Historic Beach Estate Styled Wedding
From the beach to the limestone architecture of the The Harley Clarke Mansion, today’s feature is a little rustic mixed with historical elegance! With a mix of scenery throughout the photos captured by Monika Thorpe, this talented group of vendors came together to showcase the beauty of The Harley Clarke Mansion as it has been endangered of being demolished. From the colors to the wooden accents and natural greenery, the landmark could not have looked any more gorgeous! Keep scrolling to see all the gorgeousness!
Written and photographed by Monika Thorpe:
“Last occupied in 2015 by the Evanston Art Center, the Harley Clarke Mansion is an English Tudor Revival-French Eclectic-style residence adjacent to the historic Grosse Point Lighthouse. It's backside overlooks Lighthouse Beach and Lake Michigan. It is listed with the national register of Historic Places. Recently, this estate has been threatened for demolition as its condition deteriorates. In 2016, Landmarks Illinois added the Harley Clarke Mansion to its list of most endangered historic places in Illinois. Not knowing what the future will bring, I wanted to capture the premises as is right now. Abandoned, overgrown, but as beautiful as it was back in 1927 when it was constructed for the wealthy Clarke family.
I had a group of great vendors that jumped on board and had the opportunity to learn about this historic place. With such a majestic and historic estate as our backdrop, we wanted to produce a modern, yet very classic atmosphere when styling this shoot. Navy, burgundy, pinks with splashes of greenery complimented the rustic nature of the ivy-covered limestone walls of the mansion.
Genevieve's Bridal Couture provided a stunning gown, with a plunging neckline and just enough glam and sparkle to remind everyone of the affluence from which the venue was born. It was also appropriate for a sunset stroll on the adjacent beach.”
From the model: We were incredibly disappointed with our original wedding photos, and had planned to eventually do a "re-do" in order to recreate some of the shots from the day. When Monika put out a call for a styled wedding shoot I jumped at the chance to participate. Originally I had wanted to re-do our photos with my dress, trying to replicate our day as much as possible, but I actually fell in love with the idea of just going with the collective vision of everyone involved. I ended up with the best of both worlds, and photos from an entirely different type of wedding than the one we had. Such a great experience!
Wedding Pro’s:
Photography: Monika Thorpe
Event Designer: L & E Designs
Venue: The Harley Clarke Mansion
Floral Design: L & E Designs
Rentals: L & E Designs
Hair: Artistry Hair by Jess
Makeup: Beauty by Demi
Cake: Lisa Marie’s Bakery
Dress Boutique: Genevieve’s Bridal Couture
Grooms Attire: Formally Modern