The Road To Ruin - (also known as the hen do)

Hen do’s have not always been synonymous with L plates, rude toys and copious amounts of alcohol. Way, way back when, hen do’s were sophisticated quiet affairs where the soon to be bride would show off her ‘bottom draw’ over a pot of tea. Further down the line things changed ever so slightly to discussing the facts of life with the unaware young ladies, followed by Hen do’s where a few ladies would pass around champers and perv over movie starts finally bringing us to the 90’s where woman started to give men’s stag do’s a run for their money.

Oh, how we have developed from a few cheeky babychams to male strippers and weeks away to Barbados. Now unless you are an investment banker of some sort, then a week in Barbados is more than likely out of budget, if not for you then quite possibly for your lady friends. If you are leaving the planning up to your friends then prepare yourself for a weekend of mayhem.

A ‘hen do’ to some ladies screams out ‘last holiday with the girls!’, so prep yourself for some wonderful clichés.

L Plates – Your hen do will not be complete without. Your giant L plate will be stuck to your back for the entire night, although being a learner in this day and age may not always be true.

Bananas, cucumbers and any other male genitalia shaped object – That’s right, if you leave the planning solely up to your pals, they will probably be whopping in delight shouting “Phwar what a big one” to passersby.

Blow up doll – If you thought that these were just for the stag do, you’re going to be in for a surprise.

Stripper – Every soon to be brides dream, a sweaty, bulked up groin shoved in your face with a lump of shaving cream, delightful!

The only thing worse than your mum seeing all of the above, is you’re soon to be mother in law seeing it. She isn't programmed to love you unconditionally from birth, just something to bear in mind.

Not all hen do’s are filled ravenous packs of woman trying to outdo their other half, some do hold swarve sophisticated event’s. Whatever any soon to be bride decides to do, do not hold your hen do too close to the wedding; we don’t want alcohol poisoning, or excessive lack of sleep followed by the skin problems they cause.

1950s Wedding Theme

Not forgetting the cold war in Korea, civil rights, and the day the music died. The 50s was an ear of great music, cute dresses,Audrey Hepburn, and the best sweets an era has seen (we’re referring to flying saucers and jawbreakers for those of you who don’t know). I can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want a 50s inspired wedding.

The Dress

The 1950s saw the arrival of tea-length wedding dresses. Although tea-length dresses themselves were a must have in the 50s, they were not created into wedding gowns until later. Tea-length dresses hit just below the knee with a full skirt; often made fuller with an expansive petticoat. The full skirt emphasises a small waist, creating an hourglass silhouette. However, more often than not, necklines were more conservative with thick straps or short sleeves.

Accessories

 

A birdcage veil is a must to pull off a 1950s-style wedding gown. A feather or beaded facinator, a headpiece often attached to a headband will round off your head wear. A pair of white satin gloves will keep your hands looking dainty and will drive home the 1950s style. High heels will look best with tea-length gowns and they can add an interesting burst of colour to an otherwise white affair.

Bridesmaids

Some brides have a specific image in their mind of the type of dress they want their bridesmaids to be in – e.g. strapless, knee-length, satin. Other brides may be happy to leave it up to the bridesmaids to make suggestions, and indeed wear different dresses in the same colour. The important thing is to tell your bridesmaids upfront your thoughts – after all,it’s your wedding! Budgets are always difficult too. These days most brides will pay for their bridesmaids’ dresses but budgets of course will vary. Considering this, your bridesmaids need to be rockin' tea-length too. However, you could mix it up as bridesmaids in the 50s often had full length gowns and puff ball sleeves. 

Flowers

Try carnations, roses, orchids, stephanotis, and biedermeier bouquets. A 1950s bride rarely had a huge bouquet in front of her when walking down the aisle.

Extras

Don’t forget your 50’s inspired car, which can be anything from and Austin Van Den Plas (my very own wedding car! Available from Antique auto agency, Morpeth) to a Cadillac. Candy bars for that retro feel, and bright colours. It’s the little details that pull of the style. Find inspirations from this fantastic ever whim photographers 1950s wedding shoot.

All photos (c) 2012 everwhimphotographs.com

Have a ‘Blue-min’ delightful Wedding

Choosing a colour scheme for your wedding can be tricky. You may have already decided on an accent colour that will see you day through. Blue however, comes in so many shades that by using one colour your day will incorporate a variation of tones.

Your accent colour can be introduced in a variation of ways, which is where the fun starts. The obvious is flowers, bridesmaid dresses and cravats. However, some brides are taking it a step further and introducing the entire table linen in a block colour.

If you want your gorgeous blue eyes to dazzle, and your colour scheme to complement them, then take a look at some fab ideas.

BRIDESMAIDS

If you have bridesmaids of all shapes/sizes and skin tones then why not mix it up with a variation of shades and dress designs. It not only opens up the possibilities of your decorations at your venue, but like a rainbow, makes your day sparkle with different colours and shades. It will also give your bridesmaids a chance to find a dress that they are comfortable in, and a colour that will complement their skin.

Most bridesmaid dresses come in a variation of colours, available from high street stores such as coast and Debenhams to boutiques and online shops; with blue available in a number of different shades.

FLOWERS

My oh my! Our favourite! Blue flowers are fabulous and vibrant; we can see pink, white and red any day of the week at our local Asda, but a bouquet of blues, not so often. This is where you can mix it up with more shades, or even add a touch of purple. The choices are endless. 

CAKE

If you decide to keep with a variation of blue shades, you could have a variation of cupcakes to co-inside, which would look delightful. If you’re looking to cut costs, vamp it up a white tiered number from your local supermarket with some lovely blue ribbon and flowers.

For something unique check out a variety of Northumberland based bakers who will try their best to meet your requirements. Such as ‘Cakes for all occasions’; ‘For goodness cakes’ and ‘The cake garden’.


If you decide on a blue themed wedding, don’t forget that stationary and favours come in all shades of blue, but whatever you decide, were sure it will be blue-min great!! We found this gorgeous blue inspired wedding from Sloan Photographers:

All photographs (c) sloanphotgraphers.com

Winter Warmer Wedding

For the North East bride, a wedding in December brings cold; rain; and this December, gale force winds, brrrr! However, fear not. If you're not hopping on a flight to warmer climates for your nuptials, bring the warmth indoors for your fabulous winter wedding.

Be inspired by canvas prints from Charlie’s Missus. Some fabulous ideas that could keep cold at bay with this Nutcracker themed wedding reception and ceremony setting in the Great Hall at Jesmond Dene House.

All Photographs copyright (c) 2011 www.charliesmissus.co.uk

Add gorgeous personal touches with these Mr & Mrs wooden letters available from 'Not on the High street'

Winter Wedding Skin

If you are preparing for your big winter wonderland wedding, then you need to be preparing your delicate skin. Winter brings cold, wet, strong harsh winds, which strip the skin of all its richness. Making matters worse, when we go and try to warm up, the fire or heater instantly sucks the moisture out of your skin. So any soon to be brides worried about dry skin on your big day, read on for some fab tips.

AVOID STEAMY SHOWERS

Hot water robs the skin of all important moisture, so if you can bear it, shower in luck warm water. This will hopefully let your skin keep moisture in.

KEEP MOISTURISED

Need we state the obvious? If your skins feeling dry and tight, re-moisturise. The same rule applies for the rest of your body; it is always handy to have a lovely hand cream at arm’s length. We recommend Lush’s ‘Helping Hands’ cream, with its natural ingredients and its cocoa aroma. Their ‘Crème Anglaise’ also works wonders as it’s a hand and body lotion.

EXFOLIATE

New skin can only come from getting rid of the old dry bits, and moisturiser works much better on clean skin.

SKIP SOAP

It may sound a little gross ditching soap, but soap really dries out  your skin, so opt of a moisture filled cleanser instead.

Drink...WATER!

Sorry to disappoint you nearly wed’s, but drinking alcohol is never good for your skin. So in preparation for your big day, make sure you drink plenty of water each day to keep moisturised.

Extra tip: Moisturisers are best used on damp skin as they lock the moisture in.

Becoming Bella Swan!

Fictional as it may be, Bella Swans wedding dress is what we are all talking about; and if you are a Bride who just so happens to be a Twilight fan then guess what? You may well be able to get your hands on a fabulous replica created by Alfred Angelo.

The original gown owes thanks to Venezuelan fashion designer Carolina Herrera, who gave the vampire's lover old-world elegance, with a long-sleeved silk dress, completed with lace detailing on the sleeves and a cut-out illusion back. So if you love the dress and just so happen have a wad of cash stashed away, both the dress and its accompanying specially-designed Manolo Blahnik jewel-encrusted shoes are set to go on sale as part of the designers' 2012 collections.

The ‘Edwardian inspired’ gown Bella floats down the aisle in has a whopping $35,000 price tag attached according to ‘Hollywood Life’. However, the replica costs a very reasonable $799, staying faithful to the original, but opting for liquid satin instead of silk.

Alfred Angelo’s created a replica of the Duchess of Cambridge’s Alexander McQueen masterpiece, and has followed on with the replica of this Twilight beauty. So if your still hung up on Kate’s Dress, or a Twilight super fan, you could bag yourself your dream dress for a fraction of the price from Newcastle based Lucia Lee who stock the fabulous designer.

Wedding of the year!

Most teens this month are probably thinking 'Kate and William who?' as the third installment of the Twilight Saga hits the cinema. That's right people, Bella finally walks down the aisle in 'Breaking Dawn Part 1'. For those of you still fighting for tickets to see this winters blockbuster, here's a teaser of the wedding we all want an invite to.

We love what Alice has done with a 'Midsummer Night's Dream' Theme, so keep an eye out for our very own ideas on how to create the perfect Midsummer Night's Dream themed wedding.