Thursday, 10 June 2010

Is it a Fashion Show...a Premiere...no it's a Wedding!!



I remember being at a wedding waiting for the guests to be seated and the bride to arrive and for a minute it felt like I was waiting for a fabulous couture fashion show to begin. There was this quiet chatting amongst the people waiting for the wedding to begin and the energy in the room was full of anticipation, excitement and optimism Although the ‘audience’ was calm, the music was soothing and atmosphere was electric, I knew that was going on ‘backstage’ was controlled chaos. There would have been months of preparation for the fashion show. A considerable amount of money is spent on music, the venue, the clothes, transportation, hair and makeup, shoes, fittings, photographers, videographers and the rest. You’re probably now confused as to which one I’m talking about, the fashion show or the wedding!

As the time nears for the music to start and the bride to walk down the aisle accompanied by her friends and family, the energy in the room intensifies...with the bride and bridal party as well as the audience members. And this is where the similarities end. The supermodels have been trained, have practiced and have done this many times before. They look calm, full of confidence and walk seamlessly down the catwalk as though they are walking down the street. They know where the cameras are even though they don’t acknowledge them. They look comfortable in their own skin and the new and extraordinary clothes they are wearing. Whereas the bride has probably never done this before and may have concerns about how they look, how to walk in the dress with high heels and a veil and not trip, what people think of her, will it be perfect, how will she look in the pictures, do they like her hair, her makeup, her shoes? How will she cope with being the centre of attention as she has never done that before? Questions, emotions, panic!

Relax...you can learn how to be the supermodel of your wedding. Models weren’t born knowing how to glide seamlessly down the catwalk even if they have the wrong size shoes on! You can too. I know this is a new concept but you spend so much time worrying about flowers, invitations, guests, cake, music, venue and many other things but how are you doing? You’ve probably never organised such a large event before and in addition to organising it you are the star of the show! That’s where I come in. I can teach you, quickly, how to feel confident on the inside and reflect that on the outside. How to buy the perfect wedding shoe and walk in it gracefully. How to work with the camera to get the best photos, find your best angle and not end up looking like a meringue, even if you have chosen reportage photos!

If you would like to feel more confident on the inside, look more confident on the outside, walk seamlessly and painlessly in your shoes, learn how to have great posture forever, find your best angles for the camera and thoroughly enjoy your big day, be sure to visit my Bridal Confidence Coaching sessions at the National Wedding Show – or, if you can't wait until then, visit http://www.thebridalcoach.co.uk/ for more information.

Monday, 7 June 2010

Invitation Inspiration!


We had to apply for a special licence from the Arch Bishop of Canterbury in order to get married at St Bartholomew the Great and just received confirmation today! Yay - so relieved, so the hunt for THE PERFECT invitation is now on. We want something unusual but to tie in with the antique theme of the wedding and my girly side…I have found almost sheer perfection on the Ivy Ellen website http://ivyellenweddinginvitations.co.uk/ and the ‘DIY’ option offered is a great idea to help save some pounds.

When the samples arrived on our doorstep from Ivy Ellen, the decision was instantly made, ‘Butterfly Love’ was heaven itself and with a colour choice of 55 – we can match our theme perfectly. The design even matches my wedding shoes, with butterflies and Swarovski crystal sparkles! We wasted no time in ordering the ‘ready made’ option of Wedding and Evening invitations. Now we just need to finalise the guestlist, easier said then done!

Grace x

Friday, 4 June 2010

Princess for a day!

Three months (of pretty much constant searching) later, I finally chose and ordered my beautiful Sassi Holford dress, I feel like such a princess in it. I wanted a dress that looked like a modern day version of Grace Kelly’s wedding dress and I found it! Although with its full tulle skirt, I do worry whether I will fit down the aisle. I spotted a fantastic shoe designer at the National Wedding Show last year in Luella’s Boudoir stand, www.luellasboudoir.co.uk her name is Aruna Seth. My shoes, gold leather with Swarovski crystal butterfly embellishments are very extravagant and exactly what I wanted for my big day (if I can resist the urge to wear them before then!).

At the last National Wedding Show, I spotted some stunning bridal designers with a penchant for all things vintage for example Ellie and Charlotte www.ellieandcharlotte.com and Vlasta Collu www.vlastacollu.com both make bespoke gowns with a classic twist, I particularly love the 1950’s style prom dresses in the latest collection - perfect for the bride looking for something a bit different from the norm.

If you want to add some accessories inspired by the bygone era to your special day, look no further than Rachel Simpson Shoes – the vintage styles are stunning http://rachelsimpsonshoes.co.uk/

Grace x

Wednesday, 2 June 2010

Venue fit for a queen!


Grace Dewhurst has worked on the PR team for NWS for many seasons and has recently gotten engaged to the lovely Steven. It’s so exciting for one of our own team members to be getting married! Grace has begun her mission to prepare for the big day and is letting us share her journey with her through her blog.

With the UK’s largest consumer wedding show at my finger tips, The National Wedding Show, I thought planning my own wedding would be a doddle. However, with just nine months to plan the perfect ‘City Wedding’, we’ll see how easy it really is…

My fiancĂ©, Steven and I chose our church and venue almost immediately. We both loved The Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great in Smithfield Market, London, for its rich history and spooky interior (so spooky in fact, Steven had nightmares after we visited the Rector!) Also, we are both massive film fans and the church has played a big part in many films including Sherlock Homes, Four Weddings and a Funeral , Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and The Other Boleyn Girl to name just a few…followed by a reception at Haberdashers Hall, also in Smithfield Market.

We wanted a venue close by to the church and one that complemented the age of it (St Bartholomew the Great is more the 1,000 years old!). Of course, Haberdashers Hall was a perfect choice, modern in design but seeped in history, the hall is just a few second stroll. Although apparently on her last visit, the Queen took a chauffer from St Bartholomew’s to Haberdashers Hall!! Hopefully none of our guests will be feeling so regal.

With the venue sorted, it’s onto the next task on the list – tracking down the dream dress. Wish me luck!

Grace x

If you too are opting for a city chic wedding then why not check out the following National Wedding Show exhibitors:

The Grand Connaught Rooms www.grandconnaughtrooms.com
One Whitehall Place www.thistle.co.uk
Army and Navy Club www.armynavyclub.co.uk

Friday, 14 May 2010

Shoes glorious shoes!

I’m obsessed with shoes and Chris is obsessed with Whiskey and so we have decided to name half of our tables after Scottish Single Malts and the other half after my favourite shoe designers. Our guests will either sit at Glenmorangie, Laphroaig, Talisker, Ardberg, Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, or Terry de Havilland tables.

Yesterday, I was at the UK Fashion Export Awards and to my delight so was Terry de Havilland. I was so excited to meet the man himself and introduced myself to him. I gushed about how much I loved his shoes and told him I was actually going to name one of my wedding tables after him. He and his wife Liz were so sweet and we chatted for hours. They make bespoke shoes and said they would be able to make me my wedding shoes. I can’t believe it, I’m going to have a one-off pair of shoes made for the most important day of my life by one of my favourite designers. It’s so exciting!! Because my wedding dress is so traditional I’m going to go for really amazing shoes in the colour of my bridesmaid dresses (think Cadbury dairy milk purple) as I think it will add a really interesting twist. They’ll be something I cherish forever and knowing that nobody else in the world has a pair like them will make them all the more special.

There are lots of shoe companies that can create bespoke shoes for your big day and a number of them exhibited at the National Wedding Show. It’s a great way of having something really personal and unlike your dress you’ll be able to wear them time and time again. They are definitely worth investing in.

Luce x

Thursday, 13 May 2010

No going back now the dress has been chosen

I’ve done it. I’ve made the decision. I’ve paid the deposit. I’ve started the diet… The dress has finally been chosen and there is now no going back. I’m still not sure if it’s The One as I just didn’t get that feeling that everyone talks about. Plus, because I work in fashion everyone expects me to go for something really “out there”. I’m actually going for something really traditional which goes against every initial thought I had but I’m lucky enough to have borrowed some amazing dresses for Awards ceremonies including Matthew Williamson, Escada and Vivienne Westwood in the past so I feel like I’ve done that and wanted to wear something that is totally different to anything I have worn before. The dress I’ve chosen is by Maggie Sottero who retails at the National Wedding show. I won’t tell you which one as I’m keeping it a secret from everyone but will promise to post a picture after the day. I’m actually getting married while the National Wedding Show is on in October. It’s such a great place to go for ideas. I went a few weeks after I got engaged and it really helped me to organise myself. If I wasn’t getting married while it is on I’d definitely go again!!

I have less than 5 months to go and have ordered the dress a size smaller than I am now so I definitely have some work to do. I’ve started going to Zumba which is a new exercise craze which is based on Latin/Street/African dancing. I’m not the most coordinated person so I’m hoping that this will help me squeeze into my dress and also help me with the dreaded first dance!!

Luce

xx

Wednesday, 12 May 2010

Planning a perfect day can seem easy compared to being the perfect bride!


There is so much to think and worry about on the big W day let alone the idea of being the centre of attention, having hundreds of photos taken, saying your vows in front of all your family and often the dreaded first dance... I am sure many brides out there love the limelight but some wall flowers amongst you may well be dreading certain elements of the big day. Thats why we have introduced a new feature to the Autumn National Wedding Shows focusing on Bridal confidence both ''inside and out''


Former model turned life coach, Michele Paradise will be holding 3 different sessions a day focusing on different needs of the modern bride, she will be teaching you how to exude confidence and remain calm during your ceremony as well as offering practical advice on how to walk in your fabulous wedding shoes, how to achieve the perfect posture and how to work the camera, baby!


Michele’s advice will ensure you look and feel fabulous on your big day and we are very excited to have her on board.


Were always keen to know whats keeping you awake at night - so feel free to comment and let us know, you never know we may have the perfect solution