spring garden styled shoot
Welcome back to the blog!
Let's take a step back here, last November I was very interested in finding a styled bridal shoot to participate in. So just like every person in 2019 I jumped on google; searched the internet, reached out to groups, and only found one styled shoot coming up in Kansas City (that I could not afford).
What was I supposed to do?
Plan my own styled bridal shoot, of course!
For anyone interested in participating in a styled shoot there is nothing holding you back. The first step is deciding that YOU can do this, and going for it! Do you want to know the truth? I didn’t know what I was doing when I started planning this shoot. I believed in myself and my vision and it turned out amazing in the end and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Here I’ll share with you my tips and tricks for planning your own styled shoot!
Here is a list of vendors I decided to incorporate into this shoot. It is not an all-encompassing list for sure, go ahead and make your line up your own.
Venue
Florals
Bridal Gowns
Bridal Accessories
Cake
Invitations (if interested in flat lay designing)
Hair Artist
Makeup Artist
Models
Rentals (candles, dinnerware, table décor, etc)
Other options for vendors you may want to contact:
Party bus rental company
Tuxes or men’s apparel
Videography (did not work out in my case, but it’s worth a shot!)
Vintage rental furniture
Calligrapher for Acrylic signs
Rings, jewelry, or other accessories
Let’s talk details
Location, Location, Location! The first vendor you will need to secure is the venue. Have a date range in mind vs a solid date and time and BE FLEXIBLE. Most venues will already be booked for Friday and Saturday. Sunday turned out to work perfectly for the coordinators at Wilderness Ridge. I would also recommend checking any of the local Lincoln parks. Pioneers Park for example has so many different areas that can make for an impressive
Next I messaged so many florists who did not have the time or did not even message back (which WILL happen, don’t take it personally). Our florist was Natalie Elsberry of I Bloom. She is so incredibly talented! I gave her creative freedom for the flower choice and gave her our color palette. I was able to pick up the florals the morning of the shoot at her home office.
For bridal attire I lucked out when I found Blush Bridal Boutique. They have an amazing selection of dresses and it was so easy to make an appointment for my models. The best part is they have their own jewelry company in store so it was so easy to coordinate Lovebird Jewelry Collective pieces with the bridal gowns we chose. Shannon is such a fun person to work with, and she is so professional. I’ll be recommending Blush for all my future brides.
Cake, invitation suites, and rentals are pretty self-explanatory. Again, just send emails to local vendors (via google search) and tell them your vision, date, style, and what you will be able to give them in return. It really helped me to type up a template that way I did not have to start from scratch each time. Butterfly Bakery went above and beyond with their contribution and provided us with TWO cakes! These guys are incredibly talented and I haven't met a single pastry from them that didn't taste like pure heaven.
I was able to find models from Facebook groups as well. I’ll be honest, this proved to be the most difficult part of the journey. My first model, Katie was amazing from the beginning. She jumped on the chance and her husband Josh was along for the ride. They were amazing and so much fun. I decided to go with 2 sets of real-life couples, but you can choose to do strangers, professional models, or someone you know personally! After 2 other sets of couples were lined up but did not work out for one reason or another, I found Sydney on a wedding group and was so excited to add her and Justin to the roster.
Lincoln is full of wedding industry professionals and vendors. Social media marketing is a tool used by just about every business. In my experience, almost every single one was willing to collaborate and provide their goods in return for professional photos of their work. Putting together and pulling off this styled shoot was undeniably the highlight of my career as a photographer. I was able to work with industry professionals with a well-recognized names and presence in my community.
The seven photographers that took part in the shoot were people who are ultra-talented and whose work I admire. I honestly get a tear in my eye every time I watch the mini video that Christa (of Christa Schiessl Photography) put together. It’s an homage to the hard work I put in, and the beautiful day it produced. (view the video here- (video)
Hopefully soon you will see another styled shoot planned and designed by myself, until then, stay tuned!
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Linsey Huffaker Photography
Christa Schiessl Photography
Sincerely Jules Studio
Petal and Ivy
Lilly Louise Photography
Paige Marie Photography
Summer Grogan Photography
Laura VonKampen Photography
Linsey Huffaker Photography
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