I’m so excited to share with you the ‘Every Bride is Beautiful’ Campaign Shoot by Luno & Stella Weddings and Events.

To celebrate International Women’s Day on 8th March 2024, I brought together seven amazing Devon women as models, following an appeal on social media. The group that formed were each different shapes, ages, sizes, styles, ethnicities and in some instances, disabilities, both physical and hidden. I wanted to show off all of their differences features, characters and personalities, displaying that every single woman is beautiful in her own way. The bridal gowns, shoes, accessories and flowers reflected who are they are individually. An amazing team of 2o other female business owners within the wedding industry added their enthusiastic support and helped to bring the concept to life.

Becoming a ‘bride’ can be exhilarating, exciting, daunting and emotional in equal measure. It can also accentuate perceived flaws and create the opportunity for both positive and poor experiences if hopes are dashed or confidences are shattered. It’s a rollercoaster! Media doesn’t often use imagery that women of all ages, stages, circumstances, cultures and ‘abilities’ can identify, but this project aimed to give ‘every woman’ the chance to shine.

The overall feel of the day was absolutely fantastic – very relaxed but fun and uplifting for all. My aim for the day was for everyone involved to have a fantastic and happy experience, including the ladies who were modelling. With confetti canons, fun sunglasses, and empowering music, it really was just that. The footage of the shoot was captured perfectly by Emma of Freckle Photography (photography), Sally of Capture Weddings (videography), and Lauren of Meraki Moments Media (content creation).

As a thank you to all of the amazing women who were involved in the shoot, everyone was provided with a gift bag. The very talented Cassie, of Cornwall Caricatures, also provided the models with an artistic keepsake, which made for some great shots and added to the fun vibe of the day.

You can find out more about the amazing models and suppliers involved in this shoot below.

Brickhouse Vineyard is a beautiful, rustic barn with a modern twist, nestled deep in the Devon countryside. The venue comprises of the Main Barn, being our ‘salon’ for the day, along with a stunning Roundhouse, which became the setting for the main photoshoot.

The Main Barn provided a fantastic area for shoot prep, including hair, makeup and dressing, plus a great space for socialising and enjoying delicious food from Graze and S’more.

The Roundhouse is a very light, open space, which lent itself perfectly to the photoshoot. With many of the models having never been in front of the camera, the Roundhouse allowed an element of privacy, away from the main group of ladies, easing the pressure of being in the limelight.

We were also extremely lucky with the weather on the day of the shoot and were able to get outside in the winter sun, setting the scene for some amazing shots on the terrace, looking over the vineyard itself, and beyond.

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The colour palette was deliberately neutral to ensure that the focus of the shots remained our beautiful brides, and to allow the atmosphere and rustic charm of the venue to shine. Each bride completed a questionnaire to enable the stylists to create personalised concepts that would suit their wishes, and to build their confidence.

Our chosen dress boutique for this shoot was the brilliant Somerset Bridal. They are extremely adaptable, providing dresses in sizes 6 to 46. Being an ‘unapologetically inclusive’ boutique, they really did meet the criteria for the concept, and truly represent what this shoot is all about.

Prior to the shoot taking place, all of the models were consulted with regard to the style of dress they would feel the most comfortable, and beautiful in, including their preferences with regard to fit, length, sleeves and neckline. We also encouraged them to be open about any parts of their body that they would prefer to be covered, or felt conscious of in some way. As a result, this meant that we had a huge array of beautiful dresses, which were all very different.

All of the models wore differing shoes which fitted their style and personality, and most importantly which they would feel most comfortable in. The footwear style range was therefore vast, including brightly coloured platform heels to sparkly flats and pumps, as well as one model wearing her quite stunning, embellished shoes bought for her own wedding.

As well as dress styles, each model also chose their own styling for their hair and makeup. We had an amazing team of four makeup artists – Millie Elizabeth (Millie Reynolds), Laura Le Page, Nicole Redman and Makeup by Zoe (Zoe McCaffley) – along with four hair stylists - Cindy Beddard Bridal Hair, Natalie Nichols Bridal, Bridal Hair by Rhian (Rhian Ward) and Ocean Waves Hair Styling (Becca Ives).

Claire Austin England provided us with a simply exquisite array of handmade porcelain accessories. Claire and I worked with each model on the day to select earrings and head decorations that would enhance, rather than overwhelm, each model.

Alice at From The Wild Floristry provided us with some amazing florals for this shoot. We wanted a variety of bouquet styles available for the models to choose from, depending on their preference, and also which would complement their dresses. Alice therefore provided us with four beautiful bouquets which were all very different, including dried neutral tones, bright spring flowers, traditional pink roses, and white flowers with greenery. Alice also supplied a foliage backdrop for the main shoot area in The Roundhouse, which complemented all of the bouquets.

A huge thank you also goes out to Inviting Memories for some beautiful thank you cards and signage, Fika Event Hire for your gorgeous backdrop, and to Virginia's Vintage Hire for allowing us use of your stunning cane chairs.

Check out our highlight video from the shoot below!