Written by Melissa Woods

All images by Natalie Martinez Photography

THE UN-WEDDING SHOW kicked off last weekend in London for our Daytime Disco and it was pretty spectacular! Over 50 of the coolest independent wedding suppliers rocked up to The Art Pavilion in Mile End to help create our D.I.S.C.O wonderland. It was exciting to see so many people embracing the theme and adding a touch sparkle to their stands because let’s face it, if you can’t be EXTRA at THE UN-WEDDING SHOW then where can you be?!

Our stunning new location was everything we envisioned it would be since we first set eyes on the space earlier this year. The late summer sun poured in through the panoramic windows creating a mesmerizing setting for our excited brides and their tribes…. almost 1000 of you came to party and nail some of that wedding planning in one fun-filled afternoon. The skies were a bit drearier on the second day but it didn’t dampen spirits.

Outside stood our proud sponsor and Book Of Love directory babe, Lucky Pineapple. We know our brides were itching to see this baby in all her golden glory and my god is she worth it?! Our V.I.B ticket holders were treated to a complimentary glass of pineapple bellini on arrival and we loved seeing you all enjoying a cocktail or mocktail or two over the course of the weekend. The Bloody Mary’s were popular on Sunday as no doubt everyone had made the most of their Saturday afternoon in the London sun. We can’t wait to see Lucky Pineapple popping up at some of your un-weddings very soon! Yes, that’s right! Just in case you missed it, the most instagrammable bar in the whole wide world is available to hire for your own wedding or event… providing they are available of course cos there is only one and she is popular!

Aside from the obvious party vibes, THE UN-WEDDING SHOW is inspiring our cool modern brides by showing them some of the beautiful ways they can work with our suppliers. We saw lots of selfies happening in front of our entrance installation - DISCO light up letters from Locke & Busby adorned by the most incredibly playful and colourful florals from the gorgeous Kai of My Lady Garden. What word would you have?

We promised a ‘Daytime Disco’ and that’s exactly what we brought you. After stepping inside our brides and their tribes were greeted by our dazzling sequinned shimmer wall from Book Of Love directory originals Vowed & Amazed. We’ve already had a few messages to confirm that this is available to hire for weddings and the answer is HELL YES! Anything you see at any of our shows is there for the taking/booking/hiring… We knew this would be the ultimate backdrop for our DJs - the legendary Jack The Lad who is a recent addition to our Book Of Love directory and one of the most sought after DJs on the London party circuit. Jack knew exactly how to please our disco lovin’ crowd by launching his set with Grace Jones - Pull Up To My Bumper… perfect!

In addition to this was Mr UN-WEDDING himself - my lovely husband Ben! We know first hand that this man can bring the party having been a DJ once upon a time when we first met almost 20 years ago….. sssssh! A few of you asked if he was available for bookings…. we’ll have to see about that… Massive thanks also to Mr RIPPLE & FLIP too - Simon Kilmister. We just love a party starter and Si is always happy to oblige.

We were just a little bit in love with the wild and romantic meadow installation created by our Book Of Love angel, Jane from Dove & Myrtle which added a softness to the setting and looked incredible when the light from the mirrorball danced around it. It was a lovely way to disguise an otherwise inanimate object and turn it into a feature. This would be really simple and effective to recreate in so many different ways and for so many different reasons. I’m already thinking about what Jane can dream up next time!

We were blown away by the talent displayed by our stellar line up of suppliers as always, especially (but not surprisingly) from our Book Of Love directory suppliers. There were so many strong categories each representing their own tiny niche of the market and not trying to be like the other… just pure, unadulterated uniqueness!

Our bridal category was particularly impressive with 2 international designers making their way across the pond to bring their cool bride style ranges right to our front door! We had our awesome sponsors HOM all the way from Dubai. We knew our brides would go wild for the Elektronia bustier and trousers that featured in our ad campaign and we were right! Founder, Barbaranne also brought along a few additional pieces that can be mix n matched throughout her collection - the ‘Angel’ bomber jacket in particular caused quite a stir - a light brushed gold with applique angel wings on the back… the jacket was so chic and cool, definitely something to be worn again and again after the big day.

We were also delighted to welcome one of our all-time favourite insta-crushes, Violette Tannenbaum who brought her designs all the way from her Parisienne atelier. The vibe was romantic and understated, soft neutral tones, luxurious and natural fabrics and textures. Once again, in true un-wedding style, we feel that any of the VT designs could be styled and worn again and again.

New kid on the block Poppy Perspective launched her debut range of vintage and boho-inspired gowns and we almost died over each and every piece! Literally, the most unique selection of lace designs we have ever come across! Our personal favourite was the ‘Greque’ gown with it’s angel sleeves. The pattern of the lace had an almost Celtic feel… bold but intricate. I really think Poppy Perspective is one to watch !

We wanted to make sure there was enough inspiration for the bride AND her all important tribe. It was great to see so many of you having fun and getting interactive with the vast range of accessories on offer to pimp up your outfits or transition from day to night with some extra sparkle.

We’ve graduated from the cool bride in her customised leather biker to the whole squad! … and why not?! We love the whole same-but-different idea that binds you together but still leaves room for you all to be comfortable and represent your own personalities. There were so many brilliant opportunities to do this at THE UN-WEDDING SHOW. In particular, Sarah Baily with her metallic rainbow tassel jackets!!! So many of you were swishing around in these babies… think glam rock meets 80s hair metal, and they have a baby unicorn… all kinds of magic!

Another favourite was one of our ‘new talent’ vendors, Electric Plume with her shimmy-shimmy bridal capes. These are great for dressing up a simple neckline and wouldn’t look out of place next summer at your favourite festival!

In fact, the crossover from bridal to festival was pretty strong at THE UN-WEDDING SHOW and we are down with this! Who spotted the new range of sequin party hats from our Book Of Love members Ripple & Flip? We commissioned the YES hat for our ad campaign but you can speak to Emily about something bespoke and personal to you… ooooh the possibilities!

One thing that makes us really proud of THE UN-WEDDING SHOW is hearing from our brides that they have come to see something specifically, something they know they can only find at our show. An example of this? Our Book Of Love legends, The Big Red Box - The Audio Guest Book (that is shaped like a life-sized red telephone box) YES!!!! If this isn’t the coolest idea since Lucky Pineapple then we don’t know what is?! Say ‘bye bye’ to half empty, illegible guest books and relive the fun over and over by listening to recorded voicemails instead! The Big Red Box makes for a real talking point at the wedding and for a long time after, no doubt!

We feel like we could blow our trumpet FOREVER talking to you about all of our highlights from our London show but before we sign off to concentrate on THE UN-WEDDING SHOW BIRMINGHAM (19/20 October 2019) we just need to talk about the flower game which was so strong! This was a really popular category for us and we had to turn away so many exciting florist applications to prioritise our Book Of Love babes. We loved Dove & Myrtle’s contast of colours and unique selection of blooms against a bold back drop.

We crushed hard over Amanda Jane Flowers who created a green foliage arch with pops of deep colour and an overall matte texture. She also created an incredible metallic floral feature to frame the delicious grazing table by Berry & Brie (which was apparently inspired by my very own sequinned trousers!) … we just love the lengths our suppliers go to!

The adorable Jess from Fluoresse told us she was determined to smash her first wedding show so she designed a beautiful stand against a white backdrop that displayed her intriguing floral arrangements in a variety of ways. We really loved how Jess used objects such as shells and little vintage accessories to compliment her contemporary designs and keep them pretty.

We’ve already had such wonderful feedback from our suppliers who are already in contact with our attendees and securing dates and orders. This is what we love to hear and this is everything that we strive for with our shows.

Thank you to everyone who played a part this time around. This success and the atmosphere is a collective force from everyone who understands our message… our exhibitors, everyone who bought a ticket and our friends and family. THE UN-WEDDING SHOW is about putting lots of great people in a beautiful space and making new traditions. We are not trying to be the biggest or the cheapest but we do want to be friendly, on point and fun!

If you weren’t able to make our London show then check out our online directory - Book Of Love to track down more amazing suppliers, or better still, grab a ticket to our Birmingham show which takes place at The Custard Factory on 19/20 October 2019!

P.S If we wish to exhibit at the show you can apply here https://www.un-wedding.com/2019-exhibitor-applications

Love Forever

Melissa

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