Urban luxe on the blog today with this bold red and pink wedding at Northern venue LEAF Manchester. It’s a city centre location which is perfect for couples looking for an elegant industrial style. Stylist and coordinator Stacey of To Be Revealed style and the rest of the team tell us how this styled wedding was created…
“With maximalism on the rise in design, yet with still so many neutral toned wedding styles around, we wanted to create something with a huge clash of colour that would really pop! With couples wanting more and more to be personal and unique, we wanted to show that being stylish and feminine can still mean being bold in choices. That using colour is a huge way to show personality and all your unique qualities. We discussed a red and pink shoot as it’s the ultimate feminine colour clash. There had been a rise in the colour palette but we didn’t want just hints of red or pink – we wanted to create a fully red and pink shoot with no white to be seen. Plus with everything going on at the moment (for people reading in the future – we are just starting to come out of lockdown) we really wanted to create something super bright and bold to give people some light!”
“As a stylist, my inspiration is always taken from my background in both Fashion and Theatre combined with my love of textures and prints. We wanted to create a maximalist look filled with bold style, edgy elegance and a hint of the theatrical. Theatre pushes boundaries, creates storytelling and uses detail to show messages and that is something we are always influenced by. Red has been known as a bit of a power colour for ages and with a rise in female movement – we thought it would be fun to inject some feminine unapologetic girl power into the shoot. Our aim was to show that as women, we really do have all these options available and can show off exactly who we are – not what society or anyone else thinks we should be. We thought it was a really important message, so made that really clear in our intentions.”
“We are always careful to consider being as ethical as possible when we create any work. All the suppliers are local and with the venue being city centre based, we tried to minimise the footprint by using public transport over car use. The styling elements are all multi use or recycled elements and elements that can be used over and over again. As a stylist I like to show that even if you go for a maximalist look – you can still reuse items throughout a wedding day and consider the items you use. Both the veils used are made from fully recycled tulle and Peacock and Pearl are huge advocates for this. We used minimal paper items on the tables and the stationery used was all printed locally.”
“The shoot was shot at LEAF Manchester. The venue is a really quirky coffee shop, bar and restaurant based in Manchester city centre. The venue is also licensed for small wedding receptions and the spaces they have are fab! Our entire shoot was shot in their basement room – which has a slight urban feel, with cute features and a slight theatrical side. The room really helped us create the vision and was perfect for creating a small, intimate shoot. Using the room features is vital when designing as it means you can see what works in the space and how you can use key areas to bring a vision to life. The moody basement vibe combined with an off white wall and feature lighting gave us a light and shade to play with in terms of imagery and atmosphere.”
Styling- To Be Revealed
“Taking my inspiration from theatrical elements I love to consider really detailed approaches to my creations. Taking inspiration from costume design and interiors, I wanted to create an intimate yet warm, open feel to this shoot. Moody vibes that transport you into a theatrical vision but also makes you want to be one of the girls! I wanted to show that using colour doesn’t have to be scary. Adding in bold coloured elements can really take your styling to a new level. Using a monochromatic palette allows you to create depth and a statement but it also, playing with the colour spectrum can bring in light and dark and create something that feels real. I am always inspired by home interior and like my clients to consider what makes them who they are – ESPECIALLY how they want to feel. Atmosphere plays a huge role in my styling – My top tip is always to consider how you want to feel when you walk into a room.”
Photography – Taylar Jayde
“With the current situation of the world I knew I wanted to be a part of this shoot to help bring a little light and colour to it even if just for a moment. I’ve always deceived my style as rich and raw, I wanted people to not just see the colours but feel the energy and the sentiment behind them too. Atmosphere is everything and capturing emotion is so important for your wedding as it’s what you remember most. With a Pink and Red themed shoot focused on female empowerment and emotion I was immediately sold. The bright colours brought passion into the shoot and captured the aura of female empowerment in every way we could’ve imagined!”
Bridal- Marie Chandler Bridal
“We wanted the bridal styling to showcase a capsule of styles. To show that if you don’t want to go for a traditional wedding dress then you absolutely don’t have too. Adding colour in can really up the ante to create a bold look. If you want to make a statement then wearing a coloured wedding dress or opting for a suit/jumpsuit is the perfect way to do it! Nobody says a veil has to be worn with only a dress and your outfit doesn’t have to white, in fact you don’t have to just have one outfit! If you want to add colour but not go the whole route of a coloured outfit then think about it in the details – From the veil to the shoes. From a bold statement headpiece to just a ribbon around your waist – there are so many little ways you can create a bold statement.”
Flowers- The Flower Decorative
Flowers are a huge part of most weddings and getting them right is really important. Bold, boho and beautiful were the key words for the creations on this shoot. Something a little more simple but shows romance and style. Sara from The flower decorative – “I kept the flowers fairly simple with shades of pink spray roses and the much underrated but back on trend carnation to add a chintz feel. For scent I chose the amazingly scented tuber rose and eucalyptus. Bear grass and leather leaf added a touch of greenery and for ultimate impact, I used red freedom roses and tall pink spikes of pussy willow combined with the fun bunny tails which I seem to be sneaking into bouquets wherever I can.”
Cake- Paula from Cakes by P
“My first thought process for the design, from the initial brief, was the colour scheme. The cake needed to be bright and bold! Textured cakes are so on trend at the moment and I wanted to incorporate that element. As a cake designer, red and pink aren’t colours you would normally put together so boldly, so it definitely took me out of my comfort zone! With the maximalist theme and texture elsewhere in the styling, I didn’t want just a block of colour. For the bottom tier I created a marble effect and on the top tier I wanted a randomly placed, bloom of pink and red pretty little flowers. To finish off and add even more to the style – i finished it off with a three toned ribbon bow that trailed into the tablescape.”
Hair and Make up- Love Hair By Amy
“With three ladies and three different looks to consider, we wanted to keep the pink and red vibe fresh and current, showing varying looks to inspire different people. Knowing each other’s strengths meant we could create together to give the ladies their own vibe. A sleek ponytail complimented the statement gown, jumpsuit and headpiece proving that wedding hair doesn’t have to be boring – it can be style led and fashion forward! Soft waves and a statement bold eye created a mix of delicate and edgy. A more traditional hairstyle but with a more dramatic look. Finally we created a glamorous voluminous look complete with stunning petals to create some romance. If you are a non traditional bride then considering your personal look is just as important and we wanted to show options of how to show who you are and that you don’t have to compromise your personal style.”
Headpiece and Earrings- Rachel Chaprunne
“I was extremely excited when Stacey, the stylist, sent me her mood board for the shoot and asked me to create a statement headpiece! I love being let loose with my creativity on these shoots, so I designed a powerful red and pink water drop crystal crown with rose flower accents to really make the piece pop. In keeping with our maximalist theme I created a matching pair of rose and crystal statement earrings, to take the look to that next level! Styled perfectly with the red caped jumpsuit and sleek ponytail it gave a real edgy yet sophisticated vibe that exudes Individuality and empowerment”
Veils- Natalie from Peacock and Pearl
“We like to switch things up a bit – who says bridal has to be white? We make unique bridal accessories for brides who want something different. That’s why we jumped at the opportunity to make two such different veils for this shoot. Bright colour, and lots of it, is set to be a major trend for 2020 weddings, and we aimed to showcase that. The red colour block veil was made from two different fabrics, to show a contrast of texture. The bottom layer is silk, while the top is a shorter layer of hand-dyed tulle. We love the luxe feel of the silk! The second veil was made to create a gorgeous colour clash – deep, dark, rich red at the top, down to a vibrant pink at the bottom. It’s all about showcasing the personality of each individual bride, and we love how expressive colour can be!
Stationery – Rock Paper Nib
“I wanted the stationery to hone in on the vibe of the shoot. It has a modern vibe but with a bold twist. Stationery is most often the first lead in to the wedding – and considering that is really important. Giving people a vibe of what they can expect from your style with little details such as flowers and colour but without giving too much away! The block colours create the colour contrast and adding in some handwritten elements gives it a personal touch – plus the writing style adds in a theatrical flair.”
Videography- Grace from Keeley Films
“Filming this shoot reminded me of everything I love about the wedding industry! As all the suppliers brought their gifts and talents together to create something incredible, everyone also spent the day encouraging each other and building each other up. It sure is powerful when women come together! The atmosphere on the day was amazing and I wanted to capture that sense of female empowerment and a bold, unapologetic femininity in the film.”
The Team- Bold Red and Pink Urban Wedding at LEAF Manchester
Photography – Taylar Jayde Photography @taylarjaydephotography
Styling, coordination and Concept – To Be Revealed @toberevealed_styling / Cake – Paula Cakes by P @cakesbyp / Stationery – Rock Paper Nib @rockpapernib / Floral Design – The Flower Decorative @theflowerdecorative / Headpiece and Earrings – Rachel Chaprunne @rachelchaprunne / Tulle two piece outfits – Marie Chandler @mariechandlerbridal / Veils – Peacock and Pearl @peacock_and_pearl / Backdrop design – Bash events @bashpartiesandevents / Make up – Charlotte Marie MUA @charlottemariemuaa / Hair stylist – Love hair by Amy @lovehairbyamy / Videography – Keeley wedding films @keeleyfilms / Shoot assistant – Peony and Lace @peony_and_lace_weddings / Venue – LEAF
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