Love Without Barriers, Beauty Without Convention: An Ethical, Intimate, Parisian Wedding Editorial, Featuring Luna Bea Bride & Emmy London Shoes

Every now and then, and editorial submission arrives that quite literally takes my breath away.  This is one of them.

The concept behind this shoot is exquisite. It explores love without barriers and beauty without convention. It also features two of our Little Book Wedding Directory members, both of them incomparable and sought after in their own right; Luna Bea Bride and Emmy London.

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Words below are by Eva Monnier of Avodah Living, who not only conceived this moving, creative concept, she also planned, styled and provided the florals for the shoot too. Thank you Eva and your creative team for choosing Love My Dress to share your incredible work. I feel privileged, humbled and in awe of what you have created here…

She fell in love. It may have been his cheer optimism, his handsome smile or his warmheartedness. He fell in love. It may have been her subtle air of mystery, her fiery locks or her serein demeanor. They fell in love and love was all it mattered. They had each other and their love and since, the sun shined a little warmer and the moon shimmered a little brighter upon their lives. Although their held hands were frowned and even mocked by many – yes, even today- , there was such a magnetism between them and their loving gaze grew stronger for each other each passing day.
Nothing else mattered other than the way they loved each other. The way their hands intertwined into courage and tenderness. The way they saw each other and the world. The way he held her face. The way she looked into his eyes.
Nothing else mattered. Only their trust. Their raw transparency with each other. The simple beauty of two lovers cherishing each other, without borders or frontiers.
And on that day, their unexplainable love- because what it is to explain about love after all- became an eternal promise.To have each other, to gaze at each other, to hold each other, to love each other, enduring whatever came their way with the same passion, the same tenderness and the same love. Eva Monnier, Avodah Living

“I wrote those words right after I heard some racist words against an interracial couple, here in my own little quaint town of Orbe, Switzerland.”

“Those words became the storyboard, the thread that I followed when imagining this editorial.”

“And then one day I saw an Instagram post by my friend Leïla Buecher, about Mohamed, a  refugee who used to sleep in the streets in Paris, and who would dream about being a model.”

“I knew in that moment that I wanted to work with Mohamed on this editorial. Both as a way to encourage him and to help him get closer to his dream. And so we drove all the way to Paris…”

“This editorial was conceived as a story of grace, highly inspired by the contrast between the sheer moonlight and the dark blue sky at dusk.”

“Playing with different fabrics, like silk chiffon and silk velvets, and textures, we set out to accomplish a sense of lightness with warm intimacy and refined elegance. I wanted to create a feel of classic elegance and contemporary minimalism, and above.”

“Most of all, it was important that every supplier I worked with on this editorial represented people and businesses engaged in social causes – who were passionate about sustainability.”

“Our photographer Marion knew how to work with natural light to capture everything perfectly – focusing especially on the lovers and their natural interactions.”

“The silken perfection of Lou Simmonds of Luna Bea’s gowns, the breathtaking and delightful cake made by Bouchra, the sensual and delicate curves of Leïla’s floral ring, the artistry and refined texture of Nora’s wedding stationery – every single element came together to beautifully illustrate my vision.”

“Manon our makeup artist enhanced the natural beauty of the bride and groom with a modern, natural look and finally, our models Leonore and Mohamed simply made the entire story their own.  This was an ode to all lovers who can identify with themselves.”

“We aimed to create a story of a gentle and harmonious romance – but above all, a methapor for social justice and the celebration of love and beauty without barriers or conventions.”

“By the way, today, Mohamed is a little closer to his dreams of becoming a model.  It won’t be long before he is walking the runaway of Balmain and Jacquemus, and we like to think that this beautiful editorial played a little part in making that happen.”