Take a seat, get cozy and get ready to be blown away by some oh so pretty vineyard inspiration captured by Carlea J Photography at Westcave Cellars Winery. I don’t even know where to begin with this beyond stunning shoot – shall I start with the amazing design by Petal Pushers? I think I shall, because every little detail they brought to the oh so pretty table is perfection. Or how about that drop dead gorgeous ombre cake by Amazing Kakes? That’s a pin-worthy cake if I ever did see one. And the custom jewelry by Merrick Jewels? I die. It’s all so lovely, and there is more inspiration to soak up in the full gallery of images!
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From Carlea J Photography…The idea for this shoot came from several evenings spent drinking wine under the trees with our good friends Margaret and Allan Fetty who own Westcave Cellars Winery. My husband Dustin helped plant the original vines in the vineyard when he was in high school and ever since I started coming around, I always thought it would make an excellent wedding venue. What really drew me to it was the idea of creating an event without a defined space or the use of a lot of extra elements and structures. There doesn’t need to be a tent or a stage or one set area when there is so much natural beauty to incorporate instead. So many options for each bride to use the space differently! From there, the idea for a styled shoot with a ceremony in the actual vines was born. I went for a more formal look with the tux and high end jewelry to show that just because you are having an outdoor wedding, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be elegant and push the envelope of what people are expecting when they hear “outdoors.”
Margaret loaned us her antique table and the hutch for the dessert display. She hand wove all of the wooden vine elements, including the fixture above the table, the wreath in the ceremony setting, and the L and D letters. Margaret acted as a liaison for all of the vendors, facilitating visits and meetings to conceptualize for the shoot. Her husband Allan did lots of heavy lifting, including constructing a last minute apparatus to hoist the ceremony wreath overhead.
Stacey and the team from Petal Pushers completely and totally blew me away with what they created. I told her that I wanted something enchanted, romantic, and vineyard-feeling, with lots of deep wine colors and greenery. Something loose and unkempt and earthy, that would blend with the natural setting. I especially love the artichokes and lettuce she incorporated into the bouquets as well as the dark black fuzzy flowers. The flowers she hand wove into the overheard fixtures are to die for! The centerpieces were amazing. I loved the way they seemed to be growing out of the urns rather than stiff or arranged just right. Down to the smallest details, like the boutonniere, everything was just spot on. Stacey also loaned us the chairs and china for the shoot. Petal Pushers has recently expanded into event design and rents several items including chairs and decorative china.
Amazing Kakes created a three layer purple cake that fades to white at the top. She also supplied fruit tarts, cookies, and an original dessert that she calls Kake Krystals, which are layers of Westcave Cellars wine infused red velvet and vanilla cake and icing alternated in etched Westcave Cellars wine glasses. (We got to taste them after the shoot and they were divine!). We wanted the hutch to look like it was being taken over by nature, thus the vines growing out of the drawers and shelves.
Merrick Bean, owner of Merrick Jewels, designed an array of bridal statement pieces for the bridal model to wear, as well as several colored pieces for the bridesmaid model. In addition to her ongoing line, Merrick has recently begun to work with brides create custom pieces for their big day.
Adrienne of Makeup by Adrienne created a bold yet romantic makeup look with purple eyeshadow for the bride and stained lips for the bridesmaid to compliment both the whimsical feel of the shoot and the modern jewelry. Drew and Jordan of Doopla Salon twisted and braided the girls’ hair into a loose, enchanted look. The bridal gown was loaned by Signature Bridal Salon in Austin Texas and the tux was loaned by Capra and Cavelli.
A big thanks to the models, Lauren, Dave, and Avery, for enduring the 100+ degree August heat with a smile on their faces!! I could not have done this shoot without my amazing second shooter, Ashley Font, who is the yin to my yang, and captured half of the wonderful photos from this day.
Concept + Styling: Carlea Wilson of Carlea J Photography / Wedding Photography: Carlea Wilson + Ashley Font of Carlea J Photography / Location: Westcave Cellars Winery / Floral Design, Set Design + China and Chair Rentals: Petal Pushers / Table + Hutch: Antique, borrowed from Westcave Cellars Winery / Bridal Gown: Signature Bridal Salon / Tuxedo: Capra and Cavelli / Make-up: Adrienne Pitkin of Makeup by Adrienne / Hair: Drew Beech + Jordan Reusche of Doopla Salon / Jewelry: Custom Merrick Jewels / Wedding Cake + Desserts: Amazing Kakes / Models: Lauren Burns, David Kanne + Avery Lewis