il Mercato in New Orleans
The heat is on and wedding season is slowing. With a little extra free time this summer, I’m so excited to let my creativity flourish after my 1:1 film workshop with Marissa Lambert Morrison of Mon Soleil Weddings! She was the brains behind this gorgeous styled shoot at il Mercato in New Orleans and I was so honored to be able to photograph it along side her! It has everything a modern bride needs! Bear with us, because we have sooo many photos to share! After our coordinator Maria from InNOLA Events & Designs, planned everything out, Nina, our model walked out in the first of many Lela Rose Bridal designer gowns provided by I Do Bridal Couture. Ashley Sievert and Ginger Dufriend (Hair by Ginger) did an amazing job at giving her an effortless look that could be in a magazine! Nina also wore gorgeous vintage jewelry from Friend and Company. It paired perfectly with Bella Belles heels that were to die for! She glided effortlessly across il Mercato, surrounded by old world charm and amazing custom flower arrangements by Bees Weddings. We were especially excited to see the flower petal curtains that were a product of an all nighter for Eric and Carolyn. Nina’s daughter got a real kick out of those! She’s such a sweetheart! Real butterflies and canaries added more life to our images and taught me that shooting moving objects on film only gets easier with LOTS of practice and even more patience! Thankfully photographing the invitation suite created by November Letters gave me a bit more confidence! I fell in love with the soft pink and canary yellow combination! Speaking of yellow, those earrings were the perfect statement piece to any gown worn!! Additionally, the hot pink earrings were so bold and vibrant! I’m really hoping to see more of these colors this summer. I was most excited to photograph the table decor. La Tavola Fine Linen inspired our flower petal obsession with their incredible table cloth draped over a huge vintage, wooden table from Distressed Rentals (who also provided the cute ottomans pin front). West Elm helped us live the sophisticated dream with high end dinnerware on top! With the help of the Maria and Eric, we styled each place setting to fit the aesthetic and the overall product was amazing! The handpainted backdrop framed the most beautiful cake I’ve ever seen. Chasing Wang somehow created simplistic elegance with so much attention to detail. I can totally see why so many brides have been flocking to these vendors!! I absolutely LOVE il Mercato because by itself, the ballroom is modern and sophisticated. Decorated, it is more magical than you could ever dream. The brick courtyard is a little slice of heaven surrounded by the bustling nearby city. Nina let her hair down while we ended the day walking the streets of the garden district in a cocktail length wedding dress highlighted by the perfect New Orleans sunset! Since it was my first time shooting film, every scene was a learning experience and under Marissa’s guidance, it was easier than I expected! Needless to say, I was surrounded by the best in the business and I’m still a little star struck! It’s never too late to learn new things and the possibilities are endless! What I loved most about this shoot is that it was so vibrant with colors we don’t normally see at weddings. It’s perfect for an adventurous bride who wants a fresh look that’s all her own! Film showed it in its best light and I cannot wait to do more in the future! Planning | InNola Dress Design | Lela Rose Bridal Venue | il Mercato, New Orleans Shoes | Bella Belles Jewelry | Friend and Company Floral | Bee’s Weddings Makeup | Ashley Sievert Hair | Hair by Ginger Linens | LaTavola Linen Stationary | November Letters Rentals | Distressed Rentals