If there ever were a shoot to prove that clean, natural, minimalist weddings can be rooted in detail and intention, it’s gotta be these wabi-sabi inspired wedding ideas coming to us from Jess of Cheers Babe Photo. Drawn to the Japanese concept of finding beauty in imperfection and embracing life’s natural cycles, she enlisted Hand & Heart Event Design and the team below to design a wedding that did just that—organic, textural, and with arrangements made entirely of dried flowers. The result is a vignette that can be channeled in all seasons and locations, as you’ll see…
Jess explains, When I shared this idea with planner, Kellyne of Hand & Heart Event Design, she immediately thought of a monochromatic shoot incorporating dried florals and pampas grass (hello, pretty!). For the tabletop décor, she chose handcrafted ceramics because she wanted to incorporate the imperfection that comes with handmade goods. Each plate has its own unique marks, color, and texture—embracing the idea that beauty can be found in asymmetry and imbalance. To nod to Japanese heritage and western custom, each setting was set with chopsticks and a fork and knife. For the custom cocktails, she chose two cocktail glasses that featured the traditional Japanese “Yari” pattern. This is a common technique used in Japanese glass making and refers to the weave pattern on the glass.
Stephanie of Bowerbird Atelier was inspired by natural textures in her handmade paper suite with vellum. She paired classic typography with cherry blossom illustrations to symbolize spirituality, beauty, and impermanence
As Wabi Sabi is all about celebrating the cracks and cervices that time and wear create, every detail alluded to the idea of beauty in imperfection.
The floral creations were the genius of Carrie from Boheme Tipi Events! She created a stunning asymmetrical ceremony altar anchored by a giant dried palm. Her hanging pampas grass installation above the table made the perfect wow-moment impact on the design. One of my favorite little details of this shoot is the way the accordion silk fabric of the bride’s dress mimics the fan palms used throughout the decor! The bride wore a gorgeous champagne diamond ring from Lauren Wolf Jewelry to match the monochrome look of the shoot.
Japanese whiskey was an obvious must.
Love their interpretation for a minimalist groom too, don’t you?
This Alexandra Grecco gown from Lovely Bride SF is beyond gorg.
The menu cards were embellished with blossoms embedded in pearlescent wax for an extra touch of natural elegance. She used broken pieces of neutral ceramic pottery for the place cards, embellished with a gold edge to mimic Kintsugi (the Japanese art of highlighting broken lines with real gold when fixing ceramics). This nod to the practice of the kintsugi tradition is also reflected on the stunning cake created by Natty Cakes.
Super sweet cake!
Huge thanks to Jess of Cheers Babe Photo and the talented team below for such a thoughtful editorial!
PS: See another take on the wabi-sabi concept for weddings in this editorial here.
Photography & Art Direction: Cheers Babe Photo / Location: Studio in Emeryville, CA / Planning, Styling, & Décor: Hand & Heart Event Design / Floral Design: Boheme Tipi Events / Hair & Makeup: Beauty by Lia / Paper Goods & Signage: Bowerbird Atelier / Cake: Natty Cakes / Bar: John McKenna / Bridal Gown: Alexandra Grecco from Lovely Bride SF / Jewelry: Lauren Wolf Jewelry from Esqueleto / Suit: Knot Standard / Models: Hannah Tokuno + Alexander RJ of Stars Management
