Lucky for us, Chrissie Sue — planner extraordinaire of the shoot and mastermind behind Events By Chrissie Sue —was willing to share a few behind-the-scenes secrets of how this all came together (Plus: like what you see? Scroll to the bottom of this post to see which other local talents were involved!).
Tell us about the planning process.
I began the progress in June 2019 by seeking out vendors I had worked with in the past to see who might be interested in partnering for a photoshoot I planned to execute before summer’s end. I already had a few style-types in mind that I wanted to focus on, but needed the “right” players on board for execution. Once I had received confirmation from Shannon Matos Photography, with whom I had worked with in the past, as well as a handful reputable vendors, I began looking at sites that had the look and feel I was seeking.
As my primary styling concept was “literary” based, I sought out an environment that would lend itself to compliment this aesthetic. As the owner of Events By Chrissie Sue, which is based in southern New England, I keep informed of emerging and updated venues. That said, once I toured the newly renovated Graduate Providence, I knew this was the perfect location for our literary styled shoot. I reached out to the Graduate’s management team and once they were on board with me concept, I expanded my vendor search to companies they had existing working relationships with; introduced myself and my style plan and before long we had a very talented vendor style team that consisted of twelve vendors and five models. One contributing vendor in particular, Uniquely Chic Vintage Rentals, collaborated with us in not only providing several vintage furniture pieces throughout each shoot, but they also constructed the literary book ceremonial focal point. The literary focal point was something I had pre-determined to be a must for the Graduate Providence rooftop ceremony shoot.
Tell us about the inspiration behind the shoot.
When planning the shoot, I derived my inspiration from love of literature, the timeless aesthetic of the 1920’s, the art deco era of architecture and my forever desire to be on a beach. I had three separate ideas/style concepts in mind that evolved into a bit more over the course of two months.
Style One:
- Literary Concept (B&G and Same Sex)
- Art Deco
- 1920’s
Style Two:
- Timeless
- Antique
- Sophistication
Style Three:
- Tropical
Tell us about the day of the shoot.
In preparation of any event I conduct, I put together what I refer to as an “Event Portfolio,” which consists of everything that needs to be executed in a very detailed manner. It breaks down the day by the minute, location and the vendor. / individual(s) responsible for certain task. It was extremely satisfying to be told by several vendors and models how efficient I was in both preparation and execution. There were vendors who said it was one of the most efficient and timely executed photoshoots that they had been a part of, especially given the variety of areas that were used throughout the entire property both inside and out.
The Details
Event Planner & Designer & Decor (“literary” and “tropical” tabletops): Events by Chrissie Sue // Venue: Graduate Providence // Photography: Shannon Matos Photography // Specialty Decor & Furniture Rentals (vintage soft seating, book arbor, gazebo, suitcases, end tables, pillows): Uniquely Chic Vintage // Bridal Attire & Jewelry: Ve’Lace Bridal // Mens’ & Ladies’ Custom-Made Tailored Clothing: Bespoke Boston // Rentals (linen, charger plates, chinaware, flatware, glassware, dining chairs): Peak Event Services // Florals (fresh flowers): Golden Gate Studios // Florals (wood and paper flowers): Pine and Petal Weddings // Cake Designer & Baker: Veronika Matunin Cakes // Makeup Artist / Stylist: Sonja B. Conti Makeup & Hair // Stationery & Menu Cards: Little Birdie Papercraft // Models: Sonja B. Conti, Brett Conti, Sara Davis Edick, Brianna Johndrow-Cantwell, Kellie McKervey
Hi, I liked the first photo, a beautiful shot with a perfect background.