Happy New Year

With Christmas over and we look towards the new year, I would like to wish all our followers a very Happy New Year!

I hope that 2012 brings you all that you wish for and hope it to be.

White Rose Weddings Wishes Everyone a Great Christmas

Well as the big day approaches, thats Christmas Day of course, its dawned on me that i am now going to be so busy getting organised that it really will not leave me any time to blog.

This year our family are spending it together, with the exception of my son Chris who is serving on ship with the Royal Fleet Auxillary, will be sad to be without him this year but i have sent him a large package full of christmas gifts so he knows he is still with us in mind and heart.

Looking back over the past year, as everyone tends to this time of year we reflect on the highs, lows and challenges we have faced. We remember our loved ones who may no longer be with us, or family that are overseas, or just unable to spend christmas with us.

As I reflect on this past year, I can honestly say that I am very blessed. I have a wonderful family & friends who are on hand to support me whenever i need them. I have a lovely home & a job that I totally love. My career for over 15 years was teaching, working with children has been so rewarding and so much fun. When 5 years ago my youngest daughter was diagnosed with a serious illness, life was turned upside down for a while. Being a good mum, caring for her needs and working became a real juggling act. It dawned on me that maybe it was time for a new direction.

Over the years my organisational skills have been frequently put to the test, fundraising events, parties, school trips, and helping organise friends weddings (my favourite of all).


Now here I am with a job that i adore, all things wedding, and some flexibility to be here with my daughter when she needs me. There have been times when i have thought to myself can i do this? Can i really set up my own small business, It is hard work but for anyone who really has the drive and desire for it i would say Yes! go for it! the rewards outway the negatives. Like most things in life you get what you put in.


So I see the old year out with a smile on my face. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone here in the UK, All my new American freinds & all my other followers from around the world        

  "A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR"

Big Fat Gypsy Weddings

After tonights episode of a big fat gypsy christmas wedding, i thought i would put together a blog looking at our facination with the brides, dresses and the programme in general.

From 20ft trains and 20st skirts to flashing bodices and mechanical butterflies, we are a nation obsessed with these flamboyant Gypsy Brides. The shows series attracted around eight million viewers  and we just can’t seem to get enough of those

outrageous frocks.

This show is where ancient traditions meet modern fashion in an ostentatious culture clash in the world of 21st century gypsy and traveller weddings.  The show gains rare access to this fascinating and often misunderstood community, it , reveals a culture where brides compete to have the biggest dress, but having children out of wedlock is still taboo and divorce is unheard of.

In one epsisode we met a bride who was so keen to go one better than other brides, she had lighting put under layers of her dress as well as in the veil. I must admit it looked stunning once the lights were turned on at the evening reception but it was rather humourous seeing the dress maker on hand with a fire extinguisher as a precaution.

… Read More The weddings are visual spectacles; girls go off to church in enormous dresses that sometimes weigh more than the bride herself.
Although some of the women appear sexually provocative, there is a no sex before marriage rule and even engaged couples are chaparoned wherever they go. Loyalty and high morals is the norm. 

As beautiful as these dresses and i marvel at the detail and amount of work, love and care that has been put into each one, but they are so large they are not made for their practicality and sitting in a car or carriage looks uncomfortable and there is certainly no way you can glide beautifully up the aisle.

I am also unsure of some of the styles of bridesmaids outfits, which seem to be typical of the gypsy weddings, some leave little to the imagination, but again i admire their love of bright

vivid colours.

When it comes to their receptions they are equally flamboyant, must admit i love this cake, very girly and princess like, which i guess thats all any bride wants to be on their wedding day - a princess.

So the Gypsy/ Traveller community seems to live alongside but detached from mainstream society. It is a community of contrasts, living by centuries-old religious and cultural traditions, but at the same time embracing the some of the extreme celebrity and fashion-obsessed times in which we live. Love it or hate it. I think we will be forever facinated with "Big Fat Gypsy Weddings"

I just had to share this picture with you all

I totally love this idea, think its fab!

How about this for a Christmas wedding cake?

Focus on Mori Lee

I have always loved the Mori Lee range of dresses, in fact i was determined to have one for my own wedding. Madeline Gardner is the designer behind the range and has over 17 years worth of experience designing these beautiful feminine dresses. Most of the dresses come in an array of sizes which is refreshing especially if you happen to be a more curvaceous bride. There is also a range of dresses perfect for destination weddings and a large range of bridesmaids dresses in a variety of colours and styles.
Here are just a few of my favourites

Here are some of her Julietta range for sizes 18-34

Stylish and Stunning

How about a dress for your destination wedding?

Who is your favourite designer?

http://www.morilee.com/

www.morilee.co.uk

all photographs courtesy of their website

Dont forget to check out our website for special offers before its too late!

www.whiteroseweddings.org

The real wedding of the year!

For some people the wedding of the year happend in April between Prince William and Catherine, but for others the real wedding of the year was between Bella & Edward from the Twilight Saga.
So if your thinking you may like to recreate a "Twilight theme" for your special day here are a few ideas for you to consider.

For those Twi-hards there is good news, from today you can purchase a replica of Bellas dress!
Designer Alfred Angelo has made a significantly less expensive version of the gown for just over £500 ($799)

The original dress designed by Carolina Herrara took around 6 months to make with the aid of four other seamstresses. It was made from crepe satin with chantilly lace with around 152 buttons down the back. The true cost of that dress was approx  £22,000  ($35,000)

Of course you could always look for variations of the dress, here are a few i have found

For those of you looking for hair accessories, keep it simple, how about a replica comb

The hair replica hair comb can be purchased via ebay for around about £30, and there are several websites that have replica rings.

Now lets look at venue decor, the movie decor was stunning, here are a few ideas

If your thinking of ideas for flowers for the bridesmaids what about giving them red ribbons to

 hold instead?

Music - why not go through the Twilight soundtrack or go one further and walk down the aisle to "never think" by robert patterson, imagine walking towards your very own Edward to the song by the guy who actually played the real Edward role.

Vows - what about taking some inspiration from the books such as

  Do you really have any idea how important you are to me? Any concept at all of how much I love you? Look after my heart — I’ve left it with you. And the sound of your heart. It’s the most significant sound in my world. Tell me what you want, and you can have it. All of my best nights have happened since I met you. You love me more than I deserve. - Simply Beautiful!!

I love these Twilight invitations

As an idea for flowers what about ruffled tulips such as the ones on the front of New Moon?
So which was your wedding of the year?  Edward and Bella or Prince William & Catherine?