How to Tell Your Story and Confidently Celebrate It Through Your Wedding Elements
There are so many components that make up your wedding day and so many beautiful memories that make up your story, memories that you'd like to represent throughout your wedding in meaningful ways. The thought is so sweet, but putting the pieces all together to properly celebrate your story might seem like a daunting task. Luckily, Clary Pfeiffer Photography and Krissy Campbell are here to walk you through it, with gorgeous imagery and heavenly neutral hues sprinkled along the way. For all the dreamy inspiration - check out the full gallery!
From Krissy Campbell... Have you ever come to a place in your life where you can look back and recognize the small steps that got you to where you are? As a wedding planner and designer, I've looked back at my childhood and young adult years to find those little moments of inspiration that culminate to my love for curating timeless and thoughtfully inspired celebrations. I quickly recall the cozy hospitality of my childhood home and the flickering candles of the long dining room table where neighbors, friends, and family often gathered…the hustle and bustle of my grandmother's preparation as she managed to pull together each detail of an intricate celebration week after week, fueled by the laughter and life of her guests enjoying her home. I think of the spaces we curated and created through my family's local catering business, pulling together the many details and unique qualities of each client and their guests. As a young girl, I could hardly contain my excitement as I watched a bride walk down the aisle, each in her intricate gown, a reflection of the woman that was and the hope of a new season before her. I loved watching as people of all kinds gathered together for celebration, often finding camaraderie in the shared connection to the newlywed couple. Something flickered in me growing up in spaces that inspired warmth and thoughtfulness with delicate and refined detail in even the most simple of spaces. I had the privilege of living among people that valued making sure others felt intentionally cared for in the spaces we had the opportunity to create. These are the memories, the sparks of inspiration that continue to fuel my creativity and thought behind every celebration, every gently curated space.
The overarching style and experience of this editorial was to draw from adjectives that would describe the inspiration I found in the hospitality of my family, and especially in my mother and grandmother…adjectives like timeless, thoughtful, delicate…refined, yet refreshingly simple. These words led me to elements for the space, like the softly textured walls, natural light, neutral linen tones, and the clean yet cozy accents of the fireplace.As I dreamt of this shoot, I couldn't help but draw from the timeless images of my past (and now present!)…images of the brides I watched walk down the aisle, sophisticated and refined, silencing guests with her grace and the sentiment of the moment. I chose to include two different bridal models that remind us of the unique qualities of every bride (and woman's) story and celebration. Mine is a journey of discovering what it means to display and celebrate the beauty of each client we encounter and connecting all within the beauty of space shared. The stories and spaces we work with have purpose and intention of what is and what is hoped to be.We want to inspire women, often brides, to find their story and confidently celebrate it through their wedding elements and spaces.
The two women in this shoot show the tender, yet bold aspects of each bride, no matter skin color or hairstyle. Our stylist did a phenomenal job of enhancing their natural physical qualities while adding striking and sophisticated elements in the different shots of their hair, eye makeup, and lip color. We absolutely loved adding soft and feminine accents to each one through the hair florals, the flowing silk hair ribbon and wrapped Claire Pettibone veil around the shoulders. I intentionally chose handmade jewelry for a personal and romantic touch as well, adding to the subtle intricacies of each gown. Clary did an exceptional job of capturing the experience of each woman on film as she reflects, laughs, and embraces the depth of who she is. She flows within the space that reflects her just as much as the florals or tablescape details do.When thinking of the table, I couldn't stay away from the warm colors of late summer and early autumn, my favorite time of year for festive gatherings and inviting hospitality. The terra-cotta rose, and glimpses of gold in the flowing florals were a must alongside the soft glow of candlelight, the copper flatware, wax seals, wooden accents and bubbling champagne in the hands of the joyful brides. Our favorite pieces of the centerpiece arrangements were foraged, a natural reflection of the Midwest, where our shoot was held, and many of my aforementioned memories were made in my childhood hometown. The florals could not have been any more perfect, displayed on the velvet table linen and against the softly textured walls or colored fabrics.
I also chose to bring in a cooler color accent with the grey, blue and soft green hues of the intricate handmade jewelry, Bella Belle shoes and invitation suite, which also set the stage for the Old World paper details and cushioned chairs that remind me so much of long dining table gatherings and curated meals. Each place card was handwritten and hand-rolled for another personal detail alongside the table menus at each place setting. The china, glassware, and flatware were simple and clean, giving us space to accentuate the paper goods and draw the eye to the floral.And last but not least, we incorporated the traditional element of a cake to bring the celebration together. The lace-like motif and texture were woven into the dress, floral, and table details seamlessly. The added soft ribbon and unique setting and structure of the tiers push the limits of the traditional, tiered cake as well.All in all, I hope that this shoot not only reflected the inspiration of my own journey but inspires the modern bride and woman to celebrate her story, to take pride in her unique beauty and revel in the fleeting moments of this special season. She is one of many, yet is defined by no one else. She is brave, gentle, spirited, and lovely. She (and her marriage) stem beyond the celebration day but are worth making magic for.
Photographer: Clary Pfeiffer Photography | Floral Design: Kelly Lenard | Shoes: Bella Belle | Jewelry: Katie Carder Fine Jewelry | Hair and Makeup: DanielleStyle | Venue: Pfeiffer Home | Gown & Veil: Claire Pettibone | Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen Rental | Model Agency: 1930's Model Management | Paper Goods: Ink & Press Co. | Planning & Design: Krissy Campbell | Rentals: Burns