A Million Dreams

When your vision comes to life…

As a photographer and all around creative, I discovered I have a passion for putting together styled shoots. This gives me the chance to brainstorm unique ideas, express my artistic side and photograph beautiful images all at once. This time I chose to put together something based off of one of my favorite movies that has inspired my life.

“The Greatest Showman,” which not only spoke to my heart when it was released, but has been a huge motivation for me, personally, and in my photography career.

“The Greatest Showman” is a movie about accepting yourself for who you are. It is about creating a life for yourself that you can feel proud of, and one that motivates you to follow your dreams.

There are many great inspirational quotes within the movie, itself, which are not only useful for wall hangings and blackboards, but they’ve more importantly been written on my heart. I wanted to use these themes to create a perfectly vintage styled elopement shoot, where my passion as a photographer could come through in expressing my dreams.

I reached out to Beth Boelter, owner of Elements Preserved Vintage Rental, and The Loft of Elements Preserved, its’ sister company.
The Loft of Elements Preserved is a natural-light, intimate, urban-chic venue in the Chicago suburbs, which is perfect for elopement weddings and special celebrations. With the addition of a showroom full of vintage and specialty rentals, I knew that there would likely be many pieces available that could bring this vision to life. With Beth’s passion for styling and design, she not only pulled a few pieces that we briefly talked about, but carried the vintage theme much further with details that really brought the shoot to life; she included bits and pieces that were part of the Circus life, such as pink-tinted popcorn, rope balls perched in vintage Milkglass, vintage leather suitcases, a globe, and a vintage French Flower Cart to display the tiny wedding cake, created by Jessica’s Dessert Studio.

Working with one of Beth’s favorite floral design teams, Limani Designs and Limani Designs Floral used inspirational photos and ideas that Beth provided, and created an absolutely stunning farm table centerpiece, using a large Brass elephant styled within a hoop design, reminiscent of the trapeze artists found in circus performances. Of course, the elephant not only represented the circus life, but was a foreshadowing of the life P.T. Barnum was about to create, as they circled about the abandoned house, signifying the need to go after your dreams, even if no one believes in you!

The Paperie Co used one of the quotes from the movie, to style one of Elements Preserved’s vintage blackboards with her hand-lettering, and it’s the perfect message for every couple on their wedding day, “I Wish For Happiness Like This Forever.” Medbh, owner of The Paperie Co also created gold-tinged table numbers, and place cards, which looked stunning on the vintage farm table, another of Elements Preserved’s inventory pieces. Using Milkglass, gold chargers, white linen napkins, gold flatware and brass candlesticks, and vintage china, the simple table décor fit the very vintage theme. Limani Designs also incorporated Pampas grass and florals into the vintage pillar backdrop for the ceremony area, complete with vintage-style bistro chairs.

wore a simple blush dress, while the groom wore a bowtie and jacket, complete with a vintage cane, a nod to the Ringmaster in “The Greatest Showman.”

I have always dreamed of photographing a styled shoot that was focused on “The Greatest Showman.” I wanted to provide inspiration that was unique and something very different than most wedding styled shoots. This shoot fulfilled my dream by getting to work with a great group of creative vendors who took my vision, and created something beyond my dreams! I am inspired to keep making a life for myself that represents me, and encourages others to go after their dreams.