A Quirky Vintage London Wedding with a 'Super-Hero' Bride - The Reception

This eclectic vintage wedding is proof you can do pretty in London. With pastel lanterns, lace tissue bunting, and freshly picked flowers, you'd expect a marquee wedding venue, but Tasha and Niall decided to celebrate their wedding at their local - The Londesborough Pub. I've fallen for their relaxed wedding style and quirky details, from their Art Deco postcard guest book to their simple Victoria Sponge wedding cakes. Most of all, I love how happy they both look! Huge thanks to Michael from My Beautiful Bride, for his stunning pictures - hopefully more of his work coming soon on Before the Big Day. Don't miss Part 1 of this wedding.

A Quirky Vintage London Wedding with a 'Super-Hero' Bride

You can't fail to fall in love with this beautiful quirky wedding, with its gorgeous bride and groom. Tasha and Niall decided to celebrate their wedding close to home - hosting their reception in their local - a great gastropub called The Londesborough Pub, and their ceremony at the nearby Stoke Newington Town Hall. I'm slightly obsessed with Tasha's amazing wedding gown - it's a 1970s original, and would you believe, she found it on Etsy for only £80! The dress needed only the tiniest of alterations, and even came with a little lace cape - super hero bride-style! So many other stunning details to steal - starting with the pretty 'just-picked' bouquets, the forget-me-knots in Tasha's hair, and the elegant, Art Nouveau-style wedding invitations by Ellie Weehuizen. Big love to Michael from My Beautiful Bride, for his stunning pictures. I'm in love with all the portrait shots, and there's more to come in Part 2.

Real Daffodil Easter Wedding with a Tiffany Blue Theme

With Easter only a few weeks away, I wanted to treat you with this gorgeous daffodil-filled spring wedding. Millie and Nico celebrated their big day in April {Happy Anniversary!}, and their gorgeous, quintessentially English wedding is full of inspirational ideas to copy. I'm particularly loving the eggshell blue theme colour, the leather luggage-tag place markers, and the cute pageboys outfits. The stunning countryside-style flowers are simple gorgeous too. Don't miss Millie's lovely answers to the Before the Big Day Brides Questionnaire - she's got lots of advice for up-and-coming brides. Huge thanks to the lovely Hester Marriott for these gorgeous pictures.

We celebrated our wedding with a church ceremony, followed by a reception at my family home on 17th April 2010. 

My shoes came from Christian Louboutin, and it was great to have a cheeky flash of red under the my ivory dress!

Amazing Paper Cut Wedding Invitations

I can't tell you how hard I've fallen for these gorgeous paper cuts. Before I discovered London-based Julene Harrison's site Made By Julene, I'd never even heard of the art, but it's been a quick conversion from ignorance to passion!  Just imagine how heavenly these personalised pictures would look as table labels - you could then hang them in your home as a permanent reminder of your big day. Amazing! Take a look at Julene's shop, or request a special commission.

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.

Before the Big Day on BBC Radio 4's PM Programme

On the eve of the legalisation of gay marriage in the UK, I was thrilled to be invited onto BBC Radio 4's PM programme to discuss the popularity of weddings. I headed down to famous Broadcasting House in central London, and up to the studios, where I met presenter Eddie Mair and my lovely discussion partner, Gareth McLean. As the red on-air light came on, I was more than a little nervous, as you can probably hear in my voice - but I soon settled down, and had a fantastic time! Have a listen by clicking the link below!

{Picture Credit} Lovely pastel radio picture by Simply Hue Designs

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 Detail-Filled Pastel-Themed Wedding with Bunting & Rosettes

There's nothing I love more than a wedding with tonnes of stealworthy ideas. This gorgeous affair was planned by Michelle of Blissd Events, and you can tell it's a professional job, because every detail is brilliantly put together. Certain things, like the pastel colours and the repetition off a flag motif and little cartoons of the happy couple are repeated through the wedding, and that's what creates to 'together' feel. I'm loving the vintage details, from the old window frame and the car, plus the stationery details - including the Just Married flags, rosette buttonholes and bunting. Incredible flowers by Nancy Lui Chin, and the pictures are by the wedding blogger's favourite, Jose Villa.

Make Mine a Tiara: Incredible Wedding Hair Accessories

My excitement for all things wedding runs pretty high, by my pulse leapt an extra few beats a minute when I rediscovered the fabulousness which is the Ban.Do website. I first found them way back in 2010, when I fell in love with these glittery heart shoe-clips, but now they do so much more! Just take a look at these incredible bridal hair accessories. They each have cute names, my favourite being the Empress Tiara - oh yes! Which one would you choose?

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 Peaches & Cream English Wedding with a South African Theme

Some of us blushing brides really get into the whole wedding 'thang'. For some, it's just the special day when they married their gorgeous man, but for others, it becomes something of an obsession, and then a hobby, and then even a career. That's exactly what my wedding became for me, as I started this wedding blog a couple of months before I got engaged {it's a long story involving a very long-suffering boyfriend who eventually got the hint!}. Gorgeous bride, Clare, had a very similar experience. She enjoyed planning her wedding so much, that she started her own company, The Beautiful Wedding Company, which ingeniously combines planning with bridal beauty. You can see her work in the fabulous details in her own peaches and cream wedding. From her exquisite wedding gown, to her gorgeous colour-popping bridesmaids' dresses, every detail is perfectly matched, right down to the ushers' ties. I'm also loving the countryside chic of the barn venue - one of my closest friends celebrated her wedding at Loseley Park, and it's a gorgeous venue. Huge thanks to PR Photography for these beautiful pictures.

We celebrated our wedding at Loseley Park, Guildford on June 18th. The venue is breathtaking, a stunning old manor, surrounded by rolling English countryside, a rose garden, tithe barn and even a Tudor hall. We wanted a venue that was magnificent, English and yet intimate. Loseley Park is also in-between our parents' homes, making it ideal for both bride and groom’s parties!

My dress was aptly called 'Summer' by Maggie Sottero. I tried on tonnes of dresses as I had no idea what I wanted to wear or what would suit me. The wonderful sales assistants at Miss Bush Bridalwear, in Ripley, made sure I tried on everything from the big 'Grace Kelly' style dresses, Grecian styles, full laced dresses…..every style going! 

Fruity vs Floral Wedding Cakes

Decorating your own wedding cake is a great way to keep costs down. Obviously there's nothing better than designer cake, but you don't want to be stuck with a thousand pound debt just because you went for an amazing confection from Choccywoccydoodah! Budget-savy brides buy their cake tiers from a high-street supermarket like M&S, and add their own decorations. Flowers have been in fashion for years, but recently I've seen a fabulous move towards fruity decor. Which do you prefer? Of course, you could go completely off-piste, and accessorise your wedding cake with macaroons {like this Before the Big Day bride}, or oreo biscuits! Don't miss my fabulous Wedding Cakes inspiration board on Pinterest.

{Photo Credits} 1. Jennifer Van Elk, more from this wedding on Budget Savvy Bride, 2. Sarah Falugo, more from this wedding on Style Me Pretty, 3. Unknown

{Photo Credits} 1. Aaron Delesie, more from this wedding on Snippet & Ink, 2. Unknown, 3. Annie McElwain, more from this wedding on Green Wedding Shoes

{Photo Credits} 1. Bret Cole Photography, more from this wedding on Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2. Unknown, 3. Unknown

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.

Whimsical Wishbone Bracelet for Your Bridesmaids

I'm always on the hunt for the perfect present for a girlfriend. One of my best friends is just amazing at gifts {for my birthday she gave me a stunning star necklace from Liberty}, and I'm always playing catch-up! So when I spotted these whimsical wishbone bracelets, I knew I had to share. Not only are they a great little birthday present, they'd work perfectly as bridesmaids gifts. Weddings are all about wishing for a fabulous future, and with your bridesmaids wearing these little charms, nothing could go wrong on your big day! I'd even tie one to my bouquet!

{I want this!} Wishbone bracelets, £12.45 by Sea and Cake

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.