I haven’t written a post for so long so this is both overdue and suitable timely!
In fact, I’m actually writing this on my phone, while Pete drives us to my mum and step-dad’s to watch the panto later on today - the joys of technology :)
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Dressing for a wedding as a guest has its challenges and so today I’m delighted to share this post by Carolyn from Northwood Rings, a company that make beautiful bespoke rings out of wood, gemstones and precious metals. Carolyn’s sharing her top tips for accessorising for an Autumn wedding, so read on for some inspiration to help you look your best at any upcoming weddings this season!
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This year, I’ve been on a mission to reduce stress in my life. I’m fascinated by how many of us don’t recognise opportunities to make our lives easier but instead pile more work, guilt and, yes, stress on our already overwhelmed shoulders.
This got me thinking about you, as brides-to-be. I know some of you are navigating the wedding planning journey with little difficulty, but for many of you, I know that it can be a struggle to manage everything. So I’ve decided to start sharing some ways of how you can make it easier on yourself.
I’m starting today with wedding stationery. Why? Because it’s something that I personally struggled with when we got married and I know, having spoken to many brides, it’s been one of the things that has come up for them too. Simply put, you need a way to let your guests know there’s a wedding. Bottom line. But then we start stressing about when we need to send the invites, who we should invite, whether we need a different invite for the evening and, worst of all, finding and writing out addresses to finally send them out. Do you buy or DIY? And is it worth investing the money in having someone make them for you when you could do it yourself?
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This wasn't about the workshop alone. In fact, there was no obligation to run one. This was about the creative process. While I'd been focusing on my target audience, I'd forgotten how fascinating it can be to watch artisans and creatives work. That's what this was all about and I could certainly do something to show that.
I forgot that what I do behind the scenes would be interesting to other people. Honestly, I get so stuck in my head when I'm making things that I forget that people don't see all of that work. It's pretty therapeutic too and if you'd like to explore what I do further, you can come along to one of my workshops and make something special for yourself. This goes for people who aren't brides-to-be too, as there are so many things you can do with a hair vine, something I'll be exploring further over the next few months.
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Today I'm answering those unspoken questions I see on brides lips when I talk to them about designing their hair accessories.
Let's face it, there are so many details to think about when planning your wedding and chances are, if you haven't got a venue, photographer or dress yet, the finishing touches probably aren't your priority right now, but it always pays to be prepared right?
So let's break it all down, starting with the word "bespoke" itself. Bespoke means custom-made. So when someone talks to you about a bespoke service or product, it means they are tailoring their service or product specifically to you. It means no one-size-fits-all approach and your ideas are valued, heard and incorporated into the finished piece.
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Back in 2014, I started out with a few random hair pieces and would say to potential clients that I would create whatever they wanted. This was an epic fail for two reasons: one, I didn't have enough work to show what I was capable of and two, people don't always know what they want.
I've learnt a lot through my journey to getting where I am (it wasn't pretty in the beginning!) and one of the biggest lessons I've learnt is you need to have ideas to inspire and you need to have a style that people can relate to. And if people have no idea what they want, you need to be able to build a relationship with them to figure it out.
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Let's say, today did not go as I planned it to! And I'm finding that with a lot of days at the moment. Do you find that too? Today I was practically invisible; I've had cars almost reverse in to me, people walking so close to me you'd think I was a ghost...plus a whole dog shaming incident that I think you'll enjoy hearing about (sorry Gizmo). But it was my reaction to all of these things that surprised me. Normally when stuff like this happens, I feel the world is against me but today I thought about why I might be taking everything to heart.
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Is being the centre of attention on your wedding day stressing you out too? You’re not alone! It’s just a question of mindset…here’s what I wish I’d known before my own wedding.
Read MoreI made the unconscious decision to do what I'm doing now around November last year. It only became a conscious decision two weeks ago though because, like all the other times I've had to make hard decisions, I panicked, doubted myself, questioned everything and tried to justify every reason not to do what I knew I had to. It was time to let something go.
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Wedding planning is hard enough. Throw in some well meaning family members who try to help by pushing their ideas on you and you're done for.
Here’s how to have the wedding you want without causing a family feud!
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"What's you're biggest weakness?" the person interviewing me would ask. "I'm a perfectionist" came my reply. Let's face it, it's the text book answer to a question like that. But what about when it comes to your wedding day? Read this and find out!
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I shared a tip on Facebook earlier this week about how a hair vine could be your ideal hair accessory if you haven't finalised your wedding hair. As one of my most popular posts is about the ways you can wear your hair vine, I thought I'd share a few alternatives for you that don't involve putting them in your hair. Intrigued? Read on, friend!
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Creating your own brooch bouquet can be a lovely project for your wedding and these days, there are so many options for brides who have decided to design their own. You can find tutorials online, order kits or take a workshop but one thing is for sure; your bouquet will make you smile for years to come because you made it yourself.
I created brooch bouquets for myself and my bridesmaids and, while I loved my bouquet for its sentimental details, I had little experience then. I've designed a fair few over the years and have picked up new techniques as a result, so I thought I'd share with you a few things that I've learned to help you create your own.
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If you've read my earlier post about my workshops, you'll know that I've recently introduced Brooch Bouquet workshops. What about if you don't need a full workshop though? What if you've got most of it covered, there's just one annoying bit that won't work, or you're struggling to make the handle look presentable?
Well, my friend, that's where my Brooch Bouquet Surgery comes in!
The concept of the Brooch Bouquet Surgery is this: Come along with your ailments and I'll give you a prescription to fix it ;) That is, of course, you bring your bouquet along in whatever state it's in and I'll help you to fix it.
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For today's post, I've joined forces with Award Winning Hair Stylist, Chris Fordham, who has shared his top tips for planning your wedding hair style and choosing the perfect accessory. When it comes to your special day, it really pays to have a professional do your hair; they will be used to seeing their work on camera and will know how to achieve the best from your hair. Chris has a lot of experience of working with brides; not only is he a 4 times award winning Bridal Hair Stylist and Winner of 'Bridal Hair Stylist of the Year', So Glos Weddings have featured him as one of their top inspirational wedding Instagram accounts to follow - find all his details at the end of the blog! Now, over to Chris for some wedding hair advice...
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I believe there's something special about creating things for your wedding. It's those little sentimental touches, personal to you and your partner, that will ultimately make the day most meaningful to you.
I meet a lot of brides at wedding fayres who tell me about how they're planning to make something for their wedding and, while I design and make cake toppers and accessories for brides-to-be, I understand that making something yourself is a way of putting your mark on your special day.
But what if you feel you have no creative talent? Maybe you've thought about making something for your wedding but it's not gone quite as well as you planned and your Pinterest vision (they always make it look effortless don't they?) is a crumbling mess in front of you?
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I'm currently sat on the stairs while our little one is refusing to sleep. Grrr. Perfect opportunity to write a blog post, right? ;)
I've been bogged down recently with emails from "coaches" - side note, I don't mean any offence by that, it just feels that every woman running a business these days is running a business to tell other women how to run their businesses...I digress - saying that to be successful you need to do X, Y and Z and I'll admit, just like I did in teaching, I've tried to implement too many things that have ultimately brought me down.
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Celebrating with your nearest and dearest is at the heart of most couples’ wedding days and if you’re lucky enough to have everyone you love there, then you are truly blessed. Sadly, for many of us, we may have lost a parent, relative or friend who we wished could have seen us walk down the aisle and live happily ever after.
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If you're a creative butterfly, like me, there's no doubt there'll be just a few handmade touches to your big day. A quick browse on Pinterest will give you a ton of ideas for ways you can save money and for cute (and more importantly, easy!) ideas for anything from invites, to brooch bouquets. Rather than give you more ideas (don't get me wrong - I'm happy to!), I'm going to leave that to Pinterest today and instead focus on how you can create a beautiful DIY wedding, whatever your budget!
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You've had the most amazing wedding day and now it's back to reality. Never fear, there's still plenty to look forward to! If you've been suffering from a bout of post-wedding blues, take a look at this list of ideas to banish them for good.
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