Hello brides-to-be and you other lovely people. I am pleased to say that I have FINALLY said yes to my dress!
The process of finding your dream wedding dress is so unique and individual to everyone, and no two journeys will be the same. Some women know exactly what they are looking for, they find it, try it on, and it's perfect for them. My process has been much tricker right from the beginning, from when I was simply trying to find an image online of a dress that I loved, or could imagine myself wearing.
The process of finding your dream wedding dress is so unique and individual to everyone, and no two journeys will be the same. Some women know exactly what they are looking for, they find it, try it on, and it's perfect for them. My process has been much tricker right from the beginning, from when I was simply trying to find an image online of a dress that I loved, or could imagine myself wearing.
I've seen so many pictures of women looking beautiful in a range of shapes and sizes of wedding dress, but when I actually had to imagine myself wearing one, I couldn't, and that's when I stopped looking, and ultimately put off the process of looking for a dress until it was almost too late. I had decided that I didn't really like wedding dresses, and became very particular about what I wanted. Imagine the horror on the faces of the assistants in bridal boutiques when I told them 'I don't really like wedding dresses' that I 'did not want satin, diamantes, netting or anything too big and puffy' as a result of my research. I was greeted with a particularly horrific reception (looked like she'd been hit in the dace' when I told one boutique that I did not want any of the above elements on my wedding dress, which can be very off-putting for someone who is clearly quite nervous about trying them on. I guess this fear developed from my worry about the combination of my my short height, and my non-perfect figure.
I visited three boutiques in total: one in Bury St Edmonds, one in Norwich, and one in Colchester. During my first experience, I walked up the stairs to the bridal room, and after one swift look around, I promptly asked my mum if we could leave. I was surrounded by puffy, frilly dresses, and I was really quite mortified, and not quite how I imagined my first fitting to be. But by this stage, I had developed quite a fear of wedding dresses, and my mum insisted that I stay, and faced my fear of actually trying a dress on. And I did try a dress on, and I didn't mind it - I didn't love it - but I finally saw aspects of how a wedding dress could suit me. Trying on a dress for the first time certainly helped me alleviate some of the unjustified fear that I had developed.
I then ventured to Pure Brides in Norwich, where I found several dresses that I decided to try on - no frills and no fuss - perfect for me. I whittled it down to three dresses, and booked in for a second appointment. However, after continuing to look online, I ended up paying for a sample dress to be sent to a store in Colchester (as they did not stock the particular dress), thinking this was the absolute one, just because I loved how it looked in a picture. But when it arrived to the store 3 weeks later, it was horrible, and I ended up calling back to Pure Brides for a second fitting, in the dress that I couldn't stop thinking about, and that was the dress that I finally said yes to. I have no regrets about spending money on trying the sample dress on, as I would always be wondering what could have been.
I'm not claiming to be any sort of expert, but I've put together a few of my top tips for finding your dream dress from my personal experience.
Has your process of trying on dresses been as tricky? I love hearing from you!
I then ventured to Pure Brides in Norwich, where I found several dresses that I decided to try on - no frills and no fuss - perfect for me. I whittled it down to three dresses, and booked in for a second appointment. However, after continuing to look online, I ended up paying for a sample dress to be sent to a store in Colchester (as they did not stock the particular dress), thinking this was the absolute one, just because I loved how it looked in a picture. But when it arrived to the store 3 weeks later, it was horrible, and I ended up calling back to Pure Brides for a second fitting, in the dress that I couldn't stop thinking about, and that was the dress that I finally said yes to. I have no regrets about spending money on trying the sample dress on, as I would always be wondering what could have been.
1. Look around online first for ideas of the style, textures, colours and looks that you like. However, at the same time, don't get your heart set on a certain style/shape, because it might not necessarily suit you.
2. Start looking for a dress as soon as you can - dresses can take up to 6 months to arrive, with a further 3 or so months needed for alterations.
3. You will know when you've found the one - you feel confident and attractive, and you won't be able to get it off your mind.
Has your process of trying on dresses been as tricky? I love hearing from you!
Love Kelly x
I Said Yes to my Dress: finding your dream wedding dress
Hello brides-to-be and you other lovely people. I am pleased to say that I have FINALLY said yes to my dress!
The process of finding your dream wedding dress is so unique and individual to everyone, and no two journeys will be the same. Some women know exactly what they are looking for, they find it, try it on, and it's perfect for them. My process has been much tricker right from the beginning, from when I was simply trying to find an image online of a dress that I loved, or could imagine myself wearing.
The process of finding your dream wedding dress is so unique and individual to everyone, and no two journeys will be the same. Some women know exactly what they are looking for, they find it, try it on, and it's perfect for them. My process has been much tricker right from the beginning, from when I was simply trying to find an image online of a dress that I loved, or could imagine myself wearing.
I've seen so many pictures of women looking beautiful in a range of shapes and sizes of wedding dress, but when I actually had to imagine myself wearing one, I couldn't, and that's when I stopped looking, and ultimately put off the process of looking for a dress until it was almost too late. I had decided that I didn't really like wedding dresses, and became very particular about what I wanted. Imagine the horror on the faces of the assistants in bridal boutiques when I told them 'I don't really like wedding dresses' that I 'did not want satin, diamantes, netting or anything too big and puffy' as a result of my research. I was greeted with a particularly horrific reception (looked like she'd been hit in the dace' when I told one boutique that I did not want any of the above elements on my wedding dress, which can be very off-putting for someone who is clearly quite nervous about trying them on. I guess this fear developed from my worry about the combination of my my short height, and my non-perfect figure.
I visited three boutiques in total: one in Bury St Edmonds, one in Norwich, and one in Colchester. During my first experience, I walked up the stairs to the bridal room, and after one swift look around, I promptly asked my mum if we could leave. I was surrounded by puffy, frilly dresses, and I was really quite mortified, and not quite how I imagined my first fitting to be. But by this stage, I had developed quite a fear of wedding dresses, and my mum insisted that I stay, and faced my fear of actually trying a dress on. And I did try a dress on, and I didn't mind it - I didn't love it - but I finally saw aspects of how a wedding dress could suit me. Trying on a dress for the first time certainly helped me alleviate some of the unjustified fear that I had developed.
I then ventured to Pure Brides in Norwich, where I found several dresses that I decided to try on - no frills and no fuss - perfect for me. I whittled it down to three dresses, and booked in for a second appointment. However, after continuing to look online, I ended up paying for a sample dress to be sent to a store in Colchester (as they did not stock the particular dress), thinking this was the absolute one, just because I loved how it looked in a picture. But when it arrived to the store 3 weeks later, it was horrible, and I ended up calling back to Pure Brides for a second fitting, in the dress that I couldn't stop thinking about, and that was the dress that I finally said yes to. I have no regrets about spending money on trying the sample dress on, as I would always be wondering what could have been.
I'm not claiming to be any sort of expert, but I've put together a few of my top tips for finding your dream dress from my personal experience.
Has your process of trying on dresses been as tricky? I love hearing from you!
I then ventured to Pure Brides in Norwich, where I found several dresses that I decided to try on - no frills and no fuss - perfect for me. I whittled it down to three dresses, and booked in for a second appointment. However, after continuing to look online, I ended up paying for a sample dress to be sent to a store in Colchester (as they did not stock the particular dress), thinking this was the absolute one, just because I loved how it looked in a picture. But when it arrived to the store 3 weeks later, it was horrible, and I ended up calling back to Pure Brides for a second fitting, in the dress that I couldn't stop thinking about, and that was the dress that I finally said yes to. I have no regrets about spending money on trying the sample dress on, as I would always be wondering what could have been.
1. Look around online first for ideas of the style, textures, colours and looks that you like. However, at the same time, don't get your heart set on a certain style/shape, because it might not necessarily suit you.
2. Start looking for a dress as soon as you can - dresses can take up to 6 months to arrive, with a further 3 or so months needed for alterations.
3. You will know when you've found the one - you feel confident and attractive, and you won't be able to get it off your mind.
Has your process of trying on dresses been as tricky? I love hearing from you!
Love Kelly x
The wedding breakfast is undoubtably one of the most important parts of the wedding day. It is ultimately a celebration of marriage, family and friends, and of course, your first meal as a married couple.
We're having our wedding breakfast in a 'Long Room', where we're going to have long tables rather than rounds. Having worked closely with weddings in the past, I got a little sick of the way round tables look, and like the idea of everyone being around a longer table, together.
Within this type of setting, the table decoration is almost more integral than the actual decoration around the room, especially when you're trying to create the perfect setting for a country style, rustic-themed, wedding breakfast. Green foliage is ideal for creating a simplistic, rustic look, and is perfect for lining long tables rather than rounds. Why not opt for a hessian table runner, which will contrast perfectly with green foliage, and pop a stem of rosemary on your guest's white napkin, and tie together with a piece of hessian string. If you're creative with the way that you display your guest's names, this will only add to the decor. Add some candles along the table, and you've created a picture-perfect table setting, that decorates the room without you having to.
How will you be decorating your wedding breakfast?
Love Kelly x
Images sourced from Pinterest.
Rustic Wedding Breakfast Inspiration: Mood Board
The wedding breakfast is undoubtably one of the most important parts of the wedding day. It is ultimately a celebration of marriage, family and friends, and of course, your first meal as a married couple.
We're having our wedding breakfast in a 'Long Room', where we're going to have long tables rather than rounds. Having worked closely with weddings in the past, I got a little sick of the way round tables look, and like the idea of everyone being around a longer table, together.
Within this type of setting, the table decoration is almost more integral than the actual decoration around the room, especially when you're trying to create the perfect setting for a country style, rustic-themed, wedding breakfast. Green foliage is ideal for creating a simplistic, rustic look, and is perfect for lining long tables rather than rounds. Why not opt for a hessian table runner, which will contrast perfectly with green foliage, and pop a stem of rosemary on your guest's white napkin, and tie together with a piece of hessian string. If you're creative with the way that you display your guest's names, this will only add to the decor. Add some candles along the table, and you've created a picture-perfect table setting, that decorates the room without you having to.
How will you be decorating your wedding breakfast?
Love Kelly x
Images sourced from Pinterest.
Hello, and welcome to the first of my DIY wedding posts. When it comes to wedding planning, doing what you can, yourself, is going to be super important for saving money, and cutting particular costs down to a minimum.
Wedding invites & stationary require a lot of budget (yes, those £1.20 (at least) Save the Dates soon add up). If you think you've got to budget for a save the date per person, and an invite person, that's without order of service, RSVPs, envelopes, menus, information sheets & thank you cards, these soon mount up and you can be facing a bill that is well in excess of five, six or seven hundred pounds, depending on the number of guests. There was just no way that I could justify this amount of money on simply asking friends and family to come to our wedding.
We're lucky - Josh is a designer and is incredibly talented on photoshop, and so we decided that we were going to design our own, personalised invite. I can tell you now, this wasn't easy - there are so many designs to choose from, and you really have to have a clear idea of what you want the theme of your whole wedding to be, and that is a pretty big commitment to make. But stick at it, look through Pinterest, and at invites online, pick your theme, and stick with it, and you'll eventually get a design that you love. Online research is also super useful when it comes to what wording you want to include on your invites.
We stuck a sample of our design on our fridge for two weeks, and after that, we still loved it, so we knew it was the one!
Alternatively if you aren't so great on photoshop, there are a couple of alternatives for DIY invites:
1. Buy a template from Etsy, and print yourself
This is a great, and relatively cheap option for your wedding invitations and other wedding stationary. You'll simply purchase a template for a small fee, around £15.00, and you'll receive a digital copy that you'll be able to download, save, and print as many times as you want - ideal for those on a budget, who have a lot of guests.
2. Ask someone to help you
Weddings are a celebration of love, and family, so why not ask a photoshop-savvy family member, or friend to help you design the invite.
Did you design your own invites? I'd love to hear from you!
Kelly x
DIY: Wedding Invitations
Hello, and welcome to the first of my DIY wedding posts. When it comes to wedding planning, doing what you can, yourself, is going to be super important for saving money, and cutting particular costs down to a minimum.
Wedding invites & stationary require a lot of budget (yes, those £1.20 (at least) Save the Dates soon add up). If you think you've got to budget for a save the date per person, and an invite person, that's without order of service, RSVPs, envelopes, menus, information sheets & thank you cards, these soon mount up and you can be facing a bill that is well in excess of five, six or seven hundred pounds, depending on the number of guests. There was just no way that I could justify this amount of money on simply asking friends and family to come to our wedding.
We're lucky - Josh is a designer and is incredibly talented on photoshop, and so we decided that we were going to design our own, personalised invite. I can tell you now, this wasn't easy - there are so many designs to choose from, and you really have to have a clear idea of what you want the theme of your whole wedding to be, and that is a pretty big commitment to make. But stick at it, look through Pinterest, and at invites online, pick your theme, and stick with it, and you'll eventually get a design that you love. Online research is also super useful when it comes to what wording you want to include on your invites.
We stuck a sample of our design on our fridge for two weeks, and after that, we still loved it, so we knew it was the one!
Alternatively if you aren't so great on photoshop, there are a couple of alternatives for DIY invites:
1. Buy a template from Etsy, and print yourself
This is a great, and relatively cheap option for your wedding invitations and other wedding stationary. You'll simply purchase a template for a small fee, around £15.00, and you'll receive a digital copy that you'll be able to download, save, and print as many times as you want - ideal for those on a budget, who have a lot of guests.
2. Ask someone to help you
Weddings are a celebration of love, and family, so why not ask a photoshop-savvy family member, or friend to help you design the invite.
Did you design your own invites? I'd love to hear from you!
Kelly x
For me, this is a really tricky question to answer. Without a doubt, Santorini is one of the most beautiful islands that I have ever visited, and I would return there at the click of a finger. But would I want to take my honeymoon there? I don't really know if I would.
We visited Santorini at the end of June, crossing over into the beginning of July - so one of the most popular wedding & honeymoon times. But as you can imagine, this is also one of the busiest, and most crowded times to visit Santorini - and by crowded, I really mean crowded.
The ideal honeymoon location n Santorini is of course the beautiful town of Oia, in a hotel with a private balcony that overlooks the sea and has the perfect view of the sunset, however your experience certainly might not be a private one. Hundreds, maybe thousands of tourists crowd over the cratered edge of Oia to watch the sunset. We saw people climbing on to hotel roofs, obliterating romantic moments, and removing any form of privacy that you think may comes with these highly expensive apartments and hotels. We even spotted a bride struggling to get through the crowds to have her photos taken. Whilst we didn't stay in Oia - the picture perfect location, we stayed by the beach in Kamari which was a little quieter than Oia, but has no sunset views due to it being in the other side of the Island - so if you were after privacy, maybe think about the south of the island.
Santorini will remain one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, but for me would not be a choice of honeymoon destination.
Love Kelly x
Is Santorini the honeymoon destination for you?
For me, this is a really tricky question to answer. Without a doubt, Santorini is one of the most beautiful islands that I have ever visited, and I would return there at the click of a finger. But would I want to take my honeymoon there? I don't really know if I would.
We visited Santorini at the end of June, crossing over into the beginning of July - so one of the most popular wedding & honeymoon times. But as you can imagine, this is also one of the busiest, and most crowded times to visit Santorini - and by crowded, I really mean crowded.
The ideal honeymoon location n Santorini is of course the beautiful town of Oia, in a hotel with a private balcony that overlooks the sea and has the perfect view of the sunset, however your experience certainly might not be a private one. Hundreds, maybe thousands of tourists crowd over the cratered edge of Oia to watch the sunset. We saw people climbing on to hotel roofs, obliterating romantic moments, and removing any form of privacy that you think may comes with these highly expensive apartments and hotels. We even spotted a bride struggling to get through the crowds to have her photos taken. Whilst we didn't stay in Oia - the picture perfect location, we stayed by the beach in Kamari which was a little quieter than Oia, but has no sunset views due to it being in the other side of the Island - so if you were after privacy, maybe think about the south of the island.
Santorini will remain one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, but for me would not be a choice of honeymoon destination.
Love Kelly x
If you follow me on social media, you probably noticed that a couple of weeks ago, Josh and I took a trip to the beautiful Greek island of Santorini (hello Instagram looking on point!).
Fira I guess is considered the 'capital' of Santorini, but don't get wild visions of a big city, but instead you'll be greeted by a quaint town, with beautiful cobbled streets, cute Greek shops, and probably one of the most beautiful views you'll every lay your eyes on.
Shop the post
1. V Lounge Cafe & Cocktail Bar
The view from V Lounge & Cocktail Bar is insane. If you're looking to watch the beautiful Santorini sunset, but avoid the crowded streets, be it in Oia or Fira, then this is the place for you. Call and make a reservation for a cosy sofa for two right at the front, order a cocktail or two, sit back and soak in the incredible view.
2. Haagen Dazs Cafe
Love desserts? Check. Love ice cream? Check. Then the Haagen Dazs Cafe is the place for you. If you sit down in the Cafe area, rather than go inside, you'll be greeted with an extensive menu of delicious, ice-cream based desserts. From brownies and ice cream, to cookie jars, macarons and crepes, there's so much deliciousness that is impossible to resist. Don't be put off by the fact that it's a commercial brand, which we think a lot of people were - the desserts are truly irresistible.
3. Cable Cars to the 'Old Port'
Personally, we didn't do this, but you can get a cable car down the steep cliff of Fira, all the way to the Old Port. I believe there's a couple of little restaurants down there, but for €5.00 each way, per person, it didn't seem worth it to us - especially when you face the prospect of waiting in a long queue to get back up.
If you're looking for relaxation, beautiful scenery, sunsets and of course, sunshine, then I would definitely recommend a trip to Santorini. Are you planning a trip to Santorini? I would love to hear from you!
Love Kelly x
Exploring Fira
If you follow me on social media, you probably noticed that a couple of weeks ago, Josh and I took a trip to the beautiful Greek island of Santorini (hello Instagram looking on point!).
Fira I guess is considered the 'capital' of Santorini, but don't get wild visions of a big city, but instead you'll be greeted by a quaint town, with beautiful cobbled streets, cute Greek shops, and probably one of the most beautiful views you'll every lay your eyes on.
Shop the post
1. V Lounge Cafe & Cocktail Bar
The view from V Lounge & Cocktail Bar is insane. If you're looking to watch the beautiful Santorini sunset, but avoid the crowded streets, be it in Oia or Fira, then this is the place for you. Call and make a reservation for a cosy sofa for two right at the front, order a cocktail or two, sit back and soak in the incredible view.
2. Haagen Dazs Cafe
Love desserts? Check. Love ice cream? Check. Then the Haagen Dazs Cafe is the place for you. If you sit down in the Cafe area, rather than go inside, you'll be greeted with an extensive menu of delicious, ice-cream based desserts. From brownies and ice cream, to cookie jars, macarons and crepes, there's so much deliciousness that is impossible to resist. Don't be put off by the fact that it's a commercial brand, which we think a lot of people were - the desserts are truly irresistible.
3. Cable Cars to the 'Old Port'
Personally, we didn't do this, but you can get a cable car down the steep cliff of Fira, all the way to the Old Port. I believe there's a couple of little restaurants down there, but for €5.00 each way, per person, it didn't seem worth it to us - especially when you face the prospect of waiting in a long queue to get back up.
If you're looking for relaxation, beautiful scenery, sunsets and of course, sunshine, then I would definitely recommend a trip to Santorini. Are you planning a trip to Santorini? I would love to hear from you!
Love Kelly x
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