1920’s Great Gatsby Styled Wedding at Stapleford Park
I am so excited to share this beautiful Gatsby styled wedding captured by Jessica Raphael at Stapleford Park.
About the day: On the morning of the wedding I was very worried as it was torrential rain & 40mph winds! Luckily Stapleford Park is beautiful which meant it didn’t matter that all of the photographs had to be inside, also it really suited Emma & Daniel’s Great Gatsby theme – even Emma’s wedding dress is called ’The Gatsby’! The whole day was a joy & I felt like I was actually in Gatsby’s house with all the details & 1920’s music in the background.
Quotes from Emma (the bride)
“My favourite moment was when Daniel and I were dancing to Florence and The Machine’s ‘You’ve Got The Love’ and our family and friends joined us on the dance floor. We had secretly arranged for two confetti bombs to detonate and everyone was showered with metallic confetti, it was like a slow-motion movie moment for me. I was absolutely overwhelmed with love for everyone and it really dawned on me how special the day had been for us!”
“The 1920’s became a huge inspiration for our wedding; the decadence, the timeless glamour and the beautiful jazz music were such a joy to infuse into our special day. As we were set on having a winter wedding, I wanted to avoid the traditional themes of deep red berry tones and instead, create something magical that the guests hadn’t seen before. Daniel and I both loved the fashion of the 1920’s; the smart tuxedo suits and shining brogues for the gentlemen while the pearls and jewelled headpieces drew me in too. The very first thing we bought for the wedding was an original His Masters Voice gramophone from eBay…I didn’t know how but it HAD to play a part in the day somehow!”
“We were certain we wanted our photographs and video to incorporate black and white film, again to reflect the elegance of the 20’s. I couldn’t have ever imagined the photographs and the film would be as beautiful and stunning as they are, they reflect every single detail of our sparkling wedding day and capture the 1920’s styling perfectly. The ushers, bridesmaids, groom and I poised in moody positions underneath the gold leaf wood carvings in the Morning Room became our favourite photograph of the whole day, so unique and unusual. Although we couldn’t go outside for our photographs due to the weather, Jessica was amazing and used spontaneous locations around Stapleford to create beautiful photographs. The wood panelled wall was a great opportunity to use my faux fur! Rob at Fuz Films took my brief and completely succeeded every single expectation, I still can’t watch them back without tears rolling!”
“I feel that the ‘shabby chic’ theme is so on-trend right now and sometimes believed that I was making all the wrong choices, becoming side tracked with the appeal of a more boho style and bunting. However now, I am so glad that I chose something a little more ‘us’ that reflected our style. It was also hard because a lot of articles and inspo are based on Spring/summer weddings and winter was very limited, so we had to get creative ourselves. Also, take a moment to gather up your emotions before walking down the aisle! We were running late so it was all a bit of a blur and I poured my heart out through the ceremony. It would have been nice to have photographs without me blubbing away!”
The Photographer
About myself & photography style: I never intended to be a photographer. It was always something I did as a hobby but I have always been creative. Three years ago I decided to make a career out of my passion & I haven’t looked back since. My style is with natural light and outdoor spaces which falls under the category of ‘Lifestyle’. I capture natural but refined moments in a relaxed and stylish way. I want my clients to feel as though they could be in a magazine when looking at their images and give them something a little bit more.
My advice to couples planning their wedding: Don’t leave it until the last minute to book your venue & photographer. These two things in particular book up very fast & if you have your heart set on a place & a photographer you could be disappointed. Try & enjoy the process as much as you can, don’t do anything that’s going to stress you too much – it should be an enjoyable process. Make sure you have made the right decision regarding your photographer – pick someone you like & trust, & please don’t pick someone down to price. You’ll regret it.
Suppliers
PHOTOGRAPHER: JESSICA RAPHAEL PHOTOGRAPHY
VENUE: STAPLEFORD PARK
COUPLE: EMMA & DANIEL
VIDEOGRAPHER: Fuzfilms
SHOES: Jimmy Choo
DRESS: ‘The Gatsby’ by Ritva Westenius
FLORIST: Zinc Floral Design
MUA: Rebecca Frances Makeup
HAIR: Kith and Kin Creative Hair
CAKE: Tina K