Hamish Shephard is the founder and CEO of Bridebook, the UK’s leading wedding planning app. He is now considered an expert in the wedding industry, having appeared on BBC news multiple times to provide his expertise and having his own Evening Standard column, Groom With a View, where he shares his insights as one of the UK’s most prominent wedding experts.
Kate & Chris coordinated every detail of their wedding beautifully. The plum-coloured theme ran throughout the flowers, the fashion, and the décor. We awed at the bridesmaids carrying the bride’s Cinderella-esque dress as they walked to the church, and laughed at the groom’s umbrella attack (no injuries – we hope)!
Eve & Tim had a gorgeous wedding with unique rustic details including a beautiful bridge – perfect for photo ops – and a garden tipi reception that looked amazing at night with hanging lights strung all over the trees. Stacks of hay lined the path for guests while the flowers were displayed with wooden crates and bits of hessian adding to the country feel.
“I really do love a tipi wedding, and Eve and Tim’s relaxed and rustic wedding celebrations did not disappoint – it was an absolutely beautiful day. They got married earlier this year near Taunton, in Somerset, on a beautiful sunny August day. The ceremony took place at one of my favourite churches, the stunning North Curry, with the tipi reception in Tim’s parents’ back garden at Coal Harbour, Ham. The house is only accessible via the suspension bridge and it was brilliant to capture all the wedding guests wobbling across it on the way to the reception. It was also really special to capture Eve and Tim walking across it for the first time as a married couple, and to photograph them watching the sun setting from the same spot later in the evening. It was a wedding that had me welling up behind the camera on many occasions. Watching Eve and Tim beaming at each other all day long was wonderful enough, but there were many other points in the day that were hugely charged with emotion, including some really fantastic moments on the dance floor later in the evening. Photographing emotion like this is such an important aspect of a wedding day for me, as I think that these are the moments that bring your wedding photography to life and really take you back to the day when you look through the images again. It was amazing watching Eve on the dance floor, with her wonderful new husband, surrounded by friends and family, overwhelmed with emotion at the utter joy of it all.”
Congratulations Eve & Tim and thank you Helen Lisk Photography for letting us share these beautiful photographs of their wedding day.
Our Jewish wedding expert is back again to share some of her wisdom with all of our wonderful Bridebookers! Karen Cinnamon’s, founder of the amazing blog Smashing the Glass, last guest post guided us through the top Dos and Donts for a Perfect Jewish Wedding and this time she’s going even more in depth with all of her expert insight into what makes a truly great Jewish wedding. So whether you’re planning a Jewish wedding or not, read on to get some tips from a pro who really knows her stuff!
Karen Cinnamon in action by Babb Photo
“Simply put, a great wedding is about two people, in love, declaring that love in an individual way. So the short answer to what makes a truly fabulous wedding is don’t have a cookie-cutter day! Try and make decisions based on what makes you happy, not what friends, family, or the rabbi / priest recommend or what’s perceived to be sensible, suitable or the done thing.
Stay True to Yourself
During the planning process, do your very best to cut out the ‘white noise’ and tune into what’s really important to you and your partner. Think about the things you really love, not those you simply like, and if thats’s a certain style, colour, era, or even a piece of music, build a theme around it! The best weddings capture the heart, soul and style of the couple, so give your guests a glimpse into your life, and allow them to feel that that they’ve had a one-of-a-kind experience and were part of something special.
It’s OK to take inspiration from a blog, magazine, or another bride’s amazing taste, but add a pinch of your own magic to make it your own.
My Jewish wedding blog, SmashingTheGlass.com, showcases hundreds of creative and original Jewish weddings, and whilst each one is amazing and wonderful in its own way, I’ve selected 5 weddings that will always stick in my mind for their brilliance. Each wedding has a gorgeous story, personal details, and two people hopelessly in love.
Jessica and David
Jessica and David incorporated so many personal touches into their wedding… and it shows. From the patchwork chuppah made by all their friends and family, and sewn together by the groom’s mum, to the “Balkanistic” boogie band and the jukebox filled with 100 of the couple’s favourite songs that guests played between sets. This was a Smashing The Glass wedding to remember.
By Alex Brenner via Smashing the Glass
Danny and Aaron
Danny and Aaron both work in the music and television industries, and loved the idea of riding down the aisle to their chuppah atop a tallit-wearing unicorn (or Jew-nicorn, as they dubbed it!) to the tune of Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’…so they did! What’s more Joss Stone (yes, THE Joss Stone) undertook the role of chazan, and a 16 person gospel choir was on hand for a few of the ceremony songs as well. Danny says, “you can create new traditions by adding a personal flare to the more traditional Jewish wedding rituals, making your wedding unique to you as individuals and as a couple.”
By Maya Myers Photography via Smashing the Glass
Sarah and Nick
Sarah and Nick got married in a smoked salmon factory in London’s Olympic Park, and traveled through the streets of the capital from their synagogue to reception in a red convertible Mustang. Oh and Sarah rocked a leather biker jacket and Ray-Bans over her Pronovias dress. These two have serious style.
By Reportage By via Smashing the Glass
Stacey and Jono
Stacey and Jono’s Jewish wedding was held on New Year’s Eve in an old arthouse cinema (the oldest still operating in the UK) and they invited their guests to sport fancy dress which made for a very inclusive, and genuinely special, atmosphere.
By Martin Beddall via Smashing the Glass
Gena and Tony
Gena and Tony used an assortment of tissue paper honeycomb shapes, as well as paper garlands and a calico roof to create a chuppah that truly represented them. Gena also went for a supersize bouquet filled with flowers of every possible hue, glitter, ribbons, and pom poms, and what’s more, their very cute dog took centre stage during the ceremony too.
By Lara Hotz via Smashing the Glass
I’ll close with a brilliant piece of advice from Shiri, another Smashing The Glass bride who invited just 20 of her and her husband’s closest family members for brunch and then surprised them with a chuppah! Shiri’s brilliant words of wisdom are “the spiritual significance of a Jewish wedding is often lost in all the madness of putting it together. If there is one piece of advice I would give a bride it would be to try to experience the pure and blessed side of a Jewish wedding as much as possible”.
Happy Planning!
Ready to find the perfect suppliers to make your dream Jewish wedding a reality? Search through all of the U.K’s best venues and suppliers by what matters most to you on Bridebook today! Just check out our state-of-the-art supplier search tool.
Take advantage of all of Bridebook’s amazing free wedding planning tools today!
Let’s face it – who runs the wedding world? Bloggers. Wedding bloggers are the ones who tirelessly provide us with endless wedding inspo to swoon over, give us tips on the best venues and suppliers, and pick up on the biggest trends long before any of us could. They are the mavens of the wedding world, our knights in pearly armour.
So when we held our Bridebook Blogger’s Summit we were incredibly excited to get all of the UK’s top wedding blogger’s top trend predictions for the 2016 wedding season. Read on to get an insight into what it’s like to be a trend setter – and keep your eyes peeled to see if you or a friend’s wedding are a la mode this season!
1) More Involved Grooms
By Margherita Calati Photography
The days of bridezilla are over! Now more than ever, grooms are getting in on the fun of wedding planning. You’ll be a team in your marriage, so you may as well be a team in the planning right? And with Bridebook, it’s now easier than ever to share your planning with your fiancée, family and friends so everyone can get in on the action.
Jumpsuits are set to be a permanent feature in the wedding world, so keep your eyes peeled. Whether you splash the cash on a designer jumpsuit, or take advantage of Bridebook partner House of Ollichon’s gorgeous pieces, dress-less is the way to go!
Not ready to take the plunge and wear the trousers yet, but still want to go non-traditional? Then you’re in luck as short dresses take center stage. The best part about short dresses is that you get to show off your gorgeous shoes.
The tropical theme is making quite the splash this year and we couldn’t be more excited. Tropical themes are perfect for colour-obsessed couples and it’s near impossible not to have a great time in paradise.
Tip-off courtesy of Etsy’s own blogger, Jenny Gresham
5) Healthy Canapés
Canapés by Blissful Basil
We’re all too familiar with those overdone wedding canapés and menus. Lucky for us, a sure fire to keep your guests grateful is to keep your canapés light and fresh. Not only is healthy, delicious food super on trend at the moment, but it keeps your guests from getting too sluggish or filled up before the wedding breakfast.
A double-punch trend here, as it both looks beautiful and budget friendly – perfect! Check out this gorgeous naked cake by Bridebook’s very own expert contributor and Great British Bake Off winner Frances Quinn.
We’re lucky to live in a country with so many beautiful and historic wedding venues, but if you want to take it up a notch, why not opt for a less traditional venue? Industrial spaces are perfect for couples who want to add their personal stamps on a relatively blank canvas while still keeping a stylish edge.
In line with both trend 2 and 3, colourful wedding shoes are now more in than ever! Whether they’re your ‘something blue’ or rainbow coloured, this is your day to show off killer shoes. Sorry dress, but it’s not all about you anymore! Be sure to get more shoe tips from Bridebook’s expert contributor Jimmy Choo.
One of our personal favourites. While we all love a wedding hashtag, the last thing you want is for you or your guests to be so pre-occupied with snapping pics and snapchat that they miss being present in what is one of the most important days of your life.
Rose gold has been hot in the fashion world for a while now, and we’re excited to see it finally making it into the wedding world! We all know how flattering rose gold can be on certain skin tones, so we don’t blame you if you’re excited to have a chance to wear it every day.
Another Bridebook favourite! Not only do pockets lend themselves nicely to effortlessly cool wedding photo poses, it’s also incredibly practical. Never be unprepared and have a tissue and your lipstick always at the ready.
Talking of glamour, another theme that is set to be hot this season is old school hollywood glamour. Boho brides are old news now, and who can resist a bit of show?
Another great trend that is both stylish and cost-efficient. With looser bouquets becoming more and more popular, foliage and herbs have also started making their stand by adding beautiful lush colours to any bouquet.
We can’t seem to get enough of all these dress trends! This trend is perfect for those of you who want something a little different but still maintaining that touch of femininity. We especially love this trend when paired with a full skirt on the bottom.
Talking of femininity – what’s more princess-like than a tiara? Flower crowns are out and the more refined tiara is most definitely in. Now you can really complete your fairytale wedding from head to toe.
Another trend that is steering us away from boho and more towards glam. But the best thing about this trend is that you can embrace it as little or as much as you want. Whether it’s the staple of your theme or just incorporated with subtle accents, it ‘s sure to look great!
Our very own Founder and CEO, Hamish Shephard (certified wedding planner and on his own wedding planning journey!) is tipping off pink champagne as his top trend of this year’s wedding season. As more and more couples invest more time, effort and money into their weddings no stones get unturned. So why not extend your styling to your beverages for the night? Cue pink champagne for the ultimate final touch!
Tip-off courtesy of Bridebook’s Hamish Shephard
20) Bridebook!
By Mike Garrard
Last but certainly not least… Bridebook of course! With our state of the art digital planning toolkit, thousands of UK suppliers and amazing expert articles by the likes of Bobbi Brown and Mary Berry – Bridebook is the wedding trend of 2016!
Happy Planning!
Take advantage of all of Bridebook’s amazing free wedding planning tools today!
Worried about crying too much on your big day? Bracing yourself for the tropical temperatures of your wedding destination? Well this beauty trick may just be perfect for you! More and more brides are turning to the incredible technological developments in the beauty industry to ensure they look absolutely perfect on their big day, and for many days after. Semi-permanent makeup is leading the pack as it looks more natural than ever. So if you’re considering semi-permanent makeup for your big day, read on to get the complete low down on the treatment by one of the greats – winner of the 2015 London Hair and Beauty Awards, Sian Dellar.
“Every bride wants to look perfect on their wedding day. After months of planning and preparing, the big day can seem overwhelming. Plenty of tears, kisses and high temperatures can hinder maintaining a flawless look all day.
Enhancing your natural beauty, permanent makeup can be your answer to flawless makeup on your wedding day. Whether you need a few subtle touches or prefer a full glamorous effect, our permanent makeup treatments address all of your makeup needs on your big day. Allowing you to enjoy your day and forget about touching up your makeup, our treatments can avoid the early morning bridal rush and ensure you look flawless all day long.
Helping to replicate everyday makeup, permanent makeup is great way to boost confidence on your special day.
What Is Permanent Makeup?
Perfect for any bride that is looking to enhance their natural beauty on their special day, permanent makeup is a new and manual method to create a natural look using a needle to place pigmented granules beneath the upper layers of the skin.
Using similar cosmetic techniques to tattoos, permanent makeup can help to define eyebrows, contour lips and enhance the eyes. Using fine and natural strokes, our permanent technicians work closely with your colour shade, along with the natural contours of your face.
Helping to correct imperfections from scars, permanent makeup can also benefit those who suffer with alopecia, trigonometrical or any other condition that causes hair loss. Creating a natural hair stroke to suit your facial symmetry, our permanent treatments can enhance the face, lips, and eyelids.
The Process
Delicately adding hypo-allergenic pigments in a range of shades to the outermost layers of your skin, most commonly the eyebrows, eyes and lips, our permanent makeup address all of your makeup needs.
With everyone’s routine and beauty styles varying, here at Sian Dellar we ensure a specifically tailored look is provided to each bride to achieve your desired results. We work along the natural contours of the face and with your hair colour, however this can be altered if you would like something different to your current appearance.
Completely safe and effective, permanent makeup works by implanting pharmaceutical grade pigments of your choice into the chosen treatment area. The treatment is often described as ‘permanent’ makeup due to the colour is being introduced into the upper dermal layer of skin and although the pigment will fade over time, it will often remain in the skin even if not completely visible.
Eyebrows
Helping to define and shape the natural contours of your face, eyebrows can help to enhance your facial features. Along with previous trends and ageing, overtime eyebrows can begin to lose shape and appear thin and shapeless.
Especially on your special day, we want eyebrows to look flawless, without looking too shaped using eyebrow products. With our permanent eyebrow treatment, we ensure we create the most natural looking eyebrows. Using crisp, thin strokes, we can fill and shape brows, imitating added hair growth using a natural look.
Lips
Throughout your wedding day, every bride desires the perfect pout. A plump shape along with a soft outline, our permanent lip treatment helps to create a gentle flush of colour to lips. Staying put during all those kisses and in particular when sealing your marriage, our permanent lip treatment can create volume and shape to lips.
We can also correct any imperfections on lips, as well as minimise ageing on lips and loss of colour.
Eyes
Especially on your big day, eyes are one feature that many brides want to accentuate on their wedding day. Eye-liner is a perfect way to define the shape of eyes, but also to accentuate your eye colour. However, with many brides being particular about their eye makeup, many find their makeup artists can’t quite achieve their look and it can also be prone to smudge and wear off during the day.
In particular, during a few emotional speeches and special moments, we want our eyeliner to stay put. Our permanent eyeliner treatment can make your eyelashes look thicker and more defined by applying soft, natural colour between your lash line
After-care
Important after-care instructions will be given to you after your treatment to ensure you take care of the treated areas for the following 7 days. You will also be given an after-care leaflet and balm to be applied for 7 days.
Here at Sian Dellar, we specialise in permanent makeup treatments and strive towards making every bride feel beautiful. So if you’re ready to transform your beauty regime, contact us today“
Finding the perfect make-up artist can seem like a daunting task. But luckily for all of our Bridebook users, we have the champion of all things inclusive in the wedding industry here to help! Introducing Nova of the Nu Bride blog, the one stop shop for the modern couple packed with fun and informative posts for women and men of all ethnicities. So read on to get expert insight to guide you through finding the perfect wedding make-up artist for you.
One of the most frequent requests I am asked from readers is to recommend a make-up artist who can work with all skin tones. At first I used to find this request quite ironic. I mean, a lot of professional makeup artists are able to transfer their skills, techniques and work on ALL skin tones, especially with the body of make up products available. Skin is skin right?
Choosing an inclusive make-up artist for your wedding should be simple, but for some it can be a frustrating and unexpected challenge, often struggling to find examples of what make up looks will look like on your own skin tone. Most of us search for wedding make up ideas and inspiration online. A quality and inviting website with diverse examples of an make-up artists’ work is so important. Research has proven over and over again that, as consumers, we are more likely engage with a product or service if we see a ‘version’ of ourselves in the marketing. We often need to see an example of ourselves to feel confident in booking or purchasing a product or service. Without it, this is where some are left feeling stuck.
Below I’ve put together some tips to help you find an inclusive make-up artist who know their craft and can effortlessly rock their make-up brush on ALL skin tones.
Before booking any supplier, always do your research and compare three like-for-like services. The world-wide-web is your oyster, take your time to do your research. Read reviews, follow their social media and always view their portfolio to get a feel of their work. If you like what you see, enquire. A make-up artist’s website and social media are indeed their shop window, so many professional makeup artists will use this to showcase various examples of their skill set in their portfolio. This is a good way to check if they have experience working on brides with diverse skin tones.
Explore the make up look you want to achieve. Use magazines or websites such a Pinterest to gather examples of make up looks that appeal to you, taking into consideration my point above! Always look for a make up artist whose individual style represents the overall look you want for your wedding day.
By AO Photography via Nu Bride | Makeup by NARS Cosmetics
Hit the High Street
Another way to search for a reputable make-up artist is to hit the high street and head to a make up counter like MAC for example and ask for a demo and book a make up lesson to test them out, if you like what you see enquire about booking their services.
You cannot go wrong with word of mouth referrals. Taking another bride’s word that has experienced the service in full, is a great endorsement. Ask friends and family or colleagues. If you have attended a recent wedding and loved the bride’s look, ask who their make-up artist was and, more importantly, if they would recommend them. Aside from their talent, their personality and work ethos also have a huge bearing on whether or not you want them to be surrounding you on what is likely to be one of the most important days of your life.
Once you’ve seen their work, try to meet with them and / or book a trial. Their professionalism, manner and personality also matter. Keep all of these factors in mind and you’ll find the perfect make-up artist for you in no time!
Nova is founder and editor of Nu Bride: a modern wedding blog for the stylish bride, offering planning advice, a pinch of personality and a splash of diversity. Founded in 2012, Nu Bride is now a multi-award-winning wedding blog, dedicated to encouraging the UK mainstream wedding industry to be more visually inclusive with the way it markets bridal beauty. Nova is also an established wedding expert, freelance writer for national wedding publications and Life Coach.
The wonderful Nova herself! Photo via Nu Bride
Ready to find your perfect make-up artist? Search through all of the U.K’s best beauty experts by what matters most to you on Bridebook today! Just check out our state-of-the-art supplier search tool.
Take advantage of all of Bridebook’s amazing free wedding planning tools today!
The fourth and final part of our Real Bride column exploring Bodyism’s fitness and health classes for pre-wedding grooming is here! Our wonderful real bride, Rosie, is back to give the final verdict on her experience with Bodyism. If you’ve read the last 3 columns on this series it will likely come as no surprise that Rosie only has good things to say about her Bodyism experience and is feeling refreshed, healthy and slim for her big day! Read on to find out exactly how Bodyism has Rosie looking and feeling fabulous for when she walks down the aisle.
Our amazing Real Bride columnist superman-ing her way to her dream bridal body!
“The biggest news from the past few weeks with Bodyism is that it has totally worked! And in all the right ways too. My goal was to loose 6lbs, tighten my flabby tummy, firm up my arms (bingo wing syndrome) and reduce inflammation in my face (which has tendency to be chipmunky) caused by fluctuation of sugar levels. Not only have all of those things happened, but I feel like I have gained a whole new approach to my health and fitness. This has left me feeling like I have undergone more of a lifestyle change than a bootcamp.
My favourite part of my experience at Bodyism was the signature group class called ‘Clean and Lean’. This was a frightfully civilised affair with only 2 other people (who literally looked like Victoria Secret models!!). Pilates meets Yoga meets ballet style combination, all with the aim to tone and sculpt into a beautiful body.
This style of exercise could not be more different to my usual rough as ready circuit training and I leave the studio feeling refreshed, rather than retched. If you think you can only see results with intensive cardio bursts you’re wrong! Remember the flabby tummy and puffy face I’ve been trying to battle? Well it turns out that a big reason for this is stress and increased levels of Cortisol. And what could be more relaxing than planning a wedding!?! Said no one ever. This is why most of Bodyism experience – be if training or Pilates or classes is gentle exercises, ensuring that You don’t produce additional cortisol often creates with excess intensity in exercise.
So with me and my scale happy, as well as my overall feeling of glowing health it is fair to say that I am officially hooked to the Bodyism experience and I can now understand why it’s all the top models’ fitness go to. Though I won’t be walking down a catwalk any time soon, I can’t wait for my own big moment down the aisle!”
What happy and refreshing workouts should feel like!
Be sure to read Rosie’s past three articles in our Real Bride column here!
Take advantage of all of Bridebook’s amazing free wedding planning tools today!
A gorgeous September wedding set in a traditional marquee, decorated with colourful ribbons, beside Sopley Lake in Dorset. The ceremony was witnessed by close friends before fun garden games, log fires beside the water and finally dancing under the stars.
A massive congratulations to Shelley and Toby on creating a truly memorable lake-side wedding and a huge thank you to Peter Smart for sharing the amazing photos from the day.
A truly stunning autumnal wedding that took place in the grounds of the beautiful Mill House Hotel in Oxfordshire. Tanith and Conner embraced the great outdoors and took inspiration from the golden and orange hues whilst incorporating the natural world into each aspect of their wedding day.
Autumn| Country | Orange | Outdoor | Oxfordshire | Rustic | Mill House Hotel
A huge congratulations to Tanith and Conner on their beautiful autumnal wedding and a massive thank you to Peter Smart for sharing his amazing photographs that really encompass the beauty and happiness of the day.
Susie and Alex made the most of the Summer sunshine with a very sweet outdoor cocktail party and marquee in the garden of Avington Park. The grounds were a perfect backdrop for lovely photos of the couple, with the bride’s intricate lace gown accenting every image. Pale pink and white details dotted the marquee reception while the groom stood out in blue. All of the smiles on the guests and the couple themselves show how happy everyone was to celebrate the couple!
Welcome back brides! Part III of the Real Bride Bootcamp with Bodyism will take an in-depth look at the gym and exercise regime – AKA the one part of shaping up that everyone dreads. Why is it that being told to cut out sweets seems relatively manageable, but 20 burpees and running? Actual physical exertion? Even the thought has us running to the snack cupboard. So when Rosie, our wonderful real bride, couldn’t stop gushing about her incredible workout experiences at Bodyism, we had to learn more. Could this really be the bootcamp to end all bootcamps and have us actually enjoy getting fit? Read on to find out!
“And so to the gym! Or the very swanky private studio designed purely for 1-2-1 personal training. Instructor number one, Berti, was firstly so good looking, I considered calling off the wedding right there and then! (Sorry Hamish!)
The one and only ‘Gorgeous Bertie’
We started with an extended warm up called Movement Preparation designed to prevent injury. To my surprise, this took around 25 minutes of rolling out muscles using foam rollers, stretching as you would usually when cooling down, and some Pilates style postures- all really quite relaxing!
We then jumped into circuits covering 30 seconds each of intense training- squats, lunges, mountain climbers and planks with a two minute rest in between- less relaxing. Gorgeous Bertie then introduced me to a piece of apparatus called The Climber- a sort of suspended step machine meets ladder. The never ending 30 seconds felt like I was fighting for my life.
Real Bride Rosie in action in the gorgeous Bodyism studio.
This meant two things. Firstly, that I started turning pink, red and finally purple and secondly, my light glow turned into a full on deluge of sweat. Gorgeous Berti was very encouraging, standing over me like a living billboard for this lifestyle, but the marriage is certainly back on- Berti will never have me!
But in regards to the workout? Despite the not-so-pretty-picture that was me by the end, I really felt like this was a workout I could get behind. The commitment to loosening and prepping my muscles at the beginning of the session made sure that I didn’t injure myself in the strenuous portion of the workout, as well as helped me with my form. This in turn ensured I got the most out of each exercise so therefore an even better work out! The sets themselves, though exhausting, really felt like I was targeting, blasting and tightening all of my problem bits (tummy, bum and arms). So all in all, the perfect combination of therapeutic warm ups and real hard work that are sure to get my body aisle worthy in no time!”
Up Next in the Real Bride Guide series:
Bodyism’s amazing ‘Clean and Lean’ classes and the final verdict!
Be sure to read Rosie’s past three articles in our Real Bride column here!
Take advantage of all of Bridebook’s amazing free wedding planning tools today!
This whimsical couple knows how to throw a great party! With the bride in a Native-American headdress, and David Hasselhoff on the table decorations, this was sure to be a memorable wedding for all headpiece-wearing guests in attendance!
South West | Devon | Hittisleigh | Spring | Boho | DIY | Outdoor | White | Orange | Barn
Notes from the photographer:
“Emer and Adam celebrated in style at The Oak Barn, Hittisleigh, in Devon. Headwear was compulsory, with guests wearing a fantastic variety of decoration, including antlers, a party hat, a sombrero and a fez. It was a wonderful, fun-filled day, and I loved the big white balloons decorating the venue, inside and out. Emer wore a stunning vintage Pierre Cardin dress, along with a range of different headwear throughout the day. I think my favourite part was when Adam and Emer donned their crowns during the meal! The Oak Barn was the perfect setting for the relaxed celebrations, with everyone enjoying the sunshine through the beautiful gardens, paper lanterns hanging from the oak tree and a bell tent for the children to use.”
Congratulations Emer & Adam and thank you Helen Lisk Photography for letting us share these beautiful photographs.
Moo met Mengyuan while travelling through China, and love quickly started to work its magic… A little while later, Mengyuan decided to move over the UK to be with Moo – and they’ve never looked back! Just a few years later, Moo and Mengyuan married at the wonderful Matara Centre, “a place of beauty and tranquility.”
Mengyuan’s family made the long journey from China to the UK for the wedding, where they met Moo’s family for the first time. On the day, Moo and Mengyuan fused English and Chinese wedding traditions in a ceremony that reflected both their cultures. Not only did Mengyuan handmake hundreds of paper cranes, but a traditional Chinese tea ceremony was performed shortly after the western ceremony. The bride and groom presented tea to both sets of parents in exchange for small gifts, welcoming their new in-laws into their family.
Congratulations, Moo & Mengyuan! And thank you, Boy Called Ben Photography, for letting us share these beautiful photographs to help remember a very special day!
Tired of being warned about becoming the dreaded Bridezilla? Worried that you’ll never be able to pull off your dream wedding with everything else going on in your life? Convinced there must be an easier way to stay on top of your planning? Luckily for you, Bridebook is here to solve every single one of your wedding woes! And not only that, but we’ll make sure your engagement is as fun and stress-free as it deserves to be – all for free.
Banish the nerves and endless spreadsheets and stay on track with Bridebook.co.uk – the world’s first free online wedding planner. With our state-of-the-art planning tools, your wedding is sure to go off without a hitch (or shall we say without any drone-induced bruises?). With Bridebook’s budget, guestlist, and checklist tools every stage of your wedding planning is covered. Browse thousands of the UK’s best wedding suppliers, filtering your search by what matters most to you, to put together your dream team in no time. Want a break from the planning? Let our amazing experts, from Mary Berry to Jimmy Choo, inspire and guide you with their insider tips.
So what are you waiting for? You have absolutely everything you need to plan every detail of your dream wedding all in one super easy to use place with Bridebook. And the best part? It’s completely free.
And if you need any more inspiration, just check out this video. Don’t let anything catch you by surprise – in drone form or otherwise – and plan your dream wedding today!
Can’t resist these fantastic wedding blooper videos? Check out this one where the Best Man forgot the rings! Amazing hilarity ensues – and well worth sharing with your best man to make extra sure he doesn’t make the same mistake!
Welcome back! For Part II of our Real Bride Bootcamp with Bodyism, our Rosie will be dishing the deets on what it’s really like to undergo a complete menu revamp in the weeks running up to your wedding. Our favourite part? You won’t find any completely ridiculous or unrealistic crash diets here. Both Rosie and Bodyism prefer the “lifestyle change” route, with a particular focus on de-stressing. A perfect formula for a bride-to-be who wants to relax amid flurries of wedding planning while also making sure that they look glorious long after the big day!
Our favourite part of the Bodyism studio? This glorious and deliciously healthy spread of course!
“Bodyism wouldn’t be the full, pampering, celeb-worthy experience without a head to toe nutritional guide included in your body blitz. Though I walked into my nutrition session fully bracing myself for a meal plan of carrot sticks and cottage cheese, I was very pleasantly surprised! My prescribed diet, although not hugely exciting, is very do-able and I will certainly not be hungry. Fish, vegetables, eggs, lean meats- turkey or chicken, avocado, nuts, blueberries, humour. And repeat. In different variations each week.
Beyond just the menu, my nutrition session also gave me a lot of insight into how you can read your body to know exactly how to change your diet for a healthier you. My goal was to loose 7lb, tighten my flabby tummy, firm up my arms (chicken wing syndrome) and reduce inflammation in my face (which has tendency to be chipmunky). It was explained to me that you can read a lot about the body from where your body deposits fats. A fat tummy indicated emotional stress (and I thought it was the Kitkats!) whilst fat on the arm can indicate toxicity from metals, plastics or poor food choices. I am also told that my double chin and often puffy face can be directly down directly to insulin spikes in the body as a result of eating too much sugar (this IS from the Kitkats). It’s actually fascinating.
So combining my bridal body goals with a thorough reading of my fat deposits (such a flattering term), I was set on a strict clean and lean diet plan.
And so to the kitchen!”
Straight from Bodyism’s nutrition experts: channel your inner zen to cut out that tummy flab.
Up Next in the Real Bride Guide series:
Gym Time! Bodyism’s Banging Workouts. Keep your eye out for our next Real Bride article.
Take advantage of all of Bridebook’s amazing free wedding planning tools today!
Ah, the man, the myth, the mystery… the best man. That special enigma of a wedding party member who can make or break a wedding. He may not realise it, but a lot hinges on him. After all, behind every groom is a best man, and a best man’s responsibilities cannot be underestimated. So what happens when things don’t run quite as smoothly for the best man as they should? Or, to put it more bluntly, when he messes up the single, most important job he has? This Best Man experienced a rom-com worthy moment when he forgot the rings to his best friend’s wedding. Incredible, cringe-worthy hilarity ensues as he desperately tries to salvage his tiny little blunder. A major shout out to the bride and groom for keeping their cool!
So that all best men can learn from his mistake, Bridebook has compiled the top ten most important Don’ts – and guess what our number one is….
1.DON’T FORGET THE RINGS!
2.Don’t mention past “conquests” or ex-stories in your speech.
3.Don’t forget to mention the bride in your speech.
4.Don’t get the groom drunk the night before the wedding.
5.Don’t forget to have a “mankerchief” at the ready for the groom at the altar.
6.Don’t let any harm come to the groom on the stag-do, particularly visible and over the collar. And yes shaved eyebrows do count as harm when the poor man is about to get married.
7.Don’t be “that person” at the party who is too drunk, but still try and be the life of the party.
8.Don’t forget to sand the bottom of your groom’s new shoes to help him avoid any embarrassing slippery situations.
9.Don’t perform your speech without rehearsing it in front of a trusted buddy first.
10. And remember… DON’T FORGET THE RINGS!
You don’t want your groom giving you this look… Credit: lbuckworth
Want even more amazing wedding tips, tricks and inspo? Be sure to check out Bridebook for expert articles and state-of-the-art free wedding planning tools!
Take advantage of all of Bridebook’s amazing free wedding planning tools today!
While we all appreciate our Mum, Sis and BFF’s well-meaning tips and suggestions through wedding planning, sometimes they just don’t cut it (we still love you though!). Sometimes what a bride-to-be really needs is another bride-to-be to hash things out with. Someone who really gets what you’re going through. So if you’re not lucky enough to be going through engagement bliss (and stress) with your best friend, we have our own bridal hero here to help. Introducing the lovely Rosie, a real-life bride to be, here to walk us through what it’s really like to experience a model-worthy workout and diet like Bodyism in her final 4 week count down to the altar. Follow this 4-part series to share your muscle aches and sugar craving battles with someone who gets it – and learn a couple of tips and tricks too!
Introducing our Real Bride columnist, Rosie, ready and raring to go!
“The wedding diet – three simple words that excite fear, dread, excitement and a uncharacteristic determination. I am getting married in just 4 weeks and I really did think by now that I would be at Personal Best, Optimum, Rosie Model 101 – the best possible version of myself. I have talked a LOT about the wedding diet, and thought even more about it, and yet there has always been a reason to put it off until next week. On top of that there is of course the cake tastings, seemingly endless champagne (still working through the engagement stash), the DELICIOUS bread basket (carbs are a girl’s best friend, am I right?), all of which have until now seemed FAR more exciting!
So here I am determined to lose 8lbs in 4 short weeks. Luckily for me I have the amazing team at Bodyism, a London based studio that promote ‘Clean and Lean’ living to try and beat the clock and whip me into shape in time for the big day. The Bodyism lifestyle, favoured by celebrities such as Rosie Huntington Whiteley, Elle McPherson and Lara Stone (…er yes please!) focuses on cutting out bad carbs and processed foods (bye sugar and flour) and eating as organically as much as possible.
My first day with Bodyism was visiting their (very swanky and gorgeously pristine) Westbourne Park studio. I felt “cleaner and leaner” just stepping into the place! Goes to show, just getting yourself to the gym can be a huge motivator. Once there, a member of Bodyism’s team of top performance coaches and fat loss specialists then had a go at prodding, poking, weighing and measuring me using their ‘Body Oracle’ system. This system is a great way to kick-start the Bodyism program. It gave me a ‘body blueprint’ identifying key focus area for me specifically so that every effort going forward would benefit me and my problem areas. This will cover both eating and exercise regimes twice a week.
Now I really have NO excuse!
Wish me luck….”
Bodyism Founder, James Duigan, working out with his wife Christiane. We all wish we looked that good in the gym….
Gerard and Rhona had a Scottish fairytale wedding at the Ingliston Country Club in Renfrewshire. Rhona arrived in a beautiful white horse and carriage and was met by Gerard and his groomsmen in grey kilts. After photos in the rolling countryside and at the venues stables, the couple and their guests partied late into the night.
Scotland | Renfrewshire | Bishopton | Autumn | Classic | Modern | Blue | Cream | Country Club
Congratulations to Rhona and Gerard on your beautiful Scottish weeding and a huge thank you to Sheila Galvin for sharing the amazing shots you captured on the day.
Here’s a warm and cosy Winter wedding in a historic medieval building in Norwich. Naturally dark beams overhead added to the ambience along with forest-themed blue and white décor such as pine cones and log centrepieces lining the full-length tables. The bride, Lois, prepared for the cold with a lovely white fur that complicated her wedding dress beautifully. The bridesmaids in navy blue coordinated nicely with the ushers in red details. Looking forward to a night of dancing, Lois changed into a shorter dress, perfect for being spun by her new husband, Jonny!
South East | Norfolk | Norwich | Winter | Natural | Rustic | Blue | Red | Historic Building
Words from the photographer:
“What a special way to kick start 2015! Jonny and Lois enjoyed an afternoon celebrating with their nearest and dearest over mulled wine, tea and scones. Then they partied at ‘the great hospital’ in norwich (ancient beauty dating back to 1249!) their wedding was effortlessly vintage chic and had a very personalised feel. as you can see Lois and Jonny’s adoring eyes and massive smiles boast such a genuine happiness and love for each other.”
Congratulations Lois & Jonny and thank you Hajley Photography for letting us share these beautiful photographs to help remember a very special day!
Can you imagine a more iconic London backdrop for wedding photos than the London Eye? We certainly can’t – and the photos of Laura and Marko’s wedding speak for themselves!
We absolutely love the combination of Laura’s white lace dress and veil and her bridal party’s bold red gowns. Her and Marko looked stunning as they said their vows and celebrated with photographs at one of London’s most famous landmarks, before dancing the night away.
Congratulations, Laura and Marko – what an amazing day! And a huge thank you to Hajley Photography for sharing these fabulous shots with us.
Gerard and Rhona had a Scottish fairytale wedding at the Ingliston Country Club in Renfrewshire. Rhona arrived in a beautiful white horse and carriage and was met by Gerard and his groomsmen in grey kilts. After photos in the rolling countryside and at the venues stables, the couple and their guests partied late into the night.
