The very VERY special engagement ring

If Diamonds are a girl's best friend, then pink diamonds are... well better than that!
Pink diamonds are extremely rare and beautiful stones and are Australia's unique contribution to the diamond world.
These pretty rocks are considered to be the rarest diamonds in the world and they have a whopping big price tag to match the claim. The good news is that while the larger stones are extremely rare and thus valuable, the smaller stones are within everyone's reach! So before you settle on a plain white diamond, why not add a little pink to your ring and even own a piece of, what may soon be history. Sadly, the primary mine for these stones (in The Kimberleys, WA) is not an unlimited source, in fact it only has an estimated 10 years left, as reported by Michael Newman of Mondial Newman the pink diamond gallery.
This means that these pink beauties will only go up in price. So if you're looking for justification to purchase one/some, try this: "Darling, how can we go past such a wise investment?"
Here are a few stunning pieces to get your mouth watering...




























































If you want to hold these pieces in your hot little hands or see what they look like on your finger head over to Mondial in Sydney.
Listen up chaps, these are definite YES rings!

Cake topper resurgence

The wedding cake is always a much anticipated tradition and we spend long hours thinking of the right colours and flavours to impress our guests. Sadly, many couples don't even spend a minute of this time thinking about including a figurine cake topper. Such a shame!
The, largely 1950s, tradition has been abandoned by many modern brides claiming the old convention is a dated and dare I say, daggy one! However today I would like to bring your attention right back to cake toppers and show you a few modern variations of the pre-loved decoration. Today's bride can find new sexy, quirky, stylish, elegant and sweet toppers that will add something special to their wedding cake. Toppers are not restricted to the stuffy, posed bride (in a marshmallow gown) and groom (in a standard black suit) so don't be afraid to seriously think about including one in your wedding. It will be a fantastic keepsake that will last a lot longer than the cake itself, and you are sure to find one to suit your personal style and taste.
You can quote me on this... we will have a cake topper resurgence very soon!

Bring your Crystal Garden on top of your wedding or celebrate cake to life with a flock of hummingbirds! Couture Hummingbird toppers.




These toppers will add sparkle to your cake and are very stylish. Check out more of this cake decoration style... there are some beautiful pearly styles, which would be perfect for a classic style cake.



Are you a couple with a great sense of humour? Look no further than our amazing range of humorous and novelty wedding cake decorations, toppers and figurines to show your personality on your wedding cake!


If you want your cake to be a true presentation of the pure love you and your husband-to-be have for each other then you can't go past the traditional sweet cake toppers that speak volumes about you as a couple.














And.... my favourite....

Absolute elegance! This beautiful crystal topper will suit all colour themes and any romantically themed wedding.

Go to Modern Wedding shop where we have loads of toppers but also check with your cake designer - they will be able to give you their opinion about the best one for your cake.
Have fun looking through the myriad of designs and finding the one that complements your day perfectly.

Benhind the scenes with Modern Wedding

At Modern Wedding, we see so many stunning gowns each season, and are lucky enough the photograph some of the leading bridal designs in Australia. With fantastic photographers and a great team of people all knowing the best way to show off a bride and her dress, our photo-shoots work like a well oiled machine. The Modern Wedding shoots are one of the highest standard bridal shoots in Australia, and we sent our visitor Jessica in to be your eyes and ears.

"Lights, camera, but no action... not quite yet anyway! I arrive through the Treasury Room doors at the Intercontinental in Sydney. They are ready to be used as the backdrop for the fashion feature next week. Poised, bright lights are set glaring at the doors and behind, the photographer stands waiting patiently for his bride. Quickly veering away from the spotlight I discover my first experience of 'behind the scenes'. All appears clam.


The first table I pass is adorned with jewels, giving the stylist a wide array of choice. The following tables find a make-up artist and the hair stylist and their many tools, both taking a well-earned break.


At the end of the room, several rails hold the many dresses to be shot and behind the abundance of satin, lace and silks, the model is slipping into the first dress.

With her hair neatly curled up and perfectly applied make-up, this bride is very nearly ready for the first shoot.

Seven dresses down and all has gone very smoothly, the photographer is working well with the model and despite the many eyes that are watching over, it doesn't deter the model bride from striking pose after pose, dress after dress. The double spread picture incorporating a grand piano is where photographer, stylist, stylist's assistant and model all really come together to get the perfect shot.

Successfully captured it’s time for a lunch break and me to be on my way before the afternoon’s shooting starts.

Half expecting chaos and a lot of rushing around, the morning’s bridal shoot has proved completely the reverse. Calm and organised, the creative experts know exactly what they’re looking for and are able to deliver the goods on a punctual and professional deadline.

With a modern vintage theme, I was lucky enough to view firsthand the beautiful dresses that will be shown in Spring’s 2010 Modern Wedding issue, so make sure you don’t miss out, they’re definitely worth a look!"

Aileen & Marty

Aileen and Marty's wedding was set amongst the turning autumn leaves in the beautiful Adelaide Hills. They combined the colours of autumn with their purple and black theme beautifully and incorporated both their cultures (Scottish and Hungarian) into the day making it a very personal and stunning day.


Aileen moved to the Adelaide Hills two and a half years ago when she felt she needed a "tree change". She joined the country fire service hoping to meet some people, little did she know she would meet "the one".

"The whole day was just one special moment after another - putting my dress on and never feeling more sure of anything in my life, seeing Marty as I walked down the aisle and not being aware of anyone else in the church and he feeling the same when he saw me." Aileen.



Photography: Head in the Clouds Photography.

Read their full story.

Calling all brides - the big event is here!

Need inspiration to make your wedding even more spectacular? Then be sure to head over to Australia's largest bridal expo, which is starting this weekend in Melbourne and the following weekend in Sydney. It is a two day event where you will not only be inspired by a huge range of wedding suppliers exhibiting their work, but also the latest fashion yet to hit the shops from leading bridal designers.
Grab your fiance or a friend and check out the red carpet gowns the celebrities wore to the recent 2010 Logies awards. It is the only public viewing of this beautiful collection, so don't miss out!
Some of the other highlights you can look forward to are performances by Figaro (Australia's own Il' Divo) and Dancing with the Stars performers Natalie & Serghei... I hear they have a few moves that will liven up any first dance!
There are also amazing prizes to be won, such as a $5000 honeymoon in Port Douglas, $4990 spectacular honeymoon at Palazzo Versace, one of three $3000 bridal gowns, $3000 worth of Jewellery plus thousands of $$$ in other great prizes!
Added to all this, if you visit the Modern Wedding stand you will receive a Modern Wedding magazine at a special discounted show price.

Book your ticket online today and save $5 off each ticket.

Melbourne 22nd & 23rd May 2010
Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre
Clarendon Street, Southbank.

Sydney 29th & 30th May 2010
Royal Hall of Industries
The Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park.

Have a great time!

Sponsored wedding. Tacky or tasteful?

Photo - Chris JD

Would you ever consider having your wedding sponsored? It may seem like a good idea, having your every wedding dream fulfilled wothout spending a cent ... but think about this. You and your guests would be surrounded by branding, just like one big commercial break. Not exactly a romantic, relaxing environment... or would it be?
Being surrounded by brand names and mini commercials didn't faze Carrie Kerpen and her partner, who were able to have a $100,000 wedding, courtesy of 25 different sponsors.
Many have flagged the sponsored wedding idea as simply tacky. One such person is Celia Milton, a New Jersey based wedding officiant, who says "There is no situation in which this is appropriate." Read the full story...
I have to agree with Celia, this type of wedding is in bad taste and there are plenty of tasteful ways to create a beautiful wedding on a budget. Here are a couple of hints on how to save money on your wedding:
Be original and creative
You don’t have to follow the age-old traditions and rules. The more original and creative you are the more opportunities there will be to save – you will also have a personal and different celebration that friends and family will talk about for years.
Sweat the small stuff
The old adage that if you take care of your pennies the pounds will look after themselves has never been truer than when you’re organising a wedding. Pay close attention to every cent of your budget. Each small saving you make in one area will help you achieve the bigger picture and the wedding of your dreams.
Read our other tips to save you money.
Also be sure to track your budget with our budgeting tool. You need to sign up to use it but don't worry it's free and there are plenty more planning tools to help you plan the wedding of a lifetime.

Would you consider a sponsored wedding?

Theming inspiration

For any bride and groom stuck on how to decorate or theme their wedding check out this stunning website. There are heaps of great ideas. Keep in mind, they are mostly opulent weddings and the decorations may have cost more than my first house, however you can get some good ideas and find a more achievable option.
The beautiful mix of colours and textures are what makes simple decorations transform into, what appears to be, a professionally themed event.

Niemierko