Hair and Make Up Dilemma's

With the wedding around 6 weeks away now, I am finalising my look, deciding on my hair, make up and surprisingly the colour of my nails is all part of the finished product!

I do love make up, I love having my hair done although I am not the kind of girl who crimps her hair every day, I am partial to a little red lipstick however!

I am considering a 40's inspired look with a simple low side bun (very Grace Kelly) that will accentuate my hair piece that could also be considered a little vintage!

Images from left: hairstylingsuite101.com, hairstylepics.blogspot.com,beautyandthebath.com, latesthairstylebeautytips.blogspot.com

 

I am not considering adding a hairpiece despite my hair just about reaching my shoulders, however I am assured by my stylist that he will be able to achieve the look pictured above. I am planning to have a hair and make up trial with a try on session to make the final decision on the look and ensure that this is what I want in early September.

Regarding the make up I am torn between completely natural and full on glamour! At the moment glamour wins as I always think it looks nicer in the pictures! I am going to try paired down glamour with cherry lips rather than vixen red and black eyeliner but not too heavy, I think a trial is needed to make decisions!

Images from left: sistersinblackfrocks.blogspot.com, my vintagevows.blogspot.com, lisaelderidge.com, weddingobsession.com

Regarding my nails, as you know I am wearing royal blue colored shoes, so I am considering cherry pink toe nails and nude finger nails!!!

Beach Gorgeous!

Wow! This Blew my mind. As a starting point for Greek beach wedding this is fantastic. I love the wicker balls depicting the aisle and the simple gazebo draped in white. I think it is just magical. It could so easily be adapted to work beautifully on the shores of the Aegean.

I adore the idea of the rustic benches and fans for the congregation.  It not only looks beautiful but also has a practical use.  The fans could be exchanged for some that are more European and would look great if they were in a vivid colour. It could all be blended with balls of flowers and if you like the green, you could always make the flower balls out of hydrangeas.

I think it is just stunning.

NY

Natty's Wedding Invites!

God, where do I start!  We found this part of the organizing a little trying!  Scouring the Internet to find something appropriate, with a small amount of pressure from my father for a traditional styled invite.  There was only one thing to do, fuse the traditional with the modern!  I found a wonderful style in the Martha Stewart Wedding magazine.  It was named ‘destination wedding’ by www.papercupdesign.com and I loved it!  We wanted a travel theme for obvious reasons and what we liked about it was it was in a vintage style.  

Image care of marthastewart.com

I contacted the company and they were kind enough to send me some samples!  Step one accomplished.  The problem was they were based in the US and even though I loved the design and the concept, it was missing something.  My personal touch!  With the rough concept in hand I approached my wonderful printer, Patrick Dolling.  His wife is my Mothers oldest friend and so I was lucky to keep it all in house! So on to the fun part we went! We had been toying with the idea of giving everyone a guidebook of Crete but as you can imagine the prices were horrendous, so I ended up writing one myself!  It took time but it was so great when it was done and was a hit with the guest!  There is also a company that makes pop out pocket maps.  Sara contacted them for us and had them make up some maps.  What was great was they actually customized them to what I wanted and were extremely detailed as well as being easy to use due to their size, very evening bag friendly!

As the wedding was a three day affair, their had to be three invites. This was where the ‘destination design’ had caught my eye.  The vintage ticket stubs were perfect for the Friday and Sunday events and the wedding invitation was then kept as a more traditional invite with the traditional wording.

I know that these type of things interest me and other people are not that way inclined but I thoroughly enjoyed getting stuck into the designing of all of this.  It was great to work with someone who had such amazing vision and together we took the basic idea and made it into to something really awesome. The finished product was a travel pack (easy to travel with) which opened up to have a guide book, hand drawn map of the area with all the important sites (hotels, wedding venues, etc) on it, three invites, the pocket map, an RSVP and an addressed envelope to return the RSVP.  If I don’t say so myself…they were very cool!  See for yourselves.


NY

Jam Jar Heaven

OK so I have mentioned I used Jam Jars for tea lights at my wedding and I thought I would share some inspiration ideas I found whilst scouring the net.   I loved these ideas below.  Jam Jars can look amazing and so handy for a wedding in Greece as they are easy to find and all you have to do is recycle them on your way out.   

Photos from pastthemoon.com 

My Favorite ideas are the light bulb and using jam jars for drinks, I think they look great.  I can’t believe I didn’t think to use them to serve the Pimms out of at mine.  Damn it!  The light bulb, quite frankly is just cool and I am thinking I deserve some for my back yard.  Now what are your thoughts on using these really cute jam jars as place settings?  They would be so easy to make; all you need is jam jars and a pot of blackboard paint.  They could double up as either their water glasses or they could be favours with the koufetta in them.

Photos from epting events & Etsy.com

Photos from Etsy.com & Crazyagnus

I love the flowers and candles hanging in them.  It looks wonderful and also very practical with the temperatures in Greece to enable the flowers to have water.  They would look great in a beach wedding as well as a more traditional venue, modern or rustic theme.  Loving the jam jars!

NY

Lighting Your Stage

A subject we haven't discussed yet is lighting, which is key to setting the atmosphere for you wedding.  It is vital you put some thought in how you want your venue lit and by what form of lighting.  I was working with a beautifully rustic canvas and had split it into 4 areas.  The courtyard was the reception area, the raised patio was the chill out area, the back lawn was the dining area and lastly, the orchard pool area was the party zone.  I therefore needed lighting to depict the usage.  I obviously had some help!  I used a company from Heraklion called Sound design.  Not only did they provide all the Greek dancers and band but they also did all the lighting and DJ-ing, Manoli was fabulous.  He came to meet us in the February and we walked around the grounds picking out which trees to accent with up lighters (common areas also need addressing in certain cases) and his vision was also on the same page as mine.  Some venues will direct you in what needs to be done whilst others will use some imagination, it really depends on what type of venue you have chosen.  Kindelis, which was my reception venue was so beautiful in its own right that very little dramatic lighting was needed.  Only really in the party zone where I used pink lighting instead of normal which looked great against the turquoise of the lit pool!  Uplifting was really all we did with the rest of the venue.  We up lit key trees and the the house so it stood out a little more and also we lit a couple of the pots as accents around the courtyard.  The photos are below so decide for yourselves what you think.  I loved it!

Photos by Annie Angelopoulou and friends

Once you have decided on your larger lighting then the fun part comes with the smaller details.  I wanted to have a lot of candles in the venue and also to have the Chinese lanterns which I adore.  Although, in relation to the Chinese lanterns, it was not exactly what I was wanting I had to compromise.  I had envisioned a sea of large and small globes but due to the vastness of the back lawn it was impossible.  They would have sagged too low and we were unable to put in supports as it would have been a) messy b) too much of a liability for the guests.  So in the end I had to make do with 2 strings of large white Chinese lanterns in the dining area coupled with very simple candles on terracotta dishes dotted about.  On the tables I used beautiful terracotta tea light holders which were made locally and I rented off the florist. Now I know I said hiring is hard but we found a wonderful florist who bought them all and charged me a smaller rate as she was going to re sell them in her shop.  I would like to add she was so kind she gave me about 20 of them to bring home and if I say so myself, they look gorgeous on my garden table.

Leading to the party zone from the dining area was a beautiful walkway covered with bougainvillea and roses.  This needed to be lit as at night it was very dark with little lanterns hanging from the pergola and larger ones on the floor, it was so romantic as well as guiding people to the next step in the wedding.  I  used the tea lights that I made all down the driveway as well.  It was magical to look down and just have candles twinkling in the trees.

In the party zone I had fuchsia Chinese lanterns to accent the up lit trees and back lit wall.  It just gave the area the added light that it needed and made it stand out from the rest of the venue.

photos by Annie Angelopoulou

My advice to you all is take some time to think about what you want from your wedding, what atmosphere and address the lighting accordingly.  It is well worth the time and trouble and can completely change a venue from beautiful to magical.

NY

Little Details Make the Day

Photos by friends and care of Artedona.com

I am all about the little things! I love the details, it is what interests me the most in planning parties. For the wedding we came across so many quandaries in this area and also had moments of clarity! It was quite hard trying to incorporate Greek tradition with English and to include bits of South Africa into it as well. At one point I was looking to find some Zulu dancers and even went to the extreme of trying to coax some of Jubb's friends into doing it themselves. They chose to decline! The one great thing about the Saffas is; if you put them in an area with all their mates, hand them a beer, add a little sun and have something cooking over a fire then they are set! So only to merge the other too nationalities. In our family it is traditional for my father and brother to carve the lamb at Easter. I wanted to have them do this at the wedding, obviously not all the lambs but the first. I refer to my Father as Big George, so I ordered two aprons for them (no man looks good in a DJ covered in Lamb jus). One with BIG GEORGE F.O.B and the other for my Brother with BIG GEORGE JNR KOMBARO. To say I was amusing myself is an understatement. For their thank you presents (my brother was also my Kombaro) I order two Laguile carving sets with Olive Wood handles www.artedona.com which were beautiful and appropriate! Bless them they looked so sweet standing in front of everyone carving and what was great was everyone went up and got involved!

Photos by Annie Angelopoulou and other friends

My page boy who was only two and a half at the time was a little too young for a full DJ outfit.  So I bought him the DJ suit but coupled it with a really cute rolling stones t shirt and a pair of converse!!!  It was this that lead me to put the idea to Jubbs that all the grooms party may like to join in on the foot wear idea!  Jubbs is not a naturally formal person and as half his party were Saffas I thought they may enjoy wearing a pair of cons rather than formal dress shoes!  I was right!  So instead of buying them a thank you present that would sit on a shelf and never get used we bought them all a pair of black converse boots and then bought the entire wedding party, girls and all a classic Greece Lightning T-Shirt we found on http://www.snorgtees.com. Priceless!

NY

Our common vice, wedding photography!!

At the start of my career, I can't say that I had any interest or even an opinion on wedding photography. In fact due to the lack of internet and the fact that I never bought or looked at wedding magazines, I think my only experience of wedding photos would have come through the framed pictures of my family's weddings and perhaps the odd wedding album of my Greek friends. Not a good start really!
At some point, I suddenly saw some images that attracted my attention, I then started to research and look into what is out there, it was such a pleasant surprise!
So on to today, I have become very opinionated about wedding photography, I appreciate this art form, I constantly look at ideas, options, shoots to get inspiration, however at all times I always return to the same core belief:

If a photographer can take four or five candid unposed shots of you, through which you can see the emotion, the look, the atmosphere of the day, nothing else matters. These five shots tell the story, you should love looking at them and they will always take you back to that day. Of course you should have many shots that show the details and tell the entire story, so you don't forget anything, but those are the shots everyone will love!

SP

Why Research and a Road Trip are Key!

Getting married is stressful at the best of times but when you choose to marry abroad you have to allow for a few more hurdles.  Remember you will not be at hand to deal with any problems that may arise and will need to think a little more a head to enable yourself to have as smooth a process as you can.

Obviously picking the right location is key.  Make sure you look into all the ways to travel to and from the location as well as the hotel, restaurant hire car amenities of the location as well.  You have to plan not just for yourselves but also for your guests.  As you are choosing such a wonderful country to get married in a lot of the guest will use your wedding as a reason to plan a holiday.  You will need to give them as much information as possible otherwise you will leave yourself open to a lot of questions and needed advice at a time when you already have vast amount on your plate.  This is why I believe a road trip to where you choose is vital even if this is the only trip you take before the wedding.  Hire a car and investigate the area.  Check out all the hotels and make sure you meet the managers so you can do a deal with them on rates.  The majority of hotels will be prepared to do this for you if you are sending them a large amount of guests.  Make sure you look at all the different types of rooms available; you need to see them with your own eyes and not take the hotels word for it. Choose you preferred selection of hotels and let your guests know what amenities the hotel has, room rates and also location (close to town, on a beach, on a main road etc). Although hotels generally have websites, we all know the photos have a tendency to be a lot more forgiving than the reality.  Letting people know what there is to see and do is also good.  It allows them to plan their time in the area and leaves you then with the peace and mind that your guests are entertained, without you having to juggle last minute planning with running around after them.

Sourcing logistics for them is also very important; what airlines fly to that destination, ferry options, hydrofoils etc; all of this needs to be researched.  Which car hire company has the best deals and the best vehicles.  I actually sent my invites out six months in advance with all the relevant information in it so my guests could get themselves organised in good time.  Another important tip is to make sure all your guests inform you of where they are staying and the dates they will be there; this can be done on your RSVP card.

The other obvious reason for going to your location is so you can meet all your suppliers.  Arrange food tastings, flower trials, see your venues in person, meet the officiate of your wedding ceremony.   Even if you are using a travel company who have a wedding planning service, it really is advisable to check everything out for yourself.  Normally these services will have a local working with them on the ground, insist on meeting them.  They are after all taking a large role in your big day; you should make sure they are on the same wavelength as you. 

I know that nowadays we are all busy with our work life and we don’t have that much spare time to do all this but if there is one thing worth making the time for it is the research trip to your destination wedding.  In the long run it will save so much stress and allow you to have an amazing wedding experience.


NY

The Idea of Hiring in Greece

I know that we have already mentioned this in our chats but we felt that it should be elaborated on a little more! Now, don’t get me wrong you can hire accessories for your wedding in Greece but it is not that easy and it will cost you a lot of money. Here is why: The likelihood of finding a hire company on the islands is slim to none. Trust us we have tried and failed. In Athens is where you will find them and this will obviously incur costs. Firstly; you have the hire cost itself, which is quite dear. Secondly; you have then got to pay the transport cost of getting it to your location. This will normally involve a van and a ferry. Lastly; you will have to pay for the accommodation of the people who will deliver it and no, collecting and returning yourselves is not an option. We are very spoilt in the UK, USA and many other countries in that our event and wedding industries are very advanced. I went out expecting the same level of service and suppliers as I had at home and was quite shocked by the difference. So, you need to think carefully through what you will want and make plans accordingly. The above advice also extends to things like chairs, tables, marquees, glasses, crockery etc and also if you want something a little different from your florist, you will again have to buy the vessels. I was lucky in that I used a lovely German lady called Birgitte who lives in Chania. She did not charge me for a lot of it and the things she did charge me for were at a very cheap rate. All the other florists were trying to charge me for everything including the earth to pot the plants with.
Your caterers will have tables and chairs of their own but a lot of the smaller, more local caterers will have a very basic range. I chose to just take it for the team on this front, but if you want to have more stylish, modern things you will need to budget for them. I also found it cheaper to go to the cheap stores and buy candle holders and other accessories.
It bottles down to the Greeks don’t really understand the concept of second hand! It doesn’t appeal to them. So you need to really think about what is vital for your wedding look and then compromise on the rest otherwise it will cost you a fortune.

NY

My Favorite Wedding Dress.....Ever

I don't think Natalia and I are in complete agreement over this wedding dress, but I decided that it deserves it's own post!

Jenny Packham has made a huge impact on the wedding fashion industry in the last few years, she has become the go to designer for Grecian, flowy, simple and vintage looking gowns for the modern bride who does not want to wear a ballgown or traditional dress to her wedding! Her workmanship, choice of fabrics and collections are fantastic and I usually like several of her gowns in each collection, however I have fallen hard for this specific gown in the 2011 range.

Ok, what is it that I adooooooooooore about this dress??? It's reminiscent of ballet, it looks like a skirt and top, the clashing of textures of the fabrics, satin set against tulle, a simple design yet so incredibly beautiful!

Now is this ideal to be worn to a wedding abroad?????????? Yes absolutely, to hell with all my rules and regulations, wear what makes you happy and this dress is definitely one that would make me feel happy for many years to come. By the way it costs around 11.000 $ so if you too fall for the dress be prepared!!!

SP

My Fave Short Wedding Dresses

I am on a roll with one of my favorite subjects: wedding fashion!!! So today we are looking at my top 3 short wedding dresses, of course I don't need to mention why a short dress is a fun, comfortable dare I say sensible length of dress to choose for a wedding abroad! Team with killer heels and amazing headpiece and a tan and everything else will fall into place!

From the top we start with an incredible designer who has taken the fashion world by storm and is simply fantastic, Marchesa, her range of bridal wear is gorgeous, however I find her fashion range even more inspiring and think a lot of the dresses are perfect for the fashion conscious brides out there! So, on to my first pick, feathers, tick, low back, tick, blush color, tick, hmmmmmmm, a no brainer!!!!!!!!!

My second choice is by the Pronovias city line, I am having a short ruffly moment, ok I admit it will not work for most, but if you are tall, slim and have plenty of confidence why would you not??? I think I would make the belt more of a statement look at me piece though!

My final dress is again by Marchesa, yes I know repeating myself, it is gorgeous though, this minimal, origami style, simple, minimal gown is fantastic for a modern wedding, I would team with colored or perhaps metallic shoes to really set it off!

SP

Our Wedding Dress pics for this season

If you have read my previous post on how to choose a wedding dress, then you can now consider that I have flicked through many magazines and have settled on the following dresses fit to be worn for a wedding abroad and one that is fit to be worn to anything and anywhere, it truly is love at first sight for me!

Starting from the top, we have the simplest of simple wedding gowns, with a round cut t-shirt style on top, yet an elegant maxi length, I love this style for it's simplicity. Available at JCrew.com

The second is by a favorite designer, Marchesa, I just adore her, this gown is not from her wedding range, however I feel that it's such a grecian inspired, drapy, glam gown it would be ideal to be worn to a wedding abroad. marchesa.com

The final dress is by the chicest of chic designers, Vera Wang, this is a little puffy for my usual tastes, however I love that it's frothy, I love the sash around the waist and the contrasting black color and I love that it is almost sculptured rather than entirely soft and flowing, a very interesting shape.

SP