“You are this week’s #SmartSocial winner”
“Congrats @Hanami_Dream you are this weeks #SmartSocial winner. Find out more about them and visit www.hanamidream.co.uk”
@SmartSocialUK, www.marketme.co.uk – September 2016
Proud to receive the #SmartSocial award this week
It’s great to network on Twitter and to add to my honoured collection of accolades with this lovely one from Marketme. 
#SmartSocial is a competition that rewards businesses that are smart with social media (run every Sunday 9am – noon on Twitter).
Social media helps me to provide wedding inspiration, tips, trends and traditions to Cotswolds couples.
2016/17 edition of Cotswold Bride out now
If you’re planning your wedding in the Cotswolds then make sure to get your copy of the 2016/17 edition of Cotswold Bride which is out now for the year.
http://www.weddingsite.co.uk/magazines/cotswold-bride
#UKWedLunch – Wednesday 14th September 2016 – how to keep your wedding guests happy
#UKWedLunch – Wednesday 14th September 2016
As well as general wedding planning chat, there’s some #toptips as well. This week’s theme is ‘How to keep your wedding guests happy’ #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 1: Keep your guests fed, watered and entertained – get them involved & interacting #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 2: Make it really clear in your invites who exactly is invited and to which part #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 3: Say the same things to everyone. Don’t have different rules for different people. Or if you do, be clear why. #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 4: Offer evening guests a flavour of the day too so they get to experience some ‘wedding’ elements in their experience. #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 5: Make it affordable & worth their while – give them a great wedding to remember #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 6: Let them know how much you appreciate their support and presence either with words or present #UKWedLunch
This week’s top tips taken from Hanami Dream blog ‘How to keep your wedding guests happy‘ #UKWedLunch
JOIN US EVERY WEDNESDAY! on Twitter between 1-2pm GMT
Next week’s theme is ‘Tipi Weddings’ #UKWedLunch
Inspiration: rustic pink rose barn wedding
A beautiful sunny late August bank holiday saw the wedding of Vikki and Dan at Cogges Manor Farm in 2015.
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- close up of dusty pink roses and wheat in bridal bouquet held by bride with groom
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- White wedding cake with filigree and dusty pink roses by Pretty Cake Company
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- Photography by Neil Hanson
straw bales covered in pink and cream covers set for wedding ceremony complete with aisle, bunting and fairy lights in rustic barn
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- close up of flowers on top table of rustic rose barn wedding
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- pink potted plants, lavender and roses in wooden crates for floral seating plan
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- chalk board itinerary outside rustic barn wedding venue
Cogges Manor Farm is nestled in the lovely market town of Witney and offers two stunning seventeenth century barns for weddings. This is a special location for the happy couple who are regular visitors to this local venue. Plus it was a perfect blank canvas for them to add loads of personalised details to the day with hessian, white lace, dusky pink ribbons and roses. This wonderful rustic rose pink barn wedding was captured by Neil Hanson Photography.
The bride and her attendants arrived in style in a white carriage pulled by two pristine white horses courtesy of Fabulous Occasions – what a way to make an entrance! The bride wore an exquisite low back white wedding dress which consisted of a figure hugging satin underdress with a lace overlay which had a beautiful V-neck as well as a breath taking deep V-back. This was purchased from Proposals in Witney and is by Essence of Australia. The bride searched for a long time to perfectly colour match the ribbon sash herself, in order to coordinate it with the colour scheme of the day, and then attached a lace appliqué to the new ribbon.
She carried a magnificent bouquet by Distinctive Petals which included peonies, David Austin roses, wheat, gypsophila (baby’s breath), astilbe (false goat’s beard) and amnesia roses. The wheat echoed the venue’s wheat barn heritage and featured in several of the displays during the day. The peonies were also a pleasant surprise for the bride – these are her favourite flower but she wasn’t sure if she would be able to get them out of season but the wonderful florist pulled it out of the bag on the day!
The wedding continued to wow as the bride entered the picturesque barns adorned with hand-made bunting in vintage floral material, fairy lights strewn over the beams from UBE Lighting and she walked down an aisle made of straw bales covered in the same coordinating pink and white fabric. Once the ceremony was over, the guests mingled around the courtyard of the farm and enjoyed the glorious sunshine. They were able to find their names on an ingenious floral seating plan with potted plants of hydrangeas, lavender and roses stood in a wooden crate pyramid.
The table names were named after the bride and groom’s favourite local walks (their own pet names for the walks rather than their official names). For example, Fields of Love was the name of the top table which is the name they gave to the field where they were walking their dogs when they said they loved each other for the first time! The guests all sat down to enjoy a picnic courtesy of local caterer, Abigail’s Kitchen. Tables had a rustic feel and flowers were displayed in clear glass jam jars and milk bottles decorated with twine and fabric and stood on wooden slices (all supplied by the florist).
All the stationery was put together by the bride using recycled card, tags and twine bought from Razzle Dazzle Rose (who also printed their invite cards). Another wonderful personal touch was the carrot seed favours which were a nod to their romantic proposal of carrots spelling out ‘Will you marry me’ in an allotment. Read more about how the groom spelt it out in this real life romantic proposal stories blog post.
Before their first dance, the happy couple cut the charming ivory four tier wedding cake, with hand piped filigree highlighted with pearl lustre and decorated with a selection of varying shades of dusty pink sugar roses, beautifully made by The Pretty Cake Company.
The guests enjoyed a succulent hog roast from The Oxfordshire Pig Company, then danced the night away whilst Mark Cortez sang and the sun set on an amazing and truly memorable wedding day!
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- sign posts in front of rustic wedding barns in Witney, Oxfordshire
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- chalk board itinerary outside rustic barn wedding venue
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- Photography by Neil Hanson
straw bales covered in pink and cream covers set for wedding ceremony complete with aisle, bunting and fairy lights in rustic barn
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- baby's breath in glass vases on top table by old cart underneath bunting in a rustic barn for wedding reception
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- Photography by Neil Hanson
pink and cream bunting with fairy lights dressing beautiful rustic wedding barn set for reception
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- glasses of champagne being poured at wedding reception
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- bride and groom taking the goat for a walk at a Cogges Manor Farm wedding
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- dusty pink roses in bouquets, bridesmaid dress and bow on lace wedding dress
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- dusty pink bow and back detail of lace wedding dress
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- close up of dusty pink roses and wheat in bridal bouquet held by bride with groom
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- dusty pink roses, baby's breath and wheat in beautiful bridal bouquet
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- baby's breath button hole tied with hessian on white table with wooden hearts
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- pink potted plants, lavender and roses in wooden crates for floral seating plan
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- pink potted plant seating plan
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- detail shot of potted plants in vintage floral print material covering glass jars acting as seating plan
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- white metal bird cage adorned with heart hessian bunting and pink roses for guests to post their wedding cards
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- engraved wooden hearts for wedding reception
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- Remember when, a doodle just for you, a wish upon a star icebreaker memory cards for guests to complete at wedding reception
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- Fields of Love table name wrapped around glass vase for wedding reception
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- close up of flowers on top table of rustic rose barn wedding
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- cream and pink roses along with wheat in vase covered with vintage floral print material stood on two wooden stands at wedding reception
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- baby's breath, pink and cream roses on table table at wedding reception
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- Astall Pastures table name wrapped around clear glass vases next to pink and cream roses on wooden stands at wedding reception
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- Baby's breath in glass vases wrapped in string alongside smaller vases containing roses stood on wooden stands on tables at wedding reception
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- Eat cake and be merry sign in white vintage frame in front of wedding cake with dusty pink sugar roses
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- White wedding cake with filigree and dusty pink roses by Pretty Cake Company
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- Dusty pink ribbon tied in a bow around a white wedding cake
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- close up of filigree and dusty pink sugar rose on wedding cake
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- detail shot of dusty pink sugar roses and ribbon on wedding cake
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- close up of top of white wedding cake with dusty pink roses and filigree
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- fairy lights and bunting decorating beams of rustic wedding barn
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- bride and groom by a metal gate in a beautiful embrace at sunset
- Venue | Cogges Manor Farm | Witney, Oxfordshire | www.cogges.org.uk
- Photography | Neil Hanson | www.nordicpics.co.uk
- Bunting & hay bale covers | made by bride | fabric from Freelance Fabric in Kidlington | www.freelancefabrics.com
- Cake | The Pretty Cake Company | www.theprettycakecompany.com
- Canapes & picnic | Abigail’s Kitchen | 07771616415 | abipritcher@yahoo.com
- Dress (bride’s) | purchased from and alterations by Proposals in Witney | www.proposalsbridalstudio.co.uk | by Essence of Australia | https://www.essensedesigns.com/essense-of-australia/wedding-dresses/d1367/
- Dress (bridesmaid) | Debenhams | http://www.debenhams.com/
- Dresses (flower girls) | Monsoon | http://uk.monsoon.co.uk/
- Favours | seeds by Wildflower favours | https://wildflower-favours.co.uk/
- Flowers | Distinctive Petals | www.facebook.com/DistinctivePetals
- Furniture hire | BHK Rentals | http://www.bhkrentals.co.uk/
- Hampers | Fortnum & Mason picnic baskets | brides own | collected on eBay
- Hog roast | The Oxfordshire Pig Roast Company | www.theoxfordshirepigroastcompany.co.uk
- Horse & Carriage | Fabulous Occasions | http://fabulous-occasions.co.uk/
- Hay bales | provided by venue
- Lighting | UBE Lighting | www.ube.co.uk
- Singer | Mark Cortez | www.facebook.com/mark.cortez.520
- Stationery | made by bride | card, tags and twine purchased from Razzle Dazzle Rose | www.razzledazzlerose.co.uk
#UKWedLunch – Wednesday 7th September 2016 – wedding day survival kit
#UKWedLunch – Wednesday 7th September 2016
As well as general wedding planning chat, there’s some #toptips as well. This week’s theme is ‘Things to carry in a wedding day survival kit’ #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 1: Buy cosmetic blotting paper to dab away any sweat or ‘shine’ on your face #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 2: Use chalk to cover up any scuff marks on a white wedding dress #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 3: Rescue Remedy is an amazing herbal drop to keep you calm on your big day #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 4: Use a drinking straw so your lipstick stays in tact (and not on your glass) whilst you sip your drink #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 5: Keep a small bottle of water on hand to make sure you don’t get dehydrated or a dry mouth when saying your vows #UKWedLunch
This week’s top tips taken from Hanami Dream blog ‘Wedding day survival kit‘ #UKWedLunch
JOIN US EVERY WEDNESDAY! on Twitter between 1-2pm GMT
Next week’s theme is ‘How to keep your wedding guests happy’ #UKWedLunch
WANTED: beards & waves
Not disguises by the seaside but some lovely models are required for a bohemian styled bridal shoot with a literature theme.
The shoot will take place at a stunning venue by the River Windrush in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside this October half term.
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.
The shoot will be approximately 2-3 hours in the afternoon of Tuesday 25th October (weather permitting) and will provide some fantastic lifestyle shots for your portfolio. One fitting prior to the date may be necessary. Own transport is required to Minster Lovell, Witney, OX29 0RN.
We are looking for models fitting the following description:
WAVES – Female with long blonde/brown wavy hair, approximately 20-30 years old, 170 cms tall, size 10-14
BEARDS – Male with dark hair and beard, taller than the bride, approximately 25-35 years old, 40” chest, 32” waist
If you’re available and would like to be involved in this fantastic styled bridal shoot then please email Hanami Dream
- by Friday 14th October 2016
- on info@www.hanamidream.co.uk
- including a quick intro, your stats, a contact number and 2 images of yourself (1 x face shoot, 1 x full length)
For more information on the shoot take a look at Hanami Dream’s wedding blog
#UKWedLunch – Wednesday 31st August 2016 – how and where to seat your wedding guests
#UKWedLunch – Wednesday 31st August 2016
As well as general wedding planning chat, there’s some #toptips as well. This week’s theme is ‘How & where to seat your wedding guests’ #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 1: Think about size, shape & style of the: space, tables & chairs at your venue. How many chairs fit round the tables? #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 2: Etiquette suggests parents, plus chief bridesmaid & groomsman join the happy couple on a top table facing guests #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 3: Write each guest’s name on coloured tabs & stick these on table layout until you’re happy with combination #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 4: To mix up guests provide a bowl of numbers – people pick out their table number as they enter the reception #UKWedLunch
TOP TIP 5: Sit at a different tables for each course to mingle with all your guests #UKWedLunch
This week’s top tips taken from Hanami Dream blog ‘Excuse me, is this seat taken?…a guide to how and where to seat your wedding guests’ #UKWedLunch
JOIN US EVERY WEDNESDAY! on Twitter between 1-2pm GMT
Next week’s theme is ‘Things to carry in a wedding day survival kit’ #UKWedLunch
SAVE THE DATE: Cogges Manor Farm Wedding Open Day
I’m delighted to be supporting Cogges Manor Farm with their Wedding Open Day on Sunday 16th October 11am-3pm in Witney, Oxfordshire.
See more information at http://www.cogges.org.uk/event/cogges-wedding-open-day
Hanami Dream will also be offering a drop in wedding planning clinic on the day.
Watch out for more details coming soon.
coggesweddings #bridetobe #Cotswolds #cotswoldwedding #groomtobe #inspiration #keepitlocal #Oxfordshire #oxfordshirewedding #specialoccasion #ukwedding #wedding #weddingideas #weddinginspiration #weddingplanner #weddingplanning #weddings #Witney
#WeddingWednesday #weddingfair #openday #barnwedding
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“Thank you for your wonderful advice and help in getting us started on our wedding planning journey.
Having your support and expertise on hand helped to minimise the fear of a blank canvas and meant that we could focus on making the fun decisions without worrying about missing a step.
Your enthusiasm and passion for weddings – in all their forms – inspired us to get stuck-in and enjoy the whole process, and your fabulous tools and documents have been the absolute mainstay of all our planning! Thank you again!”
Verity & Paul, ISIS Farmhouse, Oxford – August 2016
