Farewell and Thank You 2010…

Hello my luuurrrvelies!! Long time no see, I mean, read/blog?!  Happy New Year to you ALL for tomorrow!! I hope whope you've had the most wonderful break and chance to be with your friends and family this Christmas 🙂 But oh my GOSH! I literally can't believe I have not blogged any live features for over a week!! My normal blogging schedule (twice daily updates) will return from Monday, but I couldn't help myself with this post and the opportunity to wish you all, in advance, a very Happy New Year 🙂

And anyway, I have a brand spanking new blog design! …note the additions of the new 'Explore' and 'Advertise' links at the top there, as well as the drop down menus, designed to help you find older content.

Lady Love My Dress has put aside her winter fur stole and Christmas tinsel and adopted a comfy pew in her little blogging boudoir, where she is going to spend much of 2011 making notes and planning excellent wedding blog content; 2011 will be a time of great things for Love My Dress – more of which I'll come on to shortly, but for now, I'd like to spend a brief moment reviewing the best of 2010, and do a little reflecting on what was an amazing year it has been for this wedding blog and, for me personally…

On a personal level, 2010 has been a life-changing year for me; new friendships have been forged, & my true friends have shown themselves.  My Blog took off in ways I would never have imagined, and has become the making of me – I have met and become acquainted with the most amazing people because of it.  A baby was born a month early & this beautiful little person has gone on to bring so much love into the lives of so many others – I love how she smiles at me with such toothless, gummy glee whenever I look at her – my heart melts :) 

Leanora Rose, born 7 September 2010…

Photography Copyright (c) 2010, Karen McGowran

My eldest started School & loves it.   My Mum & Dad had their 40th wedding anniversary – my Grandparents celebrated their 68th and my Husband and I celebrated our 1st…

Resolutions for the new year are many, but I mean to keep them all; I shall walk more, eat more, read more, sing and dance more.  I will worry less, obsess less, whinge less and binge less.  And I will try to also spend less :)  I will make sure that at least one day each weekend, I do nothing but give myself entirely to my Husband and Kids – everything else can wait.  And I will make more time for my family too, especially visits to Grandma in her new home…

From top to bottom, my eldest Daughter Eska on Christmas day morning, with her fabulous Caterpillar Dreams tutu! Snow on Christmas Eve, as my Husband attempts to help my niece and Daughter through fields of it, and below that, my Sister, Grandma and Husband…. 🙂 

Photography Copyright (c) 2010, Annabel Beeforth

 

Best of 2010? 

Lots of Bloggers do a 'best of the year' or 'annual review', and I don't want to miss the opportunity of highlighting very briefly some of my favourite blogging moments from 2010….

First of all, I'd like to thank each and every one of my Sponsors – without whom, I frankly would not be here.  You are all amazing, I love you ALL and I hope that 2011 brings opportunities to meet those of you I haven't yet met.

Secondly, I'd like to thank a few very important people who have provided me with opportunities that have helped bring my blog to the place it is now – they include Lisa Harris of Magpie Vintage for inviting me to blog about the Absolutely Beautiful Weddings event at Claridges – a move which helped establish Love My Dress as one of the top UK Wedding Blogs. Also, Photographer Cat Hepple for being a wonderful and inspiring friend and for this sweet mention, the brilliant Irish Fashion Designer Bonzie for her mention here, the really rather talented Photographer David McNeil for his kind words too.  Not least the lovely Anna of 'Anna & The Ring' fame and my lovely new friend Tiffany Grant Riley of Grant Riley Weddings – thanks for the shout Tiff – I have loved getting to know you this year and making you one of my best friends ;)  I would also like to thank the Photographers Chris Hanley and Damien Lovegrove for believing in my blog from very early on and providing me with some amazing opportunties.

I can't miss out ALL the photographers and suppliers who have been happy for me to feature their work – you are the life blood of this wedding blog!

I loved discovering and writing about suppliers I'd never heard of before I started Love My Dress, they include the Boudoir Queen, which has possibly one of the most amazing websites ever, and Vintage Twee by Joanne Linder, who knows just how to create the prettiest vintage inspired wedding stationery products and table decor…

Imagery Copyright (c) 2010, The Boudoir Queen

It has been an honour to support the likes of Jo Barnes Vintage, who I've seen go from newlywed with a new-found passion for making pretty things, to Vogue featured designer – amazing! I have also been lucky enough to interview some of the best bridal wear designers working in the UK Wedding industry – more of that to come!

Favourite wedding features? Seriously, I may as well list them all! But I do have a penchant for the more vintage inspired weddings, and how could I possibly forget the beautiful wedding of Cathy and Billy?  Two profoundly deaf people who, after years of adjusting to the prejudices society throws to those with a disability, had the wedding of their dreams, followed by the most fabulous reception in a yurt!

Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Photography Copyright (c) 2010, Oliver Collinge

Guest blogging is something I've recently started dipping my toes into and up to now, a small number of talented others have written content for Love My Dress, including this feature on how to wear and make your own birdcage veils, and this advice article on how to achieve the sumptuous marcel wave and pin-curl look of the 1920's and 30's.  You can expect to see many more Guest Blogger posts in 2011 on Love My Dress…

Just before Christmas, I introduced a weekly Bridal Inspiration Boards post – this feature will be a regular every Friday lunch time, and if you've any suggestions on what inspiration boards you'd like to see on these here wedding blog pages, then don't hesitate to get in touch and let me know 🙂

Blogging into 2011…

As we sit on the brink of a new year, my head is bursting with ideas and creativity. I am so ready to take Love My Dress on to the next level, and have set a new year resolution to do just that. You can expect many more inspirational real wedding features, details of exciting new suppliers, many more event and exhibition reports, and news very soon of some exciting projects I'm involved in, working with a host of talented other wedding industry peeps *she says typing with excitement and doing a little excited squeal!* 🙂

And for now, that just leaves me to say, thank you so much for allowing me this much needed Christmas break and for being such amazing support to my blog in 2010.  You have absolutely no idea how grateful I am to you, my reader, and my supporter.  I hope that you will follow me into this next year and amazing blogging adventure, and in return, I'll ensure that Love My Dress remains one of the top wedding blogs in the UK and beyond and that through these pages, I continue to deliver bridal inspiration on a daily basis.

Before I go, I'd love to ask you to leave a comment – let me know how your Christmas was, what you got, and do let me know what you think to the new blog design! I've spent literally hours getting this one right (HTML and CSS code isn't straight forward ya know!) based on feedback from my 2010 Reader Survey – the full response from which I'll be sharing with you in January.

Happy 2011 everyone – may it be a year filled to the brim with love, laughter, health, happiness and success for you all 🙂

So much love,

Annabel xXx

♥