I do - my wedding blog

I now realise why so many wedding blogs disappear so soon after the wedding. Suddenly my time and inclination seemed to vanish, not exactly sure why. Anyway, getting back to putting together my day for you, I get to my outfit. My dress was made by my mum, which was so special. It meant that it was completely unique and exactly what I wanted. We had had it specially designed by a friend of a friend who was studying fashion design. This, for me, was the most fun part. I had been to try on other dresses ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) so I had a good idea what I was looking for. We then had the drawing made into a pattern by a professional pattern cutter - this bit wasn't cheap. If we had been a bit clever we could probably have utilised an existing pattern as I wasn't having anything that out of the ordinary. Once we had the finished toile and pattern we set about chopping up the actual fabric and lining etc. I helped cut out some bits, but I left most of this to my mum who is much more ex...

I didn't realise I had gone quiet. It's not  that I've been run off my feet busy or anything...I just forgot to write. So, 2 weeks to go, and we're feeling quite organised. I keep getting packages in  the post containing interesting and useful things for the big day. Yesterday it was peach puree for the drinks reception bellinis,and today my special etsy necklaces for the girls. We're not really feeling stressed - but this seems to be what everyone expects from me! I guess I'm just chilled out about it, focussed on the bigger picture and super organised. Today, we went to scope out the reception venue again to check where we fancy having our photos done. It was quite sunny and it seemed so lovely. They were just setting up for another wedding which made it seem even more real. We picked up our rings last weekend, and J wore his home just to make sure he was going to get used to it. My dress is so close to being ready. Plus my veil and tiara arrived tod...

Another dress fitting, with shoes this time. I got these ones - the same as I had last year for being a bridesmaid. Boring, perhaps but they were comfy and comfort is key. I went shopping as well today with little sis AKA bridesmaid. We managed to get her some shoes, pashminas for both bridesmaids, a hairband for the other bridesmaid and ribbon for the bunting and favours. In addition, I have priced up candles/ vases/ holders in the bargain basement that is Asda home. I'll be able to do a comparison after a trip to Ikea next weekend. J's away on his stag as we speak, which makes me slightly nervous - it always seemed a long way in the future! Image from Pink

This was a big weekend, with plenty of stuff getting crossed off the big to-do list: got final pattern and fabric etc for my dress discussed transport and logistics with my parents - we will definitely have a bus to transport people to the church and to/from the reception got them and my grandparents booked into a hotel decided on favours and bought some bits to go towards these (more soon) got started on invites (why are printers so irritating, why do they never print things the size you want and only run out of ink when you are doing something important?!) bought bridesmaid dresses (big yay!) This is it: From Hilary Morgan Not in this colour though, it will be blue with an ivory sash (so the opposite way round to mine). It was not too stressful getting the dresses, despite my concerns with both bridesmaids telling me they are not the easiest when it comes to clothes. I thought I was going to have some major self esteem issues on my hands. But, both girls, independent...

My mum battled through the snow yesterday to come and see me and help to fit the toile of my wedding dress - the mockup which is key to making the pattern. It is already looking just like I imagined, even while it is made out of thin cotton and doesn't do up at the back. We got a bit over excited and I put on the hairband I had when a bridesmaid last year (which I might still use) plus mum's veil, which I'm planning on using.  It's a bit long and I'm sure I'll trip over it, but we got the idea. It all seems even more real now. I would post a picture, but I'm not ready to flash my underwear on the internet just yet!

J if you are reading - GO AWAY! I had an email from my dress pattern cutter saying my pattern and toile were almost done, plus some photos! It really brightened up an otherwise rubbish day Image is mine

I have just chosen my final dress design from my designer friend. It has been such fun choosing the designs and picking which bits I liked from each one to put towards the final design. I just have to send a cheque and I get my design through so I can get someone (not sure who yet, any ideas?) to make a pattern. This process is highly recommended, as I am getting exactly the dress I want, for a much lower cost than I would otherwise get, and it has been really fun. The only thing I didn't realise beforehand was that I wouldn't get to try it on until it is made. There is no falling for the dress when you try it on. I know I still have to wait, but I will go through the fun process of making my dress with my mum. I'm not going to share just now, but I will eventually crack...

After the early interest in Vera Wang (well, who couldn't be interested in her dresses), on Saturday I went to the Vera Wang boutique in London with my chief bridesmaid. Oh, the dresses are beautiful! Put any of them on and you will feel fabulous, because of the quality of the dresses. But it was obviously still important that I felt like me. It was nice not to be under any pressure as I was only really there for the fun of it and for ideas. This is the one that really got me - enough to make me try it on twice. I'm showing you the back because the detailing is especially nice. It is quite a plain dress, no sparkle, no lace, i.e. perfect for me, but it has enough of something to make it interesting. I also enjoyed the fact that the stock shoes they had were Jimmy Choos! They were comfy too, which was doing its bit to try to persuade me that they were something I could maybe invest in for the big day - we'll see! I tried these two as well; the proper princessy one was great...

This week so far has been quite exciting planning-wise. On Sunday my chief bridesmaid phoned to tell me she was sorting my hen night, and had just about everything ready but that she was going to keep the details a secret (if my sister, other bridesmaid can keep quiet!). Secondly, it looks like we have a photographer almost sorted. Luckily it is one of those on the venue's approved list, so we don't have to worry about the awkwardness of having to deal with paying extra commission. We're meeting him next week. And then thirdly, I have some initial ideas from my dress designer. That had to be the most exciting email to ever walk into on a Monday morning! I'm musing over them, but of 9 I have 3 favourites. Pass me the sharpie so I can cross things off the list please...(well nearly, I can write some notes or something!)

I met my dress designer friend-of-a-friend this evening to discuss my ideas and what I was looking for. I thought I was being quite prescriptive by suggesting that it had to have straps, an a line silhouette, some detail at the back - possibly some kind of sash/bow, but she was over the moon that she had this quite clear start point really a blank sheet to take from there. I took along my ideas sheet which I put together to tidy up my image files Click on the image for better detail. The dresses are from: l-r top row Amsale, Johanna Hehir, Mikaella, Johanna Hehir, Alfred Sung, Johanna Hehir row 2 Watters, don't know the next 2!, Martina Liana, Alfred Sung, Amsale, Both the last 2 are from people's wedding pics - sorry row 3 don't know, Johanna Hehir, Amsale, don't know next 2, last one from Amsale You can tell the stage at which I started noting where things were from - apologies, when I get a change I'll source some of the others! I'm expecting some first idea...

It seems like yesterday everything started coming together... I got in touch with the potential dress designer and are planning to meet up next week. I need to look into pattern cutters and fabric next. I've also realised it doesn't matter if mum doesn't like the dress I do, as that won't be the dress I have in the end. Finally got a reasonable response from a photographer, so planning that meet up too I sent the list of invitees to my BM for my hen night which was quite exciting. I don't know how far on she is with the plans so I'm looking forward to know what's happening - I don't like surprises! I was at Spitalfields market at the weekend, which seems to be the go-to place for wooden printing blocks and letters. I was hoping to find a sundial one for the invites but had no luck this time. Phew!

This is just meant to be a quick catch up of what's been going on this last couple of weeks, just so you know I haven't been sitting back doing nothing (just next to nothing) so it covers a bit of everything. I've been getting in touch with a few photographers - I can tell this is going to be one of the major sticking points of the planning. We don't have a huge budget for the photos as we are not huge photo people. The disappointment of not having the one photographer we really wanted also makes it a bit harder. The other difficulty is the approved list, where we have to start our search (or pay commission to the venue). I've got the contact details for the dress designer friend-of-a-friend, so I can get that going. Which is just as well because my mum decided to come out and tell me that she didn't really like THE DRESS! (don't get me started on that one!) Shopping with my sister today I managed to convince her of the coloured shoes thing. J and mum don...

I was dress trying on at the weekend, with mum and my sister (also a bridesmaid). We went to Johanna Hehir in Marylebone, London as this was where I saw the first dress I really liked . It was a lot more relaxed than the previous trying session (I guess that's what you get at a designer boutique) and we started by looking through the style books and letting them get an idea of what I liked/ didn't like. I did start to worry for a moment as I hadn't seen the dress, but it was, happily, on the last page of the last book! I tried 5 dresses in all, starting with one which was a bit different to what I thought I was looking for - just to rule it out (or not). It's the one on the right of this picture. It has cute short sleeves which I liked and a light skirt, kind of evening dress style. And that's what I thought when I put it on - not quite a wedding dress for me. Dress 2 was more what I was expecting and was the dress! I was really excited to finally try it on. And ...

I'm going dress shopping - well, trying - on Saturday with my mum and sister. I'm really looking forward to it as I love all the dresses there. Having been before I know what to expect, but this time I'm much more excited. At least this time it's actually planned! Things are coming together, apart from the photographer, which we are struggling with a bit. We are not exactly sure what we want and whether we can get something a bit more relaxed than the majority seem to be. We took my MIL to the venue yesterday (which is all booked up now!) and it made us all really excited!

...in a dress, the best idea ever! I had to stick my lipgloss down my top when I was bridesmaid at the weekend through a lack of pockets image from amsale

How have I not blogged about this beautiful dress shop yet. Candy Anthony are located just behind my office so I have an almost daily peek in their window - which is usually accompanied by a sigh! I love these 50's and 60's inspired dresses, whether it be for a wedding or any other occasion I might try to think of as an excuse of in order to buy one. There are also so many lovely stories and pictures from exceedingly happy customers. Sigh! Image from Candy Anthony

Yay - they have finally uploaded pictures of the new Martina Liana collection of dresses, one of which was the one I really liked when I went to the store . Martina is a new designer for Essence, and the first dresses of the collection are now online. Keep your eyes open for the range, when I went to the preview the shop I thought it was lovely and the marketing guy from the company were very excited about them (they could be biased though!). It is shown in ivory dupioni as I would like it, and has a diamante belt (removable) and trim round the bottom of the skirt. Apart from that it is quite plain, which is what I am looking for. I would however have straps (I was told you can choose to have any of the dresses with straps). Photo from Martina Liana I also spotted this dress I really liked on Randall Photography , a UK based wedding photographer. Maybe I can try to combine these two dresses somehow?! And with a blue sash too?!?! The beauty of designing your own...I think I will have ...

I've been spending quite a bit of time trying to find patterns for a basic dress which we (i.e. my mum and I) could adapt. The sooner we start the better, even though we don't even have a target date yet! I have had a bit more luck than previously, and so thought I would list some of the places which might be worth a try. I'll keep you posted on where I get to. Weddingpatterns.com Weddingpatterns.co.uk (I know, the names are obvious, maybe should have tried these before!) This one custom makes the patterns for your measurements Or there's Marfy - not quite my style but still a good choice. However, even apart from these, there is plenty to inspire me at the moment, like Celine who made her dress and has put up a great step by step here . I'm also going to be closely watching A Practical Wedding where the dressmaking project has just started

I loved this post from {this is glamorous} about blue sashes! I have always considered I would like one, and these pictures confirm what a pretty idea this is. The dress I am realising is always what I come back to has a blue sash too...mmm. Definitely part of the plans then (at the moment).

I tried on my first dresses yesterday, I was out with my mum and had (mis)read that a bridal shop had a sample sale on - not the case, but they did have a trunk show on - yay! So, on I went trying on dresses from next seasons Essense collection. I was slightly concerned as all of the ones on offer appeared to be strapless, and I cannot do strapless (MIL has specified). The first one I tried I loved, and went back to it after trying 3 others. One was quite lacy and was definitely not me, but I was glad that what I thought I wanted suited me. Generally, not too much detail, just a little sparkle, sweetheart neckline and a-line to ball gown type skirt. I didn't try a v neck dress which was what I had in mind first, so I'll do that next time. The prices were as scary as expected, and I have never worn so much as I did yesterday morning. The diy option is definitely the way to go to save money, so I've been searching online since I got home to try and find a pattern - diffi...