Stunning giant tipis – an alternative wedding reception

Image: The Stunning Tents Company

So as I mentioned previously N and I went down south to kick-start our wedding planning.  We went to the Beautiful World Tents open day in Horsham, West Sussex.  Beautiful World Tents provide a gorgeous range of big and small tipis for wedding receptions and events. 

Ever since I first saw images of these tents a couple of years ago when researching for the Directory, I fell in love with them.  Now that N and I are starting to think about our own wedding, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go and view these tents.

Image: Beautiful World Tents

Sadly, the day we went was some of the worst weather ever – a howling wind that rattled the poles holding the tipis up and horizontal rain.  In all their time setting up the giant tipis,  they had never seen weather so bad.  The day was pretty much cancelled as it was too dangerous to go inside the tipis.

Having travelled all the way from Cheshire, N and I weren’t about to leave without seeing as much as we could of the tents and speaking to Jo, the director, about all the different options and costs. 

As if by some miracle, just before we left the wind died down and the rain stopped, the sun came out and we were able to go into the full set-up of tipis and get a proper look and feel for them.

On the way home we also stopped off in Berkshire to see The Stunning Tents Company, who offer the same giant tipis and are the original importers of these stunning tents, which come from Sweden.

I left the south feeling totally wowed by the giant tipis and confident that they would make a stunning wedding reception venue.

Our gifts of love should not fund hate

An email from Greg Valerio over at CRED Jewellery popped into my inbox today with the subject line ‘Our gifts of love should not fund hate’.  Here’s what Greg’s email alerted me to:

Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe is selling blood diamonds on the world market.  His army has seized diamond mines, 200 civilians have been murdered, and profits are used to finance political militias.  

I’ve just signed an urgent petition urging international regulators meeting in Namibia this week to ban Zimbabwe diamonds, sending a clear message that we do not want the rough diamond trade financing war and violence as we have seen in the recent past in Angola & Sierra Leone.

We have just 24 hours to persuade regulators to act.  Join me by signing the Avaaz petition below and let’s get a massive petition together that will be delivered directly to the meeting in Namibia.

I too have headed over to the website to sign the petition, so please take a moment to add your name to the list and support this petition. 

If you are looking for ethical wedding rings you should take a look at CRED’s website as they use ethically-sourced diamonds to create their beautiful jewellery.

Image: CRED Jewellery

Winter berry buttonholes for a cosy Christmas wedding

Recently I have seen so many beautiful ideas for buttonholes that I have been inspired to design my own for this month’s *creative project*.  Sometime soon I will pull all the images together and showcase them on the blog as they are well worth sharing.

I have created my buttonholes for a cosy Christmas wedding, choosing some of the vibrant red berries that there are in the hedgerows at the moment combined with dark glossy greens. 

On Sunday I could be found stuck in hedgerows on the country lanes of Surrey searching for a selection of berries that I could use in this month’s project – with N sat in the car reading the newspaper wondering what on earth I was up to. 

Anyway, I opted for a sprig of plump, glossy hawthorn berries and one of blood red rosehips.  I have paired the rosehips with a small branch of bay leaves found in my garden (and many of yours I’m sure) and the hawthorn berries with some variegated ivy. 

Using some floral tape (I must confess I only had sellotape in the house but I wouldn’t recommend it for a wedding as I don’t think it would hold!) simply bind your chosen selection of berries and leaves together into a small posy.

Next, choose a complimentary ribbon or twine – I chose a moss green and a Christmassy tartan – and wind this round the tape a couple of times.  Secure the ribbon at the back of the buttonhole and you’re finished!

Sneak peek: November’s creative project

So I promised November’s creative project would be posted yesterday, but our plans changed around and we didn’t get home until after dark. 

Tonight I shall post the project and pics in full, but for now here’s a sneak peek:

Also coming soon details of my weekend and the start of our wedding planning!

Happy Hallow’een

A weekend away

N and I are off for a weekend down south to visit some friends, grandparents and to look at some very special wedding tents…

More about it on Monday along with November’s autumnal creative project!  In the meantime, check August and After a lovely wedding blog I only discovered yesterday, but I spent an hour or more reading through every post.  Truly lovely. 

All image: Sarah Neal Photography

Pretty sunflowers for a late summer wedding

Image: taken from a Snippet & Ink inspiration board

A good friend and colleague of mine has recently started to help her son plan his August wedding.  Like us, they want a more relaxed and low-key affair and over lunch I have been giving my friend ideas to help her with her planning. 

She is keen to use seasonal flowers for the wedding, and I had suggested sunflowers as it is generally easy to find British grown sunflowers towards the end of the summer and they are relatively good value for money.  Also, easy to grow if you have the space!

As a farewell to summer and in the hopes that these pretty pictures might inspire my friend (and other brides out there) below you will find some of my favourite images of sunflowers incorporated into weddings.

Farewell to summer…

This rustic but unfussy use of sunflowers and other bright garden flowers produces an effortless beauty to these wedding tables…

Image: 100 Layer Cake

Who could image a more simple combination that bright yellow sunflowers and the hammered textures of silvery-blue galvanised tubs…

Image: The Knot

These small sunflowers look quite at home amongst the camomile and placed in a faded farm bucket…

Image: Country Living

A beautiful combination of hot purple flowers with the fiery yellow sunflowers…

Image: Farmer Julie

Not quite a sunflower, but a pretty addition to a wedding featuring sunflowers where a smaller flower is needed for buttonholes – and for that ‘just picked from the garden’ look pair it with a sprig of blue borage…

Image: Martha Stewart

Here partnered with sea glass blues and greens and crisp white - I just love the vintage jars…

 
Image: Salt Harbour

A delightful but simple way to incorporate sunflowers onto your table – a single jolly flowerhead with each place card nestled in the centre…

Image: The Knot

For more ideas and inspiration check out our Creative section on the website or take a look in the Inspiration or DIY Projects category on my blog.  If you’re looking for something specific or need any ideas just drop me an email and I’ll be happy to help.

Save the date! Eco Chic Wedding Show 2010

Save the date!  The second Eco Chic Wedding & Home Show will take place on Sunday 19 September 2010 – check back for more information in the coming months.  Be sure to check out their website for highlights from the 2009 show.

Herb Buttonholes

I just had to share these beautiful DIY herb buttonholes from Once Wed – aren’t they gorgeous?

Even though we’re not looking to get married for at least a year, I can’t help but look at beautiful wedding inspiration with an eye for what we might like to incorporate.  And I think these natural, rustic looking herb buttonholes are just lovely.

More details and how to make these yourself can be found over at Once Wed…

All images via Once Wed

Back this week!

Apologies for the lack of contact over the last week, I have had my little sister staying with me while she’s been on work experience so I have been driving her round, taking her out for lunch and doing some all important retail therapy after work.

Back this week with some great inspiration and eco wedding businesses!

Image: the green orchard