Happiness…

So last Friday Annabel form Love My Dress posted a very inspirational blog post as part of her Being Self Employed series entitled ‘Focusing on the Good Stuff’. In it she asks people to list five things that make them happy right now and reading everybody’s lists in the comments really is inspiring and uplifting stuff. I eventually got round to leaving a comment this week and I thought I’d share it with you all here as I too am often guilty of focusing on the negative rather than the positive but when I look back over all I have achieved in the last few years I realise how far I have come and just how much I am grateful for:

1. My husband, my best friend, the ‘one’- we’ll be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary next month and though the last few years have seen some of our most challenging times as we both made life changing career choices-him to go back into full time education to qualify to be a social worker and me to set up my wedding planning business our relationship and marriage feels stronger than ever right now
2. Our gorgeous little 5year old boy-watching him grow up has been amazing, every day he makes me smile in wonder and he gives the best cuddles and kisses.
3. My parents-their support and encouragement has been invaluable from babysitting, sewing skills to yummy home-grown fruit and vegetables and much more…
4. The amazing and inspiring people I have met in the last few years in the wedding industry especially those that have become great friends.
5. An exciting new project that I found out about last week that I just can’t wait to start

I snuck in one more because I’m really quite chuffed about it…
     6.  Dropping 2 dress sizes this year and still managing to sneak in eating chocolate!!

The great thing about a list like this is you start to think of all the many other simple things that make you happy too…

Meeting friends for cocktails or afternoon tea for a good gossip and a giggle. Baking chocolate banana cake with my gorgeous little boy who wants to be baker when he grows up. Sitting in the sun in my parents’ garden eating freshly picked raspberries from their bushes. Going clubbing and dancing so much your feet hurt the next day. Snuggling up on the sofa watching our favourite TV programs like Mad Men. The hubby choosing to watch Twilight and Sex and City the movie with me last weekend. Reading my favourite book the Time Travellers Wife again. A long hot soak in the bath by candlelight….

What makes you happy?

Image Credit: Henri Matisse - The Dance, 1910 - State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg via suite101.com

 

Always Asks: Green's Restaurant at Cornhill

I recently had the pleasure of having a delicious lunch at Green’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar at Cornhill in the City. It’s a wonderful building which houses the Runner Bar also, with a discreet entrance, once inside you are greeted by a pretty amazing interior and it would make the perfect backdrop for a London wedding reception in the City.

I caught up with Lee Southwell, the wedding and events manager,  afterwards to ask her few questions about Green's and wedding planning:

There’s been a Green’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar in St James for a number of years, how long has Green’s Restaurant and the Runner Bar been at Cornhill in the City?

Green’s at Duke Street St. James’s will celebrate its 30^th anniversary in 2012, one of the longest-running productions in the West End.  Green’s Cornhill was opened in September 2009.

It’s a fabulous building and a great location for a wedding; can you tell us a little about the history of the building?

The site itself dates back to 1677, and was known as The Black Horse House where its occupants plied the trades of goldsmiths and bankers.  The black horse motif evolved into the Lloyds’ bank logo of today.  The building was constructed for Lloyds in the 1930’s with elegant features typical of the time.  A large floor mosaic of the prancing black horse in The Runner Bar is a reminder of the building’s past.  It is located within easy walking distance of many iconic churches such as St. Mary Le-Bow and St. Paul’s Cathedral. 

How would you describe the food at Greens?

Delicious!  And very, very fresh.  Green’s is known and loved for its very distinctive, traditional British menu.  Customers come back time and again for old favourites or to try the specials which always include meat dishes. 

Does Green’s have a signature dish as it is or you’d like it to become famous for?

A signature dish is the “smoked haddock Parker Bowles”, at first glance a comfort food, but the Champagne sauce adds a silky touch of luxury. We would like Green’s to be famous for its consistently excellent British dishes.

If you were having your wedding here what would you choose for your wedding breakfast/menu?

I would choose a seasonal starter, with it being Summer, I would choose the

Bulgar wheat and broad beans salad with minted yoghurt, sweet red pepper dressing,

Or

Coarse pork terrine with apricot chutney and toasted homemade walnut bread

The main course would be a choice of:

Grilled halibut with wilted spinach and hollandaise sauce (my personal favourite)

Or

Roast rump of lamb with runner beans and confit garlic, rosemary jus

Or, for the Vegetarians:

Grilled field mushrooms with sautéed spinach, poached egg, red wine butter sauce and garlic toast

And dessert would be another seasonal choice:

Lemon and raspberry posset with shortbread

Followed by Green’s British cheese platters!

{Mmm all of those sound delicous...}

I’m seeing a lot more couples go for restaurants as their wedding venue what is it do you think that makes them so popular?

I think that people have become a lot more interested in, and knowledgeable on, different cuisines, ingredients and wines.  A wedding is a personal expression of what the couple love, in addition to each other, and if it is good food and special wines, then a restaurant like Green’s is better equipped to deliver a high standard of catering with dedicated staff than a venue with all the catering and staff brought in for the day.  

What do you think couples should be looking for when booking their venue?

They should be looking to hold a fabulous, beautiful celebration that is logistically stress-free so that they can enjoy what is essentially, their day.  For instance, is the church near the venue, can the guests walk from the church to the reception is there accommodation nearby for guests from out of town? London is so cosmopolitan that guests could be coming from all over the world.  The atmosphere of a wedding is heightened by guests all staying at a venue, enjoying a weekend away, even if they are from London.  It is such an amazing city that to be a tourist in it for a weekend is a really relaxing break without the hassle of airports. They could book into the nearby Threadneedles Boutique hotel at special wedding rates, attend the service at St. Mary Le Bow church or a civil ceremony at the Guildhall, and walk to the reception at Green’s restaurant! 

What advice would you give to couples when planning their wedding?

Spend money on what is important to you – if it is food, wine, excellent Champagne, flowers, the dress or the little details that show your personalities.  

What do you wish couples knew already when working with Green’s?

That we have more than seafood on the menu.

What’s your one obsession at the moment (non wedding related) you just can’t live without

Oysters! I can’t wait for September – the start of the oyster season.

Thanks Lee, for more information on holding your wedding at Green's Restaurant take a look at their website or get in touch with Lee at lee@greens.org.uk

All images courtesy of Green's Restaurant & Oyster Bar

A Fab Idea: A CMYK themed wedding

On Tuesday Kat from the Rock’n’Roll Bride posted a fabulous CMYK themed wedding, not only do I love this wedding for its bright pops of colour and modern look but also why they chose to have the theme, as Rebekah the bride says:

“Graphic design is a massive part of our lives and to base our wedding on the colours that make up a lot of printed design work (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key Black) made so much sense to us...” 

Go take a look at this wonderful wedding full of loads of inspiring ideas. Just goes to show how you can take an idea or concept that is important to you as a couple to really make your wedding day all about you and guarantee a memorable day for all your family and friends.

Photos by Depict Photography via Rock'Roll'Bride

A Love My Dress Summer Soiree

So a couple of weeks ago I packed my little overnight case with my glam vintage inspired dress, far too much makeup and a selection of jewellery to head off to sunny Newcastle for the Love My Dress Summer Soiree. My train journey wasn’t quite the relaxing one I had pictured, (no thanks to Virgin trains but that’s another story) so I did get to my hotel a little later than intended meaning my best laid plans for hair& makeup that evening were a little rushed but the evening soon started to look up as I joined a bevy of beautiful ladies in the bar at the Copthorne Hotel where I was staying.

 

After some banter with some lovely ladies I knew and introductions to some new, we headed off in a minibus taxi to The Baltic where we greeted by a line up of the good and the glamorous. This was one queue I didn’t mind joining as it gave everyone the perfect opportunity to eye up everyone’s outfits which ranged from fabulous 50’s glamour to modern sophistication -including the boys, but as expected at an event of this nature they were outnumbered by some way.

 

At the door we were greeted by 3 fabulous hostesses in 1920’s flapper dresses, a glass of champagne and a cute nametag, I was also lucky enough to get a goody bag which contained some delicious brownies and macaroons amongst other things and a limited edition Vicky Trainor Vintage Drawer bookmark. Inside The Baltic had been transformed into the perfect vintage space with comfy leather sofas, armchairs and props and an amazing boudoir themed dessert bar by Ava Event Styling with the most yummy looking sweet treats on it, sadly I didn’t get to try any-too busy partying.

 

  

The rest of evening was spent catching up with old friends and new as we drank champagne and ate canapés, listened to a live jazz trio and  treated to two burlesque performance from  Vicky Butterfly. We even got have a little dance under the glitter ball; something about wearing a 1950’s inspired dress you can’t help but want to spin round all night.

It really was a fabulous evening and a perfect representation of all of Annabel’s hard work and dedication to her blog and her love of the wedding industry, showcasing some amazing suppliers’ talents. I’ll look forward to going to many more in the future. 

For lots more info on all the fabulous suppliers involved and photos check out Love My Dress A Summer Soiree: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and video and a far more detailed and descriptive write up by The Wedding Reporter.

All images by Katy Lunsford and Helen Russell via LoveMy Dress

Adorable Finds: Mary Kilvert Pocket Mirrors

I recently came across London based designer and illustrator Mary Kilvert and thought her little pocket mirrors would make the cutest little gifts for your bridesmaids or fabulous favours. With beautiful illustrations and in 7 different designs the hardest decision would be which to choose.

 

She also has lovely range of prints and house wares including cushions, mugs and tea towels and can also design you your own bespoke wallpaper.

London...

I was going to blog about the Love My Dress Summer Soiree today but after the events of the last three days, especially last night it just didn’t feel like the right thing to do…

I’m a Londoner, born in a small hospital I East Dulwich, went to primary school in West Norwood, secondary in Streatham while living in Croydon and now living back in West Norwood where my son goes to the same primary school that I went too. My husband’s a Londoner and we met and later married in London too. My sister lives in North London and both my brother with his family and my parents live in Croydon. So as you can imagine watching the news last night wasn’t easy and when I spoke to my sister in law this morning she told me of a sleepless night listening to sirens and helicopters, and worrying about their house being broken into as they watched masked youths running around looting the large shops round the corner from them. 

I don’t really want to get into the “who, what, whys” about last night (there will be others who can do it far better than me) but I do want to send out my love, thoughts and support to all those who have been affected by the rioting not just in London but around the UK. I also want to celebrate London, my favourite city in the world, my home, my friends and families’ homes and on a day like today let us not forget the beauty that is London…

Image via Dave’s World Travel

For those of you that want to help take a look at this blog post by Pocketful of Dreams