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Romantic English Garden Wedding

From The Bride…David being Irish and me being a northern lass it was meant to be that we met in a bar on a night out in Newcastle in 2004. I guess you could say our eyes met across a crowded dance floor! After a year of knowing each other David moved to Leeds, where I followed soon after. We then moved a little further with David’s work taking us to Romania and Norway!

After 11 years together we knew we wanted a magical day surrounded by our closest family and friends. The inspiration for the wedding came from the type of wedding we wanted – small and intimate! It was important to us that we got to spend time with all of our guests especially as we live in Norway and don’t see people as often as we would like. Being able to spend quality time with family and friends who had travelled to be with us was very important.

Inspiration for the theme of the wedding came once we chose the venue. The ballroom at Eshott Hall, where we had the wedding breakfast and reception is so full of natural light and has beautiful ornate gold mirrors and chandeliers. I chose the colour scheme, blush and gold, to compliment the elegance of the room and to be in keeping with the light and warm tones.

We chose our venue based on the size of wedding we wanted and because having accommodation at the wedding venue was a priority as many guests were traveling from overseas…including the bride and groom! Being from the North East looking at venues in Northumberland seemed like the way to go. Plus it’s a beautiful part of the country! We came across Eshott Hall whilst doing an Internet search of venues and then because we live abroad I sent my sister and niece to scout it out! With their approval we booked it without visiting it ourselves! Luckily we trusted their judgement. Not only was the hall, grounds and location perfect but the size too! This helped us keep the wedding to the numbers we had initially set.

I left choosing my dress a little last minute – 4 months before the wedding! This did limit my choices as most dresses take a least 6 months to make. But in my case, thankfully, it couldn’t have worked out any better! I chose my dress with some fabulous help at Y.A.P bridal boutique. From the moment I walked into the shop I was made to feel like the most important bride in the world! The dress I chose was an A-line style dress made of lace with an overlay of tulle and hand-beaded lace appliqué. I fell in love with the neckline and delicate capped sleeves on the dress. The lace edging at the bottom I thought was simply stunning! As soon as a stepped into the dress it had a real romantic feel! I knew it was the one!

There were so many elements of the day that we simply loved! We stayed at the venue the evening before the wedding along with most of our guests so this was a great way for everyone to get acquainted. Saying our vows during the ceremony was so special and magical. It was as if I had already said them years ago! We had some time between the wedding breakfast and the evening reception where we were all hanging out in the various rooms of the hall, relaxing on stately sofas! David and I loved this time where we were really able to chat with our guests and share lots of fun moments. We also loved the evening reception where we had a band and despite it being a small wedding the dance floor was never empty!

The first supplier we booked was our photographer, Sarah-Jane Ethan. We fell in love with her creative, fun and unique style of photography! When I viewed images on her website I loved that all of the couples she had captured seemed so relaxed! We simply couldn’t have asked for a better photographer! She captured the day as it naturally happened and she did this in a professional and friendly way. Her photography is so personal and her ability to capture all that happens, a laugh, a tear and kiss is something we are truly thankful for when we look back at our photographs!

Advice we would give to couples is to choose a venue that suits the wedding you want e.g. budget, theme and especially size. Discussing how we both imagined our day to be before looking a venues was really important in making sure it fit the bill.

I love being creative so it was really important for me to design and make our wedding invitations, order of ceremony cards and table plan and place cards. It saved money and those weekends when we were both cutting card and tying pieces of string was so worth it to see it laid out on the day. And because everything was handmade it was a lovely when guests complimented on the stationary and we could say we made it!!

The first supplier we booked was our photographer, Sarah-Jane Ethan. We fell in love with her creative, fun and unique style of photography! When I viewed images on her website I loved that all of the couples she had captured seemed so relaxed! We simply couldn’t have asked for a better photographer! She captured the day as it naturally happened and she did this in a professional and friendly way. Her photography is so personal and her ability to capture all that happens, a laugh, a tear and kiss is something we are truly thankful for when we look back at our photographs!

Considering a longer engagement? What if I told you that this wedding right here is what 19 months of planning gets you? Amazing, right?! It’s the ultimate Pinterest worthy celebration complete with a homemade cake, garden romance, and of course endless love. As far as we’re concerned Andy & Emma had the BEST wedding day. See it all captured by the majorly talented Sarah-Jane Ethan in The Vault!

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Elegant Brinkburn Northumberland Wedding

From the Bride… Andy proposed on my 21st birthday. He left me hanging all morning and just before my birthday party that afternoon he approached me with our little girl, got down on one knee and proposed with the most beautiful ring, I was so shocked! Having Poppy there with us made it all the more special for me, together we shared another new chapter in our lives. Four days later Andy continued his romantic streak and we travelled first class to Paris, which was my birthday surprise. We had 4 magical days finishing of my 21st and celebrating our engagement. It was perfect.

Once we had discussed a wedding date there was no question about the venue. Before I had even met Andy I attended a small wedding at Newton Hall and just fell in love with the place. I remember saying to my dad that day ‘This is my dream venue if I get married’ Andy was so easy going he agreed to make an appointment with Newton. We didn’t want anything too formal and Like me Andy loved the unique vibe and felt it was perfect for us. SOLD, this was the beginning of planning my dream wedding.

I used Pinterest a lot when planning the wedding, you can find so many different ideas and styles on there. I created boards to collect things I liked and it helped me vision the look I wanted. The great thing about Newton Hall was that it already had so much character, we didn’t want to take away the unique interior. I made a few bits myself to add a little personal touch. Instead of wedding favours we made mini thank you bags for those who helped us throughout the planning and had personalised activity bags for the kids. Andy’s job was to create the cake, it was a complete surprise to me on the day and he done really well, I loved it and it fitted our theme perfect.

My dress was actually my second bought, oops! I finally found ‘The one’ 6 months before the wedding after doubting my original choice. I chose it from the very first shop I visited back in the early stage of planning. I loved the lace detail on my dress and the tiny buttons that ran right up the back. I also tied a small sequin belt to add a little extra sparkle.

After 19 months of planning our special day finally arrived. Andy was so nervous for the ceremony, it really meant a lot to him. The whole day was just magical, a highlight was our cocktail reception; the nervous part was over, everyone was now relaxed and we were introduced as Mr & Mrs for the first time to all our family and friends and that was a great feeling.

Sarah-Jane Ethan was our photographer. When I first browsed her website I loved the way she captured people’s weddings. Her images were bright and seemed to have that natural feel, which is what we were looking for. Talking to Sarah-Jane Ethan was always a pleasure, she was always so happy and friendly and on the day she made us feel so relaxed. We didn’t want a lot of formal pictures, we wanted our day to be captured naturally with life and laughter. I love the close up shots from around our venue and the finishing touches which make memories of our long planning. I love looking back at our photos they tell the story of our day and how everything fell into place so perfectly.

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There is just something so incredibly special, so incredibly timeless about an English wedding. And it’s made all that much more darling when the couple infuses their personalities among the traditions, which is just what happened with this beauty captured by Sarah-Jane Ethan. Complete with gorgeous English gardens, beautifully classic gown and tweed a plenty, this gallery is English wedding gold.

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Romantic English Garden Wedding with a Dream Naeem Khan Wedding Dress

From The Bride…Warren & I met in a bar in Tynemouth, our local village, at Christmas time but I was only home for a week as I was going back to uni in Leeds so we ended up chatting and swapping numbers but once I was back in Leeds nothing happened – I was a student and warren was working full time in Newcastle. It wasn’t until the following October where we bumped into each other again at a party when I was home for the weekend and we got back in touch and Warren came to visit me in Leeds for a weekend a few weeks later and that was that!

We were engaged over scrambled eggs! I was stood in our kitchen in my pajamas on a Saturday morning making us scrambled eggs for breakfast and Warren started following me round the kitchen looking a bit nervous and I told him (repeatedly) to get out of my way and I would shout when the eggs were ready. He then blurted out that I made the best scrambled eggs in the world…my response was thanks but seriously get out of my way and then he said “what I’m trying to say is I would like you to make these scrambled eggs for the rest of my life” whilst looking at me right in the eye and then it dawned on me…and I said “are you trying to ask me what I think you are trying to ask me as that’s the worst proposal ever and where’s the ring?!” Well yes he was asking me what I thought he was asking and there was no ring as apparently it just occurred to him at that moment when I was making him scrambled eggs! But I did get to choose my own very beautiful and unique engagement ring! Our friends and family still debate whether it’s the least romantic or most romantic proposal but we all agree it was very “us”.

We were engaged for 3 years before setting a date or doing any planning. We weren’t really in a hurry to get married but one day we were driving to Rothbury and decided to try and visit Brinkburn Priory, the English Heritage site on the way – my family had a caravan in Rothbury for a few years when I was younger and I spent lots of time there and I had told Warren about this interesting old Priory and we had tried to visit it twice before to get there and find it was closed so we thought third time lucky. It’s a beautiful venue in a lovely area of the Northumberland countryside 40 minutes drive from our home at the coast and we’ve always loved walking up there. Third time lucky in one sense as it was closed but there was a sign with an arrow giving directions to a wedding. When we got home I looked up Brinkburn Priory as a wedding venue remembering how lovely it was when I went as a child. We decided to go to their next open day and instantly knew it was perfect for us. It was November 2014 and a crisp autumn day and the colours of the trees and the river and beautiful forest seemed magical combined with the tipi and the lovely cottage. It had a really relaxed, fun, quirky and unique vibe which was just what we were looking for. We wanted to do something a little different but that matched our love of the outdoors and of Northumberland. We asked about dates and every weekend in 2015 was already booked apart from one Saturday…which was the day before Warren’s 40th birthday. This seemed perfect as many of our friends and family were beginning to ask after over 3 years of being engaged, were we ever going to get married and warren would always respond that he would definitely have to get married before he was 40…it seemed too funny to end up doing it the day before so we set about planning a weekend of celebrations rather than just one day. I decided I wanted to get married in the huge beautiful old Priory which is steeped in history and have the reception in the fun and very unique giant hat tipi which was adorned with fairy lights, comfy leather sofas with animal print throws and quirky barrel tables. The accommodation on site was also beautiful and sleeps 17 people so we thought it would be perfect to have close friends and family stay with us for the full weekend.

I chose the very first dress I tried on! I made a few appointments in Newcastle after an internet search, having no real idea where to start. I went to the first shop and the girls were amazing. One of them did a consultation with me asking what I was looking for. The only thing I knew I would like was a lot of lace and long sleeves. Danni picked a dress from the rail and I tried it on and loved it and said I will go for this one – I’m pretty good at making decisions and I knew I’m not the type of girl who would enjoy trying on 50 dresses in hot cramped changing rooms. My mom and Danni had to make me try on a couple more styles to make sure but I kept thinking about the first one. Danni wouldn’t let us buy it before going away and thinking about it as I think she wanted me to be really sure and was worried I had made a snap decision. We went for lunch and a cocktail and went back and bought the dress. As easy as that. My shoes were also pretty easy – I waited until about a month before the wedding and thought oh god I best buy some shoes! I spent way longer mulling over bridesmaid shoes than my own! I knew my shoes wouldn’t be visible under my dress so I went for comfort and a relatively cheap pair from debenhams which I’m really pleased about as I’ve never worn them since and they couldn’t be seen on the day. I didn’t go for any accessories other than a floor length veil which really complimented the dress. I wanted the dress to do all the talking.

Flowers were strangely harder than the dress for me as I just didn’t know where to start with colours and styles etc but the venue recommended a local florist who was amazing. I went to her house with my mom only 2 months before the wedding and I described the colour scheme and theme of the wedding – we were going nautical! And she instantly said burnt orange would look great with the midnight blue bridesmaid dresses. Not something I would have thought of but she was so right. I went for beautiful bright bouquets for the bridesmaids with lots of orange colour to compliment their dark dresses and a mixed bouquet of colour and ivory for mine. We didn’t go for any flowers in the Priory as we felt it didn’t need any as it’s such a grand building. I went for a wild and natural look for the flowers to compliment the countryside and autumnal feel and the men’s buttonholes had herbs and birch included in them.

I struggled with bridesmaid dresses more than anything! I had 6 bridesmaids plus my 4 year old niece as a flower girl and I basically left it too late to order any from most bridal shops or online suppliers – I was far too relaxed in the beginning! But i also knew I wanted navy or midnight blue and floor length and when I got my dress in March, all of the bridesmaid dresses were short and in summer colours which wouldn’t work for an October nautical themed wedding. I hedged my bets and waited until August when I knew high street retailers would be getting their autumn/winter stock in and my mom found the perfect dresses on monsoon’s website and I ordered one for my sister to try and she loved it and the other bridesmaids loved them too. The flower girl dress and jacket were also from monsoon. One of my bridesmaids works in fashion so I asked her to help me with the bridesmaid shoes and she found amazing and really unique silver shoes with a jeweled heel on asos which were comfortable too. I only wish I had ordered a pair for myself now as they still love wearing them.

The groom wanted to wear tweed – he loves tweed and we wanted to go a little different. We thought blue tweed look great in the countryside setting and keep the men warm and tie in with the nautical theme. Warren’s tweed 3 piece suit was bespoke, made by a tailor in Northumberland who is now in his 70s and has been making suits his whole life – John Blade. The groomsmen suits were also blue tweed and were from a very quirky shop called Most Suitable in Newcastle. We said on the invites that tweed for gents was encouraged but in no way mandatory and so many of our guests turned up in tweed which was amazing.

I chose Sarah-Jane Ethan as our photographer after a recommendation from one of my bridesmaids who had been at a wedding as a guest where you were photographer. She said SJ had been brilliant and got some amazing quirky and unique shots but just blended into the background but were really good fun too. She knew that warren and I were kind of dreading the photo side of things as we both hate having our photo taken! So SJ’s relaxed vibe sounded perfect. I checked out her website and immediately got in touch! The images are amazing, she captured every one of my favourite moments of the day – from the sublime to the ridiculous moments!The colours are captured so well – the colours of the trees etc and she caught some great natural, in the moment pictures of all of us just looking like we were having a really great fun time – which was my aim of the day :-)

Well I was very relaxed and was adamant I didn’t want the planning of the wedding to take over our lives or become a bridezilla! Although I probably did have my moments at times..mainly because we booked the venue with just under 11 months to go but I really didn’t do any planning until about 5 months before the big day – which sounded like more than enough time to me but it turned out it wasn’t really – not with both of us working busy jobs and having busy lives – it turns out planning a wedding is kind of like another full time job! But my advice would be to have as much fun as you can along the way as it should be a really happy time in your life and your relationship, not a stressful one. But be more organized than I was and don’t leave things till the last minute. Accept help from friends and family when they offer it and use the wedding planner book you were given as an engagement gift. Oh and stick to the budget you agreed on – sticking to a budget has never been a forte of mine but costs can quickly spiral out of control! And on the day, enjoy every minute of it, it will fly by but relax and know that after all the planning, the day will be just how you wanted it. I genuinely never stopped laughing all day! I would also recommend a photo booth – it made the evening!

I’m convinced this Bride had a fairy godmother because her Naeem Khan wedding dress is way too beautiful to be real. And, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a little magic sprinkled everywhere at this fête. From the dress and Manolo Blahnik heels to the chapel ceremony and garden reception, every inch of this wedding from Bianco Photography deserves to be pinned. See it all in THE VAULT!

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Elegant Destination Wedding At The Oyster Shed

From Bianco Photography…There are places in which I feel immediately enraptured by the atmosphere, the taste for details and all the history that those houses treasure. That’s why I was immediately enthusiastic when Lynn and Joe asked me to take pictures at their wedding at Sibton Park, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever had the chance to work in. More, Lynn was wearing a stunning gown by Naeem Khan, one of my favorite bridal fashion designers ever and the most loved Manolo Blahnik (you might remember them in blue from Sex & The City’s wedding? I know you do). What on earth could I desire more than this? A special thanks to Sarah of Softley Events as well, for the beautiful planning!

I’m not going to lie to you, this wedding is perfect. That’s right, the ideal celebration captured by the one and only Kathryn Hopkins Photography. For any party that is punctuated with the Bride wearing Stella York is one we’re bound to take note of, and we’ve got it all waiting for you to see in THE VAULT!

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From The Bride…Andy and I met when we were both working for the charity Age UK. We were both part of the charity softball team and met at the first practice of the season. After a couple months of knowing each other Andy moved to Brixton where I was also living at the time and the rest, as they say, is history.

Andy proposed in India when we were on a two week trip last year. Apparently he thought proposing at sunset on a beach in Goa was too cliché, so instead decided to propose in Munnar in our hotel room, as the mist descended and monsoon rains appeared! He didn’t have the ring with him (travel insurance woes) so a temporary ring had to suffice. He even went to the effort to film a congratulations video from my family and friends to show me after the proposal. However, we had some technical difficulties and the hotel’s wifi was really weak so we had to hop in a rickshaw to the town nearby where I say in an internet café with Indian music blaring, headphones on, listening to my nearest and dearest wishing us all the best. And I wouldn’t have had the proposal any other way.

My dress was the second one I tried on. My maid of honor was living in Crystal Palace at the time and had occasionally walked past a bridal shop (Love Bridal) so we gave that a go. They are absolutely lovely, there’s no pressured whatsoever and they really listen to what you want. I didn’t have much thought about what I wanted my dress to look like so Julie (MOH) and I decided the first three I was going to try on by the names of the dresses. Julie has close links with Australia and one of the dresses was called ‘Kylie’ so it made the top three. It turned out to be the one.

I wanted something simple yet stylish that suited my frame. I loved the back of my dress, for us girls that don’t have a size able chest it’s nice being able to make a statement at the back! I wasn’t going to have a veil but it made me feel so ‘bride like’ it was a must.

Jewelry was kept to a minimum because of the style of the dress but I had a ring that was my great grandmother’s (something old) a bracelet from Andy’s mum (something borrowed) and Andy surprised me with pearl earrings from Tiffany and Co for my wedding gift!

We knew from the start that we wanted a London wedding. We both live in London and love it, so couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else. We struggled at first to find somewhere that really suited what we wanted. At first we were looking for an all in one but everything we found was a bit too formal.

The Oyster Shed where we had our reception is just amazing. The location is ideal – right on the river with a brilliant view of the Shard. It’s normally closed on a weekend because it’s in the city so there aren’t a lot of people about at the weekends so they only open for private hire. It’s very London but with a nautical twist!

The great thing about the Oyster Shed is that it already has so much character. There’s lots of different colours and knick knacks that we didn’t really need to add much else as it would take away from the charm of the venue. What we loved as well were the rustic tables with mismatched chairs – we’re not formal people so the set-up really suited us. In the end we added a little bit of bunting, some photos of our grandparents on their wedding days (as they have all sadly passed away) and that was really it! I did have to have my US mailbox for our cards as a nod to my US heritage.

Ultimately, we wanted a relaxed day and the Oyster Shed really helps with that. Everything is in one room, but with enough space for people to spread out – people could be dancing the night away or relaxing on one of the leather sofas while all the while having a truly spectacular London backdrop behind them.

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Elegant Winter Wedding in London

David Jenkins and Reel Love Films have officially delivered winter wedding goodness. For this London celebration is truly a gem and one that we honest-to-goodness treasure. A classic, intimate ceremony that took place next to Buckingham palace, this celebration could easily pass for royalty. From the Contemporary Art setting to the Bride’s something blue Manolo’s, we’ve got it all waiting in THE VAULT!

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Lavish London Wedding Full of Glamour at The Dorchester Hotel

From David Jenkins…A beautiful classic intimate wedding taking place next to Buckingham palace at the Institute of Contemporary Art on Londons’ stunning Mall. The portraits took place on Horse-guards parade. Zoe opted for a wonderful Pronovias dress with eye catching blue Manolo Blahnik shoes. Both Nathan and Zoe design fashion for the UK, for leading designer Paul Smith and Nathan even designed his own shoes, so the outfits were of paramount importance. The overall feel was intimate, elegant and full of emotion. Nathan walked to the art gallery venue in the morning via Trafalgar square where his hotel was situated. Zoe arrived in a classic London black cab. The white walled venue offered them an intimate, contemporary space with the understated pastel floral design and atmospheric lighting really coming to the fore and allowing them and their family and friends to fully relax and immerse in the occasion.

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Let’s count a few of the reasons London is fabulous. First, Kate Middleton and her precious children (I mean, Prince George’s cheeks). Second, the accents (enough said). Third? This drop-dead-gorgeous dream wedding. The stunning Bride and Groom, the beautiful flowers, the over-the-top glam Dorchester Hotel reception and photos from Jacob And Pauline Photography combine to create the ultimate fairytale day. See all the magic in THE VAULT!

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Casual Chic London Engagement Session

From Jacob And Pauline Photography…London is peppered with iconic hotels, but none quite so opulent as the Dorchester. Ijay and Tolu chose the London landmark to host their friends and family for an unforgettable day spilling over with lavish touches and relaxed elegance. Ijay looked exquisite in a dress reminiscent of silver-screen sirens of yesteryear, with an effervescent veil and gorgeous hairpiece. She arrived at the church in a snowy-white Rolls Royce, just one of the many luxurious additions to this wedding!

The ceremony itself was held in a local church, which as you can see, provided a perfectly simple backdrop for our photos with its bright ambience and soaring stained glass windows – offset by the warm hints of pink in the traditional dresses worn by the female guests, which we loved! The ceremony was two hours of incredible singing and energy, everyone there was just swelling with happiness for Ijay and Tolu, and they could not have looked more thrilled.

As wedding photographers, we often feel guilty stealing the couple away for photos, but Ijay and Tolu were so laid back and true naturals in front of the camera – we took them to one of our favourite spots in Knightsbridge and were blown away by how comfortable they were in the light of our lens – it was as if we were shooting two models!

Our next stop was the Dorchester’s sumptuous ballroom, which looked absolutely stunning with décor by Planned2Perfection and decadent floral arrangements by NB Flowers giving a breath-taking finish. It was without a doubt one of the most beautifully arranged rooms we have seen yet, with a towering, intricate cake as the centerpiece.

There was so much love at this wedding – from the emotional speeches which even got the groom wiping away a tear – to the spine-tingling moment when the bride danced with her father under a canopy of falling confetti, fluttering through the spotlights – such a magical moment!

We borrowed Ijay and Tolu to photograph them on the terrace with its sweeping views across the London skyline. Again, we were struck by how natural they were – we didn’t have to direct them at all, just capture the love that they so obviously hold for each other.

It was a long 12 hour day for us, but Ijay and Tolu were such a pleasure to work with that that the time flew by. Their kind and positive natures warmed up the cloudy London sky that day!

It’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that I have a soft spot in my heart for London, so when these engagement photos came across my desk, you could easily say my day was made. Join me as we take a transatlantic tour of this city I love so much through the lens of Shadi Boulos and if you need me anytime soon, stop by our VAULT and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find me settled in right there.

From the Bride-to-be… I’m Mira and my fiancé Daniel and I live in London. Our engagement session was shot in this city that we love so much and where we first met! We saw photographs of friends who had just had their engagement session in the States, and couldn’t believe how good they were. So we couldn’t resist persuading, Shadi B, a U.S. based photographer to fly over to the UK for our wedding!

Daniel and I met two and a half years ago, at our church in London, after he finally plucked up the courage to ask me out on our first date for my favourite sushi and to watch the Despicable Me 2 movie, claiming it to be market research as he designs toys for the movie. Turned out the sushi restaurant had closed down and the cinema was probably the most uncomfortable one in the country! He was embarrassed to say the least, however after that he quickly became my best friend, and we went on many more dates, until he proposed to me in a Romeo/Juliet fashion outside my balcony which overlooks the lovely English countryside where he was there down on one knee with a ring that he had personally designed and made into a project like one of his toys.

So off we went to meet Shadi at our favourite food market in London, Borough Market, which is full of the finest fresh foods. We then walked around the city, the River Thames along the Embankment, and even got traffic to stop for a photograph on the famous Tower Bridge. We finished off at my favourite building in the whole city at the beautiful St Paul’s Cathedral, and the walked over Millennium bridge at sunset.

Our photographer, Shadi B, has an incredible talent, we couldn’t believe how comfortable he made us feel, when we both aren’t naturals! He managed to get the best photographs we could have ever imagined, and felt like he was part of our family, even though we’d never met him before! This engagement shoot really gave us the opportunity to get to know Shadi just two days before our wedding, so come the big day, we knew each other and understood Shadi’s creative direction well enough to just enjoy every moment of the day.

From Shadi Boulos Photography… I’ve been traveling since I was a newborn, so it’s obvious it is a passion of mine. When I can combine photography and traveling, I can’t ask for anything better. When Mira first contacted me, I was so excited to work with her! After months of emails and traveling, I finally arrived to London excited to meet my new couple. Not only did we have an amazing time throughout the session, but a few days later I had the honor of photographing Daniel and Mira’s wedding. It was quite the destination wedding! The details of the dress, the groom and his custom tuxedo, the beautiful venue, it was very royal!

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Elegant English Country Estate Wedding Inspiration

I was lucky enough to study in London in college and while I took many side adventures, my weekend trips to the English countryside will always hold a special place in my heart. The sense of calm and simple elegance has stayed with me over the years and this photo shoot by Taylor and Porter was the perfect reminder of why I fell in love with this area. Quintessentially English and undeniably romantic, these pics will be up on my screen for quite some time – see them all in our VAULT right this way!

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Classic + Elegant English Estate Wedding Inspiration

From Taylor & Porter… I’m a Fine Art Film Photographer based in the UK and recently shot an inspirational bridal editorial piece at Boconnoc House and Estate in Cornwall. It focuses on quintessentially English, refined, understated elegance. For the colour palette we worked with predominantly white on white with touches of subtle colour; tones from a Farrow & Ball paint chart; sage green, softest blue dove grey; natural hues. Antique platinum and diamond jewellery, a bespoke letterpress stationery suite, a Rue De Seine wedding gown and stunning organic florals by American florist, Forage & Fleur completed the look. All the photographs were captured on medium format film lending a soft, timeless romance and intrinsic quality to the images.

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I could spend all day getting lost in this gorgeous photo shoot, set at the English estate thought to inspire Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility. Inspired by that very fact, each and every detail is completely enchanting—from the stunning jewels and the lovely gowns to the breathtaking flowers and delectable pastries. It’s all an absolute dream, executed by a dream team including WOOKIE Photography, Emma Vowles, Coco Wedding Venues, Kate Burt Cakes and Katrina Otter Weddings. Fall for it all in The Vault.

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Rustic + Romantic Yorkshire Summer Wedding

From Coco Wedding Venues and Katrina Otter Weddings…Our classically elegant styled shoot was designed around the breathtakingly beautiful Pynes House. Steeped in history, this is an exclusive country house wedding venue in Devon, set in its own 37-acre park. Pynes House is believed to be the inspiration for Barton Park in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility and this charming association provided a constant source of inspiration.

With the backdrop chosen, we wanted the design to ooze classic contemporary elegance; think sexy-yet-sophisticated gowns, bold bouquets, luxuriously gilded cakes and a sweeping tablescape. Our palette focused on pale peachy pinks and soft dove greys whilst an array of shaded blues added quite the drama. We couldn’t create a Classic Elegance shoot without capturing the day on film. Amy from WOOKIE Photography and her assistant were so much fun to work with, inspired and inspiring, their gorgeous results blew us away.

For the first bridal look our florist, Emma Vowles, fashioned a classic hand tied bouquet of hydrangeas, scented garden roses and peonies. This had a nod of ‘old school’ glamour when coupled with the sleek fitting Jesus Peiro gown with beautiful bow detail and silken platform heels by Freya Rose. To complete this classically chic style, the sumptuous bouquet was mirrored with a statement crown of hydrangeas. Makeup artist Tori Harris kept things simple, with flushed cheeks and bold brows, which worked perfectly with the structure of the dress and flowers.

Inspired by bridal bouquets from the 1930’s Emma used an abundance of asparagus fern for our second bridal look. A simple mix of foxgloves, blossoming spirea and aquilegia didn’t complicate the soft ‘foam’ of the fern so a romantic cascade was achieved. Our beaded Clinton Lotter number looked divine against this frivolous floral statement and a classic blusher veil added that touch of tradition without compromising the overall look. Our Bride, Chelsea, has the most incredible blue eyes so we decided to go for full on smolder. A strong eye also works perfectly if you are choosing a veil such as this; you certainly want your boy to be looking into your eyes as you walk down the aisle! Pale blue suede heels from ASOS and bold drop earrings and matching cuff by St Erasmus from Liberty in Love completed our Bride’s style.

For the final look we wanted decadence with a touch of irreverence. Think dancing ‘til dawn with your guests and stolen kisses with your newly acquired husband. Our Bride gallivanted in the gardens wearing another Jesus Peiro gown with subtle silver brocade. The strapless neckline demanded a bold necklace and St Erasmus has some of the most decadent jewels I’ve ever seen. We adorned Chelsea with the crocheted Swarovski teardrop crystal necklace and matching bracelet. Our bold lip was mirrored by the pop of ‘black’ scabious in the third and final bouquet. The mix of peony, ranuculus, delphiniums, astilble, spirea, and garden rose looked wonderful in this soft hand tied bouquet, especially contrasted against the stunning blue of the sofa sourced by Elle at Inspire Hire. We finished the bouquet with bespoke hand-dyed soft blue silk ribbons by Kate Cullen.

Kate Ruth Romey carried through our blue hues in the stationery. An elegant calligraphy script and crest was enough to tell guests they were in for a classic treat. Our suite consisted of an invitation, RSVP card and the most dramatic deep blue envelope with a hand-stamped golden crest seal. Our soft calligraphy suite continued through to our tablescape with pale blue place names and sweet menus in frames.

Ali Beaven, founder of the ultimate Gift List Company Prezola, assisted us with the styling of our tablescape. Ali has a background in interior design and with her eye for luxury we knew our Classic Elegance dining experience was in safe hands. The Linen Works provided the grey tablecloths and napkins, whilst Burleigh had the prettiest blue & white tableware with a delicate Asiatic Pheasant pattern. The place settings were completed with silver leaf napkin rings by Culinary Concepts and Ladurée sugared almond favours. I particularly loved the larger-than-life lanterns by Artisanti!

To finish, I simply must mention the cake table designed by Kate Burt Cakes. With not one, not two but seven gorgeous cakes it was quite the luxury statement. A white croquembouche was flagged by twin hand-painted cakes, a simple 3-tier iced cake was decorated with a painted gold stripe and the master of ceremonies, a square 5-tier cake, stood in all its glory with blue velvet ribbon, gold sugar flowers and a crisp white feather. You are spoilt for choice at Pynes House for places to display your wedding cake, but we did rather fall in love with the blue alcove – a stunning spotlight for your sugary treat.

From Coco Wedding Venues – Emma Hla…The ethos behind Coco can be summed up using these words; “Luxe, stylish, unique, quality, bespoke and cool”. These words capture the spirit of Coco Wedding Venues and all that we look for in our wedding venues…” Since launching in early 2014, Coco Wedding Venues has captured the imagination of Brides and wedding industry professionals alike. This beautiful, style-focused wedding venue directory and blog has carved a special niche in a crowded marketplace and won numerous fans along the way. Curated by editor Emma Hla, who left her career with brands such as Michael Kors and Links of London behind, has enticed some of the most stunning wedding venues in the UK to join the Coco family.

From Katrina Otter Weddings…I bring beautiful, timeless and classically elegant wedding design to life, adding a touch of contemporary styling to create exquisite, perfectly organised weddings for my clients. Over the last 10 years, I’ve been fortunate enough to organise an array of weddings, from intimate celebrations to lavish affairs. I have worked right across the UK in venues that have ranged from stately homes and country estates to luxuriously renovated barns and marquees. I am also a member of the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners (UKAWP), an organisation that was founded with one purpose – to promote professionalism in wedding planning.

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Freya Rose

2014/2015 Shoes

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If what you’re after is a winning combo of rustic romance, look no further than the English countryside as your backdrop. It’s a destination where dresses are welcomed to sweep across fields of grass, where dainty white petals and twinkling lights set the mood and darling scrabble cakes replace extravagant dessert tables. And it also happens to be where you’ll find Sarah-Jane Ethan in action, stealing every moment in time. It’s all tucked away beautifully, here in The Vault.

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Romantic + Whimsical Georgian Era Wedding Inspiration

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Rustic Weddings

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Rustic

From The Bride…We met at University in Manchester and got engaged nearly seven years later in gorgeous Sri Lanka, the places we visited were then our table names on the day. We wanted the whole day to to have an outdoor rustic English Country feel to it, but we did almost everything ourselves so there was a lot of Pinterest stalking going on!

I set off dress hunting with boho, floaty ideas in my head, but it turns out I’m definitely not tall or willowy enough to pull that off! I actually bought a gorgeous Jenny Packham dress in the sample sale and ended up selling it on as it just wasn’t me, but I know it was everything someone else wanted for their special day. I went for champagne coloured a Maggie Sottero in the end, which was just so classic I knew Id love it forever and I felt amazing in it all day.

I wore simple square diamond earrings from my Dad and my Mum’s sapphire ring as something blue. My something borrowed came with my friend Zoe’s veil which has actually become something of a team veil – I’m the third one to wear it! Shoes were a bit of nightmare to find as I wanted something that I’d be able to wear again. I went for cream peep toe LK Bennett heels, but really needn’t have worried as I was tearing up the dance floor in my decade old Haviana’s by 8pm!

The venue was so important to us, Sam’s only requirement was “Somewhere we can party…” but my criteria were a little longer! I didn’t want anything too traditional and wanted something we could really make personal to us – plus we wanted the ceremony to be outdoors. We found The Yorkshire Wedding Barn on a fluke whilst it was still being built, the setting was everything you could wish for, rolling English countryside, a beautiful stone barn and stunning cottages for the wedding party to stay in.

The owners Mandy and Neville were what really sold us it though, I didn’t feel on a wedding carousel, I felt like I was part of something they had built with love, sweat and tears and it just felt so genuine. We had the place for three whole days and had brunches, games, cricket and sessions in the White Swan pub just round the corner who also ran the bar for us all night. We could also have whatever catering we wanted which meant canapes galore and an easy choice for main of fillet steak and chips by our fabulous caterer Ray Wade.

We an outdoor wedding in a field plus a large barn means we had a bit of a job on our hands for the decorations! My mum was just amazing and not only helped with absolutely everything, she also hand made every single origami birds for our origami curtain and individually hung them from the beams. Tables and every available space was filled with candles, burlap and gypsophila absolutely everywhere!

We did the flowers ourselves and I absolutely adore gypsophila so it was always going to be a big part of the day, we then discovered even as total amateurs – you cannot destroy it! So it then went in every orifice we could find, tables, the roof, bushes, birdcages, buttonholes, bridesmaid bouquets you name it, we put some in there! We bought old picture frames and turned them into blackboards for the table names and wrapped up anything we could in twine to give it that rustic feel.

I walked down the aisle in the sunshine to “Cavalier” by James Vincent McMorrow which will stay with us both forever. We asked Sam’s Mum and my Brother to do readings during the ceremony for us that they wrote themselves giving advice to the Bride or Groom from the other side of the family “Living with a Sinclair/ Williams”. They were just so personal and had the guests blubbing in their chairs, it was honestly one of the best decisions we made.

My advice to any couple still planning their big day is:

1) Having all your friends and family in one place to celebrate is just amazing, there’s no need to stress about anything as that’s the only reason you’re all there.

2) Throw tradition to the wind if it feels right for you.

3) Invest in a great photographer! There’s so much you can’t see or get to on the day and it goes by so fast that you need someone talented and dedicated to capture the best day of your life, so Sarah-Jane was our perfect choice, it honestly is worth every single penny.

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Maggie Sottero

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Maggie Sottero Fall 2019

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I’m urging you beautiful Brides out there to breathe in every ounce of utter beauty that follows and exhale your own inspired version in real wedding form. Whether it’s the mauve, buttermilk yellow, blush and coral palette that graces your day, the touch of whimsy Georgian Era style or the endless facets of charm infused in this shoot, it’s a role model muse in every way. Favorite, pin and share your hearts out because Zosia Zacharia has filled The Vault with her enticing imagery.

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Weddings in Historical Venues

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Whimsical

From Zosia Zacharia Photography…Our shoot was inspired by the neo-classical venue, Parkstead House, built in the 1760s, located in south west London. Full of beautiful original features including its elegant plaster work indoors, a stunning double staircase outside, manicured grounds and neo-classical temple all of which provide the perfect back drop to any wedding.

With this we wanted our bride to embody the soft, whimsical, romantic look of the Georgian era. Soft flowing antique lace gowns from bridal dress designer Sally Lacock in styles Esme and Flora were paired with beautiful pairs of Rachel Simpson shoes in styles Victoria and Isabelle.

Make up artist Clare created a modern twist on the traditional English rose look for our bride by pairing dusty pink lips with a smoky gold eye with lashings of black mascara to give a more glamorous feel. Clare created a loose up-do and used delicate hand made hair-pieces to finish the look loaned by Abby of Cherished Bride.

Florist Kate created a modern trailing bouquet featuring Jasmine flowers, Sweetpeas, colourful Caramel Antike and Café Latte English roses, Dahlias and Astrantia. Along with romantic buttonholes featuring English garden roses tied with hand dyed silk ribbon.

Krishanthi Armitt of Cakes by Krishanthi created a stunning 4 tier wedding cake with sugar flowers to reflect the over all botanical theme. Krishanthi created a pale pastel blue icing as a base with a silver trellis design and hand crafted delicate sugar flowers in the style of trailing Clematis flowers & sweet peas. She also created co-ordinating cup cakes with silver trellis style holders and matching sugar flowers.

Our groom wore a romantic buttonhole and looked rather dapper in a tailored navy blue, fine pinstripe wool, 3 piece suit from bespoke tailors Marc Wallace.

Modern calligrapher Judy created a delicate invitation suite featuring white ink lettering on soft grey card finished with botanical theme stamps. Metallic silver was used as a high light colour for trailing botanical design invitation liners and a family crest threaded with beautiful organic, hand-dyed ribbon from Lancaster & Cornish.

For the reception tablescape wedding planner Rachael matched white linen and elegant bone china with antique silver cutlery & silverware, creating a simple backdrop to the colourful floral display which included extending trailing Jasmine along the length of the table, intertwined between antique silver candle sticks & tea lights. The tablescape was made completed with modern calligraphed placecards and luxurious leather Louis chairs provided by Academy Hire.

Travel Inspired Summer Wedding at Chelsea Physic Garden

Hidden away from the urban rush of London, this secret garden venue was the perfect place to host these two lovebirds’ blissful bash. Knot & Pop took their love and interest in all things travel, Colonial India and Edwardiana and created a unique celebration, with Pete Cranston capturing it all with some help from Gary Didsbury. Slip away into this fabulous fairytale with every pic right here!

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Elegant English Hindu Wedding

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Garden Weddings

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Whimsical

From Knot & Pop… Hannah and Derrick opted for the stunning natural surrounds of Chelsea Physic Garden in London for their wedding celebrations.

Wanting a day that was welcoming and inviting for all their guests, the couple opted for the venue with its secret garden feel, a hidden oasis in the heart of London. Beautiful and serene, they very much wanted a day where people could enjoy the great outdoors, relax and have fun.

The couple contacted us (UK wedding planners, Knot & Pop) having booked the church and reception venues but with just four months to go to the wedding date, needing a trusted and urgent help in hand to get invitations underway, theme and scheme set and all other suppliers booked.

With the bride’s love of E.M.Forster and the couple’s shared love of travel, Knot & Pop developed a wedding design that played to their passions, and set the tone for a unique and memorable day.

Having courted in India, the theme mixed in a sense of wanderlust, Colonial India and Edwardiana. From the Karma Kabs (Vintage Indian Ambassador cars) to the elephant motifs on invite and props throughout, and the vintage suitcases and trunks as coffee tables in lounge areas, the scene was set with not a detail over-looked. The table plan saw custom-made postcards with the couple’s’ initials as stamps, guiding guests to their table, with each named after a different place they had visited, and further showed their showed love of travel, culture and adventure. Little luggage tags were attached on peach ribbon for place cards, with gold bells, asking guests to ring them as the couple entered the marquee as Mr & Mrs. It was a lovely and treasured moment for Hannah and Derrick entering to the sound of everyone ringing the bells!

Guests dined on round tables with the top table as a banquet table, lined with tapered peach and coral candles on brassy gold candlesticks, with ornate brass filigree lanterns placed behind them for a beautiful backdrop.

The flowers mixed David Austin roses with dahlias,  lisianthus,  white ohara rose, eremurus,  blushing bride hydrangea and trailing green amaranthus to name a few. Knot & Pop got the florist to create floral chandeliers that acted as a real focus point in the marquee, with garlands hanging over the dancefloor that looked beautiful.

With a photo booth to capture all the guests before they sat for dinner, a roaming artist drawing through the day and a great swing band and swing lesson taking place to get everyone on the dance floor – and a few, delicious bespoke cocktails to help fuel them – the guests, Bride, and Groom had the most magical of days in the most beautiful of settings in the heart of London. A hidden gem, for a gem of a couple.

Awash in some of the most beautiful details you will ever see, this stunning affair is the definition of wedding perfection. From the breathtaking ceremonies in honor of both the bride and groom’s heritage to the jaw-dropping locale, also known as the Ardington House. Head to The Vault for even more cultural pretty captured by Peachey Photography and prepare to be wowed.

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Estate Weddings

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Romantic Spring English Country Club Wedding

From Peachey Photography… Danny’s family is Chinese, Anneka’s family is Indian, but they both grew up in England and wanted to celebrate all three cultures in their wedding celebration. In the morning a traditional Hindu ceremony was held, with all the beautiful colours and symbolism that it involves. Their outfits were both handmade by a tiny boutique in Surat, India, and fire, sweet treats and blessing ensued. Music and rose petal confetti led them out on to the lawns for drinks and some beautiful canapes, including hand-carved watermelon sculptures.

Following that, they changed from their Indian attire into a simple, sylish white bridal gown, designed by Augusta Jones, and a dapper dark Hugo Boss suit. Their guests took their seats on Temple Island, the small island nestled in the lake of Ardington House, and watched the English ceremony unfold, under an ancient stone temple adorned with flowers.

Once married a second time, they led their guests across the bridge for more music and food and a traditional Chinese tea ceremony took place for both families, where closest elder family members are served tea by the bride and groom. Dinner and lots of dancing followed and the day was the perfect fusion of ancient traditions from three very different cultures.

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Augusta Jones

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Is it just me or is the English countryside an absolute hidden gem!? I think Anushe Low would agree, for as I gazed upon her photos of this spring celebration, I was transported away to another world, filled with blush roses and beautiful light. These lovebirds said their vows surrounded by this beauty and this gorgeous gallery is my new sparkling source for a little pretty pick-me-up.

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Country Club Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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Rustic Newton Hall Wedding in Coastal Northumberland

From Anushe Low… Siobhan and Tom celebrated their wedding day in the beautiful English countryside at the luxury hotel and spa, The Grove. 385 Guests enjoyed the warm May sunshine in the manicured gardens and pools of this country club venue with stunning views of the rolling green hills of Hertfordshire beyond.

Siobhan looked absolutely stunning in a version of the Bluebell wedding dress by Temperley London with a chic layered skirt and an exquisite lace bodice. She wore nude suede Mermaid sandals by Sergio Rossi embellished with crystals. Siobhan’s six bridesmaids looked angelic all in white Temperley London halterneck, empire-line dresses. The groom and groomsmen all wore black tie made by Harris and Howard’s bespoke tailoring.

Beautiful, soft romantic pinks and creams dominated the floral design by Wild at Heart with dramatic roses and hydrangea displays in over-sized silver vases and large pink and cream peonies and roses in the bridal bouquets. The wedding design was given a contemporary edge with the clear perspex invitation ‘cards’, clear glass plates, perspex candle stands and perspex chairs.

The soft pink florals continued in the cake design by Crowthers Cake Studio with a 6-tier cake adorned with sugar roses in an asymmetrical style.

The ceremony took place in an open-sided white marquee on the grounds of The Grove. The bride walked down the aisle to a string quartet. Guest enjoyed delicious canapés and flowing champagne outdoors following which they found their heart-shaped pink escort cards hanging from white ribbons on a row of small trees lining the reception room. The wedding meal was lit by an abundance of romantic white candles whilst guests enjoyed a three-course meal with coffee and petit fours.

The bride and groom opened the dancefloor to Aretha Franklin’s ‘You Send Me’ and the party really got going with an energetic Irish band who kept the dancefloor full all night!

Owning a wedding dress shop no doubt helped this Bride pick her dress in no time—a gorgeous full-lace Charlie Brear creation! Add in the quirky charm of Newton Hall, fitting perfectly with the couple’s personal touches (dinosaur centerpiece planters!) and we have a beautifully captured celebration, thanks to Sarah-Jane Ethan. Get whisked away with the full gallery right here!

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Outdoor Weddings Rustic Weddings

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Classic Weddings Rustic

From the beautiful Bride… We met during Christmas 2012 after two mutual friends set us up on a blind date!! Apparently, we would ‘get on really well… turns out they were right!

Ten months later, on a trip to beautiful Lake Garda in Italy, Dave proposed at the feet of the Madonna statue, on a hill overlooking the town of Malcesine, at sunset. We were the only two there and I was completely swept off my feet!!! And so the planning began….

We knew we wanted a relaxed wedding with lots of natural touches. I had seen an image of some flower centerpieces that used natural logs as vases – it was the first picture I saved and the theme took a natural course from there.

Having owned a wedding dress shop for over 5 years (I’ve since sold on the business), choosing my dress was probably the easiest bit – believe it or not! Over the years I had found out what shapes suited me and what didn’t, so could narrow styles down quite quickly. I wanted something with a vintage feel but that would still flatter my 5’2″ frame. My full-lace, Charlie Brear dress ticked every box! I also bought two separate tops to wear with it that would give me three slightly different looks for throughout the day! I had always wanted to wear a veil so I knew that was also a must but I kept the veil quite simple so that it didn’t over power the dress. My headpiece was a Richard Designs side tiara that added some vintage sparkle to the over all look.

We hadn’t been looking for too long until we stumbled upon Newton Hall, on the beautiful coastline of Northumberland. The North East being Dave’s home and both of my parents birthplace – it seemed the most natural choice. It had the rustic charm we were looking for, coupled with quirky, fantastical decoration – we booked it over the phone before we had even been for a visit!!

Both being Beatles fans, we had a piano version of ‘Let It Be’ for me and my brothers to walk down the aisle too. We walked out to ‘All You Need Is Love’ and Dave gave each of the groomsmen a guitar brooch to wear in tribute to his love of all things music!! We stuck with tradition for the vows but Dave’s usher read a poem called ‘The Lovely Other Dinosaur’ by Edward Monkton that seemed to sum us both up perfectly!! The poem also complemented the handmade dinosaur planters used along with the centerpieces, that I spent far too much time on!!!

As tribute to my Dad, my mum gave me a vintage brooch with a picture of him inside to attach to my bouquet, so I still felt like he was there in spirit.

We struggled to find the groomsmen ties to match the bridesmaid dresses so my amazing mum took it upon herself to hand crochet individual ties for them all! They loved them and have all worn them since! She also handmade button bouquets for all my flower girls, that they could also keep as mementos of the day.

All of the logs for the table centers were provided by close family friends and we stenciled the plinths for them to sit on ourselves.

It would be very hard to pin down just one thing we were pleased about- the whole day was a dream from start to finish!! Seeing all the individual elements come together is something that you can’t quite believe will work until you see it!! From seeing the room set up with all the flowers for the first time to watching all our close family and friends smiling and dancing to our amazing live band – to us, it was perfect!

To anybody still planning their big day – try to enjoy it! Try to make it personal to you and don’t just follow the crowd and do what you think people want you to do. If you want to add Star Wars figures into your centerpieces instead of flowers – do it!! (I wish I had!) It will show off your personalities and put a smile on other peoples faces!

For our photographer we chose SJ, the reasons will be hard to sum up in a few words!! She was amazing!! We wanted photographs that would capture the spirit of the day, were very natural and above all, weren’t ‘set-up’. We fell in love with the natural light images she produces. She captures moments in the day that you may not have even noticed – a happy tear, a loving glance, a far-away thought. Add to that the fact that she is the happiest, smiliest person ever put on this planet and you have the best photographer!! Her photos are as genuine and full of joy as she is and we couldn’t have asked for more – the photos speak for themselves.

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Charlie Brear

2015

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2016

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Whimsical English Country Spring Wedding

I’m downright jealous of the lucky guests at this English countryside wedding; they were transported to a magical world created by White Wedding Company when they attended this enchanting celebration captured by Helen Russell. Get those Pinterest boards ready m’dears, we got a whole lot of goodies right this way!

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Park Religious Institution

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Romantic Vintage

From Sue White of White Wedding Company… Working with Rachael and Marcus was a wedding planner’s dream – they had chosen one of the most beautiful private stately homes in North Yorkshire for their wedding reception and had planned a multitude of personal and very special touches to their day and evening – it was just up to me to bring everything together and make their day perfect.

Their day started with a military church ceremony – Marcus is in the RAF and they had a military guard of honour leaving church with guests throwing homemade confetti and a surprise from Rachael’s father of a lovingly restored Aston Martin DB5 to drive themselves to the reception! On route they went to visit Rachael’s beloved horse Desmond for photos throughout the day and evening with Helen Russell.

Arriving at Duncombe Park guests were greeted with Pimms or champagne (in vintage glasses) and canapés on the terrace to the sounds of a string quartet from Event Music Company. Croquet on the lawn was played and the stunning grounds were used for photos and guests mingling. When it was time for the wedding breakfast the saloon was decorated by Kirstie and Katy from Darling and Green with creams, white and golds using classic, seasonal English flowers of peonies, David Austin roses, white lilac, hydrangea, delphinium and herbs with a mix of foliage. Table favours for ladies were lavender hearts with M&R sewn on, the men had a miniature bottle of Sloe Gin from a local distillery and the children received a book “my day as a bridesmaid” with personalised colouring pencils.

After a fabulous meal and very entertaining speeches guests were taken on a surprise walk to a secret garden for the evening party!

Rachael and Marcus summed up their day as “truly magical with so many great moments.”

From the Bride… At the secret garden party in the evening the guests followed me along a tea light lit path through the woods into a sunken garden. Here they were greeted with an outdoor sitting room with a chandelier hanging in the tree above vintage sofas, coffee table on a rug and vintage accessories.

The tree had photo frames attached with our families wedding photos in. The surrounding trees and water features were lit with up lighters, pea lights and hanging jars with tea lights. Mark from AV Matrix supplied the lighting, it was magnificent and really finished off the magical atmosphere.

The guests then went on past the fountains through to the derelict garden room to be met with a cocktail in a tea cup, a mason jar or a milk bottle. In here was decorated with tea lights, ivy and fairy lights and lamp shades hanging from the ceiling, flowers in glass bottles and jam jars, vintage chairs and tables and old suitcases with stag and hen photos in them. This led into the marquee where we had the cocktail bar with the fire place and tea cups, hat stands, chests of draws, standing lamps, sofas and chaise longue and vintage trinkets to give a parlour atmosphere we had dreamed up in our planning.

We wanted the wedding to have soft vintage tones. My grandma used to always sing a song ‘when father painted the parlour’ which use to conjure up images of back in the day. I’ve always liked anything vintage with a story, old suitcases, teacups and pretty prints. Marcus’ uniform also leant to this perfectly.

On a visit to London we went to a bar call ‘Little Nans’ which was like stepping back in time and inspired our evening event. I drew up a scrappy drawing of a vintage Parlour and we set out to make it happen. We scoured antiques fairs and charity shops for nick-nacks and found a company in the Cotswolds to supply the furniture but it was too far for them to come. Luckily the flower ladies (Darling and Green) recommended Karen and Natalie who were just starting out with vintage wedding styling. The furniture and finishing touches and styling for the secret garden were supplied by Sweet Pea Events. They did a great job, the garden was transformed.

The only big thing left to finish it off was to find a bar. We searched for months for a suitable bar but everything was too modern, expensive or uninspiring and didn’t fit in with the old furniture so Marcus decided we were to build a bar ourselves. The week before the wedding we bought a Victorian fireplace in Horncastle, Lincolnshire; this was to be the focal point of the marque.

Between Marcus, his dad and my dad they built exactly what was in our heads. Thursday afternoon was spent wallpapering it and hanging picture. It couldn’t have been any better; it was perfect; just what we had envisaged.

During the warm. balmy evening (not always so in Yorkshire) guests danced to the 5 piece vintage band Victoriana, dressed up in the photo booth, ate from the Hog Roast and generally had a great time until 2am drinking cocktails and chilling out on the vintage furniture. Luckily Rachael had provided flip flops for the girls to dance in and pashminas when it grew chilly.

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Maggie Sottero

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Maggie Sottero Fall 2019

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Traditional English Garden Wedding in Shropshire

For a couple who held not one, not two, but THREE celebratory wedding get togethers so that friends and family all over the world could smile alongside them, I would say this duo has tying the knot down to a science. Marrying two gorgeous cultures – both in ceremony and style – gave way to an English Garden style with perfect Chinese detailing. With photographs from Stephen Jerkins Photography and decor by Amanda Jerkins Design, there is so much more goodness right here!

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Backyard Religious Institution

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Romantic Tented English Countryside Wedding

From the beautiful Bride… Thomas and I fell in love in London. We met by chance when a mutual friend insisted we go on a blind date. Sparks flew and after I graduated college in the US we moved to live in Beijing (where I grew up). Five years later we were back in London visiting friends; while strolling through Queen Mary’s rose garden in Regents Park Thomas got down on one knee and popped the question and I said yes.

I’m from Oregon, my family are from Texas and Arkansas, Thomas is from the UK, and we had friends and family in Beijing. It was important to us that all our nearest and dearest could celebrate with us so we planned three parties – one in each country. We kicked off in the spring with an informal brunch in a historic Beijing courtyard, and followed up in the fall with dinner and dancing in Portland’s downtown Pearl District.

For the wedding ceremony itself we chose Thomas’s family home in Shropshire, an agricultural county in the UK famous for its rolling hills, fuzzy sheep, and blue cheese. We were married in the thousand-year-old St. Peter’s Church Edgmond by Thomas’s childhood vicar, the Reverend Edward Ward. The ceremony celebrated the joining of two families – my talented cousin Mattie sang Ave Maria while we signed the church registry, Thomas’s uncle Roger did a bible reading, while my granny Virginia read one of Mark Twain’s letters. The reception was held at Thomas’s family home, a cottage set in a bucolic English garden with a plush emerald lawn which we decked out with a traditional croquet set. Guests enjoyed the cocktail reception and lawn games before sitting down for a family-style wedding breakfast full of local ingredients. Like any good English wedding reception it lasted all day – starting at noon, continuing through the evening with dancing and a food stall serving burgers and pizzas from a wood-fired oven, then whisky and marshmallows around the campfire until well after midnight.

We wanted to keep the decor unpretentious and romantic. In honor of our Chinese connection and guests we used toile chinoiserie tablecloths, mahjong tile placard holders, and brought over our dinner gong. In reference to our engagement in the rose garden, my mum crafted over one hundred water-colored paper rose escort cards. For a sweet take-away gift Thomas’s mum hand-made chutneys and jams.

Amanda Jerkins provided the romantic and lush floral decorations, bouquets and buttonholes. I loved how she married local wild flowers and blackberries with David Austin roses, blending traditional English flowers with a fresh American perspective. Our photographer Stephen was lovely to work with, his photos perfectly captured the narrative of the day. We love his documentary approach to photography – he took the time to get to know us, our families, and the locations. His preparation and appreciation for the British countryside really comes through in his work. We are thrilled with the final product; the photos are beautifully composed, crisp, and timeless. He was also highly efficient in getting the perfect shots so that we didn’t miss out on our reception. Our friendly bearded photographer was a major hit with the guests!

This gorgeous pair and their equally gorgeous wedding looks like it’s out of the pages of a magazine. Incredible backdrop, gorgeous styling, smiles and love bursting through every image. But what I love the most has absolutely nothing to do with any of that. It’s the blending of two families, the reverence to home and the fact that you can literally feel the joy in every moment. With photographs from Paper Antler, there is so much more right here.

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Garden Weddings Religious Institution

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Classic Weddings Romantic

From the beautiful Bride… Phil and I met on a small and magical island in the British Virgin Islands.. it was a love story that neither of us could see coming. I was wrapping up a 4-year adventure working and playing under the sun, and he happened to come over on vacation with friends during my final week on the island. We instantly knew what we found in one another was something undeniably special. After a relatively short cross-atlantic romance (and lots of air miles accumulated by Phil) he took me up to the Lake District on the northwest coast of England and asked me to marry him on one of the most stunning mountain tops. It was the happiest surprise of my life!

Our dream was that our wedding would be a true celebration of the love that binds us all together — our two families, friends and countries — and we wanted to highlight the wonderful English and American traditions that we both adore. We decided to get married in the treasured Woodland Valley of the Lake District – in the church and home of Phil’s late Grandmother, Marigold. It is also where his parents got married 40 years ago, and is now where they call home. Our families are everything to us, and we were thrilled to be able to have our two worlds collide in such a meaningful place. My family and friends loved coming to England to spend some happy sunny days up north, stretching out the festivities and exploring the area with Phil’s family.

Thankfully we couldn’t really do much to improve upon the existing breathtaking views, rolling fells and magical woodland setting. The gardens were in bloom and the sun stayed out for nearly the whole weekend. Our vision was to let the natural beauty of the valley be enjoyed all week long.. so we hiked, swam, sat in the sunny gardens and just enjoyed our loved ones who had traveled such great distances to share in these few unforgettable days.

Our incredible friends Kara and Courtney helped pull everything together for us throughout the week, allowing our families to really relax and enjoy spending time together. The wedding day was an absolute dream, and we are so grateful that Jonny & Michelle (Paper Antler) captured the sweetest moments throughout it all – of the people we hold dearest in our lives. We will forever cherish these images and the memories of the happiest week of our lives.

Romantic Secret Garden-Inspired London Wedding Weekend

Oh my gosh, how I adore this adorable duo and their whimsical wedding festivities! From their engagement session to their rehearsal dinner (complete with croquet, a colorful lounge area and balloon animals!) this Bride and Groom couldn’t be cuter (neither could their flower girls!). And don’t even get me started on their wedding—drenched in out-of-this-world florals by Zita Elze. Check out the full gallery here to see it all!

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