Was hoping for more magic!

Such as this Valentino prediction...

Engagement Shoot with Campbell Photography

Through this blog (yippee!) I had a really lovely message from the even lovelier Kristi Nicole Campbell offering me an engagement photoshoot. This is something done more often (again) in America than here but here's a few reasons it is really a lovely idea and very useful. For starters it is an informal way for you and your fiancée to get more comfortable posing, kissing (ooh) and canoodling in front of the camera (kinda hard to pretend they're not there ) & it is also a way of recording this lovely, exciting period of anticipation before the big day. Like everything it will be over before you know it. So, Kristi proposed the idea and I said yes of course, especially when she sent me a link to her previous work on flickr . Kristi & her husband Neal make up Campbell Photography and together they are both a wonderful couple (who met on flickr admiring each others work...very sweet) and a dream team for wedding photography. They shoot on film and digital and the quality of the film photos they take is just beautiful, shooting on an old vintage american camera. I think I need a whole separate post on how the shoot was organised and how it worked but below is just a little taster of the moodboard of my own initial thoughts for the shoot and the quite surprisingly gorgeous results! If they can do this for two hung-over people...what could they do for your wedding photographs!! x (Just a preview...more to come)

Here's what it's all about!

Beauty's where you find it! Vogue Wedding Issue!

I rushed home last night as we were driving out to look at our wedding car (which is amazing...can't reveal). So I came home to my boyfriend cooking dinner! This was/ is of course always lovely. BUT…then checking through the post there was a little card, which I opened to discover, was a very sweet Happy Easter card from him. I was then directed to look under the cushions for a little pick-me-up and what did I find there…Vogue May 2011 which is dedicated to all things wedding! PLEASE Buy…you will LOVE! X

A Gal with a Plan...

 

Sunday night I was reading Grazia and the journalist was yattering on about reasons she is not married. Anyway that's grand, but one comment struck me when she started discussing the crazy prices of wedding dressses relative to other purchases. and I thought in a way she's right. I've always said my ultimate gift to self would be a Chanel 2.55 handbag and I have to say I currently could not justify that, but on the otherhand I'm pretty much spending that on my wedding dress. So...there in lies the plan! My dress is by one of the main fashion bridalwear designers at the minute and so far I've spotted it either in ads or fashion stories in Elle Sposa, Vogue Sposa, Brides etc etc, so I think post wedding I will sell my dress (so that some other lovely bride can use it) and with the proceeds buy myself a Chanel 2.55. This way the idea of parting with my wedding dress and all the lovely memories will be all wrapped up in a beautiful classic bag that will never date? See, perfect! x

BIG Dress & Accessories Sale!

My friend at Bows Bridal Boutique is having a BIG Closing Down Sale with up to 70% off dresses & accessories from Paloma Blanca, Sassi Holford, Marylise, Charlotte Balbier & Rembo Styling. Here are a few of the dresses I tried on in my first bridal appointment there  & 1 or 2 ... (Big Disclaimer...I don't know what dresses are no sale...these photos are just to show the quality of the owners choices!)

Drama and stunning!

This model does nothing for this dress!...very Jackie O

on and was definitely nicer on me with a veil :)

Would have tried...

Classic but beautifully made and VERY flattering!

Wish list...and still on lust list!

Nice Day for a White Wedding!

Everyone dressed up with all the tacky veil's and L plates and now we're all trying to do chic...if I decide to wear bridal attire for my hen party I want to channel Stephanie Seymour in Guns & Roses November Rain...

Ghost Town

As you may have read from a previous post, I visited quite a few bridal shops in Northern Ireland while deciding on 'The One'. As I was driving past Forever Bridal, Finaghy I seen one of them in the window and my heart did a little flip. Not because I wished I'd picked that dress, but because going in hopeful, trying on dresses and going home and thinking them over, breeds an emotional attachment. Perhaps that's why that girl ended up with 9 dresses on her wedding day! It reminds me of that episode of Sex and the City when Carrie talks about the ghosts of relationships past...I now feel like greater Belfast is littered with the flings of dresses I've loved and left! So in the spirit of this I thought I'd share with you the dress that started it all and some of the memorable dresses and where I tried them in the city.

The bride that started it all...
Ivanka Trump in Vera Wang!

Esther by Vera Wang

at Selfridges, London (£££££)

Felisha by Enzoni at
The Bridal Suite, Holywood (£££)

Hemera by Jenny Packham at
Blush Boutique, Lisburn Road (££££)

Wallis Simspon by David Fielden at
Blush Boutique, Lisburn Road (£££)

T450, Jasmine Bridal at
Haven Bridal Studio, Moira (££)

 Beatrice by Sassi Holford at
Bows Bridal Boutique (£££)

2052 by Tara Keely at
 Petticoat Lane Bridal Boutique
Hillsborough(£££)

 Honey by Mia Mia at
Petticoat Lane Bridal, Hillsborough (£££)

 Jesus Peiro at Forever Bridal Boutique,
Finaghy (££)

 Lusan Mandongus at
Forever Bridal, Finaghy (££)

Clio by Jenny Packham at

Castle Couture, Galgorm (£££)

Jenny Packham at

Castle Couture, Galgorm (£££)

Jenny Packham at

Castle Couture, Galgorm (£££)

Remember when you were at school...some more hair inspiration

Cute Wedding Shoes found locally!

I was walking back from lunch today and was stopped (yes stopped) in my tracks by these Vivienne Westwood shoes in the window of Rio Brazil, Wellingtion Place. I had seen them in this very cute & intimate wedding (see below) just the other day and now I've tried them on. Perhaps not ideal with a very classic wedding dress, they could be great for the day after or on honeymoon or for a more unusal wedding dress option. For honeymoon you could team with this lovely 'Postcard' dress from Laura Ashley & a big old school basket bag. Very hollywood movie star on honeymoon...just add big sunglasses! x

Save the Date

Here's a wee idea we used for our Save the Date Cards. Not something we always do over here, but ours doubled up as our Engagement Party invites and are also particularly useful for out-of-town guests so that they can book flights, hotels, time of work etc. Ours where fashioned from photobooth photos we took in a cool bar in New York, The Lakeside Lounge with a bit of crafty trickery added on later.