A Mystical Woodland Editorial in the Forests of Auvergne

A mystical woodland styled shoot in Auvergne featuring Cathy Telle couture, candlelit forest dining, and photography by Zephyr and Luna.

By Sophie Laurent | Published 19 June 2019

A Mystical Woodland Editorial in the Forests of Auvergne

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Created for the first edition of The Roots photography workshop, this mystical woodland editorial unfolded in the forests of Auvergne. Photographer Ambre Peyrotty of Zephyr and Luna designed and coordinated the entire shoot, blending couture gowns by Cathy Telle with raw natural textures and candlelit dining beneath the trees.

Photography

Venue

Forest, Auvergne

Region

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

Couple

Bridal Portraits

A bridal portrait taken outdoors in a wooded setting with dark, moody lighting. The bride has long red hair and wears a white lace long-sleeve dress with a flowy skirt, a delicate floral crown of small pale pink blooms, and a layered pendant necklace. She holds an oversized cascading bouquet composed of ferns, white astilbe, lavender star-shaped flowers, dark berries, small white wildflowers, and trailing greenery, tied with a lavender ribbon. A length of dusky purple fabric is draped overhead, framing the shot. The overall styling is bohemian with a dark, woodland aesthetic. Close-up portrait composition with the bride's gaze directed downward.

Close-up portrait of a bride holding an oversized, loosely arranged bouquet with a distinctly wild, botanical style. The bouquet features ferns, lavender-purple star-shaped flowers, white astilbe, white astrantia, dark berries, and abundant deep green foliage, creating an unstructured woodland aesthetic. The bride wears a long-sleeve white lace dress and has long auburn hair; only her torso and hands are visible. The dark, blurred background gives the image a moody, forest-inspired atmosphere.

Close-up portrait of a bride and groom sharing a kiss outdoors against a dark, blurred green foliage background. The bride has long red hair and wears a floral headpiece made of cream fabric flowers with a veil, along with a lace dress. The groom wears a light grey suit jacket with a deep burgundy bow tie, and his hand gently cups the bride's face. The styling has a boho-romantic feel, with the floral headpiece and lace detailing as intentional design choices. The image has a moody, low-light quality with dark tones surrounding the couple.

A bride sits on the ground in an outdoor woodland setting, laughing joyfully as a grey and white Husky puppy nuzzles or licks her hand. She wears a white lace long-sleeve wedding dress and has a small white floral hair accessory in her long red hair. The portrait-style shot is taken at ground level, with a natural forest floor of pine needles and dirt in the background. The styling is boho with the lace dress detail and floral headpiece.

Among moss-covered roots and tall forest trees, the bride moved through filtered woodland light in couture gowns by Cathy Telle. Fabric trailed across the soft earth, catching in the dappled glow between the canopy. Each portrait felt suspended between myth and reality, Ambre Peyrotty's lens finding quiet drama in the interplay of nature, texture, and stillness.

Reception

An outdoor evening reception tablescape set in a wooded garden, photographed as a wide detail shot with no guests present. A long rustic wooden farm table with bench seating is dressed with a white linen runner layered with a dense greenery garland featuring ferns and dark foliage. White taper candles and small votive candles are placed along the centerpiece, alongside crystal glassware, white plates, and what appears to be gold-accented tableware. String globe lights are strung through the tree branches overhead, creating warm amber lighting in the dim evening setting. The overall styling is rustic-botanical with a dark, moody atmosphere.

Hidden within the forest, a surprise dining scene appeared beneath hundreds of small lights strung through the canopy. Long tables glowed under the trees as the creative team gathered to dine outdoors, the setting transforming a working shoot into a communal celebration. Later, the couple stepped indoors for a private first dance to live folk music performed by the band Telegraph.

Flat Lays

Close-up detail shot of two wedding bands displayed inside an open brass and glass geometric terrarium box. The rings — one gold-toned and one darker, likely black or dark tungsten — rest on a bed of dense green moss inside the box. Dried amber fern fronds and small pine cones are arranged alongside the moss as styling accents, and additional green ferns surround the exterior of the box. The terrarium sits on a forest floor covered in pine needles and small branches, contributing to an organic, woodland-themed aesthetic. The overall styling palette is deep green, warm brass, and earthy brown, consistent with a rustic or boho nature-inspired wedding style.

A couple stands together in a forest clearing beneath a wooden arch draped with dusty purple/mauve fabric, facing each other and smiling. The bride wears a flowing white gown and holds a bouquet of greenery and white blooms, while the groom wears light grey trousers with suspenders and a white shirt. A husky dog sits at their feet between groupings of pillar candles arranged on raw wood slice platforms on either side of the arch. The styling is boho-rustic with a muted purple and natural wood palette, set entirely outdoors among tall dense trees in low ambient light. The image is a medium-wide portrait shot capturing the full ceremony setup.

An outdoor reception tablescape set beneath a large tree at dusk, styled in a rustic, intimate boho aesthetic. A long dark wooden farm table with matching wooden benches is dressed with a white linen table runner, tall white taper candles, and what appears to be a greenery garland running along the center, with glassware and place settings for approximately 10–12 guests. Clusters of white pillar candles in varying heights are arranged on the ground around the base of the tree, and warm string lights are strung through the tree branches overhead, creating a soft amber glow against the dim evening light. A smaller wooden side table with additional candles and bottles is visible to the left, and the overall color palette is warm amber and deep green. Wide establishing shot capturing the full table setup and surrounding garden.

A flat lay detail shot of a wedding stationery suite for 'Imogen & Arthur' arranged on a large weathered tree stump. The suite includes invitation cards, an RSVP card, and additional inserts styled across two color stories: one featuring deep forest green color-block panels on white card stock, and another featuring muted mauve/dusty purple panels on white with dark charcoal text. A small wooden cylindrical wax seal or cord bobbin is visible among the pieces. The typography is modern and minimal, using clean serif and sans-serif fonts. The overall design aesthetic is contemporary and moody, complemented by the dark, textured wood surface and small natural fungi visible around the edges of the stump.

Detail vignettes revealed the shoot's layered approach to styling: wild florals arranged as if growing from the forest floor, alongside ceramics, candles, and handmade elements placed on textured surfaces. Overhead and close-up frames captured the moss, bark, and linen that grounded the woodland palette. Every flat lay felt like a fragment of the larger narrative, raw and deliberate in equal measure.