Love My Dress UK Wedding Blog

A Stylish, Sophisticated And Stripey Mad Men Inspired Wedding

Happy lunch time gorgeous ones :) Welcome to our beautiful real wedding feature today, a fun yet stylishly blue, Mad Men inspired affair, involving one bride and her fondness for stripey tights.

Victoria and Louis tied the knot on 24 February this year at Nonsuch Mansion in Cheam, as it was the only wedding venue upon inspection that made Louis instantly smile.

"We met on Guardian Soul Mates, we didn't spend long communicating online before we decided to meet up and arranged a date at the IMAX, 5 weeks later we moved in together!  Fast forward two years and Louis proposed while we were swimming in the sea in Cuba. We were engaged for a year and a half.

Originally we were thinking a Mad Men theme, but not fancy dress, just in terms of the style and sophistication of the day, but the closer we got to the wedding, the less important the theme became (though having said that, it certainly did influence the groom and best man's suits, the bridesmaid dresses and the stationery)."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2013, Amy Lewin

"I designed our wedding stationary. Inspired by Madmen and old playbills  I spent hours choosing the "perfect" fonts for our wedding and then picking the right blue to go with our colour scheme."

"My dress was a design by Elizabeth Stuart. I loved its simplicity, it also felt beautiful on. It was the only dress (I tried a lot, probably too many) that my mind kept returning to and the only one was excited to try on again and didn't want to take off. I particularly fell in love with the fact that it had pockets, felt like my little secret.

The dress originally comes with a beaded sash, but I wanted to tie in with Louis and the bridesmaids so I choose a cobalt blue sash."

"I wore the Emily shoes by Rachel Simpson, and as I'm a massive fan of stripes, I also wore some striped tights were by Jonathan Aston - a gift from my Father."

"The florist who provided the bouquets and buttonholes were Buds and Bloom in Esher.  I loved the look of the baby's breath, and the plan was to have a large balls of baby's breath on each table. Unfortunately this proved to be quite expensive via a florist so we decided to do the centre-pieces ourselves.

When we went to get the flowers from Chelsea Flower Market, we found the prices to be so reasonable that we were able to splash out and add Hydrangeas which I picked for their fullness and colour and some amethyst roses to go with the baby's breath.

I would recommend any Brides on a budget (or not) to definitely check this option out."

Victoria's bridesmaids wore the Audrey dress, from Honeypie Boutique...

"I'm a cake maker by trade and did want to make our wedding cake, but with all the prep leading up to the wedding, we decided it would be less stressful to get someone else to make it.  I can be a bit fussy, so I stepped back and let Louis decide (from a range of cake photos, I choose!) Louis really liked the rustic, open Victoria sponge cakes, with fresh berries, so we contacted Cafe Concerto, showed them a photo."

"Cafe Concerto did an amazing job and the cake looked even better than the original. We even had another smaller version made when we came back fom honeymoon as we didn't get to really eat much of it on the day!"

"Our wedding photographer was Amy Lewin.  Amy was wonderful and we are really happy we found her. We were fortunate enough to have an engagement shoot with her so any nerves were quickly alleviated. On the day she made us and the guests feel very comfortable and we were extremely happy with our photos."

Understated Elegance ~ A Jesús Peiró Gown For a Nonsuch Mansion Wedding in Surrey

Good morning all, how are you? Who would have believed it would be Thursday already?

The wedding I'm sharing with you this morning features a bride who clearly adores simple, elegant, understated style. 

Charlie and Liz tied the knot on 2nd March 2013 at Nonsuch Mansion, Surrey and Liz looked so beautiful in that timeless kind of way in her Jesús Peiró, a purchase via top bridal boutique Miss Bush Bridal (who we have personal experience of working with and highly recommend here at Love My Dress)...

"I knew that I wanted a dress with sleeves and that was the only stipulation! I went to Miss Bush and they were really accommodating.  This was the first dress that I tried on and I kept going back to it.  It suited my shape and it was so classic and elegant.

My mum, mother in law and bridesmaids all agreed that there was really no choice but to have this dress!"

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2013, Rik Pennington

"We met during our 3rd year of university at a student party and had been together for 5 years before we got engaged.  Charlie proposed after a long week at work with a surprise trip to Whitstable in Kent and went down on one knee at the beach in the middle of February 2012 followed by champagne on the beach!   It was almost a year to the day after that we got married. "

"I wanted a classic and glamorous wedding, with a touch of humour and vintage.  As I thought it would be cold and only early Spring I went for royal blue with silver shoes for the bridesmaids and added the colour through the tulips on the tables which we had in all different colours." 

"Our photographer was Rik Pennington and he was awesome! And his second shooter, Rachel. We couldn’t recommend them both more. They did a pre-wedding shoot to get to know us in Barbican and we got some lovely shots from this – feel free to have a look at these via Rik!"

Bohemian Beach Bride On Sunny Croatian Shores

Bank holiday weekend May 2013.  Ahh, I remember it well, that hazy sunny afternoon, so warm in fact it felt like a July summer's day somewhere on the continent. Just beautiful. But things are a little cooler now, and so I'm left to dream about the warmth of sunnier climes, of having the opportunity to down tools with my family over the summer and relax, feeling a gentle breeze caress my bare arms as I lounge next to the pool reading my book. With a G&T close by, of course.

It's incredibly how good photography can evoke so many feelings and emotions - memories of the past or a desire to be elsewhere. These images you see here today, submitted by international wedding photographer Sarah Falugo (whose work under the guise of Sarah Falugo and Green Photographic, we're pretty big fans of here at Love My Dress) make me want to pull out all my maxi frocks and go and stand by the sea and feel the soft fabric of my dress flutter around and embrace my legs in the breeze. Aren't these photographs beautiful?

The model in these photographs is non-other than Vicki of Pocketful of Dreams - the creative event design duo who regularly contribute to Love My Dress (watch out for their latest inspiration board coming up this Friday morning).

Photography Copyright (c) 2013, Sarah Falugo

When Sarah Falugo was invited to photograph a wedding on the breathtaking island of Hvar in Croatia, she knew it would provide the most perfect opportunity to create a totally different styled shoot - pared back and utterly gorgeous.  Working with Vicki DeBlasi from Pocketful of Dreams the stunning backdrop of Hvar was the muse for their laid-back look, designed to inspire the free–spirited couple wanting to break away from rigid structures and traditions.

Drawing from the beauty of the surroundings and the relaxed vibe of the Mediterranean, an intimate elopement picnic scene was designed by Sarah and Vicki...

"Our vision was always to celebrate the beauty of the surroundings so we created a colour palette of simple neutral tones and then added a pop of yellow to perfectly complement the rocks and the vivid turquoise sea.  Simple yet thoughtful styling touches enabled us to embrace the Mediterranean way of life with a relaxed and laid-back look".

'In keeping with our free-spirited concept, we were keen to ensure that we kept a beautiful simplicity to the look and did not overload with excessive amounts of décor and detail.  We wanted to give the sense of a bohemian couple so in love that they simply couldn't wait and planned a very a spontaneous wedding,  followed by a celebration picnic at sunset.  In keeping with that concept, details needed to be stripped back with key focal points to create a very beautiful, but effortless look.

Naturally weathered wood was laid on the rocks to create an informal table and cushions were covered in a 1970s inspired fabric providing a vibrant flash of yellow.  Fresh produce, flowers and herbs were at the centre of the picnic scene to ensure that we stayed true to the surroundings. 

A trip to the local fruit and vegetable market gave us the most delectable local product: fresh figs, capers, beautiful dusky purple plums, lemons and freshly baked bread.  Warm gold goblets, ivory handled cutlery with an intricate fish design and a yellow glass bottle were vintage finds that perfectly complemented our look.  Food was then displayed on rustic wooden platters and in woven bread bags from Rowen and Wren.'

'Lavender grows wildly in Croatia and was used as a key visual motif throughout the shoot, adding the cool grey lilac colour to our colour palette.  We created a simple lavender bouquet, loosely wrapped in fabric and used individual lavender flowers to create floral ice cubes for our bride to enjoy.  Rosemary is traditionally given out at weddings in Croatia so to pay homage to that, we incorporated sprigs of the herb into the table set up.

The beauty of this shoot is in the pared back nature of the styling; details were kept to a minimum but well thought through, incorporating fresh produce and incorporating local wedding traditions to capture a romantic and peaceful look".

This inspiration shoot also doubled up as a 'rock the dress' shoot for Vicki, who had the opportunity to carefully pack and transport her wedding dress out to Croatia for the opportunity to wear it again in a more casual setting.  Hair was left loose with plaits adding a bohemian feel and she wore exquisite jewellery pieces designed and made by the extremely talented London jeweller, Anna Loucah.  Jewellery pieces drew inspiration from nature, pulling you back once again to that beautiful backdrop.

"The outdoor and international nature of this shoot certainly threw up some challenges from a styling and photography perspective, but it was a real thrill to work on creating something fresh and different from the standard wedding inspiration shoot.  And what better place to spend a few days working than on such a beautiful island where jumping dolphins watched us set up our picnic?!"

Heavenly!

May I just say, how stunning you look in these photographs Vicki! You made such a gorgeous bride (readers, you can see Vicki's actual wedding here) but there is something about these photographs that I adore - a combination of Sarah's beautiful photography, your natural elegance and the heavenly Croatian backdrop.

Thank you so much for asking us to share these divine images with our readers.

I have to be honest, I never thought Croatia would be a place I would like to visit, now I'm determined to see it soon as I can.

Anyone planning a beachside destination wedding right now - have these images whet your appetite sufficiently? :)

Annabel

 

Photography: Sarah Falugo
Design and styling: Pocketful of Dreams and Sarah Falugo
Stationery: Charlie Scribble
Dress: Jenny Packham
Jewellery: Anna Loucah
Platters and Bread Bags: Rowen and Wren

Giant Balloons And A Blue Cardigan For A 1950's Inspired Bride And Her Quirky Village Fete Style Wedding

Good morning beautiful! As you read this, I'll be sat getting my hair coiffed (by no other than Monsieur Severin Hubert of course) and makeup applied so that I look the bees knees ready for a rather important business meeting this afternoon - plus (the scary part), I'm getting some photos taken for Love My Dress!  I will then be visiting Elizabeth Avey and Ruth Shaw of Harriet Wilde later in the afternoon with my photographer colleague Naomi Kenton (blog post to follow people).  Which means that I need to leave you with something beautiful whilst I'm off on my latest London adventures.

And so here we are - please join me in saying hello to Eleanor and Dave, who tied the knot on 13 April 2013 at Errol Park in Perthshire, Scotland. I just love these images for their quirky nature - and any bride who chooses to wear an electric blue cardigan on her wedding day deserves a BIG gold star in my books. These photos were submitted by the always lovely Zoe Barrie.

"Very soon after getting engaged I came across Love my Dress. I was heavily influenced by all the beautiful weddings featured (and Pinterest) and still read it now despite no longer having a wedding to plan.

We also didn’t have a particular era in mind when styling our wedding, but I do personally love all things vintage and quirky. Our initial loose theme was ‘village fete’ and I have always known I wanted bunting. Everything else just came around as we went along."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2013, Photos by Zoe

"Our Photographer recommended Pyrus Flowers to us. I was looking for a local supplier of some lovely ‘meadow’ style flowers. Pyrus grow their own local blooms from their flower garden in East Lothian. They created such beautiful and unusual wild displays for the table centres, and the bouquets matched the relaxed look so well, and smelt amazing too!"

"Dave got his Kilt made for him in his family Tartan. He purchased everything he was wearing, including the accessories from Keith Scott Kilts in Dundee."

"I wore the Rachel Simpson 'Lola' shoes in blue Suede, which beautifully matched my cardigan from French Connection."

"My lace head piece was actually a bracelet from Stitch From The Heart on Etsy.  I removed the clip and sewed vintage button and beads onto it. This was then just pinned into my hair on the day."

"My Dress was Audrey by Blue Bridal Wear which I purchased at Ivory Whites in Perth. I always knew I wanted a dress with sleeves, with a vintage feel. Originally I was looking for a tea length dress as I love that 1950s style, but having tried a few on I decided they didn’t really suit me.

When I tried on Audrey I just loved it, the material was amazing and so luxurious and I loved how simple it was, perfect for adding a bit of colour and interest with some accessories. It just felt so lovely on and had that ‘spin’ factor!"

"The Balloons were a slightly last minute decision, about a week before the wedding I came across a blog post about Geronimo Balloons, who are a US company who make amazing tassel balloons, I loved them and decided to make my own version of them, I think they turned out really well."

"We didn’t really have favours, however everyone got a drumstick lolly with their name on it as a place setting, I think they may be my all time favourite sweet!  We also gave the bridesmaids a bath bomb from Lush wrapped up in vintage scarf tied into a bow, I saw this in their store and thought it was such a lovely idea and you get the bonus of being able to wear the scarf after too!"

"We had a humanist ceremony, which I think is a great benefit of getting married in Scotland. We created our own ceremony, chose some readings that our friends read out and wrote our own vows. It was lovely being able to produce such a personalised ceremony that was unique to us.

One of my favourite parts of the day was when my Dad sang during the ceremony. I grew up with him singing, and it was really special that we could include that in our day. At any family gathering the guitars always come out and we have a good old singalong. He sang “The Road and the Miles to Dundee” a traditional Scottish folk ballad. I was his dad’s favourite song and also fitted us so well, as Dave and I met each other at university in Dundee."

'The bridesmaid dresses were from Monsoon Bridesmaids Hair Accessories.  Their headbands were also form Stitch from the Heart on Etsy."

"I have always enjoyed crafting and creating. I have a background in design so wanted to create as much of the décor and styling as I could myself. With help from my bridesmaids we produced over 100 pinwheels to use in the table centres and around the venue, I love the whimsical look they have, my mum also kindly sewed a whole lot of bunting that we draped around the venue."

"We also created our own Photobooth. I wanted this to have a vintage feel so I sourced an old photo frame and mounted it onto a stand, then cut out various moustaches and glasses and attached them to sticks. This went down so well and it was really very simple to make.

I also made all our invitations, the table Plan and table names. The tables were named after Chilli varieties as we both love hot food!"

"Right form the word go we wanted somewhere that would let us do our own thing, not be tied to suppliers and tight timescales. In fact our first requirements when looking for venues was that we could have a hog roast, this actually turned out to be surprisingly difficult to find in the area. We looked at several places around the Dundee/Perth area (where we live) as well as in the highlands (where I am from) but when we came across Errol Park we new straight away we had found our perfect venue. They don’t do many weddings and we loved the idea of making it our own. The location was beautiful and the contrast between the grand house and beautiful gardens where we held the ceremony and the old circular stable block for the reception really ticked all the boxes.

The courtyard looked lovely lit up with the bonfires at night, and the old stable complete with feeding troughs as the bar was quirky and fun, as well as the large clock tower looking over us all, it was all just perfect!"

"I actually came across our photographer Zoe on Love My Dress, I was looking for a relaxed, quirky photographer that could capture the details of our day. I knew straight away when first chatting to her on the phone that she would be perfect. She is just so friendly and of course her photos are amazing. The images are just perfect, she really got the vibe that we were going for and I think this shows in the photos."