Bridesmaid duties- My best friends Hen do

I have not been the only ‘blushing bride’ this summer, my best friend Samantha is also tying the knot, not only that we are both each other’s bridesmaid.  It’s been amazing sharing the wedding planning experience with someone else I am so close too, we have helped each other out with hints and tips as well as understanding the stress the other person is going through, while others may have thought we had gone bridezilla, we both understood the stress of running out of ribbon at that crucial moment, chasing up RSVP’s because the venue need to know your final meal choices and don’t even get me started on the table plan!

Now that my big day has passed, it’s is now time for me to focus on my bridesmaid duties. Last weekend it was Sam’s Hen party and I got my creative head on and filled the wedding planning hole with planning a few bits and bobs for the hen party.

Sam’s instructions were ‘nothing trashy’ so I knew from the start any inflatables, head gear or wings were completely out of the question.

Sam is probably the only person I know who is more girly than me, she loves anything sparkly, flowery or pink so I decided to go down this route. 

I searched high and low for ‘Classy Hen do’ accessories which is when I came across Danni_Humber on Instagram she has a beautiful vintage wedding supply shop on Etsy, its filled with beautiful vintage style one of a kind wedding pieces, (I really wish I had found this shop before our wedding, however I may have spent a small fortune). This is when I came across her vintage, shabby chic style 'bride to be' accessories and I knew straight away I needed to get these for Sam’s hen party.

The beautifully package gift set arrived very quickly and I was so impressed by the quality and finish. Inside there was a pastel pink ‘Bride to be’ Wand, ‘Bride to be’ rosette and finally a very cute L Plate, nothing trashy here.

I then decided to make some ‘Hen party Survival bags’ for the all the hen’s. Inside the little pink pin striped bags were all the essentials for a night out and the morning after, including sweets, plasters, Hair ties, tissues and a cute candy striped straw, so no one ruined their lipstick.

I hold my hands up I am a total perfectionist and I always try and think of little bits and bobs to make things extra special, so I loved putting the bags together and finding ‘Bride to be’ accessories and it was lot of fun getting my creative head back on and fill my wedding planning hole, if you haven’t noticed I loved planning my wedding (well 99% of the time) so it’s lovely being a part of someone else’s big day. 

We had a great night out for Sam's hen do. We have a lovely meal at Jamie's Italian, I particularly enjoyed the 'posh chips', chips in truffle oil and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. 

It was lovely have a chance sit down with all the girls and we chatted excitedly about Sam's wedding, I also put together (with the help of her husband to be) a how well do you know the groom quiz, which had us all in giggles. 

Then we heading to some bars where the bride drank too much and we all danced so much that we went home with aching feet, a sign of a good night I think.

 

Isn't she a beautiful bride to be!! 

Bridal beauty checklist

Today I thought I would share with you my Bridal Beauty Checklist. I created this when I first booked my wedding being the over organised, beauty and make up lover bride I am ,it was important for me to keep in check with all my appointments and at home treatments. I think it's important to consider your beauty treatments and what looks you want to try for your wedding, because well it's the biggest day of your life and we all really want to look the best you possibly can. 

I am very lucky that my cousin is a beautician and it was fairly easy for me to book in for regular and try treatments and products. She has also given me lots of advice on the best times to have different treatments, and I think I will be seeing a lot of her in the lead up to my wedding. So I thought it might be helpful for me to share my check list and help out any other bride's to be out there. 

If you can think of anything I could add to my check list let me know in the comment box below I would love to hear your ideas. 

 

My wedding beauty checklist:

 

6- 12 months before:

·         Decide on a beauty budget so you know exactly what you can spend and what treatments you get booked.

·         Book your hair stylist and makeup artists and pay any deposits.

·         Start a beauty folder; collect some makeup and hair looks you like. I have found Pintrest great for researching bridal makeup and hair styles.

·         Book in all your pre wedding beauty treatments.

·         Go to the dentist and start any dental work you want doing before the wedding.

·         If you want to change your hair style or colour, do it now. This gives you plenty of time to dye it back or regrow if you don’t like it.

 

 

4-6 months before:

·        Book in your hair and make trails, get together the pictures from your beauty folder and narrow down your favourite hair and makeup looks. If you don’t like a style or look tell the stylist, it’s your big day and you don’t want to look back at wedding pictures and not be happy with the way you looked.

·        Start having regular facials ( I am having one a month starting 4 months before) and at home pamper nights with a good face mask to get your skin looking flawless for the big day.

·        Test out any skin and body products, once you have found a good routine, stick to it and don’t change it again before your wedding, you don’t want your skin to react to any new products.

·        Make sure your drinking lots of water

·        Start going to Yoga, ok so this isn’t really beauty related, but Yoga is great for distressing your mind and body so will, so less stress less spots, well that’s what I find anyway.

1 month before

·        Get a trim so your split end free. 

·        Start any teeth whitening, if you’re having them done professionally go to the dentist, I have heard lots of salon horror stories. If you can’t afford to go the dentist why not try at home teeth whitening kit, just do some research on different kits. I really liked whitening lightening dial a smile kit.

·        Have a facial and manicure.

 

 

2 Weeks before:

 

·         Get your hair coloured, I have the top of my hair dyed platinum blonde so two weeks gives me enough time to use any toners to keep it looking white and ashy, but a short enough time period that I won’t have any dark roots.

·         If you can pay your hair and make artist pay them now, that way you’re not rushing around in the morning sorting out cash.

 

1 week before the wedding:

·         Have your browns tinted and shaped in your desired shape colour, I personally have HD brows. If your trying out a new look, have a trail done a few months to make sure you like the finish look,  last thing you want is your eye brows going wrong because they shape your whole face.

·         Any waxing, legs, bikini etc. Having it done now will eliminate any redness or sores caused by waxing, to heal in good time.

·         I have personally booked a massage for the week before, I am predicting I am going to be pretty stressed and/ or flustered by this point so a nice relaxing massage will be just what I need.

·         I am staying in the hotel where the reception is being held the night before my wedding with all my family.  So I will be packing my overnight bag with all my essentials. I imagine the next week is going to be a hectic one this is something I can prepare now to make life a little easier and also I am far less likely to forget something.

·         Have your final facial today, a good facial will leave you looking a bit red and sore, and this wouldn’t be a good look too close to your wedding day

 

1-2 days before the wedding:

·         If you’re having a spray tan today is the day (2 days before) to do it, don’t try and do it in the morning and please and please go to a professional and have a trail first.

·         If you’re having individual false eye lashes have this done today (2 days before), but please have the patch test before a swollen eye would not be a good look in your wedding photos.

·         Manicure and pedicure time, make sure your nails are in tip top condition everyone will be looking your newly placed wedding ring and chipped nails would not be a good look. I am personally having gel nails in a neutral colour.

·         Final hair wash before the big day, used a deep conditioning treatment to leave your hair silky soft. I am considering going to the hair dressers for a wash and blow dry, my hair always looks much more voluminous and bouncy after a trip to the hairdresser so this might be a better option than me getting annoyed with my limp, fine hair. However, this will be dependent on my beauty budget by this time.

·         Apply an at home brightening face mask, do not use any kind of pore opening mask, you don’t want any pimples showing up on the morning of the biggest day of your life.

·         Don’t drink too much but enjoy a glass of bubbly with your bridal party.

Your wedding day:

·         Have a shower 4-5 hours before makeup and hair stylist arrives; use a good shower cap to ensure your hair doesn’t get wet. Some brides may wash their hair on the day but hair is much more likely to stay in my desired style if I wash it the day before.

·         Arrival of hair and makeup 3 hours before, give yourself plenty of time, you don’t want to be rushing as rushing will lead to stressing.

·         Ask one of your bridesmaids to look after a small bag for you with any touch up products you want to take along to the venue. I am actually getting ready at my venue so this isn’t an issue for me.

·         Last thing before you walk out the door, a spritz of perfume! Then you are on your way to meet your Groom and enjoy the biggest and most exciting day of your life.

 

Good luck and Enjoy

Xxxxx 

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Wedding Hair

So it's 2014, so it's officially the year I am going to be a bride. As you got imagine my excitement for the big day is sky high at the moment and wedding planning has gone into over drive.

Today my wedding thoughts and planning has been focusing on wedding hair. I am far too indecisive when it comes to my hair, do I want it up or down, straight or wavy, flowers or tiara....the questions go on and on. I am having a trail in next few months and I am going to narrow it down to three or four styles to try out,so need to narrow down my favourites. 

Here is the styles and ideas that have caught my eye so far.. 

*pictures not my own found on pintrest.

Thank for reading lovelies, if yoi have a favourite hair style from any of the pictures would love to know your thoughts. 

Jumping on the saving ban bandwagon

Hello Ladies and gentlemen (my dad reads my blog , so better not forget himJ) I hope your all having a lovely day and looking forward to the weekend. This is just going to be a brief post about my jumping on the spending ban bandwagon.

So I have recently read a lot of posts about beauty and fashion bloggers taking part in spending bans, some even for a full 108 days, girls if you’re doing this one I take my hat off to you, I don’t think I could do it for that long. However, I did start a spending ban at the start of June after I returned from my holiday to Dubai. The next year is a big one for me, at the end of July I am going to London with my sister to celebrate her finishing her studies out in Dubai, this will be her last ‘Summer holiday home’ before she enters the big world of work so we wanted to do something special  together. Then I am planning a holiday in November, not quite sure where yet but preferably somewhere hot and sunny.  Then…..drumroll please, in 2014 I am getting married. So I really need to save and I just thought to myself, you know what? I have more than enough makeup, clothes and beauty products in my collection and do I really need anymore? The simple answer is no I don’t. As much as I want it I don’t need it.

So its day 14 of the spending ban and actually I have saved a lot of money and it hasn’t been anywhere near as hard as I expected, don’t get me wrong I have missed the excitement of coming home from work and having a delivery waiting for me, but seeing my saving accounts with more money in it is much more satisfying.  I have restrained for my usual trips to boots and online shopping splurges and only bought essentials, by that I don’t mean beauty essentials, I literally mean food and petrol….I did buy a bottle of shampoo (L’Oreal to be precise so high street price tag) as I do feel shampoo is a necessity in life, I am sure you will agree.

I am not sure exactly how long I will do the spending ban, half way through month one and I feel I can carry on for a second month, and maybe after that I will treat myself to a few bits and bobs. I have decided though since starting this ban I am going to be much more careful and selective with my spending. Not that I spend  all my wages on my materialist habits, as most of it goes on my flat but I was spending the majority of what was left over on some form of shopping . Don’t get me wrong I am still adding lots and lots (and lots) of products I am lustring after on to my extremely long wish list, but I will just get the bits I want gradually rather than straight away, and with some products I more than likely will decide I won’t need them.

I still have lots of blog posts ready to write up and products waiting to be snapped up  for photos as I have lots of products in my collection I haven’t reviewed yet, I just won’t have a haul post for a while.

So wish me luck, and I would love to hear if you’re doing a spending ban and how you  have found it?

Thanks for reading. Xx