Design Concept: Luxurious Winter Wonderland

There is something so beautiful and so special about winter weddings. I think often we can be all too eager to opt for a summer date because we're counting on the (super unreliable) weather when a winter wedding would be just as beautiful and a fraction of the cost.

Very often the colour palette of choice for a winter wedding is red. Now don't get me wrong, this can be and very often is, stunning but because I think it's important to break the mould, the colour palette for this board is something a little different. The rich green and purple used here retain the luxury and warmth of that ever-popular red but are something just a little bit different and I can already hear guests gasping with amazement at bridesmaids in that beautiful shade of green. (The combination of purple and green in all it's many shades and hues is a fail safe one. Way back when I launched the blog I featured this one which just shows how you can create a completely different feel by simply adjusting the shades of particular colours.)

As for the rest of the wedding I see an uber modern venue just like the fabulous Haymarket Hotel in central London, a super chic cake like this one from April Reed a roaring fire and a twinkling (but ever so chic) Christmas tree. For favours I'd choose modern, minimalist Christmas decorations and for flowers I'd pick something like the beautiful Anenomies pictured above and team them with winter berries and ivy to keep the winter/Christmas feel going. Perfect!

Photo credits:
Banqueting room: The Haymarket Hotel
Keira: This is London
Flowers: Brides
Roaring fire and Christmas tree: Flickr here and here
Cake: April Reed
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Ruby: Gem Affair
Dress: Vera Wang via Brides
Nail varnish: Nails Inc

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Blackcurrant Purple and Soft Green

I imagine this type of wedding happening in the winter months, somewhere down to earth (perhaps a farm) and excited guests leaving footprints across frosty lawns. I'd love to see simple, rustic foods balanced by delicate (but quirky) calligraphy and floral arrangements with lots of silvery-grey greenery. In the evening I think some kind of traditional music would be perfect (a ceilidh perhaps), for favours I'd give away Welsh love spoons and for late night snacks I'd serve roasted chestnuts and hot chocolate - delicious!

Inspiration for this concept's colour palette came courtesy of Nordljus, a beautiful food & photography blog I stumbled across. Now a cabbage isn't normally something I'd want at a wedding (except perhaps on the menu) but I was really inspired by this beautiful photo. If you are in need of some food eye candy or just have a few minutes to spare be sure to stop by Keiko's fab blog.

Photo Credits:
Flowers: Rebecca Thuss
Cheese and cookies: Martha
Dress: J Crew
Cabbage: The super dooper talented Nordljus
Trees: Oll Bullough via Flickr
Invitation: Hello Lucky
Dress: Brides
Calligraphy: Minted (please make sure you stop by this amazing site)
Berries: BBC Good Food

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Fab Ceremony Exit

I love this unusual ceremony exit featured over at the fantastic SMP. A great idea if your venue won't allow confetti or maybe an idea for a fun way to leave your reception.

The photography for this beautiful wedding is by the very talented, California based Amy Squires whose fab website and eye-candy-filled blog you should definitely check out.

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Design Concept: Leafy Green

Super busy over at WBZL today so I'm going to let this luscious green concept speak pretty much for itself. I'm imagining a very sophisticated affair with great food, warm lighting and fantastic friends.

Photo Credits:
Venue: The Cinnamon Club
Hairstyle, bouquet: Style Me Pretty
Pears: Taste
Cheese: Truckles and Chutney
Invitation: Minted
Earrings: BridalEmunique
Asparagus: Martha Stewart
Table Center: (I'm sorry I didn't note this and now I can't find it, please let me know if it's yours)

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Design Concept: Enchanted Woodland (for Susie)

This concept is inspired by the very lovely Susie who is marrying Tom in Suffolk this coming October. Susie and Tom have chosen a theme of Flower Fairies & a palette of plum, sage green and champagne gold.

As I started putting this board together all I could think about was fruit. Apples, pears, plums, blackberries etc are at such abundance in autumn that it seems only fair to include them in the celebrations! Pears, apples and even pomegranates make the perfect place name holders whilst I love the idea of incorporating blackberries, rose hips and other hedgerow berries into the floral arrangements. To keep guests warm Susie and Tom are serving mulled cider and on track with the fruit theme I think it would be lovely to serve toffee apples, perhaps as a late night snack or again as a favours at each place setting.

Susie and Tom are having a humanist ceremony & I’d like to see the aisle decorated with autumn leaves, hurricane vases and large candles.

As for incorporating the flower fairies, naming each table after one is a lovely idea whilst a fairy hunt would be the perfect entertainment for younger (& maybe even older!) guests.

For the evening, I’m a huge lover of a bonfire (it’s something about the smell) and with October/November being prime bonfire season I think this would be the perfect entertainment. I’d love to see hay bales for outdoor seating, sparklers, perhaps some fireworks and definitely some bonfire toffee.

Finally, I’m thinking all about the humble jam jar! I love jam jars, I like that they are simple and rustic, that if you collect them they are free and I love the way they look when you put lots of different ones together. Jam jars as makeshift vases, candle holders and perhaps even giving homemade jam or apple butter away as favours would create a lovely home-spun, rustic atmosphere. (Update: Bizarrely Cara is also talking about jam jars today & has a great tutorial about how to make your own jam jar candles)

Have a lovely weekend everybody!

Photo Credits:
Gown: Brides
Bonfire: Flickr
Blackberries: Flickr
Sparkler: Flickr
Jam jar candles: Flickr
Hanging jars: Flickr
Flower Fairies: Tom and Susie's invitation
Cider: My Recipies

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Design Concept: Ice Cream Sundae

My lovely mum came up with the initial idea for this concept & I don't think I'm going to say much more about it! I'm thinking a Neapolitan icecream colour palette, a retro ice cream van & a 'candy bar' with lots of swirly lollipops for the reception!

Photo credits:
Veil & icecream: Brides
Pompoms: Martha Stewart
Ice cream van: Superdry87
Dress: Vintage Studio via Peonies
Bottles: Lorina
Cookies: Peggy Porschen
Cupcakes: BBC Food
Ice cream parlor: PopKulture

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Design Concept: A Seaside Soiree

Just back home after a lovely few days in Norfolk. On Friday we took a trip to the beautiful Norfolk coast where we visited the most stunning, unspoilt beach I have ever seen. The water was crystal clear, the sand super clean and the sky the most intense shade of blue. Wedding planning never far from my mind, this beautiful place of course inspired a design concept!
With this concept I was keen to things subtle and resist going over board with all things seaside! Hopefully this board has a good balance of reflecting the surroundings but not feeling too gimmicky.
Central to this concept is the use of light and cleverly bringing the outside in. I’m imagining lots of clear glass, fairy lights, sand filled hurricane vases and tea lights in jam jars. I’ve always loved the idea of a bonfire on the beach and I think this would be beautiful for a wedding. A barbeque of rustic seafood with toasted marshmallows for a midnight snack. Sky lanterns and sparklers just before the bride and groom steal away together. Oh how lovely!


Photo Credits:

Hair: Brides
Candles, jam jars, limeade & canapes: Martha Stewart
Bonfire: C J McKeeve
Sky lanterns and beach: Me!
Cupcakes: Rebecca Thuss
Gown: Stephanie Allin
Sandcastle: A Merry Monk

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Design Concept: Picnic Wedding

I’m currently going a bit crazy over picnic weddings. I love, love, love the idea of giving guests baskets or hampers filled with delicious food and sitting down on the riverbank in the summer sun. I’m picturing miniature bottles of champagne, outdoor games lots of twinkling lights and maybe even kite flying.
Admittedly the unpredictable British weather might get in the way of my idyllic dream but I think with a marquee on standby and for use during the evening, this could be a really effective theme. I like the simple, countryside feel minus ‘classical’ floral vintage. I really love the bold colour palette too.
I also love that this concept could be done on a small or big budget. If you can afford it, you could really go to town with a caterer and beautifully package everything. On the other hand, if you’re more budget restricted I love the thought of getting a group of bakers together before the wedding to cook up a storm. I’m thinking perhaps batch cooking cherry pies, freezing and defrosting the day before. Something about a community of people getting together before a wedding gives me goose pimples!
For favours I’m thinking wild strawberry plants, decorated with striped red ribbon or maybe paper windmills. Perhaps a ceilidh in the evening? Oh, how lovely!

Photo Credits:
Strawberries, daisies and hampers: stock photography
Lemon Meringue Pie: he@art via Flickr
Lemonade: Julie Lynn via Flickr
Lanterns: Cox & Cox
Blueberries: BBC Good Food
Dress: RaeGun
Tree: A hard drive golden oldie but I'm pretty sure it's originally from Brides

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Design Concept: Violet and Green

Our latest design concept is centered around a colour palette of violet and green. Inspired by the grape hyacinths that seem to be popping up everywhere at the moment, I’m slightly obsessed with the mouth watering combination of these two shades. When I was constructing this board, I found it hard to decide between a soft, delicate look or a more structured, minimalist feel. In the end I think I found a happy medium and I’m really pleased with the overall fresh and pretty feel. The Monique Lhuillier gown is simply stunning, so simple and elegant whilst the crisp white bunting gives the concept a quirky edge.

Photo Credits:

Flowers: Martha Stewart Weddings
Pea Pod Necklace: Rachael Sudlow
Bridal Gown: Monique Lhuillier
Cake: Cheryl Kleinman
Dress: J Crew
Bunting: Cox and Cox
Tart: BBC Good Food

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Design Concept: Love Birds

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been putting a design board and colour palette around together around the theme of ‘Love Birds’. I love this concept, two beautiful birds who only have eyes for each other and as a hopeless romantic, think it’s perfect for a wedding.

The board is centered around the stunning love bird graphic which has been patiently waiting on my hard drive for a couple of years now (unfortunately I’m not sure where it’s from, any suggestions gratefully received). As for the colour palette, I’m in love with the vibrant but slightly muted colours which create a carnival atmosphere without being garish.
The whole concept would be perfect for a late summer celebration and I picture it in a unconventional venue, perhaps somewhere like the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

Photo Credits:
Dresses: J Crew
Pencils: Cox & Cox
Feathers: MacCulloch & Wallis
Macaroons: Ladurée
Wreath: Raggedroses
Flowers: Martha Stewart Weddings

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