Victorian luxury with a personal twist: Durham Castle wedding

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Oh, don’t worry – there’s more to today’s English Wedding Blog post than a first dance photo… but this one had to come first: how captivating and romantic a moment and an image is this?! You’re going to love this Durham Castle Wedding, I promise!

With every wedding I blog, I ask the couple to share their favourite moments from the day. Their responses are what sets each wedding apart. Jenn’s reply stopped me in my tracks:

“Sitting at the top table with my new husband, looking around at all the people who mean most to us & feeling full up with love.”

This is what weddings are all about. Not the details, not the planning, not the dress or the readings or even the ring. The love. I hope you’ll enjoy today’s blog post for what it’s truly about: volumes of love which sing higher than anything else you’ll see today.

With photographs by Holden & Jones, and a fantastic wedding report by gorgeous couple Chrissy and Jenn. Enjoy! (I know you will!)
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Are you watching Kirstie’s Vintage Home? Watch carefully!

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This quick blog post is a little late in coming, I admit – but I’ve only just spotted my little thank you email from Kirstie’s production team and had to share it, even if it’s late! So this is from Kirstie’s Vintage Home…

We are delighted to announce that Channel 4’s Kirstie’s Vintage Home is scheduled to be broadcast on Thursday 8th of November at 8pm on Channel 4. Thank you so much for taking part and we hope that you enjoyed being part of the filming experience
Kind Regards,
Lorna

The vintage wedding episode is going to be my favourite! Watch it carefully… I’m not in it, but I’m guessing and hoping from the email that my calligraphy will be on your screens! My huge thanks to Kirstie, to Jamie who helped organise the calligraphy, and to Lorna for the lovely email.

Very excited… Thursday nights are my favourite ones already, but when it comes to the wedding episode I’ll be peeking nervously from behind my sofa to see if my writing will be on!

What will your first dance song be?

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Hello again everyone, it’s lovely and quiet here today and I’m enjoying a little time playing with my calligraphy pens to create new wedding readings, poems and gifts for Christmas. But I need your help! What have you chosen for your first dance song?

Photo credit: Phil Drinkwater Photography http://www.phildweddingphotography.co.uk/

I’d like to write a collection of first dance songs in calligraphy but I’m not the world’s biggest Michael Buble fan… my tastes run more to the alternative!

I asked on facebook last week and had some fantastic suggestions from friends with very cool taste in music! See the full list here. I ended up printing and writing out some Johnny Cash and Elvis lyrics, both of which I’d never heard before. Thank you to Bekki and Zoe for suggesting those! I also have Green Day (who’d have thought?!) and some more Van Morrison on my list to write – thanks to Chris and Catriona for those two. See more...

A quick word about confidence and being photographed

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Hello there! I hope you’re having a wonderful day so far. I wanted to share a few thoughts with you – from the heart and from my own experience this last few weeks.

I know so many people who are nervous about having their picture taken, especially brides and grooms. It’s very easy to see why – it feels quite strange sometimes to be the centre of attention, especially if you’re not used to being photographed.

How to love having your picture taken!

If you’re not looking forward to having your picture taken on your wedding day, then I really hope this article will help you embrace the prospect and enjoy the experience of being photographed at your wedding.

As I type (this post was scheduled a little in advance!) I’ve just come back from a photoshoot at the seaside with my lovely friends Chris and Claire Hanley (www.ChrisHanleyPhotography.com). It’s the third shoot Chris has done for me – and this time while I was nervous I was also really excited about having my picture taken. See more...

New sponsor welcome: Berkshire wedding photographer Martin Price

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I’m going to knock your socks off with a single wedding photograph this afternoon. Or – really I can’t take credit: this comes from my newest lovely sponsor Martin Price Photography. Here – how magical is this?!

Martin Price Berkshire wedding photographer

Wedding photo credit: Martin Price Photography, Berkshire

Berkshire wedding photographer Martin Price

I thought you’d like it. And for those of you who saw me throw it onto my facebook page in a flurry of excitement earlier in the week, here’s another beauty:

Wedding photography from Wasing Park by Martin Price Photography

It goes without saying that I’m absolutely over the moon to have Martin Price Photography join English Wedding Blog as a sponsor. Martin is a documentary wedding photographer, and explained to me how he loves “to capture weddings unfolding before my eyes, in their real and natural state. I love working with couples to create a timeless story of photographs, shot in my signature clean, bright style.”

Please have a look at some more of Martin’s beautiful images on his English Wedding Showcase Page, and visit his website at http://www.martinpricephotography.co.uk/ for information and bookings. See more...

Peacocks and tartan – vintage wedding style with a unique twist!

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And no, it’s not kilts this time! Today’s vintage wedding inspiration shoot is all about the decor and inspired by a crazy gorgeous bridal look from A’lissia Couture in Cheltenham.

It shows how to create an opulent bridal look with flowers, cakes and stationery. Discover how to create a vintage wedding look but add elements such as tartan or peacock feathers to give your wedding a unique twist!

This inspiration shoot was sent in by Ruth from Finesse Planning in Gloucestershire. All images are by www.bullitphotography.co.uk. Suppliers are listed at the end of this post – enjoy!

“As a wedding planner I often see unusual elements for weddings but a specific dress made with a unique green and yellow tartan material created by A’lissia Couture in Cheltenham caught my eye straight away. I knew then that I wanted to do a photo shoot featuring the dress. Then the opportunity arose to create a photo shoot at a new wedding venue, Blaisdon Hall so I contacted A’lissia Couture. For the theme of the shoot, albeit I usually stay away from vintage wedding styles, on this occasion both the dress and the venue leant itself perfectly to a Victoriana theme. See more...

BIG link love – vintage romance and style

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Create your own effortless bridal style and be inspired by the romance and serenity in these distinctively alluring images. They’re by Vickerstaff Photography, who shot Vintage Styler‘s accessories so beautifully the images have since been featured on wedding blogs around the world.

Vintage elegance by Vintage Styler, timelessly captured by Vickerstaff Photography

These beautiful images have featured on Love My Dress blog, Whimsical Wonderland Weddings, So You’re Getting Married and the fabulous Borrowed & Bleu blog. The accessories are exquisite – do have a closer look!

But what strikes me most of all – and what no other blogger has mentioned – is the quality of the photography for the shoot. These images are truly timeless, crystal clear and beautifully lit. They’re enchanting. No vintage processing, no quirky fading or toning… they capture the elegance which is the true secret of vintage style.

Audrey Hepburn herself wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Vintage Styler accessories shoot – original feature (37 images)

Rustic chic wedding ideas from France – ooh la la!

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It’s interesting to watch wedding styles and trends filter from the US, Australia, UK and other countries, via blogs, until wedding fashions become worldwide phenomena. The big wedding blogs started in America and began with eco-chic and rustic weddings, went via vintage, outdoorsy and are constantly evolving. Rustic chic is a current worldwide wedding trend – and one I adore.

This shoot is from a blog I follow whenever I can – La Mariée en Colère. Nathalie’s writing is always entertaining (and keeps me in practice with my French, which is a bonus!) and her shoots are proving to be a fantastic source of inspiration.

This rustic chic inspiration shoot is full of wedding ideas for DIY brides and grooms – I love the wine bottle candle holders the best, but the whole shoot is gorgeous. I hope you like it too!

French rustic chic wedding ideas shoot

There are some truly inspiring ideas in this shoot and I hope you loved it! Find out more about those involved: See more...

DIY wedding at Gate Street Barn – Laura and Jamie

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This doesn’t happen too often – such a beautiful wedding comes in that I feel compelled to share 100 images with all of you wonderful blog readers. But as you may have read in part one yesterday, I begged photographer Sam Clayton to share it with all of you – and I couldn’t be happier to have so many amazing pictures and ideas to share!

So this second feature of Laura and Jamie’s DIY wedding starts where we left off yesterday morning, with Jamie waiting as Laura walks down the aisle – I love the anticipation of this part of the day, and the romance as eyes meet… and today’s blog feature only gets better and better as we scroll through all the beautiful wedding pictures.

You’ll love the rustic DIY table centrepieces, the children’s wedding favours (so cute!), the charm of Gate Street Barn wedding venue. I want you to smile at the enchantment of the sparkling candelabras, be inspired by the fabric printed table plan which Laura made, and resolve to make your own newspaper confetti cones… but most of all – just feel the love. See more...

Competition! MILK books – make your own wedding memories

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Wedding memories are such a personal thing – for you, for your parents, for your bridesmaids and best friends. Your wedding photos will be memories to treasure for the rest of your lives – and there’s now a very affordable way to preserve those moments which are most special for your closest family and friends: with MILK Books.

MILK wedding books (4)

… and you can WIN one today!!!

MILK books reflect a couple’s unique personalities by showcasing their special memories in a professionally printed and bound book which they have designed and created themselves online, with guidance from an easy-to-follow design and editorial framework.

I think they’re a genius idea, and you can use your MILK wedding book however you like – think creatively and preserve wedding memories which will mean the world to you – read on for ideas!

More about Milk wedding books

Each album is bound in linen with a satin ribbon marker, features lie-flat binding and the finest acid-free art paper, and is presented in a linen-bound presentation case with signature button and ribbon closure. See more...

A creative and beautiful wedding: Laura and Jamie

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He proposed when Spain won the world cup… with a ring he’d bought in Santorini and snuck home without her seeing. They danced to Romeo & Juliet. She is the most glowingly beautiful bride I’ve ever seen, and the romance here sparkles like static electricity from the screen.

Laura and Jamie were married at Gate Street Barn in May. Their wedding style was old English shabby chic. The lovely Sam Clayton was their wedding photographer, and she did the most amazing job. I saw this wedding on facebook and – well, let’s not be shy about this: I begged Sam for the images to show you on English Wedding Blog. She said we could have them… It made my week!

Sam sent quite a lot of beautiful pictures from Laura and Jamie’s big day for me to share. There are so many incredible moments, fabulous details and stunning images I’m sharing this wedding over two days. I couldn’t share any fewer than 100 (and spookily whittled it down to exactly this number!) Today I’ll show you ‘before the wedding’ – Laura’s Jesus Peiro wedding dress, Hetty Rose bespoke shoes, that wedding ring smuggled over from Santorini… this is all so exquisitely beautiful. Enjoy. x See more...

How To Choose The Perfect Vintage Wedding Shoes

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Rosaln Lace Weding Shoes by Rachel Simpson

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Once again I have some brilliant advice to share with all of you brides-to-be from my lovely friends at Queens & Bowl. Choosing the perfect vintage wedding shoes can be a Big Decision (capitals intended!) so for shoe lovers everywhere, here are some top tips to make sure you’re tottering beautifully in the right direction!

Rosalyn Lace Wedding Shoes by Rachel Simpson

Some women would argue that shoes aren’t a matter of life or death; they’re far more important than that! This is especially true when it comes to choosing wedding shoes. A bad pair of shoes can throw off an entire bridal ensemble, not to mention making the best day of your life extremely uncomfortable.

As most married women will tell you, choosing wedding shoes is hard but it could be argued that picking vintage wedding shoes is even harder. Not only do you have to consider all of the usual factors that will determine which shoes you buy, but you also have to match your wedding shoes to the era you’ll be evoking in your ceremony! See more...

How many hours of wedding photography coverage do you really need?

Couture wedding style inspiration from the Elvetham Hotel in Hampshire

9 brilliantly different Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire weddings

Elegant Downton inspired wedding style editorial from Mount Ephraim

We love… London wedding photographer Howling Basset

We love… Lisa Lander Photography!

Victorian luxury with a personal twist: Durham Castle wedding

Are you watching Kirstie’s Vintage Home? Watch carefully!

What will your first dance song be?

A quick word about confidence and being photographed

How to love having your picture taken!

New sponsor welcome: Berkshire wedding photographer Martin Price

Berkshire wedding photographer Martin Price

Peacocks and tartan – vintage wedding style with a unique twist!

BIG link love – vintage romance and style

Rustic chic wedding ideas from France – ooh la la!

French rustic chic wedding ideas shoot

DIY wedding at Gate Street Barn – Laura and Jamie

Competition! MILK books – make your own wedding memories

… and you can WIN one today!!!

More about Milk wedding books

A creative and beautiful wedding: Laura and Jamie

How To Choose The Perfect Vintage Wedding Shoes

Instagram – @englishweddingblog

Would you like to get exclusive offers, exciting
updates and wedding blog sneak peeks by email?

How to love having your picture taken!

Berkshire wedding photographer Martin Price

French rustic chic wedding ideas shoot

… and you can WIN one today!!!

More about Milk wedding books

Instagram – @englishweddingblog

Would you like to get exclusive offers, exciting updates and wedding blog sneak peeks by email?

Would you like to get exclusive offers, exciting
updates and wedding blog sneak peeks by email?