Tea and Whimsy

The Ceremony: Part Two

2010-10-03T10:31:00.011+01:00

Well hello, I know it's been a while but I owe this blog the posts that complete the wedding recap. I'm not sure how many readers still follow as I have neglected it so, but hope that some people still stumble across it when looking for tea party wedding ideas. So where was I, I'd just walked up the aisle...

Our ceremony was the best part of the wedding, it's the most important and I am so so so glad we personalised it and did our own vows, I'll never ever forget hearing Jamie say those words he had written with tears in his eyes. I was shaking and my voice was trembling as I read mine and tried not to cry. The registrar was great too, the service was really lovely.

Half way through the ceremony we had a sudden strong rain shower. It was heavy rain so everyone left their seats and came to huddle inside and we just swapped direction with the registrar. I was actually really glad as it felt all cosy for the second half and also everyone giggled dashing inside and it made it more informal. Our dad's read the readings beautifully and our mums were our witnesses. Our two nephews were such sweet ring bearers.

As we were told we may kiss each other, our chosen song (You've got the Love, Florence and the Machine) blasted out and the sun came out!

We then posed for pics and signed the registry. The registrar then sent us off to the back of the barn for some us time, which was lovely, we just grinned a lot and said how handsome/beautiful we both were and were just brimming with joy.

Once all the paperwork was done, everyone gathered outside as we were presented as Mr and Mrs Mead as Sigur Ros Hoppipolla played and rose petals were thrown.

All photos by David McNeil

Just perfect.

And then it was Pimms o'clock!

Introducing...

2010-05-01T14:43:00.001+01:00

Lena Aeris Mead

Born on the 6th March 2010 at 4.01am at home in our birth pool. She weighed 7 lb 10 oz and is the light of our life. More details on my personal blog, here.

The Ceremony: Part One

2009-11-07T16:47:00.017Z

I must complete the wedding recap by the time our baby arrives! Here is part one of two of our Ceremony...

The best bit! I loved every single second of our ceremony. I am really pleased that I remember it quite clearly.

I love seeing the photographs of Jamie and being able to see what happened before I was there. I walked down the aisle to Elbow in the end (which almost brought on the tears right at the start). I was a bit anxious on the walk as Jamie stayed facing the registrar for ages, but as soon as he turned and I saw his face I knew I'd be just fine.
So for anyone who'd like to picture the moment, play the below whilst looking at the pictures.

All photographs by David McNeil

Getting Ready

2009-10-16T12:16:00.009+01:00

I've been so very slack with recapping. I read many blogs of brides where after the wedding it all went quiet and was like hmph I won't do that. Ahem. I also thought I'd be into weddings forever but now I find myself unsubscribing regularly, particularly the non-individual ones. But I will recap! So back to the getting ready...

Having a professional makeup artist was definitely the right choice for me. I had to sit still for an hour. I found this particularly difficult at first. I kept wanting to know where people were. The house was a buzz of activity,but I was up in the loft room with my bridesmaids coming in and out and getting ready. Having to sit there and do nothing really helped me forget what everyone else was doing and just sit back and relax. Claire did a wonderful job.

Jamie also got ready in the house. We didn't see each other in our outfits but he called up the stairs when he left, shouting I love you and see you soon. I gave out thank you presents to my bridesmaids, and my dad arrived back to get ready. There was a slight panic just before we left when we realised that we had no idea where the house keys were to lock up and Jamie had his set on him. But they were discovered in the kitchen. We did run late and I won't pretend it didn't make me a little bit stressed. I hate being late. But I relaxed back again once we were in the cars. And the sun was shining...

All photographs by David McNeil

Honeymoon

2009-10-10T17:59:00.003+01:00

I just posted our honeymoon recap on my personal blog Rosalie Tinted where I'm blogging from now on (apart from wedding recaps that are coming, promise!).

They're here

2009-10-05T15:22:00.003+01:00

Our photos have arrived! I will finally recap the rest of the wedding once I've looked through and chosen, but just wanted to share how they arrived. The cutest tea towel ever, thank you David.

DIY as self sufficiency

2009-09-29T16:43:00.003+01:00

After talking about the details the other day, Meg has written the perfect blog post about DIY or DIT (do it together) over at A Practical Wedding. It is precisely how I saw the DIY in our wedding planning.

Details

2009-09-27T12:20:00.009+01:00

The details did matter. However they mattered because we wanted them to. They mattered because we spent hours hand crafting them. They mattered because we shared good times as a couple making them (tin can lantern production line springs to mind). They mattered because our amazing friends and family helped us create them. They also looked lovely (and were cheap in monetry value if not time!).

So if you're not fussed about having little details don't worry, you won't miss them. But if you invested lots of time into them, don't worry, you will appreciate them even if on the day you're too busy, looking at the photographs now I love them (a tip if you're handcrafting lots, let your photographer know, make sure they're captured) and your guests will. So many people complimenting various things throughout the day. From the very practical - the rugs/blankets were a big hit as people cosied under them. To the decorative - many compliments on the garlands and table as a whole. The little details all contributed to giving everyone the feel of the day. A simple but hand crafted unique day. Although on the unique front, again don't worry about plagiarizing ideas. All of mine were unoriginal, grabbed from all over the internet from far more creative minds than mine. I just researched enough to find them all. They will be original to your guests even if they seem unoriginal in the land of wedding blogs.

I guess what I'm trying to say with details is have as many or as few as you like. Your wedding should be a representation of what's important to you. I'm all for fiddly little details in my life so little details it was in our wedding. And here they are.

All photographs by David McNeil

Back

2009-09-20T12:07:00.003+01:00

We're back from our honeymoon. It was wonderful but definitely getting the blues today as work looms tomorrow. Will have photos of that and more wedding recaps soon. Here's a little wedding pic.

credit: David McNeil

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-09-09T18:28:00.003+01:00

credit: David McNeil

Preparation: It really did take a village

2009-09-06T14:05:00.009+01:00

One of the most important things that I think of when looking back at the wedding was how much our family and friends did to help.

With the self catering and all the DIY they were essential. I do have a certain amount of guilt as to how much I worked them and how I should have dealt with some things better. I'm just so grateful and don't know how to thank them enough apart from promises to my friends that they can use and abuse me as much as they like for their weddings!

My sister Ellie and boyfriend Farren arrived on the Sunday and we wouldn't have got everything done the following day without them. Jamie and Farren put up marquees, Ellie made the biscuit favors single handedly as I made scones and other things. My best friend Nora arrived later in the afternoon and went to task on the remaining organza flower decorations. Most of this work I really should have finished already. I was behind due to pregnancy and my own procrastinations and looking back I should have got every task that could've been done before (barring food and bouquets) already. By the Monday evening my other sister Sera and her husband Simon, my parents and my other friend Jess and her boyfriend had arrived.

Photos by my brother in law

By this time I was a bit of a mess, it has to be said. The bridesmaid bouquet's roses were supposed to have been bought from a flower wholesaler but I couldn't get in touch with them over the week before the wedding and didn't know if they were open so didn't want to risk driving across to Surrey to see. So the bridesmaid bouquets were made from supermarket flowers me and Jamie bought the day before! Again looking back I really should've done a trial of how to make bouquets. I made my own bouquet and the first bridesmaid's one but by then I was just too stressed and was sent off to have a long bath! Ellie and Jess did an amazing job making the rest of them.

The worst moment of the whole few days before was after my bath. It was already midnight, I was desperate for bed. When I discovered that the chicken that had been cooked for the chicken sandwichs wasn't cooked all the way through and that the Ipod would not synch with the computer to get the playlists on. My pregnant state couldn't cope with not one but two things going wrong. So I just went for a cry in my bedroom. An hour later, Jamie had fixed the Ipod and we had made plans to drive to the supermarket at 8am on the wedding morning to get chicken. I wish I could have dealt with the stress better. I've never been great at it.

Simon and Jamie, photo by friend.

Nora setting up the tea bar.

Then on the day, myself, Nora and my sisters made the 80 rounds of sandwiches, gazpacho soup and Ellie iced all the wedding cupcakes. Again, lesson learnt, this took longer than anticipated, meaning for the rest of the morning we were chasing the clock. Not exactly relaxing! We then went to the venue to decorate and set everything up. My dad sorted out all the drinks/ice chilling, my mum and sisters arranged flowers, the boys put up bunting, hung flowers. The tables were set. Even during the reception, they still worked. My sisters and Nora put out and prepped all the food. My parents made up the Pimms to hand out. And then there was the pack up after. I'm just so so grateful. They all made the wedding what it was.

My mum and sisters making flower arrangements.

My dad and Nora setting up the tea quotes.

Simon and my Dad serving champagne.

Finally, running slightly late, I got to go back to the house to get ready and work on letting go of all remaining stress...

All photos by David McNeil unless otherwise stated

Bizarre

2009-09-05T14:14:00.003+01:00

Whilst I make up my mind how to post the photographs, and in what order and what to write. I was just looking through them and thought I post this! One of the weirdest wedding photographs ever?

This is from our post wedding shoot the following day. We went to this steam railway station and this was in the station's musuem. Bizarre was the word. That freaky stuffed cat felt real and David made me put it on my lap, not that I'd touch it, I made Jamie.

credit: David McNeil

The Other Side

2009-09-03T10:51:00.004+01:00

Wow, what a day. You know, it actually was the best day of my life so far. I'm not one of those people who expects it to be or expects that it will remain the best. And the afterglow is incredible. I've just spent the last few hours looking through our photographs, reading everyone's cards and guest book entries again. And generally grinning a lot. Jamie has gone to town to do some boring things that need doing and we have a marquee to drop off but I'm about to make the best fry up breakfast ever and we're having fondue tonight. We are also booking our honeymoon today which will be next Friday! We are back to reality for a couple of days of work (boo!) after today, but then off for two weeks.

For now we are just enjoying calling ourselves husband and wife a billion times a day in a rather sickening way.

I have no idea how to recap this wedding but I will give it some thought. Especially as our photographer is so awesome and we already have more than 100 processed photographs to show off. I'll leave you with just one for now my friends which is actually from our day after shoot yesterday.

Back soon!

credit: David McNeil

Wordless Wedding Wednesday (teaser!)

2009-09-02T10:04:00.001+01:00

credit: The amazing David McNeil!

This is it!

2009-08-30T13:40:00.002+01:00

My last post before the wedding. I foolishly thought I may have time to pop on again but there's just no way. To say I was still calm would be lying. I am stressed, mainly due to the self catering. But I'm determined to have let go of all that stress by Tuesday morning.

Re-enforcements are arriving today and tomorrow, it will get done. And we will be married!

I just wanted to thank each and every one of you who has followed this blog and my progress. I didn't imagine so many people would read my ramblings and I'm really grateful of all the support, help and ideas you have all given me. I hope the blog has helped you too.

Thank you everyone.
See you on the other side!

Butterflies

2009-08-27T18:20:00.003+01:00

credit: Matt West

Been busy today around London, collecting, buying, Ikea visiting. And tonight we get to string up about 20 metres of garlands (fun fun fun!). But since we got home this evening I've got the butterflies.

For the first time I'm properly excited, not stressed or zen, just jittery excitement. Think it's finally hit me about the day itself rather than the details. The big picture. I'm marrying the man I love in 4 and a bit days. Eeeep!

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-08-26T15:29:00.003+01:00

credit: David McNeil

( just had to make our photographer the last before the wedding!)

Insecurities

2009-08-26T12:24:00.004+01:00

I defy any bride to not have a wobble about their wedding at some point. One of the things I dislike about myself is my worry of other people's opinion of me. It hits me in everything at some point. Work, blogging, anything.

I've had lots of little insecurities about the wedding pop into my head over the last week or so. From my appearance: I tried my whole outfit on with my hair trial the other day and feel too overdressed! To our vows: really scared about reading our personal vows we wrote in front of other people, worry people will find them cheesy or cringy! I think the more personalised a wedding is the more prone you are to these worries. If you have a more "traditional" wedding you have the comfort of that. I know when the day comes I won't care at all. I just wanted to write that I have them and I'm trying to get over them.

Also I have a big stye on my eye which has now developed so that my whole bottom lid and skin below is swollen and even bruised blue! Jamie thinks people will think he's beating me! It does look just like a black eye. I'm hoping 6 days and makeup is enough to cure it!

Zen

2009-08-23T16:09:00.003+01:00

credit: Helene Cyr

Ahh the zen is here at last! I have a to do list as long as my arm that I've spread out across these last 10 days and but it all seems manageable. Tonight we will be hammering tin can lanterns. I'm feeling good. Tired although that's pregnancy not wedding planning. But excited and content.

The lists definitely help. I have a ridiculously detailed list of delegations for the day. I have a list that says where every bit of food goes in the venue's kitchen. I'm making one for exactly where each drink is going to be chilled. Other people can read them on the day!

Right now I'm just going to lie in the sun and cut circles of tulle.

Obsession

2009-08-20T15:00:00.004+01:00

Firstly thank you for each and every one of your comments on here and my personal blog about our news. I'm touched by the kindness.

I'm spending my days making organza flowers and garlands at the moment. Programmes and bridesmaids belts' still to do and last minute dress panics (my now 26 week pregnant sister doesn't fit in her XS bridesmaid dress which is not surprising!)

But my biggest obsession right now is weather watching. I'm silly. I should know by now that there is no point looking at 14 day forecasts here in the UK. Our weather is ridiculously fickle. Also having watched my sister's wedding day forecast it was supposed to rain in the afternoon for hers up until about the day before when they changed their mind. And in the end it was absolutely scorching (well for England anyway) and beautiful.

Having said all that it's not looking too good right now. Although different according to different reports. But some are saying rain in the evening. Not good for the camping and the bbq and generally everyone having to be outside under a marquee all evening. I should just not look or think about it. I'm trying...

The reason wedding planning got harder and the blog got quieter!

2009-08-19T17:07:00.003+01:00

Well this post has been a long time coming. I want to introduce my personal blog which I will be blogging on from today about all things non-wedding related. After the wedding that will be my main blog, however I hope to keep Tea and Whimsy alive when I see and am inspired by wedding ideas to help others so it won't be gone post-wedding. And of course there's recaps and photographs to bore you with :)

So my personal blog is, don't laugh, Rosalie Tinted. Yes I'm a sucker for a cheesy title. And the reason I mention in the title is on there in a lot more detail but I will leave you with a little clue!

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-08-19T11:27:00.003+01:00

credit: Sloan Photographers

Whimsical Windmills

2009-08-17T18:57:00.003+01:00

I love these cute windmills. I was going to buy them to put next to the children's places but some things have had to be cut for the dreaded budget. They'd look lovely as decor for whimsical tables. There are lots of other lovely things at Talking Tables too.

All from Talking Tables

Whimsical Wedding Inspiration: Melissa and Brian

2009-08-15T15:31:00.006+01:00

This wedding is extra special as it was sent to me by Melissa herself who reads the blog. It's so lovely to hear that this blog helped someone when planning. I love their wedding, so many pretty details and Melissa's dress is gorgeous. She also wrote an account for me which I thought you would appreciate.

From Melissa:

On the day we got married it rained. Not the steamy, torrential downpours you can expect here in Costa Rica, but enough rain to make us more than a little nervous about our plans for a pool-side, sunset ceremony. They say it’s good luck if it rains on your wedding day. I don’t know who “they” is, maybe “they” is really just my future mother in law who said this to my groom, who then told me, in an effort to calm me, if even just a little. I hope it is, I don’t know. But I do know that those rain clouds cleared out after only a brief half-hour show and that the few clouds that did remain made for an even more beautiful sunset.

By this time, we’d lived in Costa Rica for nearly two years after leaving our good jobs in San Francisco in search of a simpler, more sustainable life. And then we decided to get married. So much for simplicity. I thought I would be so cool about wedding planning, so blasé. And I was. But, even planning a simple thirty-six person intimate wedding can be a lot of work. And that’s with a wedding planner. There are just so many things you hope for, dream for, and envy of other people’s weddings. So many details that need to be executed precisely.

I had restricted my wedding pr0n, and kept up with only a few, very practical blogs. In the very beginning I had picked up a MSL Weddings magazine. But when I saw the special on $200k wedding rings I knew I wasn’t the target market. Because we wanted to be reasonable about this whole thing. We wanted this whole event to be a representation of who we are and how we live, not a big fancy show for everyone to envy. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t want it to be beautiful, to be perfect, to be well orchestrated. These are things that I hope for in my everyday life.

In my everyday life I also make a lot of stuff. I would have done the cake if my groom would have let me (not that I wasn’t capable, his objection was that he didn’t want me to worry about it. Shucks, that’s sweet.) So since the cake was out, I settled on making table runners, and painting seashells for our favors. I made a garland and helped my sister with beading my dress. All sorts of little things here and there were collected and set aside to be brought out to the beach for the wedding. It was exciting, and I felt proud about doing so much myself.
Because we were living in a foreign country, and because our Spanish is very basic, we hired a wedding planner for a very reasonable price. I just thought I wouldn’t be able to work with all the vendors on my own and still get honest prices. Maybe it’s cynicism, maybe it’s the truth, and certainly it can be justified—but “Gringos” pay more for things here in Costa Rica. Sure, why not? We have deeper pockets. But I live here, have for two years now, and I was determined to get the local price for things.

And things were very reasonably priced, which helped us pull off a very beautiful event which would have otherwise been unattainable for us had we been in the states. Our wedding photographers did an amazing job—two photags, an assistant, a photobooth, and hours of reception for just $1500. Our lovely little cake was just $250 (ok, ok, not cheap when you think about what it is, but cheap when you consider the cost of wedding cakes). The cater came out less than $1800 for 36 with lobster. Flowers for about $500 and wedding planner for $750. The venue was free because we rented out the whole “villa” for the week, and threw the party there for no extra charge. The groom already owned his suit, my dress was vintage and was tailored by my sister. So all in all, because we were able to take advantage of the low costs in the country we lived in, and were able to put on a very nice wedding at a fraction of the cost.

Of course, this low cost was subsidized by the expenses our guests paid to be at our wedding. We were not ignorant of that. And so we invited only those we knew would really want to come, and who would be excited about making a vacation out of the trip. We also did our best to make sure it really was a vacation for them. We scheduled activities, held the wedding at a beautiful beach, rented a catamaran for the day before the wedding, made sure they didn’t have to worry about things like taxis, currency exchanges, getting lost. You know, more of the things that make traveling great and less the things that make it tiresome.
In the days leading up to the wedding everyone had a great time. Some would say too much of a great time. Things were broken, hangovers were had, shoes were lost over the side of the catamaran. It was so much fun. And then, all of a sudden, it was time. It was the day we were getting married, and it was raining.

I was already inside getting ready when it started. I was in my silk robe, with one friend styling my hair while my future sister in law did my make-up. My mom and sister were frantically putting the finishing touches on my dress and veil. We had seen the clouds as they approached throughout the day, and had prepared ourselves for the worst. My groom and I were congratulating ourselves on our brilliant forethought in booking that standby tent. That was—of course—until it started raining and a frantic wedding planner came into my room and told me we’d have to move everything.

I was calmly sipping my sangria, trying not to move my head while two separate individuals did work upon it. I said to her, quite sensibly, that I guess it was time to call the tent people, and ask them to set up. That’s the beauty of having these things all planned out in advance, it’s a case study for the brilliance of standby. But, as I learned in the next few minutes of frustrating back and forth debate, standby – in Costa Rica—does not mean the same as Standby in the States. Yes, the tent was on standby—but it was still over two hours away, and the ceremony was to start an hour. Oh boy.

And so we did what any sensible person would do. We stuck our heads outside, looked at the sky in both directions, put out our hands to catch some drops, and made a reasonable guess as to how much and for how long we could expect the rain to stick around. We were hopeful. And since we still had a little time, I sat back down and continued to get ready. Because what else could I do? This was an act of god. There was nothing to do but wait, noting to do but carry on. If it rained, it rained. Hopefully it would stop in time for sunset, but if not—then by god, we’d figure something else out when it did decide to stop.

It did stop. And when it did, the clouds scattered and the sun set and we stood there, next to the pool, on a deck overlooking the ocean, and got married beneath the most beautiful sunset I have or ever will see in my life. And maybe it was because of the clouds—sunsets are always better when there’s a little something in the sky to change into dramatic colors. Or maybe it was because we knew that no matter what this was our perfect day, and nothing could go wrong: come rain or shine, on this day, we were going to marry the love of our lives.

Thank you so much Melissa and Brian for sharing your story and photographs, congratulations and best wishes for your future together.

Almost There

2009-08-14T17:09:00.006+01:00

Yes I'm still being lapse in blogging, sorry the blog has gone so quiet, the manic time is here. We gave our notice of marriage today making it seem even more real. Got lots of food to trial this weekend and organise the mother of all shopping lists for this self catering. While I'm on the subject, I will be doing a whole wedding self catering help blog post after the big day. I must admit I am having a little help. I am not making the cakes, quiches or the BBQ salads for the evening. So, you know, just the sandwiches, afternoon salads, wedding cupcakes, favor biscuits, scones, gazpacho, cheesecake pops, and homemade bbq burgers. Deep breath.

I am buying the said cakes, quiches and salads from Cook. A gorgeous homemade ready meal chain which can be found all across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. I love it. The staff are so lovely, there's always tasters (lemon pie today mmm) and the readymeals are delicious and make you feel less guilty than supermarket ones as they are all homemade with real ingredients. Bit pricey but I treated myself to one tonight while Jamie is at work, salmon and asparagas gratin. Yum. Here's some lovely food porn.

Photographs from Cook

Check back tomorrow for a reader's gorgeous wedding!

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-08-12T11:49:00.002+01:00

credit: Kamp Photography

A beautiful weekend

2009-08-10T20:36:00.003+01:00

My sister and her husband's (my old friend) wedding was wonderful. The weather was incredible. She looked stunning. I loved being a bridesmaid. They were both so happy. Was lovely.

And now I have three weeks tomorrow ahhh. Time for some serious work.

Our ring bowls

2009-08-06T11:33:00.004+01:00

These are the ring bowls I've just ordered. We went for two as we have our two nephews as ring bearers so they get one each, only fair! I really like them.

I'm off tonight to my sister's in preparation for her wedding Saturday so will be away until Monday. I'm really looking forward to it, the sunshine seems to be back, I've never been a bridesmaid before! Can't wait. Panicked that another week has nearly passed and by the time I'm back it will be three weeks. I've done nothing but purchase a few pieces this week. I HAVE to diy next week!

Bowls by D Gordon

Wordless Weddiing Wednesday

2009-08-05T09:48:00.001+01:00

credit: Mark Brooke Photography

Love is?

2009-08-04T17:19:00.000+01:00

Forgot where I found this.

Crap it's August?!

2009-08-03T09:49:00.003+01:00

credit: Wes Cooper

Four weeks tomorrow. Time is going so fast now. I did look at the to do list last night and it's not too horrendous. I still have quite a few DIY projects to do including tin can lanterns, bridesmaid sashes, programmes, photobooth, banners and homemade cake stands. So hopefully there'll be some nice blog posts to read, after what feels like being in hypernation for a month.

My wedding dress is dangerously loose on me at present but I'm sure I can work on that over the next month (doughnuts?)! And then there's the current UK weather. I think the summer was three weeks in June, August is looking dismal. And it's my sister's wedding on Saturday.

I can see this next month flying by, but I promise lots more posts.

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-07-29T12:50:00.003+01:00

credit: Steep Street Photography

A Free Wedding

2009-07-28T13:53:00.002+01:00

This gorgeous wedding was a competition created by vendors to showcase their talents and give a couple a free wedding. And what a beautiful wedding it is. See all the details at Once Wed including vendor and loads of photographs. Here are a few of my favourites things.

I love the bride's hair and dress.

These fabric flower garlands make me want to make some more!

Photographs by Our Labor of Love via Once Wed

Us Time

2009-07-25T09:59:00.003+01:00

I've been a bad blogger, sorry for being awol. We've been catching up with family and friends which is lovely. Reading A Practical Wedding today inspired me to think about our timetable of our day and time with guests and time for us. We've been all about time with guests. Having a small guest list and allocating a post wedding shoot the day after for most of our couple shots/portraits so we spend less time away. We're also having the morning after on the beach if the weather is good with guests who stay over. Before our ceremony, Jamie is spending time in a pub/hotel while myself and bridesmaids get ready and some guests are joining him.

The part we hadn't thought about is time for just us. It seems natural that you will spend time together but with guests to catch up on I can really see us not getting much proper us time. So I'm trying to work out where to build it in. Our day is busy busy busy. 100 rounds of sandwiches to make and 80 cupcakes to decorate at 8am (I know this would be a lot of people's idea of hell but I'm actually looking forward to it, setting up a little production line with my sisters and friends in the kitchen!). Setting up the tables and decorating the barn at 10am. It's pretty non stop. We didn't want to see each other before the ceremony once we're ready either. I was thinking we could take 5 minutes after the ceremony but with everyone grouped together that is the best time for group shots. I'm thinking maybe after that. Once the group shots are done and we go do a small amount of portrait shots, we can find an area of garden to sneak off to, to have five minutes while the food is set up.

credit: Chris Craymer

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-07-22T10:38:00.002+01:00

credit: Erin Hearts Court

Makeup

2009-07-20T16:20:00.004+01:00

I've been away all weekend for my sister's hen night. Can't believe her wedding is less than three weeks away now. I'm looking forward to being a bridesmaid as I've never been one! We have six weeks tomorrow until the wedding.

I thought I'd share my makeup inspiration. I'm so happy that I spent the money on having a professional makeup artist. Claire was brilliant doing my makeup for the engagement shoot. This inspiration is what I showed her for that shoot along with another inspiration for my eye colour. For the wedding I'm going purely for this with no bright eye colour as I'll be brightly coloured enough with all my accessories!

credit: Glamour magazine, UK

Beyond the wedding

2009-07-17T17:03:00.000+01:00

I've peaked at wedding planning. I don't feel focussed on this day anymore. Of course I want it to be fantastic and wonderful (although not the greatest day of our lives) but I barely think about it at the moment. I'm finding it hard to write about, I'm also being a bit cryptic as I want to talk about things that I can't yet. I've already started writing posts on my post wedding blog albeit set to private at the moment.

I quite like that I'm looking beyond the wedding already. I feel like I'm not going to experience any "come downs" that some brides talk about. I'm also hoping it will make me more zen for the day, just living and experiencing the whole day. I want to be fully present.

I'm also reeeally looking forward to the honeymoon. Jamie and I have never been on a holiday together apart from a couple of weekend breaks as we've been so poor and a week in Greece with nothing to do but spend time together sounds total heaven.

We've spent lots of time talking about our future (which Accordians and Lace has also been writing about, she always writes things that are also on my mind!) recently and I'm the most optimistic and excited I've ever been in my life about that future.

credit: Rodney Smith

Whimsical Wedding Inspiration: Kelsey and Chad

2009-07-16T11:43:00.007+01:00

Coralee of Red Photo Co (one of my favourite photographers) posted this beautiful wedding yesterday and was kind enough to let me share it. It's my new favourite. I love their outfits, decor and the fact that so much of it was handmade and unique to them. They also look so happy and in love. The photographs are beautiful. Enjoy!

I love yellow field photographs (of course!)

Beautiful bridesmaids dresses and Kelsey's dress is stunning and was made by Chad's grandmother!

Gorgeous programs created by Kelsey.

And wonderful bunting.

A fabric photo backdrop like we are doing.

Kelsey's hair flower is by Twigs and Honey.

I love these two golden photographs, totally beautiful.

All photographs by Red Photo Co, and you can see more and read more details on the blog.

Thanks to Coralee for letting me share this wonderful wedding and congratulations to Kelsey and Chad.

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-07-15T14:54:00.001+01:00

credit: Anne Almasy

Hand Crafted Wedding

2009-07-14T12:53:00.003+01:00

I loved this wedding the second I saw it on Monika Broz's blog. She told me it was being blogged a few places already so I urge you to go look at all the lovely photographs and beautiful details over at The Bride's Cafe or Rock n Roll Bride, along with comments from the bride. I love how hand made it is and also the focus on children, love their goodie bags and that they all walked down the aisle instead of a wedding party.

All photographs by Monika Broz, see at The Bride's Cafe and Rock n Roll Bride

Hair Things

2009-07-13T12:01:00.004+01:00

After debating hairbands and combs, then deciding to make my own. I've ended up just buying one. It's getting to the point where some DIY elements just need to be abandoned and sometimes it's not even cheaper to DIY.

So I bought this haircomb from whichgoose.

I love it, it's got a little veil element to make it a bit bridal but is casual too. I do also have a birdcage veil which I may wear for the ceremony or buy a bit of tulle to create another veil like the one I wrote about here.

I love whichgoose pieces, here's some other lovely ones.

All pieces by whichgoose

Tick Tock

2009-07-12T10:48:00.003+01:00

As the wedding gets nearer and nearer (7 and a bit weeks!) I feel myself running low on steam for the blog. Understandable I guess. This time is all about the doing (and my to do list indicates I have a hell of a lot of that to do) and also paying attention. As well as feeling pretty under the weather at the moment but that's another story. I'm not feeling zen but I'm not feeling crazy stressed either. So I'm off to a car boot sale today. My crockery collecting started casually but I've now realised that I only have half the cups and saucers I need. So let's hope I can score 20 sets today.

I'll leave you with this fabulous photograph. How cool are these bridesmaids (how uncool did that sentence sound!)? Love the masks, the bride made one for each of them matching their bouquets. Would work really well for a midsummer night's dream/bohemian style wedding. I'd love one of those.

credit: Helene Cyr

Lace Envy

2009-07-10T12:07:00.003+01:00

Dolly Couture (which is where my dress is from) have a new dress, The Beverlywood. I looove it. I probably would have got it instead of mine if it had been available, I love the lace and the style.

Photographs by Alice Hu, Dress by Dolly Couture

I love tea

2009-07-09T13:26:00.003+01:00

These cute felt brooches/badges from Lupin are fun and whimsical. If we had the budget, I'd love to have a stack of them in a little bowl somewhere at the wedding.

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-07-08T11:46:00.004+01:00

credit: Christian Keenan Photography

(I'm gonna break the rules and make this not wordless but had to say that the emotion captured on these guests' faces are amazing!)

Flowers

2009-07-07T16:39:00.004+01:00

credit: Caroline Ghetes via The Bride's Cafe

I'm diying our flowers. From the beginning of planning I saw rainbow roses and decided immediately to have them as my bouquet. They now worry me a little as I don't think they match the style of flowers/bouquets I'm liking these days! I still love them though and we built our colours around them with the turquoise and pinks in the bridesmaids dresses, my shoes and jewellery.

credit: Jerico Josh

The plan is for my bouquet to be made purely of them with some greenery and the bridesmaids to be ivory roses with a single rainbow rose in the centre also with greenery. The difficulty is our wedding is the Tuesday after a bank holiday weekend. The latest the rainbow roses can be delivered is the Saturday so fingers crossed they will be ok by Tuesday. I then had trouble finding a wholesale rose place that would deliver the ivory roses anywhere near the time. I eventually found a wholesale place an hour's drive away where I can collect on the Sunday morning.

I need to visit prior to then so I can decide which type of rose to choose. I really need to see them all to get an idea of sizes. I will order more than enough ivory roses. I figure on the Monday, when we are DIYing the bouquets if I really decide the rainbow ones don't go, I can use them in other ways and make mine from ivory roses as well.

Below are images I've saved that inspire me. As you can see it is the more natural ivory roses/flowers with herbs and greenary. Pretty rustic. I need to find some lovely lace and wraps for the bouquet ends.

I love the lace and burlap used to wrap the bouquet

credit: Our Labor of Love via Once Wed

If we had the budget I would order these bouquets.

From: The Real Flower Company

Guest Book

2009-07-06T12:06:00.008+01:00

Our Blurb guest book arrived. I'm really pleased with how it came out and definitely recommend Blurb. Excuse the blurriness of some of these photographs the lighting meant pages didn't photograph well, they are really sharp and crisp in reality.

I combined photographs and quotes on each page with a blank opposite for guests to write their comments and well wishes. If you click on the photos to make them larger you may be able to read the quotes - not sure!

We are also having a photobooth backdrop set up, similar to this one:

credit: Jose Villa via Green Wedding Shoes

source: Amazon

With a Poloroid pogo printer set up with my camera for people to take photographs of themselves to stick next to their comments.

Bridesmaid's Sashes

2009-07-05T13:53:00.004+01:00

by Twigs and Honey

My bridesmaids' dresses are quite simple and just plain coloured. If I planned again I'd definitely have mis-matched bridesmaids instead. But to add interest to them, I'm going to attempt to create sashes like these, but in pink.

Busy

2009-07-03T14:11:00.003+01:00

credit: Careenin

I'm leading a trip tomorrow taking teenagers to London so busy sorting it all out and wishing the weather was slightly less humid! So posting will resume on Sunday. Happy Weekend and Happy 4th of July for tomorrow to US readers :)

The Readings

2009-07-02T11:16:00.006+01:00

Here are our choices. The first is to be read near the beginning of our ceremony. The latter two we need to decide which will be the one read near the end of our ceremony. I like them both, they have similar themes, I think I prefer the last one. We might just get the reader to choose. We're hoping to have our fathers read them (we really need to ask them soon!) We're having our mothers be our witnesses to sign the wedding certificate so it would be fitting.

Union

by Robert Fulghum

You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes, to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way. All of those conversations that were held in a car, or over a meal, or during long walks – all those conversations that began with, “When we’re married”, and continued with “I will” and “you will” and “we will” – all those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe” – and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding.

The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things that we’ve promised, and hoped, and dreamed – well, I meant it all, every word.”Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another – acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, even teacher, for you have learned much from one another these past few years. Shortly you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will never quite be the same.
For after today you shall say to the world –This is my husband. This is my wife.

To Love is Not to Possess
by James Kavanaugh

To love is not to possess,
To own or imprison,
Nor to lose one's self in another.
Love is to join and separate,
To walk alone and together,
To find a laughing freedom
That lonely isolation does not permit.
It is finally to be able
To be who we really are
No longer clinging in childish dependency
Nor docilely living separate lives in silence,
It is to be perfectly one's self
And perfectly joined in permanent commitment
To another--and to one's inner self.
Love only endures when it moves like waves,
Receding and returning gently or passionately,
Or moving lovingly like the tide
In the moon's own predictable harmony,
Because finally, despite a child's scars
Or an adult's deepest wounds,
They are openly free to be
Who they really are--and always secretly were,
In the very core of their being
Where true and lasting love can alone abide.

A Gift from the Sea
by Anne Morrow Lindberg

When you love someone, you do not love them all the time in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility, it is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity, in freedom. In the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.

The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what it was in nostalgia, nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting as it is now. For relationships, too, must be like islands, one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, and continually visited and abandoned by the tides. One must accept the security of the winged life, of the ebb and flow of intermittency.

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-07-01T10:47:00.000+01:00

credit: Sloan Photographers

The Ceremony

2009-06-30T15:52:00.005+01:00

credit: Ben Chrisman

I haven't really talked about the most important part of this whole thing before. However, we've thought about it a lot.

I'll start this with a rant. In England (I think all of the UK apart from Scotland - the lucky things) you can basically have a religious ceremony or a civil ceremony. You can only get married in a church (temple, syngagoge etc), a registry office or a place registered through the registry office/local government. The registration to become a place where people can get married isn't something simple that a couple could do as it takes ages and costs a lot. Basically a business license. These places also have to have a roof. So this means no backyard weddings, no getting married at home or your favourite place, no beaches, no gardens (apart from registered ones with gazebos in). And of course it means you can't get cheap venues easily. Registry offices are the cheapest places to get married. And along with this the only people able to conduct these ceremonies are official government registrars. No getting ordained, no having friends conduct your ceremonies.

You may have noticed I sound a bit narked by this and I am! In Scotland you are now able to have legal humanist ceremonies. There is a lot more freedom in most other countries compared to England and it's about time we got rid of these archaic rules. Not only to allow freedom in being able to express what you like in your marriage ceremony but also to allow people to have that personal ceremony at a cheaper cost. If you don't want a registry office and aren't religious, well then you pay a whole load for a venue (in most countys the cheapest ceremony venue which isn't a church or a registry office is £500 minimum ($800)) Then you have to pay for the registrar to come to that venue to conduct your ceremony (this differs in each county but ours costs £400 ($650+) on a weekday, we would have paid more than £500 ($800+ for a weekend).

I did look at doing the legal bit before our official wedding day, going to the registry office earlier, then getting a humanist officiant to do our ceremony. However, we worked out it would cost us even more to do this. I do regret now not spending the extra because humanist ceremonies are far closer to our beliefs and would have given us the freedom to create a very personal ceremony.

But it's too late for regret, we have to work with what we have. Which is a badly written, confusing, ceremony pack "A Kentish Ceremony" from our local county council where we get some "choices" in what is said. These include choosing whether to have presentation of the bride: "Now I ask who presents Rosalie to be married to Jamie" with father to reply "I do". Really who chooses to have that?!
We get to choose some wording of the official legal vows we have to say and the exchanging of the rings wording. Really empowering...

We don't get to choose what the registrar says in any way so our plan of a hand ceremony has to go. We don't even get to meet them before the day unless we pay £150 ($250) for a meeting/rehearsal with them. But at least we get to choose our own readings and we can say our own vows (however I want to point out this wasn't clear in the booklet it appeared you could only choose the readings and vows they had listed there, I had to email to ask!)

We have yet to write our vows, we're going to have a day celebrating our anniversary (as we haven't had chance yet) and sit together and write them. As for readings, I'll post the three we have in mind tomorrow.

Although the ceremony isn't ideally what we wanted, I know on the day it will feel perfect and I'm just focussing on our personal vows as the most important part.

credit: Our Labor of Love

Heat Wave

2009-06-29T10:56:00.003+01:00

It's too hot to do anything, let alone wedding plan. I'm not complaining, I love that we are actually getting a summer this year, it just needs to last until September!

Today will be spent lying in the sun, eating ice lollies and working.

I thought I'd post what we saw out of our window the other night. Jamie said "look an air balloon", so I look out the window expecting to see one in the distance, not one right AT our window, so close to the house! By the time I'd grabbed my camera they were furthur away. They were very pretty though and I would love to go in one.

Beautiful Millinery

2009-06-28T12:26:00.003+01:00

These veils and hairpieces by award winning London Milliner Rachel Trevor Morgan are gorgeous. If I could afford it I would be wearing one. She's milliner to the Queen so I'm not surprised at the prices!

See all her Bridal Couture collection here.

A Farm Wedding

2009-06-27T14:36:00.003+01:00

This is a beautiful DIY wedding featured at Verhext. Reminds me I need to make a start on all the tin cans sitting in my kitchen waiting to be made into lanterns. Go see more details on Verhext and all the photographs on Flickr.

Credit: Verhext via 100 Layer Cake

Posters

2009-06-26T17:07:00.003+01:00

from The Poster List

We don't need posters for the wedding (of course, like most things) but this is one indulgence I have prioritised, don't ask me why, although I like wedding things that will be used after and these can decorate our house.
I'll frame them all up. The tea time poster will sit on our buffet table. The Chill one will be next to the chill marquee in the evening which will have sofas and cushions in. And the rock ones will be in the other marquee which is the guitar hero/rockband and games tent.

Whimsical Wedding Inspiration: An English Tea Party

2009-06-25T14:23:00.005+01:00

I found this beautiful wedding on Flickr. Married in an Oxfordshire town hall which looks very pretty and then a tea party reception in a village hall. They decorated it beautifully. Love the flowers in boxes, their vintage bus and of course the tea party things. Apparently the hall also had bats which came out and flew around during the speeches!

All photos: Dave Pape

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-06-24T13:23:00.002+01:00

credit: Elizabeth Messina

Napkins

2009-06-23T13:10:00.004+01:00

Exciting topic I know but I have managed to make the napkins a little nicer. Initially we were going to hire linen ones along with our table hire or make my own out of vintage material but Ikea do really cheap material ones (not exactly linen quality). I then bought iron on fabric appliques from Ebay, to make them fit with our wedding. Love how they turned out.

Unfortunately I only bought 36 appliques and now the ebay shop doesn't seem to exist. We have 45 people on the guest list now so if everyone comes I need to track down similar appliques.

Etsy List

2009-06-22T13:13:00.006+01:00

Here are the wedding things sitting on my favourites list on Etsy.

here

here

here

here

Some are wishful thinking, some I'll definitely buy on payday.

The Hair

2009-06-21T16:26:00.003+01:00

credit: Brides

Here's the style I've decided to go with. Just need to practise my backcombing now!

Centrepieces

2009-06-20T15:37:00.005+01:00

Feeling a lot less stressed today. Still sleep deprived though.
I did, however, manage to purchase something. These lovely teacups will be our centrepieces for the outside picnic tables. We needed something to stop the tablecloths blowing away and one of these on each with cream rose heads should look lovely.

I can't work out exactly how many roses in each until they arrive and until I finally visit the flower farm/trade place to see which type of rose I'm going to order. Really need to do that soon, I think I mentioned that we're doing all the flowers and bouquets ourselves. Sometimes I have daydreams about having vendors.

All Stressed Out

2009-06-19T13:47:00.004+01:00

credit: littlegirlblue

I'm sleep deprived and stressed out.

I'm sick of lying in bed at night thinking about ridiculous things to do with the wedding and not being able to sleep. I'm not liking this stage of wedding planning, when am I due my Zen stage? Surely it's soon.

I feel like I'm in limbo, we are waiting for money to buy things or for it to be nearer to the time to do certain things. So all I have to do is wait and worry about whether our guests will think our wedding is weird, worry about being able to afford all the silly little things I've become infatuated with, worry about the to do list as long as my arm (literally).

I'm annoyed with myself. We don't need a bloody bell tent to stay in. We don't need cute little posters in frames. We don't need the award winning local smoked salmon that costs more than my jewellery (no matter how good it will taste). I don't need a vintage suitcase for our post wedding shoot. And I don't need a cute little dress for my sister's wedding to wear in the evening when I've got my bridesmaid dress I can wear all night.

With a budget this small (£4000/$6000) I need to prioritise the last little things. We have the money for some but not all. I wish I was a more decisive person. I just keep trying to remind myself that when the day comes I won't give a damn about how amazing the salmon tastes or how good those posters look or how big a tent we are lying in is. (really we're lying down sleeping and doing ahem other activities. How much room do we need?!)

Can I just get married now?

Bake It Pretty

2009-06-18T19:13:00.003+01:00

I'm about to buy all these lovely things from Bake It Pretty on Etsy which sells the most gorgeous baking things.

These for our wedding cupcake tower. They are so sturdy you can cook them on a regular baking sheet meaning I can bake a lot more at a time without spending money on cupcake trays.

And this icing nozzle to make the icing more professional than my trial.

These bags I'm using to put marshmallows on skewers in for the evening. We're getting a firepit to keep people warm during the evening and to toast these on. Going to make labels for the bags.

And some very lovely rainbow sprinkles for our cheesecake pops.

Didn't think baking things could make me so cheerful!

All photographs/items from Bake It Pretty

Tagged

2009-06-17T14:05:00.008+01:00

I've been tagged by the lovely Flora. And as it's answering questions about myself, I'm going to be all self-indulgent and do it! So you'll just have to humour me. I don't really write a lot of personal stuff on this blog apart from about our wedding.

I've been thinking, as the wedding gets nearer and nearer, of the future of this blog. My current plan is to carry on posting wedding inspirations on here whenever they come to me, and creating another blog for my own personal ramblings and probably a lot of nesting stuff!

Anyway back to the questions:

What is your current obsesssion?

That would be this wedding although I can already see my obsessive nature transferring from wedding to planning a trip to Japan - me and Jamie have both wanted to visit for years.

What is your weirdest obsession?

Hmm well probably online gaming. Most people (friends and family included) think I'm pretty weird for playing computer games online. I've always loved computer games since I played asteroids on the old Atari with my dad and the obsession never goes away. But hey I got a soon to be husband out of it! (we met online, he was a Samurai, I was a Dark Knight, the rest is history hah!)

Coffee or tea?

Well if you haven't worked that out already...

What was the last thing you bought?
These tea tins from Etsy last night.

What are you listening to right now?

The fan in our office, it gets sooo hot up here.

What is your favourite ice cream flavour?

As boring as it is that would be vanilla (really good quality vanilla).

credit: TheCookingPhotographer

What do you think of the person(s) who tagged you?

I had the pleasure to meet her in person. She's a lovely lady, who enjoys a lot of the same things as me.

What's your favourite quote(for now)?

"Get busy living, or get busy dying" (Shawshank, my favourite film)

What is your dream job?

Right now a photographer, I've always wanted to be a writer. when the teachers got us to write stories mine would always be about 10 times longer than needed and always got me house points! (anyone remember house points? bizarre UK school idea probably)
I still think that there's a book somewhere in there waiting to happen. Probably a childen's one.

credit: Careenin

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?

Right now it's my wedding dress which I've tried on too many times as it is. Apart from that a very lovely floral summer dress which I haven't been able to fit into until now so will be wearing as much as possible this summer!

What is your worst habit?

Leaving things to the last minute. Especially getting out of bed. I'm really really bad at it. I argue that it's because I'm virtually blind so until the contact lenses go in I can't see the room just blurs so it's much easier to close your eyes again...

credit: Anthor

Do you admire any one’s style?

Lots of people, so many. I wish I had some! I don't think I can do elegant so I'm very envious of it. Audrey is the classic. Vanessa Paradis always looks so elegant and she gets Johnny Depp.

What are your favourite movies?

I'm one of these people who don't like watching films again. There are very few I can watch again and again but they would be: The Shawshank Redemption, Some Like It Hot (perfect to cheer me up) and Spirited Away ( I adore all Miyazaki's films but Spirited is my favourite)

Your favorite book ?

Argh hard. I would say His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman I don't think I've ever been as sad when a book ended.

What is your favorite fruit?

Cherries. I used to love doing the rhymes when I was little for counting the stones. That and hanging pairs from my ears like earrings.

credit: Foodblogga

Do you collect something?

At the moment teacups and teapots. I'm waiting to see if this continues after the wedding is over!

credit: Langdon Knits

What is your favorite smell?

The damp smell when it rains after being hot.

Cats or dogs?

Cats. Although dogs are growing on me. I want a cat, Jamie wants a dog (specifically an Akita). We will see.

What’s your biggest fashion mistake?

My glasses when I was little. I blame the parents. You want proof?

What do you look forward to coming home to after you've been away?

My own bed and a nice cup of tea.

And my question to add to the people I tag is:

If you had to listen to only one song forever what would it be?

And I'm going to tag:

Nora

Mina

Sera

Melissa

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-06-17T13:48:00.003+01:00

credit: 39 East Photography

Just beautiful

2009-06-16T13:27:00.003+01:00

credit: Max Wanger

Max Wanger just posted a drop dead gorgeous wedding on his blog. You have to go look right now. A wedding hasn't made me this envious, like, ever. The location is amazing. The cakes are beautiful. The photographs are stunning. But most importantly the love and joy is incredible. I might even cry, wedding planning has turned me all wimpy. Go go!

Tea Party Inspiration: Bridal Shower

2009-06-16T12:59:00.002+01:00

Some more tea party inspiration at Project Wedding. Created for a bridal shower (as so many tea parties are) but I love the menu and stacked cup centrepieces. Click pics or head over the Project Wedding to see it closer and get details.

The Programs

2009-06-15T11:27:00.005+01:00

credit: Snippet and Ink

I'm just starting to design our programs. I love the look of these. I have a thing for baker's twine!
I also love the hand stamped look like these:

credit: Our Labor of Love via Once Wed

Think I'll be combining the two, along with this quote somewhere:

We are today still dizzy with the

astonishment of love.

We are surrounded by affection -

by smiles and kindliness,

by flowers and music and gifts

and celebration.

Yet they enclose a silence

where we are close with one another.

My eyes see only you.

Hear nothing but the words

we speak to one another

This is the day we start out life together.

This is our new beginning.

Pamela Dugdale

Servings of Strawberries

2009-06-14T14:11:00.002+01:00

Credit: Project Wedding via Oh Happy Day

This is how I'm going to serve our strawberries. In small bags along with bowls of cream. Such a great idea by Jordan. I'm buying plain white sweet bags and stamping them with my teacup/teapot stamps. So much easier than hiring lots of little dishes.

Tea Party Inspiration

2009-06-13T12:37:00.003+01:00

This tea party looks gorgeous. Created by Mindy Weiss and photographed/featured by Elizabeth Messina, you can see all the photographs here. Love the clocks!

P.S Thinking of Rachel of Peacock Feathers and Diamond Rings as she gets married today. Congratulations!

BBQ Things

2009-06-12T12:58:00.000+01:00

There will be a BBQ at our evening party. This part of the day is very informal and as such I was thinking of serving food with napkins and maybe paper plates only (ahh eco nightmare). I was on the ikea website looking for fabric for our photo backdrop and found they had some great summer things in. Paper plates/cups but slightly nicer. Also some very useful jugs which have a centre you can freeze to keep them cool. Such reasonable prices.

All items from Ikea

I'm wondering if we will be able to recycle all the paper after, I guess it depends how sturdy they are and whether the food destroys them...

The Garlands

2009-06-11T12:13:00.006+01:00

These were hard to photograph! I made these to wrap around the barn beams. Here is the barn with floral decorations so you can picture it.

credit: Ratsbury Barn

I'm not convinced with the hearts at the moment. I think they're too big to wrap around and too big to fit in with the tulle blossoms and doilies. I think I'll run these along the horizontal railing. Then make another length of gold small hearts to entwine with the doilies/tulle.
They don't look as entwined as they will be as I don't want them to tangle, keeping them stored seperately until the day.

They are very easy to make. I bought a heart punch and punched out hearts from an old book I had (I was going to punch out my parent's old copy of Pride and Prejudice I have but I couldn't bear to in the end!). The tulle blossoms are made by cutting circles of tulle from a paper template. Then layered in stacks of 5 circles, I folded them twice and sewed together at the ends. They are then tied in a knot to the thread. The doilies are simple also. Using a pen end to help scrunch them around, squeeze the centre so there is enough to tie the thread in a knot around.

I've made 15 metres but I suspect those beams need more.

Happy Anniversary

2009-06-10T19:13:00.004+01:00

The first photograph of us together, both looking a lot younger!

To my love.

Three wonderful years, and now, in 10 weeks, our anniversary resets back down to zero!

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-06-10T13:34:00.000+01:00

Credit: Andree Kehn

Peony Love

2009-06-09T12:50:00.003+01:00

These beautys are in my garden. I picked three that had flopped in the rain. It makes me wish our wedding was this time of year as these would make beautiful bouquets. They're also huge, three would make a very cute bridesmaids bouquet. But instead they will sit on my desk and cheer me up whilst the weather is so very horrible wet and grey outside.

Dress Envy

2009-06-08T14:04:00.002+01:00

From Bride s magazine

I thought I was over this. Since I got my dress there haven't been any that caught my eye until this. Whimsical and beautiful.

The Buttonholes

2009-06-07T18:10:00.004+01:00

Finished off the buttonholes yesterday. I bought them from Etsy (from a shop that no longer exists) with just the leaf, feather and flower. I then added the lace flower and button, to make them more substantial and the turquoise to match in with the bridesmaids and my jewellery.

Wedding Night Lodgings

2009-06-06T16:14:00.002+01:00

I think I mentioned before that we are camping on the night of our wedding, in our garden which is the location for our evening party. We have a big garden and I think other guests will be camping too.

We were going to use our very average 2man tent for the occasion but I've been dreaming of tipis, yurts and bell tents, and found this beauty for rent. A lot more romantic, plus a nice little chillout area during the party. Very tempting...

On Crafting

2009-06-05T13:58:00.003+01:00

I've been doing a lot of DIY this week. I've made 15 metres of garlands (almost finished will show all when done) which I'm really pleased with. I'm currently customising the buttonholes that I bought on Etsy and finishing off the button flower centrepieces.

I've had so many comments from people saying you're so crafty but the truth is I'm really not! Well not until now. I can't sew to save my life, I've never been a hands on person, more words or maybe drawing but not crafts. I've made these things from being inspired by truly creative and crafty people via the wonder of the internet and really wanting to create things, as well as the more practical aspect of saving money.

When I first started planning it was all about looking at things to purchase, especially on Etsy. Whereas now, for example, I just came across this cute hairband on Etsy, and it's perfect for the bridesmaids. Instead of wondering if we can afford to buy five of them (especially in these last few months where the money crunch time is happening) now I'm thinking, I can so make these, no problem.

Cute hairband by BeSomethingNew

Crafting is empowering sometimes.

One Lovely Blog

2009-06-05T00:51:00.004+01:00

Sera from broken*saucer has given me this lovely blog award.

I have to give the honor to my favourites too.

The instructions are as follows:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.

I hereby award the following blogs the “One Lovely Blog Award”…

(in no particular order)

Nora the Kitchen Splorer

Moments of Pleasure

Peacock Feathers and Diamond Rings

Polka Dots and Paisley

I recommend all these lovely blogs :)

Our Engagement Shoot: Part 2

2009-06-04T18:19:00.008+01:00

I got the remainder of our engagement photographs through from David, and spent a lot of yesterday creating a Blurb book of them including quotes for our guest book. Was way too much fun! So here are the other photos (part one is here) and I'll post our guest book when it arrives.

All photographs by David McNeil

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-06-03T12:34:00.002+01:00

credit: Danny Iskandar Photography

Tea Bar

2009-06-02T11:46:00.009+01:00

credit: Daily Danny

I think I've decided that I want to make a feature of the tea. For it to have it's own seperate table rather than have teapots along the table. That way we have more space and people get more choice of teas. I couldn't find many examples of tea bars! There's quite a few hot cocoa bars at weddings and also the candy bar.

I love the above image. It doesn't go with our wedding style but I'd love it in my house! So I think I'm going to do similar but with floral tins full of tea and my teapots, sugar bowls and milk jugs. Taking inspiration from all these images. What do you think?

credit: Merriment Design

credit: Rainahsworld

credit: Lillian and Leonard

credit: here

credit: Once Wed

Patience pays off

2009-06-01T12:20:00.005+01:00

credit: Country Living

I've been stalking Ebay for months for a croquet set, there's quite a few cheap ones for under a tenner but they look pretty cheap and are small.

I found one company that sells a good one (buy it now of £40) with a starting 99p bid every week. They've been going for £15-20 in the end, but I've watched them for about three months now each week . I finally got mine yesterday for £3.95.

Sometimes the waiting game is worth it when planning a wedding on a small budget. I've been doing the same with our drinks, waiting for the buy one get one free offers to pop up on soft drinks and I'm still waiting for Pimms to have it's summer offer.

credit: This is not a test

Bridesmaid's Gifts

2009-05-31T15:04:00.002+01:00

I've been looking for gifts for my five bridesmaids for a while now. It's difficult to find something they'll all like as there's such a variety of ages (my two sisters, Jamie's two sisters and our niece, daughter of one sister). I love these retro suitcases filled with sweets from Hope and Greenwood. I've also found similar suitcases on Ebay so if I don't get these, I'll create my own, maybe including sweets, bath things, and jewellery.

The Invitations

2009-05-29T13:16:00.004+01:00

I sent them all off today, hurrah! The invitation and rsvp were designed by Jonathan of ello there, who was wonderful to work with. I then created the map/details and put them all together in boxes lined with tissue paper. Sealing the boxes with another ribbon and hand stamped sticker. They were wrapped in brown paper to send.

Whimsical Wedding Dress

2009-05-28T17:47:00.004+01:00

I think this dress by Liza Rietz would make a very cute wedding dress.
Love the asymmetrical detail.

Buy it here

Cake Stands

2009-05-28T16:56:00.003+01:00

I'm making all the cake and sandwich stands for our afternoon tea reception. It's one DIY project I can't wait to start, but have to wait as they will take up loads of room once constructed! I just got this adorable plate on Ebay, it will make a perfect cake stand.

Invitation post tomorrow!

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-05-27T11:42:00.000+01:00

credit: Jessica Johnston

Almost done

2009-05-26T11:47:00.003+01:00

The invitations that is. We realised we forgot the stamps for the rsvp envelopes meaning we couldn't start to wrap up the invitation boxes without them. But tonight they will be done, they need to be! This planning goes in very odd stages and as we reach the three month mark next week, I can feel another crazy panic stage arriving. Damn, I was enjoying this leisurely chilled stage I've been in for at least a month or two.

So while I wait, I've been drooling over this gorgeous wedding I saw over at Rock n Roll Bride. A barn, a cute short dress, lots of DIY and a very cool groom outfit (which coincidentally pops up as Jamie and I were talking about him wearing his blue striped shirt instead of a white one, looking at this I saw yes!). This wedding is one of my favourites ever, go look at more pictures over here and lots more with all the details at the photographer, Josh Goleman's blog here.

All photographs by Josh Goleman via Rock n Roll Bride (via casando ideias)

Spring Inspiration

2009-05-24T22:28:00.004+01:00

This shoot by Duet Weddings is completely gorgeous. I love all the styling from the invitation suite created for it, to the tea tins and hanging birdcages. I particularly love the favors. I'm almost tempted to do strawberries in little turquoise boxes instead of biscuits. Strawberries are a speciality in the region we live and sold everywhere in the summer months straight from the field. It might be a bit difficult for guests to carry and more expensive, but a lot less time consuming than the biscuits! You can see more photographs and the details of everyone involved in the shoot at the Duet Weddings blog.

All photographs by Duet Weddings, found via Weddingbee.

Long Weekend

2009-05-23T11:32:00.003+01:00

credit: Our Labor of Love

Apologies for the lack of posts in the last few days, I've been visiting my sister and now have a 3 day weekend and the weather is gorgeous. Beach time! We are also spending this weekend putting together our invitations which I will share tomorrow.

Tea Tins

2009-05-20T22:37:00.002+01:00

Got these lovelies on Ebay. They will be filled with flowers and sit on each of the picnic tables outside in our venue's orchard.

Wordless Wedding Wednesday

2009-05-20T12:08:00.000+01:00

credit: Van Steelandt Photography

Whimsical Wedding Inspiration: Jesse and Ben

2009-05-19T13:09:00.006+01:00

I love this wedding shot by Jenna Tye. I love Jesse's dress and mantilla veil, I love the setting on beautiful Salt Spring Island in Canada (which incidentally we looked at as a location for our elopement before we had to change our plans) and that everyone looks so very happy in the gorgeous photos.
Meg is right the nearer it gets to our wedding, the more I'm looking at the happiness and emotion in photographs rather than the details and "things".
Simply beautiful...

All photographs by Jenna Tye, you can read about the wedding here.

Ring Bowls

2009-05-18T14:37:00.007+01:00

We have two adorable little nephews to look after our rings at our wedding ceremony. Well I think the one who is 3 probably won't be bearing the rings for too long and will want to sit down instead! We needed a little bowl for them to carry them, so I turn to Etsy as ever to look for something lovely. So many beautiful choices...

from here

from here

from here

Or maybe two ring bowls for each of them to hold...

from here

from here

Self Catering Logistics

2009-05-17T19:34:00.004+01:00

One of the major factors in self catering is serving. With no caterer, there's no staff and also nothing to serve the food on or anything to eat off. I started out thinking we would hire it all from a catering company but I discovered that buying lovely vintage crockery from charity shops, boot sales and ebay was cheaper and much more fun.

So then we thought we'd just need to hire glasses, but I discovered that supermarkets hire out glasses for free, bonus! Also through the online wedding communities and blogs I found other sources. The lovely Flora had lots of plates/glasses she bought for her wedding which she was kind enough to offer me. They are now all in our living room waiting for me to store. That's the only issue with buying all your crockery, storage!

So in terms of paying to hire equipment, the only thing we are hiring is some tables (as our venue only has round ones and we really want a long banquet table and not divide people up), champagne glasses for the toast and shot glasses for the gazpacho.

Now we just need to find a couple of people to serve food.

credit: Boots in the Oven

An alternative playlist for our wedding reception

2009-05-16T15:59:00.007+01:00

credit: Christian Keenan Photography

I thought I'd post our playlist, well as much as I've got so far for our afternoon tea party reception. I found there's very few "alternative" music playlists/ideas out there for wedding receptions. As I said the vibe we were going for was chilled but upbeat. A couple of these lean towards downbeat but never mind! I think we still need another hour and a half of music. As you can see it is totally eclectic.

The Evening

2009-05-15T12:29:00.005+01:00

credit: Country Living

Our official afternoon tea party reception at our barn venue finishes at 6pm. Our wedding is on a Tuesday and I know a lot of people will be heading home then. But for the people who aren't we are holding an informal evening party at our house.

We have a big garden, room for people to camp and room for a marquee or two. Our plan for the evening is for it to be relaxed with fun things to do. So we are having a BBQ, firepit with smores/marshmallows, a small marquee which will be set up with comfy sofa and cushions for relaxing, a second marquee which will have rock band/guitar hero set up on a projector. We're also considering having a poker table on the patio. And then our IPod playing throughout the evening. We are also buying sky lanterns, to release once it gets dark enough. Later on we may put a movie on the projector and chill out with popcorn. This all relies on the English weather behaving itself. Something I'm trying not to panic about!

I made a little inspiration board for the feel of the evening party.

Credits: Top row: Country Living, Cox and Cox, Country Living, Country Living

Middle row: Crocus, Gardener's World, Flickr
Bottom Row: Country Living, Cox and Cox, DPR, Country Living