A London Wedding with THE dress!

I thought I’d treat us all to a gorgeous real wedding to brighten up this Monday morning. Today’s real wedding submission has come from the very lovely Icy Lazare.

Sarah met Bryan at Marble Arch where they met for the first time under the Arch and thought it would be a lovely idea to meet again there just before getting married. They then married at Marylbone Town Hall before heading off in an old vintage cab to the Temple Pier to board the Golden Jubilee boat where the reception took place.

Photography courtesy of Icy Lazare

Yes! It’s THE dress… not my dress of course but THE dress that is so very much loved in the wedding world at the moment.

With thanks to Sarah and Bryan and to Icy Lazare for sharing this gorgeous real wedding with the Bow Occasions Wedding Blog.

Louise ♥ xx

Bow Occasions is always on the lookout for gorgeous real weddings to feature. If you are interested in submitting a real wedding to the Bow Occasions Blog, please visit the submissions page for more information.

Jude and Simon’s Seaside Wedding

Just before Christmas I came across two lovely girls from Cotton Candy Weddings who are so passionate about vintage inspired wedding photography, I knew I had to feature a gorgeous real wedding from them on the blog.

Jude and Simon got married on 14th August 2010 at St. Simon’s Church followed by the Rose Gardens.

Jude has written a fantastic overview of the planning and her wedding day, it made me laugh so much. So settle down with a cuppa and have a read of this gorgeous real wedding.

All photos courtesy of Cotton Candy Weddings

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL WEDDING IN THE REAL WEDDING GALLERY

♥ ♥ ♥

The entire day was magical and all came together after only organising it in 5 months! (I wasn’t pregnant…!) My dress was completely covered in lace and sequins and I wore it with a sequinned flower headband and jewellery from the Lanes in Brighton! I was originally going to wear a very plain dress but my friends with good taste dragged me to a bridal shop and made me try on some ‘proper’ dresses! I am so glad I did as even though I had to cut back on everything but air and water to fit in it, it is the most beautiful thing I have ever worn and I still wont let my husband put it in the loft yet! (Someone suggested that I sell it the other day…I asked them to leave my house!) In addition my mum lent me her bracelet that both she and my sister had worn on their wedding days, which was so special and which my Dad had bought her on her 21st birthday.

My dad picked me up and took me to St. Simon’s Church in a beautiful white Rolls Royce! Once we had made our vows at 4pm, laughed through the service with overwhelming happiness (is this too much?!) and been doused with confetti, the guests all travelled to the Rose Gardens in a red London double-decker bus! The ONLY time it rained during the whole day…did I mention my wedding was in the middle of August…was during the photos!

I had already vetted the content of Simon’s, my Dad’s and to some extent the best man Spencer’s speech but little did I know that Simon’s two best friends had rewritten the words to ‘Hey Jude’ and sang in front of us and all the guests. I swear there was not a dry eye in the room and it was one of the best moments of the day! My husband’s band provided the entertainment with a whole host of guest singers from our congregation (all planned…not like bandeoke!) Whilst I thought that I only sang wailing, terrible backing vocals for 1 song…I was up there most of the night! Still, amongst lots of singing, dancing, alcohol, smiles, skinny dipping on the beach opposite (not me!), 5am bedtimes and the best day of my life without a doubt, the wedding ran brilliantly!

Words of Wisdom
My best advice to other brides is to look at what you; friends and family can do yourselves. By making things and getting everyone involved it creates an even better atmosphere and a personal feel to every element of the wedding! I would also highly recommend researching…I was on the internet for hours every night but it was well worth it. I kept an ongoing list of things to do, delegated where I could and made sure I was completely happy with it all before paying for anything! I also kept a weekly eye on the budget! My sister and I only went to two wedding fayres, just for ideas and the best thing to do is to take the information and business cards and consider it when you are at home…it is very easy to sign up to things when you are there and regret it later!

Last of all; don’t expect your husband to get involved in the little things! My husband’s task was to sort out the music and the suit while I took care of everything else. I ran it all by him and he had a few stipulations, but mainly it was a “if you’re happy, I’m happy” attitude which worked well with my control freak approach!

Since seeing guests they have told me that it was the best wedding they have ever been to and I am inclined to agree! Especially as the honeymoon to St. Lucia afterwards created an addition to the newly weds due in May…!

With thanks to Jude and Simon and Cotton Candy Weddings for sharing this gorgeous real wedding with the Bow Occasions wedding blog.

Louise ♥ xx

Bow Occasions is always on the lookout for gorgeous real weddings to feature. If you are interested in submitting a real wedding to the Bow Occasions Blog, please visit the submissions page for more information.

My Vintage Vows {Joanna & Mark}… Part 2

Wow! Really, it’s the only word that can sum up Joanna and Mark’s vintage inspired themed wedding. Without further ado I’ll hand you back over to Joanna for Part 2 of this wonderful vintage style wedding. If you missed part 1, you can find it here.

The sun did its best to shine for drinks outside the marquee in my parent’s garden, blooming with summer flowers. My pretty veil sadly had to come off by then but it revealed the gorgeous headpiece handmade by my friend Emma Embery, made from embroidered vintage lace, diamantes and tiny pearls.

Guests were welcomed with Rose Syrup Prosecco (an idea stolen from Petersham Nurseries) with crystallised rose petals, cups of tea and traditional pink lemonade (I think I tried all three!). We had afternoon tea-themed canapés including mini sandwiches and scones, and the more energetic guests tested their skills in croquet on the lawn, where all the old-fashioned deckchairs I had collected were put to good use too.

With the help of a dedicated team of friends and family, we managed to collect over 150 vintage tea cups and saucers which looked beautiful all laid out en masse.

The marquee was beyond all my expectations and looked incredible – the huge floor-to-ceiling windows let the light stream in and revealed the garden outside and it just looked stunning. Long trestle tables were laid with embroidered floral table cloths collected over the past year, jam jars filled with flowers, plants in mini terracotta pots and tea lights in glass yoghurt pots, and each guest had an individual vintage floral side plate.

The cake looked stunning – our florist James had stuffed each layer with Amnesia Roses to match the button holes and the colour of my sash.

We wanted the meal to have a summer feast feel, with a choice of sea bass or lamb and big bowls of salad and roasted new potatoes on the table. After-dinner cheeses were laid out, along with mum’s homemade chutneys in jars for guests to take home.

I had painted bits of wood as signs (“croquet”, “wedding” and “smokers and smooches” for the outdoor smoking space), and used blackboard paint to make smaller chalkboard-style signs and the table plan (tip: use white marker pens rather than real chalk!).

Even the MC’s vuvuzela couldn’t escape the vintage theme!

The Kraft card (so hard to find but so good!) was again put to good use for menus and table names, and we used handwritten luggage tags for place names.

Our photographer was James Davidson . I think my favourite is the two of us in the little “meadow”, a small area of wildflowers at the bottom of the garden that James has somehow transformed into a rural idyll!

Whilst planning their wedding, Jo created a blog, My Vintage Vows, which she used as a visual diary of inspiration and ideas for a homespun, vintage style wedding. Be sure to visit my My Vintage Vows for a wonderful insight into her wedding planning journey.

A huge thank you and congratulations to Jo & Mark on their fabulously stylish wedding day.  Huge thanks also to James of James Davidson Photography. For further information on James Davidson Photography, visit www.jamesdavidson.co.uk.

Louise ♥

Bow Occasions is looking for real weddings to feature. If you are interested in submitting a real wedding to the Bow Occasions Blog, please visit the submissions page for more information.

My Vintage Vows {Joanna & Mark}… Part 1

Good morning dear readers. This wedding is coming in two parts, for there were simply far too many wonderful photographs to choose from on this occasion. Check back tomorrow morning for part 2.

Joanna & Mark got married on 17th July of this year. The ceremony was held at Burton Church, Wirral and the reception in a marquee in Joanna’s parents garden.

All images courtesy of James Davidson Photography.

My dress was a tulle 50s design by Kate Halfpenny, which she beautifully remade for me, customising it with a huge handpainted silk flower corsage and long dusky pink washed silk sash. My vintage-style pale pink net veil was handmade by Rio designer Muggia. The gorgeous groom looked dapper in his traditional morning suit and Jil Sander polka dot tie and baby blue double-breasted Gieves waistcoat.

My mum made the vintage-style floral silk bridesmaid dresses, and the little flower girls wore traditional smocked dresses, embroidered with tiny roses, and flower crowns in their hair.

The ceremony was so special, surrounded by family and friends in the beautiful sandstone church in Burton Village. Our fabulous florist James at William and Benjamin, expertly tied jam jars filled with flowers to pew ends and arranged a garland of flowers over the church door (he also made my beautiful bouquet and the bridesmaid’s sweet pea posies).

The real talking point was the porch strewn with a carpet of lavender stems (the groom’s idea) that filled the church with a wonderful scent and had an amazing calming effect on the little flower girls before they walked down the aisle. My friend Lindsey had also handmade lavender-filled heart-shaped cushions for our two chairs at the front of the church.

There were so many moving moments during the ceremony – but one of my favourites was our friend Fiona singing her own version of the Kings of Leon’s Use Somebody accompanied by Matt on the piano – I don’t know how she held it together with me blubbing a few steps away!

We left the church (having dodged aggressive confetti throwers!) in a vintage green MG borrowed from my godfather and bunny-hopped our way to the reception…..

Oh my god, the dress! I do love a tulle dress… and doesn’t the groom look rather dapper… Check back tomorrow for part two… I promise you, it’s not to be missed.

Louise ♥

Bow Occasions is looking for real weddings to feature. If you are interested in submitting a real wedding to the Bow Occasions Blog, please visit the submissions page for more information.

A Fabulously 50′s Style Wedding :: Charlie & Ant

Morning, happy Thursday! I hope you’re all enjoying Vintage Week on the Bow Occasions Blog.

I have always said that I LOVE weddings that stray away from tradition and are true to who the couple really are, today’s wedding  is one of those.

Over to you Charlie…

Our wedding had a vintage/50s/country wedding theme. We decorated the garden with handmade bunting, and my mum also made favours filled with sugared almonds to hang from the trees – something she saw when in Italy. We also had a traditional ice cream trike in the garden for guests to help themselves to ice-cream and sorbet, which proved very popular! In the marquee we had hanging baskets, lots of tea lights and sweet peas in colourful vintage jugs. My dress was 50s-inspired, and I made a 50s birdcage veil to go with it. We also had a jukebox instead of a DJ in the evening – a huge hit with the guests!

Bow Occasions Weddings & Events Blog – All images courtesy of Matt Foden.

Our wedding was not conventional as such. I had always wanted to get married in the house where I grew up, and we had a humanist ceremony under a gazebo in my parents’ garden. We didn’t have a first dance (much to Ant’s relief!), had cupcakes instead of the traditional wedding cake, and guests were seated at long wooden tables. We had a BBQ buffet and served a delicious selection of our favourite foods including seafood kebabs, local award-winning sausages, cheese and fresh summery salads. It was typically English weather, and we did get the odd sprinkling of rain, but at least it gave us the chance to use our 50s spotty umbrella! We had a wonderful day, and having a vintage wedding was so much fun to organise!

I’d like to say a big thank you and congratulations to Charlie and Ant and to their wedding photographer Matt Foden for sharing this gorgeous wedding day with Bow Occasions.

Update: Charlie and Ant had so much great feedback from their wedding that Charlie and her mum have decided to set up a Fifties Wedding Blog to provide inspiration to those planning a Fifties inspired wedding. Visit the Fifties Wedding Blog www.fiftieswedding.com/blog

Louise ♥

Suppliers
Photography: Matt Foden Photography / Catering: Mark Anthony Baines Catering / Flowers: Greenlines Nursery / Cupcakes: Sweet & Fancy Cupcakes / Jukebox: SM Jukeboxes / Marquee: The Pearl Tent Company / Ice Cream Trike: Matt Benecci Ice Cream Co