Searching for inspiration for your outdoor or nature-themed wedding? Look no further than Sweet Violet Bride, a nature inspired blog featuring real weddings, styled shoots and fun diy projects. Today’s interview is with the editor of this beautiful wedding blog, Naomi Farr. Naomi also designs and creates handmade bridal hair accessories and jewelry at Violette and Iris. Read on for more details!
How did you get into wedding blogging?
I had just graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing and was struggling at a new corporate job that was not creative at all. During my lunch breaks I would dream of the creative freedom that starting my own business would entail and I wrote a list of all the things I’m passionate about. Weddings (I planned my own in 2011), graphic design, floral design, learning about people’s life stories, and media were all on that list. One day it just clicked and the idea of Sweet Violet Bride was born…though it would take me several months to decide on the name. I’m the type of person who makes a list of a hundred options before making a decision. Sometimes this is helpful…sometimes exhausting!
Photo Credit: Jose Villa
Where do you go for blogging inspiration?
Everywhere! I’m addicted to wedding magazines and other wedding blogs but I also get ideas from the wonderful world of Etsy, fashion, art, gardening books and catalogs, paint samples from the hardware store (yep, I collect em’!), and of course nature itself. I’ve had the privilege of living in some of the most naturally beautiful states in the U.S. including Alaska, Washington, New Hampshire, and now Vermont.
What do you look for in wedding blog submissions?
I look for gorgeous natural light photography, original ideas, creative details, and a great story. I look for real outdoor weddings in places close to nature or that evoke an organic, natural setting and a variety of shots so I can give readers a sense of being there. Too many posed shots, group shots, artificial lighting, or a submission with no shots of the details (i.e. bouquets, decor, favors, cake, etc.) probably won’t grab my attention.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Ong
What are some of the most unique natural settings for a wedding that you’ve come across?
In person? I used to work on a glacier in Alaska when I was just out of college, and saw a proposal and a wedding take place there (two different couples)! It is an awe-inspiring environment that needs zero décor. Some of my favorite real weddings featured on Sweet Violet Bride have been in backyards, barns or vineyards. Flower farms (lavender!) are also a gorgeous place to have a wedding.
Photo Credit: Ampersand Photography
What are some fun ways to incorporate nature into a wedding theme?
The opportunities are endless. Working with living matter such as flowers and botanicals in the bouquets and centerpieces is an obvious choice, but I encourage couples to consider all of the elements. When my aunt was married she used the theme of river and beach stones throughout. She had been collecting them for a long time – beautiful smooth, round stones. She scattered them around the centerpieces on each table, and she hand painted many of them with the wedding date and a flower or fern with gold permanent ink. Guests took them home as keepsakes.
You also design bridal accessories for Violette and Iris. What are some of your favorite creations?
I do, and I also model and photograph them, too! My favorites tend to be ones that I create spontaneously when I don’t necessarily have an end product in mind but happen to have a certain mix of materials on my work table and start playing with them. The Fae Wood ‘Olivia’ piece and the Violette Vine are two that come to mind.
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