ISSUE FW’26
In our new FW’26 issue, we take you to the south of France and to Renée and Jan’s wedding, which was a celebration of love, friendship and style. We also sit down with Louis Abel founder Jimmy Loutfi for an in-depth interview about how his own wedding rings marked the start of a new chapter in fine jewellery, and look ahead to New York Bridal Fashion Week for the silhouettes, details and ideas that will set the tone for the coming season.
Wedding
A scenic wedding in a lush oasis
Just like in a fairy tale
We met a couple who organised a picturesque wedding in a lush green oasis. Karin and Joakim, who live in Uppsala, enjoyed a magical day when they got married in a glistening woodland glade in Vårdsätra, Uppsala. Neither of them is particularly religious, so they chose to have a civil outdoor wedding, with the forest and Lake Mälaren as their backdrop.
They say: ‘Surrounded by woodland, you could catch a glimpse of the water; it was like having our own lovely little space under a large tree. So wonderfully beautiful!
Karin and Joakim also agreed that they wanted lovely photos and a video of the day, so they contacted and booked their friend Linda Dahlqvist from Gävle. She also helped them find videographer Anders at High View Media.
The very, very best thing about the wedding was all the love and joy swirling in the air – a real rush of happiness – and I wish everyone could experience this!
Karin and Joakim’s top wedding tips
– Have battery-powered fairy lights on the tables – they look lovely and create a cosy atmosphere, whilst you don’t have to worry about a fire starting.
– Hang fabric and a string of lights from a flagpole from the ceiling to make it cosier. It makes a huge difference; the whole venue feels so much more festive.
– On the tables, Karin arranged small bouquets of cut flowers; she’d got the vases from a friend who’d in turn picked them up at a car boot sale and on a buy-and-sell site.
There’s plenty of second-hand wedding décor available in various buy-and-sell groups. It’s good for both your wallet and the environment.
– Place birch branches and potted hydrangeas around the venue and by the entrance. The hydrangeas can then survive the whole of autumn and adorn their spot at home.
– Karin thinks a floral arch looks absolutely stunning; a few days before the party, she made one and attached it to the head table. It turned out brilliantly and provided a lovely backdrop.
– Seat parents at a table with people of their own age; we think they’ll have a much better time that way. We had a bench in front of us at dinner where guests could sit down for a bit of a natter with us. Our toastmistresses had organised a shot bottle so anyone who wanted one could have a shot!
– To prepare the venue efficiently and then have a relaxed evening with friends the day before, draw up a rota and assign tasks to those helping out. We were a lovely group of family and friends and finished ahead of schedule. Having a plan saves both time and energy and reduces stress; there’s always so much that comes up at the last minute anyway.
– Have a Plan B for an outdoor wedding. Our plan was to hold the ceremony in the reception venue as it was very spacious. We were lucky with the weather: bright sunshine, a light breeze and 34 degrees.
– Accommodation. We chose to sleep at home as we were hosting a drop-in coffee party at our place the day after the wedding. We booked another weekend at a hotel so we could really enjoy ourselves, relax and just cosy up.
Wedding facts
Invitation cards: Joakim designed and had them printed via Vistaprint. They then worked together on the final details using cake paper and hemp string, www.vistaprint.se
Wedding dress: Gimlins bridal shop in Gävle, www.gimlin.se
Shoes: “Dance shoes” from www.dansskor.se
Groom’s attire: Dark blue suit and waistcoat from Cavaliere at Ascot, Gävle, www.ascotgavle.se. Made-to-measure shirt from Tailor Store, www.tailorstore.se. Bow tie and handkerchief, Rolands Herrmode, Uppsala. Shoes from Bergmans Skor, Uppsala, www.bergstromsskor.se. Belt from Brothers, Uppsala, www.brothers.se
Rings: The rings were specially designed by Anna Danielsson in Gävle, who owns Smyckesvalvet, where they received the best customer service ever www.byannadanielsson.com
Hair styling: A talented dance friend helped with the hair styling. Janet lives just outside Gävle. (Janet’s Hair Styling, Facebook group)
Make-up: A friend, Sandra Hillbom, Uppsala.
Flowers: The bride is a florist and made her own bridal bouquet and all the flowers for the reception; Instagram @karinfroom89.
Venue: Granebergsparken, Uppsala (UBSS clubhouse), www.ubss.se
Catering/dinner: Summer buffet from Cajsa’s Kök, Uppsala, www.cajsas-kok.se,
Wedding cake: Pastry chef Sophie Fristedt, Ica Maxi Eskilstuna.
Transport: The bride’s father is a bus driver and hired a bus through his work, Högbergs Buss, Uppsala,
Photographer: Linda Dahlqvist, Gävle, www.lindadahlqvist.com
Videographer: Anders Eibl, High View Media, Gävle, www.highview.se
Business directory
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