Tails from the Kitchen Garden

Don’t get me wrong I LOVE flowers, all flowers. I love the peonies, the tulips, the roses and the cosmos, but what photographer Jennifer Jane and her team have done here, incorporating seasonal fruit and vegetables into their styling and decor choices is inspired. Because what I really love is sustainability. It’s taken a while for the wedding industry to catch up but making even a couple of conscious changes like working with the seasons instead of against them, using local suppliers and sourcing sustainable materials can make a difference. A little goes a long way, as they say.

I think you’re going to love this shoot as much as I do. Sit back and enjoy all of the delicious, ‘green’ details!

Jen says…

The venue was River Cottage. The perfect location for an eco-conscious shoot that values seasonality, locality and provenance of it’s products, from garden to plate.

The overall theme was an eco-conscious shoot using seasonal products from the garden, with an emphasis on vegetables to illustrate that wedding styling doesn’t need to focus primarily around flowers. We included a subtle nod to Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit, who also enjoyed a kitchen garden!

The bride wore a beautiful floaty chiffon and lace Kate Walker dress, with jewelled detailing on the back. This was accessorised with a bespoke diamanté fluffy bunny tail hair wrap by The Lucky Sixpence, and pair of blue shoes for a romantic but luxurious look. The groom wore beige chinos, a white shirt and a pale blue jacket, for a relaxed vibe and a subtle nod to Potter’s Peter Rabbit. Our overall colour palette included soft greens, lilacs and blues.

We really utilised the vegetables and plants in the decor and styling, along with our palette of greens and lilacs which was reflected in the runner down the table. Small pots of herbs with guest names were used as place cards, and elegant white Jasper Conran Wedgwood plates and M&S crystal glasses were sourced to give a luxurious feel to the rustic, alfresco setting. The tablescape was complete with the addition of delicate white lace napkins.

Meadow Sweet Flowers did the floral styling and used a number of different seasonal vegetables and plants; including artichokes, onions, chives, cabbages, mint, apples, and runner beans.

We feel the shoot could either be reproduced as a whole or you could take elements for inspiration and incorporate into your own day. For example using local, seasonal vegetables, plants, and fruit in the styling, or having a wedding cake that included seasonal flavours like spinach and lemon. Picking a theme such as Peter Rabbit but only making subtle references through the hairpiece and the blue jacket meant we could have more freedom with the rest of the shoot, and you could certainly do the same in relation to your own wedding decor.

Venue River Cottage

Photographer Jennifer Jane Photography

Florist Meadow Sweet Florist

Bridal Boutique Kate Walker Bridal

Stationery de Winton paper co

Menswear Monsieur Mojo

Rings Molten Wedding Rings

Hairpiece The Lucky Sixpence

Cake Claire Makes Cakes

Hair Laura Bukin Hair

MUA Becky Flynn

Napkins Lighthouse Interiors

Table & Chairs Virginias Vintage Hire

Crockery Wedgwood

Cutlery Zara Home

Glassware Marks and Spencer

With thanks to Models Anna and James