Uplanit @ Not So Average Wedding Fair
I immediately began envisioning stomping down the aisle in gloriously designed boots with a massive grin on my face.
I got engaged in July of 2017 and I’m still no closer to being married, partially because of money but mostly because I have no idea where to start with my plans. I have ideas of course, somewhat of a theme, but it’s more like throwing ideas at a wall and hoping they stick. I didn’t like the look of the traditional wedding, didn’t want a church or a white dress. As a child, the thought of that might have elicited some kind of positive response but now it leaves me with an uncomfortable shoulder shrug. People had suggested getting married at a hotel, a place I felt a connection to, suggested wearing the colours I wanted for my own big day, but I had no idea where to start. Did people supply these things or would I have to make my own, even my own dress? I wasn’t too concerned for a while since I hadn’t the money but as time went on, it became a nagging concern at the back of my head — at least, until I discovered the Not So Average Wedding Fair.
On a Sunday afternoon in soggy Newcastle, I plodded along with my fiance to Newcastle Castle with the full intention of actually working out what on Earth I should be doing for my eventual wedding. Admittedly I also went because it was the first ‘Alternative’ styled wedding fair I had seen advertised and I was absolutely thrilled to discover there were actual suppliers for goth, punk and other alternative styles and I didn’t have to just design my black and red dream dress and take it to a seamstress, so I had high hopes, to say the least. I was also representing UPlanIt, but to be honest, working at this company is going hand in hand with my wedding ideas at the minute!
Upon entering my fiance and I were greeted warmly, given a drink and a copy of Alternative Wedding magazine. My first impressions were overwhelmed by the historic atmosphere of the castle and I was excited to see what the fair had in store for us! On the ground floor sat three tables; a beautiful display of autumn colours by Bed Of Roses, dynamic and different cakes from SugarFun, and elegant and exquisite shoe designs by Inanna Bespoke Shoes. Bed of Roses didn’t just include roses, and their centrepieces screamed individuality. The colours chosen for the display gave me a sense of warmth that most wedding arrangements don’t. Where you’d normally see whites or pale colours, the energetic colours on offer gave more life to the display and offered a refreshingly dramatic change from the norm. Moving on to SugarFun I realised dramatic designs were going to be the norm from now on and immediately felt the butterflies in my stomach flutter. Of the large and amazing cakes they had on offer, the mysterious one caught my eye. It was darker, enticing, beautifully gothic. Everything on the cake was edible bar the feathers, even the lace was edible. The tall beauty had three tiers, with the top and second being held up my bones from the bottom, and accompanied by an anatomically correct heart which had been shot by an arrow. It melted my own little weird heart and I frantically added her details to my ideas notebook. Shuffling along to Inanna Bespoke Shoes, I was delighted at the designs on offer at this table. I had seen painted shoes before, but there wasn’t a variety to the footwear available, it was usually heels or flat pumps. However, when I approached this table, I was greeted by the sight of some marvellous Doc Martens! The design was gorgeous, a theme of blue and green planets with a fairy in the forefront wearing a pink dress, and I immediately began envisioning stomping down the aisle in gloriously designed boots with a massive grin on my face.
The next room we wandered into had live music playing interesting and fun covers of popular songs in the wide rock genre and several different tables, but what caught my eye the most was a table with nerdy themes intertwined with traditional messages. A lot of people who enjoy alternative styles are also nerds, so it was refreshing to see the things I enjoyed being displayed. Hedgepig Alternative Designs showed a wonderful example set including a menu, ‘save the date’, official invitation (plus RSVP) and a novelty magnet to accompany the ‘save the date’. I loved the idea of my guests receiving something they associate with me and using the magnet to stick my ‘save the date’ message to their fridge. Other stationery they had on offer included chest designs, folding over the invite to look like you’re opening a treasure chest, coffin-shaped designs, scrolls tied up with ribbon and sealed with wax…it was truly amazing to see! It definitely opened my eyes to a larger range for my wedding plans. As we travelled along the corridors of the castle and climbed its steps, we came to see a selection of suits on display (not suits of armour!) in a delightfully dapper manner. It was great to see men’s attire advertised since wedding planning always seems focused on what the bride wants. We always see plenty of dresses of different types, but what about the classic suit? It’s usually a different colour of tie and a flower, but with Master Debonair they were changing my perceptions. My fiance was looking at the suits with a new interest, glancing over the vintage styles on display. He may choose differently at a later date, but I at least was very enthusiastic at the thought of more male attire being displayed. Alongside the display was Lavelle Hand Lettering, offering a more personalised stationery service, with unique ideas and intimate designs. By intimate I mean not big bold and showing off, their designs were more delicate and intricate and I adored them for it. Their products included more than paper invites; props were offered as well, such as name holders in the shape of pumpkins or place names written on leaves. I left their table with a lovely warm feeling like I’d visited home and moved on.
Now as you’ll have already taken from this, I’m not one for pale colours. However, when I saw this delightful display from Button Rose Floral Design I was definitely thinking of changing my mind. Pretty little pink flowers and ribbon decorate the centrepiece that was a horse with a skeleton painted on it. The arrangement worked well to contrast the bright pale colours against the black and white of the horse and made for a lovely feminine display. I could imagine one of my close friends having such an arrangement on their wedding day, behind the buffet at the reception, guarding all the food. As I moved to the next table, I was amazed by the laser cut gifts, decor and wedding accessories by Kayleigh Falcus, beautifully designed to go well with any style of wedding, be it traditional or alternative. Obviously, I was looking at it from the ‘Alt’ side of things but these accessories were so well designed they could flexibly fit with any outfit or style that a couple chose. I was definitely impressed, and couldn’t help but keep my eye on a necklace with a moon-shaped pendant that shone from the light leaking in through the window. Though I had to walk away eventually, I was still greeted with an extraordinary sight from House of Avalonia. A wide selection of black dresses with different designs drew me in and made me audibly gasp at how beautiful they were. The head accessories as well were glorious, perfect for both the bride and anyone in the bridal party, and the different dresses on display would give any bride a look of sheer elegance, even if they weren’t into goth styles. The black veil around one dress gave me shivers thinking about my wedding day — I hadn’t even considered my veil before then!
It was a wonderful day and event, with so many helpful and cheery suppliers willing to stand about in a chilly castle for the sake of us indecisive engaged couples. I only wish I had more space to talk about them all! If you’d like to see more about the event, we check out UPlanIt’s Instagram and Facebook for more pictures, we have a slideshow of photos from the event and will have posts going up featuring different suppliers!
See you next week.
Facebook: UPlanIt / Twitter: @uplanit_online / Instagram: @uplanit_online
Guest written by erin@uplanit.co.uk for www.uplanit.co.uk
Featured: @house_of_avalonia, @buttonrosefloraldesign, @hedgepigalternativedesigns, @lavellehandlettering, @bedofrosesfloraldesign, @kayleighfalcusgifts, @sugarfuncakeartistry, @inannabespokeshoes, @masterdebonair, @notsoaveragewedding
Part One of Midnight Musings.
