Styled Bridal Shoot 2015 | Gore, Southland

Spending the day photographing beautiful wedding details, having a fabulous couple to model for me and chancing upon stunning winter sunshine was plenty enough to have me in photographer heaven at the start of this month!

Having never done anything like this before, I will admit, photographing details & models in front of half a dozen other creatives all watching on did have me a little off my game at first. But I think it's easy to say everyone involved had a great afternoon on this shoot!

The idea for this collaboration came from Joyce at Lily Jackson's Flower Co. It's purpose being to join forces with other talented locals and take the opportunity to showcase what we all can do. Inspiration for our shoot came from bohemian influences, we wanted strong floral colours and a look of fresh elegance. 

Joyce's flowers added such vibrance to the shoot & really made everything complete. I asked Joyce what her advice for brides is & she told me the secret to fresh flowers all wedding day is to keep the flowers cool before you need them & if you can to invest in a spray bottle to mist the bouquets with water.

We began our shoot at The Heartland Hotel Croydon. Gore is very lucky to have such a fantastic venue that offers a classic & elegant setting for local weddings. We loved using the stunning copper fireplace in the main foyer.

And now how cute are these tow?! While this blog pays attention to the awesome team of creatives involved, none of this would have even been possible without our bride & groom! So much gratitude for Nicole & Brayden for giving their time and being awesome. These two recently married lovebirds were SO good in front of the camera!

The Heartland Hotel Croydon has beautiful decor as a backdrop for receptions and the venue rooms can be configured to personally suit your wedding floor plan & number of guests.

Matt, the general manager, can help you with all bookings and catering needs. Matt has some great advice on catering options and ways of ensuring you don't blow the budget when it comes to the bar tab.  One important piece of advice he mentioned to me is putting some thought into your MC (master of ceremonies) because they can really help your day flow smoothly and ensure everyone enjoys themselves at the reception. 

The gorgeous wedding dresses were supplied by Belle Bridal Boutique down in Invercargill. I've had a number of my brides go to see Belinda for their wedding dress & I've heard fantastic things, plus her dresses are just beautiful!

This beautiful garden venue is Hawthorn Den, just a five minute drive out of Gore and owned by the lovely Jan Wards. This place holds a special place in my heart! We got married in the cute wee chapel on the grounds. Jan is super accommodating, nothing is ever a trouble and the gardens & buildings are awesome. Jan tells all her couples to always do a practice run at your ceremony location to eliminate any unknowns on the wedding day.

Jude Taylor of Taylor Made Cakes put together this magnificent cake, two tiers of beauty with a separate third tier to go beside. You can do absolutely anything with cakes these days - from the flavours or decorations to the cake stands & accessories. It's all about doing it your way. Elaborate masterpieces or keeping it simple.

Carmel, owner of The Avenue Design Studio, did a fantastic job of the paper goods for the shoot, perfectly styled to go with the colours of the florals. And just look at that delicious font! I know when we got married I had no idea of the world of wedding stationery. A full stationery set definitely completes the story and look for your special day.

Carmel's tip for brides is not to clutter your invite with too much information. Keep the details simple; the couple's names, who's inviting, ceremony/reception times and locations, RSVP info and perhaps a dress code. Leave details like directions & info for the following day on separate enclosure cards. Trying to fit too much on the invite can make it difficult to read and not as polished.

Last but not least, I must mention Scape Hair & Medi Spa for their awesome job on the hair and make-up. We were lucky to collaborate with Jaimee (owner & hairstylist) and Laura (beautician). I loved Nicole's hair, especially the braid across the front! 

So much thanks to those who made this possible...
Models: Brayden & Nicole Kyle
Floral design: Lily Jackson's Flower Co
Dress: Belle Bridal Boutique
Graphic design: The Avenue Design Studio
Hair & makeup: S'cape Hair & Medi Spa
Cake: Jude Taylor
Venue: Hawthorn Den
Reception venue: Heartland Hotel Croydon Lodge
Photographer: Heidi Horton Photography