Boho Elopement Inspo In Old Town Riga, Latvia
Elopements are more popular than ever before, but eloping doesn't have to mean stealing away in secret to your local city hall, it can still be a celebration. This styled shoot in the streets of Old Town Riga, Latvia is the perfect inspo for your fall elopment. All you need is your person and a team of talented wedding professionals behind you, a great backdrop...and maybe a few outfit changes!
Keep scrolling to see more photos by Happy Ever After Photographer. Bohemia Events planned every detail of this wedding inspiration and Inbloom created all of these incredible florals you'll see throughout. Beribis Kadras was there to film as this inspiration came to life in Old Town Riga, Latvia. All the images are in the full gallery, so be sure to click through and read on to hear more from Andrew Spilevoj of Happy Ever After Photographer.
Location Scouting
Since 2017 I got into the habit of traveling to new places and inviting wedding planners to work with me on various styled photoshoots. It all started in Italy at Lake Garda, but since then I have traveled to several countries and we had many different photo sessions in different parts of Europe. Usually, I find wedding planners that share my style (fine art, boho, rustic) on the web, contact them with the project description, and wait for the response. After someone replies, we go ahead: draft the mood board, find models and other photoshoot team members, etc.
This year was different though. No need to mention that 2020 has brought a lot of cancelations to wedding vendors, everyone has gone through some ups and downs. However, I decided to go ahead with my hobby and find a new location for the photoshoot. Most countries were locked or required self-isolation, which I could not afford due to my busy schedule. However, there were still few that I could enter and return from on the same day without any problems. One of which was Riga.
Riga is the capital of Latvia and one of the oldest cities in the Baltic countries. If you happen to be there you will be amazed by the huge old buildings. They partly reminded me of Liverpool and London and yet - the small streets of Old Town Riga are unique and more common in Baltic countries.
The Team
My first step was to find a wedding planner that shares my aesthetic. A very quick search helped me find the one! Ilze, the owner of Bohemia Events replied to me right away, she was interested in the project and in a few days, she already had a team ready for the photoshoot. I knew this was my chance - if I don't do it now, later the borders may close and my next shoot would have to wait until 2021.
I could not afford such a long wait so I called my videographer and assistant and we headed to Riga full of tremendous expectations. As a fine art photographer, I bought a couple of rolls of Kodak Tmax 35mm film - I knew this film would look lovely for my black and white shots. Usually, I try a different brand of black and white film each time, however this time I decided to stick to the best just to make sure I didn't disappoint my colleagues from Riga.
During the photoshoot, Ilze introduced me to her team which included a stylist (Aline Skarule) and MUA (Tina Tirone). The wedding ensembles were provided by Alexangel Bridal, Suit Factory, Straumbergs Hats, Bonbonshoes, Hoegl Shoe Fashion, and jewelry by Rozenthal Jewelry and Notte Design. The flowers were designed by Inbloom. All of the vendors were local to Riga.
The Couple
It was an amazing day full of emotions, the team was wonderful and everyone was doing their best. We were more than lucky to work with our models Madara Anete and Gints - they are a real couple so it took no effort to capture those emotional looks and kisses.
They are truly in love, so all they had to do - just be themselves. We were even joking that this is sort of their pre-wedding photoshoot where they would learn how to pose, look, smile, etc. In fact, we did not need to ask for anything - Madara Anete and Gints are a truly photogenic couple which you can see from the images in this post.
Keep Moving Forward
We should appreciate every moment and every opportunity in our lives, and despite all obstacles in our way - going ahead is always better than standing still. Right after we came back home Latvia closed the borders and I am so glad I took my chance and used that opportunity without a delay.
- Accessories & Lingerie: Bonbonshoes
- Accessories & Lingerie: Hoegl Shoe Fashion
- Couple: Madara Anete Auna
- Couple: Gints Rekens
- Dress & Apparel: Alexangel Bridal
- Event Planning & Design: Bohemia Events
- Flowers: Inbloom
- Groom & His Men: Suit Factory
- Groom & His Men: Straumbergs Hats
- Hair, Makeup & Beauty: Tina Tirone
- Jewelry: Rozenthal Jewelry
- Jewelry: Notte Design
- Photographers: Happy Ever After Photographer
- Stylist: Aline Skarule
- Wedding Films: Beribis Kadras