Love My Dress Wedding Blog - A UK Wedding Blog

Reader Vote Required ~ twobirds Bridesmaid £500 Giveaway....

Good afternoon :)  Back in early January, I featured this twobirds UK promotion on Love My Dress, which offered my readers a chance to win two twobirds Bridesmaids dresses from the 'Classic Collection' - with a value of £500.

As part of the promotion, we asked readers to share with us their stories of how they asked their brides to, well, be their bridesmaids! ;)  It has taken Michelle Hailey, the Manager of twobirds UK and Europe, almost a week to shorlist the many wonderful entries we received, and today my lovely jubblies - I am delighted to share these favourites with you, and invite you to help us identify a winner.

I'm opening this voting opportunity up until midnight on Friday 3rd February, and the winner will be announced on the blog the next morning, along with the winners of these Love Illustated and Hermione Harbutt promotions.

So let's get down to it and view our short-listed competition entries - in no particular order...

 

1. Alison Gonzalez - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, the 'Knotted Capped Sleeve'...

 

Alison's competition entry:-

"Firstly, I have chosen my beautiful younger cousin Nicola, she is extremely creative and we have very similar tastes in most things. She also obviously knows me very well. My very old friend Kerry. She remembers the first day i started school. Incredible! I have trouble remembering what happened last week. This might be dangerous when it comes to the hen party. She's been there through thick and thin. And finally, an old colleague and very good friend Sarah. She is a gorgeous person who loves nothing better than a good rummage around second hand shops followed by tea and cake. She is also a dab hand when it comes to crafting and is incredibly calm. I can see this being handy in the run up to the wedding and on the day.

Nicola has just finished a Masters in Publishing with distinction. She has a passion for books so I bought a tiny book shelf which was intended for a dolls house. I cut open one of the model books and wrote a tiny message inside asking her to be my bridesmaid.

Kerry and I used to 'cook' and bake a lot when we were kids. French toast being our speciality. So I bought a cube shaped cookie cutter and filled it with retro sweets and a pretty card in which I wrote a note asking her to honour me by being one of my bridesmaids.

Sarah adores old leather bags. I found a tiny satchel from the same dolls house shop I had bought the book shelf for Nicola. I made a mini envelope and wrote a letter. I found a very sweet poem about friendship and asked her to be by my side on my special day. I also told her I wouldn't make her to do a reading. She has been asked to make readings at every wedding she has attended recently and I wanted to give her a break. I may regret having done this. She has a lovely voice and loves poetry so she would have been a perfect candidate."

twobirds thoughts....

The effort and thought Alison put in to the way she asked her bridesmaids to be in her bridal party really touched me. It amazes me how much effort brides go to now to ask their bridesmaids and Alison really went the extra mile in asking her girls, I imagine it made them feel incredibly special and now we'd love to give them the opportunity to feel even more so in our gorgeous dresses.

 

♥   ♥   ♥

2. Victoria Ashman - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, the 'Grecian One Shoulder'...

Victoria's competition entry:-

"I'm very blessed with amazing women in my life - so it wasn't easy to choose (see below) but I asked my beautiful sister Sarah and a very close friend Vikks.

Here is the extract from the introduction I sent to all 10 close girlfriends of mine to explain why - I didn't want anyone to feel that they were not included, so kept it light, but it does perfectly describe why i would like those two fabulous women with me on the day.  Both women are gorgeous, but completely diff sizes, 22 and 14 so the right dress for the right personality and shape will be so important for them to feel special on the day.

"I’m thrilled to be getting married to the man I love, but of course, I’m a little scared….I’ll need all of my pals to get me to the aisle in one piece – for some added and documented responsibilities I’ve asked Sarah and Vikks to wear a dress of my choosing (promise no bows!) on the day and stand with me – mainly to make sure if I do faint, I won’t hit the floor!

Selfishly selected, as they are the two people who can snap me out of a tantrum in seconds (unfortunately for them, they have had to prove it on more then one occasion!), lets hope they protect everyone from those Bridezilla moments!  Vikks and Sarah have accepted the challenge graciously - wish them luck, and now they know you have too, you may be on their speed dial for assistance!

Love you loads ! Vic xx"

I emailed all the special women in my life in one go - with an attachment which was a brief introduction to each other.  I'm 30 and so have close friends from all aspects of my life - school, drinking pals, being a godparent to their children, family etc.

It was so lovely having the opportunity to tell them collectively but under each heading of their name, why they are in this special group of 10 women and why I appreciate them.

Here is an extract ( regarding Sarah and Victoria)...

"Sarah – my lovely sister, 2 yrs older, 2 foot shorter ! I love Sarah….I rely on her sisterly love WAY too much but do appreciate it ! We have strutted our stuff at plenty of gigs (although don’t think I’ll forgive her for 30 seconds to Mars) and she has been one of the few who over the yrs have met  dates/boyfriends..…so she has some tales to tell ! My life would not be as rich as it is today without Sarah and in return I have promised to try to invite a single, motorbike riding hot guy to the wedding 

Victoria Laslett – I met Vikks through Emz (old school pals) – and we have been firm friends ever since a flight to Denmark, and subsequently staying up all night at Emz place talking about boyfriend disasters and successes (just like a brownie camp)!   She is a born organiser and has rescued me on a number of occasions with her skill set. One of those people who would do anything or anyone that needed her, one of the most selfless people I know – although she would also do anything for a new pair of Duo Boots, a fact her husband has relied upon time and time again." 

twobirds thoughts...

There are two reasons we chose Victoria - the first was the touching diplomacy with which she contacted everyone she would have loved to have had in her bridal party to let them know who her two maids would be and why. It can be so tricky with so many friends and she dealt with the situation perfectly. The second is that she has understands the essence of twobirds perfectly, two very different bridesmaids who will each be able to rock their body shape in whichever style they please to feel fantastic on the day! Ariane founded twobirds for two very good reasons, to have a dress that made everyone look and feel gorgeous and that they would be able to wear again afterwards!
 

 

♥   ♥   ♥

 

3. Stacey Scullion - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, the 'Plunging Buckle'...

Stacy's competition entry:-

"I have asked my 5 nearest and dearest girls to be my bridesmaids;

Robyn - my oldest friend from school. We joined forces as mutual fans of East 17 while the rest of the girls were in the Take That camp! Robyn remains my loyal and true friend today... you know that saying 'even if we dont see each other for months at a time, it feels like we just spoke yesterday' - well thats us.

Michelle - the sister I never had. Michelle is my brother's girlfriend and my Saturday afternoon shopping and 'pottering' partner in crime. Having also lived together, we often find ourselves and our manerisms morphing into one!

Debra - Ive known Debra for 11 years and she is my 'mischief and laugh until you cry friend'....we are definitely not to be left to our own devices or there are sure to be (often wine fuelled) mishaps and silliness! And I love every minute!!

Andrea - A true friend for the past six years , Andrea tied the knot herself in 2011, so we have spent the past 18 months together getting giddily excited about all things weddings and sharing some lovely moments in planning mode!  (I did'nt whinge once as we assembled and filled 90 favour birdcage boxes together one sunny Saturday afternoon in her garden, nor did she shout at me when we realised they were all inside out!!!)

Lisa - Christian's (my husband-to-be) sister is my fifth bridesmaid. Although ive only really started to get to know Lisa in depth, she already feels like my family. We also share a great love for shoes....say no more!

I also feel I must mention Alexandra, my dear friend from long ago whom I have spent many special moments and life experiences with travelling and generally growing up together in the last 10 years. Unfortunately (but also amazingly) she is pregnant with a little bundle of joy and will be unable to travel at the time of our wedding in Ibiza (big sad face). She is however, due on 8 June 2012.....the actual date of the wedding! Very special! She will be there in my heart and will be my 'spiritual bridesmaid'.

twobirds thoughts...

Stacy's entry resonated with me in so many ways, I think she epitomises today's group of bridesmaids - five girls, all from different times in your life that you've grown with in different ways and each add something to your life for different reasons. East 17, getting married at the same time, pottering about together, it just made me smile and think of so many of the lovely brides and maids we see her at twobirds that have the wonderful dynamics of long lasting friendship and speak volumes about what a bridesmaid is to the bride and vice versa in today's world.

 

♥   ♥   ♥

 

4. Jade Hardy - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, 'The Knotted Tank'...

Jade's competition entry:-

"I have my two best friends in the whole world, Ali and Anne, and my sister Amber. Myself, Ali and Anne have been friends for 15 years now, we met on the first day on secondary school and that was that! We're so close, our other halves call us the 'Witches of Eastwick' when because we can be a bit misbehaved when we're together :) Amber is 19, and a proper tomboy.

I am relishing the opportunity to get her in a dress! Both Ali and Amber fell pregnant around the same time, and are due in May- which really scuppers the dress buying plans! I've been keeping twobirds in the back of my mind as I know they'll make perfect post-baby dresses and neither of them will have to worry about their bodies changing shape and dresses not fitting!

How did you, or how do you plan to ask your Bridesmaids if they will do the honours on your wedding day? With Ali and Anne, it was a given- there could be no better people to be my bridesmaids! Though I did take Anne to a vintage dress shop, got her to pick a favourite and try it on, then said 'Oh, you should wear that for your bridesmaids dress'! And Amber was another given.  I've had it very easy really!"

twobirds thoughts...

Both her bridesmaids are due to give birth just before her wedding. My god daughter was born a month before my wedding and there honestly couldn't have been a more perfect dress for my best friend to wear than the twobirds Ballgown she shined in. No time consuming fittings or pressure to get back to pre baby weight, she had a bandeau to cover up and pop cups in and just felt so comfortable and looked and felt stunning! The perfect solution for Jade's bridesmaids who will both have new bundles of joy!

 

♥   ♥   ♥

 

So there you have it my wonderful readers. Please help us find a worthy winner from Alison, Victoria, Stacey and Jade's entries above - pop the name of your favoured finalist in a comment below and the winner with the largest number of votes will be announced on Love My Dress on Saturday morning :)

Good luck everyone! Remember the voting deadline is midnight this Friday! :)

Much love,

Annabel

♥

Sussex and International Wedding Photographer ~ Chris Giles...

Lunchtime! Time to be sat at your desk working browsing through even more of Love My Dress for inspiration, ideas, suppliers, and making sure you've already stopped by these two posts already today :)

Have you booked your wedding photographer yet? If not, I'd like to introduce you to one that should be on your short-list.  Meet Chris Giles - he's from Sussex but works photographing weddings all over Europe.

I asked Chris how he fell into being a wedding photographer...

"I’m a naturally happy person who likes to surround himself with other happy people. Weddings are the best place for that; I love the warmth between the couple, the guests and everyone involved on the day.

The thought that I will be presenting them with something to treasure forever is very satisfying and a great responsibility..."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Chris Giles Photography

"I’ve always been artistic and my parents were antique dealers so I always had lots of unusual pretty things around me, mainly from the Art Deco period and early 1950’s..."

"I look at a weddings as being a living breathing thing with each one having it’s own unique personality. I essentially take its pulse and interpret the day as I see it.

My style is hard to quantify. I respect traditional wedding photography but with a twist. The relaxed reportage look is my strong point but there will always be the need for formals with a further sprinkling of contemporary images in order to create diversity in the final album..."

"It wouldn’t be out of place for me to carry 3D glasses and I’m not a venue snob. I’ll cover everything from Registry offices to Manor houses as it’s the people I’m most interested in.

Whenever I take an image I try to capture something that will engage the viewer for more than just a fleeting glance..."

How would you describe your signature style?
"Relaxed informal and undemanding. The best pictures aren’t scripted...."

How To Respond When Guests Don't Reply To Their Wedding Invitation...

Morning again everyone ~ here's a bit of a mid-morning discussion post for you.

Late yesterday evening I received an email from a regular Love My Dress reader/distressed bride to be, who has given me permission to replicate, anonymously, the following part of her email...

"...frustrated doesn't even come into it, we are due to marry early March and sent our invites out shortly before Christmas. Knowing that the christmas cards might cause a distraction, I emailed as many people as I could too.  To date, we re waiting on replies to 19 of the 72 invites we sent out. I'm so busy planning last minute wedding things and trying to hold down a full time job that I'm not even sure I'll have in two months time that the idea of having to chase these people up sends me in to a cold spin! I don't have the time or the energy right now to phone everyone and feel loathed that I would even have to given they haven't replied to their invite, but my venue need to know numbers and we need to settle bills and given the budget is pretty tight, we don't want to have to pay for people who may not turn up on the day.

Have you any advice for how I should respond to those people who've not sent me their RSVP? All/any help at all much apprecaited!"

Image from the 'Frosty Forest' Collection, by Artcadia

Hmmm.  The guest who doesn't respond to their wedding invite.

How do you respond to this?

Very luckily, I didn't actually have any guests who didn't respond.  Sure, some of them left it right up until the eleventh hour to send their RSVP back - which was a stress causer in itself, but they all replied in the end. I can imagine had they not have done, it would have been one right royal pain having to chase them up. And I'd have been one very frustrated bride to be - last thing you need as the final stages of the wedding planning fall upon you.

And it's so disheartening too. Never mind whether you've pained over many late nights in a dimly lit room applying your glue pen and adhesive crystals to your DIY stationery or paid a princely sum for sumptuous bespoke letterpress stationery - it's the mere thought that a friend, relative, no matter how close or distant, couldn't be bother to confirm their attendance at such an important event that really stings.

19 out of 72 invitations? That's presumably approximately, potentially, up to 38 people, right? That's a REALLY BIG DEAL when it comes to planning and budgeting! I really feel this Bride's pain.

I guess as far as etiquette goes, not responding to a wedding invitation is a pretty low in my books.  But I'd really like to help my anxious Bride to remain calm and keep things in perspective.

So, how do you plan on dealing with non-responses, or, if you are already married-happily-ever-after, how did you deal with non-responses at the time?

Wedding planners - what would you advise?

I'd love your thoughts and feedback on this one my lovelies.  Let's help my reader/distressed bride to be - I'm just about to email her back to let her know about this post.

Many many thanks and love,

Annabel

♥

 

You can browse through many more discussion posts on Love My Dress here...

Billy Buttons, Yellow Beads and Bicycles ~ A Relaxed Swedish, Summer Garden Party Wedding...

 

"Follow your hearts and do what feels right. There are no rules stating how a wedding
must look or be so do it your own way and you will feel much more relaxed
and then you guests will feel more relaxed!"

 

Morning ladies and gents :) I'm delighted to be taking a trip overseas for this morning's wedding-day inspiration. It is one of my personal targets to visit Sweden soon - I just love the laid-back vibe that emanates from this  beautiful country. I dream of being there...

Laid back and relaxing were the buzz words for Lisa and Simon {although you'd never have guessed it looking at those images below of the couple cylcing to their hearts content!}.  The wedding took place on 13 September in the garden at Linneaträdgården in Helsingborg and was a beautiful colour-burst of  yellow, from the accessories and deocor to Simon's lovely billy button boutonniere...

"We were inspired by the bohemian greenhouse setting, which made us aim for a relaxed wedding. Of course the colour yellow was our signature colour. The dots was not intended as a theme from the beginning but when Lisa had bought her dress with the dotted tulle we just found ourselves finding more and more dotted accessories (Simons socks and handkerchief).

Even the flowers (the Billy Buttons) fit that theme..."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2011, Anna Rostrom

Don't you love that cute yellow glass pearl-bracelet? It belonged to Lisa's Grandmother, who passed away when she was seven years old...

"Linda is a dear friend of mine who no longer works as a florist but did an amazing job with our flowers. The only flower I knew I wanted was “the yellow balls” also known as Craspedia Globosa or Billy Buttons. We wanted that bohemian feel to to our wedding day styling..."

 

"The phrase “Du & Jag” means You and Me in Swedish and it’s a phrase that has been following us around for a long time. We decided to engrave “Du & Jag” in our engagement-rings. So when it came to customize the Converse’s we knew instantly what the heelstripe should say!

We met in school at age 15 and some months later we became a couple. Simon proposed to Lisa at home by the kitchen table by going down on one knee. We got married two years later."

Lisa's pretty dress was a design by Tekla

"I knew from the beginning that I wanted a short wedding dress with tulle and a 50’s style to it, but still modern. I loved how easy my Tekla dress was to dance in, jump around and just be myself in my dress! I never felt uncomfortable, just pretty..."

How To Organise Wedding Entertainment ~ Advice From Expert Entertainment Suppliers, Sternberg Clarke...

Afternoon lovelies! For this late afternoon post, I'd like to hand over to my colleague Alice Chorley of Sternberg Clarke.  Sternberg Clarke are a leading supplier of entertainment for corporate events, weddings and parties and having been to a number of events where they organised the entertainment, I know these guys know what they are doing - but with 18 years in the business, they're going to, of course.

A truly creative team, Sternberg Clarke don't just book acts 'off the shelf' - they offer innovative solutions, adapting acts to suit each client’s requirements. They will also, when possible, oversee the event to co-ordinate the entertainment.

Alice offered to write this guest post for Love My Dress after enjoying reading through some of the other How To and DIY tutorial posts on Love My Dress. You can view further details about all the entertainment acts you see on this page, and more, via the Sternberg Clarke entertainment brochure. Over to you Alice...

 

♥   ♥   ♥

Having a Brief....

If you are working with a wedding planner or entertainment agency, always try to think of a brief (even if you don’t end up sticking to it!) This could be as simple as ‘Mumford & Sons are our favourite band’ Or as complex as “1930s Parisian take on 80s Hair Metal” (Please don’t ask for that, I made it up…!)

Also, a budget is always really useful.  Entertainment agencies have a huge number of bands and musicians who they work with regularly and although all Sternberg Clarke acts have to brave our grueling audition process and therefore meet our exacting standards, they do still charge different amounts depending on experience and popularity so knowing how much we’re working with helps to make suitable recommendations.

Kitty - Vocalist...

Urban Soul Orchestera...

 

Timings are of the Essence...

From a planning point of view, it’s really useful to know timings for the whole day.  Other acts, speeches and all kinds of different factors can affect the arrangements for the band; for instance, the band or act may need to be set-up (and sound check) a few hours before they are actually due to play.  This is quite normal, but an early set up time can mean the difference between a half day and a full day’s work for a band which can, obviously affect the price.

Most bands will quote for either 3 x 45 minute sets over a 3 hour period or 2 x 1 hour sets over a 2.5/3 hour period. This will almost always include the band playing recorded music during their breaks, but if you are booking a band directly, be sure to check this...

The Strumpettes - Ukuele/Close Harmony Trio...

Booth Street West jazz ensemble...

 

Don’t Feel Restricted by Sound Restrictions...

While it may seem like rules limiting decibel levels and band sizes are just there to spoil the party – these restrictions are often created in the best interest of the wedding guests. A cavernous hall that accommodates hundreds of guests is perfect for sprawling 10 piece swing ensembles, but an intimate venue is more suited towards a smaller band – venues and their preferred suppliers are often aware of the sizes and line ups that work best and are always happy to give advice.

The same goes for sound limits, which can be enforced by anything from an electronic limited that cuts the power to equipment if the sound gets too high, or simply the venue manager watching  sound levels with a decibel meter. This is common in wedding venues and it’s nothing to worry about –with a few line-up changes, most bands can work in any venue and there are always plenty of options to consider.

Wing - strolling string duo...

 

PAT Testing & Production...

When you were planning your dream wedding as a child, chances are that you weren’t thinking about trailing wires, PAT testing and production costs (it’d be worrying if you were) but thinking carefully about production, lighting and PAT testing early on is key to avoiding hassle further down the line.

When you receive a quote, be sure to check what the cost includes; most agencies and bands will quote for lighting (that will light the dance floor area, but not the whole room) and sound equipment for up to around 200 people. Smaller bands may not have their own lighting and sound equipment and will quote a price “Plus Production” which means that production will need to be quoted for separately from a production company which will vary depending on size of venue, number of guests and the ease with which they can gain access and set up equipment at the venue...

Jazz band, swing band and ratpack singer Kevin...

All bands, musicians and DJs that use electrical equipment need to be PAT tested.  This stands for Portable Appliance Tested; it costs very little for the act to do it and is very easy to arrange through a qualified electrician. When the act has this done they will receive a certificate that lists all of the equipment that was tested and also each item will have a green sticker on it that will indicate that it has passed and when it will need to be re-tested.

The Blind Tigers, New Orleans Jazz Band...

It may seem like a trifling matter in the grand scheme of things but PAT Testing is vital as all venues will specify that they need this in order to use their electrical points.

Win £100 To Spend At The 'SoLovesVintage' Online Boutique ~ Plus All Competition Entrants Will Receive A 10% Discount Code...

 

** Click here to visit the Love My Dress Facebook promotions page to enter this competition - mobile device users - click here **

 

Afternoon my lovelies!   How do you fancy winning yourself a nice little voucher for £100 to spend at a beautiful online boutique that specailises in selling some really exquisite vintage dresses and jewellery?

I thought you might :)

Since launching in May 2009, SoLovesVintage has successfully established itself as one of the leading online vintage boutiques, offering amazing pieces with impeccable packaging and excellent customer service.  Owner Sofia Tourlakidou talks passionatly about helping women realise that they can develop their personal style to express their personality, not only from the high street, but also past decades...

"Once upon a time, while I was looking for a job in Fashion Industry, I stumbled upon a business idea that combined my two biggest loves: fashion and ladies vintage fashion. I see vintage dressing as an extension of my personality.  The hunt for the ‘perfect outfit’ is so strong that the rush of adrenaline it gives me each and every time is more intense than even a bungee jump or jumping out of a plane!"

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, SoLovesVintage

"I started wearing vintage clothing from very young age - I always preferred to wear pieces that nobody else would own. There is nothing worse than turning up to a Christmas party or black tie event in the same outfit as someone else, as vintage clothing removes that fear.

While I was conducting research for the site, I realised that there weren’t many vintage shops that would allow you to find that special item at the click of a mouse, instead they encouraged hours worth of searching to find that hidden treasure..."

"The craftsmanship of ladies vintage fashion is unquestionable, when compared to today’s standards and all of our vintage dresses are fully lined, the inside stitching is utterly refined and totally exquisite. All of our items are dry cleaned and you can even read our handy care guide to help you to prolong the life of your new vintage clothing purchase.

With well known celebrity vintage lovers including, Kate Moss, the Olsen sisters and Dita Von Teese, vintage shopping is becoming less intimidating and more enjoyable for many women. You don’t need to be a die-hard vintage expert or millionaires to buy from us, our blog will give you some handy hints and tips on creating looks from various decades, how to mix and match your outfits and what to look for from different designers..."

"Through SoLovesVintage.com - my vision is to create an online vintage boutique, which includes a selection of hand-picked, beautifully made affordable vintage clothing and accessories that are individual, unique, and will provide you with a piece of history that will complement your personality and body shape.

I source clothes according to my taste, craftsmanship, fabric and wearability. Even though contemporary designers are influenced by past decades, vintage fashion is about individuality and what works for you, rather than what comes down the runway...."

Vintage 78 Gramophone DJs and Champagne Served From A Caravan ~ A Relaxed Vintage Inspired Marquee Wedding...

Morning lovers :)  Well I have the joy of trying to get through to the tax office today - wish me luck!!! All I'm saying is thank goodness they have extended the deadline to 2nd Feb.  Anyway, ramblings over, let's look at the first real wedding I've got ready to feature this week - this time a darling little 'afternoon tea', English chintz style affair, where champagne was served from a caravan whilst the gramophone DJ's served up some vintage style entertainment for the newlyweds and guests at this lovely summertime marquee wedding.

Meet Andy and Claire, who tied the knot on 20th August last year with a ceremony at St Mary's Church in Ullenhall (near Henley in Arden in Warwickshire), followed by a marquee reception held in Claire's parents garden {how lucky!}. 

Claire told me that right from the off, they knew what kind of wedding they wanted to have, and that meant steering away from anything too formal...

"I have a real love of vintage fashion (as I'm naturally curvy so it suits me better!) and I love the 1940s and '50s.  I go to the Goodwood Revival every year with work and always come back even more inspired.

We definitely weren't purists in terms of choosing an 'era' and just used the 'vintage' theme loosely.  The family wedding photos (our grandparent's in wartime, and our parents in the early 1960s) were a real source of inspiration to us actually, and finished it all off beautifully..."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Chris Barber Photography

"The bridesmaids' dresses proved far, far trickier than my own wedding dress!  I knew that I wanted something vintage-looking, but just never saw anything in the shops that grabbed me and hated the idea of one of the guests turning up in the same dress if I bought something from the usual suspects on the high street. 

A year or so ago I'd had a beautiful vintage brocade dress made by Dig For Victory (who I'd stumbled across online), and so I contacted Eleanor to see what she might be able to do.  She made me two gorgeous prom dresses from a mauve vintage taffeta and a rose brocade which my 2 beautiful bridesmaids wore with net petticoats underneath (which they weren't so keen on at first, but I had to wrestle them out of at the end of the night!)..."

"I knew that I wanted to go for an afternoon tea rather than a formal three course meal, and that I wanted to find some mis-matched crockery to give it a quirky vintage feel.  Whilst we were at the Designer Vintage Bridal Show,  we met Cheryl from Vintage Glamour Days and she was absolutely fabulous! 

Not only did she provide all of the crockery, vintage lace overlays for the tables, vintage champagne coupes and all of the gorgeous cake stands, but she also brought Audrey with her, a little pea-green vintage caravan which she served the champagne from when everyone arrived..."

"I met Karen and Gemma from Passion for Flowers again at the Designer Vintage Bridal Show in Birmingham and fell in love with the vintage-coloured roses they had on display in a candelabra.  We were finding that, despite not having a set colour theme for the day, things were naturally veering towards soft pinks, blues and greens and it all suddenly seemed to come together.

We decided on a mix of peppermint, sweet avalanche, ocean song, amnesia and vintage cream spray roses with delft blue hydrangea, blue agapanthus with eucalyptus parvi and garden herbs..."

"My sister in law (who is an absolute miracle with anything creative) made metres and metres of bunting for us which was strung up everywhere, so that added to the relaxed, vintage theme...."

Guests were entertained by the wonderful gramophone playing DJs, 'It's A Windup!'...

"My bouquet carried the hydrangeas and roses too, and the local village florist, Judy, matched the reception flowers perfectly and put the most beautiful floral arch outside the church for us as well as some flowers on all of the windowsills.

Passion for Flowers also did us some fresh rose petals for the confetti, which was put in a basket in the porch of the church for everyone to grab a handful."

"Andy's much more creative then me and made the table plan by finding some beautiful vintage adverts which he then photoshopped to include the guests' names. We then put the original advert on the tables and it was a real talking point.  He also made a fabulous bar menu in the same way.

We weren’t sure what the weather was going to be like on the day, so we hedged our bets and put out a basket of umbrellas and a basket of flip flops (mainly for the dancefloor in case of sore feet from high heels all day).

I ought to also say a word about our invitations and orders of service, which were done beautifully by Bianca at Two For Joy Paper who I stumbled across on Folksy.  They were one of the first things that we got fixed in terms of the details and they set the tone for the rest of the planning as she has some lovely vintage options.  She was absolutely lovely to deal with (and a lot less expensive than some of the other options that I’d seen along the way)"

"I started off by being certain that I didn't want to have a 'corporate' feeling wedding.  It's what I do every day (with MUCH bigger budgets) and I really wanted to get away from a very formal, precise, match-the-cravats-to-the-cake-to-the-chair-sashes type of wedding.  Not that there's anything remotely wrong with that, it's just that I do 'formal' every day, and also it wouldn't have felt right for us – the one thing that a lot of the guests said after the wedding was that it was all very "us" and that makes me happy...."

**Win** A Set of Personalised, Rustic Wedding Signs Courtesy of notonthehighstreet.com...

Afternoon my lovelies ;)) If this is your first visit to Love My Dress today, make sure you go here and here before you go on.  Now I've been a little bit excited about this afternoon and the opportunity to introduce my readers to that wonderful online store front for a myriad of brilliant designers that is notonthehighstreet.com.  I adore notonthehighstreet.com and spent an age in there purchasing a vast number of pieces to help me style my wedding day, and have been an avid fan ever since.

Back in October when I attended The Luxury Wedding Show in London, I got a chance to meet the notonthehighstreet.com team and was delighted to find they are all rather a lovely bunch and a little bit generous too - take a peek at these lovely rustic style weddings, because notonthehighstreet.com. are offering you a personalised set of your own! Over to you, notonthehighstreet.com...

♥   ♥   ♥

We are notonthehighstreet.com, an online marketplace for creative designers and small boutiques. We provide a unique and award-winning wedding gift list service, offering couples a chance to combine the pretty with the practical by choosing beautifully personalised gifts that guests will love to give.

We also have a vast and original collection of wedding styling products, from stationery and favours to personalised bunting and table decorations...

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Imagery Supplied via Delightful Living, c/o notonthehighstreet.com

We’ve been eagerly working with Love My Dress and one of our wonderful sellers, Delightful Living, on a wonderful competition for you all. Take a look at the images above and see what you can win!

A Personalised Hanging Sign, a Personalised Moment In Time Sign and a Personalised Handmade Wedding Sign could be all yours: each handmade sign will be lovingly personalised with your names and choice of wording...

The signs range from small to large and the winner will have a chance to get creative with personalisation. Not only will the signs will look great on your wedding day, they’ll remain cherished keepsakes of your wedding and quirky decorations for your home for years to come...

For your chance to win, please share with us your personal ‘moment in time’. It can be as funny or as sentimental as you like, for example: was it a special holiday you shared together, the moment you met, The Proposal, or maybe even just a moment when you realised you were going to spend your lives together?

Whatever it is, we’d love to hear it!

And that's it! Easy as pie!  Enter now by leaving your 'moment in time' as a comment below :) The option to leave a comment will be closed at midnight on Friday and the winner will be announced next week on the blog.

In the meantime, why don't you go for a good look around notonthehighstreet.com - you know you'd far rather be doing that than working right now...! ;)

Much love and heaps of GOOD LUCK everyone.

Annabel

♥