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Ads and artistic license

We announced our engagement in the Telegraph – loved it and will be framing that, we then had it in the local paper with a picture, the Henl;ey Standard and THEN There was a lovely piece in The Times about us ))) i know we are  a pair of cheeseballs but you only do it once! We were interviewed for this separately over the phone and they have slightly used their own artisitic license … for a start we have known eachother for 18 years not 10!

Smug marrieds and September

SO TR and I are just about 6 months in …. can you believe it. It has gone so quickly, I am still not used to saying my Husband but love it all the same. We are getting through the weird and wonderful living together scenario – all the things most couples do in the years they live together before marriage! Even though we have known each other 18 years there are many new characteristics creeping in … I had no idea that TR would be quite so good about that house! Also no idea he would find it so weird if I wanted to eat something different from him for dinner. Honestly, it drives him mad and he can’t get his head around the idea that I may have something else on my plate. Half food envy half god knows … I think that may come from me being in a boisterous family of 6 with different tastes so if I decide to have baked beans and grated cheese on my Christmas turkey then I will!

 

I’m not going to turn this blog into a ‘what it is like to be married’ blog as that really would be boring … I am going to talk about my shortcomings though. not in the marriage sense but in the lazy / busy / procrastination sense.

 

We STILL haven’t finished out thank you’s! we have done about 10. Can you imagine that, I feel terribly rude and we will finish them in the next few weeks but there has been so much going on and in all honesty the last thing I want to do after work is sit at the table writing hundreds of cards. I am a BAD person. Advice – do it straight after your honeymoon, it makes sense, do it on the plane? I bought beautiful vintage cards from Laura Ashley and India Jane in our wedding style and they stare at me every day!

 

We have so many beautiful gifts in our home and are loving making it look ‘us’, money towards our amazing trip and towards out new sofa which we love.  I am so grateful and those thank you letters are coming, I promise …

 

On that note I did experience the feeling this wkend that I was an old married couple – we got up on Sunday, fiar enough it was about 12pm (nobodys taking my lie-ins!) but we then promtly went to B&W to buy paint. Itv was 50% cute and 50% cringe. Wwe are actualyl opainting the kitchen so have every reason to be at B&Q but I’ve never done that before with a partner (puke) and I guess it ios normal and doesn’t make me 50 and I need to get over it ….

 

 

Back to wedings – I have only been to one this year. the Bride designed her own dress and looked Oscar worthy. A stunning chiffon one shoulder gown with vintage earrings. WOW. My pics are too low res so will be uploaded this wkend. I got my dress inspiration intitially from a red Dior Heidi Klum dress which also makes me think – do check out Oscar dresses for your big day, the red carpet dresses are often so beautiful and can give you an idea of different shapes and sizes and what in white could work as a wedding dress. 

 

I have 6 weddings to go to!

 

So I will have lots to talk about, firstly getting my own outfits for them! I have something for the next wedding from Louis de Gama (a little shop I love in East London) it is a nude chiffon short dress with split sleeves, I am going to be boiling in the Sud de France so if it’s too scorchio I may think again and go for strapless but I love this romantic dress so think it should be perfect. I’m not wearing a hat – they tend not too so much in France but I am going for corsages in my hair and there are loads around at the moment – New Look, Top Shop, Miss Selfridge.

 

Some of our best friends get married in September, in fat we have a wedding every weekend and are sadly missing one. Ireland, Isle of Wight, Sussex, France – OMG I cannot wait. Ben is best Man for one so we have a whole post on tips for that coming soon! - the boys are getting their suits sorted now, one of TR’s friends is going to David Saxby, old fashioned suits and tailcoats in Putney and looks gorgeous in Navy tail coat, bright pink tie and grey waistcoat – a lovely combination. Greys, navys, pinks and Nudes are quite ‘in’ this year for the boys and really suit lots of guys.

 

The Weddings we are attending in Sept are all different, style / venue and dresses so lots of information to hand over.  The most at ease Bride has a Wedding planner as a best mate now she’s a keeper!

If you are going for tails – top hats? At the races it looks so fab but really, for the expense (up to 700 quid to buy in silk) - it may not be worth it. You only wear them outside and you need to think if you will frame the Hat photo! You groom may suit a top hat but do the other guys? Try it on, take a picture then decide! In the heat it isn’t ideal.

 

Honeymoons and Hen do’s

I am back ….. from a wonderful trip! we kept it very traditional to the extent that I had NO IDEA where I was going until we got to check in desk!  I knew we would spend the third week of our honeymoon in Western Australia but had no idea what the first 2 weeks would hold. We checked in – destination Singapore. We went through and ordered champagne so TR could tell me the plans. One night in Singapore, 5 days on Bintan Island in a luxurious resort and spa and then 6 on Nikoi, another tiny ec0 island off the coast of Singers. Paradise. WOW! I will be posting up some pictures soon but I can say that it was super relaxing, stunning, romantic and fun. We had one Jaws moment that had me in tears and I will describe later but apart from that an amazing trip. Our third week with friends in the stunning area of Margaret River south of Perth made the trip even more memorable as we shared a great friends Wedding day and got to explore a tiny part of Oz which we loved.

3 weeks is a brilliant length of time for  a honeymoon if you can get that off work. Recent destinations of other friends have been thailand, Zanzibar, Pemba island (x 3 friends) and Paris. A Safari is such a memorable experience i thoroughly reccommend that as a part of a honeymoon. Ladies, take Uggs (best advice i may ever give you as my best friend will vouch, i promise!). More coming on this!

Links coming. 

As i type a great friend’s hen do hangs in the balance due to the cloud of ASH hanging over the UK, what is even more ironic is that ‘Ash’ will be her new married name, Fingers crossed all will be OK. I have a few hens coming up but I can disclose what they will entail, I get asked often how to make a great hen do but my answer is simple. Great people, music and  Booze will go a long way (much like a good wedding!) I have had hen do’s in fun restaurants, cottages in the Cotsworlds, Bath and Hampshire, in Palma, London and they have entailed all sorts. Butlers in the Buff, games, activities, making music videos, karaoke, chilling out, strippers, great food, fancy dress, shots and a lot of laughter.    

You have to think about what your hen loves to do and base it around that … don’t try and do too much, you want to be able to spend time together too and not have too strict a schedule.

The 80s music video from mine is coming here soon!!!

Honeymoons and Hen do’s

I am back ….. from a wonderful trip! we kept it very traditional to the extent that I had NO IDEA where I was going until we got to check in desk!  I knew we would spend the third week of our honeymoon in Western Australia but had no idea what the first 2 weeks would hold. We checked in – destination Singapore. We went through and ordered champagne so TR could tell me the plans. One night in Singapore, 5 days on Bintan Island in a luxurious resort and spa and then 6 on Nikoi, another tiny ec0 island off the coast of Singers. Paradise. WOW! I will be posting up some pictures soon but I can say that it was super relaxing, stunning, romantic and fun. We had one Jaws moment that had me in tears and I will describe later but apart from that an amazing trip. Our third week with friends in the stunning area of Margaret River south of Perth made the trip even more memorable as we shared a great friends Wedding day and got to explore a tiny part of Oz which we loved.

3 weeks is a brilliant length of time for  a honeymoon if you can get that off work. Recent destinations of other friends have been thailand, Zanzibar, Pemba island (x 3 friends) and Paris. A Safari is such a memorable experience i thoroughly reccommend that as a part of a honeymoon. Ladies, take Uggs (best advice i may ever give you as my best friend will vouch, i promise!). More coming on this!

Links coming. 

As i type a great friend’s hen do hangs in the balance due to the cloud of ASH hanging over the UK, what is even more ironic is that ‘Ash’ will be her new married name, Fingers crossed all will be OK. I have a few hens coming up but I can disclose what they will entail, I get asked often how to make a great hen do but my answer is simple. Great people, music and  Booze will go a long way (much like a good wedding!) I have had hen do’s in fun restaurants, cottages in the Cotsworlds, Bath and Hampshire, in Palma, London and they have entailed all sorts. Butlers in the Buff, games, activities, making music videos, karaoke, chilling out, strippers, great food, fancy dress, shots and a lot of laughter.    

You have to think about what your hen loves to do and base it around that … don’t try and do too much, you want to be able to spend time together too and not have too strict a schedule.

The 80s music video from mine is coming here soon!!!

Beauty Buys and Banking

One of my favourite supplements of the year is the Instyle Magazine 100 best Beauty Buys, one of my most lame and superficial ambitions is to own the whole list! Every year I buy that issue, read the beauty buys front to back and try and add a few more products to my stash (especially if they have gone into the hall of fame). I love make up but have never thought of myself as a massive beauty geek, I don’t think TR would agree with that statement but this is the one example of my love of products.

When it came to the Wedding I was very lucky. I had a great contact who works on a make up counter, I had used her for fashion events and loved the results and she had also made up a great friend on her Big Day too. I didn’t consider anyone else.

I had 2 ‘trials’ for fun more than anything and was happy and luckily Hannah was able to drive over to my house the morning on the Wedding and do the Bridesmaids, my Mum and me.  It is one of the things I have to say was perfect – everyones makeup. the girls and Mum looked beautiful and I was very happy too.

I know the make up part doesn’t always run so smoothly – my advice it that you should have someone come to you and do it – as natural a look as you want (and I did) the beauty of an accomplished make up Artist is that the products they use and the skill they have with brushes and colours will take a weight off your mind. They understand that flash photography and natural light will create a different tone, how much extra you may need on your eyes for the pictures and what makes the look last longer. They can test out different shades on you in your trial and tell you where you may need to add more later and it is also a lovely time on the morning of the Wedding where you are with your loved ones  getting ready – stress free!

I have heard a few horror stories – one bride hated the make up she had done as she looked more like Rupaul that a blushing Bride and had to take it all off and start from scratch minutes before the service … another had to cancel the ENTIRE wedding as she was allergic to the waterproof mascara used on the day which caused her eyes to swell up to the size of golf balls, no joke.

I know Kinga at Selfridges is great and Hannah at Fenwicks is my number one … your local big beauty department is a great start. Go get amake over on  satutrday night and see how you feel, you can do this for as littl eas 10 pounds redeemable on product – take pictures! Bobbie Brown, Laura Mercier and Nars are huge favourite brands of mine as have great long lasting range of products. 

I made sure i had bought myself the legend that is Nars Orgasm blush stick, such a natural healthy and oh so slightly sparkling look. I now have the fantastic new Orgasm  illuminator too – mix with your foundation to give it a glow, put on as a base or as a highlighter on your cheek bones.

I bought a pinky nude Nars lip gloss, Laura Mercier bronzer, bobbie Brown second skin foundation and gel eyeliner.

You do have to go  slightly heavier on the eyes on the day for the pictures … plus make sure you see yourself in the day light with your full face on as well as in a store / studio. Don’t stray too far from your normal look, your HTB doesn’t want to see a stranger walking towards him ;-0

Check out beauty TV for some ideas!

The Banking part is really just to say I am working again, whohooooooo!! TR is thrilled that he nolonger has a redundant wife and I am thrilled that I can now buy more products from the 100 best beauty b

uys.

Dates and Diaries, what’s coming up!

A new job in the city has meant less time to blog the past 10 days but am sorted now and ready to post some new chapters so watch out for the new posts! An interview with Rachel Trevor Morgan the milliner is coming in a few days, see pictures of my wonderful creation above  … in the meantime I wanted to share the joyous engagements of friends from recent months and weddings coming up this year so you know what helpful information is coming your way!

 

I will be posting some pictures and info on the two beauitiful winter weddings I attended in December and then I am off to Australia for a wedding next month, this promises to be a stunner, set in a vineyard with incredible views and colours in hot sunshine. Bridesmaids and Groomsmen in blue, a vintage Hamptons style to the reception, the Bride in … I can’t say! Watch this space for pictures. 

 

September 2010 is wedding city USA for me and TR, we have 6 to attend so far and 5 in September alone as you know we only have 4 weekends so sadly I have already had to decline an invitation to the most incredible venue in France, there was a courtyard spot for us to show some moves.

 

TR is the best man that day at a Wedding in Ireland and whilst i’ve done 2 weddings in one day before (one in Henley on Thames, One Portsmouth) this would be impossible.

 

We have a gorgeous wedding in South of France in July, one in Ireland, one in Surrey and another on the Isle of White in September and a recent best friends engagement news from Sri Lanka will, I am sure bring yet another overseas day to remember in the future!

 

Thinking about getting married in abroad? Top tips for a Wedding in Spain coming soon.

RIP Lee Mcqueen

I’m writing this post today (it’s not really anything to do with weddings) but being a HUGE fashion fan – very saddened at the news of Alexander Mcqueen’s untimely death. 

For any true fashionista, his stunning collections over the past 12 years have always been worth waiting for, his creativity knew no bounds. I have always been a huge fan, his shows in Paris were always worthy of couture status. A humble talent from east London, shy with a wicked sense of humour Alexander Mcqueen will be sorely missed. 

I was lucky enough to have attended some of his shows, as PR for Swarovski we worked with Mcqueen frequently, he loved to embellish his pieces with crystal. Just being present at one of his catwalk shows was truly the highlight of my career, a cocktail party on Jon Bon Jovi’s yacht in Monaco didn’t come close!

A mesmerising show in Paris Autumn Winter 2006 really stands out for me. I was simply in awe of the most romantic, poetic collection of structured organza and tulle, feathers, brocade and lace, tartan dresses that often took you into a moment in history. The music haunting and the finale was an extraordinary experience, something i will never forget. I use the words of Sarah Mower, fashion writer to describe it as i simply can’t do it justice: 

“Inside an empty glass pyramid, a mysterious puff of white smoke appeared from nowhere and spun in midair, slowly resolving itself into the moving, twisting shape of a woman enveloped in the billowing folds of a white dress. It was Kate Moss, her blonde hair and pale arms trailing in a dream-like apparition of fragility and beauty that danced for a few seconds, then shrank and dematerialized into the ether”.

Incredible, a floating hologram of Kate Moss in the most beautiful dress … I will never forget it.

The high street is full of Mcqueen inspired pieces and infact, your wardrobes – i’m assuming you have some low rise jeans? They originated from the Mcqueen ‘bumster’ trousers, the influx of tailoring, structured and embellished dresses, the black and white houndstooth check, the exaggerated waist and hips that has become the ‘tulip’ style, frequent in all high street stores the last few seasons – these trends all stem from Mcqueen.  

Of course now his pieces which are works of art will be like gold dust and so they should be, whether the house of Mcqueen could carry on without the legend and another designer at the helm in the future remains to be seen, perhaps Erdem, Hussein or Alexis Mabille? We shall wait and see, it seems hard to imagine anyone being able to get close to his insanely creative imagination and artistic flair – seamlessly mixing the digital, futuristic necessity of the industry with historic influences and saville row expertise. 

RIP Alexander Mcqueen, I hope you are with your Mum and Issy Blow, enjoying watching the industry in mourning and having a good giggle about it.

I leave you with quotes from the Grand Dames of fashion.”Lee McQueen influenced a whole generation of designers,” Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman said. ”His brilliant imagination knew no bounds as he conjured up collection after collection of extraordinary designs. At one level he was a master of the fantastic, creating astounding fashion shows that mixed design, technology and performance and on another he was a modern day genius whose gothic aesthetic was adopted by women the world over. His death is the hugest loss to anyone who knew him and for very many who didn’t.”

“We are devastated to learn of the death of Alexander McQueen, one of the greatest talents of his generation,” US Vogue editor Anna Wintour said last night. ”He brought a uniquely British sense of daring and aesthetic fearlessness to the global stage of fashion. In such a short career, Alexander McQueen’s influence was astonishing — from street style, to music culture and the world’s museums. His passing marks an insurmountable loss.”

To Botox or not to Botox that is the question

What a dilema, one that crosses many Brides minds these days with the option of that lunch time jab … back to work in half an hour.

Quite a few close and beautiful friends of mine have had Botox, some before their weddings some just because they wanted it and some for no reason whatsoever – that curiosity gene. I didn’t but I certainly thought about it alot! TR was highly against it and to be honest, once i lost my job it wasn’t an option, it’s pretty cheap but when you are seriously counting the pennies, not cheap enough .

My friends Botox stories vary, some didn’t even tell the gang so i’m not sure if they were happy with the results or would do it again but some were totally open about it. The response is mixed, most looked fab, you can’t always tell but something just looks fresher, some wouldn’t do it again, the feeling is too wierd, your skin feels tight and in your reflection, you don’t see the expression you are trying to make and lets be honest it doesn’t last forever!

Most do love the results when they see pictures and look in the mirror and would do it again in a flash but I guess you’d have to do it every year for the rest of your life to keep the look?? One friend went to the gym after the injections and is sure the poisen dripped down to her forehead giving her a droopy eye – I couldn’t tell though!

Where and why did i want it? Forehead and around the eyes mainly, I have some serious lines going on there and whilst most of them are from expression and laughing my arse off throughout my life … i’d definitly look better without them! I’ve lost count of the amount of times i have stood in front of the mirror, finger tips pulling hair line up – asking TR to see the difference, there is none he swears but i’d love that Katie Price line free forehead. TR disagrees which is very sweet … and now after seeing and hearing various friends stories i think i’ll wait til i’m in my forties before i consider it again. (i cant promise that this statement will remain so!)

The super high res pictures from the wedding do show my lines and make me cringe but my god I look happy.

Fireworks and Flowergirls

When we first started planning our New Year wedding I was absolutely sure I wanted fireworks, in fact i remember saying it was one of the things I REALLY wanted and even if TR didn’t – it was going to happen! I even wanted fireworks to music, we talked about having them to ‘our song’ (too cheesy) to classical music (too OTT) or to some funny 80s rock tune like ‘The power of love’ by Huey Lewis and the news (a little too ‘back to the future’). After much googling and pinging off emails to firework people in the local area giving me different quotes I realised that actually whilst fireworks at midnight is a brilliant spectacle, but for us wasn’t going to work. In order to get 140 people outside at the same time you need a warm evening, not too many drunk guests and for it to either be at the end of the night (so people can happily put on their coats and get their taxi’s afterwards) or the sort of party that still works with dribs and drabs on the dancefloor! It is also pretty spenny.

Ours was a marquee in our parents garden in the freezing cold, it was going to go on until at least 2am. Fireworks would have meant the inebriated Ushers would have had to get all the guests off the dancefloor and onto the garden in the possible snow / sleet / rain / fog and then get them back in again after 10 minutes of ooohing and aaahhhing which would have costs (at best) about 200 pounds a minute. Having them at the end when we were going to leave would have been wasted on most so it just wasn’t worth it. I then decided i wanted chinese lanterns and to set hundreds off into the sky, I would have loved to do this as it can create beautiful pictures, it’s a very meaningful act and it is much much cheaper but again, i think it only works when it is summer for the same reasons.

You can get some good deals on fireworks and lanterns, some great friends of ours had fire eaters which was amazing and i recommend sparklers, we had them and they created some fab pictures, are great fun and can be used inside! Try having your guests create a corridor of sparklers for you to leave through. If you are having a summer wedding it is beautiful end to the evening … check out your local suppliers for prices as these changed pretty dramatically but you can get good deals.

You may also need to double check on details if you want fireworks etc, certainly with your venue. During my chats about these, Mum said that if you are having fireworks you have to warn everyone within a mile radius – for their pets and also that lanterns are banned in some areas as they float down into fields and kill the cows than eat them … neither of these can be taken as fact!

Flowergirls are always just gorgeous and so pretty in pictures and it is such a lovely day for them, if you have someone in your life, in my case my Mums god daughter who i have known since she was a baby then how can you not ask them to be your littlelist bridesmaid / flowergirl! There are some great places to get dresses from: John Lewis, BHS, Debenhams are brilliant for a stylist selection at great prcies, we found ours in John Lewis for half prcie!

To make it unique marvelous Mum added a layer of organza with petals and confetti floating at the bottom, she wore a little fur cape and muff also from John Lewis for that winter victorian look! Perfect.