Sage Inspired by Life : Recommended Wedding Vendor

Last Monday I had the delight of discovering amazing boutique Sage Inspired by Life on Bristol's Gloucester Road which is run by the lovely Becky Sage. An amazing little gem of a shop, it is filled with the most unique and individual must haves!

All of the products she stocks are hand chosen by Becky herself and some of my favourites include heavenly cinnamon and orange scented love hearts, giant wooden games (perfect for summer garden weddings), vintage storage boxes, marry me candle votives (ideal if you're planning on a romantic surprise proposal!), knitted tea cosys and gorgeous old fashioned wicker picnic baskets.

I highly recommend an enjoyable hour browsing around their lovely store picking up some pre-wedding treats or getting inspiration for your gift list! Or if you can't make it down to Gloucester Road in Bristol where her shop is based, you can still buy many of Becky's beautiful hand-picked wares from her website at www.sageinspiredbylife.co.uk. You can also visit her store at uber chic shopping bohemia notonthehighstreet.com

Arabian Tents

Just been checking out the blog of one of my fave wedding planners, Beverly Pearce and in her latest post she's highlighted these amazing marquees from Arabian Tents... I've never seen anything like this before! They have options from anything like "Very English Tea" to "Bombay Boudoir". Wow, someone PLEASE book me for a wedding with a marquee from these guys! Fabulous!!

Wedding Days that Change the World!

I was recently contacted by Changing The Present - a new charitable gift list based in the US, but available to couples getting wed across the world. The idea is that instead of your standard gift list filled with things you don't really need, you put people's desire to shower you with pressies to good use and have a gift list of charitable items ranging from anything like mountain goats for village tribes to fresh water in remote locations and books for school children.

This rather good idea has been around for a while now, infact one of the first times I came across the idea was last year in May when I photographed Nid and Karl's wedding at Byzantium in Bristol. Nid and Karl went with the gift list Good Gifts and had some really unique items. Nid explains...

"Karl & I wanted to have charitable gifts so that we could make something more out of our day than gifts for ourselves. We looked at various charities but we felt that specific charities did not offer a selection to meet different interests - Karl wanted dog charity donations and I wanted cats saving, but not everyone necessarily connects with animals! Karl had come across 'Good Gifts' with his work who have a selection of charitable gifts that could suit different peoples interests. Not everyone understood the charitable gifts but they loved the idea when we explained it. Good Gifts were really helpful and thanks to everyone's generous gifts we helped many children, penguins, goats, African bicycle taxi companies and many others. Choosing charitable gifts for our wedding day was the perfect choice for us."

Another charitable wedding registry is available through www.ChangingThePresent.org/weddings. The site offers over a thousand "donation gift" opportunities from hundreds of leading nonprofits that reach out to the world and make a difference.

Some examples of gifts include

~ Provide care for an infant chimpanzee
~ Provide a child with her first book
~ Fund an hour of important cancer research

If you already have all the usual toasters and teapots that you need as a couple, we think it is a great way to celebrate your union with not only friends and family but also individuals in the world who are lacking with even having the basics. Knowing that getting married has literally changed the world for the better must be a great feeling to kick off your new life with!

Whether you go for the traditional gift list or something a bit more unusual, we hope you'll agree that it's pretty inspiring to see what's out there!

Recommended Makeup Artist: Laura Smurthwaite

If you're looking for a fab makeup artist in the London area, we heartily recommend Laura Smurthwaite, who trained at Glauca Rossie and worked with us on our bridal model shoot at the Bear Hotel in Hungerford last year.

Laura says, "My fascination with the Make up world was ignited at a very young age. I was always intrigued about how Make up can range from enhancing someone’s natural beauty on the cover of magazines to completely transforming them into characters on the big screens.

With no previous experience I decided to take the plunge and enrol at the Glauca Rossi School of Fashion and Photographic Make up in London for the summer of 2006. I am now a Freelance Make up artist based in London and surrounding areas and have been testing ever since I graduated to build up a strong portfolio.

One of the many things I enjoy about being a Make up artist is the diversity it brings, every photoshoot is different and unique in its own way and you meet some very great talented people".

You can check out Laura's portfolio on her website www.laurasmurthwaite.co.uk

Beverly Pearce - UK's Top Wedding Planner!

Big congratulations to the lovely wedding planner Beverly Pearce, who is now officially the UK's top wedding planner! She recently won the title from readers of Wedding Ideas Magazine. We are very proud! We worked with Bev on a great shoot at the Bear Hotel in Hungerford last year and she is such great fun and obviously a real blessing to all the brides she works with!

Beverly has been planning and coordinating weddings since the beginning of 2003 and in that time has worked at over 100 weddings all over the UK.

Her wedding career started when she began working as a freelance coordinator for a little known wedding day coordination company based in Berkshire. The company started with just herself and the director being the only two coordinators and expanded to a team of 13 coordinators, all specially selected, interviewed and then trained by Beverly. The business grew to be one of the best known wedding planning companies during the three years Beverly worked with them as ‘Creative Director’. They also won the Wedding Ideas Magazine award for ‘UKs Best Wedding Planners’ in 2006.

Since her career began Beverly has become one of the best known planners in the industry. Her achievements include:

Writing articles for a number of publications including;
Loveweddings.com
Perfect Wedding Magazine
Wedding Ideas Magazine
Weddingpath.com

Beverly is now ‘Director of Wedding Planning Services’ with ‘All Things Bride and Beautiful’. A refreshingly modern wedding planner, Beverly enjoys offering advice to brides and grooms through public speaking and writing for wedding and lifestyle publications. Using her experience at REAL weddings and having dealt with every conceivable wedding planning problem, Beverly is a real expert in her field.

We highly recommend Bev to all brides whether it's for helping organise the whole day or just for taking the pressure off with on the day co-ordinating. To find out more, or to contact her directly take a look at her blog here

Winners of the Wrapit Awards 2008

We just wrote a small feature on leading makeup artist Sarah Brock, and a few days later we are very happy to say that she has just won the coveted Wrapit Award for Hair and Beauty in the whole of the UK!! We are thrilled for Sarah and wish her the best with her new title!

Over 300 people from the wedding industry gathered together at the first National Wrapit Wedding Industry Awards, sponsored by Condé Nast Brides and Wedgwood, in association with the National Wedding Show.

The glamorous Awards ceremony final took place at Claridge’s in London’s Mayfair on Wednesday, 20th February, and was organised by wedding planners Smith & Niemierko. Set in the mirror ballroom at Claridge’s with Laurent Perrier champagne flowing until the early hours of the morning, the crème de la crème of the wedding industry celebrated their success.

It followed three regional ceremonies in Birmingham, Manchester and London in January where the finalists had been announced. The winners have been voted for by brides and grooms who have used their service, so excellent customer service was essential for anyone getting through to the final.

Pepita Diamand, Wrapit’s founder and retail director, says: “I am thrilled that the Wrapit Wedding Industry Awards have been such a success nationwide. We have had a fabulous response - the quality of the entries was extremely high and customers voted in the thousands. I am so pleased that the awards have proved that there is great customer service all around the country.”

The WINNERS in each category are:

BRIDAL DRESS RETAILER
Maria Modes Bridalwear Ltd. (Staffordshire)

BRIDAL DRESS DESIGNER
Ritva Westenius (London)

BRIDAL ACCESSORIES
By Harriet (East Yorkshire)

WEDDING VENUE
Burghley House (Lincolnshire)

WEDDING PLANNER
Tania-Tapel Ltd (Leicestershire)

FLORIST
Cindy Kirkland at Creative Works (Surrey)

WEDDING CAKE
Little Venice Cake Co (London)

WEDDING STATIONERY
With Love….Wedding Stationery (Derbyshire)

WEDDING CATERER
Indulgence (Oxfordshire)

ENTERTAINMENT
5 Consultants and their Fish (Leicestershire)

HAIR & BEAUTY
Sarah Brock for Daniel Sandler (Wiltshire)

WEDDING CARRIAGES
Mechgem Luxury Wedding Cars Ltd (Kent)

MENSWEAR
Hugh Harris (Surrey)

SPECIAL TOUCHES
Artful Splodgers (Essex)

Congratulations to everyone involved!!

Sarah Brock Makeup Artist

I worked together with Sarah on the Vintage 1950s Bristol shoot last weekend and not only was the makeup flawless, and exactly what I wanted for the photographs, but Sarah was also so cheerful and ready to help with anything that needed doing.

Her qualifications include 4 makeup Artistry Diplomas (all grade A) and she has trained under Daniel Sandler, one of the UK's most successful makeup artists. She is also qualified in bridal, photographic/ fashion makeup.

Known for applying makeup which looks flawless, beautiful & enhances her clients best features, Sarah appeared in BRIDES magazine as one of the South Wests' leading makeup artists for bridal makeup in 2006 and 2007.

In February 2007, Sarah was chosen by Daniel Sandler to be part of his Creative Team and to head the team at the 2007 Elle Magazine Style Awards. Sarah has worked on celebrity photo shoots and toured the UK on the ghd Expert Tour as a makeup Artist and guest speaker.

She was also a makeup artist at London Fashion Week, 2007.

Sarah was then appointed by Daniel Sandler as the Artistic Director of Makeup for the Daniel Sandler Company, making her Daniel Sandlers' second in command.

As a Daniel Sandler makeup artist trained by Daniel personally, Sarah knows all the top makeup tips and trade secrets. After years of working in the US & UK, Daniel has created his own range of makeup which is exclusively available in the Urban Retreat Harrods, or through Sarah, who can advise you on the right products for you.

We highly recommend Sarah as a bridal and fashion makeup artist and encourage you to check out her website at http://www.sarahbmakeup.co.uk/

Stemtation, Henley on Thames

We recently started working with the lovely Kathryn and Eric from Stemtation Florists in Henley on Thames.

The flowers they have provided for our bridal fashion shoots have been out of this world, but even more importantly I've heard feedback from several brides in the local area about their really great service and beautiful flowers. You don't get a higher recommendation than from a happy bride!

Stemtation are one of Henley's best known secrets (their premises are down an old lane and in a courtyard just off the Reading Road in Henley on Thames). If you are looking for a florist in the Oxfordshire/Berkshire area we definitely recommend them! Check out their website www.stemtation.co.uk

Flo & Percy

I found Flo & Percy via Perfect Wedding Magazine and Kirstie, who set up the business, was kind enough to let me borrow some of their stunning vintage jewellery for our 1950s style bridal shoot in Bristol this past weekend.

Flo & Percy create tiaras from collectable vintage jewellery, making every one unique.

Kirstie Taylor the creator and designer behind Flo & Percy, was the first person in the UK to make vintage tiaras from beautiful old jewellery, creating a work of art that will be something to cherish.

Kirstie says: “I have always liked old things ever since I was a child so when I decided to embark on a new business making tiaras, I immediately looked at my vintage jewellery collection for inspiration.

“Old jewellery to me evokes a lot of romance and passion, so what could be better than to wear it on your wedding day.”

She has undertaken a great deal of research as she has built up her collection, a lot of it from the 1950s.

“There are various designers I choose because their pieces make very good tiaras,” said Kirstie. Lots of the pieces are signed so brides are getting something that really does go up in value.

“Nearly all the components I use in the tiaras are vintage. Older stones and pearls have a beautiful colour and lustre that you just can’t get in new pearls that are too shiny and new and don’t give the same look that I want to achieve.

“A lot of brides these days realise that vintage fashion is very much ‘in vogue’ and want to echo this look in a tiara that they can then keep as a family heirloom and something that will also gain value.”

Brides either visit Kirstie in person or make their selection on the Internet, choosing the jewellery from digital photographs. Either way, Kirstie will find out about the bride’s dress and other information about the wedding that helps her to select the right colours and shapes, sourcing more pieces if she has nothing that matches the bride’s choice in her collection.

She says: “I sell all over the country. I have designed a comb and jewellery for Jill Halfpenny’s wedding, I was delighted as it's my first celebrity client!

“It is absolutely fantastic for me to know that a bride is wearing something I have created for her on her wedding day, the most important day in her life. For me there is nothing more rewarding.”

You can find Flo & Percy at www.floandpercy.com

Kelly Spence Jewellery

I got to know Kelly Spence through a mutual friend, and when I saw Kelly's collection of gorgeous jewellery and vintage hair combs I was in love! We used many of her pieces in our bridal shoot at Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons - see the vintage comb to the left, and they really gave something special to the shoot.

Kelly is an Art & Design graduate and designer of fine wedding tiaras and jewellery. Her designs can often be seen gracing the pages of the top British bridal magazines and is known for her clean lines and attention to detail.

Every hair accessory or piece of jewellery is made to order by hand and combines the finest Swarovski crystals, faux/freshwater pearls and semi-precious stones (excl. vintage)

We definitely recommend having a look through her website if you are looking for something beautiful to complement your wedding dress.

Henley Classic Car Hire

We worked with Simon from Henley Classic Car Hire for our shoot at Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons near Oxford in October. Henley Classic Car Hire are a small specialist company based near Henley-on-Thames, South Oxfordshire, offering the highest levels of service using classic and modern Jaguar vehicles. If you are looking to make that special day extra special, arrive in their iconic British Classic, the Mark 2 Jaguar, one of the world's favourite classic cars.

With its sumptuous leather and wood interior and classically evocative lines, this great British motor car that typifies the 50’s and 60’s. You may also remember this model as it later resurfaced to fame as the preferred transport of Inspector Morse in the popular TV series.

Henley Classic Car Hire's main operating area covers Henley-on-Thames, Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Cookham, Marlow, High Wycombe, Amersham, Ascot, Windsor, Wallingford, Oxford and surrounding areas.