Rock n Roll Bride - The ultimate guide for alternative brides

Short Dress

An Anti-Princess, Nerdy & Eco-Friendly Wedding: Josh & Jaclyn

Kat

August 31, 2011

Josh & Jaclyn were legally married on July 13th but had their reception on the 16th at Smith & Wilson Winery in Cedar Springs, Ontario. "We decided to have the reception and the ceremony were on separate dates," Jaclyn told me. "On the Wednesday before the Saturday reception Josh, I, our parents and two close friends went to city hall for a justice of the peace ceremony. It was really relaxed - we didn’t even dress up in our fancy wedding attire. I wanted this because wedding ceremonies always bore me to tears and didn’t want to put our guests through that. It is also a good thing because I got a case of the giggles so bad that tears streamed down my face and we had to pause so I could catch my breath. That would have been so horrible in front of 100+ people!"
Read more...

Colourful & Modern with a Heavy Dose of Whimsy: Brandie & Ede

Kat

August 24, 2011

You're going to love Brandie & Ede's wedding...and not just because the bride has pink hair (although it helps - I'm totally biased towards my pink haired brides) But because it's well...awesome! "Everything was different," Brandie told me. "We wanted stuff we loved and stuff we would want to enjoy at our own wedding. Everything down to the food was thought of. Our venue, The Parker was a perfect setting because of the fabulous design that is already there. We just brought in our personality. I never felt like we had to include anything traditional. We did the parts we wanted to do. Owls were a huge part of the invitation suite and birds in general. I think we approached it like our home design - colorful, modern, with a heavy dose of whimsy. All the centerpieces were a random collection of white items from animals to the Eiffel Tower. Where ever you looked the was something to put a smile on your face."
Read more...

Candy Coloured Cuteness: Lucy & Michael

Kat

August 18, 2011

Lucy & Michael's candy coloured cute-as-hell wedding stole my heart! The pastel colour palate is so fresh and totally perfect for their DIY wedding. Lucy & Michael actually found their photographer, the fabulous Shell De Mar, through an engagement shoot featured on Rock n Roll Bride too so it's really cool that I'm allowed to feature their gorgeous wedding too. "We knew that it was important to have a wedding photographer who understood the style and inspiration for our big day and would capture all of the details we had so painstakingly created," Lucy told me. "We wanted a fun and creative record of our day rather than a set of stuffy portraits. We discovered Shell De Mar when we saw a seaside engagement shoot that was featured on Rock n Roll Bride. We immediately fell in love with her use of light and colour, and the way she captured her couples."
Read more...

A CMYK Themed Wedding: Rebekah & David

Kat

August 16, 2011

When Rebekah & David's wedding landed in my inbox a couple of weeks ago I just about let out a 'whoop' of joy! Colour colour everywhere, what's not to love? Their CMYK theme is just perfect....perfect! "Shortly after our engagement, David suggested that we have a CMYK wedding" Rebekah told me. "Graphic design is a massive part of our lives and to base our wedding on the colours that make up a lot of printed design work (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key Black) made so much sense to us. It was so much fun applying CMYK theme to our day, from table numbers, to my wedding dress to our bridesmaids."
Read more...

A Laid-Back Beach Wedding at Camber Sands: Fiona & Rob

Kat

August 11, 2011

Fiona & Rob were hitched right by the beach at The Gallivant in Camber Sands. The style of the beautiful hotel suited their beach theme perfectly. "I was quite keen for it not to look too wedding'y - or formal or too orchestrated" newlywed Fiona told me. "We didn't consciously go with a theme but it kind of happened! We live on a beach and both my husband and I are kitesurfers so it had to feature strongly and in the end it made it easier to have a focus shaping our creative decisions! I think always try and make stuff, not only to save money but to make it more personal and make your loved ones feel involved."
Read more...

Regula & Bruno’s Abandoned Fairground Wedding Portraits (Part Three)

Kat

August 10, 2011

So part one was spooky, part two was cute and part three is just...well...a whole other level! Could an abandoned fairground in Belgium possibly be the coolest photo shoot location ever? "The day after our tea party reception we went on a adventure to an abandoned fairground that I used to visit as a child when it was still open," Regula told me. "I suddenly thought about it a few months ago and wondered what had become of it. I have some vivid childhood memories of it. Bruno and I wanted to go there as we love the creepy and romantic forgotten world feeling about it. We have a thing for the strangeness of old fairgrounds and fairs, hence the rock candy and candy apples at our reception. When I told our photographer Sassy of it she was so excited we decided to make a trip together."
Read more...

Regula & Bruno’s Afternoon Tea Party Reception (Part Two)

Kat

August 10, 2011

Remember Regula & Bruno's spooky Rye wedding? Well they're back, not once but twice today! I'm kicking of this Wednesday morn' with the Belgian leg of their wedding and this afternoon I'll be sharing their creepy wedding portraits taken at an abandoned fairground! Originally from Belgium the couple were keen to have a tea party reception in their home city for all their friends & family that didn't come over to the UK for their ceremony. Writer Regula told me all about their tea party. "We knew what we wanted to do for our wedding reception immediately. Because we were getting married in England we wanted our friends from Belgium to feel like they were in the UK. We decided we were going to do a Wedding afternoon tea."
Read more...

An Informal Picnic Wedding with a Touch of Vintage: Michelle & Jodie

Kat

August 9, 2011

Being a wedding planner herself, newlywed Michelle knew exactly what she wanted for her British Summertime wedding to Jodie. In the 18 months of their engagement she spent hours crafting and painstakingly putting together their vintage and craft themed day. "I wouldn't change a thing!" she explained. "We had so much fun planning the day, we did everything from choosing the playlists to writing our vows and designing the picnic menus."
Read more...

A DIY Fashion Shoot Using The Rock n Roll Bride Planning Notebook!

Kat

August 8, 2011

A photo shoot featuring the Rock n Roll Bride planning notebooks!? Oh yes that's one sure-fired way to get my attention! "We styled the whole shoot ourselves using items from eBay (and of course the Rock n Roll Bride notebook," photographer Jaye of Tux & Tales Photography told me. "We decided we would do a few styled shoots ourselves on a shoestring budget. I think it is a great way to show brides that they can have a fun and fab style with a little pocket change and a lot of elbow grease. I hope you enjoy my ultra-rad millinery. Picture me sitting on the living room floor, feathers flying everywhere whilst my cat tries to run off with the hat in his mouth every time I turn around to get another feather. The bouquet I made myself out of crepe paper. Boo (our model) is a burlesque performer so she did her own hair & make up!"
Read more...

A Quirky, 1950’s & DIY London Wedding: Rebecca & Morgan

Kat

August 5, 2011

I fell in love with Rebecca & Morgan's quirky wedding as soon as it landed in my inbox and I'm honoured and super excited to share it with you today...especially because they used some of my favourite suppliers (including Lisa Jane Photography and Vivien of Holloway) and well as some of the DIY project that I've posted on my blog. Yey! Rebecca told me all about their fabulous wedding. "Morgan and I grew up only 8 miles apart and even went to the same secondary school; in fact he was in my sister’s year in school. However we didn’t meet each other until April 2009, believe it or not he sent me a facebook friendship request, we went for a date and a crazy year later I asked him to be my fiancé. I even commissioned a ring from the quirky designer Amber France as a surprise, he said yes (sigh of relief on my side). Our daughter Efa was born and things went on the back burner and then 7 months later on my birthday he gave me a beautiful blue opal ring, it was like a green light!"
Read more...

A Weekend-Long Family Festival Wedding: Emily & Stef

Kat

August 4, 2011

If you're a blog addict like me you may have seen some of the following images from Emily & Stef's incredible festival wedding around the interwebs already. Emily is a wedding photographer herself and so a lot of the suppliers they used for their wedding weekend were friends as well as being exceptionally talented wedding industry peeps! After proposing to Stef, Emily set to work planning a unique and quirky wedding to suit them and their family. Being a wedding photographer herself Emily had seen a lot of things she didn't want for her own big day. It was important to them to have a wedding that reflected them, was chilled out and laid-back and fun for all their guests. "We had a bright, colourful, happy wedding that was all tied together with buttons," Emily began. "We have shot weddings together for the past 5 years and wanted to have something that didn't feel like we were at work. We also wanted an environment that was going to work well for our three children and lots of other little ones who would be at the wedding (about 27!). We both love music and festivals, so we wanted a lovely big party where everyone could relax and have fun. Someone described it as a mini summer holiday. That was the vibe."
Read more...

A DIY, Lesbian Wedding: Natalie & Sarah

Kat

August 3, 2011

Natalie & Sarah were married at El Rio, a bar in San Francisco. "My friend described our wedding as 'A backyard picnic with 52 pieces of flair'. I wanted it to feel like a big huge queer love fest," newlywed Sarah told me. "Our wedding was Rock n Roll because it was a queer wedding first and foremost. We had so much wiggle room to shape our event to be exactly what we wanted it to be. We were able to incorporate some traditional aspects, like the ring exchange, and do away with others that had no meaning to us like a bouquet toss or smashing a piece of cake in one another’s face. Although Nat and I can’t legally get married in the state of California we’re looking forward to taking a trip to New York to do it soon! I have a full sleeve of tattoos and wanted to feel sexy at my wedding, so I opted for a short dress that showed off my sleeve & some cleavage."
Read more...

A British Beach-Inspired, DIY Wedding: Emma & Matt

Kat

August 1, 2011

I teased a photo of Emma in her amazing short short wedding dress on twitter as soon as photographer David McNeil sent over this wedding to me. Whoaaa, I literally had to share it with someone (well 12,000 someone's) right away! I. Die. "We got married in Bardsea (on the bay of Morecambe)" Emma told me. "It's my parent's village which is just such a gorgeous place near the moors and the beach. Even though we live in Camden and love it - we're both down to earth and love being outdoors and away from the city, so it was a natural choice. We got married at Eden Lodge, on the outskirts of the village, which has recently been converted from a Edwardian home to a small, minimalist hotel in some AMAZING grounds. We got married in the hotel itself and then the reception was in a marquee in the grounds. It was the hotel's first wedding and they were AMAZING. We can't sing their praises enough. The staff were EXCEPTIONAL and really went above and beyond to make our day perfect."
Read more...

Wedding Fashion for Plus Sized Brides

Kat

July 27, 2011

Hi Kat, My name is Sara and I just found your website. Wow I was so relieved I wasn't the only one who hated the idea of a cookie cutter poofy foofy wedding! Amazing site! I have always dreamed of a 50's style tea length wedding dress. I found one I love on unique vintage thanks to you, but here's my problem. I'm plus sized. Like say a size 26 plus sized. I've been really ill for the last year and between taking care of my Mom (she had a stroke on my sixteenth birthday) and my illness, weight loss has been on the back burner. I'm set to be married November 5th of this year. I'm on a tight budget, but I just can't stand the idea of not having a wedding dress. Please please help me find one!
Read more...

A Crafty & Fish-Themed Wedding on the Banks of Loch Fyne: Claire & Doug

Kat

July 21, 2011

Unlike in England, in Scotland you can legally be married in an outside ceremony. The photos of this part of Claire & Doug's day in particular made me fall in love with this wedding. The celebrations were held at Inver Cottage Restaurant on the banks of Loch Fyne. Claire explains, "We went on our first family holiday to Strachur last year and when we stumbled upon Inver Cottage Restaurant on the banks of Loch Fyne we fell in love with it. We love all things seafood. It was during this holiday with our 9 month old daughter, Maggie, that Doug proposed. Directly across from Inver Cottage at the ruins of the old castle Lauchlan. The only place for our wedding ceremony was at Inver Cottage. We both hated the idea of a formal wedding but wanted to share the day with close family and friends and do it in a personal and well thought out way."
Read more...

A 1940’s Military Themed Wedding: Sierra & Jake

Kat

July 21, 2011

Sierra & Jake met while in the music store where Jake worked, "I shopped at the music store he worked at for a long time," laughed the bride. "I had the biggest crush but was way too shy to talk to him much. I always thought, "I want to end up with a guy just like him!" but certainly this one was out of my league. One day I was pretending to be interested in harmonicas, of all things, to get his "assistance" and he told me casually that he was joining the Marine corps. I panicked! I was running out of time to scoop up my dream man so I had to act fast. A few days later I finally got the nerve to ask him out. I decided for sure on that first date that he was the one for me. Two weeks later we started talking about marriage... crazy, I know! But here we are and he's the best thing that ever happened to me."
Read more...