SHOOTS by Southern Bride is a wedding photographer competition where we feature some of the best wedding photographers across the nation. The photographers are provided the same venues decorated by top local wedding planners and are graded based on their unique vision and imagery of the venue and its design details.
The Styled Challenge is a design competition showcasing the works of talented wedding professionals from local areas. Each designer is given the task to create an exceptional wedding ceremony and reception arrangement in the provided venue. The best design is voted by our viewers on Southern Bride Facebook live. The Chateau Elan competition includes top 3 wedding planners and 3 exceptional venues: Debussy Patio, Cask Room & Rose Vineyard and Matisse Lawn & Jardin de Tuliers.
Congratulations, Andrew Granger, for Best Photography
Congratulations, Stunning and Brilliant Events Atlanta, for Best Overall Design Award & Bespoke Award
Congratulations, RL Creative Co., for Best Stationary Award
Congratulations, Cakes by Anna, for Best Cake Design
Yellow and ochre served as the initial inspiration for this unique fall design. The team aimed to provide a different look to the common fall events that are typically characterized by hints of red or endless greenery. This color palette showcases how even vibrant pops of color can be suitable for a fall event. Considering the flowers in the Rose Garden at Chateau Elan may be in bloom, they wanted to highlight those rather than create a contrast. Additionally, the darker elements of the Cask Room aligned with their vision to contrast the moodiness and infuse colorful life.
For the ceremony setup, the team sought an eclectic approach. They recognized that traditional ceremony setups often feature chairs lined on either side. Their goal was to offer alternative options for the event. This design still showcases the aisle for the bride while allowing for more creative freedom in the ceremony plan. Furthermore, one of Atlanta’s notable characteristics is its diversity, and the team chose to highlight a religious ceremony symbol—the Chuppah—commonly used in Jewish weddings, as a representation of the large Jewish community within Atlanta.
In the reception space, they aimed to provide an elevated design suitable for an intimate event. By mixing long tables and round tables, they inspired couples who might not want to commit to just one table style. Additionally, they planned a combination of runners down tables and linens covering the tables, encouraging couples to consider a variety of options for table coverings beyond traditional linen. With additional lighting and lush floral arrangements, this design is sure to enhance the beauty of the head table.
To further enrich the design space, the designer incorporated a unique bar front with shelving in the back to serve as the bar back option. Lush florals will hang overhead, accompanied by a bar menu suspended below. They emphasized that there are many creative ways to utilize a bar menu beyond a simple sign on the bar top. The team also plans to feature fun lounge options within the space to offer soft seating inspiration for couples.
Photography: Andrew Granger Photography | Designer: Stunning and Brilliant Events Atlanta | Rentals: Crush by Eventworks | Stationary: RL Creative Co. | Florals: Blosm Design | Bridal Gown: Wedding Angels | Cake: Cakes by Anna | Groom Tux: Generation Tux | Table Runner: BBJ La Tavola | Linens: I Do Linens | Makeup: A Glamour Affair | Hair: Meg Danielle Hair | Female Model: Natalie Sciabica | Male Model: Tucker Bruns
