If you’re thinking of wearing a coloured wedding dress on your wedding day, step this way for the ultimate in dopamine dressing inspiration!
The dopamine dressing trend is all about celebrating the positive impact of colour on your mood - and what better excuse for rocking a coloured wedding dress could there be?
A coloured wedding dress can mean anything from bright pinks or blues, subdued tones like gunmetal grey or forest green, or even richer versions of the traditional bridal palette - running the gamut from creams and champagnes to gold, bronze or silver.
Bridal designer Kate Beaumont has long been exploring how colour can be incorporated into bridal styling with her unique coloured gowns - so I was delighted when she invited me to join her by providing accessories for a collaborative shoot to showcase her dresses against a range of colourful backdrops.
Colour on your wedding day is something I have also been exploring for some time too, so this shoot felt like the perfect fit for me! Most of my designs are available in gold and rose gold as well as the more traditional ivory and silver tones, and I’ve even incorporated greens, pinks, white opal and antique gold into my collections. I also offer the option to have bespoke headpieces made using any colour you like - and I really hope this shoot will inspire more brides to choose colour on their wedding day!
When it came to choosing accessories to work with Kate’s incredible gowns the key was to pick pieces that worked tonally, as well as with the cut, fabric and texture of Kate's gowns, our model's hair type and style, and the shooting sets. I also took into account the floral arrangements, shoes, handbag, veil, make-up, and even on-set disco balls!
For the silver disco ball set I chose my labradorite crystal Coraline crown that features silver crystals resembling tiny mirror balls while I paired my Mona statement pearl hoop earrings with Kate's striking and elegant blue gown which I think worked perfectly with the simple lines of the dress and the exquisite Shrimps pearl bag!
I chose a lot of botanical crowns for this shoot because they worked so well with our model’s relaxed waved bob hairstyle, the beautiful Swallows and Damsons florals, and the natural flowing lines of Kate’s gowns.
Clear crystals and metallics are great options for pairing with coloured gowns while I think you can’t go far wrong with pearls for a blue gown. I chose my champagne-toned crowns for the softer coloured gowns and chose a statement rose gold crown to pick out the richness in Kate’s pink gown.
The gorgeous images were shot digitally by Danni from Maytree Photography and she invited Hollie from HM Weddings to capture some analogue pictures which really showcased how different photography choices can change how a coloured wedding dress will look in your wedding photos. Hollie brought along a couple of old-school film cameras to create different effects, which added a softer, more organic feel to those images compared to the brighter looks created by Danni.
The whole shoot was also a brilliant celebration of women and what they can do – our all-female team worked together to bring this shoot to life on International Women’s Day and it was the best way to celebrate!
If you’re thinking of wearing a coloured wedding dress and feel unsure about how to accessorise your look why not get in touch with me for some free advice? You can send me an email to hello@debbiecarlisle.com or visit my contact page - and I’ll happily send you my suggestions for your look! Alternatively why not check out my guide to choosing a wedding hair accessory?
Photographer: Maytree Photography | Analogue photographer: Hollie Cornish | Dresses, concept & styling: Kate Beaumont | Hair and make-up: Jenn Edwards | Headpieces: Debbie Carlisle |Florals: Swallows & Damsons |Shoes: Chie Mihara | Embroidered Veils: Daisy Sheldon | Cape Veil: Helen Martin Veils |Wedding rings: Cathy Sutherland | Earrings: Blue Meadow | Earrings: Debbie Carlisle |Handbag: Shrimps | Silk hair bows: Kate Beaumont | Studio – Portland Works |Model – Nicole at Industry