Mr + Mrs Unique Wedding Magazine 2018 by Mr & Mrs Unique

Photo by www.mattparryphotography.co.uk

WEDDINGS EVENTS FESTIVALS

d e r i p s n i Get MR AND MRS UNIQUE 2018 MAGAZINE

Welcome to Mr & Mrs Unique... www.mrandmrsunique.co.uk

Mr & Mrs Unique is the go-to, award winning online directory, blog & magazine celebrating the unusual, the quirky, the interesting and above all, the unique aspects of weddings, events and festivals. We stand for something different, something exclusive. We champion the rare and hold aloft the shiny, extraordinary things that make a wedding truly stand out from the lacklustre crowd. We just love creativity and the people that do things a bit differently. So we’ve sourced only the most exceptional, innovative and imaginative wedding and event suppliers from across the UK, all for you. You want your big day to rock and so do we. So come join our unique movement, be part of the creative clan; get all of your wedding inspiration from the best directory, blog and magazine in the industry. Our online wedding directory features the most coolest, creative and extraordinary wedding and event suppliers in the UK. All hand selected for their originality and excellence. Our biannual online magazine features unique styling ideas, expert advice hip real weddings, quirky DIY, latest news and exclusive offers from our listed suppliers. Our award winning blog stands out from the rest by focusing on suppliers with a difference and real couples that rock. We want to show only the most exciting, innovative and creative ideas. Please visit our website here for suppliers, inspiration and advice ww.mrandmrsunique.co.uk

Photo: jessicawitheyphotography.com

Letter from the Editor... Hello, Welcome to our new 2018 edition of our Mr & Mrs Unique Magazine Have you just started on to your wedding planning journey? A bit worried or stressed out where to start? Well you’ve come to the right place! Whether it’s a creative photographer, an incredibly cool venue, tasty street food, stylish dresses or colourful wedding stying… we have it all here at Mr & Mrs Unique to inspire and stir the imagination. This edition is packed full of wonderful couples, awesome weddings, advice from suppliers in the know and some wonderful wedding inspiration from our featured bridal shoots. Also this year we are very excited to announce we are sponsoring three incredible wedding fairs - A Most Curious Wedding Fair (held in London & Norwich), The Eclectic Wedding Extravaganza (in Birmingham) and The Indie Wedding Fair (held in Sheffield & Manchester). Each event will be filled to the brim with exciting, innovative wedding suppliers... If you haven’t got tickets to these events yet, make sure you make it a date in the diary! Hopefully see you there! Xx Best Wishes,

Erica Xx 2

2018 | MR & MRS UNIQUE

CONTENTS

Wedding Inspiration: 6

Stylish, Minimalist Wedding Inspiration… Agnes Black

Bohemian Hen Party Ideas... Three Flowers Photography

Real Weddings: 8

Lucy & Mike – A Colourful London Pub Wedding Babb Photo

Cara & Tod – A tropical, glitter-filled Balearic wedding weekend at legendary Pikes Hotel Matt Parry Photography

Faye & Robert – A Chic Norfolk Wedding Weekend Binky Nixon Photography

Amy & Dan – A Harvest Inspired Wedding with lots of handmade details… Assassynation Photography

Katy & Chris – A Super Cool Sperry Tent Wedding The Crawleys

Katie & Mike – A stress free Penzance elopement… Freckle Photography

Wedding Planning: 4

Wedding Traditions...are they outdated? Epic Love Story

Why you should work with Indie Bespoke Designers... A Most Curious Wedding Fair

How To Love Yourself In Wedding Photos… Babb Photo

Interview with: 26

Jo - Designer at The Couture Company

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

Wedding Traditions... Are they outdated?

Words & Photos by Emma From Epic Love Story http://epiclovestory.co.uk When planning your wedding have you felt the pressure to stick with tradition and go along with it, even though you really didn’t want to? Weddings are not a one-size-fits-all occasion, and here at Mr & Mrs Unique we are firm believers that you should do what’s right for you! The lovely Emma from Epic Love Story Photography (with a little help from Google!) takes us through some common traditions, what they mean and why some people are quitting them…

Spending the night apart... What it means: Google tells me it’s based on faith, but let’s face it most people aren’t very religious these days and have done the deed already! Why you might want to quit it: When I got married over 5 years ago I didn’t think much about it other than it was something everyone seemed to do. Upon reflection I wish we had spent the night together, had breakfast in the morning and then sent him off to meet the boys so we could both get ready. I think spending that night together would have made me feel even more connected to him at the aisle because the run up to the wedding was crazy busy! What with last minute errands, nails, decorating the venue and packing for the prep location it means you probably haven’t had much (if any) quality time together. I wish we had just ordered room service, a bottle of wine and chilled out to music because the next day was so fast paced I didn’t feel like we spent much of it together and because it felt surreal it was a bit of a blur. Spending this time together may also calm any nerves.

A white dress... What it means: The tradition of a white wedding dress comes from Queen Victoria’s choice to wear a white court dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. To some it’s an emblem of the purity and innocence of girlhood. Why you might want to quit it: Who says you have to wear white? Who these days are pure and innocent on their wedding day? I certainly wasn’t! Ha! I love that more and more brides are experimenting with colour, including the grooms!

Church weddings... What it means: Church weddings date back to when religion was prominent but now only a very small percentage of western people follow a faith. I very rarely shoot church weddings now and only 10% of my couples have them. Why you might want to quit it: If you’re not religious, why have one? You also get REALLY bad lighting in 99% of churches (ask any photographer how they feel about church lighting and they’ll probably have a little moan!) Sometimes the priest won’t even let your photographer photograph the ceremony! So if you’re not religious, why not have a humanist outdoor wedding? You’ll get better photos too.

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Speeches... What it means: Originally it was just a toast to the couple. Nowadays it’s the groom, best man, dad and even Uncle Bob who say something! Why is it always just the men that do speeches too? Why you might want to quit it: I wouldn’t suggest quitting them altogether but I’ve been seeing a lot of brides doing them lately… I absolutely love it when they stand for a speech. Also tell everyone to be mindful of speech times, I’ve had a couple from best men that just went on way too long and the guests were getting bored! Dads walk the bride down the isle and they also have a speech, but what about the mums? I’d like to see more mums do one instead of dads; after all she probably did most of the snot wiping!

Cake cutting... What it means: This ritual symbolizes commitment to each other and is normally followed by feeding a piece to each other. Why you might want to quit it: A lot of couples feel awkward cutting a cake while lots of people watch and it can be a bit of an anticlimax! If you are going to do it, have fun with it so it doesn’t look too stagey. Some couples smash it in each other’s faces, which can make for a more fun photo! Some of my couples decide to not even have one.

First danceS... go big or go home! What it means: I can’t find much on this other than it dates back to when the groom would steal his bride and dance around her in front of his friends to show her off! Why you might want to quit it: A lot of people find the prospect of dancing alone in front of a room for people as their worst nightmare! We didn’t have a first dance at our wedding, my husband felt it was a bit too weird and I really wasn’t bothered either way. That was nearly 6 years ago and I’ve since seen the wedding industry change so much. Slow dances aren’t as common and couples are making them super fun! One of my couples even had a sumo first dance, which I know my husband definitely would have done! Outdoor first dances are becoming more popular too now. Epic Love Story offers fun, colourful, relaxed wedding photography. Find her at epiclovestory.co.uk

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Stylish, Minimalist Wedding Inspiration... A modern, bohemian bridal shoot; for inner city indie couples. Photography by Agnes Black www.agnesblack.com

Suppliers:

INSPIRATION & STYLING DETAILS: For the venue we decided to use a totally cool, new studio in Salford near Manchester. The studio has huge white studio rooms and provides gorgeous natural light, a chic bar and laid back chill out areas; the perfect setting for our industrial, city chic bridal shoot.

Photography: Agnes Black www.agnesblack.com Planning & Styling: Inner City Wedding www.innercityweddings.co.uk Venue: 54 Studios fivefourstudios.com Flowers: Sass Flower www.sassflower.co.uk Cake: Marie Antoinette Cakes www.macakecompany.co.uk Stationery: Wildwood Paper www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ wildwoodpaperstore Hair & Make Up: Amba Logan www.ambalogan.com Ribbon: Silk & Purl www.instagram.com/silkandpurl/ Model: Millie /www.instagram.com/millie_95/ Bridal Gown: The White Yard www.thewhiteyard.co.uk Other Outfits & Accessories: ASOS www.asos.com/women Shoes: I Am Florence www.iamflorence.co.uk

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Ellie from Inner City Weddings brought in industrial furniture and props, which worked well against the white venue backdrop. The ceremony area was set up with mismatched chairs, pillar candles lined the aisle and a gorgeous floral arch adorned with Sass Flower blooms set the scene for a super stylish vow exchange, The arch, bouquet and table centres were made up of dahlias, peppermint foliage, lysianthus, pampas grass, roses and trailing amaranths, in rich jewel tones cerise, marsala, violet, burnt orange and crisp white. We kept the bridal styling elegant and chic with unstructured bohemian gowns, gorgeous bridal separates, floral lace and sparkle details.

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

Lucy & Mike... Photos by Babb Photos www.babbphoto.com

A Colourful London Pub Wedding… How was your day unique? We always liked the idea of a London pub wedding. We live here; it’s home and it felt easy for our two families as it was in the middle of them both! We looked around a couple of pubs for the reception, but the Easton was something else - lovely food, nice atmosphere, a really good big room and somewhere that we could decorate. Asia House was where we had our ceremony. It’s an amazing Georgian townhouse; we walked in and just thought wow! It was a really lovely place to get married, and the ceremony room felt very special to us. What were your favourite details? A while ago I made a pompom garland for our fireplace, and thinking how pretty it looked, I decided that it would be a great idea to make some pompoms for the venue. I started off with small pompoms and then Mike very sensibly pointed out that we might need to make some bigger ones given the size of the pub! We ended up making about 500 pompoms, which was about 24 metres worth! We were making them for months, but I really thought that the end result was worth it. What was it like working with your photographer? Laura and Pete have been great to work with. We had seen their work up close in the past as Laura had photographed our friends’ wedding a couple of years ago and the pictures were just lovely, so we were keen to work with them for our wedding as well. They were both so friendly and made everything really easy both in the run up to the day and on the day itself.

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Suppliers:

Advice to any couples about to get married? Have a strong idea of the sort of wedding you want to have, and stick to it, even if it doesn’t match other peoples’ expectations. That said; don’t be afraid to let others help. There’s a lot to organise, and you can’t pull it off all by yourselves, particularly on the day itself.

Photographer: Babb Photo www.babbphoto.com Ceremony Venue: Asia House www.asiahouse.org Reception Venue & Catering: The Easton Pub www.theeastonpub.co.uk Brides Dress: Victoria dress by Willowby from Pure Couture www.purecouture.co.uk Hairdresser: Karl at Ridewood and Dury Florist: The Flower Appreciation Society www.theflowerappreciationsociety.co.uk Groom: Suit from Beggars Run www.beggarsrun.com Shirt & tie from Hawes & Curtis www.hawesandcurtis.co.uk Shoes from Clarks www.clarks.co.uk Table Place Settings: Custom made by Mother of the Bride Transport: Routemaster Hire www.routemasterhire.com

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Cara and Tod...

Photos by Matt Parry Photography www.mattparryphotography.co.uk A tropical, glitter-filled Balearic wedding weekend at legendary Pikes Hotel…

Tell us how you got engaged?. On a houseboat in Kerala, India. We had no signal for 2 days and by the time we could tell friends and family it was April 1st 2015, everyone thought it was an April fool. Why did you decide on an Ibiza Wedding? We both love the island and visit as much as possible. There was only ever one location it was going to be, we didn’t consider any other options! What was your plan for the wedding weekend? As it was a destination wedding we had all of our guests fly in for 5 days, we hired the whole of Pikes for 5 nights of wedding fun. How would you describe your wedding theme? It was musically themed from the invites (personalised records), the place names (cassettes) and the rock and roll location: Pikes. What were your favourite details? Tod got together a group of mates and set up a band for the wedding as a secret surprise for our guests. They were absolutely amazing, performing classics such as David Bowie ‘Let’s Dance’ and Depeche Modes ‘Enjoy the silence’ – I had no idea my husband was also a rock star….. WHAT Was your favourite part of the weekend? Having all of our favourite people in one place, we were so humbled by the amount of people who made the effort to come and celebrate with us. How was your day unique? I guess not many couples end up in Freddie Mercury’s bathtub singing Karaoke? What made you chose Pikes Hotel? We wanted our guests to experience the real hedonistic side of Ibiza. Pikes Hotel has everything; a beautiful Balearic setting by day and a debaucherous naughty side after dark. Tell us about your wedding outfits and why you picked them... We wanted a contrast for the two days; a more traditional theme for the beach ceremony and a very non-traditional one for the party. Our dress code to our guests for Pikes was ‘Glitter, sequins, tropical, festival vibes’. What was it like working with your photographer? It was amazing to work with our Matt Parry; we specifically wanted someone who would capture the day as it happens rather than lots of posed shots, we couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Advice to any couples about to get married? Spread it over a weekend…. why have one day when you can have two ;) Also As a foreigner, you can’t legally get married in Spain so we chose a very good friend to take the beach service for us. This made the whole ceremony very personal, funny and emotional.

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Suppliers:

Photographer: Matt Parry: www.mattparryphotography.co.uk Wedding Venue: El Chiringuito, Cala Gracionetta: www.grupomambo.com/venues/bar-restaurants/el-chiringuito.html Wedding planner: Mambo Weddings www.mamboweddings.com/venues/el-chiringuito.html Wedding Reception: Pikes Hotel pikesibiza.com Wedding Dress: Olivia Van Der Horst www.oliviavanderhorst.co.uk Brides Accessories: Pica Pica feathers www.instagram.com/picapicafeathers/ Hair & Make-up: Carrie Jones and Jade Maguire www.instagram.com/unprettymakeupworld/ Glitter boutique: Sophie Starlight www.starlightboutique.co.uk Flowers: Holly and Gary www.floraldreamsibiza.com Cake: Sharon Edwards www.cupcakecollectionibiza.com/contact-enquire

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Faye & Robert...

Photos by Binky Nixon Photography www.binkynikon.com A Chic Norfolk Wedding Weekend…

How was your day unique? By choosing a venue where we were simply given the keys for the weekend, we had complete free reign over everything. From the drinks and food to the garden games, string quartet and the speeches on the veranda, everything was exactly how we wanted it. It was great for us to be able to have our whole wedding party staying in the house. It meant we could spend the weekend together and it was great fun having everybody pitch in to get things ready. That and watching the boys struggle to build the garden furniture… What were your favourite details? The colours! As with most weddings, when we first started planning it everything was simple, classy and white! But we soon realized it wasn’t at all what we wanted and everything became brighter and more colourful. The bridesmaids dresses were a simple nude colour which went perfectly with the sleek tuxedos the men wore, and every subtle touch was then brought to life by the colourful flowers supplied by our amazing florist Sarah Dempster – The Flower Hut. We didn’t buy too much but made a lot of the decorations so our guests could really see that this day couldn’t have been anybody else’s wedding but ours. It made the day that little bit more special having spent the time with Rob, my family and my friends creating all the unique little touches that were proudly displayed on the big day.

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What was it like working with your photographer? Binky was truly magical to work with. She seemed to be everywhere, yet nowhere to be seen. Her natural style of photography has given us a beautiful collection of pictures, which we will cherish forever.

Suppliers:

Advice to any couples about to get married? Create the wedding that you want. Everybody is excited to be a part of your big day and it is easy to be swayed into adopting somebody else’s idea of a perfect wedding. While it is important to have a lot of varied input, you must ultimately make the big decisions as a couple for what you want to have on your day. Enjoy the planning process, enjoy the food and wine tasting and ensure you make time on the day to spend with each other to take it all in. It will be a whirlwind of a day and you will want to relive it over and over again, so make sure everything is taken care of so you can enjoy every last second.

Photographer: Binky Nixon www.binkynixon.com Wedding Venue: St Nicholas Church, Blakeney www.blakeneychurch.co.uk Wedding Reception: Voewood www.voewood.com Wedding Dress: Blue By Enzoani – Fairytale Weddings www.fairy-tale-weddings.co.uk Grooms Attire: Hugo Boss www.hugoboss.com/uk Transport: Station Campers www.stationcampers.co.uk Flowers: The Flower Hut www.theflowerhutstotfold.com Stationery: Designed by Bride’s Sister Cake: Claire’s Classy Cakes www.facebook.com/Claires-ClassyCakes-807838519240192/ Food: Florentina www.florentina-events.com Décor: CMA Hire www.cmahire.com Marquee: Weatherfield Marquees www.weatherfield-marquees.co.uk Hair: Joe Tse Hair www.facebook.com/JoeTseHair/ Make up: Yasmin Christina MUA www.yasminchristinamua.wordpress.com

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Why you should work with Indie Bespoke Designers... Words by Rebecca Hoh-Hale from A Most Curious Wedding Fair www.amostcuriousweddingfair.co.uk Y’all have a copy of Mr & Mrs Unique Magazine in your hands, so I think we’d be preaching to the choir if we told you the benefits of commissioning original pieces and ideas for your wedding that reflect your own style. Using indie makers and suppliers that have a bespoke outlook is something already on your radar; that’s the key to getting a thoughtful design and something truly representative of you and your partner for your big day. What about the less obvious advantages? Here at Most Curious, the wedding show for the style-savvy couple, we are set up as a platform to not only project these skilled, indie makers straight to the couples who fit so well with them, but to sing and showcase their talents too. So, this article is all about the great things you get from working with a bespoke approach with bespoke designers on your wedding, complete with some words of advice from our 2018 show exhibitors on how to get the best out of the process.

THE ACCESSORIES... Photo: www.jessielilyadams.com

Lizzie McQuade, of Lizzie McQuade Millinery www.lizziemcquade.co.uk When you work one to one with a designer I think its natural for them to also offer advice, support or a shoulder to cry on about the stresses of planning a wedding! It’s been lovely (and unexpected!) to hear from some clients that their appointments with me were a ‘positive and calming influence’ during the wedding planning process. Whether you’re happier presenting your brief to me as a general talk about a vibe or a feeling you want to create or with a series of reference images and specific details, they’re both a perfect starting point to get things right. The way you approach this also helps me understand you as a person, which is key to getting the piece just right. The most important starting point when commissioning a piece is to choose someone who’s overall aesthetic you love, and the rest will be easy. Specific trims, details etc can all be worked out but their design language has to chime with you. If you have a specific budget in mind do mention this, it’s so good to know at the outset. And always try to leave enough time to ensure the idea develops perfectly! My Process... Once someone gets in touch I set a date to meet them face to face. We’ll look at pictures of the dress, flowers, ideas they have and discuss how they want to wear their hair and what they will feel comfortable in on the day.

Photo: www.maxeenkimphotography.com

I’ll then make a series of sketches and source some fabric and trim options, and when they have chosen their design will take a deposit and start making the piece. I like to send updates as we go; pictures can help with the making process as the design process really continues for me on the stand, and then when we have reached a good stage we’ll have a fitting and make any alterations and changes before delivering the final piece. A bespoke piece will take longer to create and there might be one, two or more fittings to make it right – for us, it takes around around four weeks, from conception to delivery.

THE DRESS... Jessica Turner of Jessica Turner Designs www.jessicaturnerdesigns.com/ My Process... The first date - coffee! This is when brides and I chat about what they want and what I can offer. From our conversation I can gauge whether we have similar tastes and whether we are compatible or not. I have my unique style and not everyone will like what I do but I respect that. Generally, brides only get in touch if they relate to my work and have found examples of my work that fit with their perfect style or idea, and so the next step is about building that relationship. Next is a consultation, which takes place in the studio. At the consultation, brides can browse through my collection to discuss their favourite styles and try on samples, whilst also going into depth about what works for them and their body shape. It isn’t about walking into a boutique, and looking through lots of dresses absent-mindedly: the experience is more personal. A final sketch of their ideal wedding dress is prepared for brides to take home, which is a lovely keepsake. The next stage is placing the deposit and making the toile. For a bespoke dress there needs to be good levels of communication to ensure neither party has fears of not liking it - and more importantly, to ensure that at the end, they love it! I do at least 3-4 fittings after the first consultation but I am happy to do as many as the bride feels the need to.

Photo: www.kittywheelershaw.co.uk

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Lastly, the finished dress! This is the best bit, I get to see the final creation and I am usually just as moved as the bride!! I love seeing their excitement, it makes my work worthwhile.

THE STATIONERY

Lorna McGinnigal of E.Y.I.LOVE http://eyilove.com/ A real benefit of working with bespoke suppliers is that we truly care about what we do..It’s not just a “business”, but our dream! The attention to detail will be there - with a level of flexibility and a personal touch which you will never find when you deal with the big guys. I know we would hate to put anything out of our studio doors which we thought didn’t represent us well, so we would always go the extra mile to achieve this and I think you will find this with most bespoke suppliers. Pinterest is great for gaining an overall feel of what each couple like. However, it can at times be overbearing, and very easy to go in the wrong direction if we solely relied on it. We try to gauge the overall vibe of a couple from Pinterest, but we also ask them to provide a very select amount of images to highlight the particular elements they are drawn to, and describe EXACTLY what it is in particular they’re drawn to. (as it’s not necessarily going to be the same thing I’m drawn to!) Photo: www.craigevasanders.co.uk

My Process... As a start I think it’s important to know your styles are going to work together. If you love our style and have been double tapping our insta feed for weeks - then you are most certainly the right type of person for us, and it’s a good basis to start from! We are such a visual company, so most of our couples and clients are too. However, if you are determined to “change us” and you send us any ideas and images which pull up a red flag for us (glitter and tartan NO NO!! ) - we will certainly let you know. There’s people out there for you. One of my favourite projects was for a couple of film fanatics, marrying in the Glasgow Film Theatre, an independent art deco cinema in the centre of Glasgow. We designed bespoke tickets for them, with tear off stubs and popcorn favours. We had a huge billboard outside the cinema with a poster designed for their wedding and lots of graphics to be shown on the ‘Big Screen’. For another fave is it ok to say our own wedding?! It’s where the whole love of playing with pretty paper came from, and I can honestly say working within the wedding industry had NEVER been on my radar until I fell in love with printing our own love story. I poured every ounce of my creativity into our wedding and I truly fell in love with making paper goods. It was probably my most challenging too, come to think of it. I am a very demanding client!

Photo: www.thecurries.co

ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE WWW.AMOSTCURIOUSWEDDINGFAIR.CO.UK

LONDON SHOW

NORWICH SHOW

2-4th MARCH 2018

25th MARCH 2018

The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QR

The Fire Pit Camp, The Firs, Wendling, Nr Dereham, Norfolk, NR19 2LT

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Amy & Dan...

Photos by Assassynation www.assassynation.co.uk A Harvest Inspired Wedding with lots of handmade details… How was your day unique? There were lots of handmade details and we went down our own path and weren’t swayed by the norm. So much was home crafted. Tell us about your wedding outfits and why you picked them... Amy – I always wanted to wear that colour and I just saw it in a high street store window and loved it. I did take the Mums wedding dress shopping and it was loads of fun but I still stuck to my original dress. I knew I wanted those shoes and bright flowers to compliment it. Dan – I knew I didn’t want to wear a traditional suit or top hat and tails. I wanted to wear tweed and I found the grey tweed and loved it. I wanted to channel a Peaky Blinders vibe. Amy had no idea what I was wearing and she loved the fact I kept it a secret. I took the Mums shopping with me instead. Amy thinks her Grandad is the best-dressed man she knows and I definitely stole some of his style. How did you save money? Amy did the invites, we homebrewed all of our wine and all the decorations were home made so we didn’t need to fill it with flowers. We chose a venue we love so we didn’t need to dress it. What was it like working with your photographer? Sassy was lovely and a lot of fun. Lots of our guests said they didn’t notice her there (in the best possible way). We totally trusted her to do a great job and she did. Sass went over and above on the day making sure everything went smoothly. Advice to any couples about to get married? As soon as people find out you’re engaged they will have an opinion. It’s perfectly okay to say thank you, smile and nod and disregard their opinion. Smile, nod and think “I’m not fucking doing that!” Otherwise it can be a bit overwhelming, they mean well but it has to be about you. Be careful about which photographer you use, they are one of the very few things left you can keep forever and if you have shit photos you are going to just feel bad every time you look at them.

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Suppliers:

Photographer: assassynation www.assassynation.co.uk Wedding Venue: The Guildhall, http://www.lichfield.gov.uk/Conferences__and__ Weddings_793.aspx Wedding Dress: Coast www.coast-stores.com Brides Shoes: Shoes by Irregular Choice www.irregularchoice.com/ Grooms Attire: Duncan James http://www.duncanjames.co.uk Flowers: Flower Design of Lichfield https://flowerdesignoflichfield.co.uk/ Stationery: Made by Amy (the bride) www.etheridgedesign.com Food + Cheese cake: Sal’s catering http://www.salscatering.co.uk/ Décor: Handmade by the family Entertainment: Yam Yam Elvis https://www.facebook.com/YamYamElvis/ Bar: Those Four http://www.thosefour.co.uk/

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Katy & Chris... Photos by The Crawleys www.the-crawleys.com

A Super Cool Sperry Tent Wedding… How was your day unique? There were lots of little things that made our day truly unique but some of our favourites including the carousel, hook a duck, afternoon tea, fireworks, and our first dance that turned into a Jaiger bomb family conga!! What were your favourite details? The PapaKåta Sperry Tent was worth every penny for such a beautiful space to hold our reception. As soon as we walked into it at their Open Day we knew it was the perfect setting for our day. We chose our venue quite simply, because it was beautiful. We wanted a marquee wedding, and what could be better than having a Sperry Tent on the lake. Our carousel was another highlight of the day; I had so many chats, drinks and special moments on it with friends and family. It was made more special when my mum who isn’t very mobile managed to get on with me for a spin. I even chose to throw my bouquet off the carousel it was a competition like no other…a lot of people wanted to be next! What was it like working with your photographer? Laura and Pete have been great to work with. We had seen their work up close in the past as Laura had photographed our friends’ wedding a couple of years ago and the pictures were just lovely, so we were keen to work with them for our wedding as well. They were both so friendly and made everything really easy both in the run up to the day and on the day itself. Advice to any couples about to get married? Do you. Do what you want, not what other people want or expect you to do. Tradition is great, but if it’s not you, do something different. We were told we had to have a three course meal, we didn’t. That we shouldn’t do a Jaiger train, we did. That we didn’t need a three meter flower hoop above our bar, we did it anyway. And, we wouldn’t change a thing. Before booking, deciding what to eat or what to wear, make sure it’s what you really want…it’s your big day after all. And finally, enjoy every second. I promise you’ll wish you could re-live it again and again.

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Suppliers:

Photographer: The Crawleys www.the-crawleys.com Wedding Venue: All Saintsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Church, Cheshire www.daresburycofe.org.uk/ and Cherry Orchard Lake www.delamereevents.co.uk/ Wedding Reception: PapaKata Sperry Tent www.papakata.co.uk Wedding Dress + Veil: Paloma Blanca from Bethany Hannah Stockton Heath. www.bethanyhannahbridal.co.uk Hair Piece: Amy Swann www.amyswann.co.uk Brides Shoes: Cindy from Charlotte Mills www.charlottemills.com Grooms Attire: Marks and Spencer www.marksandspencer.com Transport: The Love Bus Wedding Company www.thelovebusweddingcompany.co.uk Flowers: Sian Wilde at the Flower Lounge Didsbury www.didsburyflowerlounge.co.uk Stationery: Eagle Eyed Bride www.eagleeyedbride.com Cake: Amy Swann Cakes www.amyswann.co.uk Food: Thyme Out Food co. Didsbury www.thymeoutfoodco.co.uk

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

How to love yourself in wedding photos...

Words and photos by Laura from Babb Photo www.babbphoto.com The person that you’re marrying, do you love them unconditionally? Do you realise that they are a fallible human being with imperfections? Are you kind to them? Of course you are. We would never, ever want to undermine the confidence of the people we love or impact on their self worth by picking away at their ‘flaws’. Love means accepting the other person and not trying to change them. You look at, and love, the whole person. So why do so many of us neglect to extend the same kindness to ourselves? We reduce ourselves to the sum of our parts. We focus on our perceived imperfections. Self esteem is slowly built and just as quickly demolished, based on compliance with an idea of beauty that is forced upon us. We believe in a need to be perfect. And then you’re getting married but you don’t like your arms/legs/bum/ belly/chin and those things are all going to be photographed all day, on your wedding day. Your photographer, though, can make photos of you that you love, even though you don’t love yourself, can’t they? A professional photographer’s photos of you will be different to the pictures that your mates take and you’ll be different in your wedding pictures, won’t you? A professional photographer absolutely knows how best to capture that relaxed happiness. A good photographer knows how to capture those moments that led to the happiness in the first place. We are not magicians though. We can’t take away all of those negative thoughts you have about yourself. We can’t make you love yourself, if you don’t. As a photographer I admire once said, “if you don’t like your self, you probably won’t like my photos of you” and that’s the truth. So how can you love your wedding pictures, if you don’t love yourself? You have two options. Firstly start by looking at the bigger picture. The story of the day. The moments that are represented. Those sunbeams bursting out of your face. Do your wedding pictures show the love and happiness that you FELT on the day of your wedding? Do your wedding pictures catapult you back to the moment when you said ‘I do’ to your best friend? Do your pictures remind you of the whole spectrum of emotions you felt on the day? A good wedding photographer will capture all of that and more. When I look back at my own wedding pictures they transport me right back into each moment that they capture. There are a whole load of holes I could pick in the way I look but I don’t, because I was really bloody happy and it shows in the massive grin I had on my face all day.

2018 | MR & MRS UNIQUE

And the second option? You could actually learn to love yourself. Or at least like yourself. My awesome friend Cheyenne Gil is a boudoir photographer and is a big proponent of self-love. She’s one of the biggest advocates of body positivity I know and here’s what she has to say about loving yourself:

“Tough love. That’s how I handle this whole ‘self love’ situation. Bottom line is this: YOU NEED TO GET OVER YOURSELF. Doesn’t matter if you’re a size 0 or a size 90000908798 - you are beautiful. You need to step back and get out of your head. Those stretch marks? Those bony knees? That rib cage popping out? That roll that rolls around when you sit down? LITERALLY NO ONE IS LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS AND YOU SHOULDN’T EITHER! You’re a fox! Your wedding is going to be one of the most important days of your freaking life!! It doesn’t matter who your photographer is - YOU, your partner, and YOUR LOVE are going to be the pieces of the puzzle that make your pictures indescribably beautiful. The only way that can happen is if you put aside what are, in your own mind, your ‘flaws’”

There will always be the people that want their wedding photos to show a highly styled and curated version of their wedding day. A version that glosses over imperfections. I prefer the version with soul. The version that’s real. And wouldn’t it just be easier to embrace the chaos though and appreciate the beauty in those in between moments? The best way to love yourself in your wedding pictures is to love yourself full stop, and look at the bigger picture. Have THE BEST time at your wedding.

Enjoy every minute. Smile. It’s as simple as that. Let go of your expectations; forget about perfection and BE HAPPY. Babb Photo is a creative wedding photographer in the UK who celebrates the unique awesomeness of clients who come in all shapes and sizes. Find her at www.babbphoto.com

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

Katie & Mike...

Photos by Freckle Photography www.frecklephotography.co.uk A stress free Penzance elopement… How was your day unique? We’re from Folkestone in Kent, but we decided to elope to Cornwall because we loved it so much on a previous holiday to Penzance. I suppose our wedding was quite unusual in that our only guests were our sons; Louise the Bishop, and Emma our photographer. Louise and Emma also kindly agreed to act as our witnesses. Our wedding day was low-key but exactly what we wanted. After visiting the Eden Project the previous day, we wanted to recharge a little; so in the morning we spent some time exploring the grounds of The Linhay at Cosawes Barton and fed the resident chickens. After a quick lunch, we got ready at our own pace and had a very relaxed ceremony, outdoors, surrounded by woods. After the ceremony we headed down to the nearest beach to let the kids run around a bit. When we got back, our dinner was being prepared for us - a barbecued feast with a chocolate wedding cake to follow. The kids fell asleep on the sofa in front of a film while we chatted and finished our food. They were so relaxed, and enjoyed the day just as much as we did! What were your favourite details? The flowers were just perfect. I gave our florist a free reign, and she totally nailed it! Succulents, rosemary and mint amongst gorgeous wild flowers. We loved that the ceremony was outdoors, surrounded by woodland as the boys saw it as a bit of an adventure.They enjoyed themselves so much there was no stress for us! I know it’s ~our~ day, but it was so important for the boys to enjoy it and be part of it as well. What was it like working with your photographer? Emma put us all at ease! Mike & I both get a bit shy about having pictures taken and living so far away, we had no opportunity to meet any photographers before the wedding. But we needn’t have worried as Emma looked after us all very well, and we both love the resulting photos.

Suppliers:

Advice to any couples about to get married? Everyone has a different vision for their wedding, so I suppose my advice is this: focus on your ideal wedding day. We’re both quite introverted, so our stress-free plans were essential to our enjoyment of the day. It was important for our boys to enjoy it as much as we did! In terms of budget, we focused on the “extras” that would make it feel special for us (like having a special meal cooked just for us - bliss!) rather than feeling obligated to fulfil a set of expectations that don’t necessarily align with our own..

Initial contact with all suppliers was through Petite Weddings www.petiteweddings.co.uk/ Venue Co-ordination: Louise Bishop, Cosawes Barton www.cosawesbarton.co.uk Photographer: Emma Latham, Freckle Photography www.frecklephotography.co.uk Hair: Ellie Hawksworth, Elliegant Hair https://m.facebook.com/ ellieganthair/?locale2=en_GB Makeup: Stacey Cremin https://www.makeup-artist-cornwall.co.uk/

2018 | MR & MRS UNIQUE

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

Bohemian Hen Party Ideas... Photos by Three Flowers Photography www.threeflowersphotography.co.uk Art Direction, Styling & Words by Starry Eyed Weddings www.starryeyedweddings.co.uk Essex is quietly making its’ mark on the wedding scene with new, exciting venues and suppliers! We all know that hen parties have moved on, but here right in the heart of Essex The Railway Barn based in New Hall Vineyard, is hosting a Pinterest worthy hen party package with Essex based wedding stylists, Starry Eyed Weddings.

Suppliers:

Get together with your best friends and enjoy a bohemian gathering with decorated tipi, delicious grazing platters from resident caterer Linda Hamilton ‘Gather & Feast’ and your choice of English wines from the vineyard!

Photography: Three Flowers Photography www.threeflowersphotography.co.uk Haleigh Maskall Hair & Make Up https://www.facebook.com/Haleigh-Maskall-HairMakeup-511108942369238/ Styling: Starry Eyed Weddings www.starryeyedweddings.co.uk Dresses: Gigis www.e17woodstreet.co.uk/shop/gigis-dressing-room Flowers: Bloomin’ Wild www.bloominwildflowers.com Food: Gather and Feast www.gatherandfeast.co.uk Venue: The Railway Barn & New Hall Vineyard www.therailwaybarn.co.uk/little-celebrations.html www.newhallwines.com

2018 | MR & MRS UNIQUE

Starry Eyed Weddings created the look after being inspired by the current Australian romantic bohemian wedding trends, bringing this to Essex in the vineyards’ beautiful, relaxing surroundings. Hayley and Lorna from Starry Eyed Weddings would love brides to be and their guests on the day, to treat the experience as a truly 360 degree event- with attention to detail, an all encompassing event where the setting, the food and outfits all come together making the day a very unique experience. To enhance your experience, opt to include some fun extras. Choose from garland making, festival hair and make up and wine tasting. ‘We knew Essex brides-to-be wanted something different without the bling and they were fully ready to embrace new trends and venues and experiences’ Styling tips: Create a luxurious environment layering different textiles, heights and show stopping features. Don’t try and decorate everything but concentrate on the main areas.

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

Photo: https://ginandsake.com

Our Interview with...

Jo - Designer at The Couture Company www.the-couture-company.co.uk Photos: www.assassynation.co.uk First Day of School introduction of yourself... Hello you lovely readers! I am Jo, mother to Millie and wife to Darren. We live and work in Birmingham alongside my amazing inspiring team at ‘The Couture Company’ as purveyors and designers of badass, unique wedding dresses and accessories. I also co-run The Eclectic Wedding Extravaganza with my partners Sassy and Yasmin. Tell us a bit about The Couture Company HQ... A couple of years ago we moved to an awesome new workspace in which we have created an alternative bridal universe to work in and for clients to visit. We make every dress, corset and accessory at our Atelier Boutique. The walls and shop front are adorned with street artwork and decoupage – it’s very colourful, and all rainbow bright. Where did the love of designing dresses come from and what made you start up your business? When I was a child of 7 or 8, I used to watch my mum at her sewing machine, making dresses, costumes and clothes for my siblings. We always won the fancy dress competitions hands down and that’s where I got to see how fabric was transformed into amazing clothes. When I went to University to do a Degree in Fashion and Textiles, my dad suddenly passed away and left my mum alone to look after the 5 of us. She had never had a paid job in all of her life, so she sold his taxi business, bought herself some wedding dress stock and set up a wedding dress shop in our hometown of Bolton. When I left University I started to do bits and pieces for her; first a couple of bridesmaids dresses, then a simple wedding dress. From there it grew into The Couture Company. What advice would you give to help brides chose the right dress for their wedding? Pick something that feels YOU. Don’t be afraid to try on different shapes, sizes and styles of gown… don’t rule anything out! There will always be opinions from lots of places; obviously take what they say on board, but go with your gut instinct of what feels right and looks right for YOU. Think about your wedding and what you have planned. WHICH Projects you are most proud of? I think setting up and running The Eclectic Wedding Extravaganza has been an epic project and so warmly loved and received. The UK has been crying out for a truly alternative wedding fair, and the fact that people travelled from Spain, Italy, France and ALL over the UK to the last show made us very proud! What’s your top wedding advice? Be YOU, be unique, be true to your vision for YOUR wedding. What makes for a great wedding? LOVE, friendship and laughter are the key ingredients to life and a wedding is no exception!

2018 | MR & MRS UNIQUE

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

2018 | MR & MRS UNIQUE

A modern and creative coal BBQ events caterer. Based on the award winning Offley Hoo farm in Hertfordshire, we pride ourselves on using fresh locally sourced seasonal produce.

info@illustratedchefbbq.company 01438 871233

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

2018 | MR & MRS UNIQUE

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

CORNWELL MANOR

â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the prettiest houses in Englandâ&#x20AC;?- Country Life Magazine

Photo: www.lucyturnbull.co.uk

A Quintessentially English Manor House in the heart of the Cotswolds, exclusive weekend hire for weddings, sleeping up to 24 people. Set in stunning gardens designed by Clough Williams-Ellis, on a private 2000 acre estate with its own Norman church. The Ballroom is also available for day hire, licensed for civil ceremonies and seating up to 80 for receptions or marquee weddings for up to 200 people in the gardens. Speak to Charlotte 01608 698673 or email charlotte@cornwellmanor.com www.cornwellmanor.com

2018 | MR & MRS UNIQUE

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

WA S I N G PA R K

An exclusive use wedding venue in Berkshire The Castle Barn/Onsite Parish Church/ The Garden Room Victorian Summerhouse â&#x20AC;&#x201C; licenced for outdoor civil ceremonies 26 boutique bedrooms including a luxurious Honeymoon suite 01118 907 019 venue@wasing.co.uk www.wasing-weddings.co.uk

2018 | MR & MRS UNIQUE

We design, create, hire and sell beautiful handmade ﬂags and bunting, perfect for your wedding.

01454 219326 eventﬂaghire.co.uk enquiries@eventﬂaghire.co.uk

Our simple, self install system and door to door courier service make this a unique and comprehensive service.

MR & MRS UNIQUE | 2018

2018 | MR & MRS UNIQUE