Grecian Spring Styled Shoot
“If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then find someone whose life has given them vodka and plan a wedding!”
Spring has officially sprung, which means bright colors, lush greenery, and lemons! Yes, you heard that right. We teamed up with some of Chicago’s best vendors to bring to life this Grecian-inspired spring styled-shoot at the Chicago History Museum.
One of our absolute favorite and simple tricks to up your wedding photos is to add a few strategic styling blooms. We love it so much that we usually include a few for free for our clients since our motto is always the more flowers, the better! The Bikini Rose (yes, that is what the yellow rose is actually called!) and the lemon really help frame the gorgeous stationery from Eloquent Expressions and make that blue pop!
Did you know that lemons are not only a good source of vitamin c but are excellent jewelry holders too? Well, now you do!
The bridal bouquet was meant to invoke a field of spring flowers emerging from their winter hibernation, and the natural, textured shape gives it that fresh from the garden feel! First, we used a mix of traditional yellow flowers like daffodils, snapdragons, fringed tulips, and butterfly ranunculus. Next, we added some bikini roses alongside yellow spray roses for a touch of the traditional and balanced the yellow with some white veronica, Queen Anne’s lace, and waxflower. Finally, we finished off with some asparagus fern and olive leaves for a hint of Greece.
We made a floral pocket square in lieu of a boutonniere that complimented the bride’s “plucked from the garden” bouquet with yellow butterfly ranunculus, waxflower, and a touch scotch broom. Bonus, the pocket square is easier to “pin” on.
The tables were set by Ovation Décor & Events and Wedding Whisper Chicago with rentals from Marquee Event Rentals and Windy City Linens. The blue table runners emulated the blues from the menus and set the perfect backdrop for our bright florals. The gold-rimmed plates and glasses alongside the gold utensils gave the table a modern but classical vibe, while our lemon place cards upped the whimsey.
The key to an interesting but unified tablescape is to repeat elements like color and texture at different heights. We achieved this look by using a collection of small vases surrounding a large arrangement on a thin white stand so narrow it almost floats! The vases came in various shapes and designs but were all white with bright yellow florals. In contrast, the large round arrangements were kept full and green with salal, scotch broom, and viburnum, and only a few pops of yellow from the spray roses and tulips to keep with the neoclassical theme and evoke the spirit of a lemon tree!
The sweetheart table was framed by two large columns of silk flowers from Ovation Décor & Events (with a few yellow blooms from us popped in for consistency). They also lined the table with a blue table runner ala the guest tables and peppered the edges with candles on Grecian-like pillars. We lined the corner edges of the table runner with loose greenery and florals to complement candles, but the star of the table was our cascading arrangement in a marble bust vase! The arrangement mirrored many of the design elements in the bridal bouquet, but here we used more large florals like the bikini roses and the fringed tulips to fill out the middle and “looser” florals like the asparagus fern and the butterfly ranunculus to create that gorgeous cascade effect. If we ever get out of the flower business, we may have a future in millinery!
One of our favorite new trends is décor that can be easily moved from the ceremony to the sweetheart table. Candles and greenery that line a wedding aisle make perfect floor décor after the ceremony! Here we surrounded a mini lemon tree with candles in geometric gold cylinders. It gives the sweetheart table a little more flair and gives the client more bang for their buck!
No wedding would be complete without a show-stopping dessert, and our friends at ECBG Cake Studio NEVER disappoint. Inspired by the hues of the Mediterranean Sea and the marble columns of a Greek temple, they crafted a cake worthy of the Gods! The gold laurel leaves give it that extra mythological feel, while the lemons and yellow florals around the base heighten the bold blue crystals. It almost looks almost too good to eat. Almost!
This shoot was a spring dream come true. The bright lemony colors enhanced the vibrancy of the stained glass windows bringing a warm and welcoming vibe with them. You could practically smell the lemon trees and easily imagine a warm breeze from the Mediterranean Sea caressing your skin. It's always a gamble having a wedding outside, so why not bring the outside in! And sure, maybe we're biased, but no better way to do that than with an abundance of flowers.
Thanks to the incredible vendor team for including us on this shoot! We can't wait for the next one!
Vendor Team
Photography: Being Joy Photography // Planner: Wedding Whisperer Chicago // Venue: Chicago History Museum // Photo/Video: Jennifer Nicole Photo & Films //
Décor: Ovation Décor & Events // Cake: ECBG Cake Studio // Stationer: Eloquent Impressions // Linens: Windy City Linens //
Rental Items: Marquee Event Rentals // Hair & Make-up: Every Kind of Beautiful // Wedding Dress & Accessories: Here Comes The Bride // Menswear: Emanuel Tuxedo //
Bride: Hortencia Ramos // Groom: Weerapat Nachareon // Modeling Agency: SCE Agency
