Doing it Their Own Way

Kat

March 12, 2010

The pair employed no wedding vendors (except photographer Amber Hughes) for their wedding. They did the whole thing themselves and did it in style to boot! No expensive venue (they got married at home and had their wedding day shoot at Seawall) no over-priced outfit (Magalie wore a dress from BCBG, boots from Chooka with a flower in her hair from H&M.) The flowers were purchased in bulk from different florists in town and the couple put them together themselves. The tissue paper pom-poms were from a Martha Stewart tutorial. They pulled all the food and drinks together themselves and Magalie did her own hair and makeup.

Rustic Diy Details

Kat

March 10, 2010

I was blown away by Carla & Neetling's South African wedding, in particular the phenomenal DIYvintagey, natural details and her beautiful dress. Carla and her Mum did most of the wedding themselves and loved personalising all the details.

Charming Chinese Fusion

Kat

March 4, 2010

The majority of submissions that land in Rock n Roll Bride's inbox are from photographers. which is great because I get to sample all the best, innovative and inspiring new photography and Rock n Roll weddings out there. However there is something very special about receiving an excitable email from a recently married couple, bursting to tell me all about their wedding. I got an email just like this only yesterday and Sally & Sam's charming vintage/Chinese fusion wedding was only made better by the fabulous running commentary from the bride.

Chic, Intimate, Library Wedding

Kat

February 25, 2010

I am literally dying over Steve and Caitlin's personal, intimate wedding. The wedding took place at The Wilder Mansion in Elmhurst, Illinois, which at one point, used to be the Elmhurst Library. Steve & Caitlin drew from this (and their love of books) for some of the detail themes. They made library catalogue cards as their escort cards and each table was named after a different book. They had old photos of their families going back generations scattered throughout the mansion, and also had a room full of antique games for guests to play. They decided to save money was by creating their own bouquets and they actually used fake flowers! Caitlin's dress was from J.Crew and the bridesmaids each chose their own black dress.

Anthropologie & Rustic Farm Elegance with a Rock n Roll Twist

Kat

February 15, 2010

Oh squeeeeal! I'm not sure I can say anything more intellectual about Luke & Charis' wedding, in fact I think only 'squeeeal' will cover it. So. Much. Awesome! "This couple was married in a barn at Sharon Rose Farm in Greenville SC" photographer Anna told me "The bride is a hair stylist, the groom is a drummer - so the music and the style was fabulous and original. I thought what was so rock n roll about this wedding was that the bride made surprise stick-on tattoos to replicate her new husband's favorite tattoo on his arm, and all the guests had a mini tattoos during the reception just like the groom!" Charis wore a dress from David's Bridal and she asked her bridesmaids to simply pick their own black dress. When Charis and her bridesmaids walked into the venue someone said, "It looks like an anthropologie catalogue just walked in!" The ceremony and reception were held in a beautiful red renovated horse barn. It was such a nice mix of rustic farm, elegant chandeliers and vintage flare. There were mason jars with wild flowers, and baskets of peanuts on cocktail tables as guests mingled and sipped lemonade before the entering the barn. An old typewriter was used as a to write notes to the bride and groom, and a sweet bird cage to put them in. Just sit back and enjoy these - I know you will! Thanks to Anna for sharing this amazing wedding with us Credit: Anna Naphtali Photography

Art Deco Galore

Kat

February 13, 2010

After swooning over all the vintage gorgeousness at The Designer Wedding show yesterday (full blog post including photographs and links to my favourite exhibitors soon!) when the awesome Ian Johnson sent me this art deco wedding I jumped at the chance to feature it asap! Thanks to Ian for sharing these with us. LOVE!

Surprise! Phoebe & Teraaka’s Family Central UK Wedding

Kat

February 11, 2010

Save the… Cupcakes

Kat

February 11, 2010

Carnival Crazy

Kat

February 7, 2010

Dina & Gary's 1920's vaudeville carnival themed wedding makes me wanna squeal. I wish wish wish we'd done something as fabulous as this when we got hitched. The wedding took place at Asbury Park, New Jersey and the pair really went to town with their theme - from popcorn and candy for the guests, a sideshow performance, goldfish in bowls... in fact everything you might expect to find at a carnival! Dina wore a custom dress (made by a friend) and wore jewellery and carried a candy bouquet made by another friend Melissa Heid. Just. Wow. Thanks to Brandi for sharing this awesome day with us. Woooo!

Eco Touches for this Snowy British Wedding

Kat

February 5, 2010

You know I'm usually all about the rock chicks, but there is just something about a quirky, DIY, eco, British wedding that I just can't resist...and that fact that the bride wore Vivienne's (I have them in yellow)...well I'm sold! Photographer Mark told me the whole story: Marie and Karl chose the personal, DIY approach to ensure their wedding reflected their eco-conscious principles, where possible, combined with their love of elegant, vintage styles, nature and music! The day was based in two venues in the Northern English Forest of Bowland on a snowy day in late December. The invite package contained screen printed and hand stamped bunting on recycled card and a button badge! The couple also set up a website was to encourage electronic RSVPs. Marie’s uncle’s 70’s cream ford galaxy 500 was the chariot of choice which delivered the pair to the organic farm for their reception- a gorgeous 17thcentury barn with heated floors and wood burning stove. Guests were greeted with mulled wine, hot vimto and the bride’s own homemade spiced biscuits served in an array of mis-matching vintage tea cups and saucers. Most of the deco was Marie’s own DIY effort -table centres were constructed on slabs of fallen pine/oak trees with arrangements of flowers she picked and dried over the year, vintage glass medicine bottles (car boot sales) and potted herbs in painted pots/vintage clay pots. Soy candles were arranged in charity shop finds- sherry glasses as votives and old glass jars covered in 1920s musical manuscript. Bunting was made by Gregg McDonald using off-cuts from the bridesmaid’s dresses (fabric from a brilliant mill in Bradford called Bombay Stores). Marie hand made some paper birds to sit on the edge of champagne glasses as place names and napkin rings were a ring of two-tone ribbon finished with a button. Karl designed and made “cootie catchers” which were placed on the dining tables featuring a selection of the couple’s favourite lyrics for entertainment between the courses of soup, pie and home-made cup cakes (courtesy of Marie’s mum and auntie)! The couple had been secretly attending swing jive dance lessons to surprise their guests and performed their first dance to Ray Scott’s red hot R n’ B number ‘Silk, Satin n Lace’. Later in the evening Karl’s band, including grooms men, ‘Super Johnny K and the Bang Bangs’ played a short set of vintage psyche n surf rock tunes. Marie teamed a stunner of a dress with her Vivienne Westwood shoes. She chose Daven by Pronovias and wore upcycled hair accessories ( from dress cut-offs and old sparkly bits) from Rebeccastone on Etsy and earrings which she also found on Etsy. Her bridesmaids wore dresses by Raouli. Karl wore a 1960's suit which he found on Ebay and a printed tie & hankerchief from Liberty. Thanks to photographer Mark and Marie & Karl for sharing this beeeautiful day with us

Valentine’s Love Letter

Kat

February 1, 2010

This beautiful Valentine's day/love letter themed shoot was sent to me by Alice Huand I'm afriad I couldn't wait until February 14th to share it with you. The shoot was put together for Fantasy Floral Designs. Amanda Heer is the original creator of the vintage brooch bouquet and for this shoot she created another keepsake bouquet called "Love Letter". The 'flowers' were made from vintage diaries and included photographs of loved ones to add another personal touch. The invitations in this shoot were provided by Papeterie Store. Thanks to Alice & Amanda for sending this over. I know people are going to go nuts for this! Credit: Alice Hu Photography

Laid Back Love & Laughter

Kat

January 31, 2010

This beautifully simple backyard wedding makes me long for lazy, summer afternoons once again. Rachel had her dress handmade for her by family members and Kelly rocked it in his pinstripes. The whole day was one of laid back love and laughter. Thanks Eric!

Winter Warmers & DIY to Die For

Kat

January 30, 2010

This brand spanking new wedding was sent to me by the fabulous Andana Lima. I fell in love with bride's beehive, her faux fur coat and all the DIY projects involved in making their day elegant and personal. The DIY projects behind this wedding included the bouquet made out of black and white fabric, the boutonnieres for the groomsman and mother of the bride, the monograms, the wishbook and all the centerpieces and table decorations. Courtney also added her own beads to underneath her shoes. Thanks to the ever delightful Andana for sharing this weith us. I'm sure you'll agree that it's fabulous indeed Credit: Andana Lima Photography

A Most Curious Party

Kat

January 13, 2010

Rebecca & John's summer wedding was so eclectic, so English and just so fabulously unique that I couldn't wait to share it with you. Rebecca told me all about their ideas and inspiration behind their amazing day, so I'm just going to hand over to her for this one! John didn’t want to get married in a church, as he is not religious so I had my heart set on getting married outside, because we felt there was a more powerful spirituality in the earth and nature that would bring us together with more meaning than just a civil ceremony. Almost a pagan idea I guess… The marriage scene at the end of Robin Hood Prince of thieves was a major inspiration! We got married at Hedingham Castle, an 11th century fort in Essex, England. The castle were quite strict in what we could do so we put most of our effort into making the reception at Belchamp St Paul Community Hall, Suffolk, our own. We had said the ‘theme’ of the wedding would be ‘vintage inspired –from the 20s to the 50s’ on the invitation, mainly because I love the fashions, music, style and glamour of those eras – but I suppose starting the proceedings in a Medieval castle fit in with ‘vintage as well.’ We felt it was really important that throughout the day everything should reflect who we were, rather than conforming to any idea of how weddings should be, Our whole wedding ethos was that it showed our personalities, as it was day about us after all! and you don’t get a chance to do that again… many traditions stand the test of time because they are lovely traditions such as the cake, the rings and getting dressed up etc, but we didn’t want it to be a generic cookie cutter wedding – and many people said that it showed, it couldn’t have been anyone else’s wedding!

Vintage Zoo Wedding

Kat

January 8, 2010

Courtney & Michael's wedding is one of those that you wish you could see a fresh everyday. I got so excited when photographer Jacquelyn sent me this wedding to look at! They had a small ceremony officiated by an friend of the bride which took place at Birmingham Zoo Lodge. Pretty much everything about this wedding was DIY. The groom felted the cake topper (two birds sharing an ipod) and all of the bouquets. The brides birdcage veil and headpiece were made by her friend/hairdresser. They printed up tickets to throw instead of bird feed or bubbles. There was a small cake and punch reception afterwards where the guests were greeted by a llama and a parrot. After the reception, the bridal party met at a local restaurant - Rojo - for some eats and then on to the after party! The after party was held at a bar/antique shop called The Garage where there was much laughter shared and alcoholic beverages consumed. Courtney looks amazing in her dress by Unique Vintage and her adorable floral shoes by Not Rated. Credit: Jacquelyn Jackson Photography

Red Rockers

Kat

January 6, 2010

After running a free photography contest on her blog (hint: enter mine!) photographer Laura Ryan was lucky enough to find Rebeca & Martin - two rockers from Boston who wanted her to shoot their red-themed wedding. Rebeca’s dress and Martin’s coat were handmade by her friend who created it for her from a 1950’s pattern and Rebeca even made her own hairpiece. The whole wedding had a old English teatime theme so everyone wore stylish hats, ate finger foods and drank tea to their heart's content in the beautiful historic building of Boston College Club, complete with cascading staircases and baroque style wall paper. Thanks to Laura (a real life rocker who actually has even visited my home town of Reading for the world famous Reading Festival) for sharing this wonderful wedding with us

Thursday Treats – 31st Dec 2009

Kat

December 31, 2009

Well my dears, 2009 had been pretty damn awesome in Rock n Roll Bride Land and if you haven't yet then you totally have to check out my yearly review - part one and two - my favourite features of the past 12 months. "But what about the past 7 days!?" I hear you cry. "What have I missed whist I was opening my pressies, eating too much food and spending an untoward amount of time with my family?"' Well don't fret my loves, although blog-land has been a little on the slower side I've still been here, scouring the interwebs to bring you the best of the Christmas week's internet fun. ♥ The best of 2009 - How to make money from your blog ♥ 13 Tutorials to Help You Grow Your Blog Readership Next Year ♥ I Love You... by Max Chaoul Paris ♥ Snow globe torture...or diy snow globes (depends how you look at it really!) ♥ Julia Boggio's blog awards ♥ Meet Kingsley ♥ A veil of poofy wonderfulness

2009 – The Year That Was {Part Two}

Kat

December 31, 2009

The Cimbo Limbo posts continue with part deux of the grand review of 2009. Brace yourselves for the July to December extravaganza people! ♥ Jenny & Johnny were way to stylish and way to cool to exclude from this list. If I had a face like hers I'd certainly be rocking the girl-hawk hair do. A Ring bearing ninja, the motorbike portraits and the tattoo-inspired

2009 – The Year That Was {Part One}

Kat

December 30, 2009

As is customary at this time of year, I wanted to take some time to look back over the last 12 months and share with you some of my most favourite weddings, photo shoots and features. I think you'll be hard pushed to not find something that makes you go 'ooooh' amongstthis lot. Enjoy a-reminiscing! I'll be back tomorrow with part 2 (there's too much to narrow it down to just one post!) I'm also taking this slow blog-time (I like to refer to it as 'Crimbo Limbo' (!) to ponder my ideas and plans for Rock n Roll Bride in 2010. I'll try and share my musings for the year ahead with you soon and would love for you to let me know what you think. It's all about you dear reader after all...

Glamorous DIY

Kat

December 22, 2009

Lauren & Chris had their gorgeous, heavily DIY wedding at The Maritime Hotel in NYC's meatpacking district. The neighborhood was perfect for the edgy and non-traditional wedding and photographs that they wanted. The bride's Mother made all the table decorations to fit their theme which encompased all the cities Chris & Lauren and traveled to together. All the flowers (including the bride's bouquet) were purchased at the Union Square farmers market the day of and assembled on site by friends before the ceremony. The cake was from Sugar Sweet Sunshine and the cake toppers were cute salt and pepper shakers which were a gift that Chris gave to Lauren a few months earlier. Thanks to Angie for sharing this funky NYC wedding with us today