Another creative and magical shoot from some very talented wedding suppliers today with this alternative winter wedding inspiration. With juxtaposing ethereal and Gothic vibes it has us all swooning here at Magpie! Coordinated and styled by Jo Thorndike of VV Raven, it gives copious amounts of beautiful alternative winter wedding inspiration for your big day. Here we catch up with her and the team…
Alternative Winter Wedding Inspiration with Ethereal and Gothic Vibes
“I wanted to reflect my passion to work with other British, sustainable, small businesses by collaborating with as many of them as possible. The beauty of the setting blew me away and I passionately felt the need to fulfil my vision for the space, luckily Bryony was sympathetic to this! 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 was influenced by the romance of The Barns at Lodge Farm and the current state of dilapidation of some of the buildings. In harmony with a desire to promote British flowers and sustainability and with the location being a working arable farm I chose to create a series of shoots called Celebration of the Seasons- finishing with this one- winter.”
“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 Barns at Lodge Farm is a new wedding and events venue where several barns are currently being renovated, and I wanted to document their dereliction and history/romance before they are refurbished. Sustainability is a key factor in both the way the land is managed as a working arable farm, and also in the way the barns are being developed in a manner which is as sensitive to the environment as possible.”
“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.”
Alternative Winter Wedding Styling – V V Raven
“For Winter we were thinking of a Hoar Frost where all is white and sparkly with deep dark elements of contrast! We styled a Tipi and small tent to create a cosy natural winter wedding. With a vast frosty white tablescape incorporating an icy 3 tier cake.”
“To show that not all brides are the same we featured an ‘older Mother’ Bride and her ‘young Daughter’ bride to reflect the full age spectrum. Incorporating a light icy winter with pale dresses and a dark moody side with dramatic black dresses.”
Photography- Markuza Photography
“Photography and any photoshoot are very special and important to me. Project Urban Pagan was an amazing experience with great teamwork. I really like to work in nature and that place in nature’s arms has a magic atmosphere so I that could realize many ideas. Everybody brought a piece of their heart into the project.”
Bridal- Beyond Bridal
“Beyond Bridal is a specialist bridal and occasion wear brand; contemporary couture for women who want to look sexy and confident. Belinda has also been Vivienne Westwood’s specialist corsetiere, an affiliation that has cemented her graduation to luxury couture. In a working relationship spanning two decades, Belinda has been entrusted with Gold Label red carpet commissions frequently seen in the media spotlight.”
“Beyond Bridal garments are unique creations draped around a corset base exquisitely engineered to enhance the female silhouette. All Beyond Bridal garments are tailor-made through fittings and design consultations in her studio in Crouch End, north London.”
Flowers Inspiration- V V Raven
“Using dried sprayed winter twigs, foliage and dried berries, we dressed the table to create a lush maximalist approach. We created fresh British foliage crowns that used strong fern outlines and appealing shapes to create interest and frame their faces, these were used with matching bouquets.”
Model- Ann- Marie Hughes
“It was a wonderful experience for me to work with Jo and the team of creatives for the Urban Pagan Winter Wedding shoot. To wear the amazing dresses and all the fabulous accessories was a joy. The hair and makeup was transformational. All this sumptuousness, all this lush greenery, the flowers the magic, the scenery all captured beautifully in pictures. What future bride wouldn’t want such a unique and spellbinding wedding?”
Cake- Fifi’s Cakery
“We created a blueberry & lemon chiffon sponge cake covered in buttercream icing with a vintage ruffle finish. Decorated with delicate edible cake lace skulls highlighted with white edible glitter to represent the frost of a Pagan winter scene. Completed by sugar snowflakes & butterflies cascading down the height of the cake tiers to reflect the Pagan winter wedding scene.”
Hair and Make up – Ieva Genovesi Bridal
“I was inspired by the winter theme so went for a several looks for the Bride Mother and Daughter. The first look was meant to represent the pure and fragile as a snowflake bride . It is a strong look matched with an icicle headband and pure white flowing chiffon dress. Although her face looked frozen, her heart was warm and full of love to her mum (the Ice Queen) and husband-to-be. She has longed for this day and showed her emotions throughout the shoot.”
“The second look represented her softer, loving side, where frost had left her body and sun rays brought some sparkles in her eyes. A matching dress and gold tiara finished the look just perfectly.”
“But once the night approached, wind and snow returned, it was scary to leave her Mother’s home forever and become a wife and mother someday too. So the third look represented the sad moments we have sometimes even on the happiest day of our lives! When we want to freeze some happy memories and be held in Mum’s arms forever!”
Stationery- Made by Rae Designs
“The stationery suite was designed and handmade by Rachel at Made By Rae Designs using hand-drawn illustrations and a mixture of eco-friendly recycled papers to create contrast.”
Prop Hire- Anthology Vintage Hire
“The furniture provided for the shoot was in keeping with the winter theme, with our white rustic table, along with our gorgeous grey velvet sofa and armchair, complimenting the wintery theme perfectly. Our vintage sledge, faux sheepskins and Impala skulls were great props for the style and complimented all the other suppliers’ work. Our grey and cream rugs are a great alternative and kept with the muted pallet and worked perfectly with our grey sofa and furniture in the tipi. All these furniture pieces and props are perfect for that winter wedding and provide a gorgeous theme for your big day.
Tiaras- Mr Mortimer’s Wife
“For this winter-inspired collection of tiaras and headdresses, I stuck to a palette of silver, grey and black, with one splash of vibrant gold. I created two silver pieces: one dark and glinting, and the other light and glittering, inspired by hard ground frost and thick ice, and the delicate frost of winter. I also made a dramatic dark headdress, showing a crow taking off in flight from the bare branches of a winter tree, and a striking gold tiara called Winter Sun, with bright gold sun rays radiating out from the centre.”
Jewellery- Helen C Walls Jewellery
“Creating jewellery designs with bridal wear in mind allows me to make timeless elegant pieces that will be treasured for years to come. I love to work with precious gemstones, harnessing antique styles with a touch of the gothic. Featured pieces in this shoot were a wrap around cuff with frosted silver leaf motifs and snowy white pearls, and a clear quartz and green tourmaline 3-strand statement collar – an elegant accompaniment to dramatic bridal necklines.”
The Team – Alternative Winter Wedding Inspiration with Ethereal and Gothic Vibes
Photography – Markuza Photography @markuzaphotography
Hair and Make Up – Ieva Genovesi @ievagenovesibridal
Stylist and Flowers – VV Raven @vvravenfloral
Assistant Stylist – The Emerald Lounge @theemeraldlounge
Venue – The Barns at Lodge Farm @lodgefarmbarns
Model – Anne-Marie Hughes @anne_marie_h_777
Model – Ellie Nevard @ellie_nevard
Wedding Dresses – Beyond Bridal @beyondbridal_beyondburlesque
Tiaras – Mr Mortimer’s Wife @mrmortimerswife
Jewellery – Helen C Walls Jewellery @helencwallsjewellery
Stationery – Made by Rae Designs @madebyraedesigns_uk
Cake – Fifi’s Cakery @fifiscakery
Props – Anthology Wedding Hire @athologyweddinghire
Bell Tents – The Canvas Tribe @the_canvas_tribe
Tipi – County Marquees (East Anglia)
Faux Hoods – Hoodlum Clothing UK @hoodlumclothinguk
Hats – CcMillineryCreations @ccmillinerycreations
Looking for more wedding inspiration for your big day and love this style? Check out ALTERNATIVE WEDDING STYLING WITH FRESH TROPICAL SPRING AND URBAN COOL VIBES AT LODGE FARM
