DIY Wedding Pom Poms - My Wedding

The most successful wedding DIY project we've had so far is the pom poms. They look amazing! And they are so easy to make that even The Boy got into the DIY craze. All you need is this tutorial from Martha Stewart Weddings, lots of tissue paper {I bought it from an ebay shop}, florist wire {super-cheap from ebay again}, a pair of good scissors, and some ribbon to hang them up. We made large white ones for our London wedding and they puffed up beautifully. The tutorial recommends 8 sheets, but we felt 10 was better. They matched the peonies in our wedding flower arrangements exactly. Now we've just got to make hundreds for our French wedding. We figure they'll travel well if they're still folded up, and then we'll get all the bridesmaids to help puff them out! {Photo Credits: Taken by me, badly!}

If you enjoyed this post, why sign up for our free newsletter and click for more DIY wedding ideas.

Honeymoon Heaven

You've vowed, toasted, cut cake, dance and drunk copious quantaties of champagne. The blooms on the bride's bouquet are wilting a bit, and your Uncle Ned is doing the funky chicken dance to in a conga line with your in-laws. It's time to leave, but you don't want your big day to be over, and it's all passed too fast. This is why you need a dream honeymoon to anticipate - even if you've just had to remortgage your flat to pay for the reception. There's hundreds of companies out there to help you on your way, but I've got two favourites - the first being Black Tomato.

From their 'Won't Break the Bank' breaks to 'Out of this World' super-lux holidays, this boutique travel company will create a bespoke travel experience anywhere in the world - just for you. Their website is pretty cool too - even if you're not getting married there's loads of fab vacation ideas.

Next up is uber-cool boutique hotel specialists Mr & Mrs Smith. If you're looking for Superman levels of romance, you'll be wanting one of their jaw-dropping hotels, where four-poster beds and star-lit champagne dinners are just the start of it. What's more, if you want the whole Mr & Mrs Smith experience, they can recommend venues for your big day, and even host a honeymoney wedding list. P.S. Wherever you go, don't forget to check what travel vaccinations you need. Nothing worse than getting ill on your honeymoon!

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin?! 
Before the Big Day - The Best UK Wedding Blog.

Delphine Manivet Wedding Veils

Lots of modern brides don't go for wedding veils nowadays, but I'm predicting a huge surge in popularity after Princess Catherine wore one at the Royal Wedding. Personally I've always wanted to wear a veil - for me, they define 'bride' like nothing else. The first time I tried the dresses in Delphine Manivet, the lovely sales assistant suggested their incredible, cathedral length veil, and I fell in love. It's a family heirloom in the waiting, edged with lace handmade in Calais, and it's pure 'bride'. It comes without a sewn-in comb, and works any which way you can imagine, including tied in a bow on the side - a gorgeous kooky modern look. Take a look at the pictures for more inspiration, or head to Brown's Bride in London, who stock Delphine Manivet's wedding gowns. I can't wait to wear mine at my wedding in Provence!

Photo Credits: {above left} Amy Punky Photography, {above right} Davidone

Photo Credits: {above left} Corbin Gurkin via wedding blog 100 Layer Cake {above middle} inspiration from Twigs & Honey {above right} Delphine Manivet {below, both pictures} Butler-Madden Weddings

If you enjoyed this post, why sign up for our free newsletter and click for more wedding veil ideas.

Real Italian Destination Wedding: Guiliana & Rodi

If you're not already planning your summer holiday or honeymoon, this amazing destination wedding is going to make you long for a holiday in Italy. Gorgeous couple Guiliana and Rodi chose the Amalfi Coast for their wedding, and it looks amazing! I'm loving all the little details, from Guiliana's cute mode of transport to the church {is that golf cart? a mini-moke?}, Rodi's smart three-piece suite, and the azure blue theme colour picked out in Rodi's tie and in the wedding flowers. Guiliana was a beautifully elegant bride - I adore her lovely satin-rimmed veil, her double hair-band, and her simply stunning off-the-shoulder wedding dress. Stunning pictures published with thanks to Patrick from Butler-Madden Weddings.

If you enjoyed this post, why sign up for our free newsletter and click for more destination wedding ideas.

Bespoke Bow Bridemaid Clutches

Give your bridesmaid a treat with these pretty bow bridesmaid clutches from Eclu. Customise them to according to your wedding theme, by choosing the interior and exterior fabrics, and then add an accessory. Eclu creates bows, ruffles or peonies, and colour coordinates sashes for your bridesmaids or flower girls. You can even include a personal inscription sewn inside. Handmade in Boston, they're about £35 each, and Eclu offers 10% off for orders of 5 or more. They even package them in their own individual muslin dust cover {love it!}.

If you enjoyed this post, why sign up for our free newsletter and click for more wedding ideas for your bridemaids.

Inspiring Wedding Invitations from Etsy Boutiques

Choosing your Save the Date cards or invitations will be your first step in deciding the theme and palette of your big day, so it can seem something of a mountain to climb. These three boutique wedding stationers will help you on your way, providing more wedding inspiration than any one couple can muster. Don't miss Etsy for more gorgeous ideas.

Tara Hogan

Tucci Paper Co

Dutch Door Press

Not sure that any of the above designs float your boat? Well be sure to check out my earlier Stationery Features here and here.

If you enjoyed this post, why sign up for our free newsletter and click for more wedding stationery ideas.

Real Travel-Themed Wedding: Lucia & Phil

Inspired by the ocean and the beach, Lucia and Phil chose gorgeous shades of acqua, teal and yellow for their simply heavenly big day earlier this year. As a fellow wedding blogger, Lucia was super-keen to make their wedding unique, and as a consequence, it's a feast of wedding inspiration! Stealworthy ideas start with Lucia's travel theme, which included paper aeroplanes as place markers, a vintage globe, and also a multitude of cakes - why have one when six will suffice! This sequence of shots are taken from the fantastic e-zine Utterly Engaged - check out the link, their wedding magazines are full of ideas. PS. If the text is too tiny to read, give the pic a double click to enlarge.

If you enjoyed this post, why sign up for our free newsletter and click for more destination themed wedding ideas.

With This Ring...Choosing a Diamond Ring

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, except when you're picking one with your husband-to-be, under the watchful eye of a pushy salesperson. It helps to know what you want, but unless you've made a habit of wondering into jewellers and trying on rings just-in-case {ahem}, then there's a fair chance you won't have the slightest idea. Diamonds are a tricky thing - there's the four C's to balance, plus your boyfriend's bank balance, and knowledge (of the former) is key. One of the best sites I've seen in a while is Blue Nile. Check out their Diamond Guide, and then enjoy fiddling with the sliders to work out just what you can get for your money. Next comes the fun bit, picking a setting, choosing a matching wedding ring and best of all, pressing Buy!

If you enjoyed this post, why sign up for our free newsletter and click for more wedding ring and engagement ring ideas.

Stamp Your Personality Wedding Stationery

One of the best ways to make your big day your own, is to personalise as much as possible. But what if your calligraphy isn't up to scratch, or you're just not that artistic? This is where stamps can save the day! Simply pick one of the graphic designers below, create your bespoke label, and get inking. Once you get started, you'll be personalising everything, from Save the Dates, to favours, to paper napkins, and the back of your envelopes. Thanks to Picture My Stamp, you could even ask an arty friend to design your entire invitation, and then 'print' your own stationery - check out out effective it can be in the pics below. Don't miss my hand-stamped Save the Dates - not my finest DIY hour, but definitely worth a peek.

Product Credits {from top}: Picture My Stamp via Daily Candy Weddings, Cox & Cox, Note Trunk, Sweet Paperie

If you enjoyed this post, why sign up for our free newsletter and click for more wedding stationery ideas. 

Real Pretty Colourful Wedding: Kaelie & Drew

Maybe it's because the bride is so pretty, or maybe it's because they played golf to celebrate their union, but this wedding has totally captured my heart. Gorgeous couple Kaelie and Drew got married about a month ago, and they clearly had a blast. My favourite wedding ideas to steal? The groomsmens' outfits, the long-stemmed bouquets and the goldfish centre pieces. Big love to the team at Simply Bloom Photography for their lovely pics.

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS and click for more colourful wedding ideas.