As a little girl I dreamed of my fairytale wedding, about how it would all look and feel. So when I locked eyes with this stunning Montecito photo shoot from NLC Productions + Kurt Boomer, my heart skipped a beat. Complete with enchanted forest filled with fantastical vintage details from Archive Vintage Rentals and magical dresses from La Soie Bridal, it was like that long-ago dream simply came to life. The gallery is brimming with pretty, so be sure to see it all here!
From Nico of NLC Productions… Stepping out from the coldness of reality and into a land of fantasy is exactly what I desired to accomplish with this shoot. I have been really inspired by all the fairytale and storybook trends this past year: the magic, fashion and characters. But most of all, I have been inspired by how we modernize these tall tales today, realizing they have more to do with our real lives then we ever thought. Through this shoot, I wanted to tell the tale of a girl and her journey of discovering her own strength and independence as she travels through her own mystical dream world, a storybook land. As the opening scene is set in the real world, we did not want to design a dull reality, so we turned it into a boudoir scene. What girl wouldn’t love reading in her undies, draped in pearls and Chanel earrings? From then on, she travels through a fairy tale land and meets her prince, weaving in and out of various magical tales and discovering a land that is much more enchanting and glamorous than her own. But like all stories, it must come to an end.
When I design and style photo shoots, I tend to try and not to take myself too seriously. It’s an opportunity for design expression, storytelling and trendsetting. After I came up with the concept, I knew the amazingly and beautifully talented photographer, Kurt Boomer, would capture everything perfectly and turn it into its own storybook. The next step was picking the suitable backdrop, and the Gardens of La Bella Vita provided the perfect canvas to paint and illustrate our tale. Gorgeous, handpicked vintage furniture, place settings, and chandeliers from Archive Vintage Rentals embellished every crevice, while La Tavola linens brought in pops of sparkle. Delectably detailed gowns by La Soie Bridal draped our divine model as well as mid-century Chanel and Miriam Haskell jewels from Santa Barbara’s own boutique, Coast To Coast. We couldn’t imagine working on this project without LunaBella, our hair and makeup artists. Christin and Ashley interpreted each look seamlessly with their styling, successfully adding a twist of darker makeup and untamed hair as the story went along.
If you ask me, photo shoots are never complete without treats. Our dessert table glittered with an assortment of handmade sprinkled marshmallows and colorful cupcakes by Valley Sweets and a gilded gold cake by Jana’s Creative Cakes. Styling food is one of my favorite tasks, so I had a blast with the extensive spread of meat from Duo Catering & Events, including buffalo, quail, lamb, turkey legs and pork belly, all complemented by locally grown vegetables, herbs and fruits.
Photography: Kurt Boomer / Photo Shoot Location: The Gardens of La Bella Vita, An Estate in Montecito, California / Venue Contact: Paulette Bermant / Floral Design + Styling: Nico Cervantes of NLC Productions / Catering: Chef Brian Congdon + Chef Ashley Transki of Duo Catering & Events / Wedding Cake: Jana’s Creative Cakes / Cupcakes + Marshmallows: Valley Sweets / Calligraphy: Pamela Wood (pam55wood@yahoo.com) / Linens: La Tavola / Furniture + Tabletop: Archive Vintage Rentals / Wedding Dresses: La Soie Bridal / Jewelry + Accessories: Coast 2 Coast Collection / Bride’s Headpiece: Veronique Coleccion / Hair + Makeup: Christin + Ashley of LunaBella Makeup and Hair / Groom’s Tuxedo: Oscar de la Renta via King Tux / Models: Katherine Rodriguez + Ross Gill