Posts Tagged ‘pictures’

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.

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

Philippa & Bob were married in August in the idyllic setting of Homme House near Ledbury in Herefordshire.

Photographer: Steve Gerrard Photography
Wedding Venue: St Bartholomew’s Church, Much Marcle, Herefordshire
Catering: Sisters Catering, Thruxton, Hereford
Wedding Cake: The Cup Cake Kitchen Company
Hair: Kate Kelvin
Reception Venue: Homme House, Much Marcle, Herefordshire
Wedding Dress: Ian Stuart – “Sancerre”.  Margot Raybould brides, Wolverhampton
Florist: Love Lily, Abergavenny
Transportation: K C Horse Rescue, Bodenham, Hereford
Make-Up: Kate Kelvin

What Philippa loves most about Bob…
he’s my rock

What Bob loves most about Philippa…
her adventurous side (and when she doesn’t drive his car over pot holes)

How did the proposal happen?    
While on holiday in Tobago.  One evening we were sat on the balcony of our lodge overlooking the bay & Bob popped the question.

How did you choose the wedding venue?  
We looked at lots of venues to weigh up pros and cons, but we specifically looked for a venue with good photo opportunities (considering both inside and outside in the event that the weather was bad).  The icing on the cake with the one we chose was that the owners were so welcoming and helpful.

The best moment of the day…
We can’t single out a moment, the whole day was just so fantastic.

The story of the dress…  
I saw it in a magazine and fell in love with it, but thought it would be too expensive or would only look good on a stick thin model. I tried on other dresses but kept thinking about that one as they just couldn’t compete.  Then I went to the wedding show at the NEC and tried it on. That was it – it was THE dress!  I just had to save a bit more money to pay for it, but it was definitely worth it!

How did you choose your photographer?
 Searched lots of websites specifically looking at the quality and creativity of the photos, and what wedding albums they produced.  A bad website was an immediate strike off the list!  Then when we met the photographer we had to get along with them.

What personal touches did you include in your wedding?   
We used individual picture frames for each table plan, and imposed the guest names over old wedding pictures of different family members.  I hand made all the wedding invites.

It’s ok, they’re both police officers!

What happened that wasn’t planned?  
We had to bring the dinner forward by ½ hour as we ran out of Pimms and orange juice.

What advice would you give couples planning their own weddings?   
Bob says – Let the missus do it.  I disagree!  It’s nice if the guys can help out where they can.  The last 6 months before the wedding fly by, so be especially organised – it’s all of the little things that suddenly catch up with you.  Take out wedding insurance (we broke an antique lamp at our wedding venue).   On the day, just enjoy every moment and savour it, as it flies by.  We bought a memory book for our wedding that we could fill in on our honeymoon, so we didn’t forget all the things that made us laugh on the day, what people said, those special moments, etc.

All images - Steve Gerrard Photography

Kelly Chandler is Director of the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners and, as such, knows a thing or two about how to plan a successful wedding. So who better to offer some advice on the often tricky subject of who should be on your guest list and where to put them when they arrive? Kelly asked some of her friends and fellow wedding professionals to chip in with some ideas…

Guest List
1. When compiling your evening guest list, take into account how far guests will need to travel. If guests need to travel hundreds of miles, they’ll need to book at least one night of accommodation and this can be a lot to ask of guests invited to an evening reception only. Quote by Zoe Lingard

2. Don’t make any promises about who will and won’t be invited to your wedding before distributing your invitations. You might find that you lose touch with some people over the course of your planning (e.g. colleagues who move on) but feel obliged to invite them because you mentioned they’d get an invite at the outset. Quote by Zoe Lingard

3. Too many cooks spoil the broth - when arranging the guest list and seating plan we would advise only one person from each side of the family to be involved, you know your guests so with only a small amount of help this should make things a lot easier! Quote by Peggie Anne Savage - www.vowperfections.com

4. Create an A & B list, that way if anyone from the A list declines you can invite someone from the B list. Make sure you order approx. 15 extra invitations to save time. Think about family, friends and work colleagues. Quote by Bernadette Chapman

Seating Plan

1. A table plan is displayed at the entrance of the Reception  showing  guests to their relevant tables. At each table a list of those guests is written onto a pretty tag and attached to each chair with a  ribbon.  Each guest name is highlighted together with a sentence about each of them, for example: ‘Astrid Tompson, sister in law of the bride – made the flowergirlsdresses, Margareta Johns – old school friend of the bride’ etc’. This creates a starting point for conversation and is a lovely way to introduce guests who are strangers to each other. Quote by Carrie Watkins - www.todayandforever.co.uk

2. To ensure the right people can see you on the top table, my tip is to think of each table as a clock face, with 1 o’clock having the best view of the top table and then 4,5 or 6 o’clock (depending on how many guests you have per table) with the worst, as they would have their back to you (ideal place for children!). Number the guests from 1 to 8,10 or 12 and then you can easily identify where they are to sit. This also provides useful information for your venue or caterer as they can readily see where dietary requirements are sat too”  Quote by Andrea Swift - www.fabulousday.co.uk

3. Middle is the New Top - long are the days of everyone sticking to the top table being at the top of the room at the wedding breakfast, we find our couples much prefer to feel part of the room with a centred bridal party table, this not only makes them feel like they can mingle more with their guests, it also means no guests feel like they are at the back of the room! Quote by Peggie Anne Savage - www.vowperfections.com

4. Start with using an A1 piece of paper and ‘post it’ notes so you can easily move family members around before you finalise your plans. Quote by Kay Carey

5. Keep an open mind, an innovative seating plan can often be the talking point of the day. The use of escort cards helps to generate people’s interest in the theme and allows for last minute changes to be managed. Quote by Kay Carey

6. If some tables need to be taken down after dinner to make room for dancing, make sure that you do not seat elderly relatives on the tables that will need to be removed.  Quote by Carrie Watkins - www.todayandforever.co.uk

All photos - Steve Gerrard Photography

What Hazel loves most about Richard…

Richard can always make me feel better no matter what.

What Richard loves most about Hazel.. 

Richard says he can’t narrow it down to just one thing but a few, good looks, generosity, fun to be with and out goingness.

How did the proposal happen?

We were snowboarding in the French Alps and Richard proposed at the top of the mountain.

How did you choose the wedding venue? 

We both wanted an exclusive venue so it was all about us for that one very special time in our lives. We wanted all of our close friends and family to be able to stay with us all weekend. Not to mention the log fires for a Christmas wedding. Somerford Hall fitted the bill.

The best moment of the day… 

Far too many to choose from but if we must then both of us agree that it was seeing each other for the first time as I entered the Drawing Room.

The story of the dress…

After the proposal we both wanted our wedding to be at a special time of year for us and that is Christmas. I wanted a big big dress with a huge train and one that you could never wear at any other time in the whole of my life and then when I saw the dress and found out I could have it in red my mind was made up straight away. Other than my mum and bridesmaids no one knew what my dress was like so as you can imagine I got the amazing response I was wishing for. Richard absolutely loved the dress and we still talk about it now!!

How did you choose your photographer?

We heard about Steve Gerrard through a friend of mine.

What personal touches did you include in your wedding? 

We had a very intimate day time which we both had always wanted only immediate family and very close friends and that’s what made the whole of the day very personal for us. Plus all the decisions were made together about what we wanted throughout.

What happened that wasn’t exactly planned? 

Everything went to plan perfectly, thanks to all the professionals that we had around us. me and Richard didn’t have to think about what’s next, where do we have to be?

What advice would you give couples planning their own weddings?

Don’t lose sight of the fact that it’s your special day and when all is said and done on YOUR wedding day it is only the 2 of you that count.

Photographer: Steve Gerrard Photography
Wedding Venue:  Somerford Hall 
Catering:  Somerford Hall 
Jeweller:  Michael Terry 
Wedding Cake:  Jackie’s Cake Kitchens 
Hair:  Sharon Gould 
Wedding Dress:  Camille by Hollywood Dreams from Caroline Jane 
Florist:  Jackie’s Designs 
Make-Up: Emma Thompson