Our 2024 Style Shoot Design Contest Winner: Whispers of Folklore

We're thrilled to announce the winners of WeddingDay's sixth annual Style Shoot Design Contest, sponsored by AAYS Event Rentals! This year, participants were invited to design shoots that incorporated the 2024 Pantone Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz, into one of four unique themes: Quiet Luxury, Feminine Touch, Peach Overload and Taylor Swift Albums. As always, our team was thrilled to see the variety of submissions we received, and selecting a winner was no easy feat. Keep reading to see this year's champion and the numerous unique details that made it stand out from the rest, along with the stunning runner-up and the talent of our three favorite finalists!

Christina Miller of Signature Weddings & Events was immediately inspired when she saw that Taylor Swift albums was a category for this year’s contest. “ I KNEW I had to plan something and that it was going to be inspired by her album, Folklore,” she shares. Christina envisioned a space where guests would feel like they were stepping into the world Taylor Swift masterfully paints through her lyrics. Each scene was carefully crafted to draw inspiration from specific songs on the album, with elements like shimmering mirrorballs, a thread of gold symbolizing the couple’s connection and nods to the themes of "champagne problems" and "mad woman."

As a devoted Swiftie, Christina reveals that Folklore is her favorite album, describing it as raw and introspective, yet filled with vivid portrayals of love, loss and “almosts.” "There was so much inspiration to draw from and the vendors were fully on board to make sure that no detail was left 'un-Taylored,'" she explains. Christina hopes that whether couples seeing this shoot are Swifties or not, they’ll be captivated by the beautiful, messy love story that truly brings Folklore to life in wedding form!

This shoot took place at Hidden Springs State Park in Strausburg, Illinois, along a picturesque pine tree-lined trail. “We felt that this location really played off of Taylor’s album artwork from Folklore and captured all of the vibes we were going for,” Christina explains.
 

The model donned two distinct looks for this Taylor-themed shoot. The first gown featured delicate appliqué flowers and a flowy skirt with a structured bodice. Paired with a multi-layered, ruffle-edged veil added some fun texture and depth to the shots! The second dress was more fitted with a dramatic train that created breathtaking movement in the photos, especially as the model ran through the forest, embracing Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour choreography. "I knew I wanted to incorporate a cape as one of the accessories so this fitted style worked perfectly for that," Christina shares. The model's hair and makeup was inspired from the Folklore album art and Taylor's looks from the Folklore set on the Eras Tour. Her loose, messy curls naturally fell throughout the shoot and were complemented with a clean, contoured look. And no Taylor Swift shoot would be complete without a classic red Taylor-inspired lip!

Christina incorporated touches of peach into the tablescape design and florals. "I love the hint of color it gave to our earthy palette without overpowering the overall aesthetic," she gushes. The beautiful dark wood tables and chairs graciously provided by Tuscan Hills Winery were perfect for this moody vibe, while the florals were predominantly white and cream, accented with pops of peach and dusty pink to add in a feminine touch. A hot trend Christina embraced was layering complementary and contrasting textures to add complexity and depth to the design. We also love the touch of moss and greenery to further accentuate the woodsy aesthetic! “All of the other décor items, place settings and linens came from Signature Weddings & Events,” Christina explains.

For the stationery suite, Christina envisioned a neutral, textured set, and this creation was so stunning and detailed that she was moved to tears! The hand deckled edges, custom monogram, wax seal and moody pine tree envelope liner all added visual interest, while the signage was its own work of art! "For the seating chart, we used a framed artpiece and attached the cards with wax seals. The seating chart is full of little Easter eggs, in true Taylor fashion," Christina gushes. But our absolute favorite touch is the adorable signature cocktail sign featuring Taylor’s three cats!

What's better than one cake? Two! "Our traditional cutting cake was a two-tier cake with smooth white buttercream and a satin bow tied around the center," Christina says. This clean look was a perfect contrast against the wild, woodsy backdrop. The second confection was a smash cake, inspired by the "after the party" photo trend. It was a heart-shaped red velvet cake with white buttercream and vintage piping, topped with Christina’s favorite lyric from Folklore, "to live for the hope of it all." "The pictures of our model standing on top of our tablescape and stepping on this cake are probably some of my favorites from the whole gallery!" Christina raves.

 

 

 

Style Shoot Design Contest sponsored by: AAYS Event Rentals

 

 

 

 

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