I am still up to my eyeballs in plaster, dust and builders which sounds much more exciting than it is. Still waiting to have a kitchen, and when I say I have no kitchen I mean exactly that. There are no cupboards, sink, taps, oven or hob. Just a poor lonely fridge freezer in an empty room. However the empty room does now have smooth freshly plastered walls! Progress. Still to have a working shower however we can have bath's and eating out every night is a necessary luxury that we are still enjoying.
So in my Pinterest searches of all things wedding and property I have found what can only be described as pure genius. I wanted to do a picture of the week although sadly I have fallen way behind what with the house, work, DIY and study commitments there simply are not enough hours in the day.
I had to share this genius though it inspired me to grab my mac book and get blogging. Sometimes the simplest things are the ones that lead you to be inspired and therefore set the whole theme for your wedding.
What could be more simple than this and more elegant. I love it and I am sure this will form part of our wedding in one way or another.
Use flowers that are part of your bouquet, place wine glasses over them and perch pillar candles on top. Stunningly elegant. Another idea would be to have separate flowers for each table and instead of table numbers having flower names for each table.
The world is your oyster, I hope this simple yet effective idea is something that you like and can utilise as part of your big day.
All the cakes were amazing and it was great to attend an event that was raising money for a very worthwhile cause whilst putting people out of their comfort zones in a competitive bake off.
This got me thinking on the way home of Weddings obviously as everything I do relates back to Weddings one way or another. This is only a mild obsession but one I am enjoying immensely. Not only was I thinking of Weddings but cakes also. So I did a little bit of searching around and quickly discovered that the possibilities are endless. Where do we begin on the search for the perfect Wedding cake?
Take the one above for example, grey may not be the first thought that jumps into your mind when you think of wedding cakes but this is seriously gorgeous. So elegant and such beautiful textures. As I said in my recent blog ' will you be my bridesmaid ' I have a love of all things grey. It is uber elegant, very flattering and not as harsh as black. Plus I am not a fan of black colour schemes personally.
Here is another example of sugar ruffles using a grey colour scheme very effectively.
If grey isn't your thing have you considered the new trend of naked wedding cakes? I have to confess before this evening I had never heard of a naked cake, however one of the people in the bake off had entered a naked cake. Yes you guessed it, I had to come home and google if there was such a thing as a naked wedding cake, and lo and behold there is. Here's a few examples. Excellent idea especially with a minimalist wedding or where you are not a fan of icing.
Those colours look beautiful and the stripy effect really works well.
Strawberry's for decoration and you have the perfect summer wedding cake. It looks light and fluffy and a big slice of that on white china with all its stripy glory would be a sight worth seeing for sure.
And last but not least for the naked cakes what about this beauty to tie in with your flowers or your bridesmaids flowers. Very pretty.
The cake below shows you how not everything is on face value and you need to consider the inside of the cake as well as the outside.
I can't believe how cute this cake is, if I wasn't wanting a beach wedding this would convince me to have one. The sand which I assume is edible glitter is so realistic.
I'm not a fan of birds but I do think for the right wedding this cake would be amazing.
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Tiffany blue and duck egg blue have been popular colour schemes for a while and the following 2 cake ideas will show you why. Pretty, delicate and dainty. They work so well with vintage styles and shabby chic so they will be a popular choice for brides choosing those themes.
Everyone loves a bit of bling, this simple elegant cake is brought to life with the addition of brooches and pins. I love it, it would go beautifully well with an heirloom bouquet.
Tat fan? Gone are the days when tattoos are for the few brave souls who had the courage to get one done. It's now people who don't have tattoo's who are the rare ones. Although this cake won't appeal to everyone you have to admire the skill that has been used to create it.
Did you have an engagement shoot? Or do you have a story of your engagement or journey so far available in pictures to share with all your guests? This following cake has just that.
Struggling to decide on traditional or out there? Why not opt for both, you can take 2 lots of pictures standing on each side of the cake, that way the mum's are happy with their traditional white wedding cake and so are you. Half and half cakes are currently taking the wedding world by storm so expect to see much more of these in the coming months.
And finally as a special treat for my darling Feyonce whom I actually made an Easter egg sized Cadbury's Creme Egg for last Easter this has to be the Wedding Cake he will want to have for obvious reasons.
So I'm sat here in what can only be described as a building site whereby I am surrounded by building tools, materials and erm dust LOTS of dust. Wedding plans have taken a back seat and have been replaced by hours of wondering around DIY shops. Don't get me wrong I am uber excited that we have our first house together. However having hot water and heating really would be awesome, oh and the small matter of a kitchen would be a god send.
So to get things clear a kitchen is high on our priorities as I do love to cook for my beloved. 2 weeks of eating out every night is becoming tedious, why haven't we got a kitchen? Good question, tradesmen it appears are not wanting to work. 2 weeks waiting for a simple quote for a kitchen and another supplier saying 6-8 weeks minimum for delivery. Forgive me but that just isn't what I am wanting to hear.
I'd love to be looking at what wedding fairs are on this weekend so I can pop along and get some inspiration. Or decide on a venue, set a date any of the above as the question have you set a date yet is starting to irritate the life out of me. But no, we are begging tradesmen to do work instead. On a positive note though our gardener has transformed a jungle where grown men feared to tread into a reasonable space with lots of potential.
I'll share some pictures in another blog later on of the before and after shots, but it's all a little bit too depressing right now that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. What I will say though is I am loving being in our room in our bed in our house. I'll never get tired of that.
Being a party animal my first response would be that the first thing you should do is plan an engagement party. But hang on a minute lets put this in perspective and ask ourselves is this really the first thing to do? Hell yes! Tell the world, and party with all your friends and family. Let’s start this amazing journey as we mean to go on, celebrating with friends and family is the only logical way to start.
So today I am going to focus on step one of being engaged and planning the best engagement party ever. Just like your wedding there are many things to consider and the starting point has to be what budget you have in mind as this will depend on what venue you can have and how lavish an affair your engagement bash will be.
Once the budget is set it’s time to start looking at venues. This will obviously depend on where you live and venues can be anything from your parents’ home, the village hall to a 5 star hotel and everything in-between. Dependent on what venue you go for will be the basis for many other decisions that you need to make.
A house party or village hall will generally be very much catered by yourself you could ask everyone to pitch in and bring along food / drink etc. Decorating will also no doubt be something that you will need to factor in. Whereas a hotel or similar venue you will have to have their catering and bar however they may decorate the venue for you. The main thing is to decide what type of party you want and then how can you fit this to your budget. You may be surprised to discover that hosting a party at a venue can work out cheaper for you than a house party where not only are you expected to feed everyone but also supply them with alcohol too.
Theme of your party, do you want a colour scheme or a theme? Is it to include entertainment? All in all the planning of your engagement party is a bit like a dress rehearsal for the planning of your wedding. Think about the people you want to be there, it doesn’t have to be the whole guest list for the wedding if you just want it to be friends or just family or a handful of each. You may even want to keep it to a relatively quiet affair at a favourite restaurant, maybe where you had your first date. Or somewhere that is special to you both that you want to share with your loved ones.
The main thing is to have fun in the planning and love every minute of being a #Feyonce and I hope you have found a little bit of inspiration in today's blog. Now go and enjoy yourself and have a couple of cocktails maybe a Diamond Ring Sling or an I Do Brew.
So maybe a rethink on the whole approach is needed for the men in our life and if we look at it as a way to appreciate your best mate and ask him to be there for you on the best day of your life. Without him there it wouldn’t be the same, and don’t forget he’s the one who’s going to be organising that weekend to Vegas for you and making sure you make it back in one piece without it turning into Hangover part 4.
I also thought it would be a good opportunity to extend this blog into asking your groomsmen or ushers to be with you on your wedding day. Once again I’ve searched around and here are some of my favorites. If you think giving them a gift is a bit over the top think about using some of the ideas here as wedding gifts for them after the big day.
The first idea is an old faithful of a cigar and lighter in a lovely presentation box. Cigars are traditionally a symbol of celebration for a wedding, the birth of a child or even a business deal so although smoking has a negative vibe nowadays this tradition still lives on. For example the above gift is much more socially acceptable than a pack of 20 cigarettes.
A similar idea is above with this cigar / card all rolled into one and available from Etsy by clicking the above link.
Also available from Etsy are these amazing Jack Daniels style personalised labels. (Click the Etsy link) As both me and the majority of people I know are big fans of JD I know our best man, maid of honour and several others in our wedding party would be delighted with this as a gift. Be warned though this link is for the label only... NO JACK DANIELS INCLUDED which is mentioned at the veery bottom of the listing.
Sticking with the same theme you could use a bottle with a custom label to ask the question of will you be my best man? Bonus being helping him drink it to celebrate. Or go with a custom tag or card with instructions of what will be required in him agreeing to be your best man to save any confusion nearer the time.
Last but not least, my personal favourite is a custom made best man box. What I love about this is you can pretty much fill it with things that suit your best man, after all you know him best. So if he has a bad habit of wearing white sports socks with a dark suit then the black socks are a great idea. If he's likely to need a handkerchief to fulfil his duties then throw one in there. The sky is the limit on how far you can go with this, it can be serious and somber or as fun and out there as you want it to be.
Look out for more blogs coming soon with lots more hints tips and shared stories on my journey as a #Feyonce.
I have started to research this phenomenon, and from what I can see proposing to your bridesmaid is now the done thing to do. She then takes on the challenge of arranging the ultimate girly weekend or mid week holiday abroad where copious amounts of alcohol are consumed, and much fun is had. Extra points go to pre-arranged activities and t-shirts with slogans pre printed seem to be a must.
Therefore before I get on to hen do malarkey it only seems proper to fully explore the proposal to your bridesmaids and some inspiration to make the occasion memorable. Please feel free to share your experiences with me, and don’t forget to watch out for more inspiring ideas in later blogs.
A lovely idea is to package up a bottle of bubbly, a sparkly bridesmaid t-shirt and a splattering of rose petals. If she doesn't get it after that maybe sending her a sledge hammer could do the trick.
This is a lovely memento of your friendship and her being there for you through all the planning of your wedding and on the big day itself. It shows her how special she is and how much she means to you.
I love this cute idea of popping the question to your bridesmaid with a sweetie for your sweetie. If you can't get hold of ring pops surely a god old fashioned Haribo ring sweet would have the same effect.
This one may be a bit extreme for most people. I know if I got on one knee to my friends they'd never let me live it down. However some people are a lot more sentimental so this might be one for them. An actual real life proposal on one knee to your bridesmaid.
This to me looks like a message in a bottle and I'd love this idea if your having a beach wedding. I know a beach wedding isn't a must but it just has a beach feel to it.
Another keepsake idea, cute little silver rings with your bridesmaids initials is another way to ask for her to be your bridesmaid and also give her an amazing keepsake of the experience.
You don't have to get a present or spend a large amount of money, sometimes words are all you need. The following poem is lovely and would be nice hand written or in a card. What about a favourite picture of you and your bridesmaid and writing this on the back?
This is one of my favourites, and it totally appeals to my OCD nature. You're giving her all the details she needs and forewarning her of the fact that your wedding will be ran like a military operation from start to finish. So buckle up it's going to be a bumpy ride.
I'm not sure what the key symbolises on this one but the sentiment is beautiful.
Last but not least this one really tickled me, we all know this is every girls nightmare the puffy sleeves and rancid colours of being a bridesmaid. No mater who the bride is there is never any guarantee that she won't go all puffy sleeved and vile colour for her bridesmaids with no warning.
When I started this blog I quickly realised that this may well be more than a one blog item as there are so many fantastic proposals that I want to share. So here is some of the most imaginative, creative and wacky proposals I've found today.
First coca cola owned Christmas with the coca cola holiday bus. Now they own names. Yet another amazing marketing ploy from the big red ones. Good luck in tracking down all the individual bottles if this proposal is something you'd like to do. You could go one step further and do the whole diet coke break man, but get her to get you the diet coke from the fridge and have this set up in there.
If it's a Christmas proposal you are considering these next 2 ideas are inspired. I especially like the first. You could be happily decorating the tree with Miracle on 34th Street playing in the background, You ask her to hang that last bauble and she opens the box and see's this, turns and there you are down on one knee.
or
I love animals and think these next 2 ideas are just awesome, they melted my heart when I saw them and I'm sure your intended bride would feel exactly the same unless you're planning on marrying Cruella de Ville.
Take a trip to a theme park with all your friends, who you need to take into your confidence before hand to pull this one off. Imagine the look on her face when she get's the picture, make sure that you all have your camera's ready to capture it.
A lot of the proposal's I have read have huge emphasis on capturing the moment on camera. This next idea is just perfect and I wonder how many times he practiced in the photo booth to get the timing of the shots right.
Sticking with the photo theme, what about these keepsake of all your favourite pictures spelling out will you marry me?
Harry Potter fan's will love getting a golden snitch necklace, they will love it even more when they open it and see those 4 little words inside.
Not a Potter fan? What about Doctor Who?
Or you could go with a QR code necklace, scan the QR code and it spells out will you marry me. Awesome, and a great keepsake.
And last but not least for this blog post about proposal ideas. Write a love letter and place in this temporary ring for her to pick out her own ring when she has said yes.
No mater how you propose it is all about the moment being special and meaningful to you. Most importantly have fun and love every moment of it. Look out for more ideas in my next proposal ideas blog.
What is so special is that unlike Frozen or high school musical, Pride and Prejudice could never be called a passing fad. It is and will always remain a true love story that speaks to generation after generation of hopeless romantics like me.
The characters, the writing and the story make this novel a classic that will be loved by fans for years to come. I can imagine this couple sharing this story with their great grandchildren, going to schools who are studying the novel to share their story and raising smiles from all who they relay this story to.
I must say that researching all the different proposals has transformed me into a blubbering wreck. There are so many beautiful ideas and stories. So without further a do I will let the pictures that record this proposal speak for themselves as I mentioned in He liked it and he put a ring on it blog I will be blogging about some great proposal ideas, and this has to be one of my favourites.
Our engagement story is full of intrigue, smuggling, mystery, adventure and smiles and I’m going to share it with you. But before I do don’t forget to look out for my blog about proposal ideas, some romantic, some wacky, like the Harry Potter proposal below and some downright bizarre.
On with the story, I start all my bedtime stories to my #Feyonce’s daughters… Once upon a time in a land far, far away… There lived a man and a woman, the man’s 2 beautiful daughters lived in Canada, and the man and woman went on holiday to Canada to visit them. Ok I’ll stop and tell the story properly now.
We got to Manchester airport at the ungodly hour required and were 2nd in the queue for check in and waited for it to open for 40 minutes. The Air transat man checking us in was training and forgot to put the tag on one of our cases. It was quite comical as he was so busy gabbing to the supervisor he kept the button pressed that makes the conveyor belt take the cases, and the 2nd case sailed away after the first.
Roughly 5 minutes passed, and he reached for the empty space where the case should be and horror covered his face. Luckily it was a bright yellow case and when we eventually were on the plane they came and found us to tell us they had recovered the case. There must have been a moment where my #Feyonce was thanking his lucky stars that he had my ring in his jeans pocket and hadn’t put it in his case, (the yellow one).
Onto the smuggling part of the story, anyone who has flown from Manchester recently will understand what I mean about the queues for security checks. OMG I’ve never known anything like it! We were queuing for hours and during this time the staff are coming along the line pulling people through who were going to miss their flights. During this hellish time they are playing on a loop what is and isn’t acceptable and to take off all metal objects etc.
While in the queue I am practically stripped naked taking belts, bracelets, necklace, watch and rings off. And am ranting about the holdup because people are waiting until they get there and then stand there taking all their metal items off. My poor #Feyonce must have been sweating, he very cunningly lets me go through and motions to the security guy about what he has in his pocket. Much to my disgust later I find out he just said, ‘yeah no problem just keep it in your pocket the alarm won’t go off!’ Obviously this annoyed me slightly having practically stripped to avoid said alarm going off.
So he managed to smuggle it through and for the gorgeous 9 days we spent with his daughters, his lovely ex wife and her lovely #Feyonce he kept the rock hidden in his jeans pocket by the side of the bed. To which he asked afterwards did I not wonder why he kept checking his jeans pocket? Suffice to say I was totally oblivious and hadn’t spotted a thing. Everyone knew and had all ooh’d and ahh’d about the rock. Our last night with the girls and all 8 of us went out for a meal, my #Feyonce and I, his daughters, his ex wife her #Feyonce and his daughter and son. Yes before you say it, we all know how lucky we are that we all get on so well. The Magic song “Rude” comes on in the restaurant and unknown to me his eldest daughter is grinning like a Cheshire cat singing along, especially to the “marry that girl parts”. Too cute!
We left in a very teary way and headed to Niagara Falls for a day and night, which was quite possibly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I’ve wanted to go there since seeing the original Superman films as a child. He has told me since that he was so tempted to pop the question there and then but kept telling himself to stick to the plan.
We left Niagara and headed for 3 days in Toronto. Toronto is amazing and I recommend it is somewhere you have to go, especially for the shopping. We went shopping and my beloved bought me a pair of Louboutin’s that we had tried everywhere to get but they hadn’t had my size. Walking back to the hotel I couldn’t stop grinning and kept telling him how this was the most perfect day of my life, I’d enjoyed everything about it and couldn’t be happier. It was only going to get better though as that night we were booked for a meal at the 360 restaurant at the top of the CN Tower.
We got all dressed up, took the elevator with the glass floor to the top and watched the sunset over Toronto as we had the most amazing food I’d ever experienced. Dessert came and as I got back to my seat from a bathroom break whilst trying to take a picture of my desert for Instagram of course. The waiter says excuse me Miss have you dropped this and hands me a tissue. I was so embarrassed thinking it had fell out of my bag, but there was something in it. I screamed as my eyes were blinded by a stunning 1.25 carat, princess cut diamond ring.
My #Feyonce managed to tell me how much he loved me over my screams and how I meant the world to him and would I spend forever with him. At which point I smothered him in kisses pausing only to ask if I’d said yes. So the most perfect day ever was also the most perfect start to our lives together and this exciting journey that we are taking.
So where to begin with this minefield? I guess first things first is to consider the type of shoot you have in mind. Is it dreamy and romantic you are going for? Or are you planning to take your lead from your favourite film? Have you got a fascination of vampires or zombies? Or are you a retro chic couple wanting to indulge in a bit of dress up? See what I mean about it being a minefield?
The first thing to consider would be is this a static, or throwing you over his head in a dirty dancing lift kind of shoot? For obvious reasons, if the dirty dancing style is your thing then you're probably best wearing trousers or shorts of some description as a dress or skirt might be a little bit on the revealing side.
A good place to start would be what is your favourite outfit? Or what is the one item you wear that you always feel amazing in and / or get lots of compliments wearing. (I’m not talking hot pants and boob tube by the way). Then have a good long hard look at that outfit. We know for a fact that in 20 years when your children are looking at these pictures the outfit is not going to be the height of fashion. However think about in 40 years time when your grandchildren are looking at them are they going to cringe with embarrassment or glow with pride at how cool and stylish their Grandparents look.
I have a favourite picture and it is one of my Grandparents (who are sadly no longer with us). The picture is of them walking down a street together and oh my they look like they have stepped out of a silent movie. My Grandmother looks ultra stylish and sexy in an outfit that Audrey Hepburn would die for. The story behind the picture is even more fascinating when it was explained to me that they were having a blazing row at the time the photographer jumped out and snapped them. Every time I look at the picture it makes me smile as I remember the temper my Grandmother had and what an earful my Granddad would have been getting that day.
I’m not saying dress like an old movie star for your shoot, but think back to the eighties when we all thought neon legwarmers were cool oh hang on they are again now. Well maybe not the legwarmers but at least the neon. Having said that, please don’t listen to me if you have worn neon legwarmers all your life don’t ditch them for the shoot because I said so. Be yourself let your personality shine through.
The purpose of the shoot is to trial your photographer let him / her get to find your best side and know what makes you both tick. Having an engagement shoot before the wedding is a bit like a trial run of being the centre of attention if you’re not used to that. Most of all have fun and enjoy yourselves, relax and be yourselves.
Most importantly don’t force yourself into a ball gown and your poor fiancé into a suit if neither of you ever wear those type of clothes. You will look uncomfortable and when you look back at the pictures will not recognize yourselves. The shoot is all about you two and your love and having something to look back on. If you have a quirky side then go with it but don’t force it.
If you’re looking for inspiration have a look at my blog post on Rocking the Rock for some cute, classy and quirky ideas of pictures.
Pinterest for me anyway is my first stop to come up with ideas for my engagement shoot. So as you follow my journey as a new #Feyonce I'd like to share what I have found and hopefully help you with a little bit of inspiration.
The following picture from Joy Marie studios is stunning, I've always been a sucker for a classy black and white shot and this simply sends shivers down my spine and is definitely up there on my list of must have engagement shots. It also has the added benefit of showing off the rock to full effect.
For something totally unique and beautiful this double exposure shot is just crying out to be put on a canvas and hung on the wall. It is a work of art and the added fact that the body shapes resemble a heart is just cuteness personified.
City's always make for a great picture especially a night time shot when there is lots going on in the background. This shot of a couple walking through the city streets would be great in either an ultra modern bustling city, or a quiet country street. Maybe the road where you live in the dead of night or where you met or had your first date?
Then there is the quirky and cute use of props.
And what about man's best friend? Surely they need to get in on the action too?
There are endless ideas and so much inspiration out there, here a few more of my favourites. I love the idea of the 1950's style shoot outside a cinema especially if it's where you had your first date.
Balloons simple yet so effective.
If you live near a beach take full advantage especially great if you are there all through the changing light of the day and into the evening with a breathtaking sunset.
The travel picture has a few options, pointing on the map where you met, or maybe where he proposed or even a way of breaking it gently to the family that you are going abroad to get married.
The swings is a super cute picture even more so if you are childhood sweethearts.
And last but not least the amazing kiss in the dark shot, beautifully illuminated against the backdrop of the fountains. I adore this shot it is stunning. Watch this space for my blog about the all important question about what to wear for an engagement shoot coming soon.
We’ve all been there at some point someone will say to you “its your wedding, do what you want to do” followed by a list of things they either don’t think you should do or things that will stop them or others joining you on your wedding day.
Distance is our stumbling block, people not wanting to fly more than 2 hours. Here in lies the problem, our tropical paradise is on average 8-12 hours flight away. I’m sure there are other people who have been in exactly the same position and I’d love to hear how they solved the problem without falling out with their nearest and dearest.
So then we start to look at UK venues, which all seem really unappealing after staring at images of turquoise seas and light sandy beaches with luscious greenery in the background. But what can we do? We want our families there to share our wedding day but they are unwilling to go the distance so to speak. If I could guarantee the weather in the UK I’d be tempted to make my own beach in my back garden to save any upset, but unfortunately this is something none of us have control over.
Then it hit me like a flash of inspiration or a lightening bolt… We have our UK wedding then disappear off to our tropical island for our honeymoon and renew our vows when we get there, just the 2 of us and we have our tropical paradise wedding and everyone is happy.
So now the hunt begins, a UK venue and a tropical paradise venue. Nothing like putting added pressure on in the slightest! There are several beach holiday specialists out there who can do as little or as much as you would like. Which raises another question, why is it people getting married abroad automatically enlist the help, experience and guidance of a wedding planner? Yet those getting married in the UK generally go for a rushing round like a mad woman trying to do everything yourself? A good wedding planner can save you a fortune with their business contacts alone, not to mention all the hints and tips they can give you about venues, dresses, suit hire etc.
We are going to focus on the tropical part of the holiday first. Places we are considering are in no particular order. Australia, Thailand, Maldives, Bermuda, Sri Lanka. If you have any experiences you would like to share please let me know and watch this space for how the hunt is going on.
Well according to Oliver Pritchett of the Telegraph ‘If you look the word up in the dictionary, you will find it is a “pseudo-archaic spelling of fair”. So the fayre is a pseudo event. The suggestion is that it will be a traditional medieval romp, with roisterous fun, pitchforking bumpkins over hay-carts, chasing wenches around the maypole and guessing how many gallons of mead the squire can drink.’ Hmmm in that case I think I’ll stick to wedding fairs in future, although the drinking of gallons of mead certainly sounds fun for the squire.
So I have to confess I have attended lots of wedding fairs in my time for one reason and another, and thought as I am embarking on this exciting journey of becoming a bride I would share my experiences good and bad. You never know people may relate to my experiences and I may even be able to offer some advice and save them time and money, the later obviously being something close to every girls heart apart from where shoes and handbags are concerned.
First thing I notice at the fair is how miserable the hotel staff are who have obviously been forced into standing at the front desk shoving a clip board at us excited creatures, who randomly stand still and do happy clappy hands while squealing for no apparent reason. She mutters something under her breath about the chance to win something if I fill it in. Then proceeds to ignore my hilarious attempt at banter about asking my fiancé his details. (My talent is obviously wasted a fake smile would have sufficed).
So I grab my paper IDO bag shoved full of leaflets and head into the main room. There is no offer of a glass of bubbly or a congratulations on your engagement. I have been on the receiving end as a stallholder and a host at such events before and no matter what I was as happy and chatty with the first B2B as I was the last who came through the door. This is the moment most girls have dreamed of all their lives and they want everyone to be as happy for them as they are for themselves surely.
Determined to not have my spirits dampened we immerse ourselves in all things wedding, and on a quick scope of the room spot that the photographers outnumber everyone else by roughly 3-1. Now I love being the centre of attention as much as the next person but this was bordering on paparazzi overload.
The first decision is which way to walk around the room… we went anti clockwise at an attempt to be quirky but quickly had to turn back and go clockwise as it just felt weird. Stall number one was a stationer who made all her own stuff. I am a massive fan of handcrafted however it wasn’t to our taste. Luckily she was busy discussing colour schemes with another couple so we moved along to the next table.
Ohhhh sparkly it was the jewellers there were 4 of them present. Jeweller number one Smooch ogled my rock and made all the right noises that a rock deserves. I tried on a princess cut half eternity bling tastic ring which was stunning. Jeweller number 2 George Jewellery informed me that ‘a ring the size and quality of my diamond needed a plain band as anything else will make the diamond appear smaller and as your other half has obviously spent a fortune on it that won’t be good’. This got a beaming smile from my other half and they shared a moment with a knowing nod. Jeweller number 3 was tacky so I moved past it not even pausing or noticing what they were called. Number 4 Browns took my details but was in an obvious rush to pack up and thrust a magazine at me.
Other highlights of the day was a man who said he arranged entertainment, lighting and dj’s for weddings. I asked XTC Disco's if I could have a fire eater and to my delight he said he could actually arrange this, however it would depend on where the wedding was to be held and fire regulations.
What was good about the fair? The lady from la bella brides, she was very friendly and helpful. She showed my fiancé as much attention as she showed me. He even decided on what suits he wants and I was amazed by the bridesmaid dresses she had, which I do believe require a whole blog of their own (watch this space). The man from Kuoni who informed us that Bermuda is only a 6.5 hour flight from the UK! I thought it was about 11 hours. The fire eater! Who wouldn’t want a circus themed wedding?
Onto the bad… What was bad about the fair? The hotel staff, the speedy exit at 3.30pm it was like rats leaving a sinking ship, I swear I heard wheel spins and could smell burning rubber. The amount of photographers Gemini, Focus Photography, Picture Perfect, Blissful Media, Shoot Photography, Eternal Images, Special & Different Photography outnumbering everyone I think they should limit the number of each service provider rather than seeing pound signs for their stall fee. The IDO bag I was given on entering, I’m not a scrounger, however little samples or free gifts are generally what you would expect with a goodie bag. I’m not expecting diamonds and Moet but at least something other than leaflets and brochure’s?
I will endeavor to experience more fairs over the coming months so if you know of one or you are hosting one and would like to invite me along let me know the details and I’ll do my best to get there. Likewise if you have any experiences you’d like to share please let me know.
