Sugabilly Bridal

Kat

February 24, 2010

There's a little bit of a story behind the finding of this fabulous shoot and I thought in sharing it's gorgeousness I could also explain how it came to land in my inbox. As many of you know, my husband Gareth is an IT wizz and works from home. As sad as it may be, we love to watch Working Lunch together when I'm not at 'the day job'. One such afternoon there was a feature on Emma Jones of Enterprise Nation who works with 5-9 ers - ie people who are mad like me, work a full time job and run their own business from home too. So Gareth turns to me and says "You should drop her an email" and so I did. Making this connection has been fabulous for me as not only have I been featured on her site, am being used a case study in her upcoming book (hell to the yeah!) but she sends me regular updates on awesome other 5-9 ers that she thinks I need to know. LeKeux Events was one of these companies. As soon as I landed on their website I knew we'd be a perfect match and after speaking to Lyndsey over email it turned out that she already reads my blog! Aaaaanyway, to cut a very long story short (er) I saw this amazing Sugabily bridal shoot on their site and just had to feature it....you're going to go nuts for it! The dress and petticoat were ebay finds, but Lyndsey tells me she swooned over similar things on Vivienne of Holloway (who I ADORE by the way). Enjoy! Thanks to Emma for putting myself and LeKeux Events together and thanks to Lyndsey for sharing these wonderful shots with us today

Jules & Leighton’s Vintage, Rock n Roll Beautiful Homespun English Wedding

Kat

February 23, 2010

I'm going all out with the fantastic British weddings this week...and loving it I might add. Jules & Leighton's self confessed "oh-so-English-and-slightly-Rock-and-Roll wedding." Living in Kenilworth, Warwickshire they wanted to keep the day locally sourced and so enlisted the help and expertise of some of their favourite local vendors. Jules wore a Pronovias Huella dress and hand made accessories from super talented Etsy sellers Lili Swan and Lulu Splendor. The flowers were supplied by Cindy at Pure Botanics who created vintage perfection with her soft bouquets of ranunculus, roses and freesia that looked liked they could have been picked from an English garden, hand tied and finished off with gorgeous fat ribbons. For the centrepieces Jules scoured charity and thrift stores for mis-matched vintage glassware. The bunting was hired by Hired from Beautiful Bunting. The wonderfully mis-matched vintage china, cake stands and glass trifle bowls all hired from Vintage Teas & RSVPs. "We got married at Kenilworth Castle." Jules wrote, "No, it's not completely a ruin! Luckily the Gatehouse is still standing and it's stunning and as wedding venues go, it's possibly the best kept secret in Warwickshire. It might sound quite grand, getting married in a castle, but actually at Kenilworth it's a really cosy affair. We just had 40 guests and it meant we could keep things really relaxed and informal. We had the speeches there while everyone stood around with glasses of champers, rather than doing them the traditional way during the meal." They held their reception at Parochial Hall, 5 minutes walk away. "It's a really old church hall with a scrubbed wooden floor and a stage and a hatch into the kitchen." Jules told me "It's the sort of place that brings back memories of childhood for everyone who was ever in the Brownies or the Scouts. We loved it as soon as we saw it and it became our whole inspiration for what turned out to be our dream reception - an old fashioned family style get together. It was all very DIY - we had lots of help from friends and family who were fabulously keen to get involved and set about arranging tables and chairs and shinning up ladders. Our caterers Farmers Fayre really got into the spirit of things. Rather than have a formal style dinner we had joints of lamb brought to the tables and one person per table was then nominated carver - complete with chef's hat and apron. Even Leighton was up out of his seat handing round the vegetables - it felt like Sunday lunch with the family. As the evening guests started to arrive we had a cocktail hour complete with big band classics playing and Farmers Fayre bar staff serving up Cosmopolitans and Mojito's." Thanks to Jules & Leighton for sharing their "little-but-vintage-little-bit-Rock- n-Roll' darling British wedding today

Classically Beautiful

Kat

February 23, 2010

Even though I'm an out and out rock chick, I can sometimes be swayed to the classically beautiful side by my photographer friends. The wonderful UK based Nikole Ramsay sent me these amazing images just yesterday and I was blown away! Not only by her fabulousa photography, but by the beeeautiful dresses supplied by Sarah Treble. Thanks to Nikole for bringing out my princess side with these amazing images.

Quirky & Stunning, British Wedding

Kat

February 22, 2010

Forgive me, but I literally almost wet myself when I saw these shots from the hottest, newest photographer on the block, Emma Case - and can you believe it, this is only her first official 'Emma Case wedding'! (I've featured a wedding she shot for a friend before she decided to pursue it full time.) I got a very excitable email from the lady herself this morning and I couldn't wait to get home to share these right away. "Well, here it is, my very first, official, didn't know the couple before, professional, as 'Emma Case Photography' wedding!" She began. "Christie contacted me back in November and straight away I knew just how ace she was. Not only did she mention fake moustaches and knee-sliding as part of the wedding plan but she was funny and honest and completely on my wavelength. We emailed back and forth in a 'know each other already' type of way and by the time me and Pete were driving up to Devon on the 30th January I was a little nervous but so excited to finally meet her (we didn't get the chance beforehand) and her soon to be husband... the Berninator! The wedding was held at the most amazing Huntsham Court... oh man the bathroom in the bridal suite was AMAZING, oh and the library... and the... well you can see for yourselves, the whole house is stunning! The ceremony (that I wasn't allowed to photograph.. grumble, grumble) was beautiful with a really heartfelt speech from both Christie and Bernie's sisters (I'm gonna have to man up in this profession as I could feel myself going) and then food was served followed by a wonderfully proud speech from the Father of the Bride and a particularly funny song by the Best Man and his guitar! Instead of a wedding cake they had a 'pig'nata (pinata) and for the evening entertainment 'Gabby Young & Other Animals' played their socks off (you need to check this band out) and EVERYONE was dancing! Finish it all off with about 3 hours of The Photo Booth which had me literally in pain through laughing too much and you have all the ingredients for one hot wedding." Thanks to the lovely Emma for sharing these, and I KNOW we'll be seeing a lot more greatness from this girlie (and I can't wait to finally meet her soon!)

Urban, Girtty, Hearts & Love

Kat

February 19, 2010

Emma & Mattias' urban & gritty engagement session in Hackney Wick (the East End of London) have inspired me no end. I not only love the rough 'n ready, graffiti style shots (which are fast becoming a bit of a McNeil signature) but the wonderful heart shots send my heart a-flutter. I asked David how this images came about and he told me that as they were wondering down the street, looking for locations, they came across a hall where a Valentines night was being set up. They asked nicely if they would use their heart covered wall as a backdrop and the lovely people said yes. Aren't the results fabulous? Another photographic win for my friend David I feel! Thanks to David for sending these over today Credit: David McNeil

1920s Stylee Speakeasy Wedding

Kat

February 17, 2010

I've got a second British post for your today - and this time it's Miriam & Bruce's art deco/speakeasy/1920s-30s inspired wedding. The event took place at The Brickhouse, Brick Lane, London which is in the heart of the city's uber cool East End and was complete with monochromatic colour scheme, gambling tables and cheeky burlesque entertainment. Miriam & Bruce had a humanist ceremony in front of their guests before kicking off a night of unashamed debauchery! Female guests were treated to a black or white feather fan on arrival, and the gents mini bottles of Jack Daniels and chocolate cigars. Miriam wore a dress and ostrich feather shrug from the fabulous Joanna Fleming Design and birdcage veil from Jane Taylor Millinery. Credit: Eye Imagine Wedding Planners: Grant-Riley Weddings

Quintessentially English

Kat

February 17, 2010

This cute West London engagement shoot delighted me ever so much as I work very near here - in fact I drive past the modern building featured in some of the shots everyday and think how much nicer it looks than the studios where I work! Aren't Sarah-Jane & Mitul just adorable? Thanks to Laura for sharing these

Surprise! Phoebe & Teraaka’s Family Central UK Wedding

Kat

February 11, 2010

Hannah & Ali’s Quirky, Art Deco and Too-Damn-Freakin’-Cool British Wedding

Kat

February 8, 2010

Do you remember Hannah & Ali's awesome 'at home' engagement shoot complete with their awesome kitty cat? Well I was over the moon to receive an email full to bursting with their quirky, vintagey wedding goodness from their photographer Steve Gerrard just the other day. I am loving Hannah's Jenny Packham dress and headband (le swoon indeed) and the bridesmaids look just too damn cool for school in their All Saints dresses. Their wedding took place just before Christmas at The Daffodil in Cheltenham, a fantastic converted 1920’s Art Deco picture house Steve tells us, The vintage theme continued throughout the wedding and I have to say I wish more couples would go down this route. I think it’s so cool and stylish. Hannah and Ali both looked amazing, but their guests also made a huge effort and win the award for best dressed guests ever! Yep this is defiantly one of the coolest UK weddings I've seen in a while (well...a few days maybe - I get sent a HELL lot of cool weddings!) Thanks to the wonderful Steve for sharing with us. Credit: Steve Gerrard Photography

Flower Child

Kat

February 6, 2010

Canadian Dana and her British husband, Torsten got married in Stockholm on the day of an eclipse. Their perfect hippy chic/festival vibe wedding consisted of henna tattoos, and outside ceremony and hundreds of bright yellow sunflowers. You will LOVE these! Thanks to Ian for sharing these with us

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

Brighton Belle

Kat

February 5, 2010

I just wanted to share a few images from Jed & Sarah's funky yet classic Brighton wedding. Brighton is a really eclectic town on the South coast of England. Brighton is full of eccentric characters and this wedding was so fun and quirky, even the registrar had kooky shoes and piercings. The bride and groom were very cool - her mother in law made the dress and I think she looks fab, they got wed in the pavillion, then onto a double decker to the Grand Hotel for some food and drinks....It was all about their colourful personalities and the offbeat alternative nature of Brighton which I made sure to feature in as many of the shots as possible. Thanks to Joanna for sharing these

Latex, Tattoos, Piercings & Fancy Dress Make a FABULOUS UK Wedding!

Kat

February 2, 2010

I've got a funny feeling you're going to go just as crazy about these as I did. Words can not even describe really can they? Danny & Louise's amazing alternative, British (oh yes this couple is English woooo) wedding was all about the style. Louise's stunning latex dress was made by Jane Doe Latex. This part certainly didn't care about what was 'expected' of their wedding, not only are the pair clearly ones to play by the rules (Louise is a piercer and micro-dermal specialist and Danny is a tattooist. They are both heavily modded, both having split tongues, facial tattoos and multiple piercings) but the wedding meal after the ceremony was a trip to MacDonald's eaten at their house! Their evening reception and buffet was held at at our local rock bar, Sanctuary and was fancy dress, hence the grooms rather fetching nurses outfit! Seriously guys, put your eyes back in their sockets right now and enjoy! Thanks to Donna for sharing this AMAZING wedding with us

On the Southbank

Kat

January 29, 2010

I was lucky enough to feature photographer Jodie Chapman in my Under the Spotlight series this week...and now I'm lucky enough to be the blog that she selected to showcase her newest engagement shoot which took place on the Southbank of the River Thames in London. Jodie knew this shoot would be perfect for Rock n Roll Bride and that I'd go crazy for the old books, the London Underground map, the old telephone boxes (does anyone use telephone boxes anymore?!) and the London buses, as well as the various quintessentially London locations such as The Tate Modern (which, even though it's a horrific 1970's building, she still made look awesome!) Thanks to Jodie for sharing these with us Credit: Jodie Chapman Photographer

European Chic

Kat

January 24, 2010

Damien & Nadia live in London (although Damien is originally from France) so they chose to have their engagement session in the UK's capital. Haven't this pair got that european chic feel? Fabulous fashion indeed. Thanks to Eliza for sharing these with us

A Little Help From My Friends

Kat

January 23, 2010

I was already brimming over with excitment to feature this wedding by one of my newest Scottish photographic discoveries Mirrorbox Photography, but then I found out that this blue dress bride was actually one half of the talented team. A true Rock n Roll photographer if ever I've seen one - she only even went and had her own Rock n Roll wedding! "Being a wedding photographer myself I knew how important the photos were going to be at my wedding. I am one half of Mirrorbox Photography. I worried about asking my business partner Sequoia to take the photos as she was also going to be a guest at the wedding but I really didn’t want anyone else to shoot it. She was the only wedding photographer I knew would take the amazing photos I wanted and thankfully she happily agreed. Asking friends to get involved became a bit of a theme to our wedding. In fact when we put together our guest list each person had a skill we could utilise next to their name. This was not only a way to cut costs dramatically but it was also a great way to get people involved. We knew that we wanted our wedding day to be very personal to us and to all our closest friends and family that would be there. My husband and I with the help of our creative friends designed and made everything from rings to invites to flowers, we even made our own champagne! I designed my own dress, which I then had made at Che Camille in Glasgow; an independent design studio featuring local artist’s work. The bridesmaids also designed their own dresses. I didn’t want Sequoia to be working all night so I utilised a small room off the main hall to our venue and turned it into a self portrait photo booth, setting up lights and a camera with a trigger release. This proved to be great fun on the night and even more fun looking through the results after. This was also another great way to get people involved."

All that Jazz

Kat

January 22, 2010

This fabulous 1920s Vogue-stylee fashion shoot was sent over to me by Donna & Mark of Archibald Photography and I actually couldn't wait to share them with you! The shoot was commissioned to to photograph the new collection of 20s inspired wedding dresses from Lindsay Fleming called 'All That Jazz'. Lindsay Fleming Couture are award winning bridal designers based in Scotland. Aren't these beautiful!? Thanks to Donna & Mark for sharing these with us today

Fairy Lights, Scrabble & English Heritage

Kat

January 21, 2010

Ella & Sam's London wedding was such a gorgeously quirky affair that not only I was boiling over with excitement to blog them, but Emily from the ridiculously popular (and in fact one of my personal favourite blogs) Once Wed was too. So we've decided to join forces on this one and to both share our favourite bits of this gloriously English affair. For all the ceremony and portraits head over to Once Wed and I'll handle the beautiful reception details. You might actually recognise Ella from her sister's wedding that I also featured on Rock n Roll Bride a while back - who could forget those wonderful red shoes?! While Tara opted for a bright and colourful summer wedding, Ella & Sam's day was one of enviable vintage glamour and sophistication - with a touch of Rock n Roll of course! I am absolutely crazy for those bridesmaids in sparkly black jackets and the un-corordinated patterned tights, and of Sam's awesome floral shirt and bow tie combo. The wedding which was held in Grenwich, London was one of English Heritage and followed by a secret dinner at Davy's Wine Vaults, decked out with candles and hand-chosen gifts for everyone

Music Festival Vibe

Kat

January 15, 2010

Jo & Matt's relaxed summer wedding took place at South Farmin Cambridgeshire, UK. The couple tied the knot in the venue's summer house whilst the stunning venue allowed guests to chill out outside, listen to the live music (including the groom's band!) and then camp overnight. The whole day have a hippy chic, music festival, vibe to it. Jo wore a vintage dress and Christian Louboutin shoes and looked every bit the perfect Rock n Roll Bride. Thanks to Emily for sending me this beautiful wedding. I am honoured to be the one to feature it for you!

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!