wedding dress Archives - Page 2 of 6 - The Natural Wedding Company

Blog: wedding dress

Charlie

The new Minna wedding dress collection 2017 – ethical and affordable boho style wedding dresses for the natural bride

Charlie

Please note: Minna is now Indiebride London.

The 2017 wedding dress collection from Minna is full of modern dresses with hints of vintage and bohemian glamour. There is exquisite attention to detail, and lots of lace – but in an understated way. 2017 and 2018 brides will be truly spoilt by how much choice there is in this new collection, but it’s the stunning back detailing that really caught our attention. Almost every dress in this new collection has a unique and often surprising back to it.

Minna wedding dress collection 2017

As always, Minna has created a collection that is not only beautiful and with excellent ethics, but also affordable. The wedding dresses in the 2017 collection range in price from £800 to £1500. On top of this during March 2017 Minna is offering 10% off to all our brides-to-be, click the link for full details and to get your offer code.

Onto the wedding dresses, here are some of our favourites…

Boho wedding dress with lace panelling

The Estelle wedding dress has a real hipster boho vibe with modern lace panelling on the back and skirt. There’s one of those beautiful wedding dress backs that you don’t expect, but really add to the overall look and feel of the dress.

Edwardian-esque wedding dress with ribbon waist

For me the star beauty of the Charley wedding dress is it’s back and the detail that’s gone into it. This dress whilst modern in feel, sweeps me right back to days gone by with all that beautiful vintage-esque lace.

Charlie

Dear bride-to-be, wear a wedding dress you can move in

Charlie

Our friend and TNWC recommended photographer Maureen du Preez has a wonderful way with words. She is writing about wedding issues that we think are really important – not just what flowers to choose, or how to do your hair.

When looking for your wedding dress, have you prioritised how easily you can move in it? We’re not talking about just how well you can walk down the aisle, but truly move in it. Can you dance all night in it, be hugged all day, and eat all the good food? Is it a wedding dress you can wander through a forest in or hike across the moors in. Can you even get muddy in it?

If I haven’t already convinced you to think more about this, perhaps Maureen du Preez’s beautifully written words will.

Why You Should Choose A Wedding Dress You Can Move In

Dear bride-to-be,

Wear a wedding dress you can move in. You can love in. A gown that makes you feel like a queen who can dance all night until your bones ache, and be held tight by your loved ones all day long.

A dress you can climb hills in, explore forests, to reach that special place you long your love to be captured. Where the magical light spills in, and the trees canopy around.

Charlie

Alex and James’ intimate natural wedding with vintage French lace wedding dress, local pub reception and pavlova wedding cake

Charlie

We’ve got a treat for you in this week’s intimate natural Real Wedding. This couple decided to do things their way and it turned out to be all about friends and food.

They dug up their garden the day before the wedding to fill rusted tins with sweet peas, rosemary and lavender, saved the partying for the weekend after their big day, and ceremoniously cut into a berry-topped wedding pavlova at their reception. Intrigued? You should be.

Luckily it was all captured beautifully by TNWC recommended Oxana Mazur of Oxi Photography, who is renowned for her natural and intimate documentary style. So let’s delve into the rosy-hued pictures and learn more from bride Alex…

Charlie

Why you should ignore everyone’s wedding planning rules (including ours): An alternative guide to planning your wedding

Charlie

We felt it was about time that we put together our own alternative wedding planning guide, one that encourages and empowers you to create a wedding that reflects you as a couple. Many couples that stumble across our eco wedding directory and blog tell us they suddenly feel at home amidst the often crazy world of weddings.

“I felt I had an affinity with your blog that inspired me to be confident in creating a wedding day that was meaningful to us as a couple.”

Here are our top 10 tips to create an alternative wedding planning guide. Take what you want and leave the rest. We’re not here to tell you what to do or how to do it, we just want to empower you to make your own choices and create a wedding that reflects you.

1. Pinterest – The Bane Of A Newly Engaged’s Life?

Don’t get us wrong we really do love Pinterest (<< go see if you don’t believe us), we can get lost on it for hours and it really is a great source of inspiration. HOWEVER, please don’t let all the beautiful styled images freak you out and suddenly make you think you need to have things you hadn’t even considered. Use it as a tool for ideas and leave it at that, don’t get wrapped up in recreating every styled image you see. Unless of course DIY is your bag and you have the time to do it stress-free.

2. Your Wedding Should Not Be Used As An Excuse To Spend Money You Don’t Have

Your wedding in not an excuse to spend more money than you have or are prepared to spend. Lots of couples will have a budget (in 2016 the average UK wedding cost – in our opinion an eye-watering – £25,000), but just because you set your budget at X amount doesn’t mean you need to find things to spend it all on.

Why not try working the opposite way. Start with no budget and by listing out the big things you’d love. Find out how much they cost, then list out your essentials and find out how much they cost. Add it all up. Finally, work out how much more you can, need or want to spend on your wedding. This might help you to focus on what you really want rather than just spending (or blowing) your budget.

It’s also worth accepting early on that (some of) your dreams will likely be dashed by “lack of money” (whether you are spending £2,500 or £25,000). Instead of feeling disheartened, see what you can dream up when you are forced to be creative and think outside the box, you might just get something even more wonderful.

Samantha

The beautiful and affordable eco wedding dress collection from Sister Organics

Samantha

Affordable eco wedding dress collection from Sister Organics

Today we are introducing you to our new series Meet the Maker. Our eco wedding directory is bursting full of incredible independent businesses with just as incredible people behind those businesses. The aim of this series is to not just introduce you to their products but share a little bit about the people that make them what they are and why in particular our brides-to-be will love what they do.

The first person we are excited to showcase today is Natalie, who is the brains behind the organic and eco-fabric wedding dress brand Sister Organics. We love the beautiful laid-back and classic designs she creates and we are sure you will do too.

Why brides should consider a dress from Sister Organics

Hi Natalie, it’s lovely to get to chat to you and find out what goes on behind-the-scenes. Firstly, we’d love to know what makes Sister Organics a bit special and why should brides consider a dress from you?

Sister Organics offer affordable casual/alternative eco wedding dresses for free-spirited brides, bridesmaids dresses and party dresses. All dresses are made right here in Brighton in lovely environmentally sustainable fabrics; organic cottons, beautiful cotton laces made in England, vintage fabrics and organic silks.

My dresses are feminine, soft and comfortable to wear – they are perfect for those looking for an unconventional wedding dress.

Brides who choose a Sister Organics wedding dress

What kind of bride do you think chooses a Sister Organics dress for their wedding?

I have to say that the majority of my customers are just the loveliest people. Some of my customers are vegans or really want an organic or eco-friendly wedding dress. Others can’t find what they are looking for in a conventional wedding dress shop or want a more casual, alternative dress for a relaxed or outdoor wedding.

Samantha

A romantic Austrian fairytale woodland wedding with a caped wedding dress and autumnal details

Samantha

Today’s inspirational shoot is like something out of a fairytale, a laid-back modern fairytale but a fairytale woodland wedding nonetheless. Think little red riding hood, with a touch of Hansel and Gretel and a whole dose of an intimate love story to rival any Snow White or Sleeping Beauty.

Set in a secluded forest, this stunning Austrian shoot provides an abundance of autumnal and winter wedding inspiration, with gorgeous shades of green, berry and cream, incredible fashion and a to-die-for candlelit first-dance.

Here’s the film from the shoot to give you a little taster of just how beautiful it is:

Stefanie who created the shoot told us: “Summer might be a classical time for a wedding but in autumn, when it’s cooler outside, a wedding can be equally beautiful. With furs, blankets, candles and fire bowls the wedding party can easily spend unforgettable hours outside. Natural materials, homemade cakes and other sweets turn the party in something unique and personal.”

Stefanie of Mademoiselle Fee explains the dreamy vision behind the shoot: “Our idea was to accompany a newly wed couple on a romantic walk through an autumnal forest. The two have just exchanged vows, maybe in a chapel close by.

What we wanted to show was a couple, close to nature and grounded, spending this most beautiful day where their hearts are drawing them – to the forest with a little secluded house.”

Charlie

Budgeting for your wedding dress without compromising on your ethics

Charlie

When I was asked for write a blog post with my tips and advice on wedding dress budgeting, I pretty much dismissed the invitation immediately because budgeting is not my strong point – or to be truthful, even something I’m vaguely good at. But this year I am trying to take up some challenges, even if they might seem small like compiling advice (eek) on budgeting.

TSB have put together a guide called Saving for your Wedding with some sound advice from fellow bloggers such as Annabel at Love My Dress and other industry suppliers. I’m not sure I’ve ever really written about budgeting, because let’s face it, I’m inclined to pretend budgets don’t exist! But once I got thinking on the topic, I realised I did have some advice (and experience) to share.

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon we are reminded everywhere about falling in love, that feeling that we all find so hard to describe or put our finger on, yet so many try to put into words. For me, falling in love with *the* dress for your wedding is a pretty similar experience.

I guess this is where my first piece of advice, or perhaps even a gently warning, stems from. In starting the search for your wedding dress, you are putting yourself out there to fall in love with a dress. It goes without saying that if you venture in boutiques or shops with wedding dresses priced out of your budget, you are risking falling in love with a dress that you might not be able to afford, or you will stretch your budget for – stretch, or (if like me) completely yank apart.

Charlie

Ethereal, natural and bohemian inspired wedding dresses in the new 2015 collection from Minna plus a 15% discount

Charlie

Please note: Minna is now Indiebride London.

It’s time to fall in love with the new 2015 collection of exquisite wedding dresses from TNWC recommended supplier Minna, and if you’re a bride-to-be who sees her dream dress amongst the new collection then we have a fab 15% discount if you purchase before the end of November 2014.

Minna Hepburn the founder of Minna told me that her team have been listening to their customers to find out what it was they wanted in a wedding dress to influence their latest collection. She told me, “We just wanted to make beautiful dresses, dresses that cannot be found elsewhere. We listened to our customers and designed this collection for them.”

Charlie

Win the beautiful Zara veil from Minna and take a look at their beautiful new collection of ethical wedding dresses

Charlie

Please note: Minna is now Indiebride London.

*Please note – this competition is now closed 20/03/13

Already this year we have had some great competitions on The Natural Wedding Company, and today’s prize is up there with the most gorgeous.

Finish designed Minna Hepburn has recently launched her 2013 collection of exquisite wedding dresses to her beautiful brand Minna, and to celebrate that launch one lucky TNWC bride will win the Zara veil worth over £100 – read on for full details of how to enter.

The new collection which is called “Love Letter” was inspired by an old petticoat and a love letter found at an antique market, and adds more delicious and affordable wedding dresses in Minna’s ethereal style. All of the dresses are handmade in Minna’s London studio and range from floor sweeping gowns to mid-length dresses from between £360 and £800.

Charlie

TNWC Real Brides: Nik shares her experience of choosing an ethical wedding dress

Charlie

Today we have the lovely Nik from Little House in Town back with us to share the next stage in her wedding adventure. If you haven’t already read her introduction guest post about her plans for a relaxed coastal farm wedding then do take a look.

Nik has recently taken up The Wartime Wardrobe Challenge which is a year long ethical clothes rationing project, designed to make those taking part think about how we use our clothes and where they come from. As such, she is ‘rationed’ on how many items of clothes she can buy for the year, which as you can imagine could prove tricky when you are on the hunt for a wedding dress!

Over to Nik to tell us more…

Choosing an ethical wedding dress: from dream to reality

Looking at my reflection in the Coast fitting room mirror, I suddenly became aware that everyone around me had gone very silent. Turning around to face my mum and two bridesmaids, I was met with a sea of beaming smiles.

“That’s it,” said my mum. “That’s the one.”

I’d found my wedding dress.

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