Look what catches the eye of the editor with a special emphasis on local wedding businesses, shops and suppliers.
Izzy and Ryan were brought together through unusual circumstances. “The first time I met Ryan, we were introduced by my previous partner in a nightclub, as he was one of his friends,” says Izzy. “I met him a couple of times after that, but we didn’t really speak much. A few years later, we found out that our partners were seeing each other behind our backs! Ryan and I started to message each other about it and the more we chatted, the more we realised we had lots in common and very similar values. Once I got to know Ryan, I discovered we went to the same high school and knew a lot of the same people.”
Ryan organised a surprise birthday party for Izzy’s 23rd birthday. “My birthday gift from him was a surprise holiday with two of our friends to Las Vegas,” shares the bride. “Fast forward to the holiday and Ryan and his friend insisted we book a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon. After flying around for a while, we eventually landed and enjoyed a little picnic. Ryan called me over to one side for a photo. Before I knew it, Ryan was giving a speech about how there was a reason we’d come to Vegas and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. In absolute shock, I said, ‘Is this a joke?!’ My friends and the other tourists on the helicopter all laughed. I obviously said ‘yes’ and we then proceeded to have our little picnic with added champagne, which I couldn’t drink because I was on cloud nine. We finished the evening by flying down the Las Vegas strip at night.”
See more from their wedding in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yournorthwest.wedding/free-download
Brendan Middleton from Dash Photography gives us his top tips for booking a photographer that you've found online.
"It’s understandable to have reservations about booking suppliers online without meeting; from my experience, it is fine 99 per cent of the time. However, I do recommend the following before making a decision: Do they have an established website and social media presence? This will give you an indication and, hopefully, an insight into their work and personality. Check for reviews on social media or wedding websites and directories; are they recent? Lastly, can you view real weddings on their website and social media pages? A reputable and reliable photographer should have no problem meeting all of these criteria. I pride myself on being active on social media and providing real insight into my work as a full-time photographer."
See more top tips in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yournortheast.wedding/free-download
Rhian Rees from Wild and Fabulous Flowers tells us how to choose a colour palette for your big day flowers.
"Deciding on which colour palette to choose for your wedding can seem overwhelming. Take the time to look through images and start collating a little album of your favourites. Leave it for a few weeks, then go back and look again! Remember, flowers look so much better if they’re in season, as they are fresher, bouncier and have more personality.
"Tropical shades can look amazing, but if you’re going to use them in your flowers, then you will need to use greenery to allow the colours to pop. I love using natural elements that are brightly coloured to give a little element of surprise while keeping the flowers authentic. This is a great palette if you’re going for contemporary flowers.
"Pastels are also popular. This can mean any pale colour, not just pink and blue. Think pale lemons, oranges, and pinks. These colours work so well together, as they are fresh yet subtle."
See more top tips in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yoursouthwales.wedding/free-download
Canterbury's Beautiful in Curves is pleased to add Sydney's Closet, and its sister label Michelle's Bridal, to its boutique. Sydney's Closet share the brand's ethos by using curvy models in its images showing how brides will look in their dream dress on their special day. “Our shared belief is you shouldn't have to imagine how a dress may look or fit,” says Beautiful in Curves owner Zoe. “We believe that you should experience that special moment of seeing and feeling your dress during your appointment.” With sizes 16 to 34 available in the boutique to try on, Zoe selects gowns to provide the support you're looking for in a dress. “We will then spoil you with choice!” adds Zoe. “Sydney's Closet offers glamorous satin gowns, mermaid styles, boho dresses and, not forgetting, the sparkling princess gowns which are still as popular as ever!” Visit www.beautifulincurves.co.uk
Read more news from the local Kent area in latest issue is available now. Read Your Kent Wedding magazine for free!
Kath met Josh at a party and the minute she saw him turned to her friends and said, “I'm going to marry him!” How right she was, two short years later, Josh proposed on holiday in Majorca. “It was such a surprise,” Kath says. “He was all nervous because he'd not been able to get in touch with my dad to ask for his blessing.” Nevertheless, all went perfectly and it was soon time to start looking for a venue for the big day. Kath saw Knowsley Hall on social media and had fallen in love with it. So, it was the first place they booked to view and as it happened ended up being the only place. “I loved it from the minute we turned onto the driveway and saw the Hall for the first time. We booked within two weeks of getting engaged,” Kath shares.
Read more about their day in the latest issue available now. Read Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding magazine for free!
Megan Lily Floral Design has recently introduced its new Cherry Picked Wedding Flower Service. Perfect for small and intimate nuptials, the service involves a collection of ready-designed wedding flowers available to collect from the workshop in Felton. So, if you know you won't need a full wedding flower package but you still want exceptional quality, this is ideal. The collections, although ready-designed, still feel personal and are available to order online as a simple, cost effective way to organise your florals. With a minimum spend of £350, there are two beautiful colour palettes to choose from. Megan will select the best quality seasonal blooms for your big day and put them together in her soft and delicate signature style. The new brochure containing everything you need to know about the new Cherry Picked Service is available to download at www.meganlilyfloraldesign.co.uk
Read more local news in the latest issue available now. Read Your Bristol & Somerset Wedding magazine for free!
Florrie de Havilland from de Havilland Memories (www.dehavillandmemories.com) says: As someone who has recently planned their own big day, I have to say that the most important first step to attaining your dream wedding is finding a venue and getting a date locked in. As soon as you have a date, you can relax a little and find the suppliers you can relate to and would like to work with. I recommend your next supplier to be your stationer as you can't have a wedding without inviting any guests! Then, you should think about what you'd like and what your priorities are so that you can allocate your budget accordingly. From here, you can decide if you'd like to go down the bespoke route and have a tailored experience, or to use templates for your invitations. Your wedding stationery is the first impression that your guests will have of your big day, so that's the time to make a statement. I recommend using a personal stationer and creating bespoke invitations if you want to wow your loved ones and have a beautiful memento of your wedding day. Usually, they'll work with you from your invitations, all the way through to W-day and later, your thank-you letters, meaning you can create something really special and cohesive throughout.
Read more expert advice in the latest issue available now. Read Your Sussex Wedding magazine for free!
Best foot forward
Emma Brewer at First Dance Studios (https://firstdancestudios.co.uk) says: No doubt you'll already have started your to-do list of people and places to contact, so regarding your first dance we can chat online or on the phone before pencilling in dates for your lessons. Don't panic though as these won't start until a minimum of two to three months before the big day. Life can take over as you hurtle towards it, so we don't want to start too soon in case you don't have a chance to practice and you forget everything you've been taught! I absolutely promise that the lessons will be a major fun part of the wedding planning and you'll have a skill for life. Just think, you'll be sorted for all future weddings and events, and you'll be able to dance together confidently. You never know, it might even spark a love for dance and you'll carry on your lessons once you're newlyweds – what a great date night idea! Let's not get ahead of ourselves, the first step is to get in touch with your chosen dance studio for a chat and discuss your ideas or ask for advice if you don't know where to start.
For more expert advice from local Surrey businesses, read the latest issue available now. Read Your Surrey Wedding magazine for free!
With rustic vibes throughout, Jo and Nick's wedding at Houchins was a bohemian dream! The chairs with white drapes were the perfect to the ceremony setup.
Anne-Marie Larbie at Proper Confetti shares top advice to help you capture the perfect shot in our January/February issue available to download for free now!
A winter wonderland can be absolutely magical theme for weddings! To help style your day, our expert venue stylist shares top tips and tricks for the ultimate wow factor in our January/February issue, available to download for free now!
Chloe and Jack's had a magical wedding surrounded by loved ones – just look at the happy couple! Discover the big day in our February/March issue, available to download for free now.
Surrounded by enchanting woodland and idyllic lakes, The Hidden Hive is a laid-back venue located in the Derbyshire National Forest. With three giant tipis and a chill-out zone all linked together to create the ultimate space, it's no wonder why the venue is so popular. Discover the venue in our February/March issue, available to download for free now.
I'll be getting my beauty sleep this spring by sleeping in this fabulous eye mask from Will Bees Bespoke Salcombe, https://willbeesbespoke.com See more on page 85 of the latest issue available to download now for FREE!
I adore this picture of Lucy, Harvey and their dog, Indy, on their wedding day, expertly caught on camera by Stone Photos on page 39 of the latest issue available to download now for FREE!
I love this spring tipi wedding inspiration from Fireflower Tipis on page 54 of this issue available to download now for free. To book, visit http://fireflowertipis.com
Stylist, planner and wedding stationery designer, June Glackin tells us how to style an intimate wedding.
"I get beyond excited when couples choose to have a small and intimate wedding. Don't get me wrong, I love a good old wedding with guests galore, but there's something magical about having just your nearest and dearest, your 'select few' in one place to celebrate with you. But don't be fooled into thinking that being small and intimate means a lack of style or class. Just because couples are opting for a smaller guest count doesn't mean that they aren't wanting their day to look or feel like a wedding; in fact, some of the small and intimate weddings I've worked on have really played on the intimacy of it, having personalised printed love notes to each guest, really drilling down to the intimacy and the aesthetic of the day, being able to pay attention to the finer details, yet also having fun with it. Having a beautifully decorated space, a large table for all to gather around, no formalities, just letting it be, with linens, candles and florals, to then feast on pizza and prosecco and party into the night!"
See more top tips in our intimate wedding feature in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yourwestmidlands.wedding/free-download
Silk & Ink Designs is a family team based in Norfolk that has been creating wedding invitations and stationery for over 15 years. “We pride ourselves on designing and making stunning wedding invitations that are affordable but still look and feel super luxurious, all served up with our first-class service,” says the team. “Our variety of designs range from venue illustrations, greenery and foliage, and classic monograms to modern and contemporary styles with pops of colour. There's something for every couple planning their big day! And when it comes to the wedding, we have all the matching on-the-day stationery, including table plans, menus, orders-of-service, place cards and much more.”
To meet more local companies, head over to our handmade in East Anglia feature in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.youreastanglian.wedding/free-download
Sarah Bainbridge from West View Photography created this pink, disco-inspired shoot. “After staying at Holmes Mill, I fell in love with the venue,” says Sarah. “I wanted to create a bright shoot, so I went for different shades of pink with a slight disco vibe.”
See more from this styled shoot in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yournorthwest.wedding/free-download
Charlotte and Matthew met on a spontaneous night out in Newcastle. “I spotted Matthew across the dancefloor and made an unsuspecting approach, wing-womaned by a friend,” says Charlotte. “We hit it off and the rest is history.”
Matthew proposed to Charlotte on their five-year anniversary in Tynemouth, where they had their first date. “Matthew intended to propose at the end of the pier next to the priory, but when we got to the end, three fishermen drinking cans of beer killed the moment somewhat,” shares the bride. “On our way back, Matthew spotted a quiet space on the pier and surprised me. An even bigger surprise was when we returned to Matthew’s parent’s house to celebrate and my parents were also there, having secretly travelled up from Cheshire.”
See more from their wedding in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yournortheast.wedding/free-download
