Real Equestrian Polo Themed Wedding: Xan & Rob

As a wedding blogger, I've seen a LOT of weddings, so it takes something fun and different to raise my eyebrow {just one, like Roger Moore in James Bond!}. So how about a wedding involving a polo game? Known as the Sport of Kings, it's the perfect backdrop to this refined, elegant wedding from Franschhoek, in South Africa. With a wedding ceremony at Xan's family's wine farm, Lynx Wines, and a reception at the spectacular Val De Vie Polo Estate, we're talking a serious amount of wedding inspiration. Needless to say I'm seriously enthusiastic about Xan's incredible ruffled wedding gown {buy similar from Maggie Sottero}, her simple twisted stilettos, and her cathedral-length veil. Rob and his ushers look super-suave in their black tie get-up, and I'm loving Xan's bridesmaids' ombre dresses. Don't miss the last few pictures; the wedding stationery featured crossed polo mallets, and wedding favours were potted succulents, wrapped with smart monochrome ribbon {love!}. Gorgeous pictures published with thanks to the hugely talented team at We Love Pictures. Also don't miss Xan and Rob's wedding video by Vision on Fire - it's brilliant!

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Introducing The Image Garden Wedding Photography

Every now and then I discover a hugely talented wedding photographer that makes me fall in love with weddings all over again. Sharron Gibson of The Image Garden takes beautiful, creative wedding photographs with fabulous pops of colour. Just take a look at purple of the heather and the rich red tartan of the groom's kilt in the pictures below. Every detail glows. I'm also loving how Sharron captures those perfect wedding moments; the first kiss, the conspiratorial grin between a newly married couple, a quiet moment in the wedding flurry. All her wedding couples look totally relaxed in-front of her camera, which is partly down to her relaxed style, but also thanks to the free pre-wedding LOVE shoot she offers all her clients. Described by London Weddings Magazine as one of 'London's top wedding photographers', The Image Garden is now based in Buckinghamshire, but Sharron's more than happy to travel throughout the UK, and is particularly keen on destination weddings. Don't miss The Image Garden website and blog for more wedding inspiration. P.S. Although I haven't met Sharron in person yet, I know we have the same sense of humour, thanks to the Jimmy Choo and wellie picture below - fav wedding pic ever?!

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Personalised Vintage Wedding Portrait Stationery

After a massively hectic week, I'm having a lovely morning web-wander around Etsy Weddings. It's a fabulous source of wedding inspiration - there's no end to the wedding details you can personalise! My eye naturally gravitates towards wedding stationery, and I'm thrilled to have stumbled upon Willow and Lark's Wedding Supply. This little online boutique stocks vintage wedding finds, with garters and hair pins and ring pillows just a few of the lovely wedding items. My favs are this customisable Couples Portrait Notebook, and the Will You Be My Bridesmaid notebook. I reckon the Couples notebooks could make fantastic Save the Dates - what do you reckon? Click back on the blog later for the cutest wedding favours in the world!

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Real Welsh Spring Wedding: Llior & Will - Part 2

It's time for Part 2 of this lovely vintage 1920s themed wedding, and there's tonnes of stealworthy wedding ideas from the elegant reception at Soughton Hall in North Wales. With favours and food sourced from Llior's parents' farm, and tonnes of DIY wedding details, it's hugely inspirational. Llior designed her own wedding dress, made her own veil on the morning of her wedding, and hand stamped the seating plan and place names. A real labour of love! I'm loving all the wedding ideas, and I'm also slightly obsessed with Victoria Phipps Photography's incredible pictures. Don't miss Part 1, with more of Llior's helpful wedding hints.

We had tonnes of DIY projects. I designed my wedding dress, my veil, and the wedding stationery. I also (slightly painfully) sat up night after night using single stamp type letters to create the seating plan and place names. Plus I made the heart shaped clay favours that accompanied the luggage tag place names. Hours of fun!

My husband and I designed our wedding stationery. We chose a picture from our engagement shoot with Victoria Phipps in London {a picture of the sign Love Lane}. We also used the picture in a frame at the wedding, and it married in well with the London-sign table names.

For wedding favours, we had individual mini strawberry yogurt cheesecakes made with my parents' yogurt from their Welsh Dairy, called Llaeth y Llan or in English, Village Dairy. These bespoke favours were presented in glass jars with black screw tops, with a love note sign off.|

The wedding cake was glorious selection of Welsh cheeses and a beautiful three-tier lattice topped Welsh game pie. Our family is in the food trade, which is fantastic, because we know about all the best produce to buy for special events like weddings!

I really enjoyed planning our wedding. I feel there's a big space that needs filling in my life....I need another one to do!!

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Cute Shabby-Chic Cake Toppers

In cakes as in fashion, there are trends for every season, and the fashionable cake this spring/summer will be mostly topped by lovebirds. It all stems from the eco-chic craze, and combines an emphasis on locally sourced products with economical, recycled materials. UK-based textile artist Cotton Bird Designs is right on trend with her gorgeous feathered friends, which she hand-stitches in her countryside studio. Take your pick from her flock, or request a custom design, with a ring pillow to match, and add a bundle of cute to your big day.

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Real Vintage Welsh Spring Wedding: Llior & Will

Vintage-loving brides are going to adore this beautiful Welsh wedding. Llior and Will tied the knot at the beautiful Soughton Hall in Northop, in North Wales. The house and grounds look incredible, particularly the grandeur of the old gates and turrets. I'm loving all of the 1920's wedding details, from the bridesmaids' cute lace gloves and feather fascinators, to the vintage transport {cute car!} and Llior's elegant wedding dress, which she designed herself! Also love the idea to bring in the 'Something Blue' tradition with the bridesmaids' hydrangea bouquets and the ribbon on Llior's garter. Tonnes more wedding inspiration as you scroll through the pictures - Llior has very kindly filled in Before the Big Day's Bride's Questionnaire, so you can be sure to snaffle all her wedding inspiration. Huge thanks to Victoria Phipps Photography for these beautiful pictures - don't miss the reception shots, which I'll publish later this afternoon.

My original plan was to wear a wedding dress that I had made on my career break trip around the world. But when I tried it on when I arrived home, it didn't feel that special anymore. Plus my mother missed out on all that first bridal fuss, and the experience of seeing your daughter in her wedding dress for the first time. So we both decided to start from scratch with my own wedding dress design.

We set off around local fabric stores looking for a seamstress. We found a fab local lady and she interperated my wedding dress design and thoughts so beautifully, it was amazing. From week to week the dress just transformed, there was a lot of 'let's let the fabric speak to us moments'. My mother and I pinned the veil together on the morning of the wedding {something to do at 6am when you cant sleep for nerves}, so it was very much a DIY project for the two of us.

For my bridesmaids we chose the dresses and shoes from a mish-mash of small boutiques in London, plus lovely Coast faux-fur maroon shrugs.

We chose Fresh Floral Design in Chester for our wedding flowers. I had a bouquet of white roses, and we picked blue hydrangeas for my beautiful bridesmaids. The table flowers were a combination of white Peonies, white roses and white hydrangeas.

We wanted our wedding to be simple and elegant, with a 1920's vintage theme. Our main aim was to create fabulous lasting memories.

Will had his wedding suit made at King & Alan Tailors in Wimslow. {It all went a bit wrong though. He was meant to have a round collar and cuff shirt, and a full fabric tailored three-buttoned waistcoat, but these didn't come about because they forgot!}.

Victoria Phipps was our wedding photographer. I saw her pictures advertised in a wedding magazine and I loved her style. A few months prior to the wedding we had a lovely engagement shoot in London with her, which was a great way to get us relaxed before the big day. Victoria's pictures are so timeless and I like her easy and beautiful approach to wedding photography.

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