I love the countryside and I live in Streatham, south London. How does that work?
All photos: Fiona Kelly
I wanted to create a shoot showcasing the beauty and nature found in our urban environment and the incredible community of creative talent we have here. Inspired by a project I have been working on using plants and flowers referenced in Shakespeare’s plays, all the flowers are locally grown – some wild, including buttercup and daisy, and some simply wonderful, such as the zingy yellow parsnip flower or oh-so-dainty love-in-idleness. The scent of mint, marjoram and lavender fill the air with a hint of perfume from the pale pink roses.
I wanted to create a very natural looking design to reflect the beauty of our surroundings. This is echoed in Catherine Robert’s simply stunning wedding dress and Natacha’s choice of understated make-up. The brogue boots hand made by Sanna, give the look an earthy twist.
The Rookery is an area of Streatham Common now run by a co-operative, managed by the visionary Dom. It is surrounded by a community garden and a barn which will soon house the fantastic Inkspot Brewery, who supplied our bar for the shoot. Not only will Inkspot be brewing beer and producing honey for the beer in the Rookery, but sourcing water from the old well that you see in the photos, captured perfectly by local photographer Fiona Kelly.
The well seemed the ideal place for the cake table. Elaine’s company, Bunting and Pops, supplied cake pops with intricate flower work, sitting on a mound of moss with a sprinkle of edible flowers. This worked perfectly with Emma’s delicious mini Victoria sponge cakes, decorated with fresh fruit and flowers.
Both the Rookery and Inkspot barn are available to hire for a perfectly unique nature inspired wedding with a hint of botanical theatre.
