Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts

Friday 30 June 2017

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.




Tuesday 4 August 2015

A Pretty Vintage Wedding with a Brownie Wedding Cake

Take the prettiest of pink details, gorgeous Art Deco bridesmaids gowns, and a stunning English rose bride, and you've got wedding heaven. Lovely Nicola and James celebrated their wedding day at Dulwich College, and I've fallen for its stunning historic rooms, and lovely grand staircase. Nicola chose a pretty vintage feel for her big day, and spent months planning DIY ideas and creative projects on Pinterest. The end result is a gorgeous wedding day with tonnes of stealworthy wedding ideas. My favourite details? Nicola's elegant chignon and veil combo, her beautiful Sarah Seven gown with its lace back, and the white taxi transport! Beautiful pictures by Lily Sawyer Photography. Be sure to check out Lily's blog - I'm a huge fan of her work. Don't miss the wedding reception pictures - coming later today.



We celebrated our wedding at Dulwich College on the 23rd May, which was just around the corner from James and my first home. We'd always thought it to be a beautiful place, whenever we walked past on a sunny afternoon. 


Wednesday 13 May 2015

A English Country Garden Wedding with Pretty Vintage Details - Part 2

A vintage tractor, bridesmaids in wellington boots, and military men in uniform - just a few of my favourite things about this quirky big day. Andy and Catherine planned their spring wedding with only four months to spare, and personalised every detail, thanks to the help of their friends and family. In the build-up to their big day, they held craft evenings to cut and sew the bunting, put covers on homemade jam jar wedding favours, and design the wedding stationery. They even prepared an Easter Egg hunt for their guests. Enjoy these fantastic pictures by Sarah Relf at Lawless Rose Photography, and don't miss my favourite wedding detail - the fabulous cake by Dippy Design.




Tuesday 12 May 2015

A English Country Garden Wedding with Pretty Vintage Details

There's something uniquely romantic about a military wedding - they have the weight of history behind them, and everyone loves a man in uniform! Groom Andy is a captain in the army, so when he and Catherine left the church, they walked under a fabulous guard of honour, complete with shiny swords. Stunning! The happy couple planned their wedding in only four and a half months, but didn't scrimp on details - this big day is packed with stunning ideas. I love the English country garden theme, the vintage crockery, the gorgeous bridesmaids in sage green, and the beautiful barn venue. Don't miss the fantastic reception pictures in Part 2 - huge thanks to Sarah Relf at Lawless Rose Photography for capturing every detail.


Monday 11 May 2015

A Lily-of-the-Valley Wedding Theme

Have you heard of lily-of-the-valley? It's the most exquisite flower, with tiny little white bells, and the sweetest scent. It's one of my favourite flowers, and luckily came into bloom just in time for my London wedding in early May. My mother picked it from her garden, and DIY'd my beautiful bouquet. It's a notoriously hard plant to force into flower, so if you want it at your wedding day, you'll have to be lucky! It's even got the royal seal of approval - Kate Middleton chose it for her wedding, and Grace Kelly carried a small bouquet of lily-of-the-valley on her big day. Once you see it, you'll fall in love - take a look at these wedding ideas, and check out my Pinterest page for more.



Friday 24 April 2015

A Magical Forest Wedding with a Secret Nightclub - Part 2

Welcome to the wedding reception of the year! I've never seen anything as gorgeous as the marquee decorations at Nels and Antony's wedding - giant blossom branches, stunning green drapery and sparkly fairy lights create a magical forest-feel. It's all thanks to the creative energies of wedding planner Kelly Chandler from The Bespoke Wedding Company and event stylists, Crescent Moon. I love how they included the pond from the grounds inside the marquee, and added floating hydrangea blooms for an incredibly romantic effect. Other stealworthy details include the hilarious pork pie wedding cake, and Nels' slate wedding favours cum place markers. Also their secret budget buy - an M&S three-tier traditional cake, decorated with flowers, for a luxe effect! Thank you to both Bibi Basch and Crescent Moon for capturing every detail of this gorgeous wedding.



Thursday 23 April 2015

A Magical Forest Wedding with a Secret Nightclub

Can you imagine only having four months to plan your wedding? That's how long Nels and Antony gave themselves, but thanks to the help of wedding planner extraordinaire, Kelly Chandler from The Bespoke Wedding Company, they created a truly extraordinary day. Their wedding reception marquee is like something from a fairy-tale - huge branches of cherry blossom, and a sparkling pond. But the pièce de resistance came later in the evening, when a curtain was drawn back to reveal an entirely differently themed black and white dance area, and then another reveal moment introduced a hidden 'man snug' filled with Chesterfield sofas and whisky. Amazing! Don't miss the pictures in Part 2, published later today. Other details to steal include Nels' beautiful David Tutera wedding gown, complete with extra sparkles, her pretty pink and teal colour scheme, and Antony's seriously dapper vintage morning suit. Huge thanks to both Bibi Basch and Crescent Moon for permission to publish these stunning photographs, and for capturing every detail!




Saturday 12 July 2014

An Outdoor DIY Wedding with a Cream Tea Reception

Any bride looking to keep her wedding within a sensible budget is going to L-O-V-E this inspirational big day. Kelly and Gavin flashed their cash where it mattered - i.e. venue and wedding photographer, but kept everything else wallet friendly, by searching for bargains and DIY-ing many of their wedding details. You'll love their handmade stationery, bunting, decorations and hand-picked wedding flowers. And I'm slightly obsessed with their chocolate wedding cake, with its personalised bunting. More fabulous details on how Kelly and Gavin saved money on their wedding outfits in Part 1 - in the meantime, enjoy these stunning shots by Linus Moran Photography.


My husband got down on one knee in Venice to pop the question. Two years to the day, we tied the knot at Kingston Maurward stately home, in Dorset, on March the 16th 2014.



After seeing several different venues Kingston Maurward ticked all the boxes, with the chance of an outdoor wedding I've always dreamed of having. Both being artistic, we enjoyed making as many things as possible. 




Friday 11 July 2014

An Outdoor DIY Wedding with a Cream Tea Reception

Back in my teenage years, we used to go to these amazing parties at Kingston Maurward in Dorset. I have fond memories of the incredible stately rooms, and stunning grounds, including a tranquil lake and arboretum. So it was a wonderful blast from the past to receive Linus Moran's stunning photographs of Kelly and Gavin's wedding. The happy couple chose Kingston Maurward as their wedding venue, and despite getting married in March, managed to have an amazing outdoor ceremony, in the bright spring sunshine. Just goes to show you should always think positive about the weather! Kelly and Gavin love a bargain, and were keen to DIY as many of their wedding details as possible. You'll love their wedding flowers, sweet trees, table stationery, and all their pretty decoration details, including pompoms and bunting. What's more, Kelly's Benjamin Roberts wedding gown only cost £250. Find out more in her answers to the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire, and enjoy Linus Moran's fantastic wedding photographs....more to come from their reception later today.


My husband got down on one knee in Venice to pop the question. Two years to the day, we tied the knot at Kingston Maurward stately home, in Dorset, on March the 16th 2014.


My wedding dress was from Preloved, a Benjamin Roberts wedding dress that should have been £1700, selling for £250. I fell in love with it, and it fitted like a glove. I love a bargain!




Thursday 8 May 2014

A Castle Wedding with a Simple, Elegant Theme

If you want to feel like a princess on your big day, then you're going to need to hire a castle for your wedding venue. Luckily there are plenty of venues in the UK to tick your castle-box - not least the dramatic Hedingham Castle in Essex hired by gorgeous bride and groom, Liz and Mike. Liz wholeheartedly adopted the regal feel for her wedding style, wearing a beautiful, champagne gown from Allure Bridal, teamed with a divine, sparkly tiara by Andrew Prince. Sparkly emerald cut diamond earrings, plus an art deco design wedding ring completed her elegant look. Mike lived up to his bride's style, with a smart grey morning suit and dove-grey waistcoat. The whole ceremony was beautifully pictured by Kristian Leven, enjoy his shots - many more to come later today, including all the detail photographs from the elegant, ivory and platinum themed reception.


We got married on Friday 5 April, 2013 at Hedingham Castle in Essex. We had our ceremony in the castle itself before going over to the Georgian house and marquee for our reception.
 
The first part of my outfit I bought was my tiara. It was made by Andrew Prince in London who I went to see after seeing some of his pieces in a bridal magazine. His shop was being refurbished when we went, but he set me up with a Snow-White style mirror and a cabinet overflowing with tiaras and jewellery. The young girl in me who had dreamed of being a Disney princess was in her element!

I chose a tiara that had emerald cut accents that coordinated with my engagement ring {an emerald cut diamond solitaire}. It was more expensive than I had budgeted for, but I had to have it. It was as close to a real diamond tiara as you could get {Andrew makes the tiaras for Downton Abbey, that’s how good they are!}, and I couldn't get married in anything else. My mum bought it for me as a birthday present on the condition it became a family heirloom, and is now kept in a safe so that I don't wear it out. The moment my tiara went on was the moment I became a Bride and everything fell in to place for me. All the nerves disappeared and I just felt incredible.




Wednesday 2 April 2014

Real Daffodil Easter Wedding with a Tiffany Blue Theme

With Easter only a few weeks away, I wanted to treat you with this gorgeous daffodil-filled spring wedding. Millie and Nico celebrated their big day in April {Happy Anniversary!}, and their gorgeous, quintessentially English wedding is full of inspirational ideas to copy. I'm particularly loving the eggshell blue theme colour, the leather luggage-tag place markers, and the cute pageboys outfits. The stunning countryside-style flowers are simple gorgeous too. Don't miss Millie's lovely answers to the Before the Big Day Brides Questionnaire - she's got lots of advice for up-and-coming brides. Huge thanks to the lovely Hester Marriott for these gorgeous pictures.

We celebrated our wedding with a church ceremony, followed by a reception at my family home on 17th April 2010. 

My shoes came from Christian Louboutin, and it was great to have a cheeky flash of red under the my ivory dress!


Monday 4 November 2013

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. 



Friday 25 October 2013

A Secret Garden Wedding with a Woodland & Travel Theme - The Reception

This is one of those amazing weddings where the bride thought of every single detail, and DIY'd a fair few {like most} of them. A regular reader of Before the Big Day, Kelly came up with several fabulous themes, and combined them all with panache! Travel plus secret woodland and a colourful palette equals wedding heaven. And the ideas to steal - there's too many. Just take a look at the amazing handmade hot air balloon table names, the stunning paper cut-style seating plan, and the pinecone place markers. Kelly was up till late the night before her wedding, decorating her tepee venues with six friends - so if you're considering to DIY your decor, remember to arrange a helping hand {or 10}. I love how she placed a sprig of rosemary at each seat, and the hand-stamped balloons on the stationery are the cutest. Instead of a cake, Kelly and Pete chose a massive array of sweetie treats....my type of wedding! Enjoy Kelly's hints and tips in her answers to the Before the Big Day Brides' Questionnaire - there's tonnes of advice for budding brides. Huge thanks to Richard Galloway for his stunning wedding photographs.

We got married in the beautiful Secret Garden at Wasing Park in Berkshire. It was a bright and sunny May Day. I liked the idea of a secret garden full of surprise and intrigue, and Wasing Park was the perfect venue. We kept areas hidden so as to surprise our guests with each stage of the wedding.


Our photographer was Richard Galloway. He is an old friend and a professional wedding photographer. We felt we couldn't have made a better decision, as he knew us, and knew that we were planning something fun and curious. 



A Secret Garden Wedding with a Woodland & Travel Theme

Regular readers of this wedding blog will knew there's nothing I like more than a Real Bride Submission. The lovely Kelly read Before the Big Day while planning her wedding, and I'm thrilled to feature all her incredible wedding ideas. Like me, she hosted her wedding in a secret garden, and chose a mixture of themes for her decorations and props, and a colourful palette. There's so many exciting stealworthy ideas in the reception pictures {hot air balloons, pinecone place markers and Tizer bottles!!}, but first feast your eyes on Kelly and Pete's stunning wedding ceremony. I love the hay-bales and natural wedding arch, Kelly's colourful bridesmaids and the festival-style silk banners - plus giant balloons {yippee!}. Kelly has the most incredible wedding dress story - be sure to read her answers to the Before the Big Day Brides' Questionnaire, and enjoy Richard Galloway's stunning wedding photographs.


We got married in the beautiful Secret Garden at Wasing Park in Berkshire. It was a bright and sunny May Day. I liked the idea of a secret garden full of surprise and intrigue, and Wasing Park was the perfect venue. We kept areas hidden so as to surprise our guests with each stage of the wedding.


We had a combination of decorations and themes - a travel theme, a secret woodland theme, and a night theme of fire. We also wanted plenty of colour to give the feel of a fiesta, but a country garden version.

The story of my wedding dress is amazing but true. My first love and now very dear and fabulous friend is now head of menswear design at fashion house Bottega Veneta based out of Milan. He knew as my mummy was no longer with us, that I would want some support with this very important task. I was so grateful for his expertise, time and guidance - he turned a situation that could have been quite sad and difficult, into a very special experience, and for this I will forever be in his debt.


Thursday 10 October 2013

An Exquisite English Country Garden Spring Wedding - The Reception

After all the excitement of the Wedding Blog Awards, I completely failed to publish the second half of Jo and Luke's incredible wedding. And you've got to see these amazing pictures, as they're chock-a-block with wedding inspiration. Jo chose a beautiful garden theme, which fitted perfectly with their Friars Court wedding venue. The owner is clearly some sort of wedding decoration genius, as he's created a wonderful romantic world of swinging lanterns and vintage props. There's so many stealworthy ideas, it's hard to pick my favourite, but....{deep breath}....I love the swinging white lanterns, the 14 real, blossoming cherry trees lining the marquee, the tables named after flowers, the mossy logs, the memory table {complete with budget-savvy Waitrose cake}, and the wooden LOVE hearts hanging off the water bottles. Don't miss Jo's answers to the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire, they're full of wedding inspiration, and take a look at their wedding photographer, Lily Sawyer's website - she's a serious talent!


We got married in Alvescot Church on 27th April 2013 near where I grew up. For the reception, we wanted something near to the church, and we were fortunate enough to find the most incredible venue available in the next village. Friars Court is an old country manor, and we held our reception in the gardens and the garden room. 


We also had a marquee on the old tennis courts. We wanted to make the most of being in the countryside - particularly for our friends from London. I wanted it to be an extension of my childhood - of which I have such happy memories. 



Wednesday 9 October 2013

An Exquisite English Country Garden Spring Wedding

This incredible English country-garden wedding has been a long time coming! I've found it super-hard to edit - every one of Lily Sawyer's shots is incredible, and lovely Jo and Luke created such a beautiful wedding day, it's hard to choose which pictures to exclude! Jo's friends call her an English rose, so she themed her wedding loosely around the tea rose, with plenty of pretty blooms in her wedding bouquet, and rose wedding stationery. Jo and Luke followed tradition, and married in Jo's local village church, hosting their reception in the gorgeous gardens of Friars Court. You'll fall head-over-heels for all their country garden wedding details, but first, drink in Jo's stunning Essense of Australia wedding gown, her elegant vintage jewellery, and the amazing DIY'd church flowers. More amazing photographs of Jo and Luke's reception, coming soon! Huge thanks to Lily Sawyer and second shooter, Esther Bissessar.


We got married in Alvescot Church on 27th April 2013.. The church is over 900 years old and is situated in a small village in Oxfordshire on the edge of the Cotswolds, where I grew up. 


For the reception, we wanted something near to the church, and we were fortunate enough to find the most incredible venue available in the next village. Friars Court is an old country manor, and we held our reception in the gardens and the garden room. We also had a marquee on the old tennis courts. We wanted to make the most of being in the countryside - particularly for our friends from London. 



Wednesday 25 September 2013

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.



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