2017 Collected| Wedding inspiration

This rustic yet modern wedding inspiration is for the couple who has really good taste in design and in food + drink but doesn't need anything traditional at their wedding. This look features a build-your-own bourbon cocktail bar set in front of a handmade weaving installation, a custom made table, mismatched bridesmaids and a stacked rug ceremony stage...the earthy and slightly moroccan vibe the vendors pulled together for this collaborative shoot make for a beautifully eclectic wedding style that touches on some really great trends for the 2017/2018 seasons.
This style inspiration was created by a collaborating team of wedding professionals for an event we founded called Collected. You can learn more about it below and also get in touch with all the vendors!

//About Collected//
Four years ago this event was a hair-brained and selfish attempt at making more friends in our local market. We didn't know any wedding vendors or any other photographers back then and it was lonely. So we reached out to some really amazing people and asked them to work with us. Everyone far exceeded our vision and expectations not only with their work for Collected but with their giving spirits and kind hearts. Those people are solid, real life friends today and we couldn't be more thankful for that hair-brained idea that turned into something we never imagined. For the last four years, Collected has been an event for wedding photographers and vendors to retreat. To make photos we want to make with stylish details and on-brand models. The photos and inspiration are for our couples! The style, the ideas, the handmade items it's all in hopes of encouraging couples to think outside the box when it comes to their wedding. And to be personal, unique and purposeful in the design. 

Collected is a true collaborative event meant to build the networks and portfolios in the vendor/photographer/model markets. As the founders, we collect the wedding vendors and encourage them to work as a team creating work for the style/vision we set before them. Each year is better than the year before, I swear, I don't know how that's possible.

For the photographers and models, things get crazy and chaotic (hence the new hashtag #collectedchaos) but there is a method to the madness. The alternative group shooting style get's us out of our little bubbles, out from behind the camera a bit and tests our boundaries. At the end we're more in-tune with who we are and what we want for our own businesses. Shooting the work of each vendor allows us to use our creative passion to help others grow their own businesses and that part feels pretty good, but selfishly we're also boosting our referral circle by making friends. 

There's food, drinks and it's always a really good time. The theme is always on-trend so we can all make beautiful, impactful images to share and showcase our skills! If you're interested in joining the Collected chaos in the future, you can check out the new website here and sign up to collaborate. 

We'll eventually be doing vendor highlights over on the blog there but for now, here's the Mallory + Justin take on 2017 Collected. Be sure to check the list of amazing contributors at the end!  We're humbled by your friendship alone but the amazingness of this event continues to surprise us!

Thanks so much to these amazing creative collaborators:

Venue:
Varian Orchards
Styling By:
Oak & Honey Events
Backdrops & Installations By:
Elbowgrease
Florals By:
The Red Twig
Catering By:
Bahler Street
Bourbon Bar By:
Tom's Foolery Distillery, Chagrin Falls Ohio
Cake & Cupcakes By:
A Cupcake A Day
Stationery Design By:
Lovely Somethings
Table & Leather Accessories By:
Linen & Timber
Chairs, Silverware & Plates By
Lasting Impressions Event Rentals
Wedding Gowns By:
Moon and Back Bridal
Hair & Make Up By:
Beauty by Mermaid
Bridal Accessories By:
Entwine Bridal
Some Decor Accessories (Vintage Rug & Goblets) By:
Birchwood Supply
Wedding Rings By:
Liza Michelle Jewelry

Models:
Katie Rosiu
Grace Dwyer
Whitney Prather
Anthony Alleshouse
Mark Hoover
Jonathan Mullins
Kate Bee
 

Moon Child

We really love documenting things other than weddings, too! This session was a spontaneous evening spent wandering around the woods. We shot from sunset into the moon light and Jessica was an awesome model! She had a blast just letting her spirit free!

"There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls."
-George Carlin

Kaylen + Jon | Mount Hood Adventure

Kaylen + Jon married a year ago and we were lucky enough to document that day. This year they picked up and headed West (like we're about to do) and have been exploring the peaks and valleys of Oregon + beyond. It just so happened to be just about their one year anniversary when we were in town and by some random stroke of kismet they were free for this super spontaneous Mirror Lake adventure. 

The hour long hike was as glorious and moss covered as we imagined an Oregon hike to be but the best part was walking into the Mirror Lake clearing to see a glorious and snowcapped Mount Hood in the distance. We hiked around the lake, down onto the shore and spent as much time in the pine forest as we could until that last little bit of light sunk below the horizon. Then we hiked back to the car. 

We truly love these kinds of sessions, like more than anything else. The intimacy, the meaning, the adventure...the obvious beauty and the memories made by all. Not a contrived for the camera set of images but a story that all involved were completely present for. 

Stephanie in the Woods

We've been in the mood for while to do something different in our work. Both of us have been trying to make a conscious effort to see different angles, look for different light that we wouldn't typically be drawn to and to shoot a more soulful story. Finally we planned a shoot with Stephanie, who is a Ballerina, in the woods of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. 

We're both SO proud and in love with these images. The story they tell and the experience of documenting something at a much slower pace than a wedding is something we're really drawn to right now. We told Stephanie to be herself, dress however she wanted, do her makeup however she wanted; that we wanted to document a soulful image of a soulful person. We wanted the light and the dark to meet, kiss and be the main event in these images. Take a look at Stephanie in the Woods. We didn't plan on photographing Stephanie with her car but once we saw her in it, we couldn't resist!