we love local. and we love stylish weddings.
Since its launch in 2010, Brides Up North has skyrocketed in popularity and profile to become one of the most visited wedding blogs in the UK, and is the only top bridal blog especially for northern couples.
If you’re planning a wedding Up North, you’ve come to the right place.
Brides Up North encourages its readers to think local and to support the wedding creatives on their own doorsteps. Every single real wedding, styled shoot or industry expert we feature on the blog took place or is based in the North of the UK.
The Brides Up North brand has become extremely well known away from the pages of the blog too. We have a loyal and local offline following having hosted hundreds of luxury bridal events under our brand name since 2012. Brides Up North’s epic wedding shows and industry parties across Yorkshire, the North West and North East have become famous for our innovative and fun-filled signature style and are loved by both our visiting couples and exhibiting suppliers.
but don’t take our word for it…
Brides Up North has been named “Best Blog for Northern Brides” by Channel 4; crowned “Best Big Day Inspiration” and “Best Social Media” blog in the Wedding Magazine Awards and highly commended in the “Best City Blog” category; listed in Vuelio’s Top 5 UK Wedding blogs; listed in Easy Wedding Search’s Top 100 UK Wedding Blogs and in Bride Tide’s Top 100 Wedding Blogs in The World. Brides Up North was also a finalist in the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards (“Best Wedding Blog”) and in Perfect Wedding Magazine Awards (“Best Wedding Blog”).
Brides Up North’s founder, Julia Smith, is a respected industry expert and has been profiled in or contributed to almost every National wedding magazine title, as well featuring extensively in regional bridal titles, national news and lifestyle press. Brides Up North was headline sponsor for and hosted the first North of England Wedding Awards and has been a judge in the Bridal Buyer Awards 2012 and to date. Brides Up North was also a judge for The Wedding Industry Awards for five years.
Julia was headhunted as editor of print title UNVEILED Magazine – the luxury wedding magazine for the North – in January 2015 with the aim of further developing this bridal title to build on the quality and creativity that the team achieved in their inaugural issues. The UNVEILED title is now owned and managed by Brides Up North Ltd and goes from strength to strength.
meet our editorial team
Julia Smith (Braime)
Founder & Editor
Former lawyer Julia founded Brides Up North with a chip on her shoulder. Frustrated by the poor northern presence in glossy bridal magazines and online as a bride to be, she decided to do something about it herself.
With a background in fashion journalism before law – yes, she is the real life Elle Woods – Julia put her media & marketing skills to work to create a dedicated blog especially for Northern brides.
Astounded by the rapid growth of her blog and brand, Julia now manages Brides Up North’s online content alongside our busy wedding show portfolio, UNVEILED magazine and related freelance styling and consultancy commissions.
Sarah Symonds
Features
Sarah joined the Brides Up North team with a wealth of varied experience under her belt. Her career thus far spans veterinary nursing, lifestyle blogging, art teaching, copywriting and digital account management. But, the two things that have consistently made her heart happiest are writing and weddings.
As a small child, Sarah’s passion for bridal couture was ignited by playing dress-up after closing time at her aunt’s bridal boutique. She spent evenings after school designing better wedding dresses for Cinderella.
These days Sarah can usually be found wherever the wifi signal and coffee are strongest; being a freelance copywriter ensures she can fit her busy workload around her even busier homelife, with a small boy and dog in tow.
Sarah Carlton
Design
Sarah joined the team in early 2016. She runs a creative studio alongside her husband where they specialise in design for print.
Away from her beloved iMac, Sarah spends her time chasing her little boy around train museums and hunting for the best afternoon teas.
