Holly Birch Photography

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Winter Stylized Shoot | Alto Vineyards | Champaign

A while back I collaborated on a stylized wedding shoot with florist Kristine Evanson. We put our heads together and came up with what we hope is a fresh, unique take on wedding design. The inspiration for this stylized shoot was an idea of a fair-skinned woodland princess with a lot of earthy neutral colors (creams, silver, brown and white were used) and greens with the faintest hint of blush. We knew the shoot would take place in December, so we really wanted to put into play the stark winter and bare vineyard branches we knew we’d have in abundance. The feel of the shoot from the models to the clothing to the sweetheart table was intimate and organic. We found the juxtaposition of the rough, raw, and stark natural elements with the soft, feminine, delicate and refined elements very unique. We decided early on that the primary model (the bride) should be a long-haired redhead with fair skin, so she was the puzzle piece we chose first, and then everything else fell into place. We wanted her to wear a floral hairpiece and a slightly messy, long fishtail braid. We love how her hair matches the color of the fallen pine needles.

The Ysa Makino gown had a blush pink underlay with a full beaded bodice that complemented the bride’s fair skin tone perfectly. The groom wore a tan three-piece suit with white Windsor tie and brown shoes. The bridesmaid wore a beige chiffon strapless dress with a natural waist.

The antique sweetheart table was decorated with a white chandelier centerpiece that served as a pedestal for the greenery that draped beyond the edge of the table. Kristine was especially inspired by the bare, twisted and tangled grapevines, and we loved the images of the bride gazing out from among the vines. She also wanted to show a different take on rustic elegance and focus on designing with textures.

The bride’s bouquet consisted of white hellebore, white waxflower, seeded eucalyptus, gunni eucalyptus, israeli ruscus, olive, rosemary and hypericum berry. The centerpiece contained seeded eucalyptus, gunni eucalyptus, israeli ruscus, Italian ruscus, olive, rosemary and hypericum berry. Kristine kept the use of actual floral components to a minimum. She only used white hellebore (late winter/early spring seasonal) and white waxflower. Rose gold fit the theme perfectly, so an engagement ring of rose gold, complemented by a rose gold bracelet with pink pearls adorned the bride. Something Borrowed has a fantastic post where you can learn more about the many types and styles of engagement rings.

The rings and jewelry also tied in with the blush undertones of the dress and the waxflower buds. A light dusting of snow fell the morning of the shoot, which further emphasized the stark winter feel we were going for. The couple and bridesmaid were photographed around the grounds of Alto Vineyard, a local venue that hosts small wedding celebrations and live music in the summer, including the Christmas-light adorned ceremony deck and a nice dormant row of grapevines. Alto also provided one of their white wines and one of their rose wines for the table setting.

groom with evergreen trees

groom in tan suit by Elite Bridal

groom with light snowfall

groom portraits in tan suit

winter stylized wedding shoot floral crown

redhead bride with fishtail braid

beaded gown from Elite Bridal

wedding florals with greens and white flowers

light pink wedding gown with fair-skinned bride

December winter shootout

green floral crown with evergreens

simple rustic young fair bride

bridesmaid with beige Bari Jay dress

Strapless ruched Bari Jay dress

brunette bridesmaid with soft waves

bridesmaid headshot portraits

bridesmaid with light snowfall

bare trees with ground snow cover

hellebore, waxflower, eucalyptus, ruscus, olive, rosemary, hypericum

bride with bridesmaid winter session

bridesmaid with beige strapless dress

light snow bare branches photo session

Alto Vineyards wines

Sweetheart table with white candelabra

Stark winter barren trees table setup

winter comfort food menu

ivory and brown print suite details

rose gold solitary diamond ring

artisanal cheeses and fresh baked bread

place settings and escort cards

bridesmaid greens bouquet with wooden chair

model couple with winter fur wrap

bride and groom snuggled

Alto Vineyards wedding stylized shoot

bride and groom with sweetheart table

romantic winter wedding posing

bride and groom with beige cream and green

couple with greenery floral accents

florals by Flowers by Kristine

redhead ginger bride with fishtail braid

bride with fur blanket and trees

Evergreen images with fallen brown needles

Evergreen location at Alto Vineyards

Alto Vineyards wedding images

Rose gold ring from Champaign Jewelers

rose gold rings and pear bracelet

macro ring detail images

wedding couple with outdoor sweetheart table

neutral palette wedding table decor

Alto-Vineyards-Champaign-stylized-winter-wedding-shoot_0098

Bride under arbor with twinkle lights

Bride with beaded light pink gown

Bride with green floral crwon

Bride and groom with beige suit

Adorable stylized wedding shoot couple

Wedding shoot outtakes

bride and groom with winter vines

dormant vineyard wedding portraits

romantic winter vineyard photos

cuddly bride and groom at Alto Vineyards

greens and white bridal bouquet

bride and bridesmaid with light snowfall

black and white Alto Vineyards wedding

wooden arbor with twinkle lights

couple with wooden arbor

Winter wedding session at vineyards

Bride's hair and makeup by Studio 9 Hair Design

adorable wedding couple

florals by Flowers by Kristine

groom's greenery boutonneire

winter wedding couple

caramel apple pie with crew

Amazing vendor team: Venue:

Alto Vineyards

Hair & Makeup:

Studio 9 Design

Gowns & suit:

Elite Bridal

Bridal gown designer:

Ysa Makino

Bridesmaid designer:

Bari Jay

Florist:

Flowers by Kristine

Jewelry:

Champaign Jewelers

Print suite:

Feathered Arrow Designs

Photographer:

Holly Birch Photography