One of the hotter trends these days that I utterly adore are backdrops. Ceremony, photobooth, dessert bar, you name it, backdrops are being crafted out of just about anything and used for just about everything. Albeit a bit of an ‘oldie’ at this point {from a wedding only a handful of years ago} I came across a backdrop that I am beyond crushing on that is ever so relevant with today’s gorgeous wedding trends. The wedding was outdoors with a lot of lovely paper details shot by Annie McElwain Photography featured on Green Wedding Shoes. While there are plenty of lovely little details done for the wedding as whole that we could get into, its the head table backdrop that I want to discuss!
*All Photographs by Annie McElwain Photography
The beauty to this backdrop is in its simplicity, cleverly disguised as complex and intricate. The watercolor {my description for the overall aesthetic} wall was crafted simply using colored paper, cut and rolled into a small circle, glued together then glued to its neighbor crafting a floating airy wall. What makes this backdrop so powerful is 2 fold. The first factor is the circle themselves. By creating 100’s of small circles and ‘linking’ them together, a grid is created. By leaving the circles open ended, allowing light & a slight visual preview of what lays behind, the size of the wall goes from being potentially oppressive to enchanting & captivating. 100’s of tiny windows work together in the most whimsical of fashion to project a feel of freedom within the art of it all. As well, working with such a soft pliable medium as paper, the wall takes on a more organic feel dipping and swaying, much like its colorful design.
The second element that truly drives the amazing factor to this paper backdrop is the design of the circle placement themselves. With a decor piece like this, one has the freedom to layout a very specific design such as a face for example, or something far more abstract & free-spirited as in this case. To call this look watercolor is not exactly correct, though I find myself at a loss to be able to find the exact word that describes this wild and free placement of colors, in a meaningful way. While the range of colors goes from a pale pink all the way to a deep deep blue, there is a commonality to the tones which our eye finds ever so pleasing. The rainbow wash of hues intermixed with the structured yet free flowing design becomes meaningful and quite effective. There is a true cleverness in the play from light to dark and back again, a feel of freedom and movement, kind of perfection when you think about it if your subtly suggesting that your guests get to dancing!
The combination of color, movement & openness projected from the backdrop is its true secret. Unique yet wonderfully simplistic, this vibrant backdrop is not only a conversation piece, its a suggestion to feel free, to move, to have fun and to be light, happy. Color & design can have the most powerful effect in the most subtle of ways, something I think this gorgeous paper backdrop has in spades!
