2017 Beach Bridal Shoot Collaboration

November 09, 2017 2 Comments

On a cloudy day in early June, my team and I set out to photograph the latest collection of bridal foot jewelry and accessories on sandy beaches of the Barnegat Light Beach, in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. The goal of the shoot was to capture the intricate details of foot jewelry, hand chains and hair jewelry made by Bare Sandals. I knew I needed to form the best team of professionals for the job . To say that the shoot was “a breeze” would be a huge understatement.

The 3 most challenging parts about organizing something like this came down to:

• Booking the correct model

• Securing the right vendors

• And, of course, the weather … since the shoot was going to take place outside.

2 weeks prior to the photoshoot the model I had originally booked vanished. She wouldn’t answer my emails / texts or calls. I was not sure whether something had happened, or she was no longer interested in the shoot. I needed to act fast and find the replacement as soon as possible ( don’t worry, she was ok… just not answering her phone ). I am SO happy that I found Jackie.

Jackie agreed to do the shoot, was super diligent with her communication ( something that the first model couldn’t handle, and a control-freak like me REALLY appreciates ) and ended up traveling over 3 hours from the opposite side of New Jersey for the shoot. With Jackie, the photo turned out much better than I had ever hoped for.

Besides photographing the jewelry I also wanted to involve unique vendors who really took pride in their work. I wanted to involve as many “handmade” vendors as I could. Kite from Kite and Butterfly sent me two GORGEOUS gowns from her collection. The bohemian gowns were exactly what I was hoping for. Donellen from Twining Vines handmade a flower bouquet with bright colors and beachy accents to go hand-in-hand with our beach themed shoot. Iro from TI Bridal Designs handmade gorgeous sashes. They were an exquisite accessory for the bohemian gowns. The rings used were from Boho Moon and Cecile Jewelry ( unfortunately, Cecile is no longer in business ).

When it came to the photography, I knew just the man for the job. Michael and I had previously worked together on a shoot I organized a few years back. I was thrilled with his photos, his work ethic and professionalism throughout the entire process. We had an absolute blast the first time. We cracked jokes, made the model crack up, and pulled off some amazing photos, so I knew I wanted to work with him again. Michael did not disappoint this time. He also brought Tylor Kenny with him to assist with lighting. Tylor was an impeccable assistance and also “the dj” of the shoot: playing upbeat music to keep the mood light and energy high.

Amy Schmoldt and I met almost a decade ago before we even knew “what we wanted to do in life.” Both, Amy and I bartended at a jersey shore bar for the summer and met one night while serving drinks. We clicked, and became friends ever since. When Amy went to school to study makeup and hair, I knew she was going to succeed. She quickly became a top student in her class, and proceeded to teach different make up / hair classes to further her career. Although Amy specializes in “effects” make up, I knew she definitely could handle the soft, natural look I was hoping to achieve. Amy came with Ida Marie, one of her apprentices, to help out with the hair styles for the model.

Next came another challenge: finding the venue. I took a day off from work and drove over 150 miles in one day to find the perfect location. Ironically, the very first location I visited turned out to be “the one”. Barnegat Light had it all: gorgeous, high dunes; fine sand; miles of beautiful beach; hidden, rustic “nature walks” that led through the wilderness, and jetties that led into the ocean as though it seemed for miles.

Nancy, the owner of Sand Castle Bed and Breakfast was unlike any other bed and breakfast owners I had talked to. She was accommodating and understanding. She had total trust in what we were doing. We were able to move furniture, climb the roof, rearrange the patio and use any and every part of her bed and breakfast all for that perfect shot.

Finally, when everything was finalized and scheduled the rain poured for days… and days…. and days… For an entire week it rained nonstop and it looked like the shoot was not going to happen.

By some magical force, or sheer good luck the rain held out on the day of the shoot. It was a cloudy, but warm day down the shore. Initially, I was not too thrilled about the cloudy skies. I wanted sunshine and bright colors of the sky and the ocean. However, after seeing the photos I realized that the clouds helped to bring out all of the gorgeous details I was hoping to capture.

It was an indescribable feeling to see how everything came together on the day of the shoot. Finally I was able to take a deep breath and rest assured that I did everything I could have to make this exactly how I wanted it.

We shot 16 pairs of barefoot sandals, 8 head chains, 8 hand chain, 2 gowns, 2 sashes, multiple rings and 3 different looks. It was perfect.

I am truly lucky to have been able to not only receive such amazing photos, but to work with such an incredible group of people. Without their involvement there is no way I would have been able to pull this off.

PS… My husband, Mike was also present at the shoot, and he was helping with all tasks imaginable: from moving furniture, to holding the jewelry, to taking the behind the scene photos and videos. HUGE THANKS, BABE!

Now, I can finally relax and celebrate these gorgeous pics …

( at least relax until the next shoot :) ).

Enjoy these stunning photos below, and let me know which one is your absolute favorite !

Of course, I saved the best for last :)

Our crazy crew !

 Here is the list of all of the vendors involved in the shoot:

Organizer - Anna Monasterski, Bare Sandals

Foot Jewelry/ Bridal Accessories - Bare Sandals

Photographer - Michael Glenn Photography

Photo Assistant - Tyler Kenny Photo

Venue - Sand Castle Bed and Breakfast

Gowns - Kite and Butterfly  

Make up - Amy Schmoldt  

Hair - Ida M.  

Model - Jackie Marie  

Set Set Up - Serg Michael

Wedding Sashes - TI Bridal

Wedding Flowers - Twining Vines

Gold Rings - Cecile Jewelry

Silver Rings - Boho Moon

 

 

 

Till next time, 

Anna M.

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