Spring Awakening at Blackfriars Priory

Today’s ‘spring awakening’ editorial is a celebration of the simpler, darker side of spring. Moody corners and raw florals haven’t been overlooked for something more palatable here, in fact they’re the stars of the show. I’m not sure the team could have chosen a more fitting backdrop for this boundary-pushing inspo piece than Blackfriars Priory, a unique, historic wedding venue located in the heart of Gloucester, bursting with texture and tales of yore.

This one’s modern, it’s minimal but it’s achingly beautiful and is sure to spark some inspiration in those spring wedding couples amongst you.

david & sarah SAY…

Our brief and plan with this editorial was to be able to play with texture, lighting and form. The main building at Blackfriars Priory is so unique, we just knew there were plenty of areas and interesting nooks where we would be able to bring a variety of different styling elements to the ‘spring awakening’ story. Sometimes stripping away the heavily styled aspect of a shoot and letting the surroundings speak for themselves results in some beautifully simple but incredibly strong portraits.

We love playing with light and texture within our photography work and this styled shoot was no exception. The models brought an elegant, polished look, whilst the backdrop of this historic venue is worn and old but bursting with character and texture, which we felt was the perfect contrast of old and new.

Our colour palette was fairly minimal, we wanted to keep things neutral to compliment the various backdrops within the building. We used bold black tones to bring depth and contrast to the story, lifted with natural-coloured drapery. This, in addition to candlelight brought a warmth and atmosphere to the overall feel.

We love capturing movement in our work which came naturally thanks to the beautiful bridalwear from Julita London. The texture and details on the sleeves, belt areas and neckline brought more texture to the look, as well as having a soft feminine edge.

Thistle By Nature⁣ incorporated raw, exposed spring bulbs into the table decor, as well as beautiful sprays of  white blossom. This added to the minimal yet extra tablescape, celebrating the elements of nature at its finest.

We hope couples take inspiration from the fact that it’s ok to break the boundaries when it comes to wedding / venue styling and to make use of the different areas available to them. And finally, don’t be afraid of the dark, embrace it.