Love, Your Way - Harper's BAZAAR
Avant-garde wedding designer AMBROSIA MORRIS styles princess moments for “the girls who get it”. Here, her top considerations for your day
AS A NEW GENERATION comes of marrying age, they’re tossing some wedding traditions, amplifying others and turning to TikTok for ideas and hacks (#weddingtok has 7.8 billion views). One of the platform’s most trusted sources, Ambrosia Morris (@sincerelyambrosia, pictured above right), is turning the traditional bridal industry on its head.
Growing up, Morris never dreamt of her own princess moment wedding. It wasn’t until she was in her early twenties and working with a wedding planner in California that she began to understand the appeal. Still, she couldn’t wrap her head around the copy-paste nature of the ceremonies and receptions. “It was just so repetitive, from wedding to wedding to wedding,” she says. “I would be so curious as to how these brides had spent so much money and we were getting the same thing and, respectfully, it was kind of boring. I’d be on my way home from these weddings at 2am thinking, I know there are brides out there that want what I like. I’m not crazy.”
She started posting wedding inspiration and tips more aligned to her tastes (“What I’ve always been drawn to has always been the moodier aspects of the ’90s runway, the early 2000s — things that almost make you question what you’re even looking at”), and suddenly found her calling. “I got the most amazing feedback from so many brides that I was just like, This is it. I landed right where I needed to be,” she says.
Her TikTok profile is full of videos about uncommon first dance songs, spiked desserts, photoshoot pose ideas, lingerie recommendations, floral sculptures and runway inspiration (think: Jean Paul Gaultier spring 2008, Kate Moss walking for Blumarine autumn/winter 1994, John Galliano fall 2009, among others).
Now, she has a waitlist of clients for her avant-garde wedding and bridal artistry business, Sincerely Ambrosia. Here, she lets us in on the key details for your big day.
THE VENDORS
I have lived real-life vendor horror stories, and there is nothing more devastating than putting your hard-earned money into services for one of the biggest days of your life, and they underdeliver. I think one of the most important things you can do to help eliminate room for error is to make sure that your vendors are well-versed in their practices, and who come from a place of understanding that this is an incredibly sacred and special day in your life, and it should be treated as such. If something does go wrong, I cannot stress this enough: let the professionals handle it. Your wedding day is too short to let even a moment of that time be stolen from you. Just let it roll off you, pretend you don’t even know anything has happened, grab another glass of champagne and enjoy yourself.
THE PHOTOS & VIDEO
Some argue that the videographer and photographer are the most important vendors. I would say the argument is actually videography versus photography. If you don’t have room in your budget for both, I would choose a videographer. Still-shots are lovely, but nothing transports you back to your wedding day as a video does. Videography helps you relive the day, taking you back to the interactions with your loved ones, the laughter and tears throughout the day, calcifying each of these moments into something you can go back to forever and ever.
THE GRAND ENTRANCE & EXIT
I feel very strongly about the grand entrance/grand exit being done in a way that doesn’t slow down the energy that has been built up all night. I know that sparkler grand exits are pretty popular, but the reality of these grand exits isn’t so ‘grand’ at all. Typically, the entire wedding needs to be stopped for guests to line up, light sparklers and wait for the couple to get their perfect shot. I really encourage brides to stay away from this grand exit and opt for something that is much more of an organic moment, like confetti.
THE MUSIC
This is an area I always encourage brides to push the boundary. I’ve noticed people tend to like to stay on the safe side in terms of lyrics. Of course, there are elements of culture and religion that are always necessary to consider, but if you are building out a wedding playlist of music that you simply just like, don’t be afraid to add whatever you want. Music has the ability to evoke emotions that transcend the lyrics. A great example is Lana Del Rey. In the past few years, she has been my number one most requested artist, even though her sad lyrics may seem contradictory for the happiest day of your life. Music is an extremely powerful thing, and choosing a playlist that doesn’t reflect you will strip you of the opportunity of those intense emotions.
THE LIGHTING
Lighting is the most important design element. It has the power to transform a space, create shapes, build drama and evoke emotion. A warm, candlelit glow is romantic and elegant, while brighter, white and coloured lighting brings out a more vibrant and energetic mood.
THE FLORALS
The most strategic and impactful way to use your floral budget is by choosing a focal point to adorn with a floral installation versus multiple smaller arrangements throughout the venue. This allows for an extravagant, wow-factor moment that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
This article originally appeared in the August 2023 issue of Harper’s BAZAAR. Main image: photographed by Tess Schilke; model: Greta Louise Tomé