A pre-loved, rustic bridal shoot in Lincolnshire

Photographer Janey Kay tells us about the inspiration behind this pre-loved bridal shoot that was all about second chances

The inspiration

When planning the shoot I wanted to give the wedding gowns a story based on the concept of re-loved and pre-loved, as Bridal Reloved Caistor were supplying the gowns. I was inspired by Coco Chanel who famously said: “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”

We all deserve a second chance - whether it is in love or life, people sometimes falter at the thought of starting again or trying something new. This got me thinking and when I was working with this lovely bunch of creatives on the shoot I realised that we all had something in common – we were all doing something that we may not have originally set out to do in our life plans, whether that was with our careers or even our relationships. 

The venue

Pheasantry Brewery is a quirky working brewery near Newark, Nottinghamshire. We wanted a rustic, stripped-back backdrop so that the gowns could really shine. The woodland and beautiful house seemed an obvious choice, especially with the natural display of snowdrops in the foreground. It is a venue that may not be an obvious first choice so we found it fitting for the ‘second chance’ ethos behind the shoot.

The flowers

The wonderful flowers were the choice of Rosedale House Floral Designs. They included beautiful peach roses and pheasant feathers – a wonderful touch.   

The brides

Janey: We had three brides all picked for a specific look and reason. All of the brides have attended my confidence building photo sessions which have proved extremely popular. I always include real ladies in my shoots. 

Hair and make-up was by make-up artist and beauty therapist Natalie George. I’ve worked with Natalie since I began my business and we are on the same wavelength when it comes to creating looks and bringing out the ladies’ natural beauty. 

Natalie: The models for the day were all different – with different hair types, colours, lengths and skin types so it was important to make sure each look was different too. I went for soft make-up with a little colour in the right areas and made sure it wasn’t too thick to enhance their beautiful features. Their hair was styled to suit the dresses, hair pieces and models accordingly. I loved working with such inspiring women.

The décor 

The décor for our shoot was minimal to let the dresses and the models shine.   

The details

Accessories for this shoot were from Chequers Boutique in Cleethorpes. They provided elegance and a bit of bling to glint in the sunshine. Evie Rose provided a floral headpiece which gave a contrasting look too.

Behind the scenes

Get the look: 

Venue: Pheasantry Brewery
Photography: Janey Kay Photography
Dresses: Bridal Reloved Caistor
Tiaras: Chequers Boutique
Hair and make-up: Natalie George
Flowers: Rosedale House Floral Designs
Floral headpiece: Evie Rose
Models: Helen Hesletine, Becka Coney and Gilly Chetwynd 

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