During COVID, at-home weddings evolved from a simple backyard affair to themed and personalized events. Luxury wedding planner and designer John Campbell, owner of John Campbell Weddings, showcased how to elevate an intimate wedding with contemporary meetings traditional details.
“With the trend of at-home weddings growing exponentially, I wanted to show that couples have the ability to take a space in their home and totally reimagine it,” the planner explained. “The colors were beige, beige, and more beige with hints of toffee, gold, white, and black. It was very important that the palette was primarily neutral to keep it romantic and light. I used bright white the most sparingly as a way to draw the eye to certain elements; the dress, the tux, the bouquet, the cake, and a few other pieces. This shoot was light but moody, traditional but edgy, organic but structural, soft but punchy, and noticeably feminine but unmistakably masculine.”
While many couples begin their planning process with their venue selection, the wedding planner began by curating an aesthetic that could be used in any setting.
“Normally when I'm designing, I follow the standard practice of searching for inspiration, mood boarding, etc., but I decided to work differently with this shoot by creating my own inspiration pieces,” John revealed. “The first thing I did was create the stationery. I wanted something that screamed ‘bespoke,' so I decided to make it myself, even though I'm more than happy to admit that I am NOT a stationer. Then I made a simple armature for the bouquet using preserved ferns and bougainvillea. The third step was putting together some accent pieces, fabric swatches, and tabletop elements. I photographed these designs and used them as my inspiration images that were sent out to the creative partners involved in the shoot.”
Preserved flowers, foliage, and feathers filled the bride's floral bouquet, while her sophisticated styling balanced the bohemian flare. Michele Renee the Studio used a soft bronze makeup technique to bring a feminine finishing touch.
For luxurious wedding memories, the decor details were designed to take center stage. The two-toned black and gold place settings created a bold contrast that stole the show.
“Kate Ryan Event Rentals just so happened to get their new Dali flatware in stock shortly before I called them to discuss this shoot, and I really think it's one of the elements that make the design,” John beamed. “We so often get caught up on the more noticeable, romanticized aspects of a wedding, like the fashion and flowers, that we overlook items like rentals that tend to blend into the background. As much as I love the flowers in this shoot, the tabletop items are the showstoppers of this tablescape.”
Not to be upstaged by the details, The Artistic Whisk created a five-tiered ethereal inspired wedding cake that made a stunning statement. Spunky Spirits provided their mobile beverage services to complement the festivities.
“The cake was one of the elements I did not conceptualize, but I did know from the start that I was inspired by the work of California based Fine Art Cake Maker, Jasmine Rae Cakes. I sent a few of her works to the team at The Artistic Whisk, and they totally delivered with the elements of form and movement that I wanted to focus on,” the wedding planner revealed. “There's an ethereal quality to this cake that enhances the romanticism of the overall design, and I love that this cake is a standalone piece of art.”
While creating stunning wedding designs fulfills his creative spirit, John shared that it's the genuine emotion and intimate moments that truly matter.
“My favorite element of this shoot was something completely unintentional. The models, Keosha and Anthony, are a real-life married couple who don't have any professional photos from their wedding day. I had no idea this was the case until they mentioned it the day of the shoot,” the wedding planner reminisced. “Weddings are emotional. They're deeply human. I know it's easy to get caught up in the details, but, at the end of the day, the sentimentality is what stands out. The beauty of knowing that this couple can now show their children some kind of wedding photo eclipses anything I could have planned.”
What was your inspiration for this shoot?
Normally when I'm designing, I follow the standard practice of searching for inspiration, mood boarding, etc., but I decided to work differently with this shoot by creating my own inspiration pieces. The first thing I did was create the stationery. I wanted something that screamed “bespoke,” so I decided to make it myself, even though I'm more than happy to admit that I am NOT a stationer. Then I made a simple armature for the bouquet using preserved ferns and bougainvillea. The third step was putting together some accent pieces, fabric swatches, and tabletop elements. I photographed these designs and used them as my inspiration images that were sent out to the creative partners involved in the shoot.
How would you describe the theme?
I wanted to use this shoot as a case study in turning a traditional-style formal living room into space for a trendy, modern wedding reception. The design started out with a desire to use up some preserved flowers and foliage that were collecting dust because of COVID. With the trend of at-home weddings growing exponentially, I wanted to show that couples have the ability to take a space in their home and totally reimagine it.
What were your colors?
Beige, beige, and more beige with hints of toffee, gold, white, and black. It was very important that the palette was primarily neutral to keep it romantic and light. I used bright white the most sparingly as a way to draw the eye to certain elements; the dress, the tux, the bouquet, the cake, and a few other pieces. In the end, the palette was the most important aspect of the design, as it walks a very fine line that allows the overall design to play with contradictions. This shoot is light but moody, traditional but edgy, organic but structural, soft but punchy, and noticeably feminine but unmistakably masculine.
How did the rentals enhance the ambiance of the event?
We so often get caught up on the more noticeable, romanticized aspects of a wedding, like the fashion and flowers, that we overlook items like rentals that tend to blend into the background. As much as I love the flowers in this shoot, the tabletop items are the showstoppers of this tablescape.
Kate Ryan Event Rentals just so happened to get their new Dali flatware in stock shortly before I called them to discuss this shoot, and I really think it's one of the elements that make the design.
What was the inspiration for the cake design?
The cake was one of the elements I did not conceptualize, but I did know from the start that I was inspired by the work of California based Fine Art Cake Maker, Jasmine Rae Cakes. I sent a few of her works to the team at The Artistic Whisk, and they totally delivered with the elements of form and movement that I wanted to focus on. There's an ethereal quality to this cake that enhances the romanticism of the overall design, and I love that this cake is a standalone piece of art.
What is the estimated cost of the styled wedding shoot:
This wedding was planned for 4 guests. Similar weddings I've done for real-life couples tend to average at a total of $10,000
Photography: Stills by Hernan
Videography: Patel Creative
Planning, Design, Florals, Stationery: John Campbell Weddings *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Pro
Attire: Nikki's Glitz and Glam Boutique
Hair and Makeup: Michele Renee the Studio *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Pro
Tabletop Rentals: Kate Ryan Event Rentals *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Pro
Bar Service: Spunky Spirits *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Pro
Pet Coordination: Furry Ventures Pet Care
Cake: The Artistic Whisk *Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Pro
Models: Keosha Eshay
Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
*Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.
