Carnival Wedding Theme DIY Invitations

My birthday is fast approaching, and as it's my last one before I become a mother {eek!}, I've decided to go the whole hog, with a Carnival Theme. It's a style I seriously considered for our wedding, so I'm using my 34th as an excuse to use all my carnival wedding inspiration. As ever, my first obsession was styling the invitations - I think it's key to any wedding or party to build anticipation with fabulous stationery, and with the right kit, it's super easy to DIY. Take a look my Circus Bunting invitations below, complete with DIY instructions. And if you're looking for more Carnival Wedding Theme ideas, then definitely check out my Pinterest page.

Making the invitations was a two stage process. First of all I made the bunting cards, and then the carnival tickets to slip inside.

What you need
Hint: I find all my supplies via eBay to get the best prices!
* this Carnival ticket template {published with thanks to The Burk Family Blog}
* white cards 4" x 3"
* striped blue & white paper bags
* washi tape
* star squeeze punch
* A4 red card 220gsm
* white address labels 100mm x 34mm
* plain white sewing cotton
* sharp scissors
* sticky tape
* glue
* a printer with black ink
* a guillotine {or be very good at cutting straight lines}

Vintage Wedding Dress Sample Sale

Massively exciting news! The Vintage Wedding Dress Company has just announced its annual trunk sale. Taking place this month, from 21st-23rd of February 2013, viewing is by appointment only at their central London showroom. This gorgeous boutique is renowned for its heavenly gowns, both vintage and vintage-style, and this is your opportunity to get your hands on them at discounted prices! For full information and to book an appointment, call 0207 907 7719.

♥ Want to see wedding dress ideas? ♥ Or how about more vintage wedding ideas? ♥

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Real Spring Vintage Wedding: Laura & Brandon

A truly stunning wedding for you this fine Thursday {one day to the weekend, yipee!}. The gorgeous bride, Laura, chose a library wedding theme, to reflect her own studies in libary science. Throw in a few vintage wedding details, including an old globe, a library card catalog 'guest-book' and vintage vases and you've got tonnes of fantastic wedding inspiration. I'm loving all the DIY wedding details - Laura's mother's friends filled little bottles with locally grown organic wildflowers, that they bought by the bucketful from their local florist. Another favourite is their blossom studded wedding cake, the candy bar, Laura's amazing Justin Alexander gown, and the gorgeous, chic green stationery.

More posts like this one:
✽ Real Spring Snowdrop Wedding Video
✽ Real Welsh Spring Wedding

♥ Want to see green themed weddings? ♥ Or how about more spring wedding ideas? ♥

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Cheap & Chic Wedding Jewellery

Put away your credit card.....ideally somewhere you can't find it for some time. Is it hidden? Okay, now take a look at this gorgeous wedding jewellery from Blaguette. It's the best bling I've found in some time and {whisper it}, the prices are super-reasonable. Personal favourites have to be the purple Labroradite Triple Drop earrings {below} - they'd both look gorgeous with a gentle up-do - with or without a veil. With 30% off for Valentine's Day {with the code HEART13}, it's time to treat yourself.

More posts like this one:
✽ How to Dress Your Bridesmaids
✽ Wedding Diamonds for Hire

♥ Want to see wedding jewellery? ♥ Or how about more bridesmaid ideas? ♥

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Wedding Shoe Heart Stoppers

If you're anything like me, you'll be wanting to make sure every wedding detail is perfect! At least, that's how I felt in the early days of my planning - once things got a bit closer, and a bit more rushed, I started to become a lot more laissez faire! But with months and months to go, you can worry about the little things, and these anti-slip shoe hearts definitely fall into that category. But aren't they adorable?? They easily peel off and stick to the sole of your shoe, stopping any embarrassing falls, and adding a flash of cute to your every step. Pick them up for under £10 from Mon Amour Boutique, plus a few sets for your bridesmaids. P.S. Mon Amour Boutique also have adorable I Do and Me Too matching sticker sets for you and your husband. If you kneel in church, they'll make all your guests smile.

More posts like this one:
✽ I Do Tattoo
✽ Your Perfect Subtle Something Blue

♥ Want to see quirky wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about more wedding shoe ideas? ♥

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Real Stylish Vintage Wedding Video: Lisa & Robert

There's nothing I enjoy more than a sneak-peak of a gorgeous couple's wedding video. It's a fast-track way to view all their fabulous wedding details, and if the wedding videographer is good, then you get a real sense of the atmosphere for their big day. Lisa and Robert chose Richard from White Dress Films as their videographer, and he's created a truly beautiful trailer of their big day at Creeksea Place in Essex. You're going to love Lisa's gorgeous vintage style, her bridesmaids' flouncy dresses, Forties hair-styles and fabulous tights. Add in the vintage scooter wedding theme, honeycomb paper decorations, beautiful English garden-style flowers, vintage suitcases,  fun fancy dress props, and more wedding details than you can shake a stick at, and it's a wedding inspiration overload!

More posts like this one:
✽ Vintage Tea-Party Wedding Shoot
✽ Real Roses & Vintage Wedding Video

♥ Want to see wedding videos? ♥ Or how about more vintage wedding ideas? ♥

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Before the Big Day Wedding Trends of 2013 - Antlers Theme

Today's Wedding Trend of 2013 is definitely slightly left field. It's grown out of the new natural fashion for woodland wedding themes, and while wearing elegant antlers on your wedding day might not be every bride's idea of glamorous, it does look fabulous! If you're not quite ballsy enough to go the whole hog and get your horns on, there's tonnes of other fantastic ways to reflect a deer or antlers- themed wedding. Take a look at the gorgeous pictures below, and for many more ideas, do check out my Pinterest board. P.S. If you follow me on Pinterest, you'll get sneak-peaks of all the trends before everyone else!

{Photo Credit} Laura Fulmer Photography, styled by Jessica Santos Gallo of Fine and Fleurie. First featured on Rock n' Roll Bride

{Photo Credit} 1. Tyler & Katie Branch, first featured on100 Layer Cake, 2. The Nichols

{Photo Credit} 1. Deer Head Antlers Wedding Invitations by Haute & Homespun, 2. Bryan Rupp Photography, styled by Amy Allen. First featured on Style Me Pretty wedding blog.

More posts like this one:
✽ A Quirky Music Themed Wedding
✽ A Black Veil - would you?

♥ Want to see quirky wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about more wedding advice? ♥

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Introducing Before the Baby Blog

With a new addition to the Before the Big Day family on its way, I've decided to expand my blog family as well! My baby son is due at the end of March, and I'm getting bigger in every way - my bump now seems enormous {see my Instagram feed}, and I'm firmly out of high heels and into flats. So while my enthusiasm for weddings is unstinting, I'm now having a fantastic time exploring the wonderful world of babies. Considering the fun I have writing Before the Big Day, it made perfect sense to write a baby blog, so may I introduce Before the Baby! I'm not updating it quite as much as my wedding blog, but we have big plans afoot, so if you're expecting a baby, know someone with children, or your business has anything to do with nurseries, baby clothes, children's parties or baby photography, please do get in touch via email, Twitter or Facebook!

More posts like this one: 
✽ About Me
✽ Peter Rabbit Range on Before the Baby

♥ Want to see marquee weddings? ♥ Or how about more church wedding ideas? ♥

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