Victoria Sponge

The Victoria Sponge is light and oozing with jam and cream. Perfect with a cuppa tea.
I love the idea of the Victoria Sponge as a wedding cake, but am curious about how it would remain fresh on a hot Summer's day. I've read that cake makers tend to make a Madeira sponge as it will remain moist for longer. You can also use buttercream rather than cream. I like the idea of a naked cake, yes I said naked. Un-iced, dusted with icing sugar and dressed with fruit. I don't think cake-makers are generally that keen to make these due to the logistics of making the cake on the day and delivering the cake just before the wedding breakfast. Perhaps this is the ultimate DIY wedding cake. Perhaps I'll make one for my Mad Hatters Tea Party the weekend following the wedding. I very much doubt I'll want to be baking cakes on W-day!

caketoppers

I really adore this cute bird cake topper by boho bride

On the theme of love birds, I found a really cute bird banner by Quirky Corn Crib

I think this would look amazing on a White traditional cake or Victoria Sponge. Tweet!

I'm crazy about Melabo's animal bird toppers. Bride and Grooms that have been mutated with the animal head of your choice. I'm definitely a Bunny!

Something Old and Something New

I'm bidding on a cream lace cake stand on Ebay. Crossing all limbs on this one. It's really nice to buy something preloved. I like to think of this cakestand as being passed from bride to bride, full of memories and oozing with joy. The bride actually used a Marks and Spencer traditional cake so I can see exactly how it's going to look. How lucky!

mmhmmmm!

SO, out with the old and in with the new...John Lewis have a serious cakestand contender in the ring! This pink tinted ornate glass stand oozes "Eat Me" and is a catch at £25. What's more, there are also two smaller versions so that you can create a glass cakestand tier if you so wished.

Sweet Avalanche

My florist has suggested I use Sweet Avalanche roses in my floral arrangements.

This arrangement by uses Metalina, Little Silver, Cezanne, Vendella & Amnesia. I absolutely love the use of fresh herbs Pepper Mint, Oregano and Rosemary.

I am wondering whether my china teacup trios will require some height on the oval table. These stacked books really give it some presence.

Fewer things are lovelier to me than a full-blown rose when it opens up its heart

I discovered David Austin roses today. These roses are beautiful, charming and have the form of old roses.

My favourite is the new 'Keira' rose, which has a very vintage appearance with a blend of blush pink, cream and warm peachy highlights. A romantic garden feel is created by combining the Keira rose with seasonal flowers, herbs and foliage.

Cake Displays

Wedding cakes are the talking point of most weddings. As tempting as chocolate and cupcakes are, I'm pretty set on having a traditional fruit cake that tastes fantastic but doesn't require a remortgage. I considered making it, but I don't relish the responsibility of feeding it brandy every 3 weeks...thanks heavens for Marks and Spencer! The traditional cakes are just so pretty and classic, how can one resist? They sell little taster cakes off the shelf too. It was ofcourse my DUTY to embark on a tasting mission!

I've been thinking a lot about cake lately (mmmm cake....). I want my wedding breakfast table to be very formal and uncluttered. Perhaps the cake table is a chance for me to have some real fun?

Vintage is everywhere on the Hight Street and I know I can hunt some realtreasures in junk shops. Let the trinket hunting commence!

Summer Vintage inspiration board

Mt bridesmaid's dresses from I LOVE GORGEOUS today. They are so beautiful. When I get a chance I'm going to see how they look with my wedding dress. Fingers crossed that they'll tie together visually.

I found some time to put together a new inspiration board today. This one has a Summer Vintage Romance theme. I'm really liking the china cups as floral decorations and the ticket to marriage is a really cute touch.

credits and links:
Bridal Bandeau
vintage flowers
vintage rubber stamps
happily ever after ticket to marriage
Petticoat Misty Grey
Attic Princess Dress
Personalised Handmade Fairy Bridal Wand
Initial badge - for girls
Personalised Little Hearts

I'm in the mood for love

Creating mood and inspirational boards for bridal inspiration is so much fun! I've created a board using my dress, flowergirl dresses and my own vintage china. I'm pretty happy with the result. I would definately like the antique ivories and green-white flowers with splashes of pink colour. Still undecided on the type of flower (real, paper etc). There is something very vintage and romantic about the Ranunculus spray flower. I found beautiful artificial versions on Afloral.com

Let them eat cake!

Reinvented vintage china teacups and plates make sophisticated yet quirky table centrepieces for the wedding breakfast table.

Adding a single posey or fancy cake to the cakestand would be such a tease!

sugar and spice and everything nice that's what little girls are made of; sunshine and rainbows and ribbons for hair bows that's what little girls are made of

It was a typical Welsh Summer day today. Rain. Sun. Shower! Not easily put off, I trekked into town to visit Next and found two gorgeous vintage style bridesmaid dresses.

My niece, Goddaughter and daughter will be eleven, three and 19months on W-day.The challenge is to find three dresses that will suit all three girls. I like the idea of mismatched dresses if there is unity of colour or style.

Here is Next's new line of vintage embellished dresses:

vintage style embellished dress

This dress has quite a sophisticated appeal for the older child:

vintage embellished dress

Finding something for my 19month old daughter would prove a little trickier as the embellished dresses are not suitable or available for her age group. Luckily, I Love Gorgeous have an adorable bridesmaid section. I am IN LOVE with the baby Marie Antoinette dress.

My dress is tea-stained and fashioned with peach, pink and cream ribbons and corsage. I Love Gorgeous have a range of dusty pink and soft peach dresses that would really work well with my dress. For the younger ladies, the Soft Peach Dorothy dress in silk chiffon is so classic and so English tea party. Beautiful.

The Peach Cross my heart dress is perfect for older girls. I love the simple elegance of the fluttery sleeves and gold empire line trim.

Flower Girl Wands

I love these flower girl wands, which have a fairy-esque appeal. I can imagine little flower girls fluttering down the aisle with a cascade of ribbons flowing behind them. Quite different from a traditional basket or flowers.

These would be made with a dowel wrapped in ribbon and tacking ribbons of varying lengths and colours. Sewing or glueing fabric or paper flowers would give them a real wedding feel.

Paper Roses; Oh how real those roses seem to be

I've been inspired by the idea of using paper flowers for my wedding. Question is, do I have the patience to make them myself? With a year run up to W-day, I think I can find out if I have an inner 'origami'.

I love the beautiful bouquets and kissing balls made by Braggingbags, Morgan Hill designs on Etsy.com (this site is becoming a firm favourite of mine!) Morgan also creates unique wooden flower pomanders which are breathtakingly beautiful.

While we are on the subject of paper, how cute is this paper banner by LittleRetreats

What's in a name? that which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet;

Heritage roses have always been a favourite of mine. I have warm memories of walking up my Nan and Pop's garden path lined with rose bushes. I adore the dusky pinks and old fashioned florals of Cariad Designs (Cardiff) vintage collection. My thinking is that the dress should always be the starting point for the flowers, because the bouquet plays such a central role. I want to achieve vintage romance with simplicity and beautifully muted colours for my tiny vintage wedding.

This elegant vintage floral arrangement of Amnesia, Metalina,Avalanche, Sweet Avalanche roses radiates grace and elegance.

I've been advised to use seasonal flowers, because it's kinder on the purse. Think roses, peonies, hydrangeas... hmmm, but what about paper flowers?

Yes, PAPER flowers?!I stumbled across these magnificant creations by SunnyandStumpy on Etsy.com

WOW!

For starters, can you base your wedding around the dress?

Hmmm. Yes, Yes, Yes! As soon as I saw this dress, I knew it was THE dress for me and I'd simply fit my wedding around it to suit! Made by Lovechild Boudoir, this tea-stained dress is classical, vintage and ethereal with a contemporary twist. Quite simply, I saw, I adored and I had one made to order. There is something about this dress that conjures up images of roses, high tea, chintzy bone china and country houses in my mind. Every so often, I secretly try the dress on. It looks better and better each time (happy coincidence that I'm gradually losing the baby weight?). Now, I can't actually post a picture of myself in the dress for obvious reasons, but I think this image by Xanthe Ellis Photography will suffice. The white overskirt isn't part of this dress, it actually comes with a long lace sash that can be used as a belt. It is also accessoried with sating peach and ivory ribbons and a removable corsage. It's so floaty and romantic!