Baroque Style Shoot at 1899

I was fortunate enough to work with some of the most creative wedding industry leaders this summer. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to work with people who understood my vision and over delivered. They completely exceeded my expectations.

Coming away from seasons of blush, glamour, and sequins, it was time to explore new eras. I’ve always been drawn to art from the Baroque period, but I always shied away from the gaudy decor. I wanted to find a balance of modern and baroque.

We used golds and rich jewel tones, shown mainly in Dutch paintings from the Baroque era. We incorporated a royal feel with the velvet drapes, gold plated tableware, and ornate chairs.

The cake was inspired by a photo by Helen Sobiralski. I sent the photo to Kristina of Icing on the Cake by Kristina with a description of my idea for what it could potentially be. Kristina (the cake artist) created a masterpiece. She hand painted the art work on the front. With her art work and the dripping wax topper with candles, it’s a definite showstopper. I’ve never seen anything like it.

The venue itself was very evening lit, so most of the photography was controlled sunlight and off camera flash. I wanted it to have a high fashion baroque feel, but still keep the soft playful wedding portrait look. I chose to paint in the light instead of using flash in many of the photos, to give it the deep selective contrast that is known in the Baroque era.

Although the shoot is heavily influenced by the era, we tried to keep it a bit more modern with simple setups and less showy pieces. Katie (Blu3 Design) was a perfect example of this. The invites and menu card are so fitting for a baroque style but could easily fit into a modern designed wedding.

To incorporate something very popular in paintings from the Baroque era, and many wedding day mornings, I had my 16-month-old daughter, Nora, tastefully pose in the nude with the bride, like a playful little cherub helping her get ready for her day. The floral headband that Nora was wearing was short lived, but the florist did a fantastic job.

Another one of my favorite pieces was the floral necklace that the florist, Gina with Pomp and Bloom, had perfected. She made lovely arrangements and helped style all of the sceneries. I loved the inclusion of grapes in all of the larger pieces.

Leslie of Leslie Hair & Makeup worked with our model Makenzie to create the most stunning baroque-like hair and makeup. She transformed her into a beautiful bride that fit exactly my vision for what the shoot needed.

I have to give a special thanks to Brooke Strauss. She helped bring this shoot to life. She is amazing.

This was one of the most laid back shoots of which I have ever been a part. The relaxed feel made the day so enjoyable. Everyone involved really put forth their best work, and everyone was incredibly supportive of everyone else’s ideas for how the shoot would go. I think this is a good representation of the result of trusting your team to create magic!