Top Three Bridal Trends for the New Season

One of the best things about being a wedding blogger is being the first to see all the latest trends. Stationery and decorations are my favourite wedding details, but I know for a lot of you it's all about the dress. One of the most popular US gown designers is BHLDN. They're owned by the same company as whimsical lifestyle store Anthropologie, and they never disappoint. UK brides can easily buy their wedding dresses and accessories online, and it's always worth looking out for their sales, which are awesome. BHLDN have spotted three big trends for Autumn/Winter brides, and all of them are fab....take a look....

Real DIY Heart-Themed Wedding: Margaux and Max

Details, details! This wedding is ALL about the details! Margaux and Max hired the amazing Ashley Meaders to help design their big day, and her work has completely blown my mind. Just check out the vintage plates, kooky welcome table, to dessert table, cake topper, hand-stitched hearts....I could go on and on! A gorgeous fabric installation was created over the entryway to make a big impact as people walked in. It was made of braided fabric, hand-sewn garland, fabric strips, and lights. Guests wrote messages to the Max and Margaux on strips of fabric and then hung them up on baker's twine with miniature clothespeg. Ashely even made Margaux a swing out of fabrics, and created hundreds of fabric hearts to decorate the back-garden. Just goes to show how even the simplist of venues can be made special. Gorogeous pictures as ever from the team at Our Labour of Love.

Real Rustic Cherry-Inspired Wedding: Cathleen & Eric

Thsi is one of those to-die-for weddings, where you want to copy every detail, but worry that even if you did, your wedding wouldn't look half as good. I love everything about it - the setting, the antique furniture, the rustic but chic napkins, the strawbale seats and the heavenly, heavenly cherries. So many stealworthy ideas, from writing the names of your guests on the paper table cloth, using fruit as decoration and favour, and the whole concept of bringing the indoors outdoors. I'm totally blissed out. Cathleen and Eric's wedding team included designer Rebecca, of Duet Weddings and the hugely talented photographer, Jose Villa.

Vintage-Style Wedding Stationery Seals

When it comes to wedding details nothing is too small. Take the back of your wedding stationery envelopes for example. Aren't they just crying out for a vintage-style wax seal? Fab shop, Back to Zero has tonnes of different motifs to choose from, including Fleur de Lys, monograms, anchors, crowns, and even a squirrel for the nature-loving. Then all you have to do is pick a wax that matches your wedding colour palette, and a second seal for your Thank You letters. It's the easiest wedding DIY idea in the world!

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Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

My Top Three Winter Wedding Invitations

As I write this, it's 28 degrees outside and a beautiful summer day. But if you're planning a winter wedding, you've only got 6 months to go, and your thoughts must be turning to invitations. I'm a huge stationery geek, and I spent easily 70% of my wedding planning, scanning the internet for wedding invitation suites. I fell in love with graphic designers from Australia to LA, and eventually settled on designing my own. Remember your wedding invitation will get your guests excited about your big day - it really sets the tone - so choose wisely. Here are three of my current favourites for winter weddings - all from brilliant British designers.

{I want this!} Starry Night by Blush & Gold

{I want this!} Chalk Board & Stag Wedding Invitation Bundle by norma & dorothy

{I want this!} Highland Wedding Suite by Julia Eastwood

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Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Discussion: Should a Bride smoke on her Wedding Day?

As a non-smoker, it was never an issue for me, but what do you think about brides smoking on their wedding day? There's something about the elegance of the occasion, and the pageantry of the beautiful white dress and veil, that makes cigarettes uncomfortable bedfellows to a blushing bride. What do you think? I'd love to hear your views!

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Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Real Rural DIY Wedding: Catherine & Matt - Wedding Reception

After the beautiful getting ready pictures, and perfect portrait shots, are you ready for la pièce de résistance? Yup, it's time for the stunning reception details. Catherine and Matt chose their local village hall for their wedding reception, and added unique rustic vintage touches with the help of stylists Add a Little Sparkle. I love the mix of fresh and dried flower arrangements, the bark vases and mini-log place marker stands {made by Catherine's dad}, and the cute animal familiars on each table. Catherine also DIY'd all the favour crackers out of handmade paper, snappers from eBay and flowers grown in her own garden. Even the bird wedding toppers were hand-sewn and embroidered by the bride - you can buy similar from her Etsy shop. Huge thanks to Lily Sawyer Photography for her beautiful pictures - she really captured every wedding detail!

Real Rural DIY Wedding: Catherine & Matt - Portrait Pictures

Dreamy wedding portrait sessions don't get much better than this! Take golden light, a beautiful bride, and a perfect poppy field, and I'm wedding heaven. Matt and Catherine celebrated their wedding near Canterbury, in the Kent countryside, and photographer, Lily Sawyer, took full advantage of the beautiful landscape. En-route to their wedding reception, she stopped with the bride and groom by a field, where they had to climb over barbed wire to get in! Matt came well-prepared with a thick curtain ready to lay on the wires, so Catherine could climb over without ruining her stunning wedding dress. It was worth the effort - just take a look at these gorgeous, golden pictures.