We all know there are lots of good luck charms that can be given to the bride and groom on their big day from a silver sixpence, a horseshoe and even a chimney sweep.  So we thought luck will definitely be on our side today as we introduce….. Horseshoe Photography, otherwise known as Annemieke Goldswain-Hein and Jo Thorne.

“Times have changed and with that, styles have changed.  From more official, traditional wedding photography, reportage wedding photography has become very trendy over the last couple of years, which captures an event in a more realistic way.  Where traditional wedding photography focuses on staged photos, a reportage wedding aims to pictorially capture the spirit and feel of your wedding as it really is.”

“We really enjoy approaching weddings from various angles, bringing the atmosphere of the day into our imagery in a creative way.”

Their award winning style is a mixture of photojournalism, fashion and fine art photography and they both feel that modern weddings offer the photographer the scope to broaden his or her creative talents far more than was previously possible (..as the image below clearly shows…Wow!).

They offer pre wedding shoots and ‘rock the frock’ sessions too!  So what are you waiting for? If you’d like to get in touch with the ladies and have a look at more of their work you can visit their website at Horseshoe Photography.

I’m now off to buy a lottery ticket.

We love love love it when we find something that is absolutely gorgeous… but we love it a bit more when we know that it’s been hand-made by one lovely lady!  Take a look at these gorgeous… I’m going to say it again… HAND-MADE clutch bags by Emma Gordon.

Emma says “I was tired of only being able to buy mass-produced goods in the shops that were being worn by thousands of other people too, so I decided to do something about it!  I am proud of the personal service I am able to offer, and I try to make shopping with me that that bit more special.”

“My signature style is ‘ladylike with a twist’ using pretty colours, quirky detailing and delicate trims. As every bag is handmade, this achieves the unique ‘one-off’ style that has so far proved very popular with my customers.  I take my inspiration from everything elegant, from the light-hearted glamour of Audrey Hepburn in ‘Breakfast at Tiffanys’ to the gorgeous pin-up girls of the 1950’s.”

Emma also offers a made-to-order service where any of her styles can be made in specific colours to match bridesmaids dresses or wedding colour schemes.  Emma also offers a discount to brides who want to order multiple pieces for gifts to their bridesmaids (we like that idea).

We think you’ll agree that these are some cute clutches that would look fabulous at any wedding!

If you want to get in touch with Emma then you can contact her at emma@emmagordon.co.uk and if you want to get your hands on a clutch or two then you can visit her shop Emma Gordon London.  You can also be kept in the loop and check out some more of her beautiful designs on facebook!

When you don’t want to follow the crowd and you want to do your big day your way sometimes it’s really, really hard to be original.  Well, have no fear…close your curtains and no facebooking or tweeting because we have found the coolest and oh so original way to send your gorgeous guests their wedding invitation!!

Introducing the Original Wedding Tea Towel!!!

Karen from the Original Wedding Tea Towel says “We decided to get married at the end of last year, and we wanted something special for our invitation. Something different to create a buzz about the wedding, cheaper than standard paper options, good for the environment and something our guests could keep for ever, that’s how we came up with the idea for the Original Wedding Tea Towel.

When we sent the invites out the response was so incredible that we knew we couldn’t keep the idea to ourselves.  Think about it, instead of spending money on invites that people throw away, spend less money on something they can actually use, and keep forever.

Expect the response to be epic, everyone is going to have an opinion on your unusual invite and they can’t wait to get in touch to tell you, this makes your RSVP’s so much easier.”

We never thought we would ever get this excited about tea towels but you have to agree…. these are FABULOUS!!!  But shhhhhhhh… don’t tell anyone!

For more information, visit www.weddingteatowels.co.uk

Our good friends at pingg have recently been in touch and are excited to share with us their EXCLUSIVE, brand new collection of online invitations and announcements by Martha Stewart Weddings.  We knew our Bridal Soupies (I just made that up) would love their soft pastel colours and gorgeous images so here are a few examples for you to ohhhh and ahhhh over….

Pingg says ‘With two-dozen designs to choose from, the Martha Stewart Weddings collection is sure to have the perfect design for any invitation or announcement a bride may need. Ideal for save-the dates, engagement announcements, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners and more, the exclusive Martha Stewart Weddings Collection for pingg will fit any couple’s unique style and budget (they’re FREE!). Now that’s what we like to hear!

Here’s what Martha Stewart Weddings’ Darcy Miller, Senior Vice President and Weddings Editorial Director has to say…  “At Martha Stewart Weddings, we’ve always provided brides with the very best tips and resources for their special day. Our collaboration with pingg is yet another great way we can help brides have the very best experience possible planning all their events.”

Thanks to pingg for sending these over and you can see more of this gorgeous collection and choose your favourites here - Martha Stewart Weddings collection for pingg

So your Photographer is booked and now you’re looking for someone just as super cool to shoot your wedding video.  Well, haven’t you heard?  Videos are so yesterday!  What you want is your own wedding movie!!  And of course, Bridal Soup have found just the guys to do it!

Our Wedding The Movie create movies shot on real cine film for a fabulously charming retro feel, just like a home movie from the ’60’s!  Just take a look at their gorgeous little film montage and you’ll see exactly why we’ve fallen in love….

REAL FILM MOVIE MONTAGE 2010 from ourweddingthemovie on Vimeo.

Ohhh it just makes me smile!

Our Wedding The Movie says ‘REAL FILM has gorgeous grain, rich colours and handles light beautifully, giving everything an intimate, nostalgic feel that’s very different to video.  Don’t worry though, you don’t need a projector to watch the movie as the film is transferred to digital files, edited and delivered to you on DVD.‘  Sweeeeeet!

Due to the fact that Cine film has no ’synch sound’ (you can only play music over the footage) you also have the option to add ‘video extras’ to your DVD, filmed on digital video such as the ceremony, your first dance or cute messages from all of your guests.

I think you’ll agree that this is definitely one wedding video (sorry… movie) that you won’t mind watching again and again!

For more information and to take a look at some more yummy samples of their work check out their website www.ourweddingthemovie.com

As a new member of the Bridal Soup team I wanted my first blog to make a statement and boy oh boy did I find just the thing!  Oh So Boudoir recently got in contact to let us know about their new luxury boutique boudoir shoots and I think it’s safe to say….we’d all LOVE to have some gorgeous shots of ourselves looking beautiful and down right sexy!

Oh So Boudoir have teamed up with the Radisson Blu Hotel and Crowne Plaza in Birmingham to offer us ladies boudoir shoots in a stylised, luxurious, boutique setting with the option to really pamper yourself.  Not only do you get your own photo shoot with a professional hair and makeover, you can also have lunch or dinner in the hotel or pop over to the mailbox for some retail therapy!

Jo says ‘I think our images have a softer, more sensual, feminine feel to them than a lot of boudoir that’s out there at the moment and the stylised hotel settings adds greatly to the finished effect, boosting the air of glamour surrounding the experience. All images are professionally airbrushed to make our ladies look even more fabulous.

Clients are all offered a free consultation as part of their Boudoir experience, where we offer styling advice and suggest outfits for the day, we discuss any body hang ups (we’ve all got them - right) and reassure clients that we have poses that will flatter every different body shapes.’

They have a range of packages including overnight stays for that extra treat and girlfriend packages designed for two people, each getting their own private shoot.

Of course boudoir isn’t just for the brides to be, girlfriends can get in on the action too with their hen weekend packages. This is available for up to 10 ladies, each getting a professional makeover, 30 minute boudoir shoot with full posing direction and a professionally retouched image in a presentation folder, along with 2 nights accommodation in the Radisson or Crowne Plaza.

The images can be used as a unique and personal gift for your groom on the morning of your wedding (he will LOVE them), a valentines or birthday gift or simply just for yourself!

If you would like to get in contact then you can visit their website www.ohsoboudoir.com

Thanks Oh So Boudoir!  So when can you fit me in?

Hello everyone!

My name is Emma Case and I would just like to introduce myself as the newest member of the Bridal Soup team and to say that I am so so excited and cannot wait to share all the delicious things that come our way!  As a ‘not yet married but engaged to a gorgeous guy’ lady I am really looking forward to finding all sorts of wonderful things that I would want to book for my own wedding and to share them with all of you!

So who am I?  Well I am a photographer who loves anything vintage and a girl who likes fake moustaches, photo booths, cupcakes and good music.  You can find me at www.emmacasephotography.co.uk

When I’m not taking photographs I do a bit of acting, sign language (which is my other passion), spend time with my fiance Pete, attempt to decorate my house and look after my two cats, Maximo and Nanna.

I hope you all enjoy my future posts and it’s an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance,

Emma x

If you have something that you would love us to feature or you simply want to say hello then email me at emma@bridalsoup.com

Wedding photographer Steve Gerrard shares with us the most over-used, and sometimes cringeworthy, Best Man jokes doing the rounds in the UK.

We advise keeping it personal to the groom and avoiding searching the internet for speech ideas.

A Best Man’s speech is certainly a nerve-wracking occasion. I don’t envy anyone who has to do it. I did it once, for my brother. I hated it! (sorry Paul)

We’ve seen many Best Man speeches. There have been fantastic ones. There have been painfully awful ones. And then there’s the one we dread most…. The Googled Best Man Speech!

Googling “Best Man speech” brings up plenty of sites with lists of jokes, some good, some completely unfunny. The problem is we hear the same jokes again and again. So, in the interests of wedding photographers’ sanity, I’ll list the Top 12 most over-used, and not even very good, Best Man jokes in the UK. If you’re going to be someone’s Best Man some time soon, we implore you to avoid them. Although some might have found this blog through Google and use all ten in their speech!

1. “Fornication!” (Then make an awkward face, squint and look at the paper again) “Oh, I’m sorry… For an occasion such as this…”

2. I’ve known John a long time and am considered a bit of a father figure to him. I have watched him crawl around on his knees, drink from a bottle and I’ve cleaned up after him… but enough about the stag do…

3. I must admit to feeling a little nervous. In fact it’s not the first time today I’ve stood up from a warm seat with a piece of paper in my hand.

4. I did feel a little nervous at first but John’s assured me, if i do a good job, I can be best man at his next wedding.

5. It’s been an emotional day, even the cake is in tiers.

6. John, she’s a lovely girl and deserves a good husband. Thank God you married her before she found one.

7. Now it gives me great pleasure to ask you all to raise your glasses for some very important people, without whom today would not be the same. Would you please raise your glasses to toast.. The bar staff.

8. It’s my job to give the groom the most uncomfortable few minutes of his life. The bride’s most uncomfortable few minutes will come later tonight when they get back to their room.

9. Marriage is a 3 ring circus: The engagement ring, the wedding ring and finally the suffering.

10. A man said his credit card was stolen but he decided not to report it because the thief was spending less than his wife did.

11. I’ve been told to keep my speech to the same amount of time it takes for John to make love. (Pause for a moment, and sit down).

12. Being asked to be the Best Man is like being asked to sleep with the Queen. It’s a great honour but nobody wants to do it.

Want to add any others to our list? Leave us a comment…

Brides need to know that they are going to get the best images possible from their day and they need their day to be relaxed and stress free. That’s why knowing you have the right photographer for you is so important.

You need to choose a photographer that you get on well with and that you know you can feel completely comfortable with on the big day. Check out their website, ask to see a whole wedding that they have taken and don’t be afraid to ask loads of questions. Most photographers love to talk about their passion.

If you love their work and like their personalities (after all they’ll be spending your wedding day with you!), book them and trust them to do their job. They get those images from doing what they do best, so let them do it. Have fun and be happy that you have found the photographer for you.

All that’s left for you to do is to start getting excited about your wedding day!

Look out for photographers offering a pre-wed shoot as this really helps you to get to know them and get an idea on how they work, so when it comes to the day you are more relaxed, resulting in better photographs.

The shoots normally take place on location. It can be quite daunting having a camera in front of you, but most of the time it’s fun and nice to get away from the stresses of organizing a wedding. And just knowing that you are going to get some amazing pictures as a result makes it all worthwhile.

It also gives you complete confidence you have chosen the right photographer when you see the images from the shoot.

Your wedding photographer should not just be your wedding photographer either. They should be able to turn up your wedding day like old friends - but with really good cameras!!

Kate and Craig from Craig Williams Photography have shot a video showing their brides about them and what they do, no hidden secrets or false pretenses, making sure their brides immediately feel at ease and confident that they are have chosen the best company.

Check out the video and the resulting images from a couple of their shoots…

Rachel from Planet Cake introduces us to her chickens and has some advice on choosing your perfect wedding cake.

I trained in Design and interiors but also have a love of the sweet and delicious. After years of creating beautiful rooms I decided to turn my hand to cake making. I have an eye for detail and my creativity knows no bounds.

Having now been in business for 5 years, my cakes have graced the pages of many top bridal magazines, as well as being devoured by over half of London.

I recently took on my own brood of lovely free range chickens. They lay the lovely eggs that go into my cakes. They get way too much love and attention from me and have even started to learn how to get through my catflap! I make them special dinners of broccoli with sunflower seeds to make the yolks extra yellow.

In the picture below is ‘Mable’.

I work from my home workshop in Streatham South London where I invite all potential clients to come and vist me and the chickens. We then taste cake and talk over designs. All of my cakes are bespoke to the client and designs are evloved in the studio by looking at the style, colours and theme of the Wedding.

When deciding the style and design of your cake, I would advise choosing an element that is current throughout the wedding. A colour, theme, flower or illustration. A good cake designer should be able to take that element and create a cake exactly for you.

I would say, never be afraid to experiment or go against tradition. The cake should make a statement and not only be a visual wonder, but taste good too.

My ‘Hint of the day’ would be, always taste the cake first before you book your cakemaker. It might look nice on the outside but what a waste if it tastes rubbish! And make sure the caterers serve the cake correctly. There is nothing worse than a big pile of crumbs on a platter. Laid out in individual pieces is so much more stylish…..that way it all gets eaten!

The wierdest cake I have ever been asked to make was for a couple who got engaged in New York wanted me to do the Statue of Liberty! I made the castle like base in the end and they supplied a large plastic person to go on top. Not a typically ‘pretty’ cake but they loved it!

I was also asked to make a five tier trifle cake which I decided was structurally impossible due to the nature of custard…..and I once did a cake with ‘Sponge Bob Square Pants’ on the top.

Every cake is a work of art and I am very passionate about what I do, exercising a strong attention to detail. It’s important to me that my service is extremely personal and it is me that deals with every detail, right down to the delivery.

Planet cake made it to the finals of the British Bakery Awards this year and are very proud of this acheivement, congratulations!

Visit www.planet-cake.com to see more of Rachels cakes and get in contact with her.