A styled shoot is much like a fashion editorial with the same motive: to tell a story through photography. It can be a great way for multiple creatives to collaborate and create a beautiful visual concept to be photographed. Styled shoots are an opportunity for creatives to run wild with a specific vision they are wanting to achieve. It can also be a great opportunity for brides to see an idea/vision come to life through someone else’s work. This can inspire and connect vendors with future Brides. Wedding pros do this often to create new wedding trend inspiration, but styled shoots can reach far beyond the scope of weddings.

Creatives planning a styled shoot can find their inspiration from a vast array of options. I asked Meg, who organized and styled this beautiful shoot, what inspired her to create this stunning European wedding feel. Here is her response:

“I was mostly inspired by the model, Serena—one of my dearest, long-time friends. She is classic and glamorous without being fussy. She has this beautiful sapphire wedding ring and a fierce edge that made me want to create a really moody, timeless scene. I’m a parishioner at St. Paul’s Episcopal, and they were gracious enough to let us use the space for the shoot. With the gothic architecture and the couple’s style, I felt like the tall black candlesticks and amber glasses would help underscore the mood I was trying to create. I tried to keep the table rentals to amber, black, and cream tones so that we could create some drama by introducing more color with the florals. My partner Abby created our mood board and color palette to share our vision with Flower Carte, who absolutely knocked it out of the park. We dragged in my dining room chairs, borrowed my husband’s suit, and I got to live out my dream job as a charcuterie designer. Thanks to Meredith Carter, owner of Bustle Gowns in Birmingham, AL, we had a perfect, dreamy gown to tie it all together. It was such a fun team to partner with!”

Maybe you are a creative needing something to get your creative juices flowing, or perhaps you are bride looking for wedding inspiration— browsing through styled shoots is a good place to start!