Real Before the Big Day Bride: Katie & Michael

I've said it before and I'll say it again, there's nothing I like more than a Before the Big Day bride! Lovely Katie read Before the Big Day on a regular basis and even signed up for our newsletter as she prepared for her wedding, so it's so exciting for me to feature her gorgeous wedding pictures. A girl after my own heart, she researched her wedding on Pinterest, Etsy and of course Before the Big Day.   As a couple, Katie and Michael DIY'd tonnes of their wedding details, including all the stationery, from Save the Dates, table numbers, the table plan, and a fabulous photo booth. Katie's wedding theme gradually developed once she'd bought her wedding gown - a gorgeous lacy dress by David Tutera for Mon Cheri. This led to lots of lace and pearl wedding details, teamed with a deep raspberry pink and ivory colour palette. Tonnes more wedding details to come in the reception post later today, in the meantime enjoy these gorgeous wedding pictures by Andrew Billington.

We got married on the 22nd June 2013 at St Michael’s Church in East Ardsley and hosted our reception at the stunning Waterton Park Hotel in Walton, Wakefield.

Pretty Flower Crowns For Your Bridesmaids

If you're a regular reader of Before the Big Day, you'll know that nothing gets me more excited than a good flower crown. That, and bunting. I'm very big on bunting as well! So I hope you won't mind me featuring a selection of particularly pretty pictures of gorgeous headdresses by Rosie of Vintage Posie. The shots were taken by her friend and wedding photographer Kathryn Hopkins, and I'm sure you'll agree they look stunning! I love the wallpaper in the background as well - wouldn't that look great as the backing to your wedding invitations? Lovely wedding inspiration all round!

{Photo Credit} Kathryn Hopkins

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Will You Wear a Wedding Garter?

When it comes to wedding planning, there'll always be something important you forget. With me, it was my bridal underwear. Every other detail was perfect - I'd sewn a silver key onto my wedding bouquet, my napkins were tied with a special ribbon, and I'd sourced giant white balloons, but I had no knickers to wear under my wedding dress. Well, obviously I had knickers, but no special knickers! I've always slightly regretted it, along with not wearing a garter - your wedding day is pretty much the only time you'll ever wear a garter, and now I've missed out! So tell me, are you going to buy special lingerie for your big day? What sort of style will you go for? Pretty, sexy or fun? P.S. Don't you just love this funny take on the classic 'getting ready' pictures!

{Picture Credit} Source unknown - please tell me if you know!

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Real Summer Sea-Side Wedding: Ashley & Derek

Bird-cage veils are seriously floating my boat for this summer season, and the bride in this pretty, monochrome wedding is rocking a lovely little number. Ashley chose a gorgeous seaside setting for her marriage to Derek, and with hundreds of wedding details, you're going to be wanting to save this wedding for future inspiration. I'm mainly gushing over the vintage frame table plan, the un-tiered wedding cake and the floral print stationery and table cloths. It just goes to show that monochrome doesn't have to be stark, it can be soft and pretty instead. Loving the sparkler send-off too! Stunning pictures published with thanks to the team at This Modern Romance.

Cute Wedding Favour Charms

In many ways my wedding being over is slightly tortuous. I keep on finding wedding decorations and details that I would have added, starting with a tequila donkey {don't knock it till you've clicked the link!}. These cute wedding favour charms are right up my street. I love the little keys, which would have worked perfecting with my secret garden wedding theme. The anchors would match a seaside theme, and the spectacles would be fun if the bride and groom wore glasses. There's plenty more designs - check out Time and Materials for more inspiration.

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Delicately Decorated Wedding Cakes

Wedding cakes don't get as much of a look-in on this wedding blog as they probably should. To be honest, I get more excited about wedding stationery and wedding decorations. But the cake is pretty key, as it usually ends up in hundreds of photographs, and there's the whole cake cutting pageant {which I love}. So I'm thrilled to feature these gorgeous shots of Jane Rose Cakes' incredible wedding cakes. Aren't they stunning? I can't get over the intricacy of the sugar flowers. Yes - all those flowers are handmade out of sugar! Do take a look at Jane's website - it's packed full of prettiness, and I hear her cakes are seriously delicious too!

{Photography & Styling} Fiona Pitts from Sugar For My Honey blog

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Introducing Genesis Diamonds Engagement Rings

This week on the wedding blog is turning out to be engagement themed! After yesterday's gorgeous engagement shoot, today is all about incredible diamond engagement rings. If you're yet to chose your sparkler, or you're sneakily checking out the blog before your boyfriend's popped the question, then I really recommend Genesis Diamonds. They have the most incredible selection of engagement rings, by fabulous designers, including my favourites Tacori {for some seriously bling-tastic rings} and Simon G {if you're looking for something subtle and elegant}. All their diamonds are guaranteed conflict-free, and if you want to pay over several years, they even offer financing - yippee for a bigger rock!! Since I've already got my engagement ring and wedding ring, I've got my eye on their eternity rings....{here's hoping my husband reads this feature}.

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Vintage Tearoom Engagement Shoot

Engagement shoots very rarely make their way onto Before the Big Day - unless there's a serious theme, or some very clever portrait ideas, I don't think they're very interesting for anyone but the friends and family of the happy couple. But for I had to make an exception for this fun shoot by Victoria Mitchell Photography. It took place in the cutest little vintage cafe in Southall, and it involved cake, books and tea, three of my favourite things in the whole world. Enjoy the pics - great inspiration for your own engagement shoot, no?