Drapery Wedding Trend: Farmers Image Of The Week

This week’s Farmers Image Of The Week comes from Lena Sabala and is a brilliant example of using self-motivated shoots to experiment with trends, fill in portfolio gaps, and refine techniques in the quieter season. Styled shoots sometimes get a bad rep, but let’s be real most creative industries produce work purely for the sake of experimentation and portfolio building. It’s a crucial part of honing your craft. While there’s a conversation to be had about transparency when sharing styled shoot work, that’s a debate for another day.

For now, let’s talk about drapery at weddings, a styling trend that has suddenly taken off. Swathes of fabric are now being used to add softness, movement, and drama to wedding spaces, creating striking backdrops for photography and elevating the reception aesthetic. Lena has leaned into this trend, using flowing fabric and moody lighting to create an image that feels both modern and timeless (in the actual sense, not the overused wedding cliché).

Why This Image Stands Out

✨ Dramatic Light & Shadow Lena plays with light beautifully here. The directional lighting creates depth and mood while highlighting the couple’s expressions and connection.

✨ Drapery as a Framing Device The use of flowing fabric is more than just on-trend decor; it also frames the couple within the scene, drawing our eye to them effortlessly.

✨ Creative Use of Filters If you check out the carousel on her Instagram, you’ll see how Lena has experimented with filters to add starburst effects to the light sources. While those images are stunning, this one stands out for its simplicity, it allows the couple’s connection to take centre stage while still embracing the styling.

Takeaways for Photographers

• Styled Shoots Are Valuable Use them to experiment, build confidence with new trends, and create portfolio work that attracts your ideal clients.
• Drapery Is a Wedding Trend to Watch Start looking out for how fabric is being used at weddings; it’s becoming a major design element.
• Lighting Can Make or Break the Shot Lena has used mixed light sources to illuminate her couple and elements of the scene. Think about how you can be intentional about how light interacts with the subjects and the setting.

Leaning into a wedding trend like drapery and creating a portfolio shoot around it, ensures that you stay ahead of style shifts and get onto the Pinterest boards of couples still planning their weddings. Instead of waiting for a trend to feature in an upcoming wedding, this way you stay ahead of it. However, romance will never go out of fashion, which is what Lena has ultimately focused on in this image.

What do you think of the drapery wedding trend? Have you noticed it on social media or photographed it at a wedding yet?