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

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Amazing Alice in Wonderland Wedding Shoot

Alice in Wonderland is one of my favourite wedding themes of all time. Like many classic stories, it's got tonnes of potential wedding details. From the Queen of Hearts as a colour theme, to the Mad Hatter's Tea-Party for your reception, and Drink Me, Eat Me labels for favours, you'll have your work cut out for you to keep up with every wedding detail. You could even dress your waiting staff as White Rabbits. For more wedding inspiration, take a look at this fabulous wedding shoot by Erika from Photo Madly. For more pictures, do check out the Alice in Wonderland wedding blog, where this shoot first appeared.

Credit List
Photography by Erika Szostak for Photo Madly
Cakes & Dessert table by Flutterby Bakery
Flowers by Amanda Refoy Flowers
Alice's bespoke dress by Marrianne Designs
Props by Peter Gosbee & Alice Dreams: A Wonderland of Curiosities
Make-up by Alessia Mancini
Hair by Elloise India Willett
Assistant Photography by Mike Oddhayward
Models: Alice - Miriam Gisbey, Mad Hatter - Peter Gosbee. Special thanks to Andrew White for his invaluable help in organising the shoot.

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: Fancy Dress

Photographs can often become formulaic, especially wedding shots, so how about setting up a photobooth where guests can take pictures of themselves? Lots of American photographers are offering it as part of their packages, and I think it's time it came to the UK. One way of making the shots stand out is to offer your guests a fancy dress box. Then just sit back, and watch the hilarious shots roll in! My suggestions for super-cool props? Feather boas, vintage gold frames, wacky glasses and a couple of mini blackboards for messages. As ever, check out the offers on these items below....

Product Credits {top L to R} 1 & 2, MeriMask, 3. I Made You A Beard, 4. Something's Hiding Here, 5. Cox & Cox, {mid L to R} 1.Cox & Cox, 2. Leather Art Works {bottom L to R} 1. Glitz Concepts, 2. Jokers Masquerade, 3. Future Girl, 4.1 Handmade By Heather

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: Glittery

Sometimes a huge wedding trend grows out of a more mainstream fashion fad. This season, the powers that be in the fashion world, have gone doolally over these glitter Miu Miu boots, and kicked-off a love for glittery weddings that will last long past the Christmas season. I'm seriously excited about glitter as a wedding theme - the secret is to add only a little bit, otherwise your wedding could end up looking like the Christmas Department at Harrods {a very scary place}. For more glittery fabulousness, check out my Pinterest board.

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: Music

Music is a brilliant way to theme your wedding. Whether you work in the music industry, love listening to classical, rap or swing, or met your future husband at a concert, you've got an excuse to personalise your big day in a tuneful way. I love these heart banners from Etsy shop The Path Less Travelled - made using paper hearts cut from a vintage hymnal, the banners are a great way to recycle. You could also use old sheet music to make confetti cones and favour boxes, or even as placemats at your wedding reception. Other music-themed wedding ideas include CD's of your favourite songs as favours, a record-player shaped cake, and of course - your favourite band to play your first dance.

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Autumn Wedding Flowers - Dreamy Dahlias

As autumn approaches I've become mildly obsessed with dahlias - partly because I spotted a couple of gorgeous plants in my friends' garden. They're quintessentially autumnal and perfect for brides planning an autumn wedding, because they come in a huge variety of styles and colours - so they can fit in with every wedding theme. They also make for a pretty motif on wedding stationery and favours, and as accessories for your bridesmaids. For more wedding ideas and inspiration, don't miss my Pinterest board on Dreamy Dahlias.

Picture Credits {left to right}1. Nature Mandalas, 2. eDarling Photo

Product Credits {left to right} 1. Dee Dees Boutique, 2. Flower Bucket Boutique

Product Credits {top left to right} 1. SVG Shop, 2. Sandy Photo Art {bottom left to right} 1. SVG Shop, 2. Inspira Designs, 3. Gray Cloud Print

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: Being British

While British weather might not be at the top of the list of things you love about the UK, that's no reason not to draw on British traditions to theme your wedding. Start by toasting each other's health with Pimms, and hire Morris Dancers to entertain your guests.  Try an old-fashioned high tea for your wedding breakfast (mmm, cream scones), or serve mini-cones of fish and chips as a starter.  Individual shepherd's pies make for a fabulous main course, or challenge your caterer to russle up roast beef with Yorshire puddings! Use Union Jack iconography to decorate your venue, or try some of the suggestions below.

Product Credits - {from top left} 1. Cottage Girl Tea 2. MrPS, 3. Paper Fish, {from middle left} 1. British Cream Tea, (from bottom left} 1. Sweet Lollipop Shop, 2. Minimum Mouse, 3. Crumbs & Doilies, 4. British Cream Tea

Product Credits - {from top left} 1. MWL Cards, 2. Pink Top Hat, 3. Vintage Holiday Shop, {from bottom left} 1. Milk Toasty, 2. Sammo, 3. Miss Crowland

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BBD Theme: Because of Bunting

Last week I was all about giant balloons, but now I'm big on bunting. It's characterful and cheap, and comes in every style, shade and substance you can imagine. Whether your theme is vintage-chic or summer-fete, bunting will add a light-hearted feel to your big day. And if you're handy with a sewing machine, you could even make it yourself.

Product Credits (clockwise from top left corner):  Children Furniture Company, Cox & Cox, {Top & Bottom Right}: Not on the High Street, Modern June, Not on the High Street, Bad Baby Quilts

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Wedding Theme Idea: Happily Ever After

Did you know that you can actually get married at DisneyWorld?  I know that every girl is supposed to want a Fairy Tale wedding, but isn't that taking it a bit too far? I can't think of anything more likely to ruin the mood than a pair of Mickey ears. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with addding a few whimsical details to your big day, to add to the atmosphere of romance. Just make sure it's more along the lines of Cinderella's slippers rather than her pumpkin coach.

{Picture Credits} - Shoes & Flowers by Nikole Ramsay {Product Credits} - Tags: Seasonal Delights, Place Cards & Crown: Melker, Dress: John Galliano

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: Butterfly

Hugely popular, butterflies are a gorgeous wedding theme. Light and lovely, they can fit in with every colour theme, and are a particularly sweet addition to a summer garden wedding. For starters, add them to your cake, stationery and favours. But these ones are even edible! I'm loving these stunning 3D butterflies from Bugs Loft {top} and Hip & Clavicle. But if you're a DIY bride, save a few pennies and make your own origami butterflies via this tutorial.

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: Bicycles

With the Tour de France pedalling its way across the continent, it seems the perfect opportunity to draw your attention to a hugely popular wedding theme. As we all become more eco-friendly, urban dwellers are embracing the bicycle, and cycling off into the sunset together. Creating this wedding theme couldn't be more simple - add a tandem bicycle motif to your stationery, a miniature penny farthing to top your wedding cake, and encourage your groom to cycle up the aisle. Decorate your bikes with flowers and ribbons, and they'll make great photo props for your wedding pictures. You could even walk down the aisle to "Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do".....{okay maybe that's a step too far!}.

{Photo Credits} Top: Fotographica, Left: unknown (please get in touch if you know), Right: Brookelyn Photography via 100 Layer Cake

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Before the Big Day Paper-Bag Wedding Theme

'A paper bag?', I hear you cry. 'How on earth can paper bags be a good idea for a wedding theme?'. Well take a look at these pictures for some serious wedding inspiration. The humble paper bag can be many different things to many different brides. From menus to favour containers, the kraft paper bag comes in many creative guises. Add a touch of calligraphy and fill with special treats, and you've got an eco-friendly autumn wedding trend in the making. Pick up your paper bags at rock-bottom prices from Wholesale Paper Bags.

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: English Tea Party

If you're a regular visitor to Before the Big Day, then you might have heard that I'm having two weddings. Yup, double the stress, double the fun! It's all down to not being able to get legally married in France, plus our grannies and granddads not wanting to make the journey all the way out there. We considered secretly heading down to the registry office, but as a wedding blogger, I felt it was almost my responsibility to have a proper themed, detail-filled wedding. So while in Provence we're going for a Secret Garden wedding theme, and in London, we've picked an English Tea Party theme. I say we, but we all know that The Boy has had very little input {I've tried, but not a flicker of interest}. The London wedding is SOON. Like 3 weeks away, on 5th May.  Anyway, this is all a huge preamble to me showing off my latest, gorgeous English Tea Party wedding accessories. What do you think?

P.S. If you're not a regular reader of Before the Big Day, and you're a newbie to wedding blogs, welcome!

Product Credits - Cake Stand & Cupcake Flags: Utterly Scrumptious via Party Pieces {Kate Middleton's parents' business!}, Large White Round Balloon: Balloon Allsorts {round and 17 inches - perfect!}

Product Credits - White Voile Bunting & Heart Sugar Cubes: Cox & Cox {follow me on Twitter for the code to give you 25% off}, Heart Doilies: Edible Glitter {although I found mine on Ebay}

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: Little Red Riding Hood

Now I'm not for a minute suggesting a bride should dress up as Little Red Riding Hood on her big day - but that doesn't make it wrong to use the Brothers Grimm tale as wedding inspiration. Red is a massively popular colour for winter weddings, and there's all the usual connotations of romance, lust and luxury. Use Little Red Riding Hood's picnic basket as inspiration for wedding favours, stamp her image on your place cards, and add cloaks to your bridesmaids' costumes. And if you want to go the whole hog, borrow a Siberian husky dog to act as your ring-bearer!

Photo Credits - Bouquet, Table Setting, Shoes: Nikole Ramsay  Product Credits - Little Red print: Hiden Seek, Child Cape: AS Boutique, Buttons: Fluff Stuffs, Adult Capelet: Enderby

Product Credits - Stamp: Corrabelle, Buttons: Once Upon A Button, Felt Flower: Heavenly Handbag, Felt Heart: Not on the High Street, Little Red model: Humblebea

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Vintage Silhouette Stationery & Wedding Favours

There's something uniquely romantic about the silhouette. Hugely popular as gifts in the eighteenth century, they'll add an antique feel to a vintage wedding day. Add your profiles to your wedding stationery, or why not hire an artist to cut freehand portraits of your guests during the reception. I'd do it, but I hate my profile {huge nose}! Contact the Roving Artist or Karl Johnson for on-the-spot art, or Le Papier Studio for prints and invitations.

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: Love Birds?

There can't be that many twitchers in the world, but for the amount of winged heavenliness on the market, you'd think half the population were ornothologists. Even if you're not that keen on birds per se {pigeons - urgh!}, you'll be all of a twitter over these fantastic wedding ideas from online stores like Etsy and Cox & Cox. Grab your binoculars and your wellies, and get stuck in.

Product Credits {top row, left to right} 1.Cox & Cox, 2 & 5: Little Bird Paper, {bottom row, left to right} 3. Seasonal Delights, 4. The Gilded Bee

Photo Credits - Wellies: Nikole Ramsay  Product Credit - Bird Stencil: Confetti

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme: Blossom

All these lovely spring days have got me thinking of a blossom themed wedding. There's something uniquely romantic about blossom raining down like confetti, and it's a lovely feminine motif for a spring wedding. Choose some of these gorgeous Etsy products to add a tinge of pink to your big day.

Product Credits - {top row, left to right} Birdcage Card: A Punkin Card Company, Blossom Card: Sweet Bell Cards, Blossom Notebook: Moonlight Bindary, Blossom Stationary: Sandy Photo Art, Photo Album: Minelolly, {bottom row, left to right} Icy Blossom Photo: Littleput, Wall Sticker: Savvy Gal Designs, Hair Clips: Amy Hatch, Blue & Blossom Stationary: Tickled Pink Paper Ink

Spring Yellow Wedding Theme

Doesn't it feel like the first day of spring to you? We've got lovely golden sunshine in London town, and I'm going to take myself down to Colombia Flower Market and go bulb crazy. There's nothing prettier than planters of fresh daffodils, and I'm feeling hugely inspired by this heart-warming yellow shoot from inspirational e-zine Utterly Engaged.  The stylists have brilliantly illustrated how you can carry your theme from the invitation to cake, without going overboard, and yellowing people out. Plus picking flowers of all the same colour is a great way to add drama without ratcheting up the cost.

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Before the Big Day Wedding Theme - Butterflies

Choosing a wedding theme should be fantastic fun. You can let your imagination run wild, and pick something that reflects your personality, lifestyle and venue. If you're looking for a fashion-forward wedding, buttefly-themed weddings are seriously on-trend for spring and summer 2011. They've fluttered their way onto dresses, wedding cakes, stationery, wedding favours, and now on to wedding blogs! For plenty more Before the Big Day wedding theme ideas, click here.

{Above} Butterfly wedding dress by Alice Temperley, Papillon wedding dress by Jenny Packham

{Above} Butterfly Wedding via wedding blog Brooklyn Bride

{Above} Butterfly-printed silk wedding gown from Colleen Quen Couture, Butterfly Bouquet via wedding blog Brooklyn Bride, Butterfly Stamps & Favours, created by Amber Karson Events via wedding blog Ruffled

{Above} DIY Butterfly Cake via Before the Big Day

{Above} Butterfly Bouquet pictured by Adrienne Maples via wedding blog Style Me Pretty

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Wedding Theme Idea - Big Balloons

Time for me to come clean - I'm obsessed with balloons. Specifically white, round balloons. There's something so complete about them, and I love the airy feel they give a wedding reception. The best thing about them? They're way cheaper than flowers, which means you can fill your venue without breaking the bank. For wedding inspiration see the pics below, and for stockists, click here, or here or here.

Photo Credits {clockwise from top left} - Martha Stewart, Jen Sedillo, Amy Atlas, Caroline Tran, Once Wed

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