Downton Abbey Inspired Photo Shoot by Firefly Events
When Arielle Donesone approached us with the idea of a Downton Abbey inspired photoshoot, we couldn't have been more excited. As diehard Downton Abbey fans, the three of us started compiling ideas on our Pinterest boards and reaching out to some of our favorite vendors. What we love most about the Edwardian style featured on Downton Abbey are the beautiful, rich colors and the romantic details seen in everything from jewelry and hats to dishes and flatware. We really wanted to highlight these aspects while giving it a modern update. To do this, we started by setting our shoot in a minimalist white-washed loft overlooking the New York City streets; we loved how this backdrop made every detail pop.One of our favorite Brit traditions is the garden party, and we wanted to bring a touch of that indoors. To do this, Rebecca Shepherd created a structure of birch poles wrapped in seasonal greens to stand over the table. We hung a candlestick chandelier draped in flowers from the top beam, one of our favorite romantic details! One of our favorite things to do with our clients is find a way to bring personal details into their big day. For this shoot we decided to used The Daily Sketch newspaper (a favorite among the ladies of Downton) as a template for their delicious menu. We also designed a lovely invitation suite as well as LORD and LADY signs for the bride and groom chairs, and a TELEGRAM guestbook station, all with an eye for Edwardian flair and style. The guestbook station was filled with some of our favorite details from the show including a candlestick phone and a chance for guests to write their own "telegram" to the bride and groom. Whimsical flower arrangements and a vintage typewriter tied the look together.
We really hit the jackpot with this gorgeous dress from Claire Pettibone as well as the amazing headpiece by Sara Gabriel and beautiful vintage necklace, all borrowed from Gabriella New York! These pieces really brought our vision to life. For the groom, we took a cue from cousin Mathew and dressed him in a modern day Army uniform. I believe that we're not alone when we say that the hats on Downton Abbey are one of the best parts of the show! We loved the idea of combining these incredibly sheik hats from Preston and Olivia with an ultra feminine wedding dress. It's the perfect example of how a bride can transition from ceremony to reception just by changing up her accessories. These hats also brought a unique pop of color and romantic detail.
As if all of this was not amazing enough, our friends at Tree Of Life Films joined us for the entire day and created this beautiful short film capturing all the magic both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Enjoy!
XX Firefly Events