The Chimps are always looking to ‘raise the bar’ and we were hoping the 70+ Tweet peeps who planned to join us would not be disappointed.

The Knight, Lady Fiona and the boys (Charlie Brown and Bentley) were there to greet us with the lovely housekeeper Yvonne. Inside the house was the bustle of our friends and Members who had given their services for the evening in support of Marry Me. With the fires and candles lit The Manor came alive oozing it’s opulent and grand atmosphere, we stood nervously waiting for our first Tweeps to arrive.

As 6pm as guests started to arrive the gorgeous Classical Songbirds filled the air with their amzing vopices of ‘angels’, it was a perfect picture as they were performing in front of the 13th century stained glass door. Quantock wines greeted tweeps with bubbles and elderflower fizz while the aroma of Le Frogs Canapés being created in the kitchen wafted through the dining room.

On the main table we had our own gorgeous giant Birthday Cake kindly created by Cath of Cake L’amour with 2 very well traveled ‘Chimps’ created by the magnificent Cass of Cake Top Characters (a first time creation) and to add to this we had a creative mountain of stunning Marry Me cupcakes designed and created by the fabulous Stephanie at Cake Couture. The famous ‘Marry Me’ milk churn was surrounded by the fantastic prize draw gifts that had been donated by our wonderful Members and friends in the Wedding Industry, this all added to the excitement of the evening.

One by one our fellow tweeps arrived all in ore of the magnificent Manor, some a little nervous and others familiar faces at our Tweet Ups. As they entered we asked if they would take time to have their photo taken (with or without props) in the Party Photobooth as we were having a guest book put together for a special Keepsake of our 1st Birthday.

As the hum of chatter got louder and more Tweeps arrived we knew the evening was going to be a success and for many of our Tweeps to make some new friends and connections. Time seemed to be flying by and we made a very quick welcome and thank you speech to all our guests and a special thank you to The Knight and Lady Fiona for their hospitality. The prize draw was received very well from all our guests with some a little disappointed in not winning some of the magnificent prizes that had been donated but equally very pleased with the departing gift of cupcakes and a slice of ‘Marry Me’ birthday cake.

As 9pm fast approached our Tweeps slowley started to leave but were full of excitement and chatter which continued on Twitter for hours after, a fantastic testimonial to The South West Tweet Up!!

The Chimps would especially like to thank the following for their generous Prize Draw gifts;

Alex – FYEO, Dan – Thurlestone Manor, Sue – Clavelshay Barn, Lou – Buff Day Spa, Chris – Quantock Wines, Paul – Wedsalon and of course the lovely Herd from Wedding Ideas Magazine.

A special Chimp thank you also to the following for their support as the Tweet Up would not have been the same without them;

Mike – Party Photobooth, Stephanie – Cake Couture, Cath – Cake L’amour, Cass – Cake Top Characters, our favourite French Chef Mikael – Le Frog and of course the crazy tog Pete Cranston for documenting the night in his own inevitable way.

Lastly a big big thank you to all of you that came to The Tweet Up, shared out 1st Birthday celebrations and supported Marry Me in our first year!

Til the next time ……

Abi & Lisa

xx

If you are looking for a wedding venue to truly make your own then Muddifords Court Country House is just the place. This venue has it all – Georgian house, Victorian barns, secluded gardens, a boathouse that overlooks an ornamental lake, a perfect little copse with secret fire pit for toasting marshmallows and relaxing.

You can get married in a gorgeous Cider Barn, boasting a minstrel’s gallery, vaulted ceilings, oak beams and a wealth of character; hold your reception in The Shippen or maybe outside in a Giant Hat Tipis. We have acres of space so the choice is yours to make this venue individual, just like you.

If you want 5 star luxury then look at our stylish Bed and Breakfast which has four ensuite bedrooms that are each exceptional as proved by being made winners last year of Channel 4’s “Four in a Bed”

Come and meet us at our launch on Friday 2 March 2012 10am – 9pm

For more information contact us on 01884 820023 visit our website at www.muddifordscourtcountryhouse.co.uk or email us at marketing@muddifordscourtcountryhouse.co.uk

Captured by the multi award winning photographer Martyn Norsworthy.

Martyn Norsworthy

These days many couples opt for broad themes eg winter weddings, beach weddings, Bohemian style and the widely used term “vintage” but what does that really mean and is it a definitive style? I’d say no it isn’t because of the vast range of designs that people can select from, often mixing and matching period details (something old) while also including contemporary styles (something new).

For example, a rustic outdoor wedding with flowers in jam jars could be labeled “vintage” as much as a pretty English garden party or a high glamour, Hollywood inspired wedding. They’d all look completely different but might include some of the same elements eg a dress and transport based on a fashion era with the bride arriving in a horse & cart, 1930s Bentley or a pink Cadillac. A bride might choose a contemporary dress but have a reception in a mediaeval castle or wear a 1950s dress and get married in a Georgian country house. There are no rules or boundaries about what constitutes “vintage” nor any restrictions on which elements a couple might include in their day.

We’ve seen more couples choosing vintage elements in the past few years and it’s a growing trend because people increasingly like to be individual and plan their wedding to reflect their tastes and life-style. Without the vast array of past designs and features to select from, couples would be limited to contemporary fashion and all weddings would look very similar, as they did in my parents’ time. I don’t think every modern couple wants that and we’ll continue to see very individual weddings incorporating a wide range of styles, influences and period details. As an example of this, we’re providing hessian runners and enamel flower jugs for one client’s rustic reception and a dozen silver candelabra decorated with roses and pearl garlands for another. Those weddings couldn’t be more different but both clients are incorporating “something new” with vintage details, although in very diverse ways.

Vintage styling isn’t just a recent trend because throughout history, fashion has borrowed from previous influences and resurrected earlier styles. In the late 1960s and 70s, Laura Ashley promoted a pretty, country look that echoed the patterns and styles of Regency England. Many brides were influenced by this and wore cotton, high-waisted dresses. The Regency high-waisted, slim outline style wasn’t original itself though as it was influenced by the classical style of the Ancient Greeks!

People have always incorporated vintage styles with contemporary fashion too. In the late 60s/early 70s, teenagers scoured jumble sales and Grannies’ cupboards for vintage clothes and jewellery to wear with platform boots. Young men wore 1st World War trench coats over flared Levi jeans and the Biba store incorporated Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles with 70s fashion. Throughout the 1970s, 80s & 90s, fashion (including bridal) continued to reflect earlier styles. Many brides wore Shakespearean Juliet caps, Edwardian high necks, Victorian crinoline hoops, 18th Century lace ruffles or mediaeval pointed sleeves. The Royal brides Princess Anne, Lady Diana Spencer , Sarah Ferguson and Sophie Rhys-Jones all chose vintage inspired themes and this has continued with the latest Royal bride Catherine Middleton wearing vintage lace and choosing a vintage style wedding cake.

In addition to vintage influences, many couples are trying to make their wedding as eco-friendly as possible, which results in them recycling, up-cycling and hiring (“something borrowed”) rather than buying. We have people specifically hiring our bunting because it’s predominantly made from vintage or recycled fabric. There’s also an increased enjoyment in using vintage china rather than having it gathering dust in attics and the resulting mix & match look is both pretty and complimentary to many themes and colour schemes from rustic to high glamour (and everything in between). Many couples choose stationery made from recycled card and have a digital rather than a paper photo album. This trend isn’t going to diminish because people are now extremely aware of ecology issues and it’s a “win-win” when couples can plan a highly individual wedding incorporating some vintage design elements, while also reducing their carbon footprint.

The way vintage styles are used will always be evolving because throughout history, vintage elements have continually influenced fashion, product design and weddings. There will always be “something old, something new and something borrowed” in every wedding but in very different ways and that’s what makes being a wedding supplier such a creative and rewarding role.

Jan Davies
Devon Vintage China

Sarah & Lee @ Orestone Manor Devon.

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic.

…And look who was on the guest list!!

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic

Marry Me are pleased to be organizing a Vintage & Retro Wedding Fair in conjunction with this fabulous event ‘Hello, Bygone’s’ Vintage & Retro Bash at Westlands, Yeovil on 1 April 2012 at 10am – 5pm.

This looks to be a fantastic event with lots going on. Wedding Suppliers interested in exhibiting please contact us here.

For more details on this fabous event please visit the ‘Hello Bygones!’ Facebook page

The Lake House, sleeping 10 is the ideal boutique Venue for your Hen celebrations.

With its contemporary design, peaceful location and use of a fabulous Hot tub what more do you need to celebrate in style with your friends.

Whether you want to cater for your selves or have top chef Le Frog Catering cook up some culinary delights at a ‘special’ price exclusively for this package – we can help!

For just £150 per person (based on 10 sharing) you can have 2 nights exclusive use of the Lake House.

This amazing offer is EXCLUSIVE to ‘Marry Me’ so please quote ‘Marry Me’ when making contact to ensure you are given this price!!

Contact details

info@thelakehousesomerset.co.uk

www.thelakehousesomerset.co.uk

01823 666297

Tractor and trailers were laid on to transport our Twitter guests from the top car park down to the farm on a rough laden track which all added to the instant charm of the place. Arriving in the valley our guests followed a path of tea-lights and were greeted by ourselves and the smiley River Cottage team in the beautifully decorated Yurt with a welcoming glass of Elderberry Fizz and Apple juice, with the fire burning and more of our fellow tweeps arriving, the hum of excited chatter filled the air. Everyone was so excited with not only the ride down to River Cottage but also with the warm ambiance of this rustic yet beautiful setting!

Once the enchanting yurt had filled, the fabulous RC team gave a very warm welcome and led the tweeps into the Barn ready for the next group to arrive. After the last of the arrivals everyone united in the barn where a consistent flow of scrumptious canapes were served with background music from Howling at the Moon who have their very own twist on folk music!! (A must to go and see).

The Barn is the main focus of River Cottage and is where all the activity of their events happen, the Tweet up evening was no exception. The building lends itself to a very laid-back atmosphere where many Twitter friendships were forming. We once again welcomed everyone and RC gave a brief talk on what they are all about and their general ethos – to be a ‘more than profit’ organisation.

During the evening groups were taken over to the main cottage where ‘Hugh’ presents his famous TV program, everyone of the Tweeps returning with big grins on their faces after having a glimpse of where Hugh’s delicious creations are made.

The prize draw was once again a hit with the infamous ‘Marry Me’ milk churn used to collect everyone’s business cards. Thank you to RC for donating some wonderful prizes including a fabulous dinner experience for two to signed Cook Books.

The evening seemed to go so quickly and many not wanting to leave but the tractor was geared up and ready to take the Tweeps back to the top of the valley and to give them a last landscape view of RC in the pitch black!! It was a fantastic evening enjoyed thoroughly by all.

We would like to express huge thanks to the whole team at River Cottage for their hard work and warm welcome as well as Norsworthy Photography for kindly documenting the evening for us and capturing all these wonderful photos on our blog post. Also big thanks to the fantastic Howling at the Moon for entertaining us and our Twitter guests and to the lovely Lizzie from Wedding Yurts for bringing along some of her Raw Chocolates for all to try which were a massive hit!

And finally Thank you so much to all of our wonderful Twitter friends for coming along to the Devon Tweetup and making this special evening such a great success!!

We will be back for our Biggest Tweetup yet……….. covering The South West!

Chimp love

Abi & Lisa xx

I could not have known as I started scribbling down all of my memories from my wedding whilst on an aeroplane destined for my honeymoon that I was sowing the seeds of a good idea. All I was doing at that time was trying to chronicle every breathing detail that I could recall so that I wouldn’t forget what it was like to be a bride in years to come.

We’ve all been on the forums and chat rooms that are filled with breathless accounts from newlyweds about their big day. Mine was no different; it was just intended for my tiny little blog and my own posterity. I wrote it, published in on the internet and went on my merry little way.

I was gratified when people contacted me to say that my wedding report had helped them to mentally prepare for their own weddings. I liked that people said I was a good writer, given that I’ve spent my whole life scribbling and trained in creative writing and with the National Council for the Training of Journalists. Most of all, I liked going to our friends’ weddings and writing about them too.

For me, there is something gloriously luxuriant about the written word. In a society so preoccupied with speed and consumable information, I like the thought of taking time to labour over the exact sentence structure and choice of words used. This thoroughness is the very least that I can do when endeavouring to narrate what many people will consider to be the best day of their entire lives.

I created The Wedding Reporter in order to offer this service to any bride and groom who want an added layer of texture to the memories of their wedding. Essentially, I attend the wedding as a professional guest; jotting everything I see, hear and feel in my trusty notebook. I cry at every. single. wedding I go to because I really do believe that in this day and age where you don’t have to get married, choosing to do so is a beautiful gesture.

I’ll then go away and spend as long writing as I do at the wedding. At the end of it, the couple will have a literary legacy extending to several thousand words that is literally the story of their day. My affiliated designer can create a bespoke cover and publish the reports into unique hardback books that sit beautifully alongside your photo album.

As far as I know, there is no one else in the country offering this service. I have created The Wedding Reporter out of a passion for both words and love; combining the two into something that people can treasure for generations is nothing short of a privilege and an honour. No two wedding reports are the same because no two weddings are the same; it’s a completely couture service tailored around the couple.

The Wedding Reporter

Big thank you to Ali Lovegrove Photography