The trending hashtag ‘RIP Wedding Industry’ seems to have washed over social media of late, so it seemed fitting, with the impending Halloween celebrations, which are thought to celebrate the passing of the dead, to remind everyone that Weddings and the Industry as a whole are in fact, not dead! Just different!
However, we are in the business of events, and as such, celebrations! So, we decided to dig a bit deeper into what the origins of ‘All Hallows Eve’ were and to style a socially distanced photoshoot around it to celebrate!
Halloween’s origins date back to an ancient Celtic bonfire festival which marked the end of summer and the harvest and the coming of the dark, cold winter; a time of year that was often associated with difficult times to those who relied on the volatile land; so, to ward off any misfortune, communities re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
As an Industry we rely hugely on Weddings and so many of us can relate to those feelings following an unimaginably challenging year which has seemed very much hexed when it comes to the events industry.
‘’ A hex is a charm or spell, believed to bring bad luck to someone when conjured ‘’
so we took that theme and put a positive spin on it! Witchcraft aside, ‘hex’ is actually a derivative of the Greek ‘hexa’, meaning 6; a number which we’re all very familiar with thanks to the rule of 6! So, we set to work, with a team of 6 local wedding industry experts to prove just how beautiful intimate weddings can be by framing their work in a stunning hexagon backdrop!
The theme was edging on spooky and gothic, but very much focused on lighting the darkness as a nod to re-lighting the fire of the events industry!
‘’ Hope is being able to see that there is still a light, despite all of the darkness…’’ – Desmond Tutu
We’ve all had to work incredibly hard over the past few months to diversify and bring our businesses back to life, and that has taken a lot of determination and imagination! We, as a team, wanted to prove that with the right attitude, the right suppliers and a shared vision, you can create your fairytale wedding anywhere, as we were granted exclusive access to transform the Holiday Inn at Brighouse into an enchanted castle!
Candlelight set the mood of this bridal fantasy, with styling and floral artistry by Down to Earth Florist whose fresh flowers were matched perfectly by the sugar-craft skills of cake artist Layers and Lemons Cake Design.
Conway’s Wedding Stylists set the table for an opulent banquet, socially distanced of course! With place names and laser etched glassware from Just Lovett Design, centrepieces by Down to Earth Florist and you guessed it, lots more candles!
‘’With this candle, I will light your way in darkness…’’ – Victor Van Dort
Of course every fairytale has a Princess, albeit a gothic one in our case, who was cloaked in a charcoal and black tulle ballgown by Mascara of London supplied by Everafter Bridal Wear and modelled elegantly by Royal UK Miss Junior Teen, Emmi Huffinley.
Get Gorgeous, Makeup, Hair and Beauty stepped up to the plate to create a luxuriously bold eye and lip combination, framed with an up-do of cascading romantic curls, offset with diamanté accessories by Everafter Bridal Wear and distinctive black lace veil by Ellanna Elizabeth Bespoke who coordinated the shoot.
In spite of those mourning the loss of the Wedding Industry, our team rallied together through the night with the unrelenting energy and enthusiasm of award-winning Wedding Photographer, John Steel, who brought to life what started as no more than a sketch. The final result is this stunning selection of captivating and dramatic images which tell a story of determination and commitment to an industry which is very much, alive.
‘’ The strength of the team is each individual member; the strength of each member is the team.’’ – Phil Jackson
With Special Thanks to;
Venue – The Holiday Inn, Brighouse
Model – Emmi Huffinley
Photographer – John Steel Photography
Florist – Down to Earth Florist
Cake – Layers and Lemons Cake Design
Bridal Gown & Accessories – Everafter Bridal Wear
Veil – Ellanna Elizabeth Bespoke
Stationery – Just Lovett Design
Venue Dresser – Conway’s Wedding Stylists
Hair & M.U.A – Get Gorgeous
Coordination & Styling – Ellanna Elizabeth Bespoke & Wedding Fayres Yorkshire