My wife and I had a DIY wedding last year, and when we were planning it, we really struggled to find high quality, unique and sustainable decorations which reflected our values and our vision for the day. So we made our own, and whilst we loved how it turned out, it took up a lot of time and energy, and most of it ended up in the recycling because we didn't know what to do with it afterwards.
Fast forward a year, and my sister-in-law invited me to create a number of pieces for her wedding. I seized the opportunity to create the pieces that I wish I'd had for my own day. I got lots of positive feedback for my work, and it was the encouragement I needed to launch the wedding collection for public hire and purchase.
To be honest, I never thought that I'd work within the wedding industry. I was full of criticism for it - for the extravagant spending, the amount of waste it generates, and the absurd panic and pressure it puts on those involved. However, being at the age where I seem to be going to a wedding every other weekend, I started to realise something. That weddings are one of the few opportunities we get to invite the world to witness a significant moment in our lives, and celebrate it in a way that is true to our authentic selves.
There are moments in our lives when something changes irrevocably within us. It might be a wedding, a birth, death, anniversary, or public occasion. Ancient societies had a tradition of ceremony to mark these sacred moments, but we have lost many of these collective practices. Now more than ever, many of us are looking to create our own rites of passage and ceremonies, that are meaningful to ourselves, our loved ones and our communities.
My wedding collection is inspired by ancient traditions and folklore that offer a way to mark and celebrate love, life and our place on earth. All the pieces are designed and handmade by me using natural materials which are sustainably grown in the UK.
You can find out more about the collection in my online catalogue.
You can also come see it for yourself at the Pimhill Barn Wedding Showcase on Sunday 8th October.
Comments