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Charlie

My favourite finds at the Designer Vintage Bridal Show 2012 – from heirloom veils to illustrated wedding stationery

Charlie

On Saturday I headed off with my friend Faye (a bride-to-be herself) to explore the delights at this years Designer Vintage Bridal Show. Held at a beautiful old house called Hagley Hall, the show was stuffed full of exhibitors, a vintage tearoom, catwalk shows and the ever-beautiful presence of Wedding Yurts’ giant yurt set up in the grounds.

Having spent the whole journey down from Manchester nattering about weddings, both Faye and I were psyched up for a lovely day – and if you’re after a wedding fair/show that offers something a bit more personal and unique, then the Designer Vintage Bridal Show is the place to go.

So here are my favourite finds from the day…

Lucy Hayes Bespoke Bridal Veils

The first exhibitor and stall that we both fell in love with, was a riot of exquisite lace veils and headpieces. This was my idea of wedding heaven, lots of beautiful antique lace that had been lovingly crafted into some of the most breathtaking veils I’ve seen. The veils are handmade by Lucy Hayes (no website, but can be contacted at lucy@lucyhayedbridalveils.co.uk or on 01935 389 400) at her home in Dorset using French and English lace.

Charlie

A Day in the Life … The Garden Gate Flower Company: heavenly Cornish meadow bouquets amidst the mud and farm life

Charlie

I don’t know about you, but when I was planning our wedding I really liked to meet the people behind the business and to get to know them and how they run their company. Don’t you find there are so many gigantic corporations keen to sell us things we don’t really need, whether it be for our wedding or just everyday life. For me I find it a breath of fresh air to meet small businesses who are creating quality products and services.

I’m always curious to find out who they are, why they run their business, how it came about and what it entails – whether it be creating a stunning wedding cake, growing flowers for a wedding, running a unique and personal wedding venue, or handmaking those beautiful details. In a world so dominated by the internet, I want to help you get to know some of the businesses who feature on The Natural Wedding Company directory.

So I’m going to try out a new series on the blog, a kind of ‘day in the life’ where you can find out more about some of the companies on The Natural Wedding Company directory and how they grow, make, and run their businesses. If you have any feedback on this idea (i.e. is it any good?) then please let me know in a comment below, your thoughts really help direct what I bring you on the blog.

Charlie

Competition winners Sheila and Bruce’s illustrated wedding map with afternoon tea in a village hall

Charlie

Earlier in the week you might have seen the beautiful illustrated wedding map created for our competition winner Myfanwy and Tom (I loved the mini Daschshunds!) – well today I have our other winners map to share. Alexandra from Pigeon & Quill, was moved by Shelia and Bruce’s story and wanted to offer them a wedding map as a gift.

Shelia and Bruce are getting married next May in Somerset – 10 years to the day after their first date! Shelia told me, “We were very touched and grateful that Alex decided to make us a map – she asked for so much information so that she could really create a map personal to us including key elements to give a ‘feel’ of what the day was about.”

Charlie

Competition winners Myfanwy and Tom’s illustrated wedding map with cute mini Dachshunds and a red Fergi tractor

Charlie

Regular readers might remember this fantastic competition I ran recently to win an illustrated wedding map from Pigeon & Quill. Well, this week I get to share the two maps from the lucky winners! Alexandra from Pigeon & Quill has certainly been busy, and the maps are just beautiful. Do check back later this week to see the other map she created.

The winner of the competition was Myfanwy and Tom, who are getting married next October – Myfanwy and Tom run Pethau Melys, a cafe and craft shop in North Wales – you might remember I featured Tom’s lovely clay tealight holders inspired by vintage jelly moulds.

Myfanwy and Tom in their cafe and craft shop with Arthur their mini Dachshund

Myfanwy kindly told me her reaction when she found out they’d won:

“On the day the competition was announced we were at work and had a queue come 5pm – I opened the blog quickly just to see who’d won, I couldn’t believe it when I saw our names! I said to Tom ‘oh my god we won!'”

Charlie

PapaKata Autumn Open Weekend on 13th and 14th October 2012

Charlie

Recently I welcomed PapaKåta to The Natural Wedding Company directory, they specialise in hiring out giant teepee tents for weddings and they’re holding an Autumn Open Weekend on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th October 2012. Held at Escrick Park Estate near York, this open weekend will give you an opportunity to see the Kata tents in all their glory and ask the team questions.

PapaKåta are the most northly based of the giant teepee hire companies that are listed on the directory, so for all my couples who are getting married in the north of the country this is a fantastic opportunity to see these stunning tents set up. They are truly unique and magical spaces and, having been in them myself, I would highly recommend a visit if you are considering them for your wedding reception.

Charlie

A breathtakingly beautiful wildflower wedding cake with sugarpaste flowers

Charlie

Couples planning your weddings – I’m so envious of you! I know, I’ve been there, planned and enjoyed an utterly wonderful wedding day (which I wouldn’t change for the world), but I get a tiny bit jealous when I come across all these wonderful new businesses and ideas.

This stunning wedding cake is from one of our new TNWC businesses – Amy Swann Cakes. Isn’t it just breathtaking! Each of those tiny flowers are handcrafted by Amy from sugarpaste – handcrafted!

Charlie

An autumn offer on wedding flowers from Jay Archer Floral Design

Charlie

It’s time for a fantastic offer from one of our TNWC businesses – the lovely Jay from Jay Archer Floral Design is offering my readers a 10% discount on wedding flowers for November 2012 weddings booked before Friday 20th September 2012.

Jay Archer Floral Design create beautiful wedding floristry using seasonal blooms, and rare and native species with quirky textures and old fashioned scents. Jay likes to reflect the British seasons, using varying herbs, fruit, vegetables, wild and unusual flowers to provide a different and unique take on floral design.

So if you’re getting married in November 2012 then don’t miss this wonderful offer – to get your 10% discount simply quote Autumn Love when you get in touch with Jay before Friday 20th September 2012. For more details and to enquire about wedding flowers, contact Jay at jay@jayarcherfloraldesign.com or by phone on 07519 818 223.

Charlie

Green Wedding Fair and Open Day at Welsh Green Weddings on Sunday 23rd September 2012

Charlie

Welsh Green Weddings are holding a Green Wedding Fair and Open Day on Sunday 23rd September 2012. Held at the Ceridwen Centre on their Welsh farm, they will be showcasing eco-chic wedding suppliers and providing an opportunity for brides and grooms to come and see what their beautiful wedding venue has to offer.

Simone from Welsh Green Weddings tells me that “Organic, fair trade, recycled and vintage will feature heavily, from florists to photographers” and there will be music and canapés to enjoy as well. There will also be a fantastic prize draw to win the Old Dairy as your wedding ceremony venue.

Charlie

Cast a twinkling glow over your wedding day with these DIY starry night candle wraps

Charlie

Whether at home or your wedding, I think lighting plays an important role in creating atmosphere. I love low, soft, romantic lighting – flickering candles, warm glowing lamps, or a crackling fire. This project from Wild Olive for creating a starry candle wrap is simple to recreate and would be fun for either your home or wedding – I can just imagine a cluster of these casting a pretty glow.

Charlie

White Memoirs Wedding Wishes competition with a prize worth over £1000!

Charlie

*Please note this competition is now closed 04/10/12*

Last week I shared details of the fabulous upcoming White Memoirs Vintage Wedding Fair that is being held in Manchester on Sunday 7th October 2012. Incredibly the 20 free tickets I had to giveaway went within the first few hours of the blog post going live, and today I’ve got even more goodies to share with you.

The wonderful White Memoirs exhibitors are contributing a host of fantastic prizes worth over £1,000 for one lucky bride to win! If the date is in your diary or you were thinking about buying yourself a ticket to this lovely wedding fair, then don’t miss this opportunity to win ALL of the following…yes, just one lucky bride will walk away with all of this…

What an incredible prize that is! If you’d like to enter the competition you’ll find details below of how to do so, and please have a read of the terms and conditions at the bottom of the page. The lucky winner will be announced at the White Memoirs Vintage Wedding Fair on Sunday 7th October 2012 – you must be present at the wedding fair.

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