Red Velvet Enchanted Forest Wedding Shoot in the Luberon, Provence

An enchanted forest styled shoot in the Luberon, Provence, featuring a red velvet cake, Manon Gontero lace gown, and Tim Burton-inspired design.

By Elena Moretti | Published 9 July 2018

Red Velvet Enchanted Forest Wedding Shoot in the Luberon, Provence

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Styled by Mademoiselle Chahnez and captured by Jess Martinez Photography, this enchanted forest editorial unfolded beneath the cedars of the Luberon in Provence. Inspired by red velvet cake and Tim Burton's play of light and darkness, the shoot brought together a team of passionate creatives from across the South of France.

Photography

Jess Martinez Photography

Venue

Luberon Cedar Forest

Region

Provence, France

Couple

Getting Ready

A close-up portrait of a bride from the chin to the chest, highlighting her accessories and styling details. She wears a deep V-neck white lace wedding dress and a rose gold chain necklace with a large oval champagne-colored gemstone pendant. Her auburn hair is styled in a loose fishtail braid over one shoulder, and she wears a deep plum/burgundy lip color. A magenta sweet william flower and green foliage from her bouquet are visible at the lower edge of the frame, suggesting a dark, moody boho styling aesthetic.

A bridal portrait shoot set outdoors in a dense forest with tall dark tree trunks forming a natural corridor behind the subject. The bride stands alone on a dirt path, wearing a white layered bridal gown consisting of a fitted lace bodice with an asymmetric lace overlay and a sheer tulle skirt with a slight train. Her hair is styled in a loose side braid, and her makeup is dramatic with heavy dark eye shadow and a dark lip, contributing to a gothic or dark romance styling theme. She wears a delicate pendant necklace and looks downward. The shot is a full-length portrait with shallow depth of field, blurring the forest background.

A groom portrait taken outdoors in a wooded setting, with the man standing on a forest path and buttoning his jacket. He is wearing a fitted navy blue suit with a white dress shirt, a deep burgundy bow tie, and a small lapel pin, paired with black dress shoes. The shot is a full-length portrait with a shallow depth of field, keeping the subject in sharp focus against a softly blurred background of tall trees.

Deep in the Luberon cedar forest, the couple stepped into their roles with effortless poise. She wore a Manon Gontero lace gown that balanced nostalgia with modern design, its Calais lace catching the filtered light. He matched the mood in a Chris Von Martial suit that read classic at first glance but revealed boundary-pushing details on closer inspection.

Design and Details

A styled wedding decor detail shot set outdoors in a wooded area. A brass gramophone sits on a small ornate wooden stand atop a rustic weathered wooden trunk, alongside a dark metal compote vase filled with deep crimson ranunculus, dark red berries, pomegranate, and dark green foliage. Four white pillar candles of varying heights are placed on the ground in front of the trunk. The overall styling palette is dark and moody — deep reds, gold, and dark wood tones — consistent with a romantic, vintage-rustic or dark forest wedding aesthetic. Close-up detail/still life composition.

Close-up detail shot of a two-tiered naked red velvet wedding cake displayed on a weathered stone urn pedestal in an outdoor setting. The cake layers are unfrosted on the sides, revealing deep red sponge with white cream filling between each layer, and is decorated with fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, red currants, white ranunculus, small white spray roses, and red macarons. Deep crimson spray roses are placed at the base of the cake on the stone urn, and two lit pillar candles in amber tones are visible to the right of the composition alongside additional crimson floral stems and a white chrysanthemum. The overall decor palette is deep red and white with a moody, romantic outdoor ambiance captured in a medium close-up shot with a blurred dark background.

An outdoor styled wedding vignette set in a woodland or forest, featuring two vintage trunks — a large teal-green steamer trunk and a smaller weathered wooden chest — arranged at the base of a large tree. The larger trunk is styled as a display surface holding a silver candelabra with lit white taper candles, a crystal decanter, a plate of deep red pomegranates and apples, and a floral arrangement of crimson and pink ranunculus, white blooms, and dark foliage in a grey vessel. A smaller matching floral arrangement in a white container sits on the forest floor to the left. Several white pillar candles of varying heights are grouped in front of the smaller trunk, adding warm light to the moody, dark setting. The overall styling palette is deep jewel tones — burgundy, crimson, forest green — with a dark, gothic-romantic aesthetic. This is a medium wide shot with a shallow depth of field, shot at ground level.

A styled outdoor wedding detail shot set in a wooded area, photographed in low-light conditions with a dark, moody atmosphere. A moss-covered tree stump serves as a natural table, holding two deep burgundy cut-crystal wine glasses, a bottle of La Comtesse sparkling wine, and a small cluster of red berries. Three cream pillar candles glow on the forest floor in the foreground, while additional candles and a black metal lantern are visible in the background. A floral arrangement in a white ceramic pot features magenta, pink, and white blooms with dark foliage, and a vintage brown travel trunk and white ceramic tureen are partially visible to the left, contributing to a rustic, woodland styling theme.

Okiss Wedding and Oravis Furn styled the forest clearing with a mix of hard and soft textures, pairing velvet table linens with raw wood and concrete accents. Dark, editorial makeup by Aurelie Blond reinforced the Tim Burton-inspired mood. A light mist rolled through the cedars during the shoot, deepening the atmosphere and lending each frame an unplanned cinematic quality.

Flat Lays

A close-up detail shot of a styled flat lay arrangement on a weathered teal-painted wooden chair, featuring a deep red pomegranate, a red apple with water droplets, and a scattered cluster of red currants on stems. A cut crystal glass is partially visible in the upper background. The overall color palette is deep red and burgundy against the distressed teal wood, suggesting an autumn or harvest-themed wedding styling. The image is slightly moody and dark in tone, consistent with an editorial autumn wedding aesthetic.

Close-up detail shot of a bridal bouquet featuring deep red roses, blush and hot pink ranunculus, white dahlias, light pink peonies or garden roses, purple waxflower, small red berries, and abundant dark green foliage including olive-style leaves. Twisting copper or rust-colored branches weave through the arrangement, adding a textural, organic element. The overall color palette is rich jewel tones — burgundy, crimson, blush, and purple — against deep green, suggesting a romantic, garden-style or boho aesthetic. The bouquet rests on a dark surface, photographed from directly above in a flat-lay style composition.

Close-up detail shot of a styled outdoor table display featuring a lush floral arrangement in a speckled grey ceramic vase, composed of deep red and pink ranunculus, white peonies, burgundy roses, pink waxflower, red berries, and trailing green foliage. Alongside the arrangement sits a small silver dish filled with deep red and purple fruits including plums, strawberries, and red currants, adding to a rich jewel-toned, moody color palette. Tall silver candlesticks are partially visible on the left edge of the frame. The overall styling is darkly romantic with a woodland or garden setting visible in the soft-focus background, consistent with a boho or editorial aesthetic.

A styled wedding decor flat-lay vignette set outdoors in a pine forest, with no people present. The arrangement features a dark teal vintage trunk used as a surface, topped with a silver candelabra holding white taper candles, a glass decanter, red pomegranates, and a floral arrangement of deep red and white blooms. To the right sits a navy blue upholstered armchair draped with a deep crimson/burgundy velvet throw blanket, with a lit black metal lantern on the ground beside it. In the foreground, a weathered wooden crate holds additional white pillar candles alongside a small floral cluster of white and red flowers. The overall styling palette is deep jewel tones — navy, burgundy, and forest green — with a moody, dark-romantic aesthetic. Wide establishing shot capturing the full styled scene.

A red velvet naked wedding cake by Louis Patissier anchored the entire colour story, its exposed layers echoing the deep reds and forest greens of the surrounding cedars. Stationery in concrete grey and greenery tones sat alongside red dahlias and velvet textures. Sebastien Corpace jewellery and La Comtesse A champagne added a layer of quiet luxury to every arranged detail.