So pleased, and happy. I’ve discovered a real life French wedding blog in La Mariée en Colère (translated: The Angry Bride). So the plan for today is I’m blogging Nathalie’s gorgeous inspiration shoot for you, then I’m off to brush up on my français.

French inspiration shoot from La Mariée en Colère

This shoot (“shooting d’inspiration”) is deliciously girly: with perfect pinks and delicate pastels, beautiful little flower arrangements for tables, a bright and summery bouquet plus wedding stationery (elegant as you’d expect!) — it’s just divine. The pictures speak for themselves, and I’ve credited all the suppliers involved below:

Wedding supplier list and credits

French wedding photography : FairyDaily www.fairydaily.com

Décor and wedding invitations : 123nousirons http://123nousirons.blogspot.fr

Wedding dress : Confidentiel Création www.confidentiel-creation.fr

Cupcakes : Candy’s Cupcakes Bordeaux http://candyscupcakesbordeaux.blogspot.com

Hairdressing : Event Coiffure Bordeaux http://eventcoiffure.blogspot.com

Make up : Jenny Make Up https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003511126846

La Mariée en Colère is great: Nathalie writes with humour as well as a great eye for all things beautiful and inspiring. And do you know… her French wedding blog is pretty much like my English one. I’ve subscribed; you should pop over and have a look too.

For non-French speakers, with Google translate you can read it in the internet’s special “franglais” too!

http://lamarieeencolere.com

A long awaited proposal and a secret, intimate wedding are hiding in my little box of tricks for you today my lovely readers. Debbie and Matthew, and their little boy Noah, celebrated their surprise wedding in superb style — although they tell me the decor was “a bit of a mis-match”!

Their wedding photographer Natasha Thompson submitted this wedding for the blog many weeks ago, and Matthew and Debbie (I think mainly Matthew) sent their wedding report back to me this week, along with the sweetest note: “Sorry this has taken so long, we have just had a baby!” So first of all let me say a huge Congratulations to you both, and I’ll hand over to you and to Natasha with her beautiful photographs of your intimate wedding.

Who proposed, and how?

Matthew did, after a long time, many years, by hiding a ring in a new children’s toy for our son, Noah, who was three at the time. It was a ‘Happyland’ Church wedding set from the Early learning Centre.

The wedding venue

St Peter’s and St Paul’s C.E. Church in Newport Pagnell. It was the church that many of Debbie’s family have all been married, baptised and so on in.

Wedding photographer

Natasha Thompson. http://www.natashathompson.co.uk/ As we live in Brighton, and the wedding was in Buckinghamshire, we had to do our research on the internet. We came across Natasha’s website and really loved the style of her pictures. We were looking for pictures where details were important, capturing the feel of a place and a day, and the special moments. She had a lovely style that we were looking for, nothing seemed to be too posed and they seemed timeless. She was so very kind, and she even came down to Brighton to do an engagement shoot. It was nerve wracking, but she made us feel at ease, as much as we could, because we both despise having our photographs taken. We think so highly of her that we have agreed to do this for her! She was certainly our best decision when it came to our wedding.

How would you describe your wedding style?

A bit of a mis-match. We wanted a bit of a vintage style, but mainly wanted to use bits and pieces that we had picked up from shops that we liked!

The wedding dress: …

We had a very small budget and arranging was very tricky, especially as Debbie had to travel across the country for fittings. Debbie accessorised her dress with flowers and fluff. The dress came from Stony Stratford, Once in a Lifetime. Debbie did not go with any preconceived ideas about a dress, apart from wanting to hide her hips! She fell in love with Tulle material, which helped her decide.

Accessories: …

The necklace was bought in a panic a week before, when the hair accessories did not turn out as planned! Debbie was not sure if it would be too much flowerage with the dress accessories, but she went for it anyway!

Groom’s outfit: …

This was hired from a place on the coast, called Dickies. I wanted something that was not too smart, but tied in with the creams and duck eggs, so opted for a brown sort of corderory-ish affair. I was not sure whether to go for a tails or straight jacket, so hired both, hoping for a costume change, but that never happened!

Bridesmaids: …

They wore a duck-eggish colour called ‘Celadon’. They also had a big flower in their hair to coordinate with their sashes.

The wedding ceremony:

Religious or civil? … Religious. It was an extremely small ceremony with just close family. We did not tell anyone apart from family that we were getting married, it was a secret one! We both work at the same school, and lots of other people were getting married or had been engaged for ages, and we did not want to take the limelight, so kept it to ourselves and left it as a little surprise.

What readings did you choose? … John 15 9–17, which contained the bit about my commandment is this ‘Love each other as I have loved you’, this linked in with one of our hymns, ‘a New Commandment’.

The wedding reception

What were your highlights?

Handpicking the menu.

Seeing the cake, which we had described over the internet and with collages of bits and pieces of other cakes!

Matthew actually getting the tables decorated in time! Seeing the bits and pieces we had bought come together, scattered across the tables, such as petals, and nicknacks.

Venue styling and details: …

A shabby-chic hotel ‘The Swan’, the colourings, and distressed wooden panelling and orchids of the room matched our ideas for decoration.

Music and entertainment: …

We were on a very small budget, so music played on an iPod chosen by us, favourite music from the years we have known each other.

Memorable moments: …

It poured with rain, but it meant that we got to use the pretty umbrella we had bought just in case. Also, the vicar not saying that the groom could kiss the bride, but sweeping in himself! Also, seeing our son, Noah, help out as page boy, he was very well behaved and looked very sweet to us.

Wedding day advice: …

If you want peonies, get married in the summer! However, we were really pleased with the Amnesia roses that we chose in the end.

Recommended wedding suppliers: …

Once in a lifetime were helpful with the dress and flower advice. Most of the decorations and bits came from Velvet http://www.velvetstore.co.uk/ and the Lavender Room http://www.lavender-room.co.uk/ in Brighton are lovely places to pick up knickknacks and things that went with the vintage shabby chic style we wanted. We also bought a few bits and pieces from http://www.melodymaison.co.uk/ on the computer.

http://www.cakelife.co.uk/ were very patient with our cake demands. http://www.shropshirepetals.com/ provided us with beautiful confetti, and you get a lovely selection and keepsake box that it comes in, which we still use to keep wedding bits and pieces in.

http://www.simply-elegance.co.uk/ had an unusual selection of bombonieres, which fitted in with what we wanted.

Of course, also http://www.natashathompson.co.uk/ as we have written before, our best choice. She was patient, thoughtful and took fantastic pictures. She is lovely and has kept in contact and we still browse her website to see her pictures of other weddings. Everyone who has seen the photographs, has commented upon the quality of her work. She will no doubt go on to big things!

See more photos from Debbie and Matthew’s winter wedding on Natasha Thompson’s own blog post here: http://www.natashathompson.co.uk/2012/03/06/winter-vintage-wedding-in-buckinghamshire-debbie-matthew/

Natasha Thompson is based in London and Buckinghamshire, and shoots weddings across the country. She’s been featured on English Wedding blog before… did you see her luxury Syon Park wedding with Kateryna and Prakash?

Today’s wedding blog is a delicious mix of contrasting images: the typical English seaside, the beautiful bride and her timeless glamour; the sand and dunes set against cloudy skies, the delicate purple butterfly wedding theme. Becky and Guy make a great looking couple, and their wedding has everything: elegance, style, individuality and character.

The wedding was submitted by Vickerstaff Photography — Chester wedding photographers and my newest friends and blog sponsors. Becky has shared details of her wedding day so I will leave you to admire the images and enjoy the story of Becky and Guy’s seaside wedding.

Sophisticated seaside wedding — Becky and Guy

The wedding day as it happened

I arrived at the venue in a horse and carriage, it was a very memorable moment and such a lovely way to start the day and take in all the scenery. We had a civil ceremony. We had pictures taken on the shore which was a lot of fun. We set off lanterns which is a good idea to do after the meal, so people don’t get bored waiting for the evening to start. After the first dance we just danced all night — it was great fun.

The wedding dress

I wore a one shoulder dress, slim fitting to the hips then down to the floor. It was a gorgeous dress and I had lots of compliments about how different it was. I got the dress from Tina Louise in Heswall www.bridesbytinalouise.co.uk

I wore black pearl earrings and bracelet, a full length veil and pearl and diamante clustered tiara. My shoes were low heel ivory shoes with diamante fastenings.

Guy wore an Atcham grey 3 piece tail suit with a berry coloured pocket handkerchief and cravat, all from Cain of Heswall www.cainofheswall.co.uk

Memorable wedding day moments

Getting ready with the girls in the morning and receiving a gift with a letter from my fiancé. The horse and carriage, it was a lovely way to arrive and gave me and my dad time together. The fun we had taking the wedding photos on the shore, with our ushers and bridesmaids, everyone had a laugh. The speeches, lovely words were said and everyone commented how good they were.

Becky’s wedding day advice

Take a moment for you and your partner to sit down and have a drink/chat together on your own. Don’t rush things and take everything in — the day goes so fast.

The wedding details: purple butterfly theme

Recommended wedding suppliers

Vickerstaff Photography, the service they provided was excellent; half the time you didn’t notice they were there taking pictures — they were very discreet. And the photos they have taken are amazing, the comments we have had about them are excellent. People are amazed by their work. Check out the wedding photography blog too!

Marc Kenny our DJ got everyone up dancing and did 3 20min sets of singing, he was excellent: the dance floor was full.

Rosewood farm carriage company — Excellent service. They arrived on time, came to meet us before the wedding, the horses were absolutely stunning and their customer service was brilliant.

Jewellery by Design Chester — Excellent customer service. We got my engagement ring here and both wedding bands. My husband also got me my black pearl earrings and bracelet from here and I got him a watch.

Hello again! Is it just me or is it starting to feel as though summer’s just around the corner? We all know what that means… lots of lovely weddings! I was up at dawn (one of my cats decided it was time to play) and opened the back door to a clear, silent, fresh morning. It’s nearly May already, can you believe — and it’s always sunny in May. I know this because May is my birthday month. There’s usually a mini heatwave too. I can’t wait!

But back to weddings. I’ve been watching the little sidebar widget on the blog this week, which feeds through from the English Wedding Showcase blog. (I’ve moved it up to the top right for a few days so you can see it better.) And after a steady flow of engagement shoots on the Showcase blog, it’s fab to see wedding after wedding appearing on there. I love it!

So today I’m sharing just a few of my favourite photos from the first of these weddings my lovely friends and sponsors have blogged — have a look at this beautiful wedding: fun, happiness and the most wonderful wedding photography by Martin Beddall! Absolutely adorable…

Clare and Stuart’s Bisham Abbey wedding blog

See more on the English Wedding Showcase by documentary wedding photographer Martin Beddall, and visit his own wedding photography blog for more inspiration!

• Clare and Stuart’s Bisham Abbey wedding photography by Martin Beddall
• Martin Beddall’s wedding photography website is www.mcbweddings.com
• English Wedding Showcase page for Martin Beddall
• See more weddings and engagement shoots by Martin on the Showcase blog
• Martin’s real weddings featured on English Wedding blog

Reportage wedding photography is a style I love. For those of you who’d like a definition, reportage is the art of telling a story through photography: seeing a wedding as a day which unfolds through people’s interactions (smiles, tears, contemplation) rather than a collection of details in sequence.

That’s my definition, and my understanding. The experts explain it better: read what is reportage wedding photography? by my friend and blog advertiser Phil Drinkwater. Phil specialises in reportage and has launched his new website to showcase this side of his wedding photography business.

Please do explore and enjoy the wedding reportage photography website Phil’s launched. It offers a clear and succinct explanation of what reportage is all about — the explanation being in both words and pictures, of course!

Choosing reportage photography for your wedding

Reportage wedding photography will focus more on the moments than on the details of your day. If your wedding is all about friends and family coming together to celebrate, then reportage could be perfect for you.

If posing for the camera isn’t for you, or if you want to enjoy every second of your wedding without worrying about the photography, then reportage could be right up your street.

If you want your wedding album to be full of the most tender memories, the little moments you might have missed, rather than a set of formal portraits of you and your guests with everyone looking into the camera — choose reportage.

Learn more here phildreportagewedding.co.uk

Matthew and Alyson’s wedding is elegance itself: with a musical flavour lending personality to the day and beauty and simplicity styling their celebrations. Alyson’s wedding dress by Suzanne Neville has a dreamy nostalgia and the 1940s style of her dress and headdress influenced the theme of today’s wedding blog.

The wedding colours are purest whites; the wedding venue is divine; the weather for this November wedding day was bright, and crisp — the perfect day for a wedding.

Photography is by Sussex wedding photographer Sara Reeve, and Alyson has written the loveliest wedding report to share with us all today. Enjoy!

Who proposed, and how?

Our favourite restaurant is Drakes of Brighton. Having spent a wonderful evening sampling fine food and wine, Matthew kept taking moments to talk to the staff away from our table and became very serious. Suddenly he produced a card in which he’d written the poem “I vow to you”. Whilst Matthew read the poem and we became caught up in the moment I could see one of the waitresses circling close to our table. At the moment that Matthew finished the poem, four cupcakes with pink hearts and the words “Will you marry me” were placed in front of me. How could I refuse!

The Wedding venue

Buxted Park Hotel – Buxted, near Uckfield, West Sussex. We chose Buxted Park for the venue itself and the stunning grounds. Matthew proposed in April and we knew we wanted to marry in the same year. Marrying in November brings the risk of bad weather, yet we knew the hotel could still accommodate some stunning photographs, and keep our guests warm and cosy. The hotel itself runs like clockwork and I had every faith that our wedding would be as perfect as they promised.

The wedding dress

Regalia from Suzanne Neville’s Royal Wedding collection, purchased from Leonie Claire Bridal shop in Brighton. The team are dedicated, professional, kind and caring. Hannah, Lowena and the team really do want to make this the best day of your life. My something old was a silver button from my late father’s fire brigade uniform, and the talented seamstress Anne made a tiny pouch inside my dress that the button could sit in. Nothing was too much trouble for them.

Bridal accessories

Side headdress “Eve” by Polly Edwards. Diamond earrings a gift from the groom and “Capri” shoes by Belle @ Paradox as they were comfy and could be dyed so I could wear them after the event.

Groom’s outfit

A traditional morning suit, with an ivory waistcoat and tie. The ushers, page boy and best men wore grey waistcoats and ties. Our page by carried the rings on an East of India – to have and to hold ring dish.

The bridesmaids wore

A silver grey chiffon and satin halter neck floor length dress by Alvina Valenta. My flower girls wore simple ivory dresses with an ivory sash, cardigans and mary-jane shoes all from John Lewis. I made “here comes the bride” flags for the flower girls to carry.

The wedding ceremony

With both of us meeting due to our love football and particularly Liverpool FC. Matthew walked down the aisle to the Kop anthem “You’ll never walk alone” by Gerry & the Pacemakers. Music and festivals are our second love so choosing music tracks for our guests to listen to before the ceremony was very important. I decided to choose quirky “love” themed tracks so Blur, Queen and Depeche Mode all featured. I walked into “One day like this” by Elbow. At the end of the ceremony we walked out to “Bring me sunshine” as this held fond childhood memories for us both.

Which wedding readings did you choose?

“The foundations of marriage” by Regina Hill, and “A wedding is a party” by Anon which was read by our 7 year old page boy. This poem is particularly fitting for a child to read.

Wedding photographer

The wonderfully inspiring Sara Reeve photography. I met Sara through a mutual friend. Despite Matthew and I being reluctant to smile, and nervous of the whole occasion, Sara gave us some great ideas and kept our nerves at bay on the big day.

How would you describe your wedding style?

1940’s glamour. I hadn’t planned a theme but once the dress and headpiece were chosen it became clear that this was the era the dress lent itself to.

Memorable moments

Watching the flower girls waving their flags with relish. Seeing Matthew for the first time and him calming my nerves whilst we exchanged vows. My mother’s speech, and the warm reception she received. The expertise and kindness of the staff at Buxted Park when our DJ didn’t show!

Wedding day advice

Do try to enjoy every moment of the arranging and don’t get caught up in the tiniest of details. If your groom is interested include him in the arrangements, it’s his day too. If anything goes wrong, go with the flow and try not to get upset as that will be your lasting memory of the day. It’s a bit of a cliché but your day will pass very quickly, take a moment with your husband to watch your guests enjoying themselves and take some time to yourselves away from the crowd. Keep to your budget — trust your instincts and don’t be swayed by others. If you have an original idea and your venue and suppliers can accommodate it – Go for It!

The wedding reception

After a canapé and drinks reception and an opportunity for family photos, we sat down for a formal 4 course wedding breakfast. I decided to offer our guests a choice of 4 different main courses and 2 different desserts. This took some preplanning and ordering but our guests really appreciated this extra touch.

What were your wedding day highlights?

Enjoying a few glasses of champagne with my mother and oldest friends before the ceremony. The best man’s speech featuring Matthew’s patent red shoes. The fact that the weather was a glorious autumn day, and how much fun everyone said they were having, and still do to this day.

Wedding venue styling and details (Buxted House)

As it was an autumn wedding – style, scent and texture were very important to me. With the help of the lovely Philippa Craddock we chose white hyacinths and freesias with the seasonal twist of little white cyclamens. These were then placed in little pewter pots around the base of the candelabra’s. The mantelpieces were dressed with hyacinth candles from John Lewis and a simple glass bottle filled with white anemones and ranunculus.

Our rooms were dressed by Pollen flowers of Hove. Pollen helped me decide on the style of chair covers, and provided the candelabras and various wedding signs dotted around the venue.

Rather than choose traditional favours we spoke to our local Hospice and designed a pin card that everyone could take home and continue to wear, our favours fund was then used as donation to the Hospice.

Wedding day music and entertainment

Each child was given a gift bag containing crayons, colouring books and puzzles. Our evening entertainment was via a DJ. I sent a slip with each invitation asking our guests for their favourite track which meant each guest would have the opportunity to dance at least once. It was a great success receiving tracks ranging from Elvis to The Clash to Olly Murs! Unfortunately, our DJ made an error in his diary and thought our wedding was the following day so the hotel and our friends quickly rallied round to find us a replacement. This could have proven a real disaster but our guests still made the most of the evening. Our first dance was a 70’s motown tune “Always and Forever” by Heatwave.

Recommended wedding suppliers

• Handpicked hotels, in particular Buxted Park Hotel www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/hotels/buxted-park
• Leonie Claire Bridal shop www.leonieclaire.com and Leonie Claire’s facebook (see also Suzanne Neville’s main website www.suzanneneville.com and facebook page)
• Philippa Craddock florist www.philippacraddock.com and Philippa Craddock on facebook
• John Lewis www.johnlewis.com
• Dickies Suit hire of Hove www.dickies-suit-hire.co.uk
• GH Pressley & Union jewellers www.ghpressley-jewellers.co.uk
• Choccywoccydoodah www.choccywoccydoodah.com and on facebook
• Sara Reeve photography www.sarareeve.com (see Alyson and Matthew’s wedding on Sara’s own wedding photography blog www.sarareeve.com/weddings/beautiful-winter-wedding-at-buxted-park)
• Pollen flowers of Hove www.pollenflowers.co.uk
• Amanda J Samain makeup and hair artist www.amanda-j.co.uk and Amanda’s facebook page
• Louise Mc Caugue – videographer.

Some of the guest blog post ideas I’m sent for English Wedding are fabulous. This is one. Honestly written, funny and charming — and full of genuine advice for grooms. We’ve heard a lot about looking good in wedding photos from various blogs recently, but never a real focus on the groom. And I like to think I know what men need: practical advice, useful ideas and humour. The other thing men need is Tamara Kuzminski — a Hertfordshire wedding photographer full of great advice. She’s the author of today’s guest blog post — so welcome, Tamara, and thank you!

When planning your wedding, most of the advice focuses on the bride. Unsurprising really, when statistically, it’s the brides who do most of the planning and the grooms have (perhaps an unfair) reputation of just turning up, looking smart and saying “I do”. But just because the boys aren’t necessarily as motivated when it comes to collecting ribbon and drying out petals, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want to look their best.

So here are my top 5 tips for you, the groom, to make sure you look just as gorgeous as your bride in your wedding photographs.

The groom’s top 5 wedding photography tips

1. Empty your pockets.

You’ve gone to the effort to look smart in a suit. You are sleek, cool, handsome. But what’s that bulging out of your pocket? That’s right, it’s your mobile phone! (That’s what you were thinking too, right?)

Your wedding day is one day when you won’t need all that with you. Everyone who’s anyone in your address book is either there with you or has apologised for not being able to make it (and therefore knows that it’s going on). Bulky pocket contents not only drag your suit down, ruining the lovely line created by your tailor (or the tailor who made it for your suit hire company) but will also be noticeable in your photographs. Especially when it’s such an easy fix. So as soon as you arrive at your church or venue, give your phone (and wallet and keys) to your mum, your sister or your best friend’s wife. If there is an emergency, they know where you are. Oh, and don’t forget to tell your best man and ushers to all do the same!

2. Undo your jacket buttons.

You’re having your photograph taken with all the guys. You know the scenario. Awkward standing around, nervously looking at each other waiting for someone to make the first move. Then someone dares to raise an arm over the groom’s shoulders and suddenly everyone joins in to form a big huddle. There’s suit jackets crowding around everyone’s ears and gaping in front of chests. It’s not really a great look.

Suit jackets are created to hang really well when you’re standing up straight. As soon as you try raising your arms, that great shape suddenly can become a hindrance. But with the simple unbuttoning of your jacket, the shape is allowed to flow again.

3. Dare to wear colour.

Why let the girls have all the fun in the fashion stakes on your wedding day? It’s a great opportunity to allow your personality to really shine, in a way that you perhaps don’t get to do during the working week. Don’t think that a groom’s suit is all about black. Or maybe grey. There’s a multitude of colours out there to choose from. Or, if you’re not feeling bold enough to go head-to-toe in another colour, how about just flashing it a bit with the lining of your suit? Or having a coloured waistcoat? Or a characterful tie or bowtie? Or even your socks or style of shoes. It’s all about letting your personality be seen. Tradition is great, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative too.

Don’t forget your ushers and best man either. You will look fabulous co-ordinated, but all wearing different shades of the same colour is the new black.

4. Stand tall.

We all know that you have the physique of a gladiator, but just in case you need some help showing it off to its full advantage (a.k.a. helping to hide the bits you don’t like) then these can make a big difference.

No matter how slim you are, tipping your chin down slightly is a trick used by all celebrities and is much more photogenic than raising it up. If you’re worried about your chin, the best way to minimise it is to stand tall and bring your chin forward slightly (even if it feels slightly odd). Your photographer will be choosing the most flattering lens and angle to photograph from too, so don’t overthink it. Remember that genuine expression and emotion wins over a stiff pose every time.

Men naturally stand facing the camera straight on but it’s not necessarily the most flattering pose. If you angle yourself slightly and put your weight on your back foot, it will look more natural, unless you’re going for a more graphic and stylised look.

If you’re not sure what to do with your hands, put them in your pockets. It’s easy when you’re with your bride, she’s so gorgeous you can’t keep your hands off her anyway! But if it’s just you, or you and your groomsmen in the photograph, they might not appreciate the same touchy-feely approach. If you’re feeling awkward with your hands, just hide them away in your pockets (opening your jacket button at the same time).

5. Be yourself, have fun and have confidence.

This tip is probably the most important of them all. If you only take one thing away with you, make it this one. Be yourself. If you’re relaxed in yourself, this will come across in your photographs, and most importantly, you will enjoy your day.

Most grooms are not particularly comfortable in front of a camera, so if that’s you, remember to tell your photographer this. Or even better, schedule in an engagement or pre-wedding shoot with them. This might sound like your idea of a nightmare (why would you put yourself through this more than once, eh?) but the confidence you’ll gain from seeing the photographs your photographer can get will mean that it’s not something you’re worrying about on your wedding day. You know and trust that they’ll get great images so you can just have a great time. Having no confidence in front of the camera is the biggest difference in terms of getting good versus great photographs. And I know you’re after “wow!”

If you have any more tips, all the grooms out there would love to hear them. Please do share them in the comments below.

Tamara Kuzminski is a Hertfordshire wedding photographer, photographing weddings in the London area and Scandinavia.

Creative exploration is a marvellous thing for any wedding business. Imagination is why wedding blogs were invented. It’s why we admire top designers who are making waves — the likes of Ian Stuart and David Fielden, the innovators of our industry.

It’s also a hell of a lot of fun.

For Vintage Twee’s Joanne Linder and artist and designer Nia Fiori, creativity is the heart of their wedding businesses. I watched, intrigued, as my two friends, together with the fabulous Chris Hanley Photography, devised a shoot which would explore the very core of their two brands.

Joanne and Nia’s willingness to let their hair down and play was just brilliant. The shoot they dreamed up looks right into the heart of their businesses, painting Vintage Twee in eccentric perfectionism and playing with Nia Fiori’s love of burlesque and fine art.

I love their promo shoot, which for me puts a whole new light on promoting a brand image.

The Weirdly Wonderful Banquet

Part one of the branding shoot paints Jo’s alter ego Vintage Twee as prim & proper, very ladylike and sweet, while Nia Fiori’s artist persona is  cheeky, mischievous, with twinkly eyes & looking like she’s up to no good! As Jo sips her tea delicately from one end of a banqueting table, lusciously draped with flowers and lace, pinks and pastels, Nia tempts her to the darker side of the banquet with an over the top pink cake, black icing and a naughty glint in her eye!

Vintage Twee is the work of Joanne Linder, who designs and creates a delightful range of wedding table decorations, favours, stationery accessories and paper treats. Joanne offers a personalised service making wedding accessories from vintage music sheets and ephemera, pearls, jewellery and lace. The growing success of Vintage Twee is down to Jo’s dedication and attention to every perfect detail — this is the lifelong dream of a little girl who grew up loving her ‘making box’ and turned her passion for crafts into something really special. http://vintagetwee.com

Marry Me Films joined our project and came up with an amazing idea for a promotional film for Vintage Twee and Nia Fiori, contrasting Jo’s prim and proper brand with Nia the artist’s naughty side. Watch three minutes of fantastic promotional footage here:

Afternoon Twee with a slice of Fiori Creative Shoot from Marry Me Films on Vimeo.

Showgirls at Work

Part two of the shoot has Vintage Twee hard at work at her desk, surrounded by vintage music sheets with a gramophone to complement her organised chaos as she composes her next masterpiece. Meanwhile in the artist’s studio next door Nia Fiori is concentrating on her canvas illustrations, fidgeting and very animated…

Nia Fiori is an eclectic mix of controlled doodles, impulsive designs & an obsessive fixation with all things paper & pretty.  Nia combines her playful personality with a wealth of artistic experience/qualifications to create the colourful, sophisticated & stylish designs you see on the website. All work is handmade by Nia, with careful attention to detail & only using the highest quality materials to provide you with a beautiful, unique piece of artwork. Nothing is mass produced, and everything you see can be personalised especially for you.

Nia fiori’s Wedding Boudoir is filled with themed wedding stationery, exciting invitations which translate beautifully to on the day stationery. Her Card Boutique is where you will find a unique range of greeting cards for every occasion and special event. Nia Fiori designs are created in her studio in Worsley Village, Manchester. Nia is also qualified artist/designer with a BA (Hons) in Interactive Arts & a qualified 11–19 Art Teacher.
This shoot involved the talents and imaginations of the very best wedding creatives from around Manchester. Striking floral features from the acclaimed Red Floral Architecture added romance and drama. Red Floral’s Mat Hepplestone styled the shoot with magnificent floral displays and romantic vintage bouquets and accessories.

With her skill in creating beautiful, glamorous vintage hair styles Bethany Jane Davies sculpted the girls tresses into breathtaking glory. Exaggerated eyes and enchanting make up was the work of Neirn Khiamsap. China and the vintage gramophone were very kindly supplied by Perfect Days Vintage (the lovely Katie).

The images shown here are the work of Chris Hanley Photography. Renowned for his sophisticated and artistic wedding photography, Chris also loves creative shoots like these — the eccentric banquet setting and dramatic artist studio sets look fabulous seen through his lens. Marry Me Films are known for their timeless and romantic wedding films, and for the lovely Sara and Tony this shoot was an opportunity to be innovative and do something very different for a day.

With a creative team, great concepts and a desire to play and dress up, this shoot has really made me think about brand image creation. If the likes of David Fielden and Ian Stuart can make an impact on our industry, then Jo and Nia have shown me how we can all turn to our playful creative sides for inspiration on building a memorable and exciting brand!

For the team: Chris Hanley Photography, Marry Me Films, Red Floral Architecture — this kind of project is an opportunity to show true creativity, to prove they’re very much at the top of their game and share an insight into exciting image creation in every sense. I have another blog post on the way about brand image, so wedding businesses do watch out for that one coming soon! You can subscribe for updates here.

See more from Vintage Twee below…

and admire Nia Fiori’s designs here…