i hate snow

Ok, bold statement.

But I am slightly disenchanted with the powdery white shite. In general terms, I actually really love the stuff. I love watching it fall when I'm cosied up on my sofa with a steaming cup of tea. I love the childish fascination of wanting to build the best snowman in the world! I love the adult fascination of exactly how many inches of snow have fallen in your area or how low the temperature got.

What I do not love is the constant scare mongering by the media. The pictures of cars wheel spinning and bumper to bumper motorways. People complaining that it's "too cold!". It's fucking winter! What do you expect? And I shall bet any money that they're the same people winging that it's "too hot" when we occasionally get a wee week of summer.

The first day of snow in our street.

Now, I am not proposing that we all go frolicking into the wonderland in celebration of the snow. I am just saying that I think we need to live with it, learn from it and get on with it... like everyone else in the world seems to be able to do.

I know that there may be some of you reading this thinking "Aye, ok for you to say.. I haven't been able to get to work/catch my flight/ receive post/buy presents" (delete as appropriate). But I do know how this feels. It's not nice is it? Gavin and I have suffered greatly because of the stuff. Not only has my sexy man friend been  out of work for the last few weeks (and he's a driving instructor so no work = no money) but we are due to fly home tomorrow night to Belfast to spend Christmas with my family.

The love of my life walking into the wilderness. How Dramatic.

We managed to get home by the skin of our teeth last year which was great... but this year, I feel that I NEED to get home. If I don't get home, we will be spending Christmas with Gavin's family, which in essence I have no problem with, I love them all and already see them as an extension of my own family. But I feel that I would be spending the whole time pining for my own Christmas, my own traditions and my own family. I also feel that it would be a topic of conversation. A topic that I would have to put a brave face on for when inside I would be secretly gutted. Gutted and heartbroken...

You see it's my last year as Naomi Farrell. The last time I can really indulge in the childish nature of Christmas with my family. I know that I can always go home at Christmas even after I'm married, but it kinda feels like this is my chance to say goodbye to my childhood. Next year I will be Mrs Naomi Liddell. A lady. A woman. A Mrs. and potentially in some years to come A Mummy. So I want to spend this one in my PJ's that my Mummy buys me, eating stuffing that my Daddy makes, watching Christmas films with my Brother and Sister.

Am I the only one attaching so much emotional importance to this? How do you feel about your last Christmas as a "insert maiden name"?

6 month bliss

So we now have 5 months and 21 days to go.

And I feel glorious.

As you may have known through following the blog or my tweets, I have been a tad stressed about the impending day... on occasion. It's a very twisty road for me. Some days I am bursting with pride and anticipation, some days I am bursting into tears at the thought of not having a colour scheme (which, of course, I still do not have). But I can honestly say that in the entire 16 months that I have been planning the shenanigans, I have not felt so blissfully happy and at ease with the whole process as I have done this past month.

See... this is me really really really happy
(at our engagement shoot)

Seriously, everything is rosy. Gavin and I have been having so much fun together and I don't feel at all consumed by the wedding. Which is how I thought I would be feeling at this point in time. But I have a delicious balance on the go at the moment. Both in my head and in how I spend my time. However, I think the main change has been my attitude toward the task. It's so much more relaxed and enjoyable.

I am a bit unsure as to why this is... It may be because I am now doing rather than planning. It may be because the 27th of May is in sight. It may be because I am now making solid decisions. Or it may simply be because people have changed comments from "2011? Och, you've got looooads of time pet." to "May? Not long now, eh?". Whatever the reason, long may it last.

I am not quite blonde enough to believe that I will feel no pressure or strain as the days tick by, but I would certainly like to keep this sense of equilibrium that I seem to have found. So please tell me, is it possible to remain cucumber cool in the last throes of wedding planning or are we all doomed to a complete emotional upheaval as the day draws nearer?

the other woman

One more sleep to go.

Then I will be joined by none other than my best friend Becks and her lovely Fiancé Horse.  Horse has got a real name, but as I have never known anyone to ever call him by it, he shall (in this post and also life) forever remain Horse.

Becks and I have been friends from we were at school together, we were brought together in Art class and have since enjoyed one of the best friendships I have ever had. She is the one person I can talk to about anything. Even though I now live 162 miles away from her, she is still the person I turn to for love, support and advice, no matter what the circumstance. Sure I have my friends, but I would honestly marry this woman if I was that way inclined. We just get each other, and we always will.

Becks, Rachel and Myself donning random found Tina Turner-esque wigs

So, she is coming to see me! Excited! 

You see, Becks is one of my Bridesmaids and also in the early stages of planning her own wedding. So I am longing for some girly company to swoon over gorgeous wedding things with. In fact, we have a bit of a wedding day planned for Friday. Its goes as follows:

10:00am - Appointment at Emma Roy to try on my Wedding Dress! MY actual one that I will be wearing on my actual wedding day!! Super excited about this. Although my plan to be svelte has not really worked as I continue to eat all the pies.

11:30am - Go and see my reception venue The Caves. Take some measurements and run around quietly screaming inside about getting to show the venue to Becks.

Lunch somewhere lovely, yet to be decided!

2:00pm - See Ceremony venue Winton House and speak to new wedding planner (as the last one is all lovely and pregnant). Swan around feeling grand and imagining everything that will happen there in 6 months time. (Again... run around and quietly scream inside about getting to show the venue to Becks).

Also planned... will be getting Becks to try on her Bridesmaids dress, attempting to plan a hen do and discussing photographers for her wedding. 

The rest of the weekend will be a concoction of booze, food and mischief. 

Better get cleaning my flat. xo

what love smells like

Wow-wee.  It's been a while eh?

Well I'm back. And I dare say that I will be posting a bit more regularly in future.

So the latest in the wedding saga? Well, I'm sure there have been a few little stories but the one that I shall focus on today is going to be perfume. Wedding perfume to be precise. That sweet smell that you plan to exude on the day that will be bottled up in that gorgeous little glass diffuser, ready for the photographer to take the token 'here is a piece of jewellery casually draped over my chosen scent shot'. Because that's where we usually store our expensive designer bracelets.

Well, it's not something that I had really given much thought to. After a few brief flirtations with Issy, Coco, Dolce, Givenchy and an unexpected fling with Diesel... I always return to my safe and comfortable Donna Karan. Be Delicious to be precise, the one that looks like an apple. It's the perfume that upon a reunion with friends and family sparks comments such as "I missed how you smell", "I always smell this off other people and think of you" or the good old " You still smell like Naomi".  Now don't get me wrong, I am not swanning around constantly doused in a cloud of DKNY, but it has been my regular for about the last 5 years. So the thought that I would wear something else on my wedding day does kinda feel like I'm cheating on my favourite perfume.

DKNY Be Delicious

But to be honest folks, I haven't been sniffing around any of the recent newcomers for such a long time now, that I don't know what's out there. So I decided to reacquaint myself with the perfume stalls of a few department stores. Anytime I was passing, I would jump in for a quick chat and a few smelly sticks with designers names scribbled on them and would inevitably come out smelling of something foreign. A bit like when you wear someone else's scarf and are acutely aware that you smell like them all day.

So after a few of these express testings, I got speaking to a lady who got exactly what I was looking for. I said "fresh and clean with a slight hint of floral, not too sweet, bitter or musky." She said " I know exactly the one, would be perfect for your wedding". Out comes the bottle, a beautifully classic square piece of glass with a vintage looking metal tag label donning the word "Prada".  

Prada infusion d'iris

She refuses to spray a piece of card as she wanted to see how I would "wear it". Unbeknownst to me, perfume changes slightly depending on your body chemicals and temperatures. So I get dutifully misted, I pause for a moment and finally concede myself to the fact that I have fallen for another. Donna Karen is no longer my one and only. I am upgrading to Prada darling!

So after giddily agreeing that this would be my wedding day perfume and that I would buy the shower gel and body lotion also (to ensure that I was sufficiently wafting my new light and fresh fragrance to those in my company), I thought better and decided to let Gavin smell it. After all, this would be the perfume he would be breathing in as he leans to kiss his new wife. It should resonate with him as much as me and have him wanting to breathe me all day long, forever reminding him of the happiest day of his life.

I hastily drag him to John Lewis the next chance I get. I douse myself in a heavenly mist and walk towards him in a confident and sexy way asking him what  he thinks. He leans in, as if to kiss my neck, sending goosebumps all over my body, I can feel him breathing me in. He finally straightens up to face my beaming smile and says ... "smells a bit like disinfectant."

F*cking boo.

coca cola ginger cake

This delicious little recipe was featured in Tesco Real Food mag. I have since made it twice. It's super easy, super evil and super tasty.

Warning: I will not be held responsible for various weight gain due to the inevitable mass consumption of this cake.

Ingredients:

230g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
110g unsalted butter
110g black treacle
110g golden syrup
110g dark brown sugar
140ml milk
45g stem ginger (chopped)
140ml Coca Cola
2 eggs (beaten)

1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200C, fan 180C. Grease and flour a 900g loaf or cake tin.
2.Sift the flour, bicarbonate soda and all spices into a bowl. Rub in the butter so that it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Melt the treacle and golden syrup in a pan, then leave to cool.
4. In another pan, heat the sugar and the milk, until it dissolves. Stir in the stem ginger and the Coke.
5.Pour into the flour mix, along with the treacle mix and the beaten eggs. Stir to combine.
6. Tip into the tin and bake for 45 mins (or until done). Serve with whipped cream and lemon zest.

sweet dreams and not so beautiful nightmares

So I'm sitting here at 7am in my dressing gown eating Coca Cola and ginger cake (a recipe I would highly recommend) and sipping on a scalding cup of tea. Work does not beckon me for another few hours. So the reason I'm up, awake and eating cake. Well... I had another nightmare.

When we first got thrust into the crazy gravy of wedding planning, I have been having beautiful night visions of how wonderful my day will be. There have been fairys lighting candles for me, celebrities in attendance, that dress that I loved but could not afford, a lottery win, a Thai beach ceremony that was freakishly still in Edinburgh, countless blissful first kisses and more glitz & glam than an Elton John birthday bash.

Nuts what a little bit of pressure does to my head. Last week I made a to do list. I have 7.5 months to go and I plan to have everything organised so that I am not running around like a crazed monkey when the impending day/week before arrives. This has in turn made my sweet little wedding planning dreams into bridezilla worthy nightmares. I have had no registrar, an undelivered dress, invitations not sent out, invitations sent out the day before, horrible guests, Nazi groomsmen, dead flowers, a clashing colour scheme, a cheating groom, a rotten ex-boyfriend as my groom and last night I was stood up at the altar.

Each time I wake up, I roll round and look at Gavin. He cuddles me, listens to my terror and tells me everything will be ok. It's so good to wake up knowing that he's there, but even better to then realise that there are a whole 7.5 months to avoid Nazis and invitation malfunction.

i'm rocking my wedding

YeeHaa!

My first post has officially been published on RockMyWedding!

I am very proud and excited about this, but also rather nervous. It's pretty scary posting yourself up in all your wedding glory on such a fabulous and influential website. I just hope that it's as enjoyable for folk reading as it is for me to write. I am also looking forward to the rest of the RMW Real Brides posts.

Just thought I'd share my joy!

Another, more lengthy and potentially poignant post coming up soon.

xo

the i miss... list

Here I am, alone in my flat with a big bowl of pasta and a tall glass of white wine. Gavin has disappeared off to football. And so, I sit with poised digits waiting on some sort of wedding related matter to push its way to the front of the gathering of thoughts in my head.


But I cannot think of anything... nothing to do with dresses, cakes, guest lists or favours. Strange, as all of the above have plagued my mind continually since the day I became a wedding research fiend.


Because, I am homesick.


As some of you may or may not know, I live in Scotland. I am from Ireland. I know this will seem like a pathetic distance compared to some of you (Fliss) but I cannot help but crave my home comforts and mourn the pop-round-for-tea relationship with my family and friends.


So, allow me to indulge myself in a little list of things I miss about home (in no particular order) :


- The smell of my Mum making apple pies at Halloween


- My Dad calling me to the computer to watch the latest U2 tour video


- My mental cousin (now cheif bridesmaid) coming round for wine and nostalgic stories of our childhood


- Wheaten Bread


- Getting head massages and cuddles from my Nanny


- Seeing my beautiful friend (now bridesmaid) everyday in college


- Belfast Black Taxis


- My wee sister crawling into my bed on a saturday morning for a cuddle


- Having breakfast and a heart to heart alone with my Dad at the weekend whilst the rest of my family sleeps in


- Making my Mum laugh with the latest Youtube video, she shares my stupid sense of humour


- My brother and I having a laugh and listening to music in the dining room after dinner, when Mum and Dad head to the living room to watch the news


- The smell of Irish rain (it's different, I swear)


- Beer mats... no where to be seen here


- Tayto cheese and onion crisps


- Being able to ask for a curry chip and people know what your talking about


The list could go on and on and on, but I won't because quite frankly I am becoming an emotional emma just typing this and Gavin will come home to a sad sight of me crying into my Pinot Grigio.


 Are any of you living away from home? No matter how far, what is your i miss... list?

StayGoldMaryRose

You know what? I didn't even have to come up with a title this time. Because the name of this melt-your-heart designer's brand is just so feckin cool! Stay...Gold...Mary...Rose. I love it.

Anyway, back at the ranch, I was trawling the punterweb looking for something gorgeous for my bridesmaids. That's when I came across these! Are you ready for it? Vintage Bone China Teacup Bracelets. Correct. Teacups that have been beautifully crafted into jewellery!

These are honestly the most beautiful pieces of hand crafted gorgeousness that I have ever seen. I must own one.

To top it all off, I contacted Abigail, the one woman team behind StayGoldMaryRose, to ask her permission for featuring her work (as that's what us lovely bride bloggers do) and she even agreed to answer some questions. The questions is a new thing I'm trying out here, 'borrowed' from my real life job, so let me know if you like it. Here it is, the insight into the mind of a craft genius extraordinaire...

I love it when people... leave things in books and then donate them to charity shops. I have found a few gems before. Photos, letters and drawings. It's like your own mini 'found' magazine.

I don't know what I'd do without my... (workshop) typewriter, records, books and coffee machine!

My inspiration comes from... (at the moment) Jules Verne's books and Ernst Haeckel's 'art forms in nature' I'm getting a bit obsessed with old explorers and collectors who had to voyage on ships and document their finds by pen and ink.

I like to rock out to... anything really. A few sailor jerrys and I'm away! I saw Beirut perform two nights ago at their sold out show. I am still glowing from that. They were amazing.

So sweet and breezy. She signs the email off with 'Stay Gold'. Abigail officially rocks.

are you a weirdo?

Blogging... it's a funny thing isn't it? It's pretty much like a virtual diary of things that you love, loath, experiences and rants. It also puts you in contact with people who are like minded. People who share your interests which, in my case is wedding planning and a little bit of design. It also creates a kind of hype, a weird little industry of getting excited over looking at things on screens. Nosiness really.
As a very visually stimulated person, I love sharing and stealing ideas form people. Not in the horrible copyright breaking way, but in the oooo I want that too kind of way. I love talking to people online who can really understand what it takes to get a wedding pulled together.

So why then do some people see it as weird?

There seems to be a bit of a taboo around using the internet as a social tool when it doesn't involve Facebook or Twitter. People are cagey about forums and blogs. Are they more geekish than the major social networking sites? I have never understood this, but I do know that I usually have to test the water with someone before I tell them that I blog. Not because I don't want them to read it, but because I am slightly embarrased about this internet life that I lead.

The world of blogging is somewhat addictive and I have been spending most evenings trawling through various websites for ideas on my own wedding, but also talking to these brides and wedding industry folk via Twitter.

This morning Gavin and I had a bit of an argument over this very thing. Over me spending time on the computer. My arguement was this... he goes out to football 2/3 nights a week. I am more than happy for him to do this as it's what makes him happy. And I know that if i was out participating in some sort of activity, it wouldn't bother him. But for some reason blogging does. It has since been resolved but I thought I should ask this... do any of you get the same reaction from people? And why do you think it is?

you, me & the tipi part 2

The second part of loveliness brought to us by Daffodil Waves Photography, who had this to say about the shoot...

I was very fortunate to spend the day photographing an Engagement shoot with the beautiful Jade and Anthony at a very unique location. The Tipi Adventure in Hereford was gorgeous and even though the weather wasn't that great we still had a lovely day. We just shot inside the tipi when it rained! I hope you like the photos and thank you Jade and Anthony for a perfect day. You were both so much fun x

They just look like they ooze cool in some of these shots. Very model-esque. 

Apologies for the late arrival of part 2, hope I didn't keep you waiting too long! For any of you that have loved Nicola's shots, you can find more eye candy here.

Happy Sunday!

n

you, me & the tipi

This engagement shoot submission had me at the first image.  It was a delicious concoction of  the gorgeous couple, the unusual location and the dreamy photography that made this a cert for my first photo shoot post. I could not chose from all the beautiful images I was sent and so have split this feature into two parts. Part two will be posted for your pleasure tomorrow.


Jade and Anthony, (one good looking couple I think you'll agree) made their way to The Tipi Adventure, where they met with Nicola from the ever gorgeous Daffodil Waves Photography. I need to not say too much more guys and dolls, the gorgeous photography speaks for itself...

Loving the photography so much.  The outfits are also amazing! Jades kaftan dress is to die for. Remember that part two of this bohemian dream will be coming up tomorrow along with some words from the fabulous Daffodil Waves Photography.

Jades outfits : Necklace : Location : Jewellery

Give a little love

Here in the world of wedding lunacy, we can easily become obsessed with the abundance of eye candy offered up to us. We are constantly surrounded by gorgeous options for just about every detail of our day. I get a double dose of trouble by also being a slave to all things design related. 

We are prepared to pay a lot of money on embellishing what is in essence a really simple ceremonial tradition. Embellishments in the form of favours, stationary, decoration and even the wedding breakfast itself are not truly necessary. 

But who's to stop a girl making stuff look pretty eh? I am a sucker for anything gorgeous and often find myself melting into a puddle of gooey awe at the sight of the silliest of things... most recent being a suitcase on Rock 'n Roll Bride.

So I say lets embrace the consumer within, but lets be savvy about it. What if I told you that you could save lives with gorgeous girly purchases? Literally save lives.

Well that is what this post aims to do. Inspired by the fantastic news that Lucy Ledger Design's Mum has received the all clear and also in preparation for the up coming Breast Cancer Awareness month of October, I have decided to post up gorgeousness that will not only make your day super stunning, but will also raise funds for Breast Cancer Care who promote early detection and help people affected by the disease gain the best treatment, information and support possible.

First up we have the Elemis limited edition 'Sparkling Beauty' collection for face, neck and bust. As a huge Elemis fan I love this. How nice would it be to buy one of these as a little thank you to your gorgeous bridesmaids?

£50 available from www.timeforspa.co.uk, spas, salons and selected retailers

I think this has to be one of my favourites. As either a present for the bridal party, a hen weekend or just a sneaky wee bit of prettiness for your honeymoon plastic, the print on this super cute travel card holder by Julian Macdonald is enough to convince me I need it. But how about the tiny price tag and the fact that all proceeds go to Breast Cancer Care? Sold.

£5 available from Breast Cancer Care Shop

As tradition and good manners dictate, the mama's involved in the wedding planning often get a wee thank you bunch of flowers on the day. However by buying them a Next 'Breeze' vase (a mix of aqua roses, lavender spray roses, pink germini, pink alstromeria and eucalyptus foliage) not only do they get a beautiful pink glass vase to keep when the flowers are long gone but you also contribute 10% of the cost towards Breast Cancer Care. 

From £25, order on 0844 844 8050

And last but by no means least, what better way to celebrate and promote looking after our breasts than supporting (or displaying) them in something sexy. Everybody loves a pair of girly pink underwear. Sure to bring out your inner sex kitten whilst pleasing your bank card at a mere £10 for the set!

£6 Pink Bra, £4 Pink Shorts available at ASDA Stores nationwide

So ladies, while we're all saving and slaving away for the big day, why not use some of the money to not only make the day gorgeous and special for everyone involved but to look after each other and help improve the lives of those who need it most.  Many more products are available at the Breast Cancer Care Shop. Please take the time to have a look.

chocolate just got sexy

I know, I know... chocolate was always sexy, right?  Well take a look at these gorgeous ladies.

You could be forgiven for mistaking them as promotional models hired by Miss Coco. When in fact these ladies are the fabulous Miss Coco.  A gorgeous plan devised by Scotland's Sarah Finlay, this boutique chocolatier is devoted to creating sparkly delights that take the term eye candy to a whole new level.

  

Now who wouldn't want to eat these sparkly little numbers? Vintage rose and violet crémes... mmm makes my mouth water just typing it.  These would make delicious favours especially for those of you having a vintage hollywood glamour wedding.

 

Looking like little upside down fairy wands, these Hot Choc Dip's are wooden spoons that are sunken into blocks of chocolate, embedded with marshmallows. The idea behind them is that you dunk them into warm milk, give them a swirl and voila!  Hot Chocolate.  An exciting favour or place name for small and big kids alike, these would be sure to warm up those at a winter wedding.

The above are just a little taste of what's available at Miss Coco.  So pay the ladies a visit to see what other delectable delights are on offer.

some things are more important

It's been almost a year. I can hardly believe it! A year since the day Gavin proposed. 


Which, in a backwards kind of way, reminds me that I should post the proposal story. But another time. For now my mind is preoccupied with wonder at how the hell I've arrived at this point in my wedding plans.


In the sheer heart exploding happiness of new engagement, my obsession with the W word commenced. I found myself planning the most spectacular event that would be in itself, worthy of an oscar.  I wanted to wow. 


We were to get married in New York. That was certain. It's the city where we fell in love and as a place, it holds so many gorgeous, happy and hilarious memories for us both.  After searching for a venue that would do the city justice, I found Midtown Loft & Terrace in Manhattan. A rooftop wedding. That was the wow I was looking for.

This venue is beyond stunning and I would highly recommend that any of you thinking of an NYC wedding have a look at this place. The staff were fantastic and more than helpful with my many transatlantic questions and queries.

Your probably now wondering where this fantasy comes to an end. Well, lets just say here. I had a conversation with my Dad, who wanted me to take my head out of the romance cloud for a moment and realise the consequences of my idylic notion. 

At first I was a little bit angry at my oh-so-perfect bubble being burst.  However, my Dad is making a hefty contribution to our wedding and so it was only fair to listen to what he had to say.  I can now say that I am so glad I did. 

I was quite happy to have a small wedding of 30 people. I knew there would be those that would be unable to attend for various reasons due to the distance. But selfishly, my opinion was "If people want to be there, they'll find a way to get there". I cringe at the thought of this now. I don't come from a rich family and don't have many well off friends, so (as my Dad rightly pointed out) we would be imposing a financial strain on a lot of our guests. This was enough to get me rethinking the whole thing.

Then there is my Nanny. The only grandparent I have left and the one with whom I have always been the closest. She has never left the home. Afraid of flying and uninterested in traveling. She is also, as much as she doesn't like to admit it, getting on in years.  I knew that this trip would but a lot of pressure and stress on her but she wouldn't miss it for the world. I did not want to put her through that.

So Gavin and I regrouped and came to a solid decision that we would forego the intimate rooftop wedding in New York in favour of a total blow out Rock & Roll party at home! I have to say that typing this up has made me realise how glad I am that I changed my mind. I am loving planning every bit of this wedding, it has organically grown into a perfect expression of Gavin and I, of everything and everyone we love. 

There is a lot of talk these days surrounding the whole "your day your way" attitude. And trust me, I totally believe that every person deserves their perfect wedding, whatever that may be. However, I think a lot has to be said for looking after your family and friends. I am not saying you should bend to every sugared almond favour request or gasp of horror at your venue. All I mean is that I now know I will have my Nanny there, all glorious, happy and proud... and that means more to me than any fairy tale in New York.

Women fought hard to vote... so use it!

My day just got so much more lovely and shiney when I logged on to find that I have been shortlisted to be one of my favourite wedding blogs feature writers.

Please visit RockMyWedding to vote.

We are Naomi & Gavin, but I would like you all to vote honestly for the person you want to read most!

Ahhhh... the butterflies are out in flutters!

Save it!

I have to do something!

Please so not mistake that statement for anything other than pure excitement! I have been engaged for almost a year now. I have booked all the major things that need booking by this stage, venue, photographer, etc etc. I have bought my dress... sexy little number which shall be arrive in Bonny Scotland in Decemeber. I have thought, planned and researched my way to near insanity at times. But this is the moment I have been looking forward to since that ring was placed on my finger.

I get my chance to be creative. I will be designing my save the dates!

This fills me with so much excitement that little tears are forming in my eyes as I type. Am I a geek? Maybe I am... All I know is that I have always had an interest in graphic design and dabble in it with my job from time to time.

I love the idea of being alone with my lino printing gear and Photoshop, designing a little piece of paper that will announce to the world guest list when I shall marry my all time favourite person.

Thus commences the design process.

Would you like me to post up some drafts of my designs? I could use a little help in sorting the good from the bad, whilst hopefully avoiding the God damn ugly.

Rock. Paper. Japanese Masking Tape

I am fully aware that this little piece of stationary heaven will already be bookmarked by a lot of you, but I have only quite recently discovered it.  So please allow me to indulge myself (and those of you yet to be acquainted) in some gorgeous eye candy from Papermash.

Brought to us by Tea for Joy, who recognised a hole in the stationary market.  She subsequently decided that this hole needed to be filled with quirky designs and gorgeous items not usually found in the UK.  After doing all the leg work, and designing a sweetheart of a website, Papermash was born.

My first and favourite item is the I Love Lists note paper. As a woman who cannot make it through a day without writing a series of lists, these will soon be adorning my desk at work.  Making the daily To Do's that little bit prettier.

Second up is a fantastic way of allowing your guests to share their comments on the day. For those of you having photo booths, imagine how cute it would be to have them fill in one of these note cards and later you could match it to their photo for a personalised touch to your guest book.

However, to top it all off, you don't even have to spend a penny to add a little Papermash magic to your wedding.  The fabulous lady behind it all has also chosen to share some craft projects with us, including how to make these lovely little Drinks Parasols.

Beautiful website, delightful products and free craft projects... Surely you don't need anymore reasons to visit than that?

don't get carried away

Ok, so this is something that has been in my head for a while now.  I began this blog thinking of all things pretty and positive.   But you know what? I think sometimes it's alright to offload a little gripe every now and then.

I am doing this in the confidence that some brides out there will know where I'm coming from.

"Don't get carried away". The single most annoying statement that is made by people who ask you about your wedding plans.  I have spoken to a few brides about this.  It seems to be a pretty common acceptance that you will encounter these people at some stage in your planning.

First of all, my wedding is hardly Jordan-esque.  Extravagance is not a word I would use to describe it.  It's just personalised and fun.  I think some people become quite nervous about unusual ideas and quirky details.  As if deviating from the traditional wedding means you must be locking yourself in a room somewhere, constantly obsessing over wedding plans like some kind of mad scientist trying to take over the world.  Seriously people, we brides have lives also.

Secondly, I don't know if you notice, but it's generally those who aren't engaged that poison your fun with these comments. How can you pass judgement on someone else's experience and decide you must 'reign them in' if you have no idea what it is like to be planning a wedding? These people tend to get in a state trying to decide what to wear and where to go on a Saturday night.  Try planning the biggest party of your life.

Which brings me to my last point. That's what it is... a party. The biggest, bestest party you could ever throw.  So why the hell shouldn't I get "carried away"? I enjoy the planning.  I enjoy the decision making.  I enjoy talking to like minded people about wedding-y stuff.  I enjoy pouring over blogs and websites that share new ideas and pretty details.  So I will continue to plan this party, with my head in the clouds and loving every minute of it. 

 After all, I will only ever have this one chance to get completely carried away.

if gorgeous was a colour

Berry Red is a beautiful online labyrinth of all things pretty and really is as delicious as its name. You could spend so much time floating through this website, cup of tea in hand to deter you from reaching for the credit card.  Although, the prices you will see here are refreshingly affordable for such gorgeously designed pieces.  You will want everything.

Imagine how amazing it would look to have your guest's drinks dished out in one of these fabulous retro lemonade crates.

Or how fun it would be to use these quirky Penguin postcards for anything from your save the dates to guest comment cards on the day.

And for those of you looking for elegant details to wow your guests, have a peek at these dainty little glass place settings.

If you are planning on giving out sweeties as favours, jewelry as gifts or pretty much damn anything that will fit onto these cute wee boats, it's definitely worth a look see.

This is only just a taste of what's on offer.  These delectable delights and a whole host more can be found at Berry Red.  And if that wasn't enough reason to visit... guess what? They're having a sale!