1940s Rehearsal Dinner Shoot

When Erin of EE Photography sent this styled shoot our way, we just knew we needed to jump on it! Every single image just oozes Southern charm and vintage appeal, with dreamy decor, weather, and models running rampant. Looking at these pictures makes me desperately wish I had a wooden boat to crawl into and paddle away… Thank you for sharing, Erin!

From the stylist, Shelbi: We began the styling of this photo shoot with a Pearl Harbor theme in mind and gravitated towards an upscale rustic rehearsal dinner. We wanted to incorporate 1940s fashion with a modern flair and incorporate that design into the tablescape, decor and invitation/sign design as well. The use of a fishing net, boat, poles and anchor helped to set the scene for a romantic dinner by the water. At the same time, we used a crisp white tablecloth and natural colors to create a simple and modern setting as well as hints of gold and silver to add a touch of opulence to an otherwise outdoor setting.

In keeping with the 1940s theme we used typefaces with vintage flair and spiced them up with a unique color palettes. The pop of bright gold was used in the invitation and the signs to unify the event but also to make it stand out. I found the succulents at Calloway’s for $5 a piece in plastic pots and wrapped the pots in rope from Walmart to better fit with the design of the table. These were so easy and inexpensive to make but added such personality to the place settings! I included a step-by-step photo tutorial to show how I wrapped the pots. The hanging clear bottles were empty cream soda bottles used as vases for bunches of baby’s breath.

The benches around the table were handmade by my husband who used stumps as support for two old boards. We also used slices of tree stumps to create a chalkboard menu, direction signs and coasters for the table.

I looked everywhere for the perfect fishing net and found one in the most unexpected place! As my husband was gathering wood for to make the benches he discovered a large net lying in the field behind my aunt and uncle’s house. In the midst of creating a fort, we have speculated that one of my cousins somehow acquired and later abandoned a batting cage net and thus we found our centerpiece!

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Wedding vendors (Texas):

Event venue: Five Chimney Inn / Photography: Erin Woolsey of EE Photography / Event Design: Shelbi Rampy of Events by Shelbi Rene / Paper Products, Custom signs, and Styling: Three by The Quill Pen / Dessert Design: Kendra Heard of Skunk and Bee / Fishing Boat: Patrick Drew