Bohemian sand & skies styled shoot at Walberswick Beach
by Amae- SUFFOLK Wedding plannerS
With Covid playing havoc with the wedding industry, a team of us were desperate to get out there and put together the most wonderful dreamy boho beach shoot. The look was inspired by our local beach at Walberswick which offers the most stunning backdrop. We knew the only person who could make this vision come to life was the unbelievably talented Sharon Cudworth who adores shooting at this favourite location of hers.
The initial concept of this shoot was thought of by the fabulous Emily Chantal Make-up artist so she and I had meeting after meeting to discuss how we wanted this vision to come to life and how I would coordinate and plan the shoot.
Fast forward to the most beautiful sunny day in Suffolk, we had an hilarious time trying to erect the changing tent for our model (it’s not all glamour and 5 star hotels I’m afraid). Our model Charlotte is also owner of Hair So Boho and when it came to styling, Charlotte really ran with the theme brilliantly, she kept the waves natural looking with plenty of texture for that beachy, salty, defined style then teamed it with tiny braids scattered throughout to give it a real chic look. At the back, a small bun was created for a half up half down effortless feel which was perfectly topped off with an epic crown (Aerin) from Beverleys timeless range from PS With Love . The headpiece is a gorgeous organic design with luxurious Keishi pearl blooms all handwired with pretty nude crystal centers surrounded by an abundance of delicate freshwater pearls, tiny pearls & crystal tendrils. To complete this look, Charlotte wore matching Aerin hoop earrings - perfect for any beach, woodland or outdoor wedding, offering the epitome of organic bridal elegance.
Given the inspiration from the 80’s vibe with the dresses (cue Chris Isaak music Video ‘Wicked Game’), Emily Chantal Make-up with her amazing eye for details opted for a glitter bronze eye and dewy peach toned cheeks and lips to keep it fresh and modern. Emily’s key products were Huda Beauty Matte & Metal liquid eyeshadows and the Dior Backstage Lip Palette.
Bud & Boe provided 2 cutting edge dresses from the new Eco Poem collection by world leading Haute Couture Fashion Designer Bowen Dryden. We were so lucky to be the first professional styled shoot to feature these dresses, they fit our theme perfectly. The first dress a classic twist on a two-piece incorporating a beautiful frilled rise in the front of the skirt. Bowen Dryden offer fully customised organic, biodegradable, ethical dresses that can be worn time and time again!
Dress number 2 a stunning number (Moondance), one-piece, sophisticated off the shoulder which oozes bohemian chic. Bud & Boe arranged for this particular piece to be altered by taking in the mid-section, the original is a lot more ‘flowy’ but this design is absolutely timeless.
Teresa (Simply Rustic) provided some stunning additions for the shoot with her hexagon shaped ‘archway’, beautifully decorated with a macrame backdrop & dreamcatchers. The peacock chairs were simply perfect to complete the look and I cannot think of a better location than on the beach for these gorgeous items.
Naomi from the fabulous Rose & Berry Flowers set up the archway flowers and bouquet which complimented the look beautifully, pampas grass was a popular household accessory in the 80’s (although maybe not at classy as it is these days) but I’m so happy it’s making a comeback. For the displays, Naomi used a selection of dried flowers which included pampas grass and bunny tails with other feathery & bleached neutral foliage’s which worked alongside the creamy, almost sandy colour hues of the fresh ‘Quicksand’ Roses… so dreamy!
When I set about thinking about the cake for this shoot, there was one person who sprung to mind immediately, Charlotte from The Beautiful Cakery. I briefed Charlotte on the look I wanted to achieve and my word, she did not disappoint. To create this breathtaking cake, Charlotte went for a soft subtle look but added depth with the exquisite dried blooms.
Next came the table decor, I designed and styled this myself with most of the items purchased from a charity shop - for anyone who knows me, I donate to charities every month and so this was the perfect opportunity to get creative whilst donating at the same time! I wanted to go with a plain yet simple and romantic sweetheart setting which was finished off with the unmistakable design skills from talented Gemma at Polly Pickle Stationery & Design. Gemma provided accessories from her modern boho dreamy collection; featuring soft watercolour florals, grasses and pampas grass, all in beautiful tan and neutral tones.
As the sun set we decided to have lots of fun in the water and Charlotte totally embraced it, such the perfect model! Of course, we’re not ones to get designer dresses wet so out popped a cheeky little number Emily had purchased previously. Add a hat and voila!
After the most perfect day it was time to pack up and head home, whilst we wait to hear more news on government guidelines for wedding ceremonies, this shoot helped to curb our passion for doing what we love in such a restricted year.
Thank you to the most amazing team for making this bohemian dream come true.
Keep an eye out on our social media pages for even more pictures or contact Hayley for more information.
Goodbye 2019, it's been emotional
What are the 2020 wedding trends?
Wow! What a year 2019 has been… the biggest (and proudest) change saw me leave my career in Wedding Venue Management and embark on my own setting up Amae Weddings & Events (pronounced am-may). What a fun rollercoaster I am on and I cannot even tell you how excited I am, I can’t wait to work with couples under my own business name, there’s going to be a lot more flexibility with what we can achieve working with a variety of venues and suppliers. The biggest thing I want to bring to couples weddings is a sense of fun, I want to make each day unforgettable but it will always be done with huge smiles on our faces
2019 has without doubt been my favourite year to date, I feel so lucky to have done the things I’ve done this year…
It started with me meeting my great Nephew, what a cutie he is! I hate seeing him grow up through pictures and facetime but as he is in Wales, it’s difficult to get home often. Maybe I’ll get a chance to organise a Welsh Wedding or event and then I can pop home!
I love a concert and have seen my fair share but my favourites this year have been Boyz ll Men and Backstreet Boys (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!)
Richard and I took a trip to Lake Garda for his birthday, if you have not been, I suggest you pop it on your list, it’s breathtaking there and unlike any holiday I’ve been on before
I organised Richards parents 50th Wedding Anniversary party, it made a nice change from organising weddings in that I was able to see the happiness and love for one another 50 years down the line (so cute!)
Then came the big 40 (shhhh), I was so so so lucky to get to travel to Mauritius at the start of November, then at the end, a surprise trip to NYC - literally the luckiest girl alive! My birthday was definitely one to remember and I have taken a tonne of memories away from 2019 - best year EVER!
So, what else happened in 2019 and which celebs tied the knot?
2019 expected to see wedding couples choosing a more boho chic style, there was a huge uptake of people wishing to be more eco-friendly and conscientious with the choices made for their big days - a great step forward in my opinion!
2019 saw a huge number of weddings, to name but a few - Jennifer Lawrence & Cooke Maroney, Zoë Kravitz and Karl Glusman, Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber, Ellie Goulding and Caspar Jopling, Sabrina Dhowre Elba and Idris Elba, Marc Jacobs and Charly Defrancesco,
Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner and singer/actor Joe Jonas married in May at a surprise Vegas wedding at the infamous The Little White Chapel, only a select few were invited including his brothers and their wives. So to ensure everyone could celebrate, they didn’t stop there and they held another party at a lavish chateau in the South of France at the end of June and opted for chic white flower décor with glass encased candles (I LOVE candles!) to create a gorgeous backdrop to their nuptials.
June saw the Californian wedding of Avengers star Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger (yes, Arnie’s daughter), they married on a 500 acre ranch surrounded by tonnes of greenery, it was an intimate affair with all the food sourced locally for the Wedding Breakfast. Katherine wore a stunning traditional lace Armani dress with a beautiful long train, however Katherine changed into yet another elegant ivory dress for the evening - and why not! Lots of brides change in the evening to something less restrictive when busting out some dance moves!
My personal favourite however, in August, Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) married his sweetheart Lauren Hashian in an intimate ceremony in Hawaii, both wore white for this stunning celebration of their marriage. Their goal was for complete privacy and everything they had on the day was created by hand by the wedding staff or family only - what a perfect and relaxed day it looked too!
Sneaking in right at the end of the year, Hilary Duff married Matthew Koma in yet another low key wedding in their backyard in LA. Wearing the unmistakable Jenny Packham, Hilary looked absolutely stunning in her ivory, custom made dress. Hilary stated she felt ‘Really comfortable’ and that it was ‘everything I’ve dreamed of’ - that’s what it’s all about right?
With 2020 literally just around the corner, what can we expect to see with forecasted wedding trends? Believe it or not, the more traditional wedding trends are quickly being thrown out of the window, things like receiving lines, bouquet throws and even cutting of the cake are reported as ‘so last year’. So what is it being replaced with? This is the beauty of it, couples can do what they like and put their own touch on traditions (if they want to of course), let me give you an example; I was Wedding Planner for a couple who didn’t want to stick to traditions of cake cutting (they didn’t even have a cake!) and so one of my suggestions was that they plant a seed in a pot after the ceremony and the plan was to plant it in their back garden and watch it grow over the years in their family home. Not only is this highly eco-friendly, it steps away from the alternatives of balloon / lantern / dove releases etc which are not great for the environment or animal welfare in my opinion.
Other 2020 trends are seeing things like statement veils, sustainable weddings from things like vintage rings, flowers, dresses, the list goes on. It’s great to have so many contacts in the wedding industry and I would love to organise an eco-friendly/vegan wedding.
On the subject of Veils, I spoke to the wonderful Heather from Sash and Veil, a local artisan veil maker, she has a store in London and also one here in lovely Colchester - her items are just out of this world so make sure you check her out! She said:
“The trend for individuality in bridal wear continues to gain momentum into the new decade and is carried though into the bride’s choice of accessories, including the veil. I have noticed an increase in demand for bespoke veils across this year and this will continue with brides more keen to bring their individuality into their look. Embroidered initials, special dates and meaningful quotations have all found their way onto wedding veils I will be making for 2020. In terms of silhouette, the soft draping boho veil will share the aisle with more structured 1980s-inspired designs and our appetite for sustainability and conscious choices will mean brides will increasingly look at upcycling heirloom veils, reworking an existing veil to make it their own.”
So what now? Well with the website launched I have received a few enquiries for 2020 weddings, couples are considering the 2020 Panatone colour - classic blue 19-4052. Often confused for representing the cold, classic blue offers a timeless and calm vibe. It fits in well with so many other colours and shades that it’s adaptability is proving to be extremely popular heading into the New Year. What colours are you choosing in 2020?
Finally, whatever you are up to tonight, have an absolutely amazing night, stay safe and have fun! See you in 2020.
Goodbye 2019, it’s been emotional!
Contact Hayley