These beautiful macro flower photos are the work of photographer Anna Utkina.  She captures the essence of each bloom’s beauty with an artful simplicity, tiny slices of focus combined with sumptuous hues.  Her photo gallery is a joy to browse, full of rich colour, light and delicacy.  I’ve included some of my favourites in this post, but there are many more to see if you follow the links below.

Flickr // Website // Blurb Book // Instagram

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I love these pretty pale blue soaps from online shop Terrain. They’re just as charming as a real robin’s egg and are infused with chamomile and meadowsweet, so I imagine they smell as gorgeous as they look. It’s also lovely that the packaging makes them look as if they’re sitting in a little brown nest, almost too sweet to touch!

Robin’s Egg Soaps

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A couple of days after my last post these beautiful lilac prints appeared in my inbox along with Georgianna Lane’s newsletter, and I thought they would be a perfect follow up to the lilac inspiration of the previous post!  Now that these flowers are fading you can still keep a memory of their loveliness in your home with these fine art prints.

Georgianna is a talented photographer, writer and designer living in Seattle.  With a great eye for beauty she produces wonderful botanical photos as well as capturing the essence of the places she visits all over the world.  Her blog is a treasure trove of gorgeous images, it’s an inspiring space to say the least.

You’ll find Georgianna’s Etsy shop here where you can purchase prints of her work, including these two sets of lilac prints.

Lilac Prints Set 1 // Lilac Prints Set 2 // Blog // Facebook // Paris Blog // Portfolio

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It’s that beautiful time of year when the lilac trees are beginning to bloom.  Where they flower their lush scent floats on the May air, carrying with it dreamy thoughts of a summer about to begin.  The blossoms make bright bouquets that will fill a room with their fragrance and bring a hint of luxury into your home.

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Hi there, welcome To The Wildwood!

This site originally started as a wedding blog called Sparkle & Swish, but over time I lost my desire to blog solely about weddings and wanted to expand this space into a broader topic, something closer to my heart.  So I’ve spent the last couple of weeks reshaping the design and giving the blog a new identity.

You’ll still find wedding inspiration here at times, but this blog will now be dedicated to showcasing a life inspired by nature.  With posts on all kinds of topics from artists, craftspeople, writers and others who are influenced by nature, to design, products, events and homes with a love or element of the countryside at their core.

I’m excited to start this journey and hope you’ll enjoy the new topic.  If you’d like to get in touch you’ll find social media information in the sidebar, or simply shoot an email to hello@tothewildwood.com

There are so many wedding blogs out there these days, and I’ve found it hard to find a way to make this blog unique compared to the others.  I don’t want to churn out the same kind of inspiration that’s already available to brides in other amazing blogs!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about making some changes and turning this space into more of a lifestyle inspiration blog with a niche I’m particularly fond of.  So over the next few weeks you’ll probably see some changes, possibly a name change as well as new posts dedicated to a new theme.

The wedding content will still remain on the blog, as many of you visiting are still finding inspiration in it, but very soon this will no longer be exclusively a wedding blog.  I’m sorry to those of you who enjoyed reading Sparkle & Swish, but I hope that you’ll enjoy the changes and have fun with me on this new adventure!

Peach dress photo by Ashlee Raubach via The Wedding Chicks // Lilac bridesmaids photo by Jessica D’Onofrio via Elizabeth Anne Designs // Macarons photo by Havilah Savage // Purple bouquet photo by Ashley Rose Photography via Bouquet Wedding Flower // Peaches & roses photo by Birds of a Feather via Style Me Pretty // Peach shoes photo by Half Orange Photography via The Wedding Chicks // Favours from Martha Stewart // Flowers photo by Sara Gray via Elizabeth Anne Designs // Cake by Delphine Tollari Cakes photo by Chris Hartwig

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Hello there, it’s a wet and windy day here in Ireland and everyone is feeling a bit bleak, but I have just the remedy for you: a beautiful wedding from Dallas, Texas, that is guaranteed to lift the gloom.  Shot by the talented Sarah Kate Photo, Sarah & Kyle’s wedding features a stunning vintage car, a luxurious white and blush bouquet, and an incredible five tiered cake!  It’s quite a treat for the eyes and full of inspiration.  I adore the cutlery favours with the message ‘I do, me too!’, what a sweet gift for your guests.  Enjoy, hope it makes your day a bit brighter!

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Photography by Sarah Kate Photographer // Church Holy Trinity Catholic Church // Reception venue Rosewood Crescent Hotel // Bridal gown from Stardust Celebrations // Flowers and wedding planning by Bella Flora // Hair & makeup by Makeup Logic

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Pink Dress photo by Cole Denver Designs via Style Me Pretty // Ruffled Cake from Martha Stewart // Pink Dress Hanging photo by Gabe Aceves via Ruffled // Candles from Once Wed // Pink Lemonade from Hello Naomi // Pink & White Bouquet photo from Haley Sheffield via Southern Weddings // Marshmallow Pops by Armelle // Cherry Blossom by KT Merry // Marshmallow Decorations photo by Ely Fair Photography via Green Wedding Shoes // Pink Shoes photo by SWOON by Katie Photography via Ruffled // China Tableware photo from Justin Aaron via Hello Naomi // Marshmallow Kisses from Martha Stewart

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Floral design by Lush Couture Floral // Photography by Sarah Kate Photographer

How beautiful are these flowers?  The range of colours and big luscious blooms creates a fun atmosphere with a glamorous (not to mention luxurious) edge.  They’re not simply table or venue decorations, they’re a major feature that create quite an impression!  Everything, from the lanterns that adorn the aisle to the three tiered cake, is overflowing with rich floral features and bright bursts of colour.  If you like these you’ll want to check out Sarah Kate’s post for more!

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