The Wedding Diary: Invites

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

First, I have to apologise for not updating my Wedding Diary as often as I should. I assure you the wedding is being planned but I underestimated how hard it would be to run a magazine, publish a book while writing another one, be a freelance writer, act and go to auditions, finish two scripts and plan a wedding all at once. I am also sure I missed something out there. To top it all off: we are also moving a couple of days after our wedding. That won’t be stressful at all….

So for my first of many catch-up entries I am going to start with the invites. Now a lot of wedding invites are incredibly expensive. You are talking hundreds of pounds for a piece of cardboard. We were shocked at the prices. If you add in save the date cards and thank you cards, it would be easy to rack up a thousand pounds if you include postage. So what is a frugal girl to do? Ebay. Obviously.

We got beautiful, personalised invitations for a very reasonable price. I won’t show the exact ones at the moment because I haven’t sent them out yet and we don’t want to ruin the surprise of people getting them (or have stalkers turn up at our wedding. I have had a few bad experiences in the past). The invitations are beautiful, come with envelopes and are well made and high quality. Just put ‘wedding invitations’ into the search function of Ebay and you can get some amazing ones for under £50.

We didn’t send out save the date cards because of environmental reasons, and also cost. We emailed and called people instead. The wedding industry is a £10 billion industry in the UK so don’t buy something just because you feel you have to.

When it came to the design of our invitations, we wanted something that reflected us and who we are. Family members will probably try and pull you in a certain way, but we wanted ours to be fresh and fun. Our invites are white, with a multicoloured tree. We are in our twenties so we wanted something to reflect that: nothing stuffy. They also came in a very handy, protective plastic case.

If you want to spend more on your invitations then John Lewis do some beautiful ones, and so do Marks and Spencers and VistaPrint. If you are good at DIY you can also make your own.

What to put on your invites

Your names (we included our surnames as we weren’t sure people would know who we were!)

Date and time of the wedding

RSVP details. Include a non-email option for the older guests. Include a deadline for the RSVP. Needed for the catering and seating.

The venue address and the reception address too if it is different.

Your wedding gift list number. We went with John Lewis and Prezola.com

Other options

Parents details. We decided not to do this but you can include either parents or both. As in: ‘Mr and Mrs Smith invite *guest name* to the marriage of their daughter, Chloe, to Matt Fox.’

Dress code. We didn’t put one on as everyone knows weddings are formal. I would only include a dress code if it is anything other than formal. For instance: a themed wedding or black tie.

You can, of course, put whatever you want on your invitations. It is your wedding.

What will you put?

My wedding book is out now. If you are getting married then check out my book The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity, it has everything you need to know about planning your dream wedding.

Wedding Ideas: Vintage Shoot Part Two

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Frostie

Here is part two of our gorgeous vintage wedding shoot. Full of sigh-worthy dresses, hairpieces and cakes. It’s the stuff dreams are made of. Photography from Emma-Jane Photography. Time to start pinning. Here is part one.

Wedding shoot credits:

Photography and Art direction: Emma-Jane lewis of Emma-Jane Photography
Model: Nicky Robinson (Miss Deadly Red)
Makeup: Mel Kisman of Mel Kinsman bridal make-u artist
Hairstyling: AnneMarie Lawson stylist
Flowers: Liz Inigo Jones of Blue Sky Flowers
Cakes: Charlotte Geen of Langs of London
Dresses: ONEofOne by Maibritt Kokholm
Headpieces and jewellery: Rosie Weisencrantz Vintage Jewellery

If you are planning your wedding then get your hands on The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. It has great advice on every aspect of wedding planning and lots of great advice. It includes an interview with amazing photographer Emma-Jane Lewis. The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity is available in print, ebook and Kindle. The Kindle version is only £2.99.

Wedding Ideas: Vintage Shoot Part One

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Frostie

We have a gorgeous vintage wedding shoot. Full of sigh-worthy dresses, hairpieces and cakes. It’s the stuff dreams are made of. Time to start pinning. Part two is here.

Wedding shoot credits:

Rioja Gran Reserva Imperial 2005 Wine Review

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Frostie

Rioja Gran Reserva Imperial 2005 is a medium-bodied and intense ruby-red wine. Imperial is one of the big names of Spain. It is a true classic in Rioja and was first produced in the twenties. Its name comes from a special bottling for the English market, in a measure called ‘Pinta Imperial’ or ‘Imperial Pint’ which is approximately half a litre. It has always been characterised by its very high and constant quality in every vintage.

It is rich with black and red berry fruit, along with liquorice notes. It is wonderfully generous in its fruitiness. Along with toasty oak and savoury balsamic. As well as plums and damsons. It has a long finish.

It reminds me of autumn berry fruits and has tastes of coffee, caramel and cinnamon. A well structured palate adds to this brilliant wine. It is pricey, but worth it at £26.99. The price may make it one for a special occasion, just make sure the occasion happens.

Gran reserva is the top wine classification of the Rioja region. For the classification it has to have been aged for five years.

Enjoy with roast lamb, game, cheese and stew.

How Well Do We Know Our Friends?

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

I met Paloma at a Tweetup in Ealing. It was towards the end of the night and it was almost a fluke that we met, and a very happy one at that. At the time she worked for the Ealing Gazette and she interviewed me for it. This was a marker for our future friendship: she is generous, giving and always looks for opportunities to help people. She really is a true friend and is now my chief bridesmaid at my wedding in July. When I met her I thought she was beautiful, nice, sweet, smart, a decent person and great company. All things turned out to be true.

However, it was a little embarrassing doing the Flowers of Holland competition challenge which is hosted on their Facebook page, because I learned that, even though we know a lot about each other, there is quite a bit I don’t! Almost like a Mr and Mrs challenge where the guy does really badly. For the challenge, if you guess your best friend’s favourite flower correctly you are entered to win a bouquet of flowers. Which is pretty cool so take the challenge yourself.

I will find out soon if my answers were even slightly correct, but what I do know is that we have loads in common: we have the same anniversary with our fiancees’, got engaged at the same time, are the same age, are the youngest with two older siblings…the list goes on. You can take part in the competition yourself here.

What is my friend’s favourite cafe?

It will be somewhere amazing that no one else had heard of yet. She is good at finding the buzzing places before they are trendy.

What’s my friends’ favourite place to shop?

She has good style but is also not too frivolous. I reckon she might like Topshop and will also know lots of out-of-the-way boutiques and shops that no one else knows about.

What’s my friend’s favourite city?

London I reckon. It is an amazing city and she grew up in London.

What’s my friend’s favourite movie?

Oh, hard one. Maybe Dirty Dancing? It is pretty classic and most women like it.

What’s my friend’s favourite flower?

Roses I think. Paloma is elegant.

What’s my friend’s favourite fragrance?

Maybe something from Dior.

I hope I got some of these right! I now nominate two excellent bloggers, http://teatimeinwonderland.co.uk and http://www.lookwhatigot.co.uk/ to do the challenge. Good luck gals!

Take the challenge yourself and leave your link below, I would love to read it.

How To Get Glowing Skin: What Products To Use

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

You want healthy glowing skin? Of course you do. I have had lots of fun testing these products. Let me know what you think.

Stila Set & Illuminate Baked Powder Trio

Now this is a setting powder. So why is it in an piece about glowing skin? Well, not all setting powders are chalky and cakey. When used properly they can give you great skin. This Set & Illuminate Baked Powder Trio adds radiance to the skin and makes foundation and blusher stay put all day. It gives you airbrushed, fresh, naturally beautiful skin. Really great stuff.

The powder is made up of three different shades and comes with a plastic shaver which gives you just the right amount of product when you half turn it. It also stops mess, so points for the great design, especially the slick, black compact. The best thing about this product is that it is subtle. It’s not glittery or shimmery and it’s not too much for daytime. It just makes your skin look fresh and perfect in a very subtle and natural way. Available from stilacosmetics.com and costs £24.

Stila Set & Bronze Baked Powder Trio

This is similar to the Set & Illuminate in design: it has the same handy plastic shaver in a beautiful black compact. The compact also has a mirror. The difference is in the word ‘bronze’. This give healthy looking tanned skin. In the only way you should get tanned skin (no sunbeds). It comes with three shades:

Matte bronze – which bronzes and warms the skin
Kitten shimmer – to brighten and illuminate
Bronze shimmer – enhances skintone

You can wear this alone if you have good skin but it also sets foundation. It makes makeup last all day. The powder also has Vitamin E and jojoba oils so it moisturises and conditions. It gives natural glowing skin rather than turning you into a glitter ball. Not that there’s anything necessarily wrong with that. Available from ASOS and costs £24

Stila Illuminating Liquid Foundation 20 Watts

This is also natural and makes you look like you are not wearing makeup. I love the bottle it comes in. It is very sturdy and I like the weight of it. There is no SPF in it which some people prefer, although due to my pale skin I tend to take SPF whenever I can. The foundation gives a very subtle shimmer. It is light and it gives a sheer coverage which is just better than a tinted moisturiser. If you like heavy coverage this won’t be for you, but it is a great, natural foundation to give you glowing skin. It’s not matte, it gives a smooth look without looking like you are overly done up. Perfect for a radiance boost.

£25 or cheaper if you shop around. Try Google Shopping or buy from feelunique.com

Stila All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer Pink Shimmer

This adds a delicate shimmer for a radiant glow. This is not really a pink shimmer, but more a beautiful champagne shade. This also has antioxidant and grape seed oil which conditions and cares for the skin while you glow. The soft-focus pigments help diminish the appearance of fine lines and skin imperfections while adding uplifting highlights. This product is great as you can use it as a highlighter on cheekbones and underneath the brow bone. It can be used on top of foundation or mixed with moisturiser. Great stuff. From feelunique.com

Stila Sheer Pressed Powder

I have included this because getting shine under control is always going to give healthy looking skin. The oil-control formula is finely milled for a smooth, flawless finish. It makes skin look clean and polished. It doesn’t look cakey or heavy on the skin. Good stuff. Available here.

Simple Kind To Skin Illuminating Radiance Cream

This product is more glittery than the Stila products. It is more obvious but I got a lot of compliments when I was wearing it. I love Simple products because they don’t put a lot of nasty stuff in them. I have sensitive skin and they are gentle but they really work. The cream has Pro-Vitamin B3, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin E and Bisabolol, Ginger Root Extract, Sweet Almond Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil. It also doesn’t have any artificial perfumes, colours or chemicals. It has light reflecting minerals along with UVA/UVB SPF15 protection. I have actually been wearing this cream almost everyday. Sometimes I wear it alone (usually with concealer) or as a primer under foundation or BB cream. When I use it as a primer I don’t use a lot of foundation or BB cream. Overall this is really good, inexpensive stuff. Recommended. £8.99 for 50ml at Superdrug

Laura Geller Spackle Neutralizing Colour-Correcting Under Make Up Primer

This is a good primer that improves skin’s texture so makeup glides on and looks freshly applied for hours. It has subtle peach undertones, is lightweight and “neutralises” skin imperfections. It is oil-free and paraben-free and has botanicals such as Aloe Vera to help calm skin and reduce the appearance of redness, as well as Centella Asiatica and White Tea Extracts which provide antioxidant protection. A very good primer, available from QVC

Bourjois Blush Exclusif

This is a great pink blusher that suits everyone. It has self-adjusting technology that gives everyone a personalised pink. You can watch it transform on your skin which is pretty cool. Quite impressive. According to Superdrug’s ‘its formula contains pH reactive pigments to transform your cheeks into a customised pink shade’. Just put a little on the apples of your cheeks and hello health! Makes even the most tired skin look like you go for a daily morning run. This is a suit-everyone pink cream blusher and that lasts all day. It is just dream-worthy, it works like a highlighter and blusher. Very glowy.

£7.99 from Very.com or Superdrug

Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Cream

A hybrid moisturiser which works as a radiance booster, a primer and a light moisturiser. Is a great all-in-one but if you have dry skin then you might need another moisturiser. Gives skin a beautiful, shimmer-free, dewy glow.

£32 from QVC or Harvey Nichols

Benefit Finding Mr Bright Makeup Set: Girl Meets Pearl, Posie Tint, Highbeam and Erase Paste.

Girl Meets Pearl gives you a light-from-within glow. Makes you look like you were born beautiful, Posie Tint gives the most gorgeous, rosy tint on cheeks and looks very natural, Highbeam is a silverish pink liquid that makes you glow like J-Lo. Put on your cheekbones, brow bones & the bridge of your nose. Erase Paste is a brilliant concealer, industrial strength to hide any flaws. This is a brilliant set and perfect for glowing, healthy skin. It’s not over the top, just makes you look happy and glowing. Available from Amazon UK and feelunique.com

What do you think?

Spring Clean Your Beauty Bag

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Frostie

There’s nothing like a good spring clean, but it’s not just your house that may need a good clear out; how long have you had that blue eye shadow in your make-up bag? What about that body lotion lurking in your bathroom? A lot of people keep skincare and makeup way past their use by date but old products are a breeding ground for bacteria which you are then transferring to your skin.

Follow Skincare Expert & Facial Therapist Amanda Elias’ DO’s and DON’Ts to ensure a clean beauty cabinet this Spring.

DO use a marker pen to note the date you’ve open the product. Most skincare products only have the months in which they should be discarded after use rather than an actual date. By noting the date you’ll know when to discard it if left unused.
DON’T keep make-up or skincare “for best” because there’s a good chance they’ll pass their expiry date before you use them. If you’ve splurged, reap the benefits by using your products regularly and while they’re at their optimum.

DO wash your hands or use the end of a spoon as a spatula before scooping product out of a jar to prevent the spread of bacteria.
DON’T use product which has separated, changed colour, changed in smell or has started to irritate your skin; take this as an indication to replace it.
DO follow the life expectancy of cosmetics;
Mascara – 3 months
Liquid foundation and concealer – 12-18 months.
Lipstick and Gloss – 2 years for lipstick and 1 year for gloss. A good sign that a lip product has gone off is that it can leave the lips irritated or tingly.
Nail Varnish – 2 years. If the product separates and doesn’t combine when you shake it, it’s time to replace it.
Eye and lip pencils – as these are sharpened you are constantly removing any bacteria so they should last for at least 2 years.
Powders such as Eyeshadow, Blusher and face powder generally last 2 years, if you notice the product is dryer than it used to be, replace.
DON’T ignore your make-up brushes; these should be cleaned once a week. I like to clean my foundation brush daily as bacteria can grow quickly. My tip is to clean my foundation brush and an extra brush every time I put my make-up on, which guarantees all the brushes I use are always clean and free from bacteria.

If you’ve bought make-up and skincare within the last 6 months that you don’t like or use, why not have a swapping party with your friends? There’s a good chance they’ve also got recently purchased, unused products in their make-up bag or beauty cabinet.

For any skincare or make-up products or accessories that are in great condition but aren’t being used, why not donate them to this worthy cause? http://www.giveandmakeup.com.

Highly experienced within the industry, Amanda Elias is the brains behind effective yet affordable skincare brand, Bravura London – a business founded following Amanda’s own skin problems and subsequent discovery of using AHA, BHA and Hydraulic Acid for troubled skins.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads Review

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

I have previously reviewed Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Serum, which I loved and thought made a real difference to my skin. It was even our product of the year so I had high hopes for the Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads. The first thing I have to say about them is how convenient they are. Usually exfoliating requires massaging a scrub into your face and I always worry I am rubbing too much or not enough.

These are just presoaked pads which smell of citrus (which is lovely and soft- not overpowering), and have bumps on one side. You wipe it over your face, neck and decolletage.The pads are small but do the entire area. It says use the pads once or twice a day. I do it almost every day.

I don’t have any wrinkles yet but the pads leave my skin brighter and exfoliated. I feel my overall skin texture and tone has improved. In fact an annoying patch of dryness that was so noticeable on my neck it actually looked a bit orange has now gone. The pads also have witch hazel and blue daisy in them to soothe and tone.

I love these pads. They are a mild chemical peel but are still gentle and they do not sting my sensitive skin. They leave a temporary tackiness just after they are applied but this does not linger. I highly recommend these pads and at £12.95 for 60 pads they are very cheap for what they are. A warning though: these are a mild chemical peel so after you have used them you must use an SPF if you go out.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads are available from Boots and Superdrug.

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Tag Archives: blog

The Wedding Diary: Invites

Wedding Ideas: Vintage Shoot Part Two

Wedding Ideas: Vintage Shoot Part One

Rioja Gran Reserva Imperial 2005 Wine Review

How Well Do We Know Our Friends?

How To Get Glowing Skin: What Products To Use

Spring Clean Your Beauty Bag

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads Review

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