A Golden Sparkle-infused Festive Styled Shoot at Cheshire Wedding Venue Styal Lodge

So we’ve been winding down in Coco HQ a little earlier than planned thanks to a festive bug or two! I do hope you are all keeping snug and warm out there ahead of next week’s celebrations…

But today, the blog is back with a sparkly bang thanks to this beautiful winter styled shoot by the oh-so-talented Jan Clarke and North West Wedding Photogapher Neil Redfern. It also features a rather beautiful wedding venue *coming soon* to Coco – Styal Lodge.

Jan is about to guide you through her top tips for gilded winter wedding style – this is right up my festive street!

Fetch the glitter folks…

Images by Neil Redfern Photography.

Jan: Christmas and New Year weddings are a perfect opportunity to add sparkle to your big day. However, how do you go about creating a sparkly theme without it looking as though it came out of a Christmas cracker..? Here are a few tips to help you achieve just this!

By using a muted, understated colour palette along with added glitz and gentle candle light you can create an enchanting yet glittering occasion.

When it comes to your overall colour scheme keep this soft or neutral. Pastel colours don’t have to be just for spring and summer weddings. A beautiful pale blue or pale grey colour scheme will look stunning with sparkly silver touches; whilst light pinks work really well with gold to give a lovely rosy glow to proceedings. Use pale pink cymbidium orchids and the gentle, faded ‘quicksand’ rose along with a touch of gold. Get creative by using metallic and glitter spray paints on greenery, branches, pine cones and fruit. You can cover everything or mix some metallic with natural pieces to create a glistening winter wonderland. Bridal party and venue flowers can be sprinkled with glitter or pretty jewels and diamonds can be added to bouquets.

Keep lighting soft by using tiny fairy lights or twinkling candles at your venue. You can even add a fantastic illuminated backdrop at your venue to give real ‘wow factor’. This can double as a great photo opportunity for you and your guests too.

North West wedding photographer Neil Redfern says, “I absolutely love winter weddings, they are cosy, festive and very romantic. Low light means I get the chance to play around with creative lighting to produce beautiful portraits – something which is often much harder to do in the summer.”

Images by Neil Redfern Photography.

If you are planning a glittery theme for your wedding, give your guests a taste of what is to come by incorporating glitter and metallic into your wedding invitations and stationery. You can add ribbon or use beautiful gold or silver papers in your design with matching envelope inserts. Laser cut designs with metallic backgrounds work really well or even an elegant letterpress design using gold or silver lettering will set the tone. Speaking of taste, when it comes to your wedding cake, more is definitely more! The cake is often at the focal point of the wedding breakfast so why not think big, bold and glittery. Discuss ideas with your cake designer and think about using edible glitter or edible gold leaf in your design.

Cake designer Beth Mottershead tells us, “My motto is that if your cake is admired, devoured and remembered, then I have done my job. Your wedding cake is the centrepiece of your reception and is a great way of bringing together the different elements of the look and feel of your wedding. It can also be a way of telling the story of you as a couple too. Even quite simple designs that are really personal will bring something extra special to your day, and your guests will love this.”

Finally – the all-important dresses; Bridesmaids can sparkle in gold and sequinned dresses or even embellished cocktail dresses would be fabulous with this theme. As a Bride you can be adventurous and wear a gold or metallic dress and gold veil or you can opt for a subtle look by just adding touches such as a glittery hair accessory or belt with your dress, gold shoes or glistening jewellery. A great option is to choose an elegant dress design with an embellished or shimmering overlay which can be removed later giving the bride too looks in one for her big day…

Styling Jan Clarke | Photography Neil Redfern | Venue Styal Lodge | Flowers Laurel Weddings | Cake Cakes by Beth | Stationary Mr Yen Designs |Illuminated Props & Letters The Word Is Love |Ceiling Dressing & Lighting Planning My Special Day | Bridal Fashion Jean Jackson Couture | Bridal Shoes Love Bridal Boutique |Hair Stylist Vicky Nixon Millington at Vicky M Hair | Makeup Lydia Bedson for Flossy & Leigh | Model Kit Williams via Sandra Reynolds

So how about that to get you into the Christmas mood! I’m lusting after that cake, those shoes and big voluminous locks! Thank you so much to Neil Redfern for these yummy images. If you fancy even more inspiration from the talent that is Jan Clarke then take a peek at her Autumnal Elegance Shoot at Sandhole Oak Barn.

We’ll be back on Friday with another tempting seasonal treat!

See you then…