Mr & Mrs Unique Wedding Magazine A/W 2015

UNIQUE WEDDINGS INSPIRATION STYLE LOVE

ISSUE 004 AUTUMN/WINTER 2015

Photography: www.meliamelia.com

WEDDING AND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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Erica Willoughby Smith

MR & MRS UNIQUE Mr & Mrs Unique celebrates the unusual, the quirky, the interesting and above all the unique aspects to weddings that so many couples seek these days; offering a colourful array of some of the very best UK wedding suppliers; a blend of the extraordinary, talented, crazy & downright amazing!

Not only do we cherry pick the very best unique, eclectic and creative wedding services, our business has grown considerably to

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include a successful directory, a resourceful wedding and lifestyle blog, visual and inspirational online bi-annual magazine, supplier workshops and Tie The Knot – The Unique & Eclectic Wedding Carnival.

We aim to feature only the most unique services from the best suppliers across the UK. Businesses that are committed to the highest quality of products and service, integrity and value; ones that can demonstrate that their uniqueness is in keeping with the Mr & Mrs Unique seal of approval.

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS If you are interested in joining Mr & Mrs Unique and have a service that would be of interest to couples that look for something a bit different and outside the box, please email us info@mrandmrsunique.co.uk or follow our guidelines here

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Photography: www.jessicawitheyphotograpy.com

Erica Willoughby-Smith

Amy Hupe Deputy Editor This issue we’re welcoming Amy to the Mr and Mrs Unique team. When she’s not writing and editing, she loves nothing more than a large glass of wine, a spot of Pinterest and cosying up in her Hitchin home with her fiancé James and two cats.

Amy is currently planning her own unique wedding in May 2016

Katerina Meccano Graphic Designer Owner of Rhubka Design, chief of colouring in & tasked with making the magazine look fresh!

Founder and creative director of Mr & Mrs Unique directory, blog, magazine and coorganiser of Tie The Knot Wedding Carnival Hello!

Welcome back to our now fourth edition of our Mr & Mrs Unique Magazine, which is choc full of inspirational wedding ideas and unique suppliers that you can use for your own big day.

With big changes around the corner for Mr & Mrs Unique (I cant wait to show you..) it’s the last edition where we focus solely on weddings. Saying that, this edition is full to the brim of gorgeous real weddings, unique bridal style, DIY projects and key ideas for your wedding day, so enjoy!

A huge thank you to Katerina from Rhubka Design for the artwork and to everyone that has contributed to this edition…

Erica Xx

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Photography: www.weheartpictures.com

Mr & Mrs Unique- Wedding Directory, Blog & Online Magazine You can find us here: Visit the Directory

Visit the Blog

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www.mrandmrsunique.co.uk Mr & Mrs Unique Wedding Directory cherry picks the very best unique, eclectic and creative wedding services across the UK. Ideal if you’re looking for inspiration or suppliers in your area for your big day. www.mrandmrsuniqueweddingblog.co.uk For wedding inspiration and a behind the scenes look at what our suppliers get up to.

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CONTENTS Hannah & Jonny Melia Melia Photography

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Rad bridesmaids & Pageboy outfits Little Flea

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Food for the soul

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Cate & Craig’s Arabian Tent Wedding

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Graffiti Boiler House Bridal Shoot Freckle Photography

DIY Buttonholes Arcadia Flowers

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Day of the Dead cookies Nevie Pie Cakes

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Aynhoe Park Pink Bridal Shoot Jessica Withey Photography

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Blake and Ellis We Heart Pictures

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DIY Little Origami Boxes

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Bones and FLowers Bridal Shoot Albert Palmer Photography

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Popcorn and Peanut butter marshmallow bars The London Marshmallow Company April and Dennis My Beautiful Bride Photography

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Arabian tents title to the new one Cate & Craig’s Arabian Tent Wedding...

Jessica Withey Photography Nevie-Pie Cakes The London Marshmallow Company Page 78,

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Hannah & Jonny Photography by www.meliamelia.com

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Written by PapaKåta www.papakata.co.uk

Music, Marriage and Mayhem…

Hannah and Jonny’s teepee wedding reception was a fantastic example of what can be achieved when a couple combines their taste for bohemia with a vision bursting with personality and fun.

With all this fun and frivolity you might assume there was little room for the more personal, romantic touches; but you couldn’t be more mistaken. The teepees provided the backdrop for one of the most unique weddings we’ve had the privilege of being involved with.

Their day was packed to the rafters (or should that be poles) with colourful finishing touches, from flowers to decorative mismatched vintage teapots and even confetti cannons.

Trailing ivy around the rustic teepee cross poles and mismatched vases and votive’s gave an organic feel to the interior. All of this in the beautiful surroundings of Hannah’s parents’ garden in the full bloom of June.

This was clearly a party, and looking through the moments captured from their reception you can’t help but wish you’d been there to enjoy the festivities.

Wheelbarrows full of flowers and pink rose bushes added to the carnival of colour, which continued inside thanks to the talented Fiona Pickles of Firenza Floral Design.

The playful touches included a surrealist antiqueframe photo booth and antler still life, which created an ethereal dream-like atmosphere. It wasn’t short of humorous touches either, with comedy speech bubbles and novelty props adding to the whimsical, mischievous feel.

The PapaKåta favourites were present - including festoon lights, globe lanterns and fairy lights, with that all important mirror ball adding an extra twinkle.

The plethora of brightly coloured blooms were everywhere, creating the perfect backdrop for Hannah and Jonny’s love story; one that we hope continues to be full of the laughter and vibrancy that encapsulated their wedding day.

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We asked Hannah & Jonny…

Tell us how you met and got engaged…

Jonny is a hairdresser and we met in the salon he used to work in – I knew his boss and after a few ‘he said/she said’ conversations between mutual friends a date was arranged and the rest, as they say, is history!

We got engaged on the fifth anniversary of our first date, and married the following June, on the Summer Solstice.

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What were your main hopes for the day…?

Neither of us is religious but that doesn’t mean we’re not spiritual. We intentionally chose the Solstice for our big day as it’s been a time for joy and celebration for Millennia. We just wanted to bring that free, positive, party feel to the wedding and create a day that really reflected us and our attitude to life, so we included things that were personal and unique to us – the choice of reception venue being one of them.

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Was your favourite part of the day…?

How to choose! Obviously the ceremony was amazing. Seeing Jonny as I walked down the aisle with his heart in his mouth, and the readings by friends and family were all so touching. Then there were the stolen moments Jonny and I had together to take it all in, and the huge group shots of everyone outside the vintage bus. I’ll also never forget the moment when all of our guests welcomed us into the tepee to ‘Hey Leroy’ from Wolf of Wall Street! It’s so true when people say that the day just goes by in a total blur.

How was your day unique…?

I guess it was unique to us because we focused on the things that we as a couple felt were important.

We still had traditional elements like speeches, exchanging of vows and a first dance, but we threw in fun things like the homemade photo booth, pizza van and confetti canons – individually I guess other people will have had these elements in their weddings but we just put it all together in a way so it felt tailor-made to us. This carried through to even the smallest things like the thank you notes we sent out after the big day. Instead of the usual photo card we designed and printed a limited edition newspaper full of photos and quotes from the day so people could keep it as a little souvenir.

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What was your budget…?

We aimed for £12,000 but I think we went a little over that! Overall I think we spent £14,000.

What was your biggest expense…?

The Papakata teepees - but they were so worth it! My parents farm is at the top of a valley and you could see them for miles around! The whole week before the wedding once the teepees had gone up, people were walking past and calling in to see if they could have a look at them.

Then on the day our guests were just blown away by how cool they were. I think they really set the atmosphere, more so than a marquee or another more traditional venue would have done.

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How did you save money…?

Lots of ways. I thought our budget was massive but you soon realise that’s not the case. That said, I honestly don’t think weddings should cost the Earth. For example our awesome naked wedding cake was baked by my mum and decorated by a friend – she also helped decorate the interior of the tepee, and we just bought flower stems from our florist, Fiona, to save money. I made all the stationary myself from my limited knowledge of Photoshop, lino-cut printing, tracing paper and brown card. My dad made all our wedding favours – they were carved acorn key rings made from oak.

Instead of shelling out hundreds of pounds on Portaloos we built an outside gents from sawdust and hay bales donated by a local farmer (don’t worry, the ladies were allowed inside to use the loo!).

Looking back, it was probably these handmade elements that made the wedding as unique as it was. I think if you’re on a tight budget you have to think creatively and prioritise what really matters to you.

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Photographer: Melia Melia Photography www.meliamelia.com Wedding Venue: Town Hall, Hebden Bridge www.hebdenbridgetownhall.org.uk Wedding Reception: Hannah’s parents garden in PapaKüta teepees www.papakata.co.uk Wedding Dress: Temperley London www.temperleylondon.com Accessories: Element Jewellery www.elementjewellery.com Grooms Attire: Paul Smith www.paulsmith.co.uk/ Transport: Yorkshire Heritage Bus Company www.yorkshireheritagebus.co.uk Flowers: Firenza Floral Design /www.firenzafloraldesign.co.uk Catering: The travelling Tea Ladies www.travellingtearoom.wordpress.com & Artisan Pizza Company www.artisanpizzacompany.co.uk Macaroons Medici Macaroons www.medicimacarons.co.uk On the Day planning: Eden & Eve www.edenandeve.co.uk

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Food for the soul Written by Amy Hupe

Over the past couple of years, street food has taken the UK by storm, and more and more couples are now ditching the traditional wedding-breakfast in favour of more relaxed, informal catering.

Long gone are the days of unappetising, overpriced burgers that once plagued the mobile-catering industry. With bold, exciting flavours and high quality ingredients on offer for a fraction of the cost of a sit-down meal, it’s no wonder that street food has found its way onto the wedding menu.

We’ve handpicked just a few of the fabulous street food and drink caterers to inspire your taste buds, but head to the directory at www.mrandmrsunique.co.uk to get the full list of our recommended suppliers.

LucaBuca Pizza Family-run catering company LucaBuca Pizza offers fresh, woodfired pizzas straight from the oven, all cooked and served from a repurposed red horse box.

Anna, who runs the company with husband Ty, told us: ‘Street food is undoubtedly a more economical way of feeding your guests, whilst ensuring that you have really great, high quality food. The resources required are often a lot less than those that traditional caterers need, so a lot more of the client’s money can go into amazing produce.

‘We once catered at a wedding where there were 450 guests and were serving alongside other street food suppliers, which was great – it felt like a mini street food market!’ www.lucabuca.co.uk Big Red Bus Bar Doubling up as a fully-functioning bar, this stunning red 1967 London Routemaster bus promises a stunning focal point for your wedding, while serving up the finest real ales.

It has its own seating area upstairs, a retractable roof and colour changing LED lighting.

Luke from Big Red Bus Bar says ‘As well as providing the most amazing mobile bar service, Big Red also has the benefit of becoming a wonderful feature in its own right, providing additional seating, lighting and something to talk about for years to come.’ www.bigredbusbar.com Cantina Carnitas Cantina Carnitas brings a Mexican street food fiesta to any wedding, serving freshly made burritos, tacos and nachos bursting with lipsmacking flavour.

With a choice of bases and fillings on offer, guests can tailor their dish to their individual taste.

Choose from six different sauces ranging from the very mild barbecue up to the fiery smoked naga – not for the faint-hearted!

Matt from Cantina Carnitas told us he loves the sense vof anticipation that builds in the queue as guests work their way to the front.

‘We love weddings full stop. We get a real buzz from serving up our fresh Mexican goodness to guests that have never heard of a burrito through to die hard spice fans, it’s always fun when we test the real chilli heads who think they can handle the power of the Cantina Carnitas hot sauces!’ www.cantinacarnitas.co.uk contd...

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Le Swine On a mission to take the humble bacon butty to exciting new heights, Le Swine serves free-range bacon baps and burgers from a fully-renovated 1960’s Austin Morris ambulance.

From the toasted milk & onion bap, to the bacon butter, tomato sauce and mushroom ketchup every element is fully homemade and carefully crafted to make this more than just your average bacon sarnie. www.leswine.co.uk The Bournville Waffle Company Got a sweet tooth?

Look no further than the Bournville Waffle Company.

Founded in 2013, the company serves fresh waffles baked to order in a converted caravan, with an additional gazebo available for larger events.

Boasting a playful and creative menu, the toppings on offer can be tailored to each guest’s desires – perfect for both little and big kids! www.thebournvillewafflecompany.co.uk

Main Ingredient (Swerve and Serve) From the comfort of their pimped out food van, Main Ingredient’s Flip and Hoops combine 20 years of catering experience to dish up budget-friendly fare to suit any theme or cuisine, from BBQ pulled pork buns to Asian street food.

When we asked them what kind of wedding their food works best with, they told us they love catering for festival feel weddings. ‘In a field on a lovely hot summer’s day it’s perfect. It’s also a great late night food option for evening guests’ www.mainingredient.co.uk ​ The Bug Bar Brighton-based drinks company The Bug Bar offers a range of drinks to suit all tastes, from fine ales to classy cocktails, all served from a vintage VW campervan.

Justin from The Bug Bar told us he thinks the bar acts as a brilliant conversation starter. ‘We’ve had the pleasure of serving cocktails at about 40 weddings this year and we get the same feedback every time: It adds another dimension, it provides a focal and talking point.’

As well as its drinks van, The Bug Bar also has a DJ booth and DJs available for hire. www.thebugbar.co.uk

TOP TIPS FOR SERVING STREET FOOD AT YOUR WEDDING

• Agree it with your venue. Remember to check with your venue that they’ll let you bring in your own caterers, as some venues will only allow you to use their in-house catering.

• Make it personal. Did you first meet on holiday in Rome? Serve pizzas. Honeymooning in Mexico?

Go for burritos or piping hot chilli. Street food is a great way to tell your guests a story about your relationship.

• Don’t forget about seating. Although street food is a more relaxed way to dine, your guests will still thank you for somewhere to park up and enjoy their meal. Hay bales, beanbags or groups of chairs dotted around make great alternatives to fully laid-tables.

• Get the best of both. Don’t want to do away with the formal sit-down meal? Street food works especially well at evening receptions to line your guests’ stomachs and providing fuel to keep the party going.

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Photography by Hemma Mason

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Cate & Craig’s Arabian Tent Wedding Photography by Hemma Mason www.hemmamason.com & Rock and Rose Photography www.rockandrosephotography.com

An English garden wedding…

Cate and Craig’s wedding took place at the stunning Nyman’s Estate in the Sussex – well known for its quintessential English gardens and lavender borders.

to pull out all the stops out and do something unique and beautiful with flowers for our marquee centrepiece.

Our florist, Kate Avery, totally understood the way we were thinking and she was incredible at translating our ideas into the incredible floral centrepiece. Dancing underneath the most beautiful flowers and the twinkling fairy lights was the perfect end to a perfect day.

The bride, Cate and her wedding stylist Sundari created a magnificent display under the Arabian Tents Oyster Pearl marquee. A breathtaking floral installation by Kate Avery made for a truly spectacular focal point.

Here we find out from everyone involved how they went about organising the day…

My personal tips are to take plenty of time when creating things for your wedding; don’t rush anything and do ask for help when it all gets a bit too much.

Sundari, our wedding stylist, helped us complete some of the finishing touches and to pull everything together in a way that totally completed our vision of the day.

The Bride – Cate I wanted to convey a soft, feminine country garden-feel whilst also reflecting my passion for photography. There were lots of items personal to Craig and I throughout the day, including my vintage cameras and our coca cola collection.

The Marquee – Katherine from Arabian Tents Cate requested the new Oyster Pearl tent for her wedding with a flat white lining and oyster voile draping in the ceiling. We also provided the dining chairs and tables, the pale oak bar, lounge seating and a small chill-out tent in the Cornish Cream interior with matching furniture.

All of the little touches from the place names to the wedding signs and our invitations were hand painted by me in a labour of love that took over two years.

I work in the wedding industry, so I see a lot of the same things over and over again. That’s why I really wanted

Photography by Hemma Mason

The whole thing looked stunning against the backdrop of lavender borders at Nymans.

At nightfall the marquee sparkled with hurricane lanterns – it looked incredible.

Photography by Hemma Mason

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Rock & Rose Photography

Rock & Rose Photography

Rock & Rose Photography Photography by Hemma Mason

Rock & Rose Photography

Rock & Rose Photography

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The Stylist – Sundari from The Wedding Stylist The styling was so important to our lovely couple and was bursting with layers of refined detail from the floral installation to the tablescaping.

Cate and Craig had been collecting antique items for years for their big day and it gave me an exciting opportunity to get creative.

Photography by Hemma Mason

Beginning with a summer-time pastel colour palette we were able to build upon an “English Garden” theme with their collection of vintage suitcases, milk urns, and the spectacular floral arrangements.

Gold cutlery was hired in for a heightened guest experience along with their vintage glass candelabras, vintage camera collection and Cate’s parents’ old books allowed for full tablescaping design to support the gorgeous blossoming flowers in blue mason jars.

Rock & Rose Photography

I wanted to make sure that each moment for the guest was styled and set up to make impact – from the cake table adorned with Gilded Linen’s sequin and tulle cloth, to the wedding favours set up on a vintage ladder surrounded by the vintage suitcases and flowers – no detail was overlooked.

They wanted to add one big knockout feature, and with Kate Avery working her magic she skillfully designed a fresh flower installation hanging above the dance floor.

This made a huge impact visually for the guests when they walked into the stunning tent; it tied together the colour palette and a created a talking point at the reception.

The key thing that stood out at this wedding was the time and effort Cate and Craig spent collecting their vintage props. This gave me freedom to suggest beautiful details to take their day to the next level.

Venue Nymans Estate www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nymans Wedding Stylist The Wedding Stylist www.thewstylist.co.uk

Rock & Rose Photography

Marquee & Furnishing Arabian Tents www.arabiantents.com

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DIY Buttonholes Words and pictures by Arcadia Flowers www.arcadeflowers.co.uk

The buttonhole – an often underrated element of your wedding flowers, yet one that is so important for making the groom feel like the crucial part of the occasion that he is.

Though he may roll his eyes or frown at idea of wearing a pretty flower, having a beautiful buttonhole sets the groom apart from the other male guests at a wedding party, and we know he’ll secretly love his badge of honour. (Just make sure it goes on the correct side of his jacket – the left not the right!)

From a florist’s point of view, buttonholes are a real bug bear! I’m always too busy to slow down to do fiddly things.

It would be so romantic to get comfortable, grab a cheeky glass of wine, chatter with friends and wire away but the reality is that they need to be done at the last minute to stay fresh. There are always oodles to make and never enough time.

Fancy having a go at making your own buttonholes?

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you….

Anna Morgan Photography

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Remove any guard petals from the edge of roses (these are the petals that protect the outside of the rose when they are growing but sometimes look a little bit scruffy).

By now you should be at least half way through a cup of tea and have all the elements wired if all has gone to plan! The key is to have as little bulky stem as possible to keep the finished item tidy and delicate.

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Select your finest blooms!

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Lay out all the elements that have passed the buttonhole quality control test.

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Individually and painstakingly wire each individual element. This enables you to position each flower and leaf into the perfect position and stops heads breaking off. Pretty important stuff – so great care must be taken!

Gutter each wired stem with parafilm to neaten and hide the wires seal the end of the stems, which will help the flower to retain its moisture.

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Gather all your wired elements and arrange into a pleasing cluster. Gutter all the wires to create a neat and tidy stem You could stop here, but if you are anything like me and a stickler for detail, you will add a beautiful ribbon to the stem for that extra finishing touch. I’ve chosen one of my favourites, a beautiful velvet ribbon which picks up the pink in the eucalyptus berries. Voila!

Once done, carefully place on his jacket, step back and admire the lovely finishing touch to your handsome groom’s outfit.

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Aynhoe Park Pink Bridal Shoot Art Direction & Styling: Mr & Mrs Unique www.mrandmrsunique.co.uk and The Bijou Bride www.thebijoubride.com Photography: Jessica Withey Photography www.jessicawitheyphotography.com

Location: The one and only Aynhoe Park, a truly unique private home set amongst the picturesque Oxford countryside.

Mood: A highly decadent party to end all Wedding parties with wow factor decor and edgy bridal fashion.

Palette: An ombre array of feminine pinks with accenting rainbow brights and luxe gold.

Film: Watch our film of the shoot created by www.skinnyboyfilms.com here

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Art Direction, Styling & Co-ordination Alex from The Bijou Bride www.thebijoubride.com Erica from Mr & Mrs Unique www.mrandmrsunique.co.uk Venue Aynhoe Park www.aynhoepark.co.uk Photography: Jessica Withey Photography www.jessicawitheyphotography.com Dresses Wilden Bride www.wildenbridelondon.com Elizabeth Stuart www.elizabeth-stuart.com Graceland www.shop-graceland.myshopify.com Cake Tattooed Bakers www.tattooedbakers.com Stationery Hollyhock Lane www.hollyhocklane.co.uk Tableware The Vintage Hire www.thevintagehire.com Sequin tablecloths & napkins Table To Dine For www.tabletodinefor.com Marshmallows London Marshmallow Company www.londonmarshmallows.co.uk Confetti Pops Curious Fair www.curiousfair.co.uk Florist Early Hours Ltd www.facebook.com/Early-Hours-LondonLtd-425536467638036/ Balloons Bubblegum Balloons www.bubblegumballoons.co.uk Hair Jo from Lovehair www.lovehair.co.uk Make Up Zoe Cornwell Make Up www.zoecornwellmakeupartist.com Cocktails Salts of the Earth www.saltsoftheearth.co.uk Food/ Canapés Ross and Ross Food www.rossandrossfood.co.uk Film Skinny Boy Films www.skinnyboyfilms.com Behind the scenes photography We Heart Pictures www.weheartpictures.com Jewellery Graceland www.shop-graceland.myshopify.com The Folly Boutique www.thefollyboutique.com Accessoires & cape Graceland www.shop-graceland.myshopify.com Shoe Graceland www.shop-graceland.myshopify.com Upper Street www.upperstreet.com Lips headpieces Lizzie McQuade Millinery exclusively for Graceland www.shop-graceland.myshopify.com Models Lily Rain Hannah L from Alpha Agency

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Popcorn and Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars Extract from All Things Marshmallow – by The London Marshmallow Company www.londonmarshmallows.co.uk Photography by www.keikooikawa.com (Available from Jacqui Small LLP, £20)

These popcorn marshmallow bars can be made with any of our Marshmallows. Makes 10 bars.

150g (5½oz) chocolate-coated peanuts 30g (11/8oz) unsalted butter 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter 250g (9oz) Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Mallows, cut into small pieces, with the chocolate tops cut off – about 10 mallows 60g (2oz) plain popped popcorn 50g (1¾oz) chopped salted peanuts 23 x 23cm (9 x 9 inch) baking tin lightly sprayed with cake release spray 1. Place the chocolate-coated peanuts in a freezer bag, seal and bash with a rolling pin. Set aside 50g (1¾oz) of them to be used as a topping.

2. Melt the butter in a small heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Turn the heat down to low and add the peanut butter and the marshmallows. Stir until smooth and then take the pan off the heat.

3. Add the popcorn, chopped salted peanuts and broken chocolate-coated peanuts to the peanut butter and marshmallow mixture. Use a spatula to stir everything together until fully combined.

surface and a smooth layer is formed. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, sprinkle over the reserved broken chocolate coated peanuts and lightly press down with a spatula so they stick to the

5. Remove from the fridge and turn the set mixture out of the tin. Using a large sharp knife cut into 10 bars.

They will keep for 2 days in an airtight container.

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April & Dennis Photography and words by Michael from My Beautiful Bride Photography www.mybeautifulbride.co.uk

A 1970’s London Rooftop Party…

We asked Michael from My Beautiful Bride Photography…

Why do you love this wedding...?

It wasn’t so much a wedding as a massive party - a real twist on a wedding. A really interesting venue and everyone had made a great effort with the 70’s dress code.

What were the couple’s requirements...?

There was nothing generic about it. No bridesmaids or groomsmen, a ceremony based on a Native American wedding and no first dance. The only brief I had was was ‘no generic wedding photos’, which meant no formal group shots, I was just to document the day in my usual style.

What was your favourite moment of the day...?

The sunset on the rooftop with the party in full swing.

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We asked April & Dennis…

Tell us how you met and got engaged...?

We met almost 12 years ago in a hostel in Amsterdam and we got engaged sitting outside a tapas bar in the Granada sun.

How would you describe your wedding theme...?

1970’s festival on a London rooftop What were your main hopes and plan for the day...?

I just wanted everyone, including myself, to have fun.

Was your favourite part of the day...?

The Native American vase ceremony.

How was your day unique...?

Quite literally, everything!

What was your budget...? £4,000 What was your biggest expense...?

The venue.

How did you save money...?

We brought in all the drinks and food ourselves.

Any advice for other couples about to get married...?

Just do what you want, and don’t forget to have fun!

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Wedding Venue & Reception: Rockwell House https://www.rockwellhouse.co/ Wedding jumpsuit: Issa http://www.issalondon.com/ Shoes: Eden Shoes http://www.edenshoes.fr/ Grooms Attire: Vintage

Cake: The Cheese Shed http://www.thecheeseshed.com/products/wedding-cakes/cake-builder Cookies & Cream http://www.cookiesandscream.com/ Décor: DIY Wedding tattoos Flamin’eight http://www.flamineight.co.uk

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Rad Bridesmaid & Page Boy Outfits!

By Anna Cascarina from Little Flea www.littleflea.com

Little Flea is a website directory showcasing the most covetable independent and stylish brands for kids. Ranging from clothing to accessories to interiors to toys, you can find fantastic items for your children, all under one roof.

Here at Little Flea, we like to celebrate the original, the independent and the downright cool to ensure those mini stylistas can develop their individuality. We have selected a few ultra rad outfits that would make any child stand out as bridesmaid or page boy and knock up some major style points in the process!

Get ready to wow!

Take a look on Little Flea for more inspiration for kiddies www.littleflea.co.uk and check out our latest edition of Little Flea Magazine http://issuu.com/ littleflea/docs/little_flea_a_w_15_issue_4

Children’s wear is BIG business with parents spending on average an estimated £500-£1000 per year per child!!! Many parents confess to spending more on their kids than themselves and feel pressures from school, celebrity and the media mean that their children are becoming more fashion savvy at a much younger age.

Celebrity kids like Suri Cruise, Harper Beckham, North West and Kingston Rossdale have fuelled the rise of ‘mini me style’ and social media has only made this more accessible to our kids – meaning what they wear is high on their agenda and is an important part of expressing themselves.

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1. PEARL LOWE – sequin showstopper leotard, £125.

Sequin jacket, £195. Hat, £110.

2. ANNALIV – Erik shirt, £59 and bowtie, £29.

3. SCOTCH SHRUNK - Tailored blazer and trouser suit, £154.95. Shirt, £59.95. Waistcoat, £54.95. Bow tie, £14.95 4. KAREN BROST LONDON – Gold party dress in horseplay, £85 10

5. DOODLE DO – Red velvet jacket, £23.20 and trousers, £22 6. CHAPTER 2 KIDS – Lilac Vixen suede Derby shoes, £160 7. ELFIE LONODN - Red Dorothy shoes, £54.

8. ELFIE LONDON – Ottolie green velvet dress, £58.

9. ATTICUS & GILDA - Gold ‘Tallulah’ bespoke cape - £350 10. RASPBERRY PLUM - Katarina dress, £36

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Graffiti Boiler House Bridal Shoot Art Direction & Styling: Erica from Mr & Mrs Unique www.mrandmrsunique.co.uk Photography: Freckle Photography www.frecklephotography.co.uk

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Photography Freckle Photography www.frecklephotography.co.uk Art Direction & Styling Erica at Mr & Mrs Unique www.mrandmrsunique.co.uk Venue & Styling The Boiler House www.warehousewedding.co.uk Alternative Events www.alternativeevents.net Flowers Stephanie Rose www.stephanierose.co.uk Cake SK Cakes www.s-k-cakes.co.uk Stationery Russet & Grey www.russetandgray.co.uk Dresses Vintage Atelier at Rock The Frock www.rockthefrockbridal.co.uk Adelynn at Ears & Whisker www.eandwcouture.co.uk Federica Bruno Skirt www.federicabruno.com Wilden Bride top www.federicabruno.com Vintage Shoes & Glassware Graceland www.shop-graceland.myshopify.com Mens Clothes Twisted Fabric www.twistedfabric.co.uk Balloons Bubblegum Balloons www.bubblegumballoons.co.uk Giant tassels and letters Paperpoms www.paperpoms.co.uk Hair & Make Up Love Bridal Beauty www.lovebridalbeauty.com Table cloth & Napkins Table to Dine For www.tabletodinefor.com Skateboards: Route one www.routeone.co.uk Meringues Cherry Tree Cakes www.cherrytreecakes.co.uk

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Day Of The Dead Cookies Extract from the Painted Cake – by Natasha from Nevie-Pie Cakes www.neviepiecakes.com Available from Murdoch Books, £16.99 Photography by Nathan Pask

I made these cookies for a friend’s birthday. She has unusual tastes and I wanted to give her something beautiful. I love the contrast between the skull and the flowers. It speaks to me about the fragility of life ... all painted on a tasty cookie!

Use the template provided (see on next page) to cut out your cookie, but you can reduce its size and create a whole family of different-sized skulls — mini ones would be great as party favours.

Take some time to experiment. You could use flowers from other projects to create different-looking designs. If you wanted a black skull, then paint the flowers onto white sugar paste, cut them out and stick them on the fondantcovered cookie.

You could also enlarge the template and create a head-turning skull cake. Just trim a cake into the shape of the skull using the template, cover with fondant and then paint the design in the manner described below. If you want to decorate the sides of the cake, then you could use some of the flowers from the main design.

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Don’t worry if the spots aren’t very round because you will be painting over them again with white paint.

4. Use a medium tone of brown to paint in the mouth and the eyebrows. Leave the teeth of the skull white and make sure that they are consistent in their size (you don’t want a crooked smile).

5. With the size 0 brush and a medium tone of soft green, paint in the stalks. They should have lovely curvy lines, so take care not to be heavy-handed with these elements. It is fine to have a break in a line because it will just add to the natural effect (as natural as flowers on a skull can be!).

6. Switch back to the size 4 brush and paint in the small pink and yellow flowers in medium tones. Again, make sure that you leave unpainted space in the centre of these flowers. Use these same tones to paint the centres of the large flowers, the flowers in the middle of the ‘nose’, the outline of the mouth and the dots around the mouth.

7. Paint the leaves with a medium tone of soft green.

8. Add some detail onto the petals of the small yellow flowers using a medium tone of pink.

EQUIPMENT Paintbrushes, sizes 4, 0 Tracing paper Non-toxic pencil Colours Pink, white, yellow, soft green, blue, brown Cookies in the shape of the skull covered in white fondant (they will take around 20–25 minutes to bake as they are quite large) 1. Transfer the template design onto the cookie using tracing paper, being careful not to lean on the fondant or press too hard with the pencil or you will create bumps and crevices in the surface.

2. Use a medium tone of pink and the size 4 brush and paint in the large pink flowers that are the skull’s eyes. Remember to make each petal a slightly different shape, while being consistent with the size. Make sure to leave the centre of the flowers blank.

3. Use a medium tone of blue and paint the large blue flowers and the ‘nose’. Again, leave the centres of the flowers blank and leave white spots on the blue nose.

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9. With neat pink, add some shading to the large and small pink flowers, again limiting this tone to just a few petals on each flower. Put a small dot of neat pink in the centre of each of the small yellow flowers.

10. Add shading to the blue flowers with neat blue.

Add a dot of this colour to the centre of each of the small pink flowers and paint in a broken outline around the blue part of the ‘nose’.

11. Use neat soft green to add shading to the leaves, and add a small amount to the centre of the large pink flowers. Don’t paint this in a complete circle — leave a small amount of the white fondant peeking through.

12. With neat brown, add shading details to the leaves, the centres of the large flowers, the eyebrows and the teeth. Paint a broken outline around the green centres of the large pink flowers, then thin lines to represent the stamens with small dots of the brown at the end. You may need to change to the size 0 brush if the lines are too heavy — do not fill the centres with these lines.

13. Use white to paint in the teeth, and the dots on the ‘nose’. You can also add some small dots around the centres of the large blue and pink flowers.

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Ellen & Blake

Photography www.weheartpictures.com

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We asked Ellen & Blake

Tell us how you met…

Ellen lived in the town right next to mine but we had never met before. After I came back from travelling I spent a couple of months living back home with my folks.

I decided to move to the adjacent town and on the day I moved there my friends came round and we decided to have a few drinks in town; and that’s where I met Ellen. We went out on our first date a couple of days after that and I’ve not been able to get rid of her since!

Jokes aside though, going out for a couple of drinks that night was the best decision I ever made.

What were your main hopes for the day...?

The main idea was to have a relaxed day that we could enjoy without feeling stressed out. We wanted everyone to have a good time, but still keeping some of the traditions of a wedding.

For instance, because the church was deconsecrated we were able to have some drinks and nibbles in there for when people arrived.

After that, we just wanted to have a party with all our close friends and family and didn’t want to have too many ceremonious things interrupting it — and my-ohmy did we have a great party! We weren’t too fussed about cutting the cake anyway, but in the end we totally forgot about it because everyone was too busy dancing.

Was your favourite part of the day...?

We thought it would be fun, even though we were having a civil ceremony, to have some ‘hymns’ in the church. But instead of religious songs we chose a couple of our favourite classic sing-alongs — “Mandy”

by Barry Manilow and “I Love You Baby” by Frankie Valli. We didn’t know how it would go down with the congregation but everyone got in the spirit and it ended up being one of our favourite parts of the day.

We also really enjoyed the bus ride! We debated about whether to have it because it seemed a bit cheesy, but in the end it was so much fun and everyone loved it.

The moment we arrived at Chad’s was special, too. We had an idea in our heads about what we wanted it to look like, but we hadn’t seen it until we arrived after the ceremony — the sun came out and it looked stunning.

My number one moment, though, was seeing everyone there and seeing everyone with a smile on their faces having a great time — that’s all we really wanted.

How was your day unique...?

Ellen’s dad Dan is an incredible artist and he had painted us a picture, which we had hanging up in the reception. We also liked the idea of having a Polaroid camera so people could take photos on the day and then write little messages on them. We made a frame with some string on it that they could peg their photos onto, and it became a kind of photo message board.

It’s a lovely memento from the day and it was great fun for everyone too — much better than just taking photos on your phones!

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What was your budget...? £8,000 What was your biggest expense...?

Our biggest extravagance was probably our photographer. It was one area we just knew it wasn’t worth trying to cut corners to save a bit of money.

We’re so pleased with the photos as they really capture the vibe of the day in a way you just wouldn’t get from anything else and we’ll both cherish them forever.

How did you save money...?

Ellen’s dress was a complete bargain at just £35 from Etsy. We also had my sister make the amazing cake. I think ultimately we just didn’t want to waste money on things that we know we could either do better or just as well ourselves like decorations and invites. We wanted to spend the money on things we knew we couldn’t do ourselves like Ellen’s hair & makeup, the photographer, DJ.

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What was it like working with your photographer...?

Hector was perfect really, and it almost felt like he was one of the guests by the end — he even joined us for a few welldeserved shots at the bar! We wanted a photographer that caught special moments and blended in and that’s what we got – he captured the vibe perfectly.

Advice to any couples about to get married...

If people offer to help, accept it with open arms. Close friends and family were all great on the day, making sure things ran smoothly. Everyone chipped in and took the pressure off, allowing us to enjoy the day. Also if things go wrong try not to worry about it. Nobody cares if dinner is served at 4pm precisely. Remember that they’re there for you, and are just happy to have a good time. Keep them fed and topped up with champagne and you can’t go wrong.

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Photography: We Heart Pictures www.weheartpictures.com Wedding Venue: www.ststephenstrust.co.uk Wedding Reception: www.6stchadsplace.com Wedding Dress: www.etsy.com Grooms Attire: www.reiss.com Transport: Ensign Bus Hire www.ensignbushire.com Flowers: Fresh Flower Company, Dulwich www.freshflower.co.uk

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DIY Little Origami Boxes

By Alice at Fleur de Lace www.fleurdelace.co.uk Photography by Hayley Pettit Photography www.hayleypettitphotography.com Venue: Letchworth Healthy Living Centre www.letchworthcentre.org

Want to wow your guests as a DIY genius? Well, this ‘How to’ is for you.

It looks confusing BUT once you get the first one done, it all starts to come together and the results are awesome.

We have used them as décor but they could be functional favour boxes, stringed together as bunting, cake toppers etc.

For each box you need six bits of square paper.

Origami paper or decorative scrapbooking card comes in squares already. My paper was 6 inch squared.

What you need: lots of square Paper or thin card, a flat surface, two hands and a bit of patience.

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Step One: Fold the paper in half to get a central line Step Two: Fold the edges into the centre and press the folds down and then unfold it.

Step Three: Turn the whole thing over so the central join is facing downwards. I spin the paper around so the long side of the rectangle is nearest me.

Step Four: Fold the top left corner into the centre and press flat

Step Five: Fold the bottom left corner in and press that flat. (your paper should now look like an arrow!)

Step Six: Spin the paper so the arrow points right and repeat steps 4 & 5 on the other unfolded side.

This will create a small square.

Repeat steps 1-6 on your other 5 bits of paper. …

Now it’s time to jigsaw the pieces together…

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Step Seven: On all of the squares there are arms and pockets. If you hold the pieces as if you are creating a cube, the triangular parts that stick out (the arms) all slot into the neighbouring square’s triangular pockets.

Step Eight: When you put in your last square, the paper/card should bend a little so you can get the triangle into the slotted pocket.

And Voila!

Please contact Alice at Fleur de Lace with questions about the tutorial or with any styling and dressing needs at hello@fleurdelace.co.uk Have fun!

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Bones & Flowers Bridal Shoot

Photography by www.albertpalmerphotography.com Styling & Words by Sami at Verdigris Venue Dressing www.verdigrisvenuedressing.co.uk

My Inspiration for this shoot came to me in the middle of the night, as one of those moments when the many images that you’ve stored away in your mind come together as an unexpected flash.

Arnos Vale Cemetery is close to my heart. As an artist, I used to wander around the grounds before the renovations started, watching nature reclaiming the land with its trees and sprawling ivy.

When I heard they were re-opening as a twilight wedding venue with an open barn in the woods I immediately signed up for the open day and went down to have a look.

The setting seemed to lend itself perfectly to my vision – which combines the trend for taxidermy re-establishing itself in fashion, a recent day of the dead festival project, and features a stunningly ethereal girl I met at a wedding fair.

I wanted gothic so subtle that it didn’t look gothic until you really looked at the images, so I chose white and focussed on texture and form rather than colour to create the look.

The team at Arnos Vale suggested a tone that was architectural, antique and a little Miss Havisham – all of which inspired us to set the table for afternoon tea.

Together with Eva at The Flower Hive, who truly understands how to create a rustic, seasonal look with her floristry, we worked wild foliage, blossom and bones into the bouquet and flowers.

I chose the mausoleum as my background for the table display and used pearls to create a canopy over my ornithological chandelier, which was inspired by birds’ nests and magpies.

I asked Alana Dunlevy at Bone Art by Alana to make the model’s bone tiara, and the result is striking yet subtle.

This in turn influenced the look for the dresses Jessica and I chose for Katie and the hair and makeup inspiration from Louise.

The details were just as important as the big picture. The suggestions of lace working their way into the fruit bowls and stationary, the deer heads on the candlesticks and even bone china earrings are all equally important parts of the story we wanted to tell.

Verdigris Venue Dressing design and create stunning, imaginative wedding environments, unique to every couple. Aisles, table settings, fabric drapes and custom chandeliers. To find out more visit her website www.verdigrisvenuedressing.co.uk

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Stylist and Venue Dresser: Verdigris Venue dressing www.verdigrisvenuedressing.co.uk

Tableware: Portmerion www.portmeirion.co.uk

Photography: Albert Palmer Photography www.albertpalmerphotography.com/

My Deer Candlesticks: The French Bedroom Company www.frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk

Venue: Arnos Vale Cemetery http://www.arnosvale.org.uk/

Stationary: Hummingbird Cards www.hummingbirdcards.co.uk

Dresses: Jessica Charleston www.jessicacharleston.co.uk/

Laser Cut Bowls: Andy Dingley, www.yourlaser.co.uk

Flowers: The Flower Hive www.theflowerhive.co.uk

MUA: Louise Mackintosh https://uk.linkedin.com/louisemackintosh

Cake Anna Tyler www.annatylercakes.co.uk

Model: Katie May www.facebook.com/katie.may.9828?fref=ts

Bone Tiara: Bone Art by Alana www.boneartbyalana.com

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