Today i have a fabulous guest post from Hannah at The Ebury Collection. She has a fabulous online directory of the best wedding suppliers in the business, and together with those this morning she has provided a one stop shop of all the inspiration and advice you could ask for. Thank you so much to Hannah, i shall leave you in her very capable hands :-)

Launched in September 2010, The Ebury Collection is an elegant online wedding directory that brings together a handpicked collection of the UK’s most renowned and unique wedding suppliers to assist with every element of wedding planning. I was inspired to set up The Ebury Collection following the planning of my own wedding two years ago and set out to provide a full-service directory of trusted suppliers. My aim is to make planning a unique wedding that little bit easier and with an eclectic mix of well-known and less discovered but equally beautiful brands on board, The Ebury Collection does just that.

The website also features an ‘Ebury Treats’ section with regular and often exclusive offers from suppliers, a blog with ideas and inspiration, planning advice and the option to subscribe to weekly newsletters – essentially it’s a one-stop shop for all things wedding.

To bring you the very latest inspiration and advice for weddings, we’ve asked some of our favourite suppliers to offer their thoughts on how to create a unique look and ways to express individual personalities through the various elements of the day from cakes to vintage crockery. Here’s what they said:

The fabulously talented Zoe Clark from Zoe Clark Cakes has some great words of wisdom: The classic “wedding cake” is in fact a tradition that dates back to Roman times, and actually the cake is extremely symbolic in terms of marriage. Although the trend for white fruit cake laden with marzipan, pillars, and royal icing is slowly becoming less popular, people still put as much emphasis on the cake as ever before, and couples love doing this by making their cake truly unique. We seem to be steering away from the classic formal wedding cake and opting for more fun options such as comical bride and grooms, or objects that mean something to us, like a pair of shoes or a set of golf clubs. Whether its being more bold with colour or more daring in terms of shape we all love to be different and original.

There is a growing demand for variety not only in terms of decoration but in flavour. I like to offer as much scope as possible from banana and passion fruit to white chocolate with white chocolate ganache.

Wedding cake designs can be tailored to tie in with the theme of the wedding, sticking to a colour scheme or perhaps matching the cake with the wedding dress. I often get sent lace samples from brides to match for the decoration on the cake. Choosing your own flowers is a great, cost effective way, of dressing a plain cake to give it that “wow” factor.

There is such a huge range of possibilities in terms of design out there at the moment. Whether you want to stick to something delicate and simplistic or go for a huge centre piece extravaganza you really can have true artistic licence with your cake. Almost any design is achievable.

(Images below copyright Zoe Clark Cakes)

Your wedding stationery is one of the most versatile elements of your wedding where you can make a real statement. Louisa Boyles from Denote Stationery says: “Not only is it important that an invitation sets the tone of your wedding day, it’s also a reflection of you as a couple. These days it’s totally acceptable to “think outside the box”. So whether your event is relaxed, themed, formal or contemporary this is an area where you can have some fun, showcase who you are and offer a tantalising hint to what’s in store for the big day!”

(Images below copyright Denote stationery)

The gown will be remembered through your wedding photos forever and is the one element of the day that can particularly express the personality of the bride. Lisa Redman, bespoke bridalwear designer says: “The bridal gown is one of the most important dresses a girl will ever wear, and requires to reflect the brides personality… this is her day to express who she is, a day that will be remembered for the rest of her life, she needs to feel comfortable with that image for years to come. So I think it is of upmost importance that the gown reflects you.”

(Imagery below copyright Lisa Redman)

Your choice of photographer can really help express your personality and style. Chanelle Segerius-Bruce from Segerius Bruce photography says: “Couples need to select a photographer who they really connect with both for their style of work and personality. Is your wedding a details orientated affair? If so a photographer who is in love with photographing beautiful things in an artistic way would suite you most. Are you all about the emotions and people on the day? This would suite a pure wedding-photojournalist.

Make a mood board, not only for the design of your wedding but of photographs that you are drawn too. Take time to look through photographer’s portfolios and most importantly through their blogs. Blogs are where you will find all the latest work and possibly more of a story of each wedding.”

Why not consider hiring items that could really show off your style? Lucy form Pretty Vintage suggests: “Vintage Crockery and Accessories hire is the perfect way to make a beautiful and individual statement on your wedding day. We have everything you can imagine to create a wedding with vintage charm and individuality. From vintage croquet to bunting and champagne saucers and of course everything you need for the quintessential English Afternoon tea.”

(Imagery below copyright Pretty Vintage)

Elizabeth from boutique online store Le Trousseau says: “One of the most simple and effective ways to let your personality shine is through your choice of wedding decor. Dressing your venue is like decorating your home – it should be an expression of who you are and complement your own unique sense of style as a couple. Not only will this ensure your venue looks fantastic, but will create the right atmosphere for guests to help you celebrate your big day.”

(Imagery below copyright Le Trousseau)

And the music… well, your choices are endless! Rosie Morris from The Bombshellettes says: The music provided for a wedding sets the whole tone for the evening. It is a joyous and fun occasion and I believe it is so important to get that mood right. You want something that will get people up, dancing and having a good time. Doing this with a unique group of musicians chosen particularly with the bride and grooms taste in mind, and having something a bit different will not only get people up dancing… but also talking about how fantastic it was, long after the actual celebration…!

I hope this has given you some food for thought. For further inspiration, ideas and supplier details, visit www.theeburycollection.com

Hannah Gooch

Founder of The Ebury Collection

Thank you so much Hannah and all of the wonderful vendors that contributed to today’s post – i found it extremely useful and hope you have too. Be sure to check out their web site’s :-)

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