There’s something so refreshing in the unlikely marriage between luxurious and rustic. It’s an unexpected union, but the thought of combining these two elements was the seed that sprouted the idea for this late spring styled shoot. Growing up in New England and now being a wedding photographer in the area, I’ve always loved the charm of rolling landscapes and natural textures. I wanted to take a natural vibe and introduce a sophisticated spin on the approach. This sophistication manifested through a glamorous, but down-to-earth aesthetic for the “bride” and “groom” and hints of gold weaved throughout the decor. It was so much fun to merge the effortlessness of rustic details with elegant touches. Balancing the natural with a little bit of glam, I knew I wanted the scene to take place somewhere with a rich landscape. I ended up choosing the gorgeous Preston Ridge Vineyard for its bucolic charm. I liked the idea of doing a vineyard shoot in spring when it’s really more verdant than oversaturated with the color of the grapes. Plus, what better season to tell the story of a new beginning and new life together than the season of renewal!

Theme, color palette?
Juxtaposing the regal aubergine and green tones with the gold and ivory on the tablescape was an extension of the natural-meets-glam approach. I wanted rich, deep jewel tones to permeate the visuals. These romantic tones set against the natural grain of the farm table and the verdant backdrop of the vineyard was a perfect pairing for the shoot.

Anything super unique or fun about the shoot?
It started to rain with the sun peeking out during the shoot! This is very apparent in some of the images. At first, we immediately started to panic, but then we decided to embrace it. As a wedding photographer, you quickly learn that rain does happen on wedding days and you can either let it terrify you or you can accept and still push through to make gorgeous images.

How were the fashion details chosen?
For our “bride,” I knew I wanted to incorporate this idea of down-to-earth elegance and loved the introduction of a little bling in her dress to call back to a hint of glam in the shoot. And when it came to the “groom,” I wanted to be sure we continued to weave these rich tones throughout the visuals with his sartorial choices. I opted to bring in hints of hunter green and vibrant purples in his details to make a cohesive visual language.