Real Wedding: Elizabeth & Darren

Planning a summer wedding?  Well check out these gorgeous pics from Elizabeth and Darren's wedding in Napa Valley.  I've got a real thing about fans - check out Elizabeth's fabulous feathered number - and the be-ribboned sparklers are a brilliant touch.  Just imagine each of your guests holding one of those in an arch, as you leave your reception at the end of the night - smashing!  Huge thanks to photographer Jessamyn Harris - we heavily heart her work!

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Real Wedding: Tess & Eric

This wedding is a HUGE treat for the eyes.  I've been getting excited about putting it up for a few weeks now, because it's a complete explosion of creativity.  And the best thing?  It was pretty much all DIY'd by Eric and Tess, with the help of their immensely talented friends and family, including three, yes three photographers.  Huge thanks to all of them for agreeing to let me publish their pics - do check out their links.  Don't miss the shot of their caterers, Skillet Street Food's Airstream, which has to be the coolest kitchen in the world.  And now....feast your eyes - this has to be one of the most inspiring weddings ever!

All the photos above published with massive thanks to Annie Beedy.

All the photos above published with massive thanks to January Fredericks.
All those below, with thanks to Will Austin.

Check out their gorgeous stationary - I just adore the forest theme, and it gave guests a brilliant hint of what was to come on their big day.  Photos below published with big thank you's (again!) to Annie Beedy.

Message from Tess: We were very lucky to have talented friends involved in our wedding. In addition to having photographers donate their work we also had musician friends play at the ceremony. Our best friend, a very socially adroit and funny funny man, became ordained so that he could marry us; he had everyone guffawing and crying by turns throughout the ceremony.  A florist friend did all of the flowers, and an old family friend made the birch candlesticks. My mother foraged for the birch bark, which I fashioned into cuffs for the vases. Eric and I designed all the creative elements and we also designed both of my rings. In short, Eric and I were able to benefit from all the best elements of being part of a large creative community.

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Midsommer Night's Dream

Huge praise has to go to Utterly Engaged for yet another excellent feature.  If you haven't checked out their online magazine before, click here, and enjoy!  I'm adoring this Midsommer Night's Dream-inspired piece - which should provide you with plenty of ideas to steal.  It's an inspirational gift that just keeps on giving.

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Smelling like Roses

Roses represent love, so it's no surprise that they feature in most bridal bouquets and buttonholes. Unfortunately modern blooms have lost their scent, as it's sacrificed by modern growers in favour of larger buds and longer stems. But if you want deeply scented, old-fashioned blooms at your wedding, all is not lost! David Austin supplies roses with a traditional flower form and classic myrrh fragrance, all by post.

Budget conscious brides and grooms could always add another scented flower to add fragrance to otherwise scentless bouquets.  Narcissus, fresias and lillies are all cheaper than roses, but smell fabulous!  And for an all encompassing aroma, scatter lavender and rosemary underfoot.  As your guests walk around, they'll crush the leaves and release a gorgeous Provencial perfume.

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Fruity Weddings

Totally inspired by Cathleen and Eric's wedding, and their use of cherries as decor + favour, I went in search of some more fruity inspiration. The good news is it's everywhere. The better news is that it's a cheap and chic way to decorate your wedding tables. Enjoy!

 Photo Credits {above}: Amorology Weddings

 Photo Credits {above}: Martha Andrews


Photo Credits {above}: Lori Gail Photography
 

Photo Credits {above}: Gia Canali Photography
 

Photo Credits {above}: Henry & Masci Photography
 

Photo Credits {above}: Custom Event Group
 

Photo Credits {above}: Cynthia Martyn Events

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Vintage Lace Wedding Dresses

The Vintage Wedding Dress Company has long been one of my favourites, so imagine my excitement when news their latest collection dropped into my inbox! To follow on from the success of their Decades Silk Collection, which is seriously yummy - they've re-produced the six vintage-inspired dresses in lace. But not just any old lace - they've chosen six different varities, source from an amazing French company. Check out the dresses below, and in zoomed up glory on the Vintage website.

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Cute Ring Box

One of my favourite traditions involves 'warming the rings'. As you start the wedding service, the wedding bands are passed around the congregation, so each person can murmur a wish or a prayer to the happy couple. We'll definitely be introducing that into our own ceremony, but my only concern is if the rings get dropped or go missing on their way round. Here's one gorgeous way of keeping them safe. Put them in a cute apple ring box. The super-stylish author of The Cherry Blossom Girl found this box, but you can pick them up here, here and here, where they also come in ladybird, star and even penguin shapes! {Photo credit: Marianne Taylor}

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Real Wedding: Libby & Weldon

This wedding has camels in it. It's the coolest wedding ever, and it's set in Marrakesh, and the bride wore emerald green. Did I mention the camels? Seriously - I'm beyond excited to bring this wedding to your attention! Libby and Weldon are world travelers and they knew they wanted their wedding to take place somewhere remotely fabulous. Marrakech in Morocco won the vote and they and their family hiked over from Texas for an unforgettable wedding. Check it out in all its wonder below. Huge thanks to Our Labour of Love for their massively inspirational photographs.

 

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