Riki Dalal for a Rustic Wedding Creative Shoot at Northside Farm

CONCEPT

Cat says: Our shoot demonstrates that luxury wedding design can just as easily be achieved in the most relaxed, rural, or unexpected environments as it can in more traditional settings. Taking inspiration from the Mediterranean, we wanted to create a relaxed, timeless vibe, with elegant impact and a slight touch of boho. Almost a destination wedding feel.

LOCATION

With its stone barn surrounded by sweeping, golden meadows, Northside Farm was our little slice of the Mediterranean in Northumberland. From within the barn and the ceremony gin-gan, I loved that you could look out onto miles of unspoilt views. This became a huge inspiration in creating an immersive experience and bringing a sense of the wild outdoors in.

STYLING

Our palette was a warm, muted blend of terracotta, olive green, pale pinks and nudes. In a contemporary mix of fresh and dried florals from Moira J. Florist, tall grasses, trailing olive vines and delicate roses circled the ceremony space in a unique, rising design, echoing the wild panoramic views outside. Continuing through to the barn, our grand, abstract, floral installation took centre stage; trailing above the stone backdrop and immersing the space in nature.

Bring a touch of luxury to the table styling, The Artisan Wedding House paired gold cutlery, gold rimmed charger plates and ivory linens, with sleek tapered candles and Mediterranean style coloured vases. This was complemented by bespoke, understated, olive green stationery and signage from UNVEILED Network Member Soiree Stationery, finished with exquisite white seals and calligraphy name tags.

Contrasting the look with relaxed charm were the rustic wooden tables, Mediterranean grazing station and reclaimed bar from UNVEILED Network Member Birdcages and Dragonflies. The delicious spread of olives, sun dried tomatoes, oils, breads and figs complemented our colour palette and was styled with authentic milk pails, terracotta crockery and wooden platters. A few classic Italian tipples in signature cocktail glasses added a kick to the day, served from our bar styled with wooden crates, glass urns, living herbs and citrus fruit.

We had two cakes provided by The Little Cakery. The first was a simple naked cake, draped in olive vines and figs, and nestled amidst our grazing table on a little milk stool. The second was a grand, two-tier, fine art affair, with gold leaf edging and a textured stone finish to reflect the architecture of the barn.

Everything was shot flawlessly by the amazing Charlotte Eve Photography. Her light and airy style with hazy golden tones perfectly complemented our natural surroundings, and her calm approach put everyone at ease, which shines through the photos. The shoot was filmed by Jodie from Love is Lovely Wedding Films. Jodie is an incredible story teller, and she really caught the true feeling of our day from start to finish, right down to the smallest of loving glances. Charlotte and Jodie’s styles pair so well together, as they both take such a relaxed, documentary approach to capturing such beautiful uninterrupted moments.

Our models, Bethan and David, are a real couple who are both actors with a love of adventure. I really enjoyed planning the shoot in conjunction with them from day one, incorporating lots of things that were personal to them. From bespoke signage that gave a nod to their shared hobbies, to a special visit from Elsa, our bride’s cockapoo who joined them for their couple shots! Lisa Wilson Celebrant even helped them to write their own poetry filled vows which they exchanged with a few happy tears after a romantic ‘first look’ in the meadow. These personal touches really made the whole day feel so special and memorable for everyone involved – just how a wedding should be.

ATTIRE

Our bride and groom’s outfits perfectly fitted the vibe of the day. Bethan wore an off-the-shoulder, 3D floral Riki Dalal gown and a full length tulle veil, both from UNVEILED Network Member D&S Bridal Club. This is a trend leading design full of texture, movement and romance. In a relaxed, broken suit style, David wore a stone coloured jacket and waistcoat with navy trousers from Suit Culture, accessorised with blush bow-tie and pocket square. Continuing the trend-leading, sophisticated style, Ingledews Jewellers provided gold-set opal jewellery for our bride, along with an 18ct white gold and yellow diamond trilogy engagement ring, and an 18ct white gold diamond wedding band. Our groom wore a contemporary hammered-effect palladium wedding band.

BEAUTY

Perfect for a bride wanting a relaxed, elegant look, Bethan’s hair was styled up into a beautiful ‘undone’ look by Vicky Medhurst Hair. The simple, but current style was finished with a white and gold floral headband from UNVEILED Network Member The Bobby Pin, also from D&S Bridal Club. Makeup by UNVEILED Network Member Victoria Holdstock was warm and flawless, with dewy terracotta tones which subtly glowed in the light, appearing natural, but so striking on camera.

RESULTS

Despite the impending rain, everything turned out better than we could have imagined, with all suppliers working together so collaboratively. We wanted the shoot to feel natural, authentic and tell a true love story, and our real couple Bethan and David helped us to achieve this so beautifully. It was a relaxed, individual day full of special moments which we’ll never forget.