Real Life Weddings: Tahnee and Tony

The gorgeous newlyweds

Mr and Mrs Goodchild

When my wonderful September Bride Tahnee and her Mum Kim approached me in July and asked for my assistance in putting together a wedding in three months, I was both nervous and excited.

It would seem that I had nothing at all to worry about; Tahnee, her Fiancé Tony and MOB Kim had lots of ideas and were very hands-on in the planning process. 

With Gosfield Hall already being Their dream venue, and the very fashionable colour scheme of Hot Pink and Orange chosen, it was up to me to source some suppliers and tie up any loose ends.

The sun came out in time for the Drinks Reception

The 'theme' for the Big Day was cocktails and sparkle; the centrepieces were tall martini glasses filled with coloured gemstones on mirror plates with scatter crystals. Soft, romantic lighting was provided by a plethora of tea lights in jars and mini hurricane lanterns, which adorned the tables in the ballroom, the ceremony room and the terrace, where guests later gathered to watch a magical firework display arranged by the Tahnee as a surprise for Tony.

Tahnee opted for fresh flowers, including stunning lillies in the arrangements as a beautiful tribute to her late Grandmother. The special moments were frozen in time by the amazing Photographer Lucy Jones, who captured every gorgeous detail, with a passion apparent to all. 

Floral Arrangements by Lucy Bowman

The bride wore the absolutely breathtaking Cinderella from Alfred Angelo's Disney Fairytale Collection; which was aptly named as the entire day was truly magical. Her Bridal look was finished with a gorgeous tiara fit for a Princess and crystal drop earrings. 

The Bride's make up was soft and natural

Bridal Hairstyling was by Amie-Louise Snow

Lucy captures every thoughtful detail perfectly

Lending a hand with the Bridesmaid's Make up (That's me!)

All in all, it was an absolute honour to be part of this wonderful event, working alongside some absolute excellent suppliers. The event was intimate, personal, and most importantly, Enchanting.

The Ceremony was held at Gosfield Hall, Essex

Photographs courtesy of Lucy Jones Photography

Photos courtesy of Lucy Jones Photography

Until next time...

Live your own Fairytale.

The Enchanted One 

Xoxo

Taking Shape - The 411 on Wedding Dresses

Whilst I am aware that I promised I wouldn't leave blogging so long in my last post, I have been ridiculously busy this month...'tis the season after all! (For weddings, not Christmas, naturally.) So, I make my apologies, beg forgiveness and cut to the chase. It is, after all, the reason you have found your way here in the first place. Tonight I give you the 411 on Wedding Dresses where the silhouette is concerned. The key to looking absolutely stunning in your gown has nothing to do with the cost, it's all about the shape. So here goes nothing.

The Ballgown / Princess
Exactly as the name describes, and most likely the first image one's imagination conjures up when uttering the words 'Wedding Dress'. Think Disney Fairytales and you've got it. This style is great for nipping in the waist thanks to it's signature corset style top and full skirt. A great look for pear shapes, but can overwhelm the petite. Curvalicious ladies beware; adding tonnes of fabric to curves may leave you looking reminiscent of the Wedding Cake.

Selina - Maggie Sottero - www.maggiesottero.com

The Fishtail / Trumpet
Also known as the Mermaid, this style of dress is classic Hollywood glamour, and follows the contours of the body before flaring below the hips - normally mid-thigh for the Trumpet or knee for the Fishtail. This dress is perfect for Ladies with an hourglass figure, confident curves or a slender frame. Lace will be generally more forgiving on less that perfectly toned bums, tums and thighs than shiny satin; bear this in mind when hunting your dream dress.

Style 8605 - Justin Alexander www.Justinalexanderbridal.com

A-Line

This dress has a silhouette that is narrow at the top and gently flows to gradually widen at the bottom to create an 'A' shape. It is ideal for the bottom-conscious as it skims over hips without adding bulkiness and also for apple shapes as it creates balance at the waist.

Ronald Joyce - Barcelona - Ronaldjoyceinternational.com

Column

The Column is a slim fitting silhouette that follows a stright line from the neck to the hem, making it ideal for tall, lean and petite figures due to it's figure hugging qualities. Be aware though that this style will show every lump and bump so will require completely seamless bridal undergarments.

Marchesa Silk Column - www.Marchesa.co.uk

Tea Length

Think 1950's prom dress; the hemline falls between the knee and the ankle and is flattering for most body types, especially for ladies with gorgeous pins! It's perfect for a vintage themes too; wear statement shoes to make the most of the length.

Jane - Cutting Edge Brides - www.cuttingedgebrides.co.uk

Now you're all clued in on the silhouettes, it's time to go and find that dream dress!

Happy hunting!

Until next time...

Show love, show patience, show understanding.

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