We came into 2019 with the mission to not do any styled shoots this year. We wanted to focus more on our lovely couples and re-branding the business with our fresh website that went live in March. Styled shoots can be inspiring and a great way to showcase your creativity, but with that comes a good amount of extra work. Well, that goal of not doing any shoots turned into us doing not only one, but TWO, shoots with the talented Tori Watson Photography, and we couldn’t be happier we decided to ignore our initial mission 😉
I had been following Tori for a little while after a full-planning client tried their hardest to book her on a date she was sadly not available. Something about the vibe she portrayed on her online presence made we think we would be a perfect team, and I’d say I was right! We met for dinner at a lovely restaurant in Leesburg and connected instantly. My goal was to ask Tori to be a part of a totally different styled shoot I was planning for August [stay tuned for more on that one!] Right after Tori agreed to my project, she asked if I wanted to do one sooner, perhaps in June. The voice inside my head told me I had already committed to ONE shoot when I was supposed to be doing zero but what came out of my mouth was, “Sure, I’d love to!”
We started the planning right away and as I was creating the vision board, I was immediately happy I had ignored my inner voice. Tori had a vision of elevating the barn weddings we see so much. She wanted something more elegant but located at Sylvanside Farm. As I thought about the vision and how we would title the project it came right to me, a “Sophisticated Homegrown” look. From there, we locked in the rest of the talented vendors below and the vision came to life.
Tori said it perfectly in our feature on Inspired by This, “Not all farm weddings have to be rustic, and this shoot set out to inspire a bride who wants a homegrown, yet sophisticated approach to her down-to-earth farm wedding. A lover of vintage elements, but with a bit of a modern edge. Elevating natural and imperfect textures with an elegant approach, like the gorgeous handmade plates by a local potter, the cookies with locally grown flowers, paired with a stunning eco-friendly lace gown and modern handmade earrings. Set on the gorgeous grounds of Sylvanside Farm in Northern Virginia and playing on earthy tones with subtle pops of terra-cotta, it illustrates an approachable wedding day with a cottage-chic vibe for hosting your closest family and friends in the beautiful Virginia countryside.”
Enjoy the beauty we created, and Tori captured, below!
The Vendor Team:
Venue + Rentals // Sylvanside Farm
Shoot Concept + Photography // Tori Watson Photography
Planning + Styling // Rachel Kendall Events
Floral Design // Rise and Flourish DC
Hair + Makeup // Megan Brackna from JKW Beauty
Plate Rentals // White Hearth Pottery
Invitation Suite + Paper Goods // Little Bit Heart
Bridal Gown // Soliloquy Bridal
Good Looks // Studio Antheia
Bride’s Rings // Steel + Flower
Bride’s Earrings // Elysian Theory
Floral Cookies // Culinary Occasions
Styling Mat // Lindale Studios
