Because of our pastel palette, it can be hard to find the right real weddings to showcase on Darling Lovely Life – but when fantastic photographer Karen Fuller of Fuller Photography sent me these beautiful images, I jumped at the chance to feature them. Rarely does a real wedding land in my lap that’s so Darling Lovely Life I can’t help myself! The wedding was so full of personal, heartfelt details (and Milo the dog – in a bow tie no less) captured with such sensitivity, skill and class by Karen! This incredible bride made her own cake! And stationery… and one of her bridesmaids provided the flowers… and no, you won’t believe it when you look at the pictures but it’s true – this wedding was a full on DIY job – amazing!
Sarah and John have been together for twelve years. They met working in TV production and the rest, as they say, is history. Of John, Sarah says: “he always sees the best in people, he’s not afraid of doing new things and he makes me laugh.” John loves Sarah for her great sense of humour and her ability to organise him!
In perhaps the longest proposal in the history of this blog, John carried around the ring for an incredible three years before popping the question.
Sarah says: “The ring went to Australia and New Zealand and various other holidays before John finally managed to pluck up the courage at our local beach. We had gone with our dog Milo and whilst I wasn’t looking he tied the ring round Milo’s neck on a big red ribbon and sent him running over to me. Out of all the places we had been I’m glad he did it there as we visit he beach a lot and having Milo involved made it all the more memorable.”
The pair finally tied the knot in May this year in a beautiful, English country garden celebration at breathtaking Narborough Hall, Kings Lynn, opting for an afternoon tea (warning – images ahead may cause hunger and lust for pretty things). The couple were full of praise for the venue’s staff, who were enormously helpful in planning their big day.
All images © 2014 Fuller Photography
The bride looked absolutely glowing and beautiful in a dress from Sweetheart Gowns from Prima Donna in Norwich. She finished off her look with shoes from Dune and accessories from Debenhams, where she also found her bridesmaids’ gowns. The bride’s hair was styled by Kay at Narborough Hall while her beautiful makeup was provided by Paula Cowell at Beauty Bridal.
The groom cut a dashing figure in an outfit from North in Belfast. Even Milo the dog received a little grooming of his own from Willow Haven Groomers in Mattishall!
“The most moving moment for both of us was most definitely the ceremony. Standing in front of friends and family made us both very emotional and when one of the people doing a reading got a little emotional, it really made us realise what a big day this was for everyone.”
Sarah was the absolute epitome of a Darling Lovely Life bride, from her gorgeous décor choices to her creative flair. On styling her wedding, Sarah says:
“We wanted a traditional English Country garden theme so I didn’t want anything to ‘neat’ or slick. Mismatched china, rambling flowers and a very relaxed feel.
I did all the planning and quite a bit DIY. One of my bridesmaids used to be a florist so she did all the bouquets, I made all the favours, we printed our own stationery and I made my wedding cake and all the cakes for the afternoon tea. I also collected vintage vases from charity shops and car boot sales for the tables and made jam jar tea lights for the tables.”
On her favourite detail, Sarah says: “We had a tandem on the stationery and a tandem at the venue which guests were able to have a go on. I like the significance of we are now on the same journey together. We go out on it now and it reminds us of the day.”
And those beautiful bouquets Sarah mentioned? Those were actually really inexpensive to produce: “All the flowers for the tables we bought from a supermarket with reward vouchers. Most of the flowers are guaranteed for five – ten days so you can buy in advance and store somewhere cool and a friend who does flower arranging came and do all the table decorations the day before which looked fab and nobody knew they weren’t from a florist.”
For the most part, Sarah LOVED planning her wedding, but like many brides & grooms had a little trouble delegating: “I enjoyed most of it, seeing it all come together. I didn’t like having to charge my sister and bridesmaids with planning the hen night – but I had to let something go!”
In the end, though, Sarah and John said they wouldn’t have changed a thing about their perfect day. Here are Sarah’s final words of wisdom for newly engaged couples:
“Enjoy being engaged and accept you probably will disagree about the wedding plans but remember to make your decision and move on. You won’t remember on the day the little things you disagreed over.”
Wise words indeed – and what a wonderful wedding day. Here at Darling Lovely Life, we wish Sarah and John (and Milo) a lifetime of happiness together! Thank you to Karen for submitting these gorgeous pictures. If you have a real wedding you’d like us to feature, send some samples over to [email protected].
]]>We covered this topic a few years back in the Under the Vintage Veil days, but as you can see, things are a little different now! So we’ve revamped this post for people who are having a totally creative, unique wedding and want to do things their way. If you’re looking for a blank-canvas wedding venue, or somewhere that will allow you to add your own special touches, then this post is for you. Assuming you’ve covered the basics (dates, capacity and so on) here are the essential questions to ask your wedding venue.
All images in this post © Satureyes
Sounds like an odd question, right? But lots of universities, schools, gardens and other properties that have another main function aren’t always able to provide the blank-canvas space you might want for your big day. A dedicated wedding or event space will often be more flexible in accommodating off-the-menu requests, as it were.
If you want to plan your own wedding, from start to finish, then avoid venues with mandatory packages. They’re perfect for someone who wants the majority of their wedding done and dusted, but not so great for somebody who wants to get stuck into their own planning. Don’t rule out a venue on the basis that they offer packages, they could just be for people who would like them, but be aware that packages, while sometimes more budget friendly, may box you in creatively.
Some venues require that you use their own caterers, others that you purchase alcohol from them, or that you pay a hefty corkage fee per bottle to bring your own drink. If an in-house caterer isn’t an issue for you, then make sure you find out exactly what you can get for your money before you commit to your wedding date. Based on an experience I had when planning my own wedding, I always advise couples to make sure they can meet the in-house catering costs, or they risk being priced out of their own wedding.
This may not apply if you’re having a religious ceremony or getting married in a registry office, but if you want to get married at your venue, make sure that you find out which spaces are licensed for ceremonies. Just because a venue has a civil ceremony license doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to tie the knot in the space you want, as specific structures have to be licensed.
There are two reasons to ask this. The first is that, with many blank-canvas spaces, you will need to rent in your own tables and chairs, possibly bring your own sound equipment and so on. The second is that sometimes what you think is a blank-canvas room actually comes with something that can’t be removed. Look out for things like pianos, paintings, upholstery and so on to gauge whether your empty space will be as empty as you would like.
If you need to decorate your whole space without the help of staff, which can be the case with a totally blank room, then a one-day turnaround is going to be pretty tight. Find out if you have access the day before and the day after to set up and take down.
Planning on ending the night with fireworks? Hiring a kick-ass band? Hoping to hang things from the walls? Want some fabulous big balloons? Always dreamed of being sent off in a shower of confetti? Make sure you talk to your venue first. If you have your heart set on any extras, ask for a full list of restrictions. For example, is there a noise level restriction on the venue? Are fireworks allowed? Is confetti allowed at all (most venues will allow biodegradable confetti, but some have a total ban)? Can you have candles? Do your electronics need to be PAT tested? If anything is a dealbreaker, it’s best to find out before you put down a deposit.
Some venues will allow you to plan your totally unique event from start to finish but the sacrifice is that you won’t have any staff on hand to help out. Others may provide staff on the day, or liaise more closely with you. Find out exactly how much help you can expect so that you can plan accordingly.
With some venues, you may find that there are extra charges such as cleaning costs and damage deposits. Make sure you find out early so that there are no unpleasant surprises later on.
Some venues with more than one facility or space will sell more than one wedding on the same day. This shouldn’t be a problem, as the venue will hopefully be experienced in keeping wedding parties separate, but if you can’t bear the thought of sharing your big day with another wedding party, then this could potentially put you off.
Most venues will be upfront, thorough and a dream to work with, these questions are just insurance to make sure you get exactly what YOU want! Don’t forget to let the venue know just how you intend to use it so that there are no misunderstandings and have an amazing wedding day!
]]>OK maybe not THE hardest (doctors, lawyers, counsellors, bathroom cleaners… I could go on…) but after spending one whole day of my life shadowing a wedding photographer, I can honestly say that it’s up there. Here’s why, after shadowing a wedding photographer (the incredible Nicky Lejeune – two of my best friends got married so the full spread of her amazing photos is coming soon), I think it’s genuinely one of the most difficult, stressful and admirable jobs out there, and I only got a small taste of what it might be like. As an outsider, wedding photographers, I salute you.
Photography is art. I know, as a professional writer that I experience a degree of that. All artists are a little insecure about their work sometimes (to understate it) and the added pressure of having a client who’s paid you for your very subjective, artistic work is enough to cause a great deal of stress and anxiety. You also occasionally have that “what I know is an awesome shot” vs “what the client wants” internal process going on, making life that bit harder.
This is why I specified wedding photographers and not just photographers in general (although sports photographers, I can imagine, would have a similar issue): you can’t miss a trick. You can’t cock up moments like the first kiss, or the cake cutting. You can’t just ask the bride and groom to re-enact the whole thing because you had your lens cap on or (more commonly) they were slightly out of focus. And, unless you’re shooting on full auto (in which case, hand in your camera and your photographer’s badge) you’re having to constantly adjust your settings so that everyone who needs to be is in focus, the depth of field is right, the lighting isn’t over or underexposed, and you can’t reposition someone who’s decided to stand right in front of a window, or shove somebody out of the way for the sake of a good photo. You have to be a photography ninja, working with what’s in front of you even if it’s crap, knowing the camera like it’s an extension of your arm, sneaking through crowds unobtrusively to snap that one money shot.
From highly emotional families to nervous brides and people who just don’t realise that they’re not the photographer (seriously – stopit) deciding that you should have a picture of the back of their head instead of the couple kissing, wedding photographers have to deal with a huge range of people and their “stuff”.
Not only that, but you have to be able to read them well enough to capture them at their best, to immortalise the emotions they’re feeling, at their very best angles, without letting on that the camera’s on them. A pretty big ask to dip into the human soul and and politely deal with every Tom, Dick and Harry who wants to see the back of your camera.
You have to be able to tactfully work around people, who will move around and get in your way, who will be difficult about their photo being taken, or who will insist you take hundreds of photos of them despite playing a minor part in the wedding.
Basically, you have to become a master in speed-diplomacy, quietly and carefully appeasing and rearranging just in time to make sure you’re there to capture another magic moment.
I’ve never spent more time cramped in more uncomfortable positions. After twenty minutes hunched over in the baking heat, trying to encourage a butterfly to land on a ring, dangling on a piece of lavender, which had to be held perfectly still, I felt like I’d never need to go to the gym again. Wedding photographers are also on their feet the entire day with very little respite, you have to be in shape and ready to tough it out.
To photograph a wedding (well), not only do you need to be able to clearly see pictures everywhere as they’re happening, but you also need to see how those pictures are going to come together to create a set of images that belong together AND tell the story of the day, without looking visually jarring as a spread. No pressure, then.
I’ve recently discovered Photoshop. Which means I’ve also discovered how hard it is to edit raw files, one by one, in a way that brings them together as a cohesive set of pictures and brings out the best in everyone. Honestly, it’s like when I sit down to edit my amateur shots I forgot what a normal exposure should look like, or what someone’s natural skin tone is. I have no idea how photographers get through the laborious task of editing hundreds of wedding shots, making them look incredibly beautiful and making them fit together as a set. All I can say is “wow”.
So, after having experienced the exhilarating, exhausting and inspiring life of a wedding photographer, I can confidently say it’s a job I could never quite hack. So raising an invisible glass to all you wedding photographers out there, capturing the most exciting moments of a family’s life – I really don’t know how you do it!
]]>Does anyone ever really feel like they’ve made it to adulthood? Probably not, but here are ten signs that you got there, even if you didn’t feel it happening!
Five years ago your life was full of fickle friends, frenemies and falling outs. These days life is a lot simpler. You know who you can count on, who you have time for and who you’re going to be close to in the long run.
Whether you’re in a relationship or not, you feel a lot more secure in yourself. You don’t need to be with your partner every second of the day or constantly check up on them to prove you’re happy with them. If you’re single, you don’t need to chase after your date to validate yourself.
Once upon a time all you knew how to cook was pasta. Now you have a few more dishes in your repertoire!
Years ago, sleep was a necessity – now it’s a pleasure and a luxury. Nothing feels better than getting into your comfy PJs and curling up for a good night’s sleep.
Not necessarily with cash (though that would be nice) but with sensible things like change for parking, loyalty cards and so on.
Passing on parties that don’t strike your fancy? Saying no to work opportunities that don’t feel right? Turning down that second date? This is a sign that you know what you want (and don’t want) and you know how to express yourself.
Direct debits, payments without prompting and a new talent for keeping an eye on your spending are all classic signs that you’re a bona fide grown up.
If you find yourself asking what the hell a Justin Bieber is or pondering what species a Kardashian might be, you may well be a grown up.
Once upon a time, the world was an easy, black and white place to navigate. Now you’re a bit older you can see all the shades of grey in between, so you’re a lot more understanding when a friend or loved one makes a mistake. Now you try to work out the whys and hows before getting cross and reacting.
Or having babies, or losing parents, or getting promotions. The time when you and your peers start experiencing the big life events is a massive signal that you’re finally cooked.
Being a grown up doesn’t mean you can’t have fun or enjoy the things you used to – it just means you know when you’ve had enough and you know how to take good care of yourself! Enjoy it!
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