You would have read in Lolly’s “The ballet” post what the inspirations for our most recent editorial were. We wanted to think feminine, think glamorous and think….pink. We wanted roses, an abundance of the most beautiful roses, we wanted the prettiest table decor, the most stylish gowns and completely covetable make-up and hair looks.
And why did we want and create all of these ideals? because we want you, our gorgeous readers, to be constantly inspired to have exactly what you want for W-day.
I’ll leave the decoration aspects to Lolly La Pop to take you through later in the feature whilst I go into more detail on the fashion, florals and fancy face paint.
We concentrated on two main looks for our ballerina Stephanie (yes an actual ballerina – she is also a model but danced for years, those were her very own pointe slippers and the whole team were very jealous of them, even Adam.) a flawless elegant more “traditional” swan lake-esque ballet bun paired with soft shimmering peepers and a pink lip and then a more daring (dare we say HOT) combination of gold glitter liner, a nude pout and a soft yet chic plaited up-do.
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of a full on pink palette for your face, especially eyeshadow, I’m always wary that if you chose the wrong tone and you could end up with lids that look sore, not sexy. Make-up artist Jodie Hazelwood showed us exactly how it’s done and as a result I’m very tempted to give the whole thing a whirl in the very near future (the exact products used and the how-to is coming to RMW tomorrow folks.)
Glitter liner and nude lipstick however are some of my evening wear staples and paired with some of the statement headpieces we picked out looked AMAZING. If you did fancy changing your make-up a little from perhaps a more natural “ceremony” look to something a little more edgy for your reception then this might be a viable option.
For foxy frockage we worked with two designers, Suzanne Neville for our classic ballet and Ritva Westenius for our slinky señorita. The single most important prop that we wanted (there was absolutely no room for negotiation) was a SWING. A gold shimmering swing tied with huge roses and ribbons. Adam made it himself using plywood and rope. It was amazing, and on Friday we’ll be showing you how you can make your very own.
As well as a DIY swing there was also a giant frame – perfect as a backdrop for your portraits or wedding photo booth. Our version cost about twenty quid and took all of about an hour to make, when we take you through how to build your own swing we’ll show you how to create this giant luxe frame too as we’re so generous and all.
The headpieces were from a selection by Halo and Co supplied via Ritva Westenius apart from our pink Scarlett necklace which worked well as a kind of beaded forehead crown – love a multi-use product. The Halo and Co statement mega-jewel design was a particular favourite and with a piece such as this all other accessories can be kept to a minimum or as we chose to style – forgoing any extra adornment altogether except for an extra length lash.
As Lolly mentioned yesterday, it seems that the decision to keep to just one variety of florals for the big day, has fast been falling out of favour. At RMW HQ we have been sensing a general feeling that roses are deemed as a bit unimaginative, a bit safe. We want to rectify this situation as we LOVE roses, there are so many types and colours and ways to display and bouquet-tie them that the options are endless.
For Stephanie’s first swing scene (wearing Suzanne Neville’s Cascade – will someone, anyone please wear this for their wedding and send us some pictures?!…) a loose bouquet of long-stemmed roses was created and I think you’ll agree, they look so ruddy romantic. Like something out of a (very stylish) fairytale. Love Lust List member and florist Lorraine at Wild Orchid Design understood our requirements perfectly and went on to create an equally beautiful posy of peach, pink and white using Juliet David Austin roses, O’Hara roses, Bombastic roses, Nigella, champagne lithianthus and sweet pea.
Needless to say, they smelt like heaven.
Did I mention all of the hanging decor and table stationery that you can download and use to create your very own? well you can, we chose tones of red and you guessed it…pink but you are of course able to print the designs on any coloured paper of your choice, the DIY tutorial is coming soon to RMW but as you can see, there are all kinds of uses, from chair backs to place settings to favours.
We’ve mentioned non-ivory or white gowns as an option for aisle strutting many times on RMW, please don’t discount a slightly unusual shades before you’ve tried them lovelies – The Gatsby by Ritva Westenius was Stephanie’s favourite gown of all, the peachy blush hue suited her skin tone so well and the back detail well…..I die.
Personally I couldn’t choose a favourite dress (I picked them all for the shoot in the first place as they were my favourites so it’s difficult) but if I was to pick a number that is as equally show-stopping as it is universally flattering then it would be Suzanne Neville’s Cherish. The cut around the bust line is perfection and the sleeve detail is so intricate and delicate you really wouldn’t need to wear anything else at all.
And who were we going to use to capture our outdoors dance production? Why Love Lust List member Jonny from M and J Photos of course. M and J specialise in European destination photography but also spend time shooting pretty weddings in the UK. Their style suited our vision perfectly and we are so pleased with the results, if you’ve not already chosen your photographers then make sure you take a butchers at their portfolio.
Lolly La Pop Talks Table Decor: Our ballet inspired desires were heavily influenced by the French interpretation of ‘Romantic’ Ballet. Think of traditional short white tutus, pointe shoes, Swan Lake, acrobatic movements, luxurious stage sets decked out in gold leaf, long-stemmed roses and bejewelled headpieces. Where the Prima Ballerina can simultaneously personify the delicate damsel and the powerful amazonian goddess.
In the very early stages it was clear that we wanted to stage two table set-ups; one that a prima ballerina would be more than happy to sup at – think super luxe and overly extravagant and another that would be kept deliberately simple but no less effective.
A nod to the ballet was made in several other ways too; in the form of pointe shoes, strung nonchalantly from the rungs of a free standing ladder accompanied by roses filling golden etched dishes and in our limited edition ‘dance’ prints on candy pink patterned backgrounds.
Swathes of pink linen, candy striped silken runners and decadent glassware, the prettiest colour pop plates and glistening golden cutlery were gathered together in much the same way as Sleeping Beauty’s dress was created by Flora and Merryweather in the Disney classic to create what I can only describe as the most romantic tablescape I’ve ever seen.
It was important to create a sense of contrast, of depth in this table setting hence the addition of the striped pink and white runner over the soft pink linen tablecloth and the hot pink glass plates against the golden cutlery. This hinted of the subtle nuances that are so often present in stage ballets. Add to that a plethora of the most perfumed hot pink, creamy white and blush roses and lithianthus of all different sizes in a classical urn and you’ve got yourself the grand finale.
The second tablescape was an altogether more simple affair using a nude pink and white colour scheme and oodles of cut crystal vases and etched glass. Cut glass is currently enjoying a resurgence at the moment (I for one am a sucker!) and is the perfect accompaniment to the old school garden and spray roses which filled the length of the table. We sourced our vases from eBay which we we picked up for pennies.
One of the beautiful things I love about the ballet is what is technically referred to as ‘Ballon’. Ballon is the appearance of being lightweight and light-footed while jumping – a sense of effortless grace, a weightlessness. It was this quality that I wanted to capture as well as create in the table settings.
We set about creating a deliberately simple set-up i.e. one plate and a knife and fork with only a subtly embroidered off-white napkin. It was important not to add too much colour to this tablescape to allow the flowers to shine albeit with a touch of help from the golden detailing in the napkin rings. Slender glassware with lace inspired etched detail finished the look perfectly and added a sense of lightness to the proceedings.
We couldn’t help but vamp the more sedate table setting up a little bit with a super sweet stationery detail inspired by ‘Love Hearts’ hung lovingly from silky ribbons on the backs of the wooden chairs.
The piece de resistance if you like.
Love Lust List member Julia from Freya’s Fancies more than stepped up to our requests for tongue-in-cheek biscuits that Miss ‘Gossip Girl’ herself would have been proud of. We’d discussed at length the idea of shaped biscuits iced in ombre shades – from icy white all the way through to blush pink to harmonise with the wider colour scheme. Whilst I loved the idea of miniature x’s and o’s, it was Julia that suggested that we needed to throw some hearts into the mix and they complemented each other perfectly.
Team RMW love the idea of boxing these delights into miniature parcels and bestowing them on guests as the sweetest wedding favour – guaranteed to keep the old and young alike entertained.
As with all inspiration shoots, versatility is incredibly important to us. With wedding budgets often pushed to their limits, we adore those finishing touches that not only are kind on the pocket but can be used in multiple forms too. We looped dozens of ribbons – from thick pink velvet, thin golden strands all the way through to candy coloured silk over a branch and threaded the ‘love hearts’ from the second tablescape onto them for the perfect piece of romantic decor.
We particularly love the idea of using this as the backdrop of a photobooth or even a wedding guestbook. Personalise this DIY one step further by customising the love hearts with your own sentimental phrases.
Styling, Concept and Design – Team Rock My Wedding
Assistant Stylist – Lauren at Fairly Light
Swing, Frame and hanging stationery – Designed and made by Team Rock My Wedding
Gowns – From a selection at Ritva Westenius and Suzanne Neville
Hair And Make-up – Jodie Hazelwood
Headpieces -Halo and Co supplied via Ritva Westenius
Glitter Shoes – Love Art Wear at Liberty In Love
Florist – Lorraine at Wild Orchid Designs
Biscuits and Treats - Freya’s Fancies
Photography -M and J Photos
Click here & view all images from this inspiration shoot
So lovelies, what do you think? have we inspired you to add a bit of ballet to your life?
If you liked the “dance” pink artwork included in the shoot we are stocking a few of these limited edition prints in our boutique, they look equally as pretty in your home as they would as decor for any kind of celebration.
Big En Pointe Love
Charlotte xxx