A Rustic French Wedding with a Flower Market Theme & Three Wedding Dresses

I've been waiting and wanting to publish this incredible wedding for MONTHS!! I know when a wedding planner gets married, that it's going to be a pretty special affair - but when that wedding planner happens to have been MY wedding planner, my excitement level goes through the roof! Kerry Bracken started her fabulous business, Lavender & Rose Weddings in the South of France, just before I got married. I was one of her first clients, and it was clear from the start that she was going to be hugely successful. Creative and efficient, Kerry is the best in the industry, and I can't recommend her enough. As soon as I heard she'd got engaged, I shot over an email asking to feature her wedding on Before the Big Day, because I knew it would be incredible. In fact, it's so good, that I've had to divide it into not two, but three separate features - not least because Kerry wore three different wedding gowns. I'll let Kerry's answers to the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire speak for themselves, but suffice to say, my favourite details are Kerry's stylish birdcage veil, her brilliant coral nails {every detail matters!}, the cute 2CV wedding transport {so French, so vintage, so perfect!}, and Greg's super-smart outfit from The Kooples. Big love also to Alban Pichon for his AH-mazing wedding photographs. Don't miss Part 2 and Part 3 of this amazing wedding.

We celebrated our wedding on 13 September 2012, with two ceremonies - a civil ceremony in the town hall {the only legally recognised type of ceremony in France}, followed by a symbolic outdoor ceremony at the a Provencal villa called Bastide St Mathieu, in Grasse.

I had three wedding dresses - all from Minna. My first gown is called Nadine, and it's a cream, vintage-inspired, short lace dress with pink floral belt detail, short sleeved cream vintage inspired fitted lace dress with pink floral belt detail. I wanted a short dress to contrast with my official wedding dress, and also something I might wear again.

Introducing Get Your Bride Body for Your Wedding Look

Nearly every bride I know has wanted to tone up in time for her wedding day, and I was no different. Thanks to a few changes to my diet, and a couple of exercise classes a week, I dropped a dress size, and toned up my arms, bottom and thighs. When it came to my wedding day, I was so glad I made the effort. I felt fabulous in my wedding dress, and super-confident as I walked up the aisle. I can imagine there's nothing worse than standing at the altar, and having the 'does my bum look big in this' thought pass through your mind. That's why I'm thrilled to introduce Get Your Bride Body. This fantastic programme invites to you take a 100 Day Challenge to get you looking your best for your wedding, by guiding you through a comprehensive weight loss and fitness programme.

With weekly meal plans {including shopping lists}, an exercise programme tailored to your fitness level, motivational videos and exercise demonstration videos, Get Your Bride Body have taken care of everything. And should your willpower start to slip, you can rely on Bride Body's team of Experts, and their Little Black Book of Weight Loss Secrets, to get you back on track. Just take a look at their real life success stories for inspiration, and read the Get Your Bride Body blog for extra tips. Now all you need is new kit! P.S. Your future husband will love it too!

{Photo Credit} Trembley Photography, more from this wedding on Rustic Wedding Chic

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My Top 4 Valentine's Day Beauty Buys

{Posting by Julia Bowden, Before the Big Day's Hair & Make-up Expert} You've made it through January detox, given up booze, done the 5:2 diet, and now it's time to eat chocolate, drink red, get romantic and treat yourself! Maybe he'll pop the question tonight - you never know!? So what better time to pull out all the stops and slap on some bright show stopping lip colour. All the catwalk trends for 2014 are swaying towards kaleidoscopic bright lips - a great look for a vintage-style wedding. My advice? Go easy on the eyes when wearing bright lips, and complete your look with a swish of black liquid liner and mascara at the most. Check out my fab 4 faves...

{I want this} Clockwise from Top Left

1. Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square, £17.50

2. Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Riviera, £23

3.  MAC in Russian Red, £15

4. By Poppy Lipstick in Hot Rose, £20

Enjoy and Happy Valentines Day! xJB

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Non-Traditional Engagement Rings

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, jewellers across the land are preparing for an influx of nervous grooms, looking to choose the perfect ring for a very successful engagement proposal. My husband stuck to tradition, and chose me a stunning solitaire diamond, representing strength and everlasting love. But what if you want something a little different, a little bit quirky? Rubies work well for a Valentine's Day proposal - with their rich red colour, they represent desire and devotion. Sapphires are just as expensive as diamonds, and I love the deep blue stone in Kate Middleton's engagement ring. Plus, the stones represent reliability and steadfastness, two attributes you'd definitely want in a husband! Meanwhile, if you've been with your future husband for a long while, or you've met later in life, an emerald engagement ring would be perfect, as the stones symbolise a mature and constant love. The other option is to ignore the symbolism completely, and just choose the colour you like the most!! Which gemstone would you choose?

{Photo Credit} Awake Photography - see more of this amazing window-themed engagement shoot

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Introducing My GuestWall for Your Wedding Guests' Photos & Messages

I don't know about you, but my iPhone is pretty much glued to my hand. I'm always tweeting, taking pictures, Instagram-ing and Facebook-ing. And never more than at a wedding! All those fantastic shots of all my friends in their wedding finery, and the pretty details - you can imagine as a wedding blogger, I'm all over those! But after your big day, all those amazing pictures gradually disappear into social media feeds, never to see the light of day again. Well, that's unless you sign up to the brilliant new service called My GuestWall.

This genius company has come up with a brilliant, easy-to-use idea, and it's taking the wedding world by storm. All you do is tell your guests you're using My GuestWall,{they'll give you special personalised cards}, and give them your special @myguestwall.com email address, and Twitter or Instagram hashtag. Then, whenever your guests share photos or messages via email, Twitter or Instagram, My GuestWall will collect them in real-time, and add them to your personal website and online gallery. The BEST thing is, you can then display them on a large screen during your wedding reception - amazing! I just wish My GuestWall had been invented in time for my wedding! For a fantastic 50% discount, use the code BIGDAY {until 28th Feb}, and if your friends are getting married this year, why not give it to them as a present? It's like the gift of memory!!

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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!

Introducing Written With Light Wedding Photography

Three years ago, when I was choosing my own wedding photographer, I thought it would be a business transaction. My concerns were cost and quality, and it never really occurred to me that I needed to really like my wedding photographer. I mean obviously I had to respect them professionally, and find them easy to get on with, but I never expected to actually like them as a potential friend. Now I see that this is ESSENTIAL, and it's why I'm delighted to introduce Hannah Vine from Written With Light Photography. Hannah's a self-declared hopeless romantic, who makes a special effort to find out the story behind each couple, so she can reflect their personalities through her pictures. Hannah understands the need to build a personal relationship, feels real warmth towards her clients, and it shows in her lovely wedding photographs. Written With Light Photography has a super-clear, flexible pricing structure to fit every budget. Hannah charges £50 an hour, so a twelve hour wedding would cost £600. Couples can buy the copyright of their images {in a prettily packaged disco} for £100, and beautifully created wedding albums for an extra cost. A pre-wedding engagement shoot {recommended!} only costs £50. Don't miss the Written With Light Photography website and blog.

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The Quickest Way to Pretty Quirky Wedding Nails

Regular readers of this blog will know that no wedding detail is too small! While the uninitiated may think it's enough to choose the perfect wedding flowers, favours, dress and stationery, I'm getting excited about the tiny things, like how to have the best-dressed cutlery, shoe stickers {yes really}, and now.....pretty wedding nails. In some ways, how your hands look is going to be of primary importance. You're going to be given an exciting new ring, you're already wearing a gorgeous engagement ring, you're holding a bouquet, and sooner or later, someone is certain to take a picture of your hands - probably your wedding photographer. So give that man or woman something to admire....just think how many ordinary French manicures they've pictures already....and add these cute nail decals by Stick It Vinyl. My favourites are the dandelions - there's something about making a wish on your wedding day that suits my whimsical nature.

{I want these!} All nail stickers / decals by Stick It Vinyl, from £1.25 per nail

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