A Traditional Chinese Ceremony + An Elegant Castle Reception

May 26, 2016

Alison and Ryan chose the spectacular location of Sudley Castle for Part 2 of their wedding celebrations, part 1 of which was a traditional Chinese affair, hosted by Alison’s parents in London’s China Town, a few months earlier.

Nestled in the heart of the beautiful English countryside, Sudeley Castle is steeped in English history - King’s and Queen’s of England have walked upon the original Tudor Parterre, including Anne Boleyn, Katherine Parr, Lady Jane Grey & Elizabeth I. Alison and Ryan fell in love with the stunning location, which was perfect for their elegant English wedding day. 1,200 of gorgeous grounds, a medieval banqueting hall, picturesque views over the Cotswold’s and having been voted “The most romantic castle in England” what better place to hold a wedding!
The day was “Planned for Perfection” by luxury wedding planner Jane Riddell, who had once worked with Alison at a local hotel – Alison had always promised, that when she tied the knot, Jane would plan her wedding day and so when Ryan popped the question, a call to Jane was made, as promised!

The beauty of the castle grounds set the tone for the day, pretty pastels, blush pinks and gold were in abundance and even the brides dress was blush pink, with a diamante belt – just perfect for a castle wedding…

Alison and her bridesmaids hired one of the cottages in the grounds of the castle for the weekend and spent an exciting morning getting ready with hair stylist Kat and make up artist Di Macdonald. The location of the cottages meant that Alison and her bridesmaids were able to walk to the church across the grounds for the blessing. Meanwhile, Ryan and his groomsmen arrived at the castle in a fabulous vintage bus with wedding guests and then enjoyed a sneaky tipple on the terrace to calm their nerves before the blessing.
St Mary’s chapel was dressed beautifully inside and out, by the team from Lilyfee Floral Designs Team, not only did the church look heavenly, the scent as guests entered the church was divine.

After the ceremony the guests showered the couple with rose petal confetti as they made their way out of the chapel, before enjoying a Champagne and Canape reception in the Queen’s garden and on the Mulberry lawn whilst children were entertained with the many treats that Alison and Ryan had provided for them. Guests made their way through the Great Hall and were welcomed with mini bottles of Champagne and beers, as well as Mr & Mrs Mills sun glasses and personalized fans – perfect for a hot Summers evening in the Cotswold’s.

A stunning floral framed table plan designed by the lilyfee team/ directed guests to the tables in the pavilion, which complimented the pretty pastel high table flowers. A delicious dinner was catered by Wesley House Events, who are the recommended caterers at the castle and
Curtis and co cakes designed a beautifully hand crafted bespoke designed blush wedding cake, which guests enjoyed later in the evening.
After dinner, fun and laughter ensued with speeches from the father of the bride, the groom and had enjoyed their first dance .Local band DUKE took to the stage and the party really started! The sides of the pavilion were opened so that guests could wander onto the candlelit terrace and enjoy the stunning views over the estate.

Aisle Society | The best wedding inspiration, all in one place!

May 25, 2016

If you haven't already seen and heard about what myself and about 30 other wedding bloggers are doing, then you've been missing out...just saying. And for those of you who haven't yet had the opportunity to explore our new (and amazing) Aisle Society website, it is THE place for wedding inspiration and the amazing wedding professionals out there who create it.

Aisle Society is a tool we created that curates wedding inspiration from around the world, just for you and your specific tastes and interests. Whether you're looking for a specific color palette or ways to incorporate lace into your wedding day, we've got it all there for you and are adding new inspiration every single day! And if you are just starting out with planning, then you can search the trending weddings to get those creative juices flowing!

But instead of me talking on and on about how excited I am, just head on over and start exploring so you can see for yourself!

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And now I will leave you with a sneak peak at what happens when our Aisle Society bloggers come together to create a beautiful styled shoot. Yep, you'll see a whole lot more of this kind of stuff over on our site. Now that's what I call beauty!

Aisle Society | The best wedding inspiration, all in one place

4 Reasons Why An Engagement Session is A Must

May 24, 2016

If you are thinking about whether or not you should do an engagement session, think no longer. An engagement session with your wedding day photographer is an absolute must and here is why:

1. Get to know your photographer.

You're going to be spending a lot of time with your photographer on your wedding day. Like a lot of time. You'll be spending more time with him/her than you spend with your (new) spouse since they'll be there from morning through the evening. So you better get along well! It's like a dress rehearsal for the big day and a great way to get to know each other to make sure you are a great fit. And yes, I've seen couples not mesh well with their photographer during the engagement session, so have moved on to book someone else.

2. Capturing YOU.

Without knowing who you are as a couple, your photographer cannot capture the real you, your love story. During your engagement session, your photographer will "get to know you. And it's your time to get to know your photographer and their style of photography and communication" (Bolt Photography) so you know exactly what it's going to be like on the wedding day. Let those personalities shine so your photographer knows who you are and what you stand for. And if you do, your photos will show that.

3. Get comfortable in front of the camera.

I've been in front of the camera A LOT and I still don't like being in front of the camera. And to be honest, I'm super awkward when it comes to photoshoots. But surely, I am far more comfortable now than I was at my engagement session. "The engagement session is a great way to "practice" some of the same poses you'll do on your wedding day and will make you feel much more comfortable in front of the camera!" (From Britt's Eye View Photography) Real, raw photos make the best photos and if you are nervous, it willl definitely show through. Practice makes perfect!

4. Because who can't use some more photos?

You can use your engagement photos for your guest book, your save the dates, your wedding invitations, home decor for your new home together, next week's #tbt or #mcm or just for a much-needed social media profile pic update. No matter where or when you use them, these photos will surely get plenty of use! When was the last time you and your love had professional photos taken together? Probably never! And let's be real, who doesn't love showing off their handsome or gorgeous future spouse for the world to see?

Your wedding day isn't the time for a trial run or your dress rehearsal. The engagement session is. Make sure you feel comfortable in front of the camera and comfortable with your photographer. If you don't mesh well, move on. You'll want to figure this out beforehand rather than regretting the decision when it's far too late.