Today we are stepping back to autumn with this gothic shoot at The Parsonage Gardens in Manchester. Featuring two brides, both in black, the styled shoot has it all; candles galore, rich Fall colours, dried flowers and a wedding cake that you are going to love! We caught up with the team, who share how they got the look…
“I decided to plan this styled shoot as I wanted to use a beautiful historic venue with stunning grounds for an LGBTQ photoshoot. The fact that the Didsbury Parsonage was a catholic building in the past, makes it even more meaningful to do a same-sex shoot there, with a real same-sex couple. We’ve come so far from the antiquated views of the past, that I wanted to blend a more modern shoot with the historical aspects. The autumnal colours are something I love to capture in November, as we move from autumn to winter, the floor is littered with red and orange leaves, which really brings out the deep colour of the sunlight and the stained glass in the windows of the parsonage.”
The Venue
“The parsonage gardens work for smaller weddings, forty people or less ideally, across 2-3 rooms. Micro weddings are ideal here. The suppliers that were brought together revelled in this autumnal theme, florals and the tablescape in particular, matched with the black dress and dark muted make up really worked well together.”
Get The Look
How can a couple turn this theme and ideas into reality?
“A couple can easily turn this into reality, with the correct choice of venue: old, historical, original features. Combining that with a beautiful garden, or grounds – from September through to November is ideal for this colour palette.”
The Photographer
“From my experience, you tend to spend more time with your photographer on your wedding day than with most of your guests, so, my first top tip would be to find someone who gets you! Someone who you can have a connection with, who’s interested in your story, your style and what makes you tick! make sure you have a phone call or a meet-up, get to know them and see whether you think you’d get along. Also, do your research, and check their socials – does their work fill your heart with joy? If so grab them and never let them go! You want to find yourself a photographer who feels like they’re one of your friends who just so happens to be awesome with a camera!”
The Flowers
“Opt for British grown flowers for your special day! They are beautiful, reflect our natural seasons and are better for the planet. You can get some gorgeous scents and varieties with seasonal fresh flowers and if you choose dried flowers, the bonus is they will last beyond your wedding day as a keepsake for years to come. My top tips for couples: find a local florist who connects with you, instantly gets your vision and is excited to make it come alive. Tell them your colour palette and a few words to describe how you want your flowers to ‘feel’. When it comes to budget, think about your priorities: which flowers are most important to you – is it a showstopper ceremony piece or your own bouquet? Then trust them to work their magic.”
The Cake
“Once you have your date, venue and an idea of guest numbers you are then ready to book your cake designer. Choose a designer who is as excited and passionate about your wedding day as you are and whose style you love. Do they get you as a couple? If so, they can turn an abstract list of things you like into a centrepiece that represents you as a couple and will have you and your guests talking about for years to come. Book your cake designer early, even if you don’t have all the details worked out. Giving your cake designer freedom to create will inspire them to make something magical for you. Creating wedding cakes takes hours and hours. Discuss your budget with your designer. They will explore design options based on what you like and what you can afford. Have realistic expectations for your budget.”
The Stationery
Stationers Top Tips:
1. Book your stationers & signage makers for invites & on the day stationery 4-6 months before your date. That way you and your stationer can have plenty of time to discuss styles, options & colours so that it’s just right for you and your special day. We often get couples requesting us to help too close to the date and we feel so terrible letting them down.
2. My most important piece of stationery for a wedding on the day: Signage! I love signage at weddings. From welcome signs to ‘order of the day’, it gives your guests a warm welcome and helps bring everything together. You can also get creative with them! Love quirky quotes or have a favourite song lyric? Having them displayed on a painted wooden board or frosted acrylic (my personal favourite), is the perfect way to share them with your guests and give your wedding day even more of a personal touch.
3. Struggling to let us know you’ve fallen in love with someone else? I know, breakups can be hard! But honestly, we would rather know as soon as you know, so we can offer that wedding date to another couple. A simple ‘We’ve appreciated all of your information and insight into your lovely work, but we’ve decided to go with another stationer” It would also be great to include your reason for going another way, just gives us a bit of closure and tips for next time.
4. Remember to include your stationers in your vendor list for your photographer: We so often get left out and that means we miss the opportunity to see our work on display and in professional photos. They’re the best pictures we’ll have of our creations!
5. Allocate pockets of time throughout the day where it’s just you & them, no photographers, bridal squad or interference. Always make sure your wedding is about you & your other half, creating a wonderful everlasting moment.
The Team:
Photographer: Kiss The Bride Photography @kiss_the_bride_photography
Venue: Parsonage Gardens @didsburyparsonage
Stylist: Alt Events Company @alteventsco
Dress: Along Came Eve Bridal @alongcameevebridal
Flowers: Indie Bloom @indiebloom.uk
Hair and Makeup: Rebecca J Hair @rebeccajhairbridal, Authentic Bridal Artistry @authentic.bridal.artistry
Cake: Rose Hill Cake Studio @rosehillcakestudio
Celebrant: The Joy Celebrant @thejoycelebrant
Caterer: Thyme Out Events & Catering @Thymeouteventscatering
Videographer – Weddings With Soul @weddingswithsoul
Photo Booth: Iddy Biddy Photo Booth @iddybiddyphotobooth
Stationery: Scribed by Sophie @scribedbysophie @scribedbysophie
Models – Shay & Aga @shay_and_aga
GET MORE AUTUMNAL WEDDING INSPIRATION HERE:
The best in season autumnal flowers
Autumnal wedding inspiration at Solton Manor
