From Erin McGeever, the Photographer:
An abandoned historic estate in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Barnsley Manor is beginning to see some light again. Originally built in 1763 and once a visiting place for George Washington, the estate is being renovated into a new wedding venue. With so much existing texture and an abundance of windows and natural light, I knew it needed to be captured before work began on the property.
My inspiration for this editorial was the raw, natural beauty of the estate and the emergence of spring. I envisioned organically-styled florals stemming from the roots of the ground, wrapping around the decaying architectural details and creeping up the cracked plaster walls, almost as if they had consumed the manor over time. Courtney from Winsome Floral was the first person to come to mind when I was building out our team. Her modern, minimal aesthetic brought so much to the vision. We chose to use a unique palette of dusty blue, caramel, and warm orange, accented by fresh greens, pinks, and ivory. Courtney used a stunning combination of toffee and quicksand roses, butterfly ranunculus, Japanese sweet peas, and delphinium amongst local spirea and tall quince branches that curled around the archways and climbed up the stairs. The branchy design accentuated the beauty of spring’s entrance with a whimsical, romantic feel. The bride’s bouquet was made up of sprawly spirea with a mix of ranunculus, roses, and sweet peas, tied with long, raw-edged silk ribbon.
Our bride, Christina, had a delicate allure, so to preserve that, we kept her makeup minimal and high-gloss. I imagined the light bouncing off of her cheekbones, casting a glow on her face. The ivory A-line Jenny Yoo gown she wore was perfect; its feminine tulle skirt effortlessly twirling around her, and the ivory lace appliqués matching her timeless Bella Belle shoes. The magic that happened when this team was brought together was incomparable. I hope that brides have been inspired by the transformation of this dilapidated space into an ethereal, whimsical garden editorial.
