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July 15, 2020

Colorful Wedding Inspiration – Styled Shoot at The Lucky Strike Suite

A Black couple stands in wedding gown and custom red suit at Belt Line Station in Durham, NC

Get your colorful wedding inspiration from this styled shoot at the Lucky Strike Suite in Durham, NC

First a disclaimer: this is a styled shoot. And for those of you who don’t know what that means, it means it’s not a real wedding. I think that’s important to disclaim, because a lot of times real couples don’t realize that the images they’re seeing on wedding blogs and in magazines don’t come from real weddings. The flexibility and timeline of a styled shoot means that we vendors, photographers especially, have time to do things that may not be possible on a real wedding day (unless the couple really wants to make them a priority). Styled shoots also involve teams of vendors doing their job for free, whether it’s to make connections with one another, get some exposure, or simply to have a creative outlet. So keep that in mind when you’re looking at wedding inspiration images. If you actually total up what a lot of styled shoots would cost when brought to life at a real wedding, you’d probably be in the >$40k budget range. End disclaimer.

This styled shoot was the result of me telling the ladies at Lucky Strike Suite (a new venue in Golden Belt with the Cotton Room and Belt Line Station) and Emily Katherine Events that I wanted to photograph something really colorful. From colorful, we added geometric, and as we added each new vendor to the team, the ideas grew.

Now, here’s the incredible team that came together to pull it off:

Photographer: Kivus & Camera
Models: Jamison (the owner/designer behind Robert Jamison Collection below) & Vonsia
Groom’s Attire: Robert Jamison Collection
Specialty Rentals: Petal & Oak
Jewelry: Hamilton Hill
Stationary: Revelry + Heart
Hair: Belloviso

And finally, here’s that colorful wedding inspiration I promised:

Blue wedding details from a colorful wedding inspiration styled shoot
How cool is that acrylic invite suite from Revelry + Heart? Her brain y’all. And all of the jewelry from Hamilton Hill was 100% up my alley. I’m telling John I want one of these awesome tension rings for my birthday.
Blue wedding details from a colorful wedding inspiration styled shoot
After Belloviso had done Vonsia’s hair, Sharon Davis worked her makeup magic. I LOVED the bright colors on Vonsia’s eyes.
Sharon Davis Makeup Artistry has a table set full of brushes Sharon Davis Makeup Artistry does the makeup for a bride during a styled shoot at Lucky Strike Suite Sharon Davis Makeup Artistry does the makeup for a bride during a styled shoot at Lucky Strike Suite Sharon Davis Makeup Artistry does the makeup for a bride during a styled shoot at Lucky Strike Suite
A little behind the scenes action for y’all. Zara doing her video thing while Jon looks on, and our fearless planner Emily.
Jon and Zara from Jon Warlick Media film details during a colorful wedding inspiration shoot
The second I saw the Robert Jamsion Collection suits, I knew they’d be the perfect fit for what we had in mind. And Jamison himself modeled his work. He makes the shoes too y’all. I don’t know who’s reading this, but you probably need a custom suit, so call him up.
Jamison himself models one of his Robert Jamison Collection custom suits Jamison himself models one of his Robert Jamison Collection custom suits
Hello rockstars!
Groom in a Robert Jamison Collection custom suit and bride in a Gavin Christianson Bridal gown pose in the bridal suite at the Cotton Room Groom in a Robert Jamison Collection custom suit and bride in a Gavin Christianson Bridal gown pose in the bridal suite at the Cotton Room A Black bride in a Gavin Christianson Bridal gown pose in the bridal suite at the Cotton Room
As we move on to our “ceremony”, I want to emphasize how much I adore that blue and gold wall in the new getting ready suite below the Cotton Room. I want my living room to have a wall like that.
But now, our ceremony, officiated over by Carly, who had a wonderful paint pour unity ceremony prepared. I hope one of my real couples does something like this!!
The Lucky Strike Suite in downtown Durham set up for an intimate wedding ceremony. Flowers by Petals & Twist Paint jars await a custom paint pour unity ceremony at this colorful wedding inspiration styled shoot
Wedding ceremony by Magical Weddings by Carly Painting unity ceremony during colorful wedding inspiration shoot Painting unity ceremony during colorful wedding inspiration shoot
(no gowns or suits or shoes were harmed in the making of this photo!) Also check out the finished product over to the right in the next frame.
Painting unity ceremony during colorful wedding inspiration shoot Bride and groom celebrate getting "married" at a colorful wedding inspiration styled shoot Woman in a Gavin Christianson gown and man in a Robert Jamison Collection custom suit pose for a wedding portrait
Time for the reception!! Look out for the bright purple napkins and teal napkins from American Party Rentals. Those were some of my favorite color pops.
Bride and groom sit in their reception area at the Lucky Strike Suite Lucky Strike Suite set up for an intimate wedding as part of a colorful wedding inspiration shoot Lucky Strike Suite set up for an intimate wedding as part of a colorful wedding inspiration shoot Lucky Strike Suite set up for an intimate wedding as part of a colorful wedding inspiration shoot Lucky Strike Suite set up for an intimate wedding as part of a colorful wedding inspiration shoot Lucky Strike Suite set up for an intimate wedding as part of a colorful wedding inspiration shoot Lucky Strike Suite set up for an intimate wedding as part of a colorful wedding inspiration shoot Couple sits at sweetheart table during wedding styled shoot. A large colorful bouquet sits in front of them. Closeup of couple holding hands at a wedding sweetheart table closeup of menu on a wedding place setting Groom holds out wedding menu as he and bride kiss at sweetheart table
Time for dessert? How about some macarons or chocolate raspberry mini-tarts? Sugar Euphoria has got you, regardless of what road your sweet tooth is headed down. They’re pretty and delicious!!
Dessert table filled with treats from Sugar Euphoria Wedding couple stands next to a dessert table filled with treats from Sugar Euphoria Bride and groom relax on a lounge from Petal & Oak
I had to get some more drama in of course!
Dramatically lit portrait of a bride and groom sitting on a couch. The groom is lit with red light and the bride is lit with blue light.
And then we headed outside over to Belt Line Station for some portraits before we all melted in the heat of a Durham summer. Can we talk about this dress though? Jamison and Vonsia are getting married for real in November and if she didn’t have a dress already, I would be encouraging her to get this one. She. Looks. Stunning.
Bride poses in her Gavin Christianson Bridal gown. Hair by Belloviso, makeup by Sharon Davis Makeup Artistry Bride poses in her Gavin Christianson Bridal gown. Hair by Belloviso, makeup by Sharon Davis Makeup Artistry
We already know this guy is for sure designing something just as awesome as this suit for himself for their real wedding.
Jamison himself models one of his Robert Jamison Collection custom suits Jamison himself models one of his Robert Jamison Collection custom suits Bride and groom laugh and hold hands as they walk through Belt Line Station
I’ll leave you with some dancing and laughter, because that’s what love is all about, whether it’s just some colorful wedding inspiration at a styled shoot or a real wedding.
A Black couple laughs and dances in wedding gown and custom red suit at Belt Line Station in Durham, NC
That’s what I’ve got. Please show some love to the amazing team that made this shoot happen and give them an instagram follow!

We believe that love is bright and colorful, and your wedding photographs should be bright and colorful too.

Kivus & Camera are Raleigh Wedding photographers who create bold, colorful, magical memories of your wedding day with beautiful, artistic portraits AND enthusiastic, genuine moments. Your unique love story deserves to be told through unforgettable, breath-taking photographs that stand out from the crowd. Kivus & Camera love creating that magic. After all, as past bride Courtney says, we’re photography sorcerers.

And though we call ourselves Raleigh wedding photographers, we definitely photograph Durham weddings, Chapel Hill weddings, Cary weddings, etc. We’re all over the Triangle area, and we’re happy to head to the beach or mountains and even to places outside of North Carolina! Just let us know where your love story is headed.

Want to know more? Check out more of our images or learn more about our nerdy selves or just send us a note! Can’t wait to hear from you.