Love My Dress Wedding Blog

Altar~Ed: Vintage Bridal Tea Party & Makeover Masterclass, Wednesday 20 April, London...

So I know that Sunday evenings are a time to catch up on the blogs and think about your week ahead, which is why I want to share this with you now.

And I extra-especially want to share this with you because I'm keen to support my wedding industry fellow blogging friend, the sweet Philly girl Alexis Cuddyre from the 'OMG I'm Getting Married' blog. As in she who joined in the fun on the Big Fat UK Wedding Bloggers Photoshoot. Yes, that American beauty!

Along with her colleague Mary Lee Herrington of Forever & Ever Events, Alexis has been working hard behind the scenes on a rather marvellous little 'vintage bridal tea party' project, taking place this coming Wednesday, and to which you are cordially invited to attend and have a beautiful evening with fellow vintage lovers.  And it's called 'Altar-Ed' :)

Get dolled up, learn makeup and hair tricks and tips, and partake in an evening of girly lavishness at a Vintage Tea Party!

The Altar-Ed event is designed as an intimate masterclass, boasting a luxurious line up of the best-of-the-best in the London wedding community, where guests will learn the tricks in achieving a specific vintage style of their choice.  Celebrity makeup artist Claire Hanson and her team (whose clientele include Kate Winslet, Jon Bon Jovi and Nicole Richie) will demonstrate how to achieve vintage looks in hair and makeup from specific vintage eras and provide hands-on tutorials to guests...

 

Peggy Porschen Launches New Sugar Flower Courses to Coincide with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show...

Ever fancied learning how to ice a cake like the professionals do?  And when I say 'professional', I mean, the BEST in the business cake maker for a whole host of celebrities, Royalty and clients that include The Savoy, Claridges The Ritz and Fortnum and Mason - and that's just for starters!

I'm talking about Peggy Porschen of course, the brilliantly talented contemporary cake designer, renowned for her irresistibly pretty and elegant designs that are not only visually stunning but also taste delicious. I know, I have personally sampled some of Peggy's sweet delights and they are deeeeeelicious!

This May, to coincide with the RHS Chelsea Flower show {24 - 28 May 2011}, Peggy is hosting a week’s curriculum dedicated to specialist sugar floristry skills and techniques at her new cake academy. 

Now wouldn't that be fun?! A whole week with the most talented cake designer in the world doing pretty {and tasty!} things?

You needn't worry if you have no experience icing a cake! With courses to suit a variety of proficiency levels and specialist disciplines, Floral Week at the Peggy Porschen Academy responds to unprecedented demand for the opportunity to learn from the master; Peggy is set to personally share her skills and secrets, combined with her infectious passion for cake in this series of unique workshops...

"There is nothing I enjoy more than sharing the knowledge and experience gained from doing what I love over the last decade. I take an enormous amount of pleasure from my student’s achievements and the pride that they take in completing the projects I set them.

Sugar flowers are a particular passion of mine and I will relish the occasion to consume myself with the craft for a full week..."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2011 Georgia Glynn Smith, for Peggy Porschen

Ridley and Dowse ~ Modern British Design and Cute Cupcake Decorations!

Hi All!  First off, apologies for the quiet day yesterday - I have had a case of flu to contend with over the past few days. It's not been good! I needed a rest, and so yesterday I spent most of my time doing just that :)  And to make up for the quiet day, today I have a little bit of prettiness to share with you all :)

Today, I'd like to introduce you to Ridley and Dowse - a design partnership between jeweller and accessory designer Vivienne Ridley and Susannah Dowse, a fashion and print designer.  Between them, they have a design heritage that includes collaborations with Boxfresh, Topman, Harrods, Ted Baker and Wayne Hemmingway.

So what have they to do with weddings and why am I blogging about them?  Well, with a lovely collection of jewellery, decorations, accessories and homeware, that are all produced ethically in Britain, and with two designers at the helm, who believe that the beauty in an object comes in part from how it is made and by whom - AND - with cuter than cute stainless steel cake decorations like the one below, I knew this was one of those fabulous little finds perfect for a Love My Dress feature :)

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2010, Ridley and Dowse

 

A Most Curious Hen Party in the Park...

Today is supposed to be the hottest day of the year - and it sure looks beautiful from where I'm sitting :) A beautiful day to be beside the sea, or relaxing in your garden, or even taking a picnic in the park?  In fact, now that it’s Summer, why not have a picnic party for your hen-do, and leave A Most Curious Party to do the planning for you?  Infact, A Most Curious Party can bring along the blankets, bunting, hampers, perfect parasols, cupcakes and afternoon tea sandwiches as well as beautiful vintage crockery to serve it on from and all from only £15 per hen. That's rather splendid, don't you think?

I spoke with A Most Curious Party founder Rebecca recently, who told me all about one of her latest hen-party picnics...

"It was a scorching day in May - the bride to be had no idea, so was bowled over when the crafty hens, took off her blindfold to reveal her mad hatter’s style tea party in Regent’s Park. Tears were even shed when the bride saw the custom curious cup cakes adorned with the bride and groom’s initials.

As with this party, A Most Curious Party can provide activities such as saucy knicker making or fascinator creating or just bubbly in tea pots to get the party started! It’s a lovely, relaxed way to celebrate your passing from a fun loving gal to, well, a fun loving married lady..."

How spiffing! :) I've written about A Most Curious Party before, here and here, and indeed, I've featured founder Rebecca's amazing wedding on Love My Dress (see some sneak pictures below with a link to the full feature)...

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Image Copyright (c) 2010 A Most Curious Party