Castle Haggenberg, a romantic Baroque castle north of Vienna, provided the most beautiful starting point for this editorial.
Its historic frescoes and stucco ceilings, painted during the castle’s late seventeenth-century Baroque transformation, are filled with soft blush, faded pink, delicate green and powdery blue tones, with mythological figures, cherubs and timeworn details giving the interiors their wonderfully poetic character.
Rather than simply using the castle as a backdrop, the creative team allowed its frescoes to lead the mood of the shoot. Their colours were echoed through the bridal beauty, the cake, the florals and the styling, creating a look that felt painterly, romantic and gently opulent, while still allowing the age, texture and faded grandeur of Haggenberg to shine through.
This beautiful editorial was conceived and photographed by Love My Dress recommended supplier, Ella Széchényi. Based in Vienna, Ella specialises in editorial wedding photography throughout Austria and across Europe, blending genuine, joyful moments with an elegant, timeless aesthetic.
Her thoughtful approach to light, colour and composition made her the perfect photographer to bring this creative vision to life, capturing both the beauty of the château and the artistry of every detail.
The Magic of Castle Haggenberg
Ever since my first visit, Castle Haggenberg never truly left my mind. This charming romantic Baroque castle north of Vienna, with its beautifully preserved frescoes in soft beige, blush pink and delicate green, instantly felt like the perfect setting for a dreamy editorial shoot filled with lightness, nostalgia and poetic elegance.
For Mara’s first look, we chose dramatic, wild Hollywood inspired waves to accompany the two flowing gowns.
Her makeup was designed to blend seamlessly with the colours of the frescoes in soft pink and purple tones, much like the cake created by Isabelle.
The table exudes an effortless sense of luxury, with fruits and flowers casually arranged as though they naturally belong there, while fabrics fall in soft, effortless folds. Some of the fabrics were kept in solid colours, while others featured subtle stripes, adding an unexpected and interesting twist to the overall composition.
Isabelle knows the castle well and came up with the idea of creating a cake that would blend seamlessly into the fresco through its shape and colour palette, almost as if the fresco and the cake had become one.
Since both the handcrafted tulle skirt by Tamara Koch Kabicher and the gown from Saria Stark’s bridal atelier felt incredibly elegant and timeless, I was looking for earrings and a bracelet that would create a more opulent statement in contrast, and I found exactly that at IST Jewellery.
The shoes were meant to echo the colours of the jewellery while moving away from the classic bridal white. At the same time, they needed to complement the two shorter party dresses and bring a playful, fashion-forward touch to the overall styling.
For the garden shots, it was time for a styling session and a change of outfit. Mara changed into a short bridal dress designed by Tamara, while makeup artist Kathi Atz worked her magic in no time, creating a modern bridal look with a fashion-forward ponytail.
The spring sun was already beginning to set, adding a sense of urgency to the transformation.
Connect with Ella Széchényi Photography
Email Ella on [email protected].
Follow Ella Széchényi on Instagram at @ellaszechenyi
