Fauvism Inspired Wedding Style in England

An England wedding fit for an art lover. This shoot, designed by Emily Andrew Events, is based on the art movement called Fauvism, a precursor for Cubism and Expressionism. This movement was popular in Edwardian France with one of the best-known artists being Matisse. They were a group of renegade artists who used bold, bright colors applied to the canvas in a striking, confident stroke. They favored a deep navy called Prussian Blue rather than black as the binding color for their work. This shoot has been created to inspire brides who may be unconfident about using bold shades and incorporating an unusual theme. The shoot features bespoke bridal wear (dresses, shoes, and millinery), set against an Edwardian opulence. There are masses of detail in the props, tablescape, hair, makeup florals and stationery to really show how this theme can be used to influence bridal design.

The Designer’s Details

The centerpiece for this shoot was the Edwardianesque bridal gown handcrafted by Rachael from Foxglove and Gingersnap. Rachael designed the gown to evoke the elements and opulence of the Edwardian fashions with a modern feel. With a full-length skirt, beautifully fitted waistline and elegant neckline, the flattering A-line shape of the dress mirrored the fashions of that era, with the hemline hand stitched with gold lace. The blush pink hue of the silk dupion was overlaid with an ivory tulle and a hand finished beaded and corded French lace edging on the chapel length train. Our model’s trim waist was highlighted with a Prussian Blue ribbon and the shoulders and scooped v-neckline of the dress were embellished with handcrafted gold corded lace that Rachael also used to detail the back of the gown. The subtle detail of the craftsmanship gave a feeling of elegance and refinery, perfectly in keeping with the era, without feeling like a historical replica.

The bold, bright bouquet with wild ‘movement’ incorporated roses, brunia, karma choc dahlias, electric blue delphiniums, scabiosa stellata and foliage of ferns with eucalyptus to give a really rich and opulent texture. The bridesmaid’s posy featured a stunning Cafe Au Lait dahlia along with brunia, scabiosa, astrantia, vintage roses, and cosmos. For the table flowers, gold fruits were also introduced to create a decadent feel, in keeping with the Edwardian era and alluding to the famous fruit based still-life paintings the Fauves created. Stepping away from last year’s trend for floral crowns to something fresh, Constance Rose designed this unique floral choker which looked stunning on our model, set against her auburn hair and simple satin gown, it complemented her bouquet beautifully.

Sonkai, an independent jewelry maker in Norwich, provided some bold gold jewelry that complemented the look, giving a slightly more modern edge. Siofra’s stunning hat was clearly inspired by the style of Edwardian millinery but the colors were very much in keeping with the Fauvism movement. The wide brim was adorned with handmade paper flowers, which were also featured in our bridesmaid’s hair. The handmade shoes from Milly J echoed the color pallet as well and also incorporated 3D flower embellishments over a layer of bridal lace.

The dark blue-based, three-tiered cake took center stage on our dessert drawers from Lou Lou Loves’ hire collection. With bright floral highlights and gold brush strokes, it really made a statement. A two-tiered white cake was decorated to look like a painting that the Fauves themselves would have created and a decadent naked cake, adorned with gold fruits echoed the dinner table arrangements.