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Old World Surrealism Frida Kahlo Inspired Wedding

March 5, 2019

A Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo inspired this creative wedding photo-shoot. She has always been an inspiration to me; representing a modern woman of ambition, power, sexuality and splendid determination. Most noteworthy, is what makes this woman so impactful to women of today. Despite the era and social conditions, she overcame her sufferings with incredible focus and an acute determination to succeed. Her uncompromising depictions of the female experience and form made her an icon for the Feminism movement. She truly was a woman who made an impact and who has left the world in awe.

Frida Kahlo wedding

I wanted this shoot to take on a bit of a surrealist or mythical feeling like in Frida’s portraits. Butterflies are often a pattern in her paintings and so I chose this insect as the feature for our shoot. Butterflies symbolize resurrection and for Frida, they may refer to her rebirth in life after her accident.

DIY paper butterflies

In order to create a 3D surrealist feel, I cut hundreds of paper butterflies. Strings of 20-50 butterflies attached to a string of fishing line and hung from the ceiling, down to the table. As a result, I wanted the table to take on a sense of “movement” and so the butterflies look to be flying towards the table. Next, I created two large butterflies out of foam-core and digital colour prints. These would be 2 focal points for the ceremony altar.

Frida Kahlo inspiration

A piece of driftwood bound the hanging installation together. The two large butterflies attached on either ends. Tropical leaves and dried flowers then attached in an asymmetrical fashion. Finally, large aloe vera plants and tropicals in terra cotta pots anchored the piece on the floor. April and Carrie worked together to create this altar, combining fantasy yet a desert, old world feel.

The Look

The floral embroidery on this gown from City of Angels is just oh so cool for this off-beat bride. Paired, with this gold crusted crown from The Loved One, and the gilded jewels, this look is complete!

Table-setting

Terra Cotta salad plates layered on top of antique silver chargers and bold printed plates. To add a personalized touch, Olive Studio added the names of each guest to the salad plates as an alternative to name cards. Colourful printed napkins play with the pattern of the vintage looking plates. Graphic modern glasses sat atop a burnt orange and yellow table runner. Black and white coasters added a more authentic Mexican flare.

Collaboration

I think the magic about pulling creative shoots together, is the last minute elements that you can’t prepare for. Collaborating with vendors is a true amalgamation of creativity. We bring the items we prepare to creative shoots with an idea, but the real fun is when we build the vision together. It is absolutely exhausting but oh so worth it to create something inspiring and unique for those couples out there. They may not always be realistic - but that’s the point. We are trying to showcase the creativity in our minds, and in our dreams. And where better to do it, than somewhere to feature our capabilities?

This inspiration shoot is featured in Green Wedding Shoes and Wedding Chicks! Click on the links for more! 

This creative shoot was inspired by the Mexican artist and female icon, Frida Kahlo. She has always been an inspiration to me; representing a modern woman of ambition, power, sexuality and splendid determination. What makes this woman so impactful to women of today, is that despite the era and social conditions, she overcame her sufferings with incredible focus and an acute determination to succeed. Her uncompromising depictions of the female experience and form made her an icon for the Feminism movement. She truly was a woman who made an impact and who has left the world in awe.

I wanted this shoot to take on a bit of a surrealist or mythical feeling like in Frida’s portraits. Butterflies are often a pattern in her paintings, and so I chose this insect as the feature for our shoot. Butterflies symbolize resurrection and for Frida, they may refer to her rebirth in life after her accident.

Going with this theme of butterflies, I made hundreds of paper butterflies that would be strung from the table to the ceiling. I also made two large butterflies that would be featured on the hanging installation at the altar. I wanted the table to take on a sense of “movement” and so the butterflies flying in a swarm was the focal point.

The ceremony altar hanging installation was bound by a piece of driftwood. Two large butterflies were attached on either ends. Tropical leaves and dried flowers were then attached in an asymmetrical fashion. The floor was anchored with large aloe vera plants and tropicals in terra cotta pots. April and Carrie worked together to create this altar, combining fantasy yet desert, old world feel.

Maison Maquette designed a truly unique and personalized tropical stationery suite!

The floral embroidery on this gown from City of Angels is just oh so cool for this off-beat bride. Paired, with this gold crusted crown from The Loved One, and the gilded jewels, this look is complete!

Could these feathered heels be any more fun? Why not jazz up your footwear with a shoe that speaks to you!? This gorgeous ring made by Canadian designer, Aimee Kennedy at Made You Look is another unique show stopper.

Zesty tequila jalapeno cocktails served in Anthropologie’s green patterned glasses and topped with mint and jalapeno’s looks so refreshing!

This painterly cake by Sweets + Lo has just the right amount of Surrealism to the dessert table. 

We used a colour-scheme of old world colours like burnt orange, navy blue, black, white and silver. Instead of going with a bright and expected colourful theme, I wanted to focus on the “Old World” element. 

An array of other desserts from Butter Avenue and Panchos Bakery offer up a flavour to suit any kind of sweet tooth. Churros add that Mexican flare!

Terra Cotta salad plates were layered on top of antique silver chargers and bold printed plates. To add a personalized touch, Olive Studio added the names of each guest to the salad plates as an alternative to name cards. Colourful printed napkins play with the pattern of the vintage looking plates. Graphic modern glasses sat atop a burnt orange and yellow table runner. Black and white tiled coasters were added for a more authentic Mexican flare. 

Silver antique candle holders with a mixture of different coloured tapered candles help tie in the antique and old world theme. Lastly, dried flowers, grasses and cacti in terra cotta pots were dotted along the tablescape for a desert style feel.

Balzac’s Powerhouse newest location in Toronto, offers plenty of Mexican and old world feels like its graphic tiled floor and exposed brick walls. It is the perfect space for an intimate wedding celebration! We thoroughly enjoy this brown leather banquette and beautiful harvest table. The exposed brick and Mexican inspired tiled floor offer such a great Old World vibe.

Tiny blue butterflies were cut by the hundreds out of blue cardstock by April at Olive Studio as the feature focal point for this shoot. Decor doesn’t always have to be a vast array of florals or expensive installations. This installation was affordable, whimsical and effective!  All that was needed was extreme patience to create, thread and of course hang! 

Of course, it wouldn’t be Frida inspired or surrealist without having a fab headpiece for Frida to wear! Instead of dramatizing her hair, we went for emphasizing her hair pieces like this gorgeous gold crown from The Loved One. Lastly let’s not forget Antoinette’s take on Frida’s flower crown with this vertical floral hair piece! Wow!  

Let’s also note the outfits the talented stylist Ashley Galang pulled for these models. The jumpsuit from Narces is just a show-stopper and the groom’s suit is most probably equally a jaw-dropper.

 

Mini Tequila’s posed as the perfect guest favours. It’s so easy to decorate them up with simple ribbon to make them look that much more special.

Not only were butterflies threaded and hung from the ceiling but they were also dispersed along the table so as to look like they had invaded the tablescape. 

I think the magic about pulling creative shoots together, is the last minute elements that you can’t prepare for. Vendors bring what they think they will use and what they prepare, but the real fun is when you get all the elements together and start seeing it come to life. Then the vision just builds and builds. It is absolutely exhausting but oh so worth it to create something inspiring and unique for those couples out there. They may not always be realistic – but that’s the point. We are trying to showcase the creativity in our minds, and in our dreams. And where better to do it, than somewhere to feature our capabilities?

 

This inspiration shoot has also been featured in Green Wedding Shoes and Wedding Chicks! Click on the links for more! 

 

photography: Olive Studio // venue name: Balzacs Cafe Powerhouse, Toronto, Ontario, Canada // event design: Olive Studio // planning: Olive Studio // florals: Roadside Florist // wedding dress: City of Angels // wedding dress boutique: City of Angels // hairpiece: The Loved One // bride’s shoes: City of Angels // bride’s ring: Balmain // hair stylist: Beyoutiful Brides // makeup artist: Beyoutiful Brides// groom attire: Top Shop and Thomas Henry Made // groom’s shoes: Steve Madden // groom and bride’s engagement ring: Aimee Kennedy // paper goods: Maison Maquette // cake: Sweets + Lo // desserts: Butter Avenue // specialty decor items: Mashi Moosh // models: Angel Constance and Lucas Bertolino // churros: Panchos Bakery // clothing stylist: Ashley Galang // choker: Forever 21 // necklace: H & M // jumpsuit: Narces// watch for male model: Fossil // pocket square for male model : Primark // watch for male model: Michael Kors // jacket + pants for male model: City of Angels // bowtie for male model: ASOS // select decor items: City of Angels


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Olive Studio is a documentary based photography studio, specializing in unique, intimate and off-the-beaten track weddings. Our candid shooting style allows for couples to...
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A Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo inspired this creative wedding photo-shoot. She has always been an inspiration to me; representing a modern woman of ambition, power, sexuality and splendid determination. Most noteworthy, is what makes this woman so impactful to women of today. Despite the era and social conditions, she overcame her sufferings with incredible focus and an acute determination to succeed. Her uncompromising depictions of the female experience and form made her an icon for the Feminism movement. She truly was a woman who made an impact and who has left the world in awe.

Frida Kahlo wedding

I wanted this shoot to take on a bit of a surrealist or mythical feeling like in Frida’s portraits. Butterflies are often a pattern in her paintings and so I chose this insect as the feature for our shoot. Butterflies symbolize resurrection and for Frida, they may refer to her rebirth in life after her accident.

DIY paper butterflies

In order to create a 3D surrealist feel, I cut hundreds of paper butterflies. Strings of 20-50 butterflies attached to a string of fishing line and hung from the ceiling, down to the table. As a result, I wanted the table to take on a sense of “movement” and so the butterflies look to be flying towards the table. Next, I created two large butterflies out of foam-core and digital colour prints. These would be 2 focal points for the ceremony altar.

Frida Kahlo inspiration

A piece of driftwood bound the hanging installation together. The two large butterflies attached on either ends. Tropical leaves and dried flowers then attached in an asymmetrical fashion. Finally, large aloe vera plants and tropicals in terra cotta pots anchored the piece on the floor. April and Carrie worked together to create this altar, combining fantasy yet a desert, old world feel.

The Look

The floral embroidery on this gown from City of Angels is just oh so cool for this off-beat bride. Paired, with this gold crusted crown from The Loved One, and the gilded jewels, this look is complete!

Table-setting

Terra Cotta salad plates layered on top of antique silver chargers and bold printed plates. To add a personalized touch, Olive Studio added the names of each guest to the salad plates as an alternative to name cards. Colourful printed napkins play with the pattern of the vintage looking plates. Graphic modern glasses sat atop a burnt orange and yellow table runner. Black and white coasters added a more authentic Mexican flare.

Collaboration

I think the magic about pulling creative shoots together, is the last minute elements that you can’t prepare for. Collaborating with vendors is a true amalgamation of creativity. We bring the items we prepare to creative shoots with an idea, but the real fun is when we build the vision together. It is absolutely exhausting but oh so worth it to create something inspiring and unique for those couples out there. They may not always be realistic – but that’s the point. We are trying to showcase the creativity in our minds, and in our dreams. And where better to do it, than somewhere to feature our capabilities?

This inspiration shoot is featured in Green Wedding Shoes and Wedding Chicks! Click on the links for more!