Blog: summer wedding
Charlie Charlie

Harriet and Paul’s homemade, eco-friendly wedding on a community farm with a dried flower headdress and barn dancing

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Harriet and Paul’s homemade eco-friendly wedding – photography http://www.philevansphoto.co.uk/

Eco-friendly wedding on a community farm

One of the best parts of my job is when an email pops into my inbox from a bride who has been inspired by ideas they’ve found here on my blog, and used some of the wonderful suppliers we feature in our directory.

Today’s bride, Harriet, sent me one such email shortly after I had my baby last autumn. She described her wedding to me and I fell in love with her commitment to creating her wedding with love, making many things by hand, and doing so all on a budget. It was so nice to hear she was inspired by my blog, and now I hope by sharing her wedding here you too can be inspired by her.

Over to Harriet…

Harriet and Paul’s homemade eco-friendly wedding – photography http://www.philevansphoto.co.uk/

Vintage wedding car – photography http://www.philevansphoto.co.uk/

Harriet and Paul got married on the last day of August at Riverbourne Community Farm in Salisbury, in a wedding full of handmade details and surrounded by their loved ones.

“We wanted a homemade, eco-friendly wedding. We didn’t have a huge budget as we were both students so I handmade most things and sourced lots of car boot sales, charity shops and recycled lots from friend’s weddings (such as bunting). 

Dried flower crown from http://www.artisandriedflowers.co.uk/ – photography http://www.philevansphoto.co.uk/

Dried lavender in an earthenware pot – photography http://www.philevansphoto.co.uk/

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Charlie Charlie

Colette and Simon’s vintage eco wedding with an original 1950s wedding dress, homegrown flowers and a vegan feast

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Colette and Simon’s vintage eco wedding – photography http://www.mark-tattersall.co.uk/

Vintage eco wedding

Such a pretty wedding today! Do I say that every time? But each and every wedding is beautiful, and yet so different and personal to the couple. Colette and Simon got married in August on the Cornish coast (you might recognise their wedding venue from last week’s wedding), with a real vintage-cum-eco feel.

Colette told me that for her and Simon, “it wasn’t too much about the look, rather more about the feel we wanted to create which was, beautiful, relaxed, sustainable, vegan and fun, fun, fun!”

I’ll let you see for yourselves – over to Colette and exquisite photography from Mark Tattersall (TNWC recommended wedding photographer and Colette’s brother-in-law!)…

Vintage bride in faux fur stole – photography http://www.mark-tattersall.co.uk/

Homegrown wedding flowers in mismatched glass bottles – photography http://www.mark-tattersall.co.uk/

Origami paper crane wedding ceremony decorations – photography http://www.mark-tattersall.co.uk/

Colourful vintage inspired baby bridesmaid dress – photography http://www.mark-tattersall.co.uk/

“We wanted a kind of a mixture between an eco wedding, a vintage themed wedding – 50s style and a handmade really relaxed wedding. This kind of just reflects our favourite kinds of weddings and our personal likes and dislikes. We wanted everyone to be comfortable and to have lots of fun.”

Homegrown purple and yellow bridal bouquet with buddelia and sunflowers – photography http://www.mark-tattersall.co.uk/

Vintage inspired bride and groom with paper crane ceremony decorations – photography http://www.mark-tattersall.co.uk/

Homegrown summer wedding flowers in vintage bottles – photography http://www.mark-tattersall.co.uk/

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Charlie Charlie

Emma and Chris’ relaxed festival wedding on the Cornish coast with outdoor ceremony in an ampitheatre and colourful flowers

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Emma and Chris’ outdoor festival wedding – photography http://www.rebeccaroundhill.co.uk/

Relaxed festival wedding

Well what an utterly wonderful way this is to start the week – a stunning, sunny, Cornish wedding. The wedding of one of my lovely TNWC Real Brides from last year, Emma (you can read all about her wedding planning and handmade details here). I do hope you’ll check back tomorrow as well as I have their wedding film to share and it is a feel-good way to begin your day.

Emma and Chris got married in July on a stonking hot sunny day in Cornwall. They planned a day that was relaxed and informal, full of colour and with a festival type vibe. I’ll let you decide but I think they achieved all those things they dreamed their day would be.

Over to Emma…

Seasonal summer bouquet of coral peonies and yellow poppies by http://www.thebluecarrot.co.uk/ – photography http://www.rebeccaroundhill.co.uk/

Emma and Chris’ outdoor festival wedding – photography http://www.rebeccaroundhill.co.uk/

Colourful summer wedding bouquets by http://www.thebluecarrot.co.uk/ – photography http://www.rebeccaroundhill.co.uk/

“The Natural Wedding Company and Pinterest played a bit part in the planning process. I used the internet to search for all sorts of things! I  also bought a sketchbook and started scrap booking images and very quickly formed a strong theme for the day.  Most the ideas came from the festival theme – we booked the venue and the flags in the same day – the rest sort of followed naturally.”

“I just want to say that despite the hiccups nothing could have ruined our day – it was just perfect in its imperfection – all the bits that didn’t go according to plan just make for good memories. Something will always go awry but it is those differences that make your special day yours and your only – and the things you will chuckle about when old and grey!”

Bride and groom on beach – photography http://www.rebeccaroundhill.co.uk/

Bridesmaid in coral pink dresses and wedding campervan – photography http://www.rebeccaroundhill.co.uk/

Emma and Chris’ outdoor festival wedding – photography http://www.rebeccaroundhill.co.uk/

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Charlie Charlie

Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding in Dorset on a friend’s farm with buckets of sunflowers and live music

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Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Elegant country wedding

It’s been all about farm receptions in recent real weddings, and today’s beautiful wedding is another stunning example of a simple but elegant way to hold a party in a barn. Tamara and Ed’s wedding was sent to me by their photographers Louise and Teo, who run Taylor & Porter Photographs, one of our recommended suppliers on the directory, who only use film cameras and do so capturing exquisite images.

Over to Tamara to share their wedding day with you…

Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Elegant vintage wedding tables with wild flowers and grasses – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Elegant rustic barn wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Tamara and Ed got married on the last day of August, one what looks like an incredibly bright sunny day in the Dorset countryside. “We got married at Powerstock Church in Dorset. I wanted it here because my mother and father were married there.”

Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Wild and natural country church wedding flowers – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

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Charlie Charlie

Nik and Chris’ chilled out rustic coastal farm wedding with woodland ceremony, chickens and countryside flowers

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Nik and Chris’ chilled out rustic coastal farm wedding – photography http://www.petecranston.com/

Rustic coastal farm wedding

In the past few years of running my business I have been lucky enough to meet and make some lovely friends, many of whom I know will be lifelong friends. I met Nik, today’s bride, two years ago, when she won a place on a cut flower course via the blog and we spent a day together learning how to grow and arrange homegrown flowers.

Since then I’ve followed Nik’s adventures as she has moved to Wales and set up her own business, and last summer when I was heavily pregnant I saw her again when we holidayed in Cardigan. It is an absolute pleasure to share Nik and Chris’ wedding with you all, it is utterly beautiful but completely down-to-earth and full of love and laughter – which seems to me a true reflection of this sweet and kind couple.

Chalkboard wedding sign – photography http://www.petecranston.com/

Nik and Chris’ chilled out rustic coastal farm wedding – photography http://www.petecranston.com/

Rustic bride with chicken – photography http://www.petecranston.com/

Nik and Chris got married last July on the farm where they live in Wales, with a beautiful outdoor ceremony, champagne on the beach, and a chilled out barn reception. If you are having any wobbles about staying true to yourselves when planning your wedding, or whether it’s possible to have a beautiful wedding on a budget, then this is the wedding for you.

By now, if you’re a regular blog reader you’ll have also probably recognised Nik as she was one of our TNWC Real Brides – you can read all about her wedding planning and handmade details here.

White lace bridesmaid dresses – photography http://www.petecranston.com/

This wedding was captured by Pete Cranston, who is one of our recommended photographers on the directory.  Do pop back to the blog tomorrow as I have Nik and Chris’ wedding video to share, which brings to life their wedding day

Over to Nik to…

Rustic barn wedding venue – photography http://www.petecranston.com/

Rustic barn wedding tables – photography http://www.petecranston.com/

Bride on a horse – photography http://www.petecranston.com/

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Charlie Charlie

Jo and Dom’s natural and relaxed Scottish wedding with a ceremony in a ruined chapel, picnic on the beach, and foraged flowers

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Taylor & Porter Photographs

Relaxed Scottish wedding with a beach picnic

A real wedding feature has been long overdue, and what nicer way to kick off 2014 than with the exquisite wedding of Jo and Dom. They got married last July in Scotland with a ceremony in a ruin chapel amongst the dunes, a beach picnic for all their guests, swimming in the sea, foraged and wild flowers for the bouquets and table arrangements, and a beautifully decorated tent – phew!

I could go on and on and on about everything that I love about this wedding, but it’s better than I just let you immerse yourself. Go get lost in Jo and Dom’s wonderful day…

Taylor & Porter Photographs

“We wanted our wedding to be as natural and relaxed as possible. We wanted to be able to enjoy it, and for everyone else to have a good time too! We had a humanist wedding in a tiny ruined chapel on the east coast of Scotland, just down the coast from Edinburgh followed by a picnic on the beach.”

“I grew up there and every Christmas my family walk down the beach to the ruin with some friends and hold an informal Christmas ceremony where we sing carols and have readings and generally acknowledge that its Christmas.”

Country bride with foraged flower bouquet and flower crown - Taylor & Porter Photographs

Taylor & Porter Photographs

“Dom proposed on boxing day 2012 on a rock just beside the chapel and there was never any question that we would marry anywhere else. It’s a very important place to me. Our wedding guests had to walk over the dunes for half an hour to reach the chapel so the weather was definitely a concern! But no, we didn’t have a wet weather plan!”

Taylor & Porter Photographs

Taylor & Porter Photographs

Taylor & Porter Photographs

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Izzy Izzy

A Day in the Life … For The Love Of Vintage: styling an English Summer Fete wedding in the Lake District

Izzy

A day in the life of For The Love Of Vintage

Today we have a lovely guest post from Sharon who runs a vintage crockery company For The Love Of Vintage.  For our ‘A Day in the Life’ feature Sharon is taking us along to find out what it’s like to be involved with one particular summer Lake District wedding.

Over to Sharon…

Lake District

Apart from my life long obsession with crockery and getting to play tea parties every day, the two things I love most about my job are the variety (as no two vintage weddings are ever the same) and the people I meet.

I have styled weddings in all sorts of venues but was especially excited when Kimberly and Tim contacted me to discuss their big day.  We met over a year before the wedding, eating cake, drinking tea and talking about the wonderfully creative ideas they had and our mutual love of Cocker Spaniels!

One of the things I loved most about the ideas for the day was Kimberley and Tim’s determination to use artisan crafts people, local suppliers and really bring their treasured Lake District as a theme into the whole day.  I just knew from the start this was going to be a very special wedding.

After a year of planning and preparation July 6th was almost upon us.  It’s hard to squeeze an event like this into just one day but here is my story of a perfect wedding day!

Meadow style wedding flowers in a tipi

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Charlie Charlie

A Day in the Life … Pyrus: growing seasonal and organic wedding blooms in a Scottish walled garden

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Day in the life of Pyrus

I am so thrilled to be back with this ‘A Day in the Life’ feature on the blog.  Embarrassingly it’s been over a year since I did my first one (have a read here) but I do hope that I can bring it as a more regular feature.  The idea behind it is to give you a peek into the lives of some of the fab wedding businesses that you can find on our directory.

Today I’m handing the blog over to Natalya and Fiona who are the dynamic and creative duo behind Pyrus, flower farmers growing seasonal and organic blooms from their walled garden near Edinburgh and weaving them into the most fantastic floral arrangements.  

Over to Natalya and Fiona…

Late summer seasonal bouquet with cosmos, nigella seed heads and blackberries by Pyrus

Natalya and Fiona from Pyrus flowers in Scotland

Scabious

Earlier this year we invited the wonderful photographer Nic Rue to spend the day at the Pyrus flower garden and studio outside Edinburgh, documenting us as we prepared for a late summer wedding.

We first met Nic when she came to one of our flower classes with friends and knew we wanted to work with her on a project.  We were nervous about opening our doors to be photographed but we needn’t have worried, in fact it was a pleasure to share our studio with her for the day.  She brought a plethora of cameras in her kit bag and the results are a combination of digital and film shots which captured the Colstoun estate we are based on beautifully.

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Izzy Izzy

Hayley and Iain’s rustic and romantic wedding in the country with hessian, lace and daisies for an intimate feel to the day

Izzy

Christopher Ian Photography

Romantic wedding in the country

I took a look back through the Real Weddings we’ve featured on the blog, and it’s been months and months since we last featured one. In other words, it’s been too long – I know how much wonderful inspiration and ideas that other couples’ weddings provide, and we have lots of pretty ones lined up for you.

Today we have the romantic, rustic country wedding of Hayley and Iain who got married in Cheshire this past September which was sent to me by Christopher Ian Photography, one of the great photographers on our directory.  Over to Hayley to share with you the details of their beautiful day…

Milk churn with wedding flowers - Christopher Ian Photography

Flower crown - Christopher Ian Photography

Vintage bike wedding sign - Christopher Ian Photography

Groom with vintage pocket watch - Christopher Ian Photography

'Just Married' wedding sign - Christopher Ian Photography

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Izzy Izzy

Country garden and dreamy meadow inspired bridal bouquets full of seasonal blooms and a necklace made of flowers

Izzy

Seasonal summer bouquet of sweet peas and lavender

What a beautiful feast of floral design we have for you today!  If you are planning a summer wedding and have just started thinking about your wedding flowers, then grab of cup of something warm and settle down to soak up some inspiration from one of our florists, Campbell’s Flowers.

Over the summer Tracey and her team at Campbell’s Flowers had a lovely intern – Kate – working for them.  To celebrate the end of her internship they put together a shoot of stunning seasonal blooms, and my gosh are they heavenly.  Kate also works as a second shooter for a wedding photographer so she’s pretty nifty with a camera, capturing this beautiful floral collection at Sheffield Botanical Gardens.

Here’s Kate to tell you more about what they did…

Flower necklace of cosmos and nigella

To mark the final day of an amazing internship with Campbell’s Flowers, we ventured off to shoot some beautiful British grown bouquets.  While taking shelter from the summer showers we made use of the beautiful light in the Pavilions in Sheffield Botanical Gardens and got some lovely soft shots of the interchangeable flower necklace and flower crown, crafted from locally grown seasonal flowers.

Wedding bouquet of lavender, sweet peas and cosmos

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