Rustic Moody Romance: WeddingDay’s Exclusive Southwest Michigan Cover Shoot

Photos ByScott Tibbles Photography

Written By

Date

January 3, 2022

The Vision

Samantha Ham of Simply Unforgettable Occasions wanted to incorporate recent trends when she set out to design our Southwest Michigan cover shoot. “I started researching popular trends for the upcoming fall/winter season, and I ran across the dark and moody trend. I decided to put a romantic spin on it,” Samantha explains. We think she beautifully balances the moodiness while keeping the style romantic, and we have Scott Tibbles Photography to thank for the gorgeous photos from this shoot!

The Venue

After doing some research, Samantha thought the western side of Southwest Michigan was utilized more with weddings and style shoots. Wanting to shift the focus closer to central Michigan, Samantha and her team selected Blue Heron Barn in Kalamazoo. “We were looking for a venue that would work well with a dark moody palette and that had a more industrial feel without being overly rustic like some of the other barns we looked at,” Samantha admits.

The DÉcor

“As I was researching the dark and moody trend, I saw a lot of different color combos that we could have used as our palette, but I really liked the idea of using black alongside darker red colors,” Samantha gushes. “We also incorporated a shade of blush and touches of gold to really give it some depth and texture.” Much of the décor was provided by Delicate Dishes. We are in love with the vintage touches including the candelabra and the antique gold mirrors!

The Florals

Despite being amidst a flower shortage, Truer Design was able to create some truly dreamy floral designs! Samantha says, “I wanted the florals to communicate excess and luxury, so I chose blooms with high petal counts, statement shapes and plenty of variety.” The combination between dark and light flowers is stunning!

The Look

“When designing the shoot, we knew that we wanted to go with a dress that was not stereotypical,” Samantha raves. “We started looking at dresses that had black in them as well as blush dresses.” The bride tried on four dresses during her session at Annie Lane Bridal. The team decided this unique and shimmering gown with black accents was a perfect fit. Christina Wright and her team at BÜK Weddings styled our bride with moody and show-stopping hair and makeup!

The Cake

From the moment we laid eyes on this cake, we knew it was perfect for this shoot! Sweet T’s Cakes and Confections matched the theme beautifully using black buttercream and fondant. We also love the edible lace and floral embellishments! Talk about a statement-making combination of moody and romantic touches!