If you’ve missed this week’s announcement, here’s a recap in 16 words: Linen and Silk Weddings (that’s moi) is now offering wedding planning services in Sharm el Sheikh!
Ever since the announcement on Monday I’ve been feeling a lot of mixed feelings, but I guess they can summarised like this: a bit eeek, slightly wowwww have I really done this, and very much craaaaazyyyy!
One of the first things I did when I began exploring the idea of expanding my services to Sharm el Sheikh was gathering inspiration based on Egypt and consequentially on what a Sharm el Sheikh wedding might look like. Today is the day I’m sharing with you the 5 inspiration moodboards I’ve put together; I’ve decided to post them in two batches – one now, and one at 1.15pm GMT. This morning we start with:
♥ what colours, patterns and shapes are common in Egypt?
♥ what would a Sharm el Sheikh wedding look like in terms of outdoor ceremony and reception by the sea?
♥ what kind of flowers would suit a Sharm el Sheikh wedding, bearing in mind that Sharm is not just a sand and sea destination, but that the desert also plays a huge part in shaping its beautiful landscape?
One of my biggest fascinations with Egypt is its Arabesque patterns and colours, intricate mosaics and hand engraved gold decorations. When you look at images of Cairo and Egypt you get a distinctive feeling that this is a destination with ancient history, revolving around the river Nile and the desert. Colours are ‘dusty’ – shades of brown, terracotta, sand, green and blue are predominant in both the architecture and nature.
While Sharm el Sheikh is possibly one of the most Westernised locations of Egypt, it still retains a distinctive Egyptian feel. Located on the tip of the Sinai peninsula, Sharm el Sheikh is famous for the snorkelling and diving opportunities in the Red Sea and being surrounded by arid, mountainous desert. With this in mind I’ve spent some time thinking about what a wedding in Sharm el Sheikh could be looking like and how the traditional Egyptian / Arab patterns and colours could influence a Sharm wedding too. To start with, I focused on flowers and outdoor ceremonies and receptions.
There is a certain je ne sais quoi about Sharm el Sheikh. You breathe the whole Egyptian experience when you visit the corners and shops of Old Market, but you realise that what gives Sharm el Sheikh the real Egyptian feel is the landscape – the mountainous desert that sits right behind the big hotels and ends in the sea, an imposing presence that cannot be ignored. It’s dusty, endless and mysterious. In this kind of setting where shades of ‘sand’, cream, and browns are predominant, vibrancy is key. In such a dry environment, bright colours are a must as they can really add a different dimension to your wedding. At the same time, focusing on floral arrangements that pick up and emphasise the characteristics of the environment allows you to give your wedding a strong local flavour – desert flowers and succulents are some of my favourites, particularly when coupled with raw materials such as stone, wood and cord.
Just as the desert is a predominant feature of Sharm, so is the sea. As you give your back to the desert, you are faced with a blue expanse, different shades of blue depending on how deep the water is and whether the sea bed is made up of corals or not. Realising the beauty of this landscape, many hotels, bars and restaurant have been built so that they are either on the beach or they overlook this amazing landscape. If you ask me, there is nothing more amazing that a sunset ceremony by the sea followed by a relaxed candlelit reception…
This moodboard visualises what a wedding ceremony and reception in Sharm el Sheikh could look like. Ceremony set ups don’t have to be complicated. Sometimes all you need is a lit up aisle culminating in a simple altar made of wood and floating fabric. What truly makes the difference is the landscape in the background! Sharm el Sheikh can be a breezy location, so any outdoor ceremony or reception setup using fabrics would be impactful, but the fabric would need to be firmly secured so that it doesn’t become a disruption (i.e. look the landscape picture in this board: you can see how the wind is ‘interacting’ with the sheets of fabrics, but how they have been tied to the wooden structure to ensure they stay put!). Materials and colours are entirely based on the setting. If the sea is your backdrop, don’t be afraid to capitalise on its beautiful colours. Sharm el Sheikh is as raw as it gets, so using raw materials, such as rough wood, metal lanterns, copper coffee tables and handwoven rugs is a must.
So, I hope you’re starting to get a taster of what a Sharm el Sheikh wedding planned by Linen and Silk Weddings might look like! I’m certainly excited and can’t wait to hear from your you, brides and grooms!
Come back this afternoon (1.15pm GMT) for more Sharm el Sheikh wedding inspiration, this time focusing on tablescapes and decor and bridal attire.
xx Betta
Credits
- Inspiration Egypt (top to bottom, left to right): via Planet Earth // via Islamic Arts // Glen Allison // Mohamed Abdel Samad via 500px // Azat Ayupov via flickr // source unknown via Pinterest
- Inspiration Sharm el Sheikh floral design (top to bottom, left to right): Michelle Nowells // Sarah Rhoades via Southern Weddings // Sarah Rhoades via Southern Weddings // LMarie Photography via 100Layer Cake // Hollye Schumacher via My Wedding
- Inspiration Sharm el Sheikh outdoor ceremony and reception (top to bottom, left to right): via Emily A. Clark // via Weddings by Paris // via Glamour // Tamiz Photography via SMP // via Wedding Wire
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