Bridesmaid individuality

I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with having mismatched bridesmaid dresses or accessories.  The first time I remember it making an impression on me was in Friends - Monica and Chandler's wedding (yes, I'm a nerd). The bridesmaids wore matching dresses, but did their hair differently and work different jewellery. Nowadays I think it is nice to match hair and accessories, but let the dresses differ either in cut or colour. 

Generally most brides won't have all her girls the same height, shape and colouring - like me, I had a tall, curvy brunette, a medium sized blondy brown and a petite red head. I asked my bridesmaids what style they each wanted to wear, fully intending to let each one have a different dress but the same material. However they all came back wanting the same style (strapless, sweetheart, empire waist) so they all got the same dress.  

Convertible dresses are a fabulous way of doing just that: 

Each gets their own look that suits them.  And you don't have to worry about colour matching. 

Another way of giving individuality, which I have to say I absolutely LOVE, is giving each girl a different colour. This rainbow theme is amazing, so bright and happy!

Another option is shades of the same colour (ombre style). A little classier but still with a twist. 

Love it! 

Willow Wedding

Just for something a bit different, I have always loved the old Willow Pattern bone china and wondered if you could turn it into inspiration for a wedding.

Turns out you can!

I love this dress - its got a modern cut and not too over the top, with a lovely nod to the willow ware:

Another gorgeous example, which would be perfect for a garden setting:

Brides, after your 'something blue'? How about these stunning earrings:

This mix of black, white, willow and roses makes a beautiful table setting:

 Or add a pop of red for a more Oriental feel. I also love the Chinese Takout boxes for bonbonnierre!

As much as I love the traditional blue willow pattern, you can also get some amazing pink and red china. This set I found on pinterest.com is stunning - maybe for a kitchen tea? I love the styling with the pink peonies, too.

And as a final touch, how about this gorgeous blue and white bouquet?

The DIY Veil

One of the wedding costs that left me flabbergasted was the cost of a veil. For a couple of metres of tulle, some ribbon and maybe a few crystals, I couldnt find one for less than $150!

So I decided (like a lot of things) to try it myself, and I figured hey, if I really screw it up, I can always go and buy one.

I started by going to Spotlight and buying about 3m of white tulle, a roll of white satin ribbon, a clear hair comb and a couple of crystal drops.

I then determined the length I wanted each section of the veil (shorter at the front, longer at the back) and marked the point where I wanted to attach to the clip by running a needle and thread (white, of course) through that line, leaving it loose.

I then folded the veil in quarters, and rounded the bottoms so that the front and back would come to a point - this is optional depending on what look you are going for!

Once happy with the shape, I took my ribbon and started to sew it over the edge of the tulle. This is the time consuming bit! You might find it helpful to fold the ribbon in half first and iron in a crease.

After that I gathered the veil at the midpoint by pulling on the thread I had sewn in before, like a drawstring, and tying it off, then stitched the veil to my clear hair comb.

The final touch was adding the crystal drops - I mostly did this for weight but it was also a nice little sparkle on the day!

Voila! This veil cost me about $30 (including a decent pair of scissors) and a few hours of my time. I think it looks just as nice as a store bought one - with more sentimental value to boot!

Why not give it a try?

Pale Teal - Thanks to Etsy...

Ok, I swear this post didn't start out as an Etsy feature. However, as the first three or four things I wanted to include turned out to be from Etsy, I didn't really have a choice now, did I?

Etsy is a great place for the DIY bride. Not only for unique pieces, but for ideas an materials if you want to attempt something yourself.

I love pale teal as a colour for a wedding. It's bright and cheerful, but choosing the paler option is perfect for those brides who want something a bit more subtle.

I love these invitations. So clean and simple!

These invites are a little bit more crafty and have that handmade look. Perfect for a vintage style wedding.

How adorable is this cake topper?

These hair clips are perfect for bridesmaids and flower girls. I had something similar in gold, and they add just a beautiful touch of colour!

I am in love with these cushions - while you could incorporate them somewhere into your reception setting, I also think they would make an adorable wedding gift!

As you may have guessed, I'm a huge fan of artificial bouquets. This beauty is no exception. I particularly love all the different textured fabrics used, and the ivory sets off the teal beautifully.

This standout piece is perfect for a bold statement. I love the combination of cool colours with gold, and I think that silver is way overused as a bridesmaid accessory!

Ditto for these earrings. I'm also quite partial to the wire wrapping, and Etsy is chock full of elegant pieces like this.

My favourite part - dresses. This colour is stunning in chiffon and I love all these options that are available (although my favourite is D).

And I've saved the best for last. I don't even have words for this dress. It just takes my breath away!

High Tea, Anyone?

The classic high tea is a perfect theme for a Kitchen Tea. It's classy and refined, and who doesn't like to get dressed up in a pretty sundress once in a while?

I adore this dress, from Modcloth. Perfect with a pair of wedges for a girly afternoon!

Refreshments? Easy. Think mini quiches, butterfly cakes and other dainty treats - these are some snaps from my kitchen tea.

 

And adorable party favours - we bought some quiant tea cups from op shops and markets, put together lolly bags and tied on personalised 'tea' labels.

 

If you want the professional look without the trouble of organising it yourself, you can hire beautiful china for an event like this. Look at these beautiful pieces from The Vintage Parlour. Stunning!

 

 

Dare to be Different - Bridesmaids Dresses

There's nothing that bugs me more than the same old wedding with the same old colours and the same old dresses.

I wish brides would embrace quirky or unique fashion choices to set their wedding apart from your run of the mill, formal 'prom' dress. Even if you love the classic shape - mix it up and throw in a patterned fabric or different texture.

Check out these ideas for some pretty and charming bridemaids dresses that are a bit different.

I know velvet is like, soooo uncool, but I just love it (especially for a winter wedding). As long as the cut is modern, the dress will look modern - like this beauty.

If retro is your style, I love this cutie. It's sweet and modest but not too alarmingly vintage.

I don't think patterened bridesmaid dresses get anywhere near enough coverage. Don't feel like you can only have one colour! These are stunning (and the brollies are a nice touch, too!).

This Sherri Hill multi coloured dress is beautiful and I love the combo of pink and green. Would be so easy to match bouquets to these dresses.

And just to prove I practise what I preach, my bridesmaids wore these beautiful coral ombre dresses. This was back in 2010 before the ombre movement started - talk about starting a trend!

Don't they look beautiful?



My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Dos and Don'ts!

My Big Fat Greek Wedding has to be one of my all time favourite wedding movies. I can watch it over and over again - I think because I know it will end in a wedding - it's built right into the title!

I watched it again the other night and I started thinking about what I would have done in Toula's position - all the lessons we can learn about what to do (and what not to do!) when it comes to planning your wedding.

So here is my list of Dos and Don'ts, My Big Fat Greek Wedding style.



DO take care of your appearance. If you don't like something, DO something about it! You might be surprised with the results.

 

 

 

DON'T lie to your family. Honesty is the best policy, even if you think they won't like what you have to say!

 

 

 

 

DO make sacrifices and compromises with your partner. Be prepared to give and take! If something is important to them, it should be important to you.

DON'T let others make important decisions about your wedding. Stand up for yourself! Dont say you like something if you don't - again honesty is the best way to go.

 

 

 

 

DO incorporate your family's traditions, if they are right for you. It will make your wedding more personal and special.

DON'T let your bridemaids make decisions for you (or steal the show). Better yet, pick bridesmaids who won't want to do this!

DO pick out your own wedding dress. DON'T let your aunt do your makeup (unless she's a professional!) You want to look your best on your wedding day, and lets face it. Those pictures are going to be around for a while! You don't want to cringe every time you look at them.

And last but not least, DO enjoy yourself. Regardless of anything else that's happened in the lead up, have fun! You only get one wedding day (hopefully), so enjoy it!

 

 

Opa!

Tulip Bouquet

When most people think of tulips, you wouldnt expect they would make a great bouquet because they are too open. The unopened buds however, make a stunning bridal bouquet.

Tulips would have been my second choice of flowers (I actually had calla lillies) just because they make such a beautiful ball of flowers, and come in such an amazing variety of colours.

You of course can get your classic creamy white, like these:

And then these pure white tulips make a beautiful bridal bouquet when teamed with colourful bridesmaids bouquets.

Red tulips are kind of expected which initially would make me want to stay away from them. However, red is indubitably the colour of romance, and these sweet little posies are so adorable I think I could be persuaded otherwise.

I love these partially open, streaky tulips in various colours. The slight opening of the petals adds a whole other dimension to the arrangement.

Lovely pastel purples and pinks look great, single colours or all mixed in together. I also think these would make a great centrepiece!

Vibrant yellow tulips add a pop of colour to a summer wedding. I also love how the florist has added a few crystals for an extra something!

I love the beautiful peach and pink tones in this sweet little posie. I'm also a fan of the simple way this has been arranged, without the greenery.

There is virtually no limit to the combination of colours, only your imagination. I love this pastel combo of orange, pink, purple and white.

These stunning deep purple tulips are actually silk. You can see that they are a pretty accurate representation of the flower compared to the fresh bouquets above!