Left At The Altar…

We’ve all seen the movies – the guy gets “cold feet” at the last minute and doesn’t turn up, while all the friends are rallying around to get him to the church and/or support the bride as her world crumbles around her.
We’ve all seen that incredible moment in Sex and the City where Mr Big doesn’t turn up to the wedding and Carrie drops the phone (not an iPhone so no screen shattering, thankfully!) and cries “He’s not coming… Get me out of here!”
Most of us have wondered, at least for a second, how it can happen, and how you would react if it were you…

What would you do? What would you say? Who would you turn to?

I got to be that bride for a day towards the end of last year – luckily for me, not in my real life, but for a modelling concept photoshoot.

I have always been one of those girls who loves a slice or two of cake, a biscuit with her tea and a filthy curry or pizza at the weekends – and I have curves – which I love! I wouldn’t change the way that I am, but I never thought in a million years, that I could be a model. In fact, if you had suggested it to me a couple of years ago, I probably would have laughed, gestured at my backside and moved on with a grin on my face.

However, I have ended up doing quite a bit of modelling over the past couple of years – kind of by accident, but I do really enjoy doing it!

This particular shoot was with a fantastic photographer, Sheradon Dublin, and hair/make-up extraordinaire Laura Naish – both of whom I had worked with before on separate shoots, so I knew them both well enough to have a lot of fun!

On the day, Laura started working on my hair and make up, while Sheradon and Ben (his assistant) set up lighting etc in the space. We were shooting in an abandoned garage space which Sheradon had been trying to shoot in for over 3 years and which had only just had an opening for a shoot. It was absolutely gorgeous and completely haunting – with loads of dead autumn leaves all over the ground.

We started with the “standard” jilted bride shots, with me looking sad in a dress, but as the shoot carried on the makeup got darker and more tear-stained, the hair got messier and the mood got darker.

By the end I was holding a knife as well as my bouquet and had red glitter pouring down my cheeks in my tear tracks. We wanted to show the anger and resentment that I know you would feel if someone you loved and trusted left you at the altar!

We were all really pleased with how the shots came out – it was a long day, but so so worth it!
Some of these shots were published earlier this year in “Advanced Photographer”magazine too!

My 5 Favourite Shots:

It was such a great shoot and a fab experience, but I do hope that it is my only experience of being the jilted bride – much as I love the photos, when I find the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, I really hope he turns up on the wedding day!

Cheeky self-promotional plug: If anyone is needing a model/actress with big eyes and hourglass curves, please do get in touch – I’d love to do more of this! More of my shots can be seen on my performing website at www.rosieladkin.com.

All photos (minus the one selfie) are credited to Sheradon Dublin. Hair and makeup credited to Laura Naish.