The Blog

A Moody Wedding Aesthetic: Hakone Gardens at Dusk

Josh and Emily’s wedding was the PERFECT dark and moody day! Their wedding was held at the Hakone Estate and Gardens in Saratoga, California. Hakone is one of the oldest Japanese estate, retreat and gardens in the United States! It was the perfect place for this stunning wedding. From florals, to decor, and especially bride and groom photos, each one showcased this eccentric and moody wedding aesthetic!

Josh and Emily met at Biola University in the Opera program! They both love hiking, performing, exploring, and dressing up fancy to go out, even if it’s a casual place! Josh proposed just before their 4 year anniversary at their favorite restaurant during a usual Wednesday date night. He asked their best friend to help with details and the rest was history.

Wedding Photos at Dusk | Moody Wedding Aesthetic | Burke Wedding at Hakone Gardens

In order to make these gorgeous photos a possibility, the timeline of the day was more unique than normal! Josh and Emily had a late ceremony and made sure to have a first look beforehand. This allowed us to take family and bridal party photos before the ceremony, leaving more time for bride + groom photos after. If you don’t want to do a first look but want this style, make sure to talk to your photographer about going back out during the reception for sunset, dusk, and after dark photos.

Dusk Wedding Ideas | Nighttime Wedding Photos | California Photographer

The key to getting these photos to really stand out is the addition of ambient lighting! These photos of Josh and Emily really pop with the addition of the lanterns. You can use any kind of additional lighting, such as twinkle lights, candles, a bonfire, or even car lights!

” I love them all!!!! I am speechless. Thank you for helping with the day and for going above and beyond!”

– Emily Burke

LEIA CALDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY | SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WEDDING + COUPLES PHOTOGRAPHER

I loved shooting this wedding and couldn’t have asked for a better couple for this dark and moody wedding aesthetic! If you loved these photos and want these for your day, I’m your girl! I would LOVE to be a part of your wedding day! I love capturing these special moments that you will cherish for a lifetime. If you are ready to start your wedding planning, head over to my contact page to lock me in!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *