May & Grace Styled Shoot. Romance, Rock ‘n’ Roll & The Punchbowl

Creating a Styled Bridal Shoot is such a fabulous way of being able to come together with like-minded local suppliers supporting each other and establishing a real sense of community. Our collaboration is a showcase of collective individual talents, demonstrating how diverse and fun it can be when we all share ideas and inspiration.

It was essential this was a collaboration of local suppliers creating a ‘little black book’ of recommended talent and ideas that were accessible to all UK brides helping them in planning and creating the perfect wedding.

The shoot took place at ‘The Devils Punchbowl’, in Hindhead Surrey, a beautiful area of outstanding natural beauty. The perfect backdrop for an ‘alternative’ Bridal shoot! The Devil's Punch Bowl is a large natural amphitheatre and beauty spot near Hindhead, Surrey, in England, and is the source of many stories about the area. There are many beautiful walks with footpaths to explore and views that go on for miles. You can walk through shady woods or across open heathland with grazing cattle and wild ponies, it really is a sight to behold.

The start of the creation process was the hair and makeup which took place at May & Grace in Haslemere. Our fabulous model Stef Keogh was styled with a ‘rock chic’ make up palette to add an edge to the romance and beauty of the dress. Stef has been working in the industry for over 5 years with experience in modelling in Catwalk and catalogue.

Our Makeup artist Viktoria from 'Artblush' has been working in the industry for 7 years specialising in commercial, beauty and bridal makeup.

‘I love working with brides and helping them get ready for the big day ahead. Each bride receives a bespoke makeup trial where we personalise the brides look to make her feel amazing! With mobile services and a calm personality I can keep the ladies relaxed during the preparation and they can enjoy their wedding fully with a beautiful glow throughout the day’. Viktoria Kohl Make up artist.

Viktoria also offers luxury manicures and gel overlay’s so that pictures of the wedding ring can look fresh, clean and perfected.

For the models hair we wanted a clean modern look with a slight retro twist, a little nod to the 1950’s without it looking too rockabilly. Kate at Hero Hairstylist was the perfect candidate for this job. Kate's expertise lie in soft, natural hair up bridal styles, that are both cutting edge and romantic at the same time. She knows all of the latest trends and can create the most beautiful bespoke looks for any bride, check out her Instagram page! Kate Beaumont has been styling brides for almost 7 years. Believing in gorgeous hair that makes you feel awesome, she understands just how personal bridal hair can be, and is equipped with the knowledge and skills to find the perfect style for you. ‘Your wedding day is the day you get to be the best version of you’! Kate's commitment to each bride is to make them feel totally at ease and glow with confidence.

Kate has featured nationally in Brides Magazine but also regionally for Your Kent Wedding. She has styled hair for weddings both internationally and in the UK, and is available for proms, race days, special events and photoshoots.

Once the hair and make up was complete the look really started to come together, the final touches ‘The dress’ and a leather jacket casually placed on the shoulders for an effortless cool ‘rock n roll’ vibe.

The first gown we shot was the amazing 2152 by Mikaella, Paloma Blanca.

This stunning lace gown is 2 dresses in 1. With its strapless sweetheart bodice and plunging neckline it was the perfect choice for such dramatic scenery. Lace scallops around the neckline and hem and a fit and flare skirt sit underneath a removable tulle overskirt finished with 4” horsehair edging at the hem and cascading lace appliqués at the waist. This dress is so unusual with its modern detailing and removable skirt but it still retains some romanticism with the lace and silhouette. The removable lace trimmed overskirt adds a real dramatic flair to the dress, but once the overskirt is removed you are left with a beautiful fit and flare lace dress that oozes femininity.

Both dresses used in the photoshoot are from May & Grace Bridal Boutique in Haslemere. May & Grace is more than your average Wedding Dress shop. We offer a little something different, a carefully curated selection of the best bridal gowns by international designer’s, exquisite, tasteful dresses selected for their beauty and originality. Emilie has a real eye for detail and the unusual, you will receive a first class personal shopping experience. With Emilie’s background as a Fashion designer she is able to walk you through all of the different looks and silhouettes on offer, selecting the best shapes for your figure. Her expertise, knowledge and kind and caring approach creates an ambience of calm and puts every bride who walks through the door at ease.

Our Photographer Gareth Davies of Studio GD Photography is extremely versatile and captured the spirit of this shoot perfectly. Gareth is a professional photographer specialising in wedding and high end portrait photography. He is able to put his subject at ease enabling him to capture the perfect shot every time. We had a lot of fun locating the right backdrop for the shoot, walking through the woodland searching for perfection.

Onto our wonderful flowers - We wanted the bouquet from ‘Lane House Flowers’ for this shoot to be 'contemporary, a bit edgy', and Helen’s response was to use lots of greenery with yellow Craspedia, some deliciously fragrant pink Roses, long tassels of Amaranthus and one spectacular Dahlia Cafe Au Lait. The result = Glamorous but informal, romantic yet thoroughly modern. A spectacular accompaniment to the vibe and backdrop of the shoot.

For every Bridal gown there must be a perfect pairing of accessories. You can have so much fun adding unique special touches to your look with just the right amount of detail, whether it’s a veil or special head piece or hair vine. May & Grace have started working with ‘Irresistible Headdresses’ who design and hand make bespoke bridal accessories, each accessory is named after a love song. The ‘bird cage’ veil ‘My Romance’ pictured here is a favourite and adds instant ‘style’ to any dress.

Birdcage Veil 'My Romance' by Irresistible Headdresses

Irresistible Headdresses are a company who have been designing and making their work for Brides worldwide for over 20 years. They are always sourcing new and the latest beautiful pieces to use in their Headdresses and tiaras. Their work is often seen on TV and in all the main magazines such as Brides, You and Your Wedding, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, The Telegraph, National Enquirer, The Mail, You Magazine and many, many more. On TV : Poirot, Miss Marple, Eastenders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Brookside, Crossroads and many more.

Hair Piece 'Just Like A Woman' by Irresistible Headdresses

Their work is their passion and they consider their Client their "Star" and always do their utmost to make their client feel that way.

"Irresistible Headdresses are delighted to welcome May and Grace Bridal as their new Stockist." Bespoke pieces are made to order, nothing is too unusual, prices on request.

The second look is a little more ‘Boho’ D2371 by Essense of Australia.

This wedding dress is both effortless and ethereal, the floaty shape with its lace, crepe and chiffon is a dream! The perfectly soft and airy column silhouette gives off bohemian vibes from modern halter neckline, to flowing skirt. The lace over a French tulle bodice features graphic, illusion lace and a deep sweetheart neckline and modern racerback. The romantic chiffon skirt flows from the natural waist into a sweet train, ideal for an outdoor ceremony! Available with or without sparkling beading.

The flower crown that adorned this look was made entirely from garden flowers and herbs - the scent was wonderful! Helen from lane House Flowers has such a natural talent with blooms, her creativity is paramount. The shoot was a great opportunity for Helen to showcase what Lane House Flowers is all about - marrying the best market flowers with blooms with foliage from the garden to create wedding flowers that are really special. ‘My aim is to listen carefully to your ideas and then to design and create glorious flowers for your wedding which will exceed your expectations, whatever theme, scale and budget you are working to’. Helen Jonathan from Lane House Flowers

We wanted to create an element of mystical beauty surrounding this look; so to accompany the light and floaty gown we used a beautiful Barn Owl. A symbol of freedom, ethereal beauty and mystery, forming a real sense of fairy tale magic. The perfect match for the boutique and the location. The company ‘Birds 4 all occasions’ brought a selection of Birds of Prey to the shoot for us, adding a dimension of fun and adventure, plus a few challenges!

If you are looking for something unique then 'Birds 4 All Occasions' could supply an Owl or Hawk to fly your wedding rings down the aisle. We had never heard of this before but this is exactly what Birds4AllOccasions do! They are a small family run business that offer the chance to have Birds of Prey at your wedding. They offer a ring delivery service, Birds of Prey for photos and static displays for you and your guests.

Amazing what brides have on offer to them today!