'Lying in the long grass beneath an open blue sky, passing butterflies and the hum of bumblebees. The smell of freshly baked bread and sweet cakes mingling with the scent of meadow flowers and the sound of children's laughter were some of the small details we wanted to evoke in this family orientated elopement shoot,' explains Sarah Rudd of Lyra & Moth Photography.
Inspired by period dramas, the French countryside and the garden scenes of Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, Sarah and dressmaker Ailsa Munro collaborated to create a unique shoot that celebrated the originality and potential of family focused elopements. 'We noticed a rise in the popularity of family elopements in Cornwall post-pandemic and we were inspired by our couples tearing up the wedding day rulebooks in order to have a day exactly how they wanted it. And so, with a vibe in mind, we created a shoot around Ailsa's latest addition to her collection: the dreamy Lowenna dress.'
Paired with a summer straw boater and an ethereal bouquet, the dress ' a romantic vision of blush dotted tulle and Juliette sleeves ' fitted perfectly into a family picnic scene nestled in the grounds of the Pencarrow Estate. 'With zero fuss or formality but all the romance of the location, we wanted to paint the picture of a family elopement that focused on taking in the small and joyful moments: playing on the swings, reading in the long grass and eating a sumptuous picnic of cheese and wine with the little ones playing in the meadow,' explains Sarah.
Beyond the palpable romance, sustainability was a key consideration. 'The props were all thrifted and scavenged items that could be reused again in a country kitchen so that nothing need be discarded after the wedding,' she says.
Ultimately, this styled shoot celebrates one of the key draws of an elopement to breathtaking effect. 'The great thing about elopements is the endless potential to get as creative as you like and live out the scenes in the books and the art that you love,' concludes Sarah. 'There's no reason why we can't make our own fairytale scenes in our lives and if we can't make it happen on our wedding day, then when can we'
Venue Pencarrow House & Gardens weddingsatpencarrow.com
Photography & styling Lyra & Moth Photography lyraandmoth.co.uk
Dress & styling Ailsa Munro ailsamunrodressmaker.com
Flowers Liv Cousins Floral Design instagram.com/livcousinsfloraldesign
Cake Oona's Cakes oonascakes.co.uk
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