A Dark Romance

Hello every, I hope you’re enjoying your fabulously bright and sunshiny Friday afternoon. Isn’t it glorious? Here to cast a little darkness into the day – but only of the most sublime kind, I assure you, is a set of glorious images that were taken at York’s beautiful wedding venue, The Normans.

Sent in by April of Kook Events, who tells us more below, these images bring together a really great team of wedding suppliers, including our Little Book members, the wonderful Rewritten and fabulous stationery designers,  EYI Love, who I simply adore. Enjoy this shoot lovely ones. Pinterest to your heart’s content. Over to you April…

“Myself and the team of suppliers wanted to create something which was an antidote to the boho, blush pink weddings which we’ve been seeing a lot of in the wedding world recently, and create something more grown up, sophisticated and daring (whilst still feeling very beautiful, luxurious and romantic). I think deep colours are sometimes associated with winter weddings, but I think they looked amazing in this shoot, which took place in the middle of spring. My clients are very discerning about style, but also like to shake things up a bit – so this shoot was something I was personally very excited about creating.”

Images by Taylar Jayde Photography

“When it came to dresses, Marylise Bridal was just perfect for the look we wanted to achieve. Claire at The White Yard picked two options, with delicate lace, loose sleeves, and unstructured shapes – so simple and stylish. For the bridesmaids dresses, there was no question that Rewritten were the go-to designers. Their latest collection is full of rich colours and fashion-forward shapes, which complemented the bridal gowns perfectly. I am totally in LOVE with the glittery veil, by indie designer Haarlem Bridal for The White Yard. The glitter really caught the light, but was so subtle and pretty. The make-up looks and hair styles Danielle created were stunning, with relaxed curls, braids, deep red lipstick and just the right amount of shimmer!”“The shoot took place at The Normans in York – one of my all-time favourite venues. I was so delighted when they came on board, as it has the perfect mix of contemporary luxury and rustic charm that the shoot required. The impressive ceremony barn and cosy “snug” areas in the stables feature really heavily in the shoot – the spaces were just ideal for this shoot. The props and furniture which were brought along by the amazing teams at Hire & Style and All Things Borrowed fitted in so well with the venue and the overarching design concept.”

“With the flowers, Kate Mell kept things very foliage-heavy, with pops of the shoot’s oxblood colour palette. Her floral design had the striking contrast of fresh-from-the-hedgerow greenery, delicate David Austin roses, plus more unusual things like artichokes and grapes. Mixed with lots of candles, gold and pewter colours, it gave a really elegant and classic, but modern look. The foliage moongate Kate created was a beautiful backdrop – really simple, but utterly stunning. I’m certainly still a big fan of the greenery trend!”

“I loved creating the table design – this was probably one of my favourite elements of the shoot. The place settings themselves were simple and elegant – black cutlery, stoneware plates, and grey linen napkins. The feasting table element was so fun to construct, and I loved the way it was woven so organically through the tabletop. It looked so enticing, and the rich colours of the breads, cheeses, charcuterie and fruits complemented the aesthetic so well. The pewter candelabras and stunning textured centrepiece finished everything off beautifully.”

“The amazing dramatic photography was by Taylar Jayde Photography, who hails from Texas, and brought her dark, romantic and dreamy style of photography to the table. She really does capture emotion and intimacy in her work so well, the images are absolutely beautiful.”

“Cake Designer, Dominique at Poppy Pickering is an absolute master at her craft – you wouldn’t believe the flowers on the bespoke cake she designed for the shoot are actually hand crafted from sugar (and not only did the cake look amazing, the chocolate mud cake inside was absolutely delicious)! The chocolate cherry kirsch macarons and chocolate cookie stacks were absolute perfection as well.”

“The “Adele” stationery suite by EYI Love was so fitting – luxurious thick black card with gold text. I think your invitation suite is so important when looking at your overall wedding design, as it completely sets the tone for the day when people receive it. The modern, stylish elegance of this invitation was the perfect choice for the style of this shoot. I also commissioned the wonderful Sally Jane Calligraphy to make the bespoke “Wild Horses” sign which is featured, which I absolutely adore! I think quote signs can also be a great way to set the tone on your big day, and add your own personality, style and even a good old bit of humour.”

“Last but certainly not least! The beautiful rings you see are by fine jeweller, N J Geddes Fine Jewellery – our jaws dropped when we saw the beautiful selection of rings he brought – we were unanimously in love with the ruby and diamond cocktail ring in particular, which looked perfect in the deep red velvet ring box by The Mrs Box.”