A wedding should be a fun day...!

After the stress, panic and emotions leading upto the ‘Big Day’ it is becoming more and more important for Brides to want to include an element of fun as part of the celebrations. Of course the ceremony be it a Church wedding or a Civil Ceremony is the most important part of the day and has huge significance – who doesn’t love a good after party!

There has been an increase in reality style programmes which have only highlighted the great variety of ways in which a Bride and Groom can add their personal stamp to their day, meaning that now each and every bride is on the hunt for their own personal touch.

I have been filled with the urge to do something silly and fun this weekend as a result of the number of fun-filled touches I have discovered on my hunt to write this blogpost. Although the majority of couples still look to incorporate some tradition into the Wedding itself, there are increasing options for something a little different right down to the venue choice. Who would have thought of getting married at the top of Blackpool Tower or in such a fun setting as Chester Zoo or even surrounded by the ultimate fun day at Alton Towers? Now I know these choices will not be suitable for everyone’s taste and that’s the great thing about planning weddings at the moment – it can be as traditional or far from traditional as you can imagine.

I am a ‘vintage’ girlie myself and so find myself drawn to some very pretty, quirky, usually handmade items as a way to accessorize my (still to be confirmed) venue. However, I have still found myself drawn to find something to give that touch of WOW!

Do I need to set the scene…well, I think it might help you imagine some of these just a little easier (Sorry if you think I’ve gone on too long…!)

It’s finally your big day, the scary bit is out of the way and you are officially “Mr & Mrs X” EEK!! Now for the good part, you are leaving your ceremony to move onto your reception venue, the rest of the day has ‘Party’ stamped all over it and you are very excited that your guests have no idea what lies ahead. The welcome drinks are all lined up on the tables ready, the photographer has the camera at the ready………….

Idea 1: Bouncy Castle.
I know, I know some of your guests might have appreciated a little warning, they have their best outfits on and the groomsmen’s suits are all meant to go back to the shop in one piece but still how much fun is a bouncy castle! For guests ranging from young to old this idea is a sure way to get everyone laughing, chatting and interacting, plus imagine some of the candid shots you will be able to capture. You can find out more about hiring this pretty bouncy castle at vowed and amazed.

Idea 2: Caricatures.
Not always suitable for those who wouldn’t appreciate the humour but still always good fun to see a different interpretation of yourself. Perfect if you have friends and family who are a slightly on the wild side and will see the humour in this as being exactly that. There are some brilliant artists out there depending on the area your based in, I found some great examples on google including this artist.

Idea 3: Photo Booth & Accessories.
The internet is full of examples of printable accessories which would help you create your own crazy photo booth for not a lot of money or maybe you could ask your photographer for a bit of help. Be warned that this idea would mean your wedding photos are likely to include moustaches, big glasses and random phrases! You could also collect hats, wigs and other props to add that personal touch to your day. There is a great article over at oh happy day's blog.

Idea 4: Cocktail Bar.
Now this idea may not be suitable if your having your wedding somewhere where they have licensing laws or a minimum bar spend but it's fun all the same. Why not get together with your groom and come up with your own newly wed signature cocktail for your guests. Cheers!

I'm sure you will have your own ideas for smaller touches to add a hint of fun to your day and it will be magical whatever ideas you are planning to bring together. But I do hope I have helped a little...


Enjoy! x

And then the invitations......

So you have confirmed the venue for your special day so now it'a time to look at the guests and sending out your invitations. I have had a lot of fun looking into the massive variety of styles, designs and layouts available for every single item of stationery to compliment your big day.

I have mentioned this before but I love the power of social media for bring to your attention the more unusual designs and concepts which would have been otherwise undiscovered... The first example of this is a gorgeous page on Facebook known as In The Treehouse they have a brilliant range of designs and they also offer a bespoke design service. You can also visit them over at their website here. They really do have something to accomodate all tastes and if you have something specific in mind, you might just be able to see your idea in reality.

And of course 'Vintage' and 'Roses' and 'Pinks' are very popular at the moment so what better way to inspire a theme for your wedding than with this super cute, shabby chic rose style invitation over at Olivia Samuel. They have a great selection of designs to suit all tastes and even offer a selection of DIY wedding invites. You can visit their website here or again you can visit them on Facebook here.

There is a popular trend at the moment surrounding handmade items and I have a huge love for papercraft especially the extremely talented papercutters! There are lots of different styles and interpretations when it comes to papercutting and I almost popped with excitement when I discovered this gorgeous range at hummingbird cards. The whimsical garden party range is beautiful and although it is laser cut it symbolises the idea behind paper cutting and is a truely fantastic design.

Some of you may be looking to send out 'Save the Date' reminders for your guests and if so you will find that many of the stationery designers can also provide save the date cards if you have already decided on the style of invite you would like. If not you can find a selection of templates and free printables at a number of different sources.

I love the simple yet elegant combination of hearts in this printable range from the DIY Network.

There are many many more styles out there, these are just a select few.

Meanwhile, I am a little behind with my blogging so have another post which requires my attention.

It's all about the Venue.....

From being a young girl, every bride has had a vision, a dream, an ideal of what their BIG day will look like. The setting, the scenery and of course the dress.

There are so many variations of the perfect day and everyone's vision is individual to them. The variety of venues facilitates this perfectly and so while on the hunt for "my vision" and the perfect venue, I took a little tour around the UK and picked out a few little treasures.

We'll start in Scotland. Traditionally when you think of Scotland, it's open seas, fresh air, the Highlands and a beautiful castle setting.

However, the treasure I found today does not resemble a castle but it a hint of glamour with lots of character. The vu is nestled in Bathgate Hills in the middle of Ballencrieff reservoir and is a beautiful setting for you and your guests. They offer a selection of great value wedding packages to cater for all budgets.

For something abit more traditional, we move south towards Lancashire to find a little treasure of this beautiful barn. Rivington Hall Barn it's a beautiful setting full of personality and history. The scenery available includes lovely woodlands and a lakeside view. There's further details of their wedding packages via their website.

And then of course all the way down to London and while the prices may not fit with everyone's budgets but it is impossible to deny that some of the venue choices down their are simply breathtaking. Not only do the home have amazing grounds but the interior would add personality and character to any occasion. The interior at the Sopwell House caught my eye, it is beautifully styled and has some gorgeous features. 

There are endless possibilities to celebrate your big day. Whether it is a church ceremony followed by a reception at a venue or a civil ceremony and reception in the same location. What matters is that by the end of the day you will be married and will have spent a beautiful day surrounded by loved ones and friends.

Love is sweet....

Sweet treats are a significant part of any occasion and it would seem that now Weddings are no longer an exception. From the wedding cake to favours and even the magic that is a candy buffet or ice cream cart there are countless possibilities when it comes to adding a touch of sweetness to your wedding celebration.

I have dreamed since day one of having a candy buffet to add an element of fun to the wedding party and to give everyone a chance to mingle while making their own pick 'n' mix bags to take away. Yet again via sources such as Pinterest and Facebook there are many companies who can accommodate your wishes for your big day.

I love this sweet cart from the Victorian Sweet Cart Company, you can find out more details by visiting their Facebook page or by visiting the website. The Victorian Sweet Cart Company are based in County Durham but cover the whole of the North East of England and also Yorkshire.

Another gorgeous candy cart can be hired from Candy Cartwheels they provide their cart for hire within Kent, Essex, Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex. You can find out more details by visiting them via their Facebook page or by visiting the website.

If you are looking for something sweet to give away as favours or as an addition to your candy buffet then why not choose something bite size but equally gorgeous - Cakepops! These brilliant creations are available for all occasions and in a fantastic range of designs and flavours. Go visit CakePop Bouquet on Facebook to have a look at their full selection. The cake pops start from as little as £1.25 with a minimum order of 8.

One of the key elements to a wedding is always the cake, it forms a focal point for the whole celebration and can be used to highlight a theme or personal message between the bride and groom. However, more recently the options have become more varied to include a tower of cupcakes as an alternative choice.

Image source: Google.

And of course, the wedding cake, traditionally served to bring good luck to all the guests and the newly married couple they vary in size and design and more recently can be found in a wide variety of flavours. Depending on the theme of the wedding the cake can be designed as a focal point to bring everything together or can sometimes be a little bit of fun for a talking point between the guests.

I came across a tutorial while browsing on Pinterest which teaches you how to make a beautiful birdcage cake. I'm not sure what skill level this would be for but it's a truly amazing cake. Check out the tutorial here.

A splash of colour.

Recently I have found myself drawn in by the magic of Pinterest and the hundreds of fantastic ideas that can be found by using different search terms. I have spent a few hours on the section entitled "Wedding & Events" in hope of finding something truly stunning which would inspire my rather quite blog lately.

Well, first of all I would like to share the reason for this blog post. I love nothing more than themed weddings and by that I don't necessarily mean a theme such as Star Wars but I do like to see an idea that is a constant throughout the entire day and possibly is hinted at as early as the 'Save the Dates'. A theme can be as simple or as complex as you choose and for the remainder of my post the theme is probably a combination of Vintage & Colour.

So I hear you ask, what did you discover on Pinterest.....

How absolutely gorgeous are these DIY vases. From reading the tutorial I would advise some advanced planning before you start, especially if you want a variety of vases. You can read the full tutorial by Oh So Lovely here. The great thing about the DIY element of this project is the flexibility - they can be created in absolutely any colour combination.

A quick google helped me find this perfectly vintage combination of colours....

I love how there are so many subtle ways you can add a hint of your chosen colour to bring your theme together and the range of inspiration boards you can find across a range of wedding blogs are a great way to test out your ideas.

So a short and sweet post from me while I go searching for some more inspiration. Keep checking out my facebook page Blossom & Bunting Inspiration for sneak peaks and more great projects.

The Magic of Paper....

As a bride to be who is budget conscious anyway to save money is totally welcome, so this past week while I have been searching around various blogs and Pinterest for some inspiration I found some great ideas that hopefully will prove not too expensive.

I am a bit of a vintage nut while at the same time I have a total soft spot for the fact that little birds seem to be everywhere at the moment. So I was super happy when I happened to discover a great tutorial to make these gorgeous paper birdcages. You can read the tutorial here. These would be a fantastic addition to a little girls bedroom or as centerpieces. I will be having a go at these myself in the next few weeks much to Mr. B&B's dismay.

Another quirky idea for venue decoration, or again could be used around the home requires not much more than a variety of scrapbook paper. I think it's quite effective and could possibly be an adaptation of a wishing tree. You can find the tutorial with all the details here.

Of course, somewhere along the line I think most brides think about featuring love hearts as part of the big day. I love this paper wreath and the idea of it can be made in any colour scheme/design. I am thinking about a smaller version or maybe looking into making a garland instead of a wreath. I even looked through my scrapbook leftovers while the weathers been wet and miserable to see if I could make a start. I'll have to find an hour or two one night when I have some peace and quiet. Check out the hybrid chick blog & tutorial here.

And of course, you may have seen me declare my love for these little classics over on the Facebook Page but I love the concept of adapting them into a garland. It's almost as if it was meant to be...I already have an idea for my own version of these later in the year! You can find the tutorial from another pinwheel fan here.

These gorgeous ideas can be adapted to most occasions simply by varying the designs or colours in which they are created. I have a few more paper creations to share with you but I will be posting those on Facebook in the coming few days.

I'm hoping the rain isn't around for long but if it does happen to stay then I hope you have fun brightening up the inside of your home until we see a hint of Summer...!

Rule Britannia....It's Party Time!

2012 is a huge year for all things "British" so to speak. Not only are we the host nation for this year's olympics but we are also celebrating the Diamond Jubilee marking 60 years of our Queen's reign.

I love that the creative community have taken the whole jubilee theme and gone completely handmade crazy. There is absolutely something for everybody! And if you are one for shopping online as a fan of handmade I would maybe advise that you read no further.....! Okay, so don't say I didn't warn you....

Firstly, for any June brides who maybe having a bit of a 'Royal' theme then why not head over to Truly I Do on Facebook, this gorgeous page offers a beautiful range of bridal accessories including tiaras, hair combs, shoe clips and garters. How perfect would this Jubilee inspired garter be... 

If your the kind of person who loves little keepsakes then I highly recommend that you visit Kittyeden's website or Facebook page and see a selection of handmade limited edition hanging decorations which are perfect to mark the occasion. 

I could share amazing finds with you forever as there seems to be such a perfect selection of items out there for the Jubilee. As a mum, I would love a little something for my little one to keep as a momento and so was very happy to receive this photo from A loving touch, the jubilee bear is gorgeous.

With an extra day-off thrown in as part of the celebration's I am certain that over the bank holiday weekend we will all be attending some form of Jubilee party. I know for sure that we have already received a couple of invites and so I visited the Jubilee Crafts 2012 community on Facebook looking to find some accessories for my outfit. So far I have a gorgeous brooch and I'm still working my way through a little shopping list (but shhhh!).

But if your looking for accessories either for yourself, your little ones or a gift then check out these, I especially like the button earrings.

These gorgeous hairclips can be found by visiting Lazy Zebra

And finally one last gorgeous find.....this cute little jubilee ring...which can be found over at Crafty Chics.

All that really remains is for me to wish you all the best for whatever you do to celebrate the 

Diamond Jubilee! 

Spring Time Inspiration

If your anything like me you find yourself wishing you had plenty of time and resources to organise your workspace or home. I find that I have a burst of inspiration and sort one of them out and then decide that everything else needs rearranging as a result.

My spare room is a mountain of bits and pieces that I have no actual "home" for an of course with every occasion there is the need for wrapping paper or gift wrap. I find myself looking for places that the rolls won't get squashed or torn so that they can be used appropriately. However, somehow the rolls always end up tatty and finding themselves replaced when the need arises. So you can imagine my excitement when I happened to notice this little delight floating around on Pinterest and it comes with it's own tutorial. Definitely on my to-do list for this year....

I will certainly be adding this useful blog to my bookmarks for future inspiration. You can check out the tutorial here.

And for all of you with craft supplies..I stumbled upon this great idea using something as basic as a tictac box. You can find all the details and some handy tips for wider ribbons and tapes by visiting the craft & creativity blog here.

Now my spare room is a small matter of needing a miracle and one day I will tackle it - honest. In the meantime for you crafty lot there are some brilliant tips around for organising your craft supplies. I love the ideas which you can find here especially the buttons in the little jars.

And for those products you just simply can't be without I love the idea of using a kind of cake stand to keep them handy.

You can find this and some other creative and not so expensive ideas over at creating keepsakes blog. For now I'm going to plan making some progress with my spare room and imagine that one day it could be full of neat & tidy sections inspired by the brilliant ideas I have come across today.

Happy Spring Cleaning! x

Hoppy Easter...a basket full of delights!

There's something for every single occasion, if you know where to find it. I love seeing other peoples creativity and filling with envy, some people are so truely talented. The internet has a lot to answer for as shopping is now available everywhere from such as Etsy and Folksy to the magic of Facebook there truely is no escape. It is a blessing for many of the businesses out there, that have gained an outlet for their creative talents through the strength of the internet. I for one enjoy shopping alot more when I know that the item is handmade.

On a recent trip to buy a couple of cards I couldn't help but notice that all the mother's day cards had been promptly packed away to make way for colourful displays of pinks, greens and yellow crammed full of easter cards for everyone you can imagine.

Still as lovely and cute as the many different 'bunny' photos were, I don't think anything is quite as eye-catching as this stunning card from ARC Kisses. Check out this fantastic page on Facebook.

The perfect little addition to one of these gorgeous cards has to be one of these gorgeous "Easter Bunny Stop Here" signs which I stumbled across via Etsy, you can visit the seller here.

I will confess to having a total weakness for adding gorgeous little touches like these around the house to suit the season and I am currently working on buying a wishing tree so that I can have lots of beautiful little bits and pieces to hang from the twigs all year round! Easter is a lovely season and aside from it being another excuse to eat choccie eggs it symbolises new life and beginnings. It brings with it a beautiful range of colours and sitting outside enjoying the sunshine, surrounded by bright yellow daffodils just fills me with inspiration.

These funky little sweet holders are a great quick and easy craft to create together with the kids to include in your easter celebration. The tutorial and templates can be found here.

I am also partial to home baking and have a little bit of a sweet tooth. I love that you can now even get bunting for CAKES! Who would have thought..I am sure this will feature somewhere again soon, but in the meantime I found Itsy Belle's fantastic blog and if you head on over you can download a free printable of some "Hoppy Easter" cake bunting.

There are lots of fun ways to spend Easter and if the weather is nice you could add abit of outdoor fun with an Easter Egg Hunt, obviously aimed completely at the children (or the bigger kids) with a bit of lunch. There are lots of great hints and tips plus free printables to help you out hopping up all over the place, including this little collection via catch my party.

The above photo is taken from this absolutely gorgeous Bridal Party blog post at love my dress. Some lush ideas over there.

I hope that for now I have filled you with enough Easter inspiration.

Hoppy Easter Everyone!! x

What is Blossom & Bunting all about?

Blossom & Bunting will be a great outlet for all the ideas, creative DIY projects and quirky essential shopping pages I discover in the hope of adding a bit of inspiration to your big day. 


I love a mixture of everything and will feature as many brilliant finds as I can....be it wedding related, tea party or for your little ones birthdays. I'll try to cover everything along the way! 


So, seeing that this week is Easter....watch this space! 


In the meantime, why not check out Blush Rose who have a gorgeous eye for flowers and also offer some amazing props to accessories your wedding or event. I love these ladders featured in the photo below.


You can also follow us on Facebook for updates on the go!