Europe Weddings

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A Castle in the Netherlands Is Where Wedding Dreams Come True

From Nastia Vesna & Maksim Gladky… It was Warm autumn day, a fairytale castle, beautiful guests, delicate décor in deep shades, noble style of the bride and groom, dim lights of candles, playing jazz on a background, and the air is full of love and warmth.

From the Bride… Our story began in Amsterdam where we first met as the students in 2010. What followed then was a colorful kaleidoscope of unforgettable moments in which we found ourselves immersed – late evening walks and bike rides across Amsterdam canals, weekend getaways all over Europe, Christmas markets in Germany, New Year Eve’s in French Alps, summer vacations in Spain and finally very romantic proposal in one of the most beautiful cities in the world – Florence.

Even though we both come from Moscow and are currently based in London, it did not take us long to decide that we want to get married in Amsterdam – the city to which we felt deeply attached and which changed our lives to the best.

Planning of the wedding started with falling in love with the dress – once I saw Jenny Packham designs, I realised that I will not walk down the aisle in any other gown but hers. It just felt so right and so “me”! The model I chose was actually not from the latest collection and luckily I still managed to find it at Bloomfeld Luxury Bridal. For the hairpiece I wanted something matching but modest not to overdo the total look. As for the shoes, one of my main criteria was being able to dance in them the whole night long, and Valentino’s Tango pumps definitely lived up to their name.

We managed to find the location rather quickly. I had already heard about Kasteel de Hooge Vuursche from few friends and liked the pictures. Once we got there we became sure that the place ticked all the boxes – beautiful and elegant, with amazing outside garden, large windows, plenty of natural light and cosy dining room. I believed that finding location should be the most difficult part of the wedding planning process. Since we coped with this task so easily, I decided not to hire a wedding planner and plan the wedding myself. Though challenging, it was great fun and experience I enjoyed a lot! Actually, I even decided to become a wedding planner myself and have recently joined Wedding Blues agency London team.

The vintage style of the dress set the tone for the wedding – “Among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars” (“The Great Gatsby”). I wanted just a hint of 20’s in the decoration and the atmosphere: jazz music, Art Deco font for the stationery, candle light. As for the colour palette, my personal preferences matched perfectly with the season: deep jewel stones and grape tones both for the flowers and the dress code for the guests.

Our main goal was to create intimate and cosy atmosphere so that the guests and ourselves can enjoy the day and relax. This is exactly how we look back at our wedding: exceptionally beautiful and warm autumn day both in terms of the weather and the vibe.

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Jenny Packham

Bridal 2016 Catwalk

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With one watch of this film by Lovell Productions, Netherland has been added to my must-visit list pronto. It was the special site for this fairytale of a wedding between Ryan and Hella and it just may be the key to making all those dreams come true. From the sweet personal touches (the vows!) to the gorgeous views, it’s absolutely magical – enjoy!

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By Bike + Boat, Amsterdam Is Bursting With Charm

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Estate Weddings

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From Lovell Productions… Ryan and Hella’s destination wedding at Chateau Neercanne in the Netherlands felt like something out of a fairytale. From the baroque garden ceremony to the cave reception, every moment of the day seemed both intimate and grandiose at the same time and it was truly an unforgettable celebration.

Ryan and Hella both met and currently reside in Virginia. A few months after Ryan proposed to Hella at the Palace of Versailles, Hella suggested the idea of getting married in a castle somewhere in Europe. Hella is from Belgium so the idea sounded only somewhat crazy to Ryan. Realizing how special it would be, they both agreed to do the wedding at Chateau Neercanne, a castle built in the late 17th century on the Dutch and Belgian border. Being that Hella’s father is Dutch and her mother is Belgian, this seemed to be the perfect location.

When they told us they were getting married in the Netherlands, we knew it was going to be a remarkable event. The ceremony was officiated in both English and Dutch by their longtime family friend Floor in the stunning lower gardens, incorporating personal promises that, knowing Ryan and Hella, would surely involve food, animals, and the Baltimore Orioles. During dinner, Hella’s dad sang songs from her childhood and gifted them with traditional Dutch wooden clogs that they were immediately tasked to dance in. Following dinner, when guests weren’t roaming the wine cellar or sneaking off to Belgium (or of course snacking on frites), they were dancing for hours in the limestone caves that were transformed into a club for the reception. Of all the special moments from the day, Ryan and Hella told me that their favorite moment was shortly after the ceremony, when they stood up on the steps to greet everyone and saw just how many of their friends and family that had traveled so far to share in their special day.

Whether by bike or boat, Amsterdam is full of undeniable charm and Audra Wrisley captured this couple entertaining both adorable modes of transportation – all in our Vault right this way! From holding onto each other atop a Dutch bicycle to sipping wine as they soaked up the sights, these two give a whole new meaning to blissfully in love.

From Audra Wrisley Photography… Andrea and her boyfriend of many years, Robbert, finished their studies in New York City a few years ago, and moved back to their native Amsterdam to work in the city’s vibrant advertising world. Amazingly these two still find time to also work on personal projects together, and they’ve traveled the country promoting an incredible documentary they released last year.

For their shoot we decided to start at one of their favorite coffee places, not far from the old city center. Afterwards, they hopped on their Dutch bicycle together to a small boat that we used to explore the Amsterdam’s incredible maze of canals. We navigated our way under many of the city’s countless bridges (apparently there are three times more than in Venice!), and captured this sweet couple together. Sunny afternoons in the Netherlands go hand in hand with a glass of rosé, and cheese platters are pretty much always mandatory, regardless of the weather.

It was a perfect afternoon with this beautiful happy couple, and we feel so lucky to have captured their love!

Photography: Audra Wrisley Photography | Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab

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Audra Wrisley Photography

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An Old World Inspiration Sesh You Need to See to Believe

Whether you’re planning an Old World-inspired celebration of your very own or just want to spend some time soaking in some of the prettiest details you will ever see, this sweet inspiration sesh is a MUST for your Monday. From the beautiful blooms from Meesterlijk Groen to the stunning castle setting, head to THE VAULT to soak in every gorgeous moment captured by the talented Audra Wrisley.

From Audra Wrisley Photography… Living in The Netherlands this summer, my husband Thijs and I were inspired to capture some of the old world flair of Europe with this wedding inspiration shoot at Kasteel Rosendael. Nestled in one of the smallest towns in Holland, Kasteel Rosendael is an incredible historic venue that finds its origin all the way back in the early 14th century. The castle’s stunning architecture, beautiful rose garden, and enchanting grounds were the perfect setting for our inspiration shoot. To make the vision come to life, we connected with Nailia from Best Day Ever Events, and with her help we put together an amazing team of vendors from all over the country.

Beginning the day in the tower room with it’s stately floor to ceiling windows, our bride stepped into her elegant Unielle Couture gown. Leaving the castle, she met her groom on the front steps of the castle, before making their way into the gorgeous rose garden. We continued our shoot at the backside of the fortress, which is backed by a large pond and next to it an intricate and completely unique gallery made up of seashells from the late 1700’s. This beautiful day ended with photos with an incredibly graceful classic Jaguar, as it whisked the couple away.

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Audra Wrisley Photography

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This Amsterdam Love Fest is All About the Romance

Your holiday weekend? It’s about to take a giant step up in the pretty department, all thanks to this sweet Amsterdam affair that knows everything about romance-filled celebrations. Think lush pink blooms from Meesterlijk Groen, a stunning ceremony + reception space and an entire VAULT of gorgeous images captured by Anouschka Rokebrand. Do yourselves a favor and dive in here.

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This Untraditional Indian Wedding in Amsterdam has a Major Wow Factor

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From Anouschka Rokebrand Photography… International weddings, they remain my absolute favorite! Lucy is half Dutch-half Irish, while Haakon is half Norwegian-half American. So you can imagine how international this wedding was!

Friends and family traveled from all over the globe to join them in Amsterdam for their amazing wedding day.

Lucy and Haakon met 10 years ago at University in Scotland and now call The Netherlands their home. Since they had so many people traveling from abroad, Amsterdam was the perfect place to host their wedding and they picked the beautiful Scheepvaartmuseum (maritime museum) as their venue. Since Haakon and his family work in shipping, this fitted them perfectly!

They both got ready at the lovely Hoxton hotel and we traveled to the museum by boat. Lucy wore a stunning soft blush pink Monique Lhuillier gown, paired with rose gold Jimmy Choos. So, so beautiful! The bridesmaids’ dresses were all different but matched perfectly with soft, nude hues and a bit of sparkle.

The ceremony set up was inside the museum in a light-filled room with a classic setup with white chairs. Meesterlijk Groen had created a gorgeous floral arch as a backdrop. The groom’s ring is an heirloom piece from the father of the bride.

After a lovely ceremony with speeches by loved ones, we took a few photos of the newly weds on the docks of the museum before dinner started.

The dining tables were styled beautifully with a gorgeous floral runner adorning the long tables, made of fresh flowers and eucalyptus and gorgeous stationery, designed by The Sparkle Company.

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Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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Adrianna Papell

Spring 2015

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Sorella Vita

Winter 2015

Bridesmaid 2017

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For Saroj and Raaziek, a traditional Indian wedding with several days of events and hundreds of guests, held little appeal. So instead, this duo decided to create a wedding that was totally them: a nonreligious ceremony followed by an intimate reception infused with traditional Indian wedding colors like red, pink and purple. The end result is a wedding as beautiful as the city in which it took place. See it all from Wesley Nulens in The Vault!

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Dutch Delftware Wedding Inspiration

From Back To Style…Saroj & Raaziek got married last September in beautiful Amsterdam! The bride and groom both have their roots in India, therefore they wanted an Indian vibe to come through in the styling of their big day. But, since Saroj family are Hindu, and Raazieks family are Muslim, the decided not to include any religious influences in their wedding, as not to offend any members of both their family’s. Being quite the untraditional couple, they were looking for a unique style for their wedding. A combination of class, vintage charm and Indian details. As their stylist, I incorporated these elements in the decoration of their beautiful little apartment in the middle of Amsterdam. And on both wedding locations; ceremony and dinner.

This day in September couldn’t possible have been more rainy..typical Dutch weather..so we were in luck most of the photo shoot and wedding locations were indoors. During a few dry moments Wesley Nulens, the incredibly talented photographer, managed to make some beautiful shots of the couple in the Amsterdam Hortus Botanicus.

As a colour scheme we went for a muted and soft approach on traditional Indian wedding colors such as reds, pinks and purples. To keep with the vintage charm, we went for soft, pastel versions of these colors.

Traditional Indian weddings tend to last several days and included many hundreds of guests. This is another part this unique couple wanted to do differently. They decided to only invite a very small number of close family friends, and keep their big day truly intimate.

Brides advice: Stay true to yourself and who you both are. The day should be all about you and your love for each other. So do exactly what you both want.

This shoot – with gorgeous images from Masha Bakker – is wedding happiness. Pure, good, utterly lovely wedding happiness. From the blue and white wall installation (LOVE btw) to the sweet but sophisticated styling, everything about this little nugget of goodness makes us smile. So if any of you brides are feeling the same way, we can’t wait to see how the real deal turns out. Oh and there is so much more here!

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Elegant ‘Something Blue’ Netherlands Wedding Inspiration

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From Masha Bakker… The theme is “Delfts Blauw” inspired by the typically blue coloured tableware and porcelain Holland is famous for. The different shades of blue and white come back through the whole series of images. We used flowers, cakes and beautiful accessories for the details. We work with vendors and together we inspire Dutch couples and try to help them to make their day as unique and beautiful as possible.

My great-grammy was a collector of many things: teapots, teddy bears and of course, her beloved Delftware. Admittedly, I suppose I always felt it was old-fashioned, but after seeing this Delft-blue inspired shoot from Anouschka Rokebrand? Well, it doesn’t feel so old-fashioned anymore—but rather elegant and picturesque for a sweet ‘something blue’ wedding. See it all here.

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Rustic Italian inspiration shoot

From Anouschka Rokebrand…The look of this shoot is inspired by the romantic handpainted Delft pottery. With a palette of pale, dusky and powder blues which is offset with white, grey and hints of brass to give an elegant, luxe feel. The beautiful table was adorned with beautiful pale blue linens. For the stationery a hint of calligraphy was used in the design. Beautiful brass candlesticks and delicate glassware was used. One gorgeous centerpiece on the table and beautiful antique wooden chairs completed the look.

For the sweettable, Sugarlips Cakes had created two different cakes and sweets all in the pale blue and white shades to match the theme perfectly. Our models, real couple Dorien and Steffen, wore a dark blue suit and two dresses were arranged for Dorien to wear. One pale blue one and a white one with a lace top and tulle skirt. We used beautiful headpieces and veils from SIBO designs and jewelry from DRKS. The shoot took place at the stunning castle Hooge Vuursche, in the woods in Baarn, The Netherlands. This shoot was part of Louise Beukes workshop during the third edition of the European Wedding Congress.

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Sibo Designs

Spring/Summer 2014

Unveiled Spring/Summer 2013

2012

Spring / Summer 2015

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Above anything else, traveling inspires me most of all. There is just something about being out of my comfort zone that really makes me open my eyes a bit. So I totally understand Amanda Drost‘s desire to capture Italy’s stunning essence right in her own backyard. With the help of Don Florito, Studio Met Marjet, NINA Weddings and Sweet Appetite she whipped up a shoot that will have you craving la dolce vita, and you can see it all right here.

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Bridal Shower Flower Workshop

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From Amanda Drost Fine Art Photography…Italy is such an inspirational country and we just adore i’s beauty! That’s why this shoot is very close to our hearts, filled with Italian en rustic details.

As we live in The Netherlands the weather is always unpredictable and we do have a lot of rain, therefore we choose a indoor location. It’s a fairy tail, dreamy and stunning old greenhouse, with a raspberries backdrop. It hasn’t been used for years and fitted our style perfectly with amazing light and creamy floors. To give this inspirational shoot a real Italian feel, we asked model Marissa, as she is a 100% italian girl.

This shoot is all about rustic italian styling, mediterranean feel and romance. The gorgeous elegant and simple bridal dress from Rembo styling combined with the perfect hair and make-up gave Marissa a natural refined look. The table styling with olive branches, a perfect naked cake, wine, citron, candles, stationary and oil, made us literally want to site down and enjoy a glass of red wine and take us away to Italy for a couple of hours. We had some stunning bridal accessories from Sibo Design, long laces to perfection. You can create something styled and beautiful for your wedding at any location and give your friends and family a true and heart warming experience.

The images are captured on film as well as digital by Amanda Drost fine art photography and filmed by the talented Koen from Narratief. This fun and talented team worked perfectly together and we absolutely love the results.

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Accessories

Sibo Designs

Spring/Summer 2014

Unveiled Spring/Summer 2013

2012

Spring / Summer 2015

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As a bride-to-be, this inspirational shower captured by Anouschka Rokebrand is only feeds my floral crown obsession. Filled with fragrant blooms made for snipping, the loft space of Avenue Lifestyle Studio was perfectly transformed by Holly Marder {Avenue Lifestyle} into a creative and casual party. Join me in toasting the future and donning a halo of blooms while scrolling through the gallery here.

From Avenue Lifestyle…For this bridal shower inspirations shoot, floral wreaths were the inspiration. I wanted to create an event where the bride-to-be’s closest friends could gather together in celebration of the imminent nuptials by participating in a floral wreath making workshop. The setting was organic, natural, light, feminine and whimsical. Pretty and ever-so-slightly utilitarian. The primary elements used to convey this included wood, terra-cotta, linen and cotton.

Everything the attendees needed to create their own fresh flower headband was set out for them at their own personal workstation at one central trestle-legged work table. Each station included a pair of scissors, florist wire and tape, a custom-made note to write to the bride-to-be and a paint dipped pencil. Terra-cotta pots filled with fresh flowers and herbs lined the centre of the table, ready to be made into headbands, while cafe lights were suspended from wooden beams above the table added a touch of romance to the setting. After a productive workshop, the bride-to-be and her leading ladies sipped Prosecco while admiring their self created floral headband in an antique mirror.

For this shoot, Stijlvolle Trouwkaarten, provided us with a custom stationery suite which highlighted the organic aesthetic that I wanted to give the entire event. Simplistic yet classic with natural elements and a nod to the wreath.

A whimsical draping of the most delicate climbing blossom suspended softly above the food table, a delicious spread which ensured our busy bride-to-be and her friends were well catered for. The menu included: a salad of foraged flowers and leafy greens; goats cheese, honey and mint blinis; artichoke, pear and parma ham tartlets; balsamic and mint soaked grilled aubergine on crusty ciabata; and the most heavenly flat peach cake with vanilla and sage cream cheese icing. The food and food styling was done by the expert hand of Amsterdam based food stylist Ajda Mehmet. Beautiful bone and silver cutlery and mismatched vintage cream crockery by Hélène Millot Furnishings were used to serve all of Ajda’s delicacies, while her fine crystal vintage wine glasses and champagne flutes had the girls sipping prosecco in style!

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How to Create a Fresh Flower Headband:

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ONE | Start by cutting a length of aluminum wire (about 20cm long) using wire cutters after measuring it over your head from ear to ear. Prepare short lengths of florist wire for later, as well as several lengths of florist tape, cut into thin strips (you’ll thank me later when you’re not grappling to wrap a fat piece of tape around a tiny little opening). Twist a long length of florist tape tightly around the aluminum wire and press it in with your fingertips so it sticks. You should feel a sticky residue from the tape on your fingertips.

TWO | Prepare several clusters of flowers of two or three varieties each and secure by wrapping the stems in florist tape. For example, combine a spring of rosemary and a small cluster of hydrangea. The fuller you want your floral headband, the fuller these bunches can be. For a more delicate headband, use no more than three stems per cluster.

THREE | From one end of your tape-wrapped wire (about 5cm from the end of the wire), attach one of your flower clusters tightly wrapping a small strip of florist tape. Press it down to secure. Attach the second little cluster to the wire in the same way, following the same direction as the first.

FOUR | Continue adding flower clusters in the same way along the length of your wire, using the thin pieces of tape you prepared earlier to attach the taped up stems to the aluminum wire. Stems should all be going in the same direction. You might need a little more strength in some areas, in which case use a short length of florist wire and wrap it around the area, pressing it down carefully to secure it with the tip of the wire cutters.

FIVE | Keep working your way around the length of wire until you are pleased with the way it looks, as well as the balance of flowers, foliage and colour. Your final cluster should end about 5cm away from the end of the wire.

SIX | To finish off the headband, cut two lengths of natural twine (about 20cm each) and knot tightly to each side of the headband, just beneath the last cluster of flowers. Wrap the twine along the remainder of the wire on each end, knotting it off tightly and the end. Leave about 10-15cm extra twine on each end to be able to fasten it to your head. Voila! You should have yourself a beautiful headpiece made from fresh flowers.

Boho Chic Netherlands Wedding at Het Reirinck

A true labor of love, this heartfelt and detail-filled Netherlands wedding beautifully captured by Youri Claessens plays out like a dream. The Bride and Groom made sure every single touch was both meaningful and styled to perfection, leaving us with a gallery that is simply overflowing with lovely. See even more here.

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Vibrant Dutch Wedding Inspiration

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Rustic Weddings

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Rustic

From The Bride…From the moment that we started planning our wedding, which was about 8 months before the big day, we knew that we wanted the day to feel as a big garden party, celebrating our love for each other with all our friends and family. Our wedding day was on July 23th, which was exactly 7 years after we first met each other and fell in love while on holiday in France. We planned a summer wedding hoping that the weather would be warm and sunny, and we got lucky because it was a beautiful summer day. We really wanted to get married outside, in nature, because we both are outdoorsy people and enjoy the beauty of what nature has to offer. We wanted the wedding to portray us as individuals and as a couple. Therefore we choose the theme bohemian/vintage adding a lot of small details referring to this; a globe, suitcases, field flowers, dream catchers, feathers, Persian carpets and wooden tables.

The styling of the day was a very important element to the both of us, but we had to be crafty ourselves because we had a small budget. Therefore all garlands, dream catchers, decorated jars, bottles, bouquets, etc. were made by Jeroen and me. The inspiration we got from different wedding blogs and Pinterest. We had so much fun creating all these decorations. We also hunted a lot of second hand shops and markets to find some beautiful old decorations like candlesticks, cookie jars, vases and a lots of other things. These elements made the preparations rather stressful but it also meant that we were really involved in every part of the wedding, making the setting a reflection of who we are.

Having a smaller budget made planning the wedding a little bit more difficult sometimes but it also made inspired us to be creative and think of some very nice ideas. One of them was to ask all of our guests to make and bring a bite to eat. Some were asked to bring a main dish, others to make a dessert. We really liked this idea because we felt that it made all of the guests more involved in the wedding, but also because a very formal dinner just did not suit us at all. It turned out even better than we hoped! There were tables full of beautiful and delicious food, it really looked amazing! It was great to see that everyone put so much effort into making us a wonderful dinner.

There was only one thing that did not really stayed true to the budget, the dress. Being a girl that has dreamed about her wedding (and thus my wedding dress) since I was three years old, finding the perfect dress was very important to me. I had looked all across the internet and in some bridal shops, but because I wanted the dress to fit into the bohemian theme, I just could not find a dress that I loved and fitted into our budget. Then I read online that the best bridal shop in Holland had a sample sale and I thought to myself, I have to go. Hoping that between all these wonderful dresses I could find the perfect one and actually be able to afford it. Well, when I walked in the cheapest dress was already above budget, but I thought to myself, I’m here now, let’s try on some dresses. After trying on four that I thought I would like (but didn’t) I tried one that I thought was beautiful, but not really me. As the consultant put the dress on me I already saw it in her face, and when I saw myself in the mirror I fell in love. This was the dress! But, it was way too expensive (more than twice my budget). Long story short, I was able to buy the dress due to a very wonderfully timed modeling job that I booked. Thank god, because once you fall in love with a wedding dress, you just have to buy it. Luckily, my fiancées suit was very well within the budget and he looked stunning in it. But then again, I think he looks good in everything.

Now some more details on the big day! We went to the location a day before with a few of our closest friends, and started with putting everything in its place, and decorating the location. We than had pizza and beers outside on the terrace, but not for long because a lot of things still needed to be done. After dinner the man went on with hanging all the lights outside and the girls started making the bouquets and flower arrangements. I was so nervous to make my own bouquet but it turned out exactly the way I wanted. It also was such a good feeling to be surrounded by all these wonderful people, seeing them put so much effort into our day. It really made us feel so special and loved.

We went to bed around midnight, but my fiancée and I could not sleep at all because some stuff needed to be done in the morning and we felt a little nervous about that. Therefore we both only got an hour of sleep but we felt so excited to start the day that we got up at 6 and started decorating again. In the end, not everything went perfect but at 10 o’clock I really had to let it go because my hairdresser came to do my hair. I then put everything out of my head and enjoyed some quality time with my bridesmaids while getting ready. A lot sooner than expected the first guest started dropping in just as I put on my dress. It was about then that I started feeling very nervous, but than my dad came to see me and standing there waiting while holding his arm, really calmed me down.

Walking down the aisle towards my husband to be, hanging on closely to my father’s arm was such a special moment. The ceremony went by so quick but was absolutely wonderful. We both had written a letter that we read. It was about why we wanted to marry each other and what made the other person so special. Standing there, in the sunlight, surrounded by friends and family while looking into my husband’s eyes, really was magical.

After we walked down the aisle together through a rain of confetti straight towards the lemonade stand and the cake which was an amazing naked cake with edible flowers (carrot lemon flavored), the reception began. The rest of the day went by in a blur, talking to our wonderful friends and family, enjoying all the food that our guest made, dining at large wooden tables under high oak trees that were decorated with lights and garlands, listening to the wonderful speeches and getting tears in our eyes from laughter because of the funny acts our families did. It was perfect! The last hours of the evening were enjoyed by bonfires, roasting marshmallows, enjoying a water pipe while others felt more like showing some dance moves and were dancing the night away. It was even more perfect than we imagined it. Not because everything that we planned went or looked as we imagined it (because it didn’t), but because the entire feeling of the day was so warm and intimate. When we looked around we only saw happy people, enjoying the food, the weather, the surroundings and the conversations they were having. It really was one of the most wonderful magical days of our lives!

For me (youri claessens) as a photographer, I loved this wedding.

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Wedding Dresses

Jenny Packham

Bridal 2016 Catwalk

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Drawing on Dutch culture, this photo shoot, shot at Woodlawn Manor in Sandy Springs, is as rich in history as it is in color. Designed by Petals By The Shore, the tablescape was layered in vibrant shades of reds and blues that literally pop off the page. And, with a floral-crowned bride styled by Amy Decker Beauty, dressed by Fabulous Frocks and gussied up with a little something blue from The Garter Girl, the gallery is sure to be a must see for some serious inspiration.

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From Rachael Foster… Both sides of my family are originally from Friesland, a northern province of the Netherlands, and many of the Dutch and Frisian items in the shoot are family heirlooms. I’ve always been inspired by my cultural history, and I’m thrilled to share some of the traditions and keepsakes that have been passed down to me. Through this shoot, I hope couples of all different ancestries will feel inspired to incorporate their own traditions and heritage into their wedding.

Though Friesland is a tiny province (about 500,000 people), it has a rich cultural heritage. The people of Friesland are known for building the first windmills and dikes and breeding beautiful horses and cattle. It’s an incredibly beautiful place filled with idyllic villages of brightly trimmed brick farmhouses, beautiful green landscapes, and gorgeous waterways. The culture and landscape of Friesland (and the traditions of the Netherlands more broadly) inspired us to craft a fresh, vibrant, and romantic wedding.

Friesland’s red, white, and blue flag and the Netherlands’ royal orange provided our primary color inspiration. Throughout the planning and styling, we included Frisian and Dutch artifacts and customs including Delft tile inspired place settings for our dinner table, an antique Dutch coffee set, and the Frisian flag. In lieu of a guestbook, we crafted a series of small wishing trees. According to Dutch custom, guests write wishes and greetings on tags and hang them on a tree. We displayed our wishing trees on a vintage white dresser with small floral arrangements in antique pewter vessels. The Dutch love bicycles, and our bride and groom enjoyed a ride on their own vintage tandem. After their ceremony, they celebrated with the Frisian custom of a horse-drawn carriage ride. This gorgeous wedding could easily be set in the U.S. or in a Frisian village.

We chose Woodlawn Manor in Sandy Springs, MD for our location. The beautiful brick manor house, long green pastures and old stone barn reminded us of a traditional Frisian home. The natural beauty of this working horse farm paired with gorgeous floral designs, unique vintage pieces, and modern styling made for a perfect marriage.

Our bride-to-be wore a stunning cream-colored Badgley Mischka lace gown and shoes, earrings by Sara Gabriel, and bracelet by Meg Jewelry. Her Dutch-inspired braided side up-do and vibrant tulip headpiece was the perfect combination of romance and whimsy. She carried a voluminous loose bouquet of red and orange tulips. Her groom to-be wore a navy Hugo Boss suit, Burberry plaid tie, and boutonniere of complimentary orange and red blooms.

The ceremony space was set against Woodlawn’s original stone barn. To complement it’s picturesque arches, our florist crafted stunning moss walls with voluminous floral sconces. With farm-style chairs, the ceremony blended garden aesthetics and honest country details.

We set our dinner table outside the Mansion on the lawn and paired Delft style plates with royal blue glasses and a bold floral tablescape. The center statement arrangement of bright red, orange and yellow blooms was perfectly paired with soft cream jute linen and royal blue napkins. Tuscan farm chairs and wicker base plates completed the table.

Coffee and tea are staples of Frisian life, so we served up place cards on heirloom coffee cups featuring different styles of Dutch clocks. We added vintage ceramic clocks in pastel hues for color. We also set a lounge area with a vintage sofa, side table and floral chandelier near near our coffee and tea bar. The romantic floral chandelier was hand-crafted using moss and fresh cut flowers. Our coffee and tea bar also included hot cocoa alongside tempting confections of Dutch pastry, chocolate dipped spoons, sugar crystal sticks, and, of course, cream and honey. Signage included translations of English words into Dutch and West Frisian.

No Dutch wedding would be complete without pastries. Our dessert table is a delicious confection of favorite Dutch pastries: cinnamon rolls, fruit tarts, almond cookies, layered puddings, and our own special creation of “Dutch Orange” macarons.

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Organic Style Netherlands Wedding

This wedding is a reminder that sometimes when plan A fall through, plan B is even better. It’s exactly what happened when Holly and Dirk’s library venue cancelled eight weeks before their day and happened upon a restored warehouse instead. It played backdrop to their organic indoor garden-style wedding, and the results from Anouschka Rokebrand and Ray Pluym are nothing short of stunning. See it all here.

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Garden Chic Inspiration Shoot in the Netherlands

From The Bride…Our dream wedding venue (an old library) fell through 8 weeks before our wedding day. Gutted and overwhelmed, we began the search for a new venue right away and we eventually chose an industrial building featuring exposed pipes, raw concrete and natural light. What I loved most about our venue was that the walls were painted partially in olive green, which I particularly liked and felt softened the rawness of the interior. The building was split level, so we used the ground level for the reception and dinner, and the upstairs area to get ready in. I had the entire space emptied out, and got to work creating a comfortable space in which my mum, bridesmaids, my little girl and I could get ready and share a few precious moments together on the morning of the wedding.

I selected a collection of stunning vintage pieces from FabriekNL, a Dutch company that specializes in the sourcing, restoration and sale of vintage and design classics. I chose a dainty little striped sofa in pistachio green, surrounded by cognac leather armchairs and sweet vintage chairs, with touches of brass coming through in the dressing and coffee tables. I added a few pieces from home, including the rug which was a wedding gift from my mother, and two marble topped coffee tables. I stuck to colour scheme of blush, olive, cream, pistachio and fig and the results were just what I had imagined.

From the get go we wanted to create a low key, relaxed setting reminiscent of a garden party. In The Netherlands, an outdoor celebration is highly impractical due to the weather so an indoor garden party it was going to be! At long tables dotted with candlelight and lined with jasmine, we would dine with all of our closest friends and family Italian family style, where wholesome, locally sourced produce, made into simple but delicious dishes were served in a relaxed, low-key manner. I purchased about 40 vintage and earthenware bowls from second hand stores around town for the dishes to be served in, and our fabulous caterers served clusters of amazing dishes along the tables. Because there would be a lot going on on the tables food wise, I wanted to keep the rest very simple and pared down.

For the tables, I created centerpieces from clusters of fine brass candlesticks which I sourced at Amsterdam based Hélène Millot Furnishings along with the most beautiful mismatched collection of silver and bone cutlery. I wanted to keep the rest organic and simple, but with the same femininity that flowed through the rest of the scheme. I paired simple white plates with biodegradable plates by VerTerra made from fallen palm leaves to give the tables an organic quality. On top of each wine glass was a little wooden skewer with blueberries and blackberries on it, and on each place setting there was a little home made rhubarb and orange preserve infused with cinnamon and fresh ginger. My bridesmaids all helped to craft the little fabric jam toppers of different colours and fabrics. Over the tables we strung up cafe lights, which gave the industrial space a touch of romance, which was a highlight.

Because I wanted an organic feel to the tables, I decided to make my own cotton voile table runners. But because our venue had been cancelled 8 weeks before the big day, and we had no idea where the wedding would be taking place, how many tables we would be needing, or what kind of layout we would be employing, I decided to buy an entire roll of fabric at the markets that was 19 meters in length and 3 meters in width and make 4 extremely long table runners to ensure we would have enough. I enlisted the help of two girlfriends and given the amount of wine that consumed on the evening we made them, they came out surprisingly straight! And then I thought I would test how much my bridesmaids love me by deciding to make 80 linen napkins from scratch two days before the wedding. And while they all shook their heads at me and called me crazy (and I’m sure the word Bridezilla popped up a few times, too), one amazing maid jumped to the rescue and together we pressed and sewed until all 80 were finished and it was five o’clock in the morning.

To help put it all together on the day, I enlisted the help of my friend Ciara O’Halloran from the blog Style Serendipity, an amazing stylist, to help put the tables together the day before the wedding and to take care of the finishing touches on the morning of the wedding while I was getting ready.

Our bouquets were a combination of olive, eucalyptus, pink jasmine, cow parsley that was gathered from the local forest by two of my bridesmaids the day before the wedding, the most dainty white forget-me-not’s and giant coral hued peonies. I wanted something loose with a slightly wild look to them, but still soft and feminine. The olive green tones of the bouquets worked particularly well with the colour of the walls of our industrial venue. Because I had quite a specific look in mind for the bouquets, I sourced the flowers myself and ended up gathering them from thee different florists locally as well as the local markets. Knowing I would be too busy the night before and the morning of the wedding, I enlisted the help of a friend to put the arrangements together, which she did beautifully.

It is very traditional for couples to marry at their local town hall in The Netherlands. While I dreamed of a garden ceremony, I couldn’t shake the moment I first laid eyes on the city hall in Delft when I first visited Dirk here in 2008. Dating back to 1620, it is a vast and elegant structure made from limestone and featuring quaint little shutters on all of the windows and stunning Renaissance detailing all over. It is quite breathtaking in fact, and I knew it would be an experience for both myself but also for the guests traveling from abroad to have our ceremony there. And that it was. We asked our mothers to present a few words during the ceremony, which they did beautifully and reduced us both to chin-wobbling, breath jerking tears.

From the start we knew we wanted to invest in a fabulous wedding photographer, and having worked with Anoushcka Rokebrand several times on editorial shoots, I knew in my heart she was the one for the job. She has produced the most stunning images for us, which we will forever treasure, along with our wedding video by Ray Pluym Cinematography.

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Bright and early on a Wednesday morning, this gorgeous piece of garden chic inspiration is just what the doctor ordered. The perfect merging of lush blooms from Don Florito, yummy treats from Sugar Lips Cakes and beautiful stylings from BloomWedding, it’s a little reminder that I just can not wait for Spring. See it all captured wonderfully by Eppel Photography in the full gallery.

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White & Silver Netherlands Wedding at Librije

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Garden Weddings

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Romantic

From Eppel Photography… Shirley (Bloomwedding) and I had the idea to bring the best suppliers we have in the Netherlands together and combine everything in one shoot.

Why wanted only the best is to show every bride and groom that you can make your wedding even more special when you have the experience of people who really know their job.

Mostly all of the couples that book us want a gorgeous wedding filled with details and experience the time of their life. We want to show them that it is possible to to so. Even in the Netherlands.

The flower arrangements were designed just for this shoot by Don Florito. One of the best Dutch florists people can get for your wedding. All the stationery was especially made with a mood board as guideline. The colors of the flowers and stationery were also a guide throughout all of the shoot. Because the theme for the shoot had an edge of vintage we tried to make it as romantic and soft as possible. That meant that also the suit and dress should be a mix of romantic and modern. A style a lot of couples really appreciate now a days.

In a nut shell, the most important was the quality of the dress, suit, stationery, food ‘n drinks and flowers. The venue perfectly fitted every detail in to the shoot. It was just awesome!

Here’s something that’s easy to do: fall head over heels for this gorgeous wedding. Fall madly in love with the chic and sophisticated style, the simple yet elegant blooms from Robert Exoo and the stunning bride and groom who really know how to throw a party (a Britney Spear first dance, anyone?). See it all captured by Anouschka Rokebrand in the full gallery.

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