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A Note From Sarah Crowder Photography Regarding The Premise For The Shoot:

“I fell in love with Tolkien and my husband at the same time.  We, along with thousands of Tolkien fans, are so excited for Peter Jackson’s movie {The Hobbit}.  One of the first images that was dissected by fans around the world was the image of Bilbo Baggins reading the contract from the dwarves.  This image was the foundation of the styled shoot, but instead of a concerned hobbit, a loving groom would be reading a love letter from his bride-to-be.  I chose Cedar Lake Cellars for the venue because they have a barn loft area that has so much character, as close to a hobbit hole I could think of. The bar area was decorated with moss, flowers, and books. A signature cocktail, Ent Draught, was made with sweet tea, vodka infused with herbs, and garnished with blueberries.  Of course, hobbits love their ale, and it was amply provided by the Cedar Lake staff! Earthy breads and a cheese and meat platter were artistically plated by Chef Lee Gustin.  Our invitations for our couple were made by a wood press and cut in a circle to echo the hobbit hole doors. Our bride wore a green necklace to give homage to the emerald necklace that Bilbo gave to the Elven King.  She wore beautiful Kate Spade shoes and a cuff bracelet from Michelle Phan’s Ever Eden jewelry line from Glamhouse.  Fleur de Lis matched a perfect dress for our soft and natural theme.  Our groom was in brown pants and an orange vest that mimicked the colors we see Bilbo wearing in the Hobbit.”

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What Storyboard Likes…

Vegetation Heavy– When sampling from something like one of Tolkien’s books, you better believe a world filled of lush thick greens & natural vegetation will surround you!  In just about every place possible, spongy moss beds, dangling greens, & puffy greens are used.  The crown of green earthy goodness that our bride & flower girls wear creates a circle of life while smaller details on items like the hanger for the dress are covered in mossy goodness as well.  I love the abundance of life to the overall look & feel!

Bold Autumn Colors– While these colors could indeed work in other times of the year, their rich saturated tones do lend themselves to a natural autumn vibe.  Bold yellow sunflowers, red & blue blooms on the cake, & a rainbow of fall feel hues dress the food decor.  Its hard not to feel like you do when your taking a nice autumn walk with a loved one as the sun is slowly going down.

Taking The Right Cues– Working  with movies, books, TV shows, etc for wedding/engagement inspiration can seem like an arduous task at first.  These worlds are created by their level of detail & specificness to the storyline that you might initially feel the only way it will make sense is to match it exactly, & that really isnt the wedding your after.  The secret is being able to pick up the overall vibe, the feel, & reproduce that into a palettable wedding form.  Know the right elements to sample directly from, and others where your simply noding to.  Realize key elements that will help get your vision across, but always remember that at the end of the day, your creating a wedding, not a weekend theme park.  The key in using worlds created by another person as a source of inspiration is interpreting it wedding style!

Vendor Love

Venue: Cedar Lake Cellars | Hair: Luminesce Salon Spa | Dress Boutique: Fleur De Lis Bridal BoutiqueThe Bridal Shoppe | Makeup: Glow2Go | Florist: Troy Flower and Gift Shop | Invitations: Papercuts Paperie | Event Designer: All Dressed in White | Photographer: Sarah Crowder Photography