Join me at calligraphy summer school! Manchester, 18th August from 2pm

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For any of you lovely people with a creative flair and a crafty inclination, I have news! I’ve announced a brand new calligraphy class – short & sweet, affordable and for absolute beginners – in Manchester this summer.

We’re calling it Calligraphy Summer School…

Tickets – www.bymoonandtide.com/listing/619076399

If you want to learn modern calligraphy for your wedding, come and join me for a fun and relaxed class at the fabulous Ziferblat Edge St, in the heart of the northern quarter, for 90 minutes of learning to write beautiful quirky lettering.

Designing, writing and addressing wedding invitations is what I do when I’m not being a wedding blogger. I have a beautiful poem to write today, actually – you can see what I do in my life as a calligrapher on my other instagram @bymoonandtide if you like.

I also teach modern calligraphy, and I like to think I make it fun and relaxed, so you can go on and write confidently and beautifully when it comes to your wedding invitations, place names, even your table plan and venue signage. (At home, I even write on my windows, mirror and cupboard doors. It gets kind of addictive!) See more...

New bespoke invitations by Wendy Bell at WBD Designer Wedding Stationery

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Good morning beautiful 🙂 Did you know it was wedding stationery season? My little studio is filling up with lots of lovely packages from some of the best wedding invitation designers, and this week I’m sharing some of my favourites with you – and reviewing each one.

WBD Designer Wedding Stationery review on the English Wedding Blog (3)

Stationery by the fabulous WBD Designer Wedding Stationery (and envelope calligraphy by me!)

I do like breaking the rules, so I’ll never dictate that invitations should be sent X weeks before your wedding; or that you’ll need Save the Dates… but I do find that most couples start shopping for invitations around January time – and many of you are sending Save the Dates before Christmas! So this week’s wedding stationery reviews are designed to help those of you who are about to embark on the lovely journey of invitation shopping… one of my favourite aspects of weddings!

Velvety rich bespoke wedding invitations – made in London

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Hello again! This afternoon we’re talking wedding invitations – and I’m sharing a little luxury with you. Incidentally, I was chatting to a reporter from a regional magazine yesterday, who asked for my thoughts on luxury stationery and the rising cost of weddings. My reply to this question is always the same: couples should prioritise, cutting out less important things (cakes, for example) and spending on quality services which are important to you. If you’re a paper lover like me, bespoke wedding invitations are a beautiful wedding essential! Here’s my lovely friend and blog sponsor Wendy Bell to tell you more! Claire xxx

Wedding invites by Wendy Bell Designer wedding stationery (1)

Photo credit: WBD Designer Wedding Stationery

New! Bespoke wedding invitations by WBD Designer Wedding Stationery

Designed and printed in London, UK, these gorgeous invitations are perfect for the romantic in any bride or groom!

Wedding invites by Wendy Bell Designer wedding stationery (2)

Photo credit: WBD Designer Wedding Stationery See more...

A vintage Las Vegas wedding day!

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The first I saw of Louise and Ben’s wedding was the fabulous wedding table plan – and it seems only fitting that I share it with you first. Funny how a gorgeous detail can take me on a journey… and so I found wedding photographer Simon Gough, and got in touch with today’s stunning bride Louise to share this vintage Las Vegas wedding on my blog!

Louise told me, “We wanted to take our guests back in time, to when Vegas hotels, shows and the stars they boasted were cool and exclusive. The Angel Hotel fitted the bill with its quirky and individual style, large function rooms and stage. I wanted to use props to provide an accent of Vegas and hoped it wouldn’t appear gaudy or tacky. I am a huge Elvis fan and both my husband and I enjoy jazz music. I wanted to incorporate the ‘Rat Pack’ era and ‘Elvis’ as to me they both epitomised Vegas in its most glamorous time.” See more...

Snowflake wedding invitations, fairy lights and sparkle!

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Snowflakes and sparkle today – with a difference. As winter lands firmly this week and we wrap up, light fires and snuggle to keep warm, I wanted to share these beautiful snowflake wedding invitations with you. They’re beautifully designed, unique and different.

Winter wedding invites – snowflakes!

If you’re planning a winter wedding these gorgeous invitations and matching wedding stationery mix the magic of snowflakes with the rich colours of a more festive theme. They’re by WBD Designer Wedding Stationery in London – where the designer is my lovely friend Wendy Bell whose own wedding featured on English Wedding Blog!

I love the detail of Wendy’s snowflake wedding invitations – the careful layout, creative colour palette and rich colours. But most of all when I look at this gorgeous stationery I look with my calligrapher’s eyes and heart – those swirls on the RSVP card are just divine! These are perfect – elegant, different and wintery warm wedding invitations. Recommended!

Find out more: www.wendybelldesigns.com

Explore Wendy’s World!

Wendy Bell shortlisted for a Hitched Breakthrough Award!

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When I launched my wedding business I was a regular on the Hitched wedding forums and loved it – so with tons of respect for Hitched in my back pocket, I was delighted when my friend and sponsor Wendy Bell emailed to let me know she’d been shortlisted for a Hitched Breakthrough award.

Congratulations, Wendy!

This blog post is to congratulate Wendy on being shortlisted. She’s a wonderful lady, a talent and thoroughly deserves a win in her category! Wendy – huge congratulations from me!!! You are a star in the making. 🙂

Photo credit WBD Designer Wedding Stationery www.wendybelldesigns.com

Photo credit WBD Designer Wedding Stationery www.wendybelldesigns.com

Photo credit WBD Designer Wedding Stationery www.wendybelldesigns.com

The Hitched Breakthrough Awards

The Hitched Breakthrough Awards was created to celebrate new creative talent in the wedding industry.

I’ve openly criticised some of the bigger wedding industry award processes in the past – when Moss Bros and John Lewis take home all the prizes, where’s the creativity in our industry, where’s the passion? See more...

New luxury invitations from WBD Designer Wedding Stationery

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Hello, wedding fans and paper lovers… and that’s a very special hello because it’s you I’d like to treat this morning. I have been chatting to my lovely sponsor Wendy Bell recently and she emailed me some images of her most recent bespoke wedding invitation design to show you.

Photo credit WBD Designer Wedding Stationery www.wendybelldesigns.com

Isn’t it gorgeous?!

Wendy told me, “This was an “all in one” invitation design, effectively a tri-fold which included the invitation, information and RSVP postcard (which guests have to cut along the dotted line and affix a stamp to the reverse). Some of the photos show matching address labels and coordinating personalised Royal Mail stamps.”

Elegant designer wedding invitations

Photo credit WBD Designer Wedding Stationery www.wendybelldesigns.com

Photo credit WBD Designer Wedding Stationery www.wendybelldesigns.com

Ever the curious wedding blogger, I asked Wendy about the design process. I wondered how she could step from a blank sketch pad or piece of card, to such an ornate and luxurious design. How much of the design comes from the bride and groom, and how much is Wendy’s own input as the Designer? See more...

The Luxury Wedding Show – what it’s really like inside!

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Only three weeks ago I was wistfully telling my friend and sponsor Wendy Bell how I’d love to go to The Luxury Wedding Show – if only all the events weren’t so far away from my little base in Cheshire (I know, pitiful isn’t it…)

The Luxury Wedding Show seems to have cornered a niche in the UK wedding market – and not only that, there’s a wonderfully voyeuristic appeal too. From gorgeous designer wedding invitations to flowers and cakes, decor and more – it’s great to see the best in the UK wedding industry. Even if you’re not splashing out on a luxury wedding, wouldn’t it be fun to go and look around anyway, see what the more extravagant brides are buying? I know I’d love to see these shows from a wedding supplier’s point of view as well.

The Luxury Wedding Show: Show and Tell!

So Wendy very kindly said she’d do a little show and tell after the Luxury Wedding Show in London on the 25th of March. I have photos, commentary… it’s all here! Wendy gives a great insight into what the Luxury Wedding Shows are all about – I hope you find it as fascinating as I did! See more...

New sponsor welcome: Wendy Bell Designs

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Hi again! Time for some pretty unique wedding invitation designs to show you – beautiful, creative and standout wedding invites from Wendy Bell Designs.

I featured Wendy’s London wedding on the blog back in 2011 – she’d designed all her own stationery to fit with her choice of wedding venue, and it was absolutely divine! Wendy’s bespoke wedding invitation service promises to be outstanding, so do check out her official website to find out more.

As a sponsor of English Wedding blog, Wendy Bell Designs now has a dedicated Showcase Page which I think you’ll love – there are more pics on there of her personalised wedding invitation designs, alongside info on the bespoke wedding invitation service.

Watch out for Wendy’s blog posts on the English Wedding Showcase as well – I’m looking forward to seeing what 2012 has in store for this very talented young designer (and lovely, lovely lady!)

Find out more about Wendy Bell Designs on the English Wedding Showcase

Wendy – welcome to English Wedding!

Wedding invitations for you

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I promised you gorgeous, glamorous, bright and sexy wedding invitations, and here they are. Designed by Wendy Bell, whose wedding I featured on the blog yesterday, these invitations are pretty special – and right up my street.

wedding invitation by Wendy Bell Designs (1)

Roof Gardens Flamingo Design: www.WendyBellDesigns.com

Wendy’s Flamingo design was created for her wedding. She coordinated the wedding invitations to tie in with her wedding venue – the Roof Gardens in Kensington. The funky invitations take inspiration from the colourings of the wedding venue. The flamingos are found in their gardens and the dots symbolise the beaded curtains in the Roof Gardens club area. Wendy offers a bespoke invitation design service… and you can see just how much thought and attention to detail goes into the design process!

wedding invitation by Wendy Bell Designs (2)

Peacock Spots wedding invitation: www.WendyBellDesigns.com

Above, Peacock Spots wedding invitation. Intricately dotted designs evoke the natural patterns of peacock feathers, in cool pink and grey… so sophisticated.

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Monochrome Hearts wedding invitation: www.WendyBellDesigns.com

Monochrome Hearts wedding invitation. I love the grungey hearts, the textures and beautifully messy design with such a lovely typeface. Yummy. See more...

Glamour, flamingos and inspiration

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Sometimes a blog post can be full to the brim with exciting things. Today, clearly by the title, there’s a lot to cover – and I love this wedding to bits. Wendy Bell is a designer so her wedding was bound to be creative; but every little thing from her glamorous dress to the venue and table decorations is really stunning – and right up my street.

Wendy is stunning (and James is a looker too!) – and I’m sure some of you English Wedding readers will feel inspired by their style… if you’re into looking gorgeous without being princessy, then this is the wedding blog for you.

So I’ve got a two parter for you this week again! First, Wendy and James’s wedding at Kensington Roof Gardens (how many of you guessed that was where the flamingoes came in?!) – with photography by Green Olive. Tomorrow I’ll share some of Wendy’s wedding invitation designs – and I promise, you’ll be impressed!