My Secret Garden Wedding in a Provence Chateau - The Ceremony

As promised, I'm marking our fourth wedding anniversary by republishing our photographs from our French wedding. It's crazy how quickly the time has gone! Although this wasn't our legal wedding, it's the one that felt most real. We invited ninety of our closest friends and family out to Provence for a three day party, and I loved every minute. As a wedding blogger, I spent many days agonising over which theme to choose. In the end our stunning venue, with its walled grounds, led me to pick a Secret Garden theme, and a colour palette of soft grey, dusky pink and sage green. We had a key motif which appeared on all the invitations, place markers, programmes and pashmina favour tags. There were endless wedding details, all captured perfectly by our brilliant wedding photographer Chloé from Caught the Light and my friend Jemma Harding Photography. Four years on, it's true what they say - your pictures are the lasting memories of your wedding day, so it's worth hiring the best.

Ten Quirky Original Wedding Place-Setting Ideas

You can really let your imagination run wild with your place-settings. Why settle for a simple card, when you could give your guests the welcome they deserve? Combine it with a wedding favour, pretty present or sweet treat, or build anticipation for the speeches, party and dancing {I'm thinking glow-sticks, fake moustaches and sparklers}. I'm all about delighting your guests at every turn - we had old-fashioned fortune tellers and vintage keys at our wedding. What will you choose? More ideas on my Pinterest board.

Wedding Trends for 2015 - Edible Flowers

Hosting a truly original wedding means surprising your guests at every turn, and that's why I love this micro trend for 2015. Edible flowers have been around for years, but it's only now that wedding caterers are getting in on the act. It's partly down to the growth {sorry!} of suppliers in the UK - you can buy your flowers direct from First Leaf and Greens of Devon, or even buy seeds to grow your own! Ask your caterer, or DIY your own edible flower creations. I'm loving these creative ideas {below} for signature wedding cocktails, deserts and cheeses, and how about edible confetti?!

{1. Edible Flower Popsicle Recipe by Marla Meredith}

{1. Love Design Fest | 2. Design Love Fest}

Affordable Wedding Dress Series - Monsoon

One of my best friends from university got married in a wedding dress from Monsoon, and it completely opened my eyes to the brilliance of the British high street. We have the best shops in the world in the UK, and every season they translate {ahem...copy!} the catwalk into affordable garments. And the wedding catwalk is no different! I'll often see stunning gowns I think are Jenny Packham or Temperley London, and actually they turn out to be high street honeys. Here are a few of my favourites from Monsoon - I love the 1920s feel to many of the gowns - they feel like they could have come straight from The Great Gatsby. Don't miss their flower-girl and bridesmaids dresses and their truly fabulous wedding shoe department.

Affordable Wedding Dress Series - Reformation

You've got to love Pinterest. I was scrolling through the wedding pictures looking for inspiration, when all of a sudden I found this dress. A little bit of research and a couple of clicks later, and I'd discovered The Reformation, a boutique brand based in Los Angeles. All their wedding gowns are guaranteed eco friendly, they all cost under £500, and they even offer free shipping worldwide. Many of the gowns below also come in different colours and patterns, so even if The One isn't there for you - why not treat your bridesmaids?

Affordable Wedding Dress Series - Rowan Joy

Bride's looking for a vintage look are going to fall head-over-heels for these gorgeous gowns by Rowan Joy. Her designs are heavily influenced by the decadence of 1920's and grace of the 1930's, with a flattering cut and flowing skirts. Each dress is made-to-order, so she needs three months notice, but this means your gown will be made-to-measure for under a thousand pounds! Take a look at the designs below - more from different eras on her website.

Affordable Wedding Dress Series - Grace Loves Lace

This morning I am mostly loving these beautiful boutique dress by Australian designer Grace Loves Lace. At Grace, they personally create stunning ready-to-wear wedding dresses from the French laces and silks, to create a fabulous boho, vintage gowns you'll love. The dresses all have a pretty nostalgic charm and rather wonderful price tags, starting from only £500! Amazing!

{I want this!} 1. Boho Lace Wedding Dress, £950 | 2. Long Lace Sleeve Wedding Dress, £764

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Affordable Wedding Dress Series

My nanny's getting married, and she's looking for a wedding dress for under £1000. Probably well under £1k, but you'd be astonished how difficult it is to get under that magic number. I'm ashamed to admit that at first, I was no help at all. As a wedding blogger, I find that most of my posts are about dream wedding gowns, rather than the nitty, gritty practicals of actually paying for one. I did write a couple of posts about how to buy a designer wedding gown for less, but in the three years since I've been writing this blog, I've only featured a few reasonable designers - Minna and some great Etsy sellers like Truvelle & Rowan Joy. But now that's all set to change, as I've been doing my research, and coming up with a great selection of wedding dress designers in the UK who don't try and rip you off at every turn. Stay tuned for the amazing Before the Big Day Affordable Wedding Dress Series!

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A Boho Dreamcatcher Wedding Theme

An old hippy favourite, dreamcatchers are being reimagined for the twenty-first century in a kaleidoscope of colours and designs. I love them as the basis for a wedding theme - they represent all the hopes and dreams of the traditional marriage ceremony, but in a boho style. Use them as wedding decorations, favours and as a motif on your wedding stationery. You could even create a wedding altar out of a giant catcher. More ideas on my Boho Wedding Pinterest page, including lots of Etsy sellers and DIY wedding ideas.

A English Country Garden Wedding with Pretty Vintage Details - Part 2

A vintage tractor, bridesmaids in wellington boots, and military men in uniform - just a few of my favourite things about this quirky big day. Andy and Catherine planned their spring wedding with only four months to spare, and personalised every detail, thanks to the help of their friends and family. In the build-up to their big day, they held craft evenings to cut and sew the bunting, put covers on homemade jam jar wedding favours, and design the wedding stationery. They even prepared an Easter Egg hunt for their guests. Enjoy these fantastic pictures by Sarah Relf at Lawless Rose Photography, and don't miss my favourite wedding detail - the fabulous cake by Dippy Design.

A English Country Garden Wedding with Pretty Vintage Details

There's something uniquely romantic about a military wedding - they have the weight of history behind them, and everyone loves a man in uniform! Groom Andy is a captain in the army, so when he and Catherine left the church, they walked under a fabulous guard of honour, complete with shiny swords. Stunning! The happy couple planned their wedding in only four and a half months, but didn't scrimp on details - this big day is packed with stunning ideas. I love the English country garden theme, the vintage crockery, the gorgeous bridesmaids in sage green, and the beautiful barn venue. Don't miss the fantastic reception pictures in Part 2 - huge thanks to Sarah Relf at Lawless Rose Photography for capturing every detail.

A Lily-of-the-Valley Wedding Theme

Have you heard of lily-of-the-valley? It's the most exquisite flower, with tiny little white bells, and the sweetest scent. It's one of my favourite flowers, and luckily came into bloom just in time for my London wedding in early May. My mother picked it from her garden, and DIY'd my beautiful bouquet. It's a notoriously hard plant to force into flower, so if you want it at your wedding day, you'll have to be lucky! It's even got the royal seal of approval - Kate Middleton chose it for her wedding, and Grace Kelly carried a small bouquet of lily-of-the-valley on her big day. Once you see it, you'll fall in love - take a look at these wedding ideas, and check out my Pinterest page for more.

Wonderful Wedding Blog Links

How can it be May already? This month sees my fourth wedding anniversary, and if you've been following the blog, you'll have spotted I've already republished my London wedding pictures, by the fabulous Caught the Light. You'll have to wait a few more weeks for more of my French wedding shots, unless you're sneaky, and click on this link. The month of May sees the start of the wedding season in earnest, so if you're an upcoming bride reading this post, be sure to send me your wedding pictures so I can blog them {email me}! I've had a bit of time this week to explore the wonderful world of weddings online, so you'll love these links - they're packed full for wed-spiration.

{Photo Credit} Marianne Taylor Photography, Source.

♥  A colourful artist's wedding
♥  A wonderful woodland wedding with animal masks
♥  A cake competition wedding
♥  This eccentric British wedding venue will blow you away!
♥  A French inspired wedding with something blue
♥  The simplest & chicest of London weddings
♥  A festival-themed wedding with a happy boho bride
♥  When only a French chateau wedding will do
♥  The biggest bouquet of peonies I've ever seen!
♥  Gotta love a groom in a floral shirt
♥  Botanical wedding inspiration you can't fault
♥  A bride in leather and lace
♥  Colourful & cute - a trendy east London wedding

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Jenny Packham's New Bridal Collection for 2016

Fashion is a crazy world. Can you believe the designers have already released their collections for 2016? One of my favourite wedding dress designers of all time, Jenny Packham showed her 2016 Bridal Collection at New York Bridal Fashion Week. As ever, the collection is d-i-v-i-n-e! Inspired by Shakespeare's fairy realm and the characters of A Midsummer Night's Dream, it features celestial silk tulles, romantically sculpted corsetry and cascading silk chiffon. Add in a few appliqué organza blooms, ostrich feathers, crystal foliage motifs and delicate floral lace, and you've got a very happy wedding blogger. The collection will be available internationally from July, so autumn and winter brides - this is all about you! And the big question - will you pick one of the mint gowns?

Glamorous Golden Tattoos for Your Wedding Day

There's a huge trend at the moment for golden body art. Personally I wouldn't ever want a tattoo, but these temporary stencils are super-glamorous. They've got the feel of a wild summer holiday, and would look gorgeous on a boho bride. Keep it simple - less is more...... you could always surprise your husband with one stuck on somewhere under your wedding dress! California-based store Creative Swirls Shop will even create a bespoke design for you, but a simple love tattoo set is only £7. London stockists include Karizma and Awsm.Tattoo.

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My Secret London Wedding Anniversary - Part 2

So here we go ladies, Part 2 of my vintage tea-party themed wedding. After our quicky wedding ceremony in Hackney Town Hall {our local}, we headed to Victoria Park for our pictures, where {joy of joys} we found the best photo-prop ever. An ice-cream van! I'd really recommend trying to organise a few photo props - it makes for much more natural portraits, particularly if you're feeling a bit stressed on your wedding day. After our pictures we headed home for our vintage tea party reception. We decorated our Shoreditch flat with handmade white pompoms, white bunting bought from eBay, and a dozens of roses bought from Columbia Road Flower Market on the cheap! Stunning photographs published with thanks to Caught the Light, and I've filled in my own Before the Big Day Bridal Questionnaire, so check out my answers below for all my suppliers and wedding DIY projects.

My Secret London Wedding - Our 4th Anniversary

Four years ago today, we celebrated our secret wedding in London. Why secret? Well our 'real' wedding was in Provence, but legally we had to get married in the UK first. At first we thought we'd just sneak off on a Tuesday afternoon and get married privately with just two witnesses. But then our parents wanted in. And then we realised that the grandparents weren't going to make it out to France, so they snaffled invitations. And then, being a wedding blogger, I got all excited about a vintage tea-party wedding theme, and Chloe from Caught the Light offered to do our pictures. So before we knew it, we were planning two weddings. That's two ceremonies, two themes, two dresses {lucky me!}, and double the details! Take a look, and see what you think!

A 'Blooming' New Forest Autumn Wedding with DIY Details - Part 2

Take one wedding florist, add a graphic designer husband-to-be, and a group of insanely talented guests, and you have a wedding-made-in-heaven. Jen and Lee celebrated their big day in the autumn, and completely mixed up their wedding schedule, to make sure they didn't lose the light for their pictures. This inspired decision meant the party started straight away, and the lovely Ben Goode got to take these stunning portrait pictures in a gorgeous golden light. It's definitely an idea to steal if you're planning an autumn or winter wedding. As long as you don't mind seeing each other before the ceremony, then it's a winner! There's so many other brilliant details, you'll want to save every shot - from their giant, fairground-style, illuminated initials, to the CD favours made to look like mini-vinyls, and the chocolate brownie pyramid wedding cake. And did I mention Jen is a florist? Wedding flowers to die for! If you missed Part 1, don't!

A 'Blooming' New Forest Autumn Wedding with DIY Details

I absolutely L-O-V-E it when a Before the Big Day bride gets in touch with me and asks if I'd like to feature her wedding. It's like being included on the guest list! Lovely Jennifer read this blog in the build up to her wedding day, and sent over the beautiful pictures by Ben Goode. I'm in love with every one, and completely obsessed with all the perfectly DIY'd details. Jen is a florist, so obviously the flowers were sorted, her husband Lee is a graphic designer and hand-made all of the fabulous stationery, a friend made the wedding cake, another friend DJ'd, and Jen's mum is a writer, and crafted a very funny reading for the ceremony out of all their guests' tips. Put together this saved them some pennies, but also made the day so much more personal. There's so much stealworthy wedding inspiration, I'm finding it hard to know where to start.....maybe with Jen's stunning high-street wedding dress, but don't miss the fun vintage VW camper-van, the locally-bought bridesmaid gowns, the flowery cocktails, and most of all the incredible wedding flowers - all designed by Jen herself. Such a dreamy wedding - more to come in Part 2 later today!

Colourful Accessories & Ideas for a Picnic Wedding

There's nothing I like more than spotting something that gets my creative mind grinding! Today it was all about wooden spoons......yes really! Take a look at these fantastic, colourful little spoons from Sucre Shop. Doesn't it make you want to throw a wedding and serve ice-cream in little paper pots? Or strawberries and cream? I can imagine them at a picnic wedding, where everyone sits on blankets and feasts from a central basket, before playing lawn games and roasting marshmallows on open fires. All of that from a simple spoon!! More picnic wedding ideas on the blog & on my Pinterest page.

{I want this!} Variety Pack 20 Wooden Spoons from Sucre Shop, approx £7

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A Magical Forest Wedding with a Secret Nightclub - Part 2

Welcome to the wedding reception of the year! I've never seen anything as gorgeous as the marquee decorations at Nels and Antony's wedding - giant blossom branches, stunning green drapery and sparkly fairy lights create a magical forest-feel. It's all thanks to the creative energies of wedding planner Kelly Chandler from The Bespoke Wedding Company and event stylists, Crescent Moon. I love how they included the pond from the grounds inside the marquee, and added floating hydrangea blooms for an incredibly romantic effect. Other stealworthy details include the hilarious pork pie wedding cake, and Nels' slate wedding favours cum place markers. Also their secret budget buy - an M&S three-tier traditional cake, decorated with flowers, for a luxe effect! Thank you to both Bibi Basch and Crescent Moon for capturing every detail of this gorgeous wedding.

A Magical Forest Wedding with a Secret Nightclub

Can you imagine only having four months to plan your wedding? That's how long Nels and Antony gave themselves, but thanks to the help of wedding planner extraordinaire, Kelly Chandler from The Bespoke Wedding Company, they created a truly extraordinary day. Their wedding reception marquee is like something from a fairy-tale - huge branches of cherry blossom, and a sparkling pond. But the pièce de resistance came later in the evening, when a curtain was drawn back to reveal an entirely differently themed black and white dance area, and then another reveal moment introduced a hidden 'man snug' filled with Chesterfield sofas and whisky. Amazing! Don't miss the pictures in Part 2, published later today. Other details to steal include Nels' beautiful David Tutera wedding gown, complete with extra sparkles, her pretty pink and teal colour scheme, and Antony's seriously dapper vintage morning suit. Huge thanks to both Bibi Basch and Crescent Moon for permission to publish these stunning photographs, and for capturing every detail!

How to DIY Your Wedding Altar & Aisle

The perfect wedding venue is really difficult to find, and it's partly down to the restrictions on civil ceremonies. Marriage is a serious business, but in my view the government is waaaay too prescriptive about where we're allowed to celebrate a wedding ceremony. I'm always getting emails from brides who don't want to get married in a church, but are depressed with the civil ceremony venues in their local area. My solution isn't for everyone, but it worked perfectly for us. We had two weddings; a quickie ceremony in our local Hackney Registry Office, followed by our big 'official' wedding in Aix-en-Provence in France. This gave us the freedom to create our own ceremony {click to read}, write our own vows, and most importantly choose any venue on the planet. If this type of wedding takes your fancy, then you're going to need some serious wedding inspiration for altar and aisle decorations, and that's where the Before the Big Day Pinterest board will step into the breach! Just take a look at these fabulous, colourful wedding ideas - many more here.

{Photo Credit} Kristilee Parish Photography, see more from this wedding on Wedding Chicks blog

The Cutest Wedding Toppers In The World

We didn't have a wedding cake topper. I forgot to find one, and needless to say, it wasn't exactly top of my husband's list. It didn't matter on the day, because the caterers provided a truly dreadful, and therefore hilarious cake topper to finish off our croquembouche wedding cake. However it has led to a slight obsession on my part. I'm now always on the look-out for the wedding cake topper I would have chosen. My current favourites are these DIY'd kokeshi dolls from Wood and Grain. They're just the right combination of cute and cool, with a lovely dash of vintage and rustic. Plus they're custom-made, so you can ask designer Christine to hand-paint them to match your wedding attire and hair-style {and pet!}. They're a lovely idea for a wedding anniversary present as well.

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Shabby-Chic Jane Austen Themed Wedding Shoot - Part 2

Time for Part 2 of this incredible Jane Austen-themed wedding shoot. You've got to love English literature as the perfect wedding inspiration, particularly if you're planning a marquee or country-house wedding. With endless wedding ideas, you're going to want to copy every one of these pictures to your wedding Pinterest board. My favourite spots? I'm loving the blackberries in the bridal bouquet, the indoor as outdoor chandelier in the garden, the decadent picnic set-up, and all the vintage details, including the cake stand, apple crates and quilt. Dress your bridesmaids and pageboys in antique clothing, and add a traditional feel to your wedding day. Huge thanks to Dominic Whiten Photography for these beautiful pictures. Don't miss the list of all the other talented vendors who made this Wedding Shoot possible - after the pics. If you didn't catch Part 1, don't miss it - click here.

Shabby-Chic Jane Austen Themed Wedding Shoot

Romantic brides who love their literature are going to adore this beautiful Jane Austin wedding shoot organised by Melissa Love Design and Orchestrated, and photographed by Dominic Whiten Photography. Theming your wedding around your favourite book is such a brilliant idea, although you've got to hope your husband isn't a fan of Lord of the Rings, or you could find your ushers dressed as orcs! My wedding was loosely styled around The Secret Garden, which meant lots of vintage keys and a wedding reception in a walled garden. This Jane Austin theme sees tonnes of pretty nods to literature and books, with a traditional English tea and picnic, plus croquet on the lawn. Stealworthy wedding ideas include the adorable striped wedding stationery, the antique silver napkin rings {start collecting now at car boot sales and off eBay}, using fruit as table decorations, and traditional English blooms like roses and lavender. I also love the flower crown worn by the 'bride'. Buckets more wedding inspiration on its way in Part 2, published first thing tomorrow!

Wedding Trends of 2015 - Classy Chevrons

Polka-dots, stripes, and tartan, they've all had their day. This wedding season is all about chevrons. The humble zig-zag is finally making its mark. Whether you chose a sequinned table cloth, a patterned paper straw, or a sexy envelope liner, add the classy chevron to your big day. Here's a selection of my favourite looks - find more on my Pinterest Board.

A Pretty Pastel Blue Winter Wedding with a Tea-Party Theme

After years of not receiving many winter weddings, my inbox is suddenly full of lovely photographs! The latest bride to choose January for her big day is Natalie, and I've fallen for her stunning ice blue and gold colour palette. Natalie's Cotton and Crumbs cake was the first thing she ordered, and the inspiration for the rest of her wedding. I love its tea-cup topper, and ornate lace icing, but there's plenty of other wedding details for you - from the gorgeous Coast bridesmaid maxi-dresses, Natalie's stunning Charlie Brear gown and Glenn's specially tailored suit. Enjoy! Many thanks to the lovely Kayleigh Pope for sending over these lovely wedding pictures.

Wedding Trends of 2015 - Pretty Meringue Kisses

First spotted on the streets of Shoreditch, the Meringue Girls have made meringues trendy again. They're the new macaroons - pretty, perfect mouthfuls that melt on the tongue. They call them 'kisses', and they're mallow in the middle with a delicious crisp exterior. I'd be tempted to go the whole hog and theme my entire wedding around their pastel shades, with meringue favours and a giant meringue cake {made by Fondant Fox and decorated with meringue kisses}. You could even learn how to make meringues on your hen do, thanks to their popular Master Classes!

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Going for Gold Wedding Shoes

*Full disclosure* - this is a completely biased blog post. I still hold a candle for my gold Halston Heritage wedding day heels {bought for a steal on The Outnet}. So I've gone searching for similar shoes on your behalf, and found a delicious selection on Shopbop. I've even included glamorous flats for comfortable late-night dancing! What do you think? Do you fancy going for gold on your wedding day?

{I want this!} 1. Diane von Furstenberg Viola Too Sandals, £238.70 | 2. Schutz Dunna Sandals, £122.76 | 
3. Badgley Mischka Melany II Wedge Sandals, £146.63 | 4. Badgley Mischka Mayee Flat Thong Sandals, £67.52 | 5. Badgley Mischka Glenna Espadrille Wedges, £146.63 | 6. Badgley Mischka Melinda II Flat Sandals, £112.53 | 
7. Schutz Drauzia Woven Sandals, £136.40 

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A Pretty in Pink Spring Wedding planned in Five Months

Burlap and lace, baby's breath and bunting, paper poms and fairy lights, just a few of my favourite wedding decorations in the world! The lovely Charlotte and Chris planned a pretty in pink wedding, and I love all their feminine details. Can you believe Charlotte organised it all in five months? Even the wedding favours are printed with a personal message. Other wedding ideas to steal include the giant wooden heart wedding guest book, and the beribboned jam jar vases - a super easy DIY you can re-create at home. Thank you to Alexa Poppe Wedding Photography for her lovely pictures. Make sure you check out her blog for more wedding inspiration.

A Pretty in Pink Spring Wedding planned in Five Months

I love a winter wedding! Brides who are brave enough to embrace the chill have a huge head start.....they know what the weather will be like. Charlotte and Chris prepared themselves with pretty umbrellas in their theme colours of pink and blue, and some seriously classy wellington boots. I love Charlotte's selection of three different types of footwear. Glittery heels, glittery flats, and glittery boots. All fabulous. I'm also swooning over her classically British dress, from local designers Romantica of Devon, and her simple one bloom bouquet. There's plenty more pretty in pink details coming in Part 2 of this lovely wedding - don't miss it. Huge thanks to the lovely Alexa Poppe Wedding Photography for these beautiful images. Find similar wellies via Zalando or Joules. And for a similar pretty wedding barn venue, check out Heaton House Farm.

Wedding Trends of 2015 - Skinny Engagement Rings

We're all used to the concept of wearing two rings on your wedding finger, but this year is going to be all about ring stacking. Instead of one expensive solitaire, fashion forward brides and their grooms are choosing several, skinny engagement rings. It's such a fantastic idea! Every dainty ring complements the next, and you can carry on adding each anniversary, or when you have your first baby. It's also the perfect choice for budget-conscious couples, as each ring can cost as little as £100. I love these rings by Nicole Scheetz, but you can find plenty more from Nikki Stark Jewellery, Crystal Stone London, and from Cat Bird NYC {aka my favourite jewellery shop of all time}.

{I want this!} Clockwise from top left: 1. Opal Ring Set, £185 | 2. Stacking Ring Set, £75.50 | 3. Infinity Stacking Ring Set, £130 | 4. Birthstone Ring Set, £203

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Wedding Trends of 2015 - Surprise Inside Wedding Cakes

Multi-coloured wedding cakes have been a huge trend for the last couple of years, but it's only now that it's taken a twist. Instead of icing, it's all about the sponge. Surprise your guests by choosing a traditional white wedding cake, with secret interior, that's only revealed when you cut the cake. Such a fun idea! Take a look at Pinterest for more inspiration.

{Photo Credit} Rainbow Heart Cake picture by Susan Powers Photography. Recipe from Surprise-Inside Cakes by Amanda Rettke

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A Browns Bride March Sample Sale

Wedding dresses can be a huge part of your budget if you pay full price. Luckily there are lots of sample sales each year, when designers sell off their old stock for less. One of my favourite designer bridal boutiques of all time, Browns Bride has just announced their spring sample sale - cue huge excitement! It's taking place on 29th March 2015 from 11am - 5pm at their shop at 12 Hinde Street in London. They're promising a fantastic selection of dresses from all our top designers, including Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Peter Langner, Marchesa and many more... To book your place call 020 7514 0056. And if you're worrying about the cost of your wedding day look, take a look at my blog post on how to buy your wedding dress for less.

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Real Luxury Wedding with a Couture Gown & Grey Accents

So there are weddings, and then there are w-e-d-d-i-n-g-s. You may not have the budget for the latter, but it's definitely worth a quick squiz at the pictures for ideas. After all there's nothing stopping you DIYing your details to keep costs down. Fannie and Leonard have to be the most elegant couple in the world, I totally adore their choices of silvery grey and sagey green {quick note for own wedding}, and Fannie's Monaco Couture gown is dreamy. Other stealworthy ideas include the ushers' matching neon sunglasses, the romantic vintage font on the stationery and the bridesmaids' mismatching bouquets. Just goes to show that if you keep the colour palette simple, you can play with variety on which flowers you use. Last but not least, check out the ice-cream sundae bar with pick-your-own topping....now we're talking! Gorgeous photographs as ever from the hugely talented team over at Stephanie Williams Photography.

A Jenny Packham Bridal Sample Sale

There's nothing I like more than a good wedding dress sample sale. The cost of gowns is insane, but we all want to look our best on our big day, and nothing feels more special than a truly divine dress. Luckily all the big designers have annual sample sales, you just need to track them down. One way is to read this blog {!}, the other is to check out the Brides Events Diary. In exceedingly exciting news, one of my favourite designers, Jenny Packham is hosting an end of line sale on 9th April, with {wait for it} up to 80% off bridal wear, accessories and lingerie. Jenny's known for her incredibly glamorous gowns, so this is definitely one for your diary. If you're worrying about the cost of your wedding day look, take a look at my blog post on how to buy your wedding dress for less.

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The Seven Best Apps for Planning Your Wedding

Like all of us, I'm slightly addicted to my iPhone. I've recently made myself go cold turkey at night - once I'm in bed, I'm not allowed to turn it on. It's made me start reading books again, and I'm no longer tweeting late at night! But I have to admit, I miss my late-night Pinterest binges, and I'm not as up to date with all the other wedding blogs I follow. If you're planning your wedding, there's a few Apps I really recommend downloading - they'll give you inspiration, and help you keep your ideas in order, and even help you with booking a rehearsal dinner.

Wonderful Wedding Blog Links

It's been about six months since I last posted on wonderful wedding blog links, and it's no coincidence that my youngest son just turned 7 months. It's been an epic half year - we moved to Dubai with two children under two, when Arthur was only 5 weeks old. I definitely wouldn't recommend it! As a consequence my blogging had to take a slight back seat, but now we're settled, and Arthur has started to sleep a bit better, I'm back at work, and loving it! I hope you're enjoying Before the Big Day - please do recommend it to all your friends. I'm still based half of the time in London, so this wedding blog will remain UK focused. And for those of you with children, please do check out my parenting blog Before the Baby.

{Photo Credit} Ali Harper - see more from this feather inspired wedding on Southern Weddings. Love this egg & feather themed wedding - perfect for spring and Easter big days

♥ The wedding that cost under £4000
♥ Old-school friendship bracelets - make them for your bridesmaids
♥ What a great idea for a wedding photo booth
♥ One of my favourite wedding invitations ever!
♥ A new way to get engaged
♥ An insanely gorgeous Midsummer Night's Dream
♥ The longest wedding table I've ever seen
♥ You'll love this woodland elopement
♥ Flamingos at a wedding - of course!
♥ A traditional pink & peony English wedding

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Before the Big Day - The Best UK Wedding Blog.

Seven Favourite Wedding Guest Book Ideas

Wedding days are all about making memories, and you're going to want to get as much down on film and paper as possible! Top of my 'what I'd rescue if the house was on fire list' is our wedding guest book. Nearly everyone who came to our wedding took a silly polaroid picture of themselves, and stuck it in the book with a lovely message. When I'm having one of 'those' days, there's nothing more uplifting than a quick flick through it. Now, there's all sorts of creative ideas for recording your guests, from jigsaws to collages, but my favourite is still a beautifully bound book. Take a look at my top picks this month.

{I want this!} Wedding Guest Book or Photo Album, £35 by ONR.

Styling Your Groom

Grooms fall into two categories. They either couldn't get a stuff about how they look, or in the months ahead of their wedding, they suddenly turn into a complete peacock, preoccupied with every detail of their outfit. In my experience, most grooms end up falling into the second group - it's just a question of when.........and needless to say, it's usually with two days to go. My husband finally realised that he needed to buy himself a tie 24 hours before we left for France. Luckily we lived in London, so he wasn't short of options, but honestly, I could have killed him!! Make sure that doesn't happen to you, by buying your man one of these fabulous, fashionable ties from V Knit. Stylish, slim, and they come in every colour......simples!

Mens Knitted Tie in Caspian Blue, £36 by V Knit

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Brilliant Bride & Bridesmaid Presents

Every year, I allow myself the luxury of a smart Smythson diary. As a stationery lover, the gilt-edged, pale blue, featherweight paper, teamed with soft lambskin makes my heart melt. But this year, my husband's grumbling at the cost {£180!} encouraged me to look further afield. Surely there must be something suitably decadent available, but without the hefty price tag? Well I'm thrilled to say I found the answer! Sloane Stationery offers beautiful handcrafted notebooks in a variety of sizes and colours, and I am over the moon with my 2015 diary in aqua blue. All their products can be personalised, and they're the perfect birthday present or hostess gift. Take a look a this stunning I Do Notebook for Brides, which you can personalise with your name, or why not order a few for your bridesmaids' presents. They also make matching photo albums for your wedding pictures. Sloane Stationery - elegant yet fun, and crazily reasonable. Check them out, you won't disappointed… I’ve certainly been converted!

Written by guest contributor Lou Marmabachi

{I want this!}  I Do Personalised Notebook for Brides from Sloane Stationery, £49

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