I am thrilled to be sharing photos and details from a mid-century modern styled bridal-esque photo shoot planned by Little Miss Lovely! The shoot took place at Assateague Island National Seashore on a moody, grey summer morning shortly after sunrise
Wanting to create something super glamorous and inspired by Assateague’s rich history - a color scheme of gold, ivory, tan & black seemed fitting.
The shoot took place on Baltimore Boulevard, a diminishing stretch of a 15-mile paved road that once ran the length of Assateague Island and was destroyed during a drastic storm that hit the mid-Atlantic in March of 1962. The Boulevard was built in the 1950s by a group of investors and Developers from Baltimore and Washington DC in an attempt to create a new resort town comparable to neighboring Ocean City, MD. More than 5,000 lots had been cleared and sold. 30 buildings were created. Tragedy struck in 1962 as the nor’easter rolled in and waves measuring 40-feet in height cleared the forested island and ruined all development.
Today, Baltimore Boulevard’s remaining blacktop can be seen by visitors on the souther length of the island between the ocean and the bay. The dark asphalt is a strike contrast to the surrounding greenery and tan sands. This bizarre and picture-perfect street inspired me to create a fun, mod, bridal portrait shoot.
Alana, one of my good friends and a bohemian beauty, wore a gorgeous Nha Khanh gown available via Rent the Runway. The sleeveless v-neck trumpet shaped gown fit Alana perfectly. The fancy black lace and layered tan tulle looked amazing against the lush greenery and grey skies. I sewed a beaded appliqué to a simple black grosgrain ribbon to create a simple belt. Gold and black jewelry was provided by Ish Boutique in Ocean City and added a nice amount of sparkle and glamour.
A tablescape revolved around 1960s / mid-century modern elements - based off of historic Baltimore Boulevard - and featured an ivory canvas tablecloth draped in a sheath of black sequins and a runner of knitted black and white stripes. Vintage gold-edged dished were marked with a cosmic starburst that matched a metal and rhinestone orb placed next to a floral centerpiece. The flowers were a mixture of colorful red, purple, peach and white blooms placed inside of a gold urn made of plaster. Vintage napkins, silver wear, glassware, and antique books looked fantastic next to the flower arrangement. Fresh peaches, plums & black cherries complemented the centerpiece and paid homage to Berlin, MD’s past fruit-growing history. A wooden crate, used to ship peaches in, was placed below the table.
Alana held a bouquet by Little Miss Lovely that contained a tropical king protea, quicksand and peach roses, stock flowers, deep red dahlias, larkspur & a mixture of ferns and greenery. The large bouquet was wrapped in a faux-leather black ribbon, thick ivory satin ribbon with diamond-shaped cutouts, gold and black ribbon with a greek key pattern and deep tan ribbon that matched our ‘bride’s’ dress. A simple rose boutonniere placed in a tin cone and wrist corsage made of a large dahlia coordinated perfectly.
Two vintage ice cream cups were filled with cherry sorbet and topped off with fresh black cherries. A small black Russian cake by Desserts By Rita in West Ocean City was accented with black cherries and other sliced fruits. An old minnow crate was painted gold and used as a cake stand. The dessert table was set up in the sandy dunes.
The furniture used during the shoot were found at a local thrift shop and are from the 1960s. The gold, straight backed chairs fit the shoot’s theme and matched the mod feel. Canvas banners reading ‘Mrs.’ and ‘Mr.’ were hand painted and sewn onto black ribbon and tied the the chair backs.
Along the Life of the Dunes trail a metal birdcage filled with fresh flowers was hung from a weathered tree. A vintage bird, a gift from my grandmother, was perched on a gold-leafed stick.
The falling rain added drama to this shoot and seemed completely fitting for a photo shoot inspired by a huge storm that rolled though our beach towns nearly 50 years ago. Alana was a trooper for modeling in the midst of a downpour!
Sarah Murray Photography perfectly captured this styled bridal shoot! I couldn’t imagine anyone else capturing my vision this well. I highly recommend Sarah to all of my future brides — for obvious reasons!
Thank you, Sarah and Alana, for your time, patience, and for being so awesome about working with me in the rain at 6:30 in the morning! You girls are the best! I couldn’t have asked for a better team to help bring this vision to reality. Thank you to all of the local vendors who offered their talents to help make this shoot possible.
Styling by Little Miss Lovely // Flowers by Little Miss Lovely // Photography by Sarah Murray Photography // Location — Assateague Island National Seashore // Model — Alana McGeehan // Gown by Nha Khanh for Rent the Runway // Jewelry & Accessories from Ish Boutique // Headband - Urban Outfitters // Cake by Desserts by Rita // Balloon from Party City // Dish ware by Royal China