Cinderella found her happy ever in dazzling Hollywood style this year and with lavish, big budget weddings back in force the silver screen is the perfect place to find inspiration for your big day.
Brides are going all out to make sure their nuptials are nothing short of a fairytale and the average cost of a wedding in 2014 was £20,983 according to a survey by You & Your Wedding.
When it comes to cinematic drama, the first thing you need is a backdrop that will spark the imagination. Starting with an amazing canvas will mean less work to transform it into your perfect setting.
This could mean a glittering ballroom adorned with sparkling chandeliers and gilt mirrors, a grand hall with regal wooden panelling or, if you think back to those childhood stories of Sleeping Beauty or Snow White who found them selves surrounded by wildlife, you may prefer to use the beauty of nature as your starting point. A more rustic setting can be the perfect way to frame a delicate gown and sunlight breaking through trees lends a dreamy quality to proceedings.
North London and the Home Counties boast a plethora of both with stunning buildings, worthy of gracing a Baz Lurmann film, rustic barns that evoke the charm of Hansel and Gretel and extravagant mansions that emulate the sweeping grandeur of Beauty and the Beast.
A forest or wooded setting provides a more memorable backdrop than an open field as the tree trunks naturally evoke the columns and turrets of a castle- it may be dismissed as a teen flick but Bella and Edward's gorgeous wedding in Twilight under a lush flower arch is one of the most memorable film weddings of recent years.
You can also find an abundance of waterside venues in the county and a flowing river can provide infinite more sparkle than a crystal chandelier.
When it comes to dresses, from bejewelled sheaths to infinite layers of tulle, every bride will have their own idea of what will makes them feel like a princess. But if you want a dramatic wedding then now is not the time to hold back and go with a safe and simple dress. Remember how we all gasped in awe at the unforgettable sight of Princess Diana unfolding her mammoth Emanuel dress on our television screens? She knew how to make sure no one, from her husband in his regalia to the numerous royal guests, stole her scene.
When it comes to cinematic fairytale hair who better to turn to than Joseph Koniak? The London -based hairdresser worked on the set of Cinderella itself, coiffing hundreds of ladies tresses in elaborate dos and has also used his skills on the sets of Batman, Mama Mia, James Bond, Mr Holmes, Downton Abbey, Mr Selfridge and Dancing on Ice.
I went along to his salon on Finchley Road to find out more about his advice for brides.
Joseph on the set of Cinderella
"I usually ask a bride to tell me about the mood of their wedding and show me how they would put up their hair to get a sense of what they like," explains the founder of Joseph Koniak Hair.
"If someone has no clue what they want I get them to identify with a celebrity because then we will have hundreds of images to look at.
"It's better to have more information because everyone wants to feel beautiful and look their best on their wedding day so it's important to know what beauty is to you.
"For some drama means bigger is better and if I'm doing an Essex wedding we get the extensions out and volume and crazy up dos. But others want something more creatively beautiful.
Joseph's father worked with Vidal Sassoon and founded Molten Brown in the 70s and started teaching his son the trade when he was just 12 years old. When he was 18 Joseph started working with iconic hairdresser Sam McKnight on film sets and fashion shoots.
He explains that dramatic hair doesn't have to be big as not everyone likes have their follicles pulled into a backcombed up do so we decided to take inspiration from the current trend of plaiting for my up do.
"A bride will feel most comfortable if the style is an exaggeration of how she will normally wear her hair," says Joseph.
He started by creating a crown braid, adding in synthetic hair for a fuller braid, and swooping it to the back of my head where he deftly wove it into a complicated Game of Thrones style before finishing off the ends with a Rapunzel-like fishtail braid, pancaked out for plenty of volume.
Forget abut the scrappy pigtails you had as a girl, these styles are all grown up and both elegant, youthful and easily kept in place with just a few pins putting less strain on your scalp over the course of your long day.
For a head to toe happy ending the final touch for every princess is, of course, a 'glass' slipper.
My finished hairstyle
Freya's shoes are hand finished in her London studio
Designer Freya Rose founded her Islington-based business in 2008 and has designed bespoke shoes for the princess of Abu Dhabi.
She prides herself on knowing exactly what a 21st Century Cinderella desires and her studio is a treasure trove of shoes featuring stunning real diamonds, Tahitian pearls, 18ct gold, Swarovski crystal flowers, gleaming mother-of-pearl heels and shimmering metallic leather.
"Brides don't want shoes they would wear in their everyday lives, " says Freya who was born into a family of fine jewellers and has a First class Honours Degree from the London College of Fashion.
"Being handmade means our shoes are made to last and feel good."
Joseph Koniak Hair, 0207 431 3190, josephkoniak.com
Freya Rose, 0845 371 4466, freyarose.com
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