Monday 24 December 2012

Christmas Eve Cottage Photo Shoot

Even the woodshed of this cottage in the gloomy British wedding looks beautifully styled


Sue the lovely lady owner of the cottage

I love the beautiful pink tones Laura has used for the shoot


LOOK AT THIS STOVE! This is a real Cornish stove, fully working and used to heat the house. Forget handbags I want one of these :) 



Head of Feathers pretty glitter Star hairband in pinks 

The cutest pair of Bear Muffs from Head of Feathers. 


Cakes by Cake Couture, Bristol. I've tried her cakes before and they are yummy, yum, yum, especially the raspberry chocolate cupcakes that I still dream of. 





A few weeks ago on a soggy Monday morning, I bundled a case of festive dresses into my car. Then my car (the little pink 1970 beetle) decided it didn't want to drive. Luckily Anna was there to the rescue and we arrived in Chipping Sodbury to Christmas Eve Cottage. Yes this is a real place and yes it most certainly lives up to the name. The little two up two down cottage is completely stunning, if I could pay to stay here over Christmas I totally would! 

Laura (our lovely friend and fabulous photographer) was organising a festive styled shoot at the cottage and she got together some wonderful industry professionals to give her a hand. There were Christmas decorations in creams and frosty tones filling the snug lounge being styled by Sorori Design, Dotty Design and LA styling.

In the prettiest Kitchen was Natalie the model being made up, I spent a  while oogling over all the gorgeous make up and brushes and then had a tour of upstairs which continues to be breathtaking. A white iron framed bed sits under the grand wooden eaves of this listed cottage, covered in printed cushions and in the bathroom of course there is a big roll top bath styled straight from the dream house world of Homes and Antiques. 

This teeny little cottage is really all you could want from a home for two. Sue told me she had waited most of her life for a house like this, I really hope to have a home as beautiful when I hit Sue's age. 

Anyway enough about the cottage, you'd think I'd fallen in love with it or something. I didn't even tell you about the stove .................

The dress Natalie is wearing is a blue silk skater dress with silver sequin trim and It will be coming up in next years cocktail collection. I love how the pale blue looks so festive.  

Here's what Laura says about the shoot 
“Our theme was a ‘Mother & Daughter Christmas’. The shoot was inspired by hand drawn 1950s postcards of the ‘perfect family christmas’ — cheesy grins, glamorous mums in the kitchen & beaming children under the tree. 
Whilst hinting at the 1950s through dress & décor, we also wanted to give the shoot a modern twist too with pastel/winter wonderland colours & glitter accessories.  Still staying true to the feel of a traditional warm cottage home, our location was ‘Christmas Eve Cottage’ in Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire. Sue Bridgeman who owns the cottage ( & is in amateur dramatics) was the perfect ‘glam mum’ to model and was over the moon that we wanted to feature the cottage.
From the beginning I really wanted to take on the ambitious task of a full Christmas day shoot! Just as I would on a full day wedding! The suppliers did a fantastic job in bringing together our Faux Christmas in less than 2 weeks from initial idea to shooting! I felt it was important to use local suppliers & also wanted to work with some of the people who helped bring together my own wedding in October! Although this shoot was not typically ‘wedding’ it was a chance for all us wedding suppliers to get creative & have fun in our craft. It was a really magical day & felt just like Christmas.”

Everyone did such an amazing job, Thank you! Here's a video that Jen Head of Feathers took too :) 

                 


The cast and crew .....


Alexandra king (dresses) us!
Head Full of feathers (headwear) including the super cute Bear Muffs! http://headfulloffeathers.storenvy.com/
Cake Couture (cupcakes) http://www.cakecouturebristol.co.uk/
Sorori Design (florist) http://www.sororidesign.co.uk/
Chloe Lee Photography (assisting) http://chloeleephoto.blogspot.co.uk/
Natalie Power & Sue Bridgeman (modelling)
and finally and most importantly ......
Laura Michelle Photography (photographer)http://www.lauramichelle.co.uk/blog/index.php/category/blog–2/

Also featured on Whimsical Wonderland Weddings.