dress now and how much effort we go to, to dress these days. I can't help but feel jealous of the times when people took such obvious pride in their attire and presentation in comparison to today. I admire the people who took hours to get ready and present themselves to the highest calibre, day in day out. I wanted to recreate this portrayal in a shoot. I didn't want the shoot to be wedding themed, but rather to catch the eye of individuals and couples; the dating, engaged and the anniversaries, to give ideas for photo shoots they may like to have. However, I did want it to have some sort of attachment to weddings. Thus, the honeymoon getaway idea. My parents and grandparents all had getaway outfits they beautifully prepared and had their suitcases packed ready for their holiday after their reception. I loved this and wanted to capture the happiness of being a newlywed and the anticipation of relaxing and holidaying as a newly married couple."
To create a unique 50s inspired atmosphere and a holiday feel, Trish searched for neutral locations. "An old grandstand and a lagoon as well as some holidaying locations including a train station and old wreck yard with old trains provided perfect backdrops," she said. "From this we could add the props, like suitcases, accessories, car and, of course, their outfits and overall looks to develop the feel. The antique suitcases and the car were significant decor elements that we used a lot. We have a vintage retro clothing store nearby which I teamed up with to really recreate the look for the couple. I particularly loved the gloves and hats! The hair also was a big indicator of the period we were going for, and Helen was able to master that perfectly with the pinned up curls and his combover."
Although the team were keen to be inspired by the 50s, they didn't want to completely replicate the era. "We wanted it to look fairly legitimate but wanted to bring in modern elements to make it relatable and a desirable thing to be inspired by! I wanted it to be enjoyable for the couple, to really depict the happiness and enjoyment of the occasion. They are newly engaged so that wasn't hard to do. I wanted it to still be a little flirtatious, like having cute eye catching glasses, smirks, innocent laughs and of course chivalry."
In sharing this shoot with brides-to-be, Trish hopes to inspire you to look outside the modern, perhaps to another era for your thematic inspiration. "The 50s were a fun and fabulous time filled with elegance and charm. Perhaps brides can consider incorporating a spark of inspiration from earlier times, like a brooch, or pearls, curls, red lips. It doesn't have to be obviously overdone but it can definately be inspired by. There is something captivating about earlier periods, maybe just a little or a lot, I am sure it will prove captivating at your wedding too!" she says enthusiastically.
Absolutely beautiful! Don't you agree? The amazing team that created this shoot are:
Planning, Styling + Design: Essential Wedding Design
Photography: Natalie Howe Photography
Attire + Accessories: Village Vintage
Make Up + Hair: Helen Sotis Make Up
Flowers: Designer Wedding Flowers
Jewellery: The Joy of Pearls
Cars: Silver Lined Chevys
Models: Kimberly + Ashley
Enjoy your Melbourne Cup day Modettes! Looking for more inspirational shoots? Take a look at Beach Bliss: Black & White Chic or Beautifully Boho. After something completely different? Why not check out Surprise Sydney Harbour E-Session or Vows in the Vines. And don't forget to stop by Facebook, leave your comments or tweet us @ModernWeddingOz.