In Styled Shoots

Tropical Styled Shoot at The Butterfly Pavilion

This styled wedding shoot will give you butterflies – literally!

When planning a wedding, creative ideas are everywhere. Wedding photographer Megan Dohm of Thistle & Sun Photography found inspiration for this styled shoot while visiting the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, North Carolina.

One of the museum’s premier exhibits is Magic Wings Butterfly House. It is one of the largest butterfly houses on the East Coast. The pavilion’s 35-foot tall glass conservatory maintains a lush, year-round, rain forest environment where guests of all ages can enjoy an immersive experience surrounded by hundreds of tropical butterflies.

“A trip there last December sparked months of daydreaming, scheming, Pinterest board-making, and eventually coordinating with my wonderful vendor partners,” she said.

Event designer Tori Allen arranged the tablescape and conceptualized the simple, elegant decor using local and exotic greenery.

The menu features selections offered by the Museum. Calligraphy by Kelsey Furr of Kettle Pot Paints.

A simply adorned cake is a delicious option for intimately small weddings and elopements.

“The butterflies made for wonderful ambiance, but they wanted literally nothing to do with us. They were always floating just out of the frame, then flitting off and away. This actually ended up working out pretty well, as my favorite shots were when the model was reaching out, trying to get one to land on her.” – Megan

“I loved that stylist Abigail Hillman used our model’s rockin‘ hair coloring in a way that was simultaneously creative and classy.” – Megan

“Kelsey’s attention to detail and the care that she puts into her calligraphy are clear when you hold one of her pieces in your hands.” – Megan

“The flowers Brandi [of Brandi’s Botanicals] used were from places as local as her backyard, and as exotic as Africa – and yet they still came together into a cohesive, beautiful bouquet!” – Megan