Gorgeous? Well that doesn’t even begin to describe the achingly beautiful captures from Willow & Stone Photography. Not. even. close. I mean, anytime you mix the talents of Canvas Weddings with the mastery of Alluring Blooms the results are bound to send anyone into a Pinterest frenzy, and you can get started right here!
From Corinne Van Arsdale of Canvas Weddings… I have always been fascinated by Greek mythology, and particularly with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty and pleasure. So many mythological deities have seemingly one-dimensional personality traits or skills — but not Aphrodite. She was said to be beautiful and infinitely desirable, as she was born of a god and the sea, but she was also a warrior, a schemer and a savior. This duality was ultimately the inspiration behind this shoot — Aphrodite is beautiful, soft and graceful, but she is also powerful and strong. We wanted this shoot to celebrate the strength and beauty of women — which is why we chose to place three women at the center of this wedding universe.
While we wanted this shoot to be clearly inspired by Greek mythology, we wanted to avoid designing a “theme” wedding. From the beginning, we wanted to design a wedding environment that evoked the opulence of the mythology in a modern, contemporary way that midwestern brides would want to replicate at their own weddings. For that reason, we avoided putting our models in predictable chiffon, draped gowns, and opted instead for body-skimming formal gowns with lace or jeweled details. We also chose dinnerware and stationery with a slightly modern edge to bring this world into the 21st century.
Once we had our primary inspiration in the character of Aphrodite, we turned to Greek antiquity to gather ideas for our design. First, we needed a location — and we almost immediately settled upon the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum in Milwaukee, a villa built by a Milwaukee architect in 1923 that is situated right on the shores of Lake Michigan. The villa’s sprawling gardens and Italian Renaissance-inspired architecture were perfect backdrops on which we based our designs.
We took or cues from Renaissance art of Greek mythology when determining our color palette — lush greens, delicate blush, champagnes, ivories and hints of gold. We wanted the colors to evoke the decadence of Greek mythology as well as the obvious reverence for nature in their worship practices. This we achieved by combined lush and bountiful greenery and blooms with light gold leafing in the bouquets, table garland and ceremony arrangements.
All other details, from the lace robe to the dynamic hairstyles, dramatic ceremony draping and the lush draped chairs were inspired by the duality of Aphrodite’s softness and her strength.
This vision of beauty and strength was brought to life with the help of many of Wisconsin’s best wedding artists, including Willow & Stone Photography, Alluring Blooms, Jaxie and Sugar River Stationers. Many, many thanks go to Bloom Bake Shop, The Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum. A La Crate Vintage Rentals, The Rock Agency, Event Essentials and Sevva Salon for their contributions to this shoot.
Photography: Willow & Stone Photography | Event Design: Canvas Weddings | Event Planning: Merren Events | Floral Design: Alluring Blooms | Wedding Dresses: Brandi's Bridal Galleria | Cake: Bloom Bake Shop | Invitations: Sugar River Stationers | Hair Stylist: Cheryl from Sevva Salon | Accessories: Jaxie | Models: The Rock Agency | Photoshoot Location: The Villa Terrace | Rentals: Event Essentials | Rentals: A La Crate Vintage Rentals | Robe: Kohl's | Veil: Brandi's Bridal Galleria
Incorporate Tons of Texture. I love incorporating different types of textures in my bridal bouquets all throughout the year, and winter is no exception. This time of year there are so many unique elements that can be incorporated, so why not get a little adventurous! One of my favorite elements to use right now are foraged branches or any fall or winter foliage around your home. These are extremely unexpected, but add that unique and wild touch. Texture also provides dimension to the arrangement. If foliage isn’t your thing, try berries or succulents.
Be Bold with Color. In the winter we all start to bring out our neutral sweaters and subtle accessories, but what about the color? Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean we need to tuck away all of our fun and festive colored items. The same goes for floral! Just because you are having a winter wedding, doesn’t mean you need to banish vibrant colors from your wedding palette. Be bold and brave. A pop of color never hurt anyone! I love going all out with a color palette. My inspiration for this winter bouquet were the colors of sunset and A Splendid Occasion’s new brand and website!
We all love giant, fluffy peonies and dinner plate cafe au lait dahlias, but unfortunately they are not available all year long. Garden roses are my favorite to use in the winter. The soft pink romantic antike garden roses that we used in this bouquet bloomed so beautifully and ended up being the show stoppers. Large, fluffy and perfectly bloomed! A lot of brides write off roses instantly, but these voluminous garden roses can really make all the difference. Instead of using a large amount of smaller, more expensive flowers, do your research (or ask your florist!) and find the best fuller varieties for your bouquet. The bigger blooms make more of a statement too!
Have fun with it! Overall, having fun with your winter bouquet is key. Winter bouquets don’t all have to look like the holidays or be completely white. Get creative and find the flowers, colors, or natural elements that mean the most to you and incorporate them. Spray paint is always a great idea too if you are looking for a specific color. I really enjoy spray painting my greens gold in the winter for a little extra sparkle. Don’t be afraid to get a little wild with it, just keep playing around with it until it is perfect!
