'What is the use of a book, without pictures or conversations?'

'What is the use of a book, without pictures or conversations?' asked Alice. Or in the more commonly used quote - a picture speaks a thousand words. And in the case of our Alice in Wonderland themed shoot at Scampston Hall, that is incredibly true.

Scampston Hall, photo courtesy of Chris Milner Photography

It's been said at times that I have some random ideas and I have to admit that's a fair evaluation. So when I came up with an Alice in Wonderland theme for the latest shoot it seemed like a fabulous idea and for once, I was right! We chose the stunning Scampston Hall, with its beautiful grounds, lake and walled gardens - our very own wonderland.

As always, there was a lead photographer and a 'Shoot The Shoot' photographer - in this case the lovely Annemarie King and Chris Milner respectively.

We now have hundreds of truly fabulous images from our day in the sunshine and as a result, felt that the first blog should feature some of our favourites, just to give you a taster of the whole shoot. We've chosen a few pictures from both Annemarie and Chris which I can assure you was no easy task.... we hope you love them as much as we do.

Rather than bore you with lots of our thoughts in this blog, we're going to let the pictures speak for themselves - after all, what is the use of a book without pictures or conversations?

Alice in Make-up, photo courtesy of Chris Milner Photography

Alice in Wonderland, photo courtesy of Annemarie King Photography

Alice in the Looking Glass, courtesy of Chris Milner Photography

Alice in Waiting, photo courtesy of Annemarie King Photography

Annemarie King, the intrepid explorer, photo courtesy of Chris Milner Photography

Alice lost in the Forest, photo courtesy of Annemarie King Photography

Happiness, photo courtesy of Chris Milner Photography

Alice and her Bridesmaids, photo courtesy of Annemarie King Photography

Eat me! Photo courtesy of Annemarie King Photography

Anyone for Tea? Alice and The White Rabbit, photo courtesy of Annemarie King Photography

Alice at The Mad Hatter's Tea Party, photo courtesy of Annemarie King Photography

Alice and the White Rabbit, photo courtesy of Chris Milner Photography

Chris Milner, Shooting the Shoot!, photo courtesy of Annemarie King Photography

The Alice in Wonderland Team Photo, courtesy of Chris Milner Photography

Two more blogs to follow, concentrating on the best of the best by Annemarie King Photography, followed by a fabulous Shoot the Shoot by Chris Milner Photography...

We hope you have enjoyed what was a fabulous day out for all of us... Thank you again to each and everyone listed below who made this Photo Shoot, so special...

Location - Scampston Hall www.scampston.co.uk
Shoot Organiser - The Wedding Affair www.theweddingaffair.co.uk
Lead Photographer - Annemarie King www.annemarieking.co.uk
Shoot the Shoot Photographer - Chris Milner www.chris-milner.com
Wedding Attire - Plush Bridal Boutique www.plushweddingboutique.com
Jewellery - HF Couture www.hfcouture.co.uk
Alice in Wonderland Cake - Cakes For All Occasions www.cakesandsweets.co.uk
Florist - Elise Flowers www.eliseweddingflowers.co.uk
Hair and Make Up - Alison Clegg & Camilla of Beauty Call www.beautycall.co.uk
Wedding Stationery - I am Nat www.iamnat.co.uk
Fabulous models Amy, Adam, Kay and Charlotte
Event Props - Event Prop Hire www.eventprophire.com

The Wedding Affair at Goldsborough Hall - Sunday 12th June

What a fantastic day we had for The Wedding Affair at Goldsborough Hall on Sunday, 12th June. This was our final fair of the season until it all starts again in September and this might be why it felt a little like a party for us - just a gathering of some of our favourite suppliers at a venue that we love. It was destined to be a great day!

Despite weather forecasts to the contrary, the day actually started with glorious sunshine and this continued until after the fair opened at 12.00pm. We always knew that lots of brides would like to visit Goldsborough Hall as a potential venue but even we were surprised to have them actually queuing to get in from just after 11.30am which is a record for us!


It's no surprise really - we do work with some absolutely fabulous suppliers who not only have great products or services, but they also provide excellent customer service and they're generally quite lovely people too! That's why we like them and want to recommend them.

The weather changed it's mind for the later part of the afternoon and unfortunately, we were hit with torrential downpours. Nevertheless, the brides still kept coming.

We'd like to throw some Wedding Affair love to James Melia Photography for taking the gorgeous pictures that you see on this blog.

We'd like to say a huge Wedding Affair thank you to Goldsborough Hall for welcoming us and looking after us so well. Thank you also to The Event Music Company and Sue Watkiss, Pianist, for providing musical entertainment throughout the day. A final thank you goes out to all those suppliers who exhibited (with such beautiful stands) and to the brides, grooms and their families who attended on the day. If you would like to get in contact with any of the Exhibitors that were there on the day, please click on this link:- Exhibitors.

Our next Fair is The Wedding Affair at The York Marriott on Sunday 18th September from 12.00pm to 4.00pm with 45 fabulous exhibitors, bridal competitions and luxury gift bags. Free admission...

We look forward to seeing you again soon!

Goldsborough Hall - www.goldsboroughhall.com
James Melia Photography - www.jamesmeliaphoto.com
The Wedding Affair - www.theweddingaffair.co.uk

S'mores Cupcakes!

Yes, you read the title correctly...I said s'mores cupcakes!

I seriously started to drool when I found this recipe. Sounds like the perfect way to transform one of my favorite all-american camping treats into an elegant treat that could be served at a wedding or bridal shower.

Happy Fourth of July! :)

S'mores Cupcakes

makes about 24 cupcakes

Recipe courtesy of keyingredient.com

For the graham cracker crust:

- 1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 5 and 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

- 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

For the cake you can use box mix chocolate cake.

Follow directions on box to prepare mixture then set aside.

For the frosting:

- 8 large egg whites, at room temp

- 2 cups sugar

- 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

- 2 tsp. vanilla extract

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

2) Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter with fork. Drop about 1 tablespoon of mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner and press down to line the bottom.

3) Sprinkle a small amount of chopped chocolate on top of the graham cracker crusts. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

4) Prepare cake batter according to box directions.

5) Fill liners about 1/4 way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating pans halfway through cooking. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes then remove and transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.

6) To make frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. Heat mixture, whisking frequently until it reaches 160 degrees with an instant-read thermometer.

7) Transfer mixture into bowl. Whisk starting out slowly then gradually increasing until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in vanilla until combined. Frost cupcakes as desired.

8) Brown with a kitchen torch. Garnish with Hersey chocolate.

Canvas Print Gift Idea!

Throughout the planning of your wedding, and of course the day of, you captured many wonderful moments onto photographs. You and your girls having a blast at your bachelorette party, scoping out the perfect venue, beautiful flowers... Now they just sit in a box, or maybe in a file on your computer.

Turn those beautiful moments into artwork by making your photos into canvas prints!

Here is canvas I created through www.EasyCanvasPrints.com. The process was so easy. And, as you can see, the finished product is beautiful.

Actual image

Canvas from www.EasyCanvasPrints.com

Try it yourself, and you'll see how easy it is to make your beautiful wedding memories pieces of art!

Green Fever: Wedding Style!

Does your man have "Green Lantern" fever??? Let him show off his obsession by having green as your wedding color! And don't worry about having a wedding that looks tacky or too bold. Here, I have provided inspiration for elegant green weddings.

Goldsborough Hall - A stunning family home fit for royalty and a wedding fair.....

Join us this weekend at this stunning wedding venue... we're very lucky to work with some of the finest historical buildings in Yorkshire and one of our personal favourites is the magnificent Goldsborough Hall, now the family home to the lovely Oglesby family.

Pictures courtesy of Chris Milner Photography
 

Goldsborough Hall, a 17th century Jacobean stately home and former residence of Princess Mary, is a venue that is both unique and unforgettable. The Hall stands in 11 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds which boast unspoilt elevated views over tranquil parkland, and as it is still a family residence, feels welcoming and homely. The Hall and its grounds are available for hire on an exclusive basis throughout the year and we feel that it is one of the most perfect locations at which to have your wedding.

Above pictures courtesy of Cat Hepple Photography

It's not every day that you get the chance to stay in the former residence of a Royal Princess. And, as such, six luxury suites within the main house have been refurbished to the highest standards for guest accommodation. In keeping with the history of the property, the rooms have been named after families who owned the Hall during the first 400 years of its existence and each one carries a story of the history that surrounds it. These rooms can be hired as part of an exclusive wedding or function at the Hall.

Pictures courtesy of Cat Hepple Photography

We fell in love with Goldsborough Hall the moment we saw it and every single time we visit, we fall in love all over again. It's the epitome of all things romantic.....

The Wedding Affair at Goldsborough Hall takes place this Sunday, 12th June 2011 between 12.00pm and 4.00pm and will have 30 fantastic high quality suppliers, including Bridal Wear, Menswear, Photographers, Floristry, Musicians, Jewellers, Chair Covers, Venue Stylists, Entertainment and Cars, along with luxury gift bags for the first 100 brides, sponsored by Dior at Browns of York, and Molton Brown. 

Please do come and say hello, its free admission!

www.theweddingaffair.co.uk

enquiries@theweddingaffair.co.uk
0843 289 8504

With thanks to the following:

Goldsborough Hall - www.goldsboroughhall.com
Chris Milner Photography - www.chris-milner.com
Cat Hepple Photography - www.cathepplephotography.com

These Are The Hands

Have you ever given much thought to your hands? I mean besides noticing they’re dry or rough and reaching for the lotion. Well, I was thinking about mine and not only what they do for me but how many times hands are referred to in everyday speech.

“Give me a hand” really means that I’d like your help with this, whereas “Give her a hand!” probably means to applaud the lady. OK, applaud is often said as, “Put your hands together now…” to show that you liked or agreed with what the person did or said.

How about “show me your hands”? That depends on who said it. Was it a cop or a mom? “You’re pretty handy” is a complement for completing a project of some kind from knitting to decorating a cake to hanging a picture or tearing down a wall.

Two sayings come to mind – “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you” warns you not to hurt the very person who is helping you, and, “The only way to hold onto love is with an open hand” which translates to when you truly love someone you’ll give them the freedom to live their own life while you’re living your life to the fullest.

What picture comes to mind when I say:

• Take my hand
• Hold you in my hands
• Strong hands
• Tiny hands
• Hold hands
• Loving hands
• Hand of compassion
• Gentle hands
• Shake hands
• Shaking hands

In many of the weddings I write the couples request a Hand Holding or a Hand Fasting ceremony (2 totally different additions). Brides and grooms want to exalt hands because that is often and usually the first form of physical contact made between two people and they want to honor their first contact.

Let me share with you one of the poems I use in a hand holding ceremony. I did not originally write this and truthfully have no idea who did, but, here it is. You may want to incorporate it into your wedding ceremony.

These Are The Hands

These are the hands that will work along side you as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other.
These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief temporarily comes your way.

These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will give you support and encouragement to chase down your dreams.

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
These are the hands that will lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into eyes that are filled with love for you.

And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.

And so, my friend, if I can ever be of service to you, I extend to you my hand.