Inspiration Shoots and Boards:

Moody Glamour in the Irish Countryside

photography by Lisa O Dwyer

Planner Gabby of Banks & Leaf and photographer Lisa O Dwyer came together at Ireland’s historic Gloster House to produce this breathtaking inspiration shoot. The estate of the venue is stunning with old-world architecture and landscapes while the moody glam of the details give it a fresh, romantic tone. Rose-centric florals by Dash Caffrey are gathered and gorgeous, Lenka Calligraphy updates classic calligraphy with bold colors and whimsical lettering, and Cupcakes and Counting steals the show with a spectacular three-tiered black cake with gold leafing and decadent sugar roses. Check out the romantic inspiration story and these gorgeous Lisa O Dwyer below.

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The story of this inspiration shoot is of a beautiful red-haired Irish girl who lives in a very classical romantic country house in the countryside. She falls in love with a city-boy from Dublin. She shows him the beauty of the Irish countryside and the classical beauty of the house where she grew up. She envisions two looks for her wedding.

In the first look with a gold silk dress from House of Delphine (a French designer living in County Kerry), she is the Irish Queen Maebh. The meaning of the Irish of her name is “she who intoxicates” or “mead woman” (mead is the Celtic honey-wine which is the origin of the word “honeymoon”). Her crystal crown is from Gems & Bones. Her bouquet has tones of copper and autumn, foraged around the florist’s property in County Cavan.

The second look that the bride envisions is classic and timeless, a white lace dress and veil by House of Delphine. The lace reminds her of her ancestors and the legacy of her family and Irish lace-making. Her bouquet is lush with tones of red. The red reminds her that winter is coming and that the red berries of the rowan tree and holly will be decorating the Irish landscape.

The dinner will be set for the wedding inside her home at Gloster House. She loves the dark richness of the centuries-old family table for the wedding meal. She has a dark cake with handmade sugar flowers by Cup Cakes and Counting. Her stationery is in navy, cream, crimson, and gold by Lenka Calligraphy. Her family heirlooms play a part in the dinner setting…she is home for now.

Photographer: Lisa O Dwyer // Stylist / Planner: Banks & Leaf // Floral Designer: Dash Caffrey // Stationery: Lenka Calligraphy // Venue: Gloster House // Film Lab: Boutique Film Lab // Dress Designer: House of Delphine // Cake Designer: Cupcakes and Counting // Quartz Crowns: Etsy // Makeup: Beth W Makeup // Hair: Michaella OHalloran

Inspiration Shoots and Boards:

Modern meets classic in Austin

photography by Virginia Ann

Green Pastures Austin, a historic property that’s hosted celebrations for three generations with majestic peacocks, canopies of live oak trees, and stunning southern architecture—a classic gem in an otherwise funky and progressive town—served as the inspiration for this shoot as old meets new and modern meets classic. Highland Avenue Events envisioned touches of black surrounded by swaths of white with pops of soft color mixed in which can be seen in the flowing bouquet by Bristollane, stationery August & Ember, and a timeless white vintage Rolls Royce from Four leaf Limo. Lucky for us all the details were photographed flawlessly by Virginia Ann.

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Photography: Virginia Ann // Planner: Highland Avenue Events // Mentor: Michelle Boyd // Florals: Bristollane // Invitation Suite & Calligraphy: August & Ember // Venue: Green Pastures Austin // Dress Designer: Robert Bullock Bride // Bridal Shop: Unbridled // Jewelry: Prior Jewelry // Rentals: 10th Collection // Vintage Car: Four leaf Limo // Hair & Makeup: Lavish Beauty // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box

Inspiration Shoots and Boards:

Contemporary Fall Inspiration at Cottonwood Glen

with Tamara Gruner Photography and Promise Event Planners

If you’re looking for “A Moody and Modern Twist on Fall,” that is exactly what you will find in this stunning shoot by Tamara Gruner Photography and Promise Event Planners. The deeply colored florals with pops of white ranunculus and blush roses in the florals designed by Yonder Floral & Décor House, and the non-traditional black china table settings are certain to inspire the contemporary bride with dreams of a fall or winter wedding. We’re obsessing over the beautiful details that this gifted team brought together, and we think you will too.

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Inspiration from Payton (Promise Event Planners): This shoot was inspired by my parents’ wedding china. My parents were married in Texas in 1990. While everyone was registering for classic white and blue or floral china, my parents decided on this modern, onyx black hexagon set. They were way ahead of their time and passed along their love of black to me.

From the china, we built a dark colored and modern mood for the shoot. We went for blacks, deep emerald greens, with pops of white, and assorted metals. I have a love for combining contrasting design styles. We combined modern clean lines and shapes in a natural and organic space at Cottonwood Glen.

Through the medium of film, Tamara Gruner Photography effortlessly captured each image while taking her time to get the perfect shot. Her eye and use of natural light and fine art style was a compliment to the modern styling that blended in contrasting harmony.

House of Yonder created a textured bouquet of dark lush greenery and fall foliage with soft touches of blush garden roses and white ranunculus. The spilling organic centerpiece gracefully complimented the mid-century modern style table, wood slat chairs, and wooden tapered candle holders. The black champagne flutes were complimented by the green crystal goblets. They also provided the lounge setting staged in the middle of a field.

The stationery suite by Stefanie Hofmeister was comprised of a black origami inspired folded invitation. The opening of the invite revealed a modern script and organic polka dotted pattern. The envelopes were a contrasting black with white calligraphy. Stefanie added in touches of glimmering copper to tie in the metallic touches.

The models have a remarkable story of their own. The couple met on a styled bridal shoot years ago. While pretending to be a couple in love and displaying their chemistry, they fell for each other during their shoot. The rest is history. They are now married with two beautiful children. Their real-life love shined through in the photos more than we could have imagined. The groom wore a classic black suite with a polka dotted black bow tie. The bride adorned a two-piece gown from Emma & Grace Bridal. The modern constructed bodice met the flowy bottom to create a sexy yet ethereal bridal look.

Using my parent’s actual china in the shoot was something that was so personal and incredibly special. This shoot was a breathtaking combination of opposites that came together to create something so beautiful and seamless.

Photographer: Tamara Gruner Photography // Planner: Promise Event Planners // Florist/ Rental Company: Yonder Floral & Décor House // Invitation Suite & Calligraphy: Stefanie Hofmeister // Venue: Cottonwood Glen // Dress: Emma Grace Bridal // Jewelry: Brian Gavin Diamonds // Gift Box: Panche Gift Box // Models: Brytny & Kiley Grant // Cake/ Desserts: A Cake Come True // Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes // Suit: Ted’s Clothiers // Hair and Make Up: Megan Maenius // Film Lab: Richard Photo Lab // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box

Inspiration Shoots and Boards:

Dramatic and Colorful Styled Shoot at Langdon Hall

photography by Artiese Studios

This gorgeous styled shoot by Rainbow Chan Weddings gives insight into how you can use contrast to bring drama and spectacular beauty to your wedding. From the majestic cherry trees at Langdon Hall heavy with vivid pink blossoms, the dark red in the bouquets and tablescapes beautifully arranged by Releve Blooms, to the white and grey wardrobe palette and the maroon linens paired with gold and white at the tables, the designer’s vision to showcase artistic contrast is awe-inspiring. These images expertly captured by Artiese Studios will have you swooning for days.

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A beautiful and picturesque parochial getaway, a cul-de-sac amid a colorful cornucopia of southern Ontario’s countryside’s most prized scenic retreats. Bringing together a touchingly elegant color palette, lovingly assembled custom designs, a premier selection of wardrobe choices, and nature’s very own beautifully simple aesthetic adornments to make an unmistakably powerful artistic quality was our premier goal for our latest styled shoot.

Nestled down a quiet country road in the comfy community of Cambridge, just a stone’s throw away from Kitchener, is the namesake for our style shoot, Langdon Hall Country House, an absolutely stunning country estate surrounded by breathtaking scenery and picture-perfect locations for a truly unforgettable wedding day experience. One stylistic aim our designers had intended for this styled shoot was the development and emphasis on the theme of contrasts; between light and dark, between color and monotone, between us and nature. And with a cursory glance through our gallery, one can see these very same contrasts unfold to create a true unity between contrasting elements. From the get-go, one can see the contrast between the color of bright-maroon red in the floral arrangements, between bouquets and boutonnieres for lapels, and the subdued light ashen grey and lily white wardrobe palette. A contrast of a color scheme which engages the senses to one which is soft and simple creates an engaging and appealing aesthetic for the wedding’s overall theme.

Using a simple setup for the wedding ceremony location in a perfect outdoor setting surrounded by Langdon Hall’s natural greenery, and right in front of cherry trees that perfectly fit the maroon red theme from earlier, our photo-shoot capitalized on every part of Langdon Hall’s perfect location to create a truly exquisite wedding day experience. For the dining table setup, we see again the use of contrasting bright maroon coupled with deep dark, shimmering gold and pure white; a genuinely eclectic ensemble of colors brought together perfectly for the scene. The stationery items as well, fashioned with a rustic and aged look, give the wedding day’s overall impression one of depth and refinement. All in all, with many contrasting elements left written on the canvas of our photographs, our latest styled shoot was an unbelievable pleasure for us to have brought to life.

From the picturesque countryside setting, to the themes of contrasts in our design choices, to the use of Langdon Hall’s beautiful forestry and wonderfully crafted garden. All in unison, a wondrous sea of contrasting elements coming together to bring something beautiful to life. And we hope you find it beautiful too, the magic within the grounds of Langdon Hall.

Wedding Planner: Rainbow Chan Weddings // Photographer: Artiese Studios // Florist: Releve Blooms // Stationery: Seniman Calligraphy // Venue: Langdon Hall // Videographer: SDE Weddings // Make-Up/Hair: Windy Chiu // Model (Female): Elite Model // Model (Male): Angies Models // Cake/Dessert: Rococoa Butter // Plates/ Stemware: Plate Occasion // Gowns: Catherine Langlois // Tux: Garrison Bespoke // Linens: Linens Closet // Rings/Ring Box: Cynthia Findlay // Pedestals: Design Exchange

Inspiration Shoots and Boards:

Moody in the White Barn Editorial

featuring Callie Manion Photography

The stunning white barn venue, The White Sparrow, often hosts weddings in light soft colors that coordinate marry well with the space. So the The White Sparrow planning and design team hooked up with always-amazing florists at Jubilee Flower Co. to create a shoot that celebrates the moodier side of a pastel palette. We love the black details like the tapers and chairs and the dusty blue in the beautiful tablescape. And the cake by Sugar Bees Sweets is AMAAING. Callie Manion Photography was on hand working her magic and we have all these gorge images to show for it!