Ruffles, Locks, & Gears- The Softer Side of A Steampunk Inspired Wedding
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11.20.2012 10:24 am
Steampunk, by definition {I’ll sum it up as the real definition is lengthy} is essentially a sub-genre of science fiction typically featuring steam powered machinery mostly associated with a post apocalyptic environment. For whatever reason, the fashion of this sub-genre has taken heavy inspiration from 19th century’s British Victorian era or American “Wild West”. I for one, find anything even slightly Steampunk flavored total eye candy. The fashion, derived from a time I would have loved to have been a live in, the colors, the throw backs to old watches & the magic of their guts that makes them tick. Steampunk is a great source of inspiration for weddings, one that opens a door to a lot of fun that can be head both in wedding fashion as well as decor elements & everything in between. I do feel however, this is not a theme for every couple, it takes the right couple & the right effect to create your Steampunk inspired world to truly achieve that greatness that it can be! Today’s feature is a Steampunk inspired styled shoot by a whole slew of amazing vendors, spear headed by BG Productions. When pulling together their own inspiration to guide the direction of their shoot, they stumbled upon a man with dreads which they fell in love with. As it turns out, BG Productions is a team in which one, Al, has dreads! For this shoot, Al stepped out from behind the camera to embody his Steampunk persona and I for one am grateful! The shoot is lovely and showcases a softer side of Steampunk, playing on strong colors & gorgeous watch bits. Might I also add, one freaking amazing cake!!
What Storyboard Likes…
The Not So Florals- Who needs nature’s flowers when you have someone that can wield fabric, feathers, & gears like no bodies business! The centerpiece, consisting of bright vibrant reds, blues, & creams, are cleverly crafted into versions of floralesque giving you the feel of a traditional centerpiece all the while being fresh & redefined. The insertion of feathers adds a new texture to the centerpiece as well as introducing dynamic lines jutting out giving the entire centerpiece a fell of movement. The use of watch gears is brilliant both in the centerpiece itself as well as the bridal bouquet which is comprised entirely of copper wiring & pops of gears, I Looooooove this bouquet!
The Paper Goods- I really believe that couples often do not realize the power of well designed AND well matching/complimenting wedding stationary. Understand that invitations are the first experience that your guests have with your wedding day, they will set the tone & introduce a feel to your wedding. Keeping those design elements together, working for you, with your escort cards, menus, etc really help to drive home your theme. In this case, all of the various paper elements by Little Woman Design are perfection. From the moment a guests opens the invite, to the entrance into the wedding, the Steampunk theme is well represented in a gorgeous strong yet feminine sense. I truly appreciate as well, that the menus in contrast are designed down, printed on a simple matted textured paper with only 1 color ink, tying in the gear feel.
The Hanging Fireplace- You might not realize it upon first glance, but there is indeed a suspended fireplace frame & mantle being utilized in this shoot. {2nd image in the post, as well as the last image, offer softened views of the twine used to hang the frame} The old distressed mantle used as a backdrop, or even an alter piece, is a glorious re-purposing, most certainly lending a time stamp of age. Frames naturally create a sense of an image, and as such, give us a defined look, while this frame is suspended in air, it gives our brains something to consider, as it is so out of context in the most wonderful way!
The Look- I really appreciate that the team of vendors went to work bringing Steampunk to life, yet made it accessible by not venturing too far off into the Victorian world. Dont get me wrong, I love that, however they have created a style that many couples, with a bit of effort, will be able to emulate for themselves. Our bride’s hair & makeup is stunning and strong, as it should be. There is nothing muted about the look of Steampunk and as such anyone trying to bring this to life should go bold. While the belt is a spot on accessory to turn a modern wedding dress more Victorian, its the hat that I am utterly in LOVE with! This hat brings our bride’s overall look to a whole new world, really giving us that feel of a time long ago. {Ps-I am finding myself now desperately trying to come up with something to get one of Topsy Turvy Design gorgeous hats for!!!} Our groom most definitely holds his own in the fashion department as well! The blue jacket is superb, while the use of an ascot inspired scarf pinned with a watch face is divine, however the boutonniere is ah-mazing!! I do agree though with the folks at BG Productions, I love the choice of a groom with dreads! While the dreads themselves were perfectly styled, for me, the goggles are the Pièce de résistance! Even the hubs thought they were amazing!
Vendor Love
Hair Stylist: Wadiya Adger
Event Planner: Create The Moment
Floral Designer: Papertini, LLC
Invitation Designer: Little Woman Design
Cinema and Video: BG Prodcutions- videography
Dress Designer: Melissa Sweet
Makeup Artist: Glamour me Fabulous! Professional Hair and Makeup Artistry
Bakery: Sweet Talk Cakes
Etsy Designer: TheHauteFeather,Topsy Turvy Design
Photographer: BG Productions
