• NEW Wedding Ideas

Your wedding day is about representing you and your love and the backgrounds you learned from and flourished in. So when we saw this beautiful Eritrean inspired wedding shoot and learned that it was centered around the bridal model's background we knew we had to share this unique day with you!

Keep scrolling to read about what each of the decor elements represents to this couple and be sure to stop by the full gallery to find even more photos from Stephanie Keegan.

The Inspiration

This modern fusion of romance and cultural heritage will take every bride back to her roots! Weddings are beautiful — everything from the floral arrangements to flickering candle lights. But weddings are also meaningful. They are a celebration of two people beginning a life together while surrounded by their closest friends and family. 

This new life that couples create will be a reflection of their values, which are often shaped by their cultural backgrounds. These values will shape the way they raise their children, it will determine how they spend their time, and it will be the foundation for which they build their lives. We were so inspired by this idea and our Eritrean bride that we decided to design an entire shoot around it. 

The purpose of our shoot is to inspire the modern-day couple looking to incorporate elements of their heritage and background into their wedding details. Our bride’s family owns a small Eritrean store in Seattle, Amen Market, that sells traditional goods and food from Eritrea. We borrowed a gold headpiece that brides traditionally wear on their wedding day as well as a few wicker baskets used to hold the gorgeous floral arrangements. 

The Meaningful Decor Elements

Cake & Lace Events provided the day planning and design for the shoot while Stephanie Keegan Photography captured all the details and intimate moments. The unique glass invitation suite prepared by Cake & Lace Letters was the perfect representation of the shoot’s aesthetic. Thatch Floral provided beautiful ranunculus and palm leaves among other flowers for the couple’s arrangements, centerpiece, and background for the flat lay. And just when we thought the florals couldn’t get any better, Honey Crumb Cakes added sugar coated white anthurium’s to a very unique cake display. 

The Bridal Look

It was the golden Eritrean bridal headpiece that had us all swooning especially in her timeless dress borrowed from the Dress Theory in Seattle. To provide her wedding day glow, Nicole, with Off White Makeup & Hair applied golden touches to her makeup and a soft half up/half down hairdo. Her very lucky groom sported a tailored suit from Generation Tux. You’ll catch glimpses of the couple’s 14k gold rings from Green Lake Jewelry throughout the shoot! 

This romantic and real-life couple enjoyed taking a seat at their sweetheart table loaned from Alexander Party Rentals. You will notice the napkins have the Eritrean crest, which was another subtle piece provided by Amen Market that represented her roots. While the bride looks undeniably beautiful in these photos, it is perhaps more important to note that she felt empowered by the infusion of her culture into the shoot, as it reflects a significant part of her identity. It was so special hearing her comment, “this is exactly how I want to incorporate my roots into my big day!”

• Cakes & Catering: Honey Crumb Cake Studio
• Engagement Ring: Green Lake Jewelry Works
• Eritrean Goods: Amen Market
• Event Planning & Design: Cake & Lace Events
• Flowers: Thatch Floral
• Groom & His Men: Generation Tux
• Hair, Makeup & Beauty: Off White Makeup & Beauty
• Paper Goods & Calligraphy: Cake & Lace Letters
• Photographers: Stephanie Keegan
• Rentals: Alexander Party Rentals
• Wedding Dresses: The Dress Theory (Seattle)