Harlem Renaissance Inspiration Shoot From PhotoNotions Photography

The Harlem Renaissance era is one of those that will never cease to be a source of inspiration for wedding style, fashion, and decor.  The sexy sheath dresses, the headpieces with exquisite details, the overabundance of feathers…we just can’t get enough of it!  So it’s no surprise that we adore this styled shoot sent to us by the talented team at PhotoNotions Photography.  It’s sultry, sexy, and filled with inspiration.  There’s also more in the full gallery here.

From PhotoNotions Photography:
“Since we are swing dancers and Harlem is the birthplace of the lindy-hop, we have long been fascinated by the style and music of the Harlem Renaissance. It represents a time in history where African Americans began to freely express themselves through music, art, and literature. African Americans living and creating in Harlem during the 1920’s and 30’s evoked a style and elegance which we still cherish today. We knew that we had a lot of resources to represent this period in history well, so we set forth on the adventure and recruited some of the most talented and creative artist in the industry to fulfill our vision while staying true to the era. 

I chose a color palette based on the warmth and romance of the Harlem Renaissance. Bronze+Chocolate+Cranberry+Violet.  Our couple’s pseudonyms are Dinah & Sidney and they are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary.  ***NOTE***traditional 10th anniversary gift is tin, hence the silver tones incorporated in table decor. 

The beautiful venue is Comber Hall in Coral Gables, Florida.  It was absolutely perfect for our theme since it was built in 1927. One aspect of the shoot that was important to us was the lounge which I envisioned as a night scene. Since Comber is filled with gorgeous windows I was concerned about finding the perfect spot to set up our lounge. The stage turned out to be heaven sent. 

All the gorgeous floral arrangements, bouquets and candle details were created by the amazing team at Landy’s, flowers by Gerardo. Those guys do stunning work. 

Atlas Party Rentals provided the tables, linens, plates, chargers, goblets and chiavari chairs.  Unearthed Vintage provided the authentic vintage furniture, rug, typewriter, and trunk that made our dream lounge a reality. 

Eclectica Miami provided the vintage details like lamps, inkwells and photo album.  Spin Alley Store provided the authentic 1923 Brunswick phonograph and records which set the mood for the lounge.  We worked very closely with Trudy to bring our vision to life. As an event designer, she is a reliable source for effective brainstorming and fresh ideas. She is also adept at creating unique stationary for small intimate events. 

With dresses being the same-old same-old these days, it is absolutely refreshing just walking into Couture Bridal Miami and seeing all the wonderfully unique dresses available there.

20’s Style Headband & Lace Gauntlet (wrist cuff):
Since we are always on the look-out for unique goodies, we were glad to find these gorgeous accessories for this shoot. Sandra Isaacs is the designer behind Accent You. We fell in love with this handmade headpiece and were very lucky to have it because it really represents the elegant style of the renaissance.

MODELS:
Isaac and Nichole played the part of Dinah and Sidney for our anniversary party. Our original female model suffered from food poisoning the night before, and Nichole who is Isaac’s girlfriend stepped in at the last minute. We felt that it was meant to be, since the dress fit like it was made for her. They brought life and romance to the scene, and their chemistry was very apparent since they are a real couple in love.”

More in the full gallery here.

Creative Team: