Incredible Simple & Chic Wedding Stationery

If you're a long term fan of Before the Big Day, you'll know I'm a bit of a wedding stationery obsessive. Out of all the wedding details, including wedding dresses and wedding flowers, it's the wedding invitations that really get me excited. Because of budget concerns, we DIY'd our own wedding stationery, but in my wedding dreams, I wanted a bespoke design from Follow Studio. The good news for budgeting brides and grooms is that Follow Studio now has a cheaper 'Made to Measure' line. The fabulous designs feature clear lines, pretty fonts, and a selection of accessories made of natural materials, including linen tape, kraft envelopes, mini wooden pegs and burlap twine. Gorgeous!

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Reasonably Priced Vintage Boho Wedding Dresses from Minna

One of my bug-bears is how much wedding dresses cost. Truly, it drives me up the wall to see a simple silk shift of a dress being sold for over two thousand pounds, when we all know that if it didn't have the word 'wedding' in the title, it would cost 75% less. Well finally a reasonably-priced, vintage inspired, wedding collection has been launched by eco-luxe brand Minna. Their 'To Have And To Hold' dresses cost from £200, and they also offer a stunning range of veils, hair adornments and capes to complete the romantically boho bride look! Trust me - you'll love them! P.S. My lovely wedding planner Kerry Bracken has just bought two for her own wedding day - a serious seal of approval.

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Made Your Wedding Day Sparkle

There's nothing like adding a puff of fairy-dust to your wedding day, and as my fashion icon Patsy once said, "You can never have enough hats, gloves or shoes" {Absolutely Fabulous}. So give your girlfriends and bridesmaids a treat with these gorgeous sparkly shoes and matching clutch from BHLDN. Or snaffle them for yourself, and add a touch of twinkle under your wedding gown.

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Real Rustic Forest Wedding: Isby & Henry

Is there anything more romantic than getting married in a forest? Happy couple Henry and Isby picked a gorgeous rustic-elegance theme for their big day, and fabulous photographer Jessamyn Harris was there to record every little detail. My most inspirational spots have to be the CD favours (perfect for the drive home), the bold orange napkins and the personalised beer bottles. Also loving Isby's gorgeous backless dress, and the seed pearls studding her hair - so pretty!

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Wonderful Weekend Wedding Blog Links

This week I've been holidaying in South Africa with my cousin. We've had a fabulous time exploring the wine region, and all the cute little shops and stalls in the area. South African style is a super-cool fusion of European and African, with an almost Swedish minimalism thrown in for good luck. It makes for great wedding style, and my brain has been popping with potential wedding details. If you've been following me on Twitter and Facebook, you'll have seen a few of my favourite wedding details {with apologies for the slightly out-of-focus pictures!}. Even the vineyards make for the most perfect wedding venues in the world, so if you're considering a destination wedding, you know where to look. In celebration of my trip, this week, many of my wonderful weekend wedding blog links come from South Africa - enjoy!

♥ {Photo Credit} We Love Pictures

♥ Loving the incredible details in this vineyard wedding {via South African wedding blog Cap Classique}

♥ Free printable labels for your wedding water {via South African wedding blog The Pretty Blog}

♥ Pretty pastel wedding with a very beautiful bride by Catherine Mac

♥ Clever wedding favour ideas with tonnes of edible favourites {via South African wedding blog The Pretty Blog}

♥ Fantastic South African wedding stationery designs {loving the fabric envelope linings}

♥ Clever single bloom wedding bouquets idea {via South African wedding blog Cap Classique}

♥ Loving the bridesmaids' dresses in this white-themed wedding by Christine Meintjes

♥ Burlap, lace and paper lanterns {via South African wedding blog The Pretty Blog}

♥ Another great DIY bride idea from Elephant Shoe

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Real Rainy Day Sunshine Yellow Wedding: Valerie & Jimmy

YELLOW! It's a happy colour, and it's the precise shade of my daffodils, that are dancing in the breeze on my roof terrace right now. It's also a great way to bring brightness to a winter wedding, as you can see from this fabulous rainy-day wedding. Valerie and Jimmy were worried about the chance of rain on their big day, but prepared for the worst with a polka-dotted umbrella and wellington boots, which made super-cool photo-props. There are sooo many details to copy from this wedding, I'm slightly beside myself. I'm loving everything about Valerie's outfit, from her stunning earrings and the flower in her hair, to the bustle and bloom detailing on her dress. Have you spotted the bridesmaid's daisy pomander? This old-fashioned style of bouquet is making a come-back this season, so consider creating several for your bridesmaids, or hang them off the backs of chairs at your reception. One last detail-spot; don't miss the table stationery. Valerie and Jimmy went for a love-bird motif, and the laser-cut detail on the place settings is simply gorgeous! This wedding is a lesson in gorgeous styling - huge thanks to Stephanie Williams for sharing her fabulous pictures.

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My Latest Obsession - Wedding Macaroons

I'm aware that I'm hugely behind the curve on this, and that the macaron-trend ship has well and truly sailed, but I've suddenly become obsessed with macaroons at weddings. It's part of my new love of colour and brights, which in turn is almost certainly a response to the endless grey of the English winter. Once hugely expensive, you can now by macaroons at M&S, making them an affordable treat, and a lovely present for a girlfriend who's invited you round for dinner. Of course, the Ladurée macaroons {or macarons in French} will always be the ultimate luxury, for the packaging alone! If you can't afford to give all your guests a box of macaroons as a wedding favour, why not try a DIY macaroon wedding cake?

{Photo Credit} Aimeentnguyen via Vintage Rose Garden

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Wedding Flowers - Brights vs Whites

When it came to choosing my wedding flowers, I found it impossible to pick between simple white, or a riot of brights. My overall wedding colour theme was white and grey, so there was plenty of scope for making a real statement with my wedding flowers. The splash of colour would have looked fabulous against my white dress, and the white tablecloths at my wedding reception, but in the end I bottled it, and chose simple white blooms. What are you planning for your wedding flowers and wedding tablescapes? Check out these pictures for some inspirational designer flowers for your wedding, and don't miss my Pinterest page for more fabulous wedding details.

{Photo Credit} Aaron Delesie

{Photo Credit} Green Wedding Shoes

{Photo Credit} Rachel Thurston via Green Wedding Shoes

{Photo Credit} Sarah Yates at Birds of a Feather via Once Wed

And now for the white wedding flower inspiration....

{Photo Credit} My wedding by Caught the Light

{Photo Credit} This Modern Romance

{Photo Credit} We Love Pictures

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