Alice in Wonderland Photo Shoot

Whimsical, magical and straight out of a fairy tale – that was the goal of this Alice in Wonderland inspired styled shoot. And with the amazing team of creatives working on this project, it’s safe to say that goal was achieved.

Alyssa Johnson of Alyssa Jean Signature Events was the planner and creative designer for this shoot. She and photographer, Carla Ten Eyck had met over drinks this past spring and talked about doing a styled shoot together. Alyssa was new to the Connecticut wedding industry and loved the idea of collaborating with other area professionals and what better way to do so than with a styled wedding shoot. She began looking for the perfect Connecticut venue and fell in love with Smith Farm Gardens in East Haddam.

The property sits on a sprawling 15 acres with a large field for a tented wedding, newly renovated 17^th century home that could easily sleep 10 guests (or more!), brand new bridal suite and the most gorgeous gardens a bride could ask for. Smith Farm Gardens is also a working farm and has an organic vegetable garden an apple orchard on-site. The photo opportunities here are just endless – just ask Carla!

The shoot featured two different looks but the same model couples. The team set up a bohemian-style picnic shoot that was meant to serve as the couple’s mock engagement photos and then ended with a garden tea party wedding shoot.

The natural elements on the property lent themselves perfectly to both themes. The apple orchard was the ideal spot to set up boho-inspired picnic featuring lots of turquoise, blue and greens with pops of color from the food provided by Riverhouse Catering. Next to the orchard was a meadow with wildflowers that just screamed to be photographed.

The perfectly manicured, colorful gardens, rock wall with ivy and lush green grass complemented the Alice in Wonderland look. The vintage dresser and custom-built farm table provided by The Rustic Barn in Killingworth gave even more uniqueness to this shoot. The cupcakes and cake created by Beth from A Little Something Bakery adorned the custom-made pieces.

All of the chairs, teacups and saucers were hand selected from area estate sales to ensure they were one of a kind. Jenna Phillips of Phillips Design hand-crafted the stationery including the individual escort cards that served as tea bags and sat inside the little teacups. The attention to detail is showcased throughout.

Needless to say, the months of planning this shoot paid off. This team put together a stunning look that showcased the talents of everyone on board. We hope you enjoy the images as we do and pick up some inspiration for your garden wedding!