Dark textures, moody colors and avant-garde flare in this Halloween-inspired wedding shoot for the non-traditional, alternative bride in Charlotte, North Carolina

When this group of vendors got together, they wanted to embrace the Halloween theme and bring spooky romance to life. The old printing press warehouse venue provided the perfect backdrop to do that in. The dark textures combined with moody colors was perfection.

“This shoot ignites a love for the non-traditional, avant-garde, and passion-fueled couples whose love stories resemble a walking art piece,” explained the photographer. 

The bride wore a black gown inspired by the Victorian era, with a modern flare thanks to the high-low skirt and high neck lace halter. The keyhole back was amazing and showed off the bride’s skeleton tattoo, coincidentally only adding more Halloween flare to the look. Her cotton candy hair added an avant-garde feel and was adorned by a classic birdcage veil. She finished the look off with metallic eye makeup for an added element of drama. Her final accessory was a vintage Rhodolite Garnet engagement ring and we’ve never seen anything like it before. 

The groom kept it simple and moody with a pinstripe button down, black vest, black pants with a looser fit and combat boots. The bride and groom, who are a real-life acrobatic couple, brought the perfect romantic energy and edgy look.

Vows were exchanged beneath a distressed doorway lined with candles and floral accents. There was a dark iron candelabra with red taper candles on each side of them, in addition to a small floral arrangement in an industrial looking vase. It was intimate, sweet and moody, all at once. 

The venue’s exposed brick walls and glass pane windows were the perfect place to set the reception table against. A farmhouse table with mismatched metal and velvet chairs was set for what looked like a gothic tea party. It was amazing.

Each place setting had an assortment of mismatched vintage china places, three stacked on top of one another with a silver fringed napkin falling off the table from underneath the plates. There was a vintage tea cup and saucer at each seat, in addition to a colored crystal wine glass and vintage gold flatware.

In the center of the table were a few different floral arrangements full of texture, darker colors and unique florals – not the usual roses or hydrangeas. The candelabras with red tapers were reused on the table to finish off the dramatic look. 

The bride carried a bouquet similar to the arrangement on the table. It was natural, loose, wild and fit in perfectly with the style. Tiny metal gears were woven into the bouquet and centerpieces to add that extra pop of industrial goodness.

Similar flowers were also found on the hand painted three-tier ganache wedding cake. The cake was painted black and accented with both real and painted florals in reds and maroons. It sat on a crystal blue pedestal cake stand on top of a vintage bar cart. 

Before the night was over, the couple took some time to themselves to relax on the red velvet settee and soak in some “newlywed” bliss. 

Looking for more real wedding inspiration? Check out other Charlotte weddings HERE!