Gothic Luxe Wedding in Hertfordshire

When alternative wedding planner Rachel posted in a professional wedding group that she and Holly were putting together a gothic styled shoot at Fanhams Hall in Hertfordshire, I knew I had to be involved. Gothic luxe is a look that I really love, and I was excited by the team of suppliers that were jumping on board, so it was a no-brainer!

Pics: Emma DB Photography

What is Gothic Luxe?

Gothic luxe is a unique aesthetic which transcends obvious Halloween references, focusing instead on attention to detail and high-quality items. The style often uses handcrafted products created by skilled local artists, nodding to aristocracy whilst cunningly incorporating elements of the alternative scene. It is characterized by an air of mystery, fantasy, and escapism, with elements which are both elegant and intriguingly dark. For weddings, the theme is a great way for alternative couples to steer away from tradition whilst creating an aura of grandness and opulence.

The Wedding Dress

I designed and created the wedding dress for this shoot with a black and blood red colour palette to fit our decadent gothic luxe theme. Although I could have just made a black dress, I do love to nudge in a jewel tone to up-level the sophistication- and I’m glad I did as the splash of red really enhanced our model Jade’s colouring. The dress had a corset lace up back and beautiful detailing – it was definitely a statement dress.

Pics: Dave Hadley Photography

I wanted to make something custom for the shoot and set myself a project goal of 3 weeks, from design board through to completion. This meant choosing fabrics that I knew would arrive on time and adapting one of my favourite recent designs. I wasn’t going to have any fittings with Jade, so she sent me her basic measurements and I got an idea of her shape through her Instagram photos. On the day I was delighted and relieved to see that the dress fit Jade very well and suited her beautifully!  

I LOVE designing one of a kind wedding dresses and I would love to work with you. Get in touch if you are looking for a bespoke wedding dress for your special day.

Wedding Planning Hot Tip!

The energy on the group chat was high.  We encouraged each other, checked that our contributions were sympathetic to Rachel’s vision and individually were able to build up a good picture of how the day was going to look.  Engaged couples, this is a vital tip – when your suppliers work together, you are guaranteed to have a cohesive look to your wedding, which is what elevates it to luxe status!

Pics: HN Photography

Gothic Wedding Suppliers Assemble!

Fanhams Hall is like Batman’s fantastically gothic Wayne Manor, but much cooler. It is immaculately maintained and would suit whatever theme you wanted, with so many photogenic rooms, gardens, nooks and crannies which make for a very dramatic backdrop- perfect for our lavish shoot.

We had 4 photographers, 2 videographers and a content creator on this shoot, as well as a drone. This was uber-luxe.  Each photographer has a different nuance to their look and it was great to see their different visions and artistic interpretations of the day. I am heavily influenced by music and was fascinated by the different tunes each videographer chose for their work.  Check out my Instagram reels to see them!

Pics: Amy Murphy Photography

The magic really was in the details, which is why having so many wonderful wedding businesses on board made the finished product a huge success. We had two cakes – both fitted the theme perfectly, but accentuated a different kind of edginess. Clare Lloyd’s hair accessories featured lush berries and jewels, and had the spirit of a pagan celebration. The tables were fit for gothic royalty, and featured ornamental place card holders which were carved out of eggshells (yes you did read that right)- It doesn’t get more opulent than a ring box that has been crafted from an ostrich egg.  

Pics: Dave Hadley Photography

To take the unconventional a bit further, we created a jumping the broom ceremony, expertly led by the celebrant Kelly Hawes. As with all the best weddings, the overall look was pulled together by the careful arrangement of props, decor by Rachel and the vibrant floral arrangements by Vicki. I’ve put a list below of all the fabulous people involved in the shoot if you want to check out their work.

I’m also delighted to say that this shoot was featured by Til Death, the Dark Wedding Collective, who I will be joining on the 1st of September for the Gothic Luxe Wedding Fair in York. If you’re an alternative couple who have a inclination towards the dark and mysterious, I hope to see you there.

Pics: Emma DB Photography

Pics: Emma DB Photography

When alternative wedding planner Rachel posted in a professional wedding group that she and Holly were putting together a gothic styled shoot at Fanhams Hall in Hertfordshire, I knew I had to be involved. Gothic luxe is a look that I really love, and I was excited by the team of suppliers that were jumping on board, so it was a no-brainer!

What is Gothic Luxe?

Gothic luxe is a unique aesthetic which transcends obvious Halloween references, focusing instead on attention to detail and high-quality items. The style often uses handcrafted products created by skilled local artists, nodding to aristocracy whilst cunningly incorporating elements of the alternative scene. It is characterized by an air of mystery, fantasy, and escapism, with elements which are both elegant and intriguingly dark. For weddings, the theme is a great way for alternative couples to steer away from tradition whilst creating an aura of grandness and opulence.

The Wedding Dress

I designed and created the wedding dress for this shoot with a black and blood red colour palette to fit our decadent gothic luxe theme. Although I could have just made a black dress, I do love to nudge in a jewel tone to up-level the sophistication- and I’m glad I did as the splash of red really enhanced our model Jade’s colouring.

The dress had a corset lace up back and beautiful detailing – it was definitely a statement dress.

Pics: HN Photography

Many Stitches in Time

I wanted to make something custom for the shoot and set myself a project goal of 3 weeks, from design board through to completion. This meant choosing fabrics that I knew would arrive on time and adapting one of my favourite recent designs. I wasn’t going to have any fittings with Jade, so she sent me her basic measurements and I got an idea of her shape through her Instagram photos. On the day I was delighted and relieved to see that the dress fit Jade very well and suited her beautifully!  

I LOVE designing one of a kind wedding dresses and I would love to work with you. Get in touch if you are looking for a bespoke wedding dress for your special day.

Wedding Planning Hot Tip!

The energy on the group chat was high.  We encouraged each other, checked that our contributions were sympathetic to Rachel’s vision and individually were able to build up a good picture of how the day was going to look.  Engaged couples, this is a vital tip – when your suppliers work together, you are guaranteed to have a cohesive look to your wedding, which is what elevates it to luxe status!

Pics: Dave Hadley Photography

Gothic Wedding Suppliers Assemble!

Fanhams Hall is like Batman’s fantastically gothic Wayne Manor, but much cooler. It is immaculately maintained and would suit whatever theme you wanted, with so many photogenic rooms, gardens, nooks and crannies which make for a very dramatic backdrop- perfect for our lavish shoot.

We had 4 photographers, 2 videographers and a content creator on this shoot, as well as a drone. This was uber-luxe.  Each photographer has a different nuance to their look and it was great to see their different visions and artistic interpretations of the day. I am heavily influenced by music and was fascinated by the different tunes each videographer chose for their work.  Check out my Instagram reels to see them!

The magic really was in the details, which is why having so many wonderful wedding businesses on board made the finished product a huge success. We had two cakes – both fitted the theme perfectly, but accentuated a different kind of edginess. Clare Lloyd’s hair accessories featured lush berries and jewels, and had the spirit of a pagan celebration. The tables were fit for gothic royalty, and featured ornamental place card holders which were carved out of eggshells (yes you did read that right)- It doesn’t get more opulent than a ring box that has been crafted from an ostrich egg.  

Pics: Amy Murphy Photography

To take the unconventional a bit further, we created a jumping the broom ceremony, expertly led by the celebrant Kelly Hawes. As with all the best weddings, the overall look was pulled together by the careful arrangement of props, decor by Rachel and the vibrant floral arrangements by Vicki. I’ve put a list below of all the fabulous people involved in the shoot if you want to check out their work.

Pics: Dave Hadley Photography

I’m also delighted to say that this shoot was featured by Til Death, the Dark Wedding Collective, who I will be joining on the 1st of September for the Gothic Luxe Wedding Fair in York. If you’re an alternative couple who have a inclination towards the dark and mysterious, I hope to see you there.

Pics: HN Photography

Pics: Emma DB Photography