Our ‘Country Affair’ styled shoot will inspire you to have a country wedding
A country wedding is often associated with barns, mason jars and hessian table runners. And whilst those can be lovely ingredients for a wedding, we know that many of our brides are looking to achieve that perfect blend of of rustic yet refined. For couples that are planning a country-styled wedding, you will definitely want to check out the visuals captured at this Marriage Meander styled shoot at Calderwood Hall, in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
The theme of the styled shoot was ‘A Country Affair’ and the brief I gave to our various suppliers was rustic glamour, with a colour palette of dusty blues, navy, burnt orange and terracotta. And let me tell you, the dream team involved in this country collaboration blew me away with their creative interpretation of the theme.
The Venue
Set in Boston in the KZN Midlands, Calderwood Hall embodies the true essence of a country venue with a choice of settings for your ceremony and reception: gardens, forests, fields, dams, fountains, a quaint chapel and Victorian style. You also have a choice of two indoor reception venues depending on the size of your party.
Flowers and decor
Sandra from Farmgirl Flowers took the lead with the florals and decor for our styled shoot and she absolutely shot the lights out with her interpretation of our theme and the creative way she incorporated blues and oranges into her tablescapes, bouquets, and hanging floral installations!
Furniture
Laurie Kohrs is your ‘go-to gal’ when it comes to furniture for your wedding – or any special event. Take a look at some of the stylish pieces she brought to our styled shoot, which included this gorgeous blue couch and ottoman, golden coffee table and side tables, jute rug and some Malawian chairs to contrast with the deep colours of our palette.
The outfits
Our model, Nicole, had such fun with Pauline from Amour Bridal boutique. The first dress was the showstopping Olana from the 2022 Blue by Enozani range. Sparkling sequined Chantilly lace, illusion side panels and open illusion lace back enhanced Nicole’s silhouette and showed just the right amount of skin. This dress also capitalises on the current trend of ‘one dress – two looks’ with its detachable off-the-shoulder lace and tulle split cape. Wear the dress without the cape for added mobility and simplicity. But attach the cape for added drama and some serious catwalk style!
Switch to outfit number two where vintage elegance meets modern glam in this gorgeous ivory mermaid gown by Enzoani. The sleek but supportive stretch georgette hugged Nicole in all the right curves, while the clean bateau neckline complemented the long lace sleeves. I think my favourite detail on this dress was the breathtaking low illusion lace back and don’t even get me started on the buttons! Considering how much time guests are looking at your back on your wedding day, why not give them something extraordinary to gaze at! Amour also supplied all our bridal accessories for the shoot: veils, earrings and stoles. Shoes belonged to Nicole – don’t you love the combination of the leather boots worn under the mermaid gown for a little touch of old school country gal.
It wasn’t just Nicole who got to do a wardrobe change! 😉 Our groom, Ethan, also wore two different suits – both supplied by Suit Yourself. The first look was a classic navy, slim fit suit with a pop of orange in the tie, to tone with the colour theme. And don’t you love the fun, quirky boutonniere supplied by Farm Girl Flowers in matching tones?
Ethan’s second outfit, was a more pared down country look with no tie and a poorboy cap, in a nod to the Peaky Blinders look that is doing the rounds.
Hair and make-up
Kait and Lucy from Sole Hair and Beauty brought their A-game to this shoot. Lucy used natural, earthy tones with a touch of terracotta for Nicole’s make-up which enhanced Nicole’s natural features and made her blue eyes really pop. With Nicole’s first outfit, Kait curled Nicole’s hair, which was mostly down but swept up on one side up with a gorgeous hair clip from Amour’s range of in-studio accessories. For the second dress, Nicole’s hair was taken up in a pony tail to reveal the gorgeous detailing on the back of this dress. Heads up on bridal hair trends: the humble pony tail has definitely made a return to the wedding scene, and we are definitely a fan of this re-engineered up-style.
Cake
They say a party without cake is ‘just a meeting’, which is why we can’t imagine a wedding without a sweet ending. Take a look at the taste sensation from this styled shoot, artfully created by talented baker Grace of Bakes. Expect to see much bolder use of colour in wedding cakes in the coming year.
The stationery
Calling all stationery lovers! Meet Janine, the creative genius and chief coffee drinker from Handmade by Janine. Take a look at the incredible stationery suite she put together for our recent blue and terracotta themed styled shoot and be inspired to create your own bespoke items for your wedding! We loved her quirky ideas – such as the use of terracotta pots with white vinyls for a seating plan, the repurposed broken pieces of pot as table names, and the wooden chopping boards which served as menu plans that also make amazing table gifts for your guests.
Music
Heine Klopper (aka DJ-K) provided the soundtrack for our styled shoot and can I just say how fabulous it was having some epic tunes being blasted out as we worked. Are we even allowed to call it ‘work’ when it’s so much fun!? With a range of equipment to choose from (powered and battery), a flexible, can-do attitude and a genuine enthusiasm for music, Heine will take of all your wedding sound requirements.
The nosh
Wade, the owner of Calderwood Hall is also the creative mastermind behind catering company, CHC Catering. I can attest to the fact that no service providers went hungry at our styled shoot. In fact, I do believe that some of us rolled our way home a kilogram or two heavier thanks to the delicious food! 😉
Photo & film
The lovely and talented Vix from Vix Photography captured the stills for our shoot. We are still swooning over the beautiful images she took.
Experienced and fun-loving film crew, Jono and Karen from Videoccasions documented, edited and produced all our highlights reels from the day.
Thanks to my team for this collection of beautiful memories from ‘A Country Affair‘ to remember… x
