A lavish crystal affair !

Diamond are a girl best friends. An elegant wedding in white, beige and diamond. Be inspired !

 Images credit: Jean Paul Savet floral design - Dress by Rosa Clara - shoes by Celine - Chandelier from The Goring Hotel

An inspiration from the motherland !

Are you embracing the latest african inspired trend? African prints and style have been revisited by fashion designers to bring us a fresh and creative approach. But how can you incorporate these style into your wedding?

Nature's colours are all represented in african prints. From the blue of the sky and the sea to the deep red of the ground.

A mix of all those mother nature colours will give you an autumn feel. Here is a little inspiration, I used Iman as my muse on this board.

Image credits: to Africa tourist website -  Wedding nouveau - Iman home decor

Modern romance, a pink inspiration !

Wedding ideas: soft pink, fushia and white .

Images credit of Bella Bride and Hostess with the mostess

Hello! Can I have a fairy tale wedding with £5,000 ! Part I

With the recession and the unemployment rate growing every year a lot of couples see their dream wedding fade away. How can you have your fairy tale wedding when the cash is limited ? A very dear friend of mine, Amy, called me a while ago with a great new: she is engaged ! However they can't set the date as they can't figure out where the funds will come from. So I advised her to talk to her fiancé and find out how much funds they have available. So turns out with their savings and current income they can only set aside £ 5,000 for their wedding and they want something classy and romantic.

So she asked me: Can I have a nice wedding for £5,000?
"Bearing in mind that I want an outside wedding reception, preferably an end of  summer wedding with vivid colours in a  natural setting"

Therefore I've put together a proposal which I liked to share with you.

Proposal for a minimal, romantic wedding. 

Budget: £5,000

First step: determine the number of guests. (one of the best ways to keep the cost down is to keep the guest list short). Stick to close friends and family, people to whom your union will mean something. A maximun of 30 guests.

Secondly, Decide on a theme, in this case: An intimate garden reception.

Then look for venues. Amy expressed her wish for an end of  summer wedding, she wants vivid colours in a  natural setting. You may want to skip big city hotels, historical mansions etc... Compile a list of friends & family members who own a garden and contact them. If that's not an option, research Bed & breakfast and small hotels in the countryside. These types of property usually come with an outside space.

This is where you'll need to be resourceful, although the hire fees of a venue can be reasonable, beware of the catering cost. In this day and age everyone has access to social media, use it ! Share your situation with your friends and family and do so via social media, you have to think if you post a comment on one friend page it will be viewed by his contacts too. And someone outhere may hold a solution to your problem.
In this case Amy and Kindsley need a big enough garden to welcome up to 30 guests. It could be a relative garden's or anyone else willing to share their dream.

To win over potential garden owners,
-Offer public liability insurance to cover eventual damages to the property,
- Make a floor plan to show your project.
- Draw a day plan covering every details that will take place at the property
- Offer a nominal fee.
All of the above will reassure potential garden owners and help them trust you.
I've found this venue in Berkshire they do not offer weddings on their website but turns out they would be prepare to hold a wedding reception, they have an inside room big enough for reception and the back garden is beautiful. Also they own a marquee, which could be use too. They can cater for the meal and there is accommodation on site. We will come back to the catering options in part II.

Once you've found your garden, it's time to set up a date.

Part I is done, the venue is booked, the date is set, now time to search "The dress" and look at catering options.

Part II is coming up soon, please sign up to my newsletter to be notified once part II is ready. xx
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Greatest marriage proposal ever....

Hello all,

I am such a romantic, I cry every time I see true love. I wanted to share with you this amazing proposal.

Get your tissues ready. 

Watch the video

SGA Wedings, Ultimate wedding styling & planning agency

In anticipation of the launch of SGA Weddings, I planned and directed a photo shoot with the aim to demonstrate the style and level of dedication our clients will benefit from our services. But most importantly it was a chance to network and meet other suppliers in the industry. All together it was a fun sunny day spent doing  something I love. Our photo shoot consisted of a few table displays, in the park and in the blue room. And  some lovely shoot of the bride.

I carefully directed the shoot, I styled the bride and designed the table display. But none of this would have been possible if it wasn't for the venue manager, the photographers and model who believed in my project.
And I am thrilled that they've all expressed the wish to work with me on future projects.

The shoot took place at Worton Park near Oxford, thanks to Corin Hall , the venue manager.
Daniel James from 31 Down Photography was our photographer for the day
And the lovely Mary James was our bride.

Thank you to Daniel James who is a passionate photographer for his dedication and patience. Special thanks to Mary James for her kindness and professionalism, she is a joy to be around. And last but not least thanks to Corin Hall for trusting me to use their premises.

One DIY you should avoid !

I’ve been browsing weddings forums in search of a make up artist for my photo shoot.

And I was shocked at the number of brides to be who plan to do it themselves.

I just have to say : B2B if you are listening please do not make the mistake of DIY make up on your day.

Sure you wear make up every day and you know which products works with your skin. But we have to be realistic your daily make up cannot do for your big day.

A good make up artist will know how to highlight your features and understand your style.

Aim for perfection and remember that your wedding pictures will last you a life time. Do you really want to stare at an average make up everytime you open your wedding album.

I personaly do not use colors in my daily make up and I like to maintain a natural look. However I wanted to look the best I can for once in my life. And I did, when I saw my wedding pictures it took my breath away and everytime I open my album I can’t beleive how perfect I looked.

I understand that sometimes money just can’t strecth any further but do not cut back on the way You’ll look. Why not take more time to plan your wedding so you can spread the cost. Or maybe cut back on your guest list.

Hair and make up artist are a must for your time in the spotlight. Don't you agree? I would like to hear your thoughts on the subject?  I've also noticed that some brides didn't know where to go, maybe we should give them some directions. I would recommend Bride and Beauty in Reading, they cover a wide area and they are recognized by the wedding industry for their talent. http://www.bridesandbeauty.co.uk/