By the time this shoot came together, Libby and I had just wrapped three full days at New York Bridal Week. We were packed, running on adrenaline, coffee still in hand and set to fly home the next day, tired, inspired, but not quite ready to leave the city. Literally hours before the shoot, we connected last minute with Naomi Turner Photography and Sophie Sonnendecker, hoping to get an hour together before everyone went their separate ways. There was no big plan, just a shared instinct to create something while we were all in the same place. By mid-morning, we were shooting outside the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue. With the city whirring around us as Sophie stepped into three modern bridal designs from our new collection, Spirit.

Gisele

Sophie wore Gisele first, a structured shorty dress made of satin, with a boned bodice, paired with a sheer lace skirt, designed to feel confident, effortless, and quietly bold.

Set against the stone architecture of the beautiful library, the dress felt like it was in the perfect setting, an iconic backdrop, clean lines softened by movement. I loved the look of it all. We styled the Gisele with a Juliet cape veil by our friends at Edit Veils, adding softness and contrast that caught the autumn light and moved gently in the breeze.

Tatum

Shooting on the library steps meant we were never unnoticed. Some people hurried past to the library entrance to not get in the way, while others slowed, watched. At one point, as Sophie posed in Tatum, a woman called out in the most perfect New York accent, “That is gorgeous!” Completely unplanned and genuinely felt, we caught the moment on film, and it’s one we keep coming back to. We shared it on Instagram.

Where Gisele is structured and bold, Tatum is relaxed and intuitive modern bridal. Designed to feel easy from the moment it’s on, Tatum is about movement, comfort, and confidence without overthinking it.

Photographed as Fifth Avenue grew busier, the dress felt completely at home in the city, modern, unfussy, and self-assured.

Jules & the Sage Cape

Chasing the light, we moved round the side of the library with Sophie wearing Jules, then layered with our Sage Cape. The cape added movement and dimension, shifting with each step and catching the light as Sophie moved through the space and walked down the street.

This pairing felt especially reflective of Spirit—a balance of strength and softness, intention and ease.

As the crowd grew, another woman stepped in to help hold back pedestrian traffic so we could get the shot, a small, generous moment that perfectly captured the energy of the shoot and New Yorkers.

 

Before she had to run to catch the subway, Naomi had her eye on one last shot, and somehow, between traffic and timing, we managed to make it happen. Jules layered with the Sage Cape, framed against a classic yellow cab. A fleeting New York moment, but one that felt unmistakably right for the collection.

 

The Spirit of It All

Spirit is a collection designed for brides who trust their instincts. Brides who don’t feel the need to overdo it. These are pieces made to move with you, through quiet moments, unexpected ones, and everything in between.

That morning on Fifth Avenue reminded us that bridal doesn’t have to be precious or perfect. It can be strong, effortless and spontaneous, created with coffee in hand, surrounded by a moving city, and finished just in time to catch a flight home.

So grateful to Naomi Turner for capturing the spirit of the morning, Sophie Sonnendecker for her looking so lovely and Libby for all her support throughout New York Bridal Week.

 

Becca x

Credits

Main Photography: Naomi Turner
Model: Sophie Sonnendecker
Veils: Edit Veils
Location: New York Public Library, NYC