What is the use of a book without pictures or conversation!?

The decorations for the wedding came from a wide variety of places including wholesale websites, second hand shops and craft shops. Etsy was a go-to place also and I sourced the Alice charms, which became part of the place settings from there, as well as the gorgeous handmade robes which formed part of my BM thank you gifts. 

One website which I kept going back to was DHgate, which seems to stock everything you could ever think of or want! Something that I did spend hours trawling for, and never did get, were Japanese style lanterns with tassels. When I did eventually find exactly the ones I wanted, the import price was so extravagant I had to rethink. In the end I opted for some plain paper lanterns, which were fine, as the bright, decorative parasols made up for where they were lacking in detail!

I got several cheap blankets and throws from Primark, and cushion covers from anywhere and everywhere! I used these for the outside, lounging Bedouin tent area, which my sister @Daisy Shelly design dressed with handmade quilts, bespoke cushions and hanging fabrics to cover the plastic drapes of the tent. The shabby-chic screen was from Joss and Main, (which stocks some absolutely gorgeous pieces), as were the Moroccan style poufs.  If I saw something Alice related I snapped it up: mugs from Waterstones, books from Amazon, playing cards, bunting..... oversized pocket watch from Wilkinson!

I did a huge amount of DIY, (with the help of wonderful family and friends) - we decoupaged glass jars and pegs,  which were used to hang up the Polaroids people took on the day); designed and printed the table signs and seating plans, (for these I used cheap frames from the pound shop!); printed all the labels for favours and put together the kid's activity packs. The Works and The Range were a great provider of crafting bits such as decoupage paper, ribbon and lace. (I had not come across The Range before and I was like a kid in a candy store!) As its name would have you believe, it does indeed sell a vast quantity of stuff!

 

I knew I wanted a variety of looks for the centre pieces, and my florist, (also called Amy!) was more than accommodating to my whims! For one look, I dispensed with flowers altogether

and had some silver twigs used to display gorgeous vintage Christmas tree decorations I had bought.

DIYing so much took a massive amount of time and energy but it was deeply satisfying. I can't say in the end if doing it this way saves a huge amount of money over all, but it was great to flex some creative muscle, and I now have loads of extra bits left over, (I decoupaged my first set of drawers at the weekend - pictures to follow soon!) Buying, rather than hiring, also meant that these pieces of furniture  and accessories are now MINE and I can either dress my flat with them or sell them!

(obviously I am keeping them for now - magpie's don't let things go that easily!)

It was a blast sourcing and making everything but I was really glad to get my 'brain' back after the wedding! In the last few months before it, I literally could think of nothing else and every waking minute that I wasn't at work, I had to be doing something for it. But it had to be done that way really! I read recently that Kat, who writes the blog Rock n Roll bride, started it when she got married, and didn't want to stop writing about weddings so carried it on and it grew into the amazing, beautiful, sparkly thing it now is! That's how I feel a bit. It's strange looking back at the wedding; we now have the professional pics, the video and I am currently writing the thank you cards. It's a little bit melancholy, in a strange way! Not so much because it's been and gone - it's hard to explain. I guess partly it is because it becomes your whole world for a year or so, and then: poof! 

Oh well, hopefully a few more friends will get engaged so I can stick my beak into their arrangements!....

Need a wedding planner, anyone!?