Wednesday 15 January 2014

A Relaxed Boho Country Wedding Inspired by a Painting - The Reception

With a brilliant boho teepee reception venue, an incredible lake-side location, and even a bell-tent village for guests wanting to camp overnight, this stunning big day ticks all my boxes. Lisa and Marcus decided on a relaxed, country wedding, and discovered the amazing Lyndon Top campsite as a wedding venue. Theirs was the first wedding ever held there, and it made for some challenging logistics. Everything, including electricity, had to be brought in - but didn't it make for an incredible wedding? I love all Lisa's wedding details, from the DIY'd reception flowers {including cornflowers - my favourite!}, the boho but elegant teepees, and the Lisa and Marcus' decision to forego cake and favours, and choose cheese instead! Nowadays it's all about having your wedding your way, and picking and choosing from the standard traditions. Enjoy Lisa's answers to the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire, and feast your eyes on Victoria Phipps Photography's amazing work!


We celebrated our wedding on 6th July 2013 at St Mary's Church in Ashwell. We hosted our wedding reception in a teepee at Lyndon Top, overlooking Rutland Water. Our teepees were from Papakata, who I would highly recommend. Their teepees look fantastic and their attention to detail is excellent.


We were hoping to create a relaxed, country wedding, with a hint of boho, and were delighted to find a field overlooking Rutland Water, so we had a fantastic view of the lake as well.



A Relaxed Boho Country Wedding Inspired by a Painting

This beautiful boho wedding has me wanting to recreate my own wedding all over again! Lovely bride Lisa, was inspired by a the painting, 'Midsummer Eve' by Edward Robert Hughes, and painted her own design for her wedding invitations, Save the Dates, and table stationery. I've fallen in love with the relaxed country feel, the dreamy lakeside teepee wedding reception, and Lisa's divine messy bouquet, made up of spray roses, sweet-smelling honeysuckle, and mint. Every wedding detail fits perfectly, from Lisa's bespoke head-dress, her sweet page boys' and flower girls' outfits, and her divine David Fielden dress - which was actually the top and bottom of two dresses put together. Enjoy these wonderful pictures by Victoria Phipps Photography, and stay tuned for the amazing reception photographs. You wait till you see the Lyndon Top lakeside reception venue!


We celebrated our wedding on 6th July 2013 at St Mary's Church in Ashwell. We hosted our wedding reception in a tipi at Lyndon Top, overlooking Rutland Water.


We were hoping to create a relaxed, country wedding and were delighted to find a field overlooking Rutland Water, so we had a fantastic view of the lake as well.



Tuesday 14 January 2014

Wedding Trends of 2014 - Sequins

Spotted on the 2014 Spring/Summer catwalks, sequins were everywhere, and they'll be a massive trend for 2014 weddings. But these weren't the pink sequins of a six-year old wanna-be-Princess, they were elegant, modern and striking. Marc Jacobs chose striking petrol blues, Givenchy vertical black stripes, and Tom Ford, a square snake-skin effect. To translate this into the wedding world, planners are picking individual details and giving them a subtle shimmer. You don't want your whole wedding themed around sequins, just a few special accents. Whether it's your dress, the table cloths, or just your confetti, stick to golds, blues and even dark greens. I love these ides below, but take a look at my Pinterest board for more ideas.

{Photo Credit} 1. The Cake That Ate Paris | 2. Sequin Love Sign, £250 by Pocket Full of Dreams UK



Monday 13 January 2014

Wedding Details - The Best-Dressed Cutlery / Flatwear

I'm ready to admit that I'm getting pretty niche with this wedding detail, but if you can obsess with the nitty-gritty on a wedding blog, then where else?! So let's talk cutlery wrapping. Yes I know the norm is to put the knife and fork on either side of the plate, but why do what's normal when you can be original and creative? Cutlery wrapping is a great way to add pizzazz and colour to your wedding reception tables, particularly if you can't afford to splash out on tonnes of flowers. Wraps are super-easy to DIY, whether you're going for a rustic theme, {use hessian like our real bride did her}, light-hearted {love the chevron pattern}, or pretty. Here are a few of my favourites, check out my Pinterest board for more!


{Photo Credit} Picture by Katrina Louise, see the rest of this wedding on The Wedding Chicks



Sunday 12 January 2014

The French Wedding Show

A few months ago, I was lucky enough to be invited to partner up with The French Wedding Show. Organised by the lovely Anne-Laure from Et Voila Weddings, the show is designed to help couples planning their wedding in France, to meet fantastic French suppliers who speak English. Add in a heady dollop of wedding inspiration, lots of delicious cake, lovely people and buckets of French wedding venue ideas, and you've got The French Wedding Show in a nutshell. As I got married in Provence, I have real life experience of what it's like to plan a wedding in France, so Virginie invited to me along to offer advice and ideas. I had the MOST fantastic day, meeting tonnes of excited brides and grooms, and sharing my enthusiasm for destination weddings. One couple are even getting married in the same venue as me!! All the vendors were hand-picked, and top quality, and lovely people to boot. I can't wait till next year's show, but in the meantime, enjoy these stunning pictures of the day by Chloé from Caught the Light, who just happens to have been my wonderful wedding photographer! Click for more details of wedding fairs.


Brides who booked early received a very exciting goodie bag!


The French Wedding Magazine! Read your copy online here - it includes an article on How to Theme Your Wedding by me!


The stunning 20th Century Theatre venue in Notting Hill....which would also make a brilliant wedding venue.




Stunning dresses by The Mews, who stock a dreamy range of French designers, including my favourite, Delphine Manivet.


I love the vintage crate filled with baby's breath!


Beautiful wedding flowers by Jenny Moss, an English florist who lives in France (Tel: 0556 618 202)


Wedding stationery by Gemma Milly


Me & my fish-bowl of Haribo Heart Throbs wedding favours, DIY'd out of glassine bags bought from eBay.


I DIY'd the giant purple balloon decorations, using a lot of helium, and silver streamers, all bought from eBay. The hardest bit was tying the knot in the balloons!


Talking to brides and grooms!


Anne-Laure from Et Voila Weddings offering advice to brides and grooms.


Just a few of the fabulous vendors.....
♥ Jenny Moss - Stunning English wedding florist who lives in France (Tel: 0556 618 202)
♥ Gemma Milly - Beautiful wedding stationery
♥ The Mews - English stockist of French designer wedding dresses
♥ The Cake - Stunning wedding cakes in the South West of France
♥ Toni Lazzaro -A brilliant make up artist in Paris
♥ Ariane Douguet -A fantastic soprano singer
♥ Discotecnik - DJ, DJ live and bands in the South East
♥ Jazz Around Midnight - Jazz band in Paris and all over France
♥ Studio 80 - Videographers in Paris and all over France
♥ Virginie'e - A fantastic make up artist in the South West of France
♥ Carre Vert - French wedding florist

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free newsletter, for exclusive content and special offers! Before the Big Day - The Best UK Wedding Blog.

Friday 10 January 2014

Spring 2014 Wedding Fairs

Spring is wedding fair season! All the best wedding suppliers are getting booked up for 2014's summer weddings, and newly-engaged brides are hunting far and wide for wedding inspiration. Listed below are the details of the big events, although there will be local fairs unique to your area - just search online. Plus it's always worth trying the Brides Event Diary.



♥ First up is the Chosen Boutique Wedding Fair. We've got one taking place at The Paintworks Event Space in Bristol, on Sunday 26th January, and another in London at the Islington Assembly Hall on Sunday 27th April. Chosen showcases unique, bespoke and vintage British Heritage design for your big day. Exhibitors range from individual hand-makers to bespoke design houses, so you can be sure to find something original to add to your big day.

♥  The National Wedding Show is one of the largest fairs of all. Taking place from 21st-23rd February in London, and 28th Feb-2nd March in Birmingham, it's HUGE! With more than 250 exhibitors of exquisite wedding gowns and accessories, stunning cakes, bespoke stationery, and fabulous wedding photographers, it's a veritable treasure trove of wedding ideas. Click here to buy tickets.



♥ Brides living in London are in luck! A Most Curious Wedding Fair is on their doorstep. Brides looking for innovative and quirky ideas should note the 4th-5th April in their diary, and head down to trendy Hackney Downs Studio. A Most Curious has taken a solemn vow to bring brides and grooms the very latest fashions, with the foresight to be changeable, en vogue and never tired or standing still. If it's beautiful, fresh, fun and cool or just about to be cool, we will incorporate it into our wedding fair so it can, in turn, can be incorporated into your big day. Tickets are £5 for the 5th, and £10 for the glamorous press night!.




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.

Thursday 9 January 2014

A Garden Wedding with a Bird Theme & Jenny Packham Dress - The Reception

It's time for the reception pictures from this gorgeous Midsummer's Eve wedding. Sonya and Terry chose 20th June for their big day, and basked in stunning sunshine - lucky things! With a romantic garden theme and a vintage bird motif, there's plenty of stealworthy ideas for you to enjoy. Sonya DIY'd many of her wedding details, including the bird-stamped luggage tags for her wedding wish tree and the rustic hessian napkin wraps {very effective!}. My favourite spots include the bird-named reception tables, birdcage centre pieces, pink striped balloons, rustic pastel iced cakes, and the fabulous giant pink and peach balloons. Huge thanks to Tanya from Eden Photography for capturing every detail!


We celebrated our wedding at Kilternan Church of Ireland in Co. Dublin, and afterwards with a reception in The Village at Lyons in Celbridge, on 20th June 2013. 


We always wanted to have an intimate wedding for family and friends to share with us. We knew that as our wedding day was on Midsummer's Eve, that we wanted a summer garden, romantic theme, and the venue suited this perfectly.




Summer Garden Wedding with a Bird Theme & Jenny Packham Dress

1. A Jenny Packham wedding dress. 2. A romantic garden wedding theme. 3. A bird motif. Three of my favourite things, all featured in one gorgeous wedding! Sonya and Terry celebrated their wedding in Ireland on a beautiful summer's day, at a stunning venue called The Village at Lyons. Sonya really wanted a garden wedding, and drew inspiration from the romantic grounds of The Village at Lyons, including its cascading stream, delicate bridge, and secret stone doorways. Her wedding stationery, decorations and just-picked flower arrangements all mirrored the feel of her wedding venue, with pastel colours of pinks and peach as a palette. There's plenty more details in the reception pictures, coming later this afternoon, but first, drink in Sonya's elegant Jenny Packham wedding gown, and her bargainous eBay wedding shoes, that luckily turned out to exactly match the beading on her dress. Even Sonya's hair-style reflected her romantic wedding theme, with her headpiece specially designed to look ethereal and Elvish, like in Lord of the Rings. Huge thanks to Tanya from Eden Photography for permission to publish Sonya and Terry's fab wedding pictures!



Wednesday 8 January 2014

Introducing Terrasenses Destination Weddings in the Galapagos & Andes

As a destination bride myself, it goes without saying I'm a huge fan of destination weddings. Whether you invite along your family and friends, or elope {so romantic!}, I figure the more exotic the location, the more memorable the occasion. That's why I'm delighted to introduce Terrasenses Destination Weddings. Terrasenses are fantastic travel company who specialise in exceptional holidays to Ecuador, and in association with Etica Events, they also offer destination weddings and amazing honeymoons. Whatever your budget, you can be sure their 'fairy godmother' planners will be on hand to create your perfect, personalised big day - be it intimate or deluxe! Terrasenses offers the most incredible wedding locations you can imagine, from a ceremony aboard a yacht moored off the unique Galápagos Islands, a wedding in the cloud forest, and even a weddingmoon in the Amazon. Terrasenses will organise everything on your behalf, and even offer creative suggestions for wedding decorations, organic menus and the perfect wedding stationery. Imagine a sunset boat cruise, an exciting jungle wedding, or a once-in-a-lifetime beachside ceremony on an exotic Ecuadorean island - it's the stuff dreams are made of! For more information, including suggested itineraries and brochures, take a look at Terrasenses Destination Weddings.





We ♥ Charlie Brier Vintage Wedding Dress Sample Sales

Have you heard? Massively exciting news! Charlie Brear from The Vintage Wedding Dress Company has just announced her annual trunk sale, and it's SOON. Taking place on Thursday 23rd January in London, viewing is by appointment only. 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 637 4898.



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.

Tuesday 7 January 2014

Intricate Hand-Painted Watercolour Wedding Stationery

A few months back, I was lucky enough to attend The French Wedding Show, as their in-house wedding blogger & real life bride. I've been meaning to post the pictures {by Caught the Light} for months, so stay tuned for that feature, coming soon! While I was there, I was lucky enough to meet some truly fabulous vendors, including the brilliant wedding stationery designer, Gemma Milly. Gemma's stand was hugely popular throughout the show, as it was cleverly created with lots of pretty, vintage details. Looking at her work, you can see she has a fantastic eye for conceiving a wedding as a whole, and designing the prefect wedding stationery to suit the theme and colours chosen by the bride and groom. Receiving one of her bespoke invitations couldn't fail to get your guests excited about your big day, and building anticipation is key to creating a wedding that stands out from the crowd. I'm gushing, but just take a look at her work, and you'll love it too!


{I want this!} Gemma Milly's Watercolour Collection


{I want this!} Gemma Milly's Garden Vintage Collection


{I want this!} A bespoke design

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.

Monday 6 January 2014

A Mint Themed Country Pub Wedding with Rustic DIY Details - The Reception

Barn wedding venues are pretty much the most popular in the UK. They're such versatile spaces with all the benefits of a marquee, without the potential for cold ankles! Laura and Ben chose the gorgeous Olde Bell for their wedding venue. It's a hotel with a barn attached, and it's actually where my husband and I spent our mini-honeymoon after our official London wedding ceremony. The gardens are stunning, as you can see from Laura and Ben's stunning wedding photographs by Kate Gray Photography. I absolutely love all of Laura's clever wedding details. Make sure you read her answers to the Before the Big Day Questionnaire - she saved lots of money by using great local vendors, and DIY-ing much of her reception stationery, using hessian, an old London map, and vintage-style luggage labels. My favourite details? The personalised rustic signs, Laura's simple Grecian-style hair band, the wedding favours reflecting their heritage, and the incredible wedding cake, complete with totally original flavours! Don't miss Part 1 here.

We got married at The Olde Bell, Hurley on Saturday 21st September 2013. We looked at seven local venues on Christmas Eve 2012, and this one just felt right.


The Olde Bell had a country feeling that Ben & I grew up with, and we instantly knew we could easily achieve the soft, romantic wedding atmosphere we were hoping for. The grand hotels we looked at just seemed a bit formal for us, and we didn't like the thought of knowing that people other than our guests would be in the venue on the day.



A Mint Themed Country Pub Wedding with Rustic DIY Details

It's been way too long since I featured a gorgeous real wedding, and it's definitely time to introduce all you newly engaged brides-to-be to the wonders of stealworthy ideas. These are the snippets, goodies and wedding details that you can only get from the fabulous pooled creativity of real brides. Stunning couple Laura and Ben are a great example. With their rustic barn wedding, pretty mint and vintage theme, and eye for a bargain, their wedding is chock-full of wedding inspiration. Laura loves a good DIY project, and packed loads into her wedding to give it that personal touch so key to making your wedding stand out from all the others you'll go to this summer! You'll love her handmade table names, printed 'Wed-Libs', and rustic wedding signs. For favours, Laura chose to reflect her and Ben's heritage, with palm leaf fans sent over from the Philippines {Laura's mother is Filipina}, and miniature bottles of Ouzo for the boys {Ben's mother is Greek Cypriot}. I love Laura's elegant wedding style; the lace overlay of her fitted wedding gown, and her simple up-do and cathedral-length veil, decorated by her mum with diamante. Enjoy these brilliant pictures by Kate Gray Photography of the wedding ceremony, and stay tuned for all the reception shots, later this afternoon.


We got married at The Olde Bell, Hurley on Saturday 21st September 2013. We looked at seven local venues on Christmas Eve 2012, and this one just felt right.



I was spoilt as my hair and make-up was done by the ridiculously talented Lauren Appleby who again happens to be one of my best friends and one of my bridesmaids. Lauren is trained in everything from stage hair and make-up, to wigs and special effects make-up for TV and film, and even body paint! Having someone I know so well to help me get ready was what dreams are made of. Thank you so much for making me look so beautiful ☺!



Friday 3 January 2014

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.




Thursday 2 January 2014

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 | 3Glitter 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.

Wednesday 1 January 2014

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.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...