I’m genuinely very proud to be sharing this editorial by The Chamberlins, brought together with the support of Assumpta of Ave Creations and an exceptional team of creative wedding suppliers. It takes its cue from New Orleans, a place deeply connected to music, colour and celebration – and interprets that influence within the setting of the beautiful Port Lympne resort here in Kent.
There is a huge amount of work sitting behind these images, not just in terms of production, but in the decisions that shape what and who you see. The team have been deliberate in creating something that broadens the visual language of weddings here in the UK and across the wider wedding industry, offering imagery that reflects a more diverse range of couples and experiences than we are used to seeing. Work like this takes effort, clarity and commitment, and it deserves to be seen far more widely across the UK wedding industry.
Models Mike and Abi were perfectly cast and bring such a natural sense of joy and connection to this gorgeous project. They bring real presence to everything around them, from the brass band to the styling, food and fashion.
I know how much heart and effort it takes to create inspirational work like this, and to be asked to share it is not something I take lightly. I feel very honoured to be able to publish this beautiful editorial on Love My Dress, and I hope it inspires you as much as it has inspired me.
Words by the wonderful Celle of The Chamberlins follow. Enjoy!
The joy, diversity and vibrancy of New Orleans is something I’ve always admired and vicariously enjoyed through movies and literature. For a long time I’d been desperate to create a contemporary editorial that paid tribute to that Nola (New Orleans) energy and showcase it in the form of a wedding day.
It did feel a little crazy to try to infuse all that colour, celebration and Mardi Gras joy specifically in the UK however when I came across a picture of Port Lympne’s breathtaking courtyard, I knew immediately that it was the perfect backdrop for my vision.
I am forever thankful to the Port Lympne team who took the time to chat with me and understand more about what we were planning and that they SAID YES. Genuine gratitude for the flexibility and freedom they also gave us to work our magic on the day. We shot across a multitude of formats including super 8 film, digital, 35mm and 120 film.
This concept was a passion project from the start. Having shot many multicultural and interracial weddings as well as being a Brazilian woman with a Black Brazilian mum, it remains incredibly frustrating that the wedding industry still struggles to provide a wide range of contemporary wedding inspiration to couples who are POC and Black.
It was imperative that we kept this in mind when choosing our models, Mike & Abi, and also the vendors who we collaborated with. Inspired by Mardi Gras colours, mysterious bayous and New Orleans Jazz, I wanted to create something fresh, diverse and romantic that didn’t feel like a copy and paste template of what weddings should look like. Especially in the UK.
Planning
Throughout this process I am so grateful to have had the brilliant Assumpta of Ave Creations by my side helping plan and orchestrate this editorial. For something of such a large scale, I knew I needed to work with someone I could trust to create exactly what I had in mind and make sure it all ran smoothly.
Having worked on weddings with Assumpta before, I had no doubt of her capabilities as a wedding planner and am thankful for her support throughout the entire process and on the day.
Port Lympne
The courtyard at Port Lympne is specifically ideal for couples wanting intimate ceremonies. Although the days of COVID restrictions are long gone, we know couples are still prioritising quality time with a smaller number of guests and a space like this works perfectly for that.
Port Lympne is also as unique as it is beautiful given that you can enjoy luxury accommodation on site and experience the venue’s incredible Safari Park. We felt incredibly privileged to have witnessed this during our shoot and are still amazed that something as rare as a giraffe-feeding experience is an option for your wedding day!
Dotted throughout Port Lympne are eclectic dining rooms and vibrant reception spaces that need little doing to them in terms of decór and are in of themselves stunning locations to host a wedding reception. We felt immensely fortunate to have had the opportunity to shoot in several of these spaces and believe they only added more to the vibrancy we were seeking for our editorial.
Styling
Nicola of Abstract Events was our stylist and she 100% knows how to bring a mood-board to life. We’ve worked on a few shoots together before and I knew that any ideas I explained to her she would understand.
She has that contemporary eye but with a creative edge that makes things a little bit more exciting.
Working alongside the brilliant stationer that is Emily of Written by Emily as well as florist Candice of Bohotany, I am immensely proud of the stylistic choices we made to bring this editorial to life.
Incorporating both the colours and themes we were exploring, Emily’s stationery added a playful yet chic touch to the overall feel and loved her vision of having the menus and place-names combined with the name on the front and the food wording on the inside. This tied in beautifully with the gorgeous tableware and serveware from Black Saucers.
Florals
I knew this shoot would be floral-heavy and to have worked with Candice was a genuine joy. I’d been a long admirer of her work and I’m so glad she said yes to us because the flowers for this shoot were no small feat!
We had a call to discuss all the themes we wanted to explore: Hanging baskets on French Quarter balconies, Spanish moss inspired by bayous and deep purples and greens reminiscent of Mardi Gras beads. The final product was a breathtaking array of floral arrangements.
Clusters of hydrangea, cala lilies, anthurium and ferns as well as zesty green and dark red foliages for the ceremony arch. A petite yet sculptural wedding bouquet comprised of Calla lilies and anthurium. A contemporary tablescape with pops of sculptured flowers and trailing spanish moss and amaranth. To say it was more than what I could’ve asked for would be an understatement.
Bridal Look
The vision for the bridal look was something bold, contemporary and slightly dramatic. Melissa of Crazy in Love Bridal was kind enough to lend us one of her lace mini-dresses Nicola and I had been eyeing up and it couldn’t have been more perfect for what we’d envisioned.
The subtle change for the evening look (removing the added-skirt) was also a perfect touch for a more party feel.
What constitutes ‘wedding hair’ in immigrant and black culture can oftentimes be white-washed and heavily westernised. Whether it’s straightening curls, hair relaxing treatments or wearing weaves, it was important to me that we didn’t add to this narrative.
I always envisioned our model with pearls throughout her braids for this shoot, precisely as a form of showcasing a different interpretation of ‘wedding hair’. I am overjoyed with how the look came together alongside the gorgeous makeup done by Sabina Mahendran.
Food
We loved the idea of having an oyster bar serve fresh oysters throughout a drinks reception especially as oysters and other types of shellfish are a staple of New Orleans cuisine. The fantastic team at Oyster Buoys had a great little set-up which perfectly encapsulated how we’d see an oyster bar work on a real wedding day.
Our beautiful cake was done by Kate of Eat And Mess and decorated by Candice. Again, we knew we wanted the florals to be the standout so opted for a white cake that had wonderfully playful squiggles and shapes all over.
Entertainment
It would be remiss not to include a brilliant brass band for the day and we were over the moon to have Das Brass band with us on the day.
In New Orleans, A New Orleans processional, known as a “second line,” is a celebratory brass band parade rooted in African American traditions, marking important occasions like weddings or funerals.
As photographers who have worked weddings with brass bands, we hope couples continue to prioritise live music throughout their day as there really is nothing quite like the atmosphere it creates and the joy it brings.
We believe it’s also important for couples to see how you can infuse ‘traditional’ elements into your wedding day while still keeping things fresh and modern.
