Rock n Roll Bride - The ultimate guide for alternative brides

Kat

2009 – The Year That Was {Part One}

Kat

December 30, 2009

As is customary at this time of year, I wanted to take some time to look back over the last 12 months and share with you some of my most favourite weddings, photo shoots and features. I think you'll be hard pushed to not find something that makes you go 'ooooh' amongstthis lot. Enjoy a-reminiscing! I'll be back tomorrow with part 2 (there's too much to narrow it down to just one post!) I'm also taking this slow blog-time (I like to refer to it as 'Crimbo Limbo' (!) to ponder my ideas and plans for Rock n Roll Bride in 2010. I'll try and share my musings for the year ahead with you soon and would love for you to let me know what you think. It's all about you dear reader after all...
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Garden Shoot with Betsey Johnson

Kat

December 29, 2009

Jeff & Maggie got married at the courthouse in Seattle but met with their photographer Dana Pleasant a couple of weeks later to do this rad photo shoot. Maggie wore this beautiful Betsey Johnson dress that she also wore the day they got married. She really wanted some great photos in it - what an excuse! The trio headed to the international district to Kobe Terrace, which is a community garden. Thanks to Dana for sharing these. I look forward to seeing more of her work soon!
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Rockin’ Kicks & Fashion to Love

Kat

December 29, 2009

Paul & Jess' wedding was a stylish affair of rockin' proportions. They both looked every bit the Rock n Roll couple...with a little help from their friends & families! Jess explains: When we decided to keep our anniversary as our official wedding date we were just about mid-stride in working on the party at the Breakers. I have to admit that planning for the first ceremony was pretty far from my mind. Paul and I chose our wardrobe based basically on matching each other like we do all the time. I bought a really beautiful black/tan dress, red shoes from shoes.com and Paul picked up a tie to match his black & tan Nike SBs from Richmond Hood. We figured we had the whole thing in the bag. On the eighth, before heading over to Nana’s house to kick the party off, I went to the salon to have Khrystyne and Lisa get me, my mom, and my sister ready for the picture frenzy. I kept getting told by my mother that there was a ‘really great’ surprise at Nana’s and that she hoped I would like it. Nerve-racking words if spoken by absolutely anyone but my mother. I knew that if she and my sister had something to do with the surprise that I would certainly like it. Khrystyne finished up my hair and Erica proceeded to do my makeup in the back of the salon. In snuck my mother just about at the final touches of my makeup. She said that she had another surprise and was quite concerned that I wouldn’t like it. Not exactly what the bride wants to hear with only minutes before leaving for the ceremony. I asked her to show me this surprise of hers. Turns out, not only did I ‘like’ it… I absolutely loved it! Mom and Erica had spent all morning running back and forth to the Monmouth Mall. When Mommy’s friend Joanne had set Nana’s house up for our ceremony (the original surprise), it looked so much like a chapel that my mom decided a black dress would look very out of place in pictures. I could not have been happier that they took control of the situation without my help. They picked an absolutely splendid wedding dress. I couldn’t believe how well it fit and how incredibly wonderful it felt to wear white after all. Thanks go to Mom, Erica, and Jessica McClintock! Thanks to Brad, Paul & Jess for sharing their day with us.
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Glorious Springtime Vintage Styles

Kat

December 28, 2009

You went totally nuts over the 'And so we Danced' photo shoot I shared from Elevenorchids Photography last week so it is my absolute pleasure to share some more of their work with you today. This glorious shoot was set up for Michestyle, a young designer who loves to celebrate vintage styles and lines by adding a modern feel to them. She takes pride in every detail and was on set to style and do the makeup, hair and to guide the model through the entire process. Thanks again to the awesome Annie & Benjamin for sharing their work with us. We love it!
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We Love Rain

Kat

December 28, 2009

Alissa & Phil were such an amazing couple to get to know and we were instantly stoked to shoot their wedding. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the church, it was raining, and there was no end in sight. Now, usually at this time we are looking for other inside options to do the photos, but rain didn’t phase Alissa or the bridal party AT ALL. So we headed out to a super cool location we found just a few days before and completely rocked it. I also just have to say, usually when a photographer asks a bride, “Hey, there’s a sunflower field over there that would be awesome for pictures, but there is a ditch you have to hop, and it’s kind of muddy, and you’ve been standing out in the rain for an hour, and you have your wedding dress on, and it’s freezing” there is an awkward silence and usually a “NO” at the end. But, again they proved me wrong and were up for absolutely everything we said. Alissa + Phil + Rain + Cold = Awesomeness Thanks to Brian & Amy for sharing this rainy and fun shoot with us today
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Goth Gal in the Snow

Kat

December 27, 2009

I trust you had a good Christmas? I trust you had a good Christmas and Santa was nice to you? Down my chimney fell a swanky new 18.5" wide screen monitor (droooool) a Fuji Instax, a PINK Vivienne Westwood bracelet and an 'eco cup'. These are my favouritest presents. Santa obviously knows me very well - that I am a total blogging and photography geek, that Vivienne Westwood makes me happy and that I drink way too much coffee! I am muchly looking forward to playing with all my new toys and will certainly be scanning in some of my Instax shots soon. Was Santa just as good to you?Anyway, it's nice to have you back, it's been lonely without you dear reader. Although I am going to keep blogging between now and new year, the posts maybe a bit sparcer than usual. I'll still be here, plugging along though, so please don't hesitate to still get in touch if you need too.. Well the winter submissions have poured in over the festive period so I'm going to get right back into it with this snowy graveyard shoot from Jeffery Chan Tin. Bridal shoots in graveyards always seem to provoke some kind of controversy (who knows!?) but how can anybody argue that these images aren't ridiculously stunning? I really do love the snow... If you want to see more of this gorgeous Goth gal then check out this disgustingly fabulous zombie shoot and seriously sexy fashion shoot - both also shot by the uber talented Jeffery Chan Tin. Thanks to Jeffery for sharing the fun and frolics with us
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Thursday Treats – 24th Dec 2009

Kat

December 24, 2009

Credit: The Rockstar Diaries With Christmas literally hours away (eeek) you'd be forgiven for thinking I'd be winding down for the year and blog land would slowly have become a lonely little place. Naaahh my darlings! I have found a bumper number of awesomeness to share with you, to round off your pre-Crimbo week with a BANG. This may actually be the biggest Thursday Treat ever. I'll be talking a few days off for Christmas but will be back early next week as usual. The posts may come a bit for sparsely but I will certainly be here. I hope you enjoy perusing these little gems and I'll see you on the other side. Happiieee Chrrrismas... ♥ I might have to start this Thursday Treats with a bit of a brag. Over the last 7 days I have had not one, not two but three aaamazing write ups on blogs I love, admire and regularly lust over. Go check out Underneath the Petticoat, Clarabow's Blog and (squeeeel) Gala Darling's iCiNG blog. I friggin' love blog land! ♥ Jane Taylor Millinery creates bespoke vintage style head wear in South West London. Her head wear has been features in Cosmopolitan Bride, You & Your Wedding, Harpers Bazaar, Tatler, Glamour, Asiana Magazine, Vogue and many many more! Check out these beautiful pieces and you'll see why....
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The Original Tattooed Brides

Kat

December 24, 2009

The original tattooed bride photographers, Allebachsent me these this morning and I had to get them up right away. What could be better to gaze at right before Christmas that tattooed beauties looking shaaweeet!? The images came from a 'shoot out' in Philadelphia, where a bunch of photographers gets together and shoot the same situation together to learn from each other and generally get some kick ass imagery themselves... So the Philly Photog Shootouthappened. In case you haven't heard a Photog shootout is an event where photographers meet, photograph models and learn from each other. Anyway Rob "Ninja" Nicholson contacted me because he wanted to get a punk rock bridal theme going and needed a few more models. So I reached out to the most amazing couples in the world (my clients) and got a few responses. Jess an amazing bride (and rollergirl) married earlier this year was one of the first to respond. Patty DeCasere (my old punk rock band's drummer's former band's singer's wife - got it?) did an amazing job giving Jess a mohawk. Another friend Alicia from the 20s flapper shoot we did at the historic Stotesbury Mansion handled the costume design (available for wardrobe at belle_morte66@yahoo.com) Robyn & John an engaged couple took a day and drove up from Annapolis and found the inner model in them. Really they just acted like themselves and everyone got great photos. Erin Proud (wedding planner of Lori & Kevin's Eastern State Penitentiary wedding) channeled her inner anger and teenage angst for the shoot, along with an amazing wedding photographer turned model, Leslie Gilbert. Despite shooting photos in what felt like subzero conditions in Center City Philadelphia, everyone seemed to be having a great time, networking and learning. Thanks to Mike for sending me this little Xmas gift! Credit: Allebach Photography
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All the Luck of the Irish

Kat

December 23, 2009

You might remember Maggie & Sean from their rockabilly engagements in an Irish pub. Well photographer Karen Lisa just sent me their wedding, which rocks just as hard! The wedding ceremony was held at a small park across from the couple's apartment in downtown Boca Raton and the reception was at the Spanish River Library outside on the terrace. For wedding favors, Maggie & Sean had custom labels made for their favorite Irish Cider, Magners, and they created a replica of their favorite pub to serve as the bar. At one point the couple even got behind the bar to tend and serve drinks themselves. The guests had a blast! The music was played by a rockabilly band, Slip & the Spin Outs. Aaron's Catering of The Palm Beaches provided a unique menu of 50's diner style food made elegant - mini slider burgers, lobster rolls, grilled cheese sticks in a mini martini glass, and delicious desserts. The cake was designed by a friend of the family and featured the bride and groom enjoying their Magner's Irish Cider - complete with tiny bottles and labels. It was one of the most unique and personal cake toppers I've ever seen! Thanks to Karen for sharing this fabulous wedding with us today
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And so we Danced

Kat

December 22, 2009

How exactly am I supposed to find the world to accurately describe these images and do them justice? I'm not sure I'm up to the challenge. The gothic glamour, the sense of feeling you get from these is just..well...amazing. The images certainly do all the talking here. They tell their own story. Photographer Annie told me: The idea for this shoot wasa real mix of rock n' roll and art. We incorporated Tom Petty's song, "Last Dance with Mary Jane" into a photo shoot with 2 agency models (Mirela Paraganglija, and Nima Nezhad) and a fantastic bridal gown designer. We shot it as though it was Mary Jane's wedding day/last dance...as though it was her final send off. Models: Nima Nezhad & Mirela Paraganlija Wardrobe Stylist: Lim Utariat. Makeup: Julianne Chai Bridal Gown designer:Kate Cheung Thanks to Annie & Benjamin for not only shooting such awesomeness but for sharing it with us today. I am so excited to see more from you in future. Epic.
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Glamorous DIY

Kat

December 22, 2009

Lauren & Chris had their gorgeous, heavily DIY wedding at The Maritime Hotel in NYC's meatpacking district. The neighborhood was perfect for the edgy and non-traditional wedding and photographs that they wanted. The bride's Mother made all the table decorations to fit their theme which encompased all the cities Chris & Lauren and traveled to together. All the flowers (including the bride's bouquet) were purchased at the Union Square farmers market the day of and assembled on site by friends before the ceremony. The cake was from Sugar Sweet Sunshine and the cake toppers were cute salt and pepper shakers which were a gift that Chris gave to Lauren a few months earlier. Thanks to Angie for sharing this funky NYC wedding with us today
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A Halloween-esque Steam Train of Epicness

Kat

December 21, 2009

Kim & Alex's wedding hit me like a steam train of epicness when I laid eyes on it. I'm pretty sure my insessent ramblings can't bring it justice so I think it's only fair I hand over to Kim with all the fantastic details. As usual, I'll be back with the eye candy. "Originally our theme was “Halloween Town” from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, but as time went on, our theme evolved beyond Tim Burton to include other geeky things we love as a couple such as zombies, toys, film and... well... Halloween! We were mostly inspired by films (predominantly Tim Burton and Zombie flicks) and our own Halloween experiences. We just looked at the little things we loved most and used that to make our wedding our own. I’m in love with Burlesque-wear and wanted to incorporate that whimsical, glam-yet-sexy look to my outfit. Instead of bridal magazines, my fashion designer friend and I looked through many burlesque photos and lingerie books to gather inspiration for my dress. For my shoes, I found the most awesome bright green zombie shoes designed by Iron Fist. They were out of stock in Toronto, so Alex and I sent out all our online Twitter friends on a mad hunt for them. We ended up getting them shipped from Ohio. A few months later, a friend of mine from Chicago found the flat versions of the same zombie shoes, which I was really thankful for. I cannot walk in heels! The groom’s suit was inspired by Jack Skellington. He didn’t want to take the blatant replica route by getting a pin stripe suit. Instead, his plain black suit had black skeleton appliques all throughout. He even had a hoodie that had the skull on the hood! Since he almost always only exclusively wear Chuck Taylors, he wore black on black Chucks to the wedding. To add a sense of “badass” to his outfit, as well as his groomsmen/groomsgirl, our good friend, We Kill You made us custom pimp sticks for them to walk around with. We were really lenient with our wedding party when it came to what to wear
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