Morning everyone – my usual Friday morning inspiration boards are coming up a littel later than usual today, given the fact I've had a very sick baby to contend with. Poor little lamb 🙁 Teething is not nice! Check back around mid-morning for all that is glittering and sequin and gold and silver – I have rather an obsession with all things sparkling at the moment.
Let's kick start the morning for now with the beautiful nuptials of Emily and Simon, who got married on 28 October at St Augustine’s College in Westgate-on-sea, Kent.
Emily tells me she was rather addicted to Love My Dress in the run up to her wedding. Perhaps that's where she discovered her dress designer, Joanne Fleming of Brighton – one of my favourite ever independent dress designers…
"I had always been convinced that i was born without the ‘bride gene’. Having not spent any of my childhood fantasising about this dress i found it very hard picturing what it might be like.
I went to several traditional bridal wear shops to get some ideas but i found myself rushing to exit feeling really rather squeamish! I have always had a love of all things old fashioned, i guess because if someone else has created something classic and stylish why try and re-invent the wheel!"
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Photography Copyright (c) 2011, Tino & Pip
"We used peacock feathers pretty much everywhere. In the lounge bar i used some fresh flowers and vases from Simon’s parents house as well as a few succulent plants potted into glass wear i picked up from various flea markets and charity shops.
The typewriter and cameras were ebay purchases and the picture frames were family heirlooms given to me by my Nan, i believe my great granddad made them!
I wanted the tables to be a bit mix and match. The general idea was peacock feathers, deco and black and white film noir glamour. I think it was more a collection of random things i liked the look of!"
"Joanne Fleming was fantastic, i told her what sorts of things i liked and how i wanted the dress to fit my shape and gradually over several appointments the dress took shape. It felt wonderful knowing that this dress would be mine alone and that it would fit so perfectly.
It surpassed my expectations, i felt truly amazing in it and i will treasure it forever…"
"My shoes were the second pair i got, the original ones were plain and safe and completely not me. I loved the idea of having a pop of colour under my dress, they were Iron Fist…"
"The bridesmaids dresses were from Monsoon. I was happy for the girls (Bridget, Lisa and Alex) to choose whatever they were happy in and i wanted them to be able to wear it again. I didn’t really have any idea on colour at that stage. I was really concerned that it would be tricky to find something that suited all of them but they all looked stunning.
We were lucky enough to be in a larger Monsoon store that had a wedding dress cut in a similar shape to mine so all four of us were able to dress up and pretend it was the big day and get an idea of what we would all look like. That was one of the most exciting parts of planning our day!"
"The Secret Garden in Cliftonville, Margate, did my bouquet, the button holes and bridesmaids flowers as well as some of the large glass bowls dotted around the venue. I chose Liz at The Secret Garden first and foremost because she was so nice and she genuinely listened to what i wanted.
I wanted to keep it local and had, had several bad experiences of other florists telling me what i should have and the quoting ridiculous amounts of money. Liz was able to make up examples as i gave her ideas so i could really see what it would look like…"
"Being all together without bridal inclination, I was convinced that i would not wear a veil. But as I became more and more hooked on scouring the internet for inspiration I discovered the ‘bird cage’ veil. Worried that it would not suit me or the dress I decided to buy a lace head band from America.
A couple of weeks before the big day, I decided not to wear it and completed changed what I wanted to do with my hair. I was beginning to panic over what to have on my head! Two days before the wedding to kill some time in the evening i started to play around with some netting that my soon to be mother in law had brought for 25p! And voila!"
"The Chapel at St Augustine’s is just such a stunning room. Once they venue mentioned that we could sit down to eat and have the evening party all in that one space we were sold! Also having looked at lots of traditional and very pricey venues all over the place we were pleasantly surprised by what they had on offer.
I have a tendency to get incredibly stressed and it just so happened to be literally behind where Simon’s parents live so i knew that anyone of us could just pop round and check on things whenever we needed to, in the days leading up to the big day…."
"My Dad gave me away, and I walked down the aisle to Barry Louis Polisar's song "All I Want Is You" from the film JUNO, it was magical…"
"Simon and I went to school together, i knew him through mutual friends and i also went out with one of his friends! We got together just before i went to university over a shared love of travelling, he had just visited the Amazon and I had spent a long time in India. Our friendship and relationship grew despite being miles apart for several years…"
I am LOVING the succulents used in these teacups! Get more succulent style inspiration here…
"I chose succulents because as a child i used to grow them in my bedroom and i loved the idea of being able to keep them…"
"We used peacock feathers pretty much everywhere. In the lounge bar i used some fresh flowers and vases from Simon’s parents house as well as a few succulent plants potted into glass wear i picked up from various flea markets and charity shops.
The typewriter and cameras were ebay purchases and the picture frames were family heirlooms given to me by my Nan, i believe my great granddad made them!
I wanted the tables to be a bit mix and match. The general idea was peacock feathers, deco and black and white film noir glamour. I think it was more a collection of random things i liked the look of!"
"I love art deco architecture and 1920s and 30s style. I have always loved the way women dressed in really old movies, particularly the early ‘talkies’. Living in Brighton was ahuge inspiration, i would wander the flea market and the lanes and charity shops my head buzzing with ideas!
My Nan and late Auntie Vera influenced me a lot as they would always dress up for special occasions, looking really glamourous. I always loved looking at pictures of them when they were younger. My Nan kept a huge dressing up box of dresses, gloves, handbags, hats and fascinators which i would prance around in at every opportunity as a child!
I wanted our families to be part of the decorations as they are so important. So many of our guests commented on the decorations and old photos, it was really special…"
Words of Wedded Wisdom…
"Think of all the people you are inviting and imagine the best party ever and that is what it will be like. Remember to enjoy the process, once the day arrives you will be able to stand back and admire your handy work. If it is really important, you will make it happen, if it isn’t it won’t really matter.
The best part is seeing all your special people smiling and having a fantastic day and being part of it.
Our first dance was Anyone Else But You byThe Moldy Peaches, also features in JUNO, love it. Adam, Lisa and John played it which made it extra special. Near the end everyone got up and joined in. I will never forget that feeling of having everyone around smiling and just enjoying being there with us…"
I love the film noir influences of this wedding – so glamorous and that dress? Comletely to die for. One day, I will own a Joanne Fleming dress of my own!
Huge thanks to Photographers Tino & Pip for sending these images in for sharing…
"Originally we came across Penny and Martin (aka Tino & Pip) at a wedding fair, similar to my wedding dress shopping experience we were left feeling rather queezy following the wedding fair. However the photographer’s album really caught our eye. Having chatted to them briefly Simon and i were struck by how normal easy to get on with they were. They seemed happy just to listen to our ramblings about what we liked and didn’t like. After looking at their website we were convinced that they could deliver the experience we wanted, a relaxed day capturing all the special moments without having to say ‘CHEESE’!"
Penny and Martin are incredible talented, photography is obviously their passion and not just a job, this comes across in every image they produce…"
Is anyone else embracing art-deco style for their wedding day?
Back soon my loves, have a good Friday morning…
Much love,
Annabel
♥
ps – Quick reminder for those not in the know, that yesterday I launched a week long promotion with Glitzy Secrets where all my readers can enjoy a 25% discount on any order up until 8 December – as well as enter a competition to win £150 in Glitzy Secret vouchers. Pop along here to find out more.
Photographer – Tino & Pip
Venue – St Augustine’s College in Westgate-on-sea, Kent
Brides dress – Joanne Fleming
Brides shoes – Iron Fist
Brides Veil – Made by the Bride
Grooms Suit – John Lewis + Kurt Geiger shoes
Bridesmaids – Monsoon
Flowers – The Secret Garden in Cliftonville
Cake – Friend of the family
Hair and make-up Artist – Dannique from Beauty Call
Annabel View all Annabel's articles
Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.
