Planning, designing, and directing my first styled shoot was such a positive experience and made all the hard work worth it! My vision for this shoot came to me while I was paddling on my SUP board reminiscing of my childhood days growing up by Lake Winnipesaukee. With my love of the wild outdoors, bold colors, and romantic weddings, I knew I wanted to design a shoot that brought these worlds together. Through a mix of luxurious boho accents, the shoot was filled with raspberry, emerald, and navy gem tones with shimmers of gold to pop against the serene lake backdrop. Camp Pinnacle was the perfect setting for our shoot because of the variety of outdoor scenes to play with. From the rustic wooden dock and bright red canoes to the lush lakeside forest, my creativity ran wild and my vision for how I saw the couple moving throughout their wedding day came to life!
The adventure would begin with the couple exchanging vows on a dock overlooking the lake and hopping in a red canoe adorned with lush florals following their ceremony. A leisurely paddle would take them to their candlelit reception that they could see glowing along the shoreline. Along the way, they would release flowers into the lake as a sign of love and gratitude for one another. Filled with excitement and joy, they would approach their lakeside reception and join their intimate reception. As the sun set, the forest trail that would lead them to their beautiful wedding cake set by the grand teepee. After sharing a bit of sweetness, they would continue on the trail and discover a cozy treehouse set with plush pillows and soft firs where they would seal the night with a kiss and sips of honey mead.
With this vision swirling in my mind, I started planning two months prior to the shoot. I spent many hours visualizing the design, meeting with Michelle at Camp Pinnacle to choose the best spots for each scene, discussing epic shots with the talented Ariel from AMW Studios, meeting with Jesse at Vintage Indigo Rentals to pick out stunning decor pieces for the shoot, chatting with Mandy at Blue Ridge Blooms about using her homegrown flowers to blend with my gem tone vision, and contemplating with Lindsay at Gateaux Cakes and Pastries on the cake design because everything she does is spectacular!
Then came the hunt for models. After a long and tiring search (who knew it would be so hard?!), we found the perfect pair to compliment the style of the shoot. Our gorgeous models, Jordan and Tyler, flew in from Oregon just for the shoot which I was so grateful for, but also put a lot of pressure on me. Since I was unable to size them into outfits before the shoot, I had to purchase several options for them to try on in hopes that one would work. Talk about stressful! Luckily, my preparation efforts paid off and they both looked amazing!
With the help of Ali & Andrea of AnaRie, they were able to enhance the model’s natural beauty and give her beautiful flowing locks that added even more elegance to the shoot. To round out the vision, I made a trip to Fox and Beaux, a local jewelry designer in Asheville, to source gorgeous rings that fit perfectly with the shoot. To add a cherry on top of the experience, Bob with Magic Hour Creative was on-board to video the shoot which is something I am so grateful for! His eye for detail and creating a visual experience is going to give you all the feels. People have told me the video gives them goosebumps which I can attest to!
I am so excited to share these photos and video with you (below)! I would love to recreate this type of wedding for an actual couple who is looking to incorporate outdoor adventure into their special day. If that is you or someone you know, please share my information with them so we can get started on creating an epic experience!
I told myself I would take a break from doing styled shoots, but after seeing the magic unfold with this one, I may have to start planning another. If you would like to see a certain wedding theme, shoot me a message at erica@risingfernevents.com. I would love to hear your ideas!
A special thanks to the amazingly talented and fun group of professional vendors listed below that believed in my vision and helped bring it to life in the most beautiful way. I am beyond grateful!
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