We were struck with inspiration to create a streamer backdrop and immediately knew we wanted to reach out to some of Austin’s best vendors to collaborate on a styled shoot. Styled shoots are a great opportunity for vendors to show off their skills and push their creative limit! As an Austin based company, we decided there was no better way to collaborate on a blog than to get insight from each participating Austin-native vendor and detail their personal experience and what element they enjoyed the most!
To start with designing the shoot, we first partnered with Paige form Paige Vaughn Photography and Kiersten from Lovely Day Events. Right away Paige knew she wanted to incorporate bright colors in this shoot and the trio inspired to find a balance between that bright color inspo, elegance and fun! Paige noted, “There are so many motifs that are overdone, it was refreshing to create something true to all of our brands!” Paige’s favorite element was the lighthearted balloons, the amazing florals, the citrus-tiered cake done by Feathers and Frosting, and the ease of photographing her actual clients. She made a note that “everyone came together with very high-level inspiration and truly showed up with stellar interpretations of a colorful summer themed shoot.” The inspiration of the shoot left her excited about shooting elegant, fun weddings for future clients!
Kiersten took Paige’s idea of a very bold colored pallet and created a mood board for a Palm Springs Mid-Century styled shoot and the vendors brought it to life. We chose to shoot at Hotel Ella because of it’s elegant and sophisticated style. Heather, the venue manager, stated “the property alone can make you feel inspired and imaginative.” And we truly could not agree more! She chose to work with us because she wanted to partner with influential event and vendor professionals to not only showcase the breathtakingly unique property but to also build positive, collaborative relationships with the industry leaders. She also made a note that bringing in influential vendors not only makes a vision come to life, but also fosters connections that are mutually beneficial and in the distinctive spirit of Ella.
Besides the incredible location, one of the favorite parts about the shoot was that the modeled couple is engaged and will be married later this year! It was clear to see that their love was genuine and it was easy to be put on display, which made all of our jobs easy. When Paige approached the couple with the opportunity to be part of a styled shoot, they knew they were in good hands. “[Paige’s] infectious personality inspired me to participate in this creative endeavor,” Melissa, the bride wearing Unbridaled, states. She adds, “My fiancé and I have a few more months until OUR big day, and sharing this experience with Paige definitely took the pressure off, it was so much fun!” Melissa noted that her favorite element of the shoot was not necessarily something material, but the collaboration of all the talented and passionate entrepreneurs working together in synchronicity to create this vision.
As for the groom, James? He liked the idea of practicing taking photos before their big day. “Like a lot of guys, I’m not crazy about taking pictures. I don’t have Instagram and my Facebook hasn’t been updated in months. However, this was a really great and unique opportunity for us because we will be getting married in a few months and we thought that this would be good practice,” he said. He also assured us that his wedding photos will turn out great after this experience.
Of course the couple is extremely photogenic, but our team was completely blown away by Melissa’s elegant glam, all done by Mission Stylehouse. When asked what inspired Michelle, Mission’s artist, on the look she did for the bride she guaranteed she did her research and knew it would come together beautifully! Michelle made a note that her goal is to make brides feel like the “best version of themself”, by pulling together a natural, but sophisticated look. She did this by, “enhancing her eyes with lashes [and] used gold tones on the lids and a natural lip. [Because] her dress was a bit classic with a few more modern elements [we had] her hairstyle mirror that theme. In the front we did a more classic face framing finger wave, but pulled it all to one side. The ends were left out, or straight for a modern and casual feel. The back was twisted at the nape for a creative twist” and she truly was a stunner. Michelle definitely made the modeled bride the best version of herself for this shoot!
There’s no wedding without a perfectly executed invitation, right? Shannon, the graphic designer for The Inviting Pear, is familiar with color trends throughout the year, but was pleased to be part of a shoot that wasn’t a current trend. “When we learned of the Palm Springs inspiration, we were excited to incorporate some color”, she said. “By incorporating the coral, yellow and mint colors in the envelopes and envelope liner, the invitation suite still looks elegant and modern but with a fun twist.” As if her design wasn’t wow-worthy enough, the vellum and acrylic of the stationary really made the invites stand out from a typical cardstock invite.
All of our vendors were crushing on the bold colors for this shoot. Kari, from The Flower Girl was no exception. She’s always enjoyed working with designs that include a lot of bright colors and texture. When she was approached by Kiersten for the shoot, she “was eager and knew it was an awesome opportunity!” Kari also noted that everyone was full of ideas and worked together to achieve a truly fun and inspirational design. James from Birch and Brass mentioned how the poolside backdrop paired with the florals, décor, cake and signage made it a beautiful place to host a vibrant and summery ceremony. He also loved how their tabletop pieces were used in this fun-loving photo shoot!
Everything tied together from the colors and aesthetics to the location and detailed pieces. We loved being part of this shoot and showcasing our talent!
Each vendor featured in this blog contributed with their words on the styled shoot.
Thank you to all the vendors listed below:
Photographer: Paige Vaughn Photo
Venue: Hotel Ella
Planner: Lovely Day Events Austin
Photo booth: Oh Happy Day Booth
Streamers and balloon installation: Pop & Drop
Furniture: Birch & Brass Vintage Rentals
Floral design: The Flower Girl
Cake: Feathers & Frosting
Makeup and hair: Mission Stylehouse
Dress: Unbridaled
Invites: The Inviting Pear
