Feel the Serenity of Spring in this Romantic Garden Getaway: A Floral-Inspired Grand Rapids Style Shoot

"I am deeply inspired by the beauty and hope that comes along with the transition from winter to spring. There is nothing quite like seeing the first blooms pop up from the ground, the trees start to bud, and the sun shine more and more," Clare, the planner and florist for this shoot, gushes. To honor her favorite season, Clare set out to create a garden-inspired style shoot that showcased the softness of spring with watercolor pastels and fluffy blooms. Though there were some bumps along the way—like not getting the dress and veil until the morning of the shoot or having to travel two hours with all the live flowers in one vehicle—this shoot came together beautifully!
 

Since flowers were going to be the main focus in this shoot, the team made sure to include ones that would best bring in some unique textures while lending to the tenderness of spring. Clare explains, "Some of the flowers used included sweet pea, tulips, daffodils, muscari, hellebore, spirea, hyacinth, ranunculus, garden roses, etc. I wanted to include as many spring blooms as possible that were fluffy and fresh, and contributed to designs that had fluffy textures, dimension and movement." The ranunculus were actually some fo the first locally grown flowers of the season, so Clare was over the moon to be able to include them in this shoot!
 

The color scheme for this shoot was almost as important as the flowers used and nothing says spring like pastels! The team was able to blend blush, lavender, light green and ivory colors together artfully to create a watercolor effect throughout the shoot, despite it being a bit early in the season to get more vibrant blooms. This color scheme was the inspiration for the stationery, too. A detail that some may find surprising is that there was only one rental item used, and that was the linen on the tablescape! Clare admits, "All of the other details were from my home or sourced by me. From the vintage plates, to candlesticks, napkins, etc. It was all specially curated for the shoot." We love how it all came together for a romantic yet whimsical shoot!
 

Finding somewhere to host this shoot was easy for Clare. Her photographer was located on the west side of Michigan, and Clare worked in the wedding industry while attending college near Grand Rapids, so Venue3Two was an ideal spot. "The mansion features classic and elegant design details that are warm and inviting," Clare shares. "The conservatory, where we did the shoot, has a lot of natural light and a blank slate kind of feel that allowed the florals to stand out." We love that it overlooks their courtyard, which makes the space feel even more natural!
 

No style shoot is complete without a bride, and her dress could not be more perfect for this shoot. "Oh, the dress! What a dream!" Clare raves. "It fit all the criteria, and was a perfect complement to the florals and fit the model's style perfectly." Clare asked for an ethereal and whimsical dress that still had a classic and timeless feel. We think they found the exact right gown! The silhouette lends itself to a timeless style while the exposed corset and ruching of the tulle in the bodice are newer trends. We are obsessed with the flower petal details on the veil, too! With the cute curls and soft pink makeup, this bride looks like a princess who stepped right out of a fairytale!
 

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