See more images in our gallery and the amazing local suppliers who came together to make this shoot possible in this blog post.Photography by Squib Photography
lush green wedding inspiration
Images curated on Pinterest
Image Credits (clockwise):
Bouquet via Intimate Weddings
Tablescape and Cake via Blooms By The Box
Tie & Buttonhole: Photographer Jaime Y Photography via Wedding Loft
Drinks: via Classic Bride
Shoes via Marriage.com
Bouquet: Photographer Will Hartl via Brides Magazine
Stationery: Photographer Jenny GG Photography via Modernly Wed
What a day for celebration the fourth of July is: Independence Day, Alice Day and today is the 3rd birthday of Hanami Dream weddings and special occasions!
Yes, today marks three years since I published my first styled photo shoot under the umbrella of Hanami Dream. After that Alice in Wonderland shoot, came the Wizard of Oz, followed by a Wind in the Willows wedding. Now, I’m just about to promote my latest shoot, a modern Edwardian Secret Garden themed wedding. I can’t wait to share the images soon!
From my first tweet in 2014, to a steadily increasing readership (and social media following) with around 1,200 unique page views a month on average. Plus a combined social media network of over 4,000 followers and ongoing promotion and networking means this is ever growing.
It’s crazy to think how many things have evolved over the past three years; now 209 blog posts later and I’ve been a finalist in the UK Blog Awards two years running, a finalist in the West Oxfordshire Business Awards, won mood board competitions, launched #UKWedLunch, won accolades such as #QueenOf Wedding Inspiration by The Royal Connection, the #SmartSocial award from Marketme, #BrightPig’s Business of the Week and I was also picked by Jacqueline Gold CBE to be a WOW Winner.
Personally in the last 3 years, I’ve also had another 2 babies, managed our building project and continued to study with UKAWEP. I was proud to be picked as Student of the month and the course has (and continues) to open my eyes up to a whole world of weddings beyond just wedding planning.
My focus has changed this year and I’m concentrating on making the blog work commercially as well as providing inspiration to brides and grooms in the Cotswolds. This feels like a fantastic evolution, which really excites me and fits in with my current family life, plus combines my experience within the scope of the wedding industry.
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!
Hanami Dream is a wonderful wedding service:
marketing consultant, blogger and venue stylist;
plus inspiration for couples to start wedded bliss!
To have and hold,
In the Oxfordshire Cotswolds?
Then you should be heading
To my blog about weddings!
www.hanamidream.co.uk
Photography by Tom Weller
Flowers can make an amazing statement to your wedding and can compliment and reflect the theme, style, colours, tone and surroundings of your day. See more in this beginner’s guide to wedding flowers.
The tradition of wedding flowers is steeped in symbolism and there’s lots to think about in terms of colours, meaning and seasonality. Plus, you need to need to make plans in advance for what you want to happen to your flowers after the wedding day too.
Here are some suggestions for the enjoyment of your flowers to continue after the wedding:
Photography by Farrow Photography
However a massive trend right now is to pick an alternative to real flowers altogether, with paper florals emerging as an ecological and lasting alternative. See some of my other key wedding trends to look out for in 2017.
Photography by Robin Smith
Here are some of my favourite wedding bouquet alternatives:
Foliage is also a great alternative to flowers (and a fraction of the price) and sits nicely alongside trends for ‘bringing the garden inside’. If you do go for flowers then make a statement – ‘go big or go home’!
Don’t miss out – sign up to receive more inspiration, tips, tools, trends and traditions straight to your inbox.
“The day was beautiful and your guidance really helped it look as lovely as it did, so thank you!”
Eloise, May 2017
“Thank you for setting up the #UKWedLunch hour & bringing #weddingprofs & #bridetobe together. See you next week!”
Andrew Jones, Music for You, May 2017
Hanami Dream are looking for ‘the boy and girl next door’ type models for a modern Edwardian styled wedding shoot with a literature theme. The shoot will take place at a beautiful venue in Witney, Oxfordshire this May half term.
The shoot will be approximately 2-3 hours in the afternoon of Wednesday 31st May (weather permitting) and will provide some fantastic lifestyle shots for your portfolio (it’s also great as an engagement shoot or brilliant practice being in front of a camera before your big day).
One fitting prior to the date may be necessary. Own transport is required to Witney, OX28 3LA.
This project is supporting and showcasing local, independent wedding businesses – everyone provides their services and products for free and in return gets some wonderful lifestyle shots to use at a later date. This is a collaboration of like minded people that create great things together though don’t have the budgets to produce this kind of work if they all worked independently. See the images from Hanami Dream’s last styled bridal shoot.
If you’re available and would like to be involved in this fantastic styled bridal shoot then please email Hanami Dream
Take a break from tradition with this handy guide to modern alternatives to personalise your wedding.
Whichever customs and traditions you decide to incorporate into your big day, Hanami Dream wish you health, wealth, happiness and all the very best in your married life.
After you’ve decided when your special day will be and sorted the major elements of your guest list, venue and budget (or the who, where and how much of what I term the ‘holy trinity of wedding planning‘) then you’re in to the nitty gritty of things.
Sign up to receive the latest wedding planning tips, tools, trends and traditions straight to your inbox.
Last October, Cogges Manor Farm hosted their first Wedding Open Day to showcase their wonderful barns and garden along with some highly talented, local suppliers who specialise in offering unique, bespoke and professional wedding services.
Cogges Manor Farm is nestled in the lovely market town of Witney and offers two stunning seventeenth century barns for weddings. They are a perfect blank canvas where you can add loads of personalised details to make your special day complete.
At their Open Day, the Wheat Barn was dressed for an English country garden wedding, complete with beautiful pale pink accents and bird details, a hay bale aisle and framed ceremony focal point.
Photography by Hanami Dream
The barn was adorned with swashes of fairy lights (from Oakwood Events) across the beams giving the barn a warm romantic atmosphere.
Photography by Ric Mellis
The highly talented Paper Tree Design hung an impressive flower decorated heart (made from Tyvek) under the huge gilded frame, acting as a ceremony alter for the day. Wild rose paper garlands (printed with a pink gradient and threaded on to organza ribbon) hung behind the frame and were highlighted against the huge pink barn doors.
Photography by Paper Tree Design
A bird cage inspired seating plan was proudly displayed on a mirror, which reflected the soft light and guided people further in to the barn.
Photography by Paper Tree Design
Tables were decorated by Larkrise Flowers with an abundance of delicate and charming flowers, some sourced from the venue’s own walled garden, along with wheat (providing a nod to the venue’s wheat barn heritage).
Flowers on the top table (displayed in a terracotta urn) included:
There were also English hydrangea heads in aged terracotta pots and echeveria secunda glauca in white pots, as well as plants of mixed herbs (rosemary, oregano, marjoram, thyme) and bellis perennis (daisies) in more terracotta pots.
The addition of succulents brought this tablescape bang up to date with mixed sempervivens under glass domes, plus mixed baby gourds, birch slices, glass storm lanterns and glass tea light holders making the table feel extremely plentiful.
In front of the top table ran a stunning floor display of pink cactus dahlias, verbena bonariensis, hedera foliage, wheat, sedum spectabile, and 3 types of grasses (lagurus ovatus, panicum, and setaria).
Photography by Ric Mellis
Stationery from Paper Tree Design complimented the stunning floral displays. From their Tree of Hearts wedding stationery range, this included:
Photography by Hanami Dream
Vintage props were provided by Mabel and Rose including old suitcases, ladders, milk churns and barrels.
Accompanying food followed the rustic English country garden vibe, consisting of Yorkshire pudding and roast beef canapés, a ‘cheese’ cake and ice creams provided by Abigail’s Kitchen, Wates & Co Delicatessen and Mag’s & Tim’s Ice Cream Trike, respectively.
The whole effect gave an example of one direction you could take to make this venue your own – a real abundance of local, natural products with a feeling of bringing the outside inside.
Venue | Cogges Manor Farm | Witney, Oxfordshire | http://www.cogges.org.uk/
Photography | Ric Mellis
Catering, cutlery & crockery | Abigail’s Kitchen | 07771616415 | abipritcher@yahoo.com
‘Cheese’ cake | Wates & Co Delicatessen | https://www.facebook.com/Wates-Co-Delicatessen-1668555833361530/
Flowers | Lark Rise Flowers | http://larkriseflowers.com
Hay bales | sourced by venue
Ice cream | Mag’s & Tim’s Ice Cream Trike | https://www.facebook.com/magsxtimsicecreamtrike
Lighting | Oakwood Events | http://www.oakwoodevents.co.uk/
Prop hire | Mabel & Rose | http://www.mabelandrose.com/vintage-hire/
Stationery | Paper Tree Design | https://www.papertreedesign.co.uk/
By the way – get Sunday 17th September in your diary. It is this year’s Wedding Open Day at Cogges. So go along to see this venue in all it’s glory or contact them in the meantime for an earlier look round.
