Another week and another two TNWC Real Brides to introduce to you.  If you missed last week’s features, do check out the details on Emma and Chris’ outdoor festival wedding and Nik and Chris’ relaxed coastal farm wedding – they sound fab!

Today I my next TNWC Real Bride to introduce you to, her name is Myfanwy and she’s marrying her Mr-to-be Tom in North Wales, not to far from their cafe and shop Pethau Melys.  So over to Myfanwy to tell you all about how she met Tom and what they are planning for their wedding…

Myfanwy + Tom: 5th October 2013, North Wales

This is us…Tom and Myfanwy, we met in 2008.

I’d just finished uni in Liverpool and had moved home to North Wales to decide what to do next.  I had two choices, to start my own business right at the beginning of a recession or move to London to work for a big fashion house.

I’d spent the summer toying with the idea of my own business and made a few bits, brooches etc out of fabrics.  I decided to go to a Christmas fair- if I did well I’d stay and try set up a business, if not I’d pack my bags and be off to London, it was make or break.

I choose a fair close to home just 4 miles from my mum’s house, she came with me that weekend.  We where at a manor house grounds, there was some workshops that local artist’s worked at and they had their workshops open for the weekend whilst we where all in a marquee.

Tom was one of the artists, it was a cold weekend, especially in a marquee!  On the Saturday I looked into his workshop from my stand and he signed the letter ‘T’ at me.  I looked round in case I’d make a fool of myself to answer!  No one else was there so I gave him the thumbs up!  We call that day Tea Day now!  The rest is history, I never moved… I started my own business, we bought a house, a dog and a shop!  Four years later he asked me to marry him and I said yes!  It all started with a tea!

So our date is set for October 5th 2013.  We didn’t want to be married at a hotel, it wouldn’t mean anything to us.  Neither of us are terribly religious so that ruled out a church wedding.

We had limited choice for venues as a lot of our friends have got married in North Wales too!  But then we stumbled across Penarth Fawr in Chwilog, a medieval hall that has no electricity and amazing rustic wooden beams.  Whilst most brides would rule it out we fell in love with it, it’s perfect, especially when candle lit.

Reception wise our friend had previously had tipis at their wedding, we hadn’t taken much interest at the time as we had no plans.  I said I’d like a reception near the beach and Tom’s parents live near the beach with a lovely sea view, at the same time we looked at each other and shouted “TIPIS”.  It took some explaining to his parents…his dad has since decided it’s the ‘tipi of love’ as Chris Evans had mentioned one on his radio show!

Because we are both very creative a lot of our wedding will be homemade and homegrown.  Our shop is decorated in vintage furniture which is also a big theme we’ll continue in our wedding.  It’s going to be very seasonal food wise and also with colours and flowers.  Autumn is a great time of year for new season flowers and foods.

Projects that I’ve already decided to make are:

• I’m planing on making little individual hearts which will hang from the back of everyone’s chair with their name on as place names.
• Tom is a potter so he’ll be making lots of little jugs as favours, cake stands and jelly moulds as little salt and pepper pinch pots on each table.
• Our wedding breakfast is going to be pies and mash, to accompany these we’ve thought of pickles – pickled beetroot, cabbage, onions. some Piccalilli and chutneys.  These are things I’m going to making and have in vintage jars and kilner jars on each table.  My dad has just bought a poly tunnel so I’m hoping to grow some veg and include these in the pickles.
• I’m planing on making a little cross stitch of a dachshund to sew on to my weeding dress just by my foot because our dachshund Arthur is always by my side.
• I’m hoping to learn a little flower arranging too to make the arrangements for the day.

I’m sure I’ll have found plenty more ideas by the wedding!

I’m looking forward to being a part of TNWC Real Brides because I’d like to share my ideas with others, it’s really hard when planning a wedding to think of everything and I’ve found other peoples blogs and ideas really useful.  I also think it’d save Tom a little…because he wouldn’t have to listen to me all the time talking wedding at him!!!

I’m thrilled to have Myfanwy as one of my TNWC Real Brides and was lucky enough to meet her, Tom and Arthur the dachshund at a tipi open day.  I love the idea of a seasonal autumn wedding and can’t wait to hear (and see!) more of their plans.  You must also check out Tom’s vintage jelly mould pottery tealight holders – I got some for Christmas and I love them!

Images: (1) Illustration by Izzy Burton; (2+3) Brides own pictures; (4) via Casgliad y Werin Cymru