The Coastal Watershed Council works to transform the Santa Cruz community's relationship to the San Lorenzo River through water quality monitoring, watershed education, and events that activate the Santa Cruz Riverwalk. Meander supports this work through an innovative celebration of the waterway and a new experience of the river.
Meander needed a brand and invitation that made dinner on the banks of the San Lorenzo River feel special, yet inclusive of the entire Santa Cruz community.
We landed on a hand-lettered word mark to add a personal touch that made each invitation feel custom-made.
We shot photography that embraces the San Lorenzo River as a welcoming and thriving space.
We further dismantled existing presumptions of the waterway by featuring fine dining in the rough, overlooked beauty of the river landscape.
Our concept for the invite was to create a warm and inviting sunset setting. On the day of the shoot, however, the weather didn't work in our favor. So, we set out to recreate "golden hour" with the use of gelled strobes and gold reflectors. The end result has a surreal, enchanting quality that perfectly captures the mood for the event.
Our friends at Nielson Architects dressed the set with props that produced the perfect ambiance. Laura Cook was our stylist, making sure that every item looked just right.
Here are some behind the scenes shots that show how we created the effect.
The event was a huge success, where members of the community who hadn't spent much time along the river shared a great meal and conversation well into the evening.
Nielson Architects carried the styling over from the photo shoot, transforming the riverside park into an awesome dining spot. All photos courtesy of Crystal Birns Photography.
