‘Captivated’ at Howsham Hall

I wanted this shoot to be a celebration of Yorkshire suppliers, and Howsham Hall is one of Yorkshire’s finest exclusive-use venues. The outside had to be just as spectacular as the inside, and Howsham fits that brief exactly, with its beautiful front lawn situated against the backdrop of the Yorkshire countryside. Its beautiful windows let in the most gorgeous light, creating the perfect golden glow to suit the colour scheme. I was particularly attracted to the grand staircase, which allowed for stunning images highlighting the beautiful Jesus Peiro gown and cape.

‘Captivated’ was inspired by a rambling rose growing in an English garden – nature taking hold to create absolute beauty. This became the premise for the entire design, with the florals becoming a focal point. I wanted the flowers to look like they were growing from the ground up and over the table to create a natural and whimsical look. When I design a wedding, I’m always inspired by nature and ensure that my designs look organic in their surroundings so that nothing is too jarring. This goes hand-in-hand with the theme of sustainability, an incredibly important topic. Working with nature and the seasons helps towards creating a sustainable design. The lawn at Howsham Hall provided the perfect backdrop for this nature-inspired shoot. This became a platform for all other design elements, from the beautiful hand-embroidered veil to the delicately designed cake.

As my designs are inspired by nature, I like to work with the seasons to ensure seasonality in the floral design. This shoot happened in autumn, so I needed to draw upon autumnal colours of orange and gold but wanted to add more of a spring/summer twist by incorporating shades of pink and softer, delicate flowers. This was then mirrored in the entire design to create a cohesive look. The colour palette ran through the tableware, cake, flowers, veil – even the makeup had a soft golden glow to reflect the season.

I sourced the dresses from The Harrogate Wedding Lounge, a gorgeous luxury bridal boutique stocking some of the best bridal designers. The first dress was Jesus Peiro’s ‘2507’ wedding dress and cape. The dress is a simple satin A-line dress with a square neckline, which, when paired with the silk gauze cape coat, made for a modern yet refined and elegant look. The staircase of Howsham Hall showcased the delicate beauty of the cape perfectly. The beauty of the Jesus Peiro dress is that the cape can be removed, allowing Natasha Nicole’s bespoke hand-embroidered veil to be swapped in and become a focal point. Using the colours from the palette, Natasha hand-embroidered flowers over the veil to create a one-of-a-kind look. The second dress was intentionally contrasting and included more detail: Madi Lane’s ‘Jordan’, with an illusion bodice and 3D chiffon detailed lace. The silk lining comes in three shades to suit different skin tones.

The décor and styling incorporated some current trends while trying to remain timeless. The soft, billowy, white fabric for the tablecloth (sourced from Fortune & Vann) added to the whimsical nature of the shoot and was a nod to the current trend of big draping fabrics. The glassware, cutlery and chairs (sourced from Wharfeside Hire) were intentionally chosen to tone with the design. Gold cutlery, candlestick holders and napkin rings helped to create the warmness needed to reflect the autumn season. The starter plates, napkins, napkin rings and place mats (Freya Croisdale Weddings stock) brought in the golden tones. Each element was carefully considered to tie in with the beautiful florals. The printed napkins were tied in a bow shape, another growing trend, providing a fun and playful alternative to displaying napkins.

The florist was Beth from Leafy Couture (York). I worked closely with her, and Beth brought my creative dream to life. Impactful flowers on the table needed to be a focal point. Setting the table outside was intentional to support the nature-inspired design and allow the flowers to look like they were growing up and out of the ground. Similarly, impactful florals were needed on the staircase to make it a focus of the shoot. Using woody foliage, Beth made the staircase flowers look like they were growing up in the balustrades and railing. The colour palette ran throughout each installation and the bouquet. The incorporation of berries in the design helped to reflect the season. Including giant hydrangeas in various shades of pink was a real focal point.