Ohhhh Have I got a treat for you today.... but be warned.... it's a bigun'!!
This shoot was so much more then just a styled shoot, It debuted on Love My Dress on May 21st aka World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development as part of #changetheweddingindustry campaign which was spearheaded by the fantastic Hakeem & Jasmine. You can read all about that on this post over on Love My Dress and please do take the time to read the feature as it's such an important cause which we all need to pay attention to and do more to change!. But here, in this space, I'm going to explain the creative process behind the shoot and how everything came about... so sit back, grab a cuppa (and a plate of biccies) and enjoy... {as always... suppliers linked at the end xx} Nude Morocco | A Concept
As you know, we organise one big styled shoot a year, whilst we collaborate on others throughout the year, curating our own shoot is a way of showing potential customers our style, our response to current trends and prized pieces from our collection. It’s also a way for us to inspire others, to push the boundaries and continue to create new exciting content and beautiful timeless images.
I was in the early stages on planning our 2019 shoot when the lovely Jenna from Wonderland Invites got in touch and suggested a collaboration... Jenna's bohemian aesthetic compliments our style perfectly and it seemed timing was just right... We were both planning a muted colour palette shoot, which was heavily inspired by ethnic textures and detail. Combining our ideas, I created a moodboard and we set out contacting suppliers who complimented our vision and shoot, which we called Nude Morocco. The first of many incredible suppliers we confirmed was Nadia Meli; a Brighton based photographer who I had been following online for a while. Whilst we had never actually met I felt an affinity to Nadia and her way of shooting; her love of seeking out the details and appreciation for soft tonal colours. Nadia had previously asked about collaborating and I just knew this was the shoot for us to work together.
So good huh?!?! Thanks Robin... I know you had a super busy time to turn this round in so I'm grateful!! Now... You've had a little tease you ready for some photographic fun.....?
The next supplier confirmed was our stunning venue. I had seen images of the incredible Larmer Tree online and instantly fell in love with it. When I visited the site and met with the lovely Alice to look around I was amazed as it fit our brief perfectly. Luckily for us Alice loved what we do and welcomed us to use their venue as the perfect backdrop and focal point for the shoot.
Larmer Tree is home to 11-acres of gardens set in the heart of Cranborne Chase; an area of outstanding natural beauty on the Wiltshire / Dorset border. Created by General Pitt Rivers in 1880, it’s an extraordinary example of Victorian extravagance and vision. The gardens hold a unique collection of ornate buildings, ranging from the spectacular singing theatre to the magical roman temple. The majestic trees and intimate arbours create secrecy and surprise while the open lawns and magical gardens welcome guests to wander through hidden walkways and discover the unique charm of this beautiful setting. “Quite the prettiest sight I ever saw in my life” - Thomas Hardy | 1895 Whilst there is so many buildings we could have used... The Roman Temple was my favourite.... It was the perfect backdrop for our colour palette and I'm sure you'll agree looked incredible when set up for a ceremony! 
Flowers are always a huge part of any shoot and this one was no different. Jenna & I had big visions of dried palms and soft textures and luckily for us the lovely Lisa from Lily Lupin Floral Design was on board from the get go having also been wanting to do a shoot like this for a while… She outdid herself and created detailed and wonderful floral compositions using varieties of dried textures and grasses interspersed with muted pops of colours from anthuriums and orchids… We also worked together creating alternative bouquets. I loved the idea of creating something the bride and bridesmaids could carry like a traditional bouquet but that afterwards could be saved and hung on the wall as a keepsake… Flowers are such a huge investment for a wedding and we both loved the idea that these could be enjoyed forever! You can see some photos of these a bit further down....
When it came to our girls I sought out beautiful diverse and stunning women. Emma, Priyanka and Sara were all incredible and such a joy to work with. I can't thank these ladies enough...
Making sure the models looked and felt amazing was a really fun part of the shoot… I wanted to dress them in soft delicate colours but done in a tasteful and modern way. I was also keen to seek out garments, finishing touches and accessories that related to our ethnic & Moroccan inspirations. The Bride wore a bespoke fringed gown from Poppy Perspective, which hugged and showcased Emma’s curves. An incredible sunburst veil and feather belt from Ashley Wild Bridal and stunning rose gold heels with a mother of pearl and brass lattice heel from Freya Rose completed the look. Our Bridesmaids Priyanka and Sara looked incredible in cream soda coloured Maids to Measure gowns… What I adore about these dresses is that the same styles come in variety of sizes or you can mix and match the styles but keep the same fabric colour & material… This ensures a perfect fit and everyone feels and looks their best regardless of their dress size. They also both wore incredible Freya Rose shoes / boots in ivory! I have been swooning over the boots Sara was wearing for years! haha All the girls also wore the most beautiful jewellery from The Vamoose. Kathryn had sent me a huge selection of tasselled earrings, natural stone necklaces and stunning pendants… I broke my heart a little returning it all after the shoot and every piece was handmade with so much love and attention! 
Knowing the girls were going to be dressed to the nines it was important to get the right HMUA on board who would be able to transform the girls and make them feel even more beautiful. I had previously worked with Yasmin Bilgic on another styled shoot and I was so impressed with her skills. Yasmin bought onboard the lovely Meliha Akbas to assist on the day and together they ensured the girls hair and make up was perfection… We left hair natural for Sara & Emma and added soft curls to Priyanka. For makeup we wanted it bohemian, soft and subtle with lots of pinks and blushes highlighting the girls natural beauty!
Will, our handsome groom was brilliant on the day and such a wonderful, kind, patient man! He looked sensational in a customised pink Dolce & Gabbana jacket (which had been embroidered by Beth Parry from BB Embroidery) and other garments loaned to me by my incredibly fashionable fashion designer friend Francis Campbell.
When it came to the stationery Jenna designed the most incredible suite inspired by Larmer Tree... Soft tonal shades of mink, nude and blush with added gold wax seals, champagne tassels and an envelope featuring the iconic theatre stage backdrop. It was timeless, elegant & sophisticated and complimented the jewellery from The Vamoose perfectly! Kathryn from The Vamoose designs and hand makes everything , her pieces are inspired by natural history, a growing collection of vintage finds and an exploration of traditional crafts. The quality of the incredible stones she uses and the attention to detail just blew me away!
When it came to the décor I was in my element… I wanted to ensure everything fitted the brief, was beautifully executed but also was achievable to future brides and grooms. The ceremony, with the soft pink Roman Temple as a feature point needed little else to make it perfect. Ceremony chairs from Purple Door Props and a cascading floral entrance to the temple by Lily Lupin was all that was needed. We created an intimate circular ceremony setting, something we had at out own wedding and adored.
Can we just take a moment to swoon over this veil from Ashley Wild?? Seriously.... It's so gorgeous and Ashley went above and beyond for me on this shoot, not only loaning me a selection of veils but also making me two bespoke pieces for the bridesmaids to wear... more on that below...
When the lovely Lucy from Sparkle Bakes asked if I wanted a cake for the shoot I jumped at the chance as I'd worked with Lucy before and her cakes are to die for! I shared the moodboard with Lucy and she chatted to Lisa about the flowers we were using and designed and came up with this incredible simple elegant cake which just fitted together with the backdrop, the florals, everything!
When I visited Larmer Tree and met the lovely Alice who kindly showed me round I was blown away by all the details and beautiful backdrop possibilities... Without a doubt my favourite was this incredible huge tapestry which was found hiding away in a loft space... I was blown away by the detail, the colours and textures... It tied in so beautifully with everything I had bought together especially the gold embroidery on Will's Jacket and the textures in the bouquet!
The reception and after party set up style was ‘grown up bohemia’. We loaned a fantastic double peacock chair from Olivia from The Collect Collective who also was a huge help on the day, assisting with the setting up and styling. She was such a joy to work with and has a really similar sense of style to me so I could trust her to work one step ahead of me and get things laid out ready for me to come in and make final tweaks! I can't thank her enough as anyone who does shoots know time has a way of running away with you!!
Whilst we have a collection of individual peacock chairs, when Olivia reached out to me and offered me loan of the MAMA love seat I couldn't say no....it made a huge statement as top table double throne! We created a soft textured tablescape lined with moss, Moroccan lanterns and tiny ceramic bud vases & vintage stoneware bottles filled with peach orchids and dried flowers. I made detailed place settings and teamed these with handmade napkins. The draped fabric-seating plan from Grey & Copper looked sensational when teamed with more incredible florals, miniature weavings from my friend Alice aka, Vander Hume and our own ceramic tasselled dream catchers which we made for Most Curious. 
I don't know about you but I just love these images and when the models got involved it just bought the table to life... It's a party I want to go to!!
The last set up of the day was a chill out bohemian style tent / lounge set up and we had such fun layering vintage nets and lace curtains to create an intimate and dreamy place to finish the night…
Olivia also bought along some of her stunning solstice chandeliers, which we hung from the centre of the tent over low level bamboo tables! I can imagine chilling out here as the sun sets, fairy lights twinkling and prosecco free flowing! This set up definitely had a more relaxed bohemian feel to it and so for this section of the day the girls kicked off their Freya Rose heels, added stunning bespoke Kimonos by Ashley Wild Bridal and Emma changed into a relaxed fringed gown again from Poppy Perspective. The ethnic Moroccan inspired detail on the back of the dress was what caught my eye and it was the perfect dress for twirling around and dancing barefoot under the stars! 
We couldn't not use the incredible singing theatre whist at Larmer Tree, this stunning curved back stage was the idea platform for an impromptu dance party especially when the space hoppers come out to play!
I can't explain how much work these shoots involve... they're harder work then a job and are like planning your own wedding day, but it's something I enjoy so much and part of that enjoyment comes from selecting and approaching skilled suppliers to bring their items together!
I couldn't bear to send these incredible items back without first having a place and doing a mini shoot showcasing all the wonderful details from the shoes, the jewellery, the stationery, the weavings and the button holes.
So there you have it, an incredible shoot (even if I do say so myself) and all for a brilliant cause. Please do head on over to Love my Dress to check out the feature there, to hear not only my words but something from lots of the suppliers involved about why they wanted to get involved! Thank you again for everyone that helped make it all possible!
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