Rock n Roll Bride - The ultimate guide for alternative brides

Kat

“It’s My Party”…Come Rock n Roll With Me in April!

Kat

January 21, 2011

Remember the last Rock n Roll party? It was totally awesome! However this time I'm going bigger and BETTER! I'm hiring out a whole bar in central London (Soho) on Thursday 14th April 2011 from 6.30 - midnight for the party to end all parties...and guess what? You're ALL invited. Brides, photographers, suppliers/vendors, bloggers, wedding obsessives...all of you! And the reason for this little get together? Well...cos parties are fun right?! The last party was pretty popular. I organised it in just two weeks and just had a small area of a bar reserved. Even though a lot of people couldn't come because it was so last minute, over 100 people still turned up! I was a little blown away by it all and so needless to say I'm now expecting this one to be just as popular. The venue has a capacity of 200 people. There will be a DJ, cupcakes and a photo booth (hopefully complete with silly props - if you have any you'd like to bring please do!) to keep you entertained as well and lots of yummy cocktails and lots of lovely people to talk to! I really hope you can make it!
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A Groovy Kinda Love – The 1960’s are BACK!

Kat

January 21, 2011

"The idea for a 60's inspired shoot came about after I noticed we’re seeing lots and lots of vintage 1950's style about and I figured it was about time the 1960's gave it a run for its money," explained photographer Shelly. "I had a vision of a pink bowler hat and from there, everything else fell into place." Shelly invited planner Kelly (of Boho Weddings) and Asher to model for her. "I knew I wanted mini dresses in a Mary Quant style and Debbie over at Danielle Lara Couture created these two especially for the shoot. When I went to collect them, I ended up picking up a couple of others at the same time – I just couldn’t help myself!"
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Our Wedding Featured in Wedding Ideas Magazine (Again!)

Kat

January 20, 2011

Back in the Summer I was asked by Wedding Ideas Magazine, who originally featured Gareth & my wedding waaay back in 2008, if we would like to take part in a Real Life Weddings Revisited feature. Being a huge poser, I of course jumped at the chance (and Gareth came along for the ride - again - too!) I also thought it would be a nice opportunity to share our wedding with all the new readers of the blog who probably won't have seen it before. What a difference 3 years can make huh? As you can see, our wedding certainly wasn't the most Rock n Roll out there. The wedding industry in the UK was a very different place in 2008, and my disillusion with most of the choices that were offered to us at that time was actually the catalyst for starting this blog and campaigning for alternative weddings everywhere!
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Michael & Chloe’s Seriously Bad Ass Festival/Circus Wedding

Kat

January 20, 2011

Michael & Chloe got married in the Circadia Circus Tent at Woodford Folk Festival, Australia. I think that's all I have to say to let you know that this wedding is seriously bad ass and awesome right? The bride wore a handmade dress and Wellington boots (festivals are muddy!) and the entire wedding was organized by the 'Circadia' team. The couple didn't have bridesmaids, groomsmen or flowers, but they had a cake organized by Michael's sisters (and a sweetie table, again organized for them by their family!) Bogan Bingo - a 90's hair band doing a "bogan" version of Bingo - entertained the guests before the wedding began.
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Pheigi & Kiichiro’s Japanese/Scottish Fusion Wedding

Kat

January 19, 2011

Just wow. Like seriously, wow. That's pretty much all I said for 5 minutes when Pheigi & Kiichiro's Japanese/Scottish fusion wedding hit my inbox this week. I almost don't know where to begin telling their epic wedding story, luckily for me the bride explained it a lot better than I ever could. The couple actually had two weddings - the first in Japan in July 2009 and the second (pictured) in Scotland in September 2010. "My new Hubby and I actually got married in Japan (where we live) in 2009. We went to the city office and signed lots of forms to update my alien registration card, change his official address and get hitched. Which one of those forms was actually my marriage certificate I still don't know. I wore my mothers 1970's full length purple embroidered waistcoat over my purple cord flares and after we went to the crazy Japanese arcade on our street and had photos taken in the hello kitty photo booth. Much fun yet somewhat lacking in romance. We thus decided to come home to Scotland and have another celebration with my family, which we did in September. Planning my wedding from Japan was hard to say the least, especially as I wanted something a little different from the norm, and the whole thing became more of a disappointment as I spent hours trawling through ugly dresses, bland invites and over the top bling, until a good friend with similar problems directed me to your site. From then on I visited your site nearly every other day to remind myself that there were options other than white wedding package A, B or C and so in turn I am sending you my wedding in hope that it may help other brides in the UK realise the same and give them a wee break from the monotony of the wedding industry. I hope you like."
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Sara’s Urban Bridal Shoot

Kat

January 19, 2011

Sara's bridal shoot makes me heart sing! Motorbike, cute doggie, ink, vintage brooch bouquet...oh yes I certainly approve of this! Sara told me all about her inspiration for her shoot with Sweet Caroline Photo, "My dress is from Pronovias and I got it from a bridal boutique in Salado, Tx called Coccinella's. My necklace was actually found at one of those crazy bridal extravaganzas from Stella Dot. I saw it there, tried it on, and decided within 5 minutes that it was THE necklace! My shoes were none other than Irregular Choice! Love them! I really wanted something fun, quirky, and comfortable...and flat, as my fiancé is only about an inch taller than me! My bouquet was made by myself and my fiancé, Barrett. I took a bunch of my old jewellery and hair pieces that I used to wear ALL the time and I haven't been able to part ways with and wired them all together. I also asked my stylists and receptionists at my salon to give me some of their old jewellery because I really wanted a piece of them with me during all of this. They gave me a lot of pendants, rings, earrings, etc, and I love being able to look at it and see pieces of the people that have become my family."
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Sally & Vyv’s Stylish London Wedding

Kat

January 18, 2011

Sally & Vyv's stylish London wedding took place in November. The ceremony at Islington Town Hall was followed by a party at 06 St Chad's, Kings Cross. Sally told me all about their day, "My dress was from a vintage fair at Chelsea Town Hall, I don't know the designer/era but I was talking to a fab lady who runs a vintage shop in Camden Passage and she thought it might be late 50s. I didn't plan yellow but wanted a bright colour and when I saw it I knew it was what I was looking for. I got it altered by The Lady That Does who is as much fun as she is talented, I spent a good few evenings laughing over cups of tea at her house with her partner - they are both very into their vintage and run swing nights in Walthamstow, but that's another story... oh yes and he runs dance classes! I almost forgot that I was there to get the dress pinned they were so much fun! Shoes were unimaginatively from Topshop."
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Jodie & Virginien’s Fashion & French Inspired Wedding

Kat

January 17, 2011

A bride in lace gloves and two bulldogs dressed up for the occasion? Oh yes, Jodie & Virginien's wedding makes my heart sing! Photographer Britt said she wasn't 100% sure I'd think their wedding was Rock n Roll enough for a feature when she sent it over, however I had to disagree straight away. I am loving the cute, quirky touches through out in this day - it's not all about tattoos and pink hair on this blog!
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Victor & Tori’s Dramatic Deep Purple Wedding

Kat

January 17, 2011

Victor & Tori's dramatic, slightly gothic - totally fabulous British wedding totally hits the nail on the Rock n Roll head. As soon as these landed on my desk I was instantly smitten with Tori's wicked deep purple, handmade gown by Janice Whitehorn of Uptight Clothing, "My bridesmaid sent me the link to Janice’s website and I loved her styles," explained Tori. "I went for a consultation and I told Janice what I liked and didn't like, and she came up with the most amazing dress/corset that made me feel like a princess, along with the headpiece which was modified from her original design and all the jewellery." The couple were married in October at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire and the deep purple theme was carried throughout the day and the details. Victor and his groomsmen wore a tailed morning suits with brocade waistcoats hired from Moss Bros, but their cravats were also handmade by Janice from the same material as the dress to match.
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A Quirky, British, Cupcakey Kinda Day

Kat

January 17, 2011

Oh I do love a pretty & retro photo shoot to brighten up a Monday morning and this fabulous one, sent over my Bethan of Haywood Jones Photography, fits the bill perfecto! "The main aim of this shoot was to achieve a real vintage glamour look and feel," began photographer Bethan. "We wanted a big slice of silver screen elegance with a large portion of delicious cupcakes on the side! My Pretty Little Things specialise in making veils and fascinators which hark through the eras of the 20's right through to the 50's and approached me to organise a vintage themed session. When organising the shoot, I contacted Queenies Cupcakes who have a shop in Ironbridge right around the corner to me, to see if we could use them as a location for part of the day. They were absolutely brilliant and we all had a good nibble on the cupcakes while we were there, work is so hard sometimes!"
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A Dia De Los Muertos, Punk Rock Wedding Shoot

Kat

January 14, 2011

This awesome punk inspired wedding was actually a faux-wedding - a photo shoot set up by stylist & blogger Lauren of Every Last Detail and photographer's Jeff & Anna Katherine of K&K Photography. They wanted to showcase some awesome alternative wedding styling and they certainly achieved that. I am totally smitten and almost a little upset that it isn't a real wedding - this looks like the kind of party I want to go to!
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