But right now, I'm especially excited to introduce Natalie as my guest blogger today! Nat and I first connected a couple of months ago via email. As a bride-to-be herself, she reached out to me just to say, "Hi" and we've been internet friends ever since! Not only is she planning her own wedding right now, but she is also in the process of starting a stationery business called Mock Up Designs , which is definitely worth a look! I asked Natalie to write about her experience planning her own day while I'm out of town, and she kindly obliged :) Anyway, I'll let her get to it, because I'm sure that there are many brides out there that can relate to her personal wedding planning challenge at the moment!
When I got engaged in May last year, I found myself in the perhaps enviable position of having been to a large number of weddings... a very large number. At the end of 2011 my total topped 26, including seven last year and six outings as bridesmaid! I am the last of three sisters to get married in the space of just over two years, and one of the last of my close knit group of eight school friends. (If I had a £1 for every time I have been compared to the film 27 Dresses, I would be able to use the money to pay for my wedding!) This means that I have a lot of inspiration to draw upon and have often joked about taking the best of each wedding and amalgamating them into my "Super Wedding!" It does, however, present me with a slight challenge when tackling how to make the wedding my own, and not just a repeat of my friends' and families' fabulous days.
It is important to note at this point, that this is in no way a problem unique to me. I think that all brides, whether they have been to one wedding or a 100, feel strongly about making their wedding day a reflection of who they are as individuals and as a couple. As a bride, I am constantly tempted by the amazing blog features and glossy magazine articles filled with amazing details to add to your day. One of the best pieces of advice that I have been given in my wedding planning days, is to know when to stop! Once you have decided on your look and feel, keep revisiting it to see if that latest great idea you have been eying up retains the feel of the day that you are striving for.
When looking for a wedding venue, marquees and converted barns were often suggested; the only problem being that they were my sisters' venues of choice! In an effort to reflect our taste, and create a wedding day that is different than my sisters', we have chosen a beautiful modern venue, with huge expanses of glass, wood and metal. It has served to theme our whole day and I constantly use it as a reference point when making choices about all of my details. Take dress shopping as an example... I was tempted by a beautiful vintage style wedding dress, and not to sound as if I was picking my dress for my venue, but after a couple of minutes, I realised how out of place this dress would look in my modern venue! Fortunately, I believe I have found the perfect alternative!
My wedding is now just four months away so I'm really starting to get into the details, like designing my invites and deciding on my table settings, whilst looking forward to my upcoming dress fittings. I have used the inspiration boards below to show how me and my sisters have each approached our wedding days to match our individual styles!
MODERN
I am going with a more modern look and feel. With my wedding still to come, I can't divulge too much, but here's a sneak peak :)
Ming Makes Cupcakes | Uploaded by user via Pinterest | Olive Juice Studios via Style Me Pretty | Catch My Party | Jose Villa Photography via Style Me Pretty | Peggy Porschen Cakes | Wedding Bee | SimplyBloom Photography via Snippet and Ink | ALEXIS clutch via A03 Designs | Modern Wedding Invitation by Papertalk Shop
CLASSIC
My elder sister had a navy and white color scheme and held her reception in a large white marquee, attached to a gorgeous manor house where their ceremony took place. Her simple classic details brought the place to life.
The Simply Luxurious Life | Fashion Toast | Bella Figura | Pretty Little Flower | BHLDN | Apartment Therapy | 100 Day Wedding | Milanoo | Sundance | My Sweet and Saucy
BONFIRE NIGHT
My younger sister's wedding was held on Guy Fawkes Night, which is a day celebrated here in the UK with bonfires, fireworks and sparklers, and I think you'll agree that it made for a fantastic theme! Especially when coupled with one of the most beautiful barn conversions I have ever seen!
Christian Michael Photography (Photos 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7) | Christina Hendricks on Tumblr | The Great Barn | Super_Furry's Photostream via Flickr
