Last year I was involved with an absolutely gorgeous shoot organised and shot by Zoe Emilie.
We supplied charger plates and other props and the results are just amazing.
Last year I was involved with an absolutely gorgeous shoot organised and shot by Zoe Emilie.
We supplied charger plates and other props and the results are just amazing.
Thought Foundation is a fantastic new venue which will be offering a very limited selection of dates for weddings each year. It’s an industrial space with lots to offer in terms of flexibility and the space really lends itself to getting creative. The husband and wife team at the helm want to offer a space that is useful to the local community and it’s a completely flexible diy venue.
Faye from Faye Darcy Events asked me to get on board with this shoot and help her style it. I jumped at the chance. We wanted to use a bright colour pallette with a bit of a nod to the tropical style the warmer weather has brought to my social media feeds recently.
Faye went for a really relaxed look for the bride and groom as she really wanted an informal feel and the decor needed to reflect that. I went for a floral hoop instead of a bouquet to tie in with the alternative, laid back style.
We set up a ceremony area using the industrial arch and wooden fruit crates to create an altar, with mismatched wooden chairs and festoon lighting.
The peacock chair is so fabulous! I simply dressed it with some foliage and a few flower heads. With a backdrop of the tropical balloon arch it create the perfect photo opportunity.
Sharon from Sadie May Cakes made a gorgeous cake hand painted with copper streaks and hot pink sugar flowers, we simply dressed it with foliage.
We set up pa top table on rustic trestle tables made from scaffolding boards. Dressed with a foliage garland, copper bottle vases, copper cutlery and amazing, colourful stationery from Amanda Michelle
Lux Lumina brought their showstopper glitterball heart which paired with rose gold sequin bunting from Emma Bunting made the perfect romantic backdrop.
Photography – Gavin Forster Photography
Curator – Faye Darcy Events
Venue – Thought Foundation
Florals and Styling – Ruby Tuesday Events
Cake – Sadie May Cakes
Pendant Lights – Festoon Lighting
Glitterball Heart – Lux Lumina
Stationery – Amanda Michelle
Bunting – Emma Bunting
Make Up – Helen Paisley
Furniture – Available to hire from Ruby Tuesday Events
Barn on the Bay is a brand new wedding venue launching in 2017 on the stunning Northumbrian coastline.
Calico Barn was opened in 2016 offering gorgeous group accommodation in a rustic but modern building out near Druridge Bay located on a working farm. The site has plenty of space for camping and can even offer bell tents for hire so even more guests can stay over.
The barn can seat up to 50 guests for a ceremony and there is space to attach a marquee or tipi to the barn too.
Booking your wedding at Barn on the Bay means you get access from Friday until Sunday so you can really make a weekend of it. The package is super flexible giving you complete freedom over your choice of suppliers, a beautiful Shepherd’s Hut is included for the bride and groom and there is also a section of the dunes overlooking the bay making this a truly unique venue offering.
We’re really excited to work with this amazing new venue as the recommended supplier for planning, coordination, styling and florals.
Find out more from the website here.
Carly & Mike had a super relaxed day at the amazing Crook Hall and Gardens which sits in the heart of Durham city centre but is actually a beautiful collection of seven gorgeous gardens.
They came to me to help with styling the day from the initial design, sourcing wedding decorations, setting up on the day as well as providing all the flowers for the bridal party and the guest tables.
The weather was kind enough on the day to allow for both the ceremony and wedding breakfast to be held outside. We dressed the gazebo outside with trailing ribbons in rainbow colours and dressed the chairs lining the aisle to match.
Carly & Mike wanted to reflect themselves as a couple (which I always recommend) and so we incorporated a musical theme using records and tables named after their favourite albums.
They wanted a bright colour scheme inspired by their weeding cake so we picked up these colours with giant balloons and also in the flowers we used.
We made flower crowns for Carly and all her bridesmaids that complemented their bouquets.
Mike and the groomsmen had gorgeous dahlia boutonnieres.
I loved styling this wedding, it was such fun working with a fantastic couple and the venue is an absolute gem.
Back in September I styled a beautiful wedding at The Parlour at Blagdon. This was the first time I’d visited this venue and I was honestly blown away by what they have on offer.
Nigel, the owner, has transformed what used to be a garden centre into a gorgeous space with a relaxed atmosphere while delivering top quality customer service. The bistro on any normal day serves up breakfasts lunches and even dinner but this is literally transformed for your ceremony into a room with bags of character.
There is then a dedicated function room across the courtyard called The Willow Room which can seat around 90 people and has it’s own bar inside. This room is an ideal reception room and the wooden beams give loads of options for room decor. Think fairy lights, paper lanterns, bunting, floral installations and more.
What impressed me most about this venue the first time I was involved with a wedding there was the standard of service on offer. The team are trained to offer a high quality service that you would expect in a 5 star hotel and yet the atmosphere is friendly, relaxed and informal. This is a combination that’s hard to find elsewhere in the north east. The food looks pretty good too!
If you’ve already got your wedding venue booked then how about an afternoon tea hen party? The Parlour specialise in afternoon tea and have plenty of private spaces that you can book for a girly get together.
Have a look at the website to see what they have on offer.
Earlier this year I was asked to make a bouquet for a beach themed photoshoot.
Kim from Kim Waterson Fine Art Photography told me she was arranging a glamourous beachside photo shoot and wanted something dramatic using purples and foliage. I loved creating this bouquet with an organic shape and lots of texture.
The images are aboslutely stunning.
Photography – Kimberley Waterson
Flowers – Ruby Tuesday Events
Stationery – The Vintage Wedding Co.
Cake – Sadie May Cakes
DIY weddings are on the rise and 2016 has certainly been the year of the village hall wedding so far. Lots of couples are looking for something different for their venue and with a little imagination and creativity, you can turn anything into a reception venue. A barn, a tipi in a field, an old cinema, a warehouse or a local village hall are all popular (and often budget friendly) options to host your fabulous wedding reception but unlike hotel venues they’re not always set up with a team of people to look after you.
You might be bringing in a bar team and caterers to serve the food and drink, you might have access the day before to set up and also the day after to clear up again . Your bridal party, friends and family are all willing to muck in and help so why would you need a coordinator? What do they even do on the wedding day?
Last weekend I coordinated the wedding reception of Amy & Chris who had a fantastic day! pm They married at their local church and then held their reception at Stannington Village Hall. Here’s a timeline of what I did for them as the ‘On the Day’ wedding coordinator.
The planning process:
I’ve met with the bride twice for in depth consultations where we discussed all aspects of the wedding day and I advised on timings, procedures and other bits and bobs. We also email frequently to keep up to date on all the plans and create a detailed schedule and info sheet for the day.
The day before:
On the Day:
Coordinating a wedding day in a DIY venue is such a rewarding job. I get to be part of the most special day for some amazing couples and guide them through unfamiliar territory. It is also bloody hard work. In my opinion it’s a blend of hospitality, crowd control, foreseeing problems, dealing with the unexpected and good hard graft. Without a coordinator this couple would certainly have still had a wonderful day but having someone there for them means that they don’t need to think about how all these little jobs will get done leaving them to simply enjoy their special day.
This summer Kim Waterson invited me to be a part of an amazing styled shoot at Alnwick Gardens that she put together to showcase her fine art photography skills
Kim brought together a fantastic group of local suppliers in an absolutely gorgeous venue and we provided the florals as well as venue styling and props. The brief was ‘secret garden’ with a vintage angle.
Sadie May Cakes contributed with this 3 tier showstopper as well as cupcakes and biscuits.
Vintage at Number 18 provided some beautiful dresses which were original vintage or handmade as well as accessories for the shoot.
Amber from The Vintage Wedding Co made such a beautiful stationery suite which we styled on rustic wooden fruit crates. Her table plan made on a palette knocked my socks off and I asked her to make me something similar to promote my business at wedding fairs!
It was a fab day working with talented creatives showing off what can be done in this lovely venue.
Styling & Flowers – Ruby Tuesday Events
Photography – Kimberley Waterson Fine Art Photography
Venue – The Alnwick Garden
Dresses & Accessories – Vintage at Number 18
Cake – Sadie May Cakes
Stationery – The Vintage Wedding Company
Hair – Keep It Pinned
Make Up – Kelly Vaughan
Videography – Special Memories Vintage Wedding Films
Faye Darcy has brought a brand new wedding concept to the UK – Pop Up Weddings.
What is a pop up wedding I hear you ask yourself? Well, it’s an affordable way to have your wedding ceremony wherever you like without any of the stress because a super stylish package has already been curated for you.
Faye has brought the concept form the Australian wedding market where it’s taking the country by storm. For under £2500, a collective of high quality North East wedding suppliers will ‘pop-up’ and create a wedding for you. The wedding ceremony is taken care of with a venue, celebrant, venue styling, florals, wedding cake, photographer, Champagne reception and canapes.
The collective of wedding suppliers has been hand picked and includes some of the best in the North East.
We’ve teamed up with Faye Darcy Pop Up Weddings and will be taking care of the venue styling, brides bouquets and button holes for grooms. You can personalise your flowers and tailor your choices to suit your own style.
All packages are for 2 hours after which you can continue on to celebrate wherever you like. Packages can be tailored for vow renewals and commitment ceremonies too.
To find out more and have a look at the other collaborators have a look at the website: www.fdpopupweddings.co.uk
Sophie and Phil married at Hexham Winter Gardens on 14th July 2015. They had meticulously planned a relaxed and informal, fun filled day for their guests and needed someone to help bring it all together on the day. I came on board as the on the day coordinator and made sure their day ran really smoothly.
We set their tables up with sequin runners and gorgeous florals in jam jars and milk jugs from Secret Garden Flowers. Festoon lighting and fairy lights were strung above the tables and chiavari chairs finished off the look.
Woodman’s Awnings from Curious Tent Hire provided shelter in case of bad weather (which we luckily didn’t have) but they made a great spot for an outdoor bar.
They hired vintage crockery from me to serve their main course and the tea and coffee at the end of the meal.
The couple opted for a BBQ from Jacksons to go with the summery feel of the day.
A band in the evening got the party in full swing.
Sophie and Phil had an absolutely wonderful day in this amazing venue.