The Bridgerton Style Wedding – how it all started

It became clear to me by episode 2 that I needed to have a Bridgerton Style Wedding to photograph in my life. Though it was late at night, that didn’t stop me from texting Amanda from Amanda Reed Weddings. Next, I texted Julie from Jules Design Event Florist about this idea (links to all vendors at the bottom). They both texted back within ten minutes sharing my interest in making the beloved Netflix show come to life. We were going to bring Bridgerton here to Northwest Arkansas.

The vision, and the why…

2020 was a weird year for the wedding industry. Consequently, nearly every photographer I know went out of business. Furthermore, so did a lot of other wedding vendors. It was sad to watch. On the wedding front, most events were cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19. And, the ones that were rescheduled were scaled down to accommodate state mandates. And some couples just straight up eloped.

What I love about this concept is that it showed that even an intimate wedding or elopement can be celebrated on a grand, luxurious scale. My vision was that we bring all the beauty and opulence to the Bridgerton Style Wedding. And I wanted to make it relatable to weddings in Northwest Arkansas.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work…

To pull off such a masterpiece, especially in only TWO weeks (yes, really), we focused our attention on collaborating with the best wedding talent in Northwest Arkansas. Thankfully, by pulling Amanda Reed Weddings and Jules Design Events in right away, two of the biggest obstacles for this Bridgerton Style Wedding were fixed. Amanda took the reins and brought in two NWA all-stars. First, Jennifer at Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe, who make multiple cakes and desserts for this shoot. Second, Lindsey (Past Benny Bride), the owner of Tesori Bridal, to dress our bride. For the full list of dream wedding vendors in NWA, read to the end.

This shoot wasn’t without challenges…

There were a couple challenges I faced when planning and shooting such an elaborate wedding. First, finding the perfect models proved most difficult. Gorgeous redhead brides don’t grow on trees. Also, I needed a charismatic and attractive black man for the iconic role for the Bridgerton Style Wedding, so I went to Instagram. Because Facebook and Instagram always seem to know what I’m thinking and saying anyway, I thought I would leave it up to social media to guide me. Weirdly, it did! Shelby and Shawn were perfect and embodied the roles beautifully!

The next challenge was the weather and timing. It’s early February, which means the sun sets at 5, and it’s COLD. Because of these two things, a well-timed schedule was super important. Oh, and there was rain in the forecast. On shoot day, it misted and rained all day, but the team came together and powered through. I was able to shoot it in a way that didn’t look like it was raining. Just look! The details shots (flat lay, rings, etc) were shot after the sun went down… in a gymnasium! I’m not kidding! The rest I was able to capture and make it look like it wasn’t misting and spitting water, lol.

**note to brides… make sure you hire a photographer for your wedding who can control lighting and color like this! You want your wedding day to be captured as beautifully as possible!

An Ode to Bridgerton on Netflix…

I wanted to pay homage to the masterpiece on Netflix with the Bridgerton Style Wedding, and with the help of the team and models, I think we did that! Right down to the ring that, to me, emulated the necklace she wore on the show. I hope you enjoy! If you watched the show, hopefully you pick up on some of the intricate details we tried to pay tribute to with this shoot!

PHOTOGRAPHY – BENFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY @dalebenfield 
PLANNING + DESIGN – AMANDA REED WEDDINGS @amandareedweddings 
VENUE – PRIVATE PINNACLE ESTATE CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET – @ambernyerraltor
FEMALE MODEL – SHELBY PFEIFFER – @shelbypfeiffer
DRESS, HAIRPIECE – TESORI -@tesori_bridal
SHOES – BADGLEY MISCHKA ON LOAN FROM @mrsalexstoner
JEWELRY (HER EARRINGS AND RING) – MAE’S EMPORIUM PRIVATE COLLECTION – @maesemporium
HAIR  – GABBY LOPEZ – @beautyandblissbygabby
MAKEUP  – ASHLEY GREGORY – @ashgbeauty
MALE MODEL – SHAWN BURNS – @itsshawnburns
VELVET TUXEDO JACKET AND PANTS – WALKER BROS – @shopwalkerbrothers
CAKES – SHELBY LYNN’S CAKE SHOPPE – @shelbylynnscake
TARTS – THE CAKE OCCASION – @thecakeoccasion
FLORAL – JULES DESIGN – @julesdesigneventflorals
SILVER – FINDING JULES RENTALS – @finding_jules_rentals
TABLETOP DECOR, CHAIRS – EVENTOLOGY – @eventology_us
LINENS, CHARGERS – NUAGE DESIGNS – @nuagedesignsinc 
STATIONERY, VOW BOOK – SHINDIG PAPERIE – @shindigpaperie
CALLIGRAPHY – JANNA WILSON – @janna_wilson
GLOVES – DELLA DEVILLE – @delladevillesvintage
HANDKERCHIEF & FAN – CELLAR DOOR STORE – @cellardoorstore