Some people question how they can have an elegant wedding whilst embracing the outdoors, and keeping close to nature. Buckingham based photographer Purple Rose Photography was kind enough to share her images from a wonderful shoot at Flaxbourne Gardens, and shares the inspiration behind the photo shoot.

The Inspiration

The idea behind this styled shoot was that we wanted to show couples how they could embrace the outdoors with their wedding, using small, well thought out details to style their wedding day. We went with a neutral pallet as it went well with the gardens of Flaxbourne Gardens and at the same time did not distract from the main focus which is the couple. One part I loved about this shoot was the location, it’s quiet and peaceful with lots of local wildlife, some local deer even made an appearance.

The Venue

I have taken part in several wedding fayres at Flaxbourne Gardens and have always enjoyed exploring the gardens, which look so different every time I visit. I approached the venue about the possibility of holding a styled shoot and they jumped at the idea. The team quickly formed, all eager to work at the venue. Flaxbourne gardens provided the perfect venue, with its beautiful gardens and quirky features dotted throughout.

The Table STyling

Waterfall weddings decor provided their stunning hand made chairs, table, and backdrop, these are made in house and the quality of workmanship is undeniable. They also helped to decorate the table, we actually used my own tableware which was a wedding gift but fitted perfectly with the colour scheme. The tables were finished off with flowers from Vintage Rose and table favours by Bomboniere By Maria. Maria’s work is intricate and always unique, she works with her clients to create a concept that fits their wedding and did exactly the same process for this shoot.

The Hair and Makeup

The hair and makeup teams of Kate Atalay Bespoke Hairstyling and Naomi Catherine worked together to create a natural but elegant look for our model Hayley, enhancing her natural features without being overpowering. The addition of intricate hair vines by PSW Jewellery finished her hair styling perfectly.

The Bride and Groom

Our bridal model Hayley had 2 looks throughout the day, a longer more formal dress, full of details, creating a soft romantic look and then a tea-length dress for a more fun look and which would allow her more freedom to explore the surrounding gardens, both provided by Bridal Reloved. With the British weather in mind Weddings by Laremi provided a knitted shawl and Bridal Reloved a (fake) fur bolero, her bouquets and the groom’s buttonhole were designed by Anita from Vintage Rose. These fitted with our neutral colour scheme and complemented the couples look. Our groom wore a suit from The Vintage Suit Hire Company, with clever detailing to give him an individual look.

The Ceremony

With the idea of embracing the outdoors at the forefront of our minds, we also included Susan, a local Celebrant who demonstrated a hand fasting ceremony in front of the stunning backdrop provided by Waterfall Wedding Decor. Without the usual constraints of location that a registrar has we could hold the ceremony anywhere within the gardens.

The Cake

Last but by no means least Sara of Amara Cake Boutique provided her beautiful cake, hand painted and the smell when she brought it in was amazing. It made a true centrepiece when placed on the table. Her work is always intricate, with careful attention to detail.

The Final Look

We were all seeing lots of very pink or bright coloured weddings and wanted to show another option, which we feel we achieved as a team.

What a stunning shoot, thank you to Purple Rose Photography for sharing it with us. Have you considered combining nature elements with your big day? Let us know the comments!

Want to check out the talented suppliers involved in this shoot? Follow the links below for their websites:

Photographers: Purple Rose Photography

Venue: Flaxbourne Gardens

Venue/Table Styling: Waterfall Wedding Decor

Hair Styling: Kate Atalay

Makeup Artist: Naomi Catherine

Flowers/Buttonhole: Vintage Rose

Bridal Wear: Bridal Reloved

Bridal Shawl: Weddings by Laremi

Menswear: The Vintage Suit Hire Company

Hair Accessory: PSW Jewellery

The Cake: Amara Cake Boutique

Table Favours: Bomboniere By Maria

Celebrant: Susan Denton

Bridal Model: Hayley Pegg

Groom Model: JC Carty