Glamping and festival weddings are pretty much a match made in heaven and are the perfect combination for any couple looking to create that true festival vibe. In 2019, we have seen a big increase in couples who are choosing to offer bell tent accommodation for their guests at their wedding and today’s shoot is all about why! Why they are awesome, why they are comfortable, the sort of chilled atmosphere they create and above all, how social they can be. I love the idea of a weekend long celebration with your closest friends and family all glamping together – waking up the morning after the wedding to bacon butties and then carrying on the festivities with a BBQ or some alfresco picnic style dining. It just sounds perfect to me.
Put together by Beneath The Canopy, today’s shoot was about capturing the essence of what glamping can bring by creating a fine dining alfresco set up for friends and families to enjoy…
How decadent does it feel when you are glamping, sat in beautiful surroundings, wrapped in a blanket, drink in hand? In my experience, pretty damn good. I wanted to take that idea and run with it for this shoot and create a whole outdoor fine dining scene, that proves that sitting down to a beautiful feast, doesn’t necessarily involve restaurants or walls.
As well as showcasing the social aspect of glamping, Beneath the Canopy also wanted to dress their bell tents at night. Often at weddings, we see lots of images of the bell tents during the day but at night time they can be overlooked. This shoot shows what magic can happen with a bit of festoon lighting and fairy lights!
Beneath the Canopy talk us through their ideas for the shoot and all of the wonderful suppliers involved.
Look out for the bohemian styling of both the decor and the bride and groom. It is right up our Festival Brides streets!
A Magical Atmosphere…
Festival style weddings is just what we do here at Beneath the Canopy. The majority of our images are taken during daytime hours and during set ups, but I really wanted to showcase the beautiful things that can happen after dark. My inspiration came from our experiences over the years setting up our bell tents for events. I always think our bell tent villages look spectacular at night, but somehow seem the least documented. So I wanted to feature the lighting aspect. There’s something about festoon lighting, fairy lights & fire pits that creates such a magical atmosphere.
I think when people think of summer, they think of outdoor dining and gathering with friends al fresco. So I wanted to show that there are alternatives to bbq’s and spit roasts and that some really stunning seating areas can be achieved as a central point to one of our glamping villages, with grazing platters and communal dining being the focus. I’d met the girls from boxed at a networking event and really loved the way they presented their food, so much colour and so inviting (not to mention utterly delicious).
I’ve been working in the industry for a few years now and have met some wonderfully talented people along the way. When I first started planning the shoot, I already had companies in mind that I’d love to work with and many of them reasonably local too. I really loved the idea of a completely juxtaposed set up, a beautiful, natural setting, which we definitely had at Wickerwood Farm and an opulent dining area and sumptuous detail. Nikki from The Toast has a wonderful collection of furniture and props and I knew that she was definitely someone that could create the scene for our dining guests.
The beautiful dresses are designed by Phiney Edmunson and are completely unique, bespoke creations. Again, the glamour of these beautiful dresses against the stunning woodland backdrop was something really special and very bohemian.
I wanted the shoot to be as ‘real’ as possible, with real people and real laughter, so all of the dinner guests at the shoot ( barr one, Amie, our bridal model) are all friends and family. Including my husband, who looks particularly dishy in his suit from Dickies menswear Eastbourne.
The shoot took months to organise, with lots of site visits and planning meeting, but I’m so pleased with the results. Elena’s images are everything I hoped to achieve and really brought my vision to life. A great team and a wonderful day.
The Line Up…
Shoot Coordinator & Bell Tents: Beneath the Canopy; Venue & Styling: Wickerwood Farm; Photography: Elena Popa; Furniture, Prop Hire & Styling Assistant: The Toast; Dresses: Poppy’s Perspective; Dried Flowers & Hair accessories: Rosehip & Wren; Hair: Simply Beautiful Wedding Hair; Suits: Dickies Menswear; Fresh Flowers & Floral Arch: The Wild Flower Box; Catering: Boxed Weddings; Festoon Lighting & Tent Up-Lighters: Lighting with Intent; Table & Glassware: Place Settings; Brollies, Hay Bale Covers & Blankets: The Brolly Bucket; Bridal Model: Amie Hampshire-Gill
