PROPS SPOTLIGHT : ANTLERS AND SKULLS.

Posted on November 11, 2015 by thelittlelendingco

Image via Ruffled Blog.

Yep anyone that knows me knows I love a good antler find. And to anyone that’s been to LLHQ you may have also spotted ’10 Spike Mike’ in the living room (A whopper of a deer skull often adorned with seasonal trimmings, maybe this is a little too far?!) I think the obsession started when I started to looking to Scandinavian inspiration for my home a few years ago, so naturally I started collecting antlers and skulls for the range too.

We thought we’d bring you some props spotlight posts and show just how versatile our props can be. Not looking for a scandi winter wedding? No problem, antlers and skulls sit so well into Summer boho cool or really rustic barn digs. It’s fair to say we’ve used them quite a bit in our own styled collaborations too…

Images by Jordanna Marston from K&A’s real wedding at the keeper and the dell. Wire grid & Antlers available to hire from the range.

Image by Darena Stoda of our new Large loose antlers. (Macrame hanging also available to hire.)

Image by Claire Graham Photography as featured on Love My Dress.

Here’s a few more ideas; from softening up and prettying (that’s totally a word right?) with soft pastel florals paired with luxe rustic furnishings to keeping things more modern and simplified. Or go more aztec in direction to keep things fresh and oh so fab.

Image source Magnolia Rouge.com

Image via Bridal Musings.

Image Via Buzzfeed.

Image via Green Wedding Shoes.

Go totally boho; Antlers and sculls never look better that with plenty of fresh foliage and flowers for W-day decor. Speak to us about how to add them to your theme* We’re so mad for darker palettes right now, a love seeing the persian throws and darker glass vessels. And don’t get me started on that cake with those florals.

*We have a fab floral Reindeer DIY you can try coming to a wedding blog near you very soon too!

Images sourced from Ruffled Blog.

Image source Style Me Pretty.

Image via Magnolia Rouge.com

Image source White wedding mag.

Are you thinking of adding antlers or skulls to your wedding decor? Do tell…

Penny @ The Little Lending Co. X

HOW TO USE PINTEREST TO REALLY PLAN YOUR WEDDING.

Posted on May 20, 2015 by thelittlelendingco

Hoping this post doesn’t come across as me trying to teach you to suck eggs. But I know I’ve lost hours to Pinterest when all I wanted to do was pin a few table number ideas. It took me a while to realise how vast Pinterest really is and I shouldn’t just be following my Facebook friends on there if I’m going to use it to plan the big W-day…

GOT A PLAN?
So you need to go in with a plan, well at least a list of categories you’re looking for inspiration in. Don’t just head to the home page and free pin, this is where you’ll have find yourself with a new board of cute animals and dinner recipes and 3 hours later you’ve got nowhere. I like to create a separate little board for each big category – CEREMONY, VENUE DECOR, DRESSES & ACCESSORIES, THE BOYS… Then within those you have sub-categories written down too : Table plan, table centres, table numbers etc…

BE SPECIFIC
Writing ‘wedding table ideas’ into the search bar is not a good idea, you’ll start scrolling uncontrollably. Get specific: what style table decor, colour, materials, centre pieces or place settings etc? Try something like ‘Colourful flowers rustic wood wedding table centre pieces’. This is going to get you the right pins, fast. Use Pinterest’s suggested add on words. A little bit cliche but words like ‘hipster’, ‘cool’ and ‘alternative’ work to find pins that are a little off the beaten track.

FIND PINNERS YOU LOVE
Install the easy pin button on your computer and pin from your favourite wedding blog websites. Start following those brands and bloggers on Pinterest. Theres a few blogs and companies I pin from almost daily : Festival Brides, Wedding Sparrow, 100 Layercake, Coco Wedding Venues, Green Wedding shoes, Junebug Weddings…Be sure to check out who they are following too you’ll find lots more people to follow and your home feed will never look so good.

CHOOSE THE BEST PINS
Don’t pin bad pins, keep the pins the best you can find. We showed you How to create a Wedding Moodboard last week on the blog so if all your pins are stunning and you can’t stop staring they need to make the cut.

BE SOCIAL
Invite your wedding suppliers to join your wedding Pinterest boards. More and more brides are getting into this and some of our brides we’re helping with styling for are also happy for me to pin and add ideas in too. Two heads are always better than one right?

BE RUTHLESS
Be ruthless, like Simon Cowell ruthless to get your pin boards down from 100 pinned lighting ideas to just 5. It could be good to pull all those favourite final pins that have made the cut onto one board that’s much easier to view.

Don’t forget to come pin with me, I’m literally addicted and you’ll find loads of brilliantly different wedding inspiration here > www.pinterest.com/thelittlelendingco and you’ll find our Pin of the week over on Facebook too.

Image credits : Style me Pretty and Wedding Chicks.

Happy Pinning,
Penny @ The Little Lending Co. x

MARSALA COLOUR INSPIRATION: HOW TO USE IT FOR YOUR WEDDING.

Posted on March 11, 2015 by thelittlelendingco

Pantone named ‘Marsala’ their colour of the year. I’m so into it. A deep wine red that will really add some style to your W-day proceedings.

Think you’re too late to use it in your wedding this year? Think again, it’s super versatile. Sitting perfectly with blush and dusty pink tones, peaches, mint green, navy and even grey. We’re also uber excited about seeing it with some rose gold, copper or brass to make those wedding details shine.

How do I incorporate it onto my tables? Add brass vessels to your table tops, wine coloured navy or black candles and some textured white lace or soft water coloured dyed linen to create a base to allow your palette to form. Team with bare wood tables and gold cutlery.

I like the colour but don’t want to it to over-power? Flower 30 used Amaranthus here to add a bold pop to this bouquet for our own Botanical concept shoot. You could ask your florist to pop in some deep tones to your existing blooms to vamp them up. Purple Ranunculus, Burgandy Dahlias or Scabosia in Purple would all look incredible against white, peaches and foliage.

So you’re totally boho and think this colour is too clean and classy? You can really relax this colour through battered persian rugs under foot, or lounging patterned cushions. Hang natural feathers above tables, add wooden sharing platters serving relaxed food on top of a macrame Marsala dip dyed runner. The stuff of boho wedding dreams.

Still looking for a bold make-up look? This is it. Statement lips or eyes in Marsala could really make you a sassy, bold bride. Or add some Marsala with nude pink to your nails, for something bang on trend.

It’s too wintery for a summer wedding? We’re mad for deep, jewelled colours through the summer. Bring in in with your food palette, sweet berry macaroons, a red velvet tiered cake topped with fresh fig or a signature summer fruits cocktail.

Planning ahead for next year? Look at coloured stationery and hand-drawn bloom designs or blood coloured ink calligraphy to start your Marsala palette off.

We’re super excited as some of these pins are forming an exciting Outdoor styled shoot concept with some of the B.Loved blog contributors we have met along the way. It’s super exciting to be a part of a creative network full of inspiring ladies working on shoots exclusively for B.Loved that will inspire, you, our Little Lenders. The shoot will take place at the end of April so be sure to keep your peepers on our social media for a little taste.

Images via : Polkadot Bride, 100 Layer Cake, Ruffled Blog, MOD Bride, Hub Hub, Burnettes Boards, Pink-decoration, Blog Design Seeeds.com, Design Sponge.com, Style Me Pretty, Foodista.com, Ruffled blog, Forever Studio, The lane and Magnolia Rouge. Styled shoot image by Amy Lewin.

What’s your colour? Are you tempted by Marsala?
The Little Lending Company X

A GUIDE TO HANGING CENTREPIECES.

Posted on February 11, 2015 by thelittlelendingco

UP. That’s the way you want your guests to be looking if all these hanging decor delights we’ve been collecting are anything to go by. Let me tell you now, this is going to be a huge deal in 2015. String it up, Tie it up, knot it up, rig it up…Just get it up! There’s a few ways you can go with these new hanging get-ups, from a green dream to up-lighting those spaces. Just follow our simple guide and you can’t go wrong.

KEEP IT GREEN

Wild, un-structured and fresh. Instant cool achieved by throwing some oversized foliage and stems together, bunched for a cylindrical effect or fastened to a suspended branch way above your table tops. It’s best to go with fishing wire, metal ‘S’ hooks or copper wire for a more polished finish. We just adore the moss covered wire lampshades for something a little more whimsical here too.

To add practicality to the proceedings hang rustic buckets below the floral piece and use as wine coolers. Neat huh? Thread through some festoon lighting and you’ve nailed it through from day to dusk.

Southern weddings.com

Image source Green wedding shoes.

Sandra Oster Interiors.com

Image via Green Wedding Shoes.

DIY HANGS

From collecting your jam jars and tying with lengths of string to cutting your nans curtains into strips it’s all about a home-spun vibe here. We’re loopy for the latest DIY craze of macrame knotted designs, they’re a little more time consuming than some DIY’s but totally worth every knotted minute. *DIY tutorial coming soon* Finish by tucking in colourful floral filled terracotta pots or fresh succulents in abundance.

Dried flowers are becoming ever more popular, save yours in the airing cupboard and hand bind together in bunches for a rustic touch. If you can’t create suspension from your venue ceiling then try creating a frame to stand on your table to hang from. There is never one way to skin a cat folks. But which ever way you go getting yourself to Hobby Craft is a must for this look.

Image via Inspired by this.

Style me pretty.

Image source The wedding chicks.

At home in Love.com

LIGHT IT UP

Suspended light is beyond beautiful, I love the subtle jam jars and tea lights for a simplistic touch, or tapered candles to create something more formal.

Nowhere to hang lights from at your venue? No problem. Just use what’s already there, dressing up your chandleries could not be easier. (You might need to talk very sweetly into your venues ears for some of these ideas, they might not be happy with their original period lighting fixtures being played with or the idea of you being 30 feet in the air at their venue and firmly wear their heath and safety hat on this. Do talk ideas through before you book anything with your florist.)

Green wedding shoes.

Image source Style Me Pretty.com

Image via Elizabeth Anne Designs.

Style me pretty.

BIG IDEAS

Go bold or go home. Yep, go for impact and you’ve got yourself a winning statement floral focal point. Try loosely tied driftwood pieces or filled metal lanterns. Create a large wooden shape with free space inside or one huge instillation for maximum WOW’s.

The wire grids filled with tulips is just plain brilliant. Go a little off piste and use old bike wheels as a starting point. The possibility is endless….

Ohhappyday.com

Image source Style Me Pretty.com

Style Me Pretty.com

Image via Wedding Sparrow.co.uk

Are you thinking about rigging something up for your day? Do you have a florist that’s unbelievably talented to help with some of these big ideas?
Oh please let us in on your epic plans….

The Little Lending Co. X