Highlights from London Bridal Fashion Week

The debut edition of London Bridal Fashion Week (LBfw) may be over, but here at West Weddings we're still swooning over the gorgeous gowns and whimsical designs unveiled from the 2016 collections. The highly anticipated event, hosted by London's Old Billingsgate during 17-19 May, took the bridal world by storm as it unveiled a fine selection of bridal designers.

With names including Christine Dando, Wendy Makin Couture, BellaDonna Bridal, Rembo Styling, Aya Couture, Demetrios and Ellis Bridals, you'll have plenty of ideas and inspiration to get you thinking about the right style for your big day. 

Don't worry if you've missed this year' fashion show as we are delighted to share with you a selection of photos from the LBfw's 30 metre runway inside The Gallery. Browse through our pick of wedding dresses to discover the latest looks and directional trends for next season. 

All photos have been kindly provided by the LBfw and the designers. 

Now we'd love it if you popped over to our Facebook and Twitter pages and tell us which ones get your vote. 

Watch out for more designer gown inspiration over the coming weeks!

Miscellaneous Monday: Supporting a Charitable Cause

Congratulations to all our future brides and grooms, as well as wedding suppliers and their families who took part in yesterday's Bristol 10K Run. With so many people taking an active part in marathons and charity events across the west country, West Weddings is proud to present David Brewin's mission to raise money for Alzheimer's Society. 

This heartwarming story is about one of our featured wedding photographers, owner of David J Brewin Photography, who is now focusing all his energy and efforts to raise money for a charity that is very close to his heart. 

"I lost my Mum to Alzheimer’s 5 years ago, it was awful to see how this horrible disease took over her life and robbed her of her memories, this is my way of giving something back to this superb organisation, to help with the fight against dementia," explains David. 

Part of Alzheimer’s Society's 'Do something new' campaign, David has decided to take part in two very different events of100 miles each. For the first event, he covered the 100 miles distyance on a static turbo bicycle in Stonehouse town centre, on Saturday 16 May. This also coincided with the launch of Dementia Awareness Week (17-23 May). 

For the second event, David will be cycling alongside 25,000 other people in the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100 on 2 August. 

Join West Weddings in supporting David's mission to raise £800 to help dementia sufferers. Already today his total is £625.12, which is less than £200 away from his target. To make a donation it's simple, just visit: https://www.justgiving.com/David-Brewin/ 

Top Tuesday: 5 DIY Wedding Favour Ideas

On this week's Tuesday chart we're happy to present five gorgeous and easy to make favours for your wedding guests that will add a special personal touch to your big day - you can thank us later for helping you save some money!

1. Stamped sweet treats
Why not get your bridesmaids over for a wedding theme 'bake off'?  You can make enough biscuits, macarons or cupcakes for your entire guest list (plus a few extra). These heart-shaped biscuits are super cute and they look great covered with icing sugar and stamped - think your initials, the wedding date, etc. 

Image source: Pinterest

2. The seeds of love
You don't need to be a keen gardener to appreciate flowers and your guests will love the anticipation of seeing the plants grow once the celebrations are over. Simply sprinkle a few seeds of your favourite flowers in small glass jars and offer them to each of your wedding guests. 

Image source: Pinterest

3.Cute teacup candles 

Whether you go for your nan's old china or pop into a few charity shops, you're bound to find some lovely vintage cups. All you have to do is show them some love by polishing them clean and filling them with melted wax - they look good and smell great, too!

Image source: Pinterest

4. Mini olive oil bottles 

Everyone will love these tiny glass bottles filled with olive oil and rosemary and they'll be thinking of you each time they make a salad or cook a pasta dish. Chefs young and old, beginners or seasoned, they all need a bit of olive oil - may the cooking begin! 

Image source: Pinterest

5. Rustic crackers

What a cracking idea! Let your creativity run wild when decorating these mini wedding crackers, just don't make them too perfect - wild flowers and jute twine string are great for a rustic looks chic. You can choose to fill them with individual things for each guests: confetty, sweets, glitter, popcorn, etc. 

Image source: Pinterest

Now, let us know your favourite idea on out Twitter and Facebook pages!

Alternative Wedding Guestbook

Let your guests have fun creating a unique memory of your wedding day with a Fingerprint Wedding Guestbook from A Few Home Truths - a brilliant way to get everyone talking and laughing!

Why not ditch the traditional book idea for a bespoke print featuring over 50 faces just waiting to be brought to life by placing fingerprints on the faces? The characters' faces are grouped around the images of the bride and groom, forming a heart shape.

To personalise the design, each couple's names and wedding date are added to the print. The characters can be chosen to represent the bride and groom, with plenty of choice of colours for the bride's crown, the text and heart outline.

With a choice between A4 and A3 sizes, the print can be produced on matte art paper using high quality inks. You can also add a finger-sized ink pad for making the funky fingerprint signatures. 

About the supplier

A Few Home Truths is a company fascinated by what makes people tick, both now and in the past. This passion flows over into wanting to create eye-catching, personalised pieces of unique artwork that people will treasure for years to come.

W: http://www.afewhometruths.co.uk/

For even more ideas and inspiration, see our previous post here, with a selection of other alternative ideas for guestbooks. And take a look at our dedicated Pinterest board bursting with ideas!

Fashion Friday: Designer Dresses at Bristol Bridal Boutique

Every bride’s wedding story has a dress – ‘the one’, ‘the perfect fit’, ‘the dream come true’. Call it whatever you like, it’s the dress that you treasure the most from the moment you fall in love with it and you can’t wait to wear it on your wedding day.

At Bristol Bridal Boutique, brides can take their pick from an astonishing selection of preloved designer wedding dresses. Listing high end names such as Jenny Packham, Suzanne Neville, Stephanie Allin, Ian Stuart, and Sassi Holford among many others, this chic boutique is a must-visit when shopping for the wedding dress.  

Just like Cinderella couldn’t go to the ball without a princess gown, no bride should walk down the aisle without the most breathtakingly elegant and memorable creation that suits her individual style and shape, as well as budget. 

Stories become reality for brides with a taste for high end fashion yet an average budget. Set up by Laura McFadden just over a year ago and the business has seen a huge increase in stock – there’s an array of 35 preloved or sample gowns by favourite wedding designers from UK and abroad, at a fraction of the price.  

Welcoming brides-to-be into her elegant home boutique, Laura offers them her entire attention and friendly, honest advice as they choose from the beautifully crafted layers of luxurious lace, tulle, organza and silky satin.

“I wore a sample Jenny Packham gown for my own wedding in 2009 and feel so lucky to have found my perfect dress within my budget! It is my goal to help brides find their dream dress,” enthuses Laura.

If this sounds like your ideal dress shopping experience, then book an appointment and try on some of the dresses that catch your eye. And once you've found the one? Tell us about your experience on our Twitter and  Facebook pages. 

DETAILS

Bristol Bridal Boutique

www.bristolbridalboutique.co.uk

Miscellaneous Monday: Giving the nod to weddings abroad

An exotic location, glorious sunshine and reduced cost (compared to the average UK wedding) – we can see why more and more couples are choosing to hold their wedding abroad. However there are still some things to consider, and careful planning needs to be taken into account.

Paper Shaker has done a bit of groundwork to save you time and, more importantly, to make sure you don’t overlook any significant for your big day.

Now all you need to decide is whether you’d like a Las Vegas chapel ceremony like Britney Spears, a lavish chateau affair in France like Brad and Angelina or a romantic nuptials in Venice like George and Amal Clooney.

For more precious tips, you can also check out our previous post here.

Now, why not tell us what your dream destination is and how you plan to say ‘I do’. As always you can find us on Facebook and Twitter, and take a look at our Pinterest boards for inspiration.  

Miscellaneous Monday: Atwell Wilson Motor Museum

One of our distinguished wedding car suppliers featured in our spring editorial is AtwellWilson Motor Museum, in Calne. Although best known for its collection of automobiles from the 1920s and 1930s, the museum also offers wedding transport services.

For some inspiration on wedding day travel arrangements – and a unique Valentine’s surprise for motoring aficionados – why not arrange a visit to the Atwell Wilson museum? The exhibits include a collection of motorcycles, mopeds and push bikes, as well as interesting motoring memorabilia – a great way to experience the romance of past periods.

Images from Atwell Wilson Motor Museum website

Atwell Wilson MotorMuseum’s fantastic chauffeured wedding car hire service lists 20 vintage and modern cars on offer, which include a 1929 Model A Ford, a 1937 Buick Albermarle and a 1973 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, to name a few. Whichever model you go for, you’ll be making a red-carpet entrance on your special day without the worry of arriving late for the ceremony.

Got your eyes on a particular vintage model? Come over to our Twitter and Facebook pages and let us know!

DETAILS

ATWELL WILSON MOTOR MUSEUM

Address: Atwell Wilson Motor Museum, Stockley Lane, Calne, Wilts, SN11 ONF

T: 01249813119 

W: www.atwellwilson.org.uk

E: enquiries@atwellwilson.org.uk

                                                                                            

Miscellaneous Monday: Bristol and Somerset Wedding Awards

Brides and grooms from the South West region, drum rolls, please! The awards season is upon us, and we’re over the moon about the forthcoming Bristol and SomersetWedding Awards.The stylish ceremony will take place on Friday, 27th February, at The Bristol Hotel, Bristol.    

Now in their second year, The Bristol and Somerset Wedding Awards are the

region’s first – and only – awards designed to celebrate the achievements of local wedding suppliers. Prior to the organisation of the last year’s awards, there was no way for local couples to recognise the hard work of those who had helped them on their big days; a huge shame for those who work tirelessly, whether they make and decorate cakes, take photographs to be treasured forever, or dress a couple’s venue. The Bristol and Somerset Wedding Awards aim to address this imbalance, allowing suppliers from across the region to take the spotlight.

A very worthy cause

The Awards will once again be supporting The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation – a locally based charity that funds and organises weddings for those affected by terminal and life limiting illness. After last year’s event raised a phenomenal £1,600 for the Foundation, the organizers are hoping to make this year even more successful. For more information about the charity, visit  www.weddingwishingwell.org.uk

TheBristol and Somerset Wedding Awards ceremony promises to be a great atmosphere and a celebration of the local wedding industry. Tickets cost £50 and include all the ingredients of an amazing party: sparkling drinks reception, 3-course gourmet meal, and DJ entertainment throughout the evening – we’re in!

What’s more, this year you can purchase a VIP ticket for £60, which will include a private pre-dinner reception with canapés, drinks, and goodie bags - it's a fantastic opportunity for suppliers to celebrate another successful year. 

To get your tickets, head over to the website : www.bristolandsomersetweddingawards.co.uk, where you can read more information about the event. 
As always, find us on Facebook and Twitter - we'd love to know who you voted for this year!

Miscellaneous Monday: Paint your Wedding in Watercolours

When we heard about this new wedding service, we just had to share it with you! Imagine capturing your dream day as a beautiful piece of art that will rest as a reminder of your love-filled day. Now, we’re not talking photos – although these are extremely important, of course – but a live artist, who uses brushes and watercolours to capture the scene.

CharlotteAtkinson is an award winning published artist and illustrator, who was listed in the'Top Ten Best selling British Artists '2004 by the Fine Art Trade Guild. Winner of several awards, she has captivated the imagination of international art markets for over a decade.  

Portrait of a wedding

Using her lifelong passion for figure drawing and painting skills, which she has perfected in Italy, Charlotte is now offering Live Wedding Paintings – a full day experience that is totally unique and can act as a great ice-breaker for guests to chat over, as your painting is created at your reception.

Her wedding services include event painting at the wedding venue, portrait of the bride and groom, as well as wedding dress and bouquet illustration. Armed with her easel, paints and brushes, she is happy to blend in the background and work alongside the photographer or videographer. In addition, her artistic talent provides unique entertainment for your guests, as they can watch the painting progress throughout the day.

                

“One of the wonderful things about having a painting created live is that I can include anything memorable about the day in any order as I see it - usually this includes the venue in some way, the happy couple together with a few guests, the cake and the colour scheme,” explains Charlotte.

“To give you some inspiration I have previously painted from balconies, inside marquees and sometimes outside to include the venue as the background.”

Want to find out the difference between her Watercolours or Acrylics and learn more about her unique wedding service? Why not take a look at her portfolio at http://www.watercolourweddings.com/

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more tips and advice on all your wedding needs! 

DETAILS

Charlotte Atkinson
W: http://www.watercolourweddings.com

E: atkinsonart@icloud.com
T: 07943 377711

twitter @Atkinsonart

Chosen Launches the Wedding Revolution

We couldn't be happier to announce that Chosen Wedding Fair is coming back to Bristol this winter! After the success of last year’s shows (in February and October), 2015’s events are set to be even bigger and better than ever!

On Sunday 1^st February (11am-4pm), Chosen Wedding Fair is returning to its ‘home’ at the Paintworks Event Space, with more than 60 incredible exhibitors for a fun and fantastic day. Expect a veritable wedding wonderland of colour, sparkle and smiles that will equally entertain and inspire you on every aspect of planning for the big day.

Planning unique weddings

Unlike traditional wedding fairs, Chosen’s organisers focus on ensuring that they work together with designers directly to help you express your personalities and create your own dream wedding day. So if you’re currently feeling uninspired and are looking for something that’s uniquely you, then without a doubt you’ll love the Chosen Wedding Fair – a day of discovery, celebrating the best contemporary designers, service providers and vintage aficionados you could hope to find.  

“Over the past few years Chosen wedding events have been lucky enough to host some of the brightest stars in the industry both established and newly emerging,” enthuses Kiki, the founder. “We’re so proud to support British business. We also fully believe that the designers and makers who we handpick to exhibit at each wedding fair, offer the very best creative, unique, vintage, quirky, stylish and ahead of trend items that the industry has to offer – perfect for the discerning couple!”

A revolution in the making

With a brand new website containing exciting new features, the Chosen team is set to create a storm in the wedding world. The recently launched #weddingrevolution aims to help push industry standards forward, support small businesses, making items more accessible and always bring couples  the very best on offer in the wedding world.

Tickets are now on sale so make sure you book yours online at www.chosenwedding.com, where you’ll also find for more information about the event. Online booking reserves a hand - created goodie bag for every bride-to-be!

You can also read our previous entries about last year’s events here. Find us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates in the wedding world!

Details

Chosen Wedding Fair

Paintworks Event Space, Bath Road, Bristol, BS4 3EH

www.chosenwedding.com

Get Ready for the Big Fat Wedding Weekend!

Diaries at the ready brides and grooms from the South West region! This weekend brings you a special event at the luxurious Aztec Hotel & Spa – the Big Fat Wedding Weekend. Why not pop along on Saturday 10^th (12-5pm) and Sunday 11^th (11am-2pm) January to see what makes this venue such a popular choice for weddings? 

There will be workshops hosted by selected partners, including Forever Living, Beez Neez Bunting Hire, Wedding Day Movie, Iced Magic Cakes, Aztec Spa and many more! Expect to see wedding top tips, hair and makeup demonstrations, health & beauty talks, even a demo on how to make your own wedding favours, etc.

You’ll get a chance to meet the wedding team and see the function suites set up for a civil ceremony and wedding breakfast during both days. Even more, you can enjoy some complimentary drinks and canapés, and get to sample the wedding menu – who can say ‘no’ to that?

If this sounds like your cup of tea, then you'll be pleased to know that the event is free of charge and you also get free car park facilities. There’s no need to register and you can bring along your bridal party – just turn up on the day and enjoy this exquisite wedding experience!

You can read a full description of the Aztec Hotel & Spa facilities for wedding in our West Weddings magazine. We also featured a previous event held by Aztec West, which you can read here. Don’t forget to visit our Facebook and Twitter pages and share your thoughts!

For any questions about the venue, just contact them directly using the details below.

        

DETAILS

Aztec Hotel and Spa

110 AZTEC WEST, ALMONDSBURY, BRISTOL, BS32 4TS

W: www.aztechotelbristol.com

T: 01454201090

The Marriott Royal Wedding World Exhibition

Congratulations to all the new couples who got engaged over the holiday season and a happy New Year to all our brides and grooms planning to get married in 2015 from the West Weddings team! What better way to start the New Year than with the excitement of organising your own wedding?

And it couldn’t be New Year’s Day without a few resolutions, so let us help you with at least one – attend a wedding fair (or several). The good news is the one and only WeedingWorld Exhibition at Marriott Royal Hotel Bristol is taking place on Sunday, 11^th January 10.30 am – 4pm! 

With over 70 of the finest local suppliers and two fabulous fashion shows, this is the event you’ve all been waiting for! Take a look at what else is in store by reading our previous entry here or visit the dedicated Wedding World Exhibitions website www.weddingworldexhibitions.co.uk/

Last but not least, we’re giving away a free ticket, which you can download and print off directly from our website, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Brides Wanted for TV

When we heard about the upcoming BBC Two series we had to share it with our beautiful brides! Are you getting married in February or March 2015? Would you like a brilliant stylist to do your hair and that of all of your bridesmaids’ for free? If so, a BBC Two television series would like to hear from you!

Whatever your theme and look for the big day, get in touch for more information by emailing the team on brides@bbc.co.uk! We wish you all 'good luck' and let us know if you'll be taking part on Twitter and Facebook! 

Marriage Proposals with a Festive Cheer

At West Weddings, we absolutely love this time of year – the holiday cheer, romantic winter backdrops and extra special presents under the tree. It’s a well known fact that December is the busiest month of the year for marriage proposals but planning how to pop the question is not the easiest when you want it to be special. To give our future grooms – and brides – a helping hand, we’ve found the ultimate Christmas gift.

Jewellery designer Karl Karter and Baileys Chocolat Luxe have teamed up to produce a unique Five Gold Rings jewellery creation and the new limited edition gold bottle of Baileys chocolate drink.

Five Gold Rings

KarlKarter, the London-based jeweller known for his flawless, hand-made fine jewellery, and whose fans include the likes of Jessie J, Alesha Dixon and Eliza Doolittle, has created five Baileys Chocolat Luxe-inspired one-off, luxurious gold rings in time for Christmas. Each of the custom-made Five Gold Rings pieces features both yellow and rose gold and studded with exquisite precious gems to make any woman feel special.

Designed in a luxurious style with timeless yet indulgent and intricate filigree detailing, the 16 carat gold rings feature rich chocolate brown diamonds and sparkling whiskey sapphires. The stunning bespoke pieces are valued at approximately £1,000 each.

                   

The Five Gold Rings celebrate the groundbreaking drink turning its bottle gold in celebration of the festive season.

“The drink is a decadent fusion of real Belgian chocolate and Irish whiskey cream, so I wanted to make sure these rings captured a real sense of indulgence and glamour that oozes from the liquid and limited edition gold bottle design. Every woman desires a beautiful piece of jewellery and that’s what we’ve tried to capture in these pieces,” Karl Karter explains.

Contemporary creations

Karl creates custom-made contemporary jewellery using striking shapes and exquisite stones – working at the intersection of art and fashion. Karl is truly passionate about the relationship between design and pattern, each piece being created with unrivalled precision. 

With almost 20-years experience in the jewellery business, Karl enjoys working with timeless shapes and styles from a wide range of inspirations, most specifically Mayan and Aztec ornaments right through to 1920s Art Deco chic.

As well as running his own shop and studio - the charismatic, charming and passionate designer leads the London Rocks collective. A showcase of London Rocks' work can be seen in an exclusive boutique in London's Hatton Garden.

A taste of luxury

BaileysChocolat Luxe was created by Anthony Wilson, the principal scientist at Diageo and son of the man who led the team behind Baileys Original Irish Cream.

Travelling over three continents to personally taste the world’s finest chocolate - 200 varieties in all - Wilson worked tirelessly to crack the previously unfathomable code to create a fusion that would see chocolate perfectly mixed with Baileys Original Irish Cream.

You can find more information about the featured brands on their websites: www.baileys.com and www.karlkarter.com/

For more ring inspiration and tips, read our wedding rings entry here. And don’t forget to share your exciting engagement news on our Twitter and Facebook pages!

Happy Holidays from the West Weddings team!