Modern Wedding

We have a new home!

2011-04-04T13:49:00.000+10:00

Have you check out our new Blog yet?

Come over to ModernWeddingBlog for all the latest.

See you there!

K xx

Deliciously divine magazine now on sale

2011-03-28T12:29:00.000+11:00

I'm so excited to be starting the week off with a sneak peak of the brand new Modern Wedding 50 - Collectors Edition. The team has worked tirelessly putting together this stunning, fabulous magazine that includes THREE free supplements!
I am just buzzing over our completely new concept- The Wedding Styling Handbook. I have been pouring over the mag since I received it on Friday. Each page makes me smile a little more... sigh - I love it!
A couple of spreads to get you oo-ing and ahh-ing with me:

My love doesn't stop with the Style Handbook, I am also totally inspired by our Shots Real Wedding magazine, which is full of Real life weddings - all of them divine. The photography in each and every wedding is beautiful, the couples have done an amazing job with styling their weddings and... I simply L.O.V.E reading real life couples stories!

The third wonderful supplement is our colour guide - with stacks of ideas on how to colour coordinate your wedding.

The main magazine... well it's also nothing short of breathless with four stunning fashion shoots, a beautiful Bali feature and a chance to win yourself a gorgeous Luna Novias Gown to the value of $2000!!

Luna Novias gowns. These stunning dresses and more can be found on Peter Trends' Facebook page.

How do you win it? You will have to grab yourself a copy of the magazine, turn to page 128 and read the instructions. Sorry can't give EVERYTHING away!

Have fun with this issue - I know you will!

K xx

Please drop by Facebook and Twitter and let us know what you think!
Are you a member of Modern Wedding yet?? Make sure you sign up for free to receive all our handy planning tools and the monthly newsletter.

A winner is announced

2011-03-25T15:26:00.000+11:00

What a fabulous way to end the week - to make one bride $200 richer!
Thank you to everyone who entered our Modern Wedding shop competition! It was fabulous to read what your favourite items were and I hope everyone enjoyed clicking through the site and finding fun, quirky, stylish and stunning goodies!
Some of the fabulous finds you flagged as your favourites were:

Belle Lace Parasol - Ivory or Antique White

Gold Parisian Romance Wedding Champagne Flutes

Two Shall Become One Wedding Aisle Runner

LOVE Plates Set

Laser Expressions Personalised Circular Hand Fans (Set of 2)

Reception Gift Card Holder

Garbo Claret Satin Guest Book

Congratulations Chloe Fitzgerald!

With the winning entry: I have just been to the Modern Wedding Shop and I Love love Love the "LOVE" cermaic serving platters.....they are unique, original and would absolutely stunning with strawberries, marshmallows, and other yummy goodies in them to go with my delictable Chocolate Fountain for after dinner treats.....I LOVE chocolate, I LOVE everything sweet, I LOVE my fiance, and I would LOVE to have these wonderful serving plates for my wedding day.....the matching love heart plates are also too cute!

Chloe please email me on enquiries@modernwedding.com.au to retrieve your prize.

For our wonderful brides who weren't lucky this time, not all is lost. As I'm sure you are well aware by now, we LOVE competitions so the next one is not far away! In fact... have you got your copy of Modern Wedding V50 - The Collector's Edition? You may just find a MASSIVE competition in there!

Have a fantastic weekend all:)

K xx

Swing by Facebook and Twitter to say hi.

Make sure you are a Modern Wedding member to get all the fancy tools to make your wedding planning a breeze.

Fairy Tale Wedding Fashion

2011-03-24T09:33:00.000+11:00

When I was a kid, my favourite movie was Aladdin. Princess Jasmine was so beautiful. I loved her independant spirit and the fact that there was a Disney princess that had long dark hair, just like me. Every girl dreams of a fairy tale wedding day with her Prince Charming and the perfect gown. Dream-team Alfred Angelo and Disney are making magic together, recently releasing their first collaboration: breathtaking gowns for the princess bride.

The collection is inspired by the essense, style and personality of seven iconic Disney princesses: Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Sleeping Beauty's Aurora, Snow White and the newest addition, Tiana (of The Princess and The Frog.)

Ariel - inspired by the treasures of the sea. The mermaid silhouette features re-embroidered lace, pearl beading and sparkling sequins.


Belle - the draped waistline gown was inspired by the iconic ballroom dance scene from the film. Graceful and grand.

Cinderella - inspired by the fairy tale's enchanted glass slipper, this pretty, playful strapless gown radiates magic and sparkle. For the unexpected princess.

Jasmine - a shimmering soft satin gown, with a bejewelled neckline and low-cut back. Exotic and individual.

Aurora/Sleeping Beauty - inspired by the slumbering princess, this gown is dreamy and romantic. Perfect for that first kiss from Prince Charming.

Snow White - inspired by nature, beauty and grace. This wintery white ballgown exudes simple elegance with a touch of fairy tale glamour.

Tiana - a regal, one-shoulder taffeta gown reflects an independant spirit. Fit for royalty, the rouched skirt and asymmetric bodice add a touch of drama.

Get a sneaky peek at behind-the-scenes footage of the gowns from Disney Living.

Gorgeous! Are you a princess bride? Which is your favourite Disney princess and why? Which gown most reflects your personality and style? Leave your comments, stop by Facebook or Tweet Us and say hi :)

For more information on Disney Fairy Tale Weddings by Alfred Angelo visit www.alfredangelo.com

And don't forget to get your entries in to win $200 to spend on your wedding.

Enjoy!
R xox

P.S. Are you a Modern Wedding Bride? Become one for loads more fashion, inside info and planning tools that will make your wedding a cinch!

Delicious Chocolate Giveaway

2011-03-23T13:49:00.000+11:00

Is there anything better than chocolate? If you've tasted delicious Fardoulis Chocolates pure couverture chocolate, you won't be able to answer me, because you'll be miles away in a transcendent state of pure bliss. If you haven't... well have we got a giveaway for you!

From now until April 25th, Fardoulis Chocolates are offering one lucky bride and groom a special Easter gift: $250 worth of heavenly, creamy Fardoulis wedding chocolates.

All you have to do is pop by the Fardoulis Chocolates Facebook page, click on "Join" and tell them in 25 words or less why you love chocolate. For example: "I love chocolate because it's the food of the gods, and it always takes me to heaven!"

Too easy! In the meantime, enjoy by some stunning and swoon-worthy chocolate inspiration...

Fardoulis Chocolates sell a range of pretty coloured foils made with only the finest ingredients. High cocoa pure couverture milk chocolate at 31 per cent or pure couveture dark chocolate at 55 per cent are combined with crème and truffle centres to create a rich and velvety chocolate experience. An intriguing list of new flavours are available including milk chocolate mousse truffle and raspberry and praline wafer – decadent delights that are sure to enthuse your guests.

Anna Fardoulis, business partner of Chocolatier Con Fardoulis, says that heart shaped chocolates are a favourite for brides.

“We can now offer the heart shapes decorated to suit your theme or colour scheme. Our passion for perfection in finely sculptured hearts made from pure chocolate has united us on a wonderful epicurean adventure hence our new collection is named 'Chocolate Plato' after the Greek philosopher.”

“The difference between our chocolate and other confectionary foils on the market is the quality of our ingredients. As our gift boxed range states: a little luxury made from the finest pure chocolate,” says Con.

Fardoulis Chocolates are available to order online, from David Jones stores nationwide or you can visit them at 105-109 Princes Highway, Kogarah NSW for some free taste testing. A swoon-worthy sample pack is available online, $15 including postage, giving you the opportunity to decide on flavours and foil colours.

Deeeeelicious! For more information on Fardoulis Chocolates, check out their website www.choc.com.au

Enjoy this fabulous Easter Giveaway!

R xox

p.s. Are you a Modern Wedding Member yet? Become one for loads more beautiful bomboniere and tonnes of inspiration, tips & tricks.

Dear Brides - SAVE for 2 days only!

2011-03-22T12:25:00.002+11:00

I'm so excited to announce our first ever Modern Wedding Shop sale! For two days only, until midnight 24th March 2011 all our Blog readers will receive 10% off ANY purchase in the store.

Cherry lace parasols for your bridesmaids, diamond champagne flutes, Victorian ivory memory book... whatever your wedding shopping list, our little wedding Shop has everything... well pretty much everything:)

Some of the goodies available - just a drop in the ocean!

Clockwise from left: Paper Parasol with Bamboo Boning

Beach Memories Miniature Adriondack Chair Placecard/ Photo Frame

ECO Mini Drawstring Favour Bag made of 100% Organic Cotton (12)

Breezy Bamboo Eco Friendly Photo Frame Place Card Holder

Clockwise from left: Bride and Groom Bottle Holders

Bridal Party Crystal Wedding Tee Shirts and Tank Singlets

Kensington Personalised Travel Tumbler Gift or Favour

Something Blue Mirror Compact in Elegant Organza Pouch

Kensington Personalised Reversible Tote with Wristlet

Clockwise from top left: Couture Swarovski Crystal Cake and Bouquet Flowers

Beautiful Butterfly Decorations for Cakes & Tables (Set of 25)

Couture Swarovski Crystal Cake and Bouquet Flowers

Heart Swirls Cupcake Wrapper Red (set of 12)

To receive your 10% discount go to the Shop and start shopping. When you are at the Checkout enter the code: ModSale

The code has to be entered exactly as it appears above with the correct capitalisation.

Happy shopping Modern Wedding brides:)

K xx

Make sure you get your entries into the $200 Shopping competition. There are only a couple of days left!

Swing by Facebook and Twitter to say hi.

Make sure you are a Modern Wedding member to get all the fancy tools to make your wedding planning a breeze.

Tablecentres aplenty!

2011-03-21T14:18:00.000+11:00

Wow! This photo from Colin Cowie continues to inspire me and, being Monday I think all of us need a little inspiration!

Tablecentres can really make or break the entire look of your reception, they are the big touches that light up the room and make all your wedding elements come together. They are what your guests will admire for hours through the night while they are sitting down to dinner, listening to speeches and just taking a break from dancing - you want to make their table something worth looking at.

I have seen some great ideas come through our doors and wanted to share some of my favourites with you. I hope you will be inspired to create a magnificent view for your friends and family.

Remember, tablecentres don't have to be over-the-top, expensive displays like the one above. Simple and elegant centers can be just as effective.

Image credits, clockwise from left: Xsight Photography, Xsight Photography, Mark Niemierko.

Image credits, clockwise from top left: Chair Covers & Candelabra, Stuart Leal Photography, Natural Lights Photography, Chair Covers & Candelabra.

Image credit: Chair Covers & Candelabra

Image credits from left to right: Natural Lights Photography, Inlighten Photography, Natural Lights Photography, NT Photo

Image credits clockwise from top: Sweet Art, Diamond Photo, Inlighten Photography, Sweet Art.

Flowers tend to be the major trend in tablecenters, mainly because they look divine, give off a beautiful fragrance, they are easy to colour coordintae with your theme... but much more simply - becuase we love them. This being said, there are heaps of alternatives to flowers, such as fruit arrangements, candles, chandeliers, potted plants, wooden cut out designs, absolutely anything of interest could be a centerpeice.

How are you dressing your tables? Are you using flowers? Plants? Something a little more daring? We would love to hear...

Post your comments on Facebook or in the comments section below.

Happy Monday!

Kxx

psst... Are you a Modern Wedding member? Join today for all the latest news, sales and promos... oh and loads of handy planning tools

Glamour plus!

2011-03-18T16:53:00.002+11:00

Alicia first met Matthew when he ended up asleep on her couch after yet another house party. Six years later he proposed and their wedding was a fun celebration with a vintage vibe.

They chose to say their vows in one of the tiniest churches on the NSW Central Coast. Complete with a church bell, stained glass windows and traditional pews, St. Paul’s Anglican Parish at Kincumber was the perfect setting for their beautiful ceremony.

Her look was 1920’s inspired and when she found a Maggie Sottero gown aptly named “Gatsby” she immediately knew it was ‘the one’. The gown was a beautiful champagne colour with pewter embroidery and featured a low-waistline, simple bow on the hip and an elegant fishtail. She looked demure wearing a long veil throughout the ceremony but chose to emphasise the flapper look with a feathered headband and side chignon for the celebration.

When their guests first saw the beautifully decorated room, they gasped with delight and were so excited to be able to sit with the bride and groom.

‘I wanted one long table so everyone could sit together. The table was decorated with mirrors, candelabras, crystals and posies of roses,” says Alicia.

Rice paper lanterns hung from the ceiling and a lolly table was a favourite for the guests.

The intimate celebration was brimming with glamorous details and copious amounts of laughter. Alicia’s impromptu serenade to her 66 guests was an absolute highlight.

The happy newlyweds honeymooned in the Daintree Rainforest and have settled on the Central Coast.

“We want to laugh and love and make every day as magical as our wedding day.”

Photographer – Bloom Photography
Wedding Dress – Maggie Sottero
Flowers – Angel Bloom
Hair – Allure Hair & Beauty
Stylist – Blueberry Events
Cake – Constant Craving Cakes
Stationery – Little Flamingo Stationery & Events
Catering – Mr Catering

If you have just been married - we'd love to see your photos! Email me on enquiries@modernwedding.com.au

Have a fantastic weekend!

K xx

Have you entered the competition to win $200 to spend on your wedding yet? Don't miss out - we will announce the winner in a week!

Don't forget to come and say hi on facebook and twitter.

psst... Are you a Modern Wedding member? Join today for all the latest news, sales and promos... oh and loads of handy planning tools

Behind The Scenes: Vintage Luxe Shoot

2011-03-18T08:37:00.001+11:00

We styled the most amazing shoot this week! We asked seven designers to send us their favourite gowns, their most innovative creations, so we could put together a shoot that was one-of-a-kind, elegant and extravagant. Our theme involved vintage-style fascinators and hats, lashings of accessories and a bit of bridal attitude. Come behind the scenes on our most creative shoot yet...


Sharon Blain of The Art of Hair created an incredible high bun using crimping and sewing techniques for a look that was cutting edge, and Julie Elton Makeup Artist created smoky eyes and glowing skin for a high fashion finish

Our brief to the team was "help us create a look that's luxurious, edgy and unique" to show off some gorgeous gowns in a way they've never been seen before, styled to the nines and exploring the art of excess.

Left: Sharon Blain's innovative sewing technique creates a luxuriously high hairstyle,
Right: Our model Zoe Loveland gets ready for her close up in a gown and shrug by Karen Willis Holmes and stunning BVLGARI jewellery

Left: Photographic Assistant Tom checks the light metre to ensure the perfect shot of a Christina Rossi gown with headpiece by Heavenly Collections,
Right: Makeup Artist Julie Elton and The Art of Hair's Sharon Blain place a sparkling headpiece by Wendy Louise Designs

As the day wore on and more gowns were delivered, the team became even more excited. The gowns the designers had sent us were not only unique, they were truly different to anything we'd shot before and we delighted in styling and accessorising to create bold bridal beauty.

Left: Model Zoe Loveland shines in a signature gown by Sugar & Spice, fascinator by Viktoria Novak Designs and accessories by Najo,
Right: Our incredibly talented Photographer Justin Aveling moves in close for the perfect shot

Left: Model Zoe is impossibly beautiful between shots in a headpiece by Wendy Louise Designs and a gown by Alfred Angelo,
Right: Stylists Kimberlee Kessler and Rosemary Slade stop for a moment to admire their handiwork

Left: A Karen Willis Holmes glamour gown sparkles alongside BVLGARI jewellery,
Right: Finishing touches on our last shot of the day - a stunning gown by Fiorenza with necklaces by Paula Loves Paris,
earrings by Wendy Louise Designs and a vintage style fascinator by Viktoria Novak Designs

Our incredibly talented team: Photographer - Justin Aveling, Hair - Sharon Blain for The Art of Hair, Makeup - Julie Elton with MAC,
Stylists - Kimberlee Kessler and Rosemary Slade, Model - Zoe Loveland, Chadwicks.

Our soundtrack for the day: The Fame - Lady Gaga, Like a Virgin - Madonna, Christina Aguilera - Car Wash

What do you think of our vintage luxe theme with stacks of accessories and en vogue vintage style headpieces? What kind of shoot would you like to see next? Leave your comments or stop by Facebook and say howdy.

And don't forget to enter our awesome win $200 towards your wedding competition

Enjoy!
R xox

p.s. are you a Modern Wedding member? Become one for loads more inside info and heaps of groovy planning tools

Tell us your bridal headpiece story!

2011-03-17T11:47:00.001+11:00

Happy Thursday Modern Wedding Brides! We're in the middle of putting together an article about veils and headpieces and need some input from anyone who has chosen a different headpiece to the classic veil.

Our research tells us that some brides still go with the classic veil simply because it's the first thing that many designers and boutique owners offer. Here's a sample quote from an older article, we're looking for something like this, but tell us your story, especially if you've experienced something like this:

“I was completely focused on finding my gown, I hadn’t even thought about a veil or a hat. But once the veil was in, it definitely completed the look and made it look more ‘bridal’,” says Sarah. “When I sat down and thought about it though, I flipped through my invitations and reviewed my vintage theme, I realised that the look I was going for – more 40s glamour – would be much better reflected with a chic veiled hat or a fascinator.”

Tell us your bridal head piece story by commenting below and your comment could end up in the next edition!

And just as a little enticement, here are some stunning headpieces to whet your appetite...


Beaded Lace Headpiece by Kristi Bonnici


Elizabeth Headpiece by Viktoria Novak Design, Photography by Stan B Photography

Hydrangea & Crystal Hair Comb by Kristi Bonnici

Look forward to hearing your stories!

PS. Don't forget to enter our awesome win $200 towards your wedding competition and become a Modern Wedding Member for loads more inspiration and heaps of groovy planning tools.

R xox

Dear Brides: Excellent Expo!

2011-03-16T12:04:00.000+11:00

Occasionally I get an awesome invitation come across my desk... and today (even better) I received one I get to share with you.

The Epping Club are holding a divine bridal expo this weekend, with free entry and over 50 of the industry's finest. From fashion, to cakes, flowers and even wedding transport, it's all in one place, and not to be missed!

They've even got a few delightful treats in store: enjoy two spectacular fashion parades, canape tasting and the chance to WIN your very own dream wedding. Oh, my heart is all aflutter with excitement for all you lucky brides-to-be! Can you imagine?

Go along on Sunday 20th March and you could get everything organised for your wedding. You're invited...

For more information check out www.eppingclub.com or phone them on 9876 4357.

Don't forget to enter our awesome competition to win $200 to spend on your wedding.

For loads more planning tips and heaps of heavenly inspiration, become a Modern Wedding Member today.

You're welcome :)
R xox

Two hundred $$$ Tuesday. Win it!

2011-03-15T12:32:00.001+11:00

I bet you woke up this morning thinking it is just another work day, it's Tuesday, nothing special... well to brighten up your week, we are giving you another opportunity to win TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS to spend in our very own wedding shop.
The Modern Wedding shop is one of Australia's biggest online wedding shops and is filled with stylish, cute, quirky and simply stunning products designed for your wedding. Ever since the shop opened three years ago, happy brides have been saving time and legwork by finding their goodies in our store. The shop is brimming with wedding bomboniere, parasols, decorations, cake decorations, stationery, gifts, jewellery and veils, ceremony accessories, theming ideas, hens party supplies and more.


Left- LOVE Plates Set - $78.50 Top right - Mini Favour Vases (Set of 6) - $32.00 Bottom right - Miniature Glass Heart Vase (Set of 4) - $27.50


Left - Ceramic Love Bird Favour Dish (Set of 8) - $39.50 Right - Linen Drawstring Pouch Favours with English Tea Rose Trim (Set of 12) - $19.95


Left - Personalised Circular Hand Fans (Set of 2) - $7.50 Right - Heart Shaped Plates (Set of 4) - $39.50

Just like last time - All you have to do is visit us on our facebook fan page or Twitter and post on our wall what your favourite item from the shop is and why.
E.G. I have just been to the Modern Wedding Shop and I love the filigree cupcake wrappers - they will wrap up my day beautifully!
We will announce the winner on Monday, 28th March, so get your entries in by midnight 27th March

Good luck!!

K xx

Become a Modern Wedding bride to get ALL the news, sales and promotions. We have fantastic wedding tools to make planning your wedding a cinch.

The New Romantics

2011-03-10T10:02:00.002+11:00

I am loving the feminine and dreamy vibe that has come over wedding styling lately. We're seeing lots of pastels and pink, soft florals and beautiful draping. Decor has taken on a slightly vintage and almost eccentric feel, with elements like birdcages, vintage suitcases, parasols and fans being incorporated into wedding themes. And there's a gorgeous fairytale feel to some of the real weddings we've seen. It is new romanticism at its best! One of my favourites is the candy buffet - what a divine indulgence and wonderful treat for your guests. We wanted to share the love and let you in on some of the prettiest, pinkest and most romantic styling we've seen lately...


Styling, Flowers & Decor by Bride + Groom www.brideandgroomstore.com.au Photography by Jemma Keech Photography www.jemmakeech.com

Nightingales www.theweddingplanner.com.au

Styling by The Style Co www.thestyleco.com.au
Photography by Blumenthal Photography www.blumenthalphotography.com.au
Flowers by Whitemoss for The Style Co. www.whitemoss.com.au


Design & Styling by Cathrin D'Entremont www.cdweddings.com.au Photography by Daniela Fego Photography www.danielafego.com.au Sweets and Treats by kakawa www.kakawa.com.au

Furniture Hire by Rocket Weddings www.rocketevents.com.au

Styling & Candy Bar by Just Love to Give www.justlovetogive.com.au

Photography by Jennifer Sando www.jennifersando.com.au
Styling by Emily Vawser of White Room Events www.whiteroomevents.com.au
Cakes and cupcakes by Sweet Treats Cakes and Cupcakes www.sweettreatscakes.com.au
Macaroons by The Mac Factory www.themacfactory.com.au

Styling and Sweet Treats by Chanele Rose Flowers & Styling www.chanelerose.com.au

Sugar & spice and everything nice indeed! Romantic & sweet, pretty in pink, girls just want to have fun... just about every girly poetic or pop culture reference applies here. You can see why I just can't get enough... We are smitten!

Let us know what you think of the soft and sweet new romanticism in wedding styling. Candy bars - awesome or overkill? Leave your comments or stop by our Facebook Fan Page and say howdy :)

Enjoy!
R xox

p.s. Are you a Modern Wedding Member yet? Become one for loads more styling & theming inspiration and heaps of groovy planning tools

Second Chances

2011-03-09T15:13:00.001+11:00

Every girl dreams of her perfect wedding day and for most it only happens once... for most.

My mum is getting married for the second time in May of this year and she sees this as being given the opportunity for a second chance. All the things she would have done differently (and trust me there were a few), she now has a chance to put them into action and create the wedding of her dreams.

Take Two.

Number One: Guest List. Although we may want to include as many people as possible in our special day it can impeach on the intimacy of the occasion. The first time my mum got married there were 500 guests this time she's invited 45. The second chance has given her the opportunity to ask: "Do I really want my mum's cousin's best friend's hairdresser to be there?"

St Christophers Cathedral, Canberra

Number Two: Reception. They say that your wedding day goes by in a flash. This was a sentiment my mum truly understood, but not in a good way. Can you imagine having to personally greet 500 guests?! So it's safe to say my mum has decided on a more intimate atmosphere this time. Instead of a typical wedding function she decided to have the reception at Wolfies. A restaurant on Sydney Harbour with a gorgeous waterfront view, where she'll actually have a chance to eat! It's not about impressing others she said, it was about thinking about what she and her guests would really enjoy.

Wolfies The Grill Restaurant, The Rocks Sydney.

Number Three: The Dress. The wedding dress is often considered one of the most important factors of the day however, my mum said this time around she wouldn't spend nearly as much on a gown ($2,200 in 1988). This is not to diminish the importance or spectacle a dress possesses. Mum spent months online searching for a style she truly loved, and is now getting it custom-made by a dressmaker, and so she should! She has realised however that the perfect dress doesn't necessarily mean the biggest price tag.

Dress by 93 Collections

These are just some of the things my mum has done differently the second time around, all in all, the most important thing is doing what's right for her and creating memories that she'll look back on for the rest of her life.

If anyone else out there is planning (or has planned) a second chance wedding, tell us what are you doing differently and why?

Leave your comments or swing by our Facebook page and say hi, or why not visit us on Twitter?

Are you a Modern Wedding Member yet? Become one for lots more real weddings and heaps of groovy planning tools.

A. xx

A theme that will make your heart flutter

2011-03-07T13:52:00.001+11:00

Heather Bailey fresh cut butterfly papers - today's etsy find. A beautiful wedding table decoration!

I was thrilled to find that we have just received a new range of beautiful Butterfly themed wedding accessories for the Shop! I adore butterflies, as you can tell from our masthead on the blog:) To me they scream... or gently encapsulate new beginnings, love blossoming, light, airy, delightful beauty. What more would you want for a wedding?
The butterfly theme is perfect for a Spring or Summer wedding, and matches well with pastel colours. Find your perfect butterfly and match your bridesmaid dresses and flowers, it's also a nice idea to accent your outfit with the theme, such as a crystal butterfly in your hair or on your gown.
There are so many beautiful types of butterflies on offer, but if you include them all, your wedding may look a little eclectic... in a bad way. So pin down just one type/colour and go for it!
For all our brides yet to decide on a theme or for those who are planning on using these fluttering, flowery little fellows as your inspiration then browse through the shop for some great ideas and easy wedding shopping!
Here are just some of the divine items we have on offer - there are many more butterfly themed accessories online.


Clockwise from top left: Butterfly Cake Decorations, Butterflies Cake Wrap, Ceramic Butterfly Dishes, Butterfly Dreams Traditional, Butterfly Dreams Ring Pillow, Cupcake Picks, Laser-Cut Favor Box, Butterfly Cake Decorations


Clockwise from left: Ceramic Butterfly Dishes, Butterflies Cupcake Wrapper, Butterflies Favour Box, Butterfly Cookie Cutter, Butterfly Wine Stopper Favour


Alannah Rose Butterfly Garden collection

If butterflies aren't your thing we have about 45 other themes catered for!
Have fun browsing!

I'd love to hear what theme you are planning for your wedding! I won't tell anyone... promise:)

Leave your comments or stop by our Facebook Fan Page to say hi or why not Tweet us?
Become a Modern Wedding bride today for all the latest news and offers.

Happy Monday to all!

K xx

Meet one of Australia's Top Designers!

2011-03-04T15:38:00.001+11:00

Exciting news! Brides of Beecroft are offering an exclusive consultation with celebrity designer Henry Roth on Thursday the 31st of March. So for one day only Henry will be there in person to help you select the perfect look for your wedding day. Rush in and be the first to get a look at the brand new 2011 collection.

Here are just some of Henry Roth's awe-inspiring gowns to drool over:

Ahhhh, stunning! Sessions with Henry are limited as he will only be taking appointments from 11am- 4pm, to make a booking call: 9980 6889.

Swing by Facebook to say hi and send us a message on Twitter.

A. xx

Sydney Brides - do you love wine?

2011-03-04T14:27:00.002+11:00

Check them out!

Let Them Eat Cake!

2011-03-03T10:26:00.000+11:00

We are just about to start shooting for the NEW edition of Modern Wedding Cakes magazine, and we're all enjoying a bit of a "bake-and-cake love fest" right now! Sweet, pretty, luscious, glorious cakes! The Modern Wedding offices have become a little domestic goddess-y lately as we've all been enjoying baking, sharing and tasting our own favourites, and checking out all the incredible cake creations from our talented Bakers & Cake Decorators. This is going to be an amazing magazine... and I thought that while I'm in the mood for food, I'd share some of our latest loves!

Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Iced Affair, That's My Cake!, Casa Del, The French Lettuce

Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Celebration Cakes, Mezzapica Cakes, Oakleigh Quality Cakes, SweetArt

Mmmm... Deeeelicious! Colourful, fun, sweet and tasty. I want to make like Marie Antionette and eat cake all day long! At least your wedding is the perfect excuse to have the most delicious, extravagant and gorgeous cake you can possibly think of...

What is your wedding cake going to be like? Red velvet? Chocolate? Cupcakes? What colour icing are you having? What inspired your wedding cake design? Let us know! Leave your comments or stop by our Facebook Fan Page say howdy or Tweet us @ModernWeddingOz.

Enjoy & Stay Sweet! :)
R xox

p.s. are you a Modern Wedding Member yet? Become one for loads more creative cake ideas, tips and tricks and groovy planning tools. Sweet!

Red Carpet Inspiration

2011-03-01T12:17:00.000+11:00

Oh! The Oscars... the only event other than your wedding to which it is considered acceptable to turn up wearing a train. It was one of the most perfect red carpets we have ever seen last night, with star after star shining in swoon-worthy and stunning couture. Two trends reigned: Purple Passion and Whisper White. Here are some of our favourites... *sigh* so beautiful!

Purple Passion: from creamy lilac to lavendar lace, lush plum satin and maroon lace, purple reigns as a regal power colour...


Cate Blanchett shimmers in Givenchy Couture, Image by Getty

Mila Kunis is ravishing in lavender lace by Elie Saab, Image Matt Sayles/AP


Natalie Portman exudes power and elegance in a plum gown by Rodarte, Image Matt Sayles/AP


Scarlett Johansson oozes sensuality in maroon lace by Dolce & Gabbana, Image by Matt Sayles/AP

Whisper White: The perfect choice to convey innocence, purity and perfection. When you want to shine, you do it in white...


Hailee Steinfeld is sugar and spice in this sweet gown by Marchesa, Image by Jason Merritt/Getty Images North America


Gwyneth Paltrow sparkles in silver Calvin Klein, Image by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com

Halle Berry is dramatic yet refined in embellished ivory lace by Marchesa, Image by Matt Sayles/AP

Mandy Moore is the picture of vintage elegance in Monique Lhuillier, Image by Jason Merritt/Getty Images North America

What were your favourite Oscar gowns? Did any of them inspire your wedding gown, or your bridesmaids gowns? Let us know what you think! Leave your comments or drop by Facebook & Twitter and say hi! :)

For more stunning & swoon-worthy gowns become a Modern Wedding bride, and you'll also get access to a bunch of awesome tips & tricks and groovy planning tools.

Enjoy the inspiration!
R xox

Love at first sight

2011-02-28T11:30:00.000+11:00

There is nothing like a romance to start our Monday morning, and what a romance John and Christina have had. Just like in a fairytale, the couple knew they were meant for each other the minute they locked eyes.

When John and Christina met, sparks flew. A new fate was written for two people working in Collins Street, Melbourne. John tells how he was completely swept off his feet by Christina's warmth, happiness and positive energy, "It was truly love at fist sight."
Six months later, on a warm October afternoon at Elwood Beach lookout, John asked Christina to marry him... she was deleriously happy and even speechless. After that passed, of course she said yes!

They said their vows at St John Catholic Church in Wheelers HIll, Victoria, where 250 of their closest friends and family watched on in excitement.
"Our major highlight of the day was sharing the photo session with Christina's nonna (grandmother), Lucia at the Assisi Aged Care facility in Rosana. Lucia was unable to make the wedding celebration, so we bought the celebration to her - with wonderful food beautiful weather and plenty of laughter."

The couple shared with me what the meaning of marriage is to them: "Marriage is the ultimate opportunity to intimately share our passion for life together. We both love learning, supporting people and making our communities better. Travel, music, adventure, entertainment and business - everything is made more magical by having a special companion with whom you communicate with openly and trust unconditionally."
Such a beautiful way to look at their future together... (sigh).

Wedding date:18 December 2010
Wedding location: Melbourne, Australia
How many guests: 250
Church: St Justin’s Catholic Church, Wheelers Hill, Victoria
Reception: L’unica Reception, Parkville, Victoria
Photographer: Robyn Slavin Photography and DesignWedding Dress: Raffaele Ciuca
The bride's dress: Raffaele Ciuca
The groom’s attire: Pavillion Menswear

The wedding theme: Classic
The wedding flowers: Lilypad
Honeymoon: Hawaii

Congratulations to John and Christina!

Please let me know what the meaning of marriage is to you and your partner - love to hear your thoughts either here or on FB.

K xx

Psst... stop by facebook or twitter and say hi, and become a Modern Wedding bride for loads of helpful hints and groovy planning tools.

Save on your reception!

2011-02-25T13:11:00.000+11:00

Happy Friday Modern Wedding Brides! I am excited to share some great news for brides who are planning in a hurry!

WatersEdge - Dockside Group

Just when you thought it wouldn't be possible to organise a wedding in a few months... Dockside Group are not only making it possible - but they will help you do it in style and on budget!

WatersEdge - Dockside Group

The Dockside Group are offering a special on last minute weddings in May, June and July 2011. You can save up to $30 per person (!!!!) on their all-inclusive wedding reception packages.

Who are the Dockside Group? They provide seven of Sydney's most spectacular wedding venues in and around the harbour, all with fantastic water views. WatersEdge, Wolfies, Italian Village, Dockside, L'Aqua, Star room, Waterfront.

Star room - Dockside Group

Italian Village - Dockside Group

It is a fantastic offer, probably worth bringing the date of your wedding forward?? Definitely worth a look into. You can find all their venues with some great photos here - Dockside Group.
Email or call them to arrange a meeting and take a tour of your favourite one. weddings@docksidegroup.com.au
1300 117 118

Have fun and enjoy!

K xx
Swing by our facebook and twitter pages to say hi.
Are you a Modern Wedding member yet?

A Fiery Wedding Theme

2011-02-24T11:56:00.000+11:00

Fire, warmth, sunshine, passion, love... these words were tromping around my head last night for some reason, perhaps because of the slight chill in the air. Blissfully, summer still lingers and it's not Autumn yet, but the striking colour combination of red, orange and yellow fits perfectly with both seasons. Wonderfully, we have just finished shooting some stunning images of flowers and cakes that helped to inspire this fiery wedding theme, along with some stunning gowns that absolutely sizzle. Fierce...


Images Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Gown Aire Fiesta, Bouquet Peonies Wedding Floral Designer, Cake Casa Del Cakes, Cupcakes I Do Cupcakes, Bouquet Debbie O'Neill, Gown Fiorenza Evening, Hair by Beverly C & Steven Glendinning for Beverly C, Makeup by Cheryl Phelps-Gardiner, Styling Bernard Connelly, Photography Andrew O'Toole, Products by Goldwell.

Designers, florists, decorators, cake creators and even jewellers are all aflame for this fiery new season palette. Add a spash of yellow flowers, a sparkling red ruby or a flare of bright orange bridesmaids gowns to fire up your wedding theme.

Left to Right: Inlighten Photography, Bill Hicks Jewellery Design, gm photographics

What do you think of the fiery new season colours? Will you be adding something sizzling to your wedding? Red, Yellow or Orange? Let us know! Leave your comments or stop by facebook & twitter and let us know how your plans are going.

For more fierce ways to fire up your wedding theme become a Modern Wedding Bride and you'll get access to awesome tips and tricks and loads of groovy planning tools! :)

Enjoy!
R xox

Winter wonderland

2011-02-22T16:06:00.001+11:00

Some call it dreary, I call it a big relief! The last two days in Sydney have been overcast, with sprinkles and a beautiful cool 22 degrees - a huge relief from the 40 degree heat from the past few weeks. The difference feels so great, that it actually seems like Winter is just around the corner! This year I am looking forward to doonas, dvd's, hot-pot dinners and log fires! Even if you're a summer lover, you can't deny it - that sounds exciting!
This morning I was hit with the definition of 'perfect timing' when I found an email in my inbox about a beautiful May wedding. To my delight the couple had made full use of the season to accessorise the event and the bride's dress. She wore a beautiful long satin coat over her Ivory gown, the colour theme was warm chocolate brown and pink and the reception looked to be all about comfort and cozy.
The story of Renee and Bradley inspired me to create a Winter inspiration board... I will post their story later in the week... promise!


Clockwise from top left: Inlighten Photography, Renee & Bradley, Sweet Art (left), Rose Vine Wedding Invites, Renee & Bradley's wedding, Sweet Art, Natural Lights Photography

If you are planning a winter wedding, please share your inspiration boards with us - post it on our facebook page! I'd love to see some of your ideas and celebrate this cooler weather a little more:)

Enjoy!

K xx
Swing by our facebook and twitter pages to say hi.
Are you a Modern Wedding member yet?

Five star event and you're invited!

2011-02-21T10:53:00.000+11:00

Fancy a day of canapes, champagne and tons of inspiration all in a luxurious and venue? Are you busy this weekend?
The stunning Quay Grand Suites in Sydney is opening it's doors and helping you plan your wedding. Explore the wonderful choices of beautiful reception venues either overlooking the sparkling Sydney Harbour or nestled in amongst the vineyards in the Hunter Valley region.

The Quay Grand Suites are putting on a show to exhibit what they have on offer at both their Sydney Quay Grand and also The Sebel Kirkton Park, Hunter Valley. Discover two venues in the one location on Saturday 26th Feb. 2011.

Not only will you be inspired, full of delicious food and bubbles, but you could also be walking away with one of their fantastic prizes.

To secure your place at this five-star event call their wedding planner on 02 9256 4188 or email them at functions@qgss.mirvac.com
Where? Quay Grand Suites
When? Saturday 26th Feb 10am - 2pm
Why? Inspiration and a bit of fun:)

Enjoy!

K xx

Swing by our facebook and twitter pages to say hi.
Are you a Modern Wedding member yet?

Important message for all brides!

2011-02-18T16:14:00.001+11:00

I want to share with you a very important story from one of our brides.
Rebecca wrote to me a little while ago with a sad and probably all too common story. Hopefully you have not had the misfortune of experiencing similar. I hope you can heed her warning and show up to your supplier meetings armed with knowledge and the right questions to ask.

This is the lovely Rebecca and her fiance Ed, who are getting married tomorrow! (congrats guys)
This is their story - with a very clear and essential message!

"When we got engaged, we booked a wedding venue in Melbourne, reading all of their terms and conditions- we were not so happy with a minor amount of the terms-but being very little issues, we were more than happy to compromise and we went with that venue. As it turns out, we made a terrible mistake, as looking back- we picked it on it’s looks- it is a stunning looking place-fabulous for photo’s and ambiance (we thought) but...as my mother used to say (and mothers are always right!) Never judge a book by its cover...

Once the sales man pitch (manager of venue) was over and the large sum of money had been paid to the venue, our wedding was handed over to a very young inexperienced girl, who didn’t seem to have alot of passion for her job and we started facing some challenging issues that the venue wouldn’t compromise on and didn’t care to find a compromise with us...(and when we tried to speak with the manager that took our money and toured us around the venue on sales pitch day- he was never there, apparently, and never answered our calls or messages).

The issues we had included:

We were not allowed to have any outside companies come in to the venue to decorate before 5pm and our ceremony was at 5:15pm, but the venue don’t decorate for you so- catch 22!
The venue won’t decorate at all- “it’s above what we do”, the young girl said. (that’s not what the manager said when they took our money on sales pitch day!)
They said we would have to use an outside source for any decorating-which quotes came in at $3-4,000 dollars.
We were not allowed to set up anything ourselves due to what they said was their ‘public liability’ clause and it just became more difficult by the day to deal with this venue and we as a bride & groom were becoming very stressed. (non of this was in any literature or conditions)
(*the list goes on and on...)

In the end, after a longer list of things breaking down in our communication and dealings with this venue (along with what we felt to be as a non caring attitude they were receiving us with)- we had no option but to get out of the agreement resulting in a big loss of money and no wedding venue for our February wedding!
I knew of Margaret McLelland’s outstanding hospitality and highly commendable reputation through a friend and I gave her a call to seek her advice. She talked us through the situation and offered her help, support and ultimately, her venue- Rupertswood Mansion (Victoria)."
Rebecca was thrilled to say that they found there were no hidden costs involved with their new venue, they were easy going, a joy to deal with and supplied everything so they saved money. A dream come true for the couple.
This is their new reception venue! Wow!

The moral of this story?

Ask LOTS of questions when choosing a venue. Rebecca thought they were asking great questions - but they didn't cover some vital issues.
Listen to your intuition
Don't only choose a venue for it's looks - get to know the people who will be planning and hosting the event.

So what questions are essential to ask your venue? Here is a list to print out and take with you to your appointment.

Do they have the capacity to accommodate your guest numbers?
Do they have min. max. number requirements?
When are the final numbers needed?
What are the packages they offer - what do they include? What do they exclude?
How many hours do the packages allow for?
Are the style and décor of the venue in keeping with your wedding theme, ambience and level of sophistication or formality?
Can they handle the catering and/or a bar? If not, will they allow you to bring in your own caterers, food, drinks and serving staff?
Can they provide a function coordinator to be our point of contact and to be there on the day to ensure that everything you have asked for is done the way you want it?
Can you see photos of previous weddings held here?
What style and condition are the décor and furnishings?
Can they decorate the room or provide tables, seating and lighting to suit your reception?
If so, what is the age and condition of this equipment and does the venue provide technicians to set it up/dismantle and operate it?
If not, will they allow you to bring in outside decorators and lighting people?
Can they take early deliveries? When can you go in to set up?
Can they provide bar and wait staff, security, first aid, a doorman, valet parking?
Are staff well groomed, polite and personable and have all the necessary skills, qualifications, licenses and permits?
How many people will be working on the wedding?
Will there be another wedding on the same day?
Do they have a built in sound system?
Can the ceremony be held at the same location as the reception?
Are there any great photo locations on the grounds?
Any restrictions? Including finishing time, noise levels, smoking, parking, outdoor lighting, types of entertainment or equipment?
Can they cope with special requirements such as wheelchair access, disabled parking, special diets, a room for younger children?
What are the cencellation fees or overtime charges?
Are there any extra costs that we haven't discussed?

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TO SHARE! Do you have any advice to share with other brides or perhaps some BIG lessons you have had to learn?

Please share and help other brides avoid some big headaches!

Have a great weekend!
K xx

Swing by our facebook and twitter pages to say hi.
Are you a Modern Wedding member yet?

A crystal clear beginning

2011-02-17T13:44:00.002+11:00

Lauren and Trent were inseparable within days of meeting each other. A few years later their wedding was a luxurious celebration of their love; complete with haute couture, beautiful bouquets and a stunning reception.

“After dinner at our favourite restaurant Trent organised a room at the Crowne Plaza. He had filled it with white and pink roses and candles. He bent down on one knee and surprised me with my beautiful ring. We celebrated with rose Moet out of crystal glasses that Trent had engraved with our names. We drank from those same glasses on our wedding night,” says Lauren.

She loves all things designer so when it came to buying her wedding gown, Lauren went straight for the best – a Vera Wang gown from Helen Rodrigues in Neutral Bay. Her ivory dress was strapless with a fishtail, bands of ruffles and featured fabric blooms on the train. Classic yet modern it represented the essence of the entire wedding day: formal, elegant and romantic.

Her four bridesmaids wore Vera Wang too – strapless mint dresses with a black bow and balloon hemline. Their shoes were black with a structured bow and Lauren gifted them crystal earrings to wear on the day.

Bouquets of white David Austen roses complemented by pink rose buds beautifully enhanced Lauren and her maids’ look.

Trent and his four groomsmen followed the ivory and black theme by wearing suits with vest from Spurling Formal Wear.

Every inch of the ballroom was professionally decorated, creating a stylish and romantic space.

“We had white fabric and fairy lights draped from the ceiling. Each round table had a white tablecloth, a mirror centrepiece with crystal ball and tea light candles. Around each crystal ball were three small crystal votives and three vases featuring champagne roses and white David Austin roses,” says Lauren.

The entire day was memorable and yet for Lauren it was seeing Trent as she walked into the church that stuck in her mind. They also attended bridal waltz lessons before their big day and danced like professionals on the night.

The entire celebration was captured by Andrew from Impact Images.
“We have the most beautiful wedding album to treasure,” says Lauren.
The newlyweds honeymooned in Hawaii: Turtle Bay, Maui and Waikiki.

Hope you enjoy their beautiful story as much as I did!

K xx

Psst... stop by facebook or twitter and say hi, and become a Modern Wedding bride for loads of helpful hints and groovy planning tools.

Once in a Lifetime

2011-02-15T15:24:00.002+11:00

Their eyes met across a crowded room and they knew there was the potential for something special... but it wasn't a fancy cocktail party with tuxedos and martinis or another wedding with champagne and candlelight; Roslyn and Adam met at an RSVP function, where they were given name-tags designating them as cute cartoon couples. Roslyn, as Olive Oyl and Adam, as Popeye, immediately took a liking to one another and just a month later, they knew they wanted to spend their lives together.

"We had spent the day in the city enjoying ourselves for Australia Day, taking in The Rocks and when we got home, he dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him," said Roslyn.

The ceremony was held at Sydney's beautiful The Chinese Garden of Friendship in Darling Harbour. "It was really special for us because my celebrant on the day was the same girlfriend I originally went to the function with," Roslyn muses, "She made the ceremony so personal and very special."

Roslyn's gown was inspired by images and ideas from magazines, designed and handmade for her by Beverly Mann. Roslyn and Adam chose a wedding theme of champagne, creme and deep royal blue, with everything from flowers, to bridesmaid's dresses, flowers and table decorations, even the groomsmen's pocket squares coordinated. The reception was held at The Star Room in Darling Harbour.

Roslyn & Adam honeymooned in Malaysia and have made a home together in Sydney's trendy Brighton Le Sands. They're looking forward to more travel in the near future.

Gorgeous photography courtesy of Expressions Photography.

What a beautiful story :) Do you want to tell us your real wedding story? How did you meet? Leave your comments or for submissions email enquiries@modernwedding.com.au

For more stunning real weddings look out for Modern Wedding Magazine's 50th Edition (which includes a bunch of free supplements and loads of real weddings) on sale mid-March - yay!

Enjoy!
R xox

p.s. stop by facebook or twitter and say hi, and become a Modern Wedding bride for loads of helpful hints and groovy planning tools.

Wine, Wedded & Wonderful

2011-02-10T17:06:00.000+11:00

We enjoyed a celebration of all things wedded and wonderful last night at Manly Wine & The Wine Suites. What a gorgeous location! We were completely spoilt (as every bride should be), taken by water taxi and then BMW to the beautiful location on Manly's wharf.

Things kicked off with a very girly kitchen-tea inspired picnic - perfect for a bridal shower or engagement celebration - we love the three-tiered high-tea style platters of sweet & savoury. The glamorous Holly Brisley was our MC for the night. The private outdoor garden terrace was heavenly! Perfect for cocktails and canapes for up to 150 people! *Swoon*

Top Left to Bottom Right: Shane O'Neill, Natalie Page, Lauren King & Cameron Pine enjoy the beautiful surrounds, Eve Brown & Alison Piotrowski soak up the atmosphere, the gorgeous "Giggly Rose Cocktail" and our stunning host for the night Holly Brisley.

Our favourite part had to be the Beachside Suites wrap-around bar and glass balcony - perfect for your luxurious or relaxed sit-down reception dinner for up to 90. We were also treated to a preview of Henry Roth's latest collection... divine!


Chloe Allan, Caroline Komkol, Rachael Donovan, Tim Funnell, Maddi Thawley and Kate Perkowski model Henry Roth's intricate ivory bridal designs

Bridal hair & makeup artist June-Rose was on hand to share her tips and tricks, she put her experience to good use creating stunning beach-inspired hair and makeup looks for the five models and our host Holly Brisley.

The Beach Suites seat 30 - 90 people and stands up to 150. The Entire Wine Suites seat up to 120 and cater for cocktail functions of up to 250. For those looking for a more intimate setting, The Terrace Suites offer a secluded locale for your engagement party and seat between 14 and 90 people, with standing room for up to 150.

For more information on Manly Wine & The Wine Suites visit www.functionsandevents.com.au/thewinesuites

Stunning! Don't you agree? What kind of wedding can you see at the Wine Suites? Leave your comments or stop by Facebook and Twitter and say hi :)

R xox

Vintage Black & White

2011-02-09T16:21:00.000+11:00

We have been inundated with gorgeous wedding images from couples, photographers and stylists lately, and I am loving the vintage vibe that is surrounding weddings right now. Everything old is new again it seems! From jewellery, to vintage gowns, and black and white photography, there's a special sense of personality and uniqueness to this look that is both slick and modern, as well as elaborate and fanciful.

I'm loving details like fascinators and fedoras, handwritten invitations, homemade bomboniere, stylish themed transport and your Nanna's pearls.


Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Divinity Photography & Video, Eye to Eye Photography, Photography on Hermitage, Wills Quills, gm photographics, XSiGHT Photography & Video, Natural Lights Photography.

I love how black and white photography really captures the emotion and beauty of a moment, perfect for your wedding day! And keeping the colour theme monochrome really makes for a stylish overall look. No matter how many quirky details you include.

Some of our favourite quirky products from the Modern Wedding Shop have a bit of a vintage vibe and fanciful feel.

Damask Print Tealight Holders, Vintage Black Fabric Parasol, Damask Print Personalised Mint Tins, Bourbon Street Streetlight Placecard Holders all available from Modern Wedding Shop.

Keep your hair and makeup natural and emphasize either a Bridgette Bardot-like liquid lined eye, or a Marilyn Monroe-style va-va-voom red lip.

What's going to be your "something old"? What's the quirky, fanciful element of your wedding? Post your comments or stop by Facebook and Twitter and say hi :)

For more fun & fanciful wedding themes check out www.modernwedding.com.au

Enjoy!
R xox

A romance of the seas

2011-02-08T14:01:00.003+11:00

I have such a beautiful love story to share with you today - a story about an Aussie and a Kiwi who met on the other side of the globe on a sailing cruise around Croatia.

Before Amanda and Fraser met, they were experiencing very different lives in Britain, Fraser working on a farm in Oxenford and Amanda, a teacher, braving the demanding classrooms around London. After some time of working hard both had decided to take off on an Adriatic sea adventure... this is where their story begins.
It was off the coast of Croatia that the couple first locked eyes and began their romantic life together. As love blossomed after that life-changing day, the couple were faced with the reality that they called very different places home.
"We knew it was going to be difficult for a start, him being a Kiwi and me being an Aussie, however everytime we went to say goodbye it was too hard, my heart was being torn apart."
Amanda had decided that her home was with Fraser so moved to New Zealand. Amanda still longed for Australia, so the couple planned to say their vows in Burleigh Heads, Australia with Amanda's family and friends.

"All our friends and family in New Zealand came across the ditch to meet my friends and family in Australia to share this wonderful day and wonderful country! We felt like movie stars on our wedding day, so special that so many people came across the globe just to celebrate our wonderful day " Amanda remembers.

The couple's friends went the extra mile to put on a good show for the couple, "The bridal party performed a choreographed dance to a medley of songs for the traditional wedding dance. This was kept a secret... the bridal party rehearsed for many nights before the day." Check out the photos of the bridesmaids and groomsmen practicing - so cute!
"What a day!"

Congratulations Amanda and Fraser - we wish you all the best for your lives in NZ!

K xx

Going Green

2011-02-07T11:57:00.001+11:00

Merry Monday Modern Wedding Brides - I hope you're all feeling fresh, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! The team at Modern Wedding are currently working on putting together our annual Luxury Weddings magazine and one of my favourite things is seeing all the beautiful images from real weddings that are submitted to us. I'm a bit of a fashionista and I love seeing what these creative couples come up with.

One of the big trends we're seeing at the moment is gorgeous green! From flowers to table decorations, jewellery and fashion, it seems that fresh, funky and fun is the direction and green is the mode. Symbolic of nature, harmony and new beginnings - really it's no wonder it's becoming a popular colour choice for weddings.

Images (top to bottom, left to right): Belhaven Manor, Vienna Woods Flowers, Stuart Leal Photography & Video, XSiGHT Photography, Cameron Bloom Photography, gm photographics,
Simone Carvalli Bridesmaids dresses, Styled by Sting Hire from Chaircovers & Candelabra

Maybe it's a little of the eco-aesthetic, perhaps it's a return to nature, whatever the reason I am loving that modern couples are going green. Think lashings of unique foliage, soft white or ivory blooms, fruit and vegetable table decorations and eco-inspired stationery. Delicious! Green goes best as either a strong feature colour against a soft white or monochrome background palette or as a beautiful background colour behind featured pastels or brights. Novel and versatile? *swoon*

Left to Right: Eco Folding Natural Cotton Tote, Green Paper Hand Fan, Topiary Photo/Place Card Holder

And how about these cute as products from the Modern Wedding Shop? There are loads more available at our Green Chic Wedding Theme inspiration page at www.modernwedding.com.au

Whether it's apple, lime, emerald or jade: green is gorgeous! What does your colour theme mean? And what inspired it? Leave your comments or drop by our Facebook and Twitter pages and say hi! :)

And don't forget to enter our awesome Modern Wedding Shop Valentine's Giveaway

Enjoy!
R xox

Dear Brides, WIN $200 to spend on your wedding!

2011-02-04T11:57:00.001+11:00

Happy Friday!
The theme of February so far? Cold drinks, ice-creams, fans and swimming. Escaping the heat has consumed us all here at Modern Wedding, but there is something much more exciting on the horizon! A day of love-notes, first kisses, dates and romance. Valentines Day is synonymous with February; Proposals are popping all around us and new relationships are forming... certainly something to be celebrated.
For Valentines this year, and for a bit of fun, we are giving one lucky bride a $200 Voucher to spend at our shop!

Ever since we opened up our Modern Wedding store three years ago, happy, blushing brides have been saving their precious time and leg work by buying their goodies at our very own store. The shop is brimming with goodies such as wedding bomboniere, parasols, decorations, cake decorations, stationery, gifts, jewellery and veils, ceremony accessories, theming ideas, hens party supplies and more. I'm constantly marvelling at the lovely goodies that our clever buyers find from all over the world.

Here are just a few things you could buy with your $200 - Valentines inspired... of course!


Clockwise from top left: A Slice of Love (Steel Pizza Cutter), Red Chocolate Hearts, Photo Booth Backdrop, Personalised Aisle Runner, Najo Ring, Tea Light Candle Holder Favour

All you have to do is visit us on our facebook fan page and post on our wall what your favourite item from the shop is and why.
E.G. I have just been to the Modern Wedding Shop and I love the filigree cupcake wrappers - they will wrap up my day beautifully!
We will announce the winner on Valentines Day, so get your entries in by midnight Valentines Eve (12am 13th Feb. EST).

Good luck and Happy Friday!

K xx
psst. Are you a Modern Wedding member yet? Join to receive all the latest news, sales, giveaways and use the all important planning tools!

Calling all Sydney Brides

2011-02-03T12:34:00.000+11:00

This magnificent setting is the work of The Mint, in Sydney's Hyde Park and Trippas White, their exclusive onsite caterers. The stunning, award-winning Mint is announcing their first WEDDING OPEN DAY, and you are invited.

On Saturday 26th February, The Mint will be holding a high tea and showcasing their stylish and contemporary event spaces. Prizes and gift bags are on offer for all who RSVP! What a great opportunity for our Sydney Brides or those interstate who are searching for a wedding destination.
Take a friend and meet the team at The Mint, Trippas White and other select wedding suppliers while enjoying a high-class event in beautiful surrounds.

The Mint's Open Day

Saturday 26th February 2011

11am - 4pm

Free Entry

RSVP - The Mint, 10 Macquarie St. Sydney

Ph: 02 8239 2410

venues@hht.ney.au

www.hhtvenues.com.au

Have fun!

K xx

Stop by Facebook and Twitter and say hi! :)

www.modernwedding.com.au

On Location: Luxurious Shoot

2011-02-02T15:15:00.001+11:00

"Every bride deserves a little luxury" - I say, absolutely! And that's why every year we create a magazine dedicated to all things luxurious: Luxury Weddings. We were on location in Surry Hills yesterday shooting gorgeous gowns to scintillate and inspire you, and I wanted to give you a sneaky peak behind the scenes of our luxurious shoot!


Rainford Street Surry Hills, on location at Patrick Jones Studio


Jill Hutchings puts her talents to good use styling model Lauryn's hair; Couturier Lora Eliss sits in as stylist Gail MacDiarmid reviews the shots


Styling a gorgeous gown from Emoda Couture; Designer Leonard Derecourt relaxes and shares his thoughts on luxury gowns "I love to see the way each bride expresses her individuality!"


Lora Eliss adds a bit of bling with accessories; and Jill Hutchings and Rosetta Ripepi use some ingenuity to touch up 6ft Lauryn's hair


"Diamonds are a girl's best friend" - Lauryn shows us her Marilyn Monroe impression in a gown by Lora Eliss

Our soundtrack for the shoot: Music for Men - Gossip, The Kinks - The Kink Kontroversy, Marina & the Diamonds - The Family Jewels.

Our awesome team: Photographer - Chris Walsh, Stylist - Gail MacDiarmid, Hair - Jill Hutchings, Makeup - Rosetta Ripepi of Natural Bride, Model - Lauryn Tinker, Chadwicks.

What's going to be your most luxurious item for your wedding? Post your comments or stop by Facebook and Twitter and say hi! :)

Enjoy!
R xox

A mansion is re-born

2011-02-01T16:31:00.005+11:00

Gorgeous, divine, sophisticated. This stunning 1830's building couldn't have any more charm.
Dunbar House is one of Australia's oldest standing buildings and has just about finished its multi-million dollar restoration. As you can see, it's nothing short of impressive!
The charming property, now owned by the Tea Room Group, stands grandly on the shores of Watson's Bay, overlooking crystal blue waters and Sydney's city skyline.
The new interior will consist of an elegant palette of greys and silvers, beautiful lower wall wood paneling, William Morris wallpaper, Catherine Martin carpets and hand crafted crystal chandeliers. Very stylish, I can't imagine many weddings that wouldn't suit this simple elegance.

Couples can use the lower lawn, under the grand fig tree for their ceremony - a beautiful spot with harbour views for your friends and family to enjoy.... if they can drag their eyes away from the beautiful couple that is.
While you are off having your photos taken or freshening-up, your guests can enjoy pre-reception drinks on the outdoor harbour terrace while they wait for your grand entrance.

The founder of the Tea Room Group, Manuel Spinola says that the revitalised Dunbar House will fill a long-standing gap in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs for a world-class wedding venue.
"Dunbar house is a remarkable building filled with a rich history, but it really was in dire need of some TLC. We saw a unique opportunity to restore Dunbar House to its former glory, by transforming it into one of the city's most prestigious and beautiful wedding venues so that people can enjoy it for years to come," he said.

Dunbar House is currently taking bookings for February 2011 onwards.

Have you found your reception venue?

Tell us where you are holding your reception and why you picked it.

If you are stuck on how to pick a venue - read our top tips.

Happy planning:)

K xx

Psst... drop by Facebook & Twitter to say hi!

Paris J'taime

2011-01-27T15:48:00.000+11:00

There is a painting in my hallway which everytime I look at it transports me into a flurry of French adoration. In it, a bicycle sits waiting outside a pattiserie, with a basket full of sweetpeas and roses... what a beautiful thought! And so, it is in a haze of Parisian Passion that I present you with a très magnifique carte d'inspiration (inspiration board). Show your style with champagne, canapes, chandeleirs, chignons and chiffon. Think soft pastels, pink and ivory roses, feminine lace, cap sleeves and oh-so-chic stationery and stamps. J'adore!


Images: Stamps & Stationery Brett Odgers Photography, Flowers by Flos Florum, Gown by Fiorenza, all other images Natural Lights Photography

Images Top to Bottom, Left to Right: gm photographics, silver Eiffel Tower placecard holders from Modern Wedding Shop, Divinity Photography & Video, Gown by Aire Barcelona, Brett Odgers Photography, gm photographics, Natural Lights Photography

So pout those pretty pastel pink lips, batt those liquid-lined lashes and say "ooh-la-la"! For chic & unique, the French do it best. Keep it simple, but add lush and lavish touches for a hint of opulence.

For more gorgeous and glamorous wedding theming ideas, visit www.modernwedding.com.au
& let us know what you think of our Parisian Passion wedding theme - leave your comments, or drop by Facebook & Twitter and say "bonjour"! :)

Amusez-vous bien!
R xox

And the WW WINNER is...

2011-01-25T12:34:00.000+11:00

This has to be the best type of post to write! One bride's dream of winning her bridal gown is coming true today and the lucky gal will choose from one of Australia's best designer collections!
As you are all now well aware, Wendy Makin's Ready to Wear collection is elegant, stylish, sexy and dreamy, the gowns are made from the highest quality materials and made to fit like a glove.

We have had so many fabulous entries it was extremely hard to pick a winner (I know it sounds like a cliche but it's true!) We received rhymes, eloquent answers and some funny, straight-to-the-point "give it to me" answers.
A big bonus for us was to find out what gowns you love - it was a mixed bag, but there were five clear winners! Here are the top five, as voted by you.

1. ROSA

2. ELLIE

3. AMELIA

4. BELLA

5. ALYCE

The winner of the Wendy Makin competition is

Emily Kate Harrison! Congratulations!!!

If you didn't win - don't despair we will have other competitions running throughout the year so we will keep you posted! Make sure you grab yourself a copy of the next Modern Wedding magazine (coming out in March) - there maybe something of interest in there! Hint hint...

Thank you to all the bride's who entered, we loved reading the heart-felt, funny and eloquent entries, we know effort was put in and we appreciate it!

Emily Kate Harrison - just email enquiries@modernwedding.com.au so we can organise your gown!

K xx

Swing by Facebook and Twitter to say hi.
Register to become a Modern Wedding bride and enjoy the benefits!

Friday treats

2011-01-21T14:28:00.000+11:00

Happy Friday Modern Wedding brides!

I am always happy to hear about new businesses upping the ante in their field. Sweet Couture, a Sydney based company is doing just that in yummy and beatuiful treats. Rena and her Mother are busily crafting some divine, eatable little creations, almost too sweet to be called cupcakes!

This mother and daughter team are creating unique, stylish and beautiful cupcakes for weddings, engagements and any other occasion. They believe ANY occasion is a cupcake occasion and I tend to agree!

Oooo, they do cookies as well!

Definitely worth supporting this new and very talented duo. Sweet Couture.

Happy Friday!

K :) x

Don't forget to enter our Wendy Makin Gown comp.
Swing by Facebook and Twitter to say hi.
Register to become a Modern Wedding bride and enjoy the benefits!

The Search

2011-01-19T10:06:00.000+11:00

Congratulations to all our new brides-to-be! And now, with eyes and rings twinkling, off you go in search of your dream gown. Your tools: a copy of Modern Wedding, as many sketches and tear-sheets as possible, and an unwavering determination to find that one dress put here on earth just for you...

One new bride-to-be taking her search to the streets is Jen, 29. "I always had an idea of what my wedding dress would look like," she says. "I did a lot of research, spent time looking through magazines and searching online, but I wanted to be able to try lots of gowns on and have the experience and expertise of the actual designers and couturiers available to me." And therein lies the difference between buying your dress online and actually spending time with the people who know gowns best. Whether you choose a couture gown, made-to-measure or a ready-to-wear design, your new best friends are the boutique owner and the couturier.


At Mark Holt Bridal in Sydney's Double Bay

"I had in mind exactly what I wanted," says Jen. "I was looking for something with a low back and a deep V, I wasn't really interested in anything strapless or with a sweetheart neckline." But being a savvy young bride, Jen knew it was best to approach her search with an open mind, and to let the experts guide her. At Mark Holt Bridal in Sydney's fashion district of Double Bay, Designer Penny showed Jen some of her couture creations and took the time to discuss with her the options for custom-making a gown, or changing one of her existing creations to fit Jen's style and shape - a rapidly growing trend known as "made-to-measure".

A visit to Mira Mandic provides an invaluable experience and helps Jen in the search for her perfect gown

At Mira Mandic, Tara begins by showing Jen all her creations that are close to what she has in mind. With her expertise in fabrics and fit, she is able to show Jen how an existing design could be altered or added to. "I was so grateful that Tara was there, showing me how each dress should fit or how she could customise it for me. She showed me how the shape of a gown could be altered just through a simple thing like putting a corset underneath." It's this type of attention-to-detail and personalised service that brides who purchase online miss out on, and can be an important part of selecting the right gown.

A corset makes a difference, at Mira Mandic in Double Bay

"I was really surprised, but it looks like a strapless gown is going to be a better fit for me than I originally thought," said Jen. After visiting several different boutiques and couturiers and taking their advice and guidance, she realised that the gown she originally had in mind may not be the best style for her after all. At Rhonda Hemmingway, Rhonda showed Jen some of her beautiful designs and showed her some of the different options for creating a unique gown from an existing design. "She showed me how she could add layers, or change the shape of the bodice." Made-to-measure is a great option for brides who can't quite afford the couture price-tag, but want a one-of-a-kind design that flatters their figure and suits their style.


Rhonda at Rhonda Hemmingway offers Jen her guidance and shows her how to customise an existing design

And the final choice? Not yet made... but we'll keep you updated! For more information on the importance of trying before buying, read up on Modern Wedding's Brides Beware campaign. We love to hear your stories, so please let us know how your search for the perfect gown is going - post your comments or email us at enquirires@modernwedding.com.au

And you've got less than 48 hours to enter our Win Your Wedding Gown competition, so get going!

And don't forget to stop by Facebook and Twitter and say howdy :)

For more super-dooper planning tools become a Modern Wedding bride

R xox

What your bridesmaids need to know!

2011-01-18T14:35:00.000+11:00

"Yes!" is being shouted out all over the world, brand-spanking new rocks are sparkling on brides fingers as our engagement season kicks into full swing.
Bridesmaids galore are searching for the perfect hen's day idea to celebrate their best friends last hurrah as a single gal. The stories we hear about girl's nights out probably shouldn't all be written about, but I will impart a few of the fantastic ideas I've heard about.
1. Sailing cruise
2. Day at the races
3. Life drawing class/cocktail party
4. High tea party
5. A weekend at the wineries
6. Host a murder night
7. Ghost tour in your city
8. Pole dancing
9. A day at a day spa
10. Jewellery making class
11. Whitewater rafting
12. 4-wheel driving
13. Horse riding
14. Belly dancing or swing dancing class
15. Surfing lessons

Now that your event is decided on - you need to make it pretty and that's where we come in!
I have just browsed the Modern Wedding Shop and found these great items for dressing up your event.

Invitations with Envelopes (pack of 8), Sash & Veil Set

Bridesmaid Flask , Bridesmaid Crystal Tee Shirt

Hens Night Satin Sash , Mini Martini Glasses (Set of Six)

Luncheon Napkin (Pack of 16), The Cosmopolitan 5 Piece Manicure Set, Party Balloons

Send your bridesmaids over for some great ideas on throwing a fabulous hen's party. Head into your marital years with a bang... a pretty bang!

Have you already had your hen's party? What did you do?

K xx

Don't forget to enter our Wendy Makin Gown comp.
Swing by Facebook and Twitter to say hi.
Register to become a Modern Wedding bride and enjoy the benefits!

A few of our favourites

2011-01-17T16:58:00.000+11:00

The Golden Globes photos are out and here are just a few of our favourite dresses.
Have you seen any that have inspired you?

Scarlett Johansson

Natalie Portman

Julia Stiles

Maria Menounos

Dianna Agron

Images courtesy of smh.com.au

What is your pick?

A Summer garden soiree

2011-01-17T15:25:00.002+11:00

I have just had a peak at the stunning new 50th edition Modern Wedding magazine (at the printers now so not long to wait!) Every time we finalise a mag I rush to the real-life weddings section to see our bride's weddings and the amazing styling work that has gone into every detail of their day.
A suprising number of weddings we received were held in a summer garden. What a charming picture they painted, "A summer garden wedding, dappled shade covering the delightfully decorated tables, champagne flowing and jazz tunes singing out over the gathering." This is just a taste of the romantic weddings coming up.
I was so inspired by the divine photos and ideas sent in to us that I've put together an inspiration board for anyone who likes the idea of a fresh, garden celebration.

Do you want me to put together an inspiration board for your theme? Let me know your requests!

Remember to enter the Win a Wendy Makin Gown competition! The winner will be announced on Friday.

Happy planning:)

K xx

Come by and say hi on Facebook and Twitter.

January expos are in town!

2011-01-10T12:04:00.000+11:00

January is here and with it comes masses of inspiration that you can touch and feel. The bridal fairs are in town so this is your opportunity to speak to over 200 accredited retailers about how they can help you create a magical day.

In both Melbourne and Sydney, the Ultimate Bridal Event will feature the creme de la creme of bridal retailers, who can answer your questions, show you some fantastic new ideas, and inspire your planning prowess.

From stationery to cakes, transport to fashion, you can catch more than a glimpse of the new trends and up-to-the-minute fashions.

We always love the chance to win some prizes and they have some great ones to win! A $10,000 reception at a LeMontage Venue; $5,500 photo shoot with Clique Photography; Honeymoon to Port Douglas; Baccini & Hill Wedding gown worth $3,000 and, and, and!!
There are performances from Serghei and Alana from Dancing with the Stars, Bridal fashion shows and heaps more entertainment.

The Bridal expo will be in Melbourne at the Royal Exhibition Building
15th & 16th January 2011. Opening at 10.00 am both days.

Sydney expo will be held at the Sydney Exhibition Centre
29th & 30th January 2011. Opening at 10.00 am both days.

Tickets are $25, but if you book online you can receive a discount and even go in the draw to win a $15,000 ring with Temelli Jewellers.
Have fun and learn lots!

K xx

www.modernwedding.com.au
Swing by facebook to say hi and enter our Wendy Makin bridal gown competition.

A Delicious Summer Palette

2011-01-10T10:54:00.000+11:00

One of my favourite things about Summer is all the gorgeous fruit that seems to suddenly appear... mangoes, strawberries, bananas, grapes, blueberries, pomegranete - delicious! More than just delicious though, these colours are positively stunning as well! I love the sense of fun that adding a pop of colour can create. It shows personality, playfulness and individuality. Why not take some of your favourite summer fruits and let them inspire your wedding theme? Just a touch, or even two or three creates a beautiful colourful summer palette that's fresh, funky and fun!

Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Peonies Wedding Floral Designer, Bomboniere Sugared Almonds, Lemon Personalised Ribbon and Hot Pink Parasol all from Modern Wedding Shop, Cake from SweetArt, Bomboniere Milk Chocolate Heart from Modern Wedding Shop, Cupcakes by Iced Affair, Hot Pink Personalised Ribbon from Modern Wedding Shop, Vienna Woods Floral Designer, Cake by SweetArt, gm photographics, Gown by Aire Fiesta

Some floral designers and event stylists are beginning to incorporate fruit into their beautiful bouquets and table decorations. What's your favourite summer fruit? What inspired your wedding theme colours? Let us know what your wedding theme is and how you came up with it!

Don't forget to enter our awesome Win Your Wedding Gown competition and we always love to hear how your planning is going, so swing by our Facebook and Twitter pages and say hi! :)

Enjoy,
R xox

Modern Magic

2010-12-23T10:26:00.000+11:00

Every bride-to-be deserves a little bit of shimmer, sparkle and shine. A little piece of magic. Like twinkling fairylights, a bit of bling, warm candlelight or a fairytale location: you'll know it when you find it and your heart flutters.

Top - Ottoman Cuisine, Below - GS Jewellers

Be it silver, gold, champagne... pearls, crystals or diamonds, a handbag or a stunning invitation, let yourself shine through in every element of your dream day. Let your personality show in your decor and theme, your gown, your ceremony. I've put together a sparkling inspiration board to kindle your creativity...


Images clockwise from top left - Chaircovers & Candelabra, Trouli Graphics, Personalised Weddings, Stuart Leal Photography, XSiGHT Photography, The Candy Buffet Company, XSiGHT Photography, Wedding Stylists Melbourne

Weddings are becoming more stylised and more personalised - and we love it! Send us your gorgeous real wedding photos and inspiration boards at enquiries@modernwedding.com.au and let us know how you're going to let your personality shine through on your wedding day, and what's your "little piece of magic"?

Remember to enter our awesome 'Win Your Wedding Gown' competition and swing by Facebook or Twitter and say hi.

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year :)

Enjoy your break!
R xox

Silver (Wedding) Bells

2010-12-22T14:30:00.000+11:00

Thinking about Christmas this morning I was struck by the similarities to a wedding: lots of friends and family, decorations, beautiful food, gifts and sparkly things like candles and fairylights. While a complete Christmas theme may seem a little over-embellished for some, I love the idea of taking the key decor elements and using them as the basis for a beautiful celebration!

What about sparkling silver tealights, bold red flowers and chains of fairylights? I love the fact that red is the colour of love, silver signifies refined elegance and green is representative of a new beginning - when you think about it, they're great colours for a wedding. A monochrome palette with silver accents and highlights of either red or green is a bold and celebratory colour scheme.

Images Top - Imperial Tealight Holder, Silver Star Bomboniere & Ring Pillow all from Modern Wedding Shop

Middle - Ribbon String Lights from Modern Wedding Shop, Natural Lights Photography, Le Montage

Bottom - Soho Photography, The Bouquets of Ascha Jolie, Love Beyond Measure Spoons from Modern Wedding Shop

I love how Christmas gets everyone together, much like a wedding. What's your favourite part of Christmas? Let us know what you think of our take on a modern celebration theme!

Don't forget to enter our Wendy Makin Bridal Gown competition and swing by our Twitter and Facebook pages and say Happy Christmas and let us know how your planning is going :)

Enjoy!
R xox

What a year!

2010-12-21T16:50:00.000+11:00

This will be my last post before 2011! I don’t know where this year has gone, but looking back – Modern Wedding has done so much! Rosemary will still be posting so keep an eye out!

One of my pet hates is the 'Best of' article/show/program. These types of productions rehash old material you have already seen, so you feel a little 'jibbed' by the end of it.
That being said, I am doing a ‘best of’ post, with one major change. I am featuring images and ideas you haven’t yet seen on this blog! I have concentrated on our fabulous magazines, showcasing my favourites - if I've missed your favourite - let me know!

Best of FASHION SHOOTS
These are my favourite shots and dresses from our beautiful fashion shoots...


Clockwise from top left: Modern Wedding Vol.47 - Sweethearts Bridal; Vol.47 - Jean Fox Gown; Vol.47 Abbey Bridal Gown; Vol.49 - Brides of Armadale.


Clockwise from top left: V47 - Jane Yeh fro Brides of Sydney; V48 - Abbey Bridal Gown; V48 - Fashions by Farina; V47 - Wendy Makin Gown

I'm so proud of the shoot fairies here at Modern Wedding, they continually pull out all the stops to show off all our fantastic bridal designer's work.

Best of REAL LIFE WEDDINGS

Clockwise from top left - Vol.45 - Ryan & Jessica; Vol.47 - Shani & Christian; Vol.45 - Ryan & Jessica; Vol.49 - Meghan & Andy; Vol.49 - Jade & Kane; Vol.47 - Shani & Christian.

These are just a few of my favourite shots from the Real life weddings in the last four issues of Modern Wedding, but we have so many other stunning weddings on our website (those I have already posted about of this blog and would go against my rule not to post the same thing twice!)

Best of FLOWERS


Clockwise from top left: Flowers V13 - Flos Florum; Affair with George; Peonies Wedding Floral Designer; Flowers by Del.

Our annual Flowers magazine is always packed full of stunning bouquets and arrangements - finding four I loved over the others was impossible so you will just have to browse the whole magazine! Every shot is beautiful!

Best of CAKES


Clockwise from top left: Cakes Vol13 - Pasticceria Mancuso; Casa Del; Pasticceria Mancuso; Sweet Passion


Clockwise from top left: Cakes Vol13 - That's My Cake; The French Lettuce; Iced Affair; Pasticceria Mancuso.

Yum! Our Cakes annual magazine makes our mouths water every time we have a photo shoot. Our Cake designers are masters of their art and come up with fresh and fabulous designs each issue!

This year has been huge, but has also flown by - I guess we just had too much fun!

Have a fantastic Christmas and a great New Year and I will be back in 2011.

K xx

Psst...
Make sure you enter the Wendy Makin Gown competition - I will be drawing the winner in the new year... which is only days away!!!!!
Swing by and say hi to us on Facebook and Twitter:)

www.modernwedding.com.au
www.modernweddingmagazines.com.au
www.modernweddingshop.com.au

Dear brides - new inspiration hitting the shelves today

2010-12-20T14:26:00.003+11:00

Phew! What a busy, busy month we have had. In between our Christmas shopping, holiday planning and parties, the Modern Wedding team have produced yet another amazing magazine! Our 49th edition of Modern Wedding. It really seems like each issue just takes another step towards perfection... well in my eyes:)

The fashion shoots are incredible, our stylist Gail MacDiarmid has outdone herself with this one. This shoot was held in Victoria at Labassa in Nth Caulfield and shot by Gazi Photography.
The rich, velvety images show off our Victorian fashion designers in all their exquisite glory.

Our feature writer, Jodi Wilson had fun with a story about engagement photo shoots. Being engaged herself she road tested the idea and imparts some great tips and info. Fab pics Jodi:)

Modern Wedding is concerned about reports we hear from brides being sold rip-off designer gowns through unscrupulous online traders. We are running a 'Brides Beware' campaign with a complete checklist, so that brides can be 100% certain that the gown they are buying is from a trusted and reputable retailer.
Modern Wedding bought a dress from a 'dodgy' online company, claiming to sell an authentic designer dress and compared it to the actual designer gown... very interesting results!

Just because we love these pages and so does every bride - we have put together a stunning colour style-guide. This beautiful feature shows a range of stylish, elegant and fun colour combos.

Yet again, our DIY gurus have created some fantastic projects for the crafty bride. This issue we are focusing on beach and outdoor weddings. The idea behind these creations is to establish a fresh, airy setting, combining all of nature's elements.

This magazine is packed full of all the things we love. Let us know what you think. It's always great to receive feedback so we know what you like... then we can put more of it in next time!

Kate xx

Styling trends for 2011

2010-12-17T14:09:00.000+11:00

The year is wrapping up for 2010, Christmas is around the corner and before we know it we will be knee deep in 2011. So what types of weddings will we see in 2011?
Some of the Trends I am seeing come through and predict will be popular for the next couple of years are:

Crystal Diamond-Shaped Tea Light Holder (Set of 4

The Royal Wedding
The Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is set to influence weddings for the next few years, with fairytale bling being the decorating style of choice. We are predicting that stylish monogrammed stationery with the couples details will be the pick for 2011 and 2012. We will see lots of high class, glitzy decorations including mirror bases on tables, crystal garlands dripping from high table centres, diamond-like place-card frames, crystal tea light holders which cast glow on wedding table settings as well as make a beautiful wedding bomboniere for guests.

Wedding Theme Personalised Lollipop Favour

The Yummy Wedding
Who doesn’t like a treat? The big trend from 2010, which carries into 2011 is the Candy buffet or lolly table. This is a fun and interactive bomboniere idea, where guests choose their own treats to pop into a themed lolly bag and take home with them.
The home-made variety of treats is also very popular, especially if your family has a famous recipe, such as jam, chutney or something similar that friends are dying to get their hands on.
Personalised chocolates, lollypops or Roc Candy is an old favourite and continues to be just as popular as when they fist arrived on the scene years ago.

Flip Top Personalised Mini Candy Jars (Set of 12)

The DIY Wedding
DIY is hot, hot, hot at the moment, not only because couples can save a dollar if they’re crafty enough, but also because they can put their unique stamp on the wedding creating an unforgettable experience for everyone.
Almost an entire wedding day can be handmade from the gown to the stationery; the décor to the cake – Unfortunately even if you possess the skills to do this, not many of us have the time. It is a good idea to invest your precious time in one or two projects. You will want to choose items that your guests will appreciate, so the obvious choice is to make the bomboniere. Making personalised and home-spun bomboniere is great fun, gather your bridesmaids, some good DVDs and make a night of it.
The ModernWeddingShop.com.au is here to help you create. Some of the latest arrivals for 2011 include Heart Jewels in Diamond Clear, which are diamond shaped embellishments (they also are great for table scatters); personalised Roc Candy to put in hand-made bags, boxes or simply wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon; For the home-made jams, lollies or other treats, the Flip top Personalised Mini Candy Jars will ensure your presentation is flawless.
Laser-cut Cupcake Wrappers are popular with the DIY bride making her own cakes as bomboniere or as a wedding cake alternative.

What are you planning for your wedding?

Happy Friday Modern Wedding Brides:)

K xx

Party season is here!

2010-12-15T15:03:00.000+11:00

The office is very quiet today. It's coffee, coke, hot chips and a bit of hush day. Can you guess what we did last night? It was our Christmas party and, let me tell you, we know how to party!
The night was held at the stunning Pilu restaurant on Freshwater Beach and we thoroughly enjoyed an 8 course degustation! Wow - what amazing food!
We were spoiled with the entertainment also; The Three Waiters came and had everyone fooled. Instead of explaining what these fabulous and unbelievably talented men do (I couldn't do them justice), have a look at this video...

Needless to say we were surprised and thrilled at the talent the three boys shared with us.
Brides and grooms, if you are looking for something a bit different - these guys are worth a look into!

Here are a few of the photos from the night... all before shots of course:)

Christmas party season is a great time for idea gathering - have you been to a party that has inspired you?

K xx

Have you entered the 'Win a Wendy Makin Gown' comp yet???
Facebook - www.facebook.com/ModernWeddingMagazine
Twitter - http://twitter.com/ModernWeddingOz

Win your Bridal Gown!

2010-12-13T12:08:00.001+11:00

Just one of the amazing 'Ready To Wear' Wendy Makin gowns.

Merry, Merry Monday to all our Modern Wedding brides!
I am so excited this morning to be announcing our biggest ever online giveaway... In the spirit of Christmas, Modern Wedding together with Wendy Makin Bridal are giving one lucky bride a $2500 wedding gown!! Even more good news... it is so simple to win!

Another amazing 'Ready To Wear' Wendy Makin gowns.

Wendy Makin’s ‘Ready To Wear’ collection is renowned for it’s use of high quality materials, great fit and huge range of styles. The superb quality of Wendy’s gowns has made her one of Australia’s most awarded bridal gown designers. As well as her five Australian fashion design awards, Wendy has recently been named the nation’s number one couturier by the National ABIA poll, as voted by brides. All in all – you can only win when you wear a stunning Wendy Makin gown down the aisle!

Yet another amazing 'Ready To Wear' Wendy Makin gowns.

All you have to do is:

Visit Wendy Makin's website - view the 'Ready to Wear' collection (under Collections).
Go to our facebook fan page and tell us in 25 words or less which gown was your favourite and why?

Entries close 21st January 2011 - so get in now!

It is that easy - good luck girls!
As I said - it's a merry, merry Monday!

K xx

Psst... Don't keep this to yourself - tell your friends to enter!

Sydney Wedding is here!

2010-12-10T17:02:00.000+11:00

The Modern Wedding office is abuzz this morning as the arrival of the 20th edition of Sydney Wedding magazine came in... Wow!! It looks fantastic and what a size!
For the big 20 year birthday edition, Sydney Wedding magazine has 736 pages of beautiful fashion, rings, ceremonies, receptions, decorating, invitations, transport, flowers, music photography, cakes, beauty, honeymoons and more! Whoopy! It was a big one to produce but the results are amazing!
As a big bonus this edition has 20 honeymoons to giveaway! Yep... 20! We certainly do love giveaways here!
The magazine is out in stores TODAY, Sydney girls watch out for it... I'm sure it will be hard to miss! For out of state brides the Gowns magazine is still available and it's our biggest yet!
Here's a little sneak peak.... shh, don't tell anyone I'm showing you!

I'm so proud of the team here - they've worked hard to produce a fabulous, big!!!! and beautiful magazine!
Make sure you enter the honeymoon giveaway! There are 20 to win, so your chances are better than ever before.
Have a fabulous weekend brides and grooms! Make sure you swing by facebook and twitter to say hi!
Have you check out our planning tools?

K xx

Cool Summer

2010-12-09T10:11:00.000+11:00

I was enjoying the sunshine yesterday, I could smell jasmine in the air and my shoulders were warm. No wonder Summer is the peak season for weddings! Why not theme your wedding around the beauty of our glistening beaches? Soft sand, sparkling blue and crisp, sunny yellow make a divine colour combination. For a Cool Summer theme, think parasols, silk hand fans, daisies and stylish beachy decor highlights like shells, starfish and frangipanis. Endlessly flexible and always fresh and chic, this theme will keep its cool even under the hot Aussie sun.

Top left to right: Floral Affects, Modern Wedding Shop Sand Castle Tea Light & Silk Hand Fan
Middle left to right: Modern Wedding Shop Frangipani Invitations, GM Photographics, Modern Wedding Shop Fabric Parasol
Bottom left to right: Modern Wedding Shop Starfish Cake Cake Topper, Inlighten Photography, Modern Wedding Shop Personalised Ribbon

Are you getting married in Summer? Let us know how you're going to theme your wedding and what your colours are! If you got married recently, don't forget to send us your photos - we love to see them and who knows, you could end up in one of our blogs! Email us at enquiries@modernwedding.com.au

For more inspiring wedding themes, check our the Modern Wedding Website.

And of course, swing by our Facebook and Twitter pages and say hi! :)

Enjoy your cool summer,
R xox

A truly unique wedding

2010-12-07T14:55:00.004+11:00

I was in the middle of writing my post for today and... 'ding' my email rang out, only the hundredth time today, fortunately it was one of the good emails! Blushing bride, Kylie sent me her wedding story. After reading about her gorgeous and wonderfully unique wedding I had to share it! You will have to wait for my other post....
This is Kylie and Justin's story... beautiful!

We got married on Hayman Island on our 10 year anniversary, after meeting at a local bar, just after I finished school! 45 of our friends and family came, from as far away as Scotland, Germany and England. The wedding, essentially lasted the whole weekend and the actual reception didn't finish until 3am in the morning!

My Grandma and Great Aunt stood as our witnesses, which we through was fitting because we were so happy to have them make all the effort to travel so far!
We had the ceremony at 3pm, and cut the cake straight after. Our guests then went and had champagne and canapes for a couple of hours and we were back from photos in time to have a drink with them and watch the sunset, before the reception dinner started.

The dinner was on a terrace by a beautiful lagoon/waterfull and was a buffet, and everything (particularly the deserts!) was phenomenal. It was like sitting in a fairy grotto!

Our bomboniere were a big hit - we had boxes filled with Aloe Vera, berocca, panadol, sunscreen, tissues, chewing gum and a mini-torch, so everyone could make their way back to their rooms!

Post-dinner, we hired out one of the bars on the island, for drinks and dancing. It had a pool table, darts, fuseball, a cocktail menu, DJ and a dance-floor, so everyone was catered for! We finally finished up around 3am, though rumor has it that much of the bridal party was seen on the beach watching the sunrise for a morning swim!

What a beautiful wedding with distinctive differences - that is what makes a wedding so memorable!
Modern Wedding brides - send me your stories and you could be featured on the Blog - enquiries@modernwedding.com.au

K xx
Come and say hi on Facebook, Twitter or Modern Wedding website.

European inspired!

2010-12-06T16:04:00.000+11:00

I am so happy to start the week off on an exciting note!
In January 2011 (not long now) a brand new and shiny range of bridal gown will be hitting our shores. The Rosa Clara design group from Spain are releasing their latest collection, Luna Novias. The designs are simply stunning - they're European inspired, with a little romantic twist.
The good news? Despite the fact that these gowns are A-grade in their design, they are also a little easier on the budget... Now that's what we like to hear!
This collection includes a wide range of modern, romantic and classic styles at varying prices - definitely worth a look.

Peter Trends Bridal has added the collection, since they have has great success with Rosa Clara's other brands (Two, Aire Barcelona and Alma Novia) - they distribute Australia-wide so everyone has a chance to try these beautiful gowns on.

If you want to see more of the collection or find a list of their stockists head over to Peter Trends.

Let us know what you think! Facbook, Twitter - Look forward to hearing from you...
If you are wondering what style will suit you best - check out our article on just that! Bridal styles to suit your shape.

Happy Monday!

K xx

Chocolate anyone?

2010-12-03T15:55:00.000+11:00

I am in the middle of pulling together an article about using the colour Chocolate in your wedding - what a fabulous colour! Why did I choose this colour? Well that's easy... it's Friday afternoon and I can't get my mind off the stuff:) No seriously... it is such a versatile colour and adds a touch of warm sophistication to a wedding. I love the use of chocolate accents with pale pink or pale blue, or vise versa. While searching for a bit of inspiration I came across these gorgeous products...

From Left to right, top to bottom:
1. Chantilly Chandelier Folding Invitation with Envelope $6.60
2. Chocolate and Turquoise Damask Personalised Favour Box Kit (Set of 24) $36.00
3. Dots and Stripes Personalised Lollipop Favours $3.50
4. Chocolate & Strawberry Cream Flower Girl Basket $65.00
5. Chocolate & Strawberry Cream Traditional Wedding Guest Book $62.00
6. Our New Nest Bronze-Finish Metal Tea Light Holder Favour $4.50
7. Good Luck Wooden Elephants Wedding Favours (Set of 4) $22.00
8. Cherry Blossoms "Make It Yours" Personalised Favour Box Kit (Set of 24) $ 36.00 (available)
9. Chocolate Brown Silk Hand Fans $3.95

Let me know what colour theme you are planning for your wedding and I'll feature it on the blog!

Now I'm off to get my chocolate fix!

Happy Friday all - make sure you come and say hi on Facebook or Twitter.
We go the extra mile to help you plan your wedding - go to Modern Wedding today and make sure you don't miss a thing!

K xx

Behind-the-Scenes Heaven!

2010-12-02T08:15:00.000+11:00

I must say, I love being on location! I'm one of those sneaky snappers who is always getting behind-the-scenes photos, because I simply adore our shoots and I can't wait to share them. Shooting for our upcoming Autumn edition, we were at the gorgeous The Tearoom Gunners Barracks in Mosman last week. Surrounded by lush gardens, the heritage-listed venue provided the perfect backdrop for some of the most elegant and stylish gowns of the new season. Heavenly!

The breathtaking view from the balcony

Stylist Gail and Photographer Sabino review the first few shots of the day

Emma from Halo Hair works her magic with stunning hair accessories from Wendy Louise

Model Amanda shows off a beautiful gown from Fashions by Farina,
as makeup artist Marianna retouches for a flawless finish

One of the joys of going behind-the-scenes is seeing what goes into producing the perfect shot. A sheet of black plastic provides respite from the hot sandstone floor. And at close to 6ft, Model Amanda does not need heels!

Stylist Gail uses the unique sandstone surroundings to highlight the understated beauty
of this sleek strapless number from Ella

One of the most intriguing things about being on set is watching the amazing creativity and innovation that goes into each and every shot. Huge compliments to our incredible crew: Photography by Sabino Mena Barreto, Hair by Halo Hair, Makeup by Marianna Grillo and a big round of applause for our super talented stylist Gail McDiarmid. I am practically climbing the walls waiting to see the finished product!

I hope you enjoyed a sneaky-peek behind-the-scenes. Let us know what you think!

And don't forget to stop by our Facebook and Twitter pages and say hi! :)

R xox

Dear Brides - stop your stress now!

2010-11-30T13:26:00.001+11:00

The last couple of weeks the Wedding Doctor has been inundated with brides' questions full of anxiety and stress about their upcoming weddings. Whether the stress has been about money, time, wedding politics or simply being generally over-whelmed - it is unwanted and quite often unneccessary.
Avoiding PWT (pre-wedding-tension) will not only help your general mental well-being, but it will also help you glow on the day and have more fun!
I am going to give you a few tips on how to avoid the big stressors in the coming months.

1. Organisation!

Notebook from Pretty & Personal Papers by Tricia 16 on Etsy

Boring I know - but if you write lists and keep ontop of them, you won't have a million ideas and jobs running around crowding your head.
You can make it fun, especially if you are a stationery nerd like me. It's a great excuse to buy yourself a special notepad and pen! Always keep it close and when an idea or something that needs to be done comes into your mind jot it down.

2. Save money

Many of the brides' concerns were to do with money. Of course you could buy a lottery ticket and cross your fingers, if you win - problem fixed! But for the other 99.9999999% of us need to get smart about our dollars!
Here are some tips the Wedding Doctor gave one bride this morning about how to save every day leading up the your wedding:
1. No more coffee! It is amazing how much money we throw away on coffee and how quickly $3 - $4 every second day adds up.
2. Pack a lunch to take to work - buying your lunch is a big no no!
3. Take advantage of sales - in grocery shops as well as retail. ONLY buy what you really need!
4. Quit smoking and drinking - these are very expensive past times.
5. Make large meals and freeze left overs.
6. Use less makeup - give your skin a break it'll glow on the day, and you will use 50% less if you have 3-4 days off.
7. Gather goods around your house that you don't need anymore and get onto ebay to sell them. You can make hundreds on items just lying around the place collecting dust.
8. Maximise your tax - make sure you get every penny you deserve at tax time. Employ a professional's help if you need to.
9. Wash your car yourself - don't go to a drive through.
10. If you are planning a honeymoon - save money by going in off peak season.
Keep control of your budgets and quotes on the Modern Wedding planning tools.

For how to Budget for your wedding check out - Weddings on a Budget.

3. Exercise!

Photo courtesy of examiner.com http://ow.ly/3hdp9

You may already be doing this to fit into your dress, but it is important to make exercise fun, not a chore. Go for a brisk walk or jog and enjoy the scenery around you, or try Zumba the new craze that everyone is talking about! I haven't tried it yet so I can't vouch for it - but like everyone else... I've heard it's good.
When you exercise endorphins are released and these will make you feel good - it's as simple as that. You will also feel a sense of accomplishment if you reach your exercise targets. Aim for about 40 mins a day.

4. Eat healthy

Andrew Simpson

I did a post on this back in October and took you through all the 'feel-good' foods that you should be stocking up on now, these will help you glow on the day and stay relaxed and stress-free!
Here's a quick run down of the top 5 foods:
1. Blueberries - full of antioxidents and rid your body of cramps associated with stress.
2. Oranges & Kiwi fruits - mixed with Vitamin B foods (eggs/milk) they will take away your anxiety.
3. Brocolli - Contains folic acid which fights depression.
4. Fish - Rich in vitamin B and delivers the happy brain chemical, serotonin to your brain.
5. Almonds - Chockers full of riboflavin (B2), vitamin E, magnesium and zinc. the magnesium also helps produce serotonin, vitamin E will fight toxins and zinc wards off negative effects of stress.

5. Surround yourself with happy people

Make sure you bridesmaids are your happy helpers and not people who make you work hard and depress you. You need to keep the atmosphere light, so if they can't help you with that, then you need to have some serious chats with them or find a friend who can.

6. Go to bed on time

Image from BibBon on Etsy

Every bride needs their beauty sleep! A well rested person can think more clearly, is less stressed and generally happier. So while you may be desperate to see the end of a movie at night, tape it and watch it the next night. Research has shown that the more hours of sleep you get before midnight the better, so get organised and into bed early.

Some of these points are very simple and you may think - 'well yeah... pretty obvious', but you sometimes need to see it in black and white to take notice. If you follow these simple rules for your pre-wedding life then you will see your stress levels plumit. Who doesn't need that?

If you have a secret stress reliever - don't keep it to yourself! Share with us and your fellow brides.

Have a happy and relaxed Tuesday:)

K xx

psst... come and say hello on twitter http://twitter.com/ModernWeddingOz or facebook http://www.facebook.com/ModernWeddingMagazine

Quest for beauty

2010-11-29T15:57:00.001+11:00

Not only do our superstar staff produce a beautiful Modern Wedding magazine but we also put together a gorgeous glossy magazine for the Hunter Valley, Newcastle and Central Coast areas (Newcastle & Central Coast Wedding).
At the moment we are looking for the perfect place to hold our fashion shoots. I am amazed at the beauty of so many of the reception venues in the Hunter region! I just couldn't wait to share some of these places with you. Please let me know what you think of these choices!

Wyndham Estate - Hunter Valley

This is the beautiful Wyndham Estate, which is right on the banks of the Hunter River. They hold all the big events; at the moment they have Opera in the Vines and Chris Isaac’s concert.
They have ample space to get lots of different shots.

La Toscane - Hunter Valley

Beautiful La Toscane is such a romantic venue and is set at the foot of the rolling Sweetwater Vineyard. We have had one of our shoots here before and it was stunning! Stunning enough to do it again?


Shoot photo from 2010 Newcastle & Central Coast Wedding magazine

The Sebel Kirkton Park

This divine venue is set amongst 40 acres of manicured gardens, the hotel overlooks the stunning vineyards and Brokenback ranges. Very elegant settings with more than a touch of romance.

Tamburlaine Organic Wines

This stunning lodge is in the heart of the Hunter Valley and is the idealic winery location. Set on a lake, the photos would be beautiful.

You may have noticed that all the choices are in the Hunter, that is because there is more scope for different photograph styles, and let's face it - the surrounds are fantastic and after the shoot we can celebrate with a glass of fine wine:)

Please be sure to have your say and let me know which location you would choose. We are so spoiled for choice! The shoots are in a couple of weeks, Yippeee!

K xx

Are you getting married in the Hunter? Where are you holding your reception?

Make sure you swing by and say hi on twitter http://twitter.com/ModernWeddingOz or facebook http://www.facebook.com/ModernWeddingMagazine

Luxurious inspiration - Real wedding

2010-11-26T16:30:00.001+11:00

I thought I'd share with you one of the stunning weddings from our Luxury Weddings Magazine (on the shelves now). There are so many inspirational weddings and romantic stories in this issue - it is packed full of beautiful photography and gorgeous wedding ideas.

This is Anna and Tom's wedding, which was held at Vaucluse House. It was a classic, romantic summer wedding with an eight-piece string ensemble playing in the background... very nice!

Amy and Tom knew each other at school and met again on the first day of university while waiting to go into their first lecture. Six years later Tom proposed while out to dinner at their favourite restaurant. Amy remembers:

“While reading the menu, I noticed that in the dessert section there was my name and, confused, I kept reading. Certain moments of our life were listed as desserts with the year they occurred listed instead of the price, for example – ‘Moved in together and bought our puppy 20.07’. At the end it read ‘Mi vuoi sposare 20.09’ and when I asked what that meant, he said ‘It means will you be my wife?’ and got down on one knee with the ring!”

Amy's highlights of the day: “The first kiss, our first dance, the beautiful weather and our two-year-old niece deciding she’d like to grab the microphone and sing a song during the ceremony!”

Photographer - Society Photography
Bride & Bridesmaid’s gowns - Rhonda Hemmingway
Makeup- Rox Baldan
Hair - Paul and Co
Groom’s suit - Hugo Boss
Ceremony - Vaucluse House
Reception - Catalina
Event stylist / coordinator - BNT Management
Florist - Simone Gooch

Hope you are having a fabulous, inspiring Friday afternoon. Have a great weekend and see you on Monday!

K:) xx

Make sure you swing by and say hi on twitter http://twitter.com/ModernWeddingOz or facebook http://www.facebook.com/ModernWeddingMagazine

Pom Pom Girl!

2010-11-25T00:00:00.000+11:00

I'm not a particularly crafty person (in either sense of the word). Whilst I “get” the baking side of Martha Stewart I find the craft side very hard to achieve as I seem to gravitate towards the harder to achieve projects which often end in misery. However I find simple crafts rewarding and I these don't test my (lack of) co-ordination too much which is a relief.

Despite this, we actually made our own wedding invitations. The reasons were that to get the invitations that we wanted which were very elaborate, it would have cost us a small fortune to order these. I looked at the quotes before looking at the sample that I had put together and realised that if I could actually make a sample, then there was a distinct possibility that I could make the actual invitations too (with the help of my then fiancee and parents). They didn't turn out too badly in fact. I probably won't be opening up my own invitation business but I don't think that guests realised that they were hand made by someone with two left hands.

The tools

If you are similarly inclined you should have a peek at the new Modern Wedding DIY magazine. It has a great range of 250 projects and each takes you through the process step by step. You literally could save thousands on your wedding. The Chic Everlasting section has divine black and white designs, bombonierre cones with wax seals, butterfly napkins and cakes. They also show you how to wrap your own bouquet, make ribbon flowers, napkin rings, horseshoe wreaths, pamper packs and beauty treatments as well as untold decorating tips that can be used for a wedding or a dinner party (there's even instructions on how to stitch your own picnic blanket!).

Folding to sheets of tissue paper, like an accordian

Cutting the ends as a point or round shape

I am getting ready for Christmas and one thing that I have seen used to great effect are tissue paper pom poms. I saw some at a shop for $8.95 and wanted to buy some but as fate would have it, my issue of Modern Wedding DIY arrived and I found that I could make them myself.

Tying with string

Spreading it out

I decided to give them a go. I didn't have any pink tissue paper and the only kind I could find was brown. I followed the instructions and they were easy to follow with a step by step guide with pictorial guides. I folded and folded and fastened and fastened and then separated the layers and then ta-da! They were done!

Then gently lifting it layer by layer

I was surprised to see that they actually looked like they were supposed to. And it took all of five minutes if that and I just used tissue paper that would cost anywhere between $2 to $4!

Ta da!

I'm already plotting what I'll be making for Christmas... ;)

Lots of love and pom poms,

L
xxx

Psst come and say hello on twitter http://twitter.com/ModernWeddingOz or facebook http://www.facebook.com/ModernWeddingMagazine

This week, there is a giveaway where you can win a $100 gift voucher for the Modern Wedding shop! http://modernweddingaus.blogspot.com/2010/11/we-are-doing-it-again.html

Romance by the sea

2010-11-23T16:24:00.002+11:00

I love my job! Everyday I look forward to sitting down with a cuppa and going through the wedding photos that are sent to me that morning. I am always amazed at the close attention to detail and effort our brides, and their adoring husbands have put into their wedding.

One of the gorgeous weddings that was sent to me was the wedding of Prue and Callum Tuohy. The photographer for this wedding is a close friend of the couple and is studying for her masters in Photography (very handy indeed!) The wedding took place at the Mantra at Salt Beach, in the Tweed River Valley on the northern New South Wales coast.

From the bride:

How do you begin to start describing the most amazing day of your life! … After seeing the beautiful sunrise on the morning I would become a wife and I would have a husband, it began with breakfast with my best friends and getting ready. As I reflected on the morning getting ready, the best and most special part about it was that I had my close friends helping us prepare for the best day of my life so far... Having them all there made the day so much more relaxing and enjoyable.

Walking down the aisle to my husband was very special. We met through Surf Life Saving and had our ceremony on the beach, it was so relaxed (celebrant was also a friend of ours) and everything was very much 'us' and reflected our personalities. During the ceremony there were also whales jumping really close to the beach which was also very special and something that can never be planned!

Check out Modern Wedding website for their full story and more photos!

If you want to share your story and photos with Modern Wedding brides email them to me - enquiries@modernwedding.com.au

Make sure you come and say hi to us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/ModernWeddingOz
And Facebook - www.facebook.com/ModernWeddingMagazine
Don't forget to enter our competition - one week to win $100!

K xx

Dear Brides, win a $100 gift voucher at Modern Wedding!

2010-11-23T12:07:00.002+11:00

Merry Modern Wedding to all our beautiful brides and brides in waiting!
I am so excited to announce that we are giving away yet another $100 to spend at the Modern Wedding Shop! And it is even easier to win this time!

Since the shop opened 3 years ago blushing brides have been saving their precious time and leg work by buying their goodies at our very own store. The shop is brimming with goodies such as wedding bomboniere, parasols, decorations, cake decorations, stationery, gifts, jewellery and veils, ceremony accessories, theming ideas, hens party supplies and more. I'm constantly marvelling at the lovely goodies that our clever buyers find from all over the world. 

Antique Acrylic Place Card Frame

With This Ring Chrome Diamond-Ring Bottle Stopper

Reflections Elegant Black and White Mirror Compact Favour - ON SALE!

All you have to do is visit us on our facebook fan page and post on our wall what your favourite item from the shop is.
E.G. I have just been to the Modern Wedding Shop and I love the filigree cupcake wrappers!
The competition will close on Monday night, so get in early!!!

Good luck!

If you are on Twitter - swing by and say hi! - Twitter: http://twitter.com/ModernWeddingOz

K xx

And the winner is....

2010-11-19T15:09:00.000+11:00

Kelly Pearl & Crystal Earrings

What a fabulous day to give $100 away!
It is just about the easiest $100 giveaway - all we asked for was was that you check out the Shop and tell us what your favourite product was and why. The winner is getting a $100 voucher to spend at the shop on anything she wants, and that person is.... Amy Brown! Congratulations Amy!
Amy, email us at enquiries@modernwedding.com.au to redeem your $100 voucher.

If you missed out this time - don't lose sleep! We will be doing it again.... very soon!

Some of the other top product picks for the shop were:

Belle Lace Parasol - Black

Belle Lace Parasol - Ivory or Antique White

Happy Friday!

K:) xx

The Princess Bride

2010-11-17T13:24:00.000+11:00

Oh! A Royal Wedding (capital "R" capital "W") approaches.... along with the rest of the Modern Wedding team, I was ecstatic this morning to discover that Prince William had finally proposed to long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton with a breathtaking diamond and sapphire ring that had previously belonged to his mother, Princess Diana.

The announcement of this news inspired a flurry of images and inspirations, just the simple combination of the words "Princess" and "Bride" sends one's mind tumbling along down several both tremendous and tragic avenues. Dreaming of a fairytale wedding where you're the princess? Make sure it's Modern: keep it light, fun and add a healthy dose of irreverence. Today's princess bride is highly self-aware, edgy and a little bit mischievous. Think ballerina style gown (full length can look overdone), tousled hair to offset your tiara, soft pastels and silver and crystal highlight pieces.


Image courtesy AP via smh.com.au

Image courtesy Reuters via smh.com.au


Top: Enchanted Carriage Favour Boxes, Below: Crystal Cake Drops both from Modern Wedding Shop, Gown by After Six

L-R: Silver Cake Topper, Silver Bomboniere Confetti Almonds, Princess Cupcake Wrapper and Satin Floral & White Pearl Halo Tiara all from Modern Wedding Shop

Keep your makeup simple, but for an air of edgy chic add either dark kohl liner or statement lips.

Considering being a princess bride? Let us know how you're keeping it modern. Got any more ideas for a princess themed or fairytale wedding? Let us know! And don't forget to stop by our Facebook & Twitter pages and say hi!

Enjoy!
R xox

Create your celebration!

2010-11-16T15:44:00.003+11:00

There is no secret at Modern Wedding that I adore weddings that use a lot of DIY. Being a craft-minded person, I appreciate the effort a bride goes to creating her own elements; I love seeing how unique each hand-crafted wedding is.
When I decide to make something (and much to partner's delight (ha ha), that is quite often!) I feel such a sense of achievement, so I can imagine how brides must feel seeing her creations at every turn - her guests admiring her work and enjoying her hard work.

Our new DIY magazine is now out, so you have even more reason to do it yourself! There are hundreds of great, easy projects, but today I want to show you one.
I love this Ornamental Leaves project - it is super easy and effective! As Christmas is coming, why not trying it out and using Christmas colours. You know the saying - "Practice makes perfect!"

What you will need (Enough to make three branches)
Twelve pieces of 22 gauge florist wire in 46cm lengths for central branch
Four additional pieces of 22 gauge florist wire for smaller branches
30 cm cotton fabric
Vliesofix
Pinking shears
1 roll green florist tape
Sewing machine and thread

Easy steps

Download petal template
To make one branch with seven leaves cut out 14 petals in cotton fabric and 7 pieces of Vliesofix. Fuse the Vliesofix between the two layers of cotton fabric following manufacturer’s instructions.
Trim the edges of the petals with pinking shears.
To make the central branch, wrap four lengths of wire with florist tape.
To make smaller branches, cut a single piece of wire into 10 cm lengths. Cut 6cm pieces of tape and wrap around the wire.
To construct petals, place a 10cm piece of branch wire on top of the leaf about a 1/3 of the way down from the pointy end. With your machine set on a wide zig-zag stitch, sew over the branch several times being careful not to hit the branch with the needle. Repeat this process until you have made all your leaves.
To assemble, take your central branch and wrap the stem of your first leaf around one end of the branch. Attached the rest of the leaves at approximately 3 cm intervals (see image 1). Once all the stems are attached, cut a piece of floral tape and wrap the central branch again to hid the attached stems.

Tips and tricks that might help when using florist tape
The trick to getting a good result when binding your flowers with florist tape is to continually stretch the tape while at the same time using your thumb to smooth the tape against itself. Be careful not to pull the tape too tight or it will snap. The tape has wax embedded in it and, if it is not stretched, it doesn’t warm up and stick to itself. Work with small pieces – if a piece is too long, it will twist and bind up on you just like a bad piece of sticky tape. If you’re having trouble getting used to the tape, practice wrapping it around a pencil before using it for your project.

These gorgeous leaves would look good in almost any colour! A nice white and gold material might would look stunning! hmmm.... off to Spotlight I go:)

Good luck! Let me know if you think you'll use this and what colours you will use????

See you on Facebook!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ModernWeddingMagazine

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ModernWeddingOz

K xx

Pretty and Pastel wedding

2010-11-15T15:29:00.001+11:00

Merry Monday Modern Wedding brides!

While I have been sifting through the real life weddings that have been sent to me this morning, it occured to me that there is a major common theme, all the weddings are pretty. Now that may seem fairly obvious to you, it is a wedding after all. But rather than the stylish, sleek, minimalist weddings we have seen over the last few years, couples are getting back in touch with their girly side (maybe brides are taking over more?), we are seeing vintage, lacy details, crystal chandeliers, beautiful soft colours emerging from the more common black & white.
Inspired by this, I have decided to create a new inspiration board for a Monday afternoon delight. Pastels and pretty just seem to go together right?

From left to right, top to bottom: Butterflies Cake Wrap in Lavender, Butterflies Favor Box, Dots & Stripes Personalised Lollipop Favours, Light Blue Personalised Ribbon, Polka Dot Cupcake Cups, Miniature Size, Tiffany Blue Round Paper Lanterns, Wedding Theme Personalised Lollipop Favours, Aqua Personalised Ribbon, Rose Ball Candle in Gift Box, Silk Hand Fan in Blue with Bamboo Detail, Pink Personalised Ribbon, Personalised Mini Glass Bottle Favours

Incredibly all of these items can be found here. You can also find hundreds of other gorgeous items already categorised into neat themes! It is so easy to theme your wedding using this wonderful site! There are plenty of ideas to get you started as well.
Just some of the available wedding themes are: Contemporary Chocolate, Las Vegas, Winter, Blue, Black & White, Lace, Vintage, Garden, Love Birds, Cherry Blossom, Green Chic, Red, Silver, Diamond & Pearls, Lemon Sorbet, Gold & Crystal, Fairytale, Chocolate & Strawberry, Frangipani and twice as many again!

If you want us to give you $100 to spend on the shop, all you need to do is enter our easy competition through Facebook. Good luck!

Are you theming your wedding? Have you found it easy to plan?

K:) xx

A beautiful love story

2010-11-12T15:05:00.001+11:00

Happy Friday Modern Wedding brides!

We are so lucky that our friends at Cinemedia have shared with us a recent project they have just finished. The setting for their stunning cinematography is the quaint surrounds of Berrima and Bowral (New South Wales).
A laugh here, a playful slap there; A swinging love song and a romantic scene right out of a fairytale - the guys at Cinemedia have done a fantastic job of showing off the couples fun personalities and also documenting their love story. Absolutely beautiful!

Presenting the gorgeous newly-weds, Jessica D'Archangelo and Carlos Rahme.
They were married at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Berrima and held their reception at the stunning Centennial Vineyards, Bowral.

A big congratulations from Modern Wedding!

If you have a video you're proud of let me know! We love a good love story here at Modern Wedding and love to share stories with past and future brides.

If you haven't entered our weekly competition yet - there is still time to grab $100 to spend at the Modern Wedding Shop. Enter now!

Don't forget to swing by Twitter and Facebook to say hi.

K:) x

Video by Cinemedia

So you want to make your own wedding cake?

2010-11-11T11:56:00.001+11:00

Cake from Sweet Art

As a keen baker, when my husband and I got married, I wanted to make my very own wedding cake. I thought that it would be fun and it would mean a lot more if the bride made the cake themselves. I wanted a red velvet cake and none of the wedding cake makers that I spoke to would make one.

Cake by Cakes N Things

I was lucky that someone slapped some sense into me (not literally, I would not have appreciated that).

I have to applaud any bride that survives making their own wedding cake. In my life, I have made two wedding cakes: one for a relative's wedding and the other for a friend's wedding. Both times, I came off the experience with my nerves frazzled seemingly beyond repair and a firm resolve never to do it again. Until of course a sweet talking bride friend of mine asks me. I can never refuse despite all instincts not to. I was lucky in that both cakes survived the trip to the reception venue-transport is of course the part of the wedding cake process that proves the most difficult for the cake maker and the part in which if long transportation times are involved, they step away.

Cake by Alexandra Pellegrino in Canada

When I first called a wedding cake maker for quotes for our wedding cake, I was surprised at how expensive they were. We had a relatively small wedding-it was either invite a cast of thousands or make it more intimate and exclusive and we went for the latter inviting just 65 guests. So we figured that the cake wouldn't have to be an enormous one and our jaws dropped at the prices that were being bandied about. Couple this with the refusal of all of them but one to make the red velvet cake and that is how I came up with the idea of making my own. Lucky I ran out of time and we had one cake maker that was willing to do this.

So do you still want to make that wedding cake? OK I have some tips for you:

Choose a cake to suit the weather. The very first wedding cake that I made was an almost disaster. The bride and groom wanted cream cheese icing for their cake. All very fine except that the reception venue was not air conditioned and they were getting married in the scorching heat of a January Summer. I later learned that cake makers can sometimes refuse to use buttercream or cream cheese icing in these conditions so keep that in mind.

It took three hours (not including baking time) to get to this stage! And this is just the layer underneath the icing!

A wedding cake is all about construction. A two tier wedding cake is very heavy and is made up of a dense cake, namely a fruit cake or a chocolate mud cake and it is sandwiched together with a lot of icing and/or ganache.

The start of the cake

Ever taken a peek into a wedding cake? It isn't your ordinary kind of cake. The bottom layer sits “glued” with ganache to a silver board which has a wooden board and a thick wooden “dowel” rod glued to the centre. The cake is impaled onto this. But the fun doesn't end there. The second cake tier is also heavy so we need to take the pressure and weight off the bottom layer by using thinner wooden dowel rods for the second layer to rest upon.

Transportation, which I touched on earlier can be a nightmare. But if you make your cake sturdily and the weather cooperates then this can be done without tragedy striking. And just be sure to use a lot of non slip mat!

Surreal moment: I actually did this!

And if that hasn't frightened you enough and you are still determined to make your own cake, then allow me to point you in the direction of some of Australia's top wedding cake makers who also hold wedding cake making classes. I recently attended one with Faye Cahill and have attended other classes with Planet Cake and Patisse and they were both superb. At Faye's wedding cake class, we spent several hours just getting the ganache to be a perfect smoothness -and that was just he layer underneath the final icing layer! I understood at once why wedding cakes cost the amount of money that they do and gained a new appreciation for them.

And if you time it right, there might even be a class around the date of your wedding. Wedding cakes once made in these classes last for around seven days. The only catch is that these wedding cake classes take a whole day, and a week before your wedding is when you are likely to be very busy. But with these experts to hand to help you you can have a wedding cake that you will feel proud to say that you made yourself.

If you're interested in other DIY ideas, Modern Wedding has a whole bunch for you in our Modern Wedding Cakes magazine as well as our world first: the new Modern Wedding DIY magazine.

The croquembouche that I made at the Patisse class

So tell me past, present and future brides, what kind of cake did you have or do you want?

And if you haven't seen this yet, check out our competition where you can win a $100 gift voucher to spend at our Modern Wedding shop! There are all sorts of goodies and all you have to do is choose your favourite item!

And of course there is our twitter and facebook pages where you can say hello :)

Lots of love and cakes,

L
xxx

Faye Cahill
http://fayecahill.com.au/

Planet Cake
http://planetcake.com.au/

Patisse
http://patisse.com.au/