Introducing Dominic Whiten Wedding Photography

Can you imagine what it must be like to be a wedding photographer? You go to weddings nearly every Saturday (and sometimes Sunday too}, you witness the most emotional moments of a bride and groom's lives, hang out with all their friends and family, and then you spend the next few days staring at their faces, as you pick out the best pictures from the thousands you took. No wonder wedding photographers feel a lasting closeness to 'their' brides and grooms. It's also the reason why talent isn't the only thing you should look for in a wedding photographer - you also need to find someone you really like, someone you want to invite to your wedding. That's why I'm delighted to introduce Dominic Whiten Photography. You can see from his exuberant pictures below, that he's a hugely talented wedding photographer, but he's also an incredibly friendly, outgoing, relaxed guy. You'll love having Dom around, he'll make you smile naturally, and you'll relax in front of his camera, and your wedding pictures will be fabulous. He only takes 35 bookings a year so that he can really concentrate on your big day, and his reasonable wedding fee includes a disco of 200 of your best pictures in black and white, plus two free mounted pictures. Take a look at his brilliant website, Dominic Whiten Photography, and his blog, and book him fast!

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How To Get Fit For Your Wedding Day

{Posting by Alice Cowen, Before the Big Day's Personal Trainer & Nutritionist} If you're getting married this summer, never fear, it's not too late to tone up for your big day. Here are 10 Wedding Fitness Tips from our fabulous Wedding Blog Personal Trainer, Alice Cowen, on how to look good on your wedding day. Even without a wedding day on the way, I'm going to follow these to get bikini ready for the summer!

{Photo Credit} Charlotte Broster via Ruffled

Top 10 Wedding Fitness Tips

1. Don't start training too early, you might lose momentum, 10 to 12 weeks should do it. So if you haven't started your wedding fitness plan yet - it's never to late.

2. Find 2-3 different types of exercise you ENJOY otherwise boredom sets in.

3. Train 4-5 times per week for 45 minutes to an hour to really blitz your bride-to-be body. But don't train everyday, because rest days are just as important for your muscles to recover.

4. Never let yourself become hungry, healthy snacks are the way forward.

5. Stop drinking alcohol, or if you must, drink only one night per week.

6. No Chocolate, crisps, fizzy drinks at ALL

7. No second helpings

8. ALWAYS eat breakfast to kick your metabolism off for the day

9. Drink at least 2 litres of water per day

10. Weigh yourself regually so you don't lie to yourself. This way you'll get to see results, which will help you stay in the zone.

xaLx

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Purple Pale & Romantic Wedding Inspiration

Thinking about theming your wedding around the colour purple? Then take a good long look at this incredible wedding shoot by Annie Beedy of Mim & Honey, featuring flowers by Riley Messina of Erba Floral Design and wedding cakes by Cambria Goodwin of Butter. I've fallen for the rustic simplicity of the bride's rose and anemone bouquet, complete with twisted twigs and sticky buds. The wedding centrepiece is just as imaginative, with hanging grapes and rosy apples creating an opulent harvest festival feel. Add twigs and branches to your own wedding cake, for an easy DIY wedding project. 

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Introducing Foto Noir - Luxury Wedding Photo Booth

When it comes to your wedding, the one thing I can guarantee, is that it will pass far too quickly. Our wedding lasted nearly 10 hours, but it still feels like it was over in a flash - everything sped up once we'd shared a couple of glasses of champagne! You're going to want as much photographic evidence of your wedding as possible, and while your wedding photographer will take all the lovely official shots, in my view a wedding photobooth is a must. Foto Noir is a luxury photobooth, which takes flattering {and hilarious}, black and white portrait pictures. Its subtle design fits in with every wedding style, even {as in the picture below} if your wedding is at The Savoy! Install it at your wedding reception and your friends and family will love it - we only had an old polaroid camera at our wedding, so I wish we'd discovered Foto Noir before our big day. The pictures are printed at the reception, so they work as brilliant wedding favours, as well as fabulous momentoes of your wedding day. Based in London, Foto Noir are happy to install their photobooth anywhere in the UK - book them now for your wedding day!

Picture Credits {above} Rebecca Goddard Photography, {all below} Foto Noir

Picture: Foto Noir neatly installed at a wedding reception at The Savoy.

Fabulous examples of Foto Noir pictures.

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Green Living Wedding Favours

Before the Big Day is all about finding new and unusual ideas to make your wedding stand out from the crowd. So I'm always on the look out for something different, particularly when it comes to wedding favours! This wedding trend from the US has completely caught on in the UK, and normally I always recommend foody favours, because then they never get wasted. However, when I spotted these cute LIVING favours by Gem Sprouts, I couldn't resist them. I reckon you'd probably only want to give them to your female guests, but they'd work perfectly at a garden wedding, or a botanical, eco-friendly themed big day. What do you reckon?

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Real Equestrian Polo Themed Wedding: Xan & Rob

As a wedding blogger, I've seen a LOT of weddings, so it takes something fun and different to raise my eyebrow {just one, like Roger Moore in James Bond!}. So how about a wedding involving a polo game? Known as the Sport of Kings, it's the perfect backdrop to this refined, elegant wedding from Franschhoek, in South Africa. With a wedding ceremony at Xan's family's wine farm, Lynx Wines, and a reception at the spectacular Val De Vie Polo Estate, we're talking a serious amount of wedding inspiration. Needless to say I'm seriously enthusiastic about Xan's incredible ruffled wedding gown {buy similar from Maggie Sottero}, her simple twisted stilettos, and her cathedral-length veil. Rob and his ushers look super-suave in their black tie get-up, and I'm loving Xan's bridesmaids' ombre dresses. Don't miss the last few pictures; the wedding stationery featured crossed polo mallets, and wedding favours were potted succulents, wrapped with smart monochrome ribbon {love!}. Gorgeous pictures published with thanks to the hugely talented team at We Love Pictures. Also don't miss Xan and Rob's wedding video by Vision on Fire - it's brilliant!

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Introducing The Image Garden Wedding Photography

Every now and then I discover a hugely talented wedding photographer that makes me fall in love with weddings all over again. Sharron Gibson of The Image Garden takes beautiful, creative wedding photographs with fabulous pops of colour. Just take a look at purple of the heather and the rich red tartan of the groom's kilt in the pictures below. Every detail glows. I'm also loving how Sharron captures those perfect wedding moments; the first kiss, the conspiratorial grin between a newly married couple, a quiet moment in the wedding flurry. All her wedding couples look totally relaxed in-front of her camera, which is partly down to her relaxed style, but also thanks to the free pre-wedding LOVE shoot she offers all her clients. Described by London Weddings Magazine as one of 'London's top wedding photographers', The Image Garden is now based in Buckinghamshire, but Sharron's more than happy to travel throughout the UK, and is particularly keen on destination weddings. Don't miss The Image Garden website and blog for more wedding inspiration. P.S. Although I haven't met Sharron in person yet, I know we have the same sense of humour, thanks to the Jimmy Choo and wellie picture below - fav wedding pic ever?!

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Personalised Vintage Wedding Portrait Stationery

After a massively hectic week, I'm having a lovely morning web-wander around Etsy Weddings. It's a fabulous source of wedding inspiration - there's no end to the wedding details you can personalise! My eye naturally gravitates towards wedding stationery, and I'm thrilled to have stumbled upon Willow and Lark's Wedding Supply. This little online boutique stocks vintage wedding finds, with garters and hair pins and ring pillows just a few of the lovely wedding items. My favs are this customisable Couples Portrait Notebook, and the Will You Be My Bridesmaid notebook. I reckon the Couples notebooks could make fantastic Save the Dates - what do you reckon? Click back on the blog later for the cutest wedding favours in the world!

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