Pretty Pastel Vintage Dresses Ideal For A Summer Wedding
Featured in You & Your Wedding, The Fonteyn collection from Phase Eight wowed us with their feminine dusky pastel vintage dresses softened with praline and cream tones.
Ruffles, layers and tiers are worked into sifter fabrics to give a modern twist on the retro theme making an understated elegant look for any wedding this summer.
Now for matching shoes, any suggestions…?
Rosie Belted Dress
Chateau Print Dress
Veronica Print Dress
Jeannie Print Dress
Chloe Occasion Hat
Sheridan fascinator
We’d love to hear your thoughts on what would go with these, add your comments below
Need Hen Party Ideas? – We Talk To Polestars, The Experts In Hen Parties
Hen parties have become ever more sophisticated now-a-days with brides-to-be having aspirations greater than the raucous hen do affair involving strippers, tequila and penis-shaped chocolate or the pub crawl and “L” plates stuck to the brides back on her last night of freedom. And whilst there is definitely still a market for that type frivolity for sure, How many self-respecting women want to spent the last night of singledom with an oiled up stripper thrusting their groin into their face with so called friends, many who will never be seen again after the wedding?
“How many self-respecting women want to spent the last night of singledom with an oiled up stripper thrusting their groin into their face”
Away from the stereotypical Hen night there are many respectable companies who offer another side to the hen party for those who want to do something unusual and enjoyable with group close friends who can all join in the fun. In recent years there’s been a whole industry that has sprung up catering to bride-to-be and her entourage who are looking for a hen party with a difference, whether that’s a hen weekend abroad or pole dancing lessons, life drawing classes or even a burlesque dancing course.
One of the biggest names in this arena is Polestars.net, who have built up a strong reputation in offering hundreds of options to choose from but who also take the stress out of organising the event, by doing it all for you, and leaving the organiser, normally the chief bridesmaid, to claim all the credit. #win
We recently caught up with Heath the owner and founder of polestars.net to find out more about his business.
How We Got Started With The Business Of Hen Parties
Polestars started in 2001 quite by accident, as all good businesses do! In fact I strongly remember when writing the Polestars business plan we stated clearly that it should not have an impact on the day to day running of our then current business! Oh how wrong we were with that. I was in fact in the process of setting up an events management company when my wife and a friend of hers went to some pole dancing classes – they were looking for something fun to do in the evening and a new way to keep fit. Back then, the only classes they could find were in a strip club, which in its own right was fine, but not enough of the course content was actually about pole dancing (instead they focused on how to earn money in the club), and at the end of the course they tried hard to persuade her to work there, in a way that didn’t really fit with what my wife was looking for.
One thing led to another and we set up our own classes with a small website, without really trying we soon became inundated with enquires from customers and press. One customer in particular asked us to do her hen party and we quickly realised what a wonderful class it made. Before long, my wife was teaching and we realised that we were really good at putting on hen activities, thankfully our customers thought so too!
“Polestars now have 8 years’ experience organising hen parties and in that time we have learned a thing or two”
What Pro Tips Can You Give On Planning A Hen Party?
Polestars now have 8 years’ experience organising hen parties and in that time we have learned a thing or two, so here are my top tips to planning a hen party,
- Find out what the hen would actually want to do, very often I speak to girls who have the responsibility of planning their friends hen weekend, who actually organise their own perfect night, not the bride-to-be’s. It is
possible that the hen has had an idea of what kind of night she might like as much as she had an idea of her wedding. - Understand who is on the guest list, it may be worth contacting those you don’t know, or at least understanding the age ranges and likely interests of the group
- Make sure there is some time to have a group discussion about the bride, it could be: presenting the gifts, speeches, “Mr and Mrs” games, or even just a chance for everyone to recount stories about her.
- Bear in mind that there is a reason for doing a hen party; they genuinely make for a better
wedding! Weddings are often the first time where a bride and groom have all their family and the friends from each area of their lives together in one room; and there is a tendency for people (particularly those in couples) to stay in their couples. On the night of the stag and hen, it’s often the first chance that family and friends all get to meet, meaning a better atmosphere at the wedding. With this in mind, it’s important to make sure there is an ice breaker early in the day. Any kind of activity that takes everyone’s attention and can be a shared experience, the drinks and frivolities that follow will always be better.
Our most popular products are our dance classes – particularly burlesque and dirty dancing hen parties, but Katja, our head teacher is convinced that the can-can ones are the best. They cost about £25 per person, there are many other dance styles and you can even create your own for the hen’s favourite song.
if you are looking to organise your own party, Polestars is a good place to start
Our newest and most exciting product is the Glamping hen party. It’s a very different party, sleeping in tipi’s or yurts, bush cocktails around the campfire and dinner cooked for your group – we even have a sauna!
What sets us apart?
Polestars can easily be set apart from the rest of the stag and hen world, as we only do activities; in fact sell them to most of the stag and hen agencies, and so if you book with an agency you still get our team. Really the decision of whether to use an agency or us directly is related to the level of control you’d like to have over your day versus the level of organisation you are prepared to put in. However if you are looking to organise your own party, Polestars is a good place to start. Up until recently you we only did hen activities, but this year we have launched our new site List of Life which sells great activities for stags.
Want to get hold of Polestars?
Web: Polestars.net & ListofLife.com
Facebook: Facebook
Email: Info(at)Polestars(dot)net
Tel: 020 7274 4865
Wedding Guest Outfits – What Type Of Wedding Are You Attending?
Everyone loves a good wedding with delicious food, stimulating company and the opportunity to return to the dance floor with a vengeance, what’s not to like? The downside of course is the hours of fashion torture as you try and guess what goes with what whilst assembling your killer wedding guest outfits, and hoping no one is wearing the same dress, shoes or hat!
It may not be the obvious go to store for your typical wedding outfits, but if you’re looking for something a little bit special from a top designer to impress as a guest at a summer wedding, then Harrods maybe a prefect choice to acquire that head turning outfit which strikes a suitable balance for a summer wedding guest outfit, of style, elegance and poise without upstaging the bride of course.
One way to avoid having the ultimate wedding guest nightmare of embarrassingly wearing the same dress as another guest is to pop over to the Harrods online wedding store where they have some mouth watering outfits just begging for an invite along to a summer wedding too, and where you can take comfort from the fact that you’re completely guaranteed to knock the other guest out of the ball park in the fashion stakes.
What’s more is they have suggestions based on the type of wedding you may be attending, from traditional to beach…vintage to city, so regardless of what type of wedding you’re going to, you’re bound to see something that is suitable, let’s take a peek at some of their suggestions below.
Traditional Wedding
To pull off the traditional wedding look, the period to draw fashion inspiration from is the early 1960s shift style dress in a bright pastel. To pull off the chic ’60s look, backcomb you hair into a beehive style and team with drop pearl earrings, think Mad Men meets Audrey Hepburn.
Country Wedding
There’s no better way to cheer the soul than to wear a beautiful floral dress to a sunny summer wedding in the country. Summer Prints are, and will, continue to be a big trend, so its safe to invest in a classic summer dress that can be worn again and again once the wedding is long gone. Big bright prints with a structured silhouette and cinched waists are the prints that work well are, while smaller, lighter prints look fabulous on floaty maxi dresses to make a wonderful romantic look, so chic for summer wedding guest outfits.
Vintage Wedding
Thanks to the surge of interest in the vintage look, and the recent success of films such as “The Artist”, now is the perfect time to let your imagination run wild with your wedding guest outfit ideas, it maybe out of many peoples comfort zone, but that’s exactly why you should run with it, drop waist dresses, wide brimmed hats and pearls are a great starting point, 1920′s flapper girls beads are also a great way to interpret the look.
You should however try to avoid Sky high heels if wearing drop waist dresses, instead opt for flats or pumps to give a more authentic look.
City Wedding
City wedding are a great opportunity to get creative as typically anything goes. You can be daring and ditch the dress totally in favour of a sharp trouser suit, or even opt for shorts as a daring alternative.
If that’s way out side your comfort zone, Look slick against the metropolitan surroundings with stylish separates and skyscraper heels and try a classical look with floaty frilled dresses, shaped and cinched at the waist, sky high open toed heels and wide brimmed hat, you can’t go wrong and you’ll look amazing too, black is sophisticated and stylish.
Having a wedding to look forward to this summer should be filled with excitement not dread, make sure you enjoy every aspect of it, and be sure you look amazing too, visit the Harrods online wedding store to find perfect wedding guest outfits for summer weddings
Designer Wedding Dress – Brides And Dreams Redcar, Brides On A Budget
Think You Can’t Afford A Designer Wedding Dress? Try Natalie At Brides And Dreams
Natalie from Brides & Dreams in Redcar was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to tell wedding dresses her personal story of how after not being able to afford a designer wedding dress for her own wedding, she took up the challenge to help brides in the North East of England in a similar position, and opened a bridal store catering for brides who want to find a designer wedding dress on a budget. Its a great story, so let Natalie tell it herself…
Tell us a little about yourself, your background & Why you started your venture?
Hi, well I’m one of these people who never knows when to ‘stop’. With a house, a husband, 3 children and a new business to look after, I then introduced a puppy to the equation, and that’s me and my life. But I love life, my family and my crazy and creative chaotic ways.
I’ve always been a girly girl, dressing up, wearing my mum’s shoes and jewellery and my bridesmaid dress. As I grew up, my first job was a Hotel Receptionist in Redcar’s main hotel (at the time) and I would watch brides come though the hotel to their wedding reception. Right then I had a thing for weddings, I’d sneak down the hall and stand at the doorway and stare into the ballroom in awe.
I didn’t head straight into the wedding industry though, I worked within the voluntary sector for many years as well as a couple of other jobs whilst moving home. But it was my passion for event planning and organising my own wedding that made me realise this was the industry I really loved and needed to be part of!
I spent the next few years soul searching and looking for inspiration from all over the place. But it was only when I was pregnant with my 3rd child, with too much time on my hands whilst on maternity leave, that I decided to take action, enough was enough and I wanted to ‘go for it’ and open a bridal store.
When did you start it?
I was 35 weeks pregnant when I thought it a good time to start a business ha ha. I began planning my bridal business venture in September 2011 and it all came together very quickly and I opened my local bridal store on January 30th, 2012.
Where you are based?
The bridal store is based in Redcar, Cleveland/North Yorkshire and is situated in a charming little walkway off the high street called Redcar Central Arcade. I have nicknamed it ‘Bridal Avenue’ as it has a candy shop, a beautician, a nail bar, a cake maker, and a tattoo parlour to mark the occasion and of course a bridal shop ha ha, everything you need for the wedding (well nearly).
What services do you offer and specialities that you can recommend
My shop is small and intimate and as a result it’s focus is all about the bride, so the boutique is filled with wedding dresses, veils, accessories and petticoats. Although, due to a demand, I do now sell bridesmaid dresses too. I receive many enquiries for mother of the bride and prom dresses, and can order these in for people upon request.
Designer Wedding Dress Brands you stock, bridesmaids dresses, accessories
Because Brides & Dreams stocks nearly new, pre-loved wedding dresses and ex sample gowns, I have the flexibility to hold a vast range of designer wedding dresses and all ready to take away. I currently have in stock Maggie Sottero, Romantica, Ronald Joyce, Trudy Lee, D’zage, Sincerity and Alfred Angelo to name a few! However the stock is refreshed constantly and what isn’t for one bride to be, will be for another. So I always recommend to my brides that if they have time, to keep popping back and see what’s new in or check out bridesanddreams.co.uk. Bridesmaid dresses are by Linzi Jay and my veils and accessories are by Richard Designs
All my wedding dresses are priced under £500. Bridesmaids start at £165, veils from £35 and accessories from £15. It was an important factor to me when setting up my shop that I wanted to help brides to buy one of those dresses they see in the wedding magazines, even if they were budget conscious.
It was my own wedding dress shopping experience that has influenced my whole concept. As whilst window shopping at a designer wedding dress sale in London (and very naive for it), I found ‘the one’, the dress I wanted to get married in. It was ‘Leigh Anne’ by Caroline Castigliano and consisted of a fitted white strapless satin bodice with some simple diamonte detail to the bottom left side and a full skirt in organza silk. I loved it! But it was only when my best friend asked the assistant the price that reality kicked me in the gut. “Its £1500, reduced from £3000”. My heart sunk. I stood there knowing that I had £85 in the bank and despite them dropping the price to £1200 for me, I still had to walk away. I cried all the way back to my friend’s house. 4 years on and I still get upset thinking about it or looking at pictures of my dream dress which I never had for my wedding day.
Do you recommend making an appointment?
Yes, I always recommend making an appointment if you can. I work in the shop alone at the moment and lock my door during appointments, so without an appointment you could turn up and I’m closed whilst I tend to my lady shopping for her dream dress already.
What can the customer expect when visiting your store?
As soon as they walk through the door they are greeted with a hello and a smile. Some of the ladies come through the door and are nervous, have never been in a bridal shop before or just don’t have a clue what they are looking for. I try and break down those walls with light hearted banter and my down to earth persona. Failing my own charm, a cup of tea or coffee seems to do the trick.
I always give my brides to be my full attention and so as mentioned previously, I do lock my shop door.
Appointments can last anything between 15mins to 1hour30mins, depending on if the bride knows what she wants or doesn’t, however I do not mind how long it takes.
What sets your Local Bridal store in redcar apart from any other similar service in your catchment area?
The area has plenty of bridal shops out of town but Redcar has not had one for 4 years before I opened. What differentiates Brides & Dreams from the others is the vast range of designer names and the guaranteed price ceiling which instantly puts budget conscious brides at ease.
What big plans have you got for your business over the coming months?
I’m currently working on a big publicity campaign with local Redcar businesses, coordinated by myself but I can’t give too much away just yet.
My main plan is to continue providing this wonderful service to the brides-to-be of Redcar and surrounding areas, and look forward to seeing all the photos from their big day… in my dresses of course! Next to that, I’m trying not to run before I can walk. The industry has so much to offer that its easy to get carried away providing more services in my wedding package and losing touch with the original plan.
Are you married or plan to get married soon?
Yes, I have been married to Michael for 4 years in September.
What type of wedding did you Have?
My wedding was a lovely day with moments I would change and moments I would organise better, moments of humour and moments that were just perfect.
As it was an autumn wedding the weather all week had been poor and rained almost everyday, but on the morning of our wedding the sun was beaming.
We had a traditional church wedding surrounded by the majority of Michaels family and the majority of my close friends. The wedding reception was held at Redcar Racecourse.
I’m a passionate person and I wanted to have my wedding where I call ‘home’. When looking at venues, I’d visited local hotels and function rooms but none of them jumped out to me. I’ve always been a bit quirky and I didn’t want to follow trend for the usual wedding venues. So I rang the Racecourse and asked if they catered for weddings and they did, I went to have a look. I walked into the room with my brother (who was bringing a male perspective in Michael’s absence) and it took our breath away. The whole room was lit up by natural sunlight through the 100ft wall of glass windows overlooking the racecourse and the skyline of Redcar. It was a done deal and the personal bonus too was on the other side of the room I could see the cemetery where my mum was buried. It was meant to be! My mum would still be with me on my wedding day.
I wore on the day a Maggie Sottero couture gown called ‘Ella’. After my experience in London I was too scared to go shopping in th elocal bridal stores, so hunted for wedding dresses online for a dress within my budget as close to the one I fell in love with. Diamond white in colour, It was a fitted boned bodice covered in Swaroski crystal detail and an organza silk overlay a line cathedral length skirt.
Bridesmaids wore pale gold Mori Lee dresses, each with a hint of individuality. We didn’t really have a theme apart from our gold colour scheme. The day as a whole represented us as a couple: relaxed, simple and not overly fussy.
What’s your favourite wedding dress of all time
I’d have to be loyal to my dream dress and say Caroline Castigliano’s Leigh Anne, although Vera Wang’s dress worn by Kate Hudson in Bride Wars took my breath away too. I’m a princess dress lady you see. I grew up with Disney fairy-tales and always loved Cinderella. x
What’s your Top 5 Pro Tips to choosing a wedding dress
- Don’t say you don’t like something before you have tried it on.
- Take someone with you who you are 100% comfortable with and trust. If you aren’t relaxed in their company then you won’t enjoy the experience and you could miss out on a dress which you really do like but didn’t want to say.
- If you have a budget, be honest at the beginning. Let the assistant know not to bring out dresses which cost more than what you have set. That way you won’t fall in love with something out of reach.
- Don’t say you’re smaller in size than you are. Its an awful feeling when ladies tell me the smaller end of the size scale only to find once I’ve put the dress on, that actually they are two sizes more. Its always best to be too big as they can be pinned in.
- Try not to be bridezilla about it all. It should be a relaxed and happy experience and if you don’t find ‘the one’ then don’t go in a frantic state and do a bridal shop marathon in search for the dress! Just take a breath and plan another day.
What’s your favourite wedding song? (first dance)
My favourite wedding song would have to be The Carpenters ‘ We’ve only just begun’. Whenever I hear it, I always feel so warm and loved up. However this wasn’t mine, my wedding song was Kaci and JoJo ‘All my Life’. It was a part of our early days together.
What’s Your Claim to fame?
Ha ha, I’ve had a few. My biggest though would be meeting HRH Duke of York and telling him about a charity I worked with… Oh and not to forgetting to have the neck to ask him for a picture together too!
I’m sure you’ll agree, Natalie has a great personality and she’s passionate about want she does. If you’re a bride to be in the Cleveland or North Yorkshire area and would like to discuss you requirements, she’ll only be too pleased to give her advice and get the best possible wedding dress for you. Natalie is available using the details below…
contact details
Address: No 8 Redcar Central Arcade, 112 High Street, Redcar TS10 3DH
Tel: 01642 941385
Email: bridesanddreams (at) ymail (dot) com
Website: www.bridesanddreams.co.uk
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/BridesandDreams
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bridesanddreamsredcar
Are Traditional Wedding Dresses Being Squeezed Out By Celebrity Wedding Culture
As a bride, naturally you want to look as good as possible on your wedding day, but are you clear about the choices available to you and the trends to consider for your wedding dress? do you prefer more traditional wedding dresses, or are you yearning for the red carpet and looking for a little more Hollywood glamour on your wedding day? Well according to Carley Roney, Co-Founder and editor in chief of TheKnot.com there is a change in what brides want from their wedding day which is resulting in a fundamental shift in wedding dress design.
The overwhelming evidence at least at the moment is that brides are wanting less of the traditional look to their wedding dress and more of the celebrity red carpet feel instead. Whilst there are still plenty of brides who prefer the Ball gown style of traditional wedding dress, the trend is definitely shifting more towards the glamour of the celebrity, red carpet inspired creation.
Wedding Dress Trends Are Dictated By Older More Fashion Forward Brides
Its not unusual that a bride takes care of how she looks leading up to her wedding day, with many hitting the gym and putting in the hard hours so they can look good specifically for their wedding day. Naturally they want to show off the fruits of their labour, and as a result, the hot wedding dress trend is more reflective of the celebrity red carpet than the church aisle. More and more brides are choosing to wear a long sexy, hip hugging dresses, with maybe a flair at the bottom to maintain a touch of traditionalism, but ultimately they want a dress which shows off their shape.
This shift in wedding dress design is largely as a result of brides being older, wiser and a little more fashion forward. They also want that celebrity feel, and their attitude is that if they are going to spend upwards of £2000 on their wedding dress, feeling special is not enough, they want to look and feel like a superstar walking down the Aisle. A body hugging celebrity inspired wedding dress is exactly the look that many brides want to present these days.
Brides are also being influenced by the media fuelled celebrity bride culture, with high profile brides being “papped” like the Kardashian’s, Kate Moss, Jessica Simpson and even our own Fairytale Royal Wedding, the hype is most definitely surrounding the designer wedding dress. Designer labels like Alexander McQueen, Vera Wang, Marchesa and Oscar de la Renta wedding gowns are bandied about, and the common or garden bride now wants to have a slice of the celebrity culture and join the fun, albiet just for one day, but an ideal occasion when they can be the centre of attention too.
You Don’t Have to Be Extreme To Avoid Traditional White Wedding Dresses?
Not only is it the style and design of wedding dresses that are changing, so too are the colours, whereas previously all wedding dresses were predominately white or ivory, brides are now dictating colour choice too, with coffee’s, rich creams, even black and red wedding dresses becoming popular. While the difference in colour may suggest that the brides are looking to become even more extravagant, it seems as if it is all tied in with how luxurious the gown looks and feels, often darker colours add to the richness of how the garment looks and therefore contributes to the overall opulent feel a bride is after, which white often does not provide.
However, If you feel the sexy wedding dress is all a bit too extreme, but you still would prefer to steer away from the traditional dress, there is an in-between style that has also become more prominent recently and maybe more appealing. Its often a beautiful strapless lace dress that has some flair at the bottom, so it is a comfortable mix of being a little bit figure hugging, but with elements of the traditional bridal gown. This style is now the most popular of styles with the likes of a trumpet skirt which also reflects the more regular catwalk styles of today’s designer clothes outside the realms of bridalwear.
How Many Dress Fittings Is Enough?
With the emphasis on looking as good as possible in you wedding dress, the question arises of how many pre wedding fittings should one have? Normal evidence suggests 3 fitting should be adequate, the first being when you buy the dress or not long after, and even though a lot of gowns are custom made, there still needs to be a reference point to go from. Typically there is a second fitting maybe about a month before the wedding, then the final fitting is about a week before the wedding itself, just in case you’ve dropped or put on a couple of pounds.
However one note of caution… its common for a lot brides to go on a diet just before the wedding, which means that the final fitting is the most crucial, but be careful not to go on a crash diet between the final fitting and the wedding day itself. Not only is any kind of crash diet bad for you and your health, it could also have dramatic effect on how the dress looks on you. The last thing you want is to be swimming in your wedding dress and waste all that money and effort in looking fabulous for that most special of days, only to be talked about for all the wrong reasons. No matter how much you think it will benefit you, its just not worth it, unless of course your ambition is to be the ultimate bridezilla!
Have you got an opinion about this article, do you agree or disagree? lets us know your thoughts in the comments section below
A First Class Wedding Photographer In Durham Passionate About Her Job
Wedding Dresses recently met Sarah Thew… Sarah is the owner and photographer at Sarah Thew Photography based on Front Street in Shotley Bridge, County Durham. She is perhaps one of the best known wedding photographers in Durham and the North-East of England, and she is absolutely passionate about wedding photography too! If you’re a bride in the North East of England, and looking for the ideal wedding photographer for your wedding, then read on, you may have just found her…
Tell Us A Little About Yourself, Your Background And Why You Became A Wedding Photographer?
Well, I love photography that’s why I do this job!
Born and bred in The North East, I have been married to Peter for eleven years and Mother to two beautiful girls who are both budding little photographers themselves! Sarah Thew Photography has been trading since 2002. I have always enjoyed taking photographs since the age of six when my Uncle Tony gave me my first camera.
I just love doing wedding photography as every wedding is different and you get to be part of a couple’s magical day. I just adore having the job and responsibility of recording the events of the day as they unfold.
I initially started off working from my beautiful home that is set on the edge of Tynedale in the picturesque Derwent Valley. Here I had a home studio where I started off doing portraits of children and my one true love, wedding photography. This was a huge success for me and due to the high demand I have now opened up my own photography studio in Shotley Bridge.
I wouldn’t have the enjoyable business that I have today if it wasn’t for my wonderful husband
Peter, who is also a photographer and attends most weddings with me.
Where Is Sarah Thew Photography Based?
As I mentioned earlier, we’re very lucky with our location as we are situated in the beautiful village of Shotley Bridge, that is set on the edge of Tynedale in the picturesque Derwent Valley. Not only is it a lovely tranquil County Durham Village, Shotley bridge is also becoming a bit of a wedding hub too. I share the high street with a bridal store and a florist, so you can kill several birds with one stone so to speak when visiting our studio, you can even round it off with a coffee at a leading North-East bistro next door to me.
What Services Do You Offer Or Can Recommend
I am very proud of my unblemished reputation as a first class wedding photographer, my aim is to capture the sense of happiness that surrounds the whole day. I strongly believe that your wedding photography shouldn’t just be a collection of photographs, but a story book of your memorable day, capturing all the magic and special moments as they unfold. Guests arriving, having a laugh, the nerves of the Groom and Bestman, finest clothes and hats, Mum’s with their handkerchiefs, proud Dads and cheeky Bridesmaids are moments that sometimes get overlooked at weddings and we always do our best to capture them.
This is why I always attend wedding with a second photographer, normally Peter my husband. This allows us greater opportunity to capture those candid and natural moments by recording a great deal more in detail
I only attend one wedding per day to ensure you receive the service you desire and an unlimited number of shots will be taken. I like to visit the venue of your wedding a few weeks before the big day as the enables me to check out the location and work out a possible wet weather routine!
I am fully CRB checked and an active member of The Society Of Wedding and Portrait Photographers
As A Wedding Photographer, Do You Have a House Style Or Format That You Follow?
I try to keep away from a formulaic approach as that sets me apart from my competition. I aim to be original, but always consult with and try to collaborate with the clients ideas as they often contribute to the creative process, naturally I also bring my experience as a wedding photographer into the mix.
I would describe my style of photography as informal and this has proven to be a massive success, by combining the traditional with the informal and the candid with the creatively posed.
What About An Idea of Pricing Then?
Our prices range from £500 – £1000 and they reflect the enormous value for money you get from Sarah Thew Photography.
We offer a variety of packages to cater to every requirement and budget whilst providing a perfect package you’ll be happy with. Every month I have a special offer featured, so its always worth calling in to the studio to check our amazing offer or checking the Sarah Thew Photography Facebook page.
Can You Offer Our Readers Any Special Offers?
I had a feeling you were going to ask me about something like this, so I am happy to offer a pre-wedding shoot for FREE to any wedding bookings made. Anyone wishing to take up the offer needs to quote the offer “WEDDINGDRESS OFFER”
Do You Need An Appointment?
If you would like to discuss any requirements, we prefer you to call or drop us an email to book an appointment with me, that way you will have my full attention. I will always try and make myself available to passers by, but sometimes I can be on the move, out on location or working in the studio, so it’s best to call before popping in.
What Can The Customer Expect When Using Sarah Thew Photography?
I have a professional manner as do my team, and our aim is to exceed your expectations. I try to put excellence and quality at the heart of everything we do at here at Sarah Thew Photography, ultimately you as a customer are the focus, its your occasion and we understand that we’re employed to capture those once in a lifetime moments so you will have the best memories of your day recorded.
What Sets Your Service Apart From Other Wedding Photographers In The North East?
My Business is usually through word of mouth, so I naturally concentrate on giving quality and service and value for money, otherwise I get one unhappy customer and my business drops. My commitment to my customers is to invest in the best facilities, talented people and a modern, friendly studio.
My CV, experience and reputation is one that I am proud of and has been built on through following these principles, together with lots of hard work. I am fortunate to have had fantastic feedback from over 200 weddings, I believe that it is down my passion in photography, attention to detail and ensuring that craft, quality and experience is reflected in your wedding album as a record of your special day.
What’s Proving A Popular Request At Your Studio Currently?
We have found our “Re-Live The Moment” Package is very popular. Once your wedding day is over you have two choices of what to do with your wedding dress. You can suffocate it in a bag or hang it in a wardrobe, or you can put it back on and have some real fun.
Re-Live The Moment gives you a chance to have a fun photo session to do what you never had time for on your wedding day. You can be a little risky with your dress like splashing it in water or playing on a farm since the fear of it getting dirty is over. I have been married eleven years and would have loved the opportunity to do that.
What Big Plan Have You Got For Sarah Thew Photography?
Well, because of my success since opening the studio I am now looking to expand, I will remain situated in Shotley Bridge. I can’t reveal too much yet as it’s in the early stages, but we’re in discussions with landlords regarding a number of properties, I’m very excited!
Have You Your Own Personal Favourite Wedding Song?
I hear so many different wedding songs in my work and they are all different and mean so much for different reasons, but I think my personal favourite would have to be a song special for Peter and I, Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrision, its a classic, and it always gets people up to dance, no matter what the occasion!
What’s Your Claim To Fame?
When I was 8 years old I got to meet Sir Jimmy Saville and Kevin Keegan! I have also had the pleasure of photographing Joe McCeldry and Faye Tozer for Josie’s Dragonfly Trust, both wonderful people and my daughters also got to meet them, they now think I have a really cool and awesome job!
Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer these question for us, it really does sounds as if you love your job too, and some brilliant wedding photographs that you’ve supplied too…
Should you wish to discuss booking your wedding photography with Sarah, you can contact her using the details below.
Contact Details
Name: Sarah Thew
Address: Front Street, Shotley Bridge, Consett, Co Durham, DH80HH
Tel: 01207 438825 07917273541
Email: photos at sarahthew dot com
Web: http://www.sarahthew.co.uk
Social: http://facebook.com/sarahthew
One Of The Finest Professional Wedding Photographers In Wiltshire
Looking For A Wedding Photographer In Wiltshire?
Brides to be looking for top wedding photographers in Wiltshire can do no better than to speak to Anthony Milner of AKM photography. Despite his young age he has enormous experience in different aspects of commercial photography, though Anthony’s “Bread and Butter” is as a professional wedding photographer, and one who has been taught his craft by some of the best in the business. That’s why during the summer month he’s busy darting across the south of England and beyond fulfilling the duties as a professional wedding photographer in demand.
But rather than me telling you about how good he is, let him tell you himself, punctuated by some examples of his work
Tell us a little about yourself, your background and why you started your venture?
I love working with a wide variety of different customers that’s what makes each and every day different, plus I always wanted to be creative so being a professional photographer is a dream job for me. My main ambition was to have my own photographic studio and to have 40 wedding customers per year by the age of 30, so I’m lucky enough that I have been able to achieve some of my goals so early in life.
When Did You Start AKM Photograpahy?
Well, it wasn’t an off the cuff decision, there’s a lot of hard graft to become a top class photographer, I started by getting educated first with my Btec and then my photography Degree from Derby University. Once I felt I could fully satisfy a clients brief and I felt I could exceed the standards of others in the same field, I then went freelance in 2003.
I also trained with one of Britain’s best wedding photographers Peter Constable in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. I used to travel from Derby to Cambridge ever Saturday to work with Peter to learn the fine art of capturing amazing wedding images.
Where Is AKM Photography Based?
We’re very lucky with our location too as we are situated in the very beautiful town of Chippenham, Wiltshire near the historical city of Bath, just off the M4.
What Services Do You Offer Or Can Recommend
AKM Photography are proud to have worked with many top brands and publications in a variety of Genres, Including House and Garden, Aston Martin, and we have even featured in Vogue!
We want to retain our reputation as a first class wedding photographer, so we bring all of our creative genres together to create a stunning look for your wedding day. The aim is to capture the sense of happiness that surrounds the whole day, all the fun times and the memory’s so you can really have something to treasure and a splendid record of the day to be re-visited time and time again in the modern but elegant wedding albums we provide.
Many clients have mentioned to me that a big plus for them was how they appreciated me being there unobtrusively, in the background, to capture those special memories during the day, naturally. AKM are a very friendly bunch, but I have one heck of a loud vocal voice when having to sort the groups for the main group photographs as I know that people don’t want to be milling around for hours on end especially the bride and groom. A good photographer stands back, but when needed, can help control the days events.
What About An Idea of Pricing Then?
Our prices range from £700 – £2000.
We offer a variety of packages to cater to every requirement and budget whilst providing a perfect package you’ll be happy with. Every month AKM Photography has a special offer featured, so its always worth calling in to the studio to check our amazing offer or checking the website www.professional-photographer.org.uk, but there is a booking fee required upon placing an order.
So Can The Dear Readers of Weddingdresses.org.uk Get A Speacial Deal?
OK, so as you’ve twisted my arm, I can offer the readers of wedding dresses a special discount of 29% off our gold package, but you have to mention the discount code “AKMWEDDINGS” when ordering to have it applied.
Do You Need An Appointment?
If you would like to discuss any requirements, please do call or drop us an email to book an appointment with me or any of my team. I will always try and make myself available, but sometimes I can be on the move, out on location or in the studio, so if popping in to have a quick chat I may be hard to catch, but Jade or Ellie are very capable of going through your requirements and presenting what we can offer for you.
What Can The Customer Expect When Using Your Service?
Wedding photography is its own fine art genre, I have photographed over 250 wedding all over the UK. I have a professional manner as do my staff, and our aim is to exceed your expectations. I try to put excellence and quality at the heart of everything we do at here at AKM, ultimately you as a customer are the focus, its your occasion and we understand that we’re employed to capture those once in a lifetime moments so you will have the best memories of your day recorded.
AKM Photography only provides the best quality wedding albums and their supplier won wedding album of the year 2011.
What Sets Your Service Apart From Other Wedding Photographers In Wiltshire?
With there being so many unqualified “amateur” photographers out there trying to jump on the band wagon, we at AKM Photography concentrate on quality and service, we have invested in the best facilities, talented people and a high street store plus a studio filled with the latest equipment, not mention being a local employer. We have a CV and the experience other photographers dream of. But ultimately we are all passionate about our craft and we strive to ensure that craft, quality and experience is reflected in your wedding album as a record of your special day.
What Big Plan Have You Got For AKM Photography?
Well, it is big news, as AKM Photography is planning to expand into a new studio to be situated in the Beautiful city of Bath. I can’t reveal too much yet as its in the early stages, but we’re in discussions with landlords regarding a number of properties, I’m very excited!
Are You Married Or Plan To Get Married Soon?
Ha ha ! I’m a single guy at the moment, but always on the look out for the future Mrs Milner. I’ve had the benefit of attending so many weddings in my life I have some amazing ideas of what type of wedding I would like. I can’t reveal exactly what my wedding would be like as that would spoil the surprise for my future wife wouldn’t it? but when I do get married I will want only the best, however that leaves the dilemma of who would I chose as the photographer, but I guess you’ll just have to wait and see until then?
What’s Your Favourite Wedding Song?
For me its not the song that makes the wedding evening, I would really want a fun creative band that gets everybody dancing. but if you’re pushing me I suppose I’ll have to say “I Will Walk” by the The Proclaimers, I know its a blokes song, and not really a first dance type of song, but at least everyone can join in, and that’s the real essence of a great wedding day for me.
What’s Your Claim to fame?
I have won two British Championship medals for a sport that involves wearing Lycra, Im not saying what that sport is, I’ll only add that Google has some embarrassing photographs of me lol!
So after a great Interview with a thoroughly nice guy, we would recommend that if anyone is looking for a wedding photographer in Wiltshire or wider across the South of England, be sure to get in contact, I have no doubt he will help you with your requirements and give you so me great ideas of how you can capture all the fun of your wedding day. What ever you do, don’t forget to mention “AKMWEDDINGS” to get your 29% off AKM’s Gold wedding package exclusively for readers of www.weddingdresses.org.uk!
Contact Details
Name: Anthony Milner
Address: Borough Parade, Chippenham, Wiltshire. SN153WL
Tel: 01249 656501
Email: info@akm-photography.co.uk
Web: www.professional-photographer.org.uk
Nine Perfect Wedding Guest Dresses For Less Than £100
Coast Make The Perfect Wedding Guest Outfits
Coast have some wonderful wedding guest dresses for you if you’re going to a spring wedding, ofcourse, it doesn’t have to be as a wedding guest, no, you can even choose one of these great dresses even if you’re bride that doesn’t want to conform to the traditional, but still wants to look on trend.
Regardless if you’re a guest, the bride to be or the mother of the bride, you can guarantee to find some thing you’ll fall in love with at Coast Stores. Not only have they some great ideas for spring wedding guest dresses, but what’s even better is the wonderful people over at Coast have spread their good will and happiness by having some great offers on too:
Offer: Free Saver Delivery
Code: Discount Applied on Site
Valid: Saturday 10th March
Expires: Sunday 18th March
Here are a few of the dresses available:
£95
Keep your look glamorous this spring with this unique shift style dress. The Ellison Dress has a 50′s inspired square neckline and is tailored to flatter the bust. The dress features an adjustable slim-line waist belt to add focus to your waist. The dress has a concealed side-zip fastening and split at the back of the skirt for effortless wearing
Jimena Print Cotton Shift Dress
£95
Update your wardrobe this spring with this unique, stunning dress. Work the floral look in the Jimena Cotton Sateen Dress which is elegantly tailored to cinch you in at the waist and skim over the hips for a flattering and subtly sexy look. The dress has an elegant V back and comes with an adjustable black waist belt to emphasise the hourglass shape.
£95
An eye-catching shift, the Ama Dress is a chic homage to 60′s style. The elegant round neckline and twisted satin back detail gives this dress a modern appeal and makes it perfect for any special occasion. Beautiful and flattering, the discreet darting detail at the bust creates a smooth silhouette.
£95
A sleek and subtly sexy wrap dress- a true investment piece for any wardrobe. The Olivia Jersey Dress is expertly tailored to flatter the feminine figure with gathered ruche detail at the waist and elegant waterfall drape detail that flows down the skirt.
£95
A bold and beautiful dress that is both wearable and stylish. The Millia Colour Block Dress has a wide neck-line and a stretch waistband detail which flatters the feminine figure. It features 3/4 length sleeves with discreet ruche detailing at the cuff. The back of the dress has a faux button strip which adds impact to this statement colour block style
So as you can see there’s some wonderful dresses just perfect for your this spring…. plus the dresses can be worn for any posh frock occasion, not just for a wedding.
remember to take advantage of the special offer Coast have running currently, so don’t forget….
Big Fat Gypsy Wedding Dress Designers
Name Some Famous UK Wedding Dress Designers?
Ever heard the name of Thelma Madine? Well If I mentioned the award winning Channel 4 TV documentary series Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, and the wedding dress that have been created for the show are by Thelma, surely then fans of the show will be all too familiar with her, and with that exposure, it also makes her one of the biggest wedding dress designers not only in the UK but the world too?
The show is compulsive viewing and now in its second series its viewing figures are reputed to be larger than any other documentary series Channel 4 has ever aired. It is now just as popular all over the world as in the UK thanks to the weekly voyeuristic peek into a world we know little of, not to mention the spectacular creations that emerge each week form Thelma’s wedding dress store.
After reading a recent article in The Daily Telegraph about Thelma, I found her story just as compelling as that of the TV show, the lady who makes the extraordinary designer wedding dresses for Gypsy’s has an interesting story to tell about how she got where she is today, and how a little luck brought her to the point where she is now the de facto wedding dresses designer of the Gypsy bride.
Before the making of the TV programme, Channel 4 spent a lot of time before they commissioned the show to get Thelma on board, as not only is she trusted within the travelling community, she is also only too familiar with the unique vagaries of travellers, she’s found, for example, that requesting large deposits for her dresses is the only thing that can guarantee they will return to collect the finished gown. This dynamic with her customer has in effect made Thelma the glue that sticks the show together, and has allowed channel 4 to produced a TV show which shows a unique insight into a world we wouldn’t have otherwise known.
Global Demand For Wedding Dress Designer
Despite not being raised as, or ever claiming to be from a gypsy background, Thelma does admit that the majority of her clientèle do generally come from the traveller community, which is odd in itself, as you find out during the course of the TV series that generally Gypsy’s are mistrusting of “outsiders”. As the global TV audience grows, so to does her demand for her uniquely designed wedding dresses as her Facebook and twitter accounts are deluged with requests from gypsies across the world requesting wedding dresses designed and made by Thelma. This has been spurred somewhat by an interview with Kate Moss recently, where she admitted that it was the wedding dresses in BFGW which gave her the inspiration to get married.
Thelma has always had a fascination with the kinds of dresses she now makes. ‘I loved big, sticky-out dresses and, as I got older, I liked anything Victorian looking.’ she worked with her mother doing wedding catering after leaving school and, inspired by the surroundings of posh hotels and the events she attended, began to plan her own.
After marrying into a business family, she had the opportunity to set up a business and started a children’s fashion chain around Liverpool, though it was only when she started to make communion dresses for the chain did she move a step closer to what she is known for now, unfortunately her marriage started to fall apart as did the clothes chain not long after.
After the collapse of her business, she could only continue making clothes through the kindness of family and friends, she was able to set up a stall at Paddy’s market in Liverpool as it was the only business premises she could afford at the time. It was here that her fortunes started to change, one day a lady asked her to make three “gone with the wind” style dresses, the lady who ordered them didn’t turn up to collect the dresses, so Thelma hung them up on her stall to sell, she had only made 3 dresses as per the ladies request, but by the end of the day she had orders for a further 17.
Big Fat Gypsy Wedding Luck!
News spread throughout the travelling community about her stall at the market where it became a popular meeting place for the female Gypsy fraternity who were also becoming regular customers. It was soon after, one Gypsy asked Thelma if she could make a wedding dress for her daughter, after Thelma said yes, the Gypsy said it’ll have to have a 30 foot train, the following week the order had changed to a 107 ft train due to the Gypsy’s cousin getting married the previous week and her train was 100ft! The following week the Gypsy who ordered the wedding dress returned to her stall only to order 18 bridesmaids dresses. Word spread like wild fire around the travelling community about Thelma’s wedding dresses and orders started to grow to a point where she could afford to open a store, while still keeping the market stall open on a week end.
The phenomenon of the Big Fat Gypsy wedding TV concept actually came from the time when an order for a wedding dress was requested by a Gypsy bride to be… “I want the biggest dress that’s ever been made, the most crystals that have ever been on a dress and the widest skirt you’ve ever seen.” this dress had to be hand made from start to finish and the order was for a young Gypsy girl who was to be married on her 16th birthday. Money was no object and the finished dress weighed 21 stone. Naturally the press heard about the dress and gatecrashed the wedding, it was soon after that Jenny Popplewell, a producer with Firecracker Films, called Thelma every month for a year until she finally gave in and agreed to start filming for the documentary, and the rest they say is history….
After reading Daily Telegraph interview, I am really interested to read Thelma’s new book – Tales of the Gypsy Dressmaker
Why don't you give it a try, I think I will, and if you enjoy it, please come back to the site and tell us what you thought of it.
Big Fat Gypsy Wedding is on Channel 4 (UK) Tuesday's 9pm.
Polterabend To Illegal Confetti – A German Traditional Wedding
A Traditional Wedding in Germany
Some weeks ago I attended a family wedding which I appreciate is not such staggering news in itself. Though as it was my first experience of a traditional wedding in Germany, I was interested to see how it differed from the UK equivalent, I’m hoping too my readers may also find it of interest… plus I could hardly go to a wedding without mentioning on the UK’s biggest wedding dresses blog could I?
So the invitation was received months prior to the wedding itself, it was to be a three day affair which I believe is fairly common for a German wedding, consisting of a Family gathering on Thursday Evening, civil ceremony on the Friday, religious ceremony on the Saturday, then back home on Sunday, quite the marathon.
After carrying out quick research on Wikipedia for German traditional wedding, not only did I discover that in Germany the marriage is not recognised as lawful without a civil ceremony, so unlike the UK, you can’t get married in a religious ceremony only, as it wouldn’t be recognised by the state, hence the need for both civil and a religious ceremony. I also came across the tradition of “Polterabend”, which is a traditional wedding custom in Germany which is normally held on the eve of the wedding. One thing I deduced from this was that Germans don’t do wedding in half measures….
“Polterabend”, A Smashing Traditional Wedding Celebration!
So fast forward to the weekend of the wedding itself and the afore mentioned “Polterabend”, This oldest of traditional wedding customs goes back many centuries where the guests congregate at the brides parents house to break ceramic porcelain, this is believed to bring the couple luck in their marriage. Apparently there is an old adage: “Shards bring luck” (German: Scherben bringen Glück). Here’s me thinking it was just the Greeks? but the tradition was derived from a time in history when the word “shard” referred to unbroken clay pots made by potters. It was said that a full jar was a lucky thing to have, therefore the expression “shards bring luck”. Also following tradition, no invitations are to be sent out for a “Polterabend”, but instead news of the event is to be spread only through word of mouth.
The “Polterabend” was a hugely enjoyable celebration with food and drink and a good ice breaker where both side of the family could get to know one another, though still a little difficult with the language barrier as most of the Germans didn’t speak English, and vice versa.
The highlight of the evening was the breaking (outside of the house) of whatever crockery people had brought, everyone had their turn at smashing something, especially the kids who couldn’t believe their luck at being allowed to actually throw cups and plates on the floor, one activity they been scolded for since birth.
Apparently any ceramic item can be smashed during “Polterabend” and we witnessed everything, as well as the kitchen sink being broken (literally). Though it is bad luck break glass or mirrors, in the latter case as in the UK, it carries 7 years bad luck. The evening ended with the bride and groom sweeping up the shards (with a little help from the guests), according to German wedding tradition, this allows the couple to appreciate that they will have to work as a team in the future to get through tough times together.
Hot And Steamy Start To Married Life!
Fridays Civil ceremony was a formal affair, the ladies got dressed up to the nines with fascintors being the order of the day, men in suits. The weather was nothing short of spectacular, as the sun was splitting the trees, shining from a cloudless sky, though the temperature was in the low 30o Celsius it was rather warm to say the least which made it a tad uncomfortable.
The civil ceremony was held at the townhall in Münsingen, the village in which the Brides parents live and believed to be date as far back as 775AD. It is the most picturesque of German villages situated on the edge of the black forest, not far from the Swiss border, The town hall was a site to behold too being a traditional town hall of the Gothic style from around 13th – 14th century, it certainly was a superb backdrop for such an occasion the ideal setting for a traditional wedding.
The Couple arrived together on foot, and as befitting the occasion the bride wore a simple summer fitted shift dress, off white, armless, and a keyhole back detail with embroided pattern on the chest, I was reliably informed it was the Alice Dress from Monsoon, The dress was appropriate not only for the occasion, but for the weather too with temperature hitting 32o degrees.
After civil ceremony, another quaint German traditional wedding custom was waiting for the newly weds on the steps of the Town hall in the shape of a tree trunk resting in an easel, with a woodmans saw lying on top. The objective was for the pair to cut the tree trunk in half, thus representing their first task together as a married couple and symbolising their ability to work together. It was also pointed out that we weren’t allowed to throw confetti as not only was it not a tradition in Germany, but is actually a criminal offence, classed as littering, all the same that didn’t get in the way of the long standing British tradition of throwing confetti over the newly married couple, “illegidly”, though it was carried out on the lawned area to be considerate as possible.
The day was rounded off with a lovely meal for all the guests which on this occasion was at a Greek restaurant, though I’m unsure whether this was tradition too, or Greek was just the couple’s preferred option?
Saturday – A Traditional Wedding Ceremony And A Beautiful Wedding Dress
Despite it being much cooler than the previous day, it was dry all the same. The religious ceremony was held in the Münsingen church. As the Groom was English, we brought our own little bit of wedding tradition to the occasion as the groom, the fathers and ushers all wore morning suits, which apparently is something not done in Germany.
The service itself was only unusual in that it was conducted in both English and German languages, as the priest progressed through the service he switched languages, with the congregation being able to follow on a duel language missle. Of course the highlight of the occasion was the entrance of the bride, who of course looked stunning, in a wedding gown designed by Spanish design house Atler Diagonal. The wedding dress from their 2011 bridal collection, design No 2846 was of a bandeau style dress with a fitted lace bodice flowing to a full skirt and train, embellished diamantes and lace detailing along its length, to the back the dress featured hook and eye back fastening detail, the bride wore a simple veil for the ceremony and a satin bolero.
The three bridesmaid complimented the bride perfectly in lilac bridesmaids dresses, all of which were slightly different in style, with a further 4 flower girls looking ever so cute in frilly lace white dress with a lilac sash tied around the waist with a giant bow to the front and back.
Once the ceremony had finished, the bride, groom and their parents lined up outside of church in the court yard to receive the guests congratulations at he same time as pastries and champagne was served, before leaving for the reception.
One last tradition which is something we don’t share in the UK, is that of the newly weds and guests with cars drive around the town honking their horns in celebration, though the British had to add one final traditional touch to the wedding car, which again is not practised in Germany, that of tying tin cans to the car.
Overall the wedding was a great success and a fabulous weekend albeit having taken its toll on the the body and the bank balance. I enjoyed the fact that the wedding was so full of tradition which cannot necessarily be said of British weddings, which is something to lament, though on this occasion the British certainly added their own little traditions here and there, overall it was a good balance for everyone. One thing that still is universally accepted though is the excitement surrounding the bride and her wedding dress, and on this occasion she didn’t disappoint and quite rightly was the centre of attention for that most special of days.
If you have been to any foreign weddings lately, why not share your stories with us by commenting below…
NB: Photographs of a minors above has been edited so to protect their identity.
filed under – traditional wedding
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