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Charlie

Summer sale! Get 25% off vintage ribbon garters from A Alicia Handmade before the end of July 2012

Charlie

The lovely Anna from A Alicia Handmade got in touch to tell me about a great offer she’s running, but only until the end of the month – 31st July 2012 – so that’s less than a week! If you’d love to purchase one of Anna’s beautiful garters, which are made with organic, fair trade and vintage textiles and ribbons, and you quite fancy a 25% discount, then click on this link and use the code LOVE25 at the checkout.

A Alicia Handmade has been part of The Natural Wedding Company directory for before I can even remember, I bought one of her blue ribbon garters for my own wedding last May and can testify to not only how pretty it was (even the box it came in was beautiful) but how comfy it was.

Charlie

Learning the art of flower farming – a guest post from our competition winner on the Catkin cut flower workshop

Charlie

Last week I set off at a very early hour for the Lincolnshire countryside to a place called Doddington Hall where I would spend the day with a group of likeminded ladies learning about cut flowers from Rachel of Catkin Flowers. On the way I picked up the lovely Dasha Caffrey, wedding photographer and one of the lovely businesses you can find on The Natural Wedding Company directory, who took all these stunning photos.

If you are a regular reader of the blog, you might remember that I ran a competition to win a place on this cut flower workshop, and I was thrilled to be joined by the lovely Nik who won the competition and writes a blog called Little House In Town.

Charlie

Sneak peek of the Pimhill Barn launch event – a new rustic wedding venue in Shropshire

Charlie

Last night Mr Rigg and I were lucky enough to be invited to the launch event of a beautiful new wedding venue called Pimhill Barn. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to share some more pictures of the barn and full details, but for now I thought you might like to see the snaps I took.

The barn – which has been sensitively renovated and is full of rustic charm – was decked out with the most stunning wild flower arrangements (from The Better Bunch), there was seriously good canapes and even a paella prepared in front of us, and I got to meet the lovely Ginny who runs Pimhill and the lovely husband and wife duo behind Polly’s Parlour – a fab new vintage VW ice cream van.

Charlie

A romantic photoshoot inspired by a raspberry and teal vintage plate

Charlie

Aren’t you just in-love with this gorgeous flower crown creation, it’s so soft and romantic!

One of the lovely businesses listed in the directory, Fletcher and Foley, shared with me this beautiful collaborative photoshoot from a group of North West based wedding businesses – just wait ’til you see the flower crown!

Joanne from Fletcher and Foley told me that the day was planned to be “a gorgeous, romantic outdoors shoot” at Sandhole Oak Barn in Cheshire but last minute the vision was changed due to terrible weather – I think they did a fab job and I’m sure you’ll find some inspiration.

Charlie

Eco-chic bridal showcase in Manchester of the new Sabina Motasem Bride collection

Charlie

It’s very exciting to hear that Sabina Motasem Bride is holding an exclusive showcase of her new collection in Manchester’s Northern Quarter on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th June 2012.

Held at the new Te Amo Bridal Boutique in the heart of Manchester, this will be a wonderful opportunity for brides-to-be to see this gorgeous collection of wedding dresses, which up until now has only been available in London boutiques.

Charlie

An evening at the Silver Sixpence “Made By You” bridal workshop

Charlie

I am priveledged to live near a vibrant community of small, independent wedding businesses with more and more opportunities to meet with them and experience the products and services they offer. A few weeks ago I got to spend the evening with Nicola from Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe at her new “Made By You” bridal workshop.

We were joined by a group of brides-to-be, two of whom I’d previously met at my 5th birthday party the month before, and another couple I’ve exchanged emails with. Each bride-to-be was there to create a unique bridal accessory that they could wear on their wedding day.

Charlie

A rustic and friendly wedding venue surrounded by rolling countryside – a visit to Huntstile Organic Farm in Somerset

Charlie

A few weeks ago Mr Rigg and I were lucky enough to be invited to spend a night at Huntstile Organic Farm in Somerset. Hunstile is one of the beautiful wedding venues listed on The Natural Wedding Company directory – it’s a gorgeous organic farm run by some of the loveliest people I’ve ever met.

We were warmly welcomed to Huntstile by Lizzie and John (the farm has been in John’s family since 1951 but dates back to the 15th century!) after making our way down lush green winding lanes. The farmhouse is breathtaking, a mixture of warm stone, mullioned windows, and white wash – the ancient front door thick and full of secrets.

Surrounded by rolling farmland, stunning views and a lovely menagerie of goats, ducks and pigs, Huntstile Organic Farm is a tiny piece of heaven and I can’t imagine a more lovely setting for a relaxed country wedding.

Huntstile even has its own stone circle where you can hold a marriage ceremony atop a hill overlooking the farm, a magical spot on the edge of a small copse with views all around. To get you and your guests to the stone circle, Lizzie and John have a wedding tractor and trailer, or if you’re getting married locally in church you can also arrive by tractor.

Charlie

Inspiration for a spring wedding menu featuring foraged wild leaves and edible flowers

Charlie

Sometimes emails land in your inbox that totally inspire you, I had one such email last week from Sarah at Eat My Flowers with her ideas for floral inspired menu. Immediately I was dreaming up a spring wedding picnic based on her menu ideas and thought that you all might like to be inspired as well.

Why not serve your wedding guests a slightly different take on the English afternoon tea, starting with dainty sandwiches filled with organic free range egg and wild hedgerow leaves. Almost too pretty to eat!

Sarah suggests “Swap one layer of the free range egg mayonnaise with a selection of wild leaves such as sorrel and hedge mustard, and edible flowers such wild rocket, violas and mustard. The peppery leaves and flowers make a novel alternative to cress.”

Charlie

Book a place on the Blooming Green wedding flowers course in Kent

Charlie

For all of us who want to get ‘stuck in’ with our wedding days, we really are spoilt with fantastic opportunities to learn how to do a multitude of things, from making vintage inspired bridal headpieces to learning how to put together a bouquet. And even if we decide in the end not to use the skills, they are wonderful fun.

Blooming Green, one of the florists from TNWC directory, is running a course especially for brides wanting to learn how to do some of their wedding flowers. The course is taking place on Sunday 13th May 2012 at their farm in Kent. You’ll get to learn how to make a hand-tied bouquet, buttonhole and a stunning, yet simple, table centre, using fresh flowers from their plot.

Run by cousins Jen and Bek, the Blooming Green wedding flowers course is perfect for brides-to-be who have chosen to arrange their own cut flowers for their wedding. Also included is a delicious lunch using local produce, prepared by Chef Nicci Gurr, who trained with the Roux Brothers.

Charlie

A spring open day and photoshoot to celebrate the new cathedral size wedding yurt from Hooe’s Yurts

Charlie

The Easter weekend saw a fabulous open day hosted by Hooe’s Yurts in deepest, most beautiful Devon. They were celebrating the completion of their huge new 44ft yurt – a cathedral sized structure that can seat 120 wedding guests, or even linked to smaller yurts to create an even bigger space.

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