Elopement in the forest: Beth & Dom

At a rustic table set for two in a clearing within the bewitching woodland at Essex 'wild wedding' venue, Browning Bros, the beautiful Beth and Dom come together for their intimate elopement.

The word 'elopement' finds its roots in 14th century Anglo-Norman French, originally meaning 'to escape' or 'to flee'. Later, in the 17th and 18th centuries, eloping came into use specifically to refer to the act of secretly departing one's home or town in order to marry, especially when carried out against the wishes of parents or family members.

Now, in the 21st century, elopements are becoming more sought after than ever before - but not necessarily as a means to defy disapproving kin. In fact, there are many reasons why elopements have become the wedding of choice for many modern couples, including the desire for intimacy and personalisation; for cost effectiveness; or even to break from tradition and reject the classic wedding model.

You may be pleased to know that an elopement wedding can have all the features of a traditional wedding, including a photographer, cake, makeup artist and musicians, if you so desire - the only difference is that the guest list is very, very short!

This dreamy elopement shoot takes place in ancient Essex woodlands, where the warm earth tones of Dom's suit, and the rich hues of the flowers - reminiscent of a Pre-Raphaelite painter's palette - pair together with ease.

Rendlesham-based florist The Fleur Girl created this thoughtful floral display, as well as Beth's bouquet of single-variety off-white blooms with delicate petals that could be mistaken for parchment.

The wooden table, where the couple's wedding breakfast would take place, is adorned with vases and candlesticks, dotted throughout a centrepiece of moss - a creative way to incorporate nature's offerings.

In between the wider shots of the scene, I capture Beth's elegant jewellery. Designed by Lunar James with reference to ancient cultures and rituals, these pearl and gold pieces catch the light without taking away from the beautiful bride herself, bringing an almost-Elysian quality to the shots.

Of course, a wild wedding doesn't need to be devoid of human-made elements. These paper garlands by Suffolk-based Aime K Studio add a personalised touch without appearing artificial. The muted whites and sepia shades compliment the carefully curated palette - and they look so graceful swaying in the gentle breeze as a backdrop for Beth's solo shots.

With all the details captured, we rounded off this elopement shoot by capturing some joyful moments between Beth and Dom as they relish in their post-wedding high.

Scroll on for more imagery from Beth and Dom's elopement-style shoot.

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Supplier Instagram tags:

Photography & Concept: @mikaelajadephotography

Assistant & Styling: @kerry_mac_photography / @pixiepostcards

Hair Styling: @glow_occasionhair

MUA: @abiloubeauty

Venue: @browningbros

Model Couple: @domandbeth 

Dresses: @perlanovabridal @madewithlovebridal

Florist: @the.fleurgirl

Suit: @coes_stores

Headpieces: @clarelloydaccessories

Jewellery: @lunar.james

Stationery: @hl.designs_studio

Garlands: @aime.k.studio

This is a styled shoot, meaning that the beautiful couple pictured are models - but also a real couple (and you can see this in their tangible chemistry). Styled shoots create an opportunity for creative direction, to exchange ideas and work fluidly with other suppliers, to explore alternative styles and perhaps experiment with new technology and methods of shooting. I hope you've enjoyed perusing this shoot with the magnificent Beth and Dom. Please visit my portfolio to browse more real and styled wedding shoots.