Secret Garden in the City: A Detroit Cover Shoot with Bold Blooms & Edgy Brick

Photos ByAmi Williams Photography

Written By

Date

January 9, 2020

The Vision

We wanted to portray a sense of attitude for our 2019 Issue 4 cover shoot. With the design of a moody Detroit escape in mind, Aimee Paquin, Owner and Lead Designer of Modernly Events, imagined this shoot to be a slightly edgy take on “Secret Garden in the City.” Aimee explains, “I wanted the shoot to feel modern, edgy and a little wild at heart.” We wanted to pair darker colors with a soft traditional look to create an overall refined, dramatic look any bride could use. Aimee notes, “I used a lot of black and white throughout the shoot to allow the venue and the floral design to be the primary focus, as well as keeping the other elements more minimal.”

The Location

Parker's Alley at the Shinola Hotel was the perfect locale of choice for this shoot because it captures the historic value of the area while maintaining the modern vibes of a big city like Detroit. “Since it is truly an alley, we had to contend with box truck deliveries in the alley and pedestrians visiting the shops that line it,” Aimee notes. “It was challenging, but also made the shoot come to life because that’s exactly what being in the city is like.” The alley came ready with a palette the team was excited to work with. The red brick, faded wall signs and black accents naturally in the space provided a perfect industrial color scheme for this modern shoot.

The Florals

The florals created by Design Quintessentials brought a burst of color to this striking shoot. Aimee explains, “We used pampas grass in the bouquet and décor to play up the bohemian vibes and used various greenery to give the installations a garden feel. Roses, ranunculus, and stems of berries further contributed to the garden vibe.” The floral wall installation designed by Design Quintessentials showcases blooms reaching toward the sky in a true secret garden fashion.

The Look

This bride’s dress is a gem found at Becker’s Bridal Outlet. The bell sleeves and all-over lace provide a soft elegance to contrast with the edginess of the bride’s makeup. The dress perfectly hugs her silhouette and the jacket completes her look with a stylish pop. The team went one step above and beyond and altered the jacket so it could better fit the shoot. “Using calligraphy in unexpected ways continues to be a big trend, so I asked Angela of Plume & Proper to hand-letter the sleeve of a leather jacket,” Aimee explains. “We chose ‘take my hand, take my whole life too’ as a nod to the placement of the calligraphy and as a sweet sentiment on a wedding day.” The bride’s hair and makeup by Kyle Ann Design added to the edginess of the shoot with a styled ponytail and lots of large waves. The hints of gold at the corner of her eyes and her black-burgundy lips tie in the wild side with a sassy snap!

The DÉcor

This tablescape is a study in contrast with the black and off-white/cream palette. Aimee explains that she wanted the table to have dimension and texture, and used minimal blooms to focus attention on the décor. “I used an ivory velvet tablecloth from Event Source and layered in matte black, smoke gray, off-white and gold pieces for the place settings,” Aimee says. “Each place setting consisted of a matte black charger, bone coupe dinner and salad plates, and a textured ivory linen napkin. From Event Source, I chose an ivory velvet tablecloth to be the base of the tablescape design.” From the simple touches of gold down to the tassels at each plate, this team paid attention to every detail and made it unique. The stationery, created by Invitations by Caitlin, took inspiration from moody florals and designs with bold fonts. The end products perfectly balance feminine florals with a bold, masculine font.

The Cake & Desserts

Ashley Dulce, owner of The DULCE Experience, certainly gave this shoot a one-of-a-kind addition! Our mouths are watering at the gentle brush of color used on this three-tiered masterpiece. Aimee explains, “The abstract and painterly cake design played off the alley murals. We wanted it to feel like a continuation of those walls.” As if this artful cake wasn't enough, Ashley created individual crème brulee cups to form a small dessert display ready for any guest to enjoy. The cake and desserts were placed on clear acrylic pedestals to let the murals be seen behind them, and to give the illusion the cake was floating on air!