Today is Mexico’s Day of the Dead – traditionally a day of celebrating all of those before us – the dead were still members of the community, kept alive in memory and spirit – and instead of mourning them, their lives are celebrated instead. So we thought we would celebrate with this creative and alternative wedding shoot. If your looking for a real alternative gothic wedding style for your big day this styled shoot from a team of talented suppliers is sure to tick all the boxes. An alternative gothic wedding in the goth capital of Whitby shows us how you can really go to town adding unique style and personality into your wedding day. Here we catch up with planner, designer and stylist Jen from my My Pretties UK and get the lowdown from her and the team of suppliers involved on how this alternative gothic wedding in Whitby was created…
Alternative Gothic Wedding – ‘The Day of the Dead’
“I had this Mexican festival/Day of the Dead theme whirling around in my head for a while. I love bright and colourful weddings with a real feel of fun individuality about them. I wanted to show how easily it can be achieved with a good amount of imagination and some kick-ass suppliers on your side.”
“Like anyone planning a wedding these days, I scanned through Pinterest for some inspiration but, I couldn’t see anything like the ideas that I had….so why not do a styled shoot myself and share it with you guys?!”
“Whenever I organise a shoot my first action is to find the right venue. I always advise couples to choose a venue first, then build their design around it. In this case I knew I was looking for a quirky venue with lots of character, Whitby is the Gothic capital in England – this seemed like a good place to start. I chose Crossbutts for its unique and Gothic features, which is slotted beautifully between the coast and rolling Yorkshire county-side.”
“From the styling perspective I wanted it to be eye catching and modern and easy enough for DIY couples to achieve. For the tablescapes I used cheap but effective cacti, pineapples and candles mixed in with beautiful bright florals, lanterns and skulls. Bespoke, embroidered napkins and gorgeous crochet table runners added even more colour and personalisation to the place settings.”
“My top, top tip for creating this look is use black table linen. The colours pop so much more against black rather than your traditional white table cloths.”
Photography – Simon Holmes Photography
“ As the photographer for this visually stunning shoot, really my job was made easy with all the amazing details available to capture. However, on the day I really wanted to capture the mood of a “Day of the Dead” Theme with some sinister ‘evil eyes’ and sombre faces as well as capturing the wonderful colours of the flowers, table décor, lights and stationary etc. I had a lot of fun in post-production and edited in a slightly different style from normal especially with the detailed shots. I felt the images really started coming to life when I made the colours more vibrant, the blacks black, increased the clarity and more.”
The Dress – Perfect Fit Bridal Couture
“When I had the opportunity to be involved in the “day of the dead” photo shoot, Jen was looking for a dress with colour. I had a beautiful multi coloured embroidered tulle, with chiffon flower pieces, which was perfect for the theme with stunning pinks, a vibrant orange and also blues and green. The initial design was slightly different to the finished dress, as it was going to have abstract flower appliqués scattered across the skirt, however once the dress came together I felt it would of been too much, so I opted for a matching veil with flower appliqué around the bottom which finished it off beautifully. It was a real labour of love!”
Florals – Fleuradamo
“I chose Fleuradamo to supply our flowers after meeting Kathrine at a wedding fayre and loving her work, this shoot was full of gorgeous florals. My brief to Kathrine was ‘big, bright and bold and I think she absolutely delivered.”
Cake – Where the ribbon ends
“Finding inspiration for this cake was a dream for us, we love going out of the box with designs. Skulls, black cakes and bright flowers was immediately a must!
A black wedding cake, with enough detail and colour to make exactly the right impact for wedding guests. With specs of gold and black lace, this cake design is full of fun, colour and enjoyment.”
Make up – Ebony Believe
“The serious tone of Day of the Dead is accompanied by rich and colourful shades and tones. The carnivalesque drop back and the sugar skulls. I wanted to show the bride to be soft but still playful so used bright orange and pink shades which complimented her skin tone. I wanted to create a smooth clear base on the skin and add a touch of drama to the eyes. With the groom I was able to incorporate the most iconic element of the Day of the dead celebrations which was the sugar skull. I felt the contrast of soft, warm makeup on the bride and the full-face makeup of the skull on the groom really captured the essence of the shoot bringing to life the theme.
“I’m a sucker for the details when it comes to weddings, I have been fortunate enough to work with Kate at Bramblesky on several occasions, she makes the most unique wooden creations, and, on this shoot, I couldn’t believe it when she turned up with a giant cacti seating plan, drinks menu and table number – they were amazing. She also provided the neon ‘we do’ sign which was the perfect ceremony backdrop.”
“Staying on the theme of details, this shoot was full of them. Amazing handmade and totally unique stationery, fabulous head pieces for both the bride and groom, hand-painted leather jacket, hand-painted shoes for the bride, embroidered personalised napkins, crochet chair covers and so much more.”
“I hope you love this shoot and that it gives you the confidence to create your own fabulously, unique big day.”
The Team – Alternative Gothic Wedding – ‘Day of the Dead’
Planner, designer & stylist: Jen Sawdon-Mckay My Pretties UK @myprettiesuk
Photographer – Simon Holmes Photography @simonholmesphotography.co.uk
Models – Shaniha Brown & Matthew Kitchen
Venue – Stables at Cross Butts @crossbuttsfarm
Grooms Attire – Phaze clothing/Golden Steampunk Clothing
Brides Outfit – Perfect Fit Bridal Couture @Perfecfitbridalcouture
Hair & Makeup and Male headwear – Ebony Believe @4facesmua
Cake & Treats – Where the Ribbon Ends @wheretheribbonends
Fresh florals – Fleuradamo @fleuradamo_flowers
Stationery – Emma McNamara Ochre Eclective @ochre_eclectic
Female Headwear – Ministry of Millinery @ministryofmillinery
Accessories: Leather Jacket – Sammy Lea’s Retro Emporium @sammyleasretro
Welcome Sign, drinks menu, table plan and wood creations – BrambleSky @bramblesky2014
Crochet Items and back drop – Re-fresh Re-style Wedding Designs
Hand Painted shoes – Inanna Bespoke Shoes @inannbespokeshoes
Personalised napkins – Extra Special Touch @extraspecialtouch
Styling Assistant & Celebrant – Penny Boycott
If your looking for a softer alternative gothic wedding vibe check out Pretty in Punk Wedding Inspiration
