Bring me sunshine! A rustic wedding in Greece

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Honestly – how cold can it get?! It’s at times like these (note: from November to May in England!) when I find myself tempted to blog weddings from around the world. While English Wedding Blog usually features real weddings from England with the odd trip up to Scotland, across to Wales and Ireland and down to France, today we’re sun seeking and sharing Christine and Alex’s rustic wedding all the way from Greece.

We need warm sunshine and smiles to brighten up what promises to be another chilly and damp week! So how does 30 degrees in the sunshine sound?… and a long table covered in candles… a vintage white VW Beetle convertible with the roof down…

Sounds perfect to me, and when you see the lovely images by wedding photographer Benjamin Toms I know you’ll agree! Today’s gorgeous bride is Christine, and she and Alex have both shared their memories of the wedding day with you. Congratulations to you both – you make a stunning couple! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful day with us. Claire xxx See more...

A rustic handmade wedding in France!

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The other day a wedding photographer asked me on facebook why my blog was called English Wedding Blog when it covered the whole of the UK. (He thought he was being clever, I think.) I explained it’s just a name… and I do like to break my own rules now and then, with ventures to Wales, Scotland, Ireland and today a gorgeous wedding in France.

It took me a matter of seconds to say yes to French wedding photographer Freddy Fremond when he showed me the images of Laura and Stuart’s wedding. The details speak for themselves… and they’re such a fabulous couple. Best of all, the wedding is in two parts, with a civil ceremony followed by a more formal service. So I bring you two wedding dresses (and I adore the first: Laura’s little shift dress is so beautiful!), tons of amazing detail ideas and bags of French style.

Another favourite wedding… and I know you’ll love it too! Enjoy. Claire xxx

A beautiful wedding in France! Laura & Stuart

National Wedding Show – 20% off tickets with English Wedding Blog!

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Whether you love or hate the idea of wedding shows, they’re one of the very best ways to find essential wedding suppliers. I recommend visiting at least one wedding show to meet wedding photographers and film makers, and talk to designers of everything from wedding cakes to invitations and flowers. Today I bring you an offer from The National Wedding Show – I’ll hand over to Amelia to tell you more!

January Ticket Offer – 20% Off

Plan the day of your dreams at The National Wedding Show, Britain’s most loved wedding event.

Whether you’re dreaming of a traditional fairytale wedding, seeking more of a cutting edge and contemporary affair, or even planning a destination wedding, The National Wedding Show is the ultimate shopping destination. With over 250 wedding experts specialising in everything from stunning wedding gowns to show stopping flowers, charming photography to bespoke accessories and delicious cakes to dream honeymoons, you are sure to find everything you need to plan your big day. See more...

The best wedding blogs of the week!

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What a week it’s been! From snow through to… well, more snow, and here at English Wedding Blog towers we’ve had some gorgeous weddings and ideas I’m so proud to have been able to share with you. It’s been a week of new sponsors, and lovely brides and grooms, and exciting times for wedding blogs generally – and I’ve seen some brilliant ideas and real weddings online. Want to see?

Anoushka and Dan’s gorgeous Notley Abbey wedding, with images by Tom Redman www.tomredmanphotography.com – click the image to see lots more from this beautiful day! See more...

Real weddings

Elegance and a beautiful military wedding at Sudeley Castle
A wedding from Marylebone and then The Swan at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London
A cinema wedding – setting a trend for 2013, this is amazing!
A splash of colour from this fabulous Brampton Grange wedding blog
Miniature trains and giant rainbows! (wedding)
A fabulously elegant Derbyshire wedding
Sunshine lovers… here’s a September wedding at Blenheim Palace

New sponsor welcome! London wedding photographer Fiona Campbell

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One of the true pleasures of editing a top wedding blog is getting to know wedding photographers from all over the country – and Fiona Campbell is one of the loveliest! Fiona is a London wedding photographer whose work has been featured all over the world, including in Vogue.

Wedding photography in London: Fiona Campbell www.fionacampbelllondon.com

An award winning London wedding photographer

Fiona is accredited with the international guild, the Artistic Guild of Wedding Photojournalists (AGWPJA). She has photographed many different kinds of wedding, from boutique civil ceremonies at the Gherkin to a sumptuous wedding in a villa near Rome.

Read all about Fiona Campbell on her brand new, dedicated page on English Wedding Blog. Fiona tells us her passion is “showing people beauty in order to inspire, transform and delight“. She was lucky enough to grow up in the world of weddings – her mother was an artist in the bridal industry, and she says she’s loved weddings ever since.

Fiona Campbell London wedding photographer

Wedding photography by Fiona Campbell, London. www.fionacampbelllondon.com See more...

A romantic wedding in Nottingham

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Hello everyone! Time to take five… drop your pens, put on your “I’m only pretending to work” face (but keep it convincing) and smile! Today’s wedding feature is short and oh-so-sweet… as was the whole wedding planning journey for Liliya & Adenis before their wedding in Nottingham.

Gary from wedding photographers oneLove told me that Liliya & Adenis are Russian (Although Adenis is half Cuban) but live in England. The whole wedding was arranged within 3 weeks so that their families were able to attend. They wanted a typical Nottingham wedding & so they chose the iconic Nottingham Council House.

Liliya is the most beautiful bride and together they make such a lovely couple. Friends and family are an important part of today’s wedding blog, with the bridesmaids often taking centre stage! I hope you love the images – it’s the first time I’ve seen inside Nottingham Council House, so join me and enjoy this real wedding on English Wedding Blog today!

Claire xxx

The Business of weddings: the shift to thrift

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A guest blog post for you today – as couples focus on saving money, the wedding industry will be there to help! Wedding budgets have fallen by £6k in 6 years… and guest blogger Tom’s article explains why, and how, and what it means. He had me gripped with this one… and I know you’ll like reading it. Oh! And the presentation is the coolest thing ever to play with… click Play, and Enjoy! Claire x

In 2013, the cost of a wedding is set to fall. Again. Whereas in 2007, the average cost of a wedding was around the £22,000 mark, 2013 will see wedding spend dip down towards the £16,000 mark.

What’s fascinating about this is that the economic downturn has really focused the happy couples’ minds on driving down the overall cost of the wedding, and it’s really focused the wedding industry on providing added value in a turbulent economic period. The trend is not necessarily towards less lavish weddings – the trend is towards getting the best price for every single item on the list. See more...

A beautiful, relaxed wedding in Cornwall

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However you’re feeling this morning, it’s time to smile – today’s wedding will lift your heart and inspire you with the loveliest decor and details, and such beautiful images of the Cornish coast… needless to say it’s already a favourite for me! I’ve already shared sneak peeks on facebook – I couldn’t wait!

Thank you to Keith Riley Photography for making my day with these amazing images. Congratulations and huge thanks to Claire and Ryan – the most inspiring and gorgeous couple imaginable! – for sharing their wedding report (which you’ll find halfway down this page).

I absolutely love this wedding, from the styling of the marquee (the palest pink roses; delicate touches and fabulous stationery and details) to the beach scenes and the most beautiful bride… I know you will too. Enjoy! Claire xxx

A beautiful wedding in Cornwall – Claire and Ryan

Wedding venue:

St Carantoc church, Crantock and Cornwall marquee venue, Crantock See more...

A look back at a year of wedding photography ( bit late I know! )

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Hello everyone! It’s been such a long week – I’ve done so much and I hope you’ve had a productive one too! Here’s a highlight though – one of my favourite wedding photographers has been in touch to share something special with us all. Yay!! If you’re considering documentary wedding photography or wondering what it’s all about, this is a feature you’ll really love – and there’s much more to discover via the link at the end of the post! I’ll hand over to Martin Beddall now. Enjoy!

Every year needs a look back and last year the weddings went up until New Year’s Eve – so here’s a brief look back at a year of documentary wedding photography coverage.

Hope you like them… here’s a few preview pics. Scroll down to a link to the rest, which you’ll find at the end of this post.

A year of documentary wedding photography

Here’s the link – A Year of wedding photography See more...

An elegant wedding in Nottingham – The Time Of My Life…

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What is it about Dirty Dancing?! The mere mention of “I’ve had the time of my life” and I’m singing all. day. long! But it makes me happy… and dancing to it is one of today’s gorgeous couple’s favourite wedding memories. Michelle and David had the most beautiful wedding in Nottingham last year: modern and elegant with lots of white and classy decor ideas.

From the details on Michelle’s Sassi Holford wedding dress to the streamers outside the church… this is a fabulous day and a wedding I know you’ll love! The images are by Butterworth Photography, who get a glowing review in Michelle’s wedding report, which you’ll find halfway down this page.

This wedding’s a feast for the eyes so grab a cuppa and enjoy! Claire xxx

Michelle and David: an elegant wedding in Nottingham

I married my amazing husband, David, on 23rd June 2012, at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Woodthorpe, Nottingham. We had our reception at The Carriage Hall in Plumtree, Nottingham. See more...

New sponsor welcome! Belinda McCarthy Photography

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For any wedding blog reader, finding a great wedding photographer will be a priority. A great place to begin is by seeing which photographers read the blogs like you do… and Somerset wedding photographer Belinda McCarthy has been a friend of all the UK wedding blogs for years.

Belinda McCarthy wedding photography

Wedding photography in the South and South West of England

I first spoke to Belinda a couple of years ago when her daily comments on the real weddings I shared on English Wedding Blog were something I looked forward to! And I’m really pleased to be welcoming Belinda as a sponsor of my blog today. She is certainly a photographer who knows what a blog-reading bride and groom are looking for.

wedding photography in Somerset by Belinda McCarthy

Belinda McCarthy offers stylish and dramatic wedding photography throughout the South and South West of England — combining fashion-led fine art imagery with the best in documentary imagery to create images that are uniquely, wonderfully you. See more...

Zoe and Mark’s wedding at Styal Lodge, Cheshire

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Hi again! I can’t believe it’s Tuesday morning already! Did I sleep through Monday (or was I working too hard… hmmm…) Anyway, I hope you’re having a lovely day. I have all the gorgeous images from Zoe and Mark’s wedding at Styal Lodge to share with you this morning.

Before we begin – did you see yesterday’s competition to win your wedding photography? Don’t miss that one! It’s a fantastic prize and the competition’s open to couples anywhere in the UK.

But now for today’s main feature with Zoe and Mark. You’ll have seen their wedding film on the blog yesterday, along with a few of my favourite images… now we have the full wedding report from Zoe and images from the lovely Jonny Draper Photography to share with you. For anyone who missed the wedding film, I’ve shared it once again at the end of the blog post – with thanks to Craig from Unforgettable Memories for sharing it with us!