LIRIODENDRON MANSION | TAYLOR SWIFT INSPIRED WEDDING | MARYLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

DON’T READ THE LAST PAGE

It was a long shot to invite my idol Taylor Swift to my wedding back in 2016, but I took the risk and mailed the invitation anyway. The envelope was completed with a custom liner showcasing the lyrics to a favorite song, “Ours.”

Unfortunately, despite my best effort and the strong Swiftie undertone of my wedding, Taylor must have been busy that day. There’s no bad blood.

BEGIN AGAIN

So, what does a super fan do to get the attention of one of America’s most famous Pop Stars?

It started on a piece of paper in a notebook. A simple list of ideas. One that kept finding its way to the bottom of the pile. It was a scrap sheet of parchment that I would dig out every now and again to add something new.

A full-on Taylor Swift inspired wedding was being planned.

On May 22nd last year, I filled the entire page. I took a photo of the report and I emailed it to an industry friend. She responded immediately that I needed to create a mood board and carry this out. While I was excited, it was extremely intimidating and I got overwhelmed. The list of ideas was sat aside, again.

NEW YEARS DAY

At the end of 2018, I started working with Jess Albins Events on a lot of projects. As we entered 2019, we decided to pick a few shoots we were really passionate about to ensure they were carried out. I took the time to revisit my “Secret Session I Do” notes, and Jess insisted it needed to be at the top of our list. Hence, we set a date and started recruiting the squad!

With a shooting date of June 9th, we gave ourself a few months to carry out planning. It was important to us to have a lot of time so our team could curate the best content possible. We were unprepared for what came next.

4.26

Jess and I began planning and design. We were deep diving through social media, watching music videos, listening to albums on loop, and studying live shows for anything we could incorporate. When we weren’t dealing with wheels in motion, we were Tay-lurking. As a result, it was a level of Taylor-Nation-know-all commitment that even I wasn’t used to.

Then, something crazy happened.

Taylor Swift emerged with a cryptic countdown. Her Instagram took a colorful turn. She was making tons of appearances in rainbow inspired dresses. It appeared new music was on the rise.

The best part?

It matched EVERYTHING we were planning.

ME!

The ME! video provided us with tons of ideas to incorporate TS7. Across the board, all of the vendors discussed changes that could be made to include this new era. Excitement was at an all-time high behind the scenes.

We took a cue from Taylor and began a mysterious countdown of our own. “6.9” was coming and we wanted everyone to be intrigued.

6.9

The day of the shoot was a whirlwind. We were at the venue for over 12 hours. It was the most intense and ambitious shoot I have ever been part of. We brought in breakfast and lunch for the team who worked tirelessly until after dinner. While we had a few hiccups, it was truly a blast to create. The weather was amazing, our crew was incredible (and so much fun!), and models brought everything to life. I’m so elated to be sharing these photos with you today!

Are you ready for it?

Scroll down for a video, 13 fun facts, our Tay Day Giveaway details, a list of our marvelous squad members, and one last note from myself… but, first enjoy our passion project!

THIRTEEN FUN FACTS

I normally do a segment called “FIVE FUN FACTS.” Today, I thought it would be fitting to do thirteen.

We knew out of the gate that we didn’t want to replicate Taylor Swift’s wedding day with the shoot, but the day of a couple who share the ultimate fandom. When ME! premiered, I took a huge leap of faith that the album would be called “LOVER” and commissioned a jacket to be made for the shoot. Daily Disco created the custom piece you’ll see in the photos, which is also conveniently my size. ;) Right after Kelsey Montague premiered the Taylor Swift butterfly mural, she came to Baltimore to paint one locally. My friend Kate (one of the bridesmaid models!) invited me to a private party to preview it and I got to meet Kelsey. I completely fan-girled and she generously answered all of my questions about Taylor and her mural in Nashville! On the morning of the shoot, we went to start the U-Haul that contained all of our rentals-the battery was dead! Luckily two of the gals knew exactly what to do and had us back up and running in a few minutes. Stress averted! Every single detail was chosen for a reason. Almost everything in the shoot will relate back to Taylor Swift. We’ve referenced everything from iconic moments to over a third of her discography. How many “Easter Eggs” can you find? During our shoot, we saw a real snake! While I’m not a huge fan being so close to slithery snakes, we all took it as a great omen for the shoot. You’ll see a photo of our friend below. A few of the styling pieces were keepsakes of my own from my real TS inspired wedding in September of 2016. For the shoot we used two u-hauls, three cats, five bridal outfits, seven pieces of acrylic for the mural, 13 pieces of luggage, 24 team members, 30 vendors, 50 paper planes, and almost 1,000 balloons. Crimson and Clover opted out of using any greenery by including candy colored foliage in pastel pinks and purple. The glitter fringe on the wedding cake MOVED in the wind. Amy Scripts lettered “his” and “hers” vows which I wrote from taking romantic snippets from every song of the “Fearless” album. The furthest item shipped to us to use for the shoot was from Crown and Glory of the UK. During the shoot, as people observed what we were doing, we were approached with the same question over and over. “Is Taylor Swift coming here?” We had to reply no, but we are hoping our paths cross soon.

GIVEAWAY

Since there is so much to celebrate today, we’ve raised the stakes even further by offering a giveaway!

1. Make sure you’re following me at @ashtonkelleyphotography!

2. Comment on this blog!

3. Share this blog post on your platform of choice!

4. Take a screenshot of your share!

5. Upload it to your IG stories and tag me @ashtonkelleyphotography to ensure your entry is counted!

Bonus-Tag @taylorswift and @taylornation to help us reach them! Turn on notifications so you don’t miss the giveaway winner on Friday, 7.5.

THE FINE PRINT: We don’t want bad blood. Instagram and Taylor Swift are not affiliated with this contest and has not sponsored, endorsed, or administered it. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on 7.4.19. Contest is open to US residents only. Winner must have followed all required stipulations to enter and win. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize. Failure to declare will result in forfeit of winnings. Void where prohibited.

BLANK SPACE

People always ask me what I would say to Taylor Swift if given the opportunity. The truth is, that’s one of the hardest questions for me. I know, for one, I’d be emotionally speechless in that moment. Secondly, what could I possibly say to her that could be anywhere as insightful as what she’s spoken to me through her music? Honestly, I just feel like anything I could say would be cliche or self-serving. I just really relate to her, her music, and I aspire to make others feel the way she’s made me feel. I am so inspired by her music.

This was honestly the styled project of a lifetime for me to plan. I got to share my love for Taylor Swift with so many people I appreciate and admire while creating something so beautiful. We had so much fun, on top of it all. Outside of spending this time with people who have fed my soul, I think my favorite piece was the guitar that Jess made to replicate the one used for Taylor’s TIME Gala performance. I’m most excited for everyone to see this and pick out their own favorites. I know there is a lot for fans to discover, and I hope they like it!

Is it cool that I said all that? :)

DREAM TEAM:

Photo + Concept // @ashtonkelleyphotography

Balloons, Planning, + Design // @jessalbinsevents

Venue // @theliriodendronmansion

Flowers // @crimsonandcloverfloral

Video // @jawstudios

Bridal // @jennifersbridal

Bridesmaids // @bellabridesmaids

Groomswear // @tuxedohouse

Jewelry // @nelsoncolemantowson

Cake // @bluelacecakes

Hair // @brushedbeautyllc_

Beauty // @hashtaghannah_pmu

Paper // @rockpapersis

Lettering // @amyscripts

Mural // @deardarlingweddings

Paw Patrol // @fureveralways

Bounce House // @prettylittleweddingco

Rentals // @whitegloverentals

Cotton Candy Cart // @bmorefluff

Jean Jacket // @daily_disco

Styling Goods // @brassandbumblebox

Neon Sign // @litbylo

Veils // @crownandglory_

Ties // @thetiebar

Floral Suit // @asos

Models //

@_kateharley

@millenialmega

@kourtney.olivermays

@hannahbananagram

@deezub430

@rachelhiwiller

@jkmerriam

Squad //

@hyeager_fitness

@omengagements

@iamlaurenmcmullen

@shoecoleman

@bmorefortherecord

@davewerk