August 26th, 2010
A recent couple of mine, Alyssa and Li, were married on 28 July at Wotton House in Surrey. Wotton has some beautiful outdoor space and you can actually get married in the Temple area shown below.
My photo
Photographer Claude Schneider went to Uni with the groom, so that was an easy choice for the couple! The brides hair and makeup was done beautifully by Kirsty Mccall and finished perfectly with a white orchid to match her bouquet.
Claude Schneider Photography
The brides gorgeous dress is Tirso from Pronovias and was complimented perfectly by her trailing orchid bouquet. The bridesmaids wore Karen Millen and had a matching pink orchid in their hair.
Claude Schneider Photography
The huge fireplace at the front of the ceremony room was decorated by gorgeous flowers which were done by the fabulous Emma Lappin.
My Photo
Claude Schneider Photography
The happy couple saying their vows with a great view of the brides hair and dress!
Claude Schneider Photography
Claude Schneider Photography
Claude Schneider Photography
Claude Schneider Photography
The sparkly cake, by Cakes 4 Fun, made a lovely feature in one corner of the room with sugar flowers on top and real roses under the 2nd tier.
Claude Schneider Photography
We placed a beautiful pale pink orchid on top of each napkin to tie in with the hair flowers, bouquets and other flowers. A crystal adorned, tent style place card was at the top of each setting.
My Photo
All of the weddings stationary was done by the wonderful Borrowed Blue Press and the menu’s can be seen below.
Claude Schneider Photography
More Emma Lappin flowers shown below. They fitted perfectly with the couples summery pink, green and ivory wedding. Orchids were a feature throughout and added an extra something special.
My Photo
Claude Schneider Photography
The couple below enjoying their first married dance. They danced to Fly Me To The Moon, by Brenda Lee.
Claude Schneider Photography
Claude Schneider Photography
They then lived happily ever after…
Tags: My Weddings, Real Weddings
Posted in My Weddings, Real Weddings | No Comments »
August 19th, 2010
This is weird for obvious reasons, but wonderful to me as I now have my very own brand new special edition Smart car that I just love! Its called The Bug 
Seen on Bridal Wave
Tags: Weird & Wonderful
Posted in Weird & Wonderful | No Comments »
August 18th, 2010
I blogged a few of my own photos of this wedding recently, but now have a lovely selection of proper photos from the photographer, Stef Stirling, who is a friend of the bride and her family.
re: Cre8
The picture perfect church shown above is All Saints Church in Catherington, Hampshire. The brides dress was Sirene from Ellis Bridal and the bridesmaids dresses were made by the very clever Sahar from Ugly Lovely.
re: Cre8
The brides gorgeous shoes were ivory with sparkly bows on the front and were from Dune. I love this photo of them on the broken chair.
re: Cre8
Beautiful summery flowers were everywhere – with the table centrepieces in cream jugs. Lavender and stocks smelt amazing and really added to the ambiance of the marquee.
re: Cre8
The lovely cake was made by Amy Lane from Cake Shop Corner. The father of the bride actually made a fruit cake for one of the tiers (a secret family recipe!) and Amy made the others and decorated the whole thing.
re: Cre8
Fleur and Gary sent out blank cards with their invitations, asking that guests write a message to them and return with their RSVP. We then tied each one to a tree with pretty ribbon, just outside the marquee.
re: Cre8
The happy couple taking a quiet moment to read their special messages. After the wedding the cards were collected up and put together in a book, so they can keep them forever.
re: Cre8
Not much to say about this photo apart from – LOVE it!
Tags: My Weddings, Real Weddings, UglyLovely
Posted in My Weddings, Real Weddings | No Comments »
August 12th, 2010
I have recently discovered the new and wonderful world of knitting! Many people picture their grannies when they think of knitting, but don’t – because it is officially cool! I love it anyway and even Cameron Diaz and Julia Roberts partake
As well as all the fab everyday accessories you can make there are also lots of wedding based patterns available , making it possible to ‘knit your own wedding’ – if you are that way inclined!
1 – Knitted wedding dress seen on Ravelry 2 – Wedding Shrug seen on Ravelry
This knitted wedding cake was made by an actual bride. They also knitted other bits of cake for the table centres. This gorgeous vintage style wedding can be seen on the lovely blog – Love My Dress
There are lots of things you could knit relating to your wedding – dress, cake, soft toy gifts, flowers, ring cushions and even your garter. As with any look or idea, just ensure you don’t go overboard and knit literally everything!
Knitted ring pillow seen on Tuanica
There are certain things at a wedding that just have to be real – such as champagne and your photographer! Nice to have knitted ones as well though.
Pics above and below are taken from another real knitted wedding. These guys really did knit everything and more of their wedding can be seen on their website Cast Off.
I love these knitted flowers, which could be done in so many colours/shapes/sizes and would be lovely in the house or office generally, as well as a wedding.
Seen on Posy
Tags: Crafts, DIY Weddings, Knitting
Posted in Crafts, DIY Weddings, Knitting | No Comments »
August 8th, 2010
I recently met with the lovely Laura Payne, owner and creator of Genii Cupcakes based in Hampshire. I told Laura that I was creating a ‘chic picnic’ wedding inspiration board (to follow on blog shortly) and she very cleverly created the below cupcakes -
Fun ones below would be perfect for the kids and probably popular with the bigger ‘kids’ too! Love the ladybird and bumble bee.
Mr Temple Gregory got his hands on this one! At least I managed to hold him back long enough to take some photos.
Genii cupcakes are a bit different because of the amazing flavours that Laura comes up with – Champagne, Strawberry Cheesecake, Black Forest Gateaux, Vanilla & Pimms to name a few. As well as unique flavours she can create any type of bespoke decoration required – to fit with any theme or colour scheme.
For more details visit the website. Or contact directly on info@genii-cupcakes.co.uk
Tags: Cupcakes
Posted in Cakes | No Comments »
August 3rd, 2010
I saw this amazing little cottage on the fab blog – Daisy Pink Cupcake. How perfect would this be for a quiet romantic honeymoon. Not much space – but who needs space when you are on your honeymoon and surrounded by such pretty things!
The very lucky owner of this magical cottage has her own blog – My Shabby Streamside Studio which is gorgeous and a great source of inspiration.
Tags: Daisy Pink Cupcake, Inspiration, Latest Love
Posted in Brilliant Blogs, Inspiration, Latest Love | No Comments »
July 12th, 2010
Fleur & Gary got married on Saturday 26 June in Catherington, Hampshire – with the most perfect sunshine. These photos are just a few that I took myself, but will post some proper photographer ones, once I have them.
The marquee was in the grounds of the beautiful prep school that Fleur teaches in. This is not usually a wedding venue, so we had something totally unique and beautiful.
In keeping with the school/teacher side of things, we had the gorgeous blackboard table plan shown below.
The couple chose lavender as their main colour, complimented by touches of green, pink and ivory – all of which can be seen on the gorgeous cake and flowers below.
The table centre pieces were beautiful flower arrangements in cream jugs which were placed on mirror tiles. The tables were also decorated with table crystals, petals and candles.
The napkins were folded and tied with lavender ribbon. Hand written heart name tags were then tied with string to the ribbon and we alternated each setting with either a bay leaf or a sprig of rosemary. For favours, lottery tickets were rolled in paper and tied with ribbon to the stem of the wine glasses and lovely organic truffles in little boxes were placed on each side plate.
We had a chill out area at one end of the marquee – it looked fabulous and also proved very popular later in the evening.
There was also a blackjack casino table at one end and a roulette table at the other – also very popular with guests.
People are sometimes scared at the thought of having a marquee for their wedding, as it is such a large empty space you need to fill. Hopefully you can see from the above photos that it is very possible to make it look fabulous, whilst making the best use of your space. Please contact us if you would like help with your marquee.
Tags: Inspiration, Marquee Weddings, My Weddings, Real Weddings
Posted in Inspiration, My Weddings, Real Weddings, Wedding Ideas, Wedding Tips | No Comments »
July 8th, 2010
With all the talk of spending cuts and tax rises, some brides are understandably a bit worried about their wedding plans being effected in one way or another. I have put together a few tips to keep you calm and in control of your budget so you don’t have to worry about every penny.
Money pile seen on Viktorijos
- Know your budget - It is boring, but if you do need to think about your budget, it is unfortunately necessary! A surprising number of couples start planning without deciding a budget – which is fine for those with no money worries, but not fine for everyone. Keep track of what you are spending and when payments are due, so you are not faced with any surprises later on – as things quickly add up!
- Get creative - Making your own centrepieces, favours or invitations and matching stationary can save a lot of money, as well adding a personal touch to the day. Hobbycraft and EBay are fantastic for crafty bits such as card, ribbon, embellishments, favour boxes and florist accessories.
1 – DIY Invites seen on PRLog 2 – Birdcage seen on BravoBride 3 – DIY Cookie Favours seen on Intimate Weddings
- Insurance and backups - It is certainly advisable to take out wedding insurance at the outset to protect against unforeseen circumstances. You should also have the details of backup suppliers at the ready, just in case the wedding dress shop/photographer/florist is unable to provide the service promised. Your wedding planner would have trusted emergency suppliers that can step in at short notice.
- Use “The Sales” - Practically everywhere you go at the moment there is some kind of sale or special offer – take advantage! Find out when your local wedding dress shops are having their sales and get there early! Some other items easy to purchase at a discount are bridesmaid dresses, accessories, shoes, favours etc. You can even save money on your honeymoon by looking out for flight sales and hotel offers.
Shopping lady seen on Alice’s Closet
- Spread it out - It is very tempting to put off buying the bits you need until “nearer the time”, but this is the worst thing you can do as you end up with the cost coming all at once. Make a list of all the things you need to purchase for the wedding and spread the buying over the months leading up to the big day, so you do not get a shock having to pay for it all at once!
- Get married “off peak” – A wedding on a Friday or Saturday in the summer months will usually cost more, so why not go for a beautiful winter wedding, or get married on a Sunday or weekday. Venues and also other suppliers often offer discounts for weddings at these off peak times.
Winter Wedding seen on Kadee’s Wedding
- Enlist the services of a wedding planner - Some people may think they do not want the extra cost of a wedding planner when they can plan it all themselves! This is however a bit of a false economy as a good wedding planner will save you time, money and stress by using their professional knowledge, fabulous contacts and trusted suppliers to build your perfect wedding day. A major advantage of a wedding planner is that suppliers usually give discounts to planners brides, not available to the general public.
- Something borrowed - Most brides will want something borrowed to go with the traditional “something old, new, borrowed, blue” rhyme. Perhaps your sister or friend got married recently and they have a beautiful veil or sparkly tiara gathering dust or even 200 tea-light holders under their bed!
Tags: My Articles, Wedding Budget, Wedding Tips
Posted in My Articles, Wedding Tips | 3 Comments »
June 16th, 2010
I have just found out that I am one of four finalists for the Hampshire Winning Women Business Awards – Womenpreneur of the Year 2010!
The awards are announced and presented at the Langstone Hotel, Portsmouth next Thursday the 24 June.
It would be fabulous to win, but even if I don’t I am still so pleased and excited to have made the final 4 – out of lots of applicants and a wide variety of businesses.
Anyone can come along to the awards – it will be a great networking opportunity with lots of women from Hampshire businesses attending and it would be great to have the wedding industry well represented. You also get to wear a dress, drink wine and take a goody bag home!
Click here for details of the awards and to get your tickets
Tags: News, Womenpreneur of the Year
Posted in News, Press, Rebecca Gregory | 3 Comments »
June 14th, 2010
Why not make a bit of a feature out of your napkins by incorporating them into your design concept? Flowers are a great way of doing this as they can match your centre pieces and add extra colour to your tables.
1 – Pink flower napkins seen on Live Journal 2 – Flower filled napkin seen on My Pretty Touch 3 – Orchid napkin seen on Project Wedding
You could have some napkin ring bling, to give your tables that extra sparkle. Napkin rings come in all shapes, sizes and colours and you can also consider DIY.
1 – Vera Wang Love Knot napkin rings seen on Bed, Bath & Beyond 2 – DIY jewelled napkins seen on Tatertots & Jello 3 – Diamond ring napkins seen on Wedding Ideas
Or how about the rustic country look? This look is very easy to DIY and there are so many possibilities using herbs, flowers, string, buttons, coloured papers etc.
1 – Button napkins seen on Country Living 2 – Napkins with lavender seen on Project Wedding 3 – Wallpaper napkins seen on Martha Stuart
Using coloured linen for your napkins can also look fab and is a great way of carrying your chosen colours throughout your tables.
1 - Floral napkins see on Once Wed 2 – Pink napkins seen on Cheshire Tree 3 – Black & white napkins seen on Project Wedding
You can also incorporate your stationary by housing your menu’s, favours or placecards in or on your napkins.
1 – Napkin Knot with placecard seen on Martha Stuart 2 – Favour wrapped in napkin seen on Martha Stuart 3 – Menu in napkin seen on Photo Bucket
Tags: Inspiration, Napkins, Wedding Tips
Posted in DIY Weddings, Inspiration, Wedding Ideas, Wedding Tips | 3 Comments »
June 1st, 2010
As you may know, we now have our very own Russian wedding planner (Svetlana) on board here at TG Towers. I promised an inspiration board in her honour, so here it is
1 – Russian building seen on Art Margins 2 – Ballet inspired wedding dress seen on Tota 3 – Russian Doll cake POPS from POP Bakery 4 – Bouquet of Russian national flower, the Camomile from Martha Stuart 5 – Classic Chayka wedding car from Photographers Direct
Tags: From Russia with Love, Inspiration, Russian Wedding Planner
Posted in Inspiration, Russian Weddings | 5 Comments »
May 29th, 2010
Just love this vintage style brooch bouquet – what a beautiful alternative to flowers. The words in the middle say – “He who holds the key…can unlock my heart” which the romantic in me just loves!
Seen on The Knotty Bride
Tags: Inspiration, Latest Love
Posted in Inspiration, Latest Love | No Comments »
May 29th, 2010
The name of this blog feature I think perfectly describes this dress, as the bride made her wedding dress from actual shower curtains! It is weird to make your wedding dress from a shower curtain, BUT… how wonderful does it look! The bride did a great job – she looks fantastic, she is wearing a one of the kind creation and it was cheap!
This was seen on the fab US blog Style me Pretty where you can see more of this wedding.
One thing I would say – your average bride should avoid trying this at home, as most shower curtain wedding dresses would not look this fab and you may be more likely to end up looking like the below, which is not the best look to go for on your wedding day 
1 – Seen on Craftster 2 – Seen on The Party Works
Tags: Weird & Wonderful
Posted in Weird & Wonderful | 2 Comments »
May 27th, 2010
Save the Dates are not essential, but they are a good idea. There are lots of fab, creative ways to do it (whether you DIY or buy). As below you could find a cool setting, make a funky sign and take a photo to send to your guests.
Seen on Intimate Weddings
I don’t think it can ever be too early to send out your save the dates (within reason obviously). The whole point of them is to give your guests advance notice of your date, so that they do not book anything else.
1 – Destination wedding cards made from stamps & seen on Martha Stuart 2 – Bookmark seen on Etsy 3 – Pretty green & pink ribbon creation seen on Ali Eli Florals
Love these vintage style hankies, seen on Divine Occasions
1 – Save the Date Stickers seen on BonaFide Bride 2 – Message in a Bottle seen on All Style 3 -Vintage Save the Date Key seen on Simply Perfect Weddings
Typical wording for your save the dates would be – Bella & Edward are getting married on 7 December 2011. Please Save the Date. Formal Invitation to Follow.
Tags: Save the Dates
Posted in Wedding Ideas, Wedding Tips | 1 Comment »
May 25th, 2010
With the new film due for release on 28 May, I must admit I am quite excited and was inspired to put together the below creations. The fact that part of the film is set in Abu Dhabi makes it even more fabulous for me (even though it was actually filmed in Morocco!) as I just love that part of the world – and even honeymooned in Dubai. So, as you can see the first board is Abu Dhabi inspired and the second more New York.
Flowers are from Tess Casey who has created the flowers for both films. How about this Jean Paul Gaultier creation (seen on Bridal Wave) from his Haute Couture collection?! Too far even for Carrie?! A SATC Inspiration board would not be quite right without cupcakes and these Abu Dhabi style bejewelled cupcakes would surely be worthy of Magnolia Bakery? Source & recipe seen here. Manolo Blahnik shoes seen on Zoo Zoom perfect for an Eastern themed wedding – or any day really! A suite in the luxurious Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi would be perfect for your honeymoon.
An extravagant look and theme would be a given at this type of wedding and these fabulous tables would be perfect – seen on Lucky n Love. This sparkly cake is actually from the new film & was created by Swarovski and Ron Ben-Israel. Couple in New York seen on ISPWP. Fab bridesmaids are a must for a Sex and The City wedding & these were seen on Santa Barbara Chic. The ‘Big Apple’ escort cards seen on In The Now Weddings.
Tags: Inspiration, Sex & The City
Posted in Inspiration | 2 Comments »
May 9th, 2010
This quirky real wedding was posted on the fab US blog Ruffled last week. Golriz and Devon (bride & groom) were married in Nashville USA with 150 guests and made everything themselves. I wanted to share this with you just to demonstrate what is possible with a little imagination – even on a smaller budget. For the full details & more pics see the couples story on Ruffled.
This vintage sofa was obviously a real feature of their wedding and it looks great in the photos.
Using one type of striking flower (button mums) made a creative impact and also saved them money.
Love birds hand stitched by the brides mum – used as their cake topper and a great prop for photos.
The groom created this unique art installation using vintage TVs, umbrellas and bare light bulbs.
The couple even made their own cake stand from plastic containers and cake boards.
Strips of paper and fairy lights were used, above and behind, to create the fab paper chandelier. Behind their trusty sofa they hung strands of handmade fabric flowers – made using vintage fabrics.
Who needs a big expensive wedding car!
Here they end the night where they begun, on their vintage sofa
Tags: DIY Weddings, Real Weddings, Ruffled
Posted in DIY Weddings, Inspiration, Real Weddings | 3 Comments »
May 5th, 2010
In my work as a wedding planner I quite often come across weird and wonderful things and have therefore decided to create a new feature for my blog – Weird & Wonderful
First up is this crazy ‘cake dress’ which was created by Lukka Sigurdardottir. Not sure how practical it would be…
Seen on Bridal Wave
If you did want your cake and dress connected in a more practical and less sticky way, you could have your actual wedding cake made to reflect aspects of your dress. Cake makers can do very clever things and recreate the tiniest fabric/lace/crystal/beading details. Although be careful not to go overboard, as below!
The left hand pic below is of a Ukrainian bride whose fiance was a baker – hehe. The right hand pic is an actual cake made as a life size model of the American bride (scary!) with the real bride in the middle!
1 – seen on Penn Live 2 & 3 – seen on Mail Online
Tags: Weird & Wonderful
Posted in Cakes, Wedding Dress, Weird & Wonderful | 2 Comments »
May 2nd, 2010
Whilst creating an inspiration board I came across this pretty little thing and just had to share. The detail on the tiny little flowers is amazing
Seen on Small Bites
Tags: Cupcakes, Inspiration
Posted in Cakes, Inspiration | 1 Comment »
April 30th, 2010
Ok, so there may not really be much “latest” about this post – as I have always loved coloured shoes, but as I love them so much I thought I just would anyway. Usually a bride is going to wear a white or ivory dress and I think there is nothing more fabulous than a pair of brightly coloured shoes underneath.
Blue and Red shoes seen on Prima Donna Bride Orange shoes seen on Bridal Express Black shoes seen on Elizabeth Anne Designs Bride in green shoes on Polka Dot Bride
Many brides complain of their grooms thinking that wedding shoes are not that important as “you can’t see them under the dress”. This is just not true and believe me – you will know, as will everyone you flash them to! Knowing you have gorgeous shoes on will add something extra special to the day and so just tell H2B that those “must have” wedding Louboutin’s are an investment and a must for his future wife’s happiness! Hehe
Sparkly Louboutins seen on Wedding Dress 2010 Green Louboutins seen on Flights of Fancy Walking bride seen on Entertain With Jordan Chandelier Louboutins seen on The Wedding Chicks
I am a bit of a magpie and love anything that sparkles.
I therefore got extremely excited when I saw these sparklers made by the fabulous Rainbow Club for the Dorothy’s on the BBC programme ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’.
Perfect for a bride, bridesmaid or (if you are me) just every day wear!
Pic was seen on Bridal Buyer
Don’t feel like you must stop with the bride, as your bridesmaids would also look fab in stunning colourful shoes.
Seen on Credit Crunch Bride
Tags: Inspiration, Latest Love, Louboutin's, Shoes
Posted in Bridal Accessories, Inspiration, Latest Love | No Comments »
April 26th, 2010
All of this beautiful sunshine has reminded me of one of my favourite weddings from last Summer, so I thought I should share it with you all. Steph & Jarrah held their beautiful summery reception in August at Langrish House in Hampshire.
Langrish House is a lovely wedding venue and with its fabulous building, beautiful gardens and historic vaults it encompasses that English country house charm perfectly.
Photography by Tony Willitt
Steph and Jarrah are a lovely couple and looked fabulous on the day. The bride is originally from Canada and moved over here not long before the wedding, bringing her gorgeous dress with her. On the day she looked effortlessly fantastic with her flat sparkly sandals and lovely flower in her hair – perfect for their relaxed summer wedding.
Their Ferrari 250 GTO wedding car also turned a few heads – being lent to the groom by Nick Mason (Pink Floyds drummer). Jarrah works at Goodwood and so lives/eats/breathes cars! He also obviously has some very cool friends
Photography by Tony Willitt
After a lovely ceremony in Chichester they arrived at Langrish House for the reception where they enjoyed Pimms and croquet on the lawn in the beautiful sunshine.
Photography by Tony Willitt
As well as the couples treasured guests, there were also a few extra furry, feathery and celebrity friends! Langrish has its very own chickens who just happily wonder around the grounds and who went down very well with the guests. Rolf Harris (grooms guardian) was also rather popular!
Photography by Tony Willitt
A few of the guests also arrived at the reception in their classic cars, as can be seen below. In keeping with the car theme the tables were named after famous Formula 1 corners – Mirabeau, Woodcote and Arnage amongst others.
Photography by Tony Willitt
The bride and groom were very happy with their day, as was I – we could not have had more perfect weather. It was a relaxed, fabulous, summery affair and I hope you have enjoyed sharing
Tags: My Weddings, Real Weddings
Posted in My Weddings, Real Weddings, Seasonal Weddings | 3 Comments »
April 8th, 2010
When developing the wedding theme and design for one of my July brides, she knew she wanted something Summery and pretty with butterflies. We therefore created a design concept based on the inspiration boards shown below – using pink, green and ivory.
Butterflies are a beautiful choice for a Summer wedding – just make sure you do not go overboard and have every single surface covered with them! As with any wedding theme, touches of your chosen look will go a long way and will ensure it looks fabulous.
1 – Pink bow wedding cake seen on The Party Dress 2 – Pomander seen on b v weddings 3 – Pink & Green flowers from Project Wedding 4 – Basket of confetti cones seen on Brides 5 – Bridesmaid dress seen on Hub Pages
1 – Butterfly placecards seen on Etsy 2 – Green shoes seen on Wedding Bee Pro 3 – Candy bar seen on Project Wedding 4 – Bouquet seen on Flower Design
Tags: Butterfly, Inspiration, Wedding Tips
Posted in Inspiration, My Weddings, Wedding Tips | 1 Comment »
April 6th, 2010
One thing you can rely on, is that you can never rely on the weather. We therefore just have to get on, be prepared and make the best of it. As an efficient wedding planner (and ex Brownie) I am always prepared for every eventuality and strongly advocate this to any brides going it alone, without a wedding planner.
If it does rain, just remember that rain on your wedding day means that your marriage will be blessed with fertility and good fortune! A few tips to ensure that you enjoy your day, come rain or shine -
- Always have a Plan B - If you have chosen a venue with outside space, then the venue should have an indoor alternative which can be switched between, at fairly short notice. When you meet with your photographer at your venue, discuss a wet and dry photo plan so that you have great photos whatever the weather. Photographers are usually very good at using the weather to their advantage, as can be seen from the photo below, so do not worry. Enlisting the services of a wedding planner would obviously ensure a Plan B (and often C) for all potential disasters.
Kevin Morris Photography
- Come Rain – It would not be unheard of for it to rain on a spring or summers day in this country, or any day for that matter! But so long as you are prepared, this should not ruin your day. In fact, use and incorporate it and you will at least feel in control. A few ideas –
- You can hire some really beautiful white (or colours to match your colour scheme) umbrellas for weddings, including vintage types. You could hire enough for all of the guests, or perhaps if you were on a budget just hire for the bride and bridesmaids. Even if it ends up sunny later on, they can be used to shade and so money would not be wasted.
Umbrellas seen on Bella Umbrella
- Wellies may also come in handy, depending on your venue and terrain. They come in all sorts of colours and designs, including ones especially for brides. You could also recommend in your invites, that guests bring their own wellies. When the sun does come out you can always engage in a bit of welly throwing – very popular game in some parts!
Welcome basket seen on Mimi & Karl and Wellies on We love Wellies
- Welcome baskets would be greatly appreciated by guests – they could include things such as face clothes or small towels for drying, tissues, hair brush and products, hair dryer and straighteners, hand warmers etc.
- Come Shine – People are often so worried about the wind and rain that they forget to prepare for hot weather, which believe it or not – does happen! Or, you may be going abroad where there will certainly be hot weather and there is nothing worse than being all hot and sweaty in your wedding attire! A few ideas–
Natalie Moser Photography seen on Britt Productions
- You could provide baskets of fans and/or parasols for your guests at the entrance to the ceremony, which they can keep with them throughout the day and take home as a memento. They could be decorated with ribbon to match your colour scheme. Fans can even be made so that they double up as your order of service/day.
1 – Program fans from iDiY 2 - Palm leaf fans from Bliss Weddings 3 – Program fans from Bridal Buzz
- Again a welcome basket would help to keep your guests cool. They could include cooling sprays, deodorant, perfume, sun cream, face blotting papers, wet wipes, tissues, small bottles of water etc. Hot weather can also do unsightly things to your hair so again hair brush, products and straighteners would go down well.
- If your venue does not have air con, perhaps think about hiring some in. Electric fans would be cheaper if you are on a budget.
Tags: My Articles, Rain or Shine, Wedding Tips
Posted in My Articles, Seasonal Weddings, Wedding Tips | No Comments »
March 29th, 2010
Easter and Spring weddings are so pretty with everything fresh and colourful after the long Winter. This time of year provides many options in terms of colour, so really make the most of it.
A few ideas for your Easter theme – mini hot cross bun canapes for your reception, Easter egg hunt for the kids, pretty mini Easter egg or Easter cookie favours and a colourful bouquet of seasonal tulips.
1 – Tulip bouquet seen on Romantic Wedding 2 – Favours with egg name tags from Not On The High Street 3 – Tulips table seen on the Bridal Blog 4 – Macaroon tower seen on Manolo for the Brides 5 – Ribbon chair backs seen on Project Wedding 6 – Mini hot cross buns from The British Larder
Tags: Easter Weddings, Inspiration, Theme & Design, Wedding Tips
Posted in Inspiration, Seasonal Weddings, Wedding Tips | 1 Comment »
March 28th, 2010
I saw this photo on one of my favourite blogs Dog n’ Bird and fell in love with it. I just think that, whilst being unique, it perfectly captures and demonstrates so many things about any modern, excited and beautiful bride. It would be rude not to share -
Photo of clever bride using shiny bits on wedding car to apply her lipstick – was taken by photographer Emin Kuliyev and seen on fab Dog n’ Bird blog
Tags: Dog n' Bird, Latest Love
Posted in Brilliant Blogs, Latest Love | No Comments »
March 23rd, 2010
Exciting things are happening here at Temple Gregory towers and I felt I must share
I have just taken on the fabulous Svetlana – friend and Russian wedding planner extraordinaire!
Svet came to England for School when she was very young and has been here ever since – partly for the love of an English man and partly for the love of England itself!
Svet is a great wedding planner, but because she is also originally from Russia we have decided to now offer an extra branch to our wedding planning services – for Russian couples looking for a wedding planner, for their wedding here or in Russia.
We are very excited about taking on more weddings and events now we have extra planning power, as well as about meeting our new Russian brides
A few Russian wedding facts and traditions -
- Russian law does not recognise church weddings so couples must have a civil ceremony first.
- the ceremony is a simple affair and the bride & groom literally break some bread and salt to signify a strong and lasting union. Tradition says that the one who takes the biggest bite “will wear the trousers” in the marriage!
- traditionally the reception is considered the most important part and can last for 2 days!
- the bride is often kidnapped by the grooms friends and the groom is made to pay a ransom to get her back!
Above photo from Flower Design
Look out for our Russian Weddings Inspiration Board – coming soon.
Tags: News, Russian Wedding Planner
Posted in News, Press, Russian Weddings | No Comments »
March 21st, 2010
With a little imagination there is so much you can do to create a wedding that you will love, and your guests will remember forever. A few thoughts and ideas –
- During the Wedding Breakfast? Guests will not usually know everyone they are seated with and it is nice to have a few ice breakers to keep them entertained and talking. You could have each guests name meaning printed on their place cards, little boxes of table trivia, or even design a quiz based on the bride & groom – with a bottle of champagne for the winner. Favours are also a talking point, so make them good! Something sure to keep you and your guests entertained are Singing Waiters – they pretend to serve guests but then suddenly break into song. Try Incognito – they are fabulous!
Incognito performing
- Edible entertainment! Don’t forget that food is also an important aspect of your day and there are so many weird and wonderful things you could do! A candy bar would not only look fabulous, but would taste great and keep your guests very happy. It could be colour coordinated with your colour scheme. Or how about a Victorian candy floss or ice cream cart? If you are having a winter wedding how about a traditional cart of roasting chestnuts accompanied by mulled wine? You could also have edible favours and make a real feature of your wedding cake by having a spectacular design and decorated table.
Candy bars seen on All Things Adored
- Keep the children occupied & quiet! Keeping the little cherubs entertained will not only portray you as the caring and thoughtful bride, but will also ensure that they are kept quiet and out of mischief! You can hire in a crèche, which will look after them and provide activities suitable for the specific age groups. Other ideas would be to have a room in the venue with a PlayStation set up, some DVD’s and games. Also, think about child specific favours – perhaps gift bags with (non messy/noisy) bits they can use and play with during the wedding. If you decide you do not want any children at your wedding, do not be afraid to say so – just ensure you give plenty of notice and do not make exceptions! Perhaps add something along the following lines to your invites – It is our wish to have an adult only celebration and we hope that this advance notice means that you are still able to share our big day.
Fab children’s favour bags from Charlie Moo’s
- Something different? Fireworks are always fantastic, with prices starting from around £600 for a 5 minute display. An Ice Luge is also something a bit different and is essentially an ice sculpture with a chute drilled or carved into the ice, down which you can pour your favourite tipple! Talking of your favourite tipple – you could enlist the services of a mixologist to create a special wedding cocktail, to be served alongside the old favourites. A few other ideas – surprise your guests with a choreographed first dance, have a beautiful wishing tree instead of a guest book, or hire in a video booth for guests to leave messages. You could also hire in a casino, magician, caricaturist or even bride & groom stilt walkers!
Wishing Tree from Here Comes The Guide
- On a Budget? If you are trying to create the party of all parties but are on a strict budget, please do not despair as there are still plenty of options for you. Firstly, never be afraid to try and negotiate with suppliers – the worst that will happen is that they will say no, so it must be worth a try! If you have your heart set on live music, but know you cannot afford the usual wedding band costs, consider approaching local colleges and universities as they will have many bands who would love to play at a wedding in order to gain experience. They would usually do this for a small fee, but just be careful that you see them in action before making any bookings. If you also want live music for your reception remember that a harpist or saxophonist will be cheaper than a string quartet or jazz band as you are only paying for one musician. A DJ is usually a safe and low cost option – to make it that bit more special try asking your guests to include a few of their favourite songs with the RSVP, so you can put a request list together.
The Enchanted Harp
Tags: Inspiration, My Articles, Wedding Entertainment
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March 19th, 2010
I must admit to a bit of a candle obsession! There is something about a lovely smelling candle that makes me happy
I always recommend scented candles to my brides and just think that they are such an important detail that should not be missed. Not only do they look fabulous and create atmosphere, but they also ensure your venue smells beautiful, and that fragrance will serve as an everlasting reminder of the wedding for you and your guests. As well as essential venue decoration, remember that candles also make great thank you gifts and favours.
Candles have always been a love of mine, but my ‘Latest Love’ that I want to share with you is the fabulous Jonathan Ward London candles.
All of the organic scented candles are hand-poured using paraffin-free organic soy and beeswax and are housed in hand-blown Italian crystal glass. Each fragrance is a sophisticated blend of premium ingredients and scents, lovingly selected and expertly combined.
One of their fab fragrances for Spring is Citrine Ivy (shown to the right) – a tangy citrus scent inspired by a trip to Florence offering an experience filled with bright notes of verbena, grapefruit and tangerine. A spirited, uplifting candle designed to motivate and inspire.
Wedding Concept -
I am very excited about Jonathan Ward’s new ‘Wedding Concept’ which is currently under development. It would offer brides an exclusive scent menu from which to choose custom aromas for their special day – in candle or personal fragrance. A bespoke service would also be available whereby brides could design their own scents for the day. For more information on this exciting venture please contact me or Jonathan Ward directly.
Top JW tip – cup flame by covering with candle dish or plate rather than blowing out – this will allow the fragrance to remain in the room undiluted by the smoke – the fragrance will then linger until morning.
You can find out more about Jonathan Ward London and also purchase these little gems on their website or else click here for a list of stockists.
Tags: Jonathan Ward Candles, Latest Love, Wedding Tips
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March 16th, 2010
For one of my June weddings we are having a blackboard table plan (the bride is a teacher) on an easel and this has inspired me to look at some other fabulous and unique ways to liven up this sometimes dull piece of stationary.
As people need to wait until they have finalised their guest list, the table plan will usually be left until fairly late in the planning process – this is fine, just don’t forget to think about it and decide what you want. A few lovely ideas below -
1 – Gorgeous mirror table plan from fab photographer Nikole Ramsay 2 – English Country Garden, seen on Natural Wedding Company 3 – Different take on the table plan, photographed by Caroline Alexander 4 – Blackboard seen on This Chateau Life 5 – Cath Kidston style table plan, seen on Little Miss Wedding
An alternative to the traditional table plan are ‘escort cards’. These are cards with the guests name and table details printed on them and are usually arranged near the entrance of the wedding breakfast room. Depending on what you use, they could also double up as favours.
1 & 2 – Tags on bottles and lovely lollipops, both seen on Tried and True 3 – Wine corks on a bed of wheat grass John Arcara Photography 4 – Crystals seen on White Lace Wedding 5 – Escort Stones seen on HGTV
Escort card trees also look great and can be seen below. However you decide to do it you can make a real feature of arranging your escort cards, and here are a few ideas -
1 – White rose feature table seen on Tried and True 2 – Chandelier feature table seen on The Knot 3 & 4 – Pomegranates & a bed of blooming pink carnations both from Absolutely Charmed 5 – Paper flower escort cards seen on The Observatory 6 – Pink rose tree seen on – DC Wedding Spot
Tags: Escort Cards, Inspiration, Table Plans, Wedding Tips
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March 7th, 2010
People are sometimes scared by the word “theme” as they picture full blown scenes from a western, star wars movie or Hawaiian beach! It is really not like that at all (well maybe for a few of you!) and works best when touches of your chosen look are used throughout the wedding and echoed subtly throughout different aspects of the day, rather than going overboard and having absolutely everything pink for example.
You will usually take inspiration from some idea or concept, and then develop and personalise that idea, whilst working out how to integrate it into your wedding. Your wedding planner will be a great help here, as they will have lots of experience in providing inspiration and coming up with beautiful themes and design concepts to suit each individual couple.
Do not feel pressured to conform to the latest trends or even your nagging Mother – just remember that it is your day. Every couple will have a different interpretation of any idea or concept, and that is what makes every wedding so wonderful and unique! A few things to think about -
- Where to start?! Just think about the things you both love, or do together and perhaps make a list or do some brainstorming as your starting point. For example – different cultures, films, winter/Christmas, a certain colour, music, travel or a particular place you have been to? From here you can decide together which is your favourite and to what degree you would like to reflect this in your wedding. You will probably find that, to a certain extent, this is dictated as you go along, depending on your other decisions (such as type of venue), inspirations and finds!
- Style and feel?! You will find that this naturally reflects your personalities so just think about what kind of day you both want – traditional and formal, modern and fun or a mix of the two? Nothing is set in stone when it comes to designing your theme – so just go with what you want! Think about what is most important – glamour and opulence, chic but intimate, relaxed and comfortable? The choices are endless!
- Some theme/design ideas – Your theme could be based around a particular season, for example a winter wedding could incorporate beautiful festive colours and flowers, fairy lights, candles and an open fire with mulled wine for your reception drinks. Couples often base their theme around their favourite colour – pink, tiffany box blue or even black. Did your fiancé propose in Dubai or Morocco? An eastern theme can be fabulous and offer so many choices. Other choices could be – English country garden, vintage chic, simple and elegant, romance, diamonds and pearls, nature, green, Paris or New York?! A few of these can be seen below -
1 – Tiffany Postbox seen on Project Wedding
2 – Farmer style marquee with hay bale seating, seen on Bridesmaid.com
3 – Winter wedding photgraphed by ImageText
4 – Country garden wedding, seen on Daisy Pink Cupcake
5 – Elegant Orchids seen on Project Wedding
Tags: Inspiration, Theme & Design, Wedding Tips
Posted in Inspiration, My Articles, Wedding Tips | 1 Comment »
March 3rd, 2010
From my general love of cupcakes and after recently seeing the amazing Cupcake Truffles shown below, I could not resist investigating further and sharing with all of you! They are my latest love.
Brides.com Blog
There are several ways that you could incorporate these little gems into your wedding! You could set them up on a tower, with a cutting cake on top as your wedding cake. Or, you could have them in addition to your wedding cake – perhaps as part of a sweet bar. They would also make great wedding favours.
Other variations of the ever loved cupcake are the Cupcake Pops and Cupcake Bites (see pics below). They just look so cute and could be done in any colour or design to fit with your theme. As above there are several ways that they could be incorporated in to your wedding.
As seen on Bakerella and Cara’s Cravings
If you want to try a bit of DIY Cupcake Truffle making, check out this recipe on Joelen’s Blog
http://www.brides.com/blog/weddedbits/102/2010/02/19855/truffle_truffle_wedding_favors_desserts_gifts_chicago.html
Tags: Cupcake Variations, Latest Love
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February 25th, 2010
The veil is the obvious and traditional choice for most brides, however you should not feel pressured into wearing anything that you do not want to on your wedding day, as you will probably regret it.
If you are thinking of doing something a bit different then there are lots of gorgeous alternatives, and as well as the tiara’s and sparkly hair-clips, there are also some fabulous Bridal Milliners who could work with you to produce a totally bespoke creation.
One of my favourite Milliners is UglyLovely, “who don’t see a hat as just another item in your wardrobe” but as “an item of expression to compliment the outfit you are wearing as well as a feature in its own right.” See some of their stunning creations below -
Photos from the UglyLovely Bridal Collection
UglyLovely, can also offer a “bridal party collection” bringing a gorgeous sense of coordination to proceedings. They can make and design the wedding dress, the headpieces for the bride and the grooms accessories – as well as the bridesmaids headpieces and men’s ties/cravats etc. The collection would usually be subtly done, so that the items look different but are tied together with a common element – such as colour or fabric etc.
If all else fails and your mother stubbornly insists on the traditional veil, just be grateful that it will probably not look like the photo below – especially if you have a unique creation from UglyLovely (who could also create a veil).
Seen on Seiyaku
Tags: Bridal Millinery, UglyLovely
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February 19th, 2010
I met a lovely new bride this week who has some fantastic ideas for a very elegant and Art Nouveau inspired wedding. Lots of ideas have been swimming around in my head, so I thought I should probably share them with you all by creating an Inspiration Board!
Art Nouveau was a movement and whole new style, peaking at the turn of the 20th Century. It incorporated many aspects of life and design, shown mostly through art and architecture.
1 – White Peacock from Heavens Questions
2 – Jo Malone Candles
3 – Candelabra Arrangement by Sarah Pepper
4 – Art Nouveau inspired Bride seen on Gourmet Invitations Blog
5 – Art Nouveau Stationary seen on Wedding Bee Pro
6 – Parisean Art Nouveau doorway seen on Blogging In Paris
7 – Rolls Royce from Prestige Wedding Cars
8 – Calla Lily Wedding Chocolate Cake by Choccywoccydoodah
Tags: Inspiration
Posted in Inspiration | 2 Comments »
February 19th, 2010
I am very pleased to exclusively announce the launch of Tantrums & Tiaras fabulous and totally unique new product – ‘Switsch-u’. When the lovely and creative Kelly Scully, founder of Tantrums & Tiaras, showed the prototype to me at the recent Wedding Ideas Magazine Awards I knew I wanted to see more.
The Switsch-u is a new modular form of jewellery which enables the wearer to obtain many different looks from one necklace, all through changing or adding more of the detachable Switsch-u’s (to suit your mood or outfit), meaning that each and every piece is as individual as the wearer.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Switsch-u, Tantrums & Tiaras
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February 12th, 2010
Receiving my first ever Nigella book, as a gift from my husband, about 5 years ago was a turning point in my life!! I cannot pretend to be perfect in all areas of domestication – but cooking (Nigella recipes) is something I love doing! The Feast book even has a Wedding section, so was bound to be a winner with me!
Below is a photo of Nigella’s Heart Shaped Custard Creams (from her Feast book), made by my own fair hands as a Valentines gift for my husband. I have sparkled them up a bit with red edible glitter
In addition to making great Valentines gifts, they would also make fabulous wedding favours and would help add that personal touch for those Brides who like to cook. You could individually wrap them and tie them with pretty ribbon to match your colour scheme. You could also add a luggage tag type name card to each one, so the favour doubles as a placecard.
Tags: Heart Custard Creams, Inspiration, Nigella
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February 10th, 2010
Welcome to my very first “Latest Love” blog post. This will be a regular feature of my blog and as I can be fairly fickle, there may be quite a few of these going forward!
I am not just blogging about these little gems because I love wine (believe it or not!!) – but because I think they would be fabulous for a summer wedding. They could be served to guests during the arrival reception and/or later in the evening.
They could even be colour coordinated to match your wedding theme – by using different fruits and ingredients. It would be a shame for the slushies to clash with the bridesmaids after all!!
To help make them look as fabulous as they taste – think carefully about the glasses used and ensure they match the feel of your wedding. If you are not happy with your venues glasses, you can hire in just about any style and colour glass you could think of.
1 & 3 - Bordeaux Undiscovered Blog – for recipes click here
2 - Wine Enthusiast Magazine – for recipes click here
Tags: Inspiration, Latest Love
Posted in Inspiration, Latest Love, My Blog | 2 Comments »
February 9th, 2010
One of my June weddings has a gorgeous English Country type theme. It is a marquee wedding in the grounds of a beautiful old school, surrounded by big old trees!
The Inspiration Board below gives you a feel of what the day is developing into. We have a very unique venue as the School does not usually hire out for weddings, but because the bride is a teacher there, they are making special allowances
1 – One of my brides, Stephanie Venables – photographer Tony Willitt
2 – Bouquet from Flower Design – www.flowerdesignstannes.blogspot.com
3 – Personalised Wooden Planter – www.notonthehighstreet.com
4 – Vintage bike from Vintage by Zana – www.vintagebyzana.co.uk
5 – Cheese Tower by Lawsons Cheeses Direct – www.lawsonscheeses.co.uk
6 – Bunting from Country Bunting – www.countrybunting.co.uk
7 – Vintage Sofa seen on fab blog – www.bellethemagazine.blogspot.com
8 – Birdcage centrepiece from Vintage Party – www.vintageparty.co.uk
9 – Wedding Sign - www.notonthehighstreet.com
Tags: Inspiration
Posted in Inspiration | 1 Comment »
February 3rd, 2010
The Portsmouth News yesterday published a 3 page article about me, Temple Gregory and my involvement on the new Wedding TV programme Three Grand Weddings! It also contains my list of tips for brides on a budget.
They took lots of photos – and I was trying hard to banish my “photo face”!! Spot the latest edition of the fab Wedding Ideas Magazine in the photo below! I should have specified that they print one of the pics of me actually reading it!!
Jill & Davids wedding referred to in the middle of the article is not one of mine! The paper were going to talk to one of my brides and use one of their photos, but unfortunately they ran out of time and space. So, not one to disappoint, I thought I should show you the photo we were going to use of Steph & Jarrah’s wedding. Although, I am going to blog about this wedding in more detail, so I won’t give too much away!
Photographer – Tony Willitt
Read the full article here - www.portsmouth.co.uk/familylife/For-richer-or-poorer.6034287.jp
Tags: Rebecca Gregory, Wedding TV
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January 26th, 2010
Welcome to my new and very first blog! I have been doing wedding based fact sheets for quite a while, but thought it was about time I brought myself, and Temple Gregory, into the 21st Century!
2009 was a great year for Temple Gregory, with lots of fabulous weddings and also being involved in the Wedding TV programme – Three Grand Weddings! I was asked to be the wedding planner for the London based couple and the programme follows me planning the wedding with the couples family and friends.
2010 is already even better, with some gorgeous weddings on the way, the fab Wedding Ideas Magazine Awards and the airing of the show on Wedding TV, starting Monday 11 January (& then every Monday at 9pm – Sky 266 and Freesat 400). Follow link to the right on my sidebar to view missed episodes.
So, for the rest of 2010 I will keep you updated with my weddings, tips, ideas and anything else I think of
Tags: My Blog, Wedding TV
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January 19th, 2010
This is not wedding related and was just supposed to be my first test blog – but as she is so cute, I thought I would leave it on here anyway!!
This is a collage of my gorgeous house bunny – Daisy Bella Gregory the 1st!
www.templegregory.co.uk
She is an orange bunny, 2 years old and has no front teeth She loves carrot tops and baby corn and gets grumpy if you ignore her for too long!
Tags: Gorgeous Bunny!
Posted in Daisy, My Blog | 2 Comments »
