Events by Merida and SoLi Events collaborated to create four styled shoots all in one day! Joined by brilliant Philadelphia wedding vendors, this team of talent created unique sets that celebrated various nationalities, body types, and sexual identities! Events by Merida composed two totally different wedding sets, one was inspired by the industrial setting of the shoot, and the other illustrious shoot features a LGBTQ couple with a masquerade theme. SoLi Events designed a ‘pretty in pink’ bridal shower and a non-traditional wedding which both told the story of one spunky bride! Altogether these styled shoots share inspiration for every type of bride (and groom), so get ready to swoon over all of the loveliness below captured by Brae Howard Photography.
From Events by Merida: “Our concept was to create four different sets. Stella from SoLi Events took a bridal shower and more traditional styled wedding shoot, and I was in charge of a more trendy set and a little pet project of mine- an LGBTQ shoot with a masquerade theme. So we had quite the day of work!
When I brought wedding photographer Brae Howard on, she was excited to get a styled wedding shoot for her portfolio. These shoots gave us the opportunity to create sets that wouldn’t suit a client (or to go all-out on a concept). The industrial shoot seen here was our take on the newest trends, and how I’d love to expand on them. ”
Industrial Styled Wedding Inspiration
“I took a look at what was coming down the runway for bridal gowns next year, for both brides and bridesmaids. I just adore the ethereal style of dresses coming down the runway for this year! The bride’s gown is a Pronovias piece on loan from the Philadelphia Bridal Company.”
“As for the set itself, I started with the floral conception. Greenery is a gorgeous way to make a room look lush without breaking the bank. I added in some blue flowers I found at a local produce shop, along with some baby’s breath at the bride and groom’s seats. The bouquet was made with the same greenery and blue flowers, wrapped in a lace-covered burlap. From there, I used dusty blue, hand-blown Italian glasses and grey plates to complete the look. Chiavari chairs on loan from Vision Furniture completed the look.”
“I wanted to do a variety of different styles for the dusty blue bridesmaids dresses, as we had several different body types for the models. We pride ourselves on having a strong cross section of ethnicities, sexualities, and body types, so I always bear that in mind when I’m selecting wardrobe. For this particular set, finding dusty blue dresses was difficult. I found two multi-way dresses, and decided to add a light grey to the mix. It worked perfectly with the bridal gown.”
“The cake that Cake Life Bake Shop brought in was a hand-painted masterpiece. Decorated with watercolor flowers, it reflects the artwork that’s replacing drip cakes for next year’s weddings. We didn’t need to decorate much around it- we only added some greenery, and an antique whiskey bottle (it has a music box in the bottom as well, strangely enough) filled with baby’s breath. Melissa from Cake Life told me that these cakes are definitely the “it” thing in the bakery world for the next season.”
LGBTQ Masquerade Styled Wedding Inspiration
“For the masquerade shoot, it started with wanting to do something off the wall. I love being an offbeat planner, and it was an opportunity to get gorgeous pictures of something that’s been in the back of my mind for awhile now. I called it the masquerade shoot simply because The Phantom of the Opera’s plot involves a stalker kidnapping a young woman and keeping her in a basement. It seemed inappropriate, ha!”
“So to create a fun sweetheart table setup, I took empty wine and whiskey bottles and melted candle wax over them. Transporting them was not fun. I now have wax IN my passenger seat. The backs of the chairs were roped with pearls, and there was a rose wrapped in each one. I had old, damaged opera scores from a music teacher who’d generously donated them to my crafting work, so I used that as a base for the centerpieces. The masks were an accidental addition- I’d laid them down while still prepping, and the models hadn’t picked them up for wear yet.”
From SoLi Events: “My inspiration behind these styled shoots was not only putting together a diverse group of people, but also to break the stereotypical mold of what a traditional bride should be! I put my “bride” in what I consider to be a traditional wedding ball gown. My model Salma was cast specifically because she was the best fit for someone who would offset the traditional bridal look. Half of her head is shaven, she has a tattoo, blue streaks in her hair and a chin piercing; she was perfect!”
Bridal Shower Inspiration
“I teamed up with Events by Merida who did her own two sets. We used the same models in both sets and put them in different roles. When choosing the models, it was important to represent women of all shapes. We worked with the amazing Brae Howard to take the photos in her studio. I went with pink florals that I designed myself and cost me $50 ( I know…crazy). I love the color combo of pink, ivory and gold with greenery to highlight.”
“I wanted to ensure the 2 sets went together for this styled shoot. A bride at her bridal shower and then her wedding. I wanted to tell that story and keep it consistent. With the shower, I wanted to keep their clothing in coordinated colors with the bride in ivory. This is a trend that is gaining popularity, especially when it’s a smaller group, and it looks great in pictures! I wanted it to look like a woman being celebrated by her best friends. It was pretty easy to do that because everyone got along so well, and it shows.”
“I love the idea of a dessert bar at any bridal shower. Who doesn’t love sweets and treats? This is where Cake Life Bake Shop came in. They provided a beautiful cake that went with my color scheme. It was a naked cake with gold metallic drip on the top and running down the sides. Delicious! I reached out to Merida for ideas for sweets, and she suggested milk and cookie shots. They were a perfect and inexpensive addition to the dessert table. The small milk glasses were from a thrift shop and cost less than .50 cents a piece! I loved the small detail each had at the bottom of each glass. I LOVE the little things! The cupcakes were from Sam’s club. Also, every dessert table must have champagne, but to take it to the next level, I added cotton candy.”
Non-Traditional Styled Wedding Inspiration
“I liked the idea of putting the bridesmaids in different color and different style dresses. I felt it added to the theme of “traditional, not so traditional” feel of the set. The “usual” is same style, same color. What I wanted to convey was that it was okay to mix it up! I kept the fabric (chiffon) the same, and went with colors that coordinated.”
“I think we get so stuck on what a bride should be, what they should wear, and what elements should be represented in their weddings. Just because you’re what society considers to be a traditional bride, doesn’t mean you can’t get married in a barn venue. I say go for it- rustic glam is fabulous! Being able to take different concepts and blending them is the best part of the creativity process. Thinking outside the box while planning your wedding really is okay. I want brides to look at these pictures and know that they can break the mold!”
Vendors | Producer/Planner/Florals and Styling (Industrial and LGBTQ shoots): Events by Merida | Planner/Florals and Styling (Bridal Shower and Non-Traditional shoots): SoLi Events | Photographer: Brae Howard Photography | Cake: Cake Life Bake Shop | Stationery: Cupcake Graphics | Gowns: Philadelphia Bridal Co. | Stylist: Styled by Ali | Clothing (Bridal Shower): Victoria Wright | Hair and Makeup: Jewel Brown Beauty, and Beautiful U by Kasia | Chairs: Chiavari Chairs by Vision Furniture| Models: Denzel, Kay, Camilla, Salma, Stef, Fatma, Ahmad, and Josh | Assistant: Nikki and Colleen