Collaboration is key for members of York Wedding Suppliers who are holding their first wedding fair this month

SHOP local is the message from a group of York wedding industry professionals who are hosting their first wedding fair this month.

To mark the event, they got together to stage a stunning photoshoot to show off their services and products.

The group was set up by local photographer Nikki Bowling six years ago for local people working in the wedding industry. It has 20 members including dressmakers and cake makers, florists, stationers, stylists and jewellers, to name but a few.

The group is organising their first wedding fair at The Grange Hotel, Bootham, York, on Sunday from 11am to 2pm. Brides and grooms-to-be will be able to talk to and see York suppliers under one roof.

Nikki said: "You will find everything to make your day special and memorable – room styling, stationery, wedding cakes, photography, videography, honeymoon services, wedding and bridesmaid dresses, florists, jewellery, hair combs, headpieces, table decorations,candles, ring cushions and discos."

To show off their services, the group got together to produce a photoshoot, styled by member Natalia Willmott, who owns My Billet Doux, which sells luxury gift cushions.

Natalia said: “Collaboration can help small businesses attract an audience. Recommending and sharing other people’s work as well as your own, particularly in the wedding industry, makes you connect with your clients on a more personal level."

Natalia styled the photoshoot around the rambling rose Gislaine de Feligonde which grows several metres in height in her garden in Stillingfleet, just outside York.

The photoshoot was loosely inspired by The Secret Garden, the 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett which is set in Yorkshire.

Natalia said: “We have integrated certain elements of the novel such as roses, a ladder, a robin and key and every single member contributed by adding their products or services to the scene.

"We created this lovely soft image in pale pinks and coral to capture the English countryside and the romance of a wedding."

Pride of place was a three-tier cake by local baker Nicola O'Keefe who owns O’Crumbs which was decorated with flowers from Gaynor Allen of Gayflowers and presented on a bark board from Treasured Occasions.

Natalia added: "Gaynor also created stunning centrepieces and a bridal bouquet with a variety of flowers and skeleton leaves which looked so beautiful with the wedding dress from Bridal Reloved, a shop specialising in preloved dresses.

"The table was also decorated with custom-made stationery by Blush Creations, beautiful scented candle favours by PQ soy wax candles, antique ribbons from My Billet Doux and pretty vintage combs by Unique hair combs. There were also stunning and elegant pieces of silver and pearl jewellery handmade by Jo Bagshaw and a love note ring cushion by My Billet Doux."

Natalia said: “It is a celebration of our beautiful Yorkshire, a truly collaborative feast for the eyes and it captures the essence of our group."

DETAILS

Styling: Natalia Willmott (nataliawillmott.co.uk)

Photography:

Nikki Bowling Photography (nikkibowling.com)

Gareth Buddo, Furmoto (furmoto.com)

Nikki Hirst KLPhoto (klphoto.co.uk)

Videography:

Alex Wamsley (eternaledits.co.uk)

Wedding dress:

Bridal Reloved (bridalreloved.co.uk)

Model:

Rosie Geall (Instagram @rosie_geall)

Wedding stationery:

Blush Creations (blushcreations.co.uk)

Candles and wax melts:

PQ soy wax candles (pqsoywaxcandles.co.uk)

Jewellery:

Jo Bagshaw (jobagshaw.co.uk)

Flowers:

Gayflowers (gayflowers.co.uk)

Cake:

O’Crumbs bakes (ocrumbsbakes.co.uk)

Ring cushion and ribbons:

My Billet Doux (mybilletdoux.com)

Cake prop:

Treasured Occasions (treasuredoccasions.co.uk)

Hair combs:

Unique hair combs (etsy.com/shp/UniqueHairCombs)

Linen: justforlinen.co.uk

Felted robin: Alison Spaven

Find out more from: yorkweddingsuppliers.co.uk