Rock n Roll Bride - The ultimate guide for alternative brides

Backyard

Backyard Tipi Wedding with Skunk Anansie as the Wedding Band: Mark & Erika

Kat

Cotton Candy Weddings

June 28, 2013

Sigh! I just adore weddings liked Mark and Erika's. Chilled out, not at all matchy-matchy and where everyone looks like they had a total blast. The couple didn't wait a 'tick the box' wedding, instead they pulled inspiration from all over - their heritage, their home and their friends. "We didn't really have a theme or colours that matched", Erika wrote. "I have always been a mis-match kind of girl so we had elements of our backgrounds so Japan / Yorkshire / countryside / Autumn / vintage/ boho!"
Read more...

Cute, Quirky & Colourful Backyard Wedding: Skip & Soya

Kat

Phil Hearing

June 17, 2013

Are you ready for some unapologetic girlishness mixed with cute button and origami details alongside a kick ass heavily tattooed couple, pink dreadlocks, animal onesies and an awesome backyard setting? Well then you my dear are in luck because that's exactly what I have for you today! Soya and Skip met in a rock club in Lincoln and after just a year of dating she proposed on 29th February! "From the beginning we knew we didn't want a traditional wedding", the bride began. "They are lovely and all, but they can really lack personality. We used things that we love to decorate. My favourite part of the whole day was the ceremony. It was emotional but with lots of light-hearted laughs. Our readings and vows summed us both up perfectly. We even had mention of our ever growing number of pet rats, Batman and Robin and a zombie apocalypse in our vows which were followed by a hand fasting."
Read more...

Barcelona Garden Wedding with a Navy Theme: Julieta & Christian

Kat

F2 Photo Studio

April 19, 2013

For their June wedding, Julieta & Christian wanted a day that was laid-back, fun and stress-free. They opted for a garden setting and a party late into the night. The couple both have a passion for music, but Christian particularly who is in a band and loves nothing more than to go to gigs or play one of his nine guitars with his friends. Clearly the music and the entertainment was going to play a big role in this celebration.
Read more...

Homespun DIY Wedding with a Tattoo Booth: Katie & Michael

Kat

Homer Horowitz

April 13, 2013

A simple and low-key wedding at home was just the ticket for Katie & Michael, who were married in October last year. The day was held at Katie's parent's house and the entire thing was planned by the couple themselves. Katie put her own wedding outfit together from an American Eagle cream crochet top, a matching crochet skirt and vintage cowboy boots. Each piece only cost $25 each and were sown together to create a dress by Michael's mother.
Read more...

Homespun Backyard Wedding: Matt & Dannie

Kat

Dear To My Art

April 4, 2013

Matt & Dannie were married at the groom's Grandmother's house in in the Sonoma Wine Country, California. After a memorable proposal (that was captured on film!) the couple set to planning a day that was a true reflection of them as a couple. "The most special thing for us was our wedding location," Dannie began. "It was at Matt's grandparents house. His grandfather built the house, and he had so many good memories there as a child. It was an honor for us to be able to be married there. His grandfather passed away in early 2011, so it was a very emotional night for his grandmother and family. The house was beautiful and was the perfect location for us."
Read more...

1970s Inspired Backyard Barbecue Wedding: Emily & Chris

Kat

Stacy Paul

March 14, 2013

Ahh Emily & Chris' Florida nuptials is what my wedding dreams are made of. Getting ready in the Hard Rock Hotel (my spiritual home for sure) this achingly cool pair had their beautiful wedding at Ybor City Museum Garden in Tampa. Emily wore the Greenbow lace gown by BHLDN and Miu Miu shoes, while Chris kept it casual yet chic in a checked shirt and a vintage velvet jacket combo. The 1970s is an era that many might feel should be left back with the flares, disco and Woodstock hippies, but I'm am here to tell you the exact opposite. How bloody cool are these two?!
Read more...

A Fashion-Forward Backyard Wedding with Special Guest Craig David!: Theo & Lisa

Kat

O&C

March 4, 2013

When Theo & Lisa started an online campaign to get Craig David to perform at their August wedding, they never really thought they'd pull it off. But if you don't ask you don't get and all that...and with their help of their YouTube video that went viral, Mr David did in fact show up to the wedding and perform to their astonished guests! "We met in Oceana nightclub", began Theo. "Lisa thought I really had the movement of a dancer! Craig David's music brought us together and having him there at the wedding was literally a dream come true." "Our wedding was inspired by everything we love", continued Lisa. "Music, fashion, friends and family. It really was a giant party. We didn't want anyone to pay for anything apart from their travel there. For us, this was a party to celebrate everything our incredible friends and family have done for us over the years. We had a free bar which was one of the best things we did. The wedding was held in my dad's back garden and we also had a camping village at the bottom of the garden where 90% of our guests camped-including myself and Theo! We sent a 'tent tag' with our invites, and asked everyone to deliver a tent to our house one week before the wedding. We then put them all up so they were ready for everyone when they arrived!"
Read more...

A Colourful Country Garden Fete Wedding: Tom & Jenny

Kat

September 27, 2012

The DIY wedding of Tom & Jenny took place in Kent in July. After a church ceremony, their low key reception was held in Tom's parent's back garden. The bride wore a short wedding dress from Yours Truly Bridal Shop in Maidstone which cost her just £180 with a gorgeous headpiece was by a Rock n Roll Bride favourite, Crown & Glory. Alongside her lucky bridesmaids, she wore Vivienne Westwood/Melissa Lady Dragon shoes and instead of bouquets they all carried a single giant faux flower stem, bought from Hobbycraft costing just £2 each!
Read more...

A Backyard Rainbow Wedding: Jason & Gwen

Kat

I Love that Glove

September 9, 2012

Honestly? I struggled with what to write about today. Usually on a Sunday I'll post something non-wedding related that's caught my eye or I'll share something exciting that I've done in the week. But I shared my Photography Farm retreat escapades in this week's Thursday Treats and since then I've basically been chained to my computer replying to the squillions of emails that came in whilst I was away and writing as many blog posts as physically possible. I also spent rather a lot of time on the phone to Cosmopolitan Magazine. NO BIG DEAL (more on this soon!) And then this wedding pinged into my inbox and it all became clear.
Read more...

A Backyard Pool Party Wedding: Kate & Doug

Kat

July 31, 2012

Kate & Doug's backyard wedding took place in Kent in June. Kate designed her own dress, hand-crafted the decor and played in a band with her husband at the reception! She told me all about their magical day. "We have been together for 10 years so we really wanted to have a proper big wedding to cement our relationship and have a blast with our friends and family. I really wanted to get married in the garden of England, Kent, where I grew up and have a proper English country wedding. So we started looking at venues and found Ratsbury Barn, a beautiful 17th century Kentish barn in Tenterden for the ceremony. Then, my Mother's boyfriend who lives down the road very kindly offered to let us use his amazing place for the reception! We got a marquee and extended his pool house area, it was perfect."
Read more...

A DIY ‘Glamping’ Wedding & a Bride with Pink Hair: Josie & Nick

Kat

July 18, 2012

I ain't gonna lie... I harbor a certain level favoritism for pink haired brides... hum, I wonder why!? So when I saw Josie & Nick's camping themed wedding I was very excited indeed. The couple didn't spend a bomb on the day, utlising things they already owned (hello, look at Jodie's awesome Antaina boots!), by having the reception in Nick's parent's back garden and by making as much of it as they could themselves. "We DIY’ed everything", Jodie told me. "It can be really easy to bite off more than you can chew though so my advice would be to decide on a cohesive theme early on. Select projects you know you can complete both skill wise and in the time you have. And start early! Anything you can do well in advance is great."
Read more...

A Crazy Carnival Wedding: Dustin & Tara

Kat

July 2, 2012

Well who doesn't love a carnival? Exactly... no one. Hence why I'm super excited to share Dustin & Tara's epic adaption of a traditional carnival theme into a totally non-traditional wedding. The couple were married at home. They transformed their own backyard into the perfect carnival setting. They had a kissing booth 'altar', a bouncy castle for the kids (and big kids), a bell ringer, a snow cone machine, a popcorn machine and a photo booth! There was a paddling pool filled with rubber ducks and big carnival-style posters for everyone to take home with them. Carnival-style round lights were strung all around the garden and big wooden picnic benches, bales of hay and over 200 balloons decorated the space. They served old fashioned sodas and grilled hot dogs with tons of beer and cocktails. Even most of the guests dressed up to fit in with the theme. "We had a lion, a lion tamer, a ring master, someone on stilts and a ton of top hats and mustaches", Tara explained.
Read more...

A Secret Garden Shoot for Henry Nicholls Antiques

Kat

May 17, 2012

With Summer just around the corner, what could be a better shoot to share with you than this gorgeous secret garden shoot? Using antique and vintage piece from Henry Nicholls Antiques in Worthing, the styling had a timeless but quirky feel. Photographer Jayne Sacco told me all about their inspiration, "Anna owns Henry Nicholls Antiques alongside her husband Henry, and her style is all about being individual. She sources a mixture of vintage and retro goods for the store, as well as carefully selected costume jewellery like the Ritzy Crystal jewellery featured in the shoot. Henry has appeared in a number of Antique TV shows from Trash to Cash, Secret Dealers and is a regular antique dealer on ITV Dickson's Real Deal."
Read more...

A Family-Central, DIY Backyard Wedding: Adam & Kim

Kat

February 17, 2012

Adam & Kim were married at home in their back garden in front of a retro caravan that they'd bought especially for the occasion! The entire day was DIY as they wanted their wedding to be about all the things, and the people, that they love. "Our love and what we love is what inspired our wedding day. We wanted to create something that was very personal and a signature of our relationship," the bride explained. "Each part of the day was special and unique to us; even the format was flipped to the traditional idea of many. I found the traditional wedding magazine’s a bore and wondered if there was something wrong to not admire these staged, stuffy epic weddings. It wasn’t until I delved more on the internet that I found that I wasn’t the only one who felt this way and that others were creating some fabulous and unique days of their own. Rock n Roll Bride was a site that made me feel at home."
Read more...

An Eco-Vintage Backyard Wedding: Shannon & Nick

Kat

January 23, 2012

Shannon & Nick were married in Shannon's parent's back garden, a lovely idea that made their wedding really personal and intimate. "I was inspired by the 1950s, nature and the country," Shannon told me. "I was looking for a way to bridge the gap between vintage elegance and the modern eco-friendly way of life. Every chance I could I made things reusable, recyclable and DIY. I also tried to pick vendors that were eco-friendly. I didn't set out to do things differently I just chose to do what I wanted to do and didn't let others reservations side track me."
Read more...