Inspiration is such a wild of color and emotion, but its design can be so much more; it can serve as a representation and testament to growth and change and renewed perspective. With this, we can see pieces of our stories and souls—after all, what greater purpose could it all serve than to simply bear witness to our humanness?
A word from photographer, Sarah Porter:
“Renewal comes in many forms, sometimes like a wild eruption of emotion, and other times as a light wind that washes over. No matter where we are in our lives, change is inherent like a shifting current; it all just comes down to if we follow the tide. This editorial shoot was an exploration into embracing our inner wildness and pain within moments of grace and change in all stages of our lives.
Curated and produced in collaboration with Alyssa Kristin Bridal in Chicago and Daffodil*Parker, each detail in this workshop and shoot was weighted with a deeply rooted personal story.
In complete transparency, the instructor and visionary for this workshop, Booth Photographics, experienced a difficult loss right before the shoot while one of the shoot designers, Katie, found out she potentially had cancer and intentionally chose the willow branch to reflect her journey. This shoot was a charged experience and one that sticks in my memory, and I’m happy to share it with you.
I love this collaboration because it’s a tangible expression of beauty through growth and transformation. While the tablescape is draped and stark with a dense color, the settings have their room to speak and stand out. The wild thicket of the bouquet is vibrant, lush, and rustic; it spirals out yet maintains composed creating a beautiful centerpiece.
The dress is a soft white that’s beautiful in its simplicity and caresses the floor in effortless drapery. With each photo of the model, Shea, everything fell into its right place.
The entire shoot was made up of minimal pieces, but they all came together in creating a dense tapestry of decadent visuals. There’s an intimacy in the textures and a billowy comfort when you take a step back and look at everything as a whole, creating a space of quiet and reflection — a setting that’s so important to sit in on your wedding day.
There is beauty in time as it unfurls around us, and we don’t often see it without the indelible spark of personal change and rebirth.”
photographer: Sarah Porter / venue: Charlie’s On Main / stylist & workshop: Booth Photographics / floral designer: Daffodil*Parker / dress: Alyssa Kristin Wedding / calligraphy & invitations: Love Offering / model, hair & makeup: The Rock Agency
Sarah Porter
2 February
Thank you for the beautiful feature. The curation of images you chose is just perfect.