Great Gatsby Inspired Photo Shoot

Are you as excited as we are to see Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan star as Jay and Daisy in the upcoming remake of The Great Gatsby?  Then you'll love this 1920's Speakeasy shoot I designed  in Nashville last year.  There's something alluring about the Prohibition era.  Maybe it's the secrecy, the intrigue, that pull toward something you know you shouldn't be doing.  Either way, the fashion and the fun of the 1920's is what inspired this style shoot.  Imagine this couple tying the knot it an old Speakeasy somewhere - and desperately wanting to cheers each other with a great bottle of champagne!

  In fact, our signature cocktail for this event was a traditional, classic Champagne Cocktail.  See below for recipe... The Peacock Feather Headpiece is a DIY project we created, along with the wine bottle candle centerpiece, and the glitter stirring sticks.  The bride is wearing a custom 1920's inspired gown with black nylons underneath…a little surprise and mystery goes a long way.  The white dinner jacket on the groom is another lovely touch that harkens back to the jazz age.  Feathers and Fire make up the design for the shoot - with lovely handmade and personalized candles to keep this love burning from the 1920's straight through today.

Champagne Cocktail

Sugar cubes

Angostura Bitters

Chilled Champagne

Soak sugar cube with a few splashes of the Bitters.  Drop in the bottom of a champagne glass. Fill slowly with chilled sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Gatsby, here we come!

Vendors:

Photographer:  Mike Wootton Photography (http://woottonphotography.com/index2.php)

Event Design: Kate Coppola Leiva with Wedding 101 (http://www.wedding101.net)

Make Up: Katie Russo Make Up (http://www.katierusso.com/)

Hair: Amber Joy Martin (http://www.amberjoymartin.com/)

Cake: Silver Box Cakes (http://www.silverboxcakes.com/)

Container Candles: Flashpoint Candles (http://www.flashpointcandle.com/)

Invitations: By Heart And Hand (http://www.byheartandhand.com/index.htm)

Jewelry: Kim Wright with Stella and Dot (http://www.stelladot.com/sites/kimwright) 

Dress: Olia Zavozina (http://www.oliazavozina.com/)

Tuxedo: Street Tuxedo (http://www.streettuxedo.com/)

Venue: Durego (www.durego.net)

Champagne Cocktail Party - Bridal Shower

How to...

Throw a Champagne Cocktail Party

We threw this champagne cocktail bridal shower for one of my dearest friends before her wedding.  The location could not have been more stunning - the Montage Hotel in Laguna Beach, CA.  See below for the easy, beautiful do-it-yourself tips and ideas!

Cocktail Bar

   Champagne (Prosecco, Sparkling White Wine is equally fine)

   3 or 4 different Champagne Cocktail Recipes (we chose a Classic Champagne Cocktail, Pimms Royale, Mimosa, and Poinsettia)

   Garnishes and mixers based on recipes chosen.

Food

   Assorted cheeses with crackers and torn up french bread

   Grapes to garnish cheese plates

   Crudite platter

   Pita chips and hummus

Decor

   Scour vintage shops, antique stores, and specialty shops for all different champagne glasses.  Give each guest their own glass to take home with them.

   Candles, candles candles!  My go-to decor.  Tea lights, pillars, tapers, use them all.  We were outside for this party, so we had to be creative in our placement - out of the ocean breeze.

   Silver seashells make gorgeous paper weights.  And real sea shells hold down the drink recipes.

   Wooden Skewer Sticks tied with fun ribbon make festive stirring sticks.

   Undo a pre-made bouquet from a flower store to make a more modern arrangement - place a single stem in each vase.

   Hand tear ribbed card stock, and write down the names of the cheeses - then attach to a wooden skewer and stick in each cheese.

   Write out each recipe for every cocktail you plan to serve.

   Get creative with garnishes:  Berries got poured into wine glasses, vintage cake stands hold cucumber slices and mixers, a martini glass serves up sugar cubes.