Festival Brides

All-inclusive Wedding Yurt Packages by Wedding Yurts

Wedding Yurts has announced the launch of a special wedding package, designed to provide couples with an all-inclusive wedding day based on the yurt, the highly popular alternative venue to the “traditional” marquee, and set in a stunning countryside location in the Cotswolds called The Old Farmhouse – with more locations also planned.

Wedding Yurts founder Lizzie Jones said “We wanted to make it easier for couples to be able to choose the yurt option for their wedding day and provide not just the setting but an all-in-one package. It’s already proving to be incredibly popular!”. The package includes hire of the yurts and all facilities, catering, bar, floristry, styling, photographer and more. It is designed to make the costs of a yurt wedding clear and affordable with one point of contact to ease the planning stresses.

Lizzie has teamed up with Clare Lee of Lilyfee Floral Designs, a successful wedding florist and stylist, to offer the new package. “As soon as we met we realised we had something very complementary” said Clare “I had experience with styling weddings in yurts and teepees and wanted to do more. When I met Lizzie we conceived the package idea”.

Lizzie and Clare spotted the potential of Clare’s own grounds at The Old Farmhouse for the yurt package. It’s an 18th century farmhouse overlooking miles of unspoilt Cotswolds countryside where the yurts’ vista is to the west where the sun sets over the Malvern Hills. “The location is simply dreamy” said Lizzie “any bride and groom looking for a country-style wedding day will love its magic. Our Wedding Yurts have been designed with our eyes on the details, they are beautiful hand crafted structures made of sweet chestnut wood which looks very stylish against the cream canvas”. That is also where Clare comes in as the florist and stylist. “The yurts are a blank canvas that can be styled to suit the bride’s theme – from hippy and boho to classic English country!”

Wedding Yurts are launching the package with an Open Day at The Old Farmhouse on Sunday 6th May, with an English tea party. Couples are invited to come and see the yurts in their setting, enjoy tea and strawberries and chat to Lizzie and Clare and the team about the package offer.

PLEASE RSVP : gardenparty@weddingyurts.co.uk

For more information please contact:

Lizzie for package and yurt information: lizzie@weddingyurts.co.uk

Clare for package, venue, floral and styling:  clare.lee@lilyfeefloraldesigns.co.uk

Wedding Yurts is also on Facebook on Twitter

Today we have the pleasure of presenting a brand NEW wedding venue, currently a work in progress. Hyde Barn will be completed by late Spring 2012 and thereafter they aim to be the ultimate Cotswold Wedding destination.

Hyde Barn is set in the grounds of the Fosse Manor Hotel, just south of the picturesque town of Stow-on-the-Wold, in the heart of the rolling Cotswolds.  It is set in it’s own gardens with a terrace area enjoying magnificent views across the breathtaking Cotswolds and there is definitely enough space for a decorative tee pee of two!?

The venue can accommodate from 75 to 175 guests, and as they are a registered venue, they can also host your civil ceremony for up to 100 people.

We particularly love the garden area where they plan to plant some beautiful trees to create a lovely wooded area as well as other gorgeous flowers and foliage.

If you and your guests require on site accommodation there are 19 rooms available at the adjacent Fosse Manor Hotel.

Prices range from £115 for a standard room  and up to £250 for a deluxe room.

Hyde Barn recently organised a photo-shoot with one of their recommended photographers Nicole James photography. It was not your typical aspiration magazine style shoot, but real women testing out some local Cotswold suppliers. It was also the perfect excuse for them to eat lots of cake!!

The idea behind the shoot was to give couples visiting the building site, that is currently Hyde Barn, an idea of what is on offer, how to use the space and to show the beautiful Cotswold location. The venue is literally surrounded by rolling countryside as far as the eye can see, the perfect backdrop for some seriously stunning wedding photos.

We can’t wait to see this venue finished and see some Real Weddings. The first one is in June so watch this space!

www.hydebarn.co.uk – Venue
www.nicolejames.co.uk – : Nicole James Wedding Photography
http://www.thecotswoldfrockshop.co.uk/ : Dresses & Shoes & Bags from Cotswold Frock Shop,
www.annawhite.co.uk : Hair and Makeup by Anna White, Flowers by Cotswold Blooms,
www.weddingcakesgloucestershire.co.uk: Wedding Cakes Gloucestershire
http://www.facebook.com/thecolouredbubblecakery  The Coloured Bubble Cakery supplied Cupcakes
www.houseofistria.com/ Hair Accessories by House of Istria
www.cotswoldblooms.com/ Flowers by Cotswold Blooms
http://www.weddingdaysofcheltenham.co.uk/  Wedding Days & Regency Groom  supplied Menswear

For more information or to organise a viewing please contact:

01451 830 354 or 01451 830 133 ext 231

weddings@hydebarn.co.uk

www.hydebarn.co.uk

Happy New Year!!!

Hope all our lovely Festival Brides readers had a good Christmas and an epic New year.

I have a good feeling about 2012 – there’s going to be a lot going on in the world of Festival Brides this year and I’m uber excited about sharing it all with you.

I’m also very excited about planning our wedding (Bob and I not Kel and I – yes people have got confused in the past!). The venues booked so it’s now onto the fun stuff………..!

I thought I’d kick off 2012 with a bit of woodland wedding inspiration. I’m a bit of a sucker for a woodland wedding so it’s no surprise that our venue has it’s own private wood which we can use for whatever we like! With this in mind I started to research woodland ceremonies and below are some of the awesome images I found.

I hope they leave you inspired.

Enjoy xx

Woodland Wedding Inspiration

Stone Crandall Photography via greenweddingshoes

There is something quite magical about a woodland wedding and I think the images below illustrate this beautifully.

I love the idea of tying bunting, streamers or flags between two trees to signify your marriage podium. You could even create something completely bespoke that is personal to you like an archway of photos or items that represent you as a couple and your personalities.

Stone Crandall Photography via greenweddingshoes

Stone Crandall Photography via greenweddingshoes

Stone Crandall Photography via greenweddingshoes

Paco & Betty Photography via greenweddingshoes

Tinywater Photography via greenweddingshoes

Tiffany Arment Photography via greenweddingshoes

Three Nails Photography via greenweddingshoes

Three nails photography via greenweddingshoes

Three nails photography via greenweddingshoes

Three nails photography via greenweddingshoes

Priscila Valentina Photography via greenweddingshoes - the first look!

Photography by Josh Elliot via greenweddingshoes

lara hotz photography via greenweddingshoes

lara hotz photography via greenweddingshoes

lara hotz photography via greenweddingshoes

EPlove wedding via greenweddingshoes

EPlove wedding via greenweddingshoes

EPlove wedding via greenweddingshoes

Hugh Forte Photography via greenweddingshoes

love is a big deal photography via greenweddingshoes

one love photo via greenweddingshoes

Scott Clark Photography via greenweddingshoes

Last Forty Percent photography via greenweddingshoes

Kai Heeringa Photography via greenweddingshoes - woodland and lake - BOOM!

Woodland Decor Inspiration

Stone Crandall Photography via greenwedddingshoes

Last Forty Percent via greenweddingshoes

Last F0rty Percent via greenweddingshoes

Hugh Forte via greenweddingshoes

Hugh Forte via greenweddingshoes

Our Labor of Love via greenweddingshoes

If your dream is to have a woodland wedding then what’s stopping you!? The UK is full of some of the most beautiful woodlands this world has to offer and with a little bit of savvy your dream wedding could become a reality.

Why not contact your local council and discuss your options and take a look at our post: Christabel Celebrates - Beautiful & Unforgettable Ceremonies (Say “I do” anyhow, anywhere).

Big Love

Festival Brides x

I thought I’d share some personal thoughts and ideas about planning your wedding day.. It could be a long one which is why I’ve decided to post these thoughts in sections. Not many ‘brides to be’ talk about this feeling, but I know both Laura and I (and a few of our friends) have experienced this ‘overwhelming feeling’. To set the scene -I am a Libran, which means I’m pretty indecisive at the best of times!! Nick is also a libran so we have a double trouble here. I’m an escapist and a dreamer and making my creative ideas a reality is somewhat of a challenge. I think this is something I may always struggle with!!

When becoming engaged, the excitement turns into inspiration, wonderful visions and ideas whirl around your head and you buy every wedding magazine and start tearing!!………But then comes the reality: the planning and decision making!!

In my first instalmant I want to talk about LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Nick and I always planned to get married in Ibiza. We visit the Island every year and we knew we wanted the sunshine to make an appearance on our wedding day!! We met the vicar (who happened to be an old family friend) and started to make plans. We chose the venue, a beautiful finca on top of a hill (not the beach wedding I had visions of!!!) but then came the bill… 5k for food, 10k for the finca for the week and that’s before we had even signed anything!! I immediately felt uncomfortable spending this kind of money (especially when the hotel charges are half this at any other time). All the thoughts went through my head, the logistics of getting there and the expense family and friends would go to in order to be part of our wedding, my nan flying and keeping everyone happy!!

It just felt wrong and I knew that from then on we would plan a more intimate and low key affair…Our budget is low key also and family attendees would be a hard to have all in one room!! Intimate and relaxed was the new plan, but I still wanted the beautiful location, not another stately home, castle or church!! Basically the opposite of traditional

I started searching for woods, beaches, fields, trees and old country houses… You can see my wedding mood board below. I had my heart set on a rustic venue with a tree near a beach?? I wanted to get married underneath a tree with candles and chandeliers, then nip to the coast for a picture in a rowing boat ( Nick proposed in one!!)

We both fell in love with Babington House, a luxury, bohemian house in Somerset. The costs were not so low key and i have to accept that although the colour scheme was perfect, the cost was another stopping point. At this point i will just say that regardless of how much money we have i would feel comfortable spending our savings on one day!! It has to be special and unique but why should it cost the earth!!

When we first started blogging I used to look on style me pretty everyday – I would find the most beautiful photos and inspiration of stunning ceremonies underneath big beautiful trees. I would get so excited and look up the venue only to find it was in America on a ranch!!

My ideals change on a weekly/daily basis, one week its a beach wedding, then the next is a derelict faded grandeur building. Maybe I have had too much time to think and dream…. Do most people just book something that ticks the majority of the boxes?

I’m starting to think I’m just a little hard to please or just a perfectionist. The worry of not having the dream and vision stops me just settling or using that word ‘compromise’. But does our perfect place exist.. I hope so!! For now we will keep looking

Here is some more inspiration on location (if you know where these places are then please let me know!!)

I love THE LANE  - A beautiful wedding inspiration website and blog!! Create your own scrapbook of ideas, browse inspirational imagery/styling ideas and view real weddings. If only we lived in Australia!!! 

Karissa (the founder) often creates beautiful shoots and videos to inspire her readers and this one is simply so stunning I just had to blog about it. Step back into a world filled with nostalgic memories, old world romance & ethereal beauty.  Embrace the feminine form in exaggerated silhouettes, luxurious textures and choose an elegant surrounding of faded grandeur!!

The location based in Lower Manhattan, New York is my idea of a perfect wedding venue… What a roof and the light is so pretty!! Anyone know a wedding venue like this in the UK??? 

Take a look at these beautiful images…. 

Behind The Scenes – Love Nostalgia from The LANE on Vimeo.

BEHIND THE SCENES FILM: Take a behind the scenes look at Love Nostalgia (The music is lovely)

Art Direction & Styling: Karissa Fanning

Photographer: Lauren Ross (fashion photography / wedding photography)

Makeup Artist: Jessica Ross

Model: Shanay Hall

Gowns: Monique Lhuillier Spring 2012 Bridal: Candy & Waltz, Vintage Gowns (stylists own)

View the full blog entry here