Miscellaneous Monday: Loving Local!

Normally on Miscellaneous Monday, we collect our favourite wedding finds from across the web – spanning different countries, many times! – but today we thought we’d share some of our recent favourites from closer to home. The West Country has a thriving wedding industry that we love being part of, so we don’t have to think twice about showing off local suppliers.

Favourite inspiration: Willy Wonka photoshoot by @WWWWBristol

Last week we blogged about Weird & Wonderful Wedding World that’s coming to Bristol for a second time this year. To really set the theme for the event, the creative behind this unique event did a Willy Wonka themed wedding shoot and we are loving every snap! Here are just a few of our favourites, but you can see more over at the WWWW site.

  

Favourite cakes: novelty cakes by Ann Pickard of the Icing Centre

Ann is far from being your typical wedding cake maker/designer. Not only does she specialise in novelty cakes – but each one is unique to the bride or groom that requests it. Also – forget picking out a cake topper that (let’s face it) doesn’t in any way actually resemble you. Ann also specialises in making sugar models of people – so your cake topper will ACTUALLY look like you and your spouse-to-be! Amazing. Here's one of our favourite designs (full galleries are at the Icing Centre website).

Favourite limited-time offer: The Pop-up Bridal Boutique

Designer Charlotte Smith launched her bridal company in 1998, specialising in ultra-wearable, low-maintenance styles and alternatives to traditional wedding gowns. This year, she’s branching out by launching The Pop-Up Bridal Boutique, which will be resident in The Galleries, Broadmead for 50 days only, starting on the 15^th of April. The boutique will feature her collection, which ranges from elegant, streamlined dresses and tailored jackets, to contemporary culottes and short dresses, employing a diverse scope of fabrics. Charlotte herself will be available by appointments for one-to-one consultations and fittings.

Weird and Wonderful Wedding World in April!

After the roaring success last year of Bristol’s first alternative wedding fair, Weird and Wonderful Wedding World has announced a second year of fabulous weirdness this April at the At-Bristol Science Centre – a wedding venue with a true ‘wow’ factor.

Emily Fisher (of Fishee Designs Photo Booth) and Ali Cook (of the popular Bristol Vintage Fair) are the masterminds behind this one-of-a-kind wedding fair. Their vision was to create a completely unique wedding show that would meet the needs of Bristol’s creative couples looking to get married this year.

At last year’s fair, Fisher and Cook proved that there is definitely a market for couples looking for something a bit different to your ‘standard traditional wedding’, seeing more than 300 brides come through their doors. Their emphasis is on quality over quantity so that their guests truly find the unique wares, vendors and ideas that they can’t find elsewhere.

“We are so excited about encouraging a unique offering for couples so that they can make their day reflect their personalities instead of conforming to how the wedding industry says it ‘should’ be done!” says Fisher. (Note: To see just a taste of Fisher and Cook's creativity, check out their amazing Willy Wonka bridal shoot!)

Just a few highlights that you can expect on the day:

• Stunning views from the Northside balcony, a true urban and classic mix as you overlook modern architecture next to the Bristol Cathedral
• Enjoy people-watching over Millenium Square or from the silver sphere Planetarium
• Bridal catwalk fashion shows
• Jugglers, magicians, living statues
• Entry into the science centre while perusing the region’s most unique wedding suppliers

The show will appeal, not only to brides out there looking for something really different, but to quirky couples who want to dress up, have a cocktail or two, listen to local bands, dance or chill out. There will be something for everyone at this stunning event – whether you’re looking for just a touch of the unusual or a full-on theatrical wedding!

The event runs on Saturday, 26^th April from 3-8pm at At-Bristol Science Centre.

Tickets can be ordered on the website for £3 in advance (£5 at the door).

Let us know if you’ll be going by tweeting us at @WestWeddingsMag using the #WWWWBristol2014 hashtag.