A UK wedding blog with the aim of inspiring brides to create a day which will make them and their guests beam with delight.....whilst of course with a glass of champagne in hand.
As 2013 draws ever closer (seriously how has it crept up like that?!) I (or should I now say we) are starting a new life together in Dubai. 2013 is the year of new jobs, new surroundings and a new blog.
Even though I will no longer be a ‘lady of leisure’ or ‘one who lunches’ or even ‘one who sits and nods with a vacant expression whilst the new-mums around exchange expressing tips’, I have enjoyed my little blogging experience so much that I have moved it all over to a new site specifically for the UAE.
I plan to gather and streamline as many of the UAE’s and London’s suppliers as possible to make planning a wedding in Dubai and even from Dubai as easy as possible.
With the help of In The Treehouse I have even have a beautiful new banner for my new chapter.
Join me if you will. It’s all still work in progress but your support means everything.
I love candlelight (mainly for the flattering effect on ones face) and so I got rather carried away on my quest to find some candle inspiration so there are 2 mood-boards on candles. A brighter person would be able to stitch these together but alas I am not that computer literate.
Whether you float them, stick them in a bottle, cut off the bottom of a bottle and have them inside (love this), hang them or jar them candlelight has the ability to completely transform a room (and more importantly ensure that you look romantically beautiful in all your pictures).
Sassi Holford has a new collection to target young and fashion forward brides, aptly named So Sassi. The hemlines are quirky whilst retaining the elegance of Sassi Holford’s designs.
If you’re a fan of all things Mediterranean but haven’t yet made it to Croatia then I insist that you at least look into it! Hvar and Dubrovnik in particular are stunning, fun and fashionable. If however you want some more chilled out time then the lesser known islands of Brac and Korcula are perfect for just that.
With party season almost upon us and for those lucky enough to be attending a winter wedding, there is every need for a new dress! So I’ve done some internet trawling (it’s safer that way) and inevitably spent far too long longing after most things on Net A Porter (definitely not safe) but have found a whole bunch of different styles and price ranges for a party season dress.
This post is down to a rather cheeky e-mail sent by myself to Alice (Belle) and Hannah (Bunty), the two incredibly busy and hard working designers behind Belle & Bunty. Happily they took the time to reply and now I have the pleasure of sharing a little bit about the designers and their Bridal Collection with you.
This is a stunning collection, each dress makes me ‘ahh’ and ‘ooh’ and even on one occasion stroke my computer screen. It’s the lines and folds of a dress that you just know will ‘swoosh’ you down the aisle perfectly.
What is your inspiration behind the bridal collection?
We are both magpies and regularly collect imagery, trims, fabrics and other bits from our day to day lives. Anything and everything can be inspiring! It could be a film, photo, song or seeing someone wearing something interesting in the street.
Which materials are your favourite for designing with?
We love using pure silk as it has such an amazing drape and movement and also feels amazing to wear. Delicate french laces are also beautiful to use as they have such a pretty, subtle look.
Which celebrity would you most like to dress in a Belle & Bunty bridal dress?
Alice: Kate Middleton. She has great style and pose.
Hannah: Vanessa Paradis would look fantastic in one of our dresses. I’d also love to see The Olsens wearing something of ours to see how they’d put their edgy spin on it!
Do you have a (design) Muse? How would you describe the Belle & Bunty Bride?
Our brides are our muses! Our bridal collection started as we designed our dresses together for our own weddings so we know what brides go through – the needs and emotions but hearing feedback from the brides we see also helps shape the collection.
Do you have a personal favourite style of bridal gown, and if so, why?
We would have to say our own wedding dress styles which are in our Bridal collection – The Belle and the Bunty. These were styles created together for each other and there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears but we LOVE them! The Belle is a 30s style column dress with draped cape bodice and low V neck and The Bunty is etheral and romantic with a wide waist to cinch in the middle and a full floaty skirt. Both very different styles but both suited our weddings, personal styles and have our Belle & Bunty signature hand writing within the designs.
What motivates you when it comes to designing?
Its what we are trained in and what we love to do. When you are creative and do something you love you don’t need much motivation as it just comes naturally.
For confused Brides would you advise wearing a headpiece or veil? Or both?
There are not many days in your life when you can get away with going all out and wearing whatever you want to! Wear whatever your heart desires and don’t worry about being too “much” ~ its your wedding day !
Which other designers inspire you the most, and why?
For years we have both loved the Chloe aesthetic – cool laid back Parisan chicks that you want to be. Recently Mulberry has tapped into that feeling too with an effortlessly gorgeous look.
What do you like to do when you’re not designing?
Alice: There is a lot that goes into a fashion label other than pure design work. All the day to day running of a business takes up a lot of time. Out of the studio i’m kept equally busy by my two little girls Mae & Darcey.
Hannah: You never really switch off when you have your own business and designing is only a small part of what we do day to day at work. Outside of work I like to unwind at the gym, try new restaurants with my husband and am a tad addicted to Instagram!
The lovely people at Le Trousseau are giving Time to Drink Champagne readers a special offer of 10% off everything for the month of November.
So if you’re planning a wedding, want to treat yourself to some home décor or indeed if you fancy getting organised on your Christmas shopping take a peek at all the lovely things they have to offer on their website. Trust me, there are lots of them.
Simply use offer code Champers10 at the checkout to receive your 10% discount. Spread the word, go forth and shop!
This is one last favour for the final push in the competition for my incredibly well deserving friend to win a her custom-made dream Phillipa Lelpey wedding dress. For those who have searched high and low for the one and/or struggled with realistic vs imagined budgets will know just how rare an opportunity this is.
All she needs are facebook ‘likes’ and lots of them. It really is that easy. So please click on the link and ‘like’ it.
A UK wedding blog with the aim of inspiring brides to create a day which will make them and their guests beam with delight.....whilst of course with a glass of champagne in hand.
