Melodramatic & Moody: A Cover Shoot at Journeyman Distillery

Photos ByAllen & Company Photography

Written By

Date

January 12, 2017

THE VISION

As more and more brides are trading in pastel and bold color palettes for neutral shades, we decided to take a step in the opposite direction and pursue a cover shoot that bordered on moody and melodramatic. Think the Guilded Age with Mark Twain, sprinkled with inspiration and mystery from Edgar Allen Poe. Lauren from Lauren Elisabeth Events, an event planning company in southwest Michigan, broadened the initial vision and introduced pops of modern glam into the cover shoot.

The Venue

To set the scene for the moody atmosphere, we sought an industrial venue with ample natural light to offset the darker décor. Journeyman Distillery is a former featherbone factory that used to make buggy whips and corsets. It is now a distillery, restaurant and event space with wooden floors, enormous windows and stringed lights overhead. The history and sacred feel of the venue paired perfectly with the tone of our shoot. The openness of the room translated into a blank slate for the vendor team to transform. “You can make it modern, chic, vintage or whatever style is you,” says Lauren. “You're not having to fight the deep red carpet or colorful wallpaper that you may find at other venues.”

The Look

Our model wore an alluring and romantic gown from Paris House of Bridal. The dress featured a low, swoop back with etched detailing and a front slit. Stylists from Nicholas J Salon gave the model a tousled windswept look with soft curls and intentionally placed her hair to the side so it did not compete with the back of the gown. Accessories from Albert's Jewelers were the finishing touches to complete the glamorous look.

The DÉcor

Lauren chose to go with a moody-meets-modern vibe for the décor in the shoot. Deep colors such as black, purple and indigo represented the moody look while pinks, creams and greenery portrayed the glam and modern side of the concept. The decorative concept was brought to life through rentals from Modern Day Floral, Gigi & LaClede and Special Occasions—all Michigan-based vendors.

Geometric shapes were also introduced throughout to represent a current trend. Geometric lines were incorporated in the stationery, vases, glasses and plates and geometric terrariums held candles to give off a sense of romance.

The tablescape was stunning with gold beaded chargers with matte black dinner plates and geometric salad plates. Taper candleholders, geometric vases, votives and terrariums were added to the table. The final touch were the bride and groom signs for the chairs from Z Create Design.

The Floral

Modern Day Floral captured the dramatic look using deep colors for flowers. Roses and dahlias accented the pops of glam while large proteas gave the décor a modern feel.

The Cake

C'est La Vie Cakes designed a showstopping three-tiered wedding cake with heavy floral. The cake featured a gray top tier that faded into a deep indigo color with pops of gold.

The Stationery

Lief Design and Centennial Avenue collaborated to create a stationery suite that used heavy calligraphy, geometric shapes, and a rich indigo, teal, gold and blush color palette.

View the behind-the-scenes video captured by Ever After Studios!