We stayed up until 3am! Elinor and Nick’s Hendre Hall wedding, with Tony Fanning Photography

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Elinor – beautiful, stunning bride and super stylish lady! – told me she never wanted her wedding day to end. She married Nick at lovely Hendre Hall a few weeks ago, and I’m so thrilled to be able to share their day with you lovely blog readers today.

Elinor and Nick's pretty rustic wedding at Hendre Hall in Wales images by Tony Fanning Photography (21)

Friends and family “ambushed” Elinor’s plans for dressing the venue the day before the wedding… and did the most amazing job turning a blank canvas into a really exciting and pretty space which Elinor and Nick really loved. How sweet is that?!
Elinor and Nick's pretty rustic wedding at Hendre Hall in Wales images by Tony Fanning Photography (25)

Their day was relaxed with a touch of rustic charm and a focus on fabulous food with an amazing party atmosphere. I love how Nick and Elinor keep smiling all day long… they make my wedding blog look fantastic! 🙂

Elinor and Nick's pretty rustic wedding at Hendre Hall in Wales images by Tony Fanning Photography (35)

Huge thanks to lovely Tony Fanning Photography for sharing all the images with us today. Tony is based in North Wales and shoots weddings around the country. You can find out all about him here: See more...

www.tonyfanningphotography.co.uk

Two short hours of your time for a lifetime of memories?

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By Benjamin Toms

The most important part of your wedding day will be – I imagine – when you both say ‘I do’. But when I asked Ben Toms (my Kent wedding photographer friend) about his most important time of a wedding day, his response was super interesting – I think you’ll find this very, very useful…

wedding photography advice Benjamin Toms Kent (4)

There are usually two hours or so between the end of a wedding ceremony and the start of the meal where the most important wedding photographs all happen. These are the moments you’ll cherish forever: some you’ll have seen, some you’ll be in! – and some you’ll have missed on the day and will treasure for years to come.

I always advise my couples to allow two hours between the ceremony and the meal, and it’s amazing how fast that time goes. Let’s look at it one bit at a time.

After your ceremony is the best time to take group photos. I recommend allowing half an hour for group shots, and if at all possible it’s brilliant to take these just after your ceremony (find out why). See more...

Simple wedding craft project: the prettiest DIY Floral Vase

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Wedding crafting doesn’t have to be difficult – and you can easily avoid the tricky bits by choosing your crafty projects carefully. For example: table plans can take weeks to finalise; invitations are fiddly and there are usually dozens of them – avoid! The best approach to wedding DIY is to make fun, easy, decorative touches which won’t steal your weekends away! I have another awesome wedding DIY project from the lovely girls at AO Life to share with you today. Enjoy!

Easy wedding craft project to create a pretty floral vase for your big day (8)

Easy wedding crafts: pretty DIY Floral Vase

Easy wedding craft project to create a pretty floral vase for your big day (2)

You will need:

Silk flowers
A small glass bottle
Off white spray paint
Hot glue gun
Old newspaper

Easy wedding craft project to create a pretty floral vase for your big day (1)

How it’s done:

1. Start by pulling the blossoms off the stem.

Easy wedding craft project to create a pretty floral vase for your big day (3)

2. Take the bottle outside or open all your windows, lay out the newspaper and apply a thin layer of spray paint. Leave to dry for about 15 minutes before applying a second coat and then leave to dry again.

Easy wedding craft project to create a pretty floral vase for your big day (4) See more...

Shelley and Richard’s traditional, pretty-in-pink wedding at Hothorpe Hall, with White Stag Wedding Photography

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A unique wedding doesn’t have to be full of out-there ideas or unusual vintage collectibles: on the day what makes a wedding unique is the people you share it with. Shelley and Richard chose to have a traditional wedding with pretty pink styling touches at one of Leicestershire’s loveliest venues: Hothorpe Hall.

Real wedding at Hothorpe Hall with White Stag wedding photography (11)

Shelley looks amazing – she’s such a beautiful bride. She told me she fell in love with her wedding dress, despite thinking she’d go for a totally different style… and she looks like it was made for her, doesn’t she?

Real wedding at Hothorpe Hall with White Stag wedding photography (7)

The details of the day are simple and traditional: flowers are romantic and girly with lots of delicate pinks, and were provided by a local florist in Dunchurch village. There are some sweet and pretty ideas here, and those of you researching classic wedding styles will find inspiration for your big day – as well as some great tips and advice from Shelley and Richard at the end of the blog post.

Real wedding at Hothorpe Hall with White Stag wedding photography (24) See more...

Spotlight on stationery: unique illustrated wedding invitations by A Bear Draws

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Arthur Bear isn’t a wedding stationery designer: he’s still too young and cute even for school… but his mum, who named her business A Bear Draws after him, must be the loveliest, most talented illustrator and graphic designer to hit the UK wedding industry in years!

Zoe is the super talent behind wedding stationery shop A Bear Draws. She’s passionate about her work and uniquely skilled in creating invites which are both hand crafted and digitally designed. I love what she does: I’m so sure you will too!

Zoe has spent the past 14 years working in the design industry, honing the application of her drawing and design skills to various surfaces. “Designing patterns for fashion and interiors has helped me to develop a distinctive style and my print knowledge is such that I can offer truly original ideas for wedding stationery printed professionally on to high quality fabric or paper.” See more...

An intimate and informal real wedding at 60 Hope Street, Liverpool, with Rachel Ryan Photography

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Never let a wedding blog tell you there are things you need to have: there aren’t. All you need is the two of you – everything else is optional. Clare and Dan’s wedding at 60 Hope Street is simple, minimalist… and all the more romantic for it. The love that shines in their photographs warms my heart. Clare found her wedding suppliers on the internet and through recommendations – and her photographer Rachel Ryan was a super find on Facebook!

Informal and intimate wedding photography in Liverpool Rachel Ryan (3)

There are no needless details in today’s wedding; instead Dan and Clare spent on the things which were more important to them. Photography, of course – and a fabulous dress, quirky venue and stylish wedding invites from Not on the High Street. Flowers were elegant and simple; place settings were pretty and clutter-free. The venue is just gorgeous… watch out for that divine dining table!

Informal and intimate wedding photography in Liverpool Rachel Ryan (20) See more...

A beautiful spring outdoor wedding in Devon, with Evolve Photography

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Amy has to be the prettiest bride since ever. She’s gorgeous, full of joy and happiness and has a beaming smile… which comes from being on Dan’s arm, I think! I haven’t seen a prettier wedding in ages: the combination of spring blossoms, pretty florals and such a fab couple make today’s spring outdoor wedding really, really special.

spring outdoor wedding in Devon with Evolve Photography (33)

Of course what makes a wedding blog special is the photography, and I was thrilled to read Amy and Dan’s glowing praise of my lovely photographer friend Mark at Evolve Photography in Devon. Choosing a wedding photographer is such a huge decision, and Amy and Dan told me Mark “was always friendly, calm, professional, and having now seen the photos we couldn’t have asked for more.”

spring outdoor wedding in Devon with Evolve Photography (6)

There are so many highlights to show you from today’s outdoor wedding – the floral touches make it colourful and playful in style; the portraits around Dartington Hall are fabulous. I adore the cherry blossoms and the pretty ceremony space… oh and the reception styling is wonderful too! See more...

Retro records for a fabulous music-themed wedding, with Ila Photography

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I’ll never forget my local independent record store – it’s long gone now but Pink Panther in Carlisle was my favourite place to spend a Saturday afternoon, back in the day. I love people who are passionate about music – so Lisa and Lawrence stole my heart and soul with their amazing music-themed wedding in Derbyshire.

A beautiful music-themed wedding at Mayfield Hall with images by Ila Photography (24)

Today’s gorgeous bride and groom met at a gig, and have been to so many concerts together they used their tickets in framed displays to decorate their wedding marquee! Their stationery is creative, fun and inspiring: vinyl, cassettes and CDs all make an appearance.

A beautiful music-themed wedding at Mayfield Hall with images by Ila Photography (33)

The bride and groom are gorgeous – Lisa’s smile never stops; Lawrence is proud as punch and looks fab in his Paul Smith suit. But today is all about the party: “good times and killer music” being the most important thing for our lovely couple. Of course the live music on the day was a highlight: Guerrilla Radio even “brought the inner gangster out of 75 year old Uncle Pat!” See more...

A sophisticated DIY wedding at Coombe Abbey with Rob & Sarah Gillespie Photography

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The day has finally arrived… I’m sooo excited to be teaching my first Manchester calligraphy workshop today – we kick off in an hour or so. Eeek!! But of course, lovely blog readers, I still have a fabulous wedding to share with you today 🙂

Sophisticated DIY wedding blog at Coombe Abbey with Rob & Sarah Gillespie Photography (46)

Laura and Tom achieved something pretty rare – they styled an incredibly sophisticated and elegant wedding in a magnificent historical venue, and they made all the finer details by hand. I’m more than impressed: this isn’t as easy as you might think: to create handmade stationery and decor – even the vases – by hand, AND do it so well they fit perfectly in a venue like this… it’s pretty special!

Sophisticated DIY wedding blog at Coombe Abbey with Rob & Sarah Gillespie Photography (26)

Laura’s absolutely stunning and Tom’s smile lights up the pages of the English Wedding Blog today – they make the most gorgeous couple, and I’m really proud to be sharing their wedding with you today. They married at Coombe Abbey in Warwickshire, and found most of their wedding suppliers online.

Sophisticated DIY wedding blog at Coombe Abbey with Rob & Sarah Gillespie Photography (28) See more...

DIY Floral Napkin Rings for your summer wedding

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Who’s feeling crafty? I so wish I had more time to play with things like this… I love making bits and pieces and today’s feature is right up my street! The lovely girls at AO Life have kindly shared a series of tutorials with us and I hope you’re going to love them. Today’s is one of my favourites – we’re making swirly copper and pretty floral napkin rings perfect for a summer wedding.

Make your own floral napkin rings with AO Life's fab DIY project on the English Wedding Blog (1)

I LOVE how the textures work together: the grey fabric is soft and rustic-looking; the wire is oh-so-on-trend for summer weddings and the flowers… they’re divine, BUT the beauty is you can use any flower you please.

This is an easy project and will look amazing on your wedding tables. The secret is to get the right materials: choose your napkins and flowers carefully, and remember the more you make the better they’ll look!
Make your own floral napkin rings with AO Life's fab DIY project on the English Wedding Blog (2)

What you’ll need…

Copper wire (0.8mm), available from hardware stores
Silk flowers
Rolling pin (about 4cm diameter)
Pair of jewellery pliers See more...

The vicar, the registrar and the wedding photographer

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With Benjamin Toms

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The title sounds like a dirty joke, but today’s feature article is about respect and negotiation. It’s about understanding different perspectives on marriage and working with some very key people to create wonderful memories of your marriage ceremony.

I’ve met some amazing vicars at weddings: the ones with beaming smiles who make guests feel incredibly welcome and the ones who make a little joke to diffuse tension around the room. The same goes for registrars, and I was chatting to Kent wedding photographer Benjamin Toms about the lovely registrars and vicars he’s worked with too. This feature article is based on our conversation and with his excellent and generous advice.

You’ll have seen beautiful ceremony photos on wedding blogs: the bride walking down the aisle, the first glance between bride and groom, the exchange of rings, the ‘you may kiss the bride’ moment and the occasional giggle as a toddler joins in with the ceremony perhaps. One of my favourite images is of a pew full of bridesmaids smiling with tears in their eyes… but it’s not an image you’ll see at every wedding. See more...

Matt and Steph’s DIY wedding at The Ashes in Staffordshire, with One Little Daisy Photography

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Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had the loveliest weekends… and for anyone who’s not in a work mood right now I have a really charming DIY wedding to share with you. Matt and Steph were married at The Ashes in Staffordshire and poured their hearts into creating a pretty day full of little details and DIY touches.

Real DIY wedding at The Ashes with One Little Daisy Photography (7)

Steph’s Mum was a star, crafting so many of the tiny details of the day. Steph told me, “We went a little mad on the decor and had loads of flowers, vases, candles and ornaments but it all worked out and looked beautiful!”

Real DIY wedding at The Ashes with One Little Daisy Photography (16)