Long ago in a land far, far away there was a small, hidden castle perched on a hill in the woods. Ok, so this wasn’t so long ago and the location of this tale is actually the Hydeholde, a fanciful hidden gem of a Pittsburgh wedding venue located in Moon Township. It was there that our story begins. The daydreamers behind Sapphire & Lace Design imagined a fairy tale winter wedding inspired by stories of happily ever after. These florists – along with a team of all-star Pittsburgh wedding vendors – waved their magic wands to create a styled shoot that blended modern wedding trends with old world sophistication. The color palette of plum, soft blue, mauve, and emeralds was dramatic and luxurious, but accents of copper and cream made it romantic. Under a stone archway sat the richly dressed tablescape featuring baroque-style place settings from Eventioneers. Copper chiavari chairs were draped in heathered knitted throws for a touch of warmth. However, the most striking feature was the floral cape worn over by the bride. This fashionable work of art featured fresh blooms and greenery while complimenting the off the shoulder wedding dress from Blanc de Blanc Bridal. Hand-written tapestries from Oh Joyful Day, floral arch backdrops, and candlelight galore round out the overwhelmingly beautiful features of this winter wedding inspiration. These images from Dawn Derbyshire Photography that are like something straight out of a storybook! Get ready to cozy on up!
About the Shoot
We started with a wintery color palette of dark plums, lavender, icy blues, and creams accented by spring-like tones of bright greens, pinks, and oranges. We wanted the colors to feel like a late winter sunset and our design elements to juxtapose icy with warm – old with new – while focusing on lots of layered textures and textiles.
We wanted to shoot the cake displayed in unique spaces as our way to inspire couples to think outside of the box. Cathy from Frosted Envy created a beautiful cake of icy blue fondant with a simple texture that translated beautifully from the ceremony space into the reception.
Our goal with the paper goods was to create unique pieces that could later serve as family heirlooms. Victoria of Oh Joyful completely blew us away with her watercolor invitation suite that was so rich in depth and color. Silk ribbon, wax seals, and copper-toned envelopes gave a sense of formality to the raw, textured paper. Our favorite pieces were the lavender velvet vow handkerchiefs and the velvet fabric display behind the cake. Our dinner menu was a nod to the acrylic trend in paper goods and was a perfect fit to showcase the beautiful brick building while pulling in those glassy winter textures.
It was important to us that the attire fit our fairytale, Shakespearian vision and to us this meant a dramatic bridal cape over a simple silhouette. As floral designers, we jumped on the opportunity to create a bridal look that might inspire brides to go for wearable florals or to choose a stunning ceremony piece in lieu of a veil. Our hair and makeup team created gorgeous styles that were elegant yet relaxed.
We’re in love with the rose gold/copper trend and these metallics gave the tablescape warmth against the cut glassware and clean white plates. We featured heavy winter textiles with a rose velvet linen and hand-woven blankets over the chair backs. Victoria tied each blanket with a silk ribbon donning the guests name, serving as their place card and favor, creating a welcoming feel to a formal table display.
