Wes Anderson | An American film director, film producer, screenwriter, and actor.
​His films are known for their distinctive visual and narrative styles
Every once in a while we get asked to collaborate on something which utterly inspires us...
It was during an event at The Barn at Avington when the words "a Wes Anderson inspired shoot" we're uttered to us by the lovely Beth... Maxwell and I looked at each other and just grinned... Both HUGE Wes Anderson fans... what an amazing idea!!! Fast forward a month or two and you can only imagine my delight when I received an email from the lovely Rebecca & Jen of The Wedding Spark asking us to collaborate on the shoot... YAY!!!
The shoot was to take place at the amazing Barn at Avington... A true blank canvas, the Barn was the perfect venue for a Wes Anderson makeover... The idea came from the gorgeous Kirsty Mackenzie and working with The Wedding Spark gals they pulled together a stella cohort of some incredible suppliers from the wedding industry.... Names I knew and loved and followed... I was so excited to collaborate on this shoot.
Rebecca had spotted a few of our key items which she wanted to feature alongside other props and suppliers... The shoot itself was one of the most fun shoots I've ever worked on, with such a huge group of creative's coming together there's always a chance of a little creative friction but not here, oh no... Everyone was so flipping lovely and everyone got involved and everything came together perfectly. I had such a fun day assisting Rebecca and helping her set things up. She had such a strong vision in mind and it was lovely to see everything come to life and the attention to detail... just WOW!!
So anyway... I'll stop talking and let the photos do the talking... You can also see the shoot featured on the amazing Green Wedding Shoes!!
We started out the day by filling the main space in The Barn at Avington and setting up the tables... The gorgeous furniture and colourful chairs from Purple Props added an instant pop of colour and set the tone for the whole day! The long trestle tables were adorned by crockery, cutlery and glassware from Harriet's table, gorgeous florals from The Wild Fox and candlesticks and table decor from us; Lo & Behold Bespoke! The finishing touches were the amazing Bird place names from White Cottage Weddings!!
We also set up a super cute sweetheart table for 2 for our canoodling couple and the place cards from White Cottage Weddings were SO CUTE!!! Especially with the gorgeous lights in the background from Locke & Busby! <3
I was literally bowled over by the incredible stationery, seating plan and signs made by the amazing White Cottage Weddings.
The attention to detail, especially in the invitation suite was just amazing.... So many cute references to Moonrise Kingdom (one of our FAVE Wes Anderson Films) it was so clever!! The seating plan also looked beautiful on the branch easel from With These Hands.
Something I love about styled shoots is when different suppliers come together and create something outstanding. With These Hands bought along their stunning piano bar which was a beautiful home to our glass decanters and stands. The thing that bought all of this together was the incredible flowers from the gorgeous Joey from The Wild Fox.... SO BEAUTIFUL <3
Anyone who knows the film Moonrise Kingdom will know know the scene when Sam and Suzie have a spark filled kiss and the words "I think you've still got lightning in you" are uttered... Locke & Busby's incredible light up sigh looked so good!
Again when it came to the cake... I was BLOWN AWAY.... I'd met lovely Emily from 'Maid of Gingerbread' at MCWF and her INCREDIBLE Grand Budapest Hotel creation took gingerbread houses to a whole new level! So good! Rebecca's attention to detail and the Mendl's box and 'Boy with apple' photo will go over the head of anyone not familiar with iconic film but for those that know... it was these little details which made the shoot so good!
The ceremony set up took place outside at The Barn down by the river... The focal point, our geometric folding screen backdrop, was adorned with colourful paper shapes made by Rebecca from The Wedding Spark... Colourful rugs from Baylily Bell Tents and more mismatched painted chairs from Purple Props made for a fun and quirky aisle. Our hand painted tambourines joined iconic books from the film and a vintage typewriter to create a cute off centre focal point.
When it came the our Bride & Groom, the gorgeous Georgia & Maxwell looked DIVINE (and so the part!) Georgia's Make Up was done by Serena Grace and her hair by Bridal Hair in Hampshire. She wore the most gorgeous dress from Indie Brides with the most perfect 60's bouquet from The Wild Fox. Maxwell dressed in Adam Waite & Dapper & Suave.
We then headed to the meadow and these are some of my FAVOURITE shots... So iconically Wes Anderson, Kirsty just did so good with all the shots, but I love these the most... so flipping good!
The perfect accessory to this gorgeous shoot was these candy colour bell tents from Baylily Bell Tents... Aren't they the best!?
In these last shots Georgia is rocking another stunning gown by Indie brides, parred to perfection with a flower crown from Sophie & Luna.
HOW AMAZING? And if that wasn't enough the lovely Robin from Loved Up Films created the cutest film too! Don't forget to check out the feature on Green Wedding Shoes and a huge thank you again to The Wedding Spark & Kirsty for asking me to be apart of this!! <3
Full Credits, Website Links & Instagram Profiles:
Photography: Kirsty Mackenzie Photography | @kirstymackenziephotography Venue: The Barn at Avington | @thebarnatavington Event design & Planning: The Wedding Spark | @theweddingspark Florals: The Wild Fox | @thewildfoxuk Wedding dress: Indie Brides | @indiebridelondon Hairpiece: Sophie & Luna | @sophieandlunalondon Hair stylist: Bridal Hair in Hampshire | @bridalhairinhampshire Makeup artist: Serena Grace MUA | @serenagracemua Groom attire: Adam Waite and Dapper and Suave | @awtailoring and @dappersuave Videography: Loved Up Films | @lovedupfilms Customisable Backdrop, Decanters, Candlesticks and other small props: Lo & Behold Bespoke | @loandbeholdbspk Piano Bar, easel & suitcases: With These Hands | @withthesehandsweddings Paper goods: White Cottage Weddings | @whitecottageweddings Cake: Maid of Gingerbread | @gingerbreadmaid Tablewear: Harriet's Table | @harrietstable Furniture: Purple Door Props | @purpledoorprops light up signs: Locke & Busby | @lockeandbusby Bell tents + rug aisle: Baylily Bell Tents | @baylily_bell_tents Models: Maxwell James and Georgia Harris | @1maxwelljames and @gg_mayharris
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I am SO EXCITED to share this with you... We worked on this shoot back in May and today's it's been featured on the amazing Green Wedding Shoes today! You can read the full feature by clicking here!!
I will share all the photos and links tomorrow in a full blog post (check in at lunch time) but for now here's some fabe BTS photos... The top lot are from the lovely Kirsty and there's some from me below too... noun | The period from the vernal equinox to the summer solstice. You may remember back in May we mentioned a fair and complimenting shoot that we did at Slindon College organised by The Vintage Parade (you can read about it here) Well I can now share some of the amazing images from that shoot as it's just been featured on the awesome Festival Brides! The shoot was organised and co-ordinated by The Vintage Parade owner Alex. She had in mind a fun, colourful, bohemian inspirational shoot and we were asked to come along and help style the shoot. We focussed on 3 main areas; a bohemian Bell Tent Glamping set up, a beautiful rich and vibrant table setting and an elegant ceremony backdrop. Then we tweaked and styled other smaller set ups and shots. Alex also asked us if we'd like to design a bespoke stationery suite for shoot, which of course we jumped at the chance. A fantastic cohort of suppliers came together for the shoot and it was lovely meeting lots of creative bods and industry seppiers and it was lovely to then all come together again for The Spring Wedding Fair. I'll share some of the amazing photos taken by Paloma below, but I also urge you to check out the Festival Brides post as it's a beaut!! (Isn't it always!!) You can read it here. As always I'll do a full supplier list at the bottom! <3 With two beautiful brides it gave us a chance to celebrate all things feminine! Alex selected different styles of dresses from Hope & Harlequin and these complimented the gorgeous florals by Amanda Jane. Teaming up with Great British Bell Tents and Garlic Wood Events we created a boho luxe glamping and relaxed alfresco dining set up... I don't know about you but it's a camping trip/picnic I want to go on! Can we just take a moment to appreciate the incredible food created by Garlic Wood Events!?! It looked (and tasted) amazing and the boys were just lovely! So fun and talented! The shoot also provided us with a fantastic opportunity to show off our beautiful folding screen backdrop. In the glorious surroundings of Slindon College and adorned with florals from Amanda Jane it looked just divine!! One of the great things about doing shoots is meeting other suppliers. Steve and Jo from Vintage Camper Weddings bought along the gorgeous 'Peggy' who looked right at home sat in front of Slindon's stunning greenhouse <3 The lovely Lucy from Sparkle Bakes created the most beautiful cake which perfectly complimented the colourful shoot! It was so fun to design this stationery suite... I was inspired by Alex's chosen colour palette and a bohemian mehndi inspired design. I especially loved the curled place settings with the patterned design on the back... I would love to do more of these so if you are interested in some help with your wedding stationery, please get in touch. The table setting was (and always is) one of our favourite things to transform... For this shoot, we moved the huge vintage wooden table to the huge bay window, with gorgeous spring light streaming through and beautiful bell tents peaking through in the background it was pretty before we even started! A mix of ethnic and bohemian items with classic elegant pieces bought the table to life. It was warm, textured and the amber and the pink together was just gorgeous! <3 Model Araminta looking gorgeous in another dress from Hope & Harlequin, Veil by Ashley Wild Bridal and hair and make up by King & Bentley. So there you have it, a fun, colourful and collaborative shoot that we loved being a part of! Please head to Festival Brides to read the full feature and check out all the suppliers below!
Full Credits & Website Links: Photography: Photos by Paloma Concept & Creative Direction: Vintage Parade Flowers: Amanda Jane Flowers Props/Styling & Stationery: Lo & Behold Bespoke Food Feast: Garlic Wood Events Cake: Sparkle Bakes Veil and Millinery: Ashley Wild Bridal Bell Tents: Great British Bell Tents Silks: Bertie and Fred VW Campervan: Vintage Camper Weddings Bar: The Crafty Horse Bar Dresses: Hope & Harlequin Shoes: Freya Rose MUA and Hair: King & Bentley Make-up Models: Crystal Kahn and Araminta Pender Venue: Slindon College noun | A genre of science fiction that has a historical setting, a style of design and fashion that combines historical elements with anachronistic technological features. Imagine our delight when we received an email from Florence based Italian photographers Barbara and Federico asking us to collaborate on a styled shoot (unfortunately not in Italy) but in London. The couple were flying over for a few days and wanted to create a Steampunk shoot for their upcoming more alternative wedding photography business Barbarico Photography. When Barbara said that she'd booked the awesome Dalston Heights I was even more excited. Dalston Heights sits on the top floor of a former cardboard box factory in Hackney. Full of quirky spaces and lined with antique windows the venue is an architectural and trinket filled delight!! It was also a chance for us to explore a new aesthetic while staying true to our bohemian roots. Whilst overly themed and alternative weddings aren't necessarily our thing I love a good moody romantic bit of styling and I LOVE what we created! There was such a good group of collaborators and I don't know about you but I think the end results are pretty special! We decided to style 4 different areas in the venue; A ceremony backdrop, a dining table, a guestbook area and a cake/ sweet table... Here's a few pics from the shoot. I'll list all the full credits at the end. The table setting was the area we most got our teeth into and I think was the most beautiful!... We went for dark sumptuous colours; deep purples, rich golds, navy blues, cut crystal and ruby reds... The table was decadent, romantic and beautiful. There was hints of steam punk nestled amongst the crockery & glassware... Dried roses in bell jars, pheasant feathers and elegant black taper candles... It was one of those occasions where everything came together... The eccentricity of the venue blended perfectly to the kooky look of the shoot and the things that every bought along... We also had the opportunity to design a unique ceremony backdrop for the amazing space at the back. We created a beautiful hand painted banner. With draped deep purple chiffon and festoon lighting. We made the most of the mismatched chairs in the venue and with the drapes and the chandeliers, we were pretty impressed with the end result! We were also super excited to set up a gorgeous sweet table with some amazing treats from Park Lane Bakery... using a selection of our brass cake stands and goblets we set up a decadent spread... The gorgeous chalk board cake was divine and we loved the meringue kisses and roses!! So there you have it... Something a little bit different for us but super fun. A big old thank you to Barbara & Federico. Please do head over to their website and check out their stunning photography work!
Full Credits, Websites & Instagram Links: Photography: Studio Fotografico Bacci | @florence_wedding_photographers Styling & Props: Lo & Behold Bespoke | @loandbeholdbspk Flowers: Flower & Fern | @flowerandfernstudio Cake & Sweet Treats: Park Lane Bakery | @parklanebakery Hair: Catherine Strong | @strongbrides MUA: Lucy Jones | @lucyjmakeup Stationery: Satin & Tat | @satin_and_tat Dress: Powered & Waisted Corsetry | @powderedandwaistedcorsetry Suit: Vintage Suit Hire | @vintagesuithire Hats: Maison de Cantern Hats | @maisondecanternhats Brides Shoes: Bunny Pumpkin Boutique | @jenbunnypumpkinboutique Models: @Lois.loren & @andrea87_rock Venue: Dalston Heights Co-Ordinator: Barbara | @amethreverie We've just returned from contributing to a fab Open Day / Press Event at our most recent recommended venue; The Barn at Avington. We love meeting local suppliers, especially venues, that offer something unique. We were introduced online to Beth from The Barn at Avington a few months back when they were part-way through restoring and converting an industrial barn into a beautiful wedding venue. The Barn at Avington can be found on a working farm not far from Winchester, Hampshire. The surrounding area is beautiful and oh-so-peaceful. I delighted in rolling fields of baby lambs on our way to set up today... it really is quite special. The barn has been transformed and now is a wonderfully blank canvas which is perfect for weddings as it's so adaptable for different events and individual styles. In addition to the actual Barn, there is also a beautiful outdoor ceremony location adjacent to the trickling River Itchen, which is rather idyllic and accomodation too. Family and friends can stay in the cottages and glamping site. The Glade is something rather special indeed! It's a flexible, inspiring, friendly set up which we love! We utterly recommend! Head to their website and find out more. They also have a listing on Coco Wedding Venue's, which you can see here. Press Day and PhotoshootWe were invited along by the lovely Beth to be a part of their Press Day. The Barn and the outside ceremony area has been dressed to impress by a host of clever talented suppliers and as I type this an invited host of journalists, industry experts and bloggers are exploring, taking photos and hopefully feeling utterly inspired. We were asked to create a relaxed boho luxe 'chill out' area with a colour palette of white, green and gold! (Sounds like a dream to us) We took down lots of lovely items from our prop hire collection and created a cosy little corner in the alcove. If you're after a similar set up for your event then please get in touch. In addition to our little set up, indoors there was a cute vintage mismatched ceremony set up, stunning dressed tables and a sweet table! Everything looked fab and transformed the space entirely! An outdoor ceremony set up was also styled and was beautiful by the river, glistening in the sunshine. I'll share some pics I snapped whilst we were all setting up below and list the credits too of everyone involved! When the proper shots come back I'll post them too! Styling | Linen & Lace Events ✣ Flowers | Rabbit and the Rose ✣ Furniture | Purple Door Props Tableware | Crystal Hire Ltd ✣ Wedding Stationery & Signs | Belles Soeurs Wedding Cake | Reilly Cakes ✣ Petite Cakes | Sparkle Bakes ✣ Brownies | The Fabulous Catering Company Stationery | Belles Soeurs ✣ Light Up Letters | Hello Doris Loves Open Day Details | 20 May 2018If you like what you see and would like to see more The Barn at Avington are hosting a fantastic free Open Day later this month! The event is completely free to attend and there's no need to book. If you're interested we'll pop the details below. We've left lots of our cards so if you'd like to chat to us about prop hire / bespoke design / styling or on-the-day co-ordination pick one up and please get in touch! We'd love to do more weddings at The Barn at Avington and in Hampshire!
Details Time | 10.30am - 4pm Admission | Free. No need to book, just turn up! Location | The Barn, Avington, Nr Winchester, Hampshire, SO21 1BZ For more information please get in touch with Beth from The Barn at Avington. thebarnatavington.co.uk | office@avingtonholidays.co.uk | 01962 779 955 In April we were asked to join a selection of hand-picked wedding suppliers to show at The Spring Wedding Fair at Slindon College. Organised by The Vintage Parade, the event is an intimate and personal wedding fair in the grounds of a stunning private college near Arundel.
Having previously done a shoot with a few of the other suppliers we set up two areas for the event, a Ceremony backdrop adorned with flowers by Amanda Jane Flowers and a styled table. We will share this soon... They Fair was great fun and we had a lovely time and met some wonderful couples and other suppliers! Here's a few snaps we took from the event and of the other suppliers: Florists: Amanda Jane Flowers | Webb & Farrer | Alstroemeria Ben Cakes: Sparkle Bakes | Mixed By Meg | Photography: Photos by Paloma | Jennifer Smith Accomodation: Great British Bell Tents | Dress: Aylin White Designs Stationery: Letters From Emily Catering: Garlic Wood Events | Crafty Horse Bar | This Fine Day Events Transport: Vintage Camper Weddings Magazines: Margot's Wedding Accessories: Ashley Wild | Dapper & Suave noun | A young person, especially a hippie, rejecting conventional society and advocating love, peace and simple idealistic values. When it came to organising our first styled shoot I knew it had to be special. Getting asked to style other shoots is always an amazing collaborative experience but for this shoot, all the reins lay in our hands and it was our chance to truly show who we were as a brand and what we loved. That's kind of the rule we used to inform all our choices and we filled the shoot with all the things we love most, lots of vintage / retro references and full of warm, rich tones and of course a hand selected bunch of talented people to make it all come to life. I had been working on the concept for a while and knew I wanted to create a modern hippy aesthetic but keep true to our bohemian values. With the help of Pinterest I pulled together images that embodied my vision and created our vision board which I used to bring my team on board. I started by recruiting my trusted friend and our wedding photographer Hayley Savage... I needed someone who got me and who I trusted. I've said it before and I'll say it again she's such an incredible talent and I'm so proud of what we achieved. We actually did the shoot back in February (thank Mother Earth for the good weather that day) as I wanted to be able to take the images to MCWF with me. It was also at Most Curious that I got a chance to meet one third of the divine Festival Brides. I have also adored EVERYTHING these girls post and so when I met the gorgeous Clare and she loved what we did too it was like the stars aligning! Clare insisted I send the shoot over to the lovely Laura who luckily for me loved it too and so with the help of Roxy, the shoot got written up and shared last month on their gorgeous blog. I honestly can't thank these bohemian beauties enough... They believed in what we'd made and loved it as much as we did. You can check out the whole feature by clicking on the button below. So without further ado.... Let me share with you all some of the amazing images we created for you... I hope you love them as much as we do. I will include details of suppliers throughout the post but please scroll to the end to see a full list of talented collaborators and their instagram profiles and website links. Thanks once again to Festival Brides or featuring the images and sharing the love. <3 It was so important to me not to overlook the small details. These are the things I notice and so I wanted to make sure they were perfect for our shoot. Mustard Bra from ASOS | Vintage 1970's shoes and Bag from Dead Man's Glory | Veil by AM Faulkner | Daisy Hair Accessories by Fifth & Spring Having worked with Lily Lupin last year of the Loose Reins shoot I knew how crazy talented she was so she was my first choice for the shoot florist and luckily for me, she was free, interested and loved my vision. Lisa created the most stunning flower crowns and button holes using a mix of gorgeous dried flowers and these are literally so perfect! The dress was a big thing and had to be right so luckily for me I knew the lovely Anja from Anya Bridal Couture and luckily for the shoot Anja saved the day by inviting me to her gorgeous barn in Droxford and introducing me to her Rembo Styling range. I opted for the Ginger gown with it's bellowing bell sleeves and plunging V back.... It was just beautiful! Not wanted to forget the boys (as they often get overlooked) I wanted to ensure our groom would look equally as gorgeous. I am fortunate to count among my friends the insanely talented Ed from The Southsea Abode. Ed is one of the best dressed gents you'll ever meet so when he opened his wardrobe to me I was in vintage heaven.... We selected 2 looks for Danny, who would be our groom and I am thrilled with how stylish he looked! The shoot of course gave us ample opportunities to show off our styling skills and we pimped this corner of our home, the star of the show being one of our 4 peacock chairs... which you can hire don't ya know!! Head to our prop hire page for more info. I discovered Fara online and instantly fell in love with her look. I am passionate about using a diverse range of models in my shoots and Fara was everything I was looking for. She looked incredible in every shot and made the perfect bride! I wanted to created a real story within the shoot and shot we started the day with 'bridal prep' shots. I dressed Fara in a Y.A.S. Teddy from ASOS and items from my own wardrobe and handed her the most incredible bouquet designed by Lisa from Lily Lupin. Fara's make up was done by the gorgeous Amy Richards who did my own wedding make up! I love them so much! So after we'd got lots of lovely shots at home we headed off to Staunton Country Park. I had initially wanted fields of wild flowers but February meant that wasn't entirely practical so instead I hired The Fruit Room, a side room off of Staunton's huge greenhouse. I took inspiration from the mass of green foliage and the warm colours we bought into the styling of the reception set up complimented the glass, the light and the whitewashed walls perfectly. Seriously, how perfect is the bouquet from Lily Lupin | I love the detailed floral shots Hayley Savage takes! Again, when it cam to finding our groom I looked online... I knew the look I was after and when I discovered Danny online I knew he was perfect for the job. He was such a great model and was such a pleasure to work with. All Danny's clothes were from Ed / The Southsea Abode | Styling by Lo & Behold Bespoke | Venue Staunton Country Park. Now time to bring our bride and groom together. We used our Persian Dreams Ceremony Arch for the occasion to add some boho luxe to the shoot and we think it looks incredible against the red brick wall. Veil AM Faulkner | Dress from Anya Bridal | Florals Lily Lupin | Hair Accessories Fifth & Spring | Hair / Mens Fashion The Southsea Abode | MUA Amy Richards | Styling & Ceremony Arch Lo & Behold Bespoke | Photography Hayley Savage I came up with the idea of wearable florals and Lisa ran with it... we wanted to give brides other options when it comes to their big day and I think this idea of a floral shawl is really unique and beautiful! I adore this daisy edge veil from AM Faulkner | Dress from Anya Bridal Couture | Hair The Southsea Abode | MUA Amy Richards I wanted to create a gorgeous warm summery reception look and so we pulled lots of amber glass, brass and warm, retro pieces from our collection. We had the most amazing cake made for us from the divine Tara of Southsea Coffee Co / Ginger & Peach | Sign by Lo & Behold Bespoke Vintage Dress & Cape Dead Man's Glory | Flower Crown Lily Lupin | MUA Amy Richards | Hair The Southsea Abode We made this Canopy for the shoot and will be adding it to our Prop list soon! We also designed all the stationery for the shoot and loved the retro vintage vibe perfectly captured by Hayley Savage. So there you have it... Our Flower Child shoot... I hope you love it and it feels your heart with sunshine. If you want to chat about any of the props used or our styling services please get in touch. Please check out the full credit list below and Thank you again to the beauts from Festival Brides. Full Credits, Websites & Instagram links
Featured Blog || Festival Brides || @festivalbrides Photography || Hayley Savage || @hayleysavagephotography Concept, Planning, Styling & Stationery/Signs ||Lo & Behold Bespoke || @loandbeholdbspk Cake || Ginger & Peach || @gingerpeachfood Florals ||Lily Lupin Floral Design || @lilylupinfloraldesign Venue || Staunton Country Park || @stauntoncountrypark Hair & Men's Vintage Fashion || The Southsea Abode || @thesouuthseaabode Makeup || Made Up Brides by Amy Richards || @amyrichardsmakeup Dress || Anya Bridal Couture || @anyabridalcoutureuk Dress Designer || Rembo Styling || @rembostyling Vintage Womens garments & accessories || Dead Man's Glory || @deadmansglory Hair Accessories || Fifth & Spring || @fifth_and_spring Veil || AM Faulkner || @am_faulkner Models || Fara @rachellafd || Danny @danny_silvestri When it comes to planning your wedding day, we're firm believers that the day should represent you and what you love as a couple. Your wedding day should be a perfect match for you both and that includes the venue. Choosing the venue(s) is one of the first big things that newly engaged couples decide on and then more often then not, this tends to shape the structure and 'theme' of your day. Unfortunately there's not always a huge selection of unique venues to plan your day around and the readily available ones tend to fall into a few camps; chic hotel, rustic barn or family friendly village hall for example. But what if that's not you? We see so often couples settling for a day and a venue that's not necessarily them as there's no other choice, especially if you want to stay local. A young trendy modern couple shouldn't have to have their wedding in a rustic barn if nothing in their life resonates with this aesthetic! When I think about my local friends who live in and around Portsmouth most of them have chosen to have their big day away from their beloved home town and I wonder how much of this is because there's not much choice here, especially when it comes to reception venues. We're blessed with a few unique ceremony options, The Square Tower, The Marines Museum and even the deck of the HMS Warrior if that takes your fancy! We're also blessed that our registry office is lovely but what happens next... where can you and your 100 odd guests head to after?!? Luckily for me (and you) I discovered a new venue the other day (through one of my lovely 2018 brides) and I think it's amazing. It's cool, modern, unique and with excellent links to our famed nautical heritage I think it's going to be a big hit with local couples. Boathouse 4, which lies nestled in the Historic Dockyard may tick all the boxes for anyone wanting to stay local but not compromise on style or uniqueness. Recently opened above a thriving and busy boat house the restaurant is available to hire for special events like receptions! We went down and checked it out and had to share it with you... Firstly to get there is exciting, entering through the main gates you have to pass the HMS Warrior on your left and then heading into Boathouse Number 4 your guests can explore this active marine hub, head up the stairs there is a fantastic ariel view of the the boathouse below (sure to entertain guests both young and old) and the views from inside are pretty special too! Once inside the decor is stunning, minimal and traditional all at the same time. Beautiful tables and chairs/benches are so on trend being a beautiful dark wood and we can't wait to style them up with lots of foliage and candles later this year! They have a capacity for 120 guests for a seated dinner and up to 200 for an evening reception. The space is big and open plan with huge windows on both sides. The space can easily be split into bar, meal and dance floor areas making it a perfect reception venue. Also their food looked amazing... I've yet to try any but as soon as we do I will update this and you! The staff were also hugely accommodating, friendly and flexible which is so important with a wedding venue. We're thrilled to be adding Boathouse 4 to our list of recommended suppliers and likewise are so excited to be able to help anyone with any styling or co-ordination needs going forth, please get in touch if you think we might be able to help make your day extra special. If you want to find out more about Boathouse 4 please visit the Historic Dockyard website. So there you have it, a little recommendation from us about a fantastic new venue in the heart of our city! We hope lots of you check it out! We can't wait to work there later this year and will look forward to sharing with you some images of it all set up for a wedding! <3 For more of our recommendations please click here.
It's just over a month away now since the Most Curious Wedding Fair and it seems I'm only just having time to sit down, reflect and write up our experience... Well we did it and it was AMAZING. Not many people know but the whole launch of our website and the business coincided with the application deadlines of Most Curious. When I was wedding planning I only went to a couple of wedding fairs and the only one that truly inspired me was Most Curious. So much so that I went back twice in the 18months of our wedding prep. There was something about the unique quality of the suppliers and the general feel good, fun, alternative vibe of the event that spoke to me. When the idea of launching Lo & Behold became a reality I spoke to Maxwell and explained that this was the only event I really wanted to do. This is the target audience I wanted to create Lo & Behold for. When we discovered their application deadline was Oct, that was it... I worked night and day to build our brand and website and get it to a place where I felt we had something of value to offer to the MC gals. When we nervously clicked submit on our application we kept fingers crossed and eagerly anticipated their response. It was round the time of us getting back our wedding pics and when Becky shared a couple of our wedding photos I did a little squeal as I knew they at least loved our wedding. When we finally got a 'yes' we were over the moon. We were so excited to be able to aim towards this event and finally propel ourselves into the professional world of weddings. The last few months have been a busy few months... Fitting preparations around work and other commitments means we've both been a bit of a recluse so this is also an opportunity for us to thank our dear friends and family for their patience whilst we followed our hearts and gave MCWF 110%. The last few weeks of prep (as with all creatives I'm sure) were a blur of tying up loose ends and making sure everything was perfect and then the beast from the east hit and threatened to ruin all our hard work. I remember Maxwell's mum calling us the night before we were due to head off and see how we were doing, she tentatively asked if we'd still be going with the weather being so bad and I remember saying to Maxwell there was no way we were NOT going! ha ha... and that we did. 5am alarms awoke us from a fretful nights sleep and looking outside we thought we could do this! We literally skated over the black ice on the pavement and loaded the van with the rest of the props and tied our set/backdrop to the top of the van. By 7.30am we were on the road.... The snowy scenes outside the window set a calming tone for the journey up and luckily as most sensible people had taken heed of the red weather warning and advice to not take any unnecessary journeys, the roads were pretty clear. By 11am we finally rolled into the Yard out the back of The Truman Brewery and the mayhem began. Joining the creatives unloading vans and setting up it was so exciting to feel part of the MCWF class of 2018 and I was probably obvious as the geeky first timer. We began recreating the set/stall which we'd designed at home and enjoyed saying hi to fellow suppliers and the lovely MCWF gals. One of the things we loved most was meeting other suppliers who we'd previously been following online. The gorgeous Toria from GRAPE & Fig and the amazing Emilie and Jon from The Wild Bride sought us out and embraced us like long lost friends. It is this feeling of belonging and support that meant so much to us... as 3 first timers together we were all in a little club, having all launched our businesses in the last year off the back of our own weddings. The other overwhelming thing from the weekend was the feedback and conversations we had with all the gorgeous couples and bride tribes we met. Excitedly sharing peoples plans and receiving compliments on our stall was amazing, So many people loved what we were doing and it was like affirmation that all the hard work we'd put in was worth it. I'm so excited about potentially working with lots of these couples. On Monday after I sent out nearly 100 messages to everyone that signed up to hear from us and inspiring conversations are occupying my time at the moment which is so exciting. If you gave me your email then you should have had an email from me, do check your junk if you can't find me or get in touch!! So there you have it. A brilliant event all round. The show, which has grown considerably each year, was the best yet and the girls; Becky, Cat, Ellie & Ann-Marie all worked their butts off to make everything run super smoothly. Even with burning feet and surviving on just a few hours sleep a night we had the best time and can't wait to do it all again next year. Enough of the waffle, let me share some pics with you. I'll break them down into our stall, everyone else and the fashion shows. I will try and link the photos to the suppliers if I can but if I miss anyone I apologise. You can find all the suppliers of the London show here. Lo & Behold BespokePhotos by September Pictures Most Curious Wedding Fair Suppliers 2018The Fashion ShowsFeaturing:
Katya Katya, Prim & Clover, Sienna Von Hildemar, Rolling in Roses, MaudiKA, Woburn X BowenDryden, Jessica Turner Designs, Kindling Bridal, Naves, Ritual Unions, Fleetwood of London, Maids to Measure, Clinton Lotter, Velvet Johnstone, Peony Vintage, Lucky Sixpence Bridal, Rosa Bloom Accessories: Nichola Ruby, Virna Pasquinellie, Eva Marie, Lennie Beare, Florence & Dot, Velvet Johnstone Hair & Make Up: Lucy Jones & Team Flowers: The Floral Editor, Boom Blooms noun | To elope, most literally, means to run away and to not come back to the point of origin. More colloquially, elopement is often used to refer to a marriage conducted in sudden and secretive fashion. When the lovely Lisa from Lily Lupin Floral Design sent me an Instagram message, not long after we launched, asking me if we'd be interested in collaborating on a styled shoot, we literally jumped at the chance. Having met Lisa the year before at the Wonderous Wedding Fair, I knew her work and it is just stunning. To be able to work together was so exciting for us. When Lisa said that Harriot from Jemima Cakes was also involved we got even more excited, Harriot designs and crafts the most sensational cakes you ever did see, I also met her at the 2016 Wonderous Wedding Fair and we so nearly went for one of her gorgeous designs!! Lisa & Harriot had pulled together a team of local suppliers and had found the most amazing venue to inspire our elopement themed shoot. With a communal pinterest board we all got pinning and warm autumnal tones, rustic, vintage and bohemian ideas and details we're shared by all the team. The idea behind the shoot was that a couple had run off and eloped, and then hauled up in a gorgeous rustic wood cabin for a few days to wallow in post married glory (sounds ideal right!?) It was our first collaborative styled shoot and we enjoyed the experience so much!! As a lovely surprise, it turns out we knew a couple of the additional suppliers, The amazing Carrie Lavers, who had previously taken my photo for Southsea Folk Magazine and my MUA from my wedding Amy Richards. We also got to meet a whole range of other talented suppliers and professionals and the whole day was a joy! I am so glad of the experience and throughly enjoyed playing about with a dark, moody, romantic theme and being able to use our props in a new way! We were also beyond thrilled that one of our favourite bridal blogs Bride & Tonic obviously loved the shoot as much as we did as they have recently shared the shoot. You can read about it by clicking on the link below. In the post Carrie shares her inspiration and more details so it's definitely worth a read! So without further ado.... Let me share with you all some of the amazing images. I will include details of suppliers and website links throughout the post but please scroll to the end to see a full list of talented collaborators and their instagram profiles. Thanks once again to Bride & Tonic for featuring the images. Bespoke His & Hers chairs by Lo & Behold Bespoke | Stunning bouquet by Lily Lupin | Rustic cabin at Loose Reins Stunning stationery by Geri Loves Emi Paper Co. Florals & Hand-dyed silk ribbons by Lily Lupin Floral Design | Staionary by Geri Loves Emi Paper Co | Jewellery by Agnes Walker Beautiful Dress by Exquisite Bridal Couture | Florals by Lily Lupin Floral Design | Persian Backdrop by Lo & Behold Bespoke | Venue Loose Reins Stunning His & Hers Individual cakes by Jemima Cakes | Styling & Props by Lo & Behold Bespoke Cakes & Sweet Treats by Jemima Cakes | Styling & Props by Lo & Behold Bespoke Rustic Wooden Cabin at Loose Reins | Dress by Exquisite Bridal Couture | Bouquet & Florals by Lily Lupin | Styling Lo & Behold Bespoke Beautiful Gown by Exquisite Bridal Couture | Delicate and gorgeous hair vine by Agnes Walker | Hair by Lady B Hair Design | Signs by Romsey Vintage Hire | Venue Loose Reins | Styling by Lo & Behold Bespoke | Florals by Lily Lupin Bridal Gowns by Exquisite Bridal Couture | Jewellery & Hair Vines by Agnes Walker | Rugs, Persian Backdrop & Styling Lo & Behold Bespoke | Mustard Dress currently on sale at ASOS | Sweet treats by Jemima Cakes This stunning Horse joined us from the stables at Loose Reins | Floral horse wreath by Lily Lupin Veil & Dress by Exquisite Bridal Couture | Jewellery by Agnes Walker | Make Up by Amy Richards of Made Up Brides | Hair by Lady B Hair Design | Styling & Macrame hangers by Lo & Behold Bespoke Unique petal make up by Amy Richards | Mustard Dress from ASOS | Stationery by Geri Loves Emi Paper Co | Styling & Props by Lo & Behold Bespoke And there you have it... Stunning huh?!? I hope you adore the images as much as I do... I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the gorgeous collaborators and put it out there that I'd love to do more collaborative shoots so do get in touch. If you're looking for bohemian styling and are in need of some gorgeous unique props then please get in touch.
Full Credits & Instagram links Photography || @carrielaversphotography Styling || @loandbeholdbspk Cake || @jemima_cakes Florals || @lilylupinfloraldesign Stationery || @gerilovesemi.paper.co Venue || @loosereinsdorset Hair || @ladybhair Makeup || @amyrichardsmakeup Dress || @exquisiteofwinchester Jewellery || @agneswalker_jewellery Signs || @romsey_vintage_hire Model || @harriet_russell1 |