A WEDDING 'TO DO' LIST FOR THE YEAR AHEAD

1. Find a Wedding Planner book, I didn't realise quite how much there is to note down! Having somewhere to hand when I'm out and about or when inspiration hits sounds ideal, I love the look of this notebook.

2. Design our wedding rings. 

3. Start trying on dresses. With ASOS (love this one!) and Needle & Thread (so dreamy) conveniently now selling bridal dresses I really need to start the process of finding the perfect dress

4. Cake tasting. Chocolate cake, caramel cake, sponge cake, red velvet... can I just have a tier of each?

5. Choose my wedding fragrance, so far it's a toss up between Ellie Saab Le Parfum and a Jo Malone cologne, they all smell heavenly!

6. Pick a lipstick, I have a feeling that choosing my wedding make up may take me a while. I'd love one to keep as a keepsake after the wedding, so possibly a Charlotte Tilbury one (that packaging!), I just can't decide on the shade!

7. Browse Pinterest, brochures and blogs for the perfect honeymoon/wedding destination. The Maldives was my ideal choice but as you can't actually officially get married there and so I'm still on the look out for other locations.

8. Research flowers for my bouquet, let's face it I'll probably end up with something simple like some gorgeous peonies & a spray of gypsophila but I want to see what will be in season and readily available - there's something quite therapeutic about looking at so many pretty floral arrangements!

9. ...Then hunt down a shop that will turn my fresh bouquet into a paperweight to keep forever - like this. I love the idea!

10. Splurge on this Love, Laughter & Happily Ever After passport holder, it's adorable!

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WEDDING PLANNING UPDATES - BEAUTY

After finally deciding on a couple of potential dates for the wedding, I've been slowly moving forward with the wedding planning. Starting with a few of the littlest (but still pretty exciting!) things for me to plan, I've been gathering ideas and making plans for all things beauty related. I'm planning on doing my own hair and make up on the day and so I've been researching the best products and looking for inspiration, these are my plans so far:

Make up: 
The idea - Dewy pinks, champagnes, rose lips and highlighted skin.

For my eyes, I'm leaning towards a shimmery champagne shade like Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadow in Champagne Quartz paired with winged liner and fluttery lashes. This isn't too different to my normal/staple go to look which I don't want to stray too far from. I might also smudge a little black eyeshadow over the liner a for a slightly smokey/smudgy but still defined line.

For blusher, MAC Well Dressed looks like the perfect, delicate cool toned pink for flushed cheeks, it works so well with highlighted, dewy skin and so I think it would be a great option for the day.

Lastly, I'm keeping an eye out for the perfect rose lipstick, I really want this to be something special that I can keep forever, I love the look of Charlotte Tilbury Bond Girl.

Fragrance:
It would be the dream to have a Jo Malone Bridal Consultation and to choose two colognes to make up the perfect bespoke wedding scent for me. I've heard tales of how special and wonderful Jo Malone customer services are and having the memories and customised blends would be a real treat.

Nails:
Currently, my choices are a simple french manicure, a shimmery nude like Essie Vanity Fairest or a hint of glitter on the tips. I'm currently favouriting the idea of a simple nude like Essie Mademoiselle paired with a delicate silver ombre effect on the tips. 

Hair:
For my hair, I can imagine cascading curls with small pieces pinned back and gyposophilia gathered at the back of the hair (similar to how Hayley has her hair at her wedding in The Originals!). I love the simplicity of gyposophilia, it's affordable, beautiful and bridal and would work perfectly tucked into the hair.

It's made it quite real (and so exciting!) finally noting these ideas down. Any tips, posts that you have (or love!) or advice would be really appreciated as I feel a little in the dark in all of this! 

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A FRIDAY CATCH UP – WEDDING PLANNING AND COLDS

I've spent the most part of this week ill in bed, drinking endless mugs of lemon, ginger and honey teas whilst watching Netflix and wedding planning. It's actually been quite nice to switch off for a while, I've felt a little lost with my blog and with life in general and being sick really forced me to take a well needed step back. I've spent hours reading some of my favourite lifestyle blogs including CiderWithRosie, ARosieOutlook and TheLondoner (three Rosie's!) and have fallen back in love with blogging all over again.

As for wedding planning, I'm not much further on than my first wedding planning post. I've poured through magazines and holiday brochures to get an idea of possible locations and honeymoons. I've been browsing for the prettiest bouquets and dreaming of the perfect vanilla sponge cake.

Following an Ocado food delivery on Tuesday and at the joy of having a fully stocked fridge again, I've been making steaming bowls of vegetable chilli topped with jalapeño lime guacamole to help fend off mine and Alex's colds and to build our immune systems back up. I throw in as many vegetables as possible (courgettes, green beans, sweetcorn, leeks) along with a tin of chickpeas, half a tin of kidney beans, a jar of passata and a chilli spice mix. It's lasting us the rest of the week and can be topped on jacket potatoes with heaps of cheese, wrapped in tortillas with rice and salad or enjoyed in a bowl with guacamole and brown rice.

I'm finally venturing out of the house today, I'm on the hunt for a window sill herb garden and have plans to browse Topshop's make up aisles. I've popped on a few of my favourite pinks (Sleek Rose Gold blusher, Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Yu & Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pink Gold) and I'm ready to go.

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