This bookstore-themed styled shoot 50’s styled bridal shoot brought together some amazingly talented wedding professionals from the East Bay!
It was also an amazingly entertaining and productive shoot and just so much fun to get together and create.
Table of Contents
Concept of the vintage bookstore theme
I first came up with the idea of a bookstore shoot because of my jaunts to some of the quaint old bookstores of Oakland!
To my mind, there was something magical about them. It’s a shame that more people don’t use these spaces for events like weddings!
Think: a repository of millions of words penned by brilliant minds. Combine with that the visual aesthetic of piles of books, shelves receding into the distance!
You’ve also got the beautiful old wood from floor to ceiling and the silence & reverence of these museums of words.
Owl & Co, Piedmont Ave
I immediately thought of Owl & Company Bookshop on Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA.
I’d seen a few great, old bookstores around Oakland but I remembered Owl & Co which happens to be around the corner from my home.
Michael, who has been the owner for the past five years, was kind enough to let us use the unique space.
Jerry Thompson, editor of recently published Oakland Noir was there to greet us.
2020 edit to this 2017 blog post
A year after we did this shoot, Lauren reached out to me. The bride-to-be had plans to marry her beau, Scott, at Owl & Co!
She had just moved to Oakland from Atlanta, GA and wandered into Owl & Co one day on a whim. ‘Why don’t I get married here?’ she thought!
Random, I know! Lauren chatted with Jerry, who remembered that ‘some photographer did a photoshoot here last year’, so Lauren took matters into her own hands.
She Googled, found me, and I ended up photographing her real wedding at Owl & Company!
Just goes to show, what you put out there…
Lauren dabbles in the wedding industry as an officiant as she is a pastor, so I’ve been able to work with her again!
I’ve recommended her services as officiant to other clients and we’ve come to develop a relationship as photographer-client and vendor-to-vendor!
The creative team behind this bookstore themed shoot
The creative team was a small, electric group.
Dress design and couture was courtesy of Christina Molcillo of Black Lotus Clothing. She takes vintage items and repurposes and embellishes them to suit and fit the modern woman.
Christina made a one-of-a-kind dress for the shoot. The 50’s styled wedding dress was based on a repurposed item. The project was a first for Christina in her 15 years of making bridal gowns and costumes!
Our model was the stunning Lauralee whose modeling has a specific vintage direction.
Her look complemented the sophistication and timelessness of the surroundings.
Hair and airbrush make-up was provided by award-winning Lacee Deniz. Lacee is a bridal make-up artist and hair aficionado.
She created a beautiful 50’s style ’do with flawless and classic make-up. Victory rolls for the win!
Floral design was masterminded by Steph Price. Florals for her are a passion and a part of her wedding planning services.
One of my favorite parts of her design was the owl pins in the bridal bouquet.
Together we created a look that was unique and modern with a timeless 1950’s retro beauty.
Thank you to everyone for your time and talent that made this shoot possible!
This shoot was featured on Offbeat Bride
Vendor love //
Model: Lauralee Poe
Photography & Concept: Zoe Larkin Photography / www.zoelarkin.com. More about my wedding photography services here.
Dress Design & Couture: Christina Molcillo, Black Lotus Clothing
Makeup & Hair Styling: Lacee Deniz
Floral Design & Wedding Planning Services: Steph Price Productions
Venue: Owl & Company Books
Editor note: Now, in 2020 as I revamp my old content, I find that none of the vendors are still open for business except Owl & Co. That’s why there are no live hyperlinks for the vendors’ websites.
However, I wanted to keep this post up as a testament to what we all achieved a couple of years ago!
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