Paris Elopement Wedding Photography | Wedding Style at The Eiffel Tower, Palais-Royal, The Louvre and River Seine | Destination Wedding Photographer
Paris Elopement wedding Photography | wedding style at The eiffel tower, Palais-Royal, the Louvre and river Seine | Destination Wedding Photographer
An elopement wedding day in paris, France feels like something out of a movie. The beautiful streets, the historical architecture, the endless art museums and how the city lights up at night is simply magical. When I knew I was going to be speaking at LEgacy Workshop in France and then spending time in paris afterwards, I just knew I wanted to document an elopement bridal editorial in some of the most beautiful locations in paris. And of course, with my friends birthday being nearby, I offered to have her and her partner join my husband and I in Paris and I would document her and her boyfriend, while also treating them on their trip. Capturing real couples is the best for inspiring your creativity in between wedding seasons, as they already have such a natural bond. It also helps when you can simply have fun together as they are some of your closest friends.
MAggie and angus spent the morning of this elopement day editorial in their adorable and quaint airbnb in Paris. They both got ready together before we headed to the streets to enjoy roaming around paris together. I brought vintage veils along from Those were the days bridal in EDinburgh, Scotland. the lovely owner, claire, of those were the days bridal carefully curates and hand selects all of the pieces in her shop on saint stephen street in my personal favorite neighborhood in edinburgh, stockbridge. and I’m not biased just because it’s my personal neighborhood where we live, but it really is the best for small business cafes, restaurants, clothing shops, thrift stores and cinnamon buns. so if you are ever visiting edinburgh, definitely pop over to stockbridge.
anyways, back to the elopement editorial in paris. Maggie was wearing a vintage veil from those were the days and had multiple outfits throughout the day, because even on a wedding day there tend to be outfit changes more and more, so why not on your elopement day as well. The floral bouquet was designed by my friend Beverly, of Heidi GOld Florals, She was able to piece together a stunning little bouquet that packed a punch of color with a unique blend of florals in the arrangement.
The first place we took a few individual and couple photographs in the parisian neighborhood around their airbnb. If you ever have an elopement or wedding day in paris, honestly, you can’t go wrong with most residential streets all around the city, as the architecture is stunning no matter which district you are based in. And by photographing around your lodging, you can have those images that are more unique to you before heading to the classic spots in the city where inevitably you may see other couples having wedding photos done there as well.
We only saw two other brides the entire day, which I thought was fairly good for us, especially photographing bridal portraits around the eiffel tower and the louvre museum. At the eiffel tower, we started taking the elopement portraits a few blocks away from the actual tower, so it was a bit quieter to start out with the tower in the background, and then slowly walked toward the eiffel tower for a larger scene. There are actually plenty of ways to crop out the crowds, so I wouldn’t be nervous to get closer to the eiffel tower if you are ever there on your wedding day. We also found that everyone parted ways for the bride in her wedding dress.
The next stop on our tour around paris for elopement portraits, was the domaine national du palais-royal. I have always loved the courtyard that has a stunning artwork installation of striped sculptures that resemble a chess board. IT really is such a beautiful spot for wedding photos and has many corners that aren’t crowded at all for intimate moments together.
we then walked across the street to the louvre museum for more wedding portraits in front of the stunning piece of architecture, the modern grand pyramid. THe beautiful, glass pyramid is a structure that pei cobb Freed & partners created and I will Forever be impressed by such beautiful and thoughtful design. always brings back fond memories when i’m in it’s presence.
After staying at the louvre until the sun started to set, to see the pyramid lit up at night and the fountains reflection of ripples shining through, we then walked over to the seine river. I love how the seine river has many sections and a lower walkway by the river so your elopement can be a more intimate one, especially when it’s darker at night and the only light is from the parisian street lamps.
The eiffel tower has a light show in the evenings and you could see the glow of the tower between maggie and angus from the seine river walkway. It really was a magical way to end this elopement editorial with the sweetest couple of friends around. I’m truly grateful for them entrusting me to document the two of them around paris. Traveling the world alone is lovely, but even better with loved ones. x
Vintage Wedding Veil - Those were the days bridal // Bridal Fashion Styling - MaaggSs // Wedding Bouquet - Heidi Gold Florals
“an intimate Elopement in Paris, France is always a beautiful idea.
The historic eiffel tower, stunning Domaine National du Palais-Royal, modern louvre architecture and the calming Seine river all make
for the most cinematic and romantic wedding Day.”
IF YOU WANT to have AN INTIMATE elopement in paris, france OR ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, HERE IS MY INQUIRY FORM FOR YOU TO TELL ME ALL ABOUT
YOUR destination WEDDING DAY. exploring new cities with couples on their destination
wedding day brings me so much joy.
Boho Fashion Editorial | Fashion Photographer | Chicago Stylist
Boho Fashion Editorial | Fashion Photographer | Wicker Park, Chicago | Ariana Anderson Stylist
When Ariana, of Styled by Ariana, presented the idea to me for this bohemian summer editorial shoot, she sent me this beautiful quote by Morgan Harper Nichols below. This became the foundation for the emotion behind this shoot.
And in those moments where the sun is setting and the house is quiet and you are weary from the day, may you know that there is grace for you in that space, and no amount of heaviness or loneliness can take that away. And because of that grace, you are free to slow down. You are free to breathe and rest, no matter the things not sorted out. There might be some mystery here and there might be longing, wondering, and waiting. But there will also be boundless peace that goes beyond any understanding, running wild like a river through everything, no matter how heavy these moments feel. So rest easy, when everything is approaching. Tomorrow is surely coming, but in the hours in between, you are free to rest till then.”
― Morgan Harper Nichols
This quote really resonated with myself, Ariana, Dominique, our lovely model who brought this shoot to life, and the amazing makeup artist, Michelle of Mink Loves Makeup. So we all came together to create something beautiful in the spirit of Morgan’s wise words. The prepping started the day before the shoot with Ariana being a boss and foraging all of the greenery on her own for this shoot from the streets of her Chicago neighborhood. It was the most beautiful thing how everything came together. The location for this shoot is in the living room of my Wicker park flat. Definitely a space that I will always cherish having for as long as I’m renting in Chicago. All of this to say, you don’t need a lot to create something beautiful with your friends. This shoot inspires me in so many ways and I’m so grateful for all of the beautiful individuals I can create with.
Ariana Anderson, Styled By Ariana - Chicago Stylist | Dominique Ashanti - The Lovely model + Amazing Painter | Michelle of Mink Loves Makeup - Chicago Makeup Artist
If you’d like me to capture an editorial and have ideas for a fashion shoot, please reach out below and
I would love to create something beautiful with you!
Best Vintage Wedding Dress Shop in Edinburgh | Those Were The Days Bridal | Scotland Elopement Photographer
Vintage Wedding Dress Shop | Those Were The Days Bridal | Scotland Elopement Photographer
There are so many talented wedding dress designers that I love to recommend to brides, because I love the creativity and uniqueness that the gowns give to each individual. With that said, you know what else is unique and custom? VINTAGE. I have always been a huge fan of vintage clothing. In college, going to the huge thrift stores with friends, I would find the best gems of vintage dresses, denim and purses (that I still have to this day!). It’s always the best feeling knowing that you have a one of a kind piece, or at least for all you know, it’s the very last garment in tact of that vintage piece, in that size, potentially in the world! You just never know. It’s exciting when you find a vintage wedding dress that you love, because the sizes do tend to vary based on the decade the designer lived in.
If you are looking for a vintage wedding dress and are eloping or having a wedding in Scotland, you have to visit Those Were the Days Bridal! Those Were the Days Bridal is a vintage boutique that specializes in hand curated vintage wedding dresses from all around the world. Claire is the owner and I’ve been shooting her beautifully selected vintage gowns for the last few years now. We’ve done so many lookbook editorials for her shop, that I’ve first hand seen how much knowledge Claire has about the dresses. She knows the designers, the decades, the materials and how best to take care of the gowns. She uses gloves and has anyone sifting through the gowns wear them, to protect their quality for their final owner. I respect Claire and her passion for vintage so much. She is the most true to herself person I know and I’m so grateful I’ve been able to work with her beautiful self and her vintage shop for all of these years.
If you are eloping to Scotland, and don’t want to transport a dress, definitely book an appointment to visit Those Were the Days Bridal when you arrive in Edinburgh. I’m sure you’ll find something beautiful! She has vintage gowns that are short and sassy, perfect for a courthouse elopement, all the way to boho and flowing gowns, that are perfect for those Scottish elopements in the outdoors of the Highlands. Also, next door, there is Those Were the Days Vintage next door, that has both vintage women’s and menswear! Sometimes a funky, sparkly or colorful party or evening gown may be the coolest wedding dress for those really looking to stand out from the crowds! Either way, you won’t be disappointed by visiting Those Were the Days Bridal and Vintage boutiques!
Enjoy these gorgeous vintage gowns from Those Were the Days Bridal,
on the serene and majestic shores of Scotland.
Vintage Wedding Dresses - Those Were The Days Bridal | Models - Maggie & Ben
If you’d like me to capture your elopement, wedding, brand, or would simply like a mentor session with me,
reach out on my contact page through the link below! I can’t wait to chat with you!
Wedding Dress Designer | Carolyn Baxter | Edinburgh, Scotland
Wedding Dress Designer | Carolyn Baxter | Edinburgh, Scotland | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Since I’ve been here in Edinburgh for half of the year for the last few years, until I start living here full time soon, I am always making new friends in the wedding industry! The reason I love genuinely getting to know individuals in the Scotland wedding world, is because when I know who they are as a person, I can confidently refer them to all of my future Edinburgh or Scotland brides here. You can only see suppliers work online, but when you get to know wedding suppliers in person, you will be able to refer them with more confidence and match them to future brides that share the same passions and personalities as them. For example, I’ve been said to be more soft spoken, quirky and silly in person than anticipated. Many say my personality is different than what they expected from my images (in a good way it seems!) when you know me in person, and I think that it’s so important to meet people face to face and have that personality connection, as well as loving their beautiful work online. So if you can meet local suppliers in your community, then I would highly encourage you to spend time with them, not only for shoots (which is a great way to help each other and create beautiful work for fun!), but grab coffee, keep up with them online, be genuinely invested in their life behind the scenes and not just in repeated comments for others to see.
Carolyn Baxter is a dress designer, based in the heart of Scotland. She not only designs, but hand sews all of her gowns in her Edinburgh studio. Carolyn not only designs wedding dresses, but also bridesmaid dresses and event gowns! Her work amazes me because it’s so custom. I love the creativity and admire the craftsmanship that goes into the process of making all of her own gowns. Each dress has it’s own unique details and gives the person wearing it endless confidence. Carolyn’s gowns are a combination of femininity and elegance, while still having an edge to them. If you’re searching for a place to have a locally designed wedding dress from Scotland for your wedding or elopement, you should definitely reach out to set up an appointment to visit Carolyn’s Baxter’s boutique in Edinburgh.
For this editorial shoot, I captured the “Julianna” and “Glimmer” gowns. We wandered the streets of Edinburgh and the harsh Scottish winds really showed all of the texture and movement of these beautiful dresses very well. These gowns are listed under her Event Dresses page on her website, but this shoot is a prime example of how any dress can be styled for your wedding day. You don’t have to just look in the bridal section for your wedding dress. I’ve even seen brides wear dresses meant for bridesmaids and they looks stunning! There are no rules when looking for your wedding dress, if you like a dress, whether it’s labeled for events, prom, balls or bridesmaids, if you want to wear it as your wedding dress, you do it proudly and I promise no one will even tell it’s purposed intention because the only definition of a wedding dress is the dress you end up wearing on the day you get married to your best friend… and that will always be your wedding dress.
Dress Designer - Carolyn Baxter | Makeup - Roo Bell | Models - Sofia + Alishba |
Edinburgh Wedding Photographer - Melody Joy Co.
Quarantine Style | Self-Isolation Feelings | Glasgow Beauty Fashion Editorial
Quarantine Style | Self-Isolation Feelings | Glasgow Beauty Fashion Editorial
This Fashion Editorial was Inspired by the current world situation of trying to flatten the curve of sickness by self isolating ourselves to our homes, we have created a shockingly dramatic imagery that draws together soft, feminine elements with a bit of edge of being bound by different elements and feeling suffocated. A mix of dark tones, neon pops of color for hope, textured paper and fabrics accented with an underlying relevancy. Exploring today's world isolation feelings within a visual experience.
The lady who brought us all together was none other than the Glashow based hair artist, Emma Diamond. She was the one with the Art direction for this beauty editorial shoot and did such a great job with the timing of this beauty editorial! I love how every frame in the shoot has some form of a barrier between the face and and the camera, and that’s such a solid representation of the season our country is in at the moment. This shoot was actually done back in early March before the “stay at home” order was implemented and I had no idea that this was the last editorial that I would be doing for the summer. I already am looking forward to the next one!
I hope everyone is staying safe during this season of isolation and finding ways to stay creative at home, whether through sessions from home or online, re-editing past sessions, brainstorming for future sessions or even creating art at home! There are so many ways to keep your creative muscles going during this time, and if you ever need any ideas for staying creative at home, just reach out! Cheers to this season of “self-isolation” creativity!
C O N T R I B U T O R S
Photographer //
Melody Joy Co.
@melodyjoyco
www.melodyjoy.co
Model //
Erin Young
@_sonder
Hair + Art Direction//
Emma Diamond
@emmadiamondhair
www.emmadiamondhair.co.uk/
Make-Up //
Madeleine Brown
MVB MUA
@mvbmua
Jewelry //
AKVILE SU
@suakvile
+
Eve Balashova
@eve_balashova
+
Emma Morris Design
@emmamorris_design
Scotland Fashion Photographer | Glasgow Style Editorial Lookbook
Scotland Style Lookbook | Glasgow Fashion Photographer
I always find beauty in things that
are odd and imperfect, they are
much more interesting.
— Marc Jacobs
I love shooting fashion in Scotland. Being a fashion photographer is another love of mine, it’s nice to not only limit myself to capture weddings, but something I am also passionate about is fashion! Glasgow has some of my favorite street styles in this country! I photographed these six looks for a Glasgow street style lookbook that was inspired by an incredibly talented and artistic team of ladies in Glasgow! The Art Direction and Outfit Styling was by a local designer named Amanda Blackwood, who kicks butt in the pairing and layering of outfits and fun color palettes. The lovely model was Lauren Scott, who has the moves like Jagger as well as the looks to kill. Lauren’s hair styles were all done by the queen of hair, Emma Diamond, and the facial looks were all designed by the master of make-up, Claire Nisbet! Scroll down to view the creative collaboration of these ladies all throughout downtown Glasgow! This was my first of now multiple shoots with these ladies that I have done in Glasgow. The fashion scene in Glasgow, Scotland is honestly so inspiring. There is something about the individuals there that I really resonate with. It’s that sassy street attitude that comes out in their clothing, (not their personalities), that I love! I tend to only wear muted tones, but I love capturing any fashion that is inspirational, and even though a few of these street style looks include bold pops of color, I can appreciate them and be inspired by them. You never know what can inspire you, so never stop creating and finding people and places that you resonate with.
L O O K O N E
L O O K T W O
L O O K T H R E E
Featuring Glasgow Designer - Re-Jean Denim
L O O K F O U R
Featuring - Burberry Coat
L O O K F I V E
L O O K S I X
Art Direction + Stylist Amanda Blackwood // Model Lauren Scott // Hair Emma Diamond // Make-Up Claire Nisbet
If you’re looking for a photographer to capture your fashion line or lookbook, I would love to create something beautiful for you! Reach out on my contact page below!
VARCA | A Bridal Atelier
Chicago Wedding Dress Designer | Varca Bridal | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Sarah Varca is the boss lady behind the Bridal Atelier, Varca Bridal! She designs all of her gowns in her Chicago studio, in Logan Square, providing dresses for “the woman on her own level'“ all over this lovely planet. Sarah Varca’s bubbly yet sassy spirit really comes out in all of her gorgeous gowns. If you want to have fun and be seen feeling your best, go set up a consultation for an original gown by Varca or visit one of her stockists around the world! If you are ever in Chicago trying on wedding dresses, you can try on her beautiful wedding gowns over at Honey Bridal!
The two Varca wedding dresses below are called “The Nikki”, where the lace neck and puffy sleeved cape is removable, and the “Arabella Gown”, the one with all of the fluffy layers and white leather! These are part of Varca’s latest collection and I’m just amazed at the detail that went into them!
I’m just so grateful to photograph entrepreneurs, like Varca Bridal, who are doing amazing things, and creating beautiful masterpieces by hand and businesses from the ground up. So enjoy these beautiful bridal looks below and be on the lookout for future features on creative entrepreneurs that I am inspired by, coming to my website soon!
If you are ever in need of someone to help you plan your Chicago wedding day, I will happily refer my favorite Chicago wedding planners in the city! Chicago has such a good range of wedding dress boutiques, but Varca Bridal is one of my favorite designers in Chicago, and you must look at her gowns at Honey Bridal while you are dress shopping! You won’t be disappointed! Varca Bridal also designs custom wedding gowns for anyone who has shopped around and hasn’t quite found what they are looking for! You can find the store stockists on Varca Bridal’s website to see where you can try on her fabulous wedding dresses! And if you need any other Chicago vendor referrals, from Chicago wedding florists to Chicago wedding venues to Chicago wedding videographers, I’m more than happy to send over my referral list! Cheers to wedding planning and the start of a beautiful new beginning with the one you love! And make sure to go visit Varca Bridal’s website above to browse her gorgeous wedding dresses!
Tatiana Cabral Smith Jewelry | Fashion Lookbook
Tatiana Cabral Smith Jewelry | The Paris Market | Savannah, GA Jewelry Designer
Where to begin with Tatiana Cabral Smith? Well, for starters, her jewelry is just like she is; fun and one of a kind! Tatiana designs, sources the metal, cuts, welds and makes all of her custom pieces by hand in her studio in Savannah, GA. I’ve been lucky enough to know her ever since she married her husband, Isaac Smith, who is a long-time family friend and an incredibly talented musician! I still remember the first time she told me about a jewelry class she had started taking. It’s been so lovely to witness her journey progress from The Paris Market picking up her pieces, to her being involved in New York and LA Fashion Week, to now having many boutique stockists and a strong online client base. I’m just so proud to know this lady and I know she is still only in the early stages of her career. I’m continually inspired by friends who are not only wonderfully kind humans, but use their talents to give back. She is someone I truly look up to, and she feels like an older sister to me!
Below are some of the shots I took for her Spring 2019 editions. So check them out and then go purchase a few custom pieces from her online store!
Pictured above is Tatiana, the founder and maker of all things Tatiana Cabral Smith Handmade Jewelry.
Photographer Melody Joy Co. | Jewelry Tatiana Cabral Smith | Fabric Measure Fabrics | Models The lovely Amelia and Alfonsette