A look into where, how and why magical ideas are sparked...

Image by Anna Sawin Photography

Sarah True (True Event), Abby Larson (Style Me Pretty), Yumiko Fletcher (Hana Floral Design) and

Lucinda Wesson (Chocolate Creative Design) at the Weddings, The Creative Process Event

in Stonington, CT at Saltwater Farm Vineyard.

Yumiko Fletcher of Hana Floral Design, Sarah True of True Event and I have been talking about producing a shoot over the past several years. We wanted to be able to showcase our own styles as well as some very talented vendors who work on the Connecticut Shoreline, from Clinton to Stonington. We decided to do two shoots, one modern (designed by Sarah True) and one vintage (designed by me). Using the same talented vendors and color palette for both, we are able to show the wide range of looks and talents. We have been working with Jennie Fresa, Anna Sawin and Mike Cyr for some time now and not only do we respect each other’s talents but really have a great time working with one another. This allows for us to have some really successful collaborations. We also believe that not one person is more important than the other, and that a true collaboration comes from a true team. I gave inspiration boards to all of the vendors but really allowed them to have fun and add their own style to the mix. There is nothing more exhilarating and creative than to have someone completely trust you and your work. So as much as this was work, it was also a great creative experiment.

As designers, we are constantly trying to push ourselves. Deeply inspired by an intimate wedding of 50 at Island Farm that I co-designed this past fall, I thought about an intimate winter wedding inside the “Big House” on the Island.

With the economic climate we all face, a burst of creativity and an acknowledgement of the things that matter most to us, family, comes shining through. I wanted to create something different than just a beautiful table shoot. With my background in film and photography, I wanted to reveal a “real wedding,” that would allow the viewer to be brought in undetected. In some ways it’s like looking through the eyes of a wedding coordinator. My love is to create details as well as an inspiring table but the real challenge is to show it being used and useable.

My love of vintage goes way back, but what inspires me most is the story that each vintage piece carries. When I design or style weddings, I love to add elements of family. Isn’t that what weddings are about? Bringing two families together?

So let's begin the tale....

LSW