Ethereal Boho Bridesmaid & Flower Girl Dresses

There's something eternally romantic about a gaggle of flower girls and page boys following a bride up the aisle. I always wanted lots of little girls at my wedding, but when it came to the date, no one I knew had any daughters. In the end I just had five grown-up bridesmaids, and one page boy, who ended up sleeping through the whole ceremony, completely missing his 'Here Comes The Bride' flag-waving moment. If I had my big day again, then I'd definitely dress my flower girls in these whimsical gowns from I Love Gorgeous. They're pretty and feminine, and I love the styling of their 'Midsummer Night's Dream' shoot. Feast your eyes on the stealworthy wedding detailing, from strawberry baskets, vintage china, sparkly shoes, LOVE balloons and that giant flower pomander. Styling by Mary Mathieson for I Love Gorgeous, photographs by Christina Wilson.

Wedding Trends of 2014 - Pantone's Radiant Orchid

For those of you who don't follow the Colour of the Year {where have you been??!!}, it's the shade named each year by the colour company Pantone. Last year it was all about Emerald Green, and 2012 was all about Tangerine Tango. This year, the colour is Radiant Orchid, a warm purple with pink undertones, which apparently radiates great joy, love and health. Hmmmm....generally I'm a little sceptical about colour companies and their claims, but Pantone is pretty authoritative on trends, and I can guarantee similar purple colours will crop up across the wedding world throughout 2014. The added benefit is that it's a lot more wearable than Emerald Green or Tangerine {!}, and your bridesmaids won't mind wearing a radiant orchid gown, or carrying bouquet of pretty purple flowers! Here are a few of my favourite on-trend wedding details. P.S. I'm very pleased to point out that my blog uses radiant orchid as one of its accent colours....sooooo on trend it hurts!

{I want this!} Clockwise from Top Left
1. Purple Bridesmaid Maxi Dress by Blush Fashion, £98.49 | 2. Antique Victorian Amethyst Ring by Maejean Vintage, £430.50 | 3. Glitter Heart Cake Toppers by Gnomes Whimsy, £6.19 for 24 | 4. Bridesmaid Purple Anemone Hair Clip by KisforKani, £17.96 | 5. Yippee Penant Flag by Betawife, £30.97, | 6. Three Blackberry Pie Paper Pom Poms by Pomtree, £7.43

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin?! 
Before the Big Day - The Best UK Wedding Blog.

Starting Your Wedding Planning

Happy New Year to you all! If you're one of the huge numbers of future brides who's got engaged over the festive season - congratulations! There's something about the magic of Christmas and the promise of a fresh new year that gets guys going, and many a girl has woken up to an engagement ring in her stocking. If you're one of those lucky new brides-to-be, or even if you've been engaged for a while, it's never too late to get organised. In these digital days, it's easy to save all your wedding details online {I recommend Pinterest}, but with a romantic glance back to the old days of pen and paper, I've fallen for these gorgeous wedding journals by Starboard Press. They'd make the perfect momento after your big day, and are a great present for any newly engaged couple.

{I want this} 1. Bunting Wedding Journal, £24.47, | 2. Rustic Wedding Journal, £24.47

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin?! 
Before the Big Day - The Best UK Wedding Blog.

Real Secret Elopement Wedding: Crystal & Matt

Crystal and Matt eloped and got celebrated their big day in a secret ceremony without any other guests. Now how's that for an inspiration for couples struggling to edit their guest lists! They chose the most incredibly romantic location I've ever seen, unfortunately for us Brits, is all the way over in Atlanta Georgia. But we can still fall in love with idea of getting married near a tumble-down mansion, there must be hundreds in the UK - why not check out the National Trust for ideas. Other totally stealworthy ideas include Crystal's gorgeous simple strapless dress, the cute bright yellow of Matt's buttonhole, and the stunning sewn vow cards, created by Ashley of Dolci Odille. Best of all, I love the pics, and they're thanks to the massively talented team at Simply Bloom.

Cute, Bright DIY Wedding Decorations

DIY brides who are looking for an original way to decorate their wedding venue are in for a treat. How about pom-poms? Not your standard wedding tissue poms, but woollen pom-poms like those you normally find on the end of a bobble hat! You could make garlands out of them, or add one to each table setting as  wedding favour with bags of playful personality. You could make them in every size or colour imaginable - all you need is wool, cardboard, a pair of scissors, this tutorial, and a lot of time on your hands! If you're not all that interested in DIY wedding projects, then check out these gorgeous garlands from Milla Love. All the beauty with none of the work.

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin?! 
Before the Big Day - The Best UK Wedding Blog.

Snowy Wedding Inspiration with Hot Pink Accents

Two of our friends celebrated their wedding in the show, and although it caused more than a few travel headaches, it made for one of the most romantic weddings ever. So when I stumbled across this gorgeous snowy wedding shoot by fabulous photographer, Amy Carroll, I knew I had to share it with my lovely wedding blog friends. Just check out how dramatic the hot pink looks against the snow, and the glamour and luxury of the furs. I'm also loving the gold details on the buttonhole, and the fabulous spotty bow-tie. Let's start a wedding mini-trend for bow-ties on grooms - they're such a fun detail, and they'd make your boy stand out from the crowd. Throw in a cute dog and a baby coat, and I'm in wedding-heaven!

Cheap & Cheerful Wedding Favours

Sweetie bars and biscuit bars have become a hugely popular at weddings. Guests are usually encouraged to fill a bag with their goodies and take them home as wedding favours. It's a brilliant idea, because it doesn't cost much {you can even bake your own biscuits}, and people always appreciate favours they can eat! Add a splash of colour with these fun striped paper bags. They're a great way to package sweeties, and en masse, they look really effective. Just add twine. Pick up paper bags from eBay super-cheap.

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin?! 
Before the Big Day - The Best UK Wedding Blog.

My Three Top Honeymoon Destinations

Right now I'm feeling sick with jealousy, as at least three couples I know are sunning themselves in either the Caribbean or Costa Rica. I almost can't look at Instagram, in the fear that another gorgeous shot of palm trees, will make me go green-eyed and grumpy. So I thought I'd get it all out of my system with a feature about the best beach honeymoon destinations. My husband and I were lucky enough to go travelling before we got married, so we've been to a lot of gorgeous places around the world. Here are my top three honeymoon hot-spots....I'll go back to dreaming now!

1. Bali - If you're looking for beauty on a budget, then Bali is your best bet. Balinese architecture is stunning, and nearly all their hotels have lush gardens, courtyards, and perfectly decorated rooms. Outdoor showers are a regular feature, and with the weather hovering at 30 degrees all year round, it's never too chilly to lather up among the greenery. Spend half your honeymoon in trendy beachside Seminyak learning how to surf, and half up in the stunning rice fields of Ubud, where you can start your day with yoga and a soya shake. If you're feeling more adventurous, then pop on a plane to nearby Lombok. Independent travel is easy, so book your flight, and research the perfect hotel on Trip Advisor.

2. Costa Rica - If your idea of the perfect honeymoon includes tropical beaches, lazy sloths and zipping through trees in pursuit of howler monkeys, then you'll L-O-V-E Costa Rica. My favourite resort is Santa Teresa, on the west coast, where you walk through the forest to a wild beach, studded with driftwood and the occasional giant turtle. Yoga and surfing are big draws here, and you'll love the boutique restaurants started by tourists-turned-locals. My husband and I spent a month here, practicing yoga every morning, eating delicious Thai curries and grilled fish, and reading a book a day. Bliss!

3. Maldives - It doesn't get more romantic than the Maldives. White sand beaches, arching palm trees, and crystal-clear, lightly-lapping water. Splash out on a resort holiday, and take a sea-planeto your own private island. I'd chose a room on stilts over the sea, so you can laze on your balcony and watch the tropical fish, without even getting wet!

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin?! 
Before the Big Day - The Best UK Wedding Blog.