I <3 Candy

I have always been obsessed with perfumes...Up until now I have worn just about every make there is in my quest to find the perfect scent that I can stick with. For those of you who obsess over smelling nice and are looking for a perfume for the big day, here are some of my recommendations...

Spring weddings - Nina Ricci Fantasy is light and sweet smelling. I love it because it's really girly and fun.










Summer - I am obsessed with this perfume! I treated myself in the duty free on the way back from holiday. I had seen the adverts for this perfume so when I saw it I thought i'd give it a try...it did not disappoint! It has a fragrant, sweet and very feminine smell, and would be ideal for a summer wedding. It lasts on the skin for hours, and smells even better the longer you wear it for. Yes, it is expensive - I got 50ml for £52 BUT if you were just looking for an amazing scent for your big day, a 30ml or even 25ml would be more than enough for the wedding and to take on your honeymoon..trust me you will smell good enough to eat!






This is another lovely summery scent. Hugo boss orange, or for the sexed up late-summer version Hugo boss orange sunset. Boss orange has a fresh, orangey smell and is perfect for those who like an understated smell that doesn't over-power. Another smell of a similar category is Vera Wang - Princess. Most Vera Wang perfumes are beautiful, light and fresh.






Autumn/winter - Armani code - This perfume is classic - Sexy, velvety, with a subtle hint of musk. It smells amazing and lasts ages on the skin. Perfect for autumn/winter weddings.









I have come to the conclusion that Prada Candy may be my PERFECT summer wedding and forever-more perfume....

I have many more recommendations but it would take me all day to blog, so if you want to ask, just leave a comment!

Love,

Bx

Honeymoons...

  Although the wedding is just over a year away, I have been thinking about the honeymoon for a while now - somewhere hot? beachy? cultured? city break? and I seem to be going round in circles. I had originally wanted to do a twin centre holiday and visit Vegas + another place in America like San Francisco or New York, but after enquiring I realised that it would cost an absolute fortune, and whilst it would have been a memorable honeymoon, I couldn't really warrant spending that amount on 10 days away. So, I've been thinking more about other ideas that won't have us worrying about money the whole time, if carefully sought out. I absolutely love the idea of places like Paris and Sorrento, Italy. I have been to Paris once with friends and felt like I barely scratched the surface of what it had to offer...culture-check, shopping-check, good food-check, romance-check,check,check! Sorrento has been recommended to me by friends and family as an equally beautiful honeymoon destination, so perhaps i'm headed more in the right direction now.

Having just got back from the Jalon Valley in Spain, I can honestly say that for those who haven't visited there already, this could be an amazing honeymoon destination and affordable too. Away from the touristy parts of spain, Jalon Valley is nestled in amongst beautiful mountains just 15 minutes drive from the beautiful coastline of white, sandy beaches. The JV can offer a real rustic spanish experience and, having been to the touristy parts of Spain aswell, I can say that they don't compare to seeing the "real spain". Our villa was beautiful, and becuase we went just out of season, we got it for a quarter of the price. We were surrounded by Vineyards and Olive groves, lemon and orange trees and the sun stayed on our villa the whole day. There are endless things to do in this part of spain, from beautiful walks up the mountains, visiting the beaches, seeing the famous waterfalls, dining out (Argentinian steak from the local spanish restaurants is bound to put a smile on both yours and your partners face), horse riding and the bustling markets which are so much fun. I, personally had never heard of the JV until I'd stumbled upon it on the internet, so it goes to show that with a little bit of investigation you can find somewhere amazing, not in the usual tourist destinations.

Love,

Bx

The Pioneer Woman

Soooo I am blogging from my poolside in the beautiful Jalon Valley and I thought the topic should be by holiday reading material which, believe it or not, is relevant to my blog. I have to say, The Pioneer Woman -Girl meets Cowboy by Ree Drummond is a delightful and heart warming love story that captures the essense of pre-commitment jitters and concerns entangled with the passion and romance that comes with being in the relationship that is set to change your life. This book reminded me of myself in that I occasionally find myself battling with the concept of being married and potentially losing my intependence (These natural feelings heightened by my love of fantasy novels of travels, wild romances and other slightly unrealistic storylines) I think that a lot of these novels can be damaging for relationships, particularly for those who are, or were, ambitious and fiercely independent pre-relationship. I am one of those ladies. However, after reading the Pioneer Woman, It becomes screamingly obvious how normal those feelings of fear are, even if you know deep down that your life would be incomplete without your partner. When I reflected on my own love story, it made me realise that yes, I have sacrificed a certain lifestyle, but I am now headed towards building a life with someone I love and couldn't or wouldn't be without! If you find yourself feeling the same as me sometimes, and scared of the thought of losing your identity and freedom, or if you just enjoy a good love story, I suggest you give The Pioneer Woman a go. you won't regret it! From Spain, with Love. Bx

Te Amo

It's Easter and what better way to spend it than to pop over to the beautiful south coast of Spain. With Spanish blood in me I think this trip is a perfect opportunity to get some inspiration and ideas I can incorporate into the wedding, like colours, flowers, food etc. I have to say, I am thoroughly looking forward to spending the next week by the pool in the sunshine, sipping Sangria and eating Tapas. I hope everyone has a lovely easter and I will be back blogging soon! (with a tan hopefully)

Be blessed!

Bx

Something blue

So...the quest for a colour scheme is proving to be the task of all tasks. I have taken into consideration the fact that it's a summer wedding and therefore I've ruled out any darker colours like Navy or Burgandy and have been looking at pretty pastels. I've been told that for 2012, blue is a fashionable colour in the world of weddings and honestly, I like the idea of pastel blue, it's subtle, classy and fresh. I'm really looking for a colour that will suit the mood of the day, whilst being both masculine and feminine (this is possible!) and think that blue might be the colour to achieve this.

Diamonds are forever...

Ta-da! - I thought it would be nice to share a picture of my engagement ring (taken directly from the site). It's a white gold diamond solitaire ring and I love it! It really catches the light and it satisfies my Magpie tendencies and most of all, confirms that my other half knows my taste enough to have chosen a ring that I wasn't disappointed by. I don't care if that makes me sound ungrateful, but we are all guilty of having a certain expectation when it comes to the ring that changes your status from "in a relationship" to "Engaged" - Yes, a Facebook reference for the millions of you that use it.

So, I would like to know.....Were you happy with your engagement ring? Did it meet your expectations?

Love

Bx

Church bells or Church hell?

Coming from a Christian family, I have been brought up to understand that there is no other way to get married than in a church, and to be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way - particularly as the church in my village is quite close to my heart (I've lived here all my life, just a few steps away from the church) Now, I'm well aware that a church wedding is not to everyone's taste, and fair enough! For some, a stately home or registry office is more their style, and for others, getting married in a church would simply go against their beliefs. However, for some the idea of getting married in a church seems like the "traditional" option despite maybe not believing in God, and it just made me wonder - why so? Personally, I know at least a handful of women who don't believe in God, yet have chosen to wed in the church. Does this undermine what the church represents? I'd really like to know people's opinions on this.

Have you chosen to get married in a church? If so, which one and why?

Anyway, moving on...

The nitty gritty....I thought I should add a little about what getting married in the church entails, following a meeting with our Rev.

Costs - Yes, you have to pay a fee for the church. For my church, I'm looking at somewhere around the £350 mark but don't be suprised if you have to pay more...
Organist - If you want an organist you are looking at about £100 (If, like me, you know someone that is learning to, or plays the organ, you might be able to get this for free)
Bells - Ding dong, open your wallet - another £100
Flowers and decorations - This will obviously vary depending on your taste..minimalistic decor? or alive with flowers? you decide!

Photography and videos - Many churches have certain rules and regulations about taking photos or videos - this may incur a small charge so make sure you check with your Rev.

Preparation - It is likely you will be expected to attend church 6 weeks or so in the run up to your wedding day, for some churches this period might be even longer. For those who find church deadly dull (the majority of us) be prepared to attend a fair few services. Also, meetings with your Rev are inevitable...

So, that's church! Whether you choose to get married in a church or not, try not to lose sight of what the ceremony is all about - making a life-long commitment to your partner. (ouch!)

Love

Bx