And so to Wed - Autumn Issue 2016

And so to Wed ISSUE 8 AUTUMN 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

On the cover

Alice in Wonderland – photography by Siobhan Amy Photography full feature from page 28

Articles 4 29 41 43 51 53 61 76 78 81

Inspiring individuality – an interview with dress designer Caroline Arthur Alice in Wonderland – styled photo shoot How to do the best girl wedding speech ever The Rossetti Collection – with Glorious Tiaras Take that trend – this season's hottest wedding trends Wedding Morning – bridal boudoir photo shoot Wedding Showcase – we celebrate The Bridal Emporium's 2nd birthday in style Get the right fit: wedding lingerie Sash + Veil Rustic Boho – styled photo shoot

Your weddings 10 68

The wedding of Sotiria and Joel The wedding of Ben and Chris

The important bits 87 89

Our Contributors Directory

A word from the editor Well hello lovely brides and hello Autumn!

We're back around to this wonderfully sumptuous season again and we have so many beautiful things to share with you. From our stunning Alice in Wonderland inspired photo shoot that will take you on a whimsical wedding journey, to our real weddings, practical advice, supplier features and beautiful boudoir shoot. This season's issue is packed full of wedding ideas and inspiration, all of which encourage you to be unique and use your wedding to celebrate you as a couple.

As always, we are championing the small business. We love that by supporting these businesses, you, the wedding couple, can have something totally unique made just for you, to your specification. All the suppliers featured at And so to Wed are based here in the UK and most are run by just one or two extremely talented people. This allows them to provide you with a truly bespoke way of working and excellent customer service. In this issue you can get to know some of our suppliers including Caroline Arthur, Glorious Tiaras and Sash + Veil and see their amazing work.

Immerse yourself in the trends and styling that are shaping the wedding world.

I hope you enjoy,

Louise x

That brings me nicely on to my next question, Barley Sprites, it was so creative, so beautiful and uplifting. What was the creative process and how did you choose the ladies who danced in the film?

An interview with wedding dress designer Caroline Arthur – discover how she is inspiring individuality one bride at a time, allowing you to design your own dress Inspiration is the key theme for this evening, what message would you give to encourage female business owners within the wedding industry?

The message of the film is inspiring individuality, which is the hashtag we're using and I think that relates to not only the business I'm in, but to anybody who wants to run their own business in any industry. To anybody who has a family and is juggling lots of balls in the air, or who doesn't have a family but still has to juggle lots of balls and I errr, need to get off the subject of balls!

What was the question, (inspiration) yes, inspiration, thank you. I found that my inspiration all the way through has been to stick to what I intended to achieve which was to try to encourage people to be creative and to express their own personality.

Whatever you do you need to be sensitive to peoples feelings about themselves. For example in my line of work I might have a bride who is very self conscious about a particular part of her body she doesn't like. I might look at her and think, I can't see anything wrong with you, you look perfect to me, but if it worries her we need to address it. I think people need a nurturing environment in order to be able to express their personality, taste and creativity which is really what we're all about. So I think anybody who is thinking about running their own business or doing their own brand or writing a blog or whatever they're doing, they need to find their goal and stick to it. I realised very early on that wedding dresses might be what I do, but actually inspiring people to be individual was the key message I wanted to give, which is probably how we came round to making the film.

Well this was a really fun bit. I know absolutely nothing about dancing, but as it happens, there's a couple who live a few doors down from me and one is a film editor and the other a film maker who used to be a professional dancer, so they were the perfect combination. I came round to their house one evening with my five year old hanging off my leg who was tired and wanted to go to bed and I started to describe this idea I had about encouraging people to be creative. I said “I want to explain the process of how to design a wedding dress, how you can encourage someone to create their own dress”. So I described this fairly static idea of scarecrowesses stood in a barley field, a bride wanders in, dismayed because she can't find her dress and she needs someone to lift her up.

She sits down and the scarecrowesses start to move around her, gradually in a sort of circular motion, presenting her with different options, encouraging her and draw out from her ideas for her dress. So they aren't imposing their ideas on her, it is very nurturing. When I proposed this idea to Laura and Simon, they didn’t laugh amazingly, and Simon said “well it’s a dance and it's a film”’ – and he was the perfect person to do it. He said we needed to set up auditions, which we did and we had an amazing day were we selected from a huge number of applicants, perhaps 8-10 girls who just

looked normal. They were beautiful girls but they looked like real people. It sounds an odd thing to say, but we eliminated all of the girls who looked like dolls and chose people who looked real and had all the qualities that we wanted. It was quite funny actually, I had just had open heart surgery and found myself, not very mobile, in this dance studio, with these beautiful dancers all warming up to music and I just couldn’t sit still. It’s so embarrassing, I leapt up and went and joined in the warm up. Simon and Susie (my PA), were sat at the side looking absolutely mortified, so I got the message and went and sat down. The dancers were such lovely girls that they just carried on and none of them commented on this embarrassing creature carrying on at the side of the room.

From these girls we then selected the girls that we felt could portray the message we wanted to put across, this very nurturing, soft sort of feeling. We organised a rehearsal, the girls warmed up then Simon said, “right then Caroline outside”, so we left the room and within 20 minutes the girls came back and said they had done it. Actually the choreography in the film is almost identical to that first rehearsal, so they understood so quickly the message of the film, this nurturing environment and brought it to life.

Your Couture Kit App is a fabulous idea.

I’ve tried it, I’ve made a few wedding dresses myself, I’m obsessed with it!

You’re bringing couture fashion to the everyday bride, providing an affordable way for them to have the dress of their dreams. Can you give our brides a brief overview of how it works?

Yes, so first of all I think it needs to be really fun.

So many brides that I met that were thinking about having a bespoke dress made for them, but they didn’t have an enormous budget and they’d been to lots of bridal shops, trying on lots of dresses and they had liked the top of one dress and the bottom of another, the fabric from another etc. So it evolved from me listening to people rather than coming up with a business plan. Then we thought about the world that we live in which is incredibly digital, everyone does their research on their phone, I realised that we needed something

very accessible that got brides into the frame of mind that they could design their own wedding dress. We went with a very simple, dress the dolly concept where you click on a skirt, click on a top etc, then an enquiry is sent through from that. Often it will have a message with it asking for other slight changes, perhaps to the neckline or sleeves which is perfect because the point of the app is that it is a starting point. We then invite them, if they'd like to come to our shop so they can try on samples. Our boutiques are filled with lots of different samples of bodices and skirts etc. If they try on a bodice and skirt and say “I like the bodice but I don't like the skirt”, then that's fine as they can try it with a different skirt. We'll just keep on swapping until they get the right silhouette.

It's fascinating the body language of people when they first arrive, they seem a bit nervous and unsure, they'll look around and try on the first component and it's not quite right. Then before long their body language changes as they become comfortable and it seems to me that they then take control of the whole process. They feel at the end of it that they've designed their own dress and of course they have. In all the years I've been in business and all the wedding dresses I've made, I've never created two dresses that were the same because there are enough components and fabric options that each one is totally unique.

What does the future hold for Caroline Arthur?

I really don't know. Family is really important to me. I think we all have stuff going on, for me it was medical stuff, but people have family stuff, work stuff, but sometimes it makes you stop and reassess. At the moment I feel like as long as I can continue with my message which is inspiring

people to be individual and creative, I'll carry on as it seems to be what people want. With things like the app, there's very few options out there for brides who want an affordable bespoke dress.

Sometimes people say to me “what if someone copies it?�. Somebody probably will copy it, I'm totally cool with that. I think there is too much fear in the wedding industry of being copied and I just think that if people want to design their own wedding dresses then we should facilitate that.

Interview by Betty Timbo With thanks to Caroline Arthur and Simon Reglar

Discover more: Caroline Arthur www.carolinearthur.com www.facebook.com/CarolineArthurBridal www.instagram.com/carolinearthurbridal Have a go at designing your own wedding dress at www.carolinearthur.com/couture-kit

The wedding of

Sotiria & Joel

On the 7th May 2016, Joel and Sotiria tied the knot at Gorse Hill, Woking, Surrey. Here they share their special day with you.

“We wanted to have a small, family wedding so that we would have enough time to connect with all of our guests on the day and of course enjoy some quiet moments with each other. We designed a relaxed, DIY day and tried to include elements from our different cultures and personalities. Sotiria’s family is Greek and Joel’s family has roots in Jamaica and we wanted to bring everyone together to celebrate both our backgrounds.

Our wedding favours were handmade in Greece and flown to the UK for the wedding. Joel’s aunt baked two delicious Jamaican rum cakes for our cake table. For the base of our centrepieces, we used doilies handmade by Sotiria’s grandma, they have been in the family for over 50 years! Sotiria designed all stationery used on the day and spent many evenings decorating mason jars for our centrepieces. Overall, the feel of the day was very intimate and relaxed and we couldn’t be happier for having spent the day with our most beloved family members and friends.

Sotiria stayed at the hotel with her family for a couple of days before the wedding and took care of the last minute details. She got ready at the bridal suite on the day with her sister, mum and grandma and had some very special moments with them while getting ready. Joel travelled from London to get ready at the hotel with the groomsmen - it was a struggle trying not to bump into each other before the ceremony! The weather was beautiful - the first warm weekend of the year - we were very lucky, considering that the weekend before it was snowing in Leeds, where we live! The ceremony was at 3pm at the hotel’s main reception room, the lovely gardens provided a beautiful backdrop. We had written our own vows and reading them out to each other was the most special part of the ceremony.”

“We had drinks and canapés in the sunshine following the ceremony. Our lovely photographer, Zoe, took some beautiful photos of us in the gardens before the wedding dinner was served at 5pm. Dinner took a bit longer than planned as we had more than 10 of our lovely guests who wanted to wish us well!

Thankfully no slideshows or embarrassing childhood images! The speeches were very special for us as they made us feel so loved. One of Joel’s close friends DJ’d in the evening and kept the party going until midnight - there were even dance routines!

Our photographer, Zoe, installed a photo booth for the evening do and snapped some funny, drunken, photos of us. Overall, it was a beautiful day. Before we got married, someone told us that our wedding day would be the best day of our lives, but at the time we thought that was just a figure of speech.

Well, we can now say without a doubt that our wedding day was indeed the best day of our lives so far (and we are a little bit sad that it’s over!).

Many thanks to our photographer for capturing our day so beautifully, she has captured some very emotional moments that we will cherish forever.”

“Our advice to other couples is to do what makes you happy! There are so many 'mustdos' and 'must-haves' when it comes to weddings and at times we felt restricted in what we could and could not do. Always remember, it is your special day and you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Keep things simple and design the day in a way that will make you happy and make sure that you take a few moments to enjoy each other’s company during the day as it will go so fast!”

With special thanks to Photography: Zoe Ann Photography www.zoeann.net Venue: Gorse Hill, Surrey www.deverevenues.co.uk/en/venues/gorsehill/weddings Flowers: Love & Light, Woking jeanettescott@btopenworld.com Cake: The Buttercup Kitchen www.thebuttercupkitchen.co.uk

THROUGH THE

An Alice in Wonderland inspired bridal photo shoot Featuring Arnos Vale Cemetery Elizabeth Weddings Siobhan Amy Photography Megan Lily Flowers The Vintage Sash Company Chocolate Delores Cakes Linda Thomas Eco Design Emily Gibson Rachel Harvey

Siobhan Amy Photography

Siobhan Amy Photography

Siobhan Amy Photography

Siobhan Amy Photography

Siobhan Amy Photography

Siobhan Amy Photography

Siobhan Amy Photography

Siobhan Amy Photography

Siobhan Amy Photography

Siobhan Amy Photography

Siobhan Amy Photography

With special thanks to: Venue - Arnos Vale Cemetery www.arnosvale.org.uk Design, styling and coordination - Elizabeth Weddings www.elizabethweddings.co.uk Photographer - Siobhan Amy Photography www.siobhanamyphotography.com Flowers - Megan Lily Flowers www.meganlilyflowers.co.uk Chair sashes- The Vintage Sash Company www.thevintagesashcompany.co.uk Cake - Chocolate Delores Cakes www.chocolatedelorescakesbristol.co.uk Dress- Linda Thomas Eco Design www.lindathomasecodesign.co.uk Wedding Stationery - Elizabeth Weddings www.elizabethweddings.co.uk Hair and Makeup- Emily Gibson www.facebook.com/EmilyLouiseMakeup Model- Rachel Harvey www.instagram.com/rachelharvey87

Siobhan Amy Photography

How to do the best girl wedding r e speech ev

Furthermore, your friends are all gathered there to celebrate YOU—and your partner’s friends are all there to celebrate you being a cemented part of their lives.

People want to hear you speak! Give the people what they want!

I’ve absolutely no doubt that you, our wonderfully creative reader, will have no trouble in coming up with a really captivating speech, but if you’re stressing (and the internet hasn’t helped you with that) here are some Wedding speeches: the bride’s father, the groom and the basic pointers to help you out. best man. We’re a nation of glorious tradition and history and there is nothing wrong with that (in Remember who you are, and embody that. If you’re the contrast, actually, I revel in it. Tea and a Jammy Dodger bride, everyone in that room is there to celebrate you anyone?). But what if—God forbid—you’re female, and and wish you well. If you’re the mother, everyone in that you want to make a speech? How on earth does that room is grateful you did such a fantastic job raising your daughter and helped create this special day. If you’re work?

If you’re a bride and you want some online support with the bridesmaid, you’ve been hand-picked to represent your speech, researching might end up being quite the couple in front of all their loved ones…turn what disheartening depending how far into the deep dark could be seen as daunting into a positive and believe in internet you go. Whilst help for men’s speeches are yourself! aimed at maximising laughs, good-humoured embarrassment, how to bring a tear or two and leave Decide on your focus in separate parts of the speech. everyone feeling warm and fuzzy inside, the few tips Do you want to use your way with words to mainly that there are for women are mostly centred around reflect on the love and happiness of the day? Or do you how to gushingly show appreciation for your new want to ramp the mood up with some cracking husband and thanks to your joint family for supporting anecdotes? By all means, do both, but maybe don’t keep you through your clearly hormonally imbalanced chopping and changing between, or your guests will be all over the place before they’ve even had a drink. Have a approach to the wedding (yeah, right). clear structure that allows you to cover everything you Really, though, some of the ‘help’ that’s offered to want to say and get everything you want from it i.e. grooms/best men are gems, such as ‘I’d just like to say laughter, tears and a lot of 'great speech' drinks bought how wonderful the bride looks in white. She’ll blend in for you later at the bar! beautifully with the kitchen’, and ‘Let us all be upstanding and give the bride the clap she so richly Share anecdotes and quirks that the majority of the deserves.’ Update, kids, it’s not 1954. We’ve had a room can go along with and enjoy hearing about, rather marathon run in space, Leicester won the Premier than specialist jokes that only 3 other people in the League and the Queen mocked America in a brilliant room will get. For one, it’ll captivate people, and two, video on twitter. Let’s just put those jokes in the sea, it’ll save you having to explain it for the twenty fourth time at midnight! shall we?

Whilst we’re in no way saying that you shouldn’t get emotional and say lovely things about your new partner, why can’t you make your speech hilarious too? Perhaps bring up some old gems that only you could tell. We love the growing trend of brides, bridesmaids, and mothers of the couple speaking on the big day. After all, they’ve played just as important a part (if not more, in some cases) in the wedding planning and preparation.

Be creative with it. I recently went to a wedding where the groom was a keen sailor and his best man was his shipmate. The best man framed his speech in terms of their boating history, marking different points of the groom’s life by which boat they had. It was unique enough to make you really appreciate their special bond and history, but was also a really nice thread to keep the speech making sense.

Practice out loud and use this to structure your key reminders on some paper (or flashcards, like O-Levels & GCSEs way back when). Maybe give it its first outing with a few of your besties to gauge the reaction—plus, when you totally smash it, it’ll be a nice bonding moment that you’ll remember for just you girls!

Enjoy it your way Now, get scribbling down all the anecdotes you can think of—how you and the bride completed an Ironman

together, the time when your new husband tried to oven-bake a fried egg, and what a fab day you’re going to have – they’re all gold for your speech, and you’re the golden girl.

Don't forget to send us through your wedding moments once the big day is over, so if someone has filmed your speech, send us a copy!

Written by Ellie Kime Photograph courtesy of Lets Get Weddy

The Rossetti Collection Discover Glorious Tiaras '2017 collection' featuring heavenly bridal hair vines, glamorous combs and the prettiest wedding hair pins

Inspired by the art of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, Glorious Tiaras’ Rossetti bridal accessory collection features key themes from the art movement – nature and women as Goddesses.

The Rossetti collection features 16 individual pieces, each harnessing the fluid lines found in our natural environment, alongside delicate leaves, art deco feathers, enchanting butterflies and luminous stars. The collection features dramatic, sweeping diamante headpieces that frame the face to perfection, alongside romantic, flowing hair vines embellished with French Beaded feathers, flowers, and fresh water pearls; delicate hair pins that can be worn by the bride or as a complimentary piece, by her bridesmaids, and a classic, vintage vogue style fascinator.

Each piece is an original, hand crafted design, from award winning Cheshire designer Heidi Reid.

“This collection of accessories is perfect for brides looking to choose classical, elegant, hair accessories that work in a relaxed boho styled wedding day, or for pieces that embellish a more dramatic, goddess like look,” says Heidi. “Like all of my designs, this collection features high-end components such as Swarovski crystals, freshwater pearls and silver lined seed beads, and an attention to detail that my inspiration, Dante Rossetti, used to such greatly admired and timeless effect in his art work.” Pieces start from £30 for an individual pin, to £190.00 for the Art Deco, Maya headpiece.

The Rossetti Collection is available online at www.glorioustiaras.co.uk from September 1st 2016

Glorious Tiaras was launched in October 2012 by Heidi Reid Heidi has a studio in Macclesfield, Cheshire, where brides can visit for private consultations, and to commission bespoke pieces, whilst enjoying a coffee, a slice of cake, and wedding chatter! In 2016, Glorious Tiaras won the Wedding Industry Awards ‘Best bridal accessory designer’ in the North West region. All Glorious accessories are hand-crafted to order, using high-end materials.

Photography by Richard Buck Photography www.richard-buck.com Dress by Ellis Bridals supplied by Isaac Charles Bridal in Cheshire www.ellisbridals.co.uk www.isaaccharlesbridal.co.uk Hair and make up by Gemma and Amy at Dollface Makeup Studio in Cheshire www.dollfacemakeupstudio.co.uk

JOIN THE

Creative Community

Jane Beadnell Photography

Advertise with ASTW and join the Creative Community For only ÂŁ10 a month you will receive a Directory Listing that links directly to your website, coverage via social media, our ASTW Approved Supplier Badge to display on your website and social media and access to our exclusive Members Club.

We like to treat our suppliers so... last but not least you'll also receive our fabulous Welcome Pack which includes: - Sweet treats - Stylish stationery - Compliments cards for your clients - Inspirational prints to pretty your workspace - Other bespoke beauties to make you smile For further details contact laura@andsotowed.com

Wedding Morning

A beautiful bridal boudoir photo shoot hosted by Extra Special Touch

Becky Ryan Photography

With special thanks to: Coordination, garters, hankies, silk lingerie, fabric flower bouquet - Extra Special Touch www.extraspecialtouch.co.uk Photography - Becky Ryan Photography www.beckyryanphotography.co.uk Make up - Kelly Jane Make-up Artist www.kellyjanemua.co.uk Hair - Pin Up Curl www.pinupcurl.co.uk Flowers - Flowers from Eden www.flowersfromeden.co.uk Vintage lace bridal robe - Sash + Veil www.sashandveil.co.uk Bridal accessories - Judith Brown Jewellery www.judithbrownjewellery.co.uk Model – Cassie

Becky Ryan Photography

Becky Ryan Photography

Becky Ryan Photography

Becky Ryan Photography

Becky Ryan Photography

Becky Ryan Photography

Becky Ryan Photography

Tim Dunk Photography

Wedding Showcase Discover how The Bridal Emporium celebrated their 2nd Birthday in style We arrived at Bar Soba, Leeds, at 7pm on a warm Friday evening. As we walked up the stairs, the sound of fabulous live music and excited chatter filled the air. We were greeted by our hostess, Claire Amelia, founder of The Bridal Emporium and the brains behind this fantastic event. You could not ask to meet a nicer, friendlier person and we immediately felt at home. After a quick catch up we went to go and see what treats

were in store. First stop, the bar (of course). Bar Soba do the most amazing range of scrumptious cocktails so we were spoilt for choice. Drinks in hand, we meandered round the suppliers stalls. We were promised a showcase of the best bridal designers and wedding suppliers Yorkshire has to offer – we weren't disappointed!

The first thing to catch our eye was Bejewelled Bouquets, beautiful, handmade keepsake bouquets and brooches, a great alternative to flowers. We then went to swoon over Zoe's Fancy Cakes. The detail and creativity was fabulous. Next, we chatted with Jane Beadnell, a local photographer who uses fine art photography to capture those special moments. She also showed us her latest collection of wedding stationery which oozed simplicity, style and sophistication.

Across from Jane, a beautifully styled table, with a sequin tablecloth, tree decorated with glass baubles

and gorgeous mercury glass hurricane lamps. We chatted with Pamella Dunn, wedding planner and stylist, for some time about the evening and the wealth of wedding talent around us.

Then it was time for the models to strut their stuff on the catwalk, wearing dresses by designers from The Bridal Emporium and men’s attire from Yorkshire Menswear.

Photographers Tim Dunk and Soulmate Weddings captured the action as we sat and watched an array of different styles of gown and men’s suits go up and down the catwalk.

Each dress had a very unique look, the variety really showcasing diversity of The Bridal Emporium's collection. Whatever your shape and style there is definitely a dress made for you.

We want to thank The Bridal Emporium and all the suppliers involved in the Wedding Showcase for a truly memorable and wonderful evening.

Designers: Casablanca Bridal - www.casablancabridal.com Eliza Jane Howell - www.elizajanehowell.com Watters - www.watters.com Independent British Designers: Claire Amelia British Bridal Designer www.claireamelia.com KMR Bridal - www.kmrbespokebridal.co.uk Stephanie Moran Couture www.facebook.com/stephaniemorancouture Claire Paver Couture www.facebook.com/ClairePaverCouture Wedding Suppliers: Zoes Fancy Cakes – www.zoesfancycakes.co.uk Yorkshire Menswear www.facebook.com/yorkshiremenswear Bejeweled Bouquets - www.bejeweledbouquets.co.uk Isiko Jewellery – www,isiko.co.uk Pamella Dunn Weddings – www.pamelladunn.co.uk Bears Pantry - www.bearspantry.com Jane Beadnall Stationery & Photography www.janebeadnellphotography.co.uk The Flower Shop Ossett - www.flowershopossett.co.uk Soulmate Weddings - www.soulmatephotography.co.uk Tim Dunk Photography - www.timdunk.com Pastel Sky Models - www.facebook.com/pastelskymodels Pastel Sky Photo Booth - www.pastelskyphotography.com Jam Entertainment - www.jamentertainments.com MacComms PR Wedding Specialist www.maccomms.net Venue - Bar Soba, Leeds www.barsoba.co.uk

Photography by Tim Dunk and Soulmate Weddings

Soulmate Weddings

Soulmate Weddings

Soulmate Weddings

Soulmate Weddings

Tim Dunk Photography

Ben & Chris

We met when we were at Birmingham Uni in

2005. As contrived as it sounds, I knew pretty much straight away that Ben was “the one” but I really wanted to try to play it cool. I obviously didn’t try that hard, because we started dating a week after we first met and I more or less moved permanently into his Uni house. We then spent the summer together in Birmingham while everyone else had gone home for the holidays. We both worked during the day and spent the evenings drinking wine, eating pizza and watching rubbish telly.

We got engaged in 2008 but it wasn’t one of life’s great romantic stories. We had moved in together in a flat in the city centre. We had some friends over for a few drinks and we were having cigarette out on our balcony. We still can’t remember which one started the conversation, but it went along the lines of: “We are going to get married one day, aren’t we?”

“Yeah” It seemed so natural to us and to be honest, we weren’t that excited about it because we both knew that it was always on the cards. Our friends were delighted though and went straight to the nearest Tesco to buy two bottles of their finest (cheapest) champagne.

We invited our families to see a line-up of venues with us. It was a pain planning the timings of driving to each venue and we had a spare hour before our first viewing, so we decided to drop in to Walton Hall in Warwickshire to kill some time.

The venue was perfect – it was a great mix of old architecture with a new modern interior. The grounds were also fantastic – there was a nice big open grassed area directly off the bar which we planned to use for garden games and decorate with bunting and voile. We cancelled all of the other viewings and signed up to Walton Hall there and then.

We both had a very clear vision of how we wanted the day to look and we were led by our colour scheme of mauve and sage. We were lucky that we found a venue which also incorporated these colours and from thereon in, all of our choices felt easy. We both wanted to wear a three-piece suit (not matching) and I found a great tweed threepiece suit in Herringbone from Bicester Village. I tied this with a green paisley cravat and matching pocket square.

After a few disastrous florist consultations, we finally found a florist who completely understood what we were looking for. We already knew that we wanted amnesia roses and hydrangeas but we were looking for some input for the ‘filler’ flowers. They also suggested we used jam jars wrapped in lace filled with herbs and grasses to introduce a bit of variety into our flower arrangements. We loved our buttonholes and our “groomsmaid’s” bouquet. Karen and Gemma were a dream to work with and we would recommend them to anyone.

We bought a roll of hessian off the internet and used this for half of the chair sashes and to tie our napkins. We tied lavender with sage coloured wool for the other half of the chairs.

Along with the hessian, we used old suitcases which we found on eBay and used one of these as the guestbook station. We also asked people to take a polaroid of themselves to stick in the guestbook along with their message. My mum hand sewed the bunting which added to the rustic feel we wanted.

Finally, to tie in with the rustic look, we used old wooden crates as the plinths for our big floral pieces.

We were keen to inject some of our personality into the day. We handmade some framed signs to dot around the venue and we also made a board of old photos of the two of us. We had a BBQ in the evening because we thought it would be more relaxed after the formal sit-down wedding breakfast earlier in the day. Small touches can have a big impact – all of our best men wore the same socks and the same lavender colour knitted ties.

Our advice to other couples We were thrilled with how our wedding looked. Our biggest piece of advice to those planning a wedding is to use the internet to help find ideas – blogs like this are so useful. There is no shame in seeing something you like from another wedding and using it as inspiration for your wedding day. Ebay was a god send – we found so many things on there (such as lots of dried lavender stems, rolls of hessian and old suitcases). We also used gumtree to track down some old crates.

We would also say it’s worth investing time and effort into the look of your wedding – and that doesn’t always necessarily mean it will be expensive. If you see something that you think would look amazing at your wedding, then pursue it – you will feel proud of yourself for investing so much effort and having a result you are happy with.

There was one point during the day where we looked around and thought that this is exactly how we wanted the day to look. Every couple should have that feeling on their wedding day.

Get The Right Fit: Wedding Lingerie

One of the things that probably symbolises wedding preparation the most, is shopping for the dress. Whether you go with your mum, your daughter, your entire school class from 2000 or you buy it online, for many it’s a crucial part of the love affair. It’s important to get it right: to ensure that you look as beautiful as ever, that it’s the kind of dress you want and that overall you feel like you can take the day by storm in it.

So our question, lovely readers, is this: why do so many women overlook their underwear? (Other than pinning beautiful eyelash lace sets on Pinterest, obviously.) It’s the fundamental base level at which you need to feel totally comfortable; also, having different underwear on can completely change the look of your dress, and we don’t want to chance these things. This is especially true for ladies with bigger boobs, as the process to find a well-fitting bra gets slightly harder. You wouldn’t settle for an ill-fitting dress, so why settle for an ill-fitting bra?

As your guardian angels, we’ve compiled our essential pointers for those lovely ladies navigating the annuls of wedding underwear for the D+ life, enlisting the help of bra goddesses Bravissimo (a company set up exactly for this reason) to see what you should be thinking about, even before the dress itself.

1. Firstly—find your size.

This may seem obvious, but it’s estimated that over 70% of women wear the wrong size bra, and that’s hardly surprising with less than 40% having ever been for a professional fitting. The wrong size can bring a whole host of issues, ranging from looking uncomfortable to severe back problems, which is not what we want for you! Bravissimo girls are super friendly and can help you with this—if you can’t get to a store, they have a great online fit guide.

2. Don’t panic at your size.

Bras and boobs have evolved over time, which means that the system of numbers and letters isn’t an exact science any more. You could be one size in one brand, and an entirely different size in another brand. Whatever the size is, even if it’s a bigger letter than you even know bras came in, don’t panic. Letters don’t mean nuttin’ when it comes to terms with your beauty. Also, a wellfitting bra will actually draw attention away from your boobs, whether it’s a large size or not, because they’ll be

sitting pretty and properly).

3. Go shopping before you buy your dress and see what’s out there for you.

I know, we’re pushing you to do HORRIBLE things. Aren’t we meanies? It’s really helpful to do this BEFORE you go dress shopping; knowing what’s available for you will make dress shopping so much easier. It’s a really sad truth (one we think needs rectifying IMMEDIATELY…a job for the new Prime Minister maybe?) that past a certain bra size, backless/strapless bras become more limited and harder to come by. But don’t be alarmed – grab a cuppa and we will look after your boobs no problem. Some stars in a reasonably-priced bra car are: STRAPLESS DRESSES: Some gorgeous ones for bigger boobs are the Luxe, and the Evie. If you’re armed with this info from the getgo, it could save you hundreds of pounds worth of deposit on dresses that may be marred by some extra straps!

VINTAGE DREAMS: If you’re looking to be a vision of bigger-boobed vintage gorgeousness, there’s always the Andorra, the Elodie, or the Isla: all gorgeous sets guaranteed to make you feel like a dream.

The added bonus of knowing what's out there before you go dress shopping means that you can know exactly how the dress will fit you on the day too – no surprises!

4. Get to know the fit.

If you have trusted favourites in your lingerie drawer that you rarely stray from, a new bra may feel really alien and quite harsh. Wear it a couple of times, making sure you’ve scooped all your boob into the cup and that the straps are properly adjusted, and this will eliminate discomfort on the big day. This is also important with strapless bras: get to know exactly where it’s supposed to sit on you.

5. Take caution with corsets.

Although boned corsets do provide lift and some support, its not a parallel fit to a bra. If you want the support of your two friendly fabric cups hoiking you in —a lone corset just won’t do, no matter who says so.

Instead AMAZING UPLIFT is given by the Satine, Elise,

or the Deco Darling, which pack a wow factor.

If you’re looking for some extra tummy control, maybe try a basque, which will give you an extra layer to pull you in a bit.

6. Make sure you feel as fabulous as you are!

Written by Ellie Kime In association with Bravissimo www.bravissimo.com

Online fit guide www.bravissimo.com/perfectfit/getting-the-perfectfit/ Luxe – www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/black-white -and-nude-bras/luxe-strapless-bra/nude/ck112nud/ Evie www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/bridal/evie-b ridal-basque/ivory/pnn5iv/ Andorra www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/bridal/andorr a-bra/pearl/pnl4pe/ Elodie www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/bridal/elodi e-bra/white/fag7wh/ Isla www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/bridal/isla-b ra/blue-coral/ln332blr/ Satine www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/bridal/satine -bra/ivory/au15iv/ Elise www.bravissimo.com/products/sale/lingerie/bridal/ elise-bra/pale-pink/pn145ppk/ Deco Darling – www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/bridal/deco-d arling-bra/ivory/fy173ivy/ Evie basque www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/bridal/evie-b ridal-basque/ivory/pnn5iv/

Sash

+

Veil

“And now I feel like a real bride ….” Any wedding dress retailer will tell you, that the moment a bride tries on her veil, and looks in the mirror, is the moment she finally sees her fairytale coming real.

Yet another thing those same designers and retailers tell you, is quite often this moment – the great veiling as we call it – is so often an after-thought. Quite often, a bride will simply pick up what is available, unaware of the vast array of choices open to her. Why should she put so little thought into some which is, quite literally, her defining, crowning sign-off on the most important outfit of her life?

We at Sash and Veil are changing that. Since Angelina Jolie’s memorable child’s etching veil – in which she tasked her brood with doodling designs on her floorlength veil, we find that veils are nudging their way to the top of a bride’s shopping list.

If your veils is the first thing a bride’s guests – or indeed her husband – will notice about her on this day, we have created a vast array of veils from the very simple elegant to the out-and-out wow factor statement - not to complement any dress – but which any dress will complement.

Pick your veil, and design your outfit around it. Afterall, every fairytale should start at the beginning, to reach that happily ever after ….

Written by Heather Cooper, Founder of Sash & Veil You can discover Heather's latest veil collection as well as all her bridal accessories at www.sashandveil.co.uk Photography by Bianco Photography, Kevin Mills Photography and Claire Basiuk Photography

Rustic Boho

Be inspired by the great outdoors, romantic textures and gorgeous metallics

Jamie Sia Photography

Burnby Hall Gardens, a classic estate nestled in the surroundings of the East Yorkshire town of Pocklington, provided the backdrop for this gorgeous collaborative wedding shoot. With a set of supremely talented contributors, the shoot was a boho wedding dream: making use of the magnificent natural landscape, combining them with whimsical floating dresses and soft hair and make up. The result is a true bridal fairytale.

In line with Major Percy Stewart (the original owner of Burnby Hall)’s vision, to travel the world with his wife and have something to talk about, this wedding inspiration shoot is definitely not one to keep quiet about. The colour palette of natural greens, browns, and white, lends understated elegance. Pamella Dunn’s bridal bouquet, a sumptuous arrangement of David Austin roses and leafy foliage, highlights the beauty of dark green as a feature colour. Her styling—including hanging tealight bubbles, macramé plant pots, a carnival-style gold star and a feature mirror —gives the impression of an exquisitely

Jamie Sia Photography

Preserved whole other world that we’ve just stumbled upon.

The wedding dresses were provided by The Bridal Collection, both featuring stunning bodices with lace detailing, and uncomplicated skirts which flowed beautifully, pooling to the ground. Layered pendant jewellery really gave the boho vibe its edge, wonderfully complimented by hair and makeup by the amazingly talented Megan Green. Tousled tresses and deep lip colours gave the brides a carefree edge: a perfect look.

Creative Yorkshire photographer Jamie Sia’s photography tells the story of a perfectly conserved whimsical wonderland, unspoilt by fuss and spilling over with simplistic beauty.

Striking images of the beautiful models Emily and Jazzmin, and featured shots of every single thread woven together to make this masterpiece a reality: now we have something to truly talk about.

Written by Eleanor Kime

Jamie Sia Photography

Jamie Sia Photography

Jamie Sia Photography

With special thanks to: Jamie Sia Photography – www.jamiesia.com Burnby Hall Gardens – www.burnbyhallgardens.com Pamella Dunn Weddings – www.pamelladunn.co.uk Megan Green Hair and Makeup – www.megangreenhairandmakeup.co.uk The Bridal Collection Harrogate – www.thebridalcollectionharrogate.com

Jamie Sia Photography

Our contributors Caroline Arthur www.carolinearthur.com Zoe Ann Photography www.zoeann.net Gorse Hill, Surrey www.deverevenues.co.uk/en/venues/gorse-hill/weddings Love & Light, Woking jeanettescott@btopenworld.com The Buttercup Kitchen www.thebuttercupkitchen.co.uk Arnos Vale Cemetery www.arnosvale.org.uk Elizabeth Weddings www.elizabethweddings.co.uk Siobhan Amy Photography www.siobhanamyphotography.com Megan Lily Flowers www.meganlilyflowers.co.uk The Vintage Sash Company www.thevintagesashcompany.co.uk Chocolate Delores Cakes www.chocolatedelorescakesbristol.co.uk Linda Thomas Eco Design www.lindathomasecodesign.co.uk Elizabeth Weddings www.elizabethweddings.co.uk Emily Gibson www.facebook.com/EmilyLouiseMakeup Rachel Harvey www.instagram.com/rachelharvey87 Ellie Kime Richard Buck Photography www.richard-buck.com Ellis Bridals www.ellisbridals.co.uk Isaac Charles Bridal www.isaaccharlesbridal.co.uk Dollface Makeup Studio www.dollfacemakeupstudio.co.uk Jane Beadnell Photography www.janebeadnellphotography.co.uk Extra Special Touch www.extraspecialtouch.co.uk Becky Ryan Photography www.beckyryanphotography.co.uk Kelly Jane Make-up Artist www.kellyjanemua.co.uk Pin Up Curl www.pinupcurl.co.uk Flowers from Eden www.flowersfromeden.co.uk Sash + Veil www.sashandveil.co.uk Judith Brown Jewellery www.judithbrownjewellery.co.uk Casablanca Bridal www.casablancabridal.com Eliza Jane Howell www.elizajanehowell.com Watters www.watters.com

Our contributors Claire Amelia British Bridal Designer www.claireamelia.com KMR Bridal www.kmrbespokebridal.co.uk Stephanie Moran Couture www.facebook.com/stephaniemorancouture Claire Paver Couture www.facebook.com/ClairePaverCouture Zoes Fancy Cakes www.zoesfancycakes.co.uk Yorkshire Menswear www.facebook.com/yorkshiremenswear Bejeweled Bouquets www.bejeweledbouquets.co.uk Isiko Jewellery www,isiko.co.uk Pamella Dunn Weddings www.pamelladunn.co.uk Bears Pantry www.bearspantry.com Jane Beadnall Stationery & Photography www.janebeadnellphotography.co.uk The Flower Shop Ossett www.flowershopossett.co.uk Soulmate Weddings www.soulmatephotography.co.uk Tim Dunk Photography www.timdunk.com Pastel Sky Models www.facebook.com/pastelskymodels Pastel Sky Photo Booth www.pastelskyphotography.com Jam Entertainment www.jamentertainments.com

MacComms PR Wedding Specialist www.maccomms.net Bar Soba, Leeds www.barsoba.co.uk Bravissimo www.bravissimo.com Sash + Veil www.sashandveil.co.uk Bianco Photography www.biancophotography.com Kevin Mills Photography Claire Basiuk Photography www.clairebasiuk.co.uk Jamie Sia Photography www.jamiesia.com Burnby Hall Gardens www.burnbyhallgardens.com Pamella Dunn Weddings www.pamelladunn.co.uk Megan Green Hair and Makeup www.megangreenhairandmakeup.co.uk The Bridal Collection Harrogate www.thebridalcollectionharrogate.com

Directory www.andsotowed.com/directory

Set up for the style conscious bride who wants to know where her items come from and what their story is, we ensure that all of our vendors either hand make their items or offer a totally bespoke service. We get to know them and it is only when we are happy that they fit the And so to Wed way that they make it into our fabulous Directory. It is because of this unique partnership that we can be confident that you will find quality, creativity and flair within our exclusive Directory. Coupled with this, we know that each of our vendors provide the best customer service possible ensuring that you are treated as you should be, like a queen.

You can get to know our vendors through our website at www.andsotowed.com as they regularly feature in our blog. Here they share their ideas and inspiration as well as their processes and how they work. If you want your wedding items to have provenance, And so to Wed is for you.

We're confident that you will find what you are looking for within the And so to Wed Directory but should there be something you'd like that you can't find, then please contact us as we know lots of lovely people who may just be able to help. You can get in touch at hello@andsotowed.com or via facebook at www.facebook.com/andsotowed

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