Following what can only be described as considerable pandemic-induced heartache, the last in the trilogy of the 2022 three Indie Wedding Fairs swept into Peddler Warehouse for the biggest and brightest show yet. Saturday, 24th April saw over 45 of the region’s most talented creative suppliers brought together under a bluebird sky to greet record numbers of visitors in the Indie Wedding Fair’s home city of Sheffield.
The carnival tone was set from the off as visitors rounding the corner to 92, Burton Road were met by incredible performance artists Cirque du Bleurgh, with stilt-walkers in full festival garb kicking off proceedings in their inimitable style. Inside, live music continued throughout the day, with slots from four-piece harmony group The Manchester Indie Choir, high-energy tunes from Married to the Music as well as chilled acoustic faves from the lovely Michael Mullholand.
As ever, the event was closely curated by Ellie, who has been grafting in the wedding industry for 7 years now, and whose commitment to matching clientele to their perfect suppliers makes this event stand head and shoulders above the rest. Among the ridiculously talented bunch was photographer Ed Godden. We’ve long been a fan of his cinematic, timeless approach to wedding photography, and we caught up with him to hear about his Indie Wedding Fair experience:
“I loved exhibiting at the Indie Wedding Fair in Sheffield. It was my first time here and I really had great connections with all the couples that came over to take a look at my photos and have a chin-wag with me! The event really brought in loads of people, and more importantly, my kind of clients/people! Laid back, relaxed, nice couples wanting to make their wedding planning experience a breeze! Perfection! Ellie seems to really hit the nail on the head with getting a great vibe to the venue, and everything was so, so on trend. I’d definitely like to exhibit again, and am confident that I’ll get at least a few bookings from the fair.”
Alongside wedding suppliers like photographers, caterers and florists, the Indie Wedding Fair in Sheffield showcased a tonne of off-beat creatives that can make the real difference to a couple’s big day by adding personal touches that you won’t find at run-of-the-mill weddings. Sheffield’s very own Liah Edwardes, figurative artist and owner of Anomaly Life Drawing offered visitors the experience of having a line drawing portrait created as they took a breather from the stands, while the über-cool Milk & Roses provided the finishing touches that make a venue (and your home!) really pop. And who wouldn’t love personalised temporary tattoos from the fabulous Doris Loves for their wedding guests?
Couples looking for inspo for an alternative wedding were treated to stunning floral displays that totally transformed the space. Dried flower specialists Horseshoe Flowers offer a longer-lasting alternative to traditional bouquets and buttonholes, and those with an eye for design were in luck with botanically-themed artistry from Wildwood Paper (who designed the V.I.P bags for the Indie Wedding Fair series and is a forever pal).
The final Indie Wedding Fair for 2022 truly felt like a return to form for the team behind the event. The camaraderie between the suppliers was a joy to see, as people whose lifeblood is the creative industry shared a space that celebrates the very best this city has to offer. The ethos of The Indie Wedding Fair has always been to connect independently-minded couples with the talented creatives who can create something beautiful that reflects and speaks to their identity… and without wanting to toot our own horns, we think we smashed it, and from the emails and DMs we had post-event, you lovely lot seem to concur.
See you next time, kids. Big up to all involved.
Massive shoutout to our official event photographer, Nate for capturing this day in all its glory.