Tuesday 21 August 2012

Real Humanist Rustic Chic Wedding: Kia & Sam

Take two giant teepees, a vintage campervan and countryside-loving couple and you get Kia and Sam's beautiful humanist rustic wedding. It's chock-a-block with wedding details and wedding ideas, and if you're a planning a rustic, boho wedding, you're going to want to copy every one. Just take a look at the DIY blackboard signs, the paper origami decorations {500 peace cranes!} and how every reception chair is decorated with a pretty flower and ribbons. I love the handmade flower arbour altar, and vintage milk-churn vases, and Kia's stunning bright bouquet. In keeping with the boho feel to her wedding, Kia wore flowers in her hair, and sourced her wedding dress from Spain and her accessories from various boutique jewellery makers. Don't miss her answers to the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire - she has tonnes of helpful hints for upcoming brides. Huge thanks to Sharron Gibson from The Image Garden for her stunning pictures - more coming soon in Part 2!


We celebrated out wedding in June at my husband's parents' farm where he grew up, on the Beds/Bucks border. We had a Humanist ceremony besides an old tree in the meadow and two huge Scandinavian tipis.


We wanted an English country wedding with a Swedish influence {as I’m half Swedish}. It was important for our wedding to feel romantic, easy and fun, with no real formalities, a touch bohemian, rustic and 'us'.




My wedding dress was made by Yolan Cris, an amazing bohemian Spanish designer. My blue shoes were from Dune and my accessories were all handmade from a mix of designers from Etsy, Asos marketplace and my mum’s collection from the 60s. I just arrived at that look – it felt like me. All I knew was I didn’t want anything too traditional.


My maid of honour had a fantastic red dress made from salvaged vintage fabrics by a designer in Brighton.






Sam's suit was bespoke-made by a tailor in London called Rocacha, as he couldn't find the vintage cut he wanted anywhere! His cufflinks were from Etsy, and his tie was from Sweden.




We used a lovely local florist in Frosts at Woburn, who was really creative and so passionate about floral design. I wanted something unstructured and wild looking so chose a mix of brightly coloured flowers including snapdragons, sweet peas, sunflowers, dill and corn.


Sam and I folded 500 origami peace cranes to hang on the tree {with the help of the best man and my brother}. I wrote 'our story' which was printed onto elephant poo {!} paper and turned into paper hearts, which were hung on the backs of chairs.



Our photographer was Sharron Gibson of The Image Garden. We chose her because her photography style was exactly what we wanted – creative, observant and natural. She really 'got' the detail we had put into the wedding, and loved the surroundings we had chosen which meant a lot to us. We wanted someone who could just wander round capturing the feel of the day which she did wonderfully.


♥ Want more colourful wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about boho wedding ideas? ♥
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Monday 20 August 2012

How To Make Your Wedding Stationery Stand Out

What will you add to your wedding stationery to make it stand out from the crowd? In the past brides added bows and bands to their wedding invitations, now designers and DIY-ers are getting more creative. Just take a look at these fun ideas, from artistic calligraphy, chic address labels, wax seals, bunting Save the Dates, rubber stamps, pretty envelope liners, tea-bags{!}, hand-drawn maps, and beautiful Thank You cards. More fabulous wedding stationery ideas on my Pinterest page.


{Credit} Antiquaria via Oh So Beautiful Paper


{Credit} Rachael Ward via Oh So Beautiful Paper


{Credit} Ruby & Willow via Oh So Beautiful Paper


{Credit} The Hungry Workshop via Oh So Beautiful Paper


{Credit} Yeri Yun Designs via Yvonne Wong


{Credit} Atheneum Creative via Oh So Beautiful Paper


{Credit} Kymera Studio, pictured by Jackie Wonders via 100 Layer Cake

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Wedding Reception Inspiration: Ice-Cream

With all the hot weather we've been having, my mind has turned to summer weddings, and how to make them stand out from the crowd. Vintage sweet buffets have been a hugely in vogue for the last couple of years, so why not try a twist on the trend, and organise a vintage ice-cream buffet. Encourage your guests to pick their favourite flavour, add a topping or two, and top it off with a cute personalised wooden spoon - super-easy to DIY thanks to this letter set from The TomKat Studio Shop. I'm loving this shoot by Eat Drink Chic, complete with free downloadable candy-pink striped stationery.




Buy your ice-cream supplies from The TomKat Studio Shop or from PaperMash in the UK.


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Sunday 19 August 2012

My DIY Wedding Ceremony Template

So here it is - our wedding ceremony template. Please do feel free to use it as you wish, and I'd be interested in any improvements you make, or opinions you have on how to make it better. We hope it would work just as well for a same-sex marriage. You'll see that I've deleted some of the details of the vows, so that you can fill them in with your own personal promises.



THE WEDDING OF BRIDE AND GROOM

At VENUE in CITY/COUNTY/COUNTRY

DATE at TIME

{Insert details of music to be played while the guests are being seated here}

BRIDE ENTERS {Insert details of Bride's processional music here}


THE WELCOME

OFFICIANT: Please be seated.

Good afternoon, and welcome to VENUE on this lovely day. We are / I am OFFICIANT'S NAME, and we’re / I'm an old friend of the X family. We’ve known X since X, and we’re delighted to preside over X and X’s wedding ceremony.

The wedding rings are making their way around the congregation. When they come to you, please silently say a prayer, or wish X and X all the best in their married life. This is a tradition known as warming the rings. You’ll need to pass them on fairly quickly, because we’ll soon be coming to the vows, when we’ll need them back!

X and X understand that marriage is a solemn vow bonding two people together for life. They’re thrilled to be making this vow in front of you all today.

They’ve chosen several readings that are important to them, for this ceremony. The first will be ready by READER ONE.



THE FIRST READING

READER ONE: This was the passage X read to X when he asked her to marry him.

From Chapter 6 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
"He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips' touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete."


THE VOWS

OFFICIANT: X and X see marriage as the next step in their lives together, and it’s important to them that you’re all here today to witness this moment. X and X have written their own vows to each other. X, if you’d like to start.

GROOM’S VOW

I promise to love you with all of my being for as long as we live.

I promise to be your best and most loyal friend, to cherish you, to care for you [ ]

I promise to be romantic, [ ]

I promise to be a good companion wherever we are. And [ ].

I promise to be good company. There will be []

I promise to be a loving and caring mother should that day come. I'll

Lastly, I promise that we'll always be a team. What's mine is yours, financially, physically and mentally. We'll be [ ].

You are the person I've chosen to spend my life with and before all our family and friends today I want to say somewhat simply...I love you and I can't wait to be your husband.

BRIDE'S VOW

I promise to love you with all of my being for as long as we live.

I promise to be your best and most loyal friend, to cherish you, to care for you [ ]

I promise to be romantic, [ ]

I promise to be a good companion wherever we are. And [ ].

I promise to be good company. There will be []

I promise to be a loving and caring mother should that day come. I'll

Lastly, I promise that we'll always be a team. What's mine is yours, financially, physically and mentally. We'll be [ ].

You are the person I've chosen to spend my life with and before all our family and friends today I want to say somewhat simply...I love you and I can't wait to be your wife.

OFFICIANT TURNS TO THE BEST MAN: Please could I have the rings

OFFICIANT: GROOM, will you take BRIDE, to be your lawfully wedded wife. Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep you only to BRIDE as long as you both shall live?

GROOM: I WILL

OFFICIANT: BRIDE, will you take GROOM to be your lawfully wedded husband. Will you love him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep you only to GROOM as long as you both shall live?

BRIDE: I WILL


READINGS

OFFICIANT: Before X and X exchange rings, we have two poems chosen by X and X, and read by READER 2 and READER 3.

The Orange, by Wendy Cope
Read by READER 2

At lunchtime I bought a huge orange —
The size of it made us all laugh.
I peeled and shared it with Robert and Dave —
They got quarters and I had a half.

And that orange, it made me so happy,
As ordinary things often do
Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park.
This is peace and contentment. It’s new.

The rest of the day was quite easy.
I did all the jobs on my list
And enjoyed them and had some time over.
I love you. I’m glad I exist.

The One by Christina Rossetti
Read by READER 3

When the one whose hand you're holding
Is the one one who holds your heart
When the one whose eyes you gaze into
Gives your hopes and dreams their start,
When the one you think of first and last
Is the one who holds you tight,
And the things you plan together
Make the whole world seem just right,
When the one whom you believe in
puts their faith and trust in you,
You've found the one and only love
You'll share your whole life through.


EXCHANGING OF RINGS

OFFICIANT: May I have the rings please. These rings, now warmed by those you love the most, are a symbol of your marriage. These rings mark the beginning of a long journey filled with wonder, surprises, laughter, tears, celebration and joy. May these rings glow in reflection of the warmth and love you have for each other.

TO GROOM: Take this ring, and placing it on BRIDE’s finger, say:
With this ring, I thee wed, pledging my loyalty, love and life.

TO BRIDE: Take this ring, and placing it on GROOMS’s finger, say:
With this ring, I thee wed, pledging my loyalty, love and life.

THE UNION

OFFICIANT: As X and X have consented to their marriage and have witnessed the fact before this gathering of friends and family, having made promises to each other, marked by the giving and receiving of rings, I NOW DECLARE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE. You may now kiss the bride!


SIGNING OF THE WEDDING CERTIFICATE

OFFICIANT: X and X will now sign their wedding certificate, along with their two witnesses, while the string quartet will play Hornpipe from Handel’s Water Music.

{Music: Hornpipe from Handel’s Water Music}

THE FINAL EXHORTATION

OFFICIANT: Please all stand. X and X have chosen each other; they have declared their love for each other and their purpose to live together united as one. May they carry great peace and satisfaction into their marriage. And may they find today a new beginning together, with many years ahead of fruitfulness and joy.

I present, the new Mr and Mrs X!


{Picture Credits} All photographs by Chloe from Caught the Light

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More DIY Ikea Wedding Inspiration

So many brides have commented and emailed about my last Ikea wedding inspiration post, that I thought it only fair I found even more fabulous details for you! Inspired by the wedding of Swedish Crown Princess Victoria {back in 2010}, Ikea partnered with stylist Lo Bjurulf and photographer Denise Grünstein to create a stunning wedding theme. This one is called "Paper & Fold" and it fits in perfectly with this season's wedding trend for DIY weddings, origami and natural tones. Fabulous wedding inspiration for brides looking for a modern, fresh look, without blowing the budget.





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Saturday 18 August 2012

Real DIY Bride Wedding: Kate & John - Part 2

Time for a particularly special DIY wedding treat in Part 2 of this Before Big Day inspired wedding! Fabulous couple Kate and John handmade tonnes of their wedding details, and create the most amazing wedding reception ever. Just take a look at the handmade seating plan {DIY blackboard & easel}, puffy pom poms, 'Just Married' bunting, table station, wedding stationery, wedding cake and cake topper! And that's only a few of the incredible DIY details. Kate and John also prepared their own evening buffet, hung up thousands of fairy lights, {bought in the Christmas sales}, and collected dozens of vintage glass jars and milk bottles for the flowers. Kate even handmade all the cake-pop wedding favours - although I'm not sure she'd recommend that to other brides - they're harder to make than they look! Don't miss out on Part 1 - plus all of Kate's fantastic wedding hints to other brides - seriously inspirational stuff.


Having the family connection for our wedding reception was very important to us, so when my Aunt and Uncle offered their garden for our marquee we jumped at the chance! We created all the wedding decorations, with lots of coloured pom poms, plus fairy lights around the edges, and blackboards that we also made ourselves, for the table plan and other messages.



There was no distinct theme, but we wanted it to feel like a large garden party with some vintage elements thrown in, and the colours we ended up using were muted pinks, greys and cream. As a couple, we are more laid-back than formal, and we wanted this to come across in the feel of the day. This was reflected in the food as well – we had roast lamb served as a whole leg to each table, so one guest had to carve and serve. This was a great way to break the ice with people who didn’t know each other, and was also very very tasty! John’s mum made lots of cheesecakes for the dessert as it has been John’s favourite since he was little, which added another personal touch.



John designed our wedding stationery on Photoshop – everything from the Save the Date luggage tags, to the wedding invitations, RSVPs, place names and table numbers. We bought card from eBay, printed them all out at home on our printer, and used alphabet stamps for everyone's names. We were thrilled with the vintage feel to them, as it matched the style of our wedding day. It also saved us a lot of money and made the invitations much more personal, although it did take a while!



Initially we decided to make a donation to Cancer Research UK for our wedding favours, and printed out the small cards, that you download from the website, for each guest. I have lost family members to cancer, so it was important to me to have that detail. I then found out about cake pops on my extensive wedding internet searches, and fell for them. Having seen how much they were per person, I {stupidly} decided they couldn't be that hard, and made 120 of them myself the week before the big day. Luckily they turned out pretty well.


A good friend offered to make the cake for us, and it was amazing. She had only ever made one wedding cake before, and spent so long making it so lovely that I felt quite guilty in the few days before the wedding! The colours tied in with our wedding flowers and bridesmaid dresses. The tiers were decorated to look like presents. 


We couldn’t decide on flavours, and eventually she made different tiers with fruit cake, chocolate fudge cake, red velvet and a layer of lemon sponge as well. The cake topper was inspired by one I had seen on Etsy, but was made my one of my bridesmaids.


I loved planning our wedding. We tried to do as much as we could ourselves, but hired an on-the-day wedding co-ordinator - Andrea Swift at Fabulous Day Events, so she was instrumental in helping everyone set up and letting us both have the morning to relax and get ready. In fact, Andrea even came over on the Friday to help us decorate the marquee – well over and above her remit, and she was invaluable to us in the run up to the day, especially as we live in London. Trying to organise all the different aspects remotely was quite a challenge.



My advice to brides is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to make things look good. If you have time, doing as much as possible in advance helps massively – we bought all our wine, champagne and fairy lights in the Christmas sales and saved a fortune. We made the pom poms up months beforehand in the evenings while watching TV. This takes the pressure off in the run up to the day itself. Lastly, just remembering that everyone who is coming is there to help you celebrate, and the feeling of goodwill you will get from having all your family and friends in one place wishing you well is the best feeling ever!


{Wedding Credits}
Wedding dress: Caroline Castigliano
Veil: Richard Designs
Shoes: Charlize by Benjamin Adams
John's suit, and ushers suits: Debenhams
Bridesmaid Dresses: Von Vonni
Venue: St Margaret's Church in Bodelwyddan & then my Aunt's garden for the reception
Band: Fonix Music
Photographer: James Berry of Mr November Photography
Flowers: Anne Jacques at Lillibet Flowers
On the day co-ordinator: Andrea Swift at Fabulous Day Events
Hair and make up: Laura Mayers from The Bridal Make Up Team
Food: Marc Macauley from MM Catering
Cheese cake (in the evening): Marks and Spencer
Photobooth: Picture Blast
Marquee: Neil from M&B Marquees
Bar: Zac from Parkhouse Bars

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