Tuesday 30 August 2011

Thursday 25 August 2011

ceremony altars

While indulging my usual post-work blogging habit (hands down, best part of my day at the office) I noticed Bijoux Bride’s post today was about pretty and different altars she had seen at weddings.
I thought, we’re not getting married outside, we are doing the traditional church ceremony – I wouldn’t have it any other way. But then I saw this from Jasmine Star:


From a wedding ceremony held on a rooftop in LA. Hand made my dear. Too gorgeous and wonderfully unique.
And yes, that’s a Vera Wang and she is wearing Alexander McQueen shoes. Envy!

Wednesday 24 August 2011

wedding puppies

I posted recently about the rainbow bridesmaids trend that everyone in the US wedding blogosphere seems to lurrrvvvvve. This is another trend that I find fascinating.
Dogs.
At weddings, in weddings, in bowties, on the lap of $2000 wedding dresses.
No judgement, everyone is entitled to their version of the perfect wedding and if I wasn’t certain that my favourite Cocker Spaniel would lift his leg on my dress, making the ivory more of a pee yellow, yuck!, I would consider it. Who doesn’t love a friendly doggie?
This is my Mom’s dog, Simon, who has a penchant for peeing on things. Not to be trusted. But how cute would he look with a bow around his collar and that sad look on his face?

While none of these are as cute as the slobberfest above, let me show you what I mean:





                                            Pics all courtesy Style Me Pretty

Shotgun the beautiful collie in the second picture!

Wednesday 17 August 2011

5 months to go!

Oh yes, it is that soon to the Mr and Mrs Day. That may not sound close to you, but when you've been engaged for more than a year already...hehe your time frame changes! I really must get my A into G (ass into gear – saying courtesy my Mom, she is somewhat eccentric) and get our invitations sorted.

And a wedding from Style Me Pretty that used bath duckies as part of their theme. Too cute. (And evidence you really can think out of the diamante-roses-mirrors box and make your wedding unique.)

Monday 15 August 2011

it's all in the details

I am truly terrible at keeping things to myself. I can take someone else’s secret to my grave, but my own...well I find it impossible. Today, this is great because it means I have license to tell you some exciting news!!!
Last week I got another of the many, many little pretty things I am collecting for The Big Day. Much excitement and accidentally stepping on my kitty’s tail while jumping up and down. She (understandably) yelled at me for about 5 minutes.
I was inspired by one of my all time favourite weddings...that of Louise of Bijoux Bride. She married in the Cape earlier this year with an orange and grey colour theme. Sounds awful right? But she did it with such restraint and finesse. So I stole an idea from her beautiful wedding, being unable to come up with such creative things in my own little left-side brain!
I emailed her and asked if she knew where I could get the lovely item and she was so friendly and gave me such great advice. One of my biggest lessons in planning my wedding: If you don’t have style, steal it from someone who clearly does!
So here is the inspiration for my lovely item, as seen at Bijoux Bride’s wedding:

The font I have used is slightly different and I have used 3 words instead of one, but all thanks go to Louise for the inspiration.
I’m going to use it both in my decor at the reception and in our photoshoot! Super excited!
Here are the gorgeous flowers from Louise's wedding, courtesy her blog:


Wednesday 10 August 2011

Finding the Shoes

Oh. My. Word.

If every bride has one thing she can’t get right, mine is the shoes. I even posted a facebook status asking for advice on heels or flats. To which I got: BOTH. Not entirely helpful. Although is probably my only and ultimate solution.
On a whim a few months ago (in the middle of winter mind) I bought  a pair of flat sandals with an oversize pink flower on them. From Woolies. But of course. Kinda like these from Topshop:


And of course being a Corporate Slave I have many many pairs of (mainly black) heels.
However.
Can you really not wear a brand spanking new pair of shoe heavenliness on your wedding day? I love Badgley Mischka, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, Louboutin... But it’s a case of champagne tastes with bottled water bank account. I have the shortened calf muscles of a mountain biking career gal. Thus wearing flat sandals for me would be sacrilege. Comfort? But WHY? When you can stand 6 feet tall and have good posture and wear something skyscrapery. But I CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING. Fair enough, it is the middle of winter. But nothing even close?
Do I go for colour or cream, kitten or stiletto, sparkly or plain? At this point, it’s my 100 year old black ipanema slops.
Sigh. Sometimes Africa is a giant dark hole of shoelessness :P
These are the sparkly Jimmy Choos I have seen in no less than 2.5 million weddings in the US (how do they all afford them? Is there a sale I don't know about?!):
                             

 These however, are spectacular:
Kate Spade from pinterest


Green lovelies from pinterest

Creamy perfection from pinterest

Sparkles from pinterest

Jimmy Choo from pinterest

Badgley Mischka from imanologirl blog

white flower detail from weddingplanideas.com

Christian Louboutin from pinterest

Kate Spade sandals from pinterest

Kate Spade from pinterest

More green gorgeousness from pinterest

Tuesday 2 August 2011

guest list list

This is such a hard one for me. I know we are going to disappoint or hurt people. A wedding is supposed to be about loved ones coming together to celebrate. Unfortunately, it often degenerates into something that requires conflict resolution skills even Harriet Korn from Harry’s Law does not possess.
Of course I’m banging on about *dum dum dum dum* The Guest List.
The thing no-one warns you about.
I wish we had the budget for 200+ people at our wedding - although likely then I would still be complaining because Auntie Poepie twice removed can’t come, hehe. But we simply don’t. And weddings are EXPENSIVE. Lots of brides and grooms are opting for smaller weddings and that makes sense. Treat the really important people in your life. The question remains though: how do you decide? Is it people you’ve known for a long time, or those you will know in the future? Are all family members a shoe in?
So I’ve come up with a few people that every bride and groom swap insults about (kidding!):

The Boyfriend Slash Significant Other – if he isn’t engaged to your BFF-from-when-you-were-five, is there a point? What if they break up? But again, you don’t want an absentminded BFF because she is constantly BBMing said Significant Other and generally being a sad panda.

from google images














The Cousin You Last Saw At Granny’s 60th – they are still a family member. But they have a penchant for cane and Coke and will flatten the entire bar tab in two seconds. And then do the Funky Chicken with Granny who is now 80. Not an easy one.

from wedpix.com













Little Humans – I think for this one you have to decide at the beginning, kids or no kids. And this depends on your situation. For us, no-one has yet popped any out so it was an easy one. Whew.

from aperfectcelebration.com















Cliques – this is possibly the hardest of all. Friends tend to come in groups. And we all know; some people come with the group that you don’t necessarily like too much. At the risk of sounding mean – CUT THEM.
from pinterest