Picnic Wedding Inspiration - Styled Shoot

Have you been searching the internet and every wedding planning magazine you can get your hands on for the perfect picnic wedding inspiration? If you’re looking to be inspired, this shoot is nothing less than perfect for that role.

the small picnic table with decor and a white open tent in the background with white and pink florals surrounding

Hear from Susan at Susan Dixon Photography who put together this Picnic Wedding Inspiration shoot, showcasing eight different vendors!

What was the theme for the shoot?

An elegant, boho elopement picnic.

Reasons for choosing the venue:

I wanted a venue that had a lush lawn for our picnic area as well as indoor areas. It was important to me that there was an indoor space that our stylists could use to do hair and makeup on-site. I also wanted to be able to photograph inside in case it rained.

bride sitting at picnic set up with decor on the table and the venue in the background

groom standing in front of the hall which is the venue of the picnic wedding inspiration shoot

bride and groom forehead to forehead standing together next to their picnic set up with the venue in the background

Tell us the story and inspiration behind the shoot.

I met Gina Granert, the owner of First Coast Picnics, at a local art market. I immediately fell in love with her concept of setting up luxury picnics for her clients! I saw her vendor booth again on the way out, and I ended up striking up another conversation with her. I let her know that I am a professional photographer and that I would love to partner with her to do a styled shoot. I ended up coordinating it because I already know so many different types of wedding vendors.

the picnic table with two dining sets, candles, pillows and florals

Together, Gina and I decided that her boho-luxe picnic setup would be the best match for my photography style. (Gina offers eight different picnic styles.) Since my photography has a very elegant/luxury aesthetic, we decided on an elegant boho theme for our photoshoot.

The Details:

My husband laughed at me when I told him that our theme was “elegant boho.” He said, “There’s elegant, and there’s boho, but they are two different styles.” I told him that we would prove him wrong, and I believe that we did! Gina’s picnic and seating area setups were perfect! The little chapel at our venue made its way into the background of many of our images, solidifying the wedding theme. I sold photography tickets to a few other photographers.

the macrame backdrop with wicker furniture decorated with pink decor

The main reason for that is to have the funds to pay the wholesale cost for amazing florals. When I described our concept to one of the best florists in town, she was on board! Destiny went above and beyond to create bouquets that embodied our vision! Because we had multiple photographers, I had models for the bride and groom, as well as an additional, “very boho” bride. This provided a greater diversity of images from the one photoshoot. On my own blog, I decided to split the shoot up into two parts to publish it. I’m starting with our “very boho” bride for Part 1. Part 2 will feature our couple.

bride holding her white and pink bouquet of flowers with macrame backdrop behind her

bride looking to the right and holding her bouquet with a macrame backdrop in the background for the picnic wedding inspiration shoot

bride smiling and holding her pink and white bouquet of flowers with a white macrame backdrop behind her

I think it will make more sense to potential clients in that way. This is not the first styled shoot that I’ve coordinated, but it’s the first one in which there were two separate brides! The other photographers loved it because there were fewer people trying to photograph the same thing. Another thing that EVERYONE loved is that Staci made a real cake for us! (Often, cakes for styled shoots are just iced pieces of styrofoam.) I brought extra cakes and forks. At the end of the shoot, we all sat around chatting and eating cake. It was absolutely delicious!!!

Elegant Boho Wedding Picnic Susan Dixon Photography LLC susan dixon 056 low

One more thing about this photoshoot: It almost didn’t happen because of the weather. We are located in Jacksonville. I know Florida is called the “Sunshine State,” but it rains multiple times a week. This Sunday was no exception. We were all SO nervous about the weather! There was a lot of prayer going on because dark clouds surrounded us. Thunder rolled. We even saw some lightning in the distance. However, it didn’t rain a drop on us until the last ten minutes of our photoshoot! We were truly blessed. It rained all around us, though. It’s like we were in a protective bubble that evening!

Can you describe what you provided for the shoot?

I coordinated the photoshoot and was also the lead photographer. The physical items that I provided were: the cake cart and all the decorations on it, champagne, glasses, plates & forks for the cake, hair jewelry, earrings, champagne, styling mats, and all of the props for the flat lay details.

What would this look cost if a couple asked you to provide it for a wedding?

For my photography services, I would charge $650 for a small, short elopement. For the entire setup, florals, cake, stationery, and photography, I’m going to estimate that it would be somewhere around $1500.

Hear from the vendors:

San Marco Preservation Hall

Preservation Hall is a Jacksonville, Florida historic landmark. The Hall was built in 1888 as an Episcopal Church, it has since been moved and now is under the care of the San Marco Preservation Society.

Elegant Boho Wedding Picnic Susan Dixon Photography LLC susan dixon 123 low

Preservation Hall is situated on Fletcher Park, a beautiful park in the heart of San Marco. Our half-day rental on a weekend starts at $1,000.

First Coast Picnics

We designed and set up the picnic tablescape and the sitting area with a macrame backdrop.\

bride standing in front of a macrame backdrop with wicker furniture surrounding for the picnic wedding inspiration shoot.

Bride sitting in a wicker chair holding a boutquet of white flowers. She is in front of a macrame tapestry and is sitting outside.

Boho is trending right now, and we have the perfect picnic set up for it that has neutral colors. We also added a hint of white for the wedding. Our basic Boho Luxe Picnic package starts at $225.

Sweets by Staci

I created a sweet little six-inch semi-naked cake that I decorated with some fresh florals. Working closely with Susan, she explained how she wanted to do an elegant/boho type look. She sent an inspiration photo for a cake she liked and I used that as an inspiration.

Elegant Boho Wedding Picnic Susan Dixon Photography LLC susan dixon 129 low

The cake alone would be $55. The florals would depend on the market value at the time and then of course the cost to deliver.

MalWest Design

I supplied the wedding stationery: elopement announcement including square invitation, envelope, and envelope liner.

the pink and white designed invitations with florals surrounding

I wanted a sophisticated boho feel for the invitation to tease the other elements making up the day. A macrame-like pattern was designed and used for the envelope liner that complimented the earthy tone of the envelope. The invitation itself used watercolor foliage to frame the announcement with an element from the liner pattern to tie it together.

Elegant Boho Wedding Picnic Susan Dixon Photography LLC susan dixon 224 low

I selected a square invitation, which is a tad pricier than the standard size so that the invitation would stand out in the mail. Additionally, a square could be selected because a bride eloping is saving so much money on her day as well as on the additional wedding suite items (like an RSVP card) so a splurge item would be appropriate. Wedding suites start at $5.00 for one digitally printed set.