Valentine's Day Special

Made plans for Valentine's Day yet? You're cutting it pretty fine if you haven't booked a restaurant yet, although with the 14th falling on a Sunday this year, my money's on most couples celebrating on 13th February. If you haven't bought a card for your loved one, why not try one of these two lovelies? I've been checking out the stationery blogs, including the fabulous Oh So Beautiful Paper, and in my book, these are two of the most original. Check out Something's Hiding Here for the faux bois log, and Mister Rob for this exquisite paper cut.

Product Credits: Knitted Heart Card: KichyKoo, Cross-stich Heart Pillow: Chocolate Creative, Green Leaf Heart Print: Mengseldesign, xoxo Valentine Pencils: Simple Song Designs, Cut Out Card: Storey Shop, Fortune Teller: Pop & Shorty, Heart Necklace: Bbel, Pop-up Cards: She's Batty Designs, Cheese Love Card: Storey Shop, Knitted Heart Card: KichyKoo, Leather Journal: Susan Green Books,  Love Tea-Towel: Chocolate Creative

♥ Real Weddings ♥

Before the Big Day has now featured over sixty real weddings, all for your inspiration-delectation! Don't miss a single idea, click here to see them all, or check out the theme list. A huge thank you to all the photographers, brides and grooms, who have happily let me publish their pictures! If you'd like your wedding to be featured on Before the Big Day, then please in touch here.

Snippet & Ink Mood Board ♥2

A gorgeous citrus number for you for the start of this week. Kathryn over at Snippet & Ink has done wonders with this mood board, evoking the essence of sumer on a dreary winter's day. Get planning for those summer weddings, and check out Snippet & Ink for product credits and details. Don't forget you can make your own mood board over at the Style Me Pretty Style Circle, just add in all your fav pictures from this and other blogs, and set the tone for your wedding.

Fancy That

Photographs can often become formulaic, especially wedding shots, so how about setting up a photobooth where guests can take pictures of themselves? Lots of American photographers are offering it as part of their packages, and I think it's time it came to the UK. One way of making the shots stand out is to offer your guests a fancy dress box. Then just sit back, and watch the hilarious shots roll in! My suggestions for super-cool props? Feather boas, vintage gold frames, wacky glasses and a couple of mini blackboards for messages. As ever, check out the offers on these items below....

Product Credits (from top left corner) - Gold mask and Cat Mask: MeriMask, Beard: I Made You A Beard, Nose Cups: Cox & Cox, Moustaches: Something's Hiding Here, Leather Cat Mask: Leather Art Works, Famous People Masks: Cox & Cox, Children's Alien Costume: Glitz Concepts, Judge Wig: Jokers Masquerade, Moustaches: Future Girl, Owl Mask: 1 Handmade By Heather

We ♥ Offers
I Made You A Beard is offering free shipping, just mention Before the Big Day to the seller to claim your discount.  

Let's Hear it for New York

Is it just me, or is everything bigger and better in the US of A? As the east-coasters shiver under a blanket of snow after the second big storm of the winter, I thought we should celebrate the brilliant wedding location of New York City. Stunning couple Tricia and Raheem tied the knot in super-style with hot pink as their signature colour, which they totally worked at their reception. Check out pink lighting - sooo flattering, and the amazing table flower displays mixed with the the fat golden candles. A big mention has to go out for the elegant-but-sexy bridesmaids' dresses, Tricia was kind to her girlfriends, and I can totally see them wearing those dresses again! Thank you to Punam Bean for her fantastic shots - which is your favourite?

Hey DJ

Wedding dancing. It's a whole genre of its own. But how can you guarantee your guests will fill the dance floor all night? Why not ask them for their favourite tracks? Leave these fab, free, print-your-own cards on the tables through dinner, and encourage your guests to fill them in during dinner. They'll make for a fantastic conversation starter, and you can ask one of the ushers to pick them up ahead of the cake-cutting. Huge thanks to the team at brilliant blog The Wedding Chicks for this inspirational idea. Click here for the template.