Rock n Roll Bride - The ultimate guide for alternative brides

Outdoors

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
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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!
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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!
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Backyard Beautiful

Kat

January 9, 2010

Lauren & Alexander got married last summer in their own back garden, surrounded by 35 of their closest friends and family. The who day was a DIY affair and a perfect reflection of who they are as a couple. Lauren looks amazing in her simple Betsey Johnson dress and Moschino Chic & Cheap shoes, while Alexander bucked all the trends by wearing a casual T-shirt and Jeans from Nordstrom and by spending the whole day barefoot! The wedding had a very comfortable, home-grown, relaxed party feel. The details weren't really that important to this couple, ignored in favour of what really mattered to them - family, friends, home and love. Thanks to Kristi for sharing this, her first ever wedding, with us today. I am in love with this couple and their laid back, chilled attitude
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Eclectic with Candlelight

Kat

January 2, 2010

I love this vintage fashion shoot so much! It has such a cool rustic, almost thrown-together feel with all those eclectic details... and who can resist all those candles? Isn't the light they emit just fantastic? Photographer Katelyn explains: What do you get when you put together 1 1/2 tables, 2 table-cloths, over 120 candles, 7 lanterns, 6 windows, some pretty awesome containers (jars), and some really cool books? an AWESOME outdoor photo shoot! I did a country vintage shoot that lasted through the day and into the night! It never got higher than 40 degrees but my model roughed it and did a great job. Thanks to Katelyn for sharing these with us...I need to do a shoot with candles like, now.
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Skin Graft, L.A.M.B & Dreadlocks

Kat

December 31, 2009

Kati & Hilal's wedding made me squeal with delight. It may have primarily been her custom made Skin Graft gown, her L.A.M.B shoes and her dreads that made me so excited, but alongside this inital visual feast, the whole laid back ambiance, feel and ethos of the day really makes me happy. Kati explained her choice of dress: Basically, it came about like this: I had seen and bought a few individual pieces of Skin Graft attire during the past few years, and then I noticed that they had a few weddings (within their "gallery".) I started an email conversation with them about a year before the wedding. (Skin Graft consists of 3 core designers and at least one wedding/custom gown assistant. I envisioned the outfit with Cassidey (one of the core 3) and then he passed me off to Amanda (wedding attire assistant) who finished the project off. We discussed different types of dresses they had already made, and different things I liked/didn't like. They sent photos of previous work, and drawings of my potential gown back and forth via email. I was measured in San Antonio, and sent the measurements to LA. When I received the dress I had to have it altered a little, but Skin Graft reimbursed me for the alteration fees.
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Glorious Springtime Vintage Styles

Kat

December 28, 2009

You went totally nuts over the 'And so we Danced' photo shoot I shared from Elevenorchids Photography last week so it is my absolute pleasure to share some more of their work with you today. This glorious shoot was set up for Michestyle, a young designer who loves to celebrate vintage styles and lines by adding a modern feel to them. She takes pride in every detail and was on set to style and do the makeup, hair and to guide the model through the entire process. Thanks again to the awesome Annie & Benjamin for sharing their work with us. We love it!
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We Love Rain

Kat

December 28, 2009

Alissa & Phil were such an amazing couple to get to know and we were instantly stoked to shoot their wedding. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the church, it was raining, and there was no end in sight. Now, usually at this time we are looking for other inside options to do the photos, but rain didn’t phase Alissa or the bridal party AT ALL. So we headed out to a super cool location we found just a few days before and completely rocked it. I also just have to say, usually when a photographer asks a bride, “Hey, there’s a sunflower field over there that would be awesome for pictures, but there is a ditch you have to hop, and it’s kind of muddy, and you’ve been standing out in the rain for an hour, and you have your wedding dress on, and it’s freezing” there is an awkward silence and usually a “NO” at the end. But, again they proved me wrong and were up for absolutely everything we said. Alissa + Phil + Rain + Cold = Awesomeness Thanks to Brian & Amy for sharing this rainy and fun shoot with us today
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Crazy in Love

Kat

December 16, 2009

A 'typical' engagement session this certainly is not. Axioo have gone and blown my mind again! Fun, flirty, hilarious, sexy, cool, crazy and quirky all in one shoot - you're going to go nuts for these. For Nico & Emil, together we came up with the craziest mix of ideas to show who they are. Each with a color of their own, but together they are truly one of a kind. Emil is gorgeous, when I first met her I really thought she's model or miss beauty queen. She's elegant, edgy and yet quirky...who would have thought she's a dentist. Nico is all out wacky, funny and full of expression. It's been a while since i know someone like Nico, he reminds me of Ivan our uber-hyper-creative photographer. Thanks to David for making me laugh today Credit: Axioo
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Marylebone Lovers

Kat

December 14, 2009

Wooo more UK fabulousness people - this time with a kick ASS engagement shoot shot in Marylebone, London. For me, Emily & Callum epitomise London cool. Casual, funky, stylish and quirky - just the way I like it! Emily describes herself as a rock chick with a passion for vintage glamour, so I wanted to do something a bit different for them. We shot at night in a grungy car-park and the park next door, I still had to use a bench though! Thanks to Andy for sharing. Come on the UK!
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Red Heels & Wheat Bouquets

Kat

December 13, 2009

I featured Mary's killer bridal session earlier this year - the aviators, gun and cigar really did it for me - so as always I've been eagerly awaiting for her wedding to Opie and I'm certainly not disappointed. I'm so exited that photographer Jenna wanted to share these with us: On her big day Mary not only rocked finger waves (vintage chic oh lala), a consignment shop wedding dress, a DIY wheat bouquet and red heels, but she and her beloved, Opie, had a wedding pie instead of wedding cake, saw each other before the ceremony (yay!), gave homemade truffles to their guests (and their photographer as well, which doubles their coolness factor in my book), and served hamburgers as their wedding dinner. Thanks to the every sweet, lovely and cool Jenna for sharing these today
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