NYLO Styled Shoot | White Wedding & Reception Decor Ideas

Styled Shoot, Uncategorized

I am such a huge fan of white weddings. I love greens and florals, but speaking as a photographer, the neutrality of white linens, decor and accents make my heart sing. So, I thought I’d share with you some tips for planning your reception, centerpieces, table scape arrangement and why white is so lovely!

This week, I photographed the NYLO hotel in Las Colinas for a styled shoot to showcase their modern ballroom and poolside ceremony location. Big shout out to Rachel, owner of As You Wish event planning in Dallas, who did a phenomenal job of styling the tables and showcasing how elegant the space is!
And it also was just the style of decor I was looking for to illustrate my point.

1) Tables. Don’t be afraid to use different shapes! Varying shapes changes the flow of a room. It adds dimension and gives visual interest to the space.

2) Centerpieces. I truly love short and tall centerpieces, but the trouble with taller centerpieces, if they have a solid base, they aren’t conducive to conversation.
You want your guests to connect, talk, enjoy themselves. They need to be able to see each other.
These high centerpieces were a dream, because they were elegant, but simple and guest can easily see through and around them.

3). Venue Lighting. Most of my Brides opt for evening receptions, which is wonderful, especially for dancing! If this is what you are leaning toward, you cannot underestimate the value of good venue lighting. The images I photographed here at the NYLO were intentionally shot in a variety of light settings to showcase what happens to the room naturally as the sun sets. Having beautiful venue lighting, that creates a warm glow in the space, truly impacts the overall experience of your guests. And impacts the look of your images. The NYLO is a modern hotel, so they boast stylish clean lines with an emphasis on mood lighting.You can tell in the image below, the sun is about to set. I photographed it as your eye would see it.
And totally unrelated, I love the leading lines in the carpet! SUCH a cool design element!
Here, the sun had totally set. Look how lovely the lights look in the ceiling and tables… which brings me to my
next point.

4) Table light. Oh, candles. Yes, yes and yes to candles.
If your venue allows for them, they are a wonderful, cost effective way to decorate your table and create a beautiful ambient light in the room.
Scroll above and below again and see what happens in the space when the sun sets.
Candles add a warmth to the tables that will stimulate conversation and create a romantic feel. You know those pretty blurry lights in the background of photos?
It’s called bokeh. And it creates magic in your images. 🙂

The sun was setting here, coming in warm through the windows, casting golden light in the room.
That coupled with the candle light, it made the sequined sweetheart table glisten gold!
Here, you can see another perspective, as the light continued to dim.
Imagine yourself, on the dance floor, in a room full of golden light.
5) Simplicity. Sometimes couples will talk to me and be concerned about having a smaller budget for decor – wondering how it will impact the look for their day. The images above showcase tables with minimal decorative elements and they are stunning! Folded napkins with simple greenery. Tables set with glassware are multipurpose – guests need glasses and it dresses your table! Oh, and chiavari or ghost chairs for the win. Every time.
6) Why white tablescapes and decor? I started this blog post bragging on white weddings and why I love them.
I wanted to first show you visually what happens in a space before I brought up this point. If you had dark linens on the tables, it would completely absorb the natural and ambient light. With light linens, instead, the linens serve as a natural reflector and bounce the light back into the room. Every camera needs light to function. You want amazing images. Give your photographer every advantage and bring more light into the space. Dark linens, carpets, ceilings, walls absorb light. Keep this in mind when planning your day!