If said client is interested in setting fire to ‘the envelope’ rather than just pushing it then all the better! The beauty of a company like Quirky Weddings is that they provide an avenue for our kind of people. They’re clever about not scaring off those that simply wish to dip their toe in, whilst encouraging the truly original thinkers to really go for it.

It is clear that the usual wedding publications and events don’t suit our style, and any we contacted just don’t do it up the way the QW girls do. From carefully and cleverly choreographed fairs to one-off networking events they really know how to celebrate the quirkier side of both clients and businesses, and happily they have been nothing short of amazing for us at She Likes Surprises.

Regularly clients we gain through their site say things like “We weren’t sure anyone out there could do this…” or “We thought you’d think we were daft”; originality and a touch of madness: Quirky Weddings have clearly understood our mission!

Last weekend me and my other half tried something new.

Now I don’t know if I should share this with you or just keep it a secret…It was exciting, intimate and at times very, very hot.

It’s a day I’ll never forget…

Yep, you guessed it, we made our own wedding rings at Ember, Belfast. Cyril has made jewellery for everyone from Ozzie Osborne to Tina Turner and now his greatest challenge to date – guiding two ham-fisted boys through the process of making our own rings.

After an initial chat about our design and metal choice, Cyril invited us back for our studio day.

I won’t lie, coming face to face with a flat bit of metal that my fair hand was to turn into a lifelong symbol of our partnership for my other half was…eh…blooming terrifying to say the least

But boy was it addictive.

Before we knew it Cyril had us hammering, blowtorching and buffing our metal within an inch of its life. We even tried our hand at stamping a personal message with letter blocking.

It. Was. Amazing.

Plus, if you happen to say turn an E into an F (cue nervous laugh), Cyril is ready and waiting to swoop in and save the day. He even sent us out for a beautiful meal that night. What a gent.

They are now away to be hallmarked and we are literally counting down the hours until we can see them again.

As much as I want to keep it under wraps, you have to pop in and experience it for yourself. If only to meet the man himself.

But shhh…it’s just our little secret!

It’s a wee gem…

Check out Ember Jewellery’s ‘burnin hot’ QW supplier page…click here »

Zoe Heathington likes to take photographs. In fact, she makes a living out of it. IN FACT we think she’s pretty darn good at it!

…my aim is to capture life, freeze moments and make memories

Zoe puts you in the driving seat. She’ll guide you with her knowledge, creative ideas and flair. Very much a people person, your Big Day is guaranteed to be a relaxed affair with Zoe tinkering away taking natural, ‘real’ shots that will not only capture the precious moments of your wedding, but piece together beautifully to tell a story.

I feel it is important to capture the whole day

From the people to the essence – from the nerves to the first dance and everything between and beyond – Zoe will seamlessly blend reportage style photography with posed shots…minus the stiffness! No, with Zoe, even your ‘set up’ photos will look and feel totally natural. The way she feels it should be!

"I met Jackie and Mark at the Quirky Weddings Fair last October and we just clicked right away! They are both very laid back and it was clear from the start that we felt we could work together easily.

They got married at the start of April in Craigavon Presbyterian Church and celebrated their reception in Larchfield Estate. The whole day really reflected their personality as a couple. It was laid back, joyful and beautiful.

I’m really glad I got to be part of it!"
- Zoe

I have many of my own ideas, I am willing to try anything! Are you?

Zoe will encourage your confidence, personality and unique quirks to shine right through the lens! Be a little creative, be a little different – be yourselves – OWN your photos!

I love experiencing life through the lens of a camera.

What more can we say? People who are passionate about what they do will only compliment your own ideas as well as bring an array of new ones to the table. They always go the extra mile. They take so much pride in their work as well as ensuring YOU are happy with the result. Creative people thrive off achieving both their own and client satisfaction. So have no doubt – only the best all round experience is what you’ll certainly get!

Check out Zoe’s QW page – click here.

Remember folks – there’s never any dedication nor pressure in simply getting in touch with our suppliers. The QW ethos is all about putting you first. We want you to release your inner quirky side loud and proud and our suppliers are on standby to help you do that.

So do get in touch and spread the quirk!

A blog piece by This Modern Love…

M has an aversion to posing for pictures! It would be torturous for him to pose for a whole day, so we are looking for someone who can capture spontaneous, natural moments rather than staged ones. We think photographs like this would better represent how we are together.

We get a lot of emails like this. And to be honest, it’s our favourite kind of enquiry. Wedding days are such a rollercoaster of emotion and activity, and we’ve always viewed our role as telling the story of the day rather than posing a series of expected images.

It’s not everybody’s idea of fun to be followed around by a camera all day long. Plenty of our couples tell us they are camera shy and are pretty nervous about the whole thing. But there are a few things we tell people, to help put their minds at ease.

Firstly…

You are already the centre of attention on your day and, surrounded by so many long-lost family and friends, it’s amazing how quickly you forget that the camera is there.

Who’s behind the lens…

The type of photographer you choose to work with also makes a big difference. If you’re not keen on posing, you’ll more than likely want a more documentary style of photographer whose shooting style is to capture natural, un-staged moments, rather than more set-up shots. This way, you become immersed in your day without fearing the constant tap on the shoulder from your photographer.

Being Yourself

From our perspective we’d say about 75% of the day is approached in a documentary style. During the ceremony, we never use flash and try to keep as low a profile as possible. Afterwards, we like to blend into the crowd and capture people just being themselves. We’re constantly looking for good light, composition and interaction between people. So a lot of thought goes into the images – it’s not just random snapping of guests talking with their mouths full!

The rest of the time things are a bit different – family groups and of course the couple’s portraits. This is the part where we sneak couples off for a short while to take some more intimate shots. We always look forward to this bit and it’s usually the first time that day that a couple have been by themselves. We aim for minimal intervention here too, but often provide a little bit of direction to help people relax into it. Our mantra here is just be yourselves – we love to capture how couples are with one another naturally – some people are quiet together, some are hilarious, and some just want to snog the face off each other! We take our lead from people’s personalities and the natural surroundings rather than setting up generic, preconceived shots. Ultimately it’s important that you recognise yourself in your photos and not a version of you posed by someone else.

Telling the story

Wedding days are a rollercoaster of activity and emotion. There is laughter and crying and reunions and nerves and goofiness and beauty. All of this is part of the story of your wedding day and these are the stories we love to tell. And there is really no need to be worried about your photography – when you’re on this amazing rollercoaster you won’t be thinking about anyone with a big camera. You may also take heart in the fact that the most embarrassing photos tend to be aunties and uncles bad-dancing the night away!

With thanks!

This blog post was kindly composed by photographers This Modern Love – thank you guys! Check out their QW supplier page – click here »

This is the story of Michael & Katie’s super sweet, city chic wedding.

This is a tale of boy meets girl…of piggy back rides down the cobbled streets of Belfast…of pretty pink Converse sneakers.

Take it away Michael…

We had been together

for ten years and were never the marrying types, so it was much to everyone’s surprise when we finally got engaged.

Not being a couple who were into the big formal occasion, we quickly decided on a small, intimate wedding. Once the necessary formalities were over, then we could party!

Being very much of our own minds, we were allowed to get on with the planning and family were only too happy to leave us to create the day we wanted.

The biggest surprise for me on the day was the dress, which Katie had designed herself and which finally explained the many days agonizing over shoes (“Whats the worry, you won’t see them!” I had repeatedly said, in expectation of a full length dress).

We had some vague ideas about our photos on the day but our photographer Camille brought it all together with some great ideas. We knew we were in good hands when Camille suggested the ‘Abbey Road’ photo in High Street, we had been thinking about that ourselves! Great minds and all that…

Our ‘iconic’ pink Converse shot came about by accident. Katie, not being a high heels kind of girl and with all the running around the city centre meant that this bride demanded some comfort!

We had a great time making our way around City Hall, High Street and the Cathedral Quarter. This all happened around rush hour on a Friday, and we gathered quite a crowd at Cornmarket!

Joining us were our Best Man and Bridesman (Katie’s brother…though we stress he did not wear a dress) enjoyed themselves too…though, getting to sit in the sun at the Duke of York having a drink while having photos taken isn’t exactly an experience to dislike! We were even getting snapped by random passers-by, not just Camille!

After the day’s events, we were ready to celebrate! Our evening was one big party where a girl and a guy just happened to have gotten married. From running around to piggy back rides then dancing the night away…those pink Converse certainly came in handy!

Best Wishes from QW!

Us lot at Quirky Weddings would like to thank Katie & Michael for taking the time to write and send this great piece. Sounds like you had a fabulous day and not only do those Converse sound ‘handy’…they sound quite essential!

Special Thanks & Credit

A special thanks to Camille Watson of Pure Pictures for bringing the story to us. Camille is a fantastic, innovative and creative photographer and has been rated as one of the top 5 Wedding Photographers 2012.

Camille Watson – Pure Pictures – View her QW page right here »

March 25th saw the official opening of Tullyveery House as a wedding venue. They marked the event in true Tullyveery style with a wedding fair opened by none other than Nick Hewer from the Apprentice/Countdown.

So Cate and Saima went along for a nosey. (Well, wherever cake, wedding stuff and celebs are…)

Magnakata dominated the event with their Tipi tents which are outstanding in their field. Outstanding in Tullyveery’s field. (Sorry!)

Anyway if you’ve never experienced these giants you HAVE to check them out. They are the coolest tent option in town. Not only do they look very striking, they comfortably hold up to 150 people when you use all 3. Magnakata currently have 9 Giant Hats, the more hats used, the more people we can hold. Once in place… the rest is up to you. Whether you choose a formal look a la Blue Moon Event Design or a more rustic/vintage look a la Vintage Tea Party with furs draped over long benches…it’s going to be the wedding that is talked about for years!

Ed Lindsay from Magnakata said…

Our Spring open day at Tullyveery was excellent. It’s a perfect spot for the Tipi tents. Easy to get to, loads of good parking and perfect flat area for the tents to be placed. However the tents lend themselves beautifully to lots of weird and wonderful locations.

For more info visit the Magnakata listing on the QW Directory or call Ed or Annabel on 028 4483 9796.

Uh oh. Remember what happened last time Kerry Rides from Crumbs Cakes had a lightning bolt idea? Who can forget this photoshoot?

Well she’s been at it again…(Parental Guidance: Cue Cake Rant…)

“I’m so sick of white cakes. Every time I go to wedding fairs all I see are white cakes. They all blend into one sugary, petal-paste blur. Why settle for something so plain? Couples think it’s the law to have a white cake well guess what…time to break the rules….”

She continues…

“I want to create cakes that guests will remember. Knock-out cakes that have guests tweeting and posting photos as their jaws hang open!

I’ve declared death to the white wedding cake. Couples should chat to me about something more out of the ordinary. I am skilled in painting, piping and modeling so feel free to put me to the test.

Sometimes couples come to see me and bring photos of what they think are daring cakes and then we take it to a whole new level. I love that!”

Don’t just take her word for it. I think these photos prove she’s not exaggerating about the ‘whole new level’ bit.

Melissa from Melissa J Photography was Kerry’s partner in crime for this shoot. She said:

I was a little surprised when Kerry told me what she was planning but I was really glad she got me involved. She found me through the QW Facebook page as I had posted a comment about a Trash the Dress shoot. She said she wanted to Trash the Cake. The shoot was a lot of fun to work on and very messy. That cake had a good death.

And Gordon Ramsay thought his batting skills were good…

Check out Crumbs listing on the QW Directory for more!

You can reach Kerry on 028 9066 2238.

I love the fact that we’re becoming more open minded about weddings…there are so many alternatives to the standard hotel reception! Being a curious little soul, I thought I’d have a looksee at what’s out there…

Enter Charl Marais from Challas Spit Roast. I didn’t need more than the sniff of an invitation to visit him recently, whilst he catered for the evening do of a wedding at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. Before we get ‘tucked into’ my experience, watch the Challas promotional movie below…

Finished dribbling? Ok, just wipe your little chin and then, let’s move on…

My only experience of a hog roast is that of the one at the continental market at Belfast City Hall and there’s usually a whole hog there . I have to say, I wasn’t very keen on seeing the whole animal. Hypocritical perhaps from a meat eater but it just doesn’t sit right with me.

Fig 1.0: Homer J Simpson

As I arrived at the museum the sun was setting. It was a clear evening. I walked towards the wedding venue engulfed in an aromatic haze Charl’s cooking! I could smell the warm, rich aromas which were wafting towards me…

To clarify my point, please see Fig 1.0.

I arrived to find Charl and his assistant all set up in a neat but very weather proof green gazebo close to the Tea House where the wedding party was well under way. The couple had asked Challas to cater to the evening guests…all 200 of them, in total. Charl explains that he is “bringing traditional South African food and hospitality to Northern Ireland and beyond. The meat is all cooked on a spit roast and lightly flavoured with our special sauce.”

“What’s in the special sauce?” I asked naively. He wouldn’t let on. He was oh so Colonel Saunders about it.

So what about the pig? No sign! All I saw at first was this set up…with the shiny silver machine and the bread/salad bar. So I bit the bullet and asked for a look inside the machine.

“Not many people want to see the full animal” remarked Charl. “Many meat eaters are uncomfortable about that. We find that we can cater for more people if we roast the pig in this manner. I mean, more people will want to eat the pork if we roast it like this. I grew up with this. It’s daily business for us to braai in South Africa. My family have a wine farm so cooking and entertaining have always been a big part of my life so it’s natural for me. We can cater for as little as 30 people but as many as 1000!”

If you’re think you might need outside caterers for your wedding then Challas are definitely worth your attention. Everything was meticulously arranged and thoughtfully presented – Charl’s standard of workmanship is incredibly impressive. Check out the Challas Spit Roast’s Quirky Weddings Supplier Page here »

Braai…you say?

In short, the word is Afrikaans (a West Germanic language, spoken mostly in South Africa and Namibia) which means “barbecue” or “grill”. Braai is a social custom in South Africa and other African regions. The traditions around a Braai can be considerably different from a barbecue. So there you go!
Sourced from Wikipedia

Just on the corner, where Bloomfield Avenue meets the Beersbridge Road is the home of Bloomin’ Bridal Boutique. This is no ordinary bridalwear shop…

Do they have a range of exquisite dresses? Yes. Do they have veils and accessories? Uh huh! Are they made by well known top designers? Well if you’re thinking of Maggie Sottero and Mori Lee etc then YES!

The difference is this… all the dresses are one offs at a discounted price! The dress you see is the very dress you buy and my goodness they have such a gorgeous range right now!

Edel McMahon owner of Bloomin' Bridal Boutique

I spent an afternoon gazing wistfully at them last week. Edel McMahon, the owner of Bloomin’ Bridal Boutique was talking sense in my ear…

“I just adore wedding dresses and I’m so happy to be able to sell designer dresses at a fraction of their original price.

Some of the dresses I have in stock were over £1400 originally…and I’m selling them for under £500.

It’s amazing to be able to give a bride her dream dress at a dream come true price!”

To make it even better, Edel is also the owner of Bloomin’ Sweetz, which lives in the same building. Yes. Sweets. Lots of lovely bouquets made of sweets, the popular candy buffet and plenty of inspiration for favours…

Edel is a girl after my own heart. I suggest, if you are in the market for a wedding dress, that you call her on 0771 8317 565 and make an appointment to visit. She likes to give brides her full attention so it’s important to call ahead. Visit the Bloomin’ Bridal Boutique page on QW.

It’s awesome to get an email saying that our suppliers are collaborating to produce something spectacular! In this case, a photoshoot for the Wedding Journal…

Kerry from Crumbs Cakes dropped me a wee line last week to say that she was working with floralearth, Grace and Saviour and Jump the Broom to create some art for the magazine. This kind of news makes me clap my hands in glee as we love collaborations so much so that we very actively encourage networking among our suppliers.

I have to confess that before they sent through the photos I had no idea they were plotting something that could only be described as ‘Miss Havisham Went Shooting’ (Kerry’s words) or ‘Downtown on Drugs’ (mine). I’m talking tweed, rabbits, stock, petrol cans, travel trunks, branches, lace, magpies…

This is a teaser for you. We hope to get more of the pictures very soon but there’s an embargo on them for now…

I spoke to each of the folk involved to find out what they were thinking…

Kerry from Crumbs Cakes had the vision. She tells us:
“I found myself getting quite frustrated with some photoshoots as they were all about the dress. (Dress, dress, dress she kept saying over and over! Cate) There is SO much more to a wedding, and there are the unsung heroes who bring together the crucial details and elements that set the scene.

Then we approached Grace from Grace and Saviour as we knew she would not only have the right mindset but also the most amazing furniture and props. I had seen Emma’s (Jump the Broom) work on the Quirky Weddings page and thought she had a certain charm. She takes photos like she really cares. The last piece to the puzzle was Ingrid Houwers, a Dutch Taxidermist.”

Of course…

Jill Montgomery from floralearth said…
“What an exciting opportunity it was to be involved in this photoshoot at Clandeboye Estate! We were delighted when Kerry from Crumb’s Cakes came up with the idea of a rustic wedding shoot loosely based around the ‘Twilight’ series and asked us to provide the floral decor – for once a Monday morning couldn’t come quick enough!

Hopefully it will inspire brides to go for something a little bit unique or ‘quirky’ on their wedding day (cue a little wink and a smile)!”

And…what did Grace think?
“It was just so funny, because I was separately talking to Kerry from Crumbs and Jill from Floral Earth at the Wedding Journal Show, and then got a call from Kerry to be part of this brilliant shoot at Clandeboyewith Emma from Jump the Broom. It was so great to be able to pull ideas for a real earthy, romantic wedding, and to know that I would be showing up with such great and talented people.

I mean, I’ve been a supplier on Quirky for nearly a year now & between the last fair & this shoot you can really see a sea shift in suppliers and ideas in weddings in Northern Ireland…so excited about new ideas, collaborations & the impact on cool, new weddings over here.”

Finally a shout out from our photographer, Emma Campbell from Jump the Broom…
“The concept of the shoot came from Kerry at Crumbs and we all were thrilled to add our own ideas to the day.

Everyone had loads of fun, but with such professional standards as well. I hope I get to work with them all again…I’m already thinking of new shoot ideas!”