Wedding trends 2019 – Styled shoot

The theme for this styled shoot was to showcase the new marriage between black and nude   and to add pops of rose-gold for hints of opulence.

Elie Saab as well as Dior, displayed the nude/blush wedding dresses in all their magnificence on a recent catwalk showcasing the trends for 2019.

There is nothing like luxurious fabrics and complimentary colours that  lend allure to brides which enhance their natural beauty.  We saw this for ourselves when our gorgeous model, Shaldene found her  inner goddess while floating in her own femininity in a whirlwind of floating fibres.  This dress was the creation of our local talented Cindy Bam!

Every bride deserves to be a princess for a day!

San-Marie from CreativeNook created the very elegant bouquet.  She found her inspiration in the Far East with the fan as a base which she sprayed black and built her florals onto the fan.  The bouquet was unique but elegant in its fragility.  Meghan Markle’s recent wedding bouquet now proving that big and overpowering is no longer necessary.

The wild “Boho” look of the past few years is  being replaced with more sophisticated, elegant styles… while foliage will continue to be important, it will be more controlled as an accent to floral.

The overall 2018-2019 trend is of beauty and romance. Currently, blush pinks, champagnes, and ivory dominate with soft, fluffy blooms to create a soft, romantic, feminine look.  San-Marie was spot on with her beautiful floral creation.

The trends for hair  2018 – 2019 season are to be blamed on  Meghan Markle, the humble tendrils are back and bigger than ever. Two long face-framing pieces, curled away from the face, is all you need to make a basic chignon look oh-so-2019.  

Couples are not afraid of colour in 2019 and are adding deep and saturated hues to their wedding palette and complimenting it with warmer metallic tones such as brass or brushed nickel as well as pairing it with greenery and floral elements.  It is a sexy and unique way to stand out.  Brides are choosing to make a statement with with colours and neutrals.

The perfect way to give your invitations, placement and menus an extra special touch is to use Holographic foil besides the popular gold and rose gold detail.

There are plenty of trends for make-up in 2018 & 2019.  Most of the emphasis is on good skincare.  Looking after your skin to ensure that it is glowing for your big day is essential. Most brides will have the choice of either natural makeup that shows off the skins gorgeous glow or  a glamorous makeup look.

But beware, natural make-up does not mean no make-up.  Make-up that enhances your natural beauty is the way to go.  In this styled shoot, Helga from HelgaBridal used a deep burgundy shade of lipstick to top off a glamorous style.

One of the biggest trends for 2019 is the use of drones in wedding photography and videography as it is able to add a different and steady perspective of the wedding day.  Jo Stokes Photography is excited to welcome Jarred Stokes on board as her drone operator.

Cakes will be moody and modern in design which is inspired by fashion, architecture, and interior design.

We will see sleek black designs, hand-painted art, metallic leaf, chocolate brushstroke, and that minimalist clean line style to cakes everywhere.

But no matter the trends ….trends will come and go so make your wedding uniquely yours and have lots of fun with the planning.

A huge thank you to all the suppliers involved in this styled shoot!  Its always fun to collaborate with the industry creatives!

Concept, Decor, floral styling and lighting – San-Marie from Creativenook

Wedding dress designer – Cindy Bam Couture

Make-up and Hairstylist – Helga Strydom from Helgabridal

Stationery – Anika from Blooming Wonderful

Cake – Karen from The Mixing Bowl Cake Company

Couch – Okasie

Linen – Set the Table 

Linen – Tablecloth Hiring

Cutlery & Crockery – Two Birds

Tabletop rentals – Sitting Pretty

Venue – Die Woud

Photography and drone footage – Jo-Ann & Jarred Stokes from Jo Stokes Photography

and last but not least, our superstar model – Shaldene Wissing

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A Boho Foraged Styled shoot

Die Woud, Caledon

This authentic styled shoot was the collaboration of some talented Cape Town suppliers.  The talent behind this look was none other than San-Marie from Creative Nook.  Not only is San-Marie a talented wedding planner, she is also a very talented florist.  All decor, floral masterpieces were her own creative vision.

Cape Town has been suffering a drought crisis for the past two years.  This gave us the idea to consider how to create wedding decor that was eco friendly to our environment and how to use sustainable flowers and plants in our local wedding celebrations.

Cindy Bam created a textured, whimsical, fantasy Boho dress in her workshop in Loop Street, Cape Town, to compliment this styled shoot.  The textured detail in the sleeves  and the bodice  against the soft, tulle skirt created

Helga Stardom was our wonderful make-up artist and hairstylist for the day.  She created a moody look with a deep plum coloured lipstick which complimented the decor and flowers.

Jarred Stokes captured some great photos with his drone!

A big thank you to all the talented suppliers involved:-

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PORTFOLIO – LARA

Portfolio shoots are always so much fun for me.  I get to get gorgeous young ladies …or men …in front of my lens and we get the chance to be creative and try out new locations and fashions …and  I get to call it work ..I mean seriously …what more could a girl ask for!  Lol, I know it sounds too wonderful ….and for an hour or two it seriously is ..but then we do get a reality check along the way ..we have to go back to the office and chain ourselves to the desk and edit.  Unfortunately the fun bit is about 10% of the total task ..but hey …I dont want it any other way!

It was so much fun hooking up with Lara again.  The camera seriously loves this young lady.  You might remember that about two years ago, I did a shoot for her when she was still in matric.  She is still a lovely young lady ..maybe slightly more matured ..I am sure varsity definitely matures you in lots of ways.  She is studying drama and I could imagine that will do brilliantly at it.  In actual fact, Lara studying drama made it so easy for me when I was directing poses for her.

We used a few locations locally.  I am always looking out for new and interesting locations but I also must admit that  I have my few trusted favourites, where the light is always awesome and the location always delivers!  Lara chose her own outfits and it gave us a good variety of looks to use.  Most agencies need to see models and actors in their natural states so it doesnt make any sense to make the portfolio shoot too styled and looking unlike themselves.  Check out Lara’s previous session with me here!

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 A big shout out to this amazing team who made this whole day an absolute day of fun!

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So without further ado, let me thank them once again ….firstly, thank you to Diamant Estate ….I am so excited about your venue …loved the incredible light that we got there …besides it being a beautiful venue!  I sincerely hope that I have many opportunities to photograph many stunning weddings at your venue!  Thank you also to the wonderful team at Olivelli, Cape Town for supplying us with stunning wedding gowns!   A big thank you to Tanya from Aartsappel for the gorgeous bouquets!  I would also like to thank Jessica for the very unusual jewellery!

A huge shout out to Clarita from Clarita Smit Make-up for being my right hand man (or woman should i say) …..this talented lady nailed her brief to perfection!

And then a huge thank you to my wonderful models, Rafaella, Julian & Adrienne ..you guys were naturals!

I would also like to point out that the African neckpiece was made by my very talented niece, Sinead Malan!

And finally a big thank you to my son, Jarred ..who worked behind the scenes for me and was a great reflector holder!

And I am so excited to say …..that the next styled shoot is already in the planning stages!

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I have been fortunate to work with so many talented people on this shoot!  Firstly, a big thank you to Jessica Jane Jewellery for some really unique jewellery!  Aartsappel in Paarl supplied us with the most artistic bouquets and hair pieces!  Clarita Smit Make-up did a superb job with the brief, I could not have been happier!  Olivelli Cape Town supplied us with the most exquisite dresses! And MT Ferreira, the Events & guesthouse Manager of Diamant Estate, gave us free reign with this  most picturesque venue which overlooks acres of vineyards and lush countryside and is at the foot of the Paarl Mountain and is a definite treasure in the Agter-paarl.

And finally, a huge thank you to Topco models for sending us the fun, infectious and playful, Rafaella Lemes who was a joy to work with as well as a big thank you to Julian Naderer for being my knight in shining armour and being our handsome, charming groom!

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A boudoir photo shoot can be an art of their own and can incorporate creativity as well as traditional looks. Ladies, if you are getting married, nothing can make your wedding that little bit more memorable than a pre boudoir photo session. So if you are one of the bold ones who’ve taken the decision of being photographed in your most seductive and sexy lingerie and other inner wear, firstly we congratulate you for your decision and secondly, here are a few quick tips to make this particular photo-session the most memorable one you’ve ever had.

Tips for the perfect boudoir photo shoot:

• Finding the right photographer
Being photographed for a boudoir shoot can be even more intimidating than any other shoot. However a great photo shoot requires calm and comfort. Thus, before getting any further with your ideas, you firstly need to find a reliable and trustworthy photographer, someone who makes you comfortable and lets you explore your wild and sexy side with as much ease as possible. Lucky you! You have already found the right photographer so this tip is already looked after.

• Pack your outfits with care
A number of women pack their boldest outfits for such shoots but the very idea of wearing such bold garments in front of the camera makes them nervous, so we advise all the ladies to keep calm and pack their lingerie with care. Shop a little if you want and carry a mix of bold and subtle outfits in order to cover the risk of feeling nervous and shy in front of the camera. Often times, the simplest shoots make for the best photographs.

• Pamper yourself before the shoot
Nothing makes a woman happier than the feeling of being pampered, so in order to make your bold and sexy shoot a happy experience, we advise you to get some pampering before coming for the shoot. Hit the spa for a head massage or go to the salon for a nice facial and haircut, and invest your time in those activities that make you happy. Nothing makes a photo shoot better than a naturally glowing and happy model, so rejuvenate your mood. When women pamper themselves and get their nails or hair done, they feel more comfortable and confident – so don’t miss this step!

• Confidence is the key
Staying confident at the time of the shoot is really important. For this reason, ensure that your makeup and hair stylists know your style and make you feel as beautiful as ever! Nothing inspires a person more than the fact that he or she is looking good and we are sure that when you see yourself in the mirror with perfect make-up and hair, you’ll automatically gain ample confidence to face the camera in your bare beauty. So, our tip for all the brave girls who want to do this type of shoot is to look good and feel good in order to remain confident during this particular photo shoot. Get your eye brows and waxing done and don’t forget to hire the services of a professional make-up and hairstylist for this special photo-session.

Jo Stokes Photography has done a number of Boudoir photo shoots which can be seen by clients in order to get an idea of her style as well as ideas for their own shoot. Please feel free to call and meet Jo-Ann to see how you feel around her and to discuss more details about this type of photo shoot.

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Meet my crazy, fearless friend, Adri!  Recently I was in Johannesburg for a corporate shoot and Adri was my partner in crime during my time up there.  I cant remember when I had so much fun …she is game for anything …and I only had to say I wanted to be somewhere and she was ready and willing to take me wherever!  We found ourselves downtown Johannesburg and I was dying to discover The Old Parktown Station …we did eventually find it …and to top it off …she allowed me to put her in front of my lens and be my glamour model….now, Adri is tall …I think she is about 6ft2 …so perfect model material!  I had so much fun with this girl from the “south” …she made me do crazy things that I would have thought twice about ….she had me clambering on top of rooves to get the perfect picture ….and this from someone who has a fear of heights ….I dont think anyone else could have made me do this!

and we also found this gorgeous young girl doing an art project by Old Parktown station …so I asked her to come pose too!!

Cape Town photographer, Cape Town wedding photographer

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