Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: Polka Dots

Playful, cheeful and downright cute, polka dots are a micro trend this summer season of weddings. They've become hugely popular because they're so easy to use. Big or small, multi-coloured or monochrome, they're super-flexible. You can either design your entire wedding around a theme of spots, or you can use them as a last minute addition by going dotty with your accent colour. Check out these products for inspiration.

Product Credits - {from top left} 1. Lourux, 2. Orange & Blossom, 3. The Girl in Yellow, 4. Designed By Me {from middle left} 1. Trendy Cards, 2. Me & Matilda, 3. The Cupcake Wrapper Co {from bottom left} 1. Cupecakeology, 2. Twirly Tots Bowtique, 3. Just Peachy Paperie, 4. Prost to the Host

 ♥ Want to see more wedding hair ideas? ♥ Or how about wedding theme ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

DIY Bride - Homemade Lace Votives

Before I got engaged, I never really thought of myself as a crafty or creative person. But it's amazing how a wedding can wake up those school memories of glue and glitter. DIYing your wedding details is the easiest way to personalise your wedding, and it'll save you a fortune at the same time. So over the next few weeks, I'll be posting a few DIY wedding ideas, all of which I've attempted myself, with varying degrees of success. I figure that if I can do it....so can you! This first project involves glue, lace {I bought mine here}, and jam jars. It's so incredibly easy, I'm not sure it even counts as wedding DIY.

{First step}                                                                 {Second Step} 
You'll need...                                                                Fold the lace around the jam jar, leave an extra
Glue, lace, scissors, a jam jar                                       2cm and cut, using your scissors

{Third step}                                                                 {Last Step} 

Add glue to one end of the lace                                      Wrap the lace around the jam jar & neatly line
Try not to get glue on the floor like I did                           it up before glueing. Add pinwheels or candle.

And you're done! See - I told you that was easy. For smaller jam-jars just buy thinner lace. For more jam-jar wedding ideas, check out my Pinterest page.

♥ Want to see more DIY wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about wedding decoration ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Today I ♥ - Sandpaper Wedding Confetti Hearts

Let's me honest, weddings can be a pretty girly affair. So why not add these touch lough 'Kiss Me' confetti hearts to your wedding tables, as a nod to the man in your life. Punched from sandpaper, they'll juxtapose nicely with your pretty pink peonies, and flowered napkins, and they're perfect for a rustic style big day. Pick them up from Etsy shop ScrapHappieAZ {they also come in pink and polka dots!}.

♥ Want more rustic wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about wedding detail ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Pretty & Easy to DIY Feather Wedding Detail

Bit of a wedding mini-trend for you. Have you considered adding a feather detail or motif to your wedding day? I'm loving these two details from a Natalie and Grey's wedding, which was featured on the Etsy wedding blog. Also loving their use of kraft-paper bags, simple doilies, pegs and twine - all fantastic DIY bride supplies! Check out Natalie's treasure-hunting blog and handmade Etsy shop.

{Photo Credit} Kenny Simmons Photography, assisted by Melissa Henderson.

*Update* I've just found more fabulous feather wedding inspiration via Pinterest & Style Me Pretty. Looks like this mini-trend might be getting bigger!

{Photo Credit} Bows and Arrows

♥ Want more feather wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about vintage wedding ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Gorgeous Rustic Wedding Details You'll Love

If you don't want your wedding to be pretty and feminine...after all it's his wedding too, add a few of these rustic wedding details. I'm loving these gorgeous products from Etsy seller Blue Pearls - their use of natural fibres, like linen and string, fits right in with the eco-wedding look that is so hot this season. This fabulous rope wedding ring pillow is stunning, and I love the craft paper cutlery bags - perfect for a picnic-themed big day, or a nautical themed wedding.

♥ Want more rustic wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about vintage wedding ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Fabulous Polaroid Wedding Pictures Guest Book

One of the hardest thing about your wedding will be getting round to talk to all your guests. As much as I tried, I didn't manage to chat to everyone, and it's one of my biggest wedding regrets. That's why a wedding guest book is such a lovely idea. It's gives your guests the opportunity to pour out their hearts and write heartfelt messages to you and your husband. We decided to encourage our guests to get involved by adding a polaroid camera {a present from my amazing sister and her boyfriend}, and lots of fake moustaches, to encourage people to take silly pictures. The end result is a brilliant and hilarious album of our friends' funniest moments, and it's our favourite wedding present of all. There's tonnes of different ways to encourage your guests to write you messages, check out my Pinterest page for more wedding inspiration!

{Photo Credit} Caught the Light

{Photo Credit} Cute vintage guestbook table via Southern Aisle by A Fresh Take Photography

{Photo Credit} Mini envelope wedding guest book via Martha Stewart Weddings & Peg Postcard Guest Book via Unknown

{Photo Credit} Sign a wedding guest book plate via Martha Stewart Weddings or use library cards for your wedding guest book messages via Unknown

{Photo Credit} Ask you guest for wedding wishes {via unknown}, & get them to take wedding polaroids with a blackboard meesage via IMG Fave

{Photo Credit} Create a wedding paper chain of wedding messages via 100 Layer Cake

{Photo Credit} Ask your guests to sign an oar as your wedding guest book, or a surfboard, or cricket bat? {via unknown}

{Photo Credit} A wedding guest book jigsaw via One Wed via Every Last Detail by Jesi Haack Design

{Photo Credit} A wedding guest book pin-board with postcards via The Wedding of My Dreams by Caught the Light

♥ Want more wedding detail ideas? ♥ Or how about more ideas from my wedding? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Real Shabby-Chic Barndance Wedding: Jamie & Bryan

The sheer abundance of copyable details from Jamie & Bryan's big day, have got me in a tizz. How can I put in words the sheer wonderfulness of it all? What should I mention first? Luckily the team from Our Labour of Love have gushed on my behalf, pointing out the barn-dance invitations, the oodles of bouquets and birds nests, the flea market antique plates, the symmetry of the parasols and the personalised jam-pots. PLUS my biggest love, and something that should be in everyone's list of wedding-wants, the Kick Off Your Heels flip-flop favours. Such a fantastic idea to keep your girls on the dance-floor.

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter and click for tonnes of barn wedding ideas. Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Our Wedlock Wedding Tradition

My favourite moment of our wedding actually happened the next day. We stole away near the end of our evening drinks, and locked a padlock onto a metal arch in the garden, that was covered with jasmine. There's a Chinese or Russian wedding tradition that suggests that if a couple attach a lock to a gate and throw away the key, then they'll be together forever. We decided to make this tradition our own, but I decided to keep the key safe and sound in my jewellery box. One day we'll go back, and check that it's still there!

{Photo Credits} 1. Before the Big Day, 2. & 3. Jemma Harding Photography, Dress: Temperley London

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter and click for more ideas from My Wedding. Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Just Married - How Will You Say It?

Traditionally the ushers tie tin-cans to the back of the wedding getaway car, but now there's so many other options to say 'Just Married' in a creative way. Brides and grooms often organise for their photographer to snap a pic of them holding a sign saying 'Just Married' as they make great prints for your thank you cards. But if you're going to go for that option, what's the best prop? Two of my friends left on sledges because it was so snowy, and I love the idea of getaway bicycles. Take a look at a few of these pics for more inspiration, and don't miss my picture boards at Pinterest for more fun ideas.

Photo Credits: {top collage} 1. Unknown, please get in touch if you know 2. via I Love SW Mag {bottom collage from top left, clockwise} 1. Unkown, 2. via Ruffled Blog, 3. Unknown, 4. Assassynation Photography 5. Ashley Forrette via Elizabeth Anne Designs

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter and click for more wedding detail ideas. Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Real Autumn Wedding: Angela & Colin

There definitely seems to be a trend connecting autumn, orange and dahlias - as I've seen a fair few weddings that used them last autumn. It's not surprising, as dahlias are just the most gorgeous flowers, jaunty and colourful, and available in every hue under the rainbow. Angela and Colin used them to fabulous effect on their big day, scattering petals over the buffet tables, and arranging them in simple blue jars (also hugely in fashion) and even as a motif on their invitations. Other wedding ideas to copy list are the individual picnic rugs (brilliant favours), the cute ring cushion and the two-tone stripes on the bridesmaid dress- so much more cheerful than a block colour!  Many thanks to Jessamyn Harris for her gorgeous pictures.

If you enjoyed this post, sign up for our free newsletter and click here for more autumn wedding ideas.

Real Quirky Vintage Wedding: Jeanie & Mike

I absolutely L-O-V-E this wedding. It's got to be up there with one of my favourite weddings of all time - and believe me, as a wedding blogger, I see hundreds every week. It's packed full of wedding inspiration, and you're going to want to copy e-v-e-r-y detail. Jeanie and Mike celebrated their big day in their home country of South Africa in the spring-time, and I've fallen head-over-heels for their cute and quirky style. Just check out the bridesmaids' ribbon-rosette corsages, the boys' braces, the mossy hanging heart, the spotty napkin ribbons, the vintage book table-pieces and the geeky Bambi cake-toppers. And that's all before I've mentioned the amazing photo love-booth, complete with bunting, groovy fabric back-drop and moustaches. It's a whole world of wedding ideas in one feature. Huge thanks to the team at We Love Pictures for their amazing photographs.

If you enjoyed this post, sign up for our free newsletter and click here for more vintage wedding ideas.