January 29, 2018

LONDON WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – MIDSUMMER CIRCUS WEDDING INSPIRATION

FILED IN: Featured, Wedding in London & UK

Hello everyone and happy Monday!

Today I’m sharing on the blog the photos from a unique wedding styled shoot I photographed last year just outside London. The inspiration for this shoot was an ethereal, 50 shades of pink, vintage circus feel. As a London Wedding Photographer I couldn’t have been happier and when Charlotte from La Fête invited me on board, I couldn’t say no! I absolutely loved her ideas and I’m so thrilled that the shoot was published on the pages of Conde Nast BRIDES Magazine (Oct-Nov 2017 issue) and most recently on Wedding Chicks.

Here you are all the details of this shoot written by the planner Charlotte herself.

Shoot inspiration:

The inspiration for this shoot was an ethereal, 50 shades of pink, vintage circus feel. I remember thinking that I absolutely wanted to involve my horse in some way so started my inspirational research with the words: ‘ethereal pink horse.’ I then saw a bright fuchsia vintage caravan and started to think of a gypsy campfire which then reminded me of a vintage circus camp setup and Midsummer Circus was born!

Colour / texture palette?

The colour palette was all about different shades of pinks, from the cotton candy to the bright fuchsia. We then added some touches of cream, green and electric blue. These colours were also mixed through different textures such as velvet, wood and ceramics. This mix and match of colours and textures not only gave the shoot an elegant summer wedding vibe but was also reminiscent of old school circus shows.

Shoot planning:

I came up with the concept, moodboard and name five months before the actual shoot and started to contact some key suppliers to bounce ideas off them. Because the shoot had a strong and original vision I had a great reaction from suppliers wanting to take part in something different, so planning was full on but never a chore. On the actual shoot day we were blessed with the most gorgeous sunny day, never a guarantee in the UK!

Style vision:

The style vision for this shoot was to try and set up in the middle of the fields an ethereal wedding that had influences from a circus. Taking it to the traditional circus sense of setting up camp, with antique furniture in the middle of the field etc. I really wanted to keep this as magical and as elegant as possible whilst making it completely unique and different.

Unique/DIY elements:

This shoot as a whole is particularly unique due to the amount of special and unusual details that we combined to bring it to life. From the real-life unicorn to the motorised twirling sugar unicorn inside the stunning four-tiered wedding cake, this shoot was full of magical and unique touches.

Favourite element / crafted detail?

I must say that dressing up my horse as a unicorn was my favourite element! We had done several dye trials on her mane and tail in the months prior to the shoot to try and get the perfect shading, so on the morning of the shoot, we knew the exact mix of pink and white to use to dye her gorgeous locks. We then put on her white leather bridle and attached her hand crafted unicorn horn to her head. I then added a couple of pale pink flowers around her head and Voila! Unicorns really do exist!

Key elements and suppliers:

As a planner and stylist I come up with the concept, mood and general feel of a shoot but then I rely on picking the most talented suppliers knowing that their style will not only suit that of the shoot but will enrich it and make it even more unique. It’s very much a team effort.

With her elegant style, amazing use of light and exceptional talent, Roberta Facchini was an easy choice for the photography. She was able to wholly bring this surreal vision to life.

Ricky Paul Flowers are renowned for their theatrical and whimsical floral designs so they had to be the ones to bring the floral touch! Having worked together previously and admiring Ricky’s quirkiness and incredible imagination, he and his team delivered the most incredible flowers and Seal for the day.

I knew in my mind that I needed an absolutely crazy cake to be created for this shoot. It had to be out of this world, and so my first and only choice really was to approach Ramla from the Enchanting Cake Company to come up with the design. Not only did she bespoke create this cake, but she delivered an absolute masterpiece!

I first met Ruth Milliam and her team at a wedding fair in London and had completely fallen in love with her unique gown designs that combine elegance and femininity with a hint of magic. I knew that I wanted to collaborate with her but wanted to be able to showcase her designs in the right way. Midsummer Circus was definitely the right collaboration for us, with her designs helping to bring to life our bridal vision for the day.

With her beautiful stationery, Harriet de Winton adapted for the shoot one of her beautiful pink bubble stationery sets which completely fit the feel and mood of the shoot.

Gione da Silva is an incredibly talented videographer that has been capturing weddings across the world in the most magical way. I approached him knowing that he would be the best person to portray this ethereal feel and explosion of colours.

For the hair and makeup, Michelle from Bumblebee bridal was my first choice. I had been following avidly her work and admiring her ability to deliver both amazing make-up looks and unique up-dos. She didn’t disappoint!

I wanted to involve children in this shoot to emphasise that circus feel, so when I saw Little Bevan’s Victoriana Circus flower girl outfits, it was a match made in heaven!

My advice to brides:

My advice to all brides to be would be to stay true to who you are when planning your wedding day. If you are a bit quirky then let that shine! If you are more conservative then there is nothing to be ashamed of, own it!

Allow your inspiration to grow and change in the beginning, give yourself time. And then, 6 months before your big day, start ordering, reserving, buying all of your décor elements, but remember to think of what each piece will bring, because it is really easy to over-buy!

I hope you’ll enjoy my selection of images and the stunning video from the talented Gione da Silva.

If you’re looking for your London wedding photographer, please do not hesitate in getting in touch. I would love to hear from you to discuss your wedding day and all the details. I also regularly work as a wedding photographer in Italy and as a destination wedding photographer in Greece.

And to stay up-to-date with my work, you’ll also find me on Facebook and Instagram.

Wishing you all a wonderful start of the week!

With love,

Roberta xx