I am OBSESSED with this shoot, it is by far one of my favorites. My work wife Kriztelle and I decided to put together a styled shoot to connect with other wedding creatives in the Chicagoland area. We wanted to create an urban wedding-styled shoot to inspire any couples who might be looking for that urban feel without actually having to go into the city of Chicago. The team we worked with seriously killed it when bringing this vision to life !
The 4 couples that modeled for us were amazing and made it so easy to achieve our goal of an urban style shoot outside of Chicago. Shoutout to all of our couples as well as our vendors who worked so hard to make this shoot possible !
Vendors
Creative Directors: Kriztelle Photography - @kriztelle.photography + LAR Photography - @lar__photography Venue: Highland Loft - @highlandlofteventvenue Flowers: Celeste's Flower Shop - @celestesflowershop Dresses: Love Theory Bridal Shop - @lovetheorybridalshop + Raw Golden Rentals - @rawgoldenrentals Cake: The Bun Bar - @the_bunbar Event Décor: Nicoles Magic - @nicoles_magic Calligraphy: Sweet Letters Calligraphy - @sweetletterscalligraphy Grazing table: Sage and Jam - @sageandjam Hair: Lindsay Anne Beauty - @lindsayanne_beauty Makeup: Erika Alexis Beauty - @erikaalexisbeauty + Francesca H Mua @francescahmua
Styled Shoots 101
What is a styled shoot?
According to an article by Honeybook and Rising Tide Society, “A styled shoot is simply a collaborative effort of multiple creatives who put their talents and resources together to create a stunning visual concept to be photographed.”
Not only do styled shoots help in providing content for yourself (a photographer) and your other vendors, but it also creates a great opportunity to make connections with other wedding creatives in the industry. Couples are ALWAYS looking for vendor referrals. The more relationships you have with other vendors in the industry, the more likely you are to book via referral.
If you’re thinking about putting together a styled shoot, definitely make sure to do some research as you’re planning. You also need to be ready to think on your feet and expect the unexpected. We put hours and hours into this styled shoot and while it was rewarding, it was a LOT of work !
When starting to plan your Styled Shoot, make sure to keep in mind who your ideal client is. If you're shifting your ideal client, who you want your ideal client to be. Next think through what your ideal client's weddings might look like. Where they might host a wedding and what type of wedding vendors they might have at their wedding? Next, remember you're using your styled shoot to attract ideal clients as well as showcase some of your best work. You'll want to make sure to keep your ideal client at the forefront of your mind when planning and also when photographing your styled shoot.
If you’re looking to put together your own styled shoot but aren't sure where to go from here, Honeybook has a really great article on How to Plan a Wedding Styled Shoot, check it out here !
Highland Loft is a Wedding Venue and Event Space located in Elgin Illinois. The space is described as a blank canvas for its hosts and can accommodate up to 600 guests comfortably. The Highland Loft is located just east of the Fox River in a centralized downtown location, just minutes away from numerous hotel options for your out-of-town guests.
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