Purple and Pearls

We've Moved - Come join us!

2010-12-29T19:12:00.000Z

Purple and Pearls has a new home, come join us over at www.purpleandpearls.co.uk. Please make sure you update your RSS feeds

If this image doesn't grab you...

2010-06-10T10:00:00.000+01:00

... nothing will.

from Style me Pretty

Wedding Wednesday

2010-06-09T10:30:00.000+01:00

As you read this, I will more than likely be struggling with my tent (hopefully it's sunny or at least dry!), blowing up my air bed, or if I'm really lucky relaxing in my camping chair with a can of something cold-ish and alcoholic!

Today is the first day of the Download Festival. We'll be here until after the weekend, but fear not I have scheduled a few posts to go live in my absence, so on the off chance that someone actually reads this blog - you won't be left disappointed!

On with Wedding Wednesday!

Let me tell you about Caroline's Cake Company. Cakes that will literally take your breathe away. Cakes that are more like works of art, I'd never be able to cut into one as I wouldn't want to spoil it! Don't just take my word for it either, Caroline has been recognised in the press for her amazing cakes including Wedding Ideas Magazine.

Seriously I want the Gruffalo cake!! You can see more of Caroline's cakes on her blog or on her Flickr

One of my habits is mooching through photographers blogs. I adore looking at other people's wedding and the way they have been captured. Matt Davis is based in Cheltenham Gloucestershire and not only are his photos amazing I love reading how he describes the day from his own point of view on his blog. Matt was kind enough to comment on one of my posts ages ago about purple cocktails as he had shot a wedding where the guests were served them as welcome drinks.

He really does have an eye for detail, and not only does Matt share the photos from the weddings he shoots he also gives you an insight to his personal life. I think this is really important - I think it helps to know your photographer after all they're going to be sharing with you one of the most important days of your life.

To see more of Matt's work check out his blog or website.

Glorious Treats Indeed!

2010-06-07T13:28:00.000+01:00

How adorable is this Sweet Strawberry Party from Glorious Treats?!

I love a good buffet table but this is too cute!! Need to see more pictures? Thought you might!

Hello Monday

2010-06-07T11:27:00.000+01:00

Hello Monday Morning, you've come around far too fast and I could have done with a few more hours in bed but since you're here I may as well make the most of you!

Weekend was very good. Sex and the City 2 not so good... I won't rant but all I'll say is that I was very disappointed.

Rage Against the Machine in Finsbury Park were very, very good!

I managed to print out 88 Chrysler Buildings ready to be cut out for our order of services, as well as most of our evening invitations and I've guillotined around half of them.

I'm going to be making the most of my cupcake kit I got from the workshop at Blue Door Bakery tonight and make decorations for some cupcakes I'm taking to the festival on Wednesday.

Also.... BIG news for me. My friend and web developer extraordinaire Steven has been working on a brand new Purple and Pearls which should be going live this week. Exciting times!

That's pretty much all I've been or will be up to, what about you? How was your weekend? Any plans for the week ahead?

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-06-04T12:40:00.000+01:00

Happy Friday! I have a monster of a weekend this week. We're going to the Download Festival next Wednesday so we're busy trying to shop and pack for that - as well as buying new poles for our tent, pretty important eh! We're also going to the free Rage Against the Machine gig in Finsbury Park on Sunday and I'm seeing Sex and the City 2 with Suzie tomorrow. Can.Not.Wait!

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I'm hooked at looking at engagement shoots at the moment after booking our own and I'm in love with this one.
Another delicious engagement shoot with uber cute details.
My ideal destination for our shoot.
A.Mazing circus inspired invitations
The details, the dress, the shoes! I adore the work of Brandon Kidd but this wedding is something extra special!
I'm sure you've all seen this wedding, but seriously - they thought of everything, right down to the "Just Married" sash the bride let loose on her wedding dress!
Alice in Wonderland inspired weddings and hen parties are huge right now, they're everywhere - but I couldn't help but fall in love with these invitations. They reminded me of something I fell in love with on Etsy a while back
This looks like one fun and colourful wedding!
Just to toot my own horn a little and to say thank you, two very lovely ladies have mentioned me on their blogs. The Wedding Genie and Caroline's Cake Company. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Enjoy your weekends in the sunshine!

xxx

Wedding Weight Loss

2010-06-04T09:37:00.000+01:00

Imagine my surprise when I stepped on the scales last night to hear "Well done! That's 3½ lbs off" ...Erm sorry can you repeat that! She wasn't fibbing or playing a cruel joke the scales really did show a loss of 3½ lbs!

That means I've now lost a total of 8½ lbs in 5 weeks.

I set myself a mini target of losing half a stone before I went to the Download Festival next week and I've done it... plus some!

I'm going to find it hard to be good at the festival next week, there isn't a lot of tasty healthy options amongst the burger vans plus the cider will be calling me. I'm fully expecting to gain a few pounds but at least I've lost more than I expected to this week so it won't be too bad!

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!

2010-06-03T17:27:00.000+01:00

On a day like today a seaside wedding with ice creams would be perfect!

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Pre-Wedding Shoot

2010-06-03T10:52:00.000+01:00

We've booked it!! On July 4th we'll be striking poses all over Nailcote Hall!

I contacted Deborah Stott this week to see how she was and to find out when we were due to speak with her next and she offered us a few dates to choose from for our engagement/pre-wedding shoot.

Excited much?!

Obviously now I have less time to think about what I'm going to wear, how I'm going to have my hair and what, if any props am I going to take?!

We started talking about it last night and I said I really want this shoot to be about us. If Has wants to wear a Metallica T-shirt then he should, because that's him! We laughed about how we should take our patch jackets or our American Football shirts for a few fun photos.

I still really want to have a bouquet of tulips and to take a blanket for us to have a few pictures on.

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I also thought it would be really cute for us to bake and decorate a few cupcakes, not only can they feature in our pictures but we can eat them afterwards! Yum! With the blanket it could almost look like a picnic.

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Although the shoot is happening in what is supposed to be the height of summer you really can't trust the British weather, knowing our luck it'll be rainy and drizzly. I thought it might be a good idea to get a large colourful umbrella just in case! Plus it can make for some gorgeous pictures.

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Expect many "What do you think of this dress?" and "How should I have my hair" posts from me over the next few weeks!

My very own patch jacket

2010-06-02T17:08:00.000+01:00

Look at what Has has been working on for the last few months...

My very own patch jacket! Full of my favourite bands and some very rare badges and patches. Has always wears his patch jacket when we go to festivals and he decided to make me my very own - so next week we'll be Mr and Mrs Patch Jacket :D

Thank you baby!! \m/
xxx

Wedding Wednesday

2010-06-02T15:49:00.000+01:00

Wedding Wednesday again - got to love these 4 day weeks!

If the idea of planning a wedding scares the life out of you or if things are starting to pile up and you need an extra hand, then give Julie The Wedding Genie a shout. She offers packages to suit most couples' budgets and requirements ranging from an hour of advice to on the day coordination and more. I'm an avid reader of her blog where she posts advice and inspiration for your wedding day including guests posts from other top rated people within the industry. I'm yet to meet Julie in person but we have spent a lot of time tweeting and emailing each other. She really is a very lovely lady and I honestly believe she will do her utmost to help out any bride in any way she can.

Another lady I am yet to meet, but will hopefully in the near future. The very talented Kerry runs Cupcakes and Peonies in the The Heart of the Country Shopping Village in Lichfield where she sells her wonderful cupcakes in a variety of flavours and colours. You can also read about Cupcakes and Peonies on her blog

The grand reopening is happening next Saturday 12th (unfortunately I'm away else I would have been there like a shot!) So if you're in the area make sure you stop by for a cupcake or two.. or three!

Happy Birthday Sue

2010-06-02T09:58:00.000+01:00

Today is my mother-in-law to be's birthday. Happy Birthday Sue! We are celebrating later with the family by going out for a meal, which I'm really looking forward to.

Sue is so clever and creative, helping us out with several little projects including hand-making over 160 stuffed fabric hearts!

A few Christmas' ago as a gift, Has treated me and Sue to a day out in London. We started at Gordon Ramsey's restaurant, Box Wood Cafe - where we both had a little too much to drink and left a little giggly and tipsy and then went to see the stage production of Dirty Dancing - it was such a fun day!

We've also spent many a day together dressed in Victorian/Medieval costumes at various craft fairs where we sell Sue's famous Worry Bears along with a collection of Sue's other clay work. (I told you she was clever!)

I hope you have a wonderful birthday Sue!
Lots of love xxx

My new toy

2010-06-01T20:57:00.000+01:00

Love it, how have I spent so long without it?!

So as far as apps go I have the basics, Twitter, Facebook, Wordpress, Hipstamatic (which I love!) Angry Birds (hmm addicted much!) and a pollen count forecast (for my sneezy nose - high tomorrow if you're wondering.)

But what other apps do I HAVE to have? What's on your iPhone? Are there are cool wedding apps? Tell me!

5 months

2010-06-01T13:25:00.000+01:00

How was your bank holiday weekend? I had fun spending it with family and friends. We went to our friends wedding party on Saturday night, it was nice to be able to congratulate them properly and see them in their wedding outfits. We didn't get round to looking for our rings, so they'll be on next months list!

I had a bit of a "oh crap it's June, which means we have 5 months left" moment this weekend. I don't have a weekend off now until the middle of August with various events so I'm going to have to call on the help of others to get things finished off.

Over the next few months we have 7 festivals/gigs, 2 weddings, 9 birthdays, a Race for Life and a craft market. Busy!

I haven't crossed off everything from May's to do list. I ordered the bridesmaid's dresses, painted the chalkboard hearts with a second coat, re-joined weight watchers (and lose 5lbs in total so far!).

I also ordered something for the bridesmaids from Yarwood-White for them to wear on the day and I tried out my camouflage make up. The invitations have had a little more work done to them and are very close to being finished!

I do have quite a bit on in June, including the Download Festival next weekend, which I am super excited about, but I do have to get a wriggle on now, I was hoping to have all the DIY projects finished by September so I didn't have any last minutes battles with glue dots and ribbon.

Therefore in June I am hoping to...

Finish day invites (Suzie and Hayley are coming to mine on the 16th armed with tweezers for attaching teeny pearls to the invites
Print out and back evening invitations.
Print out the Chrysler Building shapes on to card for the covers of the Order of Services.
Think about the menus and table plans
Go over guest lists for day and evening.
Look for bridesmaids shoes.
Speak with Deborah Stott about our pre-wedding shoot
Purchase rings

This month I really want to focus on the invitations. I don't want to be worrying about them next month when the deadline is getting tighter.

One minute I think it's still quite a way off, but then judging by how the months are flying by at the moment the day will be here in a heart beat! Exciting and petrifying all at the same time!

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-05-28T17:23:00.000+01:00

Another bank holiday weekend! Has and I are going shopping for our rings tomorrow, we're going to the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham to find ourselves a deal... hopefully!

Our friends were married in New York earlier this month, as most of their family and friends couldn't attend they are having a party tomorrow night to celebrate. I hope they have pictures to show us! They got married in the Empire State Building, I bet it was amazing!

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Also, today I ordered myself...... an iPhone!! Yay!! It will be arriving tomorrow morning and I.can't.wait

Things I've been loving this week

Hipstamatic for the iPhone will probably be the first app I buy!
Young Love, I "awwww'd" a little louder with each and every photo
Not sure what it is about this engagement shoot that I love so much, maybe it's because the bride is so beautiful, or the cute floating away photo or even the remake of the Beatles cover, which ever it was I love, love, loved it
A engagement shoot too pretty for words
This vintage beach shoot is so different, not sure I would ever be brave enough to pose in my swim suit though!
I couldn't stop smiling when I saw this wedding, it looked like a day full of love, laughter and geeks! Read about it here and here
Love the location, love the dress, love the flowers, LOVE the shoes!
Check out the dress! Gorgeous... and those photos on the Brooklyn Bridge.. perfection!
Fabulous dresses were huge this week! This mountain side wedding is unbelievable!
Wedding in a tree house anyone?
Doily envelopes... what a fab idea!
Don't fancy a flower bouquet? How about one made from pretty door knobs?
These maybe a little advanced for my sugar crafting skills but, wow, just wow!
Fun ideas for photo booths with a difference
Create your own DIY vintage book ring holder... easy peasy!
Goodbye LOST, I'll miss you

Have a wonderful weekend xxx

Cupcake Decorating Workshop

2010-05-28T11:41:00.001+01:00

Last night me and Suzie joined Sarah in her Blue Door Bakery for a lesson in swirls, sugar shapes and sprinkles. It was pure cupcake heaven!

As well as me and Suzie, 5 other ladies joined us including Louise who writes a food blog Comida yVida. We all sat round a table full of cutters, gel colourings, spatulas, rollers and sprinkles in every shape, size and colour you could imagine.

We learnt about sugar paste and we able to use different gel colours to create beautiful shapes from the dozens of cutters she had. (Sarah had made a purple sprinkles section for me to sit next to!) These were mine and Suzie's creations.

Can you guess which ones were mine!!?

Sarah taught us how to make the best tasting fondant and butter cream icing and then how to create perfect peaks and rose swirls.

We each had 12 cupcakes to decorate with our icing, sugar shapes and sprinkles. It was so much fun! We even had the chance to fill our cupcakes with a chocolate ganache Sarah had made earlier, yum!

Look how proud we are!

A closer look at our cupcakes, mine...

Suzie's...

You'll see Suzie perfected the rose swirl, a lot better than my attempts! We had such a fun time and I would definitely recommend a workshop to anyone who loves cupcakes and baking.

Suzie and I also left with a cupcake decorating kit, which includes loads of goodies needed to recreate these decorations at home. You can buy these online or when you attend one of these workshops.

Thank you Sarah for being a wonderful host and teacher... I want to do it all again!!

Guess where I'll be tonight?!

2010-05-27T14:50:00.000+01:00

Here!

Hopefully making gorgeous looking cupcakes at the Blue Door Bakery Decorating Workshop I can't tell you how excited I am!

I shall post the outcome tomorrow....!

Wedding Weight Loss

2010-05-27T10:38:00.000+01:00

I've been sticking to the diet religiously, even when we went out to Stratford I included a 99 ice cream into my points. I'm very much in the zone and although I have a few wobbles where I would kill for a doughnut or pizza I'm focused on my end goal.

Last week I put on 1/2 pound. It really upset me, the only thing I can think of that may have caused the gain was because I ate a meal of chicken and spaghetti before being weighed. (Never again!)

Today is my usual weigh in day, but as I'm going to the Blue Door Bakery cupcake decorating workshop I went last night instead. I'm happy to report that I lost 2 1/2 pounds. Yay!

Wedding Wednesday

2010-05-26T15:48:00.002+01:00

Another round of suppliers, resources, blogs and websites that I have found invaluable throughout my wedding planning journey

I used to walk into newsagents and shops and casually browse at lifestyle magazines, flick through Cosmopolitan or Ideal Home, whilst eyeing up the glossy covers of the wedding section. It was silly to be picking those up whilst I didn't have a ring on my finger. So at the earliest opportunity after Has got down on one knees, I picked up a copy of the first wedding related magazine I could lay my hands on.

I used to spend an absolute fortune on wedding magazines and have quite the collection at home. My overall favourite has to be Wedding Ideas Magazine. It comes in handbag size and is packed with real weddings, ideas, advice, beautiful themes, accessories and dresses. It soon became the only magazine I would buy every month. I joined the forums and spent ages reading about how other brides were planning their day. What I like about this magazine is not only is it a great price (£2.99) but it isn't filled with things that are out of reach. It is aimed at the average bride who doesn't have a never-ending budget like some bridal magazines. You'll still find it packed full of lovelies but for everything that is on the higher end of the budget scale there will be a bargainous alternative

Whilst their website maybe a bit clunky you really can't complain about the price. I have ordered all our pocket folds and extra paper from PDA Card and Craft and I can't find a single bad thing to say about them. Their prices make it cheaper for brides to DIY their own invitations and the quality of the card is great for the price. You might see a slight difference if you held it up next to a more expensive option but your guests will never know. I searched high and low for pocket fold cards so I could make our invitations myself, I found using PDA Card and Craft I would save at least half of what I was expecting to pay.

Our Invitations

After seeing a handful of photographers we didn't click with I was beginning to get a little frustrated. I spent hours online trying to find a photographer who would deliver exactly what we wanted. I found Deborah Stott and loved what I saw and asked her for a sample of her work. She sent us a brochure with prices and a DVD with photos from a wedding she had not long done. We met the lovely Deborah for a chat and she was so interested in our wedding. She wanted to know every little detail and it didn't seem at all false. I loved that she took so much interest and shortly after we confirmed her for our wedding day. Deborah is based in Trentham, Stoke on Trent but is available to travel throughout the UK.

Deborah Stott

Know of an amazing blog or website that has offered you with invaluable advice or inspiration throughout your planning? Or are you a supplier who believe your service is tip top? If you want to be featured on Wedding Wednesday please send me an email.

As I was saying...

2010-05-25T22:15:00.001+01:00

Following on from my earlier post today, this article popped up in my Google Reader and I knew I had to share.

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Enjoy

Being ill for your wedding day

2010-05-25T16:28:00.001+01:00

Without going in to too much detail I haven't really been feeling myself lately. I have a reoccurring problem which is really getting me down. It's nothing serious, but the doctors can't tell me what it is. I have sore blisters on my toe which stop me from wearing shoes and walking properly. Ouch :(

I had it last year and after several rounds of antibiotics and antiviral tablets, combined with a cocktail of creams it finally went away after it plagued me for about 3 months.

Obviously with our wedding only 5 months away I'm worried about this cropping up again. I'm being referred to a dermatologist so hopefully they can shed some light on what it is!

It got me thinking. What if I do get it again for the wedding or come down with another sickness? What can we do to prevent or minimise our chances of being ill? I wrote this post a little while ago about how to boost your immune system with different foods but I have since found a few bits of advice on how to stay in tip-top condition for your wedding day.

Pre-Wedding day wonders

Don't skip meals - It's important to keep your body nourished, if you want to lose a few extra pounds before your wedding day do so sensibly, your body needs food to maintain it's energy and skipping on meals will leave you feeling lethargic . Try eating a diet rich in lean protein such as fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, beans, peas and lentils. They will help you feel fuller for longer, so you can slim down in a healthier way.
Catch plenty of Zzz's - However tempting it is to stay up and just finish off the last few favours or table plan, remember research shows that sleep helps boost your immune system, plus you'll feel extra refreshed after a good nights sleep to face the day.

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Scrub-a-dub-dub! - Many infections spread from person to person, germs are picked up easily through keyboards, hand rails and door handles to name but a few. (Eeeww!) It's a good idea to carry around antibacterial gel and getting into the habit of wash your hand regularly for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap.
Take your vitamins - Even if you do have a healthy diet you can give your body extra help by adding vitamins to your daily routine. Vitamins A and C have been proven to prevent colds whilst research suggests people who took a garlic supplement were less likely to have a cold.
Relax! - Stress can make you ill. Planning a wedding can be very stressful so you need to allow yourself time to relax and do something unrelated. It is said exercise is very good at beating stress, failing that treat yourself to a massage or an hour in the bath with a good book.

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Uh-Oh! On the day offenders.

So, what if the worst happens and you wake up on the morning of your wedding feeling more like a monster than the blushing bride? There are a few tips you can follow to help you feel and look better.

Red or puffy eyes - Your beautician should be able to hide any dark circles with a good concealer but you can reduce swelling with a cold wash cloth or if you can get hold of it, cucumber works wonders. Sit with your eyes closed for around 10 minutes and it should help reduce any puffiness by constricting the blood vessels
Diarrhoea - It could be the nerves! However keeping a supply of Imodium in your survival kit isn't such a bad idea. Remember to keep yourself hydrated otherwise you could end up feeling worse.
Bloating - Again it could just be those nerves kicking in but Peppermint tea or oil is a quick fix for bloating and abdominal pains.
Upset Stomachs - Keep a handy bottle of Pepto Bismol in your survival kit. I've also found that a glass of flat fizzy pop can help settle a tummy. Place a metal spoon in the glass to remove some of the bubbles.
Sore Throat - Sip a hot drink like honey and lemon or ginger tea. Any hot thin drink is good for helping sooth a sore throat. You may also want to keep a pack of throat soothers in your survival kit.
Colds, coughs and sneezes - Unfortunately there isn't a quick fix. Take paracetamol or a decongestant to help with any pain. I have always found the Sudafed Nasal Spray to be pretty effective for blocked noses. Remember to dab moisturiser around your nose to stop it becoming red and dry.
Spots - Today of all days you wake up with what looks like the start of a new nose. Don't panic and whatever you do... do NOT squeeze, you'll only make it worse. Any good beautician will be able to cover it but you can help reduce the swelling by applying a cold wash cloth over the offending pimple. Toothpaste, tea tree oil and cucumber are also good at helping to reduce the red and swollen spot.

The chances are you'll wake up feeling as fresh as a daisy on your wedding day, but if you don't, as hard as it may be... relax. If you panic and start to get yourself upset you'll only make yourself feel worse. Enjoy the day, trust me as long as I can walk I'm getting myself down that aisle!

Stratford Upon Avon

2010-05-24T12:22:00.001+01:00

It's been such a lovely weekend and we really have made the most of it!

It was 24°c and glorious

Yesterday we went to visit with my parents my god parents who live in Stratford. I'm really close to my god parents, Trevor is doing a reading at our wedding and their daughter Harriet (my parents god daughter) has kindly offered to do my make up.

They live a 5 minute walk from the town centre so after sitting in the garden for a while we walked in for a late lunch/early dinner. But as the weather was so nice we decided to have an ice cream first!

Daddy with the ice creams!

Busy, busy, busy!

We sat around by the river for a while watching the boats and the insane teenagers swimming in it! It was really very busy, we had thought about hiring a boat but the queue was so long and the sun was so hot we moved on to a lovely pub/

restaurant and sat outside in the shade.

Has, Daw, Harriet, Mom, Trevor and Dad strolling to the pub

Unfortunately due to a blockage (!?!) in the kitchen, we were unable to order any food so moved on in the centre of the town. Stratford is such a gorgeous place despite living only an hour away I haven't visited in years.

Pretty!

The town is so pretty, with loads of cute and quirky shops, I love the old style buildings and of course no trip to Stratford would be complete without a picture of this place...

Shakespeare's Birthplace

Shakespeare's Birthplace!

I've had such a lovely weekend, even if I did over indulge a little. It's been nice to enjoy the warm weather especially since it's suppose to be miserable again by the end of the week!

We have bridesmaid's dresses!!

2010-05-24T10:07:00.001+01:00

Saturday was such a lovely day. I had planned for Suzie and Hayley to come round in the morning and we had lunch in the garden. We weather has been beautiful, so it was really nice to sit outside and enjoy our weight watcher friendly lunch of low fat pizza, quiche and salad followed by strawberries, jelly, meringue and cream all washed down with squash and a pot of tea.

We then picked up Natalie and Sophie and went to Wedding Belles to order the dresses! Yay!

Hayley hadn't seen the dress in the flesh so I was really excited to see her in it. She looked beautiful of course!

We've ordered them in Amethyst for the two older bridesmaids Suzie and Hayley and the younger girls Natalie and Sophie are wearing them in Plum. It's very difficult choosing the colours from tiny swatches but we managed to find similar colours from other dresses the store had to make our decision.

The ladies in the store have been absolutely wonderful. The first time we went they both dedicated all their time to us and made suggestions when we needed them but stood back to let us make our own decisions and didn't give us the hard sell which I have found some shop assistants to do. They are ordering me some swatches to keep of the colours we have picked which will be a huge help when it comes to matching shoes, plus it's nice to have something to keep until the dresses arrive.

Another big tick off the list!

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-05-22T17:41:00.000+01:00

Sorry this is little late, I was feeling under the weather yesterday so spent most of the day curled up on the chair in the lounge.

The weather this weekend is extremely hot 24 degrees today - we haven't seen the sun in a very long time! It finally feels like summer is here.

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A really great engagement shoot, on a rickety old boat
An adorable Love Shoot complete with paper hearts
Love these shots of the bride and groom finding shelter from the rain under a colour umbrella
Post wedding bridal shoots - so gorgeous
Stunning scenery for a wedding
I'm completely in love with the style of this wedding - Rock n' Roll!
This wedding looks like it was super emotional - tears!
A grand and luxurious wedding - the details are amazing, I love the chandelier!
Too-cute-for-words cake toppers
Cupcakes with pearls!!

Have a nice weekend, enjoy the weather xxx

Table Plans

2010-05-20T17:23:00.000+01:00

I haven't really thought very much about our table plan, we know what we want to call our tables and are almost sure of where everyone will sit, but I haven't really had any ideas about how to display this to our guests.

I've noticed a few cool ideas whilst mooching through the many blogs I read, these are some of my favourites...

Labels, Window, Crystals, Yellow Taxis, Chalkboard, Pegged, Triangles, Buttons, Green

Wedding Wednesday

2010-05-19T14:19:00.002+01:00

On Twitter we have what is known as Wedding Wednesday. People will recommend suppliers, blogs, and inspirational websites to their followers. It's a great way for brides like me to discover new resources and like-minded people.

Therefore with the intent of helping out other brides I have decided to share on this blog websites and people who have helped or inspired me thus far on my wedding journey.

I'm sure if you've been engaged for a while or know the wedding industry you will have heard of Snippet and Ink. I found Kathryn and her inspirational mood boards months before Has asked me to marry him. It was this site that helped me choose purple for our wedding colours. I spent hours working my way back through the archives and saw so many elements that I loved and thought I would love to include into my own wedding "one day"

Well that day has now been made official and I still visit Snippet and Ink for daily inspiration. A must on any brides' blogs to read list.

You've probably heard me mention Blue Door Bakery a number of times before on this blog, but that's only because I think they're wonderful! I'd always fancied having a cupcake wedding tower but after seeing one at a local wedding fayre I knew we had to have one! After some rather off customer service from the first supplier I came across Blue Door Bakery and emailed Sarah for more information. She told me they were exhibiting at a wedding fayre and I made plans to visit. When I arrived Sarah handed me a little box of cupcakes for me to go home and try! We've since decided to use Blue Door Bakery for our wedding and more recently for my Nan's 70th Birthday cake.

The cupcakes are no only delicious but they look amazing as well. Sarah and I often chat over email and Twitter and I will also be joining her for a cupcake decorating workshop, which I am super excited about!
If you want the tastiest, most beautiful cupcakes at your wedding or in fact any other occasion, with a wonderfully sweet supplier to boot - give Sarah a call.

I found Yarwood-White when I was looking for a brooch to adorn my bouquet. I feel head-over-heels in love with the Modern Heirloom brooch. I now own the earrings to match (A wonderful Christmas gift from my brother) The pictures do not do this jewellery any justice. They can't display just how dainty and perfect each piece is or how much it sparkles. True bridal jewellery in my opinion.
I intend to add the necklace and bracelet to my collection in the near future and I may have also bought a few gifts from there too...

Know of an amazing blog or website that has offered you with invaluable advice or inspiration throughout your planning? Or are you a supplier who believe your service is tip top? If you want to be featured on Wedding Wednesday please send me an email.

Bridesmaid Gift

2010-05-18T19:31:00.000+01:00

Sophie is probably the only bridesmaid who doesn't read this blog, as she's only 8 I'll let her off but it does mean, that I can post about her gifts without spoiling the surprise!

I've already got her a book; When I was a Bridesmaid and a necklace for her to wear on the wedding day. I wanted to also buy her a bracelet and today I found the perfect one.

It's from Accessorize, made from dainty pearls and a sterling silver heart charm. I hope she likes it!

Happy Birthday Natalie

2010-05-17T12:47:00.000+01:00

My gorgeous cousin and bridesmaid Natalie turns 14 today.

At the risk of sounding old, I remember very clearly the day she was born. I was in senior school, and knew my Aunt was in labour. Every chance I got, between classes and lunch breaks, I used the pay phone to ring my Nan for any news. I was so unbelievably excited about getting a new cousin. Every morning on my way in to school I passed a baby shop and in the window they had a gorgeous pink dress on display. I told my Mom that if my Aunt had a girl I would buy it for her to wear.

After lunch on the 17th May as we returned back to our classroom for afternoon registration my tutor Mr Davis read out a note for me. "Please let Laura know her Aunt has given birth to a baby girl" I was over the moon!

It turns out Natalie was a rather large baby at 9lbs 13oz so there was no way she was fitting in to that dainty pink dress!

Natalie has been a star bridesmaid, she has been with me to every bridesmaid dress shopping outing I have asked her to, and willingly tried on dress after dress. Even when I forgot to tell her what time to be ready for giving her 10 minutes to race out of bed!

One of my favourite memories of Natalie was when she was a lot younger, she used to threaten me when I was reluctant to play with her... "Play with me or I won't be your cousin!" It still makes us smile now and after hearing the story our younger cousin Sophie, uses it jokingly against us.

She's one of my best friends and I love her completely.
Happy Birthday Natalie xxx

At my 21st Birthday Party

Last Christmas

Sophie, Natalie and me during a photo shoot we did for my Nan

Chalkboard Heart Placecards Part 5

2010-05-17T10:29:00.000+01:00

Our chalk board place cards needed a second coat of paint. I found when I sprayed them on a surface the underside would also get paint on them and look bumpy. So the only way to apply the second coat was to let them hang dry.

Cue me and Mom tying fiddly cotton through 90 holes in 90 hearts. Then hanging them from 2 make shift lines between chairs in the garden. 2 aching backs and 4 sore knees later we had our place card washing line.

I spray painted each heart, whilst Mom stood behind with a massive piece of card so we didn't turn the garden black then left them to dry.

Next step is threading through the string or ribbon (which ever I decide) and waiting for people to RSVP so I can write their names on!

The making of my chalkboard placecards
The experiment, Part 1 - Drilling and mass spraying, Part 2 - Mass spraying the backs, Part 3 - Chalkboard paint, Part 4 - Mock up

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-05-14T14:44:00.000+01:00

Is it me or are the weeks flying by? I can't believe it's Friday again although I'm not complaining!

Tonight I'm meeting with my friend Steven. I've got big plans for Purple and Pearls and he's going to help me!

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It's also my beautiful cousin and bridesmaid Natalie's birthday on Monday, so I'm going round to see her this weekend to sing happy birthday and watch her blow out her candles.

I will hopefully be able to get on with a few wedding projects this weekend too - fingers crossed!

Things that have floated my boat this week

~ The funkiest engagement shoot I've seen in a while!

~ Have you seen Disney's Up? This cute couple obviously have!

~ NYC engagement shoot... picture by the bridge - oh my god!

~ Super elegant wedding - the bride's dress is unbelievably gorgeous

~ So much attention to the little details.. amazing

~ Loving this cute and colourful outdoors wedding - plus the bride accessories with a blue cardigan!

~ Ruffles, look at the gorgeous ruffles! Part one and two.

~ This wedding gave me goose pimples! The special moment between mother and daughter, the look on everyone's faces and just look at the groom! I love this wedding.

~ A post on pearls!

~ I need to make these... and I'd have to try them, just to make sure they were ok!

Have a fab, fab weekend! xxx

Win a Cupcake Decorating Workshop!

2010-05-14T11:02:00.000+01:00

Blue Door Bakery are offering a free Cupcake Decorating Workshop voucher to one very lucky winner. Visit the Blue Door Bakery Facebook page to enter!

Competition closes at midday on the 18th May 2010

I'm booked in to one of these amazing workshops at the end of May and I seriously can.not.wait!

Wedding Weight Loss

2010-05-14T10:46:00.000+01:00

I'm not going to lie the first week back on the wagon has been tough. I was faced with eating out on Monday night, so I chose the healthiest option I could. Then I was tempted by my favourite ever meal on Tuesday (Spaghetti Bolognese) but I stayed strong and resisted.

I've also felt really hungry... every time I've felt like throwing in the towel and reaching for a Krispy Kreme I've looked at a picture of my dress. The best incentive I have. There is no way I am going to look back at my wedding photos in years to come and wish that I had lost more weight. Nu uh!

So, last night was my first weigh in. Bye bye 3lbs! Yay! Even though I still have a way to go, it feels good to know I'm on the right track.

Head Treats

2010-05-13T15:59:00.000+01:00

I treated myself today with cute hair accessories from ASOS. I bought mine to pretty up my head for the festivals I'll be going to in a few weeks, but they could also be used by brides or bridesmaids on a budget.

Sequin Butterfly Headband £5. Beaded Leaf Headband £6

Picture Guest Book

2010-05-12T12:21:00.000+01:00

Most of the weddings I have attended have had some sort of guest book available for friends and family to leave their words of congratulations and advice. It's a lovely keepsake from the day and we will definitely have one.

I would love to have a book, or individual cards for people to leave us their messages but what I would also love is for the guests to leave their pictures too!

I came across the Fujifilm Instax Camera a little while ago. This super cute mini camera is the Poloroid replacement. It produces credit card sized photos instantly.

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How much fun would it be for guests to be able to have their picture taken and then stick it in a book or on a card next to their message!?

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A friend of mine did something similar at her wedding. A few friends were enrolled to take pictures of the guests holding a massive frame. The pictures were then printed on a printer that plugged straight into the camera and stuck in a book ready for guests to write in. This was our photo.

I can imagine we'd get quite a few funny photos and messages, it's meant to be informal and silly. It's a great way to remember the day along with the messages.

I also think the camera would be really fun to take on honeymoon with us. Obviously the picture quality isn't perfect but I think that is part of it's charm. This little dude is well and truly on my birthday list!

Pearl and Willow

2010-05-11T12:27:00.000+01:00

One of the things I love most about Twitter is all the new friends you make. Due to the powers of Twitter I found Pearl and Willow and the very lovely Beth. A gorgeous collection of hair accessories, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and brooches by fabulous designers such as Chez Bec, Filippa Scott, Polly Edwards and Jo Barnes.

I've been searching for something to wear in my hair for a while, and Pearl and Willow's selection didn't let me down. Problem is I have too many favourites!

Left: Jo Barnes Norma Headress. Right: Filippa Scott Double Brooch Headband

Left: Polly Edwards Mitzi headdress Right: Polly Edwards Daisy Hair Vine

Left: Filippa Scott Spriggy Brooch Headband Right: Jo Barnes Essie Headdress

All gorgeous, how can I possibly make up my mind?!

Camouflage Make Up

2010-05-10T12:00:00.000+01:00

When I was very young I had an accident which left me with scarring on both arms, hands, chest and neck. I've never been ashamed of my scars and have never tried to hide them. Growing up my Mom would always dress me in short sleeved tops and taught me to be confident.

I've never known any different and my scars are part of me. They have faded dramatically over the years and are now very faint.

Having said that trying on dresses and planning a wedding does something to you. Since being engaged I've thought about losing weight, having laser eye surgery and getting a brace fixed. It's like every flaw I've noticed about myself is magnified by 100%. When I was trying on dresses I couldn't help but notice my scars. When I shared my concerns with my family and friends, it was suggested I give camouflage make up a go. I've mentioned this before, but my friend Harriet is going to be doing my make up for the day. She kindly offered to research the different types and brands of cover up make up and ordered me a few tester samples to have a play with.

Last night me and my Mom had a go at covering the top of arm. It's an area which is quite bumpy as it's where I had my skin graph. The make up could ever make the skin look smooth but it does help cover up the skin tone.

Making sure the skin is free of oils you apply the make up using a clean sponge. It goes on like normal foundation, you have to make sure it's blended in well. It's better to apply a few thin layers to get an even coverage. Once you are happy you apply the fixing powder liberally to set the make up.

This was the finished result.

You can still see the scars but the skin tone is more even. I did like the after look, however I'm still not sold on the idea of covering up for a few reasons.

I'm not convinced the make up won't rub off during the day on to my dress. I think I'd have to go a whole day wearing the make up to ensure it stays put. I really don't want to risk having make up marks on my dress!

Also I don't want it to look obvious, I don't want people to know I've used the cover up make up and assume I'm embarrassed or ashamed of my scars because I'm not.

I also don't know whether I can be bothered! I'm sure it'll probably take a while to apply the make up across my arms and chest on the day... will we even have time?

On the other hand, it really did give me what I wanted. It made my scars even less noticeable. I think I'm going to buy the make up and ask Harriet to apply it like she would on my wedding day so I can get a better idea of how it will look and whether it will rub off on my clothes.

Invitation Pocket folds Part 4

2010-05-10T09:59:00.000+01:00

How was your weekend?

We had a very lazy weekend, which was very much needed! Yesterday afternoon me and my Mom spent an hour or so trimming the day invitations and sticking them to the inside of the pocket folds.

The next step is to cut out the hotel information, directions and RSVP's that slot in to the pocket fold, glue tiny flat backed pearls in to the swirl design, and then create the band that goes around the outside.

It's nice to see them all taking shape and looking a little more like the finished article!

If you're interested you can also read about part 1, part 2 and part 3 of operation pocket fold invitation.

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-05-07T12:22:00.000+01:00

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I am totally loving all these four day weeks!

This weekend will be quiet, no birthday parties, no intense football derbies, no dress shopping. Just relaxing. Nice! We have no plans other than getting Has' hair cut (rock and roll!) I may attempt to motivate myself enough to have a few sessions on the Wii Fit to aid my new diet.

So what's been happening in the Blog World this week?

~ Treats like these really don't help me and my willpower!

~ People like to tempt me, not only the cupcakes look gorgeous but I'm completely head over heels for the style of this space.

~ Paris to New York - Two of the most gorgeous engagement shoots ever!

~ This wedding is beyond cool

~ With summer around the corner it's hard to imagine a snowy wedding, but I absolutely adore the photos from this winter celebration

~ I'm in love with all the details, so pretty! From the lantern lights above the tables, to the going away dress! Stunning

~ What's an engagement and wedding without the honeymoon? From the very first photo I knew I was going to love to whole shoot.

~ Wise words

~ A Thank You note a day - cute!

~ Let the sun shine... indeed!

Happy Weekend - Hope it's a good one! x

Wedding Weight Loss... again

2010-05-07T09:48:00.000+01:00

With 6 months to go I thought it was probably about time that I ignored the calls of cakes, sweets, crisps and other nice things and join my local Weight Watchers group.

I lost 2 stone following the Weight Watchers diet 5 years ago and managed to keep it off until it slowly crept back on. I joined Slimming World in summer last year. The diet was easy to follow but I found it easy to cheat therefore the weight didn't come off quickly. By the November I had lost a stone, then I lost interest. I didn't go back again. In late January I started a Body Combat class which I really enjoyed but other things got in the way and that ended pretty quickly.

So here I am again, having put the weight I lost following Slimming World back on, attempting to lose it and more in time for November.

Wish me luck!

How much is the wedding costing you?

2010-05-06T16:03:00.000+01:00

Is it me or is it rude to ask some one that?

From the very first thing we booked, people have asked "So how much is that costing you?" The first time this happened I was a little taken aback but told them a figure. "Oh! When my friend got married she paid a lot less than that!"

How am I meant to take that? Are you implying I am being over extravagant with my wedding plans? That I have been conned into spending too much? Or I should I not want the best for my wedding day? The comment upset and angered me a little because it's not really anyone's business how much our wedding is costing us.

I've learnt since that first encounter to never discuss figures with people.

I'm not even sure why they ask? I would never dream of asking someone how much their wedding day or particular elements have set them back, it's nosey!
I can appreciate the question coming from someone who is genuinely interested because they are in a similar situation. I wouldn't mind sharing information with a friend - in fact Suzie and I used to regularly share how much we've spent on things, as a way to ensure we were getting the best deals. But to ask out of pure noseyness is just rude in my opinion.

I was asked again very recently how much something was going to cost. I declined to answer, but I was polite. I said I wasn't sure because I hadn't worked it, but it was pushed and I was asked again. I'm really bad in these sorts of situations because I don't like to be rude and I could never say "Mind your own business nosey parker!" no matter how much I was screaming it inside my head!

I guess it's just another one of those things you have to take in your stride as you plan a wedding, along with "When I/my friend/sister/daughter/etc got married....(fill in the blank)", "I would have done it this way" and "Oh are you not inviting my sisters, son's, daughter's boyfriend?"

And so not to end this post on a rant, here is a cute picture of a kitten, because you know what they say about curiosity... ;)

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P.S I would never hurt the kitty!

6 months

2010-05-05T11:45:00.000+01:00

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A big squeeze for Has who hasn't been feeling himself lately... I hope you feel more like your huna self soon xxx

Where has the time gone!!?

It's May! How did that happen? I can remember sitting down over a year ago and thinking about the things I'd have to do at the 6 month mark. It's scary to think how fast the months are disappearing.

We have managed to tick off quite a few things from our list in April.
We've found the Bridesmaid's dresses (and will be ordering them by the end of May). We've booked two of our honeymoon hotels (New York and San Antonio). Suzie and Hayley joined me for an evening of invitation making. We're by no means finished but we're getting there! I've also done a mock up of the evening invitation and we've sent out an email to all of my friends asking them to join us in London for my Hen Party

Busy busy!

I had planned to do a lot more, but some of the projects required nicer weather so I could paint outside. As soon as the weather perks up I'll be out there painting and spraying!

So jobs for this month will include

Order and pay for the bridesmaid's dresses
Finish the day invitations.
Print the evening invitations
Print the Chrysler Building covers for the order of service and making a start on cutting them out.
As soon as the sun shines, apply another coat of chalkboard paint to the heart place cards.
Start the ring hunt! Now the football season has ended I'll be dragging Has around the shops in search for our bling.
Chase responses for the hen party and start to work on a more detailed cost per person.
I'm going to rejoin Weight Watchers tomorrow.... give me strength and will power please!!
Finalise wedding day guest list and make sure we have addresses for everyone.
Start looking for accessories for me and the bridesmaids.

Our friends were married yesterday in the Empire State Building in New York. We couldn't fly out to be with them on their special day but they are having a party here when they return from their honeymoon at the end of May.

Two of our other friends have recently become engaged, unfortunately their engagement party falls in the same date. Hopefully we'll be able to go and see them soon to offer our congratulations and celebrate properly!

It's really strange because November still feels very far away, there's still so much in between now and then. But when I say it's 6 months away... woah does that sound close!!

Yippee!!!

2010-05-04T12:26:00.001+01:00

We're 99.99% sure we've found the bridesmaids dresses.

We went to a shop called Wedding Belles on Saturday and totally exhausted their range of Dessy and Ebony Rose dresses. As me and Hayley are similar in size I tried on a few dresses as she couldn't be there.

For me it came down to two dresses. One was by Dessy* and the other was Emma by Ebony Rose.

Emma just seemed to fit all of our criteria. I love how different and flattering the neck line is, the diamanté brooch is a stunning extra that just makes the dress. It's a corset back which will accentuate the girls' waists and the side ruching will hide any areas they're not confident about.

We've made an appointment to go back to the shop so Hayley can try it on and give us her opinion. I've also been emailing other local stockist to find out their best price. I'm going to see whether I can get a small discount on the dresses should I pay in full by the end of May.

So excited! I felt like crying on our way home from the shop - it's such a huge weight lifted from my mind!

* The Dessy dress was stunning, ultimately it came down the the style which was going to suit all of the girls. Emma also comes in a junior size which we are having for Sophie.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2010-05-03T12:52:00.000+01:00

Saturday was my Dad's birthday. I made cupcakes for the party.

Unfortunately by the time the party came round someone had eaten the "A" from "Dad"

Seeing as it was the birthday boy himself who had the sneaky treat I'll let him off!

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-04-30T12:13:00.000+01:00

Yippee another lovely long weekend!

How will you be spending your May Day bank holiday?

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It's my Dad's birthday tomorrow so we're celebrating with a barbecue on Sunday with all the family. Tomorrow morning I'm meeting up with an old school friend for a catch up. She got married last September and for one reason or another I haven't really seen her since! I'm sure the topic of conversation will be weddings, as it always is when we get together.

Then I'm dragging Suzie and Natalie to yet another bridesmaid shop to try on more dresses. After my initial stress over bridesmaids dresses I'm actually really looking forward to it. Wedding Belles stocks most of the Dessy dresses I like so hopefully we'll all come away feeling a little more positive.

As long as the idea of lazing around and watching films doesn't tempt us too much I'm hoping to do a big spring clean on Monday. We have far too much stuff for our little room and really need to sort a few things out.

~ Engagement photos in San Francisco, can you imagine having this sort of back drop!

~ London meets Brooklyn wedding

~ Cherry Blossom engagement shoot

~ A really cute gift for bridesmaids

~ Absolutely stunning wedding, complete with streamers!

~ I need a closet like this please

~ Mexico in Polaroids - Photos taken on a Fuji film Instax Mini Camera could be a cool idea for a personalised guest book!?

~ Really sweet illustrations from Jana Magalhães

~ Cupcakes and bicycles a really dreamy engagement shoot

~ Buttercup yellow buffet table

Have a fab weekend x

We're on a roll! San Antonio: Done!

2010-04-29T12:26:00.000+01:00

Yes, we booked another hotel last night - this time in San Antonio, Texas. Our second stop on our Honeymoon.

We have booked the Drury Plaza Hotel Riverwalk and managed to bag a 2 room jacuzzi and terrace suite with a king size bed! Nice!

The hotel used to be the Alamo Bank and when it was renovated they kept a lot of the building's old characteristics. The lobby looks amazing!

The location is pretty awesome. It sits right on the Riverwalk so we'll be really close to loads of different restaurants and shops. We also close to the Alamo, I can't work out whether we'll be able to walk it but a taxi certainly won't cost that much.

There is a pool on the roof and they serve complimentary food and drink every evening. In fact I had to giggle when I received the confirmation email.

"Join us for free hot food and cold beverages at the 5:30 Kickback. Sunday through Thursday, enjoy a rotating menu of chicken strips, egg rolls, hot dogs, charbroiled meatballs and more. Start a great Friday or Saturday night with hot dogs and chili. And every night, you will find baked potatoes, salad, beer, wine and mixed drinks available."

It sounds so Texan!

I'm so excited about visiting San Antonio I don't think either of us have to anywhere like it before. I'm looking forward to strolling around the Riverwalk, trying the local food and picking up little souvenirs from the shops. Hopefully the weather will still be nice enough for us to sit outside sipping our drinks as we watch the world go by. Sounds like heaven!

New York: Done

2010-04-28T14:26:00.000+01:00

We booked our first hotel for the honeymoon last night! Yay!

We felt a degree of urgency around booking our hotel in New York as we'll be staying over Thanks Giving. We're aware it's a busy time and really didn't fancy the struggle of finding a decent hotel because we'd left it too late.

So we picked the Wyndham Garden Hotel Times Square South.

The hotel is situated close to Madison Square Garden and Penn Station, and a few blocks from the Empire State Building. I believe some rooms in the hotel provide wonderful views of the Empire State Building.

The rooms look comfortable and the beds look huge!

We always thought we would stay at the Casablanca Hotel for our honeymoon and as nice as that hotel is, we felt that our money was going to go a little further at the Wyndham Gardens. We obviously want to stay in nice hotels on our honeymoon but we also recognise that whilst in New York we really won't be spending much time there. We'd much rather save our money and splurge a little in Hawaii.

Having been to New York a few times before we have already done most of the famous sites. But there are still a few favourites we have to do, including Rockefeller Center. I love the views from up there. In my opinion it's the best way to see the city. You have an amazing view of the Empire State, Central Park and on a clear day the Statue of Liberty.

We also - without a shadow of a doubt - have to visit Virgil's. When any body asks me my recommendations on things to do in New York I always say "Visit Virgil's" We've eaten there every time we've been, at least twice on every trip. It's nearly always busy but it's definitely worth waiting for.

It's a laid back restaurant and bar that delivers the most mouth watering food I have ever tasted. Their macaroni cheese is to die for! We always end up ordering far too much and come away with bellies double the size than when we walked in, but it's worth it.

Every time we go to New York we always take in a game of some sort. Usually the Knicks (basketball). We're planning this time to get tickets to see the New York Giants (American Football). Tickets will be realised soon so we'll hopefully get our hands on a pair.

If we're not watching a game, our evenings are usually spent on Broadway. We've seen some amazing shows, such as Spamalot, Beauty and the Beast, The Phantom of the Opera, Evil Dead the Musical and Young Frankenstein.

This time we reeeeally want to see Rock of Ages, Green Day's American Idiot (problem being at the moment these two are only running until September - they need to do well for them to continue longer) and Spiderman.

There are a couple of other things I'd like to do whilst in New York that we haven't done before. I want a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery. This is non negotiable! I need one! I'd also really like to walk the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm not sure how likely this is seeing as New York is our last stop and we'll probably be exhausted but I've heard the views from the Brooklyn side of Manhattan are amazing (plus there is a really nice ice cream stand just off the bridge) I suppose we could always take the train across but I should imagine there is something quite satisfying in saying you've walked across the Brooklyn Bridge.

We'll also have the opportunity to see the Macy's Day Parade. This is something I have always wanted to see. It will mean we have to get up relatively early to get a good spot but I don't mind as long as we see it! I believe a lot of attractions are closed on Thanks Giving, so we'll have to plan our day so we have plenty to see and do. We'll also have to book a table quite a way in advance I've heard Opentable.com is quite a good resource.

The Friday after Thanks Giving is also known as Black Friday a date hard core shoppers will know well! It marks the first day of Christmas shopping, retailers often open early and reduce goods heavily. I'm sure we'll get involved and hopefully pick up a few bargains!

Our honeymoon all seems to be coming together quite nicely now. We're pretty certain on our Honolulu hotel and have found options for our other stops. We're both getting pretty excited now and can't help but talk about things we want to see and do whilst we're away.

Has has worked so hard on planning of our honeymoon, making it the best he possibly can. It's going to be awesome! I can't wait - our first holiday as husband and wife!

Hen and the City

2010-04-28T10:53:00.001+01:00

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Yesterday I emailed 22 of my closest friends and family and invited them to my hen weekend in London.

It went a little something like this...

"The plans so far are as followed.
Friday - Go to London mid afternoon on the train. Grab something to eat, maybe see a show or a night in a bar...

Saturday - Flight on the London Eye, followed by Afternoon Tea. Back to the hotel to freshen up then out to some bars for the night - possibly the Vodka Ice Bar!

Sunday - Train back home early afternoon. Morning is free for recovering/shopping/what ever you fancy!!...

I'm aware that some people may find it difficult to get the time off work or will struggle to afford the whole weekend, but a few people have already told me that they will be joining us on the Saturday so if that works better for you, there is always that option."

So far I've had 12 replies.

2x "I'm your bridesmaid of course I'll be there"

4x "Definitely count me in!"

1x "Maybe... let me get back to you"

3x "Yes I'll come up on the Saturday"

2x "Sorry I can't make it"

I'm really excited about it now! Including me there are 7 confirmed all weekend and 3 for the Saturday, with another 10 people yet to get back to me. I really hope it'll be a good weekend!

Suzie and Hayley are arranging a surprise hen party sometime in September. It's a compromise, I've put my bridezilla foot down and said over my dead body, no way jose, not on your nelly will there be any L plates, willies, sashes or plastic blow up 80's dolls (Hayley, I'm looking at you!!) making an appearance whilst we're in London.

They gave me their "try and stop us" eyes so I caved in and gave them freedom to organise a party in the privacy of my own home which I have no control over. God help me! (I'd rather that than walking around London with flashing badges and a veil!!)

The ways of the wife…

2010-04-27T16:51:00.000+01:00

I asked Suzie if she would mind doing a little update on how she's finding married life. It's nice to hear what it's like on the other side.

Over to Suzie...

We’ll hasn’t time flown by! Rob and I have now been married just over 2 months, I really can’t believe that it’s been 2 months since I wore that amazing dress and married that amazing man. All of my married friends warned me that the post-wedding blues would kick in and it was normal to feel sad about the end of the planning and wedding related chat.

I don’t think I really suffered with the post-wedding blues, don’t get me wrong I miss it all and had the most amazing day of my life but THANK GOODNESS it’s all over!

I think both Rob and I suffered more with the post honeymoon blues! We had such a fabulous time in

Thailand

, the food was amazing and the weather was great it was quite a crash back to earth returning to our cold flat! But all in all I haven’t suffered greatly.

Soooooo have things changed since marriage I hear you ask?

Well not really to be honest, Rob and I have lived together for over 5 years so we are quite used to the home life. We knew long before we got married all of each others little annoying habits like the way Rob always leaves pull-off lid from the new milk on the side and never puts it in the bin or always leaving the lid of the toothpaste and the way I leave undies on the bathroom floor and cover the bathroom in hair dye!! These little niggles are nothing new to us, we are more than aware that neither of us is perfect but we see each other imperfections perfectly which is what’s important.

I can imagine that couples that have wed in the traditional way (however rare this might be these days) have a bit of a shocker when they move in together after they are married. It is only when you live with your partner you are truly exposed to all their little habits….. So be warned – if your having a nice relaxing bubble bath and he needs to go – be under no illusion he will come in and go either get used to it have engage in some bathroom chatter or get a good lock on the door!

Enough about bad habits – what about the good stuff….

I ♥ living with Rob even more so now we are husband and wife, I can see that we are both making more of an effort around the house, sharing the chores and the workload. We love nothing more that to snuggle up on our super comfy Elephant Beanbag and watch some TV.

Last week I surprised Rob by blitzing the flat top to bottom so we wouldn’t have to do chores over the weekend and he surprised me with a meal out.

For my Hen party the girls put together a perfect housewife kit – I’ve used most of the things in it – the oven cleaner is yet to see the light of day but im sure it will one day! They have all helped me to be a good wife, to conclude i’ve been married 2 wonderful months so far – so until next time, Cheerio!

If you need any hints and tips on being the perfect wife try this website! The Perfect House Wife

I'm going to admit something.

2010-04-26T11:47:00.000+01:00

It all got too much. Things got too much.

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It's odd because wedding planning has actually slowed down a lot recently, but I've also been faced with a few decisions. Nothing major but I panicked.

The first time was over our invitations. This one has been bubbling for a while now. I feel this enormous pressure when it comes to the invites. I'm a Graphic Designer by trade and I've also been known to design my own gift cards. I feel like they need to be outstanding otherwise people will be disappointed. I realise how crazy this sounds and in truth the only person who will really notice any faults is me. But unfortunately this is who I am and I can't help feel this way. I've reached a point with the invitations and now I'm stuck, I can't decide the best way forward, my solution for this is to ignore it. Yeah I know not a great idea but it's best for me to take a step back and approach it again with a clear head.

The second thing is the bridesmaid's dresses. How on earth am I meant to choose a dress that suits all 4 girls without actually seeing the dress they'll wear? The dresses they've tried on either don't fit or are the wrong colour. It's impossible and I seem to lack the imagination to picture them in their finished state. All the girls are wonderful and offer their opinions, but I still feel very alone in this decision. I have to admit that I haven't fallen for any of the dresses they've tried on and I can't figure out whether it's because they're not right or it's because I can't picture them the way they're suppose to be.
I worry that I'm asking too much of the girls to give up their weekends to follow me around bridal shops, especially as I'm so indecisive. We have another appointment this Saturday to try on a few Dessy dresses including the one on my previous post which everyone seemed to like (2749). Hopefully we'll find the right one soon, until then we'll continue the search. Sorry girls.

I'm sensitive and I'm a worrier. They're innate qualities that I acknowledge but really can't do anything about. I upset myself more because I kept thinking that things aren't even that stressful yet. I've still got 6 more months of decisions and planning to go - how will I cope?!

I also did the worst thing possible. I kept it to myself. I thought people would think I was being silly and over-sensitive. In truth the enormity of the situation hit me. The thought that I have to make decisions for a date 6 months away and to commit large sums of money, time and effort in to something that I can't change if it's wrong blew me away.

I've spoken to my Mom and I've spoken to Suzie - who tell me this is all totally normal and I'm not losing my mind. The reason I'm writing about this on the blog is because above all else this is my wedding journey diary. I'm using this post as a form of closure. I'm acknowledging that not everything will be perfect on the day but by that point will I really care? It's very easy to get caught up in the small things - I've never forgotten the real reason for the day and throughout all my tearful moments Has has been there for me. I don't really want to admit to wobbling but I also want to say "It's ok" When faced with something as important like this we're bound to feel overwhelmed. It's hard to have everyone looking to you for the answers but I'm stepping up to the plate. Yes I'm going to wobble again and yes I'm sure there will be more tearful moments but I'm going to try my hardest to not let the little things bother me.

Happy Birthday Nan!

2010-04-25T22:06:00.000+01:00

Today is my Nan's 70th birthday.

We celebrated yesterday by going out for a meal with family and friends and then back to my parents house for a surprise party!

We had arranged for more family and friends to surprise my Nan once we got back from the restaurant. She was definitely surprised!

It was lovely to see my Nan catch up with everyone.

Seeing as it was St George's day on Friday and how my Nan is very patriotic we had a red, white and blue theme for the party. All the party food and even the cake, which was made by Sarah at Blue Door Bakery was in keeping with the theme.

The cake was gorgeous, everyone loved it! Thank you Sarah!

Together with all my beautiful bridesmaids

We borrowed an idea from the girls at "Rock my Wedding" and printed off a few signs we could use during photos. Dressed in fancy dress and looking the fool everyone posed for pictures. It was such good fun!

My Nan had a wonderful night and said today she can't remember smiling so much!

Happy 70th Birthday Nan. Love you always x

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-04-23T11:21:00.000+01:00

Happy St George's Day!

Does anyone still celebrate today? It always reminds me of my Grandad. He always used to say he had two birthdays. His official birthday and today. You see his name was George... not quite a saint though!

Busy weekend planned. My Nan turns 70 on Sunday so we are going out for a meal tomorrow to celebrate her birthday. Sunday is a very important day if you like football and live in the Midlands. It's the Aston Villa, Birmingham City Derby. A date in my diary I always dread! Has is a Blues supporter and my family support Villa. I'm sure there's going to be plenty of healthy banter on Saturday!

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~ Alice in Wonderland themed invitations

~ Vintage Wedding, the bride is wearing an absolutely gorgeous headband

~ Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches - I'm craving ice cream sooo bad right now!

~ Danni from Oh Hello Friend shares her beautiful engagement photos

~ I'm loving these coordinate posters - especially the New York one

~ Good advice on being the best wedding guest

~ Stunning backyard wedding... and it's purple!

~ Jessi's Rainbow Party

~ Modern wedding in New York

~ Sarah at Blue Door Bakery got a mention on Rock my Wedding

~ Spectacular headbands and fascinators from Lo Boheme

~ A super cute desert engagement shoot

~ A really pretty cake. I can't believe the work that goes in to it!

~ I ♥ this picture

Enjoy the sunshine and have a fabulous weekend!! x

Seattle

2010-04-22T16:20:00.001+01:00

It's funny because Seattle only became an option when we had planned to go to Alaska. It was one of the only places we could get a direct to or from within the mainland USA. During the early stages of planning we looked in to the city just enough to decide whether or not it would suit us. Has mentioned to me this morning he didn't really know what we were going to do once we were there.

We are both aware of the cities musical background as some of our favourite bands came straight out of Seattle. We'd love to do a grunge tour and see the venues that had bands such as Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains play. I could be wrong but I don't think there is an organised tour, we would have to put in a lot of research and create our own, which could be a lot of fun! Notable places would probably include The Crocodile and The Central Saloon. We could also visit the Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum which is dedicated to the history of both music and science fiction.

We couldn't travel all that way without visiting the Space Needle, 184 metres high the Space Needle is probably Seattle's most famous landmark. At the top sits the Sky Cafe, which rotates 360 degrees as you eat! The menu is a little on the pricey side but hey you're only on honeymoon once!

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Pike Place Market is home to the first ever Starbucks Cafe. If you know me and Has you'll know that Starbucks (however cheesy) played rather a large part in our relationship. It seems fitting to visit this store on our honeymoon. As well as the famous coffee chain Pike Place also has plenty of restaurants, stalls, shops and bars to keep us busy. If we're peckish I've heard good things about the Three Girls Bakery, mmmmm cake!

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(Mine's a tall hot chocolate with whipped cream, Has' is a grande cappuccino!)

Seattle has a secret world right underneath the streets! After the Great Seattle Fire in 1889, city leaders decided that they would rebuild the city 2 stories above the previous level. In 1965, Bill Speidel established Bill Speidel's Underground Tour You can now take tours underneath the city and learn about Seattle's history. It gets mixed reviews on Trip Advisor but it may be a fun way to spend a few hours.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what Seattle has to offer. We'll be arriving into the city on the red eye from Oahu, where we'll obviously have been taking things very easy, so I think it's a great way for us to get back into the swing before moving on to New York.

NFL fixtures - What games will we see?

2010-04-21T10:45:00.000+01:00

The NFL fixtures came out last night. We were hoping that Has' team the Oakland Raiders would play at home when we were in San Francisco. Unfortunately the Sunday we are there is their "day off" (typical!) However the San Francisco 49ers will be playing the St Louis Rams. The cool thing about seeing the 49ers play at home is a week before our wedding we will be going to Wembley to watch them play the Denver Broncos.

Also my team the New York Giants are playing at home on Sunday 28th November. The day we leave to come home. Our flight isn't until late so we'll try and get tickets to see the Giants play the Jacksonville Jaguars. Providing we get tickets I'll be able to cross off number 16 on my 30 before 30 list

In other Honeymoon news - it looks like we'll be making a decision and booking our New York hotel by the end of the week! Eek!

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Macron Mania

2010-04-20T10:41:00.001+01:00

Friday night Suzie and tried our hand at making macarons. We followed a recipe we found on Bakerella

90 grams of aged egg whites. (We used 4 eggs and had some left over)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

110 grams of ground almonds
200 grams powdered sugar

Whip the egg whites until foamy then gradually add the granulated sugar until it looks like a glossy meringue. Be careful not to over beat

Place the almonds and powdered sugar into a bowl. Add the whipped egg white mixture and gently fold. If you want to add colouring now is the time. All the recipes I've seen say powdered colouring but seeing as we didn't have any we added a tiny splash of red liquid colouring.

The recipes say not to over fold and because we'd never made these before we were very cautious. We could probably have folding the colouring in a little better, but hey these were only a test run!

Pipe the mixture on to greaseproof paper and leave to harden. We left ours for about an hour whilst we had dinner. Most recipes say between half and hour to an hour.

The bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 140º or gas mark 1-2.

Then leave to cool

We filled ours with a white chocolate ganache.

We melted 100g of white chocolate and then stirred in 150ml of double cream. We left for a few minutes until the mixture became thick then spooned on to one half of the macaron then sandwiched another on top to complete the look.

Having never tried a macaron before we have NO idea whether they turned out right or not! They are weirdly addictive. When I asked Has to try one, he couldn't decide whether he liked them or not, calling them weird. Our friends gave the same verdict. Weird but nice. They soon polished them off though!

They have a strange texture, almost like meringue. Ours were quite sweet but we think that had to do with the filling. I'm currently on the hunt for powdered food colouring to have another go, maybe this time with a different filling.

T-minus 200 days!

2010-04-19T15:19:00.000+01:00

Wow, that's come round fast!

More Bridesmaid dress shopping.

2010-04-19T10:53:00.000+01:00

Good Morning! Good weekends?

I dragged my poor bridesmaids around shopping again on Saturday. We visited Bridal Gowns of Droitwich. They have a really good offer on at the moment which would mean we'd get a dress free.

We found one dress by Hillary Morgan that impressed everyone. It's a little different to the styles the girls have tried on before and I have to be honest that I wasn't particularly enamoured with it when I saw it on the hanger. Once the girls had it on it looked completely different.

The pictures I've found of it don't really do it any justice. It's so difficult trying to envisage how a dress will look when it fits or when it's been made in the right colour.

The original picture of the dress can be found here. I've made very crude mock ups of the dresses in the similar colours we would have just to get you're opinions.

Similar colours to what the older two bridesmaids would wear

Similar colours to what the younger two bridesmaids would wear.

They do offer a younger style dress with straps for my youngest cousin Sophie to wear. She did look very sweet, swooshing around in her dress.

So what do you think to these? Yay or Nay? Love it or hate it? Not sure? Either way I'd love to know!

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-04-16T12:37:00.000+01:00

Yay, Friday's here! The week after a bank holiday always seems harder, I've been spoilt with only working for 4 day for 2 weeks and it just seems very unfair to ask me to go back to working 5 days! *Strop*

BUT the weekend is here! Doing anything nice? Mine will consist of baking, bridesmaid dress shopping (again), catching up with Lost, seeing friends and sleeping in. Perfect!

~ I'm pretty much in love with this cute bedside table

~ A fun engagement shoot

~ The DIY do's and don'ts

~ Five kinds of Love

~ DIY gift candles - I really want to have a go at these!

~ Cupcakes + Purple = Happy

~ I adore the bunting in this cake from this ranch wedding via Green Wedding Shoes. P.S Check out the bride's shoes!! A.mazing!

~ All UK flights have been grounded - this is why

~ Mouth-wateringly good Individual chocolate cakes

~ We may be approaching summer but this Christmas wedding is stunning

~ Save the date map envelope liners

~ Surprise - We got married!

Happy Weekend xxx

Macarons

2010-04-15T12:20:00.000+01:00

Suzie and I are going to attempt to make Macarons tomorrow evening.

Wish us luck! We're going to be following this recipe from Bakerella. I hear they are difficult to get right so any handy tips and advice would be appreciated!

Wedding Discounts

2010-04-14T15:44:00.000+01:00

One of the first things I did after getting engaged (and continue to do so) is sign up to every wedding related newsletter I can find.

Gail's List - White Wedding Pages is specifically for brides and grooms in West Midlands. She lets me know about any local fayres and today I received these offers and thought someone may find them useful.

If you then please quote Gail's List Wedding Discount Vouchers when calling.

Magician - 2 hours of close-up magic - normally £350 now just £295. Russ Stokes 07773 803933

Transport - 25% discount, free bottle of bubbly and the quote inc all mileage. Beetlebugs 07565 426381

Photography - £125 off my photography package price until July 2010. Jon Thorne 07734 459 708

Videoography - £100 off any package – call by 31/03/10 to get this offer. Lucid Moments 01384 821381

Bridesmaids Dress - £100 off, when having your bridal gown made. Greensleeves 01386 446242

Please note I am not affiliated with Gail's List or any of the companies offering discounts. I'm just being nice and passing along the offers!

An Evening of Invitation Making

2010-04-14T09:12:00.001+01:00

The other evening when Suzie and Hayley came round to help make up our wedding invitations we made a little video.

An Evening of Invitation Making from Laura Francis on Vimeo.

I love the cameo from my dad!

Thank you Suzie, Hayley and Mom for all your help. Big kisses to Has who helped me edit the video (disclaimer: It was my shaky and inexperienced hand holding the camera for the close ups not the boy with the degree in video production!)

Music is the Banana Splits by the Dickies.

The Moana

2010-04-13T13:06:00.000+01:00

One of my jobs for April was to research honeymoon hotels. So, what do you think of this one?

The Moana Surfrider in Honolulu. Also known as "The First Lady of Waikiki" the first beach front resort opened in 1901, the re-opened in 2007 as a Westin hotel.

The location is perfect for us, it's central without being too busy. We won't be renting a car for our stay as I've heard parking in Waikiki is a nightmare and expensive. The buses will suit us just fine.

I love the colonial style furnishings, it all looks so grand and elegant.

Another plus point is that this hotel is a Westin, which means it comes with Heavenly Beds!! We stayed in a Westin when we went to Orlando a few years ago, and I seriously can't tell you how amazingly comfortable they are. They really do live up to their name! When I win the lottery I'm getting one of these bad boys!

Although we won't be slumming it on our honeymoon, we have a budget to keep to. However Honolulu is somewhere we've both decided we'd like to really treat ourselves.

Ideally we want an ocean view room with a balcony. I can envisage us ordering room service for breakfast (french toast for me please!) and sitting in the morning sun on our balcony planning out the rest of the day. Bliss.

We're pretty sure this will be our Honolulu honeymoon hotel, we should be able to book the majority of our hotels by the end of the month. Once that's done there'll be no stopping us! How real will it all feel then!

Evening Invitations

2010-04-13T10:58:00.000+01:00

Even though our day invitations are not yet finished, I've made a start on our evening invites. I wanted to keep them as simple as possible.

I've carried over the purple swirls and created a document just shy of A5. I shall print them out on the same ivory pearl paper as the day invitations and back them with a lilac pearl card.

What do you think? Also my next question is... Should I include a map and directions in with the evening invites?

Spare Change

2010-04-12T11:14:00.000+01:00

We're terrible with spare change. Has hates carrying any thing lower than a 50 pence piece as it bulks out his wallet and I always put my "twos and ones" in a pot by my desk for the same reason.

I bought us a small wooden bowl to keep our spare change in but that didn't seem to contain it. We would still end up with a sock drawer full of "coppers." We also started to keep it in large pint glasses in a cupboard, until they started to over flow. It was around this time last year that we took 3 pint glasses full of small change to Tesco to use their coin machines. It takes a small fee but we found that depositing nothing larger than a 20 pence piece we had over £60 in change.

At Christmas, Has' Mom Sue bought us a large jar with an electronic coin counter on the top. So now when ever we see a rouge 5p lying around it goes straight in the jar. Our aim is to fill it and change it into dollars for a treat on our honeymoon.

Since Christmas we've managed to save over £50 in small change. We never put anything above 20p in the jar (we have a separate pot for 50p's, £1 and £2 coins) it feels good to see our change grow, and to know it has a purpose instead of just sitting around with our socks!

Saturday's Wedding

2010-04-11T20:42:00.000+01:00

A little different to any of the weddings I had been to before. Let me start by telling you a little background. The bride who works with Has is Indian and the groom is from a Japanese family. Last weekend they had their Indian ceremony and this weekend was the actual legal wedding.

Their ceremony began at 3. A few close friends and family members were invited to witness the marriage then at 6 the evening guests arrived for a sit down meal. I say "sit down" our starter was served, then we had to go to a buffet style set up to get our main meal. The food was traditional Indian style food, I wasn't keen on the starter, which was a cold pakora served with chick peas and yoghurt. The main meal was a selection of curries, rice and naan breads, they were delicious. I could easily have gone back for seconds!

It wasn't until our strawberry cheesecake was being served that I realised there were no chair covers. Has and I both thought it proved that the minor details are sometimes not as important as you think. Small details that can cost a lot of money are not always appreciated.

It was a lovely wedding, and we both really enjoyed ourselves.... someone enjoyed himself a little too much!

The bride and groom

Perfect day for wedding

2010-04-10T13:42:00.000+01:00

We're off to the wedding of one of Has' work colleagues this evening. The weather is gorgeous and the sun has been shining all morning. Perfect day for a wedding!

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-04-09T09:57:00.000+01:00

Friday again! I love 4 day weeks.
We have an evening reception to go to on Saturday, that makes only 3 more weddings before it's our turn!

from here

What about you - what do you have planned?

Things I've been loving this week...

~ I've been noticing a lot of purple weddings around lately. All gorgeous but my favourites are this Texan wedding, this stunning wedding in the wine county Napa and this really beautiful wedding in Sydney

~ A disposible two hours in New York

~ A really cool idea for Save the Date

~ I absolutely love the light in this engagement shoot. I don't know whether it's natural or created during the editing stages... anyone know?

~ Beautiful pancake breakfast

~ A bride from one of the blogs I read got married last Saturday, congratulations!

~ Cupcake liners + pipe cleaners = pretty!

~ A pretty Hawaiian wedding

~ Bryant Park in bloom

~ Good advice from the Wedding Genie

The Blue Apartment

~ My dream apartment

~ Cute as a button

~ 2 bras for £10 and 5 knickers for £10 at New Look

~ Win a £2000 home make over from John Lewis

Have a happy weekend! xxx

Invitation Pocket folds Part 3

2010-04-08T09:51:00.000+01:00

This was the scene from last night

Ribbon, double sided tape, circle punches and purple card can only mean one thing... Part 3 of operation pocket fold invitation was under way.

After ensuring the troops (Mom, Hayley and Suzie) were fed and supplied with tea we started the task of attaching the purple ribbon to the border of the flap.

Using 3mm double sided tape I had bought from eBay, we lined the edge.

The carefully stuck the ribbon down. In our testing stages we had done this using two pieces of ribbon. Suzie suggested we try doing it using one long piece with a tiny fold in the middle.

It looked a lot neater and has reduced the risk of the ribbon fraying in the middle.

We also punched out the circles for the band that goes around the outside.

The circles punched out are smaller than the one we used on our mock up, (as modelled by Hayley!) so we are struggling to find a way to attach the ribbon.

Instead of rushing into anything it was decided we would leave that part until we could find the best way of achieving the look I want.

So, these are invitations at the end of part 3. Thank you Mom, Suzie and Hayley for all your help x

If you're interested you can also read about part 1 and part 2 of operation pocket fold invitation.

I need to try these on

2010-04-07T12:30:00.000+01:00

Gorgeous!

Scattered Pictures

2010-04-06T21:21:00.000+01:00

My laptop is full of memories. Birthdays, holidays, Christmas', parties, festivals and get-togethers. I've mentioned it before but I love my photos. I'll often scroll through albums just remembering happy times. This weekend I've spent some time organising my photos and putting them into folders.

I thought I'd share a few photos that I haven't seen in a while but made me smile.

"Say cheese" Paris 2008

Me and Hayley at my 21st in 2005

Me and my brother Paul goofing around at Yosemite National Park 2002

Suzie and Me at my neighbour Kirsty's 18th fancy dress party in 2007

Halloween. Suzie, Me, Kirsty and Paul

Drying my hair in our New York Apartment 2006.... Ian was a little snap happy!

Sophie, Natalie and me giggling during a photo session for my Nan in 2008

Has and me at Sonisphere in 2009

Typical Sophie, just as we're ready for a nice group photo at our engagement party she blows a bubble gum bubble! Love her!

Just one of the photos that didn't make it into Suzie and Rob's wedding album...!

So many happy and fabulous times! I'm going to get some photos printed out soon so I can create a collage of frames on my wall. I love being surrounded by my photos.

Back to Work

2010-04-06T18:19:00.000+01:00

First day back wasn't too bad... I work in a small office in the middle of Birmingham with around 11 other people. Thankfully we all get on really well and often throw little buffet parties at lunch time. We decided before our Easter break that we would have one today. The idea is simple. Everyone brings in something, be it shop bought or home made and instead of a normal lunch we all sit around chatting and monch on all the goodies. There is usually way to much and the buffet can last for a few more lunches that week!

I was on sandwich duty and seeing as it was our Easter buffet I made bunny rabbit shaped ham and cheese snacks using my cookie cutters.

They went down a treat!

Sandwiches taste better when they look cute!

Cute enough to eat ;)

In other news... an email has been circulated regarding Has' stag do... eeeek!

I love long weekends!

2010-04-05T22:06:00.001+01:00

Seriously, I think we need more long weekends.

The last couple of days have been a mixture of music, alcohol, baking, films, and white knuckle rides.

On Thursday we had front row seats to see Bad Company. I didn't know many of their songs but it was pretty amazing to be that close to Paul Rodgers. They were supported by The Joe Perry Project. Joe Perry is the guitarist from one of my favourite band, Aerosmith. It was a little surreal being that close to the bands, and at times it was easy to forget we had 8000 people behind us!

The Joe Perry Project

Bad Company

Paul Rodgers

After a lazy morning in bed watching Lost and eating Easter eggs, Friday was spent with friends. We went into Birmingham early, and we're ready to leave in time for the last bus! It was good fun even though we didn't stay out as late as we normally do. Our friends are starting to acknowledge how close the wedding is now, asking us questions like "Do I have to wear a tie?", "Who will I be sitting next to?" and letting us know they've found or have started the search for their outfits.

Saturday was another lazy day, I made some cupcakes for Has' friends that were coming over to play games and watch films.

I left the boys playing XBox and sobbed my heart out to "My Sister's Keeper" and "The Time Travellers Wife" I can't remember the last time I've cried so much!

Today we headed to Alton Towers. We had prepared ourselves for rainy weather and huge crowds and we didn't really experience either. We went on Air, which I loved! The chairs tilt forward until you're lying flat and gives you the feeling of flying, in a weird way it's a really relaxing roller coaster! We also went on Rita Queen of Speed, Oblivion and Nemesis.

Oblivion

Alton Towers has opened a new ride Thirteen to celebrate their 30th Birthday. We thought our best bet was to go straight over to Thirteen when we arrived but it seemed everyone else had the same idea, the queue was over an hour's wait. When we went back for a second time the park staff told us that the ride had broken down and they weren't sure when it would be operational again. Our third attempt at trying to get on the new ride had us queueing for 40 minutes before realising the it had broken down again. Thirteen - unlucky for some! It took an additional half and hour for them to fix the ride.

Thirteen - the technicians trying to fix the ride!

I'm now sitting in bed, aching everywhere and dreading going back to work tomorrow!! I need my weekends longer! Hope you have all had a fabulous weekend?

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T13:27:00.002+01:00

Happy Easter x

Easter Egg Bunnies

2010-04-03T18:18:00.000+01:00

I followed this tutorial and made these to give away for Easter. What do you think?

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-04-02T15:04:00.001+01:00

Friday lie ins are the best!!

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I hope those of you who are lucky enough to enjoy this extra long weekend are having fun? Today we should be meeting with friends and going in to Birmingham for drinks... Hopefully tomorrow won't be spent in bed nursing a hangover!

~ I'd be a happy bunny if I could sleep here or here

~ This brides make up is stunning

~ Summer wouldn't be complete without one of these

~ Funky fascinators... there's even a cupcake one!

~ Can you hear me. Beautiful illustrations

~ My kind of style!

~ Learn something new every day

~ Up to 50% off at Laura Ashley Home Furnishings, Furniture, Mirrors, Beds, Curtains and Fashion

~ Papercut Garden. Some people are too talented!

~ More amazing works of paper

~ Manhattan and purple shoes... yes please!

~ I am totally loving this series, for a number of reasons!! Don't end!

~ Beeeeeeeautiful

~ My cup of tea!

~ An excellent moto for all brides!

~ Completely in love with Vallentyne Photography

April Fools!

2010-04-01T12:01:00.000+01:00

Happy Easter

Of course I wasn't being serious when I said I'd found the bridesmaid's their dresses in fact I found the dresses here. Lovely colour though!

So April is here and we've officially made it through winter. Thank goodness, it feels like winter has been here for a long time!
I'm looking forward to summer barbecues, festivals, floaty dresses and driving with the windows down. Warmer weather still feels far away though, especially seeing as I had to scrape SNOW from my car this morning! I think Mother Nature was playing a little April Fool's herself! Good one Momma, now bring the sunshine please?!

March wasn't a very productive month in terms of planning. I haven't really had any motivation to get anything done. I'm hoping April will work out better.

I did manage to cross off a few things from my list. I visited the National Wedding Fayre at the NEC, we booked the remaining honeymoon flights (yay!), we visited one bridesmaid dress shop and decided on a final design for our wedding invitations.

Taking in to account the jobs I didn't manage to do in March, April's list looks like this.

Start making up the wedding invitations (Me, Suzie and Hayley have a date next wednesday!)
Continue the search for bridesmaids dresses, whether that's shop bought or custom made.
Work on finishing the chalk board place cards
Research honeymoon hotels
Start mocking up ideas for the evening invitations
Work on secret bridesmaid gift project.
Continue work on song choices for ceremony, wedding breakfast and reception
Work on another little DIY painting project that will require some nicer weather.
Start cutting out 160 Chrysler Buildings for the Order of the Day booklets......!
Plan "Hen and the City"
Get back on the diet wagon!!! I've slipped big time, once I've gobbled up all my Easter eggs there'll be no more treats!

I'm looking forward to getting back into wedding mode. We have 7, yes 7 months to go! The other night I had a dream that we were 2 weeks away from getting married and I had done nothing. I hadn't even sent the invitations out! Maybe it was my subconscious giving me a kick up the bum and telling me to pull my finger out!

I'm postponing trying on my dress until May. Hayley has a few days off coming up so the plan is for me, Suzie and Natalie to visit as many bridesmaids dress shops as we can and make a short list for when Hayley can join us. We'll also all visit my dress so I can try her on and probably cry like an idiot!

Have a lovely Easter weekend! x

The BEST news ever!!

2010-04-01T09:00:00.002+01:00

Bridesmaid dress hunt is over!!

A friend of a friend at work recently got married and her colour scheme was purple. She's willing to GIVE me her bridesmaids dress for FREE!
Also - get this! She had 3 adult bridesmaids, so I'll only need to find a dress for Sophie.

I can't tell you how pleased I am, this is going to save me so much time and money! She's going to bring the dresses in next week for me to have a look at but has sent me a picture of them. What do you think? I know the girls are going to LOVE them!

Photo Booths

2010-03-31T17:07:00.000+01:00

Photos are a huge deal to me, growing up I had an entire wall in my bedroom covered in photos I had taken. Before digital cameras I would save up my money to buy film and then to have the pictures developed, often opting for the more expensive option of an hours processing because I was too impatient to wait 24 hours.
I love taking pictures (especially with my new camera) and I love to be surrounded my pictures of people and places I love.

Picking our wedding photographer, as I'm sure you can imagine, was a major job for us. Luckily Has and I were on the same page when it came how we wanted our wedding to be captured. We are confident that the photographer we have chosen, Deborah Stott, will match if not beat our expectations.

We want to place disposable cameras on each of our dining tables for our guests to take their own candid shots of the day. (There are a few taken on Suzie's wedding day that make me look naked! Not intended I can assure you, let's hope they never make it on Facebook!)
Having spoken to friends who did this a lot of photos end up being either unusable (turn the flash on!) not printable (Who does that belong to!) or of very similar things (I believe Suzie has around 12 photos of the lamb shank we all ate for our main course!) But some of them really do turn out good. People pull funny faces or poses because they know they don't have to be on their best behaviour, it's not like when the professional photographer is shooting you, disposable cameras give you the licence to be silly. That's what I want!

So how do you get good quality silly and fun photographs of your guests? No. I don't mean plying them with alcohol, although I'm sure that helps! I'm talking about a photo booth.

People "in the know" are predicting photo booths as the big trend of 2010 and I can see why. A private space for your guests to leave you with a funny reminder of them on your day. Most packages come with the option of your guests being able to print two sets. One they can keep and another for them to stick in your guest book along with a note. It's such a simple yet great idea!

Photo from Jasmine Star

Of course these don't come cheap, the cheapest quote I've found so far is around £500 for 3 hours. Yikes! A definite on our "nice to have" list!

Of course there is always the do it yourself approach. You'd need to ask your photographer or friend if they mind helping out but the results can be fabulous!

Photo from Ben Godkin

These photos from Emma Case prove my point.

Fantastic!!

I've got the Baking Bug!

2010-03-31T09:32:00.000+01:00

Last night Has and I made what we are called "Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes"

The surprise being that they are filled with cream!

We scooped out the middle part of the cake and filled it with cream, then put the little lids back on top.

However this meant we were left with quite a bit of excess chocolate sponge... not wanting to waste any we gobbled it up with the left over cream! Yum!

We sat down to enjoy these bad boys with a cup of tea and an episode of "Come Dine With Me"

What way is the right way?

2010-03-30T14:24:00.000+01:00

Before I started to plan a wedding I always imagined I would walk down the aisle with my dad followed by my bridesmaids and never really gave much thought to it. This is how it has happened at all of the weddings I have ever been to, so never imagined there would be another order to the entrance of the wedding party.

At Suzie and Rob's wedding her Mom was escorted down the aisle first by Suzie's brother James, then the bridesmaids and finally Suzie and her Dad. Having seen it played out this way, I can't imagine it being any other way at our wedding.

I would love my brother and usher Paul to escort my Mom down the aisle, followed by our 4 bridesmaids and then me on my Dad's arm. I think it makes sense for the bride to be the last person in the room.

Amelia Lyon Photography via Junebug Weddings

Other things I've come across whilst planning this wedding is whether or not the bride and groom should see each other on the morning of the wedding. Again I'd always taken it to be bad luck if the groom saw the bride before she walked down the aisle. However I've found at some weddings in America the bride and groom share a private moment and come together before the ceremony in a "first look" meeting. This must be such a precious and emotional time. I can imagine the rush of happiness, nerves and love, sharing that "We're getting married in a few minutes" feeling. When you walk down the aisle towards your groom you have all eyes on you, so this private meeting must be something special.

Saying that, I don't think we will be breaking "tradition." The first time I see Has on the 5th November will be as I walk down the aisle. I can be a little superstitious (I'm one of those crazy people who salute magpies!) so although a private encounter with Has before our vows would be sacred it would be on my mind that it's bad luck!

A Cup of Jo

Which brings me to another point. At a couple of the weddings I have been to, the groom has not turned to watch his bride walk down the aisle. He has waited until she's reached him before looking at her. In fact at my cousins wedding, when her groom tried to turn to look at her, the registrar told him he wasn't allowed! When Has and I spoke about this he told me that nothing would stop him watching me walk down the aisle. In fact I know when I begin my walk, I'll catch his eye and won't be able to look elsewhere. Everyone else watches as the bride makes her entrance so why shouldn't the groom?!

Mille Holloman

I've learnt so much during my time as an engaged lady. I've come to realise that there is no right or wrong when it comes to weddings. What ever YOU want to happen on YOUR day goes. Just because it's the "norm" or "that's how it's always happened" doesn't mean it has to be that way for you.

At my best friend Suzie's wedding she broke tradition and totally rocked a stunning midnight blue dress because it was her.

Just because ever woman in my family before me wore a veil, doesn't mean I have to. If I want to wear purple shoes or wellies on my wedding day then I will!

I'm not saying our wedding will be a million miles away from "traditional" but we will be personalising our wedding to suit us. In my opinion I think that is what helps make a perfect wedding.

Headbands

2010-03-29T14:19:00.000+01:00

Ever since I started trying on wedding dresses and I was forced to try on tiaras and veils with the dress to "complete the look" I realised I didn't want one.

I'm 99.9% sure I won't be wearing either a veil or tiara on my wedding day.
It's just not me.

As stupid as it sounds, wearing a veil and tiara conjures up images in my head of me as a little girl playing dress up.

Therefore, I want a headband that makes a statement. I love the headbands which have the detailing on the side. Flo and Percy have gorgeous accessories. Suzie wore their Clarice headband from the Gatsby collection during the evening at her wedding, which is absolutely gorgeous!

I really like their Chesire headband from their Wonderland collection

(model is a bit scary looking though!)

I'm having a real struggle at the moment finding something I'm in love with. Don't get me wrong there are loads of gorgeous headbands out there, I just have trouble picturing them being worn. A lot of websites provide photos of the headband, but I think it really helps to have one of a model wearing it.

They have quite a few cute ones on Etsy.

This Rhinestone Headband is from TessaKim

Swarovski Rhinestone Headband from Brenda's Bridal Veils

I like the pearls in this Heirloom side tiara headband from Glitzy Secrets

I found the Jennifer Behr website a while ago.. she tempts me with her stunning headbands. Especially Dahlia

Want to know a secret...? I haven't actually tried on a side headband! Yes, I could be fantasising on something that will look completely pants on. Only one thing for it, mass headband trying on session is in order!

How was your weekend?

2010-03-28T17:17:00.000+01:00

I've had a lovely relaxing and quiet weekend filled with my favourite things. Baking, crafting, visiting Hobby Crafts and watching films in bed with Has.

First of all my ring from Oh, hello, friend came.

It's gorgeous and I love it!

Saturday I visited Hobby Craft and picked up some ribbon so I can make a start on the invitations. I also picked up some purple sample paint pots for a separate project I'll start soon.

Has' Mom Sue found her wedding outfit yesterday too! A complete bargain and it's gorgeous! Not only did Sue manage to find her outfit she also walked straight into Next and found the perfect shoes to match... extra bonus, they were on sale!!

We've spent most of the day in the kitchen Has made his famous meatballs and spaghetti and I made a chocolate sponge cake. The frosting didn't turn out as chocolatey looking as I had intended but our local shop only had milk chocolate rather than dark Oh well it tasted yummy!!

Some Things for the Weekend

2010-03-26T13:20:00.008Z

I've decided to expand my Friday Photo feature into "Some Things for the Weekend"

I read so many great blogs, forums, articles and tweets daily about weddings, crafts, design and a hole host of other things that I want to share and remember. I thought instead of dedicating a post to each I'll collect them up and post them at the end of the week. So without further ado... Some Things for the Weekend!

I have those purple shoes!

~ I heart We Heart It - in fact I'm addicted

~ Check out this bad boy! *drool*

~ To hire or not to hire?

~ The cutest little Easter craft project... will I have time to give it ago? Hope so!

~ An engagement shoot with cupcakes? Now you're talking!

~ 10 top tips for getting the best photos on your wedding day

~ This wedding blew me away! Love, love, love the polka dot ties!

~ Hawaii in pictures

~ Under a tree

~ Easter brunch inspiration

~ Half price sale now on at Debenhams!

~ To die for!

~ DIY spring florals

~ Invitation inspiration

~ Crushing on chalkboards

~ Same hill, different day

~ OMG posters, OMG indeed!

~ The cutest stationery I've seen in a long time!

What do you think? Some Things for the Weekend better that Friday Photo?

Happy Weekend xxx

Amazing Animation

2010-03-26T11:11:00.000Z

Such a cute, cute video!

A Toronto animator made this video to play for his wife during their wedding reception. Enjoy

Engagement Shoot Style

2010-03-25T16:20:00.002Z

I've had a couple of ideas for our engagement shoot.

I'd love to be able to carry a small bouquet of tulips in some photos. They are my favourite flower and seeing as I can't afford to include them in the wedding it would be nice to have a few shots of them.

Grey Likes Weddings

Jenny Sun

Green Wedding Shoes

My other thought was related to our "Thank You" cards. We won't have the opportunity to write these out before we go on honeymoon, so I wanted to prepare as much as I could for when we get back. We'll be away for 3 weeks and I don't want to leave people too long without a proper thank you.

I have been thinking about having a few photos taken during our shoot specifically for our "Thank You" cards so I can make these us ready for us to write out when we get back. I love the idea of having the words "Thank You" written out and held by us. Something like this...

Kiss the Groom

It's really different and cute! As chalkboards seem to be featuring quite heavily in our wedding, I had thought about using the boards we are having for our menus.

We can also have a lot of fun with other different messages

Polka Dot Bride

Ruffled

Cute!

Choices, choices!

2010-03-24T14:26:00.000Z

A few of the dresses I like at the moment. I think the style we're going for is definitely swooshy!

30 Before 30

2010-03-23T13:13:00.000Z

I came across this article today from The Frisky.com 30 Skills Every Woman Should Have Before Turning 30

It got me thinking. When I was at school we were set writing assignments with questions like "Where do you see yourself in 5 and 10 years time?" At the age of 15 I would always say "In 5 years I will almost certainly have a successful career, be living in my own home and be with someone I care about. In 10 years I expect I will be married with children" Well 10 years have past. I don't own my own home, I do not have a successful career and I do not have any children. I am however very much in love and will be marrying my best friend in just over 7 months.

For some reason growing up I always imagined I would settle down early. Maybe it has to do with the fact that my Mom was married at 19 and had me when she was 21. When I was 15, 21 seemed an age away and everything I thought I could do in 5 years felt within my reach. As it happens at the age of 21 Has had just left University, we both had very little money and the idea of owning our own home was laughable.

When I was 21, 30 seemed even longer away - even though people couldn't help but point out to me that my "next big birthday was 30!"

I'm now 25, very nearly 26. 30 really doesn't feel that long away! I've made a new realistic list of things I hope to achieve before I'm 30. (Some of them, you'll see have already be set in motion) In no particular order...

Get married!
Move in with Has before our wedding (We'll be renting to start with)
Own our first home together.
Start to think about a family
Visit Alaska
Learn how to knit
Do something I love for a living.
Decorate my house in a style to suit me and Has.
Teach Has how to drive.
Create a "places we have been map"
Become confident in the kitchen and be able to cook edible meals!
Visit Harry Potter World
Run/Walk the Breast Cancer Race For Life
Learn how to sew
Watch all the first (last?) 3 Star Wars films (I get flamed for not seeing the originals!)
See the New York Giants play at home
Perfect the art of cupcake making
Host a dinner party
Buy a pair of designer shoes
Get a professional massage
Get a professional facial
See the Macy's Parade on Thanks Giving
Host Christmas dinner.
Have a garden
Be a comfortable size 10
Go to Iceland
Climb a Volcano (Extinct!)
Trace my family tree
Learn to play the Bass
See Poison play live.

Does anyone else have a 30 before 30 list?

San Francisco

2010-03-22T16:16:00.000Z

All the blogs I read are telling me Spring is here... I'm not convinced (Although I did go the whole day yesterday believing the clocks had gone forward and my mobile phone had "auto-corrected" the time whilst I was asleep... no I'm not a natural blonde!)

Outside is grey, dull and rainy. It feels like ages since I've seen the sun, in fact we had a discussion in the office about the last time we had seen a beach. Sunday 6th December in Rhyl. It was freezing! Before that I can't remember!

To cheer myself up I've been looking at pictures of the places we'll be going on our honeymoon. Yes, not everywhere we go will allow us to wear shorts and t-shirts, but none the less it's cheered me up. I feel like I need a holiday but today November seems a million miles away.

I found posts about San Francisco on the English Muse, which instantly lifted my spirits

from here

I visited San Francisco in 2002 with my family when we travelled around California for 3 weeks and loved it. We flew into San Francisco and had only 1 full day to explore the city. We took the boat to Alcatraz, walked around Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 to see the famous sea lions and queued for what seemed like hours to travel via cable car (worth it!)

I'm really excited about going with Has. He's never been but I think it's a city he will love. I think the main reason Has wants to go is because his NFL team The Oakland Raiders play only 20 minutes away and he's hoping he'll get to see a game! Despite this I know he'll feel the same way about San Francisco as I do.

We'll have the weekend to spend in the city and there is loads I want to see, do and explore. Lombard Street, The Painted Ladies, Union Square, Chinatown, and Golden Gate Park just to start with!

A lady in my office kindly sent me this link 24 hours in San Francisco, definitely liking the idea of walking across the Golden Gate Bridge then stopping off at the Atlas Cafe for hot chocolate and a pastry!

The glamorous job of a bridesmaid

2010-03-21T14:47:00.000Z

Saturday morning the plan was to, pick up Mom, pick up Natalie, pick up Suzie and be at the bridal shop for 10.45. Easy...

Problem 1. I struggled to get out of bed so didn't arrive to pick up Mom until 10:18. After throwing a jam sandwich (breakfast) into my mouth we raced off to pick up Natalie.

Problem 2.
Mom "What time did you tell Natalie we would be picking her up?"
Me "Erm I didn't! I thought you were telling Natalie what time we'd be picking her up..."

Cue lots of frantic phone calls to poor Natalie who was still in bed! Change of plan, grab Suzie - who was wearing the "Bridesmaid" rhinestone t-shirt I had made her when I first asked if she'd be my bridesmaid (Isn't she super!) - then shoot round to Natalie who had only had 15 minutes to wake up and get ready! (Sorry Natalie, next time I promise I'll give you more notice! Thanks for being such a star!)

We arrived at Sallie Bee Brides a little late but it didn't really matter. The shop was heaving.

Problem 3. Despite the Mark Lesley website saying that this shop stocked the dress I had originally wanted to see, they didn't have it in. A little disappointing, but they did have something very similar.
The owner of the shop Silvia was lovely. She advised us on colours and styles and after grabbing a few dresses off the racks we were shown to the quieter changing rooms upstairs.

The first dress Natalie tried on was by True and she instantly fell in love with it. An a-line taffeta dress which ruches at the side and has bead details. Suzie later tried it on and I have to say it's a strong contender.
Another dress I really liked was by Mark Lesley, it was a simple taffeta dress with a diamond brooch detail

Both girls looked lovely in this one. Although it's a little over budget!

It's certainly given me a lot to think about! The owner, Silvia allowed us to take pictures which is usually really rare, but this will allow me to make my mind up and compare these dresses with others. Silvia was really very lovely and after we had finished trying on dresses we had a conversation with her about other bridal shops and the fact that she's been in the business over 30 years.

I have to confess I think the hunt for the bridesmaids dresses will be harder than the search for my dress. I hope you girls are up for a few more Saturdays of taffeta, satin and net! I promise I'll give you plenty of warning next time!

Best picture of the day, oh so glamorous! x

The Aftermath!

2010-03-20T09:00:00.007Z

Happy Saturday!

I know I said we would split Suzie's wedding into 5 parts but we thought it would be nice to finish it properly so we have extended it to this post.

Thank you Moo for sharing your day in your words. x

Back to Suzie.
I have to say that it’s been really great to extend my wedding celebrations! They started early on the Friday morning and finished on the Sunday afternoon!

We all woke up relatively early and met downstairs for breakfast about 9:30. We had booked out the hotel for the night and even though there are only 12 rooms that made 24 of us for breakfast, it was really great to reminisce over the night before. We all tucked into our cooked brekkie and slurped on lots of tea! I don’t think there was anyone who was too worse for ware that morning! We all looked bright eyed!

After breakfast people started on their way, wishing us well and saying goodbye. Rob and I collected all our bits and pieces from the venue ready to take home including all our wedding cards and gifts and Darth Vader of course! We then started to divvy up the remaining cake to thrust upon people.

Once all our guests were gone Rob and I slumped into the chairs in reception feeling tired and a little deflated waiting for our parents before heading home.

Back to normality! Once home we sat with a brew and started to open our cards and read the lovely words and wishes that were written! Rob and I didn’t register a gift list and didn’t ask our guests for anything, we didn’t want anyone to feel under pressure and let’s face it we had each other so nothing else mattered! We were soooooo blown away with how generous people were contributing to the start of our life together! So for anyone reading a HUGE thank you (thank you card in progress!).

By the afternoon it was just dawning on it that tomorrow we departed for Heathrow for our AMOOOZing honeymoon! We jetted off to Khao Lak in Thailand for 2 week R&R and it was bliss!

What more can I say! Today is our 1 month anniversary so Happy Anniversary Darling, I love you more today than yesterday but not as much as I will love you tomorrow.

Married life is wonderful.

Friday's Photo

2010-03-19T16:22:00.001Z

I know this doesn't really follow the whole Friday Photo theme but it sums up my week pretty well and like it!

Happy Weekend! x

Let’s Dance! Part 5

2010-03-19T13:31:00.000Z

By the time the evening guests started to arrive the atmosphere had really settled down – there was no stress in the air everyone was having a great time. The DJ had started playing, I was floating around the room greeting people and telling them what a wonderful day it had been so far.

The shrugs were off and people started to filter onto the dace floor, it was time for me to pop back up to the room with my lovely bridesmaids! My GORGEOUS Vivienne Westwood shoes as amazing as they were killed my feet so I quickly snuck into my trainers and hoped no one would know (of course everyone knew as soon as I started dancing, bouncing around like a lunatic!).

We went back down stairs and all started to dance and before I knew it they were announcing that we were going to cut the cake, now this is another one of those things that no one really tells you that you should practice but I think that you should! How do you cut the cake? If it's tiered which tier do you cut? How do you hold the knife…..? So many things to think about! We had no idea what we were doing, I thought back to friend’s weddings and what they did. Right, ok Rob place your hand over mine and we basically just hold the knife over the cake and then cut... we seriously fudged it up! At one point Rob put his hand across my chest, God only knows why!! Well we did our best that’s all I can say!

In keeping with the Star Wars theme Suzie and Rob "mock" cut the cake with a Light Saber!

After the ‘bodging of the cake’ the buffet was open, I was told the food was amazing – I didn’t actually get chance to eat any of the food as I was still stuffed from lunch but it looked really good! The DJ announced that the first dance would follow shortly. Now about our first dance, I had gone back and forth from song to song and couldn’t pick one! Rob was getting rather tired of me being so contrary so decided he would choose the first dance and it would be a surprise! I was nervous... but excited!

To my delight the DJ announced that our band “Fatlip” would be playing the first dance song, Rob and I made our way onto the dance floor and Pete (long time friend, lead singer of “Fatlip” and top class usher) started to play. Rob had chosen a really funny, sweet song as our first dance, its called "Grow Old With You" and is sung by Adam Sandler in the film "The Wedding Singer"

I wanna make you smile whenever you're sad
Carry you around when your arthritis is bad
All I wanna do is grow old with you

I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches
Build you a fire if the furnace breaks
Oh it could be so nice, growing old with you

I'll miss you
Kiss you
Give you my coat when you are cold

Need you
Feed you
Even let you hold the remote control

So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink
Put you to bed when you've had too much to drink
Oh I could be the man who grows old with you
I wanna grow old with you

Neither Rob nor I are very good dancers so luckily the song only lasted about a minute and a half, we romantically shuffled around the floor, it was lovely! As soon as our first dance was finished the band struck up and just blew the night away! They were incredible!! Everyone commented on them! If you need a really good funk, soul and blues band let us know!

The evening continued with dancing, drinking and lots of general merriment until the wee small hours of the morning. As Rob and I said goodnight to our few remaining hard core party guests and retired to our room we were greeted with such a lovely surprise, Moo and Beth had decorated our room up with loads of battery tea lights that flickered in blue, blue rose petals scattered on our bed and on the floor it looked so lovely! There was also 2 ice buckets on out table one containing a bottle of champagne and one containing a 2 pint of skimmed milk... WHAAAA I hear you say… haha…

Also on the table were 2 champagne glasses decorated with Mr & Mrs E and 2 cereal bowls one with Bob and one with Squish and a box of Weetos!! I heart Weetos!!!

Thank you girls im not sure if even you will know this Moo…but when Rob and I arrived in our room and enjoyed all the decoration we went to turn on the lights and we’d had a power cut! It took me a while to realize that we had actually had a power cut and it was not something you girls had done!! Rob had to go down to reception and get them to turn on our lights!! As Rob and I turned off the lights (once we had then turned back on of course) and settled down to sleep it was such a wonderful feeling knowing in the morning I would wake up next to my husband for the first time...

Sneak a peak tomorrow to see the dreaded morning after pictures!

Supplier List
Wedding Venue – The Forest Hotel - Dorridge
Wedding Dress – D2031 - Eternity Bridal
Menswear – Moss Bros
Bridesmaids Dresses - 6537 - Alfred Angelo
Cake Makers – Elite Cake Design
Photographer – Stu Moles – Razorsmile
Decoration – Balloon Heydays

Make Up – Liz Burrows – Beautiful Day
Hair – Katie – Perfexion Hair
Shoes - Vivienne Westwood
Veil - eBay made by a seller called Kalandra
Headpiece - Flo and Percy

Bridesmaid Dress Shopping

2010-03-19T11:12:00.000Z

We've booked in to a local bridal shop tomorrow to see their bridesmaid dress collection.

I'll have Suzie and Natalie with me to offer their opinions and maybe try on a few frocks.

Unfortunately Hayley is working so won't be able to join us. (I'm sure she's secretly relieved... standing in a dressing room in your smalls, whilst a lady you've never met before thrusts a giant mass of net and dress over your head isn't really anyone's idea of fun!)

I'm really liking this dress at the moment from Mark Lesley

style 1096

Hopefully they'll do it in a variety of purple colours for me to choose from!

I doubt I'll be able to take any pictures in the shop, but I shall report back on how the appointment goes!

Fluffy Purple Flowers

2010-03-18T13:02:00.000Z

After yesterday's wobble and the kind advice and support from everyone I think I've come to realise it was the shape of the white bouquet that I loved.

If I can have a big fluffy purple bouquet I'll be a happy girl!

So flowers to make my bouquet fluffy.

Peony

Hydrangea

Chrysanthemum

Mr and Mrs E! - Part 4

2010-03-18T12:30:00.001Z

Before going out into the reception area to greet our guests as husband and wife Rob and I had a few quiet moments in the separate room just to sit and enjoy. This was really nice, we drank Bucks Fizz and chatted with our closets family who were there with us. After about 10 minutes I was getting itchy about my guests and wanted to share my happiness so we ventured out of the room and into the reception and bar where they were all waiting and enjoying drinks!

It was a really great feeling to be greeting my guests with hugs and kisses as Rob’s wife! Robs wife!! WOW that is only just sinking in! What a wonderful feeling!

We had lots of candid photos taken in the bar before we rallied the troops together and headed outside for a couple of group shots! I was really excited to be able to get the whole gathering in the photo; I hadn’t thought we would get the weather to enable us to! The Wednesday and Thursday before the wedding we had had a great downpour of snow which had caused us a few problems, the main one being that Birmingham Airport was closed and ‘The Germans’ were due to fly in Thursday morning – their flight was cancelled!!! NIGHTMARE, they managed to get another flight out which arrived on Friday afternoon. I thought even if the snow clears it will be too cold for us to stand out and have photos taken in my strapless dress (brrr) but I can honestly say I couldn’t feel a thing – not once did I feel the cold.

It’s really great to be able to look back on a photo of all our guests looking so happy for us. After a few more photos with the family we headed inside where the ceremony room had been transformed into our wedding breakfast room. I decided if I was going to make it through the meal and speeches it would be a good idea to make a quick loo-stop! I grabbed the girls and we headed off. Now im not sure how many people realize when they are jumping for joy that they have been chosen by their dear friend to be a bridesmaid just what the ‘job’ entails, most of it will be dress shopping and cake tasting etc….. But one job in particular that’s kept quiet until a couple of days prior to the big day is your bridesmaid duty to accompany you to the loo and hoik your dress above your head while you pee!! CLASSY! This is something I had always assumed would be the case. Well as it happens I decided to relieve my bridesmaids of this task and opted for stripping off and going to the loo solo! I think this worked much better!! My dress had quite a simple fastening so it was easy to jump in and out. We went up to the room; I jumped out of my dress and did the biz. Rob and I decided to sneak off for a quick cuddle in our room before the breakfast started, me in my infinite wisdom thought…’I know instead of getting back into my dress now ill wrap myself in a towel and dash quickly up the 2 flights of stairs to our room, everyone will be downstairs, no one will see’ – WRONG I dashed in my undies wrapped in a towel and met on the way my now brother-in-law, my aunt and uncle and my cousin!!!

Rob and I got about 5 minutes together to reflect on the ceremony and have a quick cuddle before I rushed back downstairs luckily only meeting my brother-in-law again on the stairs to the room where the girls helped my back into my dress.

The tables were all set and people started filtering in for some food, Rob and I were the last to enter and were announced by the hotel manager, they flung the doors open everyone cheered and standing before us was a tunnel of our men saluting us with lightsabres! It was so great and a memory I will never forget!

We took our seats and began the meal. We had chosen the following menu for our wonderful guests:

Starter
Roast Tomato Soup, with Basil Croutons

Main Course
Braised Shank of Lamb

With garlic Potatoes, Glazed Vegetables and Cracked Mustard

Vegetarian Option
Spinach & Mushroom Pithivier
With garlic Potatoes, Glazed Vegetables and Cracked Mustard

Dessert

Raspberry Cheesecake
With Mixed Berry Compote

Tea & Coffee, Petit Fours

This seemed to go down very well, Rob and I went round the tables during courses to say a quick hello and were faced with smiling guests and empty plates!

After we had all enjoyed the meal it was time for the speeches. Im not going to go into huge detail here but let me just say that they were all wonderful. My dad went first and even though he was very nervous he did a great job. Rob followed on with a very sweet and funny speech, he was so natural, like he was just speaking to his friend – and of course he was!! Rob’s brother Dan was the last to speak and Best Man – his speech was soo wonderful and funny, it had everyone laughing!

We finished up with some tea, coffee and petit fours (fancyyy!!) and then everyone cleared out for the room for a drink while it was turned around for the reception. The DJ and Band came into set up

The party was just about to kick off……

Wobbles

2010-03-17T16:56:00.007Z

I'm sure it's something every bride goes through but I'm wobbling, nothing major - I still love my dress, I still love the venue and I still 100% want to marry Has!

No I'm wobbling over my bouquet. I've mentioned before that I don't have a huge amount of knowledge in the flower world. I know what I like and what I don't like and that's about it!

The bouquet I have discussed with my florist Jennie will look similar to this.

We had talked about having a mixture of blue moon and avalanche roses (lilac and ivory) freesias and lisianthus. All in different shades of ivory and purple.

However I keep seeing all white bouquets. Fluffy, white, giant bouquets. Like this one I posted a few weeks ago

Taken from Style me Pretty

If I had an all white bouquet I'd still have roses, freesias and lisianthus. I can't decide which bouquet I like best, so I'm handing it over to you. Which do you prefer?

Thank you