Studio Bridal Photo Shoot

May 21

Last year, I had a dream of styling my own bridal photo shoot. I made it one of my goals for 2023 to gather a group of other local vendors and create magic. This idea originally came to me because I attended a photography workshop in June of that year, where a group of photographers and I spent 2 days shooting styled couples and concepts. I thought, “hey, if they can do it, I probably can too.”

The idea was to start small — gather a small group of Calgary vendors and do something that wasn’t too outside of my comfort zone. I didn’t want to bite off more than I could chew, I had to test the waters.

The process started by planning out my vision. One of my good friends, Jessica, got married in September and I immediately knew I needed to use her and her dress as my model. Her dress is designed by Marina Liana Bridal Designs, purchased from the Bridal Boutique here in Calgary, AB. It is absolutely stunning, massive, and everything I dreamed it could be. From there, I began creating a mood board to share with the other local vendors.

When reaching out to vendors, I tried to think small. I wanted to work with people I’ve worked with in the past, and give everyone an opportunity to learn, grow and try new things. My makeup artist was @makeupbykarleen, who is a girl I met at a graduation photo shoot yeeeears prior. My hairstylist was @beautyby.emmascott who works for @barebeauty___, and the florist was @smallflowerfloralstudio. This team was amazing! From there, I booked us a time at @studiobohemecalgary, for a date in December and we all began preparing for the day.

Eli from Small Flower Floral Studio decided she wanted to create an epic floor installation, along with a custom bouquet. We spent weeks before hand chatting back and forth, planning what it was going to look like. When the studio day came, we all worked to bring it into the studio where it became a showstopper.

The day consisted of laughter, music, and female energy. I couldn’t be more excited about our final outcome! More than anything, this styled studio bridal shoot was a trial for me. I wanted to see what it was like to plan a styled photo shoot and work with other creatives under my wing. Now that I’ve been there and done that, I know what to expect (and plan differently) for the future! Working with a group of amazing local vendors was a dream come true — not only did we create something beautiful, but I also walked out with a reliable team I’d love to work with again, and a group of new friends. I can’t wait to start planning the next one!