Mon Chéri

Mon Chéri – even the name makes you smile. It’s a playful double entendre that perfectly captures the spirit of this styled shoot. On one hand, we went literally sweet with cherries woven into the styling; on the other, mon chéri means “my darling” in French, adding a romantic wink to the theme. This shoot was designed with the daring 2025 bride in mind – the kind of bride who isn’t afraid to be bold, fun, and utterly expressive on her wedding day.

The Concept: Cherries & “My Darling” Charm

From the get-go, I knew I wanted to infuse a sense of whimsy and personality into this shoot. The idea of “Mon Chéri” came as a delightful spark – how fun would it be to play on cherries and love? We sprinkled cherry motifs and actual cherries throughout the decor as a cheeky nod to the theme. The color palette centered around cherry red, a hue that has been making waves as a trending wedding color for 2025 (some even call it the Color of the Year tablesfromance.com). This vibrant red popped up in the stationery, the florals, and even in the accessories and desserts. It’s a showstopper shade that immediately says celebration and passion. And true to the name “Mon Chéri,” every detail also whispered darling.

Trend-Forward Details for the Modern Bride

As a photographer I’m constantly inspired by the latest trends, and this shoot was the perfect playground to bring some of 2025’s hottest wedding ideas to life. We embraced unstructured florals in a big way – think lush, organic arrangements that feel like they grew right there on the table (talesofromance.com.au). The star bloom was wisteria, which we draped dramatically down the center of the table. The wisteria vines created an almost enchanted, overgrown garden look through the tablescape, giving an unstructured, whimsical feel. (I loved that we chose wisteria not only for its dreamy look, but it also felt serendipitous given our gown came from White Wisteria Bridal Boutique!) Instead of tight, formal centerpieces, the florals flowed freely, trailing off the tables and chairs in an organic cascade. This “grown wild” style of arranging flowers is a big trend for modern weddings, and it brought so much movement and life to our table. And since we're all about mixing trends, we layered in anthuriums too—these sculptural blooms are a huge trend right now, offering a modern, dynamic accent that perfectly contrasts with the gentle wisteria.

Of course, we couldn’t showcase a trend-forward shoot without stunning fashion. Our bride model Shelby absolutely rocked a basque waist gown from White Wisteria Bridal Boutique. If you haven’t heard of basque waists yet – get ready, because this silhouette is taking over in 2025! With a fitted bodice that dips into a V at the waist, a basque waist gown gives an ultra-flattering, corseted look (thebridalcollection.com) that’s equal parts romantic and regal. The dress we chose had that beautiful bodice detail and a voluminous skirt that felt straight out of a modern fairytale. To complement the gown, we paired it with a dreamy veil with the perfect blusher to add texture and whimsy, also courtesy of White Wisteria. Also we had our nod to the pearlcore trend in her hair – pearls were delicately placed in her updo and the fresh, glowing hair and makeup by Brittany with The Brushes, the overall look was both romantic and editorial. Pearls are everywhere right now, from veils and hairpieces to gown embellishments (thebridalcollection.com).

Overall, the bridal style was a blend of classic romance (long live the timeless appeal of pearls and graceful silhouettes) and fresh, trendy details that today’s fashion-forward brides adore.

And let’s not forget the smaller details: Kathy from Posh Paper Invites crafted a stationery suite that was both modern and adorable. The invitations and paper goods featured sleek typography with a playful twist – imagine elegant scripts with tiny cherry illustrations and pops of cherry red color. This tied the theme together from the moment you “invite” someone into the experience.

All Occasions Event Rental provided the chic tablescape and chairs that set the stage: golden chairs and unique plates that gave a contemporary backdrop for all the vibrant details. The contrast of modern rentals with the draping wisteria and bright cherries was chef’s kiss perfection – it created that polished yet funky mix we were aiming for.

Sweet Details

No styled shoot is complete without a little dessert magic, and Tres Belle Cakes delivered the most stunning cake for Mon Chéri. It was the perfect blend of style and sweetness—artfully designed to tie into the cherry-red palette with elegant, modern detailing. Honestly, it was almost too pretty to eat... almost.

Made with Love

One of the standout elements of the shoot was our oversized heart backdrop, wrapped entirely in satin fabric for a soft, luxe finish that brought just the right amount of drama and charm. It served as a visual anchor for the whole setup—eye-catching, romantic, and totally on theme with our Mon Chéri concept.

What makes it even more special? It was completely DIY and truly made with love. My dad started building it, my husband finished it, and I took the supervisor role. Watching them bring that vision to life was such a sweet part of the planning process and reminded me how much heart (literally and figuratively) goes into bringing a creative idea to life.

We were able to capture some beautiful moments of the couple in front of it, and it ended up being one of the most impactful details of the shoot. Simple, personal, and full of meaning—it tied everything together perfectly.

And the hands-on touches didn’t stop there. Belle Williams and I glued every single pearl onto the cherries by hand, turning a cute detail into something unexpectedly luxe. We also hand-dyed all the dried wisteria to get the exact dreamy wine tone we envisioned for the tablescape. Every little detail was crafted with intention, creativity, and teamwork—and you could feel that energy in every corner of the space.

Bringing It All Together – Hosted with Heart

As the lead photographer and host of the shoot, I couldn’t be more thrilled with how Mon Chéri came together. The day of the shoot was buzzing with creative energy.

The Studio Black Cedar – Aspen Room was the perfect venue for this vision: its clean, bright space gave us a blank canvas to paint with our vibrant theme but had that special touch with the checkered floors. I also want to give a huge shoutout to Belle Williams Photography for joining us and supporting this shoot. Belle’s enthusiasm and keen eye were such a welcome addition! It’s always amazing to collaborate with a fellow photographer; we bounce ideas off each other and cheer each other on to get the shot. Having Belle there not only added another lens to capture the magic, but it also reinforced that sense of community over competition – we’re all here to lift each other up. Thank you, Belle, for lending your talent and positivity to Mon Chéri!

In the end, this styled shoot was more than just a creative project – it’s inspiration for all the modern brides out there who want to break the mold a bit. Mon Chéri shows that you can have elegance and playfulness hand-in-hand. You can rock a sophisticated gown and throw in a quirky theme like cherries and hearts. You can honor timeless romance while splashing your wedding with bold color and personality.

If you’re a 2025 bride who loves trendy details and isn’t afraid to have fun with tradition, take this as your permission to go for it! 💖 Your wedding should feel like you – so if you adore bright reds, wild florals, or even want to include a sentimental DIY piece made with family, do it. We hope these photos (and our experience creating them) spark ideas for your own day. Thank you for coming along on this sweet, stylish journey with us. Mon Chéri, with its cherry reds, flowing wisteria, pearl accents, and big heartfelt statements, truly stole my heart – and I hope it brings a smile to your face too. Cheers to love, creativity, and the bold new bride! 🥂