National Stationery Week

Happy National Stationery Week! I love stationery and I'm not the only one. Hoarding unused notebooks that were too pretty not to buy seems to be a pretty common problem. Maybe you do the same? I don't know why stationery bring so much joy. Maybe because it's an affordable treat that can be both practical and beautiful.
Here are some of my favourite stationery items. I love metallic stationery at the moment, particularly my gold scissors from KikkiK, my amazing hexagonal gold pen from Not Another Bill, rose gold paperclips from Paperchase and gold bulldog clip from Papermash.
When it comes to writing implements you can't beat MUJI. I love their mechanical pencils and black gel pens.

Personalisation is the ultimate luxury when it comes to stationery, whether it's an embossed notebook or personalised notecards. For personal stationery Papier is your one stop shop. They create beautiful customisable stationery designed by a range of illustrators and artists (including myself). Their designs are fresh and elegant and the quality of the product is simply outstanding. The paper has a gorgeous texture and it looks like the designs have been hand-painted straight onto them rather than printed. 

My favourite stationery shops:
Choosing Keeping | Present and Correct | KikkiK | Papier | London Graphic Centre | Paperchase | MUJI

A Few Wise Words

Over on Instagram I shared some of my top tips as part of #MarchMeetTheMarker. They were just a few nuggets of wisdom I have cleaned in my 5 1/2 years of freelancing. It was one of my most popular ever Instagram post, so I thought I would share it again here. Obviously I am a freelance illustrator, but I think this advice could apply to any freelance creative.

Value yourself
If you don't nobody else will. When I first started illustrating I completely undercharged, and I think it's something that every artist and Illustrator does when you start out. Confidence and charging what you are worth go hand-in-hand, so make sure you value yourself and the work that you do. Don't buy into the 'starving artist' myth. For a while I told myself that I was lucky to be doing what I love for a living so it didn't matter but I wasn't making much money. That attitude will stop you from ever earning much money; if you don't expect to be paid well then you won't. When I realised that I worked very hard and that my work was of value and I had every right to be paid well for what I did, I started asking for more money and getting it.

Trust your instincts
I have learnt again and again to always trust my instincts. So many times when something hasn't felt right a project has gone wrong or things haven't worked out. Trust your instincts about what is a good opportunity and who are the right people to work with. When I first started freelancing I assumed that every opportunity was a good opportunity but sometimes that just isn't case. In fact any email that starts with the word 'great opportunity' is usually a request for you to work for free! One of the things I love about freelancing is that I don't have to say yes to everything. The more my career develops the more I have the freedom to say no and to only do the jobs I really want to do.

Take a risk and make things happen 
I've been very lucky that some incredible opportunities have come my way, but I've also learnt that I can't just sit around waiting for my dream job to come along. I've got to go out and make things happen myself. I find it so scary putting myself forward for things and contacting people, but when it all works out and I secure the project of my dreams it's the best feeling ever. Putting yourself out there can mean blogging, updating social media regularly, emailing at directors and editors or doing mail outs. It's important to find what works for you.

Illustrating a Book Cover

Last year Text Publishing got in touch with me about illustrating a book cover for an upcoming chapter book. It was a really lovely project so I thought I would share a behind-the-scenes peak with you guys.

They had a fairly clear idea of what they wanted from the cover so I went straight in with the sketch. The feedback was that the plant life needed to be more varied and more wild looking. After my second sketch got the go-ahead I started on the artwork. I painted the mirror and the girls separately and then layered them on photoshop so they could be edited and moved. 

I painted the botanical wallpaper straight onto green paper which looked really lovely and definitely set the tone for the piece, but it was difficult to edit in photoshop. Ultimately I started the background again, painting individual plants on a white background which could then be removed in photoshop. The individual plant motifs could then be arranged on a green background which meant the design was much more flexible. The plant motifs were also use to create a gorgeous decorative title page. I also painted some little botanical flourishes to be used for the chapter headings.

A Guide to Painting Easter Eggs

Painting blown easter eggs has become something of a yearly tradition for me. I have produced a little step by step guide to painting eggs, just in case you want to have a go!

First you need to blow your egg, that way you can keep your creation forever without it going off. Use a metal skewer to make a small hole at the top of the egg and slighter large hole at the bottom. Use the skewer to break the yolk, then blow the contents out into a bowl. Rinse the egg throughly then leave it to dry.

I like to paint my eggs with a base coat of regular house paint first (not gloss). A good tip is to make a little donut of blutack to rest your egg on, so it doesn’t roll around. Use a wide flat brush to apply one or two even layers of base coat. When the base coat is dry I lightly sketch on a design in pencil, then use acrylic paint and ink to finish it off.

Simple designs and repeat patterns work best. Alternatively you could just draw on the painted egg with a sharpie. Painting on a round surface is tricky, so embrace imperfections! Display your egg with pride and impress all your friends.

Finding Inspiration

In this blog post I wanted to talk a little bit about inspiration. I personally define inspiration as feeling motivated to do something or create something. It's that feeling when you read a great book and immediately want to sketch the main character, or you go somewhere so beautiful that you can't stop taking photos, filming or sketching.
In interviews I often get asked how I stay inspired, which I've always found a really odd question as I'm inspired pretty much 100% of the time. There is never really a moment when I'm not planning new ideas or thinking about things I want to paint in my head. I actually dream about paint, it's a bit odd.

But I think for most people finding inspiration and staying inspired is a bit more of a challenge. I think for a lot of people there number one destination for inspiration is Instagram and Pinterest. I love Instagram and Pinterest, I think they are amazing places to share your work, build a community, find new customers and clients and to get a general idea of what's going on in the creative industry is. However I don't think they're good place to seek inspiration. What normally happens after a Instagram binge is that you end up getting slightly overwhelmed by image after beautiful image. The problem is there is no context to these images, you have no sense of how long they took to create, or even when they were created chronologically, and how many first drafts had to go into creating the final piece. You might have scrolled through two years work in 30 seconds. What I generally find happens is that seeing so much beautiful work by other people in a short space of time makes me doubt myself. It makes me feel that simultaneously my work should be more colourful yet more muted, more complex but more simple, basically less like me and more like everybody else that I admire. And what usually happens is that I don't feel motivated to create at all, I just get stuck in a cycle of endless scrolling. Not that I don't love seeing beautiful work on Instagram and discovering new illustrators, but if you're starting to doubt your own work it's time to put the phone down. Best case scenario and you feel a bit down and wonder why you bother, worst case scenario is is that people actually try to imitate what they are see on Instagram and end up copying the artists that they admire. My work has been copied many times by students and amateur painters. I understand why it happens and how easy it is to do. If you are spending a lot of time looking at the same few artists work it's natural that your work will start to look like their's. The best antidote to this is to seek inspiration from as many different sources as possible, preferably away from a computer screen. 

So where do you find inspiration? 
This will vary for everyone. What inspires me may not inspire you, and that's a good thing. Peoples unique and diverse sources of inspiration are what makes their work unique. 
 

Museums and galleries
I always find walking round a museum with a sketchbook or visiting a beautiful exhibition really inspiring. There is something about seeing great works of art close up, seeing the texture of the paint and the individual brush strokes that makes me want to pick up a paintbrush soon as I get home.

Travel
I find travelling so inspiring, and when I travel I deliberately pick places that I know want to sketch or paint. I love going to the colourful cities like Seville or Marrakech or places with a strong history of folk art like Mexico or Peru.

People watching
People watching is such a great free source of inspiration. If you draw people in your work it's great to spend time observing real people, their body language what they wear et cetera. My favourite well-dressed old people and adorable children.

Old films and documentaries
I love the costumes and sets in old films. Anything with Audrey Hepburn oh Marilyn Monroe is a good start. I also love watching documentaries about inspiring creative women. Iris, and The Eye Has To Travel are two of my favourites. 

Vintage shops and antiques fairs
If you like drawing objects then vintage shops and antiques shops are great places to find inspiration. I don't know why it is but I find old objects have so much more character and are just more drawable than new objects. I would rather draw a typewrite than a MacBook any day.

Colour combinations
Keep an eye out for beautiful, accidental colour combinations in every day life. An iPhone is a great way to record these little moments of colour inspiration that might otherwise be forgotten. 

So basically every time you leave the house or switch on the TV the potential for inspiration is there! These are just a few of the places I find inspiration, hopefully this has encouraged you to try something you and seek out inspiration.

My Favourite Art Materials

I often get asked about the art materials I use, so I thought I'd list some of my favourites here.

For years I have used Winsor and Newton watercolours and gouache. Gouache is essentially an opaque watercolour so I use them both together. I have recently invested in a set of watercolours from Schmincke. They are about five times the price of a Windsor and Newton Cotman range, but there is a big difference in quality. The Schmincke set a much more highly pigmented and the colours are very vibrant. The paint has a different consistency to which makes it much easier to pick up large amounts of colour with one brushstroke. They have taken a little bit of getting used to as the colours are almost too bright for my usual work. They are a beautiful set of paints to invest in, but if you're just starting out I would recommend sticking with the Winsor and Newton as they are still great quality and really good value. If you know how to mix colours a set of 12 to 20 colours should be fine. I really like the ProArte Prolene brushes, Cotman brushes from Winsor and Newton and the Aquafine Brushes from Daler Rowney , they’re great for painting and brush lettering. I also love to use sable brushes, Series 7 Kolinsky are the best, but the Pro Arte sable brushes are good too.

Schmincke Horadam Watercolour Set
Winsor & Newton Watercolour Set
Winsor & Newton Designers Gouache
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Brushes
Pro Arte Series Sable Brushes
Daler Rowney Aquafine watercolor brushes
Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable Water Colour Brush
Pentel Aquash Water Brush Pens

When it comes to coloured pencils I’m mostly concerned with the colour and quality of the pencil, so I use lots of different brands. I like the softness of water soluble pencils best.

Caran Dache Prismalo Aquarelle Pencils
Staedtler Karat Aquarell Watercolour Pencils

I don’t use a sketchbook as much as I used too. I love the romance of them, but when it comes to scanning in sketches or using a Wooden Artist Lightbox
it makes more sense just to sketch onto A4 printer paper. I do like to take a sketchbook with me when I travel though. I was taught to stretch watercolour paper when I was studying art GCSE, and I've never done it since. I just really can't be bothered wetting, taping and waiting for paper to dry. I use blocks of watercolour paper that don't need stretching. My favourite band is Fluid and I use the hot and cold press paper. Hot pressed has a smooth surface and Cold Pressed has more texture.

Flexi-Sketch Book
Moleskine Cahier Sketchbook
Daler – Rowney Heavyweight Cartridge Pad
Fluid Watercolor Paper Block
Cass Art Heavy Weight Cartridge

My favourite art shops in London are London Graphic Centre and Cass Art. They both have online shops, and most of the materials mentioned can be bought on Amazon.

I hope this was helpful! Let me know if you have any questions.

Top Tips for Recent Graduates

Graduation is always a scary time, and after the degree show comes down it’s easy to feel a little bit lost. Here are 10 little nuggets of advice to hopefully get you through this transition period.

1. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it

When I was preparing for my degree show a lot of people were saying things like ‘well obviously I don’t expect to work as an illustrator’ and ‘everyone knows there’s no work in the illustration industry’. These things aren’t true. It’s not easy but it’s not impossible, and somebody’s got to take the photos, design the clothes and draw the pictures we all enjoy, so why shouldn’t you be the one to do it. I have made my living solely as a freelance illustrator since graduating 5 years a go. (update: I’ve now been freelancing full time for 8 years and I’ve just bought a flat in London. Nothing is impossible)

2. Stay passionate and keep producing work

If you’re passionate about your, work prove it. Don’t put down your sketchbook for 6 months after graduating. Keep writing/drawing/taking photos and producing new work. A portfolio with nothing but uni work in it doesn’t look great. I update my website every time I complete a new project.

3. Get a website

This is essential, and something that really should be sorted out before your degree show. A web address on a business card that leads to a blank page doesn’t leave a great impression. Making a simple but effective website doesn’t need to be expensive or difficult. Squarespace, Cargo, and WordPress are all great platforms. In the 21st century your website is your CV, so keep it updated. Also make you you use own your own domain name. You can buy yours at 123reg or godaddy. I currently use Squarespace for my website and blog: it's easy to update and comes up well in Google searches. A very large percentage of my customers are also readers of my blog, so for me this is one of the most important aspects of my online presence.

4. Look out for graduate opportunities

There is a relatively short time span when you are classed as a graduate, not just a student or a run of the mill freelancer. Take advantage of graduate schemes and awards while you can. Lots of big website and agencies like It’s Nice That run graduate showcases that guarantee a lot of exposure. This is something I really wish I had known about when I graduated.

5. Make the most of student discounts

You probably have about a month left of your student discount. Now is the time to join the Association of Illustrators and take advantage of your Apple student discount. Another thing to be aware of is once you’re are no longer a student you have to start paying council tax straight away, potentially making the last month of your tenancy agreement an expensive one.

6. Get a part time job

Working full time in your chosen career field is always the ideal, but sometimes you need a part time job to pay the rent before you get there. I would advise a part time not full time job so you still have the time and energy to devote to your work, but you know what will work for you. Look out for studio assistant job where you can learn from a successful artist as well as earning money.

7. Set up an online shop

Setting up a simple online shop somewhere like Etsy can help you start making an income from your artwork straight away. Whether you’re freelancing or working a day job it’s always nice to have another stream of income. Selling something like prints or greetings cards is fairly low risk as the minimum orders aren’t huge and they sell well. I recommend Printed.com. Doing craft markets is also a great way of making an income form your work and getting yourself out there.

8. Use social media

I can’t see why you wouldn’t want to utilise this amazing (free!) platform. Social media is a great way for clients to find you, as well as building an audience, interacting with like minded people, getting your work out there and finding a community. The platforms I get most work from is Instagram. As a highly visual platform it makes sense to use it was an illustrator. I also use  Pinterest, have a newsletter and I blog.

9. Keep your options open

When I first graduated with a degree in Illustration I thought I might do some drawings for greetings cards and magazines. I never imaged that I would draw live at big events, that I would teach hundreds of students brush lettering and watercolours, that I would be whisked off to France with Stylist Magazine and that I would write books. My career has developed in ways I could have never imagined. Be open to trying new things.

10. Don’t give up

To be honest the only person that can put an end to your dreams is you. Success never comes overnight. It takes years of hard work to build a career in the creative industries.

London Drawing Club Meet Up

I had such a great day at The Barbican Conservatory with Viktorija of And Smile Studio and the London Drawing Club. It was a perfect day of drawing, creative chat, coffee and plants. Thank you so much everyone who came! You can find details of the next meet up here!

Brush Lettering with Etsy

I was very excited to be asked by Etsy to teach some brush lettering skills to the attendees of its pop-up wedding fair at West Elm. The workshops were ridiculously popular and the tickets sold out within three minutes of launching. Across two days I taught 24 students how to create beautiful brush lettering, ideal for brides (and grooms) hoping to DIY their wedding stationery. The workshops received a lots of interest on Instagram and on the day from other people attending the fair.

Live illustrating with SisterMAG and Alpro

In January illustrator I invited over to SisterMAG's head office in Berlin to live illustrate at a special press event with Alpro. I have worked with SisterMAG for years, so I was really excited to meet the whole team and see their offices. This was also my first time in Berlin, although Berlin in the middle of January is not for the faint hearted.  

The beautiful event featured bloggers and press from all over Germany. The day involved a variety of workshops, beautiful meals, including an amazing brunch provided by Alpro and some show stopping cakes. Activities throughout the day included calligraphy and moodboard making workshops, massages and the chance to be illustrated by me. I was very busy thorughout the day, illustrating guests, the SisterMAG team and people form Alpro. Fortunately I was very well looking after; if only all my jobs can with endless supplies of coffee, crepes and massages. After a busy day of drawing I hopped on a flight back to London.

All photos curtesy of SisterMAG and Saskia Bauermeister

Watercolour Competition with P&O Ferries

If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen that I teamed up with P&O Ferries to run a competition. Seven lucky people won an original watercolour painting based on their favourite holiday snap. This was such a lovely campaign to be a part of. It was such a joy to receive a new photo to paint every 2 days, it was so exciting to see who P&O Ferries had picked every day!

When one of the winners from the competition happened to be in London for the week, visiting from Dubai, I knew that we had to meet up for a coffee so I could give her the artwork in person. I had a lovely afternoon meeting Nourane Owais and chatting about all things watercolour.

A Little Guide to Seville

I’ve always had a fascination with Seville, probably because so many operas are set there. It has always seemed like the most romantic and mysterious of Spanish cities. So when we where looking for a city break that would provide a bit of winter sun and allow my husband to practice his Spanish, Seville was the obvious choice. October is a great time to go to Seville as the weather is warm (high 20s) but not oppressively hot.
There are so many things to do in Seville and it is such a charming, walkable city that it is the perfect place for a city break. We spent four days in Seville, and though we would have loved to stay longer we definitely got a feel for the city. Here are a few of my favourite things to do in Seville, though really the best thing to do is just walk and walk and explore the city on foot (with lots of stops for tapas).

The city’s most famous attraction, the Alcazar, is a must see. The Alcazar is a royal palace original developed by Moorish kings. It’s famous for it’s stunning architecture, tile work and gardens. We bought our tickets (€9.50) on the day and queued for about 20 minutes, but you can buy them in advance online. Once you get through the ticket office it’s easy to shake off the hoards of tour groups and explore the expansive gardens and rooms on your own. It is such a calm and peaceful place that you almost forget that the city outside exists.

The Plaza España is a collection of governmental buildings on the edge of the
Maria Luisa park. It doesn’t sound worth a visit but it really is. The buildings are beautiful, set in a semi circle with miniature bridges and waterways that you can row through. It is a testament to stunning Sevillian craftsmanship, every region of Spain having its own elaborately decorated alcove. It’s also completely free to visit. Make sure you also explore the park, which is beautiful. 

The city’s newest attraction, the Parasol Metropol, is somewhat controversial and not everyone is a fan. I think it’s definitely worth a visit as it only  costs €3 and gives you stunning views of Seville. Your ticket also entitles you to a free drink, I highly recommend enjoying an ice cold glass of beer at the top whilst taking in the view.

You can’t go to Seville without seeing some flamenco. There are shows in the city centre that cater to tourists where the tickets are quite expensive and then there are shows in the outskirts that cater to locals and aficionados, starting at midnight and serving only hard alcohol. La Carboneria is a happy middle ground. It is located in the city centre, it’s free to get in and shows run from 9:30 – 12:00. The shows are fantastic, and need to be seen to understand the passion and the energy. 

It’s actually quite hard to have a bad meal in Seville, pretty much everywhere is good. We mostly ordered tapas as its fun and cheap. Ordering tapas means you can try lots of different dishes and even several different restaurants in one night. Portions are generous and we usually ordered four tapas between two. Here are a few places I’d recommend: El Rinconcillo – the oldest tapas bar in Seville – go for atmosphere, decor and good tapas, La Huerta 9 – lovely tapas eaten under the orange trees, Confiteria La Campana – classic coffee and patisserie, staffed by adorable old men in stripy waistcoats and El Rincon el Rosita – the friendliest restaurant in Seville and delicious food.

We flew with Ryanair and stayed in an Airbnb apartment. We stayed in the Macarena neighbourhood which I would highly recommend. It’s about 20 minutes walk from the centre and is a really charming neighbourhood. Get £25 off your first Airbnb stay here.

What I wore:
Checked dress – People Tree, shorts – vintage, straw boater – vintage, white blouse – charity shop, denim jacket – H&M, sunglasses – Anthropologie, watch – Daniel Wellington

Hand in Hand Soap x Target

Hand in Hand Soap are one of my very first clients that I worked with when I graduated from university, and I’m really proud of the work we have done together. For a collaboration between Target and Hand in Hand soap we created a range of three winter inspired soaps. I used a mixture of watercolour and cut paper to give the packaging a richly layered look, and we took our inspiration from nature. Which is your favourite? I think the polar bear is mine, I love how it has turned out.

Honeymooning in Tulum

When it came to choosing our honeymoon destination we were looking for beaches, good weather and culture. I saw a picture of Mayan ruins over looking a stunning beach and we were sold. Two flights to Mexico booked.

Tulum is a tale of two halves; a stunning beach with trendy boutique eco hotels, and the town which is more rough around the edges but full of local colour and flavour. We stayed in the town in a lovely Airbnb and cycled down to beach on the purpose built cycle path. I have read a lot of travel pieces on Tulum recently that pretend that the town doesn’t exist and that you should spend your whole time staying in beach hotels in eating in beach restaurants. I think that is a bit of a shame because you miss out so much of the local culture and colour if you never venture into the town.

BEACH

On out first day we made the mistake of heading down to the beach, having a swim then lying down on our towels for a read and sunbathe. Big mistake, we both ended up with very burnt backs, despite slapping on the sun cream. I also fell off my bike, stepped in wet cement and turned green in the swimming pool, so we had a hilarious first day. You really can’t over estimate how strong the Mexican sun is. A few days later when our sun burn had healed we ventured back to the beach and did things the smart way. We went to Papaya Playa Project and rented a sun lounger for the day. The loungers are free if you are eating and drinking at the beach club. The days we spent at Papaya Playa were complete bliss; going for a swim in the incredibly warm, clear sea, coming back to our lounger to read, paint, drink smoothies and eat octopus tacos. Being served delicious Mexican food and cold beers whilst reclining on a lounger on a breathtaking almost empty beach was a new level of luxury for me, and I think Tulum has spoilt me for all other beaches. Also I could stay in the shade 90 percent of the time, which is really the ideal situation when you're as pale as me.

One of the amazing things about Mexico is how full of wild life it is. One of the best things that we did was to swim with wild sea turtles. You can swim with sea turtles for free at Akumel, you just need to hire a life jacket and snorkelling equipment. It’s a good idea to get there as early as possible before the crowds arrive. While in Mexico you should also keep an eye out for iguanas, pelicans, tropical birds and giant butterflies.

CENOTES

Another must do thing in this region of Mexico is to visit some cenotes. Cenotes are natural sink holes filled with fresh water. They are incredibly beautiful and an amazing place to go for a swim. We visited a few and our favourite was the Gran Cenote in Tulum. Large crowds tend to arrive from 11am onwards so I would recommend getting there before 9. Thankfully the jet lag makes it easy to get up super early If you have snorkelling gear bring it with you, and if you scuba-dive you are in for a real treat. Cenotes Dos Ojos is great for divers. 

VALLADOLID

If you love colour and folk art and want to see a less touristy side to Mexico you have to visit Valladolid. It's only a few hours away by coach, but it's a world away from trendy tulum. It's streets are full of colourful colonial buildings, perfect for exploring and taking photos. It's got a great selection of folk art shops and local boutiques. Cenote Zaci is a large cenote in the town that is worth a visit. My biggest regret of the holiday was missing the chance to visit the folk art museum because the infomation on TripAdvisor was wrong. What I saw through the door looked amazing! Coqui Coqui is a gorgeous perfume boutique and tearoom that you have to visit.

RUINS
There there are lots of Mayan ruins around Tulum but the ones at Coba were our favourite. They are in the jungle which thankfully provides some shade and also makes them super cool to explore. Hiring bikes is the best way to get around. Mexico doesn’t do health and safety, which is why seat belts are optional, you can swim in caves and you can climb up really tall Mayan temples. I didn’t know I had a fear of heights until I got to the top and couldn’t look down! The steps are steep and uneven so don’t wear sandals like l did! Whilst you’re in the area you can also check out the local cenotes and zipline across the lake.

Our trip to Mexico was everything that we hoped it would be and more; sunshine, beaches, culture, colour, adventure and a lot of incredible food. There’s not been a day when we haven’t wished we were back in Mexico. It was a truly unforgettable honeymoon.

All The Little Details

When it comes to blogging about your wedding it’s difficult to know where to start. It’s only one day but there is so much to say! I have already done a run through of the day, but I wanted to focus a bit more on the amazing suppliers that made our wedding so special.

The Venue

Finding a venue was quite tricky because our guest list meant that most traditional wedding venues were too big and most pub function rooms were too small. We were so happy to find Clissold House, a beautiful listed building in Clissold Park, Stoke Newington. Clissold house gave the day the perfect elegant yet relaxed vibe, and the glorious weather meant everyone could enjoy the terrace and the beautiful park setting.

The Flowers

Where do I even start with the flowers? They were incredible. I am very good friends with Migle, who owns Your London Florist, and you can really see the love that she put into everything from the table arrangements to the button holes. Migle knows me and my taste so well that I was able to just trust her to do her thing, which meant the flowers were a total surprise on the day. The archway of sliver birch and cherry blossom she created was just stunning, and provided the perfect back drop for both our ceremony and the first dance. Apparently the whole room smelt amazing, but as I had a sinus infection I couldn’t smell a thing. If you’re getting married in London and looking for a florist you should definitely speak to Your London Florist.

The Dress

I knew straight away that I didn’t want a big traditional wedding dress, and there wasn’t really room for it in our budget either, so I didn’t even bother setting foot inside a wedding dress shop. I did some research online and was pretty sure that I would be able to find something on the high street, and I was right. This dress was actually the first one I tried on. It had the vintage, romantic feel that I was going for and fitted perfectly. My veil was actually my mum’s, and my shoes came from Boden. My husband wore a suit from John Lewis and a beautiful vintage tie we bought in Nashville. The bridesmaids wore dresses from Asos.

The Cake

We knew that we definitely didn’t want a traditional wedding cake with fondant icing. I wanted something really pretty and whimsical, and most importantly very tasty. I first met My Little Cake Tin at Renegade Craft Fair, and I found out that she was actually based very locally to me in North London. My Little Cake Tin were absolutely wonderful to work with, and the cake was delicious as well as well as stunning. We had a rich chocolate cake with chocolate ganache as the bottom tier, which we ate for dessert, the middle tier was lemon and elderflower sponge which we had at the evening reception, and the top tier was another chocolate cake which we took home with us. Being able to enjoy eating a little slice of wedding cake every day for a week after the wedding was so lovely. I definitely recommend doing this!

Photography

Emily Quinton isn’t actually the wedding photographer I originally booked. Two weeks before the wedding the photographer that I had booked let us down, which meant I was frantically searching for a new photographer very last minute. I emailed Emily, knowing that she didn’t do wedding photography any more, but hoping that she might be able to help us out, and amazingly she said yes. Emily was so fantastic on the day, she made it all feel really natural and relaxed, and the photos are absolutely stunning. They capture the day so well and don’t feel forced or posed. Like I say Emily doesn’t do wedding photography any more, but if you’d like to learn how to improve your Instagram or learn how to use your camera I can’t recommend her workshops enough.

The Band

My husband is a jazz musician so we were always going to have live music at our wedding.  Five of his friend played traditional jazz for us whilst we and our guests ate. Go to Place Avenue Swing to book them.

The Little Details

I wanted to add some little personal touches to the day, without going overboard on crafts and DIY, which is why I chose to play to my strengths. I designed and illustrated the invites and the on the day stationery myself.  I also hand lettered the seating chart and the welcome sign. I would definitely advise leaving the seating chart to the last possible minute, there’s always one guess that drops out two days before! I also hand painted the wedding cake toppers.

We got Married!

So, I got married! The day was absolutely amazing, hopefully it’s clear from the photos that as well as being a beautiful day it was also a really funny, emotional, magical perfect day.

I’ll start with the night before. I spent the day before with my fiance and my mum, dropping off a few things at the venue and finishing a bit of hand lettering. I was so glad that I didn’t have lots of last minute DIY projects to complete, I deliberately had not given myself too much crafting to do so that I wouldn’t be stressed the day before. We went out for dinner at one of our favourite local restaurants The Step, where Alex had actually proposed, and had an early night, which was sheer bliss.

The next morning my mum and I had breakfast at my flat before getting a taxi to our hotel in Stoke Newington. When we arrived both my bridesmaids were there and Migle, my florist had just dropped off the flowers. I actually woke up feeling really ill on the day of the wedding. I’ve had a cold about a month before and due to stress and overwork I haven’t been able to fight it off, so it had turned into a sinus infection. Fortunately paracetamol, concealer and adrenaline got me through the day. I’d only booked the photographer for a half day so my bridesmaids got few photos up with getting ready. I love these photos, they are so personal and intimate. I did my own hair and make up, a decision I will blog about a bit later. Getting ready with my mum and bridesmaids was one of my favourite parts of the day.

We decided to do a first look, which I’m really really glad we did. It helped everything after the ceremony flow really smoothly, without the need to disappear for an hour to take lots of couple photos. It also helped my pre-wedding nerves, although I was still absolutely terrified walking down the aisle. 

Writing our own vows is something else and really glad we did. It made it so special and emotional. We also got my husband sister to do a reading from a Midsummer’s night dream, which was really beautiful. The ceremony was so beautiful and meaningful.

The weather was absolutely glorious that day, so after the ceremony we headed straight outside to the terrace for Pimms, canapes and confetti throwing. 

We managed to get a group of family photos done with the minimum of fuss, and then we will back chatting with our guests. The wedding took place in Clissold House in Clissold Park, Stoke Newington. Because it was such a gorgeous sunny day there were lots of people around, and that made it even more special. One of my favourite parts of the day was how happy everyone was for us and how many people came up to us to say congratulations. 

We eventually managed to drag everyone inside for dinner, cake, speeches and prosecco. Alex is a jazz musician, and his band serenaded us as we ate. I made a speech thanking everyone who had played a part in the wedding, and then we had the father of the bride speech and the best man speech, which were both hilarious. We finished with my husband’s speech, and I don’t think I was the only one who shed a tear. Time seemed to flow by very smoothly, there was no waiting or hanging around, but also no rushing or panicking. Just everything flowing very smoothly and everyone having a wonderful day. Everyone was magnetically drawn to the sunshine, with a pint or a Pimms in their hand. Before the light faded we regather for the first dance, under the arbour of fresh cherry blossom.