A London Library Wedding with Irish Tartan & Indian Extras

There's nothing I like more than a bride who knows exactly what she wants for her wedding day, and when she can't find it, makes it herself! Lovely Sally handmade all her wedding stationery - including her invitations and table plan, and her pretty seed wedding favours. Then, when she couldn't find bridesmaids dresses in her chosen shade of green, she called on her mum to sew them out of fabric originally designed for suit linings. The end result is a gorgeous, relaxed big day with tonnes of truly personalised wedding details. I love how groom Michael reflected his Irish heritage with his fabulous traditional kilt, and the sunny pop of the gerbera buttonholes. Sally bought her wedding dress from BHS online, and isn't it stunning! Just goes to show you don't have to have a designer gown to look gorgeous on your big day. Another stealworthy idea is Michael and Sally's choice of a fabulous Indian buffet for their wedding reception. If your favourite food is Asian or Mexican, why not choose it for your wedding menu? Huge thanks to Corrado Chiozzi for his fantastic wedding pictures, more of his work coming soon on Before the Big Day!

We celebrated our wedding at Charlton House in London. I knew I wanted our wedding to be fairly simple, my husband wanted it to be somewhere fairly formal, and I wanted fairy lights! Also we both love reading, and so hosting our reception in a library suited us perfectly.

We didn't have a theme as such. We wanted green for the bridesmaid dresses, yellow for the flowers and Indian fabrics and food to feature!

Atmospheric Scottish Tea Party Wedding - The Reception

A wedding is all about family, so I love it when I read a bride's answers to the Before the Big Day Questionnaire, and hear how wedding DIY bought everyone together. Danielle and Allan involved both their mothers and sisters, and even a dad in Project Wedding, and created everything from their wedding stationery, to flowers and favours, and even those delicate-looking cupcakes. Danielle's a strong believer in spotting what you like and making it yourself for less - great advice! I love Danielle's tea-cup table flowers, and the little jam-jar favours filled with jelly-beans - such a pretty detail that wouldn't get left on the table {everyone loves jelly-beans!}. Feast your eyes on these fab pics by Chantal Lachance-Gibson Photography - I'm so impressed by her use of fun props like the postbox!

We got married on 21st March, which was a Thursday, in The Popinjay Hotel in the stunning Clyde Valley, between Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland. We wanted somewhere small and intimate, with a kinda old worldy feel. We wanted a small wedding, but also wanted all our loved ones to be part of our day, so we had fifty-five people at our wedding on Thursday, and then had a big ceilghd on the Saturday in Sloans Bar & Restaurant which is a magnificent old building. 

Our wedding photographer was Chantal Lachance-Gibson Photography. We met her at our first Wedding Fayre. We felt really strongly about picking the right photographer for us - so many of our friends had said their wedding day had went by in a blur, and we wanted someone to catch those magical moments for life. Chantal has a keen eye for capturing emotion, laughter and beauty. Both her and Scott are a great team. We wanted relaxed photographs that didn't look too staged and the pictures are amazing

Atmospheric Scottish Tea Party Wedding with DIY Details

This gorgeous wedding looks like something out of a painting! I've fallen for the stunning portraits of the bridal party - taken by the very talented Chantal Lachance-Gibson Photography, and the atmospheric old worldy feel to The Popinjay Hotel wedding venue. Add in the kilts and thistles, and you've got a truly Scottish big day. Danielle drew on the talents of the women in her, and Allan's families to create plenty of DIY details. Everything from the flowers to the wedding cake was homemade, plus the children's activity boxes {such a good idea}, and the jelly-bean jam-jar favours. It must be difficult to match bridesmaids dresses to the bold tartan of kilts, but Danielle managed a potential colour clash with skill, by choosing a lovely warm neutral colour for her girls. Isn't the flower girl's little fur shrug the cutest! Enjoy Danielle's answers to the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire - she bought plenty of high-street and internet bargains and then customised them, so they look a million dollars. A great idea for a budget-conscious bride. Check back later for the Reception Pictures from this fab wedding.

We got married on 21st March, which was a Thursday, in The Popinjay Hotel in the stunning Clyde Valley, between Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland.

We wanted somewhere small and intimate, with a kinda old worldy feel. We also wanted to feel like we were out in the country, but close enough for our friends and family to reach. The main room of The Popinjay had a wall of windows onto lovely gardens. 

An Enchanting Vintage Fairy-Tale Wedding Shoot

Take a dreamy summer's day, a gaggle of pretty bridesmaids and a stunning wedding venue, and you're talking some serious wedding-shoot excellence. I've fallen for the fairy-tale orangery at St Clere as the perfect location for your vintage-style wedding reception. There's something about the beautiful garden setting that invokes a dreamy fairy-tale theme, and I love the styling of this Snow White-style wedding shoot. Inspirational ideas to steal include the lace-themed wedding stationery and favour cards, the gauze-wrapped bridesmaids' balloons and the silver-burnished wedding cake. Other loves include the mix of mercury glass and clear crystal vases, and the pretty pastel bouquet by Florist in the Forest. Huge thanks to Jennifer Sue Weddings for her expert styling, and Kay Young Photography for her beautiful pictures. P.S. The private estate and house of St Clere are being offered for weddings in 2014 for the month of July only.

A Modern Navy-Blue, Pink & Purple Themed Wedding - The Reception

There's tonnes of fantastic wedding inspiration in this gorgeous spring wedding. Ruth and Mark chose an on-trend jewel colour palette of navy blue, hot pink and purple for their wedding theme, and carried it through all their wedding details. The bridesmaids' dresses, the flowers, the cake - even the DIY'd table stationery, all match perfectly. It's the wedding planner effect without a wedding planner!! DIY brides will find Ruth's efforts hugely inspiring - she even made her own FIVE tier wedding cake - and it couldn't look more professional if it tried. With favours made my Ruth's brother-in-law, marquee-style letters made by her Dad, and a ring-pillow made my her mum, this really was a family project. Enjoy the gorgeous pictures by Matt and Sarah-Jane Ethan. I love the modern-style portrait shots!

We chose Matt and Sarah-Jane Ethan as our wedding photographers. They stood out to us on our search. They totally “got” what we wanted from our photographs which was informal and relaxed. Also your wedding photographer is with you most of the day, so I think it is important to get on with them, and we really did!

 I came across a navy blue, pink and purple look, and I loved the contrast of the colours together. It looked very modern, and I was keen for our wedding to feel modern as well as classic.

A Modern Navy-Blue, Pink & Purple Themed Wedding

There's an ethereal element to these beautiful wedding pictures by Matt and Sarah-Jane Ethan. Every one feels like a magical moment, and I'm not sure whether my edit has done them justice. Suffice to say, Ruth and Mark's wedding was a stunning affair. Ruth chose a colour palette of navy-blue, pink and purple as her wedding theme, and picked out navy-blue for her bridesmaids, hot pink for the ushers' ties, and a mixture of all three for her wedding flowers. The carefully coordinated colours create a very put-together look, and I love the colour pop against her white wedding gown. My other loves include their incredible wedding venue of Wynyard Hall, the cute diamante initials on the back of Ruth's shoes, and Ruth's elegant Mori Lee wedding gown. Huge thanks to Sarah-Jane and Matt for their beautiful wedding photographs - don't miss the fantastic wedding reception shots later today.

We celebrated our wedding at Wynyard Hall in Cleveland on 26th May 2013.

 I came across a navy blue, pink and purple look, and I loved the contrast of the colours together. It looked very modern, and I was keen for our wedding to feel modern as well as classic.

A Pretty, Rustic, HandmadeTipi-on-a-Farm Wedding - Reception Details

There's nothing I like more than a marquee wedding, except from when the marquee's a tipi!! They've been a huge trend this summer, and I reckon it's one to watch for 2014 as well. What I love about Glen and Teri's tipi wedding is their pretty rustic details. Burlap and lace decorations work perfectly together, and are super-easy to DIY. Teri and her family created many of my favourite details, including the lace-wrapped jam-jars and white painted baked bean vases, plus the hand-stencilled scrap-wood table names. When it came to cakes, Glen and Teri couldn't choose between a cheese cake and a normal wedding cake, so they had both - again DIY'd by relatives. Even the favours were handmade by Glen's mum! Enjoy the gorgeous pictures by James Grist Photography, and be sure to read Teri's answers to the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire - there's tonnes more top tips for future brides between the lines!

Our special day was Saturday 3rd August. We hosted our ceremony at Ratsbury Barn in Tenterden, Kent, and our reception was held in tipis on a friend's farm. 

We always knew we wanted our wedding reception to be held on our friend's farm and the tipis fitted perfectly with the setting - we absolutely loved them. Our love of the outdoors was the theme for our wedding and so we chose to have very rustic, natural decor.

A Pretty Rustic Handmade Tipi-on-a-Farm Wedding

One way to keep your wedding costs down, is to organise a backyard wedding. Of course, not all of us have a garden big enough for a massive marquee, but Glen and Teri got lucky, and borrowed a friend's farm! They then hired a fabulous tipi for their reception, and booked nearby Ratsbury Barn in Kent for their wedding ceremony. I love their rustic wedding theme - Glen and Teri both love the outdoors, so they chose natural decor details of burlap and wood. Other stealworthy ideas include Teri's strapless Enzoani gown and the outfits she chose for her flower-girls and pageboys. The overall effect is effortless and boho-chic, and perfectly pictured by James Grist Photography. More shots from their incredible reception, coming later today!

Our special day was Saturday 3rd August. We hosted our ceremony at Ratsbury Barn in Tenterden, Kent, and our reception was held in tipis on a friend's farm.

Our love of the outdoors was the theme for our wedding and so we chose to have very rustic, natural decor.

Real Elegant Love-Filled Wedding with a Pink, Silver & Cream Colour Palette

Roll up for the fantastic reception pictures from Lucy and Matt's vintage-themed wedding. With a traditional sweetie table, a framed table plan, and wedding favours full of meaning and memory, it's a heartwarming big day. My favourite stealworthy details include all the matching table stationery {if you're DIYing choose a font and use it on everything for a put-together look}, the red velvet, four-tier wedding cake, and the table names {all after famous couples!}. Don't miss Lucy's answers to the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire - there's tonnes of fab suppliers and advice in there. Lucy's top tip? To draw on the talents of your friends to save you money. Lucy was lucky enough to know a make-up artist, a hairdresser, a graphic designer, and a florist! We can't all be that fortunate, but ask around, you'll be surprised how many handy people there are out there. Huge thanks to Kirsty from This and That Photography for these gorgeous photographs.

We chose Kirsty from This and That Photography to capture our big day. She's a local photographer, and our close friends had already booked her for their wedding, so she came highly recommended. Her pictures are always stunning, natural and warm with a sense of fun.

Kirsty has a real passion about each wedding she photographs, and seems to genuinely love what she does. On the day she was discrete, capturing secret shots of our guests, and she had fabulous ideas for posed photographs. She always has a smile on her face, and has a real knack at putting people at ease. We couldn't have picked a better photographer to shoot our wedding day and I would thoroughly recommend her. 

Real Elegant Love-Filled Wedding with a Pink, Silver & Cream Colour Palette

This is one of those weddings which reminds you of the truly important things in life; your family, your friends, and the love you share for your future husband. Lucy and Matt wanted their wedding to pay tribute to Matt's mum, who died a few years ago. She loved cream roses, so that formed the base of their wedding colour palette of pink, silver and cream. They then added buckets of brilliant wedding details, including a traditional sweetie favour buffet, complete with vintage scoops, jars, and hand-stamped paper bags. I love Lucy's flattering strapless Sophia Tolli wedding gown, her simple but sweet jewellery designed and made by her grandmother, and a veil that Lucy designed herself via Wedding Veils Direct {a top tip, as wedding veils are often very overpriced}. I've got tonnes more gorgeous reception pictures to show you in the next feature, in the meantime, enjoy this shots by Kirsty at This and That Photography. P.S. Lucy submitted her wedding to Before the Big Day, why don't you?

Matthew and I got married on 18th May 2013 at Warbrook House and Grange, in Eversley, in Hampshire. We wanted a venue that was elegant and special, yet welcoming and not stuffy, and so soon as we went to visit Warbrook House, we knew it was exactly right for us. The grounds are stunning and we had complete run of the Main House, which meant it was only us and our guests around.

The thing that really sealed Warbrook for me, was the Morning Room, a beautifully light space with an adjoining conservatory, that my bridesmaids and I used on the morning of the wedding. It made the getting ready process so special, and I am so pleased that our wedding pictures captured how happy and relaxed I was on that morning {surprising for me as I do have the tendency to be a little bit of a stress head!}.

Real Quirky Comic-Book Themed Wedding: Verity & Russell - The Reception

Regular readers of the blog might have spotted my giant balloon obsession. It all started back when I was planning my own wedding - I saw this picture, and decided I had to have giant white balloons at my big day. Fast forward two years and Before the Big Day bride, Verity, got in touch to tell me about her love of red balloons, and to find out the details of my supplier. Fast forward another year, and here are the amazing pictures of Verity and Russell's big day! They didn't just use balloons in their wedding decoration - they had a veritable plethora of wedding details, all themed around a vintage comic book and board game wedding theme. You'll find buckets of DIY wedding inspiration, from their Monopoly board table plan, the favour boxes wrapped in comic book pages, their mum-made wedding cake and jam-jar Pimm's glasses. I love the Scrabble tile wedding favours, the vintage cameras and the pop of the homemade red bunting against the white of the marquee. Huge thanks to Verity for submitting her wedding, and to her fantastic wedding photographer, Rebecca L Weddings for capturing all the details. Why not submit your wedding?

We got married on 18 May 2013 at Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire with a reception in Rosliston Forestry Centre. 



We actually had a rough ride with our reception. We booked a nearby barn but got told with eight months to go that they were no longer doing weddings due to noise and neighbour problems. We were gutted! Thankfully Saffron Caterers put forward Rosliston Forestry Centre as an alternative. It was in the middle of the National Forest, and has accommodation for all our guests, so it was the perfect alternative, and better than our original choice. 

Real Quirky Comic-Book Themed Wedding: Verity & Russell

Brighten up your day with this imaginative, comic-book themed wedding! It's packed full of stealworthy ideas, and I'm thrilled that the lovely Verity drew inspiration from Before the Big Day. We share a love of giant round balloons, along with a good wedding theme. Verity and Russell chose an old-school vibe of comic books and vintage board games to decorate their reception, and I reckon it's the first time I've seen a Monopoly board at a wedding! You'll have to wait for this afternoon's feature to see those details, but first, feast your eyes on Verity's fabulous Sophia Tolli wedding gown, her dramatic bouquet of red gerbera and Russell's fantastic red bow-tie. I also love her little bridemaids' dresses - their luxurious red sashes, and little ribbon wands. Verity has tonnes of great wedding advice on how to keep to your wedding budget - from DIY projects to winning competitions! Enjoy reading her answers to Before the Big Day's Bride's Questionnaire, and why not submit your wedding? Huge thanks to Rebecca L Weddings for her gorgeous pictures of this big day.

We got married on 18 May 2013 at Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire with a reception in Rosliston Forestry Centre. I won a competition by Wedding In A TeaCup so our wedding invitations were free. We went for a vintage look and used stamps to create the name tags.

Real Vintage Marie Antoinette Wedding: Nicola & Marc

Today I've mostly fallen for the Marie Antoinette decadence of Nicola and Marc's vintage wedding at historic Swinton Park in North Yorkshire. Nicola chose a unique style for her big day, with a theme of pearls and lace, plus soft purple tones and plenty of sparkly jewellery. Her for-keeps bouquet is stunning, and a family heirloom in the making - brooch bouquets are a great way to include vintage or family jewellery, so everyone is 'represented' on your wedding day. Buy similar via Etsy. Other stealworthy details include Nicola's 20's-style pearl necklace, her stunning corseted wedding gown {how slim is her waist!}, and Marc's stylish suit {is that tartan?}. I also love the vintage reception props - the old suitcase table plan, the antique books and fan and the birdcage detailing in wedding stationery and wedding cake.  Huge thanks to Lightworks Photography for these stunning pictures.

♥ Want to see vintage wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about more castle wedding ideas? ♥

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