UK Wedding Blog

Wedding Blog Birthday: Many Happy Returns To Brides Up North!

Julia Braime

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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog: Marlein Overakker

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Well, well, well Brides Up North, my darling little wedding blog, you are one year old today!  I can’t believe that a whole year has gone by since I lifted the privacy settings on your swirly silver pages and welcomed the World in.

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I will hold my hands up and say that it hasn’t been an easy year.  The first nine months were spent juggling blogging twice daily with a full time job as a solicitor, before I took the plunge three months back and submitted to my fate as a full time professional and wedding showcase coordinator.  Not the ideal first year as a newly wed, I must admit.  You’ve kept me up all night (often several nights in a row), reduced me to tears (much more than once), made me bite off all my nails, put on a stone, lose that stone again and more (thank goodness), challenged my self belief and tested the strength of my oh so precious new marriage.    

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But it’s also been the best year of my life.  You’ve been my passport to an industry full of wonderful people, beautiful things, celebration and joy.  You’ve introduced me to lots of new friends – some of whom I already know that I’ll cherish forever.  You’ve allowed me to develop my writing and editing and follow my lifelong ambition of living by my pen.  You’ve shown me that what really matters in a marriage is knowing that your other half has your back, no matter what.  But most of all, you have taught me that with a lot of hard work (sleepless nights and tears included) you can make your dreams your reality.  Happy, happy birthday!

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As our first birthday approached, I had a think about how I’d like to celebrate.  I wanted to give something back to my readers, sponsors and those others who have supported us in their own little ways, but I have so many people to thank that I’m not sure I’d be able to find a party venue big enough!  I’ve been on tour a lot at events recently and a boozy bash so soon after the Brides Up North Tweet Ups didn’t seem quite right.  Then it hit me.

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Cake.

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And lots of it.

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What better way to celebrate a first birthday than an absolute cake fest?! Sooooo… every day for the next week, I’ll be adding an extra blog post to the schedule, and giving away cake from some of my most fabulous Featured Suppliers and wedding industry friends.  You could win your wedding cake, a groom’s cake, hen party popcakes, a huge batch of cupcakes… you name it, it’s there on a plate.  Just check back everyday, leave a comment, cross your fingers and join the celebration with

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The Brides Up North Great Birthday Bakeaway!

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Call back later today for your first sugar hit. 

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HEART

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Before I begin indulging you lovely lot, indulge me a little with a whistle stop recap of what’s been going on at Brides Up North over the last 12 months.  Alongside your double daily dose of wedding gorgeous, there have been a few key moments behind the scenes.  Amongst other stuff, if you will;

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HEARTIn November 2010 Brides Up North was born and went live just as Royal Engagement fever hit the airwaves.  Talk about being in the right place at the right time!  If you are a first time visitor (perhaps here this morning because of a little TV show called Don’t Tell The Bride) then you can click here to read all about how the wedding blog began.  Thanks to Kate and Wills, everyone in the UK was wedding hungry and the site launched to almost overnight success.  

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HEARTIn December 2010 I found my blogging feet and began to shout about all the fabulous Northern bridal talent that is out there – and yours for the choosing.  The ranks of my Featured Suppliers began to swell as more regional bridal businesses made it into the pages of my directory

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HEARTIn January 2011 it was all about me – as well as featuring my own Real Wedding on the site, the hubby and I appeared in an article on The Times’ Wedding Page, and my article An Honest Bride was featured in the Autumn/ Winter edition of Belle Bridal Magazine, a North East title. 

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HEARTFebruary 2011 saw a follow up article in Belle Bridal – An Honest Wife – alongside more coverage of our own Real Wedding, plus I posed for a Trash The Dress shoot on Bamburgh beach.  

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HEARTIn March 2011 we were “Hitched” and the blog was profiled in the same magazine alongside Annabel at Love My Dress – Meet The Brides Who Blog.   

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HEARTIn April 2011 It was a month of Cool Britannia! Brides Up North ran a month of giveaways to celebrate the Royal Wedding, including the chance to win a Mia Sposa Wedding Dress worth £1,200, took part in a very special Rock The Royal Wedding photo shoot and contributed to an article in The Daily Mirror: Marry Like A Princess, Pay For It Like A Pauper.

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HEARTIn May 2011 and June 2011 the seed of the idea for the inaugural set of Brides Up North Tweet Ups was planted.  An invitation to what I imagined would be a tiny get together at my local pub got 250+ overnight responses and soon became a series of three regional networking events, scheduled for August and September. 

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HEARTIn July 2011 Brides Up North had it’s first Expert Advice column in Wedding Ideas Magazine, was invited to become an Associate Contributor to Hitched Magazine and Wedding Ideas Magazine lent their support and became official sponsor of the Brides Up North Tweet Ups.

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HEARTIn August 2011  I hosted the first ever Brides Up North Tweet Up North West and handed in my notice as a lawyer to concentrate on the blog and brand full time.  Brides Up North was also crowned Blog Of The Week on the Wedding Magazine website, produced a Guest Edit for Wedding Magazine online and launched a regular column in Hitched Magazine Rock The Dress With Brides Up North.  I also styled and modelled in a bridal fashion shoot which later featured in The Evening Chronicle – Glamorous Brides Go Vintage – and was profiled as Champion Of North Brides in the same title.

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HEARTIn September 2011, Brides Up North was officially on tour at exhibitions across the North as a guest of Wedding Pages, The Wedding Affair and The UK Wedding Shows amongst others.  To celebrate, I launched an amazing competition to win your wedding dress with The Harrogate Wedding Lounge (still open for entries here).  Two more regional Brides Up North Tweet Ups in Yorkshire and the North East followed.  Not quite ready to pack up my party dress, I unveiled plans for some branded Brides Up North Wedding Showcase events in Spring 2011…do you have these in your diaries?

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Brides Up North Wedding Blog: SUPER SHOWCASE

Brides Up North Wedding Blog: SUPER SHOWCASE.

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Sunday 4th March 2012

Brides Up North SUPER SHOWCASE Grand Wedding Exhibition

Join The Northern Revolution

Ramside Hall Hotel, Carrville, Durham

Time: 12pm – 4pm

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The region’s top wedding suppliers will be out in force at this MASSIVE, not to be missed bridal event.  With two professional fashion shows, oodles of wedding inspiration, on the day discounts, amazing giveaways and surprises galore this is a must do date for any North East Bride To Be.  Watch this space for more details of how to pre register as a Brides Up North VIP Bride To Be.

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Brides Up North Wedding Blog: Wedding Exclusives

Brides Up North Wedding Blog: Wedding Exclusives.

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Sunday 12th February 2012

The Brides Up North Wedding Exclusive

Allerton Castle, Knaresborough

Time 12pm – 4pm

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Sunday 26th February 2012

The Brides Up North Wedding Exclusive

The Mansion, Roundhay

Time: 12pm – 4pm

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Sunday 15th April 2012

The Brides Up North Wedding Exclusive

Nostell Priory, Wakefield

Time: 12pm – 4pm

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Your exclusive invitation to three days of bridal brilliance at Yorkshire’s most desirable wedding venues.   A choice selection of the region’s finest wedding suppliers will be on hand to inspire and advise.  With fabulous giveaways and on the day discounts too,  only the best will do for Brides Up North and Dine.   Details of how to register as a Brides Up North VIP Bride To Be coming soon. 

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EXHIBITOR BOOKINGS: email me at [email protected] for details of all shows. 

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Now where was I?

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HEARTIn October 2011, Brides Up North was invited to be a regional judge in The 2012 Wedding Industry Awards, presented to the Forward Ladies on Blogging For Business at their Positive Women’s Day, appeared in Wedding Ideas Magazine with an Expert Advice tips column Wow Factor Weddings For Less, The Times Online as a contributor to the article Will we ever get sick of a Vintage Wedding? and styled a Winter Bridal fashion shoot for the Sunday Sun.

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HEARTThis month, Brides Up North has been officially registered as a trademark, been profiled in a cover story two page spread Blogging It! in wedding industry bible Bridal Buyer Magazine, contributed to a feature on top UK Wedding Blogs 20 Amazing Ideas Blogged in Wedding Ideas Magazine, featured a Don’t Tell The Bride Real Wedding and of course, celebrated it’s first birthday with loads of cake!

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Phew! What a year.  In fact, pass that cake over here!

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Thank you so much to each and every one of you for your continued support.

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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog: Marlein Overakker

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  – Images © 2011 Marlein Overakker via Pinterest

This is not a sponsored post

Contact Brides Up North to submit your business as a Featured Supplier 

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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog

join the northern revolution

Would you like to see your real wedding, love story, styled shoot, forthcoming event or wedding business featured on Brides Up North? Contact Brides Up North for real wedding and features submissions or details of our sponsorship packages.

Contact us to be featured on Brides Up North

comments

  • Alison
    November 16, 2011 | Permalink | Reply

    Well done superstar!
    Plus you bagged yourseld a natty guest blogger! Don’t forget me 🙂

  • November 16, 2011 | Permalink | Reply

    Happy Birthday Brides Up North!!! What a fab year- I really enyoyed the Tweet up I attended- looking forward to the next one. Keep the great stuff coming- lots of love Bex from Bexbrides. PLUS you must pop and visit MySecret Attic soon!!

  • November 16, 2011 | Permalink | Reply

    Thanks so much Alison – how could I ever forget you! 😛

  • Colette
    November 16, 2011 | Permalink | Reply

    So pleased to have to been part of the first year as a sponsor, well done Julia & a HUGE congratulations!!!! xxx

  • jenny
    November 16, 2011 | Permalink | Reply

    seeing as your blog was started just as we got engaged, it was a patneship made in heaven! You are really going places, the blog is always beautiful and fun and interesting, an i can ask nothing more from you =D Ill always love this blog, even after my big day!! And im LOVING the cake giveaway, ingenious !! I’m off to enter =D xxx

  • November 16, 2011 | Permalink | Reply

    Congratulations Julia – you rock!!! Amazing first year and a real inspiration to those of us who have launched our own businesses as well!! Loving being a sponsor and can’t ewait to do more things with you!! xx

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