#48 Up Down & In Between

I thought that I had decided on how I wanted my hair for our wedding.

I had something like this in mind - very simple!

However, during the dress fittings I was discussing this with my dressmaker & one of my bridesmaids, & it's seeming that the style of dress that I have chosen isn't really done justice with my hair down...

So updos... must stay far far away from THE wedding updo. You know the one.

At the moment I like a loose, messy look.

Perhaps with a braid somewhere in there?

But I do also like the finger wave a lot...

And maybe I could get away with something like this?

Not sure what you would even call that... semi updo to the side? ;)

And there I was thinking I might not get a hairdresser... Hmm...

Opinions? Suggestions? Warnings? Tips?

x

#47 Pods n Things

I really like wedding flowers that are either very casual, with that 'i just picked these from my own garden' look, or that are a bit unusual.

I especially love the use of things like pods, succulents, twigs & leaves in arrangements...

Not sure if I will be going so far as a whole bouquet of the same, although I do think it looks great in photographs!

What do you think?

laurie bailey photography Via new jersey bride

I think this bouquet is just about the perfect balance of traditional & contemporary...

Via angelsmith photography/rowena & chris

On a side note, how seriously awesome are lotus pods?

I think they look so amazing...

x

#46 Light Up My Life

"How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it.

How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it.

How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live 'em.

How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give 'em."
- Shel Silverstein

I

YOU!

Thank you for being here :)

Oh, & how sweet are these sparklers from Wondercandle!

Sparklers are such a lovely little piece of magic don't you think?

x

#45 Engaged... Again!

The night before our engagement-ish celebration in Melbourne, my engagement ring met with a fate worse than death...

Well ok not actually worse, but it did die. Violently.

Lucky I'm not superstitious hey?

What followed was a lot of ridiculous behavior by one jewelers who shall remain nameless.

However. Happily - 3 months later - I have some sparkling new bling!

I haven't taken any photos & I'm feeling lazy having been working on long overdue Save the Dates as well as Wedding Favours all night, but I've found this picture from the wonderful wide web that is mightily similar...

As with my first ill fated engagement ring, it is a LOT more traditional than what I would have expected myself to like?

It's very different to my usual taste in jewelery, which is big & chunky whereas this is quite fine.

I did play with the idea of an Amber ring for a while, a big & chunky one, but came to the realisation that although I'm not someone who has been planning their wedding since they were little or in all honesty even believed i would ever get married, I LIKE that it looks like an engagement ring... I also feel oddly guilty for that?

Anyhow.

I feel ever so lucky & I LOVES it!

x

#44 Gretchen Hillhouse Design...

Or perhaps that should read Gretchen Hillhouse Divine?

After both the magnificent talent & the Gorgeous Gretchen herself!

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Shall we start closer to the beginning?

This is a photo of my STUNNING little sister E (On the right), backstage at the Gretchen Hillhouse 'Heloise & Hildegarde' collection fashion parade (Unfortunately I couldn't locate a photo showing said amazing collection so I'll just make clear that her attire is her own).

Fast forward, & I'm going a teensy bit out of my mind trying to find anything remotely like what I want my wedding gown to be, a particularly snooty Canberra bridal shop assistant gives me a little panic inducing scare (see previous post) with her speech on how long it will take to alter a wedding dress as well as suggesting I do some rather strange things with a bolero - apparently she's a designer?.

Anyhow, it's safe to say I am officially freaking out.

Then Gretchen quite unexpectedly comes to mind...

I try not to get my hopes up as I ask E if she thinks Gretchen would be interested in rescuing me from wedding dress hell...

A nail biting wait for the call that says -YES!

I fly to Victoria within the week to have my initial meeting with Gretchen, a little extension on my visit, & in less than a month from thinking 'Hmm perhaps I could look at having my dress made by someone?' - the dress of my dreams...

IS FINISHED.

Unbelievable.

Gretchen Hillhouse, ladies & gentlemen, is an angel, a miracle worker, a ridiculously talented artist of so many mediums AND indescribably friendly, delightfully sweet & undeniably good looking to boot!

One visit to her home studio & I had complete confidence that she understood & would in fact most skillfully exceed my expectations in creating the gown that I had envisioned.

I also felt as though I had known her for years - Which is a strange & very lovely thing.

Gretchen Hillhouse with some of her exquisite jewelery & her breathtaking ceramic bowls.

Those bowls really do blow my mind... One day.

Via Gretchen Hillhouse Design

Well worth a visit to Gretchen's website to see LOTS more swoon inducing ceramics & jewelery...

I also love her jewelery, which as it just so happens, looks mighty bridal appropriate to me?

Um, hello ceramic wedding ring in the 5th photo?

Well maybe not so much the Electron Collection for wedding wear (Correction - MY wedding) but they're just so fun & quirky that I couldn't resist showing you ;)

I have 2 more fittings at the end of January, for final adjustments = weight loss, but it is completely constructed.

I really still can't believe it. SO exciting... It makes it so much more real?

So much of the planning process is not tangible but I have held the dress that I will be wearing when my love & I say 'I Do.'

Wow?

x

edit: Yay!!! Some pictures of the beautiful models Ella & Freda in the equally beautiful Heloise & Hildegarde collection!

Unfortunately blogger is having a tantrum and won't let me post them any larger, but still, it's a glimpse...

LOVELY no?

Thanks Gretchen :)

#43 Speaking of Which...

Um hello doily wedding dress!!!

Now why didn't I think of that?!?

via - jillian & dax - gia canali photography

Simply genius.

#42 A Horse and Controversy...

Hi there! Remember me?

Whilst it would appear to most that I had fallen off the proverbial horse of blogging, ok ok - be apparent to most that I had taken a tumble - I really do have quite a legitimate excuse.

It is a tale of spur of the moment decisions, 3 cities, 1 dressmaker most exceptional, many cuppas - wines - & over indulgence in all things that fatten, news of the elating/devastating variety, & much loved up-ness from those whose hugs are too often too too far away...

Before the whirlwind that has enveloped me this last while, I had a Wedding (& everything else) To Do List about as long as your arm. Actually, make that my arm.

Now that same To Do List is about as long as the arm of the BFG. (High 5 to you if you get the reference?)

The said list included, somewhere among the reams, a bit more effort on my part in getting around to posting on here with some kind of regularity.

BUT. I was also thinking (dangerous to be sure!), 'Why?'

Is there any point in this blog? It hasn't saved my nearest & dearest from wedding talk nearly as much as I hoped it would, It feels mighty self indulgent, & i was also starting to wonder if it was a little cuckoo to be writing to myself?

Then while away, one of my delicious bridesmaids told me that she had seen another lovely friend recently, who I haven't caught up with for quite a horrible length of time.

This friend told my BM that although she hates weddings- or more specifically all the kitsch that come with them, she has been enjoying reading these pages of ramble & that she thinks I will have a beautiful wedding & will BM please take lots of photos to show her.

CUE WARM FUZZY FEELING! Bless her socks & silver (pearly white) jewelery ;)

Even though I have what feels like a thousand exciting things to update on, it would seem that oddly enough, this warm fuzzy feeling has manifested in me a desire to sabotage myself & this page & quite possibly ostracize me...

I LOVE DOILIES.

Via - unknown & laura splan/museum of contemporary art

Via - apartment therapy

There. I've said it. It's out there.

I'm a loud & proud doily lover.

Please don't judge me?

Sanity from now on.

Mostly...

It's good to be home!

x