Something Borrowed, Something Roo: The Guest List

Kat

March 7, 2012

After enduring the heartache of finding (and losing) our wedding venue, I’m sure you can appreciate that we felt as though we’d fallen off the horse a bit in terms of planning our wedding; trying to accept something so stressful wasn't easy, and I’m sure that I don’t speak for myself when I say that it made me a little anxious to think about other wedding-related things for fear of tripping up again. However, as with all horses that one might fall off of, it is often said that’s important to get back on again – and we could only do that if we put faith in our planning again.

The Art of Selling: A Guest Post by James Derbyshire of Julia Boggio Studios

Kat

February 24, 2012

Nearly 9 months ago Julia Boggio and I had a gorgeous little daughter. I thought that it might slow Julia down a little, but no. She still runs our business at 200 miles an hour. As you may know, Julia and I own one of the fastest growing baby and bridal vintage boudoir photography studios in the UK, Julia looking after the creative side of the business and me looking after the sales. I adore running the sales side of what we do, but admit it: sales is often seen as the scary or evil part of the business or, more often than not, something to avoid because “my clients won’t like being sold to”. Now, the reality of the world is if no one sold anything to anyone, most business wouldn’t exist for very long at all. I had a bit of a head start in sales. As a child I didn’t have pocket money; I had a commission plan. It was stuck to the fridge and re-negotiated on my birthday every year. It helped me understand quite early on that you get out of life what you put in. If I needed that extra boost of pocket money that month, then I had to contribute something quite significant to the household that would entitle me to some extra dosh. So now that I have my own daughter, is this something that I will do with her? Well, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, but the combination of mine and Julia’s genes has created a very feisty little girl indeed. I suspect that if I attempted to negotiate anything with her she’ll look at me like I’m a punter on Dragon’s Den and tell me “You don’t have what it takes, I’m out.” She has me running around in circles already so I thought I’d give you a few lessons in sales according to my 9-month-old daughter.

Curiosity & Courage: A Guest Post by Marianne Taylor

Kat

February 21, 2012

One of the biggest fears for photographers (and I’m referring to photographers as that’s my reality, feel free to substitute a camera for whatever is your passion) when making the transition into a working professional is the doubt about whether doing something for a living takes the shine out of it. Whether in a few years you will start feeling like a new assignment is just ‘another day in the office’, and that in the end you lose that passion you have for your craft. For me this was one of the biggest psychological challenges to get over when I was thinking about starting my business. I was so protective of my craft, my creative process and my artistic outlet, and I was so afraid of potentially compromising all that I loved about photography if it was to be the provider of my main income. Eventually a switch flipped in my head though, and it seemed like madness to sit in an office doing a job that wasn’t fulfilling, while I could spend all my days with a camera in my hand doing what I love. Making that leap was at the same time scary and overwhelming, but also freeing, like stepping into my true self.

How to Maintain a Good Work/Life Balance: A Guest Post By Adam Bronkhorst

Kat

February 14, 2012

I’m going to start out by saying I'm not here to tell you that this is definitely the right way to get a good work/life balance. However this is the way that I (try to) do it so I wanted to share it with you - who knows, hopefully I can help someone! It’s what works for me at this moment in time and enables me to switch off when I need to and not being all-consumed by my work. It’s really difficult being a freelance photographer. Right I’ve said it. We all know it. We all love it, but lets face it, it can be tough as hell sometimes. I can only imagine it's exactly the same for people in other areas of the wedding industry. We love our jobs so we spend most of the time on our own sat in front of a computer...at any time of day or night. As business owners we often need to work for long hours over the weekend and still be expected to be sat at our computers at 9am on a Monday morning to answer emails.

Something Borrowed Something Roo: When it all Goes Wrong…

Kat

February 6, 2012

When I got a text from Roo just before Christmas saying "erm...I think we might have to cancel our wedding...our wedding venue is being shut down" my heart skipped a beat. You know when people say "oh I know exactly how you feel..." but actually, really, they don't? Well in this case I could reply those words with utmost sincerity. Our wedding venue pulled out of our wedding just three months before our day. That's a story for another time, but I did have 100% confidence in my reply "Roo, everything with be OKAY. You won't have to cancel your wedding"...

Do You Have to Invite Plus Ones to Your Wedding?

Kat

January 27, 2012

I'm going start out by being 100% honest with you. I don't really know the answer to this question. However after a discussion with Roo last week, I feel it might be a topic some of you are struggling with. Therefore I thought I'd use today's wedding planning advice post as a forum for us to get in a discussion on the matter - I want to know your ideas and opinions on the subject please! Although I'm sure you could Google this question and come up with the 'proper etiquette' answer, I think it's much more relevant these days to figure out what's right for you and your wedding. However I do think you should consider a few things before you make your decision...

The Benefits of Personal Projects: A Guest Post By Anna Hardy

Kat

January 27, 2012

I really enjoyed my professional work in 2011 but committing to a personal project was undoubtedly the best thing I did for my photography and myself last year. It constantly surprised and helped me in so many ways, and the very first (and being truthful, the only!) successful resolution I made as 2012 arrived was to start a brand new one. Towards the end of 2010, after a crazy year of throwing myself headlong into setting up the business and taking on as much photography work as I could, I’d become increasingly worried that my photography was becoming stale and uninspired, in a weary creative rut, and I’d almost completely stopped shooting for pleasure since doing photography professionally full time, which really bothered me. If I’m being completely honest it had started to feel like photography, my long-time love, was becoming too much hard work and too few rewards. At the start of 2011 I noticed that a number of other photographers were starting 365 projects (a photo a day for a whole year) and so following their good example, I unashamedly jumped on the bandwagon and began my own personal 365 project, hoping I could rediscover the old passion and have a bit of fun along the way. It did both and a whole lot more, and was one of the best decisions I have made for a long time.

Finding Your Business Mojo

Lisa Devlin

January 6, 2012

These days it seems that everyone and anyone is setting up in business and despite a recession, the wedding industry is experiencing a boom. Historically, glamorous escapist activities like going to see Hollywood movies or musical theatre peak in tough times. Perhaps weddings are our new glamour fix and chance for everyone involved to dress up and forget any money woes. For the enterprising and creative amongst us, this is exciting times. With the Digital Revolution and onslaught of Social Media, it has never been easier to promote your new or existing business. The entire planet is at your fingertips via your computer/phone/tablet, there is a potential global marketplace for your product or service. Most likely precipitated by having minimal or non-existent marketing budgets, suddenly the small businesses are leading the way in viral marketing. Big companies have noticed and are now employing the same techniques, backing up their traditional ad campaigns with social media. In 2007 Cadbury released their TV ad for Dairy Milk featuring a gorilla playing the drums. It was very quickly uploaded to YouTube and the link shared by hundreds of thousands of Facebook users who also set up fan pages for the ad. Cadbury then joined Facebook and now has pages for several of its products.

Something Borrowed, Something Roo: How to Pick a Wedding Theme

Kat

January 2, 2012

Optional (and recommended) prep work before reading this month’s post: go around your house and make a little mental (or physical, I’m easy) note of what you can see in the following hiding places: your wardrobe; your shoe collection; your fridge/pantry, and your cosmetics cupboard/dressing table. No matter how bare or brimming these areas of your nest are, I hope that you’ll begin to notice certain themes lurking in each. For example, although I’m a bird who doesn’t subscribe to wearing a lot of makeup, I do have a penchant for fabulous nail varnishes. My collection isn’t vast, but there’s an obvious trend; namely understated nudes, pastel pinks, and darker, cold hues with a hint of shimmer. There is no hint of neon to be found. Moving to my overly extensive wardrobe (which I am always ungratefully bored of) I see lots of natural tones – tans, browns, greys (the odd plum sweater, maybe) – splashes of velvet, cheeky peeks of Breton stripe, trimmings of lace and a few impractical “statement” pieces. Similarly with my shoes, I find cherry red (faux) snakeskin ankle boots nuzzling up next to my Vans Old Skools, who in turn drape a shoelace around my Melissa Lovefoxx sandals. When asked to describe my style, I say it’s “Whatever”. It’s whatever I feel like, whatever the weather, whatever I want. In turn, I try to live my life by the mantra of my wardrobe, which becomes glaringly apparent when you look in our kitchen cupboards: scotch pancake ingredients, stuffing mix, cloudy lemonade, cinema sweet popcorn, potatoes, and tomato soup (we haven’t done our weekly shop yet, can you tell?).

Something Borrowed, Something Roo: Finding Our Perfect Wedding Photographer

Kat

November 28, 2011

Something I am always keen to promote through Rock n Roll Bride is the importance of hiring a professional wedding photographer to document your wedding (the photos are the only thing - well except the marriage of course - that lasts after the wedding day etc etc) However not only that, I also think it is crucial to hire a professional wedding photographer that gets you. It may be all well and good that a photographer has won a gazillion awards or has shot some fantastic weddings that have been featured in magazines and on wedding blogs, but if you don't like them as a person or they don't understand your vision for your wedding... well they aren't the guy/gal for you.

Something Borrowed, Something Roo: The Hunt for the Perfect Venue

Kat

October 31, 2011

My lovely intern Roo (oh I do love her so) had, to say the least, quite the drama with the search for the perfect wedding venue. So she's here today to share her woes and in turn reassure those of you that might be going through the same hell, that it's all going to be fine and that you will come out on the other side! I personally found the venue hunt the most stressful part of my wedding planning. Why are wedding venues such a pain in the...ahem. Over to you lady...

Wedding Dress Shopping at Charlotte Casadéjus

Kat

September 8, 2011

Walking into Charlotte Casadéjus' unassuming South-East London studio, I felt mostly like my usual old self. Fluffy, flyaway hair, a bloke's jumper, a flick of eyeliner applied on the train - nothing special. But then, it's not often that I feel special.

And the Next Rock n Roll Bride Intern is…

Kat

August 1, 2011

It was a hotly contested battle but I'm pleased to announce that after 20,000 votes (!) that the next Rock n Roll Bride intern is... Congratulations Miss Roo, I very much look forward to getting to know you and sharing your (sure to be) awesome wedding planning story with the readers of Rock n Roll Bride.

Help Me Choose the New Rock n Roll Bride Intern

Kat

July 25, 2011

To say that choosing the next Rock n Roll Bride real-bride intern was difficult would be an understatement of immense magnitude. When I posted two weeks ago that I was looking for a new 'Alice' to come and write her wedding planning story for us I expected to receive maybe 10/15 entries...67 applications later and my brain is a little fried from trying to pick the one which I think will have the most interesting story for the blog. So, I'm being a wimp and hoping you, the loyal readers of this 'lil blog will come to my aid and help me! After all, I want you to be inspired by the stories you'll be reading. I have managed to narrow it down to three 'finalists' (for lack of a better word.) Please read their entries, check out their inspiration and let me know who you think should come and write for me. Who's story do you find most interesting? Who writes in a way that makes you want to read more? Who's inspiration board is most inspiring to you? Who do you want to hear more from and who's wedding do you want to see on the blog?

How To…Make Your Own Paper Flowers

Kat

June 4, 2011

So today's DIY tutorial from wedding planner Andri Benson of Always Andri doesn't have to be restricted to just weddings (although how flipping adorable would these make as bouquets or centrepieces?!) I can totally imagine a big old bunch of these sat next to me on my desk. So so pretty! And what a great use for all those pages and pages of magazine adverts? Let's save the trees people.

How To…Make Your Own Skull Badge Wedding Favours/Boutonnieres

Kat

May 21, 2011

Today's tutorial comes from fellow wedding blogger Lou of Whimsical Wonderland Weddings. I asked her if she'd like to create an exclusive DIY tutorial for the readers of Rock n Roll Bride after I feel in love with the DIY tutorials she'd done for her own blog. My only stipulation was that it ROCKED...and I think she's got that down! Pink skulls? Yeah..that's pretty damn Rock n Roll.

How to…Make Your Own Fabric Bouquet

Kat

April 2, 2011

The eagle-eyed amongst you may recognise the above image from Nicole & Aaron's 'Just Married' Session that I blogged back in February. As I was blogging it, I fell a little bit in love with Nicole's handmade fabric flower bouquet so I thought I'd try my luck and ask her if she'd be willing to share how to made it with my readers. Luckily for me (and you!) Nicole was more than happy and excited to share her tutorial with us. Enjoy this guys and as always, if you make this yourself I want to see pictures! Nicole has her own blog, Knitcole, so if you are interested in seeing more of her work then be sure to go check it out. The bouquet she made especially for this tutorial is even for sale through her blog (along with others) for the less crafty among you (ahem...like me!)

How to…Make Your Wedding Day All About You {Guest Post by Carina Romano}

Kat

February 19, 2011

I've lost count of the number of times I've read an email or comment from a bride-to-be, stressing that her wedding wouldn't be "blog-worthy enough" and that totally makes me sad. I LOVE to feature all kinds of weddings, detail-heavy or not. I actually back this up on my About page: "There is no ideal Rock n Roll Bride. What I love isn’t necessarily what floats your boat. What makes the weddings (and therefore my site) so fab is YOU! I try to share a diverse variety of weddings, photo shoots and general gorgeousness so I know you’ll find something you love here. The only thing I ask is that each feature is a perfect representation of the couple and their individuality. Think tattooed punk brides next to eco hippy chic weddings and DIY extravaganzas placed side by side with elaborate Alice in Wonderland themed weddings and your half way there."

Honeymoon Help – Helping you Plan a USA Road Trip!

Kat

February 5, 2011

Hello Kat, Hope you are keeping well!!! I see you have been very busy and it's not even Feb yet!!!!! I have to thank you again for blogging the wedding. We've been married now for 5 months but I still go to your blog religiously everyday! David has also been amazing and used one of my pics for the link to his website which just makes me grin like a cheshire cat!!!!!! (You can she Shalma & Leo's wedding here!)

Help Me Find The Perfect Rockabilly Dress For My Vegas Wedding!

Kat

January 15, 2011