Vintage Wedding Decorations - Cloche & Bell Jars

My latest wedding decoration obsession are these vintage-style bell jars. They're perfect for a botanical or garden themed wedding, or a vintage-themed wedding, and I love their versatility. You can literally fill them with anything! I love how the bell jars in the picture below are filled with herbs, but I've seen them covering designer shoes {imagine naming your wedding tables Jimmy Choo, or Christian Louboutin!}, wedding cakes, vintage books and even sylvan scenes of moss and toadstools. For more ideas, check out my Pinterest board - it's stuffed with excellent wedding inspiration and ideas. For more pictures from this fabulous event styled by Sterling Engagements - check out the wedding blog Grey Likes Weddings.

Love Before the Big Day? Find us on Facebook and Twitter, and check out our Pinterest boards. Don't miss a single post - sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin! 

An Easy Wedding Decoration DIY

You don't have to be a graffiti artist to fall in love with spray paint. Any crafter worth her salt knows it's the easiest tool for fast, effective results. You can easily turn the mundane into something incredible. My friends recently celebrated their wedding at an incredible venue in East London. They needed to personalise the reception space, but didn't have much of a budget. For under a £100 they bought dozens of white paper lanterns, and saved jam-jars. A simple spray of neon spray paint, and a bag of Ikea tea-lights, and they had a brilliant, original wedding decorations {like these}. My colour of choice is gold - particularly for autumn and winter weddings. Just take a look at these fantastic DIY ideas - find more on my Pinterest page.

Sources: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

Love Before the Big Day? Find us on Facebook and Twitter, and check out our Pinterest boards. Don't miss a single post - sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin! 

Vintage Carnival Wedding Decorations

Deep down, I'm a just a stationery geek at heart. Fonts are my current obsession, which goes some way to explain why I've fallen hook-line-and-sinker for these incredible vintage carnival-style marquee lights from Lamplight Design Co in the UK. They'd look amazing in any wedding venue - just place them near the dance floor for the best photo prop ever! Here's a few of the designs they've got in stock, but you can always contact them for a bespoke design.

{I want this!} LOVE Marquee Light Sign, £450

{I want this!} Marquee Curved Arrow Light, £60

{I want this!} Vintage Boardwalk Heart Marquee Light, £90

Love Before the Big Day? Find us on Facebook and Twitter, and check out our Pinterest boards. Don't miss a single post - sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin! 

How to DIY Your Wedding Altar & Aisle

The perfect wedding venue is really difficult to find, and it's partly down to the restrictions on civil ceremonies. Marriage is a serious business, but in my view the government is waaaay too prescriptive about where we're allowed to celebrate a wedding ceremony. I'm always getting emails from brides who don't want to get married in a church, but are depressed with the civil ceremony venues in their local area. My solution isn't for everyone, but it worked perfectly for us. We had two weddings; a quickie ceremony in our local Hackney Registry Office, followed by our big 'official' wedding in Aix-en-Provence in France. This gave us the freedom to create our own ceremony {click to read}, write our own vows, and most importantly choose any venue on the planet. If this type of wedding takes your fancy, then you're going to need some serious wedding inspiration for altar and aisle decorations, and that's where the Before the Big Day Pinterest board will step into the breach! Just take a look at these fabulous, colourful wedding ideas - many more here.

{Photo Credit} Kristilee Parish Photography, see more from this wedding on Wedding Chicks blog

{Photo Credit} 1. Unknown via Inspired By This,  2. Unknown {please get in touch if you know}

{Photo Credit} 1. The Bubbly Blonde Prepster, 2. Anushe Low

{Photo Credit} 1. Leah Verwey via 100 Layer Cake, 2. Martha Stewart Weddings

Love Before the Big Day? Find us on Facebook and Twitter, and check out our Pinterest boards. Don't miss a single post - sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin! 

A Kite Wedding Theme

Last year DIY pinwheels and pom-poms were very much the 'in-thing' for weddings. They're still huge this season, but I'm on the search for a new fresh idea for 2015! And I think I've spotted a wedding trend in the making.....kites! They're cute and colourful, and easy to DIY, and they'd add just the right lovely of fun and whimsy to your wedding day. They'd also make for fantastic photo props for your wedding photographs and engagement session. Plus I can just imagine your flower girl and page boys flying holding little kites as they walk down the aisle. For more kite wedding inspiration, take a look at my Pinterest board.

{Photo Credit} Kiss the Groom via Ruche

{Photo Credit} Unknown, please leave a comment if you can tell me

{Photo Credit} Ashley Rose Photography via wedding blog Green Wedding Shoes

{Photo Credit} Kite engagement shoot by Adrienne Gunde via wedding blog Style Me Pretty

{Photo Credit} Handmade kites & pic by Kirstin Eldridge Photography

{Photo Credit} Kite wedding stationery by Posh Paperie. Picture by Ashley Rose Photography via wedding blog Green Wedding Shoes

♥ Want to see some wedding theme ideas? ♥ Or how about wedding decoration ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Sparkly Wedding Cocktail Accessories

Everything looks better with a bit of sparkle. So why not add these cheeky drink stirrers to your wedding cocktails? Even a simple G&T would look flare with these tinselled marvels, but I'd recommend choosing your own signature cocktail, and coming up with a fabulous name. Available in gold or silver, they'd look pretty fabulous at a Christmas party as well. DIY or buy them from Em for Marvelous {cool name for a shop!}.

{I want this!} Tinsel drink stirrers £47.14 for 100 by Em for Marvelous

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin?! 

Pretty Paper Wedding Garlands

Flowers are the traditional go-to wedding decoration, but what can you do if your budget doesn't stretch to billions of blooms? I'm a huge fan of that unsung hero: paper. Create pompom peonies out of tissue paper for a tenth of the price, string the ceilings with paper chains, and add LED's to dozens of paper lanterns for romantic low lighting. Or take inspiration from the gorgeous paper garlands created by Maisy & Alice. I love these strings of stars, but there's a huge range of geometric fabulousness on their website, including stunning 3D heart garlands.

{I want this!} Star Garland, £8.24 for 9 feet {& upwards} by Maisy & Alice

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin?! 

Big Wedding Bunting Love

Back when I first started Before the Big Day {four years ago - eek!}, it was really difficult to find bespoke wedding details. The USA was miles ahead of us in terms of creativity. But now, brides in the UK who want unique wedding decorations can find loads of individual boutique sellers. One of my favourite resources is Etsy. If you've never heard of it, you've missed out - take a look! This morning I found a brilliant shop called BaloolahBunting, which sells romantic lacy bunting. The pretty laser-cut flags create a stunning effect - perfect for wedding decorations. I can imagine them fluttering in a summer's breeze, or adding light in barn wedding venue. Baloolah have also branched out into other wedding accessories, including ring pillows and table decorations - all of it gorgeous!

{I want this!} Laser Cut Bunting, £42 by BaloolahBunting

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin?! 

Original & Brilliant Pinata Wedding Decoration

The reason I started this blog - all those years ago {!} - was as a record of all the fantastic and original ideas I'd found. It took me a while to choose the theme of my wedding, and before Pinterest was invented, it was the only way I could save all my wedding inspiration. I'm still dazzled by all the fabulous, fun and creative wedding products on Etsy - regular readers will know it's my secret go-to source for ideas. My latest find? I am OBSESSED with the sheer coolness of these glittery love heart pinatas by Party Pony Pinata. And don't you wish you could get married on that beach......

Love Before the Big Day? Why not sign up to our free RSS feed on BlogLovin?! 

Before the Big Day - The Best UK Wedding Blog.

Before the Big Day Wedding Trends of 2013 - Origami

The first of the HUGE trends for 2013 is wedding origami. It's DIY, cheap and cheerful, and completely personalised, making it the perfect recession-beating wedding detail. And it's easy! With the help of YouTube videos and cheap squares of origami paper, I managed to create a very cute origami heart and origami duck yesterday. Check out my pictures on Pinterest. I'd recommend adding origami details to your wedding invitations and wedding favours, and you could even create an origami swan backdrop for your wedding vows. Plus, did you know that in Japan, a thousand paper cranes are traditionally given as a wedding gift by the father of the bride, to wish the happy couple a thousand years of happiness and prosperity? So romantic! Here are just a few wedding origami ideas - for tonnes more take a look at my Pinterest board.

More posts like this one: 
✽ Origami Crane Wedding
✽ DIY Origami Love Notes

♥ Want to see wedding theme ideas? ♥ Or how about more wedding advice? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Divine Twine for Wedding Stationery & Favours

Stationery has always been something of an obsession for me, but it wasn't until I start my wedding blog, that I realised I could get genuinely excited about string. Or twine to be exact. Divine Twine. Much beloved by all the US wedding blogs, it's now available in the UK via Not On the High Street. It comes in every colour, and it's perfect for adding a touch of whimsy to your wedding stationery and favours.

♥ Want to see wedding stationery ideas? ♥ Or how about more wedding favour ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Personalised Mexican-Style Paper Lace Bunting

Ever since my trip to the craft markets in Mexico, I've been a huge fan of their amazing paper decorations. Take a look at this romantic laser cut banner by Comeuppance. It's created in the style of traditional Mexican papel picado, and it's the perfect addition to your wedding decorations. Take a look at the Comeuppance website for more pretty designs, and wedding inspiration.

♥ Want to see wedding decorations? ♥ Or how about Mexican wedding ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Bank Holiday Wedding Sale Links

If you're planning a summer wedding, this might seem a little crazy, but the Christmas Sales are the perfect time to buy your wedding details and decorations. With huge discounts off fairy lights, paper decorations, table details and fancy dress, you can save yourself a fortune. Here are just a few of my favourite wedding sale links from Cox & Cox.

♥  250 warm pea lights - perfect wedding decorations (save 20%)

♥  Famous face masks - fun wedding favours (save 20%)

♥  25 wooden tags - fab wedding place-markers (save 20%) 

♥  Grey willow wreath - adaptable to any wedding theme (save 50%)

♥  Save the Date cards from Cox & Cox (save 50%)

♥ Want to see real weddings? ♥ Or how about wedding offer ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Pale & Interesting Wedding List

Have you ever looked at a picture in a magazine, and thought 'That's exactly what I want my wedding to look like'? Well I had that moment when I discovered Pale & Interesting. This fabulous shopping site has heavenly pictures to illustrate just how you can style your home {or wedding}, and all gorgeous products you need, right there to click and buy. Be warned, it's a very dangerous combination! The added benefit is that if you really fall in love with the Pale & Interesting style, you can even host your wedding in their American New England-style barn set in the heart of the Kent countryside. Plus they do wedding lists!

♥ Click for more wedding decoration ideas! ♥ And tonnes of wedding lists! ♥

Have you discovered our free newsletter? Sign up for free! 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

New Wedding Décor Trend: Wedding Piñata

A mega-trend next summer will be Mexican-themed weddings. I can hear you asking 'Mexican? In the UK? Really?'. But believe me, they're going to be h-u-g-e. I'm not suggesting you go the whole hog and say your vows in Spanish, but if you add a touch of Mexican food, decorations and drinks to your wedding, your guests will thank you. Particularly if you start with margaritas! Another tradition that will definitely make its way over the Atlantic is the piñata. Piñata are brightly-colored decorations made from papier-mâché, and the idea is to bash them with a stick until they explode, releasing confetti and candy, signifying abundance or favors from the gods. Isn't it just a brilliant sentiment for a wedding? Check out these sparkling piñata and matching streamers by Confetti System.

♥ Click for more wedding decoration ideas! ♥ And tonnes of wedding themes! ♥

Have you discovered our free newsletter? Sign up for free! 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Rustic Raw Cotton Wedding Inspiration

Raw cotton has got me in a spin. I've fallen for its fluffy fabulousness and rustic simplicity. It's an fantastic alternative to flowers for winter and spring brides - with the added benefit your wedding bouquet and buttonholes would last forever! String the bolls together for decorations, add them to table displays for extra texture, or create cloudy wreaths. For more fabulous winter wedding ideas, check out my Pinterest page.

{Picture Credit} Jasmine Star via Green Wedding Shoes

{Picture Credit} 1. Unkown 2. Jasmine Star via Green Wedding Shoes

♥ Want more winter weddings? ♥ Or how about more rustic wedding ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

DIY Wedding Ribbon Ideas

On a recent trip to Newcastle to visit my Dad, he took me to possibly the best shop in the world. It's called RE and it's a wonderful world of wedding inspiration. I'll be featuring many of their gorgeous products over the next few weeks, but let's start with these heavenly ribbons. Add them to your wedding invitations, favours, vases and wrap them round your wedding bouquets and buttonholes. They're a fantastic way to brand your big day. Don't worry if you can't get to the north-east, they deliver.

♥ Want more wedding decoration ideas? ♥ Or how about wedding reception ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Original Animal-Themed Wedding Accessories

Add a touch of humour to your wedding day with these incredible animal drink stirrers. It's super rare that I spot a truly original wedding idea, and I LOVE these. Handmade by Pocketful of Dreams, you can choose from farm animals, wild beasties or jungle creatures, and the colour finish which best suits your wedding decor. I'd cut them short and use them as place-markers, or use them as an alternative to table numbers. The perfect addition to a wedding on a farm or in a zoo.....can you get married in a zoo? For more drink stirrer ideas, check out my Pinterest page.

♥ Want more wedding decoration ideas? ♥ Or how about wedding reception ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Vintage Make-Do-&-Mend Style Wedding Garlands

Add a touch of vintage chic to your wedding with these crocheted flower garlands. Make it bespoke by picking the colours, and Emma Lamb will handmake them for you from Scottish wool. Unlike paper garlands, they'll last forever. The only difficulty is choosing the colours, with several beautifully named shades to choose from, like buttermilk, mustard, moss green, damson, mocha, russet and fuschia.

♥ Want more vintage wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about more wedding decoration ideas? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Vintage Paper Chains for a Vintage Wedding

Bookworms looking for wedding decorations to suit their style, should look no further than Bookity. This quirky UK crafter creates unique items from old books. It's upcycling at it's best, as damaged and unwanted novels are turned into gorgeous garlands, bunting and confetti. Ask for love poetry bunting for your big day, and be surrounded by Shakespeare's sonnets all day. Vintage romance at its best.

♥ Want more wedding mood boards? ♥ Or how about more real weddings? ♥

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter. 

Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.