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We’ve Got Heart Eyes for the Subtle Beauty in This Barrier Lake Elopement Inspiration

November 10, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Photographers Meghan Doering and Hope Helmer created this remote Barrier Lake elopement styled shoot with a small team of professionals to celebrate the natural beauty of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. This adventurous destination elopement was full of free-spirited and laid-back vibes and showcased the stunning natural surroundings with soft textures, a neutral color palette and simple décor supplied by nature. Pale blue waters, white sandy beaches and piney forests created a raw backdrop with the only décor an altar of sun bleached driftwood. Antheia Floral created the ethereal bridal bouquet and accent floral design, full of moody sepia tones, romantic roses, and wild leaves and grasses. We can’t get enough of this stunning bride’s carefree look featuring bare feet, a backless Grace Loves Lace wedding dress, windblown waves, rosy lips, and gorgeous statement ring from Stella and Dot.

The Talented Team:

Photography – Meghan Doering and Hope Helmer
Venue – Barrier Lake, Alberta, Canada
Floral Design – Antheia Floral
Invitations – Bon Paper House
Makeup Artist – Katie Kerr
Wedding Dress – Grace Loves Lace
Bridal Accessories – Stella and Dot
Groom’s Apparel – Espy Experience

 

Special thanks to Meghan Doering and Hope Helmer for sharing this gorgeous styled elopement shoot with Junebug! For more intimate destination elopement inspiration, check out this emotional Black Balsam Knob elopement at sunset!

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Chic Norwegian Wedding at Lageret Studio in Oslo

November 10, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Mellie and Hamish’s Norwegian/Australian wedding at Lageret Studio, a converted paper factory full of raw industrial beauty, was a roller coaster of emotion and celebration. The bride started her wedding day in the hospital but didn’t let illness hold her back, discharging herself, getting ready as quickly as possible and surprising her groom at their beautiful ceremony on the forest’s edge overlooking a lake outside of Oslo. Huge windows, bright white, and open spaces decorated with a cozy bohemian ambiance by wedding planner Trine Thorsen created a carefree fusion of the forest ceremony and urban reception. The bride’s Grace Loves Lace wedding gown echoed the relaxed ethereal atmosphere with flutter sleeves, a romantic open back, and delicate French lace. The warm color palette of Burgundies, reds, dark pinks, and brass accents was created by floral designer Krista Elvheim, who created a cohesive look inspired by the bridesmaids dresses found across the globe. The Shannons Photography captured so many truly beautiful and emotional moments of this stunning couple and their guests looking happy and healthy.

The Couple:

Mellie and Hamish

The Wedding:

Lageret Studio, Oslo, Norway

It was a very personal day, where who we are as a couple shined through in all the decisions made. Having grown up surrounded by spectacular Norwegian nature, it was important to have that incorporated into the day, and so we had the ceremony at a secluded spot by the lake in the forest. It felt so intimate and grounded.

It was incredibly important to us to have great photos to look back on, and we felt so safe with The Shannons behind the lense. They have such a good eye for finding the real and beautiful moments throughout the day, filled with so much emotion. We are in awe of their work, and knew we had to have them onboard! Luckily for us, they didn’t mind flying in from London for our big day. They made us feel so at ease in every setting and are literally the nicest couple you’ll ever meet. As The Shannons take documentary style photos, we hardly noticed they were there – they just blended in like the artistically talented ninjas that they are.

It was very important it was a happy and laid-back day with laughter in the air, and the relaxed ambience of our venue accented just that. The incredible raw industrial location softened with a Moroccan colour palette, lounge areas, and brass accessories helped create the atmosphere we craved. The wedding was not typical Australian (Hamish) or Norwegian, but a blend of us as a couple.

The weekend before our wedding, I got severe food poisoning during my hens in London, and was very ill the week leading up to the wedding. The night before I was so ill in fact I was hospitalised. I persuaded the doctors to let me go the next day in the nick of time! I took a taxi from the hospital to the apartment where my bridesmaids had been waiting for four hours, we all cried happy tears, and they all got me ready in a hurry. Poor Hamish and our guests were waiting in the forest, had no signals andno way of knowing if I would make it.

We rocked up hour and a half late, and as a nervous Hamish locked eyes with me walking down the forest path it sank in that I had made it. We were overcome with emotion. When I saw everyone who had flown in from across the world to be there with us, there is no words. It was such a heartfelt ceremony filled with laughter and tears. I had left my vows in the car andhad to improvise, and Hame couldn’t get the wedding band on my finger as I had had so many litres of IV drip at the hospital! And that’s how the day continued – laughter and tears all day long. We’re a lively bunch, so there was never a quiet moment.

We chose the venue due to the incredible open floor space, with a raw industrial setting. The windows were incredible, letting in so much light, making it into an incredible location- a photographers dream venue for sure. After meeting with the owner andwedding planner Trine Thorsen, we knew she understood the atmosphere we wanted to create in the space, and she delivered a bohemian-industrial fusion above and beyond all expectations.

We had a very organics flow to the day, with everything from the forest ceremony to the raw industrial reception venue decorated in warm Moroccan colours and fabrics. The Verdelle dress from Grace Loves Lace complimented all of those features with the flowy arms and open back giving off an ethereal, bohemian look. I didn’t wear any accessories as I thought the intricate French lace and design of the dress was holding its own. The bridesmaids wore different dresses in burgundy tones, as they flew in from all different sides of the world making dress shopping a bit tricky, and I wanted them to have a dress they felt good in.

Bridal Party Processional: The Cave – Mumford & Sons
Bridal Processional: Dirty Paws – Of Monsters and Men
Recessional: Here Comes The Sun – The Beatles
Welcome Party: Jungle Boogie – Kool & The Gang
First Dance: You Can Never Tell – Chuck Berry

The Wedding Team:

Photography – The Shannons Photography
Event Planning – Trine Thorsen
Reception Venue – Lageret Studio
Floral Design – Krista Elvheim
Catering – Moritz Dreschsel
Wedding Dress – Grace Loves Lace
Groom’s Apparel – Peter Jackson

 

Congratulations to Mellie and Hamish on their beautiful and relaxed wedding and special thanks to The Shannons Photography for capturing such an emotional and special day. For more relaxed industrial wedding inspiration, check out this lush industrial El Segundo wedding at Smoky Hollow Studios!

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Why You Really Should Write Your Own Vows

November 9, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

photo by Abby Roses

SHOP THIS LOOK

 

We’re not typically in the business of telling you what you should and shouldn’t do on your wedding day because we believe that every couple and every wedding is unique. However, the more we think about it, there’s one aspect of your day that we really (really) do encourage: writing your own vows. When it comes down to it, what’s most important aren’t the decorations on your tables or the color of your bridesmaids’ dresses, but rather the marriage that begins on your wedding day. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to write your own vows, we’ve got four good reasons why you absolutely should.

photo by This Rad Love

What You Vow is Up to You

Your love and your relationship are one-of-a-kind and your vows should be too! When you read your vows, you’re reading what you are uniquely promising to your partner – something no one else can decide for you. It may be helpful to look at traditional vows for inspiration when deciding what promises you want to make, but at the end of the day, the most honest and true vows are inspired by your love for the person you’ve chosen to marry.

A great place to start when deciding what to vow is your story together. How have you been there for your partner, or how have they been there for you, over the years? Is there a time when you felt you fell short for them in the past but are now aware how you can do better in the future? Consider the tough times and the tremendous times you’ll no doubt experience in your lives together and write vows that address how you want to handle those situations as they come.

photo by Megan Yanz

Remember Why You’re Getting Married in the First Place

Wedding planning can take a lot out of a couple. It’s easy to lose sight of what’s most important when your conversations revolve around choosing a menu for your reception and going to dress fittings. The experience of sitting down to write your vows is a wonderful opportunity to remember why you’re getting married in the first place. This process can help ground you and connect you to your partner when wedding planning seems to get out of control. After the wedding is over, you’re married to this person and get to start your lives together. Embrace all the feelings that come with embarking on your next chapter and write vows that honor this time in your lives.

photo by The Shalom Imaginative

Your Guests Are Here to Celebrate Your Love

We hear a lot of couples say they want their wedding to feel like “them” – and you know what – your guests want that too! You loved ones are gathering on your big day to see two people choose to love each other forever and they want to hear why and how you’re going to keep choosing each other every day for the rest of your lives. Wedding guests pack tissues in their purses and pockets for a reason – they’re expecting to cry! Don’t be afraid to get a little emotional at the altar; your guests will appreciate it more than you know!

photo by Kreativ Wedding

It’s About What’s In Your Heart, Not How Good a Writer You Are

The number one reason we hear that couples don’t want to write their own vows is that they feel like their writing skills aren’t up to the challenge. We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t matter! Great vows come from the heart and no one will be paying attention to how you decide to string those words together, just that you said them. As long as you’re honest and speak from the heart, your vows will be perfect because they’re yours!

Looking for more help to write your own vows? Check out these insightful posts:

6 Unique Tips for Writing Your Wedding Vows

Thinking About Writing Your Own Vows? Read This First.

Wedding Planning 101 – How to Write Your Own Vows

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