I hosted my first-ever styled shoot a few weeks back at Millworks Creative Studio with my friend + colleague Em Liatsis (@chthoniccutie). The theme was Vintage Vegas and we wanted to bring some retro Vegas glamour to Hamilton, Ontario.
We had two lovely vendors: Sticks and Stones Florals with the amazing floral arrangements and designs and Caranina with the handmade wedding bands.
Our goal was to have almost everything in the shoot sustainably-sourced or handmade. We DIY-ed a dance floor, a lit-up sign (thanks Meghan), large fuzzy dice and even a two-wedding cake (thanks Holly). Our bride (Em) wore a thrifted 50s wedding gown and veil (that I somehow magically found for $25). All the table settings and small decor items were sourced second-hand as well.
We set up three different sets: A chapel, vegas dancefloor and hotel room for the "after party". We also ventured out outside to take advantage of the cool auto shop across the street.
We surprised our photographers by bringing in a special guest - Tony the Elvis Impersonator! Tony was great fun and was in character the entire time, ready to "officiate".
Here's Tony:
The shoot itself was great fun - everyone brought so much energy and excitement. I really enjoyed meeting all the photographers and seeing them pose and guide our models. Without further ado, here are some of the images from the day:
Special thanks to the amazing people involved:
Model & Co-organizer : Em Liatsis (@chthoniccutie on insta)
Model: Sandy Collander
Florals: Kate - Sticks and Stones Floral
Wedding Bands: Caranina
Thank you to our lovely Elvis impersonator (who doesn't have a website or social media), my friends for helping out for the weeks leading up to the event, as well as all the photographers that joined in for the day.
Planning this shoot was great fun - but it was also so nerve racking! Not only did we have to plan out a shoot with three different sets (and coordinate wardrobe/set design/vendors), we were also hosting photographers from different cities - and we wanted to make sure they got value and great content out of this experience. All in all, this took a lot of time and it really made me appreciate what event planners go through - there are so many details to think about!
Once I get over all the anxiety and stress I felt while planning this....I'll definitely be doing another one. If you're interested in joining in on a future styled shoot, send me a DM :)
xx Martyna
