Cute Cake Toppers for Animal Lovers

Goood morning


Having had my cutie pie puppy Benson, for 3 months now, I can understand how people get so very attached to their pets and how a market to care, clothe and feed them gets to be as massive as it is.

So for all you fellow animal lovers out there, I thought you'd love to see these tootsie-cutsie animal cake toppers designed, made and marketed by the very talented Tam Sudlow via her dedicated website Tams Gifts

I've chosen my faves from Tams crafty confectionary collection - what are yours?

Mr & Mrs Rabbit

Mr & Mrs Seal

Mr & Mrs Frog

Mr & Mrs Piggy

Mr & Mrs Pussy Cat

Mr & Mrs Polar Bear

I'm thinking that Benson could soon see his paw prints in lights very soon!

Magical 1920's Themed Wedding

It's film time Friday and today I'm treating you to what is quite possibly one of my favourite real wedding video's yet!

If you're planning a vintage themed wedding as I am then please take a couple of minutes out to watch this amazing 1920's themed wedding. I loved every minute of the video and my eyes couldn't move fast enough to take in all of the fabulous detailing in this exquisite wedding. I went from feeling tearful (ok, hormones are raging at the moment but nevertheless) and emotional at the beginning to smiling at just how much fun everyone is clearly having.

I haven't asked my guests to dress to the theme and in some respects, seeing this video I wished I had. Resplendent in flapper dresses, hats and accessories this is one good looking and stylish guest list. As for the star of the show, The Bride, she looked every inch the Hollywood red carpet siren in this utterly beautiful silk dress, the jacket and that show stopping silver head piece. And no bride is complete without her groom and check out this Bugsy Malone / Al Capone inspired line up of handsome men.

Katie & Danny's "1920's" wedding highlights from True Story Films on Vimeo.

I hope you've enjoyed this wedding and the video production care of the very talented team at True Story Wedding Films who have created some outstanding work and their website is really worh checking out.

4 Of The Best Make-Up Concealers

Hi guys

I'm turning my attention to that part of my body I can't take off - that'll be my face :)! It's also the part that eventually all eyes will turn to once I've been scanned from my shoes, my dress and up to my hair. That's a fact not just for me but for everyone. It's a science and an inevitability and it makes no difference if you're wearing a £2,000 dress or not, if your face and hair look a mess you're sunk!

So I thought I'd do a round up of my favourite beauty essentials for all ye brides to be out there. So today I'll start with concealers. It's a selfish start as I have an ongoing struggle with the shopping bags squatting underneath my eyes. I've tried pretty much every concealer out there and trust me, there are bloody hundreds!

Here are my top 4 from top end to real steal deals:

1. Forever Living Products : Sonya Colour Concealer Wheel : £24.28

There is every chance you've NEVER heard of this brand before and yet they have a massive global following and an outstanding success. I know of them because I was once a distributor and continue to be a big fan of their Aloe Vera juices and incredibly I still have the same concealer wheel I bought from them nearly 6 years ago! Now, that's what I call an exceptional return on investment.

This is my all time favourite concealer. We exist in a tempestuous relationship where I decide the grass must be greener and head off to start an often expensive affair with another brand which inevitably ends in tears and I go back to the old faithful.

This little wheel is amazing because it does a lot of work with 5 different shades and colours each sorting out the niggles we have:

Green:           Neutralizes redness – perfect for sunburn and rosacea
Yellow:          For darkness – excellent for under eye dark circles
Lilac:             Brightens yellow skin – highlights the eye lid area — perfect as an 

                      eyeshadow  base
Light Beige: To conceal imperfections – makes an excellent highlighter
Beige:           To conceal imperfections

Available from Forever Living Products

2. Ariane Poole Concealer Make-Up: £17.00

 

I am lucky enough to know the exceptionally talented, brilliant and fabulous Ariane Poole through my styling work. I have been with her on events an in her demonstrations and wow does she know her stuff! 

Voted "Best Concealer" by the She Magazine and featured in the Sunday Telegraph Magazine and Essentials plus Hello Magazine.

This is like miracle multi-faceted yellow-based miracle worker contains 3 shades of concealer that can be custom blended to suit individual colouring all year round.This is REALLY important as lots of us have skin tones that aren't necessarily even (that'll be me) which is why professional make-up artists will be the first to tell you that they blend shades to create that picture perfect look.

An AMAZING product!

3. Lacura Concealer Pen: Aldi £3.59

 OK, I know exactly what you're thinking. How can a £3.59 product do anything other than bring you out in a pink unsightly allergic reaction that leaves you looking that you've done ten rounds in the ring with Ricky Hatton? Well, oh ye of little faith take it from one who has bought up tray loads of this product - normally in one go and raves about it to anyone who wants to listen. This fantastic concealer comes in two different shades, has great light reflection and comes packaged in a way that makes us believe we've just parted with a much more expensive product. The trick with this, and any other light reflective concealer is

1. Don't over do it - too much will make you look like you've been wearing goggles in a spray tan booth and no-one wants to have panda eyes on their wedding photos.

2. Lightly apply the concealer - then wait for about 30 seconds for it to 'grab' before using your finger to carefully dab it on. DON'T pull it across the eye. Use it in the corner of the inside of your eye to give you extra brightness.

3. Clean the brush afterwards  - this is really important. The pen comes into contact with your warm skin and the air and then you pop it back in its cosy warm lid where it kindly invites the bacteria in for a party. So use warm water or even a brush cleaner to quickly give it a clean after you've used it.

4. Pure Cover MIneral Concealer by Maybelline

£2.99 - £6.99

I am a BIG fan of anything that is kind to our skin and gives us a break from the heavy chemicals not only in the products but in the environment. So mineral make-up takes pride of place in my make-up case and I use it as often as I can.

Maybelline offer a great range of mineral make-up including this fantastic pure cover mineral concealer. For brides wanting a natural-looking result, this has to be the concealer of choice. Micro-mineral pigments blend with the skin tone for a natural-looking finish and absolutely bob on for coming to the rescue of under eye shadows.

The lightweight formula cleverly hides away those little imperfections rather than accentuate them. This means we get to look uber gorgeous, healthy-looking result.

Available in 3 shades from a range of retailers including Boots, Tesco and online at www.cosmetics4less.com

Have a great day guys and if you've found an a-m-azzzzing concealer we need to know about then please drop us a line and share it with us!

Boho Bridal Hair : Triple Plait With Pearls

Morning!

It's time to be thinking of what to do with my hair and in some ways, more importantly, how to style my two tweenage girls hair. They are girls of 11 and 13 who know what they want and aren't slow at coming forward with their absolute won't haves! Thankfully, they're on the same wavelength as me when it comes to steering away from a style of TOWIE proportions.

For us, we remain loyal to our vintage, rustic and COB roots - sorry, bad pun!

I found this video and completely love the way Suzi creates this really simple boho look with some inexpensive pearl spiral hair clips which you can pick up from shops like Claires Accessories as well as specialist online sites. They cost around £4.00-£10.00 for 6 for a really inexpensive way to look red carpet ready.

Suzi looks totally amazing and I'm sitting here now wishing my hair was a foot longer, I was 20 years younger and I could style my hair whilst creating a video and not look like I'd been left to crawl around a cave for a year!

Enjoy!

Have a great day!

Interview With Wedding Dress Designer Amanda Wyatt

Good morning!

If I haven't mentioned it before, I've done well to keep my dress under wraps. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that my over-excitement means that's pretty unlikely. However, I am sure that some of you may be new to my blog (and thank you for coming!) and therefore not privy to the fact that my wedding dress comes from the incredible Amanda Wyatt collection. I am a HUGE fan of her work, of her passion for her craft and her connection with women who have real shape - that's the vast majority of us by the way!

I am absolutely privileged to be wearing one of her dresses in a few short weeks :)

The Amazing Amanda Wyatt

I was absolutely over the moon when Amanda agreed to an interview with me which I am now absolutely thrilled to share with you. If you have any questions for Amanda about her dresses, collections and any tips for you big day then please do leave a comment and I will make every effort to get a reply for you!

W: Amanda, when did you realise that wedding design would be your vocation? 

A: My parents started a Bridal wear business when I was 9m old so it is in my blood. 

 

Marbella

W: When was your tipping point i.e. When did you go from doing just fine to becoming a top designer name in the industry 

A: This is a difficult one I started in 1994 and was very well established by 1997. In those 3 years i went from literally nothing to having over 80 stockists and winning many awards, felt like a dream come true.

 

W: What inspires you when you are considering which designs to launch in each new collection? 

A: Fabric is one of my biggest inspirations for the new collections but I also follow fashion both high street, couture and what the celebs are wearing. I also look at what we are selling and talk to Brides and retailers to find out if there is anything that they love and we can develop. I always say you are only as good as your last collection and you must always evolve and improve with each collection.

Melody

W: Do you have an all time favourite dress you have designed and which you could show us?

A: One of my favourites was a long time ago and was called ‘Helen’ I no longer have any images as it’s that long ago!.  A more recent favourite is Monroe - soft and romantic with a little bit of Hollywood glamour. 

Monroe

W: What is a typical day for you in the heady, dreamy world of wedding gown design?   

A: During a typical working day I speak to fabric suppliers to check on the latest designs, I speak to customers and our sales representatives to keep up to date with what is selling. I think about designs and most importantly looking at improving the fit of the dresses so that our Brides look and feel amazing. All this alongside the behind the scenes more boring things like running the business side and paying the bills!

W: I’ve bought one of your dresses for my wedding in June this year. Its not from the current collection although its new – in fact I think it could be from 2010. What are your thoughts on a buying dress not in season?  

A: Many of our gowns are timeless so I would always suggest Brides buy what dress they love regardless of which collection it is from.

Hepburn

W: What can we expect from your latest collection and what do you see as the major trends this season? 

 A: We have some gorgeous lace gowns in the new collections and also gowns with sleeves and shoulder detailing are on trend for 2013, brides want to cover the arms and shoulders more these days and i have designed some stunning gowns with these details. 

Beatrix: From The Current Collection

W: What, in your opinion should be the top questions a bride should ask herself before buying the perfect wedding dress 

A: to think about what you love most about your body and highlight that and also keep an open mind and speak to the Bridal shop owners for advice they are experts in their field

Clover

W: With the hype around the Royal Wedding and the mystery of the designer – we now know to be Sarah Burton – who would you LOVE to design a dress for?

A: I would love to design for Adele she has sang about her broken heart but now she is in love I would love to make a gown for her. She is beautitul young lady with curves that would look great in one of my designs.

W: If you weren’t designing beautiful wedding gowns, what other job could you see yourself doing? 

A: I can’t imagine not doing the job  I do now as I love it but if I was in Bridal I would love to work in the shoe industry as that is my other passion.

I hope you loved the interview with Amanda as much as I did and a big, huge silk covered thanks to you Amanda!

HOT High Street Bridesmaids Dresses

Hello

This seasons' wash of beautiful colours on the high street means that bagging a bridal bargain from a non-wedding specific shop is easier than ever before. And as I love shopping and looking for others, I thought you'd appreciate saving some time, energy and hassle factor if I showed you some of my favourites from our fashion favourites

I love the simplicity and vibrancy of this 50's/60's inspired dress with a lace bib. The flattering cut of this lovely dress will flatter pretty much all body shapes so will be a real winner!

Flower Tapework Dress £75 @ Warehouse

Click Here To Go Straight to The Dress! 

Ghost Chelsea Chiffon Tie Long Dress, Dusk £195

This is such a stunning dress from Ghost which I fell in love with when I saw it in John Lewis yesterday. Graceful, elegant and jaw droppingly beautiful with a nod to the refinement of the 1920's. It comes in a pretty extensive range of colours online including a white one which could well be worn for a bridal dress. WARNING, as most of us do have the privilege of having some curveage, grab some contour/control underwear for a super slinky, smooth outline ;)

Click here to go straight to the dress!

John Lewis Rose Prom Dress, Black £150

I laid my hands on a couple of stunning vintage 50's inspired dresses in John Lewis - this Rose Prom dress was dressed with a white faux fur stole which looked utterly beautiful and my thought was that the whole look could be completed with a high contrast shoe - possibly this seasons' hot pink, red or yellow.

Go Straight To The Dress!

If you're pushing convention and are looking for a print dress for your bridesmaids then John Lewis, again have this pretty  Phase Eight Dress, which I've previewed before and which I completely love for its design and the subtlety of its subtle, muted colours

Phase Eight Rosie Belted Dress, Petal £130

Go Straight To The Dress!

Navy Scoop Neck Dress £32.00

I think this is such a gorgeous dress from Apricot, a real snip of a price for such a fabulous dress. I would absolutely team this with nude shoes which won't only compliment the dress but your bridesmaids will thank you for visually making their lovely legs look longer. A perfect dress for every bodyshape too! A no-brainer? I think so! I would like to see this in my post wedding day celebrations for my good self :)

Go Straight To The Dress!

And finally for something more fitted, funky and opulent, I've headed to Very for this satin one shoulder dress by celebrity designer Amanda Wakeley. Stunning in every way and exceptionally affordable it comes in this fabulous fuchsia and a deep purple.

Elements/Amanda Wakeley Draped Satin One Shoulder Dress

 

Go Straight To This Dress!

As always, please let me know if you've seen anything on the high street that YOU love and that we can all share :)

 

TOMS Ethical Wedding Shoe Range

Hi everyone

I hope you've had a great weekend.

I was treated to a shopping trip to the Trafford Centre on Saturday afternoon. That in itself is a contradiction in terms. Shopping in the Trafford Centre on a Saturday afternoon does not equal a 'treat'. Its about as crazy an idea as shopping in Ikea on a Sunday. Know where I'm coming from?

Anyway, the treat was more for Mr Weddingista who wanted a pair of Toms and so it was that it turned out that my treat was actually in finding out that Toms, the fabulous & ethical shoe people now have a wedding range! Yes, I know - how cool is that?

For those of you who've been living in a cave and don't know what Toms are - they are the new, funky alternative to espadrills that have graced the outfits of many a cool dude and dudette. Their makers ensure that we leave their stores knowing that only do we look and feel good, but that we are DOING good too. For every pair of Toms you buy, they will give a new pair of shoes to a child in need. If only the rest of the superficial fashion world could follow suit eh?

                                                   (Image Source: Greenweddingshoes.com)

So, for those fighting-formality COBS (Chilled out Brides) here are some seriously cool alternatives. I love them but am going to save my pair for my honeymoon :)

An Underwater Wedding!

Hello!

Don't want a conventional wedding? Want to make a real splash with yours?

This week, I featured what I thought was a bonkers but fun way to get married - sky diving your way to matrimonial bliss. This though, goes another step forward andis definitely one for the marimtimers out there who would happy push the boat out (bad pun I know) and have a wedding of titanic proportions!

I have to admit that I laughed my way through this video not least because of the erm-interesting use of music :) but I did marvel at the way they literally recreated a formal wedding setting beneath the waves complete with row seated wedding guests, the vicar and a graceful swim up the aisle!!

All aboard for an unforgettable, if not damp, wedding experience for this adventurous couple in the Lebanon
..

Would you do this????

Killer Bridal & Bridesmaid Dress Ideas at M & Co!

Morning All

I like to start the week with some fashionable wedding finds that leave you with that "I've-bagged-a-bloody-bargain" feeling. And lets not be fooled - a bargain should NOT come at the expense of great styling and quality.

So I was a little excited and chuffty to bits when I stumbled by chance upon some a-m-a-zing finds on the M&Co website of all places! Actually my sister and I are avid fans of their kids range so when the 10% discount promotion hit last week, she was straight onto it!

M&Co wouldn't be your first port of call when you're on the hunt for all things bridal which makes this an even better special find as being different is what makes weddings great. You could quite possibly kit out yourself, your bridesmaid, your mum(s) and the rest of the wedding guest list here :)

Have fun looking!

For the Civil Ceremony or Registry Office Bride

Champagne Satin Jacket: £69

Champagne Satin Dress: £79

For The Bridesmaids

Floral Embroidery Dress:£69

Ottoman Pleat Bust Dress: £89

Multi Pleat Coral Chiffon Dress: Was £79 Now £54

1950's Inspired Spot Jacquard Dress: £89

                          

For The Mother Of The Bride

Collarless Cover Up Coat: £99

 

I've taken some time to look through the whole site and am really impressed by their range of dresses, so much so that I'm about to whizz off an email to my friends who've been complaining that they can't find anything different to wear for our wedding. Take a look too at their control underwear which, as you may know I am a HUGE fan of as dieting is far too painful a process for me - I'll let the suck-in-the-inches-underwear-technology do the hard work for me :) I've seen a little number too, I'm thinking about buying for my get together the day after our wedding :)

The Worlds Most Expensive Wedding Dress

Yoo-hoo, hello there!

As I plan my modest yet beautiful wedding being mindful of the money I spend and how I spend it, I wondered just what I could buy if I wont £85million on the lottery this weekend and threw caution to the wind?

I could, if I really wanted to buy one of the worlds most expensive wedding ( actually I could buy them both but then I'm not that greedy) dresses and team it with the worlds most decadent and cash thirsty shoes. At $1.5million and $2m respectively, I'd still have plenty over.

The $1.5 Million Peacock Wedding Dress

Pictures from my74750.com

Ok, this won't be everyone's cup of tea and to be honest I wouldn't be sure whether to throw confetti at the bride or some bird millet. But no one can deny that this is a work of art and a piece of craftsmanship that kept 8 dressmakers working on it day and night for 40 days. I'm suddenly thinking Noah's Ark. Sorry I digress. Resplendent and jaw dropping, this dress made from about 2,009 pieces of peacock feathers was unvelied at an expo in China back in 2009. It would be amazing to know if it was ever worn by any bride.

Image Source: Amazing Luxury Life

 

The $2 million Stuart Weitzman Cinderella Slippers

Ok girls, lets be honest, most of us have some level of romance or relationship with shoes ranging from simple adoration to compulsive got-to-have-lots-of-them obsessiveness. BUT I'm hoping we know when to draw the line and understand when to say NO. NO? Well, my lovelies check out these dazzlers.

 

Made from 595 carats of platinum-set Kwiat diamonds with the 5-carat amaretto diamond on the left shoe worth $1 million just on its lonesome, I would be wearing these to bed for the rest of my life 1) to get maximum cost per wear 2) to avoid having them stolen from me 3) to avoid getting kidnapped in them.

That said, I wouldn't say they were THE best looking shoes I'd ever seen. They're OK and yes they're worth an obscene amount of money but would I be happy to snub them. YUP, most definitely!

A Sky Diving Wedding in Hawaii

Hello

The sky that was emptying out bucket loads of grey rain earlier this morning, has now allowed the sun through - yayyy! Happy days.

With the blue skies on my mind, I thought I'd treat you to this completey unique if not nuts way to get married - certainly not mainstream and certainly not for the faint-hearted. Nevertheless, I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this fabulous couples totally unforgettable sky dive wedding in Hawaii.

Anyone up for throwing themselves out of a plane?!

The Barefoot Bride

Morning!

It seems more than ironic that as I'm about to write about beach weddings its absolutely bloody tipping it down outside. But then, this IS Manchester not the Maldives. Sadly.

As I was dreaming about those idyllic scenes of matrimonal bliss set behind the backdrop of a crystal blue sea, white sands and the emerald gloss of the palm trees it occured to me that a pair of 6" Jimmy Choo wouldn't quite cut it. Unless of course you are more than happy to sink rapidly into aforementioned sand, spending the duration of the ceremony looking like you've been propped up at a 45 degree angle.

So, if you are getting married on the beach and want to look, feel and behave stylish (nothing stylish about falling over in heels, sand or not) on your wedding day then barefoot shoes by way of foot jewellery is the way to go. Here are some of my favourite designs

                                           Elegance Pearl Crystal Cluster: Barefoot Bridal

                                                   Butterfly Crystal: Barefoot Bridal






Boho Barefoot Sandals: Nat Girona at Etsy



                                               Swarovski Crystal Pearl: Two Be Wed Jewelry at Etsy


Every barefoot sandal is handmade which means that heading to Etsy, where individuals sell their hand crafted items is an ideal starting place. I've also found a big selection on Ebay - the photography won't win any awards which is why I haven't included them :)

NOTE: Remember that jewellery on your foot will draw attention and adoring eyes to your tootsies, so make sure you're booked in a for foot manicure and massage before hand for a 5 star look!