Our Wedding

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Rock n Roll Bride Featured in Cosmopolitan Bride Feb/March 2010

January 1, 2010 | 14 comments

Happieeee New Year!

As you nurse your sore heads I have some very exciting news to share…and what a fantastic end to 2009/start to 2010 it is. I have been featured in what is undoubtedly the best bridal magazine in the UK – Cosmopolitan Bride! Oh the excitement. I hope you Enjoy my tidbits of advice and words of wisdom all about how to plan the perfect Rock n Roll wedding. I just have to say a huge ass thank you to Gemma & Miranda at the magazine for asking me to take part and to every single reader of my little blog for believing in me because after all without you coming here to read my incessant ramblings none of this would be possible. You are all literally making my dreams come true.

So go get a strong coffee, a diet coke, a litre of water and a fry up (or whatever so need to sort your post NYE hangover out) and have a little delve into my wedding obsessed mind.

Wedding Wisdom – The Blogger

Kat Williams, 25, from Reading, started Rock n Roll Bride (rocknrollbride.com) as an online mood board of ideas for her wedding on 12 April 2008. Since then, what she describes as her mix of “quirky real-life weddings and cool photography” has rocked the wedding scene, attracting more than 60,000 visitors a month and 2000 followers on Twitter. Thanks to her experience as a bride, and seeing at least 20 wedding albums a day, Kat empowers bride to say “I do” in a so-you way.

I didn’t realise you could do things differently
When I started planning my wedding I thought you had to do the church-then-a-nice-hotel-reception thing. If I did it again I’d keep the church, as this means a lot to us, but I’d go less formal and more personal. I’ve had pink hair since I was 16 – I had pink hair when I met my husband and it was pink when we got engaged, but I went brown for the wedding to keep people happy. Looking back, I wish I’d kept it pink, because it’s pink again now and probably will be for the new few years. Brides often tell me: “I thought my ideas were weird, but now I’ve seen weddings that do things differently, it makes me feel more comfortable about having what I want.”

If a supplier doesn’t get your vision, DIY
I asked my florist for pale vintage colours. The reality? Bright Purple. It didn’t matter on the day, as I was so excited about getting married, but looking back I think, “Urgh, they’re not what I wanted,” and I wish we’d done them ourselves. Consider sourcing your own wine, too – it’s often cheaper to buy it and pay corkage, plus you get nicer stuff – and bringing in caterers if the hotel food isn’t great. It’s extra work, but so worth it.

It’s who you’re marrying – not where – that matters
When the venue cancelled three months before our day, I just thought “I want to marry Gareth. If we get married in our parents’ garden it really doesn’t matter.” After phoning lots of places, we found an amazing venue that was available, but twice the price. So my Dad (who can be scary!) rang the old venue and made them pay the difference as compensation, so we got a much better place for the same price.

Horrible bridesmaid dresses are a crime against humanity
No one should be forced into an ill-fitting frock. Our bridesmaids chose their own nice LBDs and shoes - but often it’s the boys who let the side down. The bride spends hours (days, even) choosing a dress she feels gorgeous in, while the groom wears a hired morning suit. Get him to wear what he wants to wear, not what he thinks he should. Gareth wore a sharp custom made suit and skinny tie costing £450 and looked fab, plus he got to keep it.

Bring a Rock n Roll Bride isn’t about rock and roll
She’s someone who doesn’t conform to what other people expect of her. So if you’re really into punk rock and tattoos or deep-sea diving, then put that into your day. A wedding’s not about being cool or copying someone else 0 it’s about doing what’s right for you.

What’s new for ‘I do’? – Turn your back on tradition with 2010’s so-now W-day crazes
1. Outdoor ceremomies
2. Photo booths
3. Cupcakes (still!)
4. Balloons
5. Personal details
6. Centrepieces instead of flowers
7. No receiving line
8. Chalkboard signs
9. Bright shoes with a white dress
10. Engagement photo shoots
11. Grooms in Converse trainers
12. Short dresses worn with birdcage veils
13. Mismatched bridesmaid dresses
14. Dogs at weddings
15. Fake moustaches for fun photos

You can check out our wedding pictures and more details here and on my flickr is you are so inclined! So, what would your tips for wannabe Rock n Roll Bride’s be?

Who Loves Ya Baby?

July 18, 2009 | No comments

I have a couple of bits of blog love to share with you. Firstly, myself and my gorgeous hubby Gareth were interviewed for Hot Pink Petticoat, go check it out if you fancy reading about life after the wedding! Also, after they featured our wedding in their last issue, I dropped the guys at Wedding Ideas magazine a little email to say thank you and gosh darn it, they only went and printed it!

Just wanted to drop you a line to say thanks for featuring our real wedding last month (Kat & Gareth). I picked up the magazine to flick through in the newsagents and was like ‘ooh that’s us!’ – it is very cool. Also I saw a letter from Verity in your letters page about her blog and I thought I would share mine too..it’s an alternative and kick-arse approach to weddings – rocknrollbride.com!

ps I can’t believe they actually printed the words kick-arse! hehe

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Been Done? Who Cares?

July 8, 2009 | 15 comments

You know this about me already but I’m a huge activist for being yourself on your wedding day, however crazy, out there or even mundane (oh yes) that may be. As all the veteran readers will know, I ran a contest for free wedding photography a while back, and have now gotten to know our winners pretty well. I was chatting to the Bride to be, Vana, on the phone the other day for no joke, literally an hour about all things wedding (jeez that gal can talk he he!) and I’m sure she won’t mind me telling you this. She was running a few of her newest wedding ideas by me to ask my opinion as to whether I thought they had ‘been done’ (for some reason she thinks I must be some kind of expert on such things…)

I said this to her, and on her recommendation I am now going to say this to all of you…do not worry about tack, about being over the top or if something you really want seems to be springing up everywhere in blog-land and has therefore, in your eyes, ‘been done’. Just remember this teeny tiny pearl of wisdom…Your wedding guests won’t have been scoring the internet looking for wedding ideas for the last year so will have no idea if something has ‘been done’ or not!

To me, our wedding was not completely nuts. We kept it quite simple with a black and white theme and a few personal touches, but we had so many people saying to us it was the most stylish and cool wedding they had ever been too…they hadn’t spent the last year looking at other people’s weddings and comparing themselves after all!

So don’t doubt yourself… Are you lusting after that cute Stephanie James Couture dress but are worried that in 10 years time the adorability will look as dated as the poofy sleeved meringues of the 80’s? Pah, if I got married in the 80’s I would have wanted to remember the 80’s…2008 was the greatest year of my life and I want to remember that year through my wedding pictures.
Have you have been dying to have cupcakes as your wedding cake ever since you started planning your wedding, but are worried because now everybody seems to be doing it? Well a lot of people that are getting married may be yes, but everybody in the entire world?…erm no.
Are you worried that your wedding isn’t cool enough because you spend all day looking at weddings that seen so much crazier/chicer than yours? (You are not alone by the way, I felt the exact same thing) Let me tell you this – you are more likely to regret planning a wedding in a style that wasn’t really ‘you’ than one that perfectly matches you and your fiancé’s tastes.

So quit stressing about what other people will think and just do it already…and then send me the photographs afterwards!

Now for a couple of trends I love and therefore don’t care if they’ve ‘been done’. Let me know if I’ve missed any of your favourites!

1. Moustaches – Daley Hake 2. Bicycles – Fuller Edge Photography
3. Slideshows – Jonas Peterson 4. Photo Booths – Josh Goleman
5. Short Dresses – Melissa Brown 6. Vintage – Katherine O’Brien
7. Converse Trainers – The Nichols 8. Balloons – Kate Headley
9. Cupcakes – Tec Pejata 10. Mis-matched Bridesmaids – Flint Photography
11. Silly Sunglasses – Cameron Ingalls 12. Martha Stewart Pom Poms – Lillian & Leonard 13. Red Dresses – Rosie Parsons 14. Umbrellas – One Love Photo
15. Coloured Paper Lanterns – Tiffany Aicklen 16. Non Floral Bouquets – Crissy Farah 17. Felt Bouquets – Austin & Cassandra Photography 18. Bird Cage Veils – Victor Sizemore

Rock n Roll Bride In Print.

June 18, 2009 | 7 comments

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So about 6 months ago I received an email from Wedding Ideas Magazine saying our wedding had been submitted to them as a Real Wedding feature by our photographers English Rose and would we be happy for them to share them. Being the huge poser that I am, of course I said yes. So I picked up a copy of the magazine today and although some of the photographs they chose I don’t really like (I think my face looks huge in the main photograph for example!) and the article is beyond a cheese-fest, it is a little bit exciting to be in print…and can you believe they even called me a Rock Chick…maybe they knew…

Just in case you can’t read the text, it reads as follows:
Kat & Gareth
Rock chick meets vintage combined with black and white chic for this big day…

The proposal
Kat and Gareth took a disposable barbecue and some wine to a local picnic spot on their fifth year anniversary. Gareth got down on one knee and co-insidentally fireworks went off nearby after Kat said yes! They decided straight away to get married exactly one year on.
The bride’s outfit
Kat looked fabulous in her Sottero and Midgley gown (www.sotteroandmidgley.co.uk) It originally had a pink sash but Kat had it changed to a black one to fit in with their black and white theme.
The accessories
Kat wore a tiara from John Lewis, pretty shoes from Topshop, a pearl bag from Monsoon (which I actually found a lot cheaper on ebay -they left that bit out though) , and pearl and diamond earrings,a gift from her parents. She also wore a Benjamin Roberts bolero (www.benjaminroberts.co.uk)
Steal her Style – Give your bridesmaids a theme and then let them choose their own dresses.
The groom’s outfit
Gareth, his dad, his best man and Kat’s dad had all their suits custom made at House of Fraser (www.houseoffraser.co.uk) “They were able to design their own suits” explains Kat, “and also chose their own lining and tie.”
Love this idea – Put together a goodie bag filled with special gifts for your maids.
The bridesmaids
Kat’s two sisters and best friend were bridesmaids. Kat gave them free reign to choose any black dress they wanted. Her Chief bridesmaid chose a dress from Coast, her sister Sarah wore a silky, strapped dress from Monsoon, while her sister Rachel chose a prom-style dress from Warehouse. “I also bought them pearl earrings and bracelets to add a vintage touch to their outfits” says Kat.
When I got the the end of the aisle, Gareth squeezed my hand and said “You look awesome”
The Flowers
Kat’s pretty bouquett was created by Cherubs Floral Design (www.cherubsfloraldesign.com) The ceremony flowers were supplied by the Church.
Love this idea – Write a poem to each other and have it printed in your order of service
The Ceremony
“My parents live next door to the vicar so it meant a lot to us to have him marry us” says Kat. Gareth’s grandad and a friend of Kat’s did readings, and some friends played in a band at the service, giving rock renditions of the hymns and Elton John’s Tiny Dancer.
The reception
Held at The Elvetham (www.elvethamhotel.co.uk) the guests had a delicious, three-course meal. “We head a band in the evening but no extra guests. Instead, we had a party in my parents’ garden two weeks later and I got to wear my dress again!” explains Kat.
Our table names were our favourite movie couples – we called the top table Romeo and Juliet…
The details
Instead of favours, Kat and Gareth put together an ice-breaker quiz about themselves. They even put together a goody bag for the winning table.
Groom’s tip – have your own opinion and don’t let your bride tell you what you want.
Most memorable moment
“I threw my bouquet with such vigor that it bounced off the back wall, hit someone on the head and landed in Carly’s (Chief bridesmaid) arms – everybody said it was a fix!” laughs Kat.
The honeymoon
The couple jetted off to Tokyo the next day and stayed in a traditional ryokan (a roll mat on the floor) “Very Rock n Roll” says Kat.
Bride’s beauty tip – “I went on MAC and Bobbie Brown binge before the big day. I decided to do my make up myself because I know exactly how I like it and I didn’t want to feel overdone or not like myself. Make sure you have concealer and your lippie with you for touch ups on the day.”

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Bridal Soup – The Dress

March 20, 2009 | No comments

Go check out my next guest post on Bridal Soup..this week, the story of the dress!

Clicky clicky clicky!

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Credit: English Rose

A Cold Day In Bognor…

February 14, 2009 | 8 comments

I was going to wait until I had been sent more of the results, but I’m so excited about how these have turned out that I have to post them right away!

Yesterday afternoon, myself and David got in my rickety little ford ka and traipsed down to Bognor Regis (nice name huh?) to get some new shots to use on the site and for some up and coming (and very exciting) Rock ‘n Roll Bride promotion (more info on this to come very soon!) It took us about 2 hours to get there and I’d been up since 4.30 am for my ‘day job’. YAAAWN!

We got there at about 3.30pm and found a hotel that allowed me to get changed in their toilet and doll myself up. It was rather hilarious trying to get me into the dress again – I didn’t have a lacing lesson a needless to say David was as clueless as me, I did get stuck a few times! I have to say, this shoot really made me love my dress again, I’d almost forgotten how bloody gorgeous it is. We headed out to the pier, a rough a ready looking wall and the sea front for a variety of shots and styles. I was bloooooody freeeeezing by the end but I think you’ll agree it was all worth it! I am SO happy with the results, aren’t they fantastic!? We were so lucky with the light – it really made the photographs.

My fabulous shoes were personalised by the amazing Shoe Missy. I actually only ordered them on Wednesday thinking I wouldn’t get them on time for the shoot, but I figured I could use them another time. However when Anna, the shoe designer heard about the shoot she rushed the order through and was able to get them shipped to me in time to use. They arrived only half an hour before we had to leave, lucky huh!? We were SO happy we could use the shoes – they really became a feature of the photographs.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings, I’m sure you’re dying to see them right? Well here they are…weep at the fabulousness!

Credit: David M McNeil

A Different Style

December 17, 2008 | No comments

Also at our wedding was my good friend David Mcneil – at that time just toying with the idea of getting into wedding photography…he took some pretty wicked snaps too, in a totally different style to our official wedding photographers. It was awesome to see the wedding in two completely different ways. Here are a select few of his amazing pictures..

Credit: David M Mcneil

Our Wedding

December 17, 2008 | 2 comments

The time has come..I’m going to start the huge job of attempting to rebuild the old blog. The posts will no doubt be briefer than before, as not only has the tempo and direction of Rock ‘n Roll Bride moved on since these old posts but also it’s going to take hella long time – just the best of the best will make the new and improved R’nRB!

Let’s start with the stuff surrounding our own wedding, back in April 2008 – shall I re-do the wedding report I wrote? If you want it I can re-post it as I managed to recover a lot of the text on the old blog. But right now I’ll just begin with some of our favourite photographs from the day taken by our fabulous wedding photographers English Rose Weddings.

Credit: English Rose Weddings

Blog Love – David M Mcneil

December 3, 2008 | No comments

Regular readers will know I’m all about the love of my photographer friend David who did my Boudoir shoot, our Engagament photos and my post-wedding Bridal shoot. We he’s given me some blog love today so thought I’d repay the favour – go check out his website, believe me it’s amazing!

Who are the readers who have enquired or booked him by finding him via Rock ‘n Roll Bride? I’d love to know – don’t be shy )

From his blog:
Busy Day

Gosh, what a busy day it has been! I spent all day finally getting to grips with my workflow shift over from my PC / Lightroom to MacBook Pro / Aperture, and think I have finally found a way that lets me create some great looking albums every time. It’s amazing how much the little quirks of each system can throw you! I’ll be designing Julie and Dan’s album tomorrow so I’ll let you know how I get on. I’ve also had three further enquiries today for weddings in 2009 which is great, so there’s more names to add to my wee spreadsheet (I have a spreadsheet for everything in my life!).

I think I’m quite a lucky photographer as all the couples I meet are all great fun and are having weddings I’m really looking forward to shooting. With that in mind I thought I’d let everybody know that in January 2009 my website will be revamped with the re-launch of my portrait site and a new pricing structure for my wedding packages.

To secure the 2008 package prices all you have to do is send an email enquiry before 31st December. Exciting additions to the new packages include a day-after shoot, and free-download guest galleries. If you have already booked me then Christmas is a great time to start thinking about your pre-wedding shoot.

I’ll be posting a blog next week to help you start thinking about what style and location is right for you. If you have any ideas I’m always eager to hear them at photography@davidmmcneil.com

Finally a big thank-you to Kat, whose blog and posts at offbeatbride have thrown a few enquiries my way! Here she is with a lovely little hat:

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