Bit of Ivory Photography | Chelsea LaVere | Williamsburg Virginia Wedding Photographer: wizard of oz inspired

So we enjoyed the evening at the Ozdust Ballroom, the most swankified place in town, for Galinda and Fiyero's Emerald City-inspired rehearsal dinner, and now it's the BIG day.

A little reality backstory, Meg and I started hashing out this Orchestrated stylized shoot in March 2011. We knew it was going to be HEAVY on the story along with the details we normally always plan. We knew having Galinda, Fiyero, and Elphaba were a must. How that would play out... well... that was the whole process. We went back and forth together on a lot of different ideas because there is SO much dynamic to Wicked. Political? Romantic? Magical? Girl power? Determination? Social justice? Enlightenment?

We knew we needed to make Galinda extravagantly fabulosis and outrageously bubbly and to make Elphaba's scenes beautifully dark, lonely but confident.

And everything in Oz is a little strange. First glance everything is gorgeous, but at further inspection, things are a little... off. Weird. Quirky. Collaborating with our vendors was key to this, and they nailed it. We really could not have done it without them (please see below for the credits!). And a special shout-out goes to our friends Elaine Shindelar and Erin Snider for helping set up this magical event-- we REALLY couldn't have done it without them.

We took all of these Wicked elements and brought them into a wedding scene... and sooo this is how we interpreted what Wicked would be like as a wedding. ;)

"We couldn't be happier,
Right, dear?
Couldn't be happier
Right here
Look what we've got
A fairy-tale plot
Our very own happy ending
Where we couldn't be happier -
True, dear?
Couldn't be happier
And we're happy to share
Our ending vicariously
With all of you
He couldn't look handsomer
I couldn't feel humbler
We couldn't be happier
Because happy is what happens
When all your dreams come true!"
- Thank Goodness, Wicked

When Meghan and I started planning our Wicked-inspired wedding event called Emerald Encounter, we realized that it was so story-based and so theatrical that we needed to make our typical dinner-before-the-big-day into an actual rehearsal dinner to get everyone into the story. So immediately, we got our swankified hats on and designed our event towards an evening in the Emerald City. Every participant came in their best greens to enjoy a night with our "bride and groom," Galinda and Fiyero. We had Green Elixirs as our signature drink, yellow-and-green versions of the original novel, Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, fabulously customized invitations sent to all participants through good old-fashioned snail mail, and lots of sparkle and shine.

For not being our main event, we didn't do too badly! Just wait until you see the ACTUAL wedding day (coming within the next week to a blog near you!)... we have a very elusive character hanging in the wings who is sure to make you "scream" with delight... ;)

And if you're not familiar with this fabulosis that is Wicked, go read the synopsis before viewing and then go buy your tickets to see the show ASAP. It's by far the best and most well-done musical (beyond Phantom, of course. haha) I have ever seen. Every bit and part is sheer genius. :)

So now I present our heart and musical obsession and invite you to take a skip into the Emerald City...

"One short day
In the Emerald City
One short day
Full of so much to do
Ev'ry way
That you look in the city
There's something exquisite
You'll want to visit
Before the day's through..."
- One Short Day, Wicked

A Wicked-Inspired Wedding | Orchestrated Stylized Shoots

An Emerald City-Inspired Rehearsal Dinner | Orchestrated Stylized Shoots