With decadent details and a 1970s wedding inspiration vibe, today’s look is full of dreamy tropical colour combinations and true boho look. Karen Robb of Karen Dornellie both created the concept behind the shoot and designed the most beautiful floral wedding dress for the occasion at The George Hotel, Isle of Wight. We catch up with her and the rest of the team who tell us all about it…
“The Isle of Wight is well known as a festival location. 1969 and 1970 saw the now legendary events with such stars as Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Joni Mitchell. As a tribute I wanted to create a shoot which celebrated this golden era but in a modern way. With the wedding industry under such intense pressure at the moment I also wanted to show how small can be beautiful. I wanted lush and dramatic colours to show off my wedding dress and embrace the colour scheme and style of the venue. Simple but with a quirky edge. And why not golden dinosaurs for another Isle of Wight touch? With Biba, Studio 54 and photos by Helmut Newton as inspiration the team brought the 70s into the 21st century. However big or small the ceremonies will be for the future, couples can still celebrate their style and personalities on their big day.”
“The location is in the little coastal town on Yarmouth which is the home of sailors and a perfect starting point for many holidays with the connection to the New Forest via the ferry. The George is a stunning hotel which embraces the original features with modern quirky elements. A perfect way to combine all I wanted for this shoot”
The Dress – Karen Dornellie
“Designed and made by myself, Karen Dornellie, I had fallen in love with the fabric first. An embroidered and printed organza with daisies and oriental cherry blossoms. The style is a 70s Biba inspired look with long puffy sleeves, deep plunge back and front neckline and a line skirt. No need for embellishments as the fabric spoke for itself but I did add a cheeky veil with a lime layer of tulle and huge flower topper just for fun. I covered some shoes with some fabric to finish the total look. Bring back Biba!!”
The Photography-Holly Cade Photography
“Karen and I visited the George before the shoot and we were very impressed with what we saw. Everywhere just oozed with modern elegance which we loved, and my brain just started exploding with ideas for shots. Normally I’m more keen to have natural candid moments, but with this shoot it seemed to work better with the venue to have more poses with strong confident expressions from the models, almost like the models were royalty. Apart from that I shot the same as I always do, with strong colours and warm tones. When the venue is so stunning, the models look fabulous and the suppliers do great work, honestly it makes my job easy, I had such a great day!”
The Styling-The Events Co
“We wanted to create a sumptuous boho look that would make Karen’s 70s Decadence theme sing! Layering with luscious planting, cut glass, gold details and our beloved Pampas grass – we think we did just that. We wanted to bring in some Isle of Wight details with our golden dinosaurs and our green chesterfield armchair used against the castle wall is one of many of our bespoke furniture pieces available for hire from us. Being in The George – Yarmouth we had an abundance of luxury to work with. That, coupled with fabulous wedding suppliers and glorious models made our job even more of a joy than usual!”
The Make up-Isle of Wight Make Up and Face Paint
“The 1970s was a diverse decade for makeup looks but I knew as soon as I was shown the gown that the model would be wearing for the shoot, that my inspiration for the makeup look would come from the distinctive Art Deco aesthetic of Biba. To tie in with the greens in the print of the gown, I applied a strong, smoked out eye in shades of forest green flecked with gold to create the retro bohemian glamour of this look. Lashings of mascara for the classic “doe eyed” flutter finished off with luscious and super shiny lips.”
The Hair – Charlotte Back of Scotts of Ventnor
“I wanted to create a look with lots of volume . My models hair was one length so to create this I used heated rollers as this will create volume at the roots which you struggle to get by curling with straighteners or tongs . Adding a middle parting and dressing it out with my fingers instantly and gave it a 70,s look . As for the male model his hair was naturally curly and auburn ,I simply added serum and ran through the curl with my fingers ,careful not to overwork it which would make it frizzy and added plenty of hair shine as naturally curly hair can look dry . His hair was so fabulous that was enough to show it off to its best advantage. Thankyou for letting me be involved,Charlotte Back from Scotts Hairsalon ,ventnor”
The Cake – Gladys May Bakery
“I wanted to create something non traditional and modern but with a nod to the 70’s, using patterned buttercream and giving the base tier a shimmery look to mimic the decadent clothing and materials of the era. The rich deep blue colour contrasted with the gold fan and gave a luxurious feel and I incorporated ferns as they featured heavily in 70’s bridal bouquets, and I love the way the green pops against the blue.”
The Flowers-JK Floral Designs
“The choice of colours were based around a darker and moody decade. I found that the black Baccarra roses were perfect for this style as they have that lush tone of red velvet. I also wanted the bouquet to be wild a free as this would match the theme well and also create that wow factor with the colour choices. The colours looked amazing with the models style and hair colour, everything complemented each other and the overall concept looked stunning”
The Venue-The George, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
“The George Hotel is a 17th Century townhouse enjoying a wonderful location nestling on the water’s edge between the castle and pier in the bustling harbour town of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. This magnificent building is steeped in history and was once home to the most noteworthy of the Island’s Governors, Sir Robert Holmes who often entertained King Charles II. The George is a truly magical and memorable wedding venue and has all the ingredients for your perfect day. We have a wedding license to say “I do”. Our chefs use the finest local ingredients and will create a menu perfectly tailored for your day. Nestled between the castle and pier in the harbour town of Yarmouth with a pretty shingle beach leading to the sea beyond, the hotel’s location creates a picture perfect backdrop for wedding photographs. If you are looking to get married in style by the sea look no further. ”
The Team – 1970s Wedding Inspiration With Decadent Details at The George Hotel, Isle of Wight
Photography Holly Cade Photography @holly.cade
Wedding Dress and Veil Karen Dornellie @karen_dornellie / Make Up Iisle of Wight Make up and Face Paint @iowmufp / Hair Charlotte Back of Scotts Hair Salon @scotts_hairsalon / Styling The Events Co @theeventsco.iow / Cake Gladys May Cakery @gladysmaycakery / Flowers JK Floral Design @jkfloraldesigner / Menswear Visual Impact @visualimpactiow / Venue The George @thegeorgehotelisleofwight / Models Leonie Day and Sam Hatley-Smith
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