Vintage Rose

I feel a little neglectful of my blog; however, since my beloved laptop died an untimely death last week and the blog site seems sketchy at best in terms of an error preventing me from actually writing any text, writing has proven to be difficult. However, I aim to please, and so here I am endeavouring to fulfil the appetite of Brides-to-be the world over by providing more food for thought. Today's post is a theme idea; Vintage Rose.

With feminine touches and an antique feel, this fabulous theme has endless possibilities. Flowers obviously play a large part in this theme as suggested by the name. Use roses wherever possible; in your stationery, your cake, and naturally, your bouquet. There are hundreds of variations of shades of pink, and as a general rule there is a shade of pink to compliment most other colours. A dusty, blush or nude shade of pink would suit this theme best. Colours that best complement these shades are dove greys, parchment beige-creams, ivories and golds; however there are many more possibilities.

Think Antique when dressing this theme; there are lots of clever ways to fake authenticity today. With Vintage and Shabby-Chic being an increasingly popular trend, vintage Wedding Fairs are beginning to pop up all over the country, offering ideas and inspiration for the vintage-loving Bride; however do be aware that due to it's popularity, the words 'Vintage' 'Antique' or 'Shabby Chic' will automatically bump up prices thanks to the current desirability. With a little bit of clever bargain hunting at your local car boot sale though, you can begin to uncover forgotten and unwanted treasures that will lend themselves perfectly to your theme. Look out for mismatched floral china, glass cake pedestals, and pearls and lace in abundance.

Clockwise from top left: Blush - Bourjois Paris, Bridal Garter - KrumpetsDesign on Etsy, Cake - Leslea Matsis Cakes, Rose and Pearl Chair Sash and Centrepiece - Pinterest, Shoe clips - Etsy, Rose Garland - eBay, Fabric flower bouquet - Cultivar on Etsy, Rose Lipstick - YSL, Nude Nail Polish - Paul & Joe, Rose Quartz Drop Earrings - Kendra Scott, Summer Garden Wedding Invitation - Imagine Wedding

I absolutely love this theme, it has a really romantic and dreamy feel to it. Follow it through to your Bridesmaids by choosing mismatched dresses in shades of pink and parchment, and stick to a relaxed and boho-vibe hair style to avoid anything looking too 'done'. Make-up should be natural and flirty; think blushed pink cheeks and full feathery lashes, with eyes in shades of mink and taupe. There are endless possibilities for the perfect dress for this theme, too; anything from a slinky column sheath in blush tones to a powder-puff tulle princess gown in antique cream or a stunningly dramatic taffeta masterpiece, the sky really is the limit!

I hope this has given all you lovely readers lots of inspiration. I promise not to leave it so long next time!

Until then...

Live well, laugh often, love much.

The Enchanted One xoxo

Do yourself a Favour

If the concept of providing dozens and dozens of favours has you (and your Budget) breaking into a cold sweat, fear not; I have compiled a list of brilliant and unusual favour ideas that come in at less than £2 each. With these simple and beautiful ideas, Favour Fever needn't be an issue, and the best part is that they can double up as place settings with the addition of a simple name tag.

Save a Fortune
Fortune Cookies are the best thing about having a takeaway; my inner child gets excited for that mystical piece of paper...share this excitement with your nearest and dearest by providing each guest with a Fortune Cookie. They are just £13.99 for 100 cookies from good old eBay...that's a blinding 14p per guest.


Scented Soaps
Everyone loves Smellies; so why not treat your guests to a bath time delight with a gorgeous scented soap favour? With a lavender scent for the ladies and an olive scent for the gents, you can get these lovely soaps in individual brown card boxes for a bargain £1.50 each from a fabulous Not On The High Street shop called 'The Wedding of My Dreams'.

Shop Here -The Wedding Of My Dreams

Antique Style Key
Perfect for a vintage theme, these cute little keepsakes can be strung with colour coordinating ribbon and labelled with a cute play on words; Lock Me in Your Heart, Key to My Heart, Key to Happiness, Key to Success etc. The possibilities are endless, and at £1.40 for 60 of these little beauties from eBay, they work out at 2.5p each!

Shop Here -eBay

Individual Jam or Honey Pots
If you've ever stayed in a hotel or guest house with individual jars of jam or honey, you'll appreciate what a cute touch they would make as a favour. Morrisons offer mini Rowse honey jars and locally made jam at 4 for £1...simply add your own labels et voila! Super low cost favours that are still gorgeous and thoughtful. Have a variety of different expressions on the labels; think 'Spread the Love', 'Meant to Bee' and 'Love is Sweet', and have one expression per table for the extra cute-factor.

Bombs Away
There is a fabulous lady on eBay called Laura who makes beautiful handmade soaps and bath bombs.
These gorgeous mini heart shaped bombs come in several fragrances including bubblegum and coconut (yum!) What's more, they are vegetarian friendly and aren't tested on animals, so you can be a friend to the furries and save a bundle! At £15.79 for 50 including P&P, the work out just over 30p per guest, andyou can choose different colours and fragrances to combine too!

Buy Laura's handmade creations HERE!

I hope you've enjoyed my inspiration station....check back soon for more money saving ideas!

Until next time...

Live life to the full, Laugh until your cheeks ache and Love like you've never been hurt!

The Enchanted One xoxo

Beat the Budgeting Blues

I'm such a bargain hunter; You will usually find me hunting for treasure in Charity shops, Car Boot Sales and on Ebay. I once picked up a vintage Laura Ashley tea dress for about two pounds, and from that moment I was completely hooked.
With my passion for all things Bargain and Bride, I am going to share even more money saving tips and tricks to help you on your way to your dream Wedding. (Check out my posts The Beginning and the Budgeting Bride and Cheap vs Cost Effective first!) The smaller your budget, the more fun you can have brainstorming creative ways to keep costs minimal. Read on to be inspired...

11) Be Spontaneous
If you can hold your nerve, are incredibly organised or have the assistance of a Planner, you can grab a bargain last minute package deal on your dream venue and save a fortune. For example, my beautiful September Bride got a massive £7,000 saving on her Wedding Package by booking just nine weeks in advance. Make lists, get help, write EVERYTHING down. It can be done!

12) Print your own Invitations
Long gone are the days where you have to allocate hundreds of pounds to your Wedding Stationery. Providing you have a big pack of quality card stock, a decent ink jet printer (or know someone who has) and a couple of hours to spare, you can very easily print absolutely beautiful invitations in the comfort of your own home. Etsy is an encyclopedia of fabulousness; just type in 'Printable Invitations' and be prepared to be 'wowed'.

This gorgeous set includes everything you see in the picture and is fully customisable for a bargain £16.97 Shop Here at LilyCielBridal



13) Altar in the Afternoon

Choose the latest available time (Usually 4pm in UK) and you can then avoid having to have a Wedding Breakfast and a Buffet. This way, you can eliminate one or the other; a BBQ option or Hog Roast could have both bases covered here.

14) Budget- No Budging!

It might sound obvious, but make a budget and stick to it. Make a list of necessities and another list of extras - Sit down with your fiance and rank your priorities. Don't forget that you will need to allow for Giving Notice of Marriage (currently £35 each payable at the registry office) and the Registrar (around £350-£400) if you are planning a civil ceremony.

15) Making Up

Bag a free makeover at a department store or beauty counter and then buy the products. Not only will you then have the tools to recreate the look on your big day, but you'll also know how to apply them like an expert and avoid being made up in a way that just isn't you. The best part? You'll have gorgeous products you can use again and again.

16) Highstreet Honey

I've said it before and I'll say it again; hunt the highstreet. Just look at some of the accessories New Look has to offer! These beautiful 'bits of bling' as my Mum would call them start from as little as £2.99...Loose change in the grand scheme of things!

Shop New Look

That's all from me tonight, until next time...

Go treasure hunting!

The Enchanted One xoxo



Love for the Highstreet

And this afternoon, I give you The Highstreet Dress.
This little beauty from Phase Eight incorporates floor sweeping elegance with stunning floral embroidery, and the high neckline and cap sleeves lend themselves perfectly to a Vintage themed Wedding. The dress has a feel of a bygone era, combining timeless beauty with contemporary simplicity and is accented with a pearl beaded waistband, flattering panelling and all over Organza. The large flower embroidery is simply stunning and is a beautiful contribution to any summer wedding.

Buy it here

At a very reasonable £550, this could easily be mistaken for top end designer and no one would ever guess that it's from a Highstreet store.

Buy it Here



 This stunning Carlotta Bridal Gown from Monsoon is a pleasantly surprising find. Monsoon have a fair selection of Gowns for a Highstreet chain, and not only that but they are unbelievably priced. At just £299 it's an absolutely steal, and perfect for a Budgeting Bride. Once again, this is a Dress that wouldn't look like an impostor next to a Designer Gown; with head to toe luxurious lace, intricate scallop detail to the ¾ length sleeves and hemline and set off with a hand-embellished waistband of diamante and pearl. The Dress also features a scooped back and neckline, accentuated with a trimming of pearls and silver beading.

As I mentioned in my previous money-saving posts, it's well worth checking the Highstreet for your dream dress; TK MAXX have a Bridal Boutique with designer gowns from big names like Valentino for a fraction of the Recommended Retail Price, and since they generally only carry a limited stock it's unlikely that you'll see the same dress again on the Highstreet. With up to 81% off brands like Hollywood Dreams, you can certainly get your money's worth. Even Newlook has jumped on the bandwagon with their new range of Bridal accessories. With the savings you could make on the Highstreet, you'll have enough change left over to treat yourself to a pre-wedding Spa day or to put towards a gorgeous Honeymoon. Don't forget to check Groupon first!

Until next time...

Keep bargain hunting!

The Enchanted One xoxo

Serendipity

Cinderella would have some serious shoe envy.

Not even your fairy godmother could conjure up shoes as fabulous as this; after all, not only are glass slippers wildly impratical for the clumsy and uncoordinated *ahem* but I imagine they aren't terribly comfortable either.

And so I present to you...Figgie Shoes. Choose your own perfect wedding shoes, send them to this ridiculously talented lady with a bit of a story and some inspiration and bibbidy-bobbedy-boo...custom designed one of a kind Wedding Shoes that are not only beautiful and personal, but that also tell a story. I am so seriously obsessed with these shoes that I may have to commission a few pairs for the fun of it.
A classic black and white design starts from $250 (Canadian Dollars), but bear in mind that prices may vary depending on your own personal design. Get jealous below...

These are just a few of my favourites, but there are so many more that I came across and drooled over on Flickriver. Deborah Thomson, the artist behind Figgie shoes started accidentally after painting wedding shoes for a friend. Have you heard the word Serendipity before?

ser·en·dip·i·ty  (srn-dp-t)

n. pl. ser·en·dip·i·ties

1. The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.

2. The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.

3. An instance of making such a discovery.

What better way to describe such a talent? I discovered Figgie Shoes a long time before I became a Wedding Planner and showed them to everyone I possibly could. The question I was most frequently asked was "How on earth did you find something like this? What kind of random Google searches must you do to make these discoveries?" Well, the same way Deborah created Figgie Shoes is the same way I discovered them.

Serendipity.

Until next time...

Keep Googling, keep discovering

The Enchanted One xoxo

I do not own the copyright to these photos

A Midsummer Night's Dream Theme - Royal but Rustic

 Let's be honest; no Bride is complete without her accessories. This post is all about bringing the Bride's look together, injecting a bit of her own style and personality and really giving the finished look some pzazz. The Bride's look is going to be Royal but Rustic; inspired by Titania, Queen of the Fairies, but with a little dusting of contemporary wearability.

First, obviously, the Tiara. After all, what is a Royal without her crown jewels? This beautiful silver coloured tiara from Etsy features rhinestone flowers and a leaf design. With or without a veil, a tiara is the perfect way to feel extra special on your Wedding Day.

Tiara - Etsy

The Bouquet - Keeping with the rustic theme, I've chosen this stunning hand tie of wildflowers in soft shades of pink and blue. Featuring pale pink Roses, Nigella, Gypsophelia and a selection of other various wild hedgerow flowers, this bouquet is rustic simplicity at it's finest.

Wildflower Bouquet - The Flower Magician

  The Clutch - Not every bride opts to have a clutch, but let's be honest; it's nice to have everything to hand for a quick lipstick touch-up or a mint. This particular clutch I chose for it's undone and raw feel, which is contrasted and complimented by this perfect sparkly jewel.

Bridal Clutch - Etsy

It's no secret that I have a minor obsession with shoes, and this beauties from Elegant Steps are no exception. The aptly named 'Fairytale' shoes are the perfect combination of lace, sparkle and beautiful rose details that made them the perfect selection for a Royal but Rustic theme.

Diane Hassall Fairytale Shoes - Elegant Steps

There are a few things to consider when choosing your Bridal accessories. A statement necklace will compliment a simple neckline, where as something more dainty and classic would suit a dress with more detail. Less is definitely more and it's all too easy to over accessorise considering the wealth of stunning choices available. If the dress is very detailed and 'Statement', keep accessories classic and minimal; whereas a simple gown can be dressed up with bold jewellery. A pashmina can work well for chilly evenings or as a back up in case the weather is typically British. Parasols are very popular right now; paper parasols in bold colours can make for excellent photographs in hot weather. Remember to be prepared for all eventualities, as very hot weather can be just as much of a pain as very wet or cold weather...blisters from sweaty feet and new shoes, sunburn and dehydration are all big risks, especially after a few cocktails.

 Back up flats or Weddington Boots might be worth considering. After all, having spent all day in high heels, dancing the night away in some soft ballet pumps might be a very appealing option, as might be having a pair of pretty wellies to prevent your beloved shoes being ruined by muddy puddles or wet grass. Being prepared for anything means that when the heavens open or the forecast is for a million degree heat, you will quite literally be cool as cucumber!

This just about wraps up the Midsummer Night's Dream Theme...it's been a tricky one but lots of fun along the way. Until the next post...which I promise not to leave so long this time...

Keep wishing, keep hoping, keep loving!

The Enchanted One xoxo