Rewilding: an all eco elopement

Published by Claire Gould on October 1, 2021October 1, 2021

If there was one blog feature I could hold up to the world and say, “here: this is why I’ve been blogging for ten years”, it’s this. I’m in love with the beauty of this seaside elopement which reminds me of my own wild beach. The images are out of this world. But it’s the words from Suffolk wedding photographer Beth Beresford which really grab onto my heart and stay there. As we head into 2022 with sustainability a real focus for our wedding blogging future, I only wish I could articulate, anywhere near as beautifully as she does, what Beth has captured here. Words and images by the fabulously talented Beth Beresford Photography. Full supplier list (and these guys are all SO amazingly good at what they do) below.

Photographer – Beth Beresford Photography https://www.bethberesfordphotography.co.uk/
Stylist & Planner – @make_our_day_
Dress designer – Maggie Sottero https://www.maggiesottero.com/
Textile Designer – Mia Sylvia https://www.miasylvia.co.uk/
Make up Artist – Emily Chantal https://www.emilychantalmakeup.com/
Florist – Suffolk Flower Garden https://www.suffolkflowergarden.co.uk
Stationery – Lovely Letters https://www.etsy.com/shop/lovelylettersuk1/
Hair – Glow Occasion Hair https://www.glowoccasionhairspecialist.com/
Furniture – Anthology Vintage Hire https://www.anthologyvintagehire.com/
Jewellery – The Vamoose https://www.thevamoose.com/
Decorated Shells – Brandyoak Cottage https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BrandyoakCottage
Ribbon – Penelope’s Child https://www.penelopeschild.co.uk/
Napkins – Myrrh & Honey https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MyrrhAndHoney
Cake – @whiskandwonderful
Table Runner – Magpie Linens https://www.etsy.com/people/MagpieDecorLinens

“Waste not want not” as my Nana would say as I begrudgingly shuffle my unwanted veg around my plate with my fork. Whilst I hate to admit it, she was right. She was born in an era that survived the second world war, that included rationing, repurposing fashion, reduced workforce and a number of other challenges. I do have a love of shiny things but as is becoming clear, the world will not survive the level of consumption at its current rate.

As we come out the other side of an extraordinary experience, there is a laser focus on what is most important, a lightbulb moment if you will. Family, friends and love. Weddings have picked back up in a rapid fashion, but with more meaning and appreciation, rather than it being an excuse for a party. That was where the idea of an all eco elopement was born.

We titled the shoot “Rewilding”, reintroducing nature, reacquainting wild happy hearts and nurturing the sentiment of the wedding. Everything sourced for this wedding inspiration was economically kind, recycled (or upcycled) and reused.

I would love to know how many wedding dresses sit in ornate boxes, folded carefully away in tissue paper, sat quietly in attics around the UK. The dress in this shoot was second hand, bought off ebay for £100, the original owner had paid £1500 for the first wear of this exquisite Maggie Sottero dress. So we sent it to Mia Sylvia, who using carefully selected natural materials hand dyed the dress to give it an ombre dip dye effect.

As we know, a large proportion of the cut flower industry creates a serious carbon footprint. Flowers are grown in humid controlled greenhouses, then refrigerated and transported thousands of miles. There is of course the impact of water consumption and pollution from the various pesticides. I have heard the words slow business banded about often, the implication of time and patience, love and nurturing an entity. This was what we wanted for the cut flowers. Mel, of Suffolk Flower garden, is one of a number of florists bringing back home grown flowers. Grown on her own land, she fosters and nurtures these flowers in an economical way.

Glass is one the few materials that can be recycled with little to no diminishing returns. Over and over again. Name places and plates were made from recycled glass, their attributes allowing them to lend themselves to any style and colour scheme imaginable.

Furniture absolutely made this shoot, Amy from Anthology Vintage hire lent a few of her incredible pieces. She has scoured charity shops, auctions and fairs to find the furniture she hires out. Tables hand made in house from recycled wood. Her items see hundreds of wedding in their lifetime, oh if they only had mouths, the stories they could tell.