A photo shoot that I was a stylist for was just published on Grey Likes Weddings!

This shoot was inspired by “The Lady of Shalott”, painted by the English Pre-Raphaelite painter John William Waterhouse in 1888. It is a Victorian ballad by English poet Lord Alfred Tennyson in 1832, which tells the heartbreaking tale of a beautiful but cursed woman, isolated in a tower near King Arthur’s Camelot.

According to legend, the Lady of Shalott was forbidden to look directly at reality or the outside world; instead, she was doomed to view the world through a mirror, and weave what she saw into tapestry. Her despair was heightened when she saw loving couples entwined in the far distance, and she spent her days and nights aching for normalcy.

One day, the Lady saw Sir Lancelot passing through the nearby fields on his gleaming white horse in the reflection of the mirror. She could not resist and dared to look out the tower’s window to see more. The curse struck her and the mirror cracked. The Lady, knowing that doom was upon her, left the tower and found an abandoned boat on a nearby river. As she sailed towards Camelot and certain death, she sang a lament. Her frozen body was found shortly afterwards by the knights and ladies of Camelot, one of whom was Sir Lancelot, who said it was a pity she died as she was such a beautiful woman.

This inspiration shoot took place in a sun-drenched forest in Ottawa. By mixing unique materials like the brass candlesticks, heavy silver tableware, lace and stained glass, we achieved a romantic medieval look. Coupled with the soft, romantic florals, airy dress and naturally styled model, we were able to capture the beauty and melancholy of the Lady of Shalott. The small detail of writing the first two versus of the ballad on an ornate gold mirror tied it all together.

From the photographers:

We were inspired by Waterhouse paintings, and found a wonderful spot in Ottawa that reminded us of an enchanted forest.  Joel and I wanted to create a delicately decadent scene pouring in with sunlight, romance and softness.  Both of us are big fans of Waterhouse, and found a lot of the items in the shoot in our own home (bar cart, chairs, mirror, some of the brass candlesticks).  We wanted to create a scene right out of a Victorian painting and hope we achieved it.  Brittany had the wonderful idea to write “Lady of Shallot” on the mirror, and with LEVITRA NO PRESCRIPTION our ideas merging, the shoot came to life.

Featured on Grey Likes Weddings / Photography: Joel Bedford Photography / Decor Styling: Brittany Frid Weddings + Design / Gown: Reem Acra, The White Dress / Florals: Full Bloom Floral Design / Decor: Amy + Jen Decor / Hair: Showpony Hair / Makeup: Seema Haider / Jewelry: Logan Antiques / Model: Jazmin, Models International Management