Europe Weddings

This gem had us upon first glance at that gorgeous bride and her pretty Jimmy Choos. We’re mad for shoes after all but more importantly, we’re mad for great weddings and this Somerset beauty could honestly be stills from an epic love tale. It’s a beautiful ode to the English wedding. One ripe with sentiment and lovely moments caught on film by David Jenkins Photography and we’re cheering from the front row, popcorn and coffee in hand. See more of this love story here.

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From the bride… The venue is stunning with everything you need in one place: the chapel, accommodations for all guests in a gorgeous Georgian house and beautiful grounds.  Many of the table decorations were done by me, and the flowers were done by my mother-in-law. The flower vases were jam jar pots and tin pots. The wedding was the best day of our lives and if we could afford it, we’d do it every year. Babington House is the perfect wedding venue, and we partied long into the morning, as they have no time limit. Which was what we wanted.

Photography: David Jenkins Photography / Flowers: Groom’s mother / Venue: Babington House, Somerset, U.K. / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Dress: Jacqueline Byrne / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Ted Baker / Groom’s Suit + Tie: Paul Smith / Table Decorations: DIY by the bride

This is such a tremendously sweet wedding.  Not only because of the details which are, don’t get me wrong, as pretty as can be, but for the sentiment and love that went into each and every planning decision that this bride and groom made.  They celebrated their love for each other and for their family members, both those who were present in person and in spirit, in some of the loveliest ways imaginable.  NovaMarkina Photography captured every precious moment and every romantic, vintage detail.  Click here to see them all!

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From the groom…Our day was special before we even got married, before we even got engaged. Our day was special for a very different reason, our day is the day Alisha’s Grandmother passed away; it’s been 8 years as of this year. So before we planned a single detail, we knew this day would be special.

We planned a day of nostalgia, we planned a day of family, we planned a day of décor looking as if it wasn’t planned, but rather – meant to be – LIKE US! The challenge was to create a special day out of an already special day – create a day that was a bittersweet reminder of Granny Kit – a day that was about us – but also about all of our guests. We started with us..

We like old things – we live in a century home, we go to antique shows and shops, we breathe new life into old things. Our home is proof. We chose the oldest, most beautiful church we could imagine, St. Peter’s. People often gasp when they come in, the beauty of St. Peter’s to us was it’s beauty – we only needed a single decoration – posie pockets. Alisha’s Grandma Jacquie lovingly hand-stitched one by one, then she hand starched them with Great-Grandma’s starch recipe 17 in total, each one as perfect as the next.

Next came the venue – we were sticky on this – how does a couple go about having a massive family wedding in somewhere other than a hall or tent? The London Club was perfect – a tight squeeze for 200, but perfect, established in the 1800’s as an “old boys club” it has maintained its nostalgia, class, and charm while allowing for some updates and female members. The next way we brought “us” into the day was in décor. Not only were most items antiques that we hunted and searched for over a year but they allowed for some DIY too. Table numbers were antique prescriptions with numbers stenciled over top, all the other candles were a mish-mash of old and new, some borrowed that were all unique and beautiful in their own way. The crates around the room added a rustic element that we were looking for amidst the ivory linens and clean candle light. The bottles on the tables are all pharmacy bottles (the groom is a pharmacist – hence why the table numbers and bottles work) they were borrowed from the pharmacy Mike works at and had about 50 years of dust and who knows what else on them when they were dug out of the basement!

A reoccurring theme was a tandem bike which we loved as it symbolized being on the same journey together. The save the dates, the table stationery and cake topper all followed this theme. We brought family into our day by displaying pictures of our parents and grandparents on their wedding days with the verse: “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”. We cut our cake with the groom’s grandparents serving set used at their 50th wedding anniversary and subsequently at all grandchildren’s weddings after.

Now to bring in Alisha’s Grandmother.. Alisha wore her Grandmother’s earrings, the same ones Granny Kit wore on HER wedding day years before.  We danced to her Grandmother’s favorite song, Elvis’ “Love Me Tender” –according to Granny Kit – it was the only REAL love song. In lieu of traditional wedding favors, a donation was made to Strathroy Hospital, where each of the 19 of Granny Kit’s grandchildren were born and where we said goodbye to Granny Kit 8 years ago.

The day was perfect, the nostalgia was there, our family was there, and most importantly, the loved ones who couldn’t be there – were there.

Ceremony Location: St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica / Reception Location: The London Club / Transportation: Checker Limousine + Tourism London / Wedding Photography: Nova Markina of NovaMarkina Photography / Hair: Hair by Lindsey Boyd / Make-up: Janet Entwistle of Face Trends / Floral Design: Olive Lane Floral / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman via Zappos / Bride’s Hairpiece: Prim and Posies / Bride’s Earrings: Her Grandmother’s (who wore them on her wedding day too!) / Groom’s Suite + Shoes: Hugo Boss / Groom’s Shirt: Nordstrom / Groom + Groomsmen Bowties + Pocket Squares: The Belle & The Beau / Custom Hangers: DIY Brides via Etsy / String Quartet: String Classics / Band: The Doug Varty Band/ Invites, Table Numbers, Guest Book, Drink Flags, Seating Chart: DIY / Cake: IncrEDIBLES by Lani

Set in the wilds of London, this wedding is a bright, colorful affair from beginning to end. And what’s more, it oozes total charm that only a hand-crafted wedding can offer up so naturally. Anushe Low snapped all the pretty pictures and there’s a whole lot more to this beauty so you will want to make an afternoon pit stop to the gallery for all the goodness. It’s but a click away.

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From the Bride…We wanted the day to be quite heartfelt and relaxed, where children could play and the older guests could sit and gossip.  As we had a lot of family and friends it was really important to us that the overall feeling was fun and that everyone could cut loose without feeling they needed to be formal. We chose a village pub with a large garden so that we could capture that special Saturday afternoon pub feeling where everyone is just simply enjoying themselves and each others company. Trying to decide on one color scheme was not going to be possible so we went for bright and chose every color under the sun!

From the beginning we knew that we wanted to make as much as possible from the hand cut liberty backed glass decorations to the sewn circle streamers – everything had a touch of us in it. We made and painted large pub signs, stitched table clothes, made matching pillows for the pub benches, giant windmills and sourced 100 different (and slightly imperfect) hankies from China as well as some 1970s beer mats for the tables.

We were so blessed with so many wonderful people helping from family growing flowers (started in November!) to friends endlessly making tissue pom poms and  endlessly tying ribbons to gates/trees/arches. I guess the inspiration was a bit vintage, a bit carnival and very english village fete! We really wanted people to come to the reception and feel special, not to go “wow”, more to feel that we had created everything for their enjoyment. We also borrowed a lot of props with good friends lending us cake stands, linen, and one extra special friend making us a stunning photo booth. We had quite a few surprises with home-made cakes, biscuits and Tom’s dad’s special fudge. Both of us are product developers and we love detail so made sure that there was enough little things that we cared about – red stripe beer to match the table covers, 96 cut glass vintage vases, red and white butchers string trying lace netting to the benches, party festoon light and Chinese good luck charms picked up in Guangzhou. We loved our day and more so when we look at photos of our friends and family among the chaos of color.

Wedding Photography: Anushe Low / Wedding Dress: Candy Anthony / Bride’s Shoes: Office / Flowers: Family + Friends / Bridesmaid + Flower Girl Dresses: Oasis + Next / Hair Clip: Glitzy Secrets / Paper Goods: Paperchase / Vintage Cut Glass Vases: Charity Shops

This sweet-as-can-be e-session by Robbins Photographic totally has me dreaming of romantic trips across the pond with my huz. I’m loving the casual yet flirty vibe of this shoot and think this couple is super duper good looking and oh-so-hip. Oh, and that face to face, laying in the grass pic? To die for! Click here for even more.

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From Robbins Photographic…Gemma is a TV producer and Joe is a camera man. I shot their engagement session along the Southbank by the Thames. We walked around the book stalls, across the bridge past Big Ben & the London Eye over to a park next to Embankment station.

Photography: Robbins Photographic

What could be better than a stroll through a London park and a picnic with the love of your life? Not much, I’d say. That’s why we’re loving this sweet and summery e-session styled by London Bride. This couples lovely Chicago nupitals were planned by A Perfect Event who shared these adorable photos captured by Emily Quinton with us. The retro red and white check tablecloth, the basket full of cherries, the mini-chalkboards, and the cute-as-can-be couple all add up to make the perfect e-session. See even more here!

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From A Perfect Event…Here is an adorable engagement shoot in London of my bride and groom, Ariel and Paul. It is so fun and playful, perfect for summer!

Style & Design: London Bride / Photography: Emily Quinton / Wedding Planner:  A Perfect Event

This next little English wedding literally took my breath away with all its sweet, DIY, vintage details. It’s got the crafty chic inside me jumping for joy. I love the place mats (what a cute way to introduce your guests!), the subdued colors, and the cakes. Oh the cakes! They are petite displays of confectionary perfection! Capturing all the details of the day was the talented Eliza Claire and if you’re like me, you’ll be gazing at these beauties all morning long! See even more here in the gallery!

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From Eliza Claire Photography: Marie emailed me back in August last year with the email subject “Please say you’ll photograph our wedding!” and I was instantly intrigued! She didn’t have a date set, and wanted to ensure I was available first, so I instantly loved her.

Marie is an interior designer, Marie Nichols who works for house and home magazines, and Simon is a graphic designer so I always knew that this would be a pretty wedding! They got married in Simon’s mum’s back garden – she’s lucky to live in private parkland of an old manor house on the edge of the river Orwell, in Suffolk, England. It’s somewhere that they love and is such a beautiful setting. They wanted to do everything themselves so it was far easier to do it in the back garden and have everything on hand – they also wanted their 6 month old puppy, Dudley, at the reception.

Marie said “We wanted a wedding that reflected us and that most importantly was fun! A vintage style village fete seemed perfect with ice cream, petanque, sack racing, picnic blankets and fish and chips! We knew we couldn’t rely on the British weather (although we needn’t have worried) so we decked out the inside of the marquee like a garden party – fake turf, bunting, faux flowers and real flowers in vintage trophies.” I was left speechless on the morning of their wedding with just how hard they’d worked and how amazing it all looked!

Wedding Photography: Eliza Claire Photography / Wedding Cinematography: Friend of the Bride & Groom / Floral & Event Design: The Bride + Mother of the Bride / Event Planning: DIY / Ceremony Location: St Martin’s Church, Nacton / Reception Location: Private Residence / Wedding Invitations: DIY / Bridesmaid Dresses: Custom / Wedding Cake: The Little Cake Parlour / Catering: Fish and Chip Catering / Transportation: 1966 Austin Healy Sprite + VW Camper via Vanilla Splits / Wallpaper: Louise Body via The Shop at Number 57 / Place Mats: The Groom / Chairs, China, Trophies, Pendant Lights, Hampers & Vintage Suitcases: Vintage Hire at The Shop at Number 57 / Bride’s Shoes: Kurt Geiger / Wedding Gown: Enzoani

You probably won’t believe me when I tell you that this gorgeous wedding by Rosie Parsons Photography was planned in just six months…but alas, it’s true! This laid back bride just let everything fall into place for her big day and lucky for her it all came together gorgeously! I’m loving the black cocktail bridesmaids dresses and the outdoor terrace at the Bingham Hotel. Now there’s a place I could stay all day long! Click here for the full day!

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We had 10 months to plan our wedding and apart from the dress and the venues which we knew we had to sort fast if we wanted our preferred dates, wedidn’t start with the details until about 6 months before. It was during a time when I was unwell and off work for a few days and discovered the alternative universe that is the wedding blog community and the wedding heaven that is Etsy that my planning started. Seriously, I had absolutely no idea half these websites existed. There were so many ideas and choices out there, and at some point I think Tom thought we were going to have a circus/1920’s/mexican fusion wedding with all the different details that I wanted!

Both Tom and I were adamant that we wanted our wedding in London as the idea (and cost) of having a wedding at venues in places that were not familiar to us and far away didn’t appeal. The Church was a no brainer – I used to live near it and always thought that it was a pretty venue to get married in, and we eventually hope to settle in the area so it means something to us. The reception was a bit more difficult as we wanted to have a venue that wassuitable for younger children, something that was intimate, as well ashaving amazing food and wine. After some research on the internet we found The Bingham and made our one and only venue visit. As soon as we walked inthe front door we were blown away with the decor, the garden rooms, theamazing terrace and lawn. In addition the staff were welcoming andprofessional from the outset and it had a Michelin star for its food. Afterour visit we knew that this was the venue for us, and didn’t even attempt tolook for any others.

I was a pretty relaxed bride and I didn’t start looking for a dress until about 7 months before the wedding only spurred on by my bridesmaid sister who pointed out that after the magic six month mark a lot of dresses become rush orders and my options could be limited. My first stop was my fantasy bridal store Vera Wang and I fell in love with the first dress I tried on, and it elicited excited squeals from the bridesmaids so I was sold. It was perfect and they had just started makingit in white (which was a must) and had lovely black sashes to go with it. Spurred on by the notion that surely it couldn’t have been that easy I half heartedly did the rounds at a couple of other stores and ventured to a sample sale or two but nothing had the wow factor for me. I had made up my mind and booked in for a second fitting for the Vera but the weekend before I attended a wedding fair and saw a stand for Temperley London. Most of the dresses were too flouncy for me but there were two dresses that caught my eye. I booked in for an appointment for the following week to try them on -the day before my second Vera fitting. I went alone (always a bad thing) and as soon as I tried the Dragon dress on I was wowed, and again it was perfect as they had only just started making it in white. Confused as now I had two dresses that I loved, I went home rang my sister and agreed that I would try the Vera on a second time and she would come for a fitting the next day for Temperley to help me decide. I tried on the Vera and almost put the order in there and then but stopped myself, and went back to Temperley again for a second opinion. As soon as I tried it on again, and seeing my sister speechless I pretty much knew Vera was off and Temperley was on! From that point on every time I went back for a fitting I felt a million dollars knowing that I had found ‘the one’.

The most important element was our personal wedding vows that we wrote for each other, as it was not just about saying that we wanted to be married,but also about spelling out our commitment to each other in front of ourfriends and family. For our readings we wanted to have readings that talkingabout togetherness, rather than having traditional readings. We chose apassage from the bible as well as an excerpt from a Hemmingway book which wefelts that summed up how we felt. The music was more traditional, as wewanted to utilise the soprano that we had and her lovely voice. The defining moment of the entire day was definitely walking in the church and seeing Tom at the end of the aisle. I practically ran down it to get to him!

We didn’t have a concept or theme planned for the wedding at all apart from the fact we wanted it to elegant and have a timeless feel to it. In the end though there was a common thread of trees/birds/spring from the invites to the seating tree but honestly that only all clicked into place in the last month of planning by accident! I really wanted to have some items that were used in the day but also keepsake type things. As soon as I discovered Etsy I was in awe of all the different little things I could get. I had our ringbowl made especially with our wedding date as I thought I was a nice keepsake but my favourite has to be the guest book ‘tree.’ I had never seen one before and both Tom and I love the fact that we now have an item that it not only beautiful but also reminds us of our day and all those who shared it with us.

I have a thing for wearing all black all the time so there was a running joke I was going to have a black wedding dress! We wanted to get everyonesomething that they had the option of wearing again (the holy grail of bridesmaids dresses!) As the bridesmaids were completely different shapes and coloring black was a safe bet for them and the ruffle on the shoulder matched my dress so it was perfect. We also wanted to ensure that the groomsmen could wear their suits again (and be different from Tom’s greysuit) so black it was as well!

No matter how careful you are at planning things still may go wrong, but that’s the fun of planning a wedding. Two months before our ceremony we didn’t have a minister or a registrar due to circumstances beyond the churches control but it all worked out in the end. Also ensure that you both are involved in the planning. Although I definite lead the research, the time that we spent together discussing and deciding all the little details were priceless (especially when you end up having 30 min discussions on cupcakes and discover that your future husband has a thing for rose flavor!)

Photographer: Rosie Parsons Photography / Ceremony Location: Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel / Reception Location: The Bingham Hotel / Wedding dress: Dragon Dress by Temperley London / Earrings: Jenny Packham / Hair and Makeup: Justina Sullivan / Garter: Bespoke by Florrie Mitton Couture / Umbrella: Aspinal of London / Cars: Addison Lee / Bridesmaids dresses: Coast / Grooms Suit: Start London / Groomsmens outfits: Marks and Spencer / Fingerprint tree: Bleu De Toi / Table Tree: Tags made by the bride and the tree by florists Roseberg / Caterer: The Bingham / Flowers: Roseberg / Bride’s shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaid’s shoes: Coast / Cake: Marks and Spencer / Cupcakes: Primrose Hill Bakery / Band: The Hares / Rings: Raphel / Ring plate: Paloma’s Nest /Favours: Hotel Du Chocolat

We’ve heard your cries loud and clear for more real weddings and we’re about to deliver with some glorious weddings from all over the globe and all walks of life.  Let’s cure those mid-week blues with back-to-back inspiration all day long and, remember, if you like what you see make sure you check out the full galleries!

Let’s kick of this wedding Wednesday with a spot of tea, shall we?  Because an English garden party just would not be complete with sweet vintage tea cups.  This adorable wedding photographed by Polly Alexandre Photography took place in the English countryside and is jam packed with cute and clever details.  I love the cake stands made by the father of the bride but would be a super easy DIY project for anyone!  There’s a little bit of sweetness, a little bit of spunk and a whole lot of style just the way we like it.  Click here to see even more!

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From Polly Alexandre Photography… Leigh headed back to the area where she grew up for her wedding in the Peak District, England, and wanted to reflect some of the local traditions and visual aspects in the look of her wedding. Welly wanging, splat the rat and the coconut shy are all games we would play as children here in England at the annual village fetes. Accompanied, of course, by a good English cup of tea!

Leigh totally adored planning for her wedding and really was so very creative, inspired lots by Style Me Pretty!  I love the way the couple reflected their mutual love of the medical practice (the bride is a psychiatrist, the groom a doctor) by providing their florist with old medicine bottles for the flower arrangements, bottles that leigh collected from markets and vintage fairs in the lead up to the wedding. Leigh’s Dad made the fairground games and signs, and also cut down tree trunks to create the rustic cake stands. A family friend made a selection of cakes to create a cake table, rather than a single cake. I just love the “Love Punch” that they created in the old jars….sooo cute!

Check out the badges that served as placenames for each guest, and were handmade from images of famous cartoon couples, e.g. Fred & Wilma (The Flintstones), Popeye and Olive Oyl, Ken and Barbie…. and many many more! The vintage hat stands were collected by Leigh at vintage fairs in the lead up to the wedding. Also, see the welly wanging shot where Pan wanged to victory! Accompanied by the “Official Welly Wanging” rules, too of course….

There is also a very happy ending to this story: a honeymoon baby is on it’s way!

Wedding Photography: Polly Alexandre Photography / Venue: Osmaston Park / Wedding Dress: Manual Mota for Pronovias / Wedding Cakes: Friend of the Bride & Groom / Medicine Bottles: Vintage / Games & Signs: Father of the Bride / Cake Stands: Father of the Bride / Hat Stands: Vintage / Catering: Fiona Herbert Catering / Marquee Company: Top Marques / Bridesmaid Dresses: Monsoon / Groomsmen Attire: Moss Bros Group / Florist: Chris Lamb of For All Seasons / Film Work: Richard Photo

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a dozen times, the headwear at English weddings is BEYOND. Those gorgeous hats send me into a tizzy of fashion envy each and every time I lay my eyes on a lovely wedding from across the Pond.  Polly Alexandre Photography sent us the latest addition to the UK pretty parade and it definitely fits the bill in terms of amazing fashion as well as a gorgeous backdrop at a little old Castle. Can you think of a better way to start your Monday? See every last lovely British detail in the gallery.

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From Polly Alexandre Photography… When Kelly rang me up last Spring to say that her fiance, James, wouldn’t have anyone else to photograph his wedding I was honoured. When she explained James was a fashion photographer I was doubly honoured not to mention a little nervous! When Kelly & James got engaged they were delighted to take up an offer from the cousin of the family Kelly used to nanny for to hold their wedding in the grounds of their family castle. Grimsthorpe Castle is a part of the Knepp estate, and is a historic house, park and garden in Lincolnshire.

The couple planned a wonderful summer wedding in the grounds of the castle. Kelly & James wanted their guests to have a fantastic day and spared no expense in laying on entertainment and thoughtful touches to make the day as enjoyable as possible for their friends and family. with a ton of fun things to keep guest amused including games, a dress-up photo booth and a fabulous tuk tuk decorated in flowers and garlands for rides & bathroom trips! (Sooooo much fun!) The afternoon mojitos were accompanied by a live Cuban duo bringing that party feel to the sunny afternoon. Kelly, looked like a true 50’s film star and I loved her elegant hair and make up. The fabulous Miss Pickering did the flowers (helped by the hound?) and there was a luxurious gold & pale pink theme in the marquee with grand candelabras with dripping candles (I love the real thing…so atmospheric).

With James’s best man’s wife going into labour on the day of the wedding, James’s Dad stepped in at the last minute to deliver a heartfelt and funny speech on his behalf. And of course there was the star of the show, little Lily. James and Kelly’s baby daughter. Having her there on their wedding day made it even more special and Kelly recalls one of her most previous moments of the day was playing on the grass with Lily in the sunshine.

In the evening a dress up photo booth was created and a cool bar and lounging area made the most of the summer evening. As the sunset late into the evening, fire lanterns were let off by the guests….some rather too enthusiastically, causing the DJ to make an announcement to halt the merriment immediately to ensure the whole thing didn’t go up in flames!

Wedding Photography: Polly Alexandre Photography / Wedding Venue: Grimsthorpe Castle / Wedding Dress: Mark Lesley / Wedding Cake: Couture Cakes / Flowers: Miss Pickering / Tuk Tuk: Nottingham Tuk Tuks / Wedding Band: The Pop Collection + Mambo Jambo via Alive Network / DJ: John Kilby via Steve Allen Entertainments / Catering: Fiona Herbert Catering / Photobooth: Say Fromage / Groom’s Attire: Colin Bell Menswear / Bridesmaid Dresses: BHS + Monsoon / Toastmaster: Matthew Biggin / Garden Games: Big Fun UK / Film Work: Richard Photo

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Garden parties were born to be in England. They are like peanut butter and jelly, those two, and this pretty number photographed by Tamara Kuzminski is an English garden fete done so, so right. The lovely hats, the pretty tea cups, the green rolling hills…we’ll take it all! See more of this wedding from across the pond in the gallery.

see the FULL wedding here!

Poppy and Mark had their wedding reception in the garden of Poppy’s childhood home in rural Oxfordshire, England. The family home is a beautiful old building. And I mean REALLY old. It was even mentioned in the Doomsday book (that’s almost a thousand years ago!) Poppy’s mother had been working really hard in the garden for months, to make sure that it was gorgeous and colourful on their big day. And it did look totally stunning. So many people commented on it and all the hard work that must have gone into it (and also mentioned that if Poppy’s mum is available, there are several guests’ gardens who are now seeking her as a gardener!)

The couple’s two dogs weren’t forgotten on the day either, and joined in the celebration in the village church (they were extremely well behaved!) where Mark’s brother also played the piano and his sister played the saxophone while the register was being signed.

Photography: Tamara Kuzminski Photography / Wedding Venue: St James the Great Church, Southleigh, Oxfordshire, England / Reception Venue: Marquee in Poppy’s childhood home’s garden, Southleigh, Oxfordshire, England / Dress: Blue by Enzoani / Suit: Ascot suit hired from Moss Bros / Bridesmaids dresses: Jasmine / Flowers: Rachel Jones / Marquee: Pink Fish / Caterer: Golden Goose / Cake: Marks and Spencer decorated by Poppy’s mum and granny Ceilidh: Licence to Ceilidh

Today just so happens to be Wednesday and if you are a SMP fan, you know that you are about to be inundated with wedding after pretty wedding all day long. Wednesdays seriously, you complete us. So sit back and prepare to indulge in a little wedding marathon and don’t forget to check out the galleries for even more awesome details from each pretty packed post.

Lets get the ball rolling with one very English and completely awesome day photographed by Chris Barber Media. We are going to cozy up to or friends across the pond and get a glimpse of what DIY looks like in the English countryside. I’ll give you a hint, it’s off the charts lovely. And if you positively can not wait one more second to see the whole thing, you can sneak a peek of the full wedding here.

see the whole day in one lovely spot!

I stayed at Wethele with my Mum and sister, Kirstie after having a pre-wedding meal with all the bridesmaids, Mums sisters, and some of my Aunties. We had a wonderful breakfast and set off to work. The ceremony wasn’t until late afternoon so everyone worked extremely hard arranging the sunflowers, paper cranes, butterflies, fairy cakes etc. The guests arrived at 2.30 for a tea party which I heard went brilliantly despite some showers! Meanwhile Rich, his best men and ushers all got picked up in a convoy of old minis to take them to Wethele. Rich didn’t know anything about this as I had arranged it all. Rich and his friends used to all own minis, which they regularly drove around Cardiff in convoy. This was years ago, but Rich has always had a special place in his heart for his late mini, so it was a great surprise for them all. Unfortunately they parked around the back, so many guests and I never got to see them… but as I said, not all goes to plan, and the photos were fab!

My brilliant friend Liz did a great job calming me down and doing my make up, and my Mum who had been ushering the guests into the ceremony room (as the ushers were late) finally came up to do my ribbons on my dress. Seeing my Dad for the first time when I was in my dress was amazing, we walked though the rain together and down the isle to the Flower Duet played by the string quartet to where my handsome Rich with all my wonderful family and friends were there waiting. The ceremony was very intimate and beautiful. Two of our close friends, Claire and Brendan, read poems (one about paining love, and the other being “Us Two” from Winnie the Pooh!). I remember every minute of it and was my favourite part of the day. As we walked out of the barn together, the sun shone with everyone blowing bubbles which we had instead of confetti which was awesome, with some yummy nibbles and champagne. We got all the group shots done just before the heavens opened. We all rushed into the Marquee where Bowjangles performed, the guests mingled and champagne flowed. The meal was wonderful. Followed by the cutting of the most amazing cake ever. It was heart breaking to cut but I’m glad we did as it was absolutely delicious – each layer was a different flavour; fruit, chocolate mud cake and madeira!

We popped out to have some photos as the sun went down and came back for pudding, and speeches which were absolutely hilarious. Rich and I took some time out outside under the lanterns and fairy lights whist the band set up to play. I’ve got to say that our first dance was shocking, however, our friends soon joined us and most never actually left the dance floor apart from to get a few funny pics in the silly space set up in the marquee. Rich wanted a band, and I wanted good music that everyone knew, could dance to and wasn’t too old & cheesey. Mr Ben were excellent, and played tracks from Kings of Leon, Killers, The Jam, Green Day etc etc. At the end of the night somehow I ended up without the underskirt to my dress, with a big smile, some fairy wings and wellies, attached to the most amazing husband I could ever wish for. It was the end of a perfect day.

Photography: Chris Barber Media / Dress: Anna from Pronuptia / Suit: Formal Affair / Bridesmaids Dresses: Victoria Jane by Coast / Rings: Stone  from Jewellery Quarter / Brides shoes: Irregular Choice / Flowers: Bouquet designed by Steve Betts, Urban Design / Sunflowers: Provided by a family friend and arranged around the farm by brides Mum, Aunties and Bridesmaids (all 300 of them!) / Button Holes: Steve Betts, Urban Design / Cupcakes: DIY by Nicky’s Mum and friend, Annika / Welshcakes: Fabulous Welshcakes / Lawn Games: First Class Leisure / Bunting: DIY by Grooms Mum + Marilyn / Origami birds: DIY by Groom’s sister / Classic Minis: Provided by Mini Massive and Medievil Mini / String Quartet: Bowjangles / Lanterns: Ikea / Cake: Tracy Conod at Icing Heaven (0121 357 1430) / Band: Mr Ben

My favorite photographs are those that capture moments beyond the posed or the detail shot.  Aussie photographer Kelly Tunney just might be the queen of finding these precious occasions and turning them into exquisite memories. Not only are there scenes from this awesome and chic London fete but little snapshots of Chelsea that make me want to pack a carry-on and hop on the next flight across the pond.  Don’t miss even more in the full gallery!

Click here for even more inspiration in the full gallery!

From Kelly Tunney –

“This really was the wedding of a lifetime to photograph and I am totally lost for words when I try to explain just what an incredible experience this was……. Everything exceeded my very high expectations from the moment we landed in London and meet Alice & Ed for the first time.

Both Pete and I were welcomed with open arms by this amazing couple and every single member of their family. We felt so involved and so appreciated every single day. Then came GAME DAY…the wedding…and WOW, we were just floored by everything we were there to capture. 15 hours felt a little like 15 minutes in Chelsea – everything and everyone just rocked my world. Aside from Pete and I pinching each other every 5 minutes, we also had time to stop and sit back to enjoy the moments and watch the day unfold. INCREDIBLE is not enough, RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING is not enough – NOTHING can ever describe that moment, absolute pure JOY and EUPHORIA”

From the bride, Alice –

“For a girl who lives in jeans and trainers and has ‘ tom boy’ as her middle name, the prospect of a long white dress, make-up and brushed hair could seem a little daunting – How wrong I was! The hidden girl from within came out with bells on! The whole Weekend was amazing from start to finish – No-one – believe it or not – was stressed and there was an emotional vibe that I have never felt before. Loved every minute. As Dad was the Governor and has worked / lived there for 5 years – it was very familiar surroundings. It is such a special place because of its amazing surrounding and the people that live within it. Everything about the day included people we knew from the hospital.

Ron, the head gardener at the Royal Hospital , and his lovely assistant Heidi helped us choose and arrange all the flowers.  All the flowers were from New Covent Garden market, a big flower market on the south side of the river. We collected them on the Thursday. We arrange them on Friday ready to go for Saturday. Tim, the head chef at the Royal Hospital, copied my sketch to perfection!!! I bought the ribbon from VV Rouleaux and he made a lemon cake that we ate for dessert with collie and summer berries.

Simplicity and elegance were the key for us. The royal hospital is such a beautiful venue and so full of history that it would be a shame to clutter it up with frills. It has a stand alone beauty that we wanted to accessorise with a simple elegant touch.”

Photography:  Kelly Tunney /  Venue: The Royal Hospital Chelsea / Cake: Head chef at the Royal Hospital / Dress: Suzanne Neville / Makeup: family friend, Marianne Domension / Hair: Richard from The Drawing Room / Bridesmaids’ Outfits:  Reiss and Kurt Geiger shoes / Groom’s and groomsmen outfits: Rented suits from Moss Bros; Hugo boss ties;  Void Cufflinks; shoes: Mr. Hare

Are you ready for a day FULL of one lovely wedding after another? How about TWO days full of one lovely wedding after another? Bananas, right? We have so many fabulous soirees in our vaults, we simply couldn’t resist. You know the drill…little snippets of tons of amazing weddings = you picking and choosing what wedding you want to see more of by clicking right on the good ol’ gallery.

Let’s get started with what can only be described as DIY Heaven in the French Countryside. The recipe is simple. First you find one crazy cute couple, then add a romantic venue in the South of France (not so hard to find I’m sure), sprinkle in tons of fun DIY projects plus absolutely amazing photography by Emma Case and the result is la, la lovely to say the least. Click here to see even more from this fabulous day.

see more of this DIY fiesta here!

From the Bride…Dave and I met at university and have been together for over 11 years. We have never really done anything by the book so I don’t think our wedding was ever going to be ‘regular’. Nothing about the planning felt calculated; every idea that popped into our heads was basically what we went with. It’s not that we couldn’t be bothered, rather that we know what we like and most of what we like we can either do ourselves or we know someone who can. For all these reasons we ended up with a really personal, informal and homemade wedding which on the face of it was just a glorifed BBQ! Exactly what we wanted, with only 4 people that we didn’t know (wait staff hired from the local catering college). My father has lived in France for years, and specifically the Var region in Provence for over 20. As a child I holidayed there every summer and it was the first place Dave and I went on holiday together, when he first met my papa! We continue to visit at least 3 times a year, often taking friends who immediately fall in love with the pine filled air, off the beaten track setting and the abundance of cheap but delicious rosé. Dad owns a building company and against his better judgment sold the beautiful stone house he’d built for himself just outside the hilltop village of Seillans. Fortunately he has remained friends with the new owners and Dave and I put it to fate that if they agreed to rent the place out to us, we would get married in France. They did and so we did! In France, you have to get married at the local mayor’s office, the mairie. We were extremely fortunate to be allowed to do this being non-residents, another benefit of having dad live there for so long.

So the wedding became a day of two halves – a morning ceremony at the mairie de Seillans for close friends and family followed by a Champagne reception around the village fountain and then a late afternoon blessing at the house followed by dinner and dancing. Convincing your friends and family to travel to France for a holiday and, basically, a huge party is not as difficult as we initially feared! We managed to fill Seillans and beyond with guests and having rented and filled our house we also got hold of the villa next door and by the Friday we had over 20 mates within metres of the venue to help us ‘build’ the wedding. Even on the actual day, those who didn’t come to the mairie stayed to decorate the evening venue in over 100 degree heat. Still not quite sure how we managed to swing that one! The rural areas of France are not geared to big old weddings and this is probably why we favoured it more than a British wedding, where your every whim is catered for and ideas (and budgets!) get wildly out of control. There must be a handful of companies set up for big events in Provence and these are mostly affiliated with specific venues. By having our wedding in the back garden of a private villa we certainly made life difficult for ourselves (having to buy most of what we wanted rather than rent as well as orchestrate and set up EVERYTHING from buying a freezer specifically for ice to dealing with the rubbish and recycling the next day) but on the flipside we could pick and choose every single detail for the day.

We were so lucky to find our wedding photographer. You’ve no idea how hard it is to find the relaxed, shoot-into-the-sun style of which US-based brides seem spoilt for choice. Emma Case, based in the UK, has been shooting for an unbelievably short time but her natural talent, incredible eye and overall vintage-y gorgeousness (her and her pictures!) were perfect for us. Not only did she agree to come to France but she drove down, made a few days holiday of it and together with her boyfriend, Pete, became one of the gang.

Photography: Emma Case Photography / Flowers: Bride’s Mum / Event Design and Planning: Bride and Groom / Ceremony Location: mairie de Seillans / Reception Location: Hotel des deux Rocs / Invitations: Designed by Bride and Groom / Shoes: First pair custom made in Hong Kong. Second pair Jimmy Choo / Dress: First – Vintage, bought at a Vintage fair. Second – custom made in India / Catering: Restaurant Karoo / Tableware: Aktuel

We have a feature up our sleeve that we know you love and it just might involve EIGHT weddings every hour from the beginning of your work day till the very end. Fabulous right? And don’t worry, we won’t tell your bosses if you take a little looksy. We’ll provide a tiny snippet of the gorgeousness and you are free to click and choose which weddings you want to see more of in the gallery. So lets get to this wedding schmorgesborg, shall we?

Up first is a fun, jolly English wedding from photog extraordinaires Dani and Chris Barber of Chris Barber Media. Yes, it involves dainty little tea cups, but it also happens to involve peonies, double decker buses, bunting and a lovely couple with really cute English names-Bryony and Max (told you their names were cute). If England is your cup of tea, then the gallery is going to be your happy place.

see more of this jolly old wedding here!

Bryony + Max came to us with a very clear vision of what they’re wedding was going to be about. The one thing they were 100% certain about was that they wanted themselves + their guests to feel relaxed and have fun! Bryony and Max married at The Botanical Gardens in Birmingham, England, a perfectly fitting venue for a laid-back wedding which also clearly had a fantastic attention to detail. Their quirky English charm continued throughout the day, with Bryony + Max choosing to transport themselves and their guests with a London red bus. The attention to detail was most apparent at Bryony + Max’s off-beat reception venue, The Kitchen Garden Cafe, a hidden little gem off one of the busier streets of Kings Heath, Birmingham. The Kitchen Garden Cafe is a lovely little organic cafe and shop situated just off the busy streets of Birmingham, providing a unique + intimate twist to traditional reception venue options. Bryony had spent the last year or so collecting a mix of different vintage tea cups as part of the table decor, accompanied with small pots of jam, homemade marmalade and sweeties!

Photography: Chris Barber Media / Wedding Venue: The Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham, England / Reception Venue: The Gardens Cafe, Birmingham, England / Dress: Thea by Charlotte Balbier / Suit: Armani / Hair comb: Flo + Percy / Earrings: Vintage Headresses / Bracelet: Magpie Vintage / Bridesmaids dresses: Dessy / Rings: Vault 88 / The Bus: Route Master Buses / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Band: Alma Latina

We are leaping across the pond from Canada to the gorgeous hills of the English countryside for our next fete. This pretty wedding was captured by Chloe of Caught the Light Photography and it is quintessential English splendor. We are loving the intimate, laid back feel of this garden party and think you will too. And the guests deserve an honorable mention for their rockin party wear. See all the fancy frocks and country glamour in the gallery.

see more of this English beauty here!

From the Bride:

We got married on June 4th this year and had our reception at the very pretty Anchor Inn, in “Jane Austen country”, Hampshire in England, where we live. We fell in love with the venue as soon as we saw it. The staff were helpful and friendly from day one. The country pub offered charm and a laid back atmosphere which is exactly what James and I were looking for. It was perfect. The outside space also sold us as we imagined how wonderful it would be if the weather was good… As it happens it was perfect!

Peonies are my favourite and I was lucky they were in season. I wanted the flowers to be relaxed and pretty, they suited the venue perfectly. Charlotte is my mum and has been a florist for over 20 years I left the flowers completely to her as I trust her judgement completely. She did an amazing job and everyone complimented on how beautiful they were. My bouquet was stunning!

Photographer: Chloe of Caught the Light / Venue: The Anchor Inn, Lower Froyle, Hampshire, UK / Bride’s dress & veil: Miss Bush Bridal / Shoes: Monsoon / Bride’s headpiece: Polly Edwards / Accessories: Earrings from House of Fraser / Groom’s suit: Ted Baker / Groom’s tie: Paul Smith / Florist: Charlotte Armstrong (my mother!) / Cake: Adelaide Ward (a friend) / Rings: Designed by couple, made by Marmalade in Chiswick /

We’re hopping the pond with this next little gem. Photographed by the always fabulous Marianne Taylor, this wedding literally defines the word pretty. Pretty, pretty dress. Pretty flowers (well gorgeous actually). The prettiest bride I’ve ever seen and a style that is BEYOND pretty. Way beyond. Oh and don’t even get me started on the bridesmaids. I always get a little excited to see what Marianne is going to send our way next but this one…well, it just might take the cake! There are so many details that we couldn’t show…click here for more!

{click here to see the full wedding}

Rose & Brendan’s garden party wedding at the Larmer Tree Gardens in Dorset really was a pretty special affair. This is how Rose described her theme for the wedding: ‘I’ve tried to keep all the stationery formal in style as I really like formality, but like the contradiction that it is a garden party event. I’m a sucker for tradition but I love tiny personal details. For the day I wanted to create a real inside outside feel – like a vintage 1940s tea dance that has come through time and ended up in a garden –  so everything’s a little distressed from the elements but still beautiful.’

Rose and the bridesmaids got ready at the gorgeous Launceston Farm, which really set the mood for the day from the start. Rose’s dress and veil were from Pronovias Bond Street and this is what she says about finding the perfect gown: ‘I searched for ages because I really wanted a Spanish style dress but couldn’t find anything that didn’t look like I was drowning in fabric! It was really hard to track down the dress I chose and I had to order it before I’d even seen it in real life, but it worked our perfectly and was totally “the one”. I LOVED the fabric of the dress with its tiny flocked dots all over the tulle, mixed with the cotton lace. And I loved the gros grain bows. My amazing friend and colleague Lisa Roberts did all the alterations (It was meant to have a halter neck and we changed some of the detailing on the bust). She did an exceptional job and I’d recommend her to anyone.’

‘My shoes were Louboutin and my bag was last minute buy from Monsoon Bridal.’

‘I got the Bridesmaids Dresses came from Topshop as I really wanted something that looked quite cute, with a hint of vintage, and in a daywear fabric! We made little net underskirts to go under them to puff out the skirts so they looked a little fuller. I made the Bridesmaids hair ornaments with fabrics I bought online from The Trimming Company and bought the bridesmaids shoes from New Look.’

‘Brendan’s suit was from Topman and  the groomsmen just wore their own black suits to match. Brendan’s shirt was a River Island buy, as were his excellent very long shoes (which had beautiful roses carved into the leather soles which was a nice hidden detail). The bow ties were from Tie Rack.’

One thing that made this wedding feel very special was that the whole wedding party was just 14 people in total (Brendan lost his best man as he had to be onboard his Navy ship the same day as the wedding as the queen was visiting). It really felt exceptional to be a part of such an intimate party, and it made for a beautifully relaxed day – the often normal ‘stresses’ of a wedding day seemed far away. I still can’t get over how beautiful all the carefully selected details looked. Here’s what Rose told me about them: ‘I collected a lot of mercury glass as it looks like formal interior decorative items that have been left outside – silver glass that has been worn away with sun and rain. They came from places such as Niki Jones, Cox & Cox, Graham & Green, and from antique shops.’

‘The candelabras were from eBay and all our cut glass vases, candle sticks, bowls and ornaments were all vintage/charity shop finds. There are some fantastic charity shops in Devon and Cornwall where you can find the best things for a bargain. Woodside is probably the all time best where most of the things came from.’

‘I used all country garden based flowers that were in season, very unstructured – no “floristry” as such, just flowers in pots and vases. I ordered all our flowers through our local market Petals Florists and we made our bouquets and buttonholes ourselves the night before the wedding. My mum did all the vases at the venue for us in the morning before the wedding.’

Photography: Marianne Taylor Photography / Flowers: Petals Florist (DIY though!) / Getting ready: Launceston Farm / Ceremony & reception location: Larmer Tree Gardens / Invitations: Rose Phillips (the bride) / Shoes: Louboutin/ Dress: Pronovias / Groom’s suit: Topman / Bridesmaid’s dresses: Topshop

We are going to take a little trip across the pond today with Queens and High Tea and gaps to mind. That’s right, we have our sights set on London and you know what  this most fantastic of cities has to offer?  Beautiful, whimsical weddings centered around a good old fashioned English Tea Party. This lovely event photographed by Marianne Taylor is quintessential London and it is mighty handsome. You might just have a new gaggle of favorite details. From the double decker bus to the insane dessert spreads, we’re talking awesome detail overload here. Get ready folks. In the famous words of Paul Revere…”the British are coming, the British are coming”….but this time it’s really, really good.

{click here for more from across the pond}

Anna & Russ’ charming London tea party wedding took place on a beautiful spring Friday in April. Anna had put such care into every beautiful detail, that the whole day was literally bursting with prettiness! Everything from the gorgeous Montague Hotel, where Anna was getting ready, to her beautiful dress and accessories, and especially the flowers (oh the flowers!) were carefully thought out to carry the theme and colours throughout the day and the different venues.

Anna has a keen interest in the Tudors and so Fulham Palace was an ideal venue for the reception. Being a tea party, the food consisted of delicious sandwiches and mouthwatering cakes, which were all laid out in the most gorgeous manner, such a feast for the eyes as well!

There were also lots of thoughtful little touches, such as a bead bar for the young ones to make their own jewelry, and a pretty awesome candy buffet, which got both the children and adults pretty excited! This really was the most charming wedding!

Photography: Marianne Taylor Photography / Flowers: Euphoric flowers / Catering: Create / Getting Ready Venue: Montague Hotel / Ceremony Location: St George’s Holborn / Reception Location: Fulham Palace / Shoes: Monsoon / Dress: Stephanie Allin / Candy buffet: Party Belles Events / Hair: Severin Hubert / Make up: Lina Cameron / Bead bar: Beadoir / Car: Polly Pootles

If charming were a recipe this might be it. Sweet couple, lovely little DIY details, vintage games for the guests, gorgeous flowers, and red rain boots… Told you. Charming. Sent to us by Jodie Chapman, this chic UK affair, is off the charts adorable. The bride and groom were too cute for words and when we heard that the he was a toy designer, we could hardly resist. Oh and the bridesmaids… how positively perfect!?!? Click here to see lots more.

{click here to see all the images in the gallery}

Nicola and Chris got married on a Spring March day in the middle of Richmond Park, London.  Their day was made up of lots of DIY touches, from the birdcage veil and corsage on the dress that were made by Nicola’s bridesmaid, to the amazing selection of retro toys laid out for guests to play with at the reception (Chris is a toy designer).  For their guest book, they chose a vintage typewriter with blank sheets of paper for guests to type little messages.  After the ceremony, we whisked away in the Rolls Royce to capture some gorgeous portraits around the park.  Nicola changed into red wellington boots for the slightly muddy walk to some beautifully stark trees.  Then, just as we were about to head back to the reception, a beautiful rainbow appeared overhead.  Needless to say, we made good use of it and captured some fantastic shots.  It just goes to show that rain and sun can be a winning combination.

Vendor credits: Photography: Jodie Chapman / Venue: Pembroke Lodge / Dress: Chandrika Thomas / Groom’s suit: Paul Smith / Florals: Dawn Jennings / Hair & make-up: Lou Morgan

There is just something about a traditional, ballroom wedding that is so timelessly beautiful. And yet, they are rarely shown off on the blogs these days. Well, I thought that it was about time we featured a ball room wedding that was ALL style, ALL gorgeousness. Photographed by London based photographer, Polly Alexandre, this wedding is pure luxury. Oh and the bride behind the affair just might be the most drop dead gorgeous bride I’ve ever seen.

The wedding was held at Hylands Hall in Essex, UK. The ridiculously lovely bride wore a Stuart Parvin gown (The Way We Were) and shoes by Emmy, along with a necklace by Stephanie Browne that just might be the most amazing accessory EVER. The bridesmaids wore bespokie gowns by Naomi Neoh. It’s funny…even though the style behind this wedding is utterly luxurious and traditional, there are little touches of personality, of real style…sprinkled throughout the entire affair. LOVE that.

A little bit of background from the fabulous photographer, Polly…

Liz is an interior designer and drew together her contacts and skills to create a stunning, glamorous wedding with a timeless elegance. This wedding has quite a vintage feel – a kind of 40’s or 50’s glamour to it. Check out the gorgeous individual favours of vintage brooches for each female guest, whilst Jim, the Groom’s reflected his musical background in the mini The Who badges as favours for the men. The ushers were all presented with vintage The Who signed LP’s as a gift from the Groom and he later got up and joined in with the band.

Thank you so very much to Polly Alexandre for sending this beautiful affair our way. Make sure to check out Polly’s blog for even more eye candy. Oh and a huge thank you to the lovely bride and groom for giving us a little window of inspiration into your day. We are obviously in love.

I have the prettiest little wedding for you this morning. I guess that it’s not so much a wedding, as the couple eloped in London prior to the party, but rather a celebration of marriage with their nearest and dearest. And although it’s an outdoor affair, nearly all of the ideas and inspirations could easily be translated into an indoor reception…from the fabulous Spring color palette, to the Martha inspired dessert bar and the absolutely adorable details. Photographed by Dia Rao Photography, this is one of the sweetest weddings I’ve ever seen!

From Dia…

The couple, Bree and Nick, eloped in London’s Covenant Garden a little while back. But both missed the idea of celebrating their new marriage with their family and friends. Regretting not having a celebration, they decided to throw a wedding party for all to attend. The Groom’s parents and close relatives came from Europe to attend a ceremony and reception that they planned at unique historical villa near their home. Most of the details were completed by the couple’s family, including the adorable Cookie Bar with homemade family favorites. As well as the handmade Limoncello favors and Love Matches.

The florist behind the absolutely perfect centerpieces and detailing was Anne Mendenhall. Her work is this perfect combination of fresh from the garden and yet tailored at the same time. I love the use of lemons throughout, such a fun and yet inexpensive way to bring a bit of whimsy to the day. Super, super cute.

Actually everything about this wedding was darling. The cookie bar, filled with family recipes and treats that the bride has always enjoyed, the limoncello favors, the lemons as seating cards, the perfect flowers, the glowing bride…everything is completely gorgeous! Oh and the color palette of pinks, yellows and greens…PERFECTION.

Thank you so very much to Dia Rao for sending us today’s affair. Dia was a guest at the Lisa Vorce planned affair that we all fell in love with a while back and has been smitten with SMP ever since. We feel the same way about her.

More coming up!