A 60’s Americana Styled Shoot: Inspired by Elvis & Priscilla Presley

Happy Friday Beauties! I have been dying to share this shoot with you ever since I saw the first polaroid sneak peeks on Dale Weeks’ Facebook a few months back. I was so excited when Dale asked us to feature it, first the photography and details are phenomenal and second the inspiration holds quite a special place in my heart. I absolutely adore Elvis! Growing up I would always listen to his albums and at school when everyone else was reading teen magazines, I was reading Elvis Presley Biographies. I was enthralled by his turbulent relationship with Priscilla, his charm and his beautiful face.

I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to be born in the 60’s, I think I would have fitted right in, I love the music, the fashion, everything just seemed classy. Who is your musical hero? What is your favourite era?

We asked designer Charlotte from Wilden Bride to tell us more about her iconic inspirations…

“Who didn’t grow up listening to Elvis records!? Elvis’ music creates such memories, even for those of us who weren’t ‘there’, his music connects us all, so it’s easy to take inspiration from this theme, and for everybody to feel involved and connected.

Personally, I don’t like to be dictated by a theme, so instead our ideas for our inspiration shoot are loosely based on 60’s styling, Americana, the marriage of Elvis and Priscilla and their Las Vegas wedding. Of course, we’re in England, not Nevada, so here’s how to create the look within our British means!

The Chantry, Turners green – in East Sussex, was the stage for our wedding chapel with its gabled ceiling, whitewashed walls, and the floating pulpit making a feature at the front of the space.   Gwenda from The Vintage Floral Design Co. trimmed the walls and pulpit of The Granary with lots of foliage, and hung bold white paper flower decorations from Comeuppance.  The bouquet and floral features were composed of palms and ferns, white lisianthus, and bubblegum pink hydrangeas.  Illuminated letters from De-Lights make a fun feature, and definitely reflect the bright lights of Las Vegas!

60’s styling is typically bold, rarely very fussy, perfectly reflected in stationery designed by Russett and Gray, choosing bold typography, and limited colour palette of Grey and Pink.

Elvis and Priscilla famously had a six tiered 5ft tall cake. Vintage Rose Cupcakes created a 4 tier cake, in white fondant icing to make it stand out, highlighted with pink sugar roses for a vintage edge.

It can be difficult to find an ‘authentic‘ retro suit for grooms, but we were able to create a convincing look using modern items, but by using a retro combination of black shirt, with grey jacket and tie.

Whoever your 60’s icon is, men will always require a slick ‘do!

The dress is a bespoke design by Wilden Bride, a fun babydoll trapeze style mini dress, with layers and layers of tulle skirts for lots of twirling! Marsha Hall creates bespoke shoes, and handmade a pair of traditional ivory satin court shoe, with mega cute bows on top! Priscilla’s hair and make-up look is instantly recognisable, a soft complexion with nude lip, but deep and dramatic smokey eye with lashings of liner. Priscilla’s hairstyle is quite difficult to pull off, so instead Hair and Make-up artist from Flame Beauty, updated the look by creating a beehive for height, and left the tousled lengths to fall around the shoulders. The hair is dressed with a vintage beaded tiara from Rosie Weisencrantz who re-works vintage jewellery into new pieces.

The star of the show was the 1960’s American Buick from G&M Motor Company, a real piece of Authenticity! Everything else, can be created, and styled, but the car cannot be replicated!

Dale Weeks, our Photographer, has a natural retro style which he emphasised for our shoot, it obviously worked perfectly for the look we wanted to create. Dale also uses a vintage Polaroid Camera for a few extra special which is a great bit of nostalgia too!

If you want to create a similarly fun vibe to your wedding images, then be prepared to do a little posing!!

The only thing from our shoot that is an authentic 60’s piece was the car, everything else was created, or styled, so you see, you don’t have to become a slave to a theme!”

Super Suppliers – Photography: Dale Weeks Photography// Venue: The Chantry// Flowers: The Vintage Floral Design Co.// Paper Flowers: Comeuppance// Stationery: Russett and Gray// Cake: Vintage Rose Cupcakes// Dress: Wilden Bride// Brides Shoes: Marsha Hall// Hair & Makeup: Flame Beauty// Tiara: Rosie Weisencrantz// 1960’s American Buick: G & M Motor Company//