If you’re looking for some styling inspo with a twist – check out this epic Valentine’s inspired styled wedding shoot at Schivas Steading

One of my major goals this year was to plan a styled shoot, so I decided to tick this off my bucket list and gave myself just three weeks to plan. A styled shoot is when several suppliers in the wedding industry work together to bring a vision to life that they can use to inspire their couples, try out new techniques, and give their portfolio a refresh. Styles and trends are always changing and sometimes it’s a good bit of fun to work on something a little different and showcase to couples some of their possibilities.

I started by creating a mood board, contacted all the suppliers I wanted to be a part of, and found myself a real-life couple to photograph. Schivas Steading was the perfect venue for my vision. I wanted to create small areas that we could allow our couple to play with. We created a flower arch to mimic a ceremony setup, a sweetheart table for dinner, and a super fun photo backdrop with a neon sign for some fun party-style photos.

What’s a sweetheart table, I hear you say?

This was a big part of the shoot for me. A sweetheart table is when your “top” table is set just for the two of you. It’s definitely less traditional, but hear me out! You spend the entire day on your wedding day catching up with family and friends you haven’t seen in a while, mingling, having photos taken, and finally it’s time to sit down and eat that gorgeous meal you’ve been waiting so long for! Who better to sit with than your partner? It might be one of the only times in the day you get to be solely with one another. I just think what a cute idea, having your first sit-down meal together as a married couple. It’s perfectly acceptable, it might just save any arguments or opinions from guests on who’s sitting with who, and you can breathe a sigh of relief that you get a chance to catch up totally un-interupted during your meal. If there is one thing you will learn about me as your photographer, it is that I will always 100% encourage you to plan your day in a way that will make you feel totally comfortable. So if there’s any part of a wedding day that you don’t feel good about – just don’t do it.

Let’s get the party started!

Another big focus of this shoot for me was the fun sequin backdrop with a neon sign. I wanted to showcase what it could look like having something like this at your wedding. Whether that be as part of the evening reception or perhaps for guests’ arrival. How red carpet would that feel?! Just imagine how much fun you’d have posing away with your besties, partying into the wee hours! These extra touches will give you great photo ops and are such a great idea for a little bit of entertainment for your guests!

One of the fun new trends I wanted to highlight was audio guest books. I think they’re super fun, and I have seen firsthand just how much fun guests have blethering on them, leaving all sorts of fun messages for you to listen back to. We also had a Content Creator on hand capturing all the behind-the-scenes, and creating some cute reels for us to use on social media. And I decided to play around with a mix of natural lighting and direct flash, which gives 90’s paparazzi vibes, I am obsessed! And, one of my favourite moments from the whole shoot was right at the end when I tried something new with my confetti shot, check it out! Would you do a confetti shot like that on your wedding day?

All suppliers involved are credited at the bottom of the post, be sure to check them out! ❤️ Enjoy!

Aberdeen Wedding Supplier List

Photography and Concept/Planning – Danielle Leslie Photography
Video – Josh at Danielle Leslie Photography
Venue –  The Schivas Steading
Backdrop/Balloons – Set The Scene Northeast
Content Creator – The Social You Seek
Florist/Table Styling – Hays Flowers
Stationery – Love Paper Co
Hair- Hair by Rae
Make Up – Jenny Gray Bridal
Jewellery – Mairidh Jewellery
Cake – Gumblossom Bakes
Audio Guestbook  – @reminisce_audioguestbook
Banner – @daydreamer_creative_studio
Dresses – Perfect Bridal Rooms Millanova Alberto Palatchi
Confetti – Your Confetti 
Shoes – Asos
Model – @sineadnoble_

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