Monday 14 June 2010
Real Wedding: Jennifer & Oliver
London is one of the most inspiring cities in the world, so it's not surprising that LDN weddings tend to rock my world. There's so many iconic images that can be incorporated into your big day, from black cabs to red buses, the River Thames, the tube, Big Ben and of course soldiers in bearskin hats. Jen and Olly managed to find a fair few of those details on their post-ceremony walk down The Mall, and it really adds to the atmosphere of their pictures. But the details don't stop there! Throw in Jen's Vera Wang dress, an orchid bouquet, and the breathtaking London Oratory, and you've got a wedding made in heaven. I particularly love the room in the The Waldorf Hilton where they celebrated their reception, it's so light and airy and elegant. Don't miss the last pics, as Jen and Olly performed a fabulously choreographed foxtrot for their first dance. A great idea for a couple who aren't that confident on the dance floor. Try Wedding Day Dance for your own lessons. Huge thanks to Lily & Frank Photography for their gorgeous pictures.
My Wedding - The Venue
This is where I tell you all about planning my own wedding. After all, if I'm publishing all these Real Weddings, it's only fair I share my trials and tribulations. Read the rest of my wedding diary here.
So we'd established we wanted to get married in Provence, now all we needed was a venue. SO much easier said than done! For any newly engaged couples out there who haven't done this yet, there are two options. If you can afford it, I'd recommend hiring a planner to find your venue for you. They'll do a fabulous job of noting down all the attributes you want, and then they'll create a booklet of the best venues in the area, show you around all of them in one day, and bada bing, you're booked. No stress, no angst, no pain. I even found a company that would do this for me called Dites Moi Oui. They sent me an example of one of their booklets, and it was amazing, with every detail you'd want, including floor plans - I mean wow!
The downside is they charge you about £800 for the pleasure, and in our constant aim to spend less, not more, I decided to take on the challenge myself. It started off fun, at least for the first couple of months. Then it become less fun, as it appeared that what I wanted didn't exist. Or at least, we couldn't afford what I wanted. The budget monster raised its ugly head again, along with a nagging uncertainty of whether to go for a charming farmhouse with lavender shutters {unpretentious, sweet, cheap, unmemorable???} or a beautiful chateau with turrets {pretentious and expensive, but with a real feeling of occasion}. Should we take it for a week, or just one night? Where exactly should it be {Provence is quite a large area}? Many nights were spent surfing the net, and tearing out hair.
This lasted till April - yup, four months. I reckon I looked at every single edifice in Provence, from a shack to a castle. And then, with only four weeks till our recce trip to France, the political campaigning for the British General Election started, and I was swamped at work {my day job is at BBC Radio 4}. So when it came to two days before crunch-time, I'd only booked three venues to visit, and all of them were wrong in some way. That's when an angel in the form of Stephanie from Simply Chateau came into my life. I didn't know it at the time, because she seemed to be suggesting venues way out of my league, but she was determined I should visit two of her chateaux. So I gave in (with hours to go till our flight), and let her book the appointments.
Provence was gorgeous. It reassured us as to why we'd decided to celebrate our wedding there, and we had a truly fabulous weekend of food and wine, and a little too much driving. We visited my venues first {see the list below}, and in the end only one of Stephanie's chateau. As it happens, my discoveries had a lot going for them, and I'd recommend them to everyone, they just weren't right for us. But Stephanie's chateau was The One. At one point, we stopped to admire the view from one of the terraces {yes, it has many!}, and I might have got little tears in my eyes. But don't hold it against me, because the place really is perfect, and I promise, I'm not turning into one of those wet and weepy brides.
We decided to take it for three days, as it made more economic sense than one night or one week, and it means that we'll have the weekend wedding we always wanted. It's a private house rather than a hotel, and it has 11 bedrooms, which means closest family, and my bridesmaids can be on hand for moral support and on-the-day jobs! It was over-budget, but we've had no post-booking remorse, it was perfect, and we'll just cut back in other areas. No pics I'm afraid, because we want to keep it a surprise for our guests, but it has an onsite chapel, pool and tennis court. I'm so excited about it!
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So we'd established we wanted to get married in Provence, now all we needed was a venue. SO much easier said than done! For any newly engaged couples out there who haven't done this yet, there are two options. If you can afford it, I'd recommend hiring a planner to find your venue for you. They'll do a fabulous job of noting down all the attributes you want, and then they'll create a booklet of the best venues in the area, show you around all of them in one day, and bada bing, you're booked. No stress, no angst, no pain. I even found a company that would do this for me called Dites Moi Oui. They sent me an example of one of their booklets, and it was amazing, with every detail you'd want, including floor plans - I mean wow!
The downside is they charge you about £800 for the pleasure, and in our constant aim to spend less, not more, I decided to take on the challenge myself. It started off fun, at least for the first couple of months. Then it become less fun, as it appeared that what I wanted didn't exist. Or at least, we couldn't afford what I wanted. The budget monster raised its ugly head again, along with a nagging uncertainty of whether to go for a charming farmhouse with lavender shutters {unpretentious, sweet, cheap, unmemorable???} or a beautiful chateau with turrets {pretentious and expensive, but with a real feeling of occasion}. Should we take it for a week, or just one night? Where exactly should it be {Provence is quite a large area}? Many nights were spent surfing the net, and tearing out hair.
This lasted till April - yup, four months. I reckon I looked at every single edifice in Provence, from a shack to a castle. And then, with only four weeks till our recce trip to France, the political campaigning for the British General Election started, and I was swamped at work {my day job is at BBC Radio 4}. So when it came to two days before crunch-time, I'd only booked three venues to visit, and all of them were wrong in some way. That's when an angel in the form of Stephanie from Simply Chateau came into my life. I didn't know it at the time, because she seemed to be suggesting venues way out of my league, but she was determined I should visit two of her chateaux. So I gave in (with hours to go till our flight), and let her book the appointments.
We decided to take it for three days, as it made more economic sense than one night or one week, and it means that we'll have the weekend wedding we always wanted. It's a private house rather than a hotel, and it has 11 bedrooms, which means closest family, and my bridesmaids can be on hand for moral support and on-the-day jobs! It was over-budget, but we've had no post-booking remorse, it was perfect, and we'll just cut back in other areas. No pics I'm afraid, because we want to keep it a surprise for our guests, but it has an onsite chapel, pool and tennis court. I'm so excited about it!
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Saturday 12 June 2010
I'm A Little Tea-Pot
Perfect for a bridal shower, hen night or vintage-themed wedding, these gorgeous handcrafted tea pots are the cutest favour boxes I've seen in a long while. Handmade by Joanne in Manchester, and sold in her Etsy boutique Vintage Twee, they'd bring a touch of English tradition to your big day. Fill them with sweeties, lavender, or a handmixed tea-bag to make them your own, and sit back, safe in the knowledge you've added something truly original to your wedding.
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Friday 11 June 2010
Real Wedding: Gemma & Steve
Are you planning a winter wedding? There's something about the light on a crisp and clear December day, and my photographer friends tell me that winter sunsets are truly magical. Definitely worth considering when you're scheduling your pictures. Gorgoues couples, Gemma and Steve, chose the stunning Wotton House in Surrey for their big day, and used the grounds to great effect. I'm loving the warm purples and mauves in their colour scheme and the bridesmaids look fabulous in their full-length silk gowns. Other stealworthy ideas include the chocaholic's dream cake and the use of eucalyptus, freesias and rosemary in the florals, which must have smelled heavenly. Inspirational photos from the fab team at Segerius Bruce.
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Thursday 10 June 2010
Homemaker Favours
Can you bake? I can't cook for toffee, and that's why I love this idea that's winged its way over from the States. The idea is that you ask all your guests to write up their favourite recipe, and leave it as a favour on your wedding day. Not only does it make for a gorgeous keepsake cookery book, but you and your husband have a future of fabulous meals together. Now all you've got to do is figure out who does the washing-up. All the letterpress cards below are from The Petite Press.
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The Cat that got the Cream
I'm all about simple, elegant jewellery, and when I stumbled across NYC boutique Cat Bird, I got an excited feeling that I haven't had since Christmas Eve 1984 {when I was five}. The shop is actually in Williamsburg in Brooklyn, which happens to be the coolest neighbourhood in the world right now, but don't despair, because you can buy online. The best thing about them is that they don't just do jewellery, they unearth new and exciting items from all over the globe, including terrariums, candlesticks, tooth fairy boxes and compasses. Check out their site here, but first, give your credit cards to your boss, and tell them not to give them back till after payday. Don't say I didn't warn you!
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If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS & click here for more ring ideas.
Wednesday 9 June 2010
Dreamy Dresses
If you're looking for a great British wedding gown, you can't do better than Charlotte Balbier. The glamorous dress designer is renowned for combining fairytale femininity with a modern twist, and her 2010 collection is just fab! Her signature style includes an asymmetric look, with beautiful detailing on the shoulder, either in the form of ruffles or corsages. I'm also loving the subtle tones of her dresses - no longer does a wedding gown have to be white - thanks to Charlotte, you can be a blushing bride in pink or vintage gold.
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Tuesday 8 June 2010
Clearly Fantastic
If you're fed up with boring paper stationery and looking for something a bit different, try these acrylic invitations. Clear, modern and stand-out cool, they'll build anticipation for your big day. Alternatively try these acrylic placemarkers and table plans. Longer-lasting than their paper equivalents, they'll make great momentoes for your guests.
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Monday 7 June 2010
Transfer-Tastic
Do you remember transfers from your school days? Those pictures that you'd rub with a penny, to decorate your exercise books? Just think how cool it would be to bring that old-skool fun to your wedding invitations. Well now you can. The fabulous Park Studio created these amazing invitations for an anniversary celebration, and I'm totally in awe of their coolness! Graphic designer, Linda, creates and produces bespoke invitations from her London studio, and depending on your budget, she's happy to use all the latest technology, including foil-blocking, embossing and thermography {nope, me either, but it sounds impressive!}.
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Sunday 6 June 2010
Touching Love
Do you ever fiddle with your rings? I do, all the time. Wouldn't it be wonderful if, as your fingers traced the band, the dots read Love in braille? For me that falls in to the seriously romantic category, up there with turrets and princely frogs and magic forests. Made by Maap Studio in their Cambridgeshire workshop, these gorgeous rings are handmade from white porcelain clay, and then hand-painted. You can choose the colour of your dots, and as Maap also take bespoke orders, you could also change the message to something more personal. Take a look at their online shop here.
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If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.
Saturday 5 June 2010
My Wedding - 1st Steps
This is where I tell you all about planning my own wedding. After all, if I'm publishing all these Real Weddings, it's only fair I share my trials and tribulations. Read the rest of my wedding diary here.
{Date}
Setting the date for our wedding was fairly simple. We wanted a sunshine wedding, rather than a winter one, and The Boy has a year long job interview ending in July, which meant this summer was out. I certainly didn't want to be asking him what he thought about buttonholes and balloons, when he was stressed about work. So we looked ahead to 2011 and settled on the bank holiday weekend, so that our friends and family could come out to France for the full three day stretch. The Big Day will be 28th May 2011, but the plan is to have a whole weekend of activities....if our budget holds out!
{Budget}
Speaking of the budget, that was the next step. Initially I thought we should set a budget of £20k, and then I did one of those questionnaires in a wedding magazine, and realised that realistically our budget would need to be a bit higher. Gulp! £20k is a serious amount of cash, and I think one of the crazy things about the wedding industry is how much things cost. If anyone has worked out a way to do it for cheaper....please, get in touch! I'm determined to DIY as much as I can, but if we're making everyone come out to France, I think the least we can do is throw them a decent party, and decent means good food and wine, at the very least.
{Location}
The budget trauma lasted me a good few months, and there was also a fair amount of parental pressure to go for a UK wedding. My mum has a lovely house in Dorset, with a big lawn, so there was nothing stopping us from having a lovely countryside, marquee wedding. We even have a family church! But, but, but....we really wanted to get married in France, and despite resistance, The Boy and I decided it was our big day, and stuck to our guns. It wasn't easy though, and I definitely had a few moments when I worried I was being a bit bridezilla. I think it helped that we were going to be paying for quite a lot of the wedding ourselves - I imagine if your parents are footing the whole bill, it must be harder to put your foot down.
{Guest List}
Can I let you into a secret? I wrote the guest list for my wedding six months before we got engaged. Like I said in my first posting, The Boy has had to take a serious amount of pressure on the marriage front. I'm amazed he held out for so long! The good news is that I have a small family, and we have a pretty tight-knit group of friends, so we've managed to get the list under 150. Throw in a few people declining on account of distance and/or age, and I reckon we're around 120. Manageable.....I hope!
{Inspiration}
So we had a budget, a location and a list of 120 guests. Now we needed to settle our wedding style. One of first things a bride should do once she gets engaged is create her inspiration boards. Not only does it help your suppliers {florist, stationer, dress designer, etc}, but it is SUCH fun! Needless to say, I'd been saving pictures for months, and I churned out these boards pretty fast.
If you're newly engaged, and looking to do the same, there's several computer programmes that you can download for free. I use the collage function on Picasa, but there's also Picnik. Alternatively you can use the Style Circle function on US site Style Me Pretty. I tend to save pictures as I go {right click, save a copy}, picking my favs from wedding blogs, and then I put them altogether in a collage. If you're not web savvy and have access to a colour printer, then print away, and you can always tear out pictures from bridal magazines.
What do you think of my boards? Have you already created your own? Send them over to me at beforethebigday@gmail.com, and I'll post them up on the site!
If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS and click here for more on My Wedding.
{Date}
Setting the date for our wedding was fairly simple. We wanted a sunshine wedding, rather than a winter one, and The Boy has a year long job interview ending in July, which meant this summer was out. I certainly didn't want to be asking him what he thought about buttonholes and balloons, when he was stressed about work. So we looked ahead to 2011 and settled on the bank holiday weekend, so that our friends and family could come out to France for the full three day stretch. The Big Day will be 28th May 2011, but the plan is to have a whole weekend of activities....if our budget holds out!
{Budget}
Speaking of the budget, that was the next step. Initially I thought we should set a budget of £20k, and then I did one of those questionnaires in a wedding magazine, and realised that realistically our budget would need to be a bit higher. Gulp! £20k is a serious amount of cash, and I think one of the crazy things about the wedding industry is how much things cost. If anyone has worked out a way to do it for cheaper....please, get in touch! I'm determined to DIY as much as I can, but if we're making everyone come out to France, I think the least we can do is throw them a decent party, and decent means good food and wine, at the very least.
{Location}
The budget trauma lasted me a good few months, and there was also a fair amount of parental pressure to go for a UK wedding. My mum has a lovely house in Dorset, with a big lawn, so there was nothing stopping us from having a lovely countryside, marquee wedding. We even have a family church! But, but, but....we really wanted to get married in France, and despite resistance, The Boy and I decided it was our big day, and stuck to our guns. It wasn't easy though, and I definitely had a few moments when I worried I was being a bit bridezilla. I think it helped that we were going to be paying for quite a lot of the wedding ourselves - I imagine if your parents are footing the whole bill, it must be harder to put your foot down.
{Guest List}
Can I let you into a secret? I wrote the guest list for my wedding six months before we got engaged. Like I said in my first posting, The Boy has had to take a serious amount of pressure on the marriage front. I'm amazed he held out for so long! The good news is that I have a small family, and we have a pretty tight-knit group of friends, so we've managed to get the list under 150. Throw in a few people declining on account of distance and/or age, and I reckon we're around 120. Manageable.....I hope!
{Inspiration}
So we had a budget, a location and a list of 120 guests. Now we needed to settle our wedding style. One of first things a bride should do once she gets engaged is create her inspiration boards. Not only does it help your suppliers {florist, stationer, dress designer, etc}, but it is SUCH fun! Needless to say, I'd been saving pictures for months, and I churned out these boards pretty fast.
What do you think of my boards? Have you already created your own? Send them over to me at beforethebigday@gmail.com, and I'll post them up on the site!
If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS and click here for more on My Wedding.
Real Wedding: Claire & Dominic
Sometimes it's all about the venue, and when said venue is a castle, you're talking some serious romantic fantasy. Leeds Castle was Claire and Dominic's choice for their big day, and doesn't it look gorgeous. I'm loving the regal purple they chose for their signature colour - Claire's Louboutin shoes are to die for and I love the luxurious ribbons on their cake. Secret hint for you; big fat silky ribbons make everything look expensive! Don't miss the detail in Claire's bouquet. I spy mint and rosemary, which must have made for a gorgeous fresh, spring scent on a winter's day. Lovely matching morning suits for the ushers, and the cutest pageboy ever - I love his little bow tie. Fantastic photographs as ever from the lovely David Fenwick.
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Friday 4 June 2010
That Friday Feeling ♥ 6
Another amazing week of wed-spiration for you on this gorgeous sunny Friday. I'm off to visit my mum in Dorset, and I'm hoping the weather will follow me there. Have a wonderful weekend all of you, and if you're getting married this Saturday - aren't you the lucky ones! P.S. If you like the look of the burlap items below, check out the last Friday Feeling link.....
♥ This is the best hen weekend ever. I can't imagine anything topping it! Discovered on Rock My Wedding.
♥ Hands up who wants a neon pink veil!! Thanks to Rock 'n Roll Bride for this gem.
♥ Or what about a peach wedding dress? We're all about colour thanks to 100 Layer Cake, plus one of the most creative weddings we've ever seen, and we've seen a lot!
♥ Loving the modern look of these table plans from Clear Elegance
♥ An extraordinary proposal via Dog N' Bird Artful Wedding
♥ Want a rustic, chic, wedding? Check out my new discovery. Introducing Sparkle & Hay! And don't miss an extraordinary Save the Date design.
♥ Did you miss this fab yellow-themed wedding from Before the Big Day a few weeks ago? No? How about Eco Chic Week?
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♥ This is the best hen weekend ever. I can't imagine anything topping it! Discovered on Rock My Wedding.
♥ Hands up who wants a neon pink veil!! Thanks to Rock 'n Roll Bride for this gem.
♥ Or what about a peach wedding dress? We're all about colour thanks to 100 Layer Cake, plus one of the most creative weddings we've ever seen, and we've seen a lot!
♥ Loving the modern look of these table plans from Clear Elegance
♥ An extraordinary proposal via Dog N' Bird Artful Wedding
♥ Want a rustic, chic, wedding? Check out my new discovery. Introducing Sparkle & Hay! And don't miss an extraordinary Save the Date design.
♥ Did you miss this fab yellow-themed wedding from Before the Big Day a few weeks ago? No? How about Eco Chic Week?
If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.
Bee Mine
Is there anything sweeter than this honeycomb heart? I'm hugely passionate about paper cuts - there's something uniquely romantic about an individual, handmade piece of art. Made by Louveteau in her Idaho studio, you can choose whether you'd like this heart mounted on white card, or left as a stand alone curio for your mantlepiece. I reckon they'd make the perfect every-day Valentine present. Bee Mine?
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Thursday 3 June 2010
Honeymoon Nightwear
Knickers! I'm ALL about gorgeous underwear, believing you can look drab on the outside and still feel sexy, safe in the knowlege your knickers would blow their mind. Nightware falls into much the same category, and that's why there's two reasons why I'm loving this collection from Mulmulstore. Named after a fine cotton muslin from India, mulmul is the epitome of femininity. Soft, delicate and ethereal, it is often referred to as the “wonder gossamer or woven wind. Sounds perfect for a honeymoon to me! Check out their website here.
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Real Wedding: Jen & Dom
A beautiful destination wedding for this gorgeous sunny day. Jen and Dom collected their friends from around the world to The Hilton Hotel in the Maldives for an unconventional, super-cool celebration. Jen dressed her bridesmaids in casual summer dresses, and gave them parasols instead of bouquets, plus gorgeous pedicures in the place of shoes. They wore flowers in their hair and big smiles all day! I'm also loving the coconut-style woven cocktails, and the live band that walked the bride down the aisle. Don't miss the pics of the turquoise detailing and the seaside-themed table accessories, plus Jen's starfish bracelet. There's no picture of a wedding cake, because Jen and Dom chose a bottle of Tequilla instead, and all the guests had a shot instead of a slice. Just goes to show that if you do your wedding your way, it makes for a truly special day. Jen's dress was designed by David Fielden, and the lucky photographers were Segerius Bruce, who get to work at all the best destination weddings!
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Tuesday 1 June 2010
Great British High Street
Budget not all that big? Looking for a dress for under £300? Look no further than the great British high street. I took a lovely online browse over the weekend, and stumbled on these gorgeous dresses from none other than Karen Millen 
. The longer dresses are gorgeous, and one of the shorter dresses would be a great option if you're planning to change later in the evening. I've always found mini-skirts easier for dancing the night away!
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