A Pastel-Themed Spring Barn Wedding with a Baking Theme (Part 2)

There's nothing I like more than a wedding with a surprise! Claire and James invited their guests to take part in a great British Bake Off, which means their big day was a cake extravaganza. Don't miss the picture of all the entries at the end of this blog post. I still don't know who won!!! You'll find plenty of other stealworthy ideas in these gorgeous images. I'm super-keen on the idea of edible favours - Claire and James handmade cake-pops. It reduces cost, and means they're less likely to get left behind on the table. The flowers by China Rose were stunning - I love the large avalanche roses, and how well the buttonholes tied in with the ushers' buttonholes. Don't miss all the DIY details - from the pretty lace-wrapped jam-jars, to the blackboard seating plan. Lovely pictures by the very talented Christy Blanch.

Beautiful Barn Wedding with Fairy Lights, Cake Pops & Chalk Boards

This morning is a good one! I can't wait to share this stunning spring wedding with you. It's a beautiful barn big day, hosted by Claire and James at Ashley Wood Farm near Salisbury. It's such a pretty wedding venue - I love all climbing roses and the powder blue of the woodwork. They themed their day around the natural beauty of the venue, keeping the details relaxed, rustic and sparkly {thanks to lots of fairy lights}. I love the dusty pink and light grey colour palette, and Claire's flattering True Bride gown and cosy fluffy shrug. Also rather impressed by the BHS bridesmaid gowns - definitely a shop worth checking out. Gorgeous photographs here published with thanks to Christy Blanch - don't miss the reception pictures in my second blog post later today.

A Pretty Shabby-Chic Wedding with a Mint-Green Cake!

You'll easily spot my favourite detail in this lovely pastel-themed wedding. It's the mint green wedding cake! I love everything about it - from the ruffled icing {very this season}, to the shabby chic lace bow, and the pretty mini-bunting topper. It's perfect! There's plenty more stealworthy wedding details - you'll want to copy Heather's bridal style, her Pronovias wedding dress, unstructured bouquet and DIY'd limoncello wedding favours. I'm also a big fan of their twine-wrapped jam jar vases. Fabulous pictures by Jack from Firsthand Photography. If you missed Part 1 of this wedding click here!

A Pastel-Themed Stately Home Wedding with a Pronovias Gown

Take one Princess-style gown, sprinkle it with confetti, and add an elegant chignon, and you've got the recipe for a beautiful bride. Everything about this lovely shabby-chic wedding is romantic, from the white vintage car, to the incredible stately home venue, and the mint-green wedding cake. I've fallen head-over-hells for Heather's stunning Pronovias wedding dress - you'll want to add it to your must-try list. And her bridesmaids' strapless Coast dresses were a great buy! Enjoy these Getting Ready and Ceremony pictures by Firsthand Photography - look out for the inspiring Reception shots in Part 2, later today.

We celebrated our wedding at St Edmund's Church at Holme Pierrepont, with our reception next door at Holme Pierrepont Hall.

A Pastels & Vintage Themed Wedding with a Mori Lee Gown - Part 2

It's wedding inspiration time for DIY brides. Gorgeous couple Hannah and Ben roped in the help of all their family and friends to create a stunning, personalised wedding day. By choosing to host their wedding reception in a marquee in the garden of stunning venue Hill Place, they could let their imagination run wild. Hannah chose a country garden wedding theme, and collected vintage floral fabric scraps, which her friend Polly sewed into over 60m of pretty bunting! Friends and family also helped with making their wedding cake, arranging their flowers, designing the table plan and personalising each and every place marker. I love the pretty pastel theme and the way the wedding favours and table names reflect Hannah and Ben's love of music. We named our wedding tables after vegetables - I wish we'd been more creative! Gorgeous pictures published with thanks to Greg Thurtle from TP Photography.

My husband Ben and I got married on 30th July 2011 at Hill Place in Swanmore, a beautiful Georgian Country Villa set in 20 acres of beautiful park land.  Our wedding photographer was Greg Thurtle from TP Photography, who was brilliant and captured some amazing candid shots. Looking through the photos, they are all so personal and encapsulate the day perfectly. 

I had five bridesmaids, they wore knee length, chiffon and halter neck dresses in dusky pink and sapphire blue. They were also from Brides of Southampton. I originally said that they could wear anything pink or blue, and took them to the shop to try on whatever they fancied...they all loved the same dress!

A Pastels & Vintage Themed Wedding with a Mori Lee Gown

Take one dramatic wedding venue, add a DIY bride bursting with wedding ideas, and a pretty village church, and you've created wedding blogger's heaven. Hannah and Ben celebrated their big day at the gorgeous Hill Place in Hampshire, and got seriously creative with their wedding day, adding more DIY details than you can shake a stick at! Just wait for the reception details in Part 2, it's a DIY bride's dream. Hannah chose a country garden wedding theme with pretty pastels as her colour palette, which she carried throughout her wedding details, including bridesmaids dresses, bouquet and bunting. Her pretty up-do is stunning, and I love her traditional Princess-cut wedding gown, complete with the train she thought she didn't want! Other fun wedding ideas include the vintage car and camper van, and the sweet-smelling dried lavender decorating the church. Stunning pictures published with thanks to Greg Thurtle from TP Photography. Don't miss the reception details, coming soon later today.

My husband Ben and I got married on 30th July 2011 at Hill Place in Swanmore, a beautiful Georgian Country Villa set in 20 acres of beautiful park land.


We chose the venue because of the location and because it was so beautiful. Ben and I both grew up within a mile of Hill Place and the area has special significance to us both. We met at Swanmore Secondary School when we were 11, and we spent our teenage year s in the area. When we saw Hill Place, we immediately fell in love with it. It was so beautiful and Will and Rebecca Dobson (the owners) were two of the nicest people we have met! They were so laid back and accommodating, we knew that this was the venue for us.

Pretty Pastel Lavender & Old Lace Millinery Wedding Inspiration Shoot

Celebrate the start of the summer wedding season with this stunning wedding inspiration shoot organised and styled by Fabiola Capo Milliner. I'm in love with the whimsical prettiness - the vintage book props, the feathery softness of the wedding gowns, the wide pastel bouquets, but most of all the divine accessories. Just take a look at the chic cuteness that is the Pink Champagne Pillbox Hat, and the vintage fabulousness of the silk capelet - such a clever take on a veil. Brides keen on a hint of Great Gatsby will adore the Pearl Headdress, and boho brides will fall for the Blushing Bride Halo. Stunning pictures by 13:13 Photography

A Pretty Vintage-Inspired Garden Wedding - The Reception

After a little bit of a delay {building up the anticipation}, I'm thrilled to bring you the amazing detail-filled reception photographs of Lucy and Jim's fantastic wedding. With tonnes of DIY extras, including a veritable fairground of activities for their guests, it looks a complete treat. There's so many stealworthy ideas, but my favourite picks have to be the watercolour-style wedding cake {created by Lucy's sister!}, the lovely teepee venues, Jim's enormous rose buttonhole, and Lucy's pretty-as-a-picture Ellis Bridals short wedding dress. I love how Jim and Lucy wrote their own wedding ceremony, personalising it with sing-alongs and their own special vows. The reception decorations are gorgeous as well, with prettified jam-jars and tin cans, plus fantastic tea-bag and shortcake DIY'd wedding favours. You can't fail to love it! Big love to Lily Sawyer for capturing every perfect detail, and to Lucy for filling in the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire.

We got married twice, the first time on Thursday 25th July 2013 at The Old Marylebone Town Hall in London. This was our legal registry office ceremony, and only our immediate family members were present. Our second wedding was on Saturday 27th July 2013 at North Hill Farm, Chorleywood. 


Our second wedding was a celebration for all our other guests, although we did have an informal ceremony led by our friend. This involved sitting on straw bales, sing-a-longs ('Eight Days a Week' by the Beatles and 'You Give A Little Love' from Bugsy Malone), readings and 'vows' from Jim and I.

A Pretty Vintage-Inspired Garden Wedding with a Short Wedding Dress

Straw bales, a short wedding dress and tonnes of handmade bunting - this wedding is my type of big day! I'm completely in love with the venue, the details, and the gorgeous couple! It's all so English and eccentric and brilliant, with a massive dollop of pretty thrown in for luck! Lucy and Jim celebrated their big day twice {like me!}. Once for the legal ceremony at The Old Marylebone Town Hall in London, and then the second time in serious countryside style, in a field overlooking the Chiltern Hills at North Hill Farm in Chorleywood. I love how they made their wedding day their own - with plenty of activities for their guests, including a balloon race, DIY coconut shy, badminton, giant 'Pass the Pigs', space hoppers and a photo booth. Food came in the very trendy form of two vintage food trucks - one 'selling' vintage ice cream, the other fish and chips. Lucy and Jim wanted their wedding to be a big, informal party, exactly the type of wedding everyone wants to attend! Huge thanks to Lily Sawyer for her heavenly pictures - I've got tonnes more detail shots to come in Part 2 - The Reception.

We got married twice, the first time on Thursday 25th July 2013 at The Old Marylebone Town Hall in London. This was our legal registry office ceremony, and only our immediate family members were present. Our second wedding was on Saturday 27th July 2013 at North Hill Farm, Chorleywood. 

Our second wedding was a celebration for all our other guests, although we did have an informal ceremony led by our friend. This involved sitting on straw bales, sing-a-longs ('Eight Days a Week' by the Beatles and 'You Give A Little Love' from Bugsy Malone), readings and 'vows' from Jim and I.

Real Detail-Filled Pastel-Themed Wedding with Bunting & Rosettes

There's nothing I love more than a wedding with tonnes of stealworthy ideas. This gorgeous affair was planned by Michelle of Blissd Events, and you can tell it's a professional job, because every detail is brilliantly put together. Certain things, like the pastel colours and the repetition off a flag motif and little cartoons of the happy couple are repeated through the wedding, and that's what creates to 'together' feel. I'm loving the vintage details, from the old window frame and the car, plus the stationery details - including the Just Married flags, rosette buttonholes and bunting. Incredible flowers by Nancy Lui Chin, and the pictures are by the wedding blogger's favourite, Jose Villa.

Real Pretty Pastel Wedding with a Lovely Lace & Peony Theme

This dreamy pastel-themed wedding will leave you longing for lazy summer days. It's an exquisite combination of pink, peonies and mercury glass vintage vases, and I love it! With a wedding dress by Marisa Bridals, bridesmaids' dresses by Priscilla of Boston and a gorgeous vineyard venue, you'll want to copy every wedding detail. Don't miss the brocaded wedding invitations and the beaded plates - every area of this wedding was perfectly planned by Yong Suk Willendrup, and pictured by Jen Huang Photography.

A Fun-Loving Luxury Castle Wedding Shoot

So sorry for not blogging yesterday - it was my husband's birthday, and the day ran away with me! But to make up for it, I've got a brilliant fun-loving wedding shoot by a group of super-creative wedding professionals in Ireland. Shot in the idyllic Clontarf Castle, it's full of 2014 wedding trends, and super-luxe wedding details. I love the glittery ombre cake, sequinned cupcake toppers {the sequin trend is HUGE this year} and succulent bouquet. The 'bride' looks gorgeous in her three Sarah Foy wedding gowns {my favourite is the first off-the-shoulder look}, with Bridget Bardott-inspired hair styles. If you can't decide whether you want an up, or down-do for your wedding day, why not have both? Ask your hair stylist to create a pretty chignon for the ceremony, and to tell your bridesmaids which clips to remove for a more relaxed reception look. Stunning pictures by Paul Kelly - don't miss the other credits at the bottom of the feature!

A Shabby Chic Village Hall Wedding with a Sassi Holford Wedding Gown

If you can find the right village hall, then they really do make for the most wonderful wedding venues, while being super-kind on your wallet. Lucky Gemma and James found Littleton Millennium Memorial Hall in their local area, and fell in love with its natural light, wooden floors, and the amazing cricket field out the back. It was crying out for their natural, shabby-chic wedding decorations - most of which they DIY'd using burlap and tissue paper - including my favourite - pastel pompoms! I love Gemma's gorgeous Sassi Holford gown from Brides of Winchester - she chose her wedding dress after losing two and a half stone on the Cambridge Weight Plan, and felt all the more glamorous for it. Enjoy all these gorgeous pictures by Gemma's friend, Paul Cutcliffe from Final Cut Services. If only we all had a wedding photographer as a friend.....!

We celebrated our wedding on 31st August 2013, with a ceremony at St Swithens church near Winchester, and our reception at Littleton Millennium Memorial Hall.

My wedding dress was called 'Petra' by So Sassi {the 'esprit' label from Sassi Holford}, which I bought from Brides of Winchester. I had a bespoke shrugette by  So Sassi made in matching lace, and wore a pearl necklace and earrings, My veils was three-quarter length, and simple. I decided to go for a vintage look for my makeup, and had dark nails and lips on the day to add a bit of colour.

Real London Wedding with a Short Wedding Dress & Louboutins

Huge kudos goes to any bride who bucks the trend and wears a short wedding dress. Double-points go to Imogen, who paired her gorgeous gown with incredible Christian Louboutin's. If you've ever wanted to treat yourself to a truly extravagant pair of shoes, your wedding day is definitely the day to do it! School sweethearts, Imogen and James picked the ICA gallery as the venue for their modern London wedding, and I'm loving the combination of sharp suits and soft pastels. James looks fab in his dark suit and knitted tie {very this season}, and Imogen's bridesmaids look elegant in dark-blue dresses of their own choosing. But it's the flowers that have really got my wedding antennae twitching. Soft hydrangeas plus pastel roses, with sprigs of rosemary and lovely shabby chic containers - they're a wedding blogger's dream. Throw in the delicately decorated cake, and I'm in heaven. Fabulous photographs published with thanks to Lucy Birkhead Photography.

A Garden Wedding with a Bird Theme & Jenny Packham Dress - The Reception

It's time for the reception pictures from this gorgeous Midsummer's Eve wedding. Sonya and Terry chose 20th June for their big day, and basked in stunning sunshine - lucky things! With a romantic garden theme and a vintage bird motif, there's plenty of stealworthy ideas for you to enjoy. Sonya DIY'd many of her wedding details, including the bird-stamped luggage tags for her wedding wish tree and the rustic hessian napkin wraps {very effective!}. My favourite spots include the bird-named reception tables, birdcage centre pieces, pink striped balloons, rustic pastel iced cakes, and the fabulous giant pink and peach balloons. Huge thanks to Tanya from Eden Photography for capturing every detail!

We celebrated our wedding at Kilternan Church of Ireland in Co. Dublin, and afterwards with a reception in The Village at Lyons in Celbridge, on 20th June 2013. 

We always wanted to have an intimate wedding for family and friends to share with us. We knew that as our wedding day was on Midsummer's Eve, that we wanted a summer garden, romantic theme, and the venue suited this perfectly.

Summer Garden Wedding with a Bird Theme & Jenny Packham Dress

1. A Jenny Packham wedding dress. 2. A romantic garden wedding theme. 3. A bird motif. Three of my favourite things, all featured in one gorgeous wedding! Sonya and Terry celebrated their wedding in Ireland on a beautiful summer's day, at a stunning venue called The Village at Lyons. Sonya really wanted a garden wedding, and drew inspiration from the romantic grounds of The Village at Lyons, including its cascading stream, delicate bridge, and secret stone doorways. Her wedding stationery, decorations and just-picked flower arrangements all mirrored the feel of her wedding venue, with pastel colours of pinks and peach as a palette. There's plenty more details in the reception pictures, coming later this afternoon, but first, drink in Sonya's elegant Jenny Packham wedding gown, and her bargainous eBay wedding shoes, that luckily turned out to exactly match the beading on her dress. Even Sonya's hair-style reflected her romantic wedding theme, with her headpiece specially designed to look ethereal and Elvish, like in Lord of the Rings. Huge thanks to Tanya from Eden Photography for permission to publish Sonya and Terry's fab wedding pictures!

A Pretty-as-a-Picture, Pastel-Themed, Vintage Wedding

As promised, it's time for the reception details from the heavenly summer wedding. With delicious vintage props and stunning DIY burlap details, it's a wedding blogger's delight! Kelly and Ren organised their own big day, and decided to rip up tradition, by opting out of having ushers and bridesmaids or speeches and cake, and instead chose to have a drinks and canapé reception before the ceremony, lawn games afterwards, and a cheese board selection in the evening. They even walked down the aisle together, along with their daughter, as a wonderful statement of family. Fabulous inspiration for any bride wanting a non-conventional wedding. More wedding ideas to snaffle include the lovely fingerprint guest book and Kelly's handmade burlap jamjar glasses with pretty pastel straws {LOVE striped straws}. Huge thanks to The Cole Portfolio for their fantastic photographs of the day - and enjoy Kelly's answers to the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire!

We got married at the beautiful Hill Place in Swanmore, Hampshire. I helped style a photo shoot at Hill Place in 2010, and fell in love with the homeliness and character of the elegant Georgian house, as well as the beautiful grounds. 

Hill Place has its own unique style, and we knew that it would fit perfectly with our vision of our day. To compliment the property, we opted for pastel tones and vintage props.

A Pretty-as-a-Picture, Pastel-Themed, Vintage Wedding

On a cold grey evening like this, when all you want to do is snuggle up in cashmere jumpers, it's hard to remember the halcyon days of summer, when we drank Pimm's on countryside lawns. But Kelly and Ren's big day will take you right back there, and you'll love all of Kelly's creative wedding ideas. As a stylist, she was always going to come up with something pretty special, but I've fallen for her unique wedding style. Stealworthy ideas include the gorgeous photo-prop bicycle {more pics in the second feature}, Kelly's sparkly brooch bouquet {DIY'd!!!} and stunning Maggie Sottero wedding gown, complete with Gone-with-the-Wind-style train. Other handmade details include all their wedding flowers, the butterfly and burlap decorations, and elegant wedding stationery. Huge thanks to The Cole Portfolio for their stunning photographs of the day - more to come in Part 2, and the reception details!

We got married at the beautiful Hill Place in Swanmore, Hampshire. I helped style a photo shoot at Hill Place in 2010, and fell in love with the homeliness and character of the elegant Georgian house, as well as the beautiful grounds. 

My wedding dress is by Maggie Sottero {my favourite designer} and I bought it from The Ivory Boutique in Winchester. I felt that finding my dress was a bit of a 'mission', but as soon as I tried it on, I knew this was the one.

A Beautiful Barn Wedding with Pink & Sage Green Details

I've got some pretty perfect wedding details to show off to you in this afternoon's beautiful barn wedding. Keri and Kiran chose pastel colours as their wedding palette, and I love the simplicity of the white on white table linens, and the occasional pop of pink roses. Stealworthy ideas include the wire heart table-plan {such an easy but elegant design}, the delicate rose petal table decorations, and the twisted three-tier, square wedding cake. Stunning wedding pictures published with thanks to the lovely Kayleigh Pope Photography.

We got married in Dodford Manor in the Northamptonshire countryside, on 30th July 2013. 

Our photographer was Kayleigh Pope. We chose her through a recommendation, and as she lived so close by, many of our friends knew her personally. After seeing some of her work it was a very easy decision.

A Beautiful Barn Wedding with Pink & Sage Green Details

Sage green, pink and cream have to be my favourite wedding colours. My own wedding was themed around those soft shades, along with a touch of dove grey, and I reckon they're just the right combination of feminine and masculine. You don't want to go too pink, or your husband can look slightly out of place! Keri and Kiran chose Dodford Manor in the Northamptonshire countryside for their summer wedding, and I've fallen for its rustic charms. I'm a big believer in the barn wedding venue - they're intimate and cosy, and just the right side of vintage. Keri looks stunning in her wedding gown - her whole outfit was a present from her mum {just like at my wedding!}. There's something particularly special about your mum buying your dress - it makes you feel like they're supporting you throughout the day. I've also fallen for Keri's pretty in pink bridesmaids - Grecian gowns are so elegant, and they really do suit every figure. Huge thanks to Kayleigh Pope for sending through this fab wedding. Kayleigh's portrait shots are the best! More to come in Part 2, along with all the pretty pastel reception details.

We got married in Dodford Manor in the Northamptonshire countryside, on 30th July 2013. We looked round a hotel venue before we found Dodford Manor, and we quickly realised that it was everything we didn't want. We wanted a place which we could hire exclusively for our wedding and our guests, and somewhere that would take beautiful pictures and really impress our guests.