featuring our businesses Archives - Page 2 of 23

Blog: featuring our businesses

Charlie

Handmade eco paper wedding flowers from Cooper Floral Design

Charlie

If you’re considering or searching for an alternative to fresh wedding flowers, then Cooper Floral Design’s handmade eco paper wedding flowers might just be what you were looking for. We’re sharing a selection of her beautiful wedding bouquets that combine her delicate tissue paper flower creations alongside dried foliage and flowers. We’ll also be hearing more about how she creates her flowers, including dying the paper herself with natural plant dyes.

Sharon has an incredible skill for creating incredibly delicate and realistic flowers from plant dyed papers, and then arranging them into exquisite bouquets alongside dried foliage, flowers and seedheads. Hers is a small eco-friendly wedding business that I get really excited about.

Cooper Floral Design is a Recommended Supplier of The Natural Wedding Company directory. Find out more about them here.

Bespoke wedding bouquets, buttonholes and arrangements

Sharon of Cooper Floral Design handmakes all of the paper flowers used in her floral wedding creations. These are beautiful, unique paper flowers dyed in a subtle palette of natural colours (read more about this below). She has a real talent for combining her handmade paper flowers into exquisite bouquets, buttonholes and arrangements alongside dried flowers, foliage and seedheads.

Bouquets and arrangements are made to order based on your specific wishes, so time is needed to plan and create your wedding flowers. Most of the bouquets featured here on the blog range in price from about £80 to £150. They will last a long time after your wedding too, and I love the idea that you can continue to receive a lot of joy from displaying the flowers in your home long after your wedding day.

Charlie

Choosing wedding suppliers whose ethics match your own by Erika Tanith Photography

Charlie

Are you struggling with where to start when considering your wedding suppliers? What are your own ethics and are you concerned about compromising on them for your wedding day?

We have vegan wedding photographer Erika Tanith – one of our TNWC Recommended Suppliers – with us to share her thoughts on some of the things you might want to ask or consider. She’s got lots of recommendations and thought-provoking questions to help you determine how best to choose the wedding suppliers that fit with your personal ethics.

Erika Tanith Photography is a TNWC Recommended Supplier of The Natural Wedding Company directory. Find out more about her here.

Choosing Wedding Suppliers Whose Ethics Match Your Own

Wedding planning is all about choice. The choices we make in our wedding suppliers is how we make a wedding our own. It’s not just about the colour of the flowers, but the artistry that goes into making the bouquet. The style of the cake is important to the aesthetic of your day, but the taste and the ingredients are also key. Similarly, the suppliers’ values and ethics matter.

So why are your suppliers’ values important and how do you figure out if they align with your own?

Why it’s important

Ultimately, you want your hard-earned cash to go to people who will use that money wisely. If you yourself are someone who diligently recycles then you wouldn’t give money to someone who sends their waste to landfill, especially if that waste were generated at your behest. If you believe in LGBTQIA+ rights, you wouldn’t give money to an openly homophobic organisation.

Our values are a big part of our lives and personalities, so making informed choices on who you have at your wedding is key to maintaining integrity and the joy you’ll feel on your big day.

Charlie

New ethical wedding dress collection from Indiebride London 2023

Charlie

Introduction to the collection

Indiebride London are a well-established and sought after sustainable UK bridal brand who have launched a new collection of wedding dresses. We are delighted to bring you the full collection, showcasing this beautiful selection of bohemian and romantic ethical wedding dresses.

Indiebride London says “The gowns are designed to be worn with confidence at natural, rustic and bohemian-style celebrations.”

As with each collection at Indiebride London, the dresses are simply inspired by the materials that are available to source at that moment in time, offering an authentic, alternative and honest approach to bridalwear.

Started in 2008, Indiebride London has developed over the years, transforming from a
ready-to-wear brand before establishing itself as the go-to bridal studio for heirloom quality gowns with a sustainable edge. Now run by Miina (who began as the brand’s first ever intern, acting as seamstress and production assistant), Indiebride London are renowned for their exceptional quality, handmade dresses, with comfort at the very heart of their businesses.

Indiebride London is a Recommended Supplier of The Natural Wedding Company directory. Find out more about them here.

Eco credentials

From sourcing materials to the alterations, every element of the wedding dress making process is carefully considered and delivered with exceptional customer service. Their exquisite laces, silk, bamboo and Tencel lyocell used throughout their designs are manufactured and sourced locally in the UK. Indiebride London wedding gowns are made-to-order, avoiding any unused dresses held in stock, with any off-cuts actively recycled and reused.

Introducing the dresses

Below you’ll find details and photos of each dress from the new Indiebride London ethical wedding dress collection. If you’d like to book an appointment to view and try any of these dresses, please contact Indiebride London directly via their booking page.

Clover dress

What Indiebride London says about the Clover dress: “Handmade in London, the ‘Clover’ gown features statement triangular sleeves, with a subtly flared skirt that has the most graceful movement imaginable.”

Using lace made in the UK and lined with soft organic bamboo.

Charlie

5 reasons you should buy a recycled gold wedding ring

Charlie

Recycled gold wedding ring - coloured gem ethical engagement rings // Lilia Nash Jewellery

Have you heard of a recycled gold wedding ring? I knew that recycled gold was an option for wedding and engagement rings, but I didn’t really know why you might choose recycled gold, over fair trade gold. We recently met with Lilia Nash Jewellery in the Cotswolds to find out more, plus details on how you can get an exclusive 10% discount below.

A few months ago I had the pleasure of visiting Lilia Nash Jewellery’s workshop and boutique shop in the Cotswolds. It is the perfect place to go and view Lilia’s beautiful engagement and wedding ring designs, and to meet the talented designer who crafts them.

Recycled gold wedding ring - Cotswold jewellery boutique // Lilia Nash Jewellery

Lilia Nash Jewellery uses recycled gold for their wedding rings

Lilia Nash Jewellery is a long standing eco wedding supplier on The Natural Wedding Company directory, so I am familiar with Lilia’s timeless designs and her exquisite use of coloured gemstones. What I was interested to hear more about, when talking with Lilia and her partner Steve, was her passion for using recycled gold.

I have to admit, my first thoughts about a recycled gold wedding ring didn’t conjure up the most romantic image. Certainly not what you would immediately image for your wedding or engagement ring. But on talking with Lilia and Steve I found out exactly why you would choose a recycled gold wedding ring.

Top 5 reasons you should buy a recycled gold wedding ring

So here’s Lilia Nash Jewellery’s top 5 reasons why you should choose a recycled gold wedding ring:

Recycled gold wedding ring - his and hers wedding rings // Lilia Nash Jewellery

Samantha

Ethical wedding jewellery made with soul from Shakti Ellenwood

Samantha

Today we have the next instalment in our Meet the Maker series – getting to know more about the face behind Shakti Ellenwood the creator of ethical wedding jewellery made with soul.

Shakti is one of the incredible ethical wedding jewellery designers from our directory. She specialises in exquisite fair trade wedding and engagement rings with proper heart and soul. Based in her studio in Somerset, all of her jewellery is handcrafted and receives a special ‘blessing’. She is truly passionate about her craft and her route to designing jewellery is truly a fascinating one.

Intrigued now? Well we asked her some questions for you so you can find out more…

Ethical wedding jewellery rich in ritual and romance

Hi Shakti, welcome to the Meet the Maker series thank you for taking part. We’d love to know the back story behind your business, how did it start out?

Well, it all began back in India in 1994. I was living between Japan, Thailand and India and during a visit to Pune I became very sick with a high fever. I was living in the infamous ‘White House’ guest house and a concerned fellow traveller and resident, Asi, took me in and kept watch over me. He was a jeweller and sat at a small work bench, on the floor, hammering, soldering and sawing.

I became captivated by the intricacy of the work and the beauty of the high karat gold and gemstones he worked with. When I had recovered, he presented me with the most beautiful gold and turquoise ring…I was hooked! I knew with all certainty that this was what I was meant to be doing.

From there I followed a boyfriend to San Francisco and by an act of serendipity I got a job at The Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts, where I trained in the Graduate Jeweller program over the next five years. Later training with 5th Generation Armenian Master Goldsmith, Hratch Nargizian, a man of extraordinary skill and talent, who remains my mentor to this day.

Such a wonderful fascinating story! The story isn’t the only thing fascinating about your business, you describe your rings as being “rich in ritual and romance”, could you tell us more about this and what that means to you?

I sat with the Huni Quin tribe, who live in the depths of the Amazon Rainforest. They instilled in me the importance of ritual in all that you do. How all things must be created with a conscious awareness and with respect to the materials you are using, where they have come from and where they are going. To the Huni Quin all of life is prayer whether they are hunting, cooking or singing. I have described in more depth the details of how this is incorporated into my work in the question on ‘little gold prayers’.

Every ring is rich in romance from the inside out, a symbol of love a commitment. This romance is created by the ancient love songs I sing as I work, by the artisanal aspect of how they are made, the prayers bestowed upon them and ultimately to the dignity given to the miners who pull this precious metal out of the earth. Visually, this romance can be see through the delicacy of the work, the ‘secret’ hearts which are carved into the back of the engagement rings, the star settings and the milligrain edging often seen in my jewellery.

Samantha

A Day in the Life of The Real Cut Flower Garden: behind the scenes of Floristry on the Wild side workshop

Samantha

I think it’s always wonderful to go ‘behind the scenes’ and find out more about the brilliant independent wedding businesses from our directory. Today we get the opportunity to get to know the ever so talented Charlie Ryrie of The Real Cut Flower Garden.

Charlie, in our eyes, is one of the original champions of British grown flowers for weddings, and we have always admired the magic she creates with her seasonal country garden grown flowers. As well as creating wedding flowers, Charlie runs creative floral workshops to share her expertise. Hosted in a wonderful old barn at New House Farm and artisan studios in Broadoak near Bridport in West Dorset. Today’s ‘Day in the Life’ feature showcases her`Floristry on the Wild side’ workshop.

The workshop was beautifully captured by Liz Baker photography, who specialises in luxury wedding photography, brand editorials, and feminine portraiture. To provide the accompanying words with the lovely images we will hand you over to Charlie herself to tell you a bit more about the workshops and the story behind her business…

Samantha

Celebrating British Flowers Week 2017 and why you should choose British wedding flowers

Samantha

It goes without saying that we are huge advocates of supporting British flower farmers. We wholly promote using British and seasonal flowers for your wedding day. It is always with delight then that we enjoy celebrating British Flowers Week. We love that British flowers and foliage get the love and publicity they deserve. Luckily we are finding that their popularity is growing more and more which is amazing to see. This week is British Flowers Week 2017 and we wanted to mark it with a little recap as to why we think you should buy British blooms and support our homegrown experts and businesses.

Charlie

Beautiful botanical wedding favours for a natural wedding from Oakwood Soaperie

Charlie

We’re back with our Meet the Maker series interviewing small business Oakwood Soaperie who create beautiful botanical wedding favours. When planning your wedding it’s easy to get caught up in check lists of what you need to buy, but we think it’s important to take a moment to get to know the people behind the businesses.

Today we are joined by Ceri from Oakwood Soaperie, a Northumberland based small business creating a beautiful range of botanical wedding favours. From luxurious soaps to bath salt shots, Ceri is dreaming up and creating some delightful sounding natural botanical wedding favours.

We wanted to find out more about what inspires her, how she got started, and the process of creating her range.

Beautiful botanical wedding favours for a natural wedding

Hi Ceri, welcome to our Meet the Maker series. Tell us how you first dreamt up Oakwood Soaperie?

I have a background in art and design and after many years of non-creative jobs, I was hankering to get back to designing and making once more. I officially began Oakwood Soaperie in October 2010 after many, many months of researching, reading and formulating recipes while experimenting with natural ingredients and making some basic products.

I was working full time and fitting in building up to launch my business in my spare time. I began at my dining room table which I soon outgrew, and now have a beautiful, rural studio within a National Trust property near my home town where I can make everything and work on my business full time.

Charlie

Laura and Jamie’s autumn village hall wedding with statement flower crown, emerald green bridesmaid dresses and a squirrel cake topper

Charlie

In nature, autumn is a blaze of vibrant colours and this week’s Real Wedding is all about those quintessential autumnal colours. Emerald green bridesmaid dresses, rusty orange leaves, plump purple blackberries, soft brown fur and deep red dahlias. This autumn village hall wedding is a feast for the senses too; the textures are intense with pheasant feathers, ears of wheat and berries adorning the dahlia bouquets, buttonholes and hair clips.

Captured by TNWC recommended photographer, Amy Taylor Imaging, Laura and Jamie’s autumn village hall wedding is the product of a whole community coming together and pitching in. The ceremony took place in her parent’s tiny local church and the celebrations unfolded in the village hall in which her youth clubs were hosted when she was a teenager.

We chat to bride Laura to find out more about the their special day…

Autumn village hall wedding

Samantha

A Southend Barns autumn wedding inspiration shoot with Minna wedding dress, seasonal foliage and lanterns

Samantha

Please note: Minna is now Indiebride London.

Today’s Southend Barns autumn wedding inspiration shoot is bound to cheer up any ‘January blues’. Think soft glowing lights, trailing foliage in vibrant autumnal hues, jewel-toned seasonal flowers and ethereal bridal style evoking visions of Elven folk from a Tolkien novel.

This beautiful shoot was dreamt up by the rustic farm venue Southend Barns in Chichester and To Have and To Hire wedding stylists. The shoot aimed to showcase local and ethical wedding businesses which of course we always love to see. The styling was a celebration of autumn to reflect the beautiful textures, forms and colours it has to offer. Everything was perfectly captured by award-winning wedding photographer Kelly Hearn.

Seasonal wedding ideas:

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

DIY + Inspiration

Real Weddings

Suppliers + Products

Browse the blog:

Planning

Advertise

Get your eco wedding business listed on our directory