Amazing Hen Night Ideas

While the old-fashioned hen-night, complete with feather boas and Learner plates will always have a place in my heart, nowadays brides are leaning towards more sophisticated affairs. Whether it's a weekend at a spa, wine-tasting, or Chelsea Flower Show tickets, you'll want to build the anticipation. One way to make it feel like a real party, is to centre your hen-night around a colour scheme. Check out this gorgeous glitter, pink champagne theme created by Rebecca and Laura of Floridian Weddings and pictured by Kat Braman Photography. Isn't it gorgeous! Tonnes of the details are easily DIY-able, and it would make for a real sense of occasion. The shoot first appeared on brilliant US wedding blog 100 Layer Cake, so do take a look at more pictures here.

{Vendors} Photography: Kat Braman Photography / Stylist: Rebecca & Laura of Floridian Weddings / Floral Design: Floridian Weddings / Invitation Designer: Make Merry Events / Linens/Chairs: Atlas Party Rental  / Cakes: The Sugar Monkey / Canvas: Make Merry Events / Backdrop: Floridian Weddings / Cocktails: Cupcake Vineyards 

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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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And She Wore Wedding Flowers in Her Hair

Add a touch of garden gorgeousness to your wedding hair with these stunning floral hairpieces care of Sibo Designs. Sheila Bobeldijk started her boutique business after her planning her own wedding. She found it hard to find the perfect wedding hair piece in her home country of Holland, so she started making her own, and aren't they stunning! The white anemone with the black centre is my favourite, which is yours?

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Real Monochrome Marquee Wedding: Suzanne & Simon

We have a stunning Sussex wedding for you this rainy Tuesday. Suzanne and Simon celebrated their big day in monochrome style, with bridesmaids dressed in dramatic black and the ushers in traditional British morning suits and top-hats! The lucky couple had sunshine for their garden reception {so rare in the UK}, and after a church service, welcomed their guests into an elegant windowed marquee. Super ideas to steal include the tall table flower arrangements, the simple bloom-and-butterfly combination at each seat, and Suzanne's sparkly shoes. I also love the vintage touch of an old-fashioned brooch fastening the ribbon on the cake - so cute! Huge thanks to the amazing Ken Buist for his gorgeous pictures.

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Real Orchid-Themed Urban Wedding: Mari & Brendan

OMG! I'm totally obsessed with the pictures of this g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s wedding! Firstly the couple are crazily photogenic, secondly the urban venue was clearly exquisite, and thirdly, the photographs are simply exquisite (big shout out to the team at Our Labour of Love). Scroll on down, because they get better and better. Mari and Brendan were married at the magical place called Marvimon, surrounded by succulents, orchids and their best friends. My favourite details-to-steal have to be Brendan's sharp suit, not to mention Mari's dress and her cute headband, definitely a fashion must-have this season. Tonnes of fabulous ideas for how to make your wedding portrait pictures more interesting as well. Great stuff!

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Winner! 10 Pink Lady Jackets For Your Hen-Night

Congratulations to ☆Abi T☆ who's the lucky winner of 10 Pink Lady Jackets from All Fancy Dress. She's organising the hen do for her best friend, who's a huge Grease fan. They're the best prize ever for your hen night or hen weekend - after all, who doesn't love Grease!

We've got lots more competitions coming soon on Before the Big Day. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook so you don't miss a single one.

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Before the Big Day at The In Wedding Show

We've had such an amazing day over here at Before the Big Day Towers! It was the day of The In Wedding Show, and our first time as an in-house wedding blogger. We had such a fabulous time meeting all the brides and grooms and their family, and our free wedding inspiration sessions were a huge hit. If you're here to find out all the nitty-gritty from the wedding show sessions, stay tuned, because I'll be writing them up soon, right here in the blog.....including the all-important pom-pom tutorials. I've never seen such passion for pom-poms!! Huge thanks to Pom Pom Factory for their help in providing so many of my decorations, and for Anges de Sucre for the fabulous macaroon tower. All other decorations designed right here by Before the Big Day.

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How To Make Pom-Poms For Your Wedding

One of the most popular elements of my DIY Your Wedding inspiration sessions at The In Wedding Show, was the DIY pom-pom tutorial. Everyone got to make a mini-pom, and most brides left the sessions wearing them in their hair! It was amazing to see all the girls walking around the fair with these bright poms tucked behind their ear, or pinned into their ponytail. Everyone wanted to add pom-poms to their wedding, and I promised to feature this DIY tutorial on the blog - so here it is...with thanks to the ever inspirational Martha Stewart Weddings. Of course, if you're not keen on DIY pom-poms, then you can always buy them from the fabulous Pom Pom Factory!

DIY Wedding Pom-Pom Tutorial

You'll need tissue paper and white 24-gauge florists' wire. Click on the links for my favourite {in bulk} stores. I hang them with fishing wire, so they look like they're floating. Do consider the quality of the tissue paper. If you want smaller amounts, try eBay. It might be worth spending a few extra pennies for a better looking pom-pom. They work out as less than 40p per pom, so you're already getting bang-for-your-wedding-decoration-buck!

Hanging Pom-Poms 
 1. Stack eight 20-by-30-inch sheets of tissue. Make 1 1/2-inchwide accordion folds, creasing with each fold.
 2. Fold an 18-inch piece of floral wire in half, and slip over center of folded tissue; twist. With scissors, trim ends of tissue into rounded or pointy shapes.
 3. Separate layers, pulling away from center one at a time.
 4. Tie a length of monofilament to floral wire for hanging. 

Napkin Rings
 With just a few changes, these follow the same steps as the hanging pom-poms.
 1. Stack four sheets of tissue. Cut a 10-by-5-inch rectangle, going through all layers. Make 3/8-inch-wide accordion folds.
 2. Fold an 18-inch piece of floral wire in half, slip over center of tissue, and twist to secure.
Trim ends of tissue.
 3. Separate layers, pulling away from center one at a time.
 4. Bend wire into a loop to fit around napkin, and twist end around loop to secure.

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