Monochromatic Wedding Inspiration with touches of colour. Ashes & Snow: An Artist’s Inspiration. The styled shoot tells a story of an intimate wedding celebration of a couple that is not afraid to embrace their own unique style. The essence of the inspiration was ashes and snow in the simplest form. Instead of focusing heavily on flowers and floral arrangements, the coordinators of this styled shoot chose to embrace the landscape and use incense, pampas grass, paint, and interesting foods. They played with the beauty of the environment and the shadows and highlights that developed throughout the day. The story unfolded throughout the styled shoot with the models showing gentle nuances of emotion and tenderness.
If you are not afraid to embrace your own style and want to be bold and brave on your wedding day, use this styled shoot as inspiration to create your own story. Enjoy this Monochromatic Wedding Inspiration with touches of colour. Remember to keep an eye on Vivacious Weddings for more amazing inspiration.
The inspiration behind this shoot:
“She will blaze through you
like a gypsy wildfire.
Igniting your soul and dancing
in its flames.
And when she is gone,
the smell of her
smoke will be the only
thing left
to soothe you.”
© Nicole Lyons 2016
Ashes and Snow in the simplest form, is the essence of our inspiration. Using light and dark, highlights and shadows, sorrow and beauty and ashes and snow to tell this story. Inspiration was found in the tools of the trade of many artists. We focused on how an “Artist’s Table” would be set like for a feast.
Decor:
Instead of focusing heavily on flowers and floral arrangements, we chose to embrace the landscape and use incense, pampas grass, paint, and interesting foods. A table laid with delicate treats like Turkish pistachio pashnak, date treats, toasted coconut marshmallows, glazed doughnuts, steaming espressos and cream with black lava salt.
The styled shoot portrays an intimate setting for four – either for an intimate celebration or elopement. We used white textured crockery, antique silver cutlery and poetry pages at each table setting. Feathers, paintbrushes, crystal and black lava rocks completed our artist’s table.
Throughout the story, touches of gold and crystal were introduced. Handcrafted, gold jewels are reminiscent of the embers that always remain in the burnt-out ashes, with bold earrings, a statement shield ring, cuffs, and a beautiful septum ring.
We embraced the sun and all the shadows and highlights that danced around the barren setting which was almost devoid of any distractions or foliage.
The Style Story:
Personas were created for our muses and we used real women to portray them. We chose two sisters with similar features, but each with her own distinct look. “Rosalie” with light hair, fair skin, and a gypsy spirit and “Lola” a more golden toned beauty with a gentle countenance.
Hair and makeup were styled to carry the theme through with ethereal makeup and wild hair for our gypsies. A side “mohawk” as detail leaving the rest in wild abandon for the wind the dance through.
Together, Lola and Rosalie became Snow and as the story unfolded. We introduced ashes with a single statement black dress with lace and delicate tulle detail. The perfect dress for a bride who is not afraid of her own style.
We aimed to portray the story with gentle nuances of emotion and tenderness and to create inspiration that would set us apart from the rest.
Advice to couples planning their wedding:
Trust your own taste. Nothing you really like will ever be out of style. Be bold and brave; especially when it comes to something that will make your wedding day special for you. It can be something as simple as the food you choose to serve at your wedding feast, the number of guests you choose or it can be something much bolder; like a black or grey wedding dress!
Article Credits:
Photographer: Dust and Dreams Photography
Concept and Coordination: Dust and Dreams Photography
Make-up: Corne Zeelie from Blushing Bride Studio
Food Styling: THIRTEEN Ideas Emporium
“Ashes” Black Dress: Silver Swallow Design
“Snow” Grey Dresses: Hilton Weiner
Gold Handcrafted Jewellery: Soul Design, Cape Town
Septum Ring and Silver Jewels: Stylist own
Poetry pages used: “The Double Crown of Love” Elaine van der Merwe-Louwrens 2012
Location: Mpumalanga, South Africa
