If there was ever a shoot that made me want to crawl through the screen and spend the rest of my days surrounded by its pretty – it would be this Tuscan dream from Mike Larson and Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations. I’m just a wee bit upset they didn’t ask me to come along for the ride. Because if it was half as magical as it appears in these images, I would basically be in heaven. And I would probably still be there, sunning in the Tuscan sun, because why oh why would you ever want to leave something this pretty? Good thing for all of us, you can surround yourself in all the goodness right here in the gallery. And if you want to be a part of something this fabulous, check out their workshop announcement below!
From Vanessa of Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations… With inspirations of an Italian love story in mind, we created the vision of Terrae Mare, or Land and Sea for the Mike Larson Tuscany workshop. The story is this… a seaside beach beauty in love with a dapper polo player wed amidst the vineyards in Tuscany, bringing together the land and sea for a juxtaposition of styles.
Set against the backdrop of the rolling vineyards of Chianti in a Romanesque villa, Tenuta di San Giusto was the locale for this magical shoot designed with modern, classical, seaside and rustic elements. For an updated twist we paired white mid-century modern Arne Jacobsen chairs with a rustic wine tasting room wood table and layered on vintage battenburg lace napkins, sterling silver chargers and bone inlaid flatware. To combine the romantic and modern inspirations onto the tablescape we painted leaves and greenery an opaque white and mixed them into the arrangements of white roses, lilies and lisianthus along side sea shells and neo-baroque candleabras.
Dresses for a casual romantic ceremony our bride was styled in an ethereal ruffled skirt and vest by BHLDN. Our ‘sposabella’ cradled an eclectic bouquet featuring lush white peonies, lisianthus and gords with sea urchin shells nestled inside of them. Clad in a nautical inspired casual yet preppy attire, our groom’s garb boasted a royal blue blazer. After changing into casual glam evening look our ‘bella’ bride boasted a 40’s inspired beaded gown by BHLDN and dangled rhinestone and fabric earrings to make her eyes sparkle as she gazed upon her. The invitation to this intimate affair featured modern typography on a textured cardstock that was carefully nestled inside of a dove gray silk invitation box with a seashell adornment on top.
Workshop Announcement
This year Mike Larson’s annual photography workshop will be held on the white island of Ibiza, Spain in conjunction with Alchemy Fine Event’s recent partnership with Bonder & Co., a top luxury concierge company, which allows the workshop to reach new heights. Throughout the four-day workshop, students will capture two editorial shoots, an engagement session for a real couple and a live fashion show featuring Spanish designers covered by international press. All shoots will be designed and styled by Vanessa Van Wieren of Alchemy Fine Events. Students will benefit from direction and one-on-one time from Mike Larson, morning roundtable discussions and photo critiques from esteemed editors worldwide, networking with the cream of the crop in the industry and receiving exposure on an international level, making this workshop an invaluable experience. So, if you are a photographer looking to take the next step in your career by pursuing the luxury destination wedding industry, come experience the stunning island of Ibiza, learn about wedding trends for 2013, and get your work exposed on a higher platform!
Photography: Mike Larson / Venue: Tenuta di San Giusto in Chianti (