For some absolute wedding goals, take at look at these images from a recent photo shoot at the Ashmolean Museum of Art & Archaeology in Oxford. The photos are picture perfect, with a modern and bright, walking work of art vibe to showcase this stand out classic wedding venue.
Ashmolean Museum wedding venue
This venue is a beautiful hidden gem of a wedding venue. From the outside you don’t know the expanse of options that are available inside The Ashmolean Museum. It provides a truly wonderful labyrinth of options to hold a wedding or special occasion. See my wedding venue review of the Ashmolean Museum.
Decadent décor
The Ashmolean Museum gives you maximum impact with minimal effort, as the backdrop of this venue needs no help in packing a punch – the wow factor is there for you already! This is a venue which is quiet, personal and intimate, yet very much on the grand scale.
There are many options and different ways you could use a combination of the galleries for all the elements of your wedding day. Each one has it’s own character, atmosphere and capacity that can be suited to your number of guests and requirements. This shoot has images taken in: the Grand Forecourt; Ceramics Gallery; Randolph Sculpture Gallery; Grand Staircase; and the European Art Gallery.
Contemporary bridal wear
This wedding photo shoot shows modern Charlie Brear outfits including a Carson Jumpsuit; separates in the form of a Luna top and skirt; plus a low V, effortlessly cool, boho Nyika Dress.
You’ll be a living statue and your own work of art on your wedding day at this venue.
Fun florals
The stunning flowers in the bouquet, crown and arm cuff made a real statement alongside the cool architecture and simple white outfits with: Red Snaps, Astilbe Gloria, Avignon Blooms, Red Euphorbia, Brown Lisianthus, Protea, Cafe Mocca Rose, Hot Pink Lace Rose, Parvifolia, Red Robin, Mimosa and Long Ruscus.
The bright and colourful florals made this the Ashmolean and their amazing technicolour dream wedding venue.
A laid back celebration in August 2016 saw the relaxed festival wedding of Verity and Paul at The Isis Farmhouse in Oxford.
Photography by Kitson Photography
Photography by Kitson Photography
Photography by Kitson Photography
Relaxed and laid back vibe
This wedding was a real break from tradition with loads of beautiful handmade touches and a ton of personalisation. It fully embraced the festival trend and utilised the truly creative skills of the bride to diy many elements of the day. It seems like the perfect time to share this casual wedding – not only is the theme bang on trend but it also features the summery coral colour that is the Pantone® colour of the year in 2019.
Above everything else, this was a true celebration of love and family. It was a chilled out day with friends, less about structure and more an informal and fluid affair. Not overtly lavish but heaps of fun. With the focus on the people who were there.
Rural remote meadow view
The festivities began in the centre of Oxford where the happy couple officially tied the knot at a ceremony at the Town Hall. This was a day of two halves though. From town to countryside. After the ceremony, the whole wedding party walked together through the city centre. Then had a lovely drinks reception whilst on a boat ride down the Thames to the Isis Farmhouse. A stunning rural setting in Oxford’s flood meadows alongside the river was perfect for the wedding reception. You can only reach this venue by foot, pedal power or by boat. Around the back of the Farmhouse is a covered barn and a meadowside garden which was great for this relaxed celebration.
Rustic festival décor
The barn was set up with long trestle tables laid out in two lines. Along the centre of each table was linen, which draped off each end, with an array of brightly patterned mismatched vases containing wild flowers. The displays were mirrored by the flowers and plants hanging in macramé holders (made or collected by the bride) above the tables. These flowers were provided by a lovely friend who grows cut flowers in her garden and were arranged by the bride.
The bride made the place names which were cut out gold glittery lettering, plus a nice ice breaker card containing things to spot and capture was placed on each table. In addition, the bride had designed the napkins herself which contained drawings of important places and things throughout the couple’s history together.
Gold accents
The bride wore a gorgeous end of line strapless fitted fishtail satin dress with a chiffon capelet with bat sleeves. She accented this with Betty Ballroom gold high heel shoes, a gold hair vine and gold belt. Her hand tied wild flower bouquet in coral and gold colours was from an amazing flower farm near Wallingford who arranged the bridal and bridesmaids’ bouquets. She also held a vintage beaded ivory clutch bag. The chief bridesmaid wore a gold sequined dress to match the gold accents beautifully and the flower girls wore ivory dresses with gold bodices and ribbons (also made by the bride).
Creative catering
Food was served at the tables and consisted of a hearty lasagne or moussaka with healthy salads, plus a rustic buffet for the evening guests. The venue catered perfectly for vegetarian and vegan diets to ensure all guests were content. The two cakes (one lemon and the other chocolate) were also made by the venue and incorporated fantasy and action figures in lieu of a bride and groom topper (that the couple decorated themselves).
Entertainment for children of all sizes
The main focus of the day was to encourage guests to mingle and keep children (big and small) entertained with colouring, wands and a bubble refill station. There were postcards for guests to sign which would be sent to the couple and polaroids were taken of all the guests for a pictorial guest book. The day ended with guests dancing along to crowd pleasing classics on the dance floor.
Practical favours
The gifts for guests echoed the vibe of the whole day. They were handmade, low key and had purpose. Guests could pick which soap to take home, with a choice of either lavender or rose and geranium. These were boxed, branded and served in a vintage case. Plus there were some seeds to take away too, in order to sow in your own garden, share the love and remember this charming day in years to come.
It’s a sad fact that, by their nature, weddings can be quite wasteful. After all, it is often a lot of preparation, produce and packaging for just one day.
However, more couples nowadays are choosing eco friendly options to reduce the impact that their wedding day has on the environment.
Here are some tips and alternatives to help with a more eco friendly wedding:
Think green
The greenery trend has meant less flowers and more plants and foliage are appearing at weddings. Consider other alternatives to flowers such as pot plants, succulents and air plants that can be reused again after the wedding. As well as paper florals and other lasting alternatives to bouquets. Plus think about foraging for items such as moss, fruit, vegetables, feathers, cones and other seasonal items from the environment around us.
If you do go for real flowers that use foam free installations to avoid plastic. And have a plan for how you can pass on the flowers afterwards.
Tis the season
For any items (especially perishable bits like food, drink and flowers) try to use locally sourced ingredients and seasonal products. Not only will this keep costs down but will also decrease transportation. Plus ensure things are compostable rather than disposable.
Paper chase
If you choose to use paper stationery then try to use recycled paper and limit the glitter or embellishments on them as these are hard to recycle afterwards. Try and hand deliver as many invitations as you can rather than incur postage/transport costs.
Or instead of printing your invites, send electronic invites and manage your RSVPs online. Or perhaps print your invites on things guests can use again like tea towels, mugs, magnets or Christmas baubles.
Keep your friends close
To reduce your carbon footprint, think about the transport surrounding your wedding day. Try to reduce how much you and your guests have to travel to get to your wedding. Hold your wedding nearby and consider shuttling guests together if you have to change venue between the ceremony and reception.
Or consider inviting less guests to a micro or tiny wedding. Not only does this keep things small, personal and more meaningful but less guests means less consumption, travel and cost.
It’s the thought that counts
When creating your gift list, think whether you really need all the items you add and provide details for guests to make charity donations in lieu of buying gifts. Likewise, for thank you gifts and favours choose reusable or dual purpose items for your guests.
What you see is what you get
Choose a wedding venue that has green credentials and think about what facilities are already at your venue. If you hold your wedding in a permanent structure then there is less need to bring in extra provision and utilities.
Go unplugged
If you hold your wedding in the daytime and/or summer then you can save electricity by using the daylight. Or perhaps use candles instead and your musical entertainment can go acoustic.
Beg, make or borrow
Where possible think about how you can use items that are not purpose made for your event. Hire items (from places like Mabel & Rose and Linda’s Vintage Hire) or upcycle vintage décor and see how you could pass on the items afterwards. Plus, great for any diy couples, is to make your own décor and bear in mind using any sustainable materials.
Something old
Rather than buying brand new outfits, consider hiring or buying a pre worn vintage gown (from somewhere like Heart Accomplice). And think about all the new heirlooms you’ll have to pass down to generations to come.
Reuse, recycle, reduce
Overall, with all your plans think about how you can reuse, recycle and reduce each element for an eco friendly wedding. Think about how you can donate any wastage to those less fortunate or offset any carbon footprint.
A small wedding for a big day in February 2018 saw this intimate (and impromptu) castle wedding of Sally and Gavin at Thornbury Castle in Gloucestershire.
Photography by Alice Morgan Photography
Photography by Alice Morgan Photography
Photography by Alice Morgan Photography
Photography by Alice Morgan Photography
Photography by Alice Morgan Photography
Photography by Alice Morgan Photography
Intimate wedding trend
On average, wedding guest numbers are decreasing and micro weddings are on the rise; with couples wishing to keep things small, personal and more meaningful. Not quite on the extremes of eloping, as the nuptials are far from secret, but a step away from traditions and expectations. Making the day a real lavish experience for everyone and good value for money. It’s like having a dinner party in a private room for your close friends and family.
Colour scheme
This intimate castle wedding (of less than 30 guests) was a luxurious affair with a rich, dark colour scheme of navy blue and emerald green. With lush tactile elements of velvet bridesmaid dresses, satin ribbons and faux fur wraps.
Venue
The couple chose Thornbury Castle for their wedding as the bride loves history and castles, whilst the groom loves fine food and wine. It was also a special venue where they had stayed together before.
Attire
The bride and bridesmaids got ready in the Henry VIII suite with it’s spectacular full length windows. She wore a stunning dress from Pronovias with a huge statement bow and accessorised with a custom-made ivory faux-fur wrap to bare the wintry elements of the day.
Décor
To set the scene, the couple sent out navy invitations with a green satin ribbon (to match the bride’s bouquet) and a crest from the county of the bride’s place of birth. The heraldry was a lovely nod to the décor that guests would see inside the venue. The traditional invites had handwritten names, a personal note and a copy of the menu.
Place settings were individually quilled, glued and sprayed to look like chess pieces, with names written on cards by the bride.
Minimal décor was required in the Tudor Hall and they choose not to add anything to the Lounge or Boyling House as they let the impressive venue do all the talking.
Ceremony
The wedding ceremony took place in the lounge at Thornbury Castle where guests sat on comfortable settees and arm chairs. Photographs then followed around the castle and in the gorgeous grounds.
Their drinks reception took place in the Boyling House where they enjoyed canapés, fizz and a caricaturist and close-up magician for entertainment.
The wedding breakfast took place in the Tudor Hall where all 27 guests sat around one table with an open fire and enjoyed a 5 course dinner service with a break in the middle for a magical parlour show.
Cake
The lavish five tier cake was decorated a sumptuous navy blue colour and adorned with edible pearls. It stood decadently, mirroring its surroundings and the hidden grandeur inside. Each tier revealing different delicious flavours of chocolate with chocolate and cherry ganache, lemon with white chocolate ganache, and a traditional fruit cake.
Despite there being a small number of attending guests, this was a cake to feed many more. The couple had little cake boxes at the ready with coordinating ribbons and napkins for the mother of the bride to give to local friends and family who didn’t attend.
Accommodation
Guests stayed over at the hotel in the exquisite bedrooms and in the morning they enjoyed breakfast together in the Baron’s Sitting Room. Meanwhile the Bride and Groom stayed in the Tower Suite (one room at the top of the tower with around 70 steps to reach it) in the golden four-poster bed.
As well as general wedding planning chat, today we are talking about keeping calm whilst wedding planning with top tips from Stephanie Varda Bridal Coach #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 1: Do it together. Discuss things as a couple – talk to your partner about what you both want from your wedding. You don’t have to take responsibility for all the decision making involved in planning your wedding. #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 2: Get help. If friends and family offer help, then accept it. Either delegate some smaller tasks or accept advice where you need it. #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 3: Take breaks. Don’t live and breathe your wedding for the entire time you are planning. Take time out to do something else for a little while. #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 4: Adapt. Things might not go exactly to plan, and plans may change. Don’t get upset about things that you can’t do anything about, and stay flexible and open to change. #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 5: Prioritise. Decide which parts of the day are most important to you and which bits you don’t care so much about. #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 6: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Think about the whole day and the bigger picture of what you want from your wedding. Don’t get caught up in worrying about the details. #UKWedLunch
Huge congratulations if you’re currently planning your forthcoming wedding. Whilst organising a wedding is incredibly exciting, it can sometimes be a daunting challenge too. Especially as you’ve possibly never organised an event of this scale or importance before, you’re trying to please lots of people and everyone seems to have an opinion on it. So it would be understandable if you find that you can’t keep calm and are sometimes stressing over the small stuff.
Here are top tips from Stephanie Varda Bridal Coach on staying calm and dealing with stress during the wedding planning process and build up. Considering how to deal with conflict, compromise and comments from other parties.
Ten things to remember when (not if!) you get stressed while planning your wedding
Get some perspective
This is the first tip because it kind of shocks some brides. So many people think their wedding day is the most important day of their lives. Your wedding day is the first day of your marriage, so it’s worth keeping that in mind. Your marriage and your partner will be very important to you as you go through life. Remember what this is really about. Now for the practical stuff….
Do it together
That’s what marriage is about – so don’t take responsibility for all the decision making involved in planning your wedding. Discuss things as a couple – talk to your partner about what you both want from your wedding.
Delegate
Even better than planning together could be to ask your partner what they would like to take charge of and let them own that part of the wedding.
Get help
If friends and family offer help, then accept it. As discussed above, you could either delegate some smaller tasks to them (or the tasks you don’t like so much!) or accept their advice where you need it. Beware of unsolicited interference that presents itself as help or advice, though – say no to that!
Be grateful
Your loved ones will be spending lots of time, money and effort on your special day. They might not agree with all of your choices, but they are doing this how you want it because they love you. So, appreciate them.
Take breaks
Don’t live and breathe your wedding for the entire time you are planning. You will just start to resent it all. Take time out to do something else for a little while, perhaps with your bridesmaids or your other half.
Adapt
Things might not go exactly to plan, and plans may change. Don’t get upset about things that you can’t do anything about, and stay flexible and open to change. A wedding involves lots of people, and some of them won’t do exactly as you want them to.
Prioritise
Decide which parts of the day are most important to you and where you want to splurge, and which you don’t care so much about and those might be where you can save a little on costs. This will help you to…
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Identify what is not that important and either delegate or just get it done and don’t think about it again. Think about the whole day and the bigger picture of what you want from your wedding. Don’t get caught up in worrying about the details – nobody will notice anyway, your guests will just want to enjoy the day, have a big party and celebrate your love.
This is your day
This one is last because this is the one you really need to remember. This should be your mantra. We all want our guests to have a great time on our wedding day, but you can never please all of the people all of the time and this is your day, so do it your way!
What a day for celebration the fourth of July is: Independence Day, Alice Day and today is the 4th birthday of Hanami Dream weddings and special occasions!
four years since my first styled shoot
Yes, today marks four years since I published my first styled photo shoot under the umbrella of Hanami Dream. After that Alice in Wonderland shoot in 2014, came the Wizard of Oz, followed by a Wind in the Willows wedding in 2016. Last year saw the addition of 3 more styled bridal shoots: a modern Edwardian Secret Garden themed wedding, a real break from tradition with a Festival style wedding and also a lovely winter Journey to the Centre of the Earth themed wedding. I’m enjoying working with some amazing local suppliers!
Photography by Squib Photography
four years since my first tweet
From my first tweet in 2014, to a steadily increasing readership (and social media following) with around 1,100 unique page views a month on average. Plus a combined social media network of over 5,400 followers and ongoing promotion and networking means this is ever growing.
four years since my first blog post
It’s crazy to think how much has evolved over the past four years; now 310 blog posts later and this year I won the Event and Wedding category at the UK Blog Awards after being a finalist for the previous two years running, I’m now a Certified Wedding and Event Planner, and have recently had one of my shoots featured in Your Glos & Wilts Wedding magazine.
four years of further accolades
I’m really pleased to continue to add to my honoured collection of accolades, which include #QueenOf Wedding Inspiration by The Royal Connection, the #SmartSocial award from Marketme, #BrightPig’s Business of the Week, WOW Winner picked by Jacqueline Gold CBE. As well as winning Theo Paphitis’s #SBS (Small Business Sunday).
I am an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Certified Wedding and Event Planner with the UKAWEP.
Plus I launched #UKWedLunch nearly 2 years ago, as well as being a guest host on #BrideHour.
four years more experience
My focus has been on developing the blog commercially, as well as providing inspiration to brides and grooms in the Cotswolds. Plus I’ve continued to combine my previous 13 years of marketing experience, with my local knowledge, in the scope of the wedding industry. It has been great to provide marketing consultation to some local, independent wedding businesses in and around Witney, Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. I’ve been affectionately titled the Wedding Inspector – a bit like the Alex Polizzi of the local wedding industry!
work with Hanami Dream
I look forward to working with more local wedding professionals, services and venues #keepitlocal. And I can’t wait to produce more styled photo shoots and have more opportunities to collaborate with local suppliers.
Please get in touch if you’d like to advertise on the blog, submit your own wedding details, would like to collaborate on a shoot, write a guest post or need some marketing advice and guidance. Together we can build the local wedding industry and inspire brides and grooms for their special day.
Happy birthday to Hanami Dream – definitely time for cake now!
casual blues for a rustic barn wedding complete with denim stationery – embroidered denim rather than a traditional paper suite: menus on napkins, name place sleeves around milk bottle glasses, table plan labels hung on Portuguese laurels plants
See more images in our gallery and the amazing local suppliers who came together to make this shoot possible in this blog post.
An unseasonably chilly Saturday at the start of the long Easter bank holiday weekend in 2018 saw the wedding of Sophie and Ryan at Merriscourt.
This was an Anglo-French wedding and a coming together of the couple’s two countries. In French, the word fête means an elaborate festival, party or celebration, which was certainly had in vast quantities at this rustic barn wedding.
Venue
Merriscourt is one of my favourite wedding venues in the heart of the Cotswolds. It offers freedom, creativity, transparent pricing, and above all lots of space. The venue is actually 3 interlinking converted barns around a beautiful courtyard, and is blessed with high ceilings and oodles of light.
There’s a real sense of calm and peacefulness about the surroundings and it feels very homely. You have full reign of the whole place during the event and can also stay over in one of it’s many accommodation options. Making this a real home from home that can be adapted just how you want it.
Décor
Sometimes less is definitely more. You don’t have to go crazy with décor when you have such a stunning venue. After all, you don’t want to overcrowd or cover up great features.
It’s brilliant to let the venue speak for itself. And this wedding did it in spade fulls. They kept it simple along with great food, great drink and great music. Some simple pink rose displays dotted around in a homely fashion was in keeping with the venue itself.
Ceremony
A touching civil ceremony was held in the Stone Barn (which was turned in to the dance floor later) first in English and then a surprise visit from the mayor of the bride’s home town prompted a French section to the proceedings as well.
Then it was out in to the beautiful central (albeit a bit chilly on this day) courtyard for some great confetti shots then back inside the warm barn for the festivities to begin.
Whilst the French friends and relatives were mesmerised by some of the English wedding traditions and timings, and the English were left lost during the French Mayor’s speech, the common factor that brought everyone together was the love of good food. The theme for this wedding was definitely a foodie’s heaven.
Food
The flavours, quality and quantity of food was flowing in abundance. The champagne reception in the Gallery Room alone was sumptuous and filling and we were not left wanting at all. Our glasses were never let to get dry as we were told that it therefore only counted as being just ‘one glass’.
The canapés kept coming and we situated ourselves by the oyster bar and theatrical Iberico Ham Station (carved by one of the chefs), along with olives nearly the size of my fist, almonds to die for and chillies the length of bananas.
Once sat in the White Barn with it’s stunningly high ceilings and tapestries, the sharing boards were astounding and mouth-wateringly good, comprising of:
Slow smoke shoulder of lamb and salsa verde
Char grilled halloumi and pesto
Chilli chicken and honey whiskey glaze
Scottish plank roasted salmon and charred lemon
Garlic and thyme roasted potatoes
Lentils, picked shallots and beetroot salad
Beef tomatoes, basil and rapeseed oil
Even the favours continued the great flavours, as they provided us with coffee granules to enjoy the next day. Then it was out on to the courtyard where a fire pit was lit to warm us and also for toasting marshmallows. Though we couldn’t be tempted to veer off course to get a delicious Belgian waffle from a parked up food van by the twinkling fairy lights of the central tree.
The celebration of food continued with the cutting of the cake. And it wouldn’t be a French fête without the inclusion of cheese. This time in the form of the wedding cake.
Entertainment
The night was completed with good music and lots of dancing, interspersed with some not very flattering pictures in the nearby photo booth capturing proceedings.
All in all, this French foodies fête barn wedding proves that keeping your guests fed, watered and entertained makes for a great wedding. Eat, drink and be merry!
Décor
Ceremony
Food
Even the favours continued the great flavours, as they provided us with coffee granules to enjoy the next day. Then it was out on to the courtyard where a fire pit was lit to warm us and also for toasting marshmallows. Though we couldn’t be tempted to veer off course to get a delicious Belgian waffle from a parked up food van by the twinkling fairy lights of the central tree.
