What's in season

Spring is an amazing time for flowers (obviously...because of all the bees with their stingers and such), and as such, the more exotic of the flowers drop in price and become more readily available.
Which brings me to David Austin Roses:

 Known for their layer after layer of elegantly coloured petals, they're a hybrid rose, developed by, believe it or not, Mr David Austin. They're in season between October and December and are available in many colours, ranging from whites and creams, to dusty and rich pinks, to some very sweet peach tones. They make beautiful additions to a bouquet or are stunning as textual element within a center piece.

I think that David Austin Roses are just dreamy. They remind me of layers of tulle that make dresses puff out... like an upside down petty coats. They'll definitely be making it into my wedding... if it ever happens!

Emily and Tito

When my wonderful friend Emily told her two sisters that they could pick their own bridesmaids dress as long as it had purple in it, she wasn't sure what she was going to be in for. The two beautiful girls have very different shapes so when they both felt great in the same Charlie Brown long silk floral dress, on what I'm pretty sure was the first day of shopping, is nothing short of a miracle. This issue for Emily then became how to work the dress into her already fixed ideas she had for her wedding. Yes the dresses had some soft lilac purple in it, but it was contrasted with a very vivid green that Emily was not sure what to do with.

After talking to her and because I already knew some of the themes (birds) and ideas (long tables and mix and match vases) she had for her wedding, I created a inspiration board for her to help her visualise how the vivid green could be working in quite elegantly. And here it is.... 

Now here is some beautiful images from Emily and Tito's wedding day and how Emily turned inspiration into a gorgeous reality.

In a few days we will post a couple more picks from this lovely couples wedding.

I want that one!

For this weeks "I want that one" (dress of the week), I've picked a beauty! Mr Oscar de la Renta is known for unique, decidedly feminine gowns that generally are both modern and reference the past. There is a distinct "European" feel to Oscar de la Renta designs, with layers and layers of fabrics and richly embroidered sheer skirts, that have a master craftsmanship to them. It's like you could imagine generations of women working on metres and metres of fabric together, hand stitching lace to create something truly sentimental for a daughter/granddaughter/niece. There's an art to his dresses that is timeless and jaw droppingly, sigh evokingly beautiful.

Image Source: Oscar de la Renta, Spring 2009 Collection

Now realistically, there are some very lucky people out there in the world which would be able to procure such a dress for their very special day, but for the rest of us, I think this dress is about inspiring a mix between modern fashion trends and ye olde techniques... Or it's just something lovely to look at.  

My Little Henry

I have a little boy named Henry and in two weeks time my husband Triet and I are having him christened. I know it is not a wedding, but I loved planning my wedding so much that every opportunity I have to legitimately create an inspiration board and plan events down to every tiny cute pom pom detail, I do just that.

Susie (Aunty Jem) is of course going to be Henry's Godmother, mainly so I can put her to work and I have. For a theme I didn't want anything  religious and I couldn't pick a colour, so I picked them all and we are having a rainbow party. I just love rainbows and with Henry being my first child, having everything in many different bright colours makes them unisex for the next and next and next or just the next if you are talking to Triet.

So this is my inspiration board for Henry's christening. I'm having trouble finding the big lollipops and there will be balloons, my biggest dilemma is making sure it doesn't look like a gay pride parade so I'll need to find something other than my leathers to wear.

I've got love for you if you were born in the 80's...

An 80's inspriation board to get your hipster dreams flaring.

Clare, Lee and White Willow

Please join us for one of the best bits of a Wedding Blog, the sticky beak. And the best bit of this sticky beak is that the bride has talent, and it's on display. Clare Jones is the lovely young bride in this article and the woman behind White Willow. Clare has started making her own specialized bridal jewellery, under the name White Willow, after working as a jeweller in Sydney and the UK, were she meet her now husband, Lee.
Her amazing dress is by Clarissa Grace and the bridesmaids dresses, as well as her daughter Freya’s are from Monsoon in the UK. The Wedding was held at the very old school Ranelagh House in the Southern Highlands and these beautiful images are thanks to Fusion Photography. 

All of Clare's stunning pieces are completely handmade using beautiful raw materials such as gold, silver, Swarovski crystals and Swarovski pearls, and who doesn't love a good ostrich feather.
Her jewellery has a unique nostalgic feel to it, like it's from another era and wouldn't be out of place in a sepia photo on a bride with some serious bustle, while still having a modern delicateness about it. These pieces would enhance a gown or add personality to a bridesmaid outfit and ooze elegance, if it is elegant to ooze.

To have a browse of Clare’s delicate and detailed creation go to her online store at madeit.com.au/whitewillow

What's in Season?

Sweet Pea:

If you are planning a country cottage feeling to your wedding, the Sweet pea is the flower of choice.

The Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) is a flowering plant that is actually in the legumes family. Sweet peas have been cultivated since the 17th century. Henry Eckford, a nurseryman of Scottish descent, cross-bred and developed the sweet pea, turning it from a rather insignificant, if sweetly scented flower, into the floral sensation of the late Victorian era.

The stems spin and twine around themselves and the flowers resemble delicate fringed butterflies. The old-fashioned varieties are selected for their vibrant colours and intense fragrance. Sweet peas are available in almost every colour, red, pink, blue, white and lavender, but never in yellow.

Sweet peas lend a cottage feel to gardens. They are often grown on bamboo tripods, walls, trellis and any other garden feature. If you are planning a garden wedding in a family garden, having sweet peas growing on such structures would be a beautiful way of bringing colour and shape to your unique day.