The Before the Big Day Bridal Q&A
Where and when did you get married?
We got married at Hackney Town Hall on 5th May in front of 20 family and close friends.
What was your thinking behind choosing the venue and the decoration of the reception?
This was our secret wedding before the big official day in France, so we kept it simple with a tea-party back at our flat in Shoreditch. It was lovely for closest family to see us in our home - many of the grandparents hadn't seen it before. For our decorations, we used white bunting and handmade white tissue pompoms, that looked like peonies.
Did you have a theme, colour or motif in mind?
As we got married at 3pm, we settled on a tea party. I considered an Alice in Wonderland theme, but settled instead on a vintage tea-party, complete with cucumber sandwiches and my mother-in-law's vintage china.
Who made your wedding outfit, and how did you come to that decision?
My dress was from an Australian designer called Rose & Ruby. They've actually stopped trading, but I managed to find this one on Australian Ebay, and I took the plunge and bought it without trying it on. Luckily it fitted perfectly, and if you want to buy it, I'm open to offers! (It's a size 8). My shoes were gold strappy stilettos from Halston Heritage with blue sequinned I Do stickers on the soles. I wore my mother's vintage sapphire engagement ring, and diamond studs my mother gave me for Christmas.
What type of cake did you go for, and how did you come to that decision?
My mother actually chose and organised my cake, and my grandmother paid for it. I'm not actually sure who made it, but it's a lady in Dorset. I'll find out and update! We bought all the rest of the tea-party food from Marks & Spencers. The champagne and the hired glasses were from Majestic.
Did you have any favours? What were they? Was there any particular reason why you picked them?
We chose to give little pots of Dorset honey as favours, because that's where I grew up. Guests also took a cupcake with them as they left.
Who was your florist, what flowers did you choose, and how did you come to that decision?
We DIY'd our flowers, with blooms bought from Colombia Road Flower Market the Sunday before. We kept them in a darkened room, but they still opened a bit too much - so in some ways I wish I'd spent a bit more money and bought them from a florist on the day. My mother bought up flowers from her garden for my bouquet and the boys' buttonholes. She made me a lily-of-the-valley bouquet, and the buttonholes were roses from a bush that my grandfather had given her as a present.
Who was your photographer and how did you choose them?
I can't remember how I found Chloe from Caught the Light, but I've long been a fan of her work here on Before the Big Day, and I booked her over a year in advance for my French wedding. When we decided we wanted our London wedding to be photographed as well, she very kindly agreed to help out. Chloe's work is stunning, and I can't recommend her enough. Serious praise from a wedding blogger.
Did you enjoy planning your wedding?
YES! I started Before the Big Day because I love weddings and thinking creatively about how to make them stand out from the crowd. However, it was A LOT more stressful than I thought it would be. With hindsight, I probably should have taken on a few less DIY projects, but it saved us lots of money, and it made our wedding personal to us.
Did you have any DIY projects?
Lots! With the help of my mother, we made the tissue pom-poms and the stationery, and arranged the flowers, my bouquet and the buttonholes.
Who designed your stationery? What did it look like and how did you come to that decision?
I designed our stationery, and I organised for it to be printed at our local KopyKat. It was a serious labour of love, but worked out a lot cheaper than the Follow Studio wedding stationery that I'd fallen in love with but couldn't afford.
What advice do you have for brides planning their big day?
Read Before the Big Day! Come up with a theme idea, and start your DIY projects early. Eat properly on the day of your wedding - I got grumpy just before the ceremony - not a good idea! And leave yourself lots of time to get ready. You'll want to have time to compliment your bridesmaids and your mother on what they're wearing, and if it's all a bit of rush you won't have time to savour every special moment.
Also - get your eye-lashes done, but Chanel foundation and have your hair done professionally. My recommendations are Lash Lab and One Drayson Mews Hairdressers in Kensington {ask for Tracy}.
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