Category Archives: Inspirational

Gothic Glastonbury Wedding Inspiration

Today on Marry Me Ink, I get to share with you this dark, gothic shoot from Swan Photography and Sarah of Photo Press. Sarah runs an Alternative Wedding Suppliers Facebook Group and asked who wanted to be involved. Choosing to make it as inclusive as possible, she included anyone who was happy to be involved. It was difficult to organise with so many people on board but it was worth it in the end, Sarah managed the whole thing and everyone involved pitched in where needed, it was very much an equal collaboration from everyone else.

It was at Glastonbury Wedding venue on a grey and rainy day in March meaning that the moodiness of the day contributed to the shoot. It was a shame we didn’t get more shots outside due to the rain, but some of the cloudy shots look really great and fit the theme perfectly. The venue is a de-consecrated church so they can hold any non religious wedding which is appealing to any type of couple, traditional or alternative, especially great as it’s so close to Glastonbury. The venue has lots of original features and has been recently restored. It is about two miles from Glastonbury and is surrounded by farmland with amazing views of Glastonbury Tor.

I wanted to create an alternative shoot and given the venue, I felt gothic was perfect. We wanted to go for dark colours, non-traditional dresses from Devlin Bridal Couture and Belle Of The Ball Bridal as well as alternative looks for the models hair and make up. The models also have piercings and tattoos and we chose a same sex shoot as we wanted to appeal to a wider audience because I feel that this is often overlooked.

I think all of the aspects of this shoot could apply to real life. All items are available to buy from established Wedding Suppliers so anyone wanting to have a dark or gothic theme to their wedding could easily recreate this look. I supply newspaper stationery for peoples weddings so I don’t get to try things at weddings as such, but I’d love to see more weddings with black dresses or cakes and those dark red and purple flowers were truly beautiful!  Continue reading

Helping Your Guests to Enter into the Spirit of Your Alternative Wedding

It is great that people now feel that they can have the wedding they really want. Gone are the days when everyone’s photos of their special day looked very similar. Today, it is far easier for brides and grooms to choose a unique theme for their wedding. Venues are increasingly prepared to be flexible and are starting to cater better for couples who want to hold an alternative wedding. It is also now far easier to buy vintage wedding dresses and suits that reflect every style you can think of.

A GAMER’S WEDDING WITH A TATTOO STATION AT MIDDLE EARTH

Usually, the bride and groom have a very clear vision of what they want their wedding day to be like. They are fans of a particular style, which they fully understand. So, for them, working out what they are going to wear and how the venue will be decorated is easy.

But, for some of their guests things are not so easy. Usually, close friends are also fans of the style the bride and groom like, so they automatically know how to dress to fit in. But, for some relatives getting ideas for wedding outfits that are suitable and will fit in with your theme could be really difficult. Plus, of course, they may not feel comfortable about dressing in a way that is radically different from what they are used to wearing.

A BOUTIQUE AND GLAMOUROUS 1920S LA WEDDING

That is why most couples take the approach of telling their guests the theme of their wedding and encouraging them to join in but also stating that traditional wedding guest attire is also OK. There are some great examples of how you could convey this fact on your wedding invitations available on this page. Usually, your guests will do their best to please you. They may not go the whole way and hire vintage clothes or an outfit that 100% reflects the theme of your wedding. But, many will change the way they dress a bit to try to fit in with your theme, for example, by wearing a shirt that the reflects the relevant era.  Continue reading

Dorothy & Tin Man – Wizard Of Oz Wedding Inspiration

We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto! Today on Marry Me Ink I get to take you to Oz with you this enchanting styled shoot from Kieran Paul Photography which was created by Jen of My Pretties UK and her team of flying monkeys (I mean some awesome Northern wedding suppliers).

The original idea for this shoot was brought to me by Emma McNamara from Ochre Eclective, she said she had an idea for a really alternative Wizard of Oz invitation and if anyone was planning a shoot, could she come in on it.. So my mind started working overtime as it often does and I volunteered my services to get it up and running. (If I am honest with a name like My Pretties, a Oz themed shoot had always been on the cards!) 

My first search was for a venue in the heart of Yorkshire that had beautiful yellow fields, I was adamant that this shoot needed to take place outdoors and Thief Hall in Northallerton was stunning! Kieran Paul Photography was an obvious choice for me, his easy going nature and preference for natural light meant he was able to capture such vibrant images. 

I knew I wanted the over all look to be vivid and vibrant, like the scene where Dorothy lands in Oz and it shifts from black and white to ‘smack you in the face’ technicolor. We went with a classic vintage look for our Dorothy with help from Elsie Vee Vintage dress design – she used an original 1940’s dress pattern to create the stunning dress, Doll’s Mad Hattery took Dorothy’s classic blue bow and added a birdcage veil. For hair and makeup we stuck to a classic 40s pinup look and we were very excited to have lingerie loaned to us by the fabulous ‘What Katie Did‘. Our Tin Man groom had a lot of steampunk elements to his look with fabulous makeup, headpiece and tie to accompany his awesome suit supplied by Dandy Threads.

Continue reading

Wedding Inspiration – Summer Garden Party

Are we all enjoying the glorious weather that we’re having at the moment? I know I am – I just love spending time in the garden this time of year, especially now our garden is nearly finished, just in time for all the Summer parties!

Hoping that Summer will stay throughout the months this year, I wanted to look at awesome ways to decorate your wedding with the season in mind – The Summer Garden Party.

Currently, artificial grass is becoming increasingly popular for wedding decoration such as table runners and decorative displays and I’ve found some fantastic ways it can be used for the perfect Summer Garden Party Wedding – See below some of my favourite ways that artificial grass has been used at Weddings.

I don’t know which is my favourite! I do love the artificial grass as the back drop for a floral cake table but I’m also equally in love with it as a table runner and having all the tealights and single stem flowers in the vases – Which is your favourite?

Credits: Design Love Fest, Green Wedding Shoes, Koru Wedding, Mod Wedding, Oh Happy Day, Elizabethan Designs