Guest Blog: Top 3 Tips in Creating Romance That is Uniquely You

Guest Blog by: Alexa from Alexa G. Photos

When I originally sat down and began brainstorming themes and concepts for a bridal styled shoot, I knew I wanted to bring inspiration to brides and grooms everywhere. This last year, the wedding industry was extremely difficult for a lot of couples. Big extravagant weddings turned into quaint backyard ceremonies. Large parties with hundreds of guests turned into small dinners with a few friends and family. I knew a lot of couples were struggling with how to create a fairytale wedding with the limitations that COVID had brought them.

That’s where the idea of this styled shoot blossomed from. I wanted to create something beautiful and romantic out of something traditionally… not romantic. By putting candles and white flowers around cinder blocks, it turned something masculine and industrial into something soft and romantic. I think putting two things that are a stark contrast of each other together, creates a sort of modern fairytale aspect.

As a wedding and elopement photographer, my passion lies with the love that each couple shares. My goal is to create the perfect atmosphere that is centered around their unique love story, which is why I work so closely with my couples to make sure their wedding day solely represents them and their love. My hope is that when couples see this shoot, they realize that no matter what their circumstance is, they can create a wedding day that uniquely represents them. I hope they are inspired to think outside the box and create romance with whatever they have. Whether that is cinder blocks, an old building, or their own backyard, they can still create the fairytale wedding they’ve always dreamed of.

My Top 3 Tips in Creating Romance that is Uniquely You

1. Reflect On Your Relationship

Planning a wedding from scratch can be extremely overwhelming, especially when all your original plans fall through. The very first thing you should do is observe your relationship! What makes your love so unique? A few questions that you can ask yourself are:

Where was your first date?
What is your favorite thing to do together?
Are the two of you adventurous or more homebodies?

By asking yourself specific questions, you can begin to pick out the themes that describe your relationship, and you can build your wedding day around those themes.

If you’re an adventurous couple, head out to the mountains!

If your first date was at a coffee shop, have a coffee bar at your wedding!

If you’re a more intimate couple, maybe have a quiet sunrise breakfast just the two of you!

Still stuck? Ask your friends and family to describe what they think of when they think of you two.

2. Make the most of what you have!

Anything can be romantic and beautiful if you look at it in a creative way. Sometimes the things you do not expect to be romantic end up being the most beautiful part of your wedding day. Instead of viewing something as “I need to cover this up”, look at it as “how can I add beauty to this?”

Look at things like an artist. Observe the colors, textures, lighting, and emotion it will bring, and fully embrace those things. In the example of the cinder blocks, they are a rough gray texture. Instead of thinking “this will be dull and drab” I looked at how I could add a new texture to the scene. Sometimes, like in this scenario, opposites attract. I added a soft element to the rough texture of the cinder blocks to create a romantic feel.

If your area is very dark or back lit, think about how you can create an intimate feeling.

If your area is simple like your backyard, look at what colors and textures are around — observe how the sun sets around your house. Are there any trees you can use as a natural frame?

3. Set aside time to just be with your partner

Sometimes we need the reminder that your wedding day, whether it’s a large party or an intimate ceremony, is all about the two of you dedicating yourselves to each other. It can be easy to stress about every little detail, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the two of you. Find time to just be together, or give them a little gift that lets them know you are thinking of them and nothing else matters.

This can be anything from an intimate sunrise breakfast together, to a letter/vow exchange with no one else around. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you’re taking the time to put you and your partner first.