Taylor and Chris’ romantic Dade City wedding inspiration shoot was a reflection of their originally planned wedding day that was rescheduled due to COVID-19. A color palette of dusty blue and blush pink popped against the natural greenery surrounding the lavish white rustic wedding venue.

“The couple had originally planned a large wedding for October, however, COVID made that an impossibility. I still wanted to make all of Taylor’s wedding dreams come true, so we created her exact wedding, just in the form of a styled shoot. I am a true Southern girl, born in Florida, and a hopeless romantic, so I wanted everything to be southern, chic, and totally romantic,” Barbara, the owner of Covington Farm shared. “Taylor’s favorite color is pink, and Chris’ favorite color is blue, so the obvious color palette we chose was blush and dusty blue, which also happens to be a popular choice for many brides because it is just so dreamy!”

Highlighting the romantic atmosphere of the sprawling 75-acre countryside venue at Covington Farm, the picturesque haybarn was elaborately adorned with draping and shimmering blush linens. The resident horses made an appearance during the portrait session, creating picture-perfect memories for the bride and groom to reminisce on forever.

“Covington Farm is a working horse farm. We have several horses on-site. I love horses, and all animals, so my very favorite part of this shoot was the amazing Percheron horse, named Belle, standing 17.2 hands tall and weighing 1,900 pounds, and so gentle and loving. I also love the inclusion of Taylor and Chris’ gorgeous fur baby Tucker.  Fur babies are family too, so we love it when couples include them in the wedding,” Barbara beamed.

The bride is also Barbara’s niece, so she was in good hands when it came to selecting personal touches.

“The inspiration for this shoot came from my heart. I love decorating for weddings, but when it is a favorite family member, it becomes all that much more special. I consider every single detail personally. Our mutual love of horses played an important role,” the venue owner and designer shared. “I love it when a bride includes a map and a detailed card in the invitation suite. It gives the invitees a glimpse into what the wedding day will look like. I sketched a directional map, and the artist created a fabulous hand-drawn map featuring each of our farm animals. The hand rendering of the barn on the invitation and the inside flap of the envelope was the icing on the cake. The detailed card included local accommodations, the fact that it was an outdoor ceremony, inside the reception, and that a lot of dancing would be involved!

Since fall is Taylor’s favorite time of year, Barbara traveled hundreds of miles to find the perfect autumn details to include for the bride.

“I absolutely love decorating with fresh, real white pumpkins, so that love is what sets the tone for the entire shoot. I went to local farmers outside of Waynesville, North Carolina, where my husband Bud and I have a second home, to purchase white pumpkins, straight from the fields. I have bought from the same farmers every year for the past 11 years. They have all varieties, shapes, and sizes,” the venue owner revealed. “I also sketched the cake for the baker, and she made my vision a reality. If you look closely you will see little white pumpkins with gold tops hidden on the cake.”

The bride’s fairytale styling included pulling her hair back with long loose curls with a diamond-studded headband reminiscent of a tiara. The subtle romantic hair and makeup complimented the fitted mermaid-style dress and pastel floral bouquet.

Just as their originally scheduled wedding had been planned, immersive elements were brought into the styled shoot to showcase the excitement that comes with glamourous touches, such as a champagne wall and custom cookies featuring a watercolor rendition of the venue. The cutest surprise element was the couple’s pet dog, Tucker, who wore his finest eucalyptus leaf floral collar.