Alternative wedding fair.
The Eclectic Wedding Extravaganza, (EWE as it shall be referred to from here on in as it’s less letters!) is an alternative wedding fair. This is from their website… “Do you want to break free from the shackles of what is considered ‘normal’ and not sure where to start?”
EWE is organised by three chicas, (Jo, Sassay and Yasmin) who have very carefully handpicked some of the most unique wedding suppliers in the country. A few weeks ago they all gathered at The Bond Company in Birmingham, for two days of quirky, cool and un-traditional wedding fairing. (Is that a word?!)
Now The Bond Company itself deserves a mention because I fell in love with it a big bit. It’s based in Digbeth, (I’m also feeling the love for this area, with all it’s funky graffiti and industrial vibes) and is a complex of renovated Victorian buildings right by the canal. When I walked in through the iron gate and across the cobbles I was already excited.
Casual and relaxed photos.
Jo, (who by the way isn’t just a wedding fair organiser type, she just so happens to “make crazy ass wedding frocks for all you non-traditionalists out there.” The Couture Company) and Yasmin (also a clever bean who runs Curious Coco Designs) had emailed me a week before the fair to see if I wanted to rock along with my cameras on the second day and take some photos. I didn’t have to think about it very long…getting to take detail photos of some totally unique suppliers along with some ‘mini shoots’ of real brides wearing fabulous wedding gowns, the decision wasn’t that difficult! When they said it was all very casual and relaxed I knew I would be able to do ‘my thing.’
Detail photos and mini shoots.
I arrived before the fair ‘officially’ opened so that I could float around taking detail, (I looooove details) photos of different things some very talented suppliers had bought along to show off. Just seeing how these things were displayed was enough to excite me, never mind what was actually on show! Not a chair cover or chocolate fountain in sight (hurraaaaaaaah!) I only wish I’d had more time to talk to more of these creative people but I was determined to get a photo of every supplier that was there so I had to get a wriggle on.(There must have been about 70!)
Another thing that makes this fair unique is the real brides parade, which is as it sounds and with words it’s not something I can do justice to at all, but basically a bunch of real brides dance round the whole venue – in and out of the different buildings, following a rather cool band.
Before and after the parade I whipped the real brides off to take a few relaxed photos of them in their wedding dresses. The highlight for me has got to go to Lisa, (dress designer extraordinaire at Elisabeth Armstrong) who went along with me getting a bit excited about a wall and offered to climb the wall for some photos! I think she probably started to regret her ‘great’ idea when she realised the rusty nail she was hanging onto, was starting to disintegrate…and you don’t even want to know how she got up there!!
Big shouts go out to; Strawberry Whiskers, Maison de Cantern, Crown and Glory, Jamball, Strizz, The Costume Company, Binky Bones, The Couture Company, Flambe Circus, Boho Bar, Heavy Beat Brass Band, Grande Lux and Elisabeth Armstrong.
Planning an alternative wedding? Would you climb a wall wearing your wedding dress?! Get in touch!