Beachside Valentines Day Inspiration

With the week of love in full swing, I am so thrilled to finally share this romantic Valentines Day shoot we styled up for Polka Dot bride readers Kathleen and Nick. Taking a twist on a romantic beach side picnic – which I think is a beautiful way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. We imagined a decadent picnic under the shade of beautiful trees. Flowers in shades of pink, magenta and raspberry red, velvety red cakes and bowls of macarons, candles and of course a heck of a lot of a love.

Our ever lovely Katherine Eleyce (Ms Filigree) crafted this shoot with photographer Welsch Photography, Oak & Linden, Heiress Flowers and Tia from Artistry Co at the beautiful beachside venue Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel. Kathleen and Nick wore pieces from Adrianna Papell from Bridesmaids Only , Glamadonna, Roman and French and Calibre.

We enlisted Polka Dot Bride readers Kathleen and Nick to model for our shoot, their love filled smiles positively infectious. I’m presuming you might have a beloved, if you are reading a wedding blog, but I’m a firm believer in celebrating all kinds of love, so I think this picnic might just be a perfect way to spend a lazy day with your favourite girlfriends or boyfriends, or whoever you love. We even have a bunch of fabulous tips to help you on your romantic, luxe picnic arranging way.

We have a lot more from this gorgeous shoot on the way too, so stay tuned!

“We were spoilt by the The Grounds of Alexandria with beautiful cakes including a gorgeous mini red velvet one that looked almost too good to eat and a picture perfect loaf of bread to go with our cheese platter. For salads and all your lunch treats, your local deli will be able to help you out with these. Opting for proper plates, serving boards and cutlery not only looks great, it will also stop any frustrations that come with eating with small plastic cutlery!”

Katherine Eleyce tells us, “To create this special setting, we made a table using a sheet of plywood propped up on old pots. What’s best about this mock up table is that it can be created from bits and pieces that you can pick up from a local hardware store for minimal costs or you might even have something lying around the house. To create a glamorous and romantic feel, the table was covered with a cream chiffon, but any table cloth you have handy will do the trick, then it’s time for all your favourite salads, desserts and cheese platters.”

“To complete the perfect picnic, we added a selection of ornate candles from Oak & Linden and vibrant flowers from Heiress Flowers that created a dreamlike setting. The rich tones in the florals, combined with the regal styles of the candle holders finish of your picnic with style and romance. Don’t forget to bring along a few pillows too for your comfort. Enjoy creating a truly special day that you’ll both treasure for years to come.”

“Whether you’re a lover or a hater of Valentine’s Day, it is a great excuse to get dressed up and spend some quality time with that someone special in your life! For this romantic day, we opted for refined and elegant fashions that infuse a little glamour into a picnic date. It was beautiful beaded gowns from Adrianna Papell from Bridesmaids Only that immediately caught our eye and our bride to be Kathleen looked stunning in these sparkly numbers. When choosing a beaded style for your lunchtime dates, champagne and pink tones are perfect as they keep your look soft and romantic.”

“For the Gentlemen looking to complement their ladies luxurious styles, nothing says “wow” like a perfectly fitted suit. We were spoilt for choice with beige and neutral options from Calibre which fit our groom Nick perfectly and suited a stylish yet relaxed day-date. When putting together a day time suit look, neutral hues are best for a sharp yet relaxed look. Pair your neutral suit with a shirt in pink or purple tones for a relaxed look and it will also highlight any pink tones in your partner’s look. Nothing says Cute with a capital C than a subtle colour complementing!”