Sustainable & Minimalist Wedding Decor

Photography by Rosie Kelly Photography

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Vision

Minimal wedding inspiration with delicate flowers and timeless yet modern wedding fashion, stationery and decor.

White Wedding

The theme of this editorial shoot is 'White wedding' - and I wanted to do 2 looks: the first, a minimal and delicate look, the second, a more layered set up with refined maximalist vibes. I wanted the only pops of colour to come from the flower. The first look was all about high-end whites and greens. I love the destination wedding vibes of this look and can totally see this tablescape at chateau weddings. The second, more colourful but still refined. We wanted to show off how high-end brights can be and give couples inspiration on how to style them. I've worked at this studio before for calligraphy workshops and knew it would be the perfect setting for this shoot. I know that the owners are currently looking to get a wedding license so that they can host intimate weddings next year. I love, that smaller weddings will mean couples can choose quirkier and more unique venues.

Faye from Wild Calligraphy

Styling

For the minimalistic look, we kept the table styling really stripped back to create an ultra-sleek, modern vibe with uniform napkins and cutlery alongside modest glassware. The maximal look was all about texture and layers. We stacked various Mia Sylvia hand-dyed fabrics to create a rich base and Every Story's beautiful handmade plates and vases added a raw elegance. Our whitewashed wooden chairs worked perfectly to add another layer of texture to the design. These chairs are available to hire from the Two Eight One studio alongside a host of other elements, perfect for creative DIY couples.

George from Two Eight One Styling

Couple

Real couple Natasha and John are the stars of the show and were naturals in front of the camera. Like many couples, they have had to adapt their wedding plans this year because of Covid and recently got hitched in an extra intimate affair in Nottinghamshire. They loved having a practice for their big day (although I think Tash now wants to have 3 outfit changes so she can rock the Katya Katya dresses! hehe). A huge positive of hosting intimate weddings is that there is more budget for details that perhaps weren't possible before, and this shoot serves to inspire you with heaps of these gorgeous details.

Faye from Wild Calligraphy

Bridal

Katya Katya is a London based bridal designer specialising in unique boho gowns. I have wanted to work with her for so long and knew that her dresses would be perfect for this shoot. We shot three looks: the first look was a silk slip dress, we then added the lace top for drama. The second dress (and third look), however, was the highlight of the shoot. Those layers looked divine against the white backdrop and you can tell from the images that Natasha felt like a million dollars. (Which at the end of the day, is what it’s all about)!

Faye from Wild Calligraphy

Accessories

Lilley Studio is an accessories brand founded by designer Danielle Lilley. Danielle hand crafts accessories with a modern but effortless edge. Each piece is designed and made with love care and attention in her small studio in Birmingham, West Midlands. The pieces included in the shoot are from the new Pearls of Wisdom collection which is available now online. The headbands are made using sustainable raffia and responsibly sourced pearls and were the perfect addition to both bridal looks.

Faye from Wild Calligraphy

Makeup

Minimal doesn’t have to be characterless. A stripped-back complexion will always be on-trend and feels modern and fresh when paired with a deep lip. For the maximal look, I let the styling do the talking, continuing with the barely-there complexion showing off Natasha’s natural skin texture. The juxtaposition of this next to a soft smokey eye is exactly the sort of bridal makeup I expect to see moving forward. Embracing the natural but embellishing it in a way that’s real.

Ruby J Beauty

Florals

I’ve been really keen on doing a shoot in a white room for some time to see the flowers pop against the white background and transform the blank space venue. I am dedicated to sustainable floristry and prioritise using homegrown flowers from my allotment and supporting other local flower growers. There is something so lovely about picking the flowers yourself and allowing the seasons to dictate the palette and textures. For both looks, I wanted to focus on colour and texture rather than having a focal flower or set of flowers, and I am so pleased with how both looks turned out… but for reference, I mostly used dahlias, cosmos, honesty, scabiosa and gypsophila. I love the just-picked, English garden vibe and for me, the flowers were just that: the perfect mix of whimsical and high end.

Hattie from Poppy Scout co.

Linens

MiaSylvia is a sustainable textile designer specialising in hand-dyeing organic and regenerating textiles using the ancient process of natural dyes. With this practice in mind, Mia supplied certified organic cotton and peace silks for ribbons such as silk-bamboo fibres and silk habotai. The textile industry is immensely damaging to our environment and where possible, Mia sources fabrics from surplus suppliers, antique charity shops and deadstock vintage sellers. Using white fabrics in fashion & interiors affect our environment due to the fibres being bleached. For this 'White Photoshoot' MiaSylvia supplied upcycled fabrics, so not to contribute to the mass consumerism that is the textile industry, and re-using what is already available on our planet. You'll notice some fabrics are labelled with numbers, markings or are subtly patterned. This is due to them being salvaged as they were destined for the landfill due to these 'imperfections'. The simplicity in the minimal and white aesthetic of these special fabrics shall act as a silent and calm reminder to reduce, re-use and recycle where possible when shopping for fashion and textiles. You can find bespoke services at MiaSylvia for your events such as hiring table runners and napkins, organic-peace silk ribbons to adorn your bouquet and hand-dyeing fabrics to match your colour pallet using ingredients such as plants, flowers and food waste.

Faye from Wild Calligraphy

Cake

The minimalist cake was a one-tier rough buttercream finish. I wanted to show that the total simplicity of a small cake with extremely minimal decoration can still stand out and look great. With smaller weddings being the reality for the next few months, it’s so important for couples to see that a small cake can still look amazing! The Maximalist cake was white on white. I used a simple white clean finish fondant with wafer paper sail - it was amazing to see it come together in the setup and see the movement that the sail gave it. If you’re working with smaller numbers but would still prefer a larger cake design, you can pair “fake” tiers with an edible top tier or go fully edible like this one and ship out cake tasters to the guest’s that can no longer make your wedding due to reduced numbers.

Sophie from Red Robin Cakery

Written by Lorna Shaw