A Rustic Wedding Fair in the Kent Countryside, May 2023

It’s that time of year again where we pack up ours girls and head off to the Rustic Fair, this year at Greenhill Farm in Otham. This is always one of our favourite fairs and this year it was lovely to see some new faces alongside the vendors we have exhibited with for the past couple of years.

For those of you that are not familiar with the Rustic Fair, it is held by the lovely caterers at Home Gurrown, under the cover of Holmsted Event's gorgeous Teepee. They hold it twice a year in May and October at various farms in Maidstone.

This year was the first time taking Freda Bennet with us, which we were super excited about, especially Brady, as we were pretty sure she would go down a storm. (and we weren’t wrong!) We like to take a mixture of mannequins and dresses on rail for brides to look through to the Rustic Fair, this year we had Brady, Roseville by Freda Bennet and the gorgeous Rio top and Jade skirt combo by Kelsey Rose. Then a selection of Kelsey Rose beauty’s on the rail to browse. Not forgetting a selection a shoes and accessories to complete the bridal look. We also had sweet treats supplied by 2’n’6 Sweets for couples to take away with them. So Saturday afternoon we packed up all that we need to take Vicki’s Bridal Boutique on the road.

Saturday evening the lovely Home Gurrown held a vendor's evening, which is always a lovely evening catching up with everyone before the busy day ahead meeting couples and not to forget we get to sample their gorgeous food. This year we had a delicious Chicken Curry and homemade brownies which went down a treat! We chatted away over yummy food and a few glasses of bubbly then it was home to bed before an early start the next day.

Sunday morning arrived and luckily the rain hadn’t created too much of a muddy puddle on the field. (tractors have been known to been needed in the past!) This year we were in a tent with the lovely Roxanne from The Little Wedding Warehouse and Petula from Cakes by Petula (highly recommend her yummy cakes!) So all set up and ready to go, there is time for a quick scout round to check out everyone's gorgeous stands. Come 10am and our first couples start to arrive and there is a nice buzz across all three tents, which were filled with everything you could need to make your wedding come to life.

The Rustic Fair is typically for couples looking for a relaxed, fun filled wedding in the heart of rural Kent Countryside. So if you think this sounds like the kind of day you are wanting for your Big Day, then make sure to give @homegurrown a follow to keep an eye out for details of the October fair.

Top tips if you want to visit the next Rustic Fair:

• Wear wellies - it is on a farm so come ready for mud!

• Many of the vendors will have fair offers running so if you are instead in what they have to offer make sure to say Hi and leave your details with them.

• This fair is also a great way to get to see what Holmsted Events have to offer in all they glory.

Introducing Ellis Bridals 2023

The Ellis Bridals 2023 collection has landed in our boutique and we are so excited to introduce our newbies to you. The Heirloom's collection was designed in celebration of Ellis Bridals 110 years of artistry within the bridal industry, which we have explored in …. Drawing inspiration from a huge history of designs, reimagined for the modern bride. So without further ado, here they are ….

Hazel: Her lovely full lace sheath silhouette is perfect for a bride looking for a look that oozes understated glamour and sophistication. Her scatter sequins offer a subtle sparkle, allowing you to shimmer your way through your wedding day. She is also the perfect dress for 2-looks-in-1! Add an a-line skirt over the top for a beautiful regal wedding dress.

Elle: This gorgeous satin A-line is a classic and elegant gown with a modern twist. With botanical 3D lace on a simple silhouette makes her perfect for an outdoor wedding. The structure in her also means that she is perfect for all body shapes. Teamed with Layla, she offers you the perfect 2 in1 look.

Eden: An stunning ballgown with a soft oyster lining, allowing the ivory lace detail on her to pop. She is perfect for brides looking for that romantic, whimsical bridal look. And her thick strap and plunge neck makes her super flattering on those blessed with a bust.

Lilibeth: A beautiful ballgown wedding dress, with scattered sequin sparkle lace. Perfect for bride looking for a true fairytale wedding. She also looks stunning teamed with Layla overtop to create two bridal looks for your big day. Layer with Ellis Bridals separate tops for a 2in1 look.

Mabel: A mix of mikado and lace, this stunning ballgown has so many beautiful details for you to fall in love with. From a square back, with a gorgeous detachable bow, to the lovely lace cap sleeves and panels. Perfect for bride looking for that beautifully classic bridal look.

Layla: The easy way to give brides a stunning 2in 1 bridal looks for your big day. This gorgeous lace overtop works over so many of our gorgeous Ellis dresses. Allowing brides to have a day more modest day look.

And let's not forget the dresses we just couldn’t say no to from the Generation IV collection. These are dresses that we have been swooning over for the past year and now we are delighted to say they have arrived at Vicki’s…

Ada: The perfect ballgown for the more classic setting, such as a church or manor house. Her gorgeous lace top with elongated sleeves, teamed with a plunge neckline give the ultimate feminine look. And that gorgeous stain skirt has the best surprise … she has POCKETS!!

Eloise: This modern classic is the perfect ballgown for a bride looking for that on-trend look with a touch of glamour. The statement blouson sleeve and the buttons all the way down the train are just a few of the many stunning details on Eloise.

Lottie: This romantic sheath dress is perfect for the bride that wants to show off her gorgeous figures whilst feeling elegant. The cut-out back is nothing short of a showstopper and guarantees you that 360 degrees of details. The lace cap sleeve balances out the hips and the heavyweight crêpe skirt which offers the perfect amount of support.

If you think any of this gorgeous Ellis Collection may be the collection for you, head over to our Ellis Bridals Collection page to explore more https://www.vickisbride.co.uk/ellis-bridals

Why was Wedding Dress shopping not what I expected?

A question that many brides are left asking after their first appointment. You had a lovely experience with the first boutique you chose to visit, even found some dresses to start off that shortlist, but once you get home something felt a little strange.

We are going to try and unpack that feeling for you because we think we may have an idea what leaves many brides asking this question. One of the first reasons is that you have probably set your expectations too high. With the countless movies, reality shows, viral videos portraying shopping for a wedding dress, it’s hard for it not to be. And even though you tell yourself this may not be reality, it doesn’t stop the ideas forming in the back of your mind. So our first bit of advice is DO NOT go in expecting it to be something out of movies because none of what we see in the media is true to life.

Second reason… The Entourage! 'It will be the best time bringing my whole bridal entourage?... Right? …. Wrong! The idea again seems amazing, but the reality is most of us don’t do well, being put on display and that is exactly what happens in your bridal appointment. So keep it light by bringing just a retaliative and one bestie to take away the feeling of being a one woman show on the West End. Once you have found your dress, you can always bring others to a later fitting or alternatively keep it as a surprise for the Big Day and get those gorgeous reaction photos. Don't just take our word for it though, take our real brides opinions in our 'Who should I take shopping blog'

Lastly, don’t worry if you leave loving some dresses but not feeling like you have found the one. Shopping for your wedding dress is a process and you may have found it and just don’t know it yet. Sometimes it’s not till you have gone away or been to try on some dresses at other boutiques that you realise. And who knows, that very first dress could be the one. When you start comparing all other dresses to one in particular, trust your gut … you’ve found your dress!

Approach Wedding dress shopping the same way you approach high-street shopping. Go to the place that seem like your kinda place, shop with the size group you normally shop with. If you stay true to yourself and not what you think you should be doing, we promise you will have a much more enjoyable experience.