** Voting is now closed - thank you for taking the time to cast your vote, the reader will be announced on Love My Dress on Saturday morning, 4th February **
Good afternoon :) Back in early January, I featured this twobirds UK promotion on Love My Dress, which offered my readers a chance to win two twobirds Bridesmaids dresses from the 'Classic Collection' - with a value of £500.
As part of the promotion, we asked readers to share with us their stories of how they asked their brides to, well, be their bridesmaids! ;) It has taken Michelle Hailey, the Manager of twobirds UK and Europe, almost a week to shorlist the many wonderful entries we received, and today my lovely jubblies - I am delighted to share these favourites with you, and invite you to help us identify a winner.
I'm opening this voting opportunity up until midnight on Friday 3rd February, and the winner will be announced on the blog the next morning, along with the winners of these Love Illustated and Hermione Harbutt promotions.
So let's get down to it and view our short-listed competition entries - in no particular order...
1. Alison Gonzalez - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, the 'Knotted Capped Sleeve'...
Alison's competition entry:-
"Firstly, I have chosen my beautiful younger cousin Nicola, she is extremely creative and we have very similar tastes in most things. She also obviously knows me very well. My very old friend Kerry. She remembers the first day i started school. Incredible! I have trouble remembering what happened last week. This might be dangerous when it comes to the hen party. She's been there through thick and thin. And finally, an old colleague and very good friend Sarah. She is a gorgeous person who loves nothing better than a good rummage around second hand shops followed by tea and cake. She is also a dab hand when it comes to crafting and is incredibly calm. I can see this being handy in the run up to the wedding and on the day.
Nicola has just finished a Masters in Publishing with distinction. She has a passion for books so I bought a tiny book shelf which was intended for a dolls house. I cut open one of the model books and wrote a tiny message inside asking her to be my bridesmaid.
Kerry and I used to 'cook' and bake a lot when we were kids. French toast being our speciality. So I bought a cube shaped cookie cutter and filled it with retro sweets and a pretty card in which I wrote a note asking her to honour me by being one of my bridesmaids.
Sarah adores old leather bags. I found a tiny satchel from the same dolls house shop I had bought the book shelf for Nicola. I made a mini envelope and wrote a letter. I found a very sweet poem about friendship and asked her to be by my side on my special day. I also told her I wouldn't make her to do a reading. She has been asked to make readings at every wedding she has attended recently and I wanted to give her a break. I may regret having done this. She has a lovely voice and loves poetry so she would have been a perfect candidate."
twobirds thoughts....
The effort and thought Alison put in to the way she asked her bridesmaids to be in her bridal party really touched me. It amazes me how much effort brides go to now to ask their bridesmaids and Alison really went the extra mile in asking her girls, I imagine it made them feel incredibly special and now we'd love to give them the opportunity to feel even more so in our gorgeous dresses.
♥ ♥ ♥
2. Victoria Ashman - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, the 'Grecian One Shoulder'...
Victoria's competition entry:-
"I'm very blessed with amazing women in my life - so it wasn't easy to choose (see below) but I asked my beautiful sister Sarah and a very close friend Vikks.
Here is the extract from the introduction I sent to all 10 close girlfriends of mine to explain why - I didn't want anyone to feel that they were not included, so kept it light, but it does perfectly describe why i would like those two fabulous women with me on the day. Both women are gorgeous, but completely diff sizes, 22 and 14 so the right dress for the right personality and shape will be so important for them to feel special on the day.
"I’m thrilled to be getting married to the man I love, but of course, I’m a little scared….I’ll need all of my pals to get me to the aisle in one piece – for some added and documented responsibilities I’ve asked Sarah and Vikks to wear a dress of my choosing (promise no bows!) on the day and stand with me – mainly to make sure if I do faint, I won’t hit the floor!
Selfishly selected, as they are the two people who can snap me out of a tantrum in seconds (unfortunately for them, they have had to prove it on more then one occasion!), lets hope they protect everyone from those Bridezilla moments! Vikks and Sarah have accepted the challenge graciously - wish them luck, and now they know you have too, you may be on their speed dial for assistance!
Love you loads ! Vic xx"
I emailed all the special women in my life in one go - with an attachment which was a brief introduction to each other. I'm 30 and so have close friends from all aspects of my life - school, drinking pals, being a godparent to their children, family etc.
It was so lovely having the opportunity to tell them collectively but under each heading of their name, why they are in this special group of 10 women and why I appreciate them.
Here is an extract ( regarding Sarah and Victoria)...
"Sarah – my lovely sister, 2 yrs older, 2 foot shorter ! I love Sarah….I rely on her sisterly love WAY too much but do appreciate it ! We have strutted our stuff at plenty of gigs (although don’t think I’ll forgive her for 30 seconds to Mars) and she has been one of the few who over the yrs have met dates/boyfriends..…so she has some tales to tell ! My life would not be as rich as it is today without Sarah and in return I have promised to try to invite a single, motorbike riding hot guy to the wedding
Victoria Laslett – I met Vikks through Emz (old school pals) – and we have been firm friends ever since a flight to Denmark, and subsequently staying up all night at Emz place talking about boyfriend disasters and successes (just like a brownie camp)! She is a born organiser and has rescued me on a number of occasions with her skill set. One of those people who would do anything or anyone that needed her, one of the most selfless people I know – although she would also do anything for a new pair of Duo Boots, a fact her husband has relied upon time and time again."
twobirds thoughts...
There are two reasons we chose Victoria - the first was the touching diplomacy with which she contacted everyone she would have loved to have had in her bridal party to let them know who her two maids would be and why. It can be so tricky with so many friends and she dealt with the situation perfectly. The second is that she has understands the essence of twobirds perfectly, two very different bridesmaids who will each be able to rock their body shape in whichever style they please to feel fantastic on the day! Ariane founded twobirds for two very good reasons, to have a dress that made everyone look and feel gorgeous and that they would be able to wear again afterwards!
♥ ♥ ♥
3. Stacey Scullion - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, the 'Plunging Buckle'...
Stacy's competition entry:-
"I have asked my 5 nearest and dearest girls to be my bridesmaids;
Robyn - my oldest friend from school. We joined forces as mutual fans of East 17 while the rest of the girls were in the Take That camp! Robyn remains my loyal and true friend today... you know that saying 'even if we dont see each other for months at a time, it feels like we just spoke yesterday' - well thats us.
Michelle - the sister I never had. Michelle is my brother's girlfriend and my Saturday afternoon shopping and 'pottering' partner in crime. Having also lived together, we often find ourselves and our manerisms morphing into one!
Debra - Ive known Debra for 11 years and she is my 'mischief and laugh until you cry friend'....we are definitely not to be left to our own devices or there are sure to be (often wine fuelled) mishaps and silliness! And I love every minute!!
Andrea - A true friend for the past six years , Andrea tied the knot herself in 2011, so we have spent the past 18 months together getting giddily excited about all things weddings and sharing some lovely moments in planning mode! (I did'nt whinge once as we assembled and filled 90 favour birdcage boxes together one sunny Saturday afternoon in her garden, nor did she shout at me when we realised they were all inside out!!!)
Lisa - Christian's (my husband-to-be) sister is my fifth bridesmaid. Although ive only really started to get to know Lisa in depth, she already feels like my family. We also share a great love for shoes....say no more!
I also feel I must mention Alexandra, my dear friend from long ago whom I have spent many special moments and life experiences with travelling and generally growing up together in the last 10 years. Unfortunately (but also amazingly) she is pregnant with a little bundle of joy and will be unable to travel at the time of our wedding in Ibiza (big sad face). She is however, due on 8 June 2012.....the actual date of the wedding! Very special! She will be there in my heart and will be my 'spiritual bridesmaid'.
twobirds thoughts...
Stacy's entry resonated with me in so many ways, I think she epitomises today's group of bridesmaids - five girls, all from different times in your life that you've grown with in different ways and each add something to your life for different reasons. East 17, getting married at the same time, pottering about together, it just made me smile and think of so many of the lovely brides and maids we see her at twobirds that have the wonderful dynamics of long lasting friendship and speak volumes about what a bridesmaid is to the bride and vice versa in today's world.
♥ ♥ ♥
4. Jade Hardy - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, 'The Knotted Tank'...
Jade's competition entry:-
"I have my two best friends in the whole world, Ali and Anne, and my sister Amber. Myself, Ali and Anne have been friends for 15 years now, we met on the first day on secondary school and that was that! We're so close, our other halves call us the 'Witches of Eastwick' when because we can be a bit misbehaved when we're together :) Amber is 19, and a proper tomboy.
I am relishing the opportunity to get her in a dress! Both Ali and Amber fell pregnant around the same time, and are due in May- which really scuppers the dress buying plans! I've been keeping twobirds in the back of my mind as I know they'll make perfect post-baby dresses and neither of them will have to worry about their bodies changing shape and dresses not fitting!
How did you, or how do you plan to ask your Bridesmaids if they will do the honours on your wedding day? With Ali and Anne, it was a given- there could be no better people to be my bridesmaids! Though I did take Anne to a vintage dress shop, got her to pick a favourite and try it on, then said 'Oh, you should wear that for your bridesmaids dress'! And Amber was another given. I've had it very easy really!"
twobirds thoughts...
Both her bridesmaids are due to give birth just before her wedding. My god daughter was born a month before my wedding and there honestly couldn't have been a more perfect dress for my best friend to wear than the twobirds Ballgown she shined in. No time consuming fittings or pressure to get back to pre baby weight, she had a bandeau to cover up and pop cups in and just felt so comfortable and looked and felt stunning! The perfect solution for Jade's bridesmaids who will both have new bundles of joy!
♥ ♥ ♥
So there you have it my wonderful readers. Please help us find a worthy winner from Alison, Victoria, Stacey and Jade's entries above - pop the name of your favoured finalist in a comment below and the winner with the largest number of votes will be announced on Love My Dress on Saturday morning :)
*** Voting closed at midnight on Friday 3rd February 2012 ***
Good luck everyone! Remember the voting deadline is midnight this Friday! :)
Much love,
Annabel
♥
