The Anne of Green Gables series has been a favourite of mine since I was a kid. I remember watching the movies, starring Megan Follows, over and over again. Surprisingly, despite being an avid reader, I didn’t read any of the books until I was 20. I went to visit my great aunt Waltraud in France for the first time and she left an English version of Anne of Green Gables on my bedside table. I gobbled it up and loved it. I’m kind of happy I waited to read it because it’s a special memory having it attached to that visit.
I’m forever indebted to L.M. Montgomery for her dreaming up Anne. There is something about Anne that makes it impossible not to love her instantly. What I always loved the most about her, besides her strength and vivaciousness, was her ability to bring out the best in people. She was never afraid to shine her light and be herself completely. I don’t think there has ever been a female character that inspired me as much as Anne, which brings us to this shoot.
I had been wanting to do an Anne of Green Gables wedding inspiration shoot with Stage Right Etc for a couple of years and we finally got a window to do it this year! Being located in the Okanagan valley, in Kelowna, BC, which is on the opposite side of Canada from Prince Edward Island, the home of Anne of Green Gables, we definitely had to do some location searching to get the look of Avonlea. I was SO excited when Danielle, from Stage Right Etc, found a pond with a rowboat in it! That was on my “must have” list for the shoot and it was a difficult one to find! We had so much fun dreaming up all the scenes and details from the Anne of Green Gables series to incorporate. Stage Right Etc did a fantastic job of weaving in those details while still doing their own twist. The result of their efforts was nothing short of stunning! We had the help of the talented (and yummy) Sweet On You Designer Cakes who made mini carrot cakes (a nod to Gilbert’s nickname for Anne) as well as some gorgeous larger cakes. I found an awesome Anne and Gilbert in the model Bailey Woodward and her boyfriend Yanni Papadopoulos. Melissa Dacre did a gorgeous update of Anne’s traditional hairdo and Melissa Craven did a beautiful job of her makeup.
I am beyond excited that one of my FAVourite wedding blogs, Green Wedding Shoes, posted this shoot last week. It’s been so fun seeing the amazing response we have gotten from it and all the Anne of Green Gables fans reminiscing about their favourite Anne and Gilbert moments. : ) Click here to see the post on Green Wedding Shoes.
I hope you enjoy!
Below: A little twist on the Lady of Shalott scene from Anne of Green Gables (probably my favourite part from the movie).
A little tongue and cheek reference to the famous raspberry cordial scene in Anne of Green Gables.
When Gilbert and Anne first meet in class, Gilbert tugs one of Anne’s braids to get her attention and calls her “Carrots.” Anne, who is extremely sensitive about her red hair, stands up, smashes her chalkboard slate on Gilbert’s head and makes him her sworn enemy. The part, later on in the series, where Anne finally lets Gilbert call her “Carrots” affectionately always makes me mushy. : )
When Matthew first picks up Anne and rides her back to Green Gables in his carriage, Anne is in heaven with “so much scope for the imagination.” They ride through a tunnel of blossoms which she renamed “The White Way of Delight” (see that later on in this post) and when they pass “Barry’s Pond,” Anne says, “Oh no, this is ‘The Lake of Shining Waters.’ That’s its rightful name.”
Vendors:
Decor/Styling/Florals: Stage Right Etc, Kelowna, BC
Cakes: Sweet on You Cakes
Couple: Bailey Woodward and Yanni Papadopoulos
Makeup: Melissa Craven
Hair: Melissa Dacre
[...] Check out my own post on this shoot as well to see more photos. : ) [...]
Sooo gorgeous. I love everything about this shoot =]
Holy mother! Wow! Jessica, you have totally outdone yourself this time! It’s ridiculously incredible! *swoon*
WOW! Can I be Anne and get married (again)?
Beautiful, and so many details!
Thanks for sharing them with me!
Sue
[...] Twitter, Facebook and web). You can also read more about the photo shoot and see more photographs on Jessica’s website. About The Author [...]
I am in love with these pictures! I love the theme and it was pulled of so perfectly! Seriously, I am loving these pictures.
[...] You can contact Jessica (on Twitter, Facebook and web) and Stage Right Etc (on Twitter, Facebook and web). You can also read more about the photo shoot and see more photographs on Jessica’s website. [...]
1. This may be the most glorious thing I have ever seen in my life, as well as defining all my future wedding plans. As you can see from my username and website, I’ve been an Anne fan since before I can remember, due in part to the color of my hair–but mostly due to her charm.
2. The inclusion of Moody Spurgeon-MacPherson on an embroidered napkin makes me really, really happy. I’m sure he’d be honored, even if he doesn’t seem to fit in as well as, say, Miss S.
Absolutely scintillating!
This is just beautiful, exciting, thrilling, amazing, awesome…and every good delicious adjective int he dictionary. It makes me want to get married again…but can’t do THAT. I love everything about it….EVERYTHING.
So, so beautiful! Love it.
Of course, in the books the wedding took place in the late 1800s. Anne and Gilbert’s children were grown up by 1917.
We were trying to figure out when their wedding was exactly but we weren’t able to so we used the year the book was written where they get married. haha. Too bad we didn’t have you on hand as our fact-checker Jessica! : D
Thank you for all your wonderful comments, everyone!!! Hugs all around! : )
Such an incredibly delightful shoot….everything is so charming.
Wow this is exquisitely beautiful, it totally takes my breath away!! I have been a massive Anne fan from a young age, the books and films always transport me to a happy, inspirational and dreamy place. In addition to this I have been doing wedding photography for the past year now, if I can be an iota as good as this in a few years time I will be a very happy lady! Thankyou Jessica for such gorgeous images, transporting me to a ‘magical Anne land’ and inspiring me artistically! You should be unbelievably proud of having such talent!
[...] Oficjalnej stronie fotografki – Jessici Zais [...]
I can’t believe I didn’t think of this myself. So so lovely and wonderful. Simply beautiful.
GAH! These pictures are stunning. AND, like you, I grew up watching the Anne movies and later in life read the series. The books are still my favorite to this day (and will be forever). What a beautiful session. Thanks for sharing this happy bit of inspiration!
Thanks so much Danielle!! : D
[...] shoot was the brainchild of the amazingly talented Canadian photographer, Jessica Zais. On her blog, Jessica tells us all about her love of the book and her need to recreate Anne and Gilbert’s [...]