We’ve barely said adieu to fall, yet I’m craving it more than ever thanks to this absurdly beautiful photo shoot. I don’t doubt for a second that you will ooh and ahh over the color palette, the model bride’s impeccable style and the artful bouquet by Vessel Flowers, but you will also feel the intangible; the meaning behind this inspiration. As Honour and Blessing Events describes in detail below—at the root, it is about love, solace, balance, contrast and union—and that is where the beauty truly lies.
From Honour and Blessing Events… Sometimes in the midst of all the chaos and stress in life, what we are looking to find is a place of solace. A place to escape from the rush and sound of life that seems to seep into all areas of our lives. In a place like Seoul where the latest technology, music and beauty trends is noticed internationally, everywhere is brimming with innovative designs. Contemporary structures and an abundance of activity and energy fill the streets. But amidst all of this, in one of the busiest intersections in the city, is a quiet and beautiful historical palace, Deoksugung.
Finding that quiet place in a hustle and bustling environment with the seemingly contradictions and contrasts is what inspired us to create this editorial. We wanted to create something that shows it is possible to bring seemingly contrasting elements together seamlessly and in harmony. From the historical palace settled amongst the modern high-rise buildings, to the couple for our shoot, we wanted to create a delicate and graceful balance. There is something so peaceful about this stonewalled palace with the towering skyscrapers behind it. Like a small but sturdy protection of something precious and traditional held close to the heart. As seen in our couple as well, it is a relationship between two very different cultures. It may seem hard to overcome the circumstance and language barriers, but love is what brings them together and protects this tie.
In Autumn, the air is crisp and cold but is often broken by the warm and inviting light that the sunshine radiates throughout. Playing with the textures and light, we were able to create a shoot that is full of warm tones yet brings a cool touch. For the suit, a darker colour with a thicker wool material was chosen to anchor the light and airy fabric of the wedding dress. Dusty pink and purple pastels with a touch of dark tones were used in the bouquet to complement the bold colours that are often seen in the changing leaves.
Following with the textures and differences, we used both vellum and hand crafted paper for the love letters. The smooth and translucent vellum settled against the soft but textured hand crafted paper brings out the distinctive feature of both while maintaining the balance with the similar natural tones. We also chose to use both Korean and English in the writings to symbolize their love and the difference in cultures.
With the picturesque and signature stonewall road surrounding this historic palace, it seems as if it is dividing it between the past and the present. But on a closer look, it also serves as something that ties together the urban environment with the serene beauty that hides within the walls. We hope that this shoot inspires people to find that retreat amongst the chaos, the warmth within the cold, the beauty among the ashes, the light in the darkness.
Photography: Mark Hong | Floral Design: Vessel Flowers | Hair and Makeup: Chico Makeup Artistry | Calligraphy: Ettie Kim Calligraphy + Design | Dress Rental: Jill Loves Lace | Model: Jeon SeungMin | Model : Dara Petrov | Planning and Styling: Honour and Blessing Events