En Plein Air: French Picnic Elopement
As featured on Style Me Pretty.
Monet, Manet, Renoir, Matisse and Seurat all painted picnics on the lawn and we, too, as wedding artists found inspiration for our French elopement editorial “en plein air.”
Photo by Alexandra Elise Photography
For this early Autumn wedding, I envisioned two artists eloping in the French countryside and celebrating with a picnic on the lawn, the groom marking the occasion with a painting of his bride. Elegant and welcoming are the two words I hear so many of my clients use to describe the feeling of their wedding, and the vision of a couple dressed in their wedding best enjoying cheese, fruit, and champagne outside on a blanket fully captured this feeling.
An elegant fall color palette (one that doesn’t scream pumpkin spice) inspired the flowers and stationery details. Jenny Rae of Flowerwell says, “I’ve found that in several years of fall weddings, brides are nervous to open their wedding to fall foliage. I think when most people think of fall foliage, the instantly go to bright orange (say it ain’t so!). But no, fall foliage can be amazing and rich, perfect earthy tones of reds, apricots, golden yellows, and fading greens.”
One of my favorite derails to create was a laser-etched artist’s palette that served as a cheese board for our picnic. The palette is etched with a floral wreath design featuring an artist’s tools: a pencil, paint brushes, scissors, a calligraphy pen, all woven through a ribbon and finished with the lettering “Le Fromage.” Details like the custom cheese board are so special to my couples because they can use them at home after the wedding.
Photo by Alexandra Elise Photography
Including hand-painted watercolors and lots of beautiful textures in the paper goods was important to creating an invitation that two artists would send. The wedding announcement, created on handmade paper, is designed with little artist’s details in watercolor- a palette and paintbrush, a little calligraphy pen “drawing” the line on which to R.S.V.P., an organic wax seal. The announcement card is presented on a fabric-wrapped mat and attached with metal rose gold corners.
Photo by Alexandra Elise Photography
Photo by Alexandra Elise Photography
Photo by Alexandra Elise Photography
The scene is set on Flowewell’s land and we styled the picnic with vintage finds from the incredible collection she’s curated at her farmhouse. Warehouse 127 jumped in to complete the picnic with the most incredible French vintage picnic baskets.
The bride wears a Marchesa Notte gown from Silk Bridal Boutique and a sinamay saucer hat from my own collection that Flowerwell embellished with her hand-dyed silk ribbon and a distant drum rose from her garden. I’ve been to so many hot summer weddings with ceremonies under the beating sun so I found this hat to wear to weddings this past summer and it turned out to be the perfect finishing touch for this European picnic wedding. Special Occasion Hair Design styled the bride in warm, natural, romantic makeup and an effortless updo. Her groom is dapper in a burgundy suit and a beard à la Monet himself. I love to embrace a theme, so my thoughts usually start with the “too far” like putting the groom in a boater hat and a Breton striped shirt and end up in happier, more subtle territory like with the striped texture of the bride’s Marchesa gown and a more modern look for the groom (though I did toss a boater next to him on the picnic blanket).
Alexandra Elise Photography captured the whole day beautifully on film. It’s such a joy to see what Ali sees through her lens. She is an artist whose attention to detail and ability to harness the most beautiful light blows me away. Our lovely models are a couple in love and I can’t wait to see the totally different look they’ll have for their real December wedding.
Photo by Alexandra Elise Photography
Photo by Alexandra Elise Photography
This editorial shoot was an opportunity for a few wedding pros to truly collaborate. The day was relaxed and every element came together to achieve the goal of creating an elegant and inviting example of our most creative work. A small team can have really big results when the communication is good, the ideas are inspiring, and everyone can really listen to each other. This experience was all that and more and a truly wonderful way to close the 2019 wedding season.
The Team
Photography Alexandra Elise Photography
Design & Styling, Stationery Stone Fruit
Floral Design Flowerwell
Hair & Makeup Special Occasion Hair DesignWEBSITE
Venue Flowerwell Farm
Wedding Dress Designer Marchesa
Bridal Gown Silk Bridal Boutique
Vintage Picnic Baskets Warehouse 127
