Shoes: Slightly in love with Terry de Haviland

Hi guys,
I have massively exciting family news this week, which has left me with a huge smile on my face. My little sister Amie is getting married, and I am going to be the (incredibly old sounding) Matron of Honour for the occasion. That means whenever I have been doing any online shopping, I have been deviating towards anything vaguely bridal: think dainty metallic shoes and accessories, floaty lace dresses, and I had a very enjoyable hour looking at the Dreamboys website too (For hen 'do research purposes, of course!)
When I was busy shopping for shoes for another wedding I have to do to next month, probably because I was still thinking about Amie, these incredible gold Terry de Haviland shoes just jumped out at me. Wouldn't these make amazing bridal shoes for a modern, fashion-forward bride?! I've never been much of a fan of delicate and dainty shoes, so these are perfect for me from that point of view. They would look amazing with a dress that showed a little ankle, or even peeping out from under a floor length sheath dress.

I am thinking of getting these for the wedding I am going to (as a guest) in September: they have been reduced in the sale from £353.99 to £212.39 so from a price point of view they're a damn bargain! And the beauty of a statement shoe like this is that you can wear such a simple outfit with them and still look good for any occasion. I love wearing simple black dresses for almost everything, which means I can get away with wearing almost any shoe I like: the more ornate the better, in my opinion!

What do you think? Would you wear a pair of shoes like this for your wedding?

Love Tor x

*Post written as part of a new partnership with Spartoo shoes

Looking Back: Two Years Ago Today....

Hi guys,
Today is my wedding anniversary. Two years ago today was a Friday, it was hot and sunny, and it was my wedding day. To celebrate Mike and I are going to The Crazy Bear in Stadhampton, where we will be having an Alice in Wonderland afternoon tea, dinner in their award winning restaurant, then a champagne breakfast tomorrow morning. It's the first time since he was born that I've left Wilbur for more than an hour or two, and I'm both excited and nervous.
To celebrate this, and because I'm feeling nostalgic (and because it's my blog so I can if I want to!) I'm prescheduling this post and sharing some of my wedding pictures. Again. Because you aren't sick of seeing these already. I know it's self-indulgent, but I have these scattered all over our house, and I never get tired of looking at them. Two years have gone so quickly, and so much has changed already. Let's see what happens after many more wedding anniversaries to come! Wedding season is in full swing again this year - I love weddings, and we have another two to go to before the year it out. They're such a wonderful way of sharing love and happiness with your family and friends - especially when you're the bride!

I hope you have something lovely planned for this week, and that you're feeling as happy and lucky today as I am!

Love Tor x

Fabfrocks loves... Bundle MacLaren millinery

Hi guys,
So far this year I have three weddings to attend: and its only February! I suspect we have another couple of invitations to arrive! Spending every warm weekend at a wedding is one of the curses of being in your late twenties. But the plus side of this is getting to wear a series of pretty dresses. And of course, fabulous hats!

L to R: Splat £70, Ayshea £64

I love a good hat, and any excuse to wear one, so I was excited to be introduced to the Magpie and Olympia collections by Bundle MacLaren millinery. Bundle works from her home in Battersea where you can make an appointment to browse and try on the collections. You can buy pieces off the peg or she can make any design in customised colours to compliment your outfit. And the best thing is, every piece is handmade to order.

L to R: Natalia £80, Esme £216

Bundle MacLaren fills the gap between high fashion and high street. She caters for those wanting beautiful, statement headpieces at a refreshingly affordable price, and the new collection ranges from £40 to £350. OK to £350 is a little much for wearing once to a wedding, but the lower price bracket is massively affordable, especially for something bespoke that you can guarantee no one else would be wearing (and you can't say that about a £50 hat from Debenhams!)
L to R: Kinvera £170, Charlotte £152

I love the humour and the tongue in cheek nature of some of the hats: you know how excited I get about anything to do with food! My favourite though is the 'love' hat made from wire and tiny ditzy flowers. This would be just perfect for a romantic country wedding: in fact, I have a wedding in mind to wear it to!

To find out more about Bundle MacLaren Millinery, visit the website.

Love Tor x

Till Death Do Us Part Is For Quitters

Our good friends recently celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary (yay!) This post is inspired by the wedding card Saira gave them (which is now hanging on their wall) which reads "'Til death do us part' is for quitters". Normally, we wouldn't equate skeletons with romance -- but the sentiment was just so romantic that we felt inspired! Plus, pink peonies and butterflies are certainly not for everyone, and your wedding day should really express your personal style. So if you are a bride who walks on the dark side, enjoys "goth" style, is an osteologist, or is in it for the long run, then a skull and bones wedding is just for you! Believe it or not, a skull and bones wedding can be pretty classy -- think a black and white ball, with some edge! You don't have to go overboard with this style, but throw in a few skeletal details and you'll have yourself a fun and interesting wedding theme that will keep your guests talking. 

1. Simply Entertaining At Home | 2. Tie Bar | 3. Peep My Styles | 4. X-Ray | 5. Savannah Voodoo | 6. Sparkle and Twig | 7. My Blue Tulip Design | 8. York Shop of Horrors

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

All The News That's Fit To Print

You don't need to have a wedding / bridal shower "theme" in order to incorporate unique and interesting ideas to your decor. We already talked about incorporating your love of literature into your wedding, but here are some ideas involving newsprint. What we love about this decor style is that it's so simple (and green). Just take some old newspapers and make it into something beautiful... or hire one of the many talented Etsy artists that we scoped out for you to do the job. These simple newsprint crafts are perfect for more rustic DIY style weddings, adding subtle character to your decor.

 1. Mommy Holly| 2. Paper Polaroid | 3. Yellow Curls | 4. Ko Two Designs | 5. Pickled Parlor | 6. arawlins

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Bridal Market Week: Jenny Lee Spring 2013

Lace, lace, and more lace! We're loving the vintage feel of delicate lace paired with the sexy, fitted A-line and trumpet silhouettes. With luxurious fabrics draping and pooling into romantic cascades, these Jenny Lee gowns are sure to make any woman feel like a princess.  Check out some of Jenny Lee's 2013 Spring Collection:

Images from Martha Stewart Weddings

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Themed wedding ideas: Alice in Wonderland, Casino Royale and more...

Hi guys,
Apologies in advance that this piece is slightly off topic, but I want to talk about weddings. Yes, again! Since I shared my wedding photos last year, and the theme for the wedding the year before, I have been inundated with emails asking me to share some of my ideas on how to have a themed wedding on a budget. Given that that's exactly what we did (big wedding, small budget, buckets of creativity) I thought I'd write this post. Here are some of my favourite wedding themes, and how you could make them work on a budget:

Yes, all of these photos are from our wedding!

I loved our Alice in Wonderland wedding and with the help of my trusty team (read: my mum and sisters) we managed to do alot of it ourselves. If you're looking to throw an Alice themed bash on a budget then make your local carboot sale and vintage shops your friends: this is where I sourced all 60 of my teacup favours, and all of the tea pot centre pieces. The best investment I made though was to spend £12 on two stamps: one of Alice and one of the Mad Hatter. I used these to personalise everything! My invitations, menus, table plan, and even sweet buffet all had a visit from those stamps!


If we hadn't chosen the Alice in Wonderland theme for our wedding, then we were also toying with a circus themed wedding. Again, simple ink and stamps would have been key for making this theme consistent. I am a sucker for the circus font type face too: you can download this and use it to make your own stationary.


If Mike had his way, the wedding theme would have been casino. Think card tables, poker games, dancing girls, and a Vegas-style carberet. Although it wasn't right for us, I actually love this theme idea. Your invitations could include casino chips (which could then be used as drinks tokens at your bar) and the feathers from a show girls frock would make great table decorations! This theme would probably be harder to do well on a budget though: you'd need to hire croupiers, entertainers, and all of the games tables too. I would also have wanted an Elvis impersonator! On the DIY front though, you'd be amazed at what you can do with a pack of cards. Make that the centre of the theme and get creative. I also love the cookies and cupcakes above, if you know anyone who can cook...

Would you have a themed wedding? Or do you think they're a little tacky (I won't be offended I promise! I love tacky!) I'd love to hear your thoughts....

Love Tor xx

You Know You Love Me

Happy 100th episode to our favorite guilty pleasure show, Gossip Girl. Tonight's long anticipated episode features the wedding of Blair Waldorf; where our Queen Bee will marry Prince Louis and finally become the princess she's always dreamed about.  But, sneak previews show Blair fleeing with a somewhat panicked look.  Will she go through with it?  We'll have to wait and see.  But, one things for sure, noone does elegant events better than Blair and her wedding is sure to be full of soft and beautiful, super feminine touches.  Here's a few details we found we'd expect to see at a Blair Waldorf Wedding:

 1. David's Bridal | 2. M & J Bridal | 3. Wedding Mountain | 4. Proper Hunt |

5. Piperlime | 6. Elizabeth Anne | 7. Kiss The Groom | 8. Amina Michele |

XOXO

Gossip Girl  Jen & Saira

TKMaxx Bridal: If only they'd invented it sooner!

Hi guys,
Do you ever see something awesome, but way after you needed it? Like the perfect swimming costume two days after you get back from your summer holiday. Or the perfect present for your mum three weeks after her birthday. Well that's how I felt when I saw the new wedding boutique launched by TKMaxx.

TKMaxx have added a wedding shop to their site, selling everything you'd need (fashion-wise) to have the perfect wedding. Think gorgeous wedding dresses, with prices starting from £39.99, bridal shoes, Mother of the Bride outfits, and bridesmaid's dresses. Believe me, when I was looking for my bridesmaid's dresses, this would have saved my life. Who says getting married has to break the bank, right?



To prove it I created outfits for the bride, the bridesmaid, and the mother of the bride, all from TKMaxx, with each outfit costing less than £100!!

I love the short lace-embellished wedding dress (which would be perfect if you were looking for an evening wedding dress you can dance in). I also really like the gold bridesmaid dress, which is so versatile and could be worn over and over for so many events.

If you've got a wedding coming up this year then why not check it out? We're attending two this summer, so I plan on popping down and seeing if they have as great a range of guest-wear too....

Love Tor x

I'm back: Gratuitous wedding pictures!

Hi guys,

Well i'm back: thanks for bearing with me whilst I abandoned you for sun, sea, and sand! (Speaking of which, i'll be showing you the way I wore my honeymoon in a later post!) In the meantime, because it's vaguely fashion related and because i'm so excited I could scream, my wedding photos have arrived, and I just have to share!

Here, now that I can finally share them, are the outfit details:

- My (more traditional than everyone expected) dress was by Veromi: I was sold by its heavily beaded bodice and the impractically long train

-My peach satin shoes were Dior, my veil was from The Bridal Shop in Skegness

-My necklace was a surprise wedding present from the Mr (from Mikey) and I think it looked fabulous: I was planning to wear a turquoise pendant on my mum's gold chain (my something borrowed) which I instead wrapped around my wrist.

- A special mention (and huge thank you!) needs to be said to my hair stylist Kelly Gration. I wanted something crazily curly and Marie Antoinette inspired, whilst still keeping my trademark fringe; the look was more than achieved, and it stayed in all day, which is quite a feat! (She really is fabulous: if you're in Lincolnshire and looking for a hairdresser let me know and i'll put you in touch!)

- I decided for a peaches and cream look for my make up, which was a mix of Chanel and Dior, with a Benefit blusher. Lil sis (and make up expert) helped with the application: I was really pleased with the overall look.

-My bridesmaids wore dresses from Debenhams and BHS respectively. Their satin boleros were from The Bridal Shop Skegness, their shoes and brooches were Debenhams, and I made their headpieces myself.

-Finally, my photographer was a chap called Dan Sunderland: if you're getting married in or near Norfolk, I couldn't recommend him more! This is less than 1% of the photos he took, which I selected for their dress showing abilities, rather than because they're the best ones! He couldn't have been better.

OK, I guess you're now all wedding-ed out! I promise i'll try not to mention it again for a little while: it's back to reality for me!

Love, Tor xx

Vera Wang Bridesmaid Collection

 The old saying, "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" doesn't quite have the same meaning when the bridesmaids are decked out in Vera Wang.  Vera Wang's highlight anticipated Bridesmaid Collection with David's Bridal was revealed earlier this summer. Ranging from $150 - $250, these dresses are sleek, stylish, and incredibly affordable. The dresses come in a variety of colors to fit your palette, and range from elegant gowns to flirty frocks, perfect to fit every wedding style. Take a look!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

I'm in wonderland!

Hi Guys,

At the exact moment this scheduled post was published I will be walking down the aisle to meet my very own handsome prince (I don't plan on being late!) After months of hard work, our Alice in Wonderland wedding is in progress: I can't wait to share the photos of it all with you guys when we get back from our honeymoon.

Because it's my Disney fairy tale day (and I am a Disney addict) I thought I would show you the new Disney Bridal wedding dresses that are available from August that I am coveting hard. Alfred Angelo has collaborated with Disney to come up with a series of wedding gowns inspired by each of their princesses: Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Snow White and Tiana.

Wish me luck, and see you all in a fortnight!

Love, Tor xx

Just one month today....

Hi guys,
Apologies for the gushy post in advance, but in exactly one month today I will be marrying one of the best men i've ever known. I can't wait. To celebrate the milestone (am I allowed to start counting down the hours yet??) here are some sneaky peaks of what I will be wearing on the big day:





Can you guess which details are from which part of the outfit?! Of course I won't be revealing the full dress until the big day: i'm not really superstitious, but who wants to take the risk of jinxing anything?!

I know i've shown you the shoes before, but they're still as gorgeous as ever! And the bundle of brooches? That's my bouquet! I've written about my love of brooches before, but what you might not know is that I also suffer very severe hayfever (both tree, grass, and flower pollen) meaning I really didn't want to carry a bouquet. So when I saw pictures of brooch bouquets on a series of wedding blogs I was inspired, and set about making my own: this is it, and i'm completely in love with it!

Anyway, enough wedding chat! Normal blog service will resume tomorrow, I promise!
Love, Tor xx

It's tea party time for everyone!

Hi guys,

As you know doubt already know (I talk about it enough!) the theme of my wedding is Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatters tea party. We're having flowers in tea cups, tea pot favours, and all manners of other whimsical things. Which is why Marie Curie's new "blooming great tea party" campaign resonated so much for me.

Marie Curie are asking people to hold tea parties to fundraise for Marie Curie nurses who provide free care for people with terminal cancer and illnesses in their own home. Tea parties big and small will make a difference in helping terminally ill people spend their final days at home. Every £20 that's raised will pay for an hour of nursing care. 1 in 3 people in the UK are affected by cancer (either themselves or someone they love) so I think caring for those people is something we all think about/know about.

The best thing about throwing a tea party or getting involved in the campaign is, this only has to be as much hard work as you want it to be! Your tea party can be everything from a vintage high tea (the fashion bloggers dream) to agarden party, our just a cuppa and a cake in the office with colleagues. The ‘official’ tea party season lasts from June 12th to July 12th but people can register to hold one any time up to 31st July. My wedding is on July 15th, and I think i'm going to register and hold a party in my office for the week before that: that way I can celebrate my big day with my work friends that can't make the wedding, and save some money for a good cause too.

Will you be throwing a party? What theme will you have? Wedding planning has turned me into a party planning addict, so i'd love to hear all about it!

Love,
Tor xx

Saving for a rainy day. Even though the sun is shining!

Hi guys,

I have a secret confession to share with you today: I love saving money. I’m totally terrible at it, and seem to spend my entire pay check every month, but I have three different saving accounts and I use each one to save for different things. One is primarily used as my fashion savings account: if I see an incredible handbag or pair of shoes that I just have to have then I filter off some of my wages into the fashion account every month until I can afford what I want. And it feels really really good! Better than having something pretty when the pay off is debt, any day of the week! I also have a savings account which I call my teeth account: I’m pretty paranoid that one day something really terrible is going to happen to my teeth (it’s a recurring nightmare!) so I have a little cash put aside to get them fixed, should that terrifying day ever come.

I wish I was a better saver. I wish I could save “for a rainy day” or for my distant retirement. But I have to have a specific savings target to keep myself motivated. Right now of course, all my saving efforts are going towards the wedding: its amazing how much easier it is to save for something you really want!

As soon as the wedding is over (the finishing line is in sight!) I’d like to upgrade my car, buy a Mulberry handbag, and have a really great cashmere winter coat that would last forever. Ahh, the shallow targets of a fashion blogger! Ultimately of course we’d like to buy a house, but that is a saving situation bigger than I can comprehend right now!

Are you guys saving for anything at the minute? And how is it going?

Love, Tor xx

*This is a sponsored post

Bridesmaid Look Book: All Dressed in White

The Royal Wedding has got us thinking: why can't the bridesmaids wear white too? We understand that the bride is the center of attention, etc. but in a way, having your bridesmaids dressed in white makes them blend in rather than stand out in their bright colors. It's a classy and elegant approach to dressing your bridesmaids, and may be preferred by brides who are into neutral shades or want to keep things simple. Here are some ideas:

Keep it short and sweet in this knee length chiffon dress from BHLDN. We love the sheer neckline and sweet bow detailing, and just wish they had this in a miniature version for the flower girl! Of course, just make sure your shade of white dress doesn't clash with your maids!

For a sleek, modern look, dress your girls in this simple sequined trim dress by Ralph Lauren. It's a wonderful compliment to a more minimalist bride, with just a bit of dazzle to make it more than your every day white dress. This is definitely a great look if you're going for an icy hot winter wedding.

Of course, you don't need to dress all in white. Throwing on a fun print is a great way to add some color without cluttering up your all white theme. In our opinion, this look seems best fit for when you just have one bridesmaid, or if you want to make your maid of honor stand out and leave the rest of the maids in all white.

Similarly, dress your girls in white (or off white) but add an all-over pattern to set them apart. We love this retro style dress from Mango, and think it's perfect for low key spring or summer weddings.

This basic pleated skirt dress is perfect for a casual summer wedding. It reminds us of the black and white look at the mom's wedding in Because I Said So, which can be elegant and sexy or simple and casual.

This may be one of our favorite dresses of the lot. It's short and sassy, with lots of pretty details around the neckline to create a charming overall look. Plus, this dress works for all seasons and wedding styles, so you can dress it up or down with the right hairstyle and jewelry.

If you haven't noticed, almost all of our selections are cocktail length, as choosing a floor length white gown for your bridesmaids can be very tricky. We think you can only really put it off if (1) the dress is much more simple than the wedding dress and (2) the bride has a lot of confidence.  For instance, this simple floor length gown from J. Crew (which is actually a wedding gown), would look great with a fuller or more detailed wedding dress. It's all about making them different enough so that the bride stands out. If Kate and Pippa could pull it off, so can you!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Saira's BHLDN Dream Wedding

Now that you saw Jen's "dream wedding", it's time for Saira to share. While we both have similar styles, Jen's look is a bit more soft and romantic, while Saira's can be more casual or hip. The wonderful thing about BHLDN is that it encompasses both our styles, and everything in between, to create unique bridal fashion that everyone can enjoy.

The Dress:

Traditional wedding gowns are gorgeous, but not for everyone. If you're a hippie chick or love the vintage look, then this burnished organza gown is perfect for you. It has a bronze sequined bodice which adds some personality and color to the dress, without being overwhelming or gaudy. The five tiers of silk create a wonderful silhouette, perfect for gracefully swishing down the aisle.





The Jewelry:

Because the neckline of the organza gown is so embellished, we suggest wearing a bracelet rather than a necklace or earrings, in order to avoid too much clutter in the neck region. We think these simple moonstone bangles are a perfect compliment, dressing up your bare arms with just a touch of gold.

The Shoes:



 These peep toe sandals would work for both the brides and bridesmaids (below), adding some color to both ensembles.





The Accessory:

If you can't tell already, a pea / lime green is Saira's accent color of choice.  It would look great with the bridesmaid dresses (below) and tie the whole look together.





The Bridesmaids:

If the bride is dressed simply, then so should the bridesmaids. This short and sweet pleated dress is wonderfully simple, but chic! It is in the same cream colored family as the organza gown, with a pea green sash to add some color. The chiffon neckline gives it a vintage feel, making the bridesmaid the prim little sister to the free spirited bride.



Happy wedding, dolls!



XOXO,



Jen & Saira

Jen's BHLDN Dream Wedding

If you read our blog regularly you may have noticed we tend to focus on items from a handful of stores that we find stylish and unique.  One of our favorites is Anthropologie, so, you can imagine our excitement to hear that  Urban Outfitters (the overarching company for Anthro, Free People, etc.) has launched a brand new BRIDAL LINE called BHLDN (pronounced "Beholden")!  Although we agree the name is pretty terrible, we can ignore that small detail because the clothes and style is simply wonderful. To share the wonder that is BHLDN, we've decided to put together our "dream weddings" based on what we found while exploring the new site. Here is "Jen's Dream BHLDN Wedding".  Be sure to check back next week for Saira's BHLDN picks:

The Dress:

 Be a carefree, bohemian goddess in this Cascading Goddess Gown. Light, airy, and flowing, this dress suits Jen's relaxed and romantic style and is perfect for an outdoor garden or beach wedding.

The Jewelry:

Sweet and delicate, these tiny gold floral studs, accented with freshwater pearls, are the perfect understated accessory to the whimsical and  enchanting gown above. 

The Shoes:

These bronze shoes, with pretty floral cutouts, go along nicely with the gold and cream tones to create a look that is earthy and ethereal.  

The Accessory:

Sticking to neutrals, this kisslock clutch is just the right combination of bohemian and romantic with its brass, kind of rustic looking, floral and pearl applique and soft, muted taupe/grey color .

The Bridesmaids:

Why should the bride get to have all the fun? This blush pink dress would compliment the bohemian bride nicely and add a subtle pop of color to the ensemble.  This dress is features beautiful sequins, velvet, and fun appliques all in a silhouette that is practical and a material that is light and comfortable.



Offbeat brides, rejoice!



XOXO,

Jen & Saira