Often in the wedding world when you type in “luxury” you get back pictures of white roses & hydrangeas, monochrome designs, black tie and white drapes. Yes this is very elegant and certainly looks smart but for me personally it’s a bit boring.

People would argue that monochrome is classic and doesn’t go out of style but is it memorable, is it fun and does it feel like you? When choosing colours, go for something you love and that resonates with you as a couple. I will put together various colour palettes that work with the season till we find one you love.

So with this in mind I wanted to create a wedding shoot that had a luxurious feel but using lots of colour and sustainable methods.

Venue

The Orangery at Settrington. A beautiful Orangery at a private residents in North Yorkshire, this is an exclusive venue with a stunning private garden including a water fountain and mausoleum, you also have the option to get married in the church round the corner. The venue is very grande with tall ceilings and large windows that let in lots of natural light, the colours are neutral and include lots of raw material like stone and wood so can compliment any colour palette.

Flowers

The flowers I chose to use were all British grown and in season, I based my colour palette on warm colours like coral, pink, orange and yellows then balanced with cooler colours like lilac and white. I love coral, it is one of my favourite colours and one of the focal flowers I used were peonies, also one of my favourites.

For the ceremony I created a multilevel design using a mixture of containers and plinths, vintage and new, all reusable and all designs created using chicken wire and water. These designs can also be repurposed on your wedding day so that they can enjoyed for as long as possible.

Photography: Zoe Nickola

In addition to this I created a welcome sign meadow design, a real abundance of colour and a great way to start off the day and introduce al the guests to the celebration.

For the bridal flowers I created a bouquet with a relaxed shape using the flowers natural stems and way of growing, showing off the big bloomy peonies, surrounding them in more delicate floaty flowers like the corncockle, orlaya and sweet peas. I also added some garden roses and the last of the years ranunculus to add texture and volume. Then I finish the bouquets with some seasonal foliage and grasses adding that natural meadowy element.

Dress

The dress that the bride wore was designed by Megan Jayne Bridal Couture, it was specifically for this shoot, the designer is based in Yorkshire and creates bespoke designs, I love her ethos, way of working and knowing where al the materials come from and made.

Suit

I created 2 designs for the grooms flowers, the first being a pocket meadow which is worn on the suit lapel just inside the pocket and the second being a more traditional buttonhole pinned to the suit lapel. The suit was designed by Dandy Threads, a tailor that specialises in Yorkshire threads and provide a really friendly and personal service, I chose them for their beautiful designs, their sustainable methods, ethos and their customer service.

Photography: Zoe Nickola

Tablescape & styling

The tablescape was put together using a skilled set of suppliers. The stylists Lola & Luna used a neutral linen table cloth, gold rimmed glass charger plates and white ceramic candle holders as the perfect backdrop for all the colour to be added. Then they added these amazing scalloped napkins in orange & peach, coloured candles from candle flair and Sostrene Green then finished it off with gold cutlery and pink glassware. All items are hired and able to be reused again and again rather than single use which makes them more environmentally friendly.

Stationary

Then moving on to the stationary. I love working with local designers and Chloe from Herve Jones designs is one of my favourites, she created the menu’s and name cards to decorate each place setting on the table. Beautiful detailing using recycled paper to make it eco friendly.

Here are the other areas of stationary that you might need for a wedding and setting them out in this flat lay shows all the elements including the save the date, invitation, vow booklets and envelopes. It is also a lovely way to remember all the little details you put into your wedding, so maybe consider asking your photographer for a stationary flat lay when you get married.

Photography: Zoe Nickola

Rings

The flat lay is also a great time to capture any other details like jewellery. The rings and jewellery were made by a local Yorkshire designer Jaqueline & Edward. They make ethical engagement & wedding rings. I absolutely love their commitment to sustainability and the style of their jewellery.

More flowers

The flowers for the tablescape were designed in the Ikebana fashion, using few stems but precisely placing them in a shallow container at angles to create a real eye catching design. Focusing on the individual beauty of the flowers and I was so so pleased with how these came out. Some of my favourites were the lupins, sweet peas and fox gloves.

Cake

The wedding cake is probably my second favourite thing after the flowers when I think about wedding details and that’s because I love food ! This beautiful cake was designed by Where the ribbon ends who specialise in hand painted designs.

Photography

Last but certainly not least were the 2 photographers that captured all the action and details of the day. Hannah Brooke the leading photographer on this styled shoot specialises in documentary style photography, showing the story and is great at capturing all the real moments, the fun that happens on a wedding day. She is also a lover of colour and these are why I love working with her.

Zoe Nickola was the second photographer, she was amazing to work with and captured the shoot beautifully. I loved her storytelling style and her eye for detail.

Thank you to all the suppliers that made this shoot possible:

Photographers: Hannah Brooke photography and Zoe Nickola

Venue: The Orangery at Settrington

Stationary: Herve Jones design

Cake: Where the ribbon ends

Stylist: Lola & Luna events

Dress: Megan Jayne Bridal courture

Suit: Dandy threads

Make up: Clair Flint MUA

Hair: Eleanor Jayne MUA

Jewellery: Jaqueline & Edward

Celebrant: Melody Diamond Celebrant