Wedding Belles of Four Oaks

Today we have the lovely ladies from Wedding Belles of Four oaks on the blog to tell us a few words about themselves and about their new 2011 collections.

We are Wedding Belles of Four Oaks in Sutton Coldfield and we are one of the leading bridal shops in the Midlands.

We pride ourselves on our customer service and in fact came runner up in the Wedding Ideas Awards for Best Bridal Retailer.  An award we were honoured to receive.

Our experience and honest advice, along with one of the best collections available, should provide you with all the information and inspiration you need to find you dream dress.

We have now taken collection of all our 2011 bridal gowns and they are so beautiful, it’s hard to pick a favourite.  We love the slinky sexy dresses for all you Jessica rabbit girls out there, but also love the new Colet dress called Grace.

We are loving all the colours that are around for the summer, the brights are stunning especially when teamed up with other bright colours. Don’t be scared of colour, the right combination really can work.

All the gorgeous dresses featured and so many more can be found at Wedding Belles of Four Oaks bridal shop where you will be made more than welcome.

Thanks so much lovely ladies for sharing these beautiful dresses with us!

Wedding Belles of Four Oaks

72 Walsall Road

Four Oaks

Sutton Coldfield

West Midlands

B74 4QY

Tel: 0121 323 4033

www.weddingbellesbridal.co.uk

Visit their Facebook page by clicking here

Alternative Hen Party Ideas

Think of a Hen party and the first thing that springs to most peoples minds is fancy dress, drinking and dancing! But what if your not the fancy dress, drinking and dancing type of gal?

Here's our suggestions for a more understated yet still fun Hen party...

1. Most obvious choice would have to be a nice relaxing spa break! Personally my idea of heaven and should be a monthly requirement for all mummies but thats going off on a tangent! Back to Hen nights... SpaBreak.co.uk have some great suggestions of hen weekend spa's. Be sure to check before you book as some Spa's may not allow big groups!

www.SpaBreak.co.uk

2. A suggestion thats bound to go down well with your hubby to be is a Cooking Class. You could even hire a chef to come to your own home to teach you and friends how to make some delicious dishes. And then afterwards you can all sample delights you have whipped up. Or if it didn't go so well... order in pizza!!

www.undergroundcookeryschool.com

3. Camping! Take a road trip and roast marshmallows on the camp fire (if people actually do that in real life) This should maybe really read, go camping, be freezing and have dodgy hair. In all seriousness though camping is a major giggle and your bound to have lots of fun.and you can even stay in one of those cool wigwam tents now!

www.myukbreak.com

4. Wine tasting. With lots of wine tasting sessions all over the uk offering tons of different packages your bound to fine something to tantilise your tastebuds. Just remember your not supposed to actually drink the wine!

www.birminghamwineschool.com

5. Personal shopper experience. With lots of your favourite high street stores now offering a personal shopper experience why not grab a few of your best girlfriends and enjoy the experience together! Some of these stores even offer this service for free.

www.debenhams.co.uk

There are tons more suggestions, like a flower arranging class, cottage retreat, hot air balloon ride, adventure days the list is endless really. 

Hope you have found our top suggestions useful we would love to hear your ideas...

SGD xx

Twigs and Candles

We showcased a new centrepiece a few weeks ago at the Your West Midlands Wedding Magazine wedding fayre and again at Walsall FC Spring Bridal show the following week. It went down really well with the brides to be!

Its really beautiful when the lights are slightly dimmed and for those of you who are not allowed naked flames at your venue, we use battery operated tealights. A safer option for all and you still get the romantic glow of candles.

We hope you like it!!

SGD xx

Chair Covers - The SGD way...

Here at SGD we are a little bored of seeing the same old bow on chair covers as pretty as they look theres just nothing original about them!

So we have come up with our own fresh original and unique designs to dress our chair covers... we hope you like them!

Thats just a selection of some of the designs we can do, and we have lots of new exciting ideas to come over the summer months...

Hope you like them we would love to hear your comments so don't be shy :-)

SGD xx  

Lovely quotes... 22.03.2011

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." ~ Helen Keller

Thinking of a outdoor UK wedding...

http://lanierstar.com

think again!!

How many of you know the law states that a marriage ceremony venue must have a roof, be moored to its foundations, and licensed by the local registrar and that the ceremony must take place between 8am and 6pm.

Bye bye dreams of magical romantic sunset wedding in beautiful outdoor country gardens!

Seems quite ridiculous to me and this country has soooo many beautiful places ideal for some beautiful weddings. How many of you consider the beautiful grounds of your chosen ceremony venue for your pictures? Wouldn't it be nice to have the choice to say your vows in those beautiful gardens or even to have an evening wedding?

You can help change this archaic law by signing 'the any campaign' petition.

www.theanycampaign.co.uk

Just a few minutes of your time is all it takes to give bride and grooms the choice to say their vows where ever they want!

SGD xx

 

Lou Lou Belle Designs - First Dance Collection

All you lovely brides to be, have i got a treat for you today! The lovely Lisa from Lou Lou Belle Designs has been kind enough to share her new spring 2011 collection with us...

Lou Lou Belle Designs is proud to announce the launch of their new range for Spring 2011 – ‘The First Dance Collection’.

Inspired by the decadence of Hollywood glamour and romantic vintage designs of yesteryear, ‘The First Dance Collection’ focuses on transforming statement focal pieces into beautiful bridal hair accessories that will be treasured for years to come. 

'Fandango'

A bride and groom’s First Dance symbolises the union of the newlyweds and this dynamic collection unites stunning diamante embellishments with classic pearls. Each piece has a unique signature style, taking its name from renowned dances such as the timeless Waltz or the quirky Fandango.

Using diamante embellishments and exquisite Swarovski pearls, the “First Dance” is a collection of distinctive and luxurious hair accessories including on-trend side tiaras and classic hair combs.

'Samba'

A bride and groom’s First Dance symbolises the union of the newlyweds and this dynamic collection unites stunning diamante embellishments with classic pearls. Each piece has a unique signature style, taking its name from renowned dances such as the timeless Waltz or the quirky Fandango.

'Rumba'

Using diamante embellishments and exquisite Swarovski pearls, the “First Dance” is a collection of distinctive and luxurious hair accessories including on-trend side tiaras and classic hair combs.

'Mambo'

Designer, Lisa Longhurst, explains “My aim with this collection was to create a beautiful range of striking yet wearable vintage-inspired pieces that create a real wow factor for any bride on her special day”.

'Waltz Comb'

All pieces have the option of co-ordinating necklaces, bracelets and earrings that will complete a bridal look. These original designs are all handmade to order and adaptations are always welcome.

'Charleston'

With an ever-growing fan base on Facebook and Twitter, Lou Lou Belle Designs recently caused a stir with brides-to-be after releasing a sneak preview of key pieces from this collection which were quickly snapped up before they’d even hit the website.

'Waltz Double Band'

Lou Lou Belle Designs was launched in 2007 and specialises in handmade bridal and special occasion jewellery, dress brooches and hair accessories. All items are created by the designer, Lisa Longhurst, who takes pride in handcrafting each individual piece and providing a service with a personal touch.  

I am sure you will agree Lisa's new collection is absolutely stunning. The new collection is available to purchase now, visit the website for more details!

Website: www.louloubelle.co.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/louloubelledesigns

Twitter: www.twitter.com/louloubelle_uk

SGD xx

Hair and make up: www.thepamperpartyexperience.co.uk

Photography: www.fotocreate.com and www.shotbylucy.com

For Japan With Love

Oh So Fabulous Supplier Spotlight: Golden Apple

To kick off our 'Oh So Fabulous Supplier Spotlight feature we have the totally fabulous Golden Apple!

I first came across their work on Facebook and immediately clicked LIKE!! I am sure you will all be rushing to do the same once you see Leah's gorgeous designs.

That being said lets hear from the lovely Leah...

So... Tell us about your business, in your own words?
Unique, gorgeous, quirky, interesting, funky and fun with a sprinkling of vintage!
I create completely personal, totally unique wedding and event stationery, as well as other creative design such as graphic design and web design. I’ll also be launching some prints and artwork in the next few months.

Where did the inspiration come from to start your business, how did you get started?
I’ve been working in the hospitality industry since I was 16, and have always loved weddings and events. I am also a hopeless romantic and love Love and all things vintage. As I studied graphic design at university and have always been arty (I doodle on pretty much anything!) I decided to combine my two loves to create wedding and event stationery!

What do you love most about your job?
When I get to wrap the finished items in tissue paper and ribbons and post them off to my lovely customers! I also love the very first stages of an enquiry, when I get to chat with my customers about their ideas and I love to see them getting inspired and excited about what I can create for them!

How does your company differ from others in the same field?
The majority of my designs are developed from my illustrations which all begin life as hand drawn doodles in my sketch book. The ones that aren’t are font based, and every single item is finished by hand. I also tailor all of my designs to fit each couple, ensuring that their stationery is exactly how they want it. I don’t use diamante heart buckles or ready made stuck on flowers!

Tell us a little about yourself...
I love all things vintage, retro and romantic! When I’m not making stationery and being arty I’m collecting vintage clothing, shoes and accessories - my favourite vintage item is my teal 1950’s ball gown. I also love fonts - my boyfriend thinks I’m very strange when I get really excited about a new font that I’ve discovered!

What does the future hold for your business, plans, hope, aspirations...
I’m day dreaming about a little studio in the city centre that I can decorate with lovely vintage furniture and quirky finds, in pretty pastel colours. It would be lovely for people to be able to pop in to say hi and browse through my portfolios and items.

Thanks for answering our questions Leah, it was lovely getting to know more about your gorgeous work!

If you would like to see more from Golden Apple, here's the links:
Website: http://www.goldenappledesigns.co.uk/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Events.Design?ref=ts
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/leahgoldenapple
Blog: http://goldenappledesigns.blogspot.com/

If your a supplier and would like to be featured on our blog, please email design@sienna-grace.com, we would love to hear from you!

Thanks for taking the time to read and we wish you all a Fabulous Wednesday!

SGD xx