Alternative Gothic Wedding styling with dark spring vibes at Lodge Farm

To follow on from last weeks styled shoot Alternative Wedding Styling with Fresh Tropical Spring and Urban Cool Vibes we take a look at the second half of this “celebration of the seasons” shoot – this side explores a darker mood but keeps all the dreamy spring vibes for an alternative and juxtaposed gothic wedding look for your big day. Jo from VV Raven tells us about the alternative look:

“I wanted to reflect my passion to work with other British, sustainable, small businesses by collaborating with over 18 others. I love to mix fresh and faux florals and used this shoot to show the advantage to using them together and how indistinguishable from each other that they can be. I chose to create a series of shoots called Celebration of the Seasons- Fresh Spring and Dark Spring.”

“I am enthralled by Paganism and its close connection to Mother Nature and I wanted to use the atmospheric outbuildings to create a wedding photoshoot with a twist and so the Urban Pagan theme was born!”

“The ethos of the venue fit perfectly with the key influences for the shoot, and the changing landscape of the fields throughout the year are an idyllic backdrop for the Celebration of the Seasons.”

Styling – V V Raven

“You think of spring, and soft pale blues, greens and whites spring to mind, but what if you are far more inclined towards the dark, heady green mosses of spring, and deep purples of woodland flowers. I am fascinated about the contrast between the two and wanted to show two different ways that this can be styled.”

“The other side of spring is a dark introspective time of the year, as nature comes out of a deep sleep. We created a deep, moody environment showing the other side of spring as it shrugs off the shackles of winter.”

Photography- Markuza Photography

“I really like to work in nature and that place in natures arms that has
a magic atmosphere.”

The Dress- River Elliott Bridal

“Black wedding dresses are starting to grow in popularity and I thought this photo shoot was the perfect opportunity to design a dress that is inspired by the darker crevices in which
spring starts to unfold. I used a stunning black embellished lace for the bodice, which features a plunging neckline to symbolise the sensual side of spring. The skirt of this dress is made from organic black silk taffeta, which offers a crisp, natural texture that feels light and airy despite its darker, sumptuous colour.”

Flowers – V V Raven

“Drama was caused by using fresh British grown dark purple tulips,
ranuculus, locally grown hellebores, fritillaries, with deep dark shiny foliage, accented by the gold tiaras, black feathers and twigs. Large foliage hoops were covered with moss, dark ivy and black feathers to signify the circle of the seasons of the year. Also used were dark faux flowers, feathers, ferns and twigs made into bespoke headdresses and bouquets.”

Cake – Fifi’s Cakery

“We created a dramatic 4 tiered purple cake featuring gold fins to reflect the local flora and fauna topped with handmade sugar roses and calla lilies”

Hair and Make Up – Ieva Genovesi Makeovers

“Inspiration for the Dark Spring look came to me from several brides in the past wanting to look different, express their style and not to follow the typical bridal rules. But it is a big step to be different and there are not many bridal dresses in black to choose from, as well as not many stylists would be brave enough to offer the look. Therefore I thought I would go for dark eyes, Glitter lips and big hair! Big personalities deserve to shine inside and out!”

Stationery- Natspaperstudio

“Modern typography was used on the dark side with black and white botanical leaf il
lustrations and a trans clear menu card printed on vellum to create interesting modern textures to the tablescape”