My advice for Bridestobe getting married 2019

Us girls like to be organised and the more organised you are the more you can enjoy planning your wedding and the cleverer you can be. First thing I think most couples seem to think about is the venue, lots to consider but take time to really think what suits you and your guests that you would like to attend what suits you all best. 

What order of preference would you put things in, e.g. Is the day, the budget,the friends, the food, the drink, the music, the honeymoon,the wedding ensemble, the theme and the decor. If you can agree on who's coming & the budget and your order of preference you are off to a flying start. 

My help probably comes down the line, but I know every couple have in their head what they want and how much they have to spend on this part of the wedding. No matter whether it's a big budget or a small one you want to feel your best and put your hard earned cash to good use to get the best possible result. Because I make most of my items it means I can steer you in the right direction of how best to achieve what you want. 

I keep up to date with the latest trends and the year ahead's forecast. I visit fabric shops and collect fabric samples from companies from around the world. 

London and Spain our my preferred destinations when it comes to visiting fashion shows put on by the top designers. All the latest trends and forecasts are there to be gathered. This means I can be ahead of the game as it takes months for the shops to get there orders in and produce while I can get to work immediately for any bridestobe. 

Soft and feminine are in evidence and colour on lace or fabric is on trend. 

For those of you that don't like lace plain and classic with the hint of a detail just to give it personal touch. Sleeves are also evident this season. 

More to follow, Barcelona this weekend. 

Wow what a fashion show!!

WIN! How to Plan Your Wedding & a Consultation with Joanne

WIN! How To Plan Your Wedding and A Bridal Consultation with Joanne.

Calling all brides to be. Do you dream of bringing your fairytale wedding to life or longingly wish you could have your Pinterest inspiration come true... but er, aren't quite sure where to start - we've got o'back! You could have a chance to have a free consultation to help guide you with your choice of Wedding Dress and I will give you this book to help you with your wedding planning brimming with ideas and expert advice and handy timelines to have you organised like a PRO!

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Fairies in our midst?

That past week just flew in like magic and sometimes my job makes me think what it would be like to be a fairy god mum and think long may my magic wand keep working. 

For two little flowergirls their dresses arrived with that added extra magic. They had tried on a basic dress at their fitting but the expression on their faces on the morning of the wedding was magic for me and their Mum. 

Quick photo of that face before we got that fairy necklace on. 

While the girls had been in my studio we had tried on shoes and it was proving difficult to find the right size for one wee one. However after some searching the perfect pair of shoes appeared and delight dawned. Now they had seen these we needed to find an exact match for her sister. 

So pearls and ribbons had to be hand sewn to make two girls happy. 

Pearls to match everything on my brides bespoke belt. 

My studio is old and has many quirky characteristics and makes all sorts of sounds during the day. When the plumbing creeks it is easy for us to imagine the elfs and fairies at work creating the magic, so often my young clients are encouraged to dream!! 

Not just my young clients but my brides too, if they have a dream dress in mind my object is to create the perfect ensemble. And thanks to the generous People in the background paying the bills I'm allowed to. So thanks to the Dad this week who on the morning of the wedding the professional photographer asked him to put his hand in his pocket and he said " Its empty!!" It brought back a memory of a Dad who saw me on holiday some years after his daughters wedding and he said " This is the first time I can say I'm glad to see you!! " "Why?" "I don't have to give you money today." Oh Dear!! 

For this wedding every detail was covered from the dresses, shoes and accessories. 

Even a silver " fairy" necklace & two Easter bunnies!! 

I always like to ask before I use any photos and this lovely Mum made my day by saying "Thank you for everything.. Leading up to and on the day. You made it such a joy and wonderful occasion to be part of, my confidence as you know isn't great but with you.. And only your words and skills you made me so comfortable and enjoy the whole bridesmaid experience.. And for my girls they just adore you are you amazed them with your skills and talent absolutely beautiful x" Thank you girls. 

"In the midst of our lives we must find the magic that makes our souls soar" Family and Special Occasions!

High five for the bride and Mummy. 

And a comment from the bride "Joanne I literally have not been able to stop looking at the photos from last week - the detail of all the dress, the veil, the belt, the shoes, mums head piece to Daniels bow tie! Everyone is talking about how fabulous they were! I'm going to miss my Saturdays with you and Margaret. I hope you allow me to visit soon. I adored my dress. Thank  you so much for talking me into the veil, I adored it so much xx"

Recently I had my moral boasted it just happened that one of my favourite shoe designers commented on an embroidery on my Instagram page. I wore Diane's shoes on my wedding day and I had been looking at her new range for 2019 and noticed the embroidery work she is using on her shoes. Little did I think she would find my Instagram account and add comment. I do as much social media as I feel comfortable with and I often wonder when I do my blog posts if anyone ever reads then but that bit of encouragement will push me to keep posting. 

Shoes by Diane Hassall. 

I get so much inspiration from Instagram, there are nights I get into bed and my mind is so full of exciting ideas that I can't sleep. 

However it was my little shop window that brought in a local celebrity for her wedding shoes this week. She was lovely, the shoes that attracted her attention her feet didn't like but the last pair we tried on fitted perfectly and another happy bride left the shop. 

So let me finish this post with this thought. "In the midst of our lives we must find the magic that makes our souls soar" 

To think that I wrote this on the day that a Newtownards guy won a Gold medal the first for Northern Ireland in 2018 at the Commonwealth Games. Congratulations to Rhys McClenaghan, your family and Regent House School and everyone involved must be very proud how well you did. Best wishes with your future gymnastics career keep soaring high. Brilliant 

Royal Bridetobe visits Belfast.

On Friday 23rd March 100 days before their Wedding Day Prince Harry and his fiancée Meghan Markle completed their visit to Northern Ireland with a trip to Titanic Belfast. ... The couple were shown the work of a peace-initiative near Lisburn and also took in the Crown Bar in Belfast. They also visited Catalyst Inc in the city's regenerated docklands.

During their visit they meet crowds outside The Crown Bar in Belfast 

While chatting to the crowd she meet this girl & had a great chat. 

Today it is on the internet that the girl in the pink coat is going to be at the wedding. 

Another unconventional choice, is Matisse who performed at the Royal Variety Show in 2015. Last year Harry introduced Meghan to the border collie. 

I have made bow ties for dogs for my brides but never before have I heard of the dog going up the aisle!! Or is this an April Fool???

According to the news Kensington Palace have announced that Serena Williams, Prianka Chopra, Jessica Mulroney, Misha Noonoo, Frankie Gaff, Sarah Rafferty & the girl in the pink coat Lindsay Walsh (It is April 1st)

All this news makes the Royal wedding even more exciting. Do you think Meghan will go for a traditional wedding dress?

I’m sure Meghan will choose a dress that makes her feel amazing as all brides do. I do, however, suspect that she will not bow to British Tradition and choose something quite different and unique to her own personal style

I think she will choose something soft, romantic and sleek, so possibly lace, chiffon or even organza. I really can’t see her wearing a stiff taffeta, formal ziberline or brocade kind of fabric as they are really heavy and very formal.

She could go for something totally unique and different. Oh something personal with expressive embroidery. Go on Meghan surprise us. 

Meghan knows Ralph and Russo and has worn their dresses on the red carpet and of course for her official engagement pictures, so it would fit for them to be making her bridal gown, although I also wouldn’t rule out Erdem. If she is going for elaborate, ornate and eye catching on her wedding day though, Ralph and Russo would be perfect. Their workshop is also very conveniently situated a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace.