Be brave… be Boudoir

Last year, a friend of mine introduced me to the hottest new bridal craze, the Boudoir photoshoot. If you’ve never heard of this, try and visualize a present that would get your man practically dancing down the aisle as he thinks he’s about to marry the next Cindy Crawford. It’s a photo-shoot designed to make you look your absolute best…in your absolute skimpiest.

one of the fabulous images created by www.myboudoir.co.uk to make you look and feel amazing!

I booked my shoot about 9 months ago through the amazing and award winning Nicola Grimshaw Mitchell of Bury, Lancashire and spent at least 8 of those months stressing about my bingo wings and doing bicep curls with tins of baked beans. Despite the reassuring words on the website and the unbelievable before and after photo gallery, I just couldn’t stop worrying that my rapidly growing eye bags and expanding cellulite was going to be too much for the airbrush to handle…

The night before my 9 am shoot I literally couldn’t sleep a wink. Having furtively sneaked £100 worth of new La Senza lingerie in to my car, I drove to Nicola’s in the most terrifying state of the day- minus make up. On arrival, Nicola greeted me with a huge heart warming smile and instantly made me feel like this might be something I’d be able to do. The talented Michelle Sisson took control of my hair and make up- taking note of the fact I wanted a vintage glam look, she completed the look with false eyelashes and red hot lippy.
Make up done, it was time to get in to my stockings and suspenders. Believe me, at 10am on a rainy Manchester morning, the thought of baring all seemed less appealing by the minute! Nicola helped me with those pesky back suspender clips and we were ready to go! Spending the time positioning me to eradicate double chins and directing me like a pro, Nicola had me relaxed and posing away in no time. We got through three outfit changes and I didn’t even flinch when she suggested the last few shots would be better in the nude!

I spent a couple of hours in Nicola’s cosy home and loved every minute of it. The hardest part however was yet to come… the 7 – 10 day wait to see the pics! After checking my blackberry manically for a week, the much anticipated email popped in to my inbox containing the link to my very own online gallery. I don’t think I could have logged on any quicker if a date with David Beckham depended on it. When the gallery loaded and the first picture came up, I almost had to do a double take. I honestly couldn’t believe it; it looked like me but with flawless skin, no trace of dimply thighs and hair that could star in its own shampoo advert. I am so proud of them; I emailed all my girlfriends the link immediately and revelled in their gasps of amazement.
The hard book copy arrived last week and it’s taken all my reserve not to thrust it under my fiancés nose as he sits and play’s games on his phone. But I’ll wait… it’s going to be the best wedding present he could ever hope for… and one that I can look back on in 20 years and realise how hot I was!

Check out the website www.myboudoir.co.uk and believe me, you’ll be booking yourself in and digging out your smalls before you know it!

And here are a couple of images from the shoot that Emma has been kind enough to share with us. I’m sure you will agree with me when I say she looks totally FABULOUS, these pictures are totally stunning. Emma’s soon to be Husband is in for a real treet!!

image courtesy of www.myboudoir.co.uk

image courtesy of www.myboudoir.co.uk

To find out more about Emmas journey as a bride to be go to: Emmas Blog
Come back in a couple of weeks for Emma’s last feature before her big day!

Table Planning to Perection

Now that we’ve hit the 4 weeks-to-go mark, thoughts have turned to the notoriously most ardous task of any wedding… the table plan. I must admit, its been niggling at me for a while- when you have two families who have barely met, friends from all different walks of life and a barrage of embarrassing acquaintances, the accomplishment of a successful table plan is as crucial the to the smooth running of the day as the registrar showing up.

We began with a discussion on what to call the tables… do we go for straightforward numerical 1, 2, 3 etc, or should we be original and think up something amusing and that has the “cute couple” factor. Seeing as neither my fiancé nor I relished the idea of naming tables after where we met (a dingy nightclub in Manchester) or where we went on our first date (a Mexican fast food chain), we opted for numbers, falsely assuming this was the safe choice. Apparently not. Cue disapproving looks from mothers when we told them Auntie Joan was on Table 7. Add to this the fleeting moments of horror when they realised the table full of giggling cabin crew would be number 3. In a desperate night of brainstorming we decided to eliminate the number status tables and go with the names of places or things we’ll be visiting on honeymoon. Bellagio, Waikiki, Mai Tai and Sin City have so far proved to make everyone feel equal- phew!

Next came the task of cutting out 100 bits of paper, scribbling everyones name down on them and turning the living room rug in to a mock plan of the wedding breakfast room. Not particularly helped by our two three month old kittens interfering with the placements.

It’s literally the worlds hardest jigsaw- trying to make the pieces fit to avoid tables of a) arguments b) drunks and c) stilted conversation. We have so many different groups of people, where exactly would a party girl burlesque dancer and strict Jehovahs Witness go? Not together that’s for sure.. My family are historically non drinkers, my friends most certainly are not. Gaggles of man hungry single girls and the odd possible available man will most certainly lead to displays of female charms, desperate to clinch a last dance partner.

So we’ve decided to play it safe.. team people together based on likes, dislikes and age… whether we are cowards or champion table planners remains to be seen!

Also see pictured our custom made badges as part of the favours! Which incidentally double up as ID badges in case any guests wander off and can’t remember where they’re supposed to be…

To find out more about Emmas journey as a bride to be go to: Emmas Blog

Guests Code

As a reasonably calm, placid and understanding person, I have always been the agreeable type- often to the point of saying “yes” when I really mean the exact opposite. A New Years resolution for 2010 however was to be more assertive (and this doesn’t include shouting at the kittens to stop clawing my tights). This week, I got the chance to see just how assertive I could be when a good friend of mine did in my 7 weeks-to-go bridal eyes, the unthinkable.

I received an e-mail last week with the subject header “Can I wear this to your wedding?” Knowing said friend, I clicked on the link to a Karen Millen dress assuming it would be some hideous frilly luminous yellow number, sent to me to cause a minutes panic in thinking she was actually serious. What popped up on my screen in fact, was a beautiful, floor length, cream gown, fitted bodice with a sweetheart neckline and a flowing, organza skirt. Now, if you are reading this and are a bride to be, please tell me you would have thought this was a joke. Surely everyone knows the unwritten rule of never, ever wearing a dress that resembles a bridal gown to a wedding? Deciding to give her the benefit of the doubt I replied with a capital (and bold font) “NO” complete with several exclamation marks and stating she can’t possibly be serious at wanting to look like the bride. What I did not expect, was the barrage of abusive emails subsequently received in which I was advised I was being a) unreasonable, b) stroppy and c) over-reacting.

Reading each email and staring intently at the picture of the dress, I literally was bubbling inside with bridal rage. I am fully aware that no-one would be looking at her anyway and that despite the fact I am not getting married just because I get to be the centre of attention for a full 24 hours, I still want to be. I do not want the groom’s side of the guests that I haven’t met before being unsure over which of the two girls in the long cream dress is the bride. I know it’s petty and immature but I absolutely do not care. This is the one day of my life I get to wear the dress of my dreams and not worry about anyone else looking like me. So I have stuck to my guns, refused to give in to the guilt trip she is attempting to lay on me, and asserted my bridal rights to dictate the dress code. Since the closing email, I haven’t heard a word from my nemesis and am wondering if the friendship has been damaged. If by being assertive and showing my true feelings has lost me a friend then I think I’ve learnt what the word friend really means.

On a much brighter note (thankfully!) this weekend has been very productive in terms of wedding plans!! Whilst I was having my hair trial, my fiancé and my sister were busy getting stuck in to our table plan design. Hand made by two people who between them have an art degree and a thriving business creating beautiful vintage table décor, I knew it was in safe hands! Here it is at the first stage of the design,

The bird cage represents our table centrepieces and the lace and pearls follow the theme. Also completed were the table name cards, themed after our honeymoon! All we need to do now is decide on who’s sitting where…. And whether I have a space to fill with a new friends name…

To find out more about Emmas journey as a bride to be go to: Emmas Blog and for more details on her sisters company go to Vintage Twee

Some Brides do ‘Ave ‘Em…

You know people say that getting married is one of the most stressful things you can ever do? So far for us, there have been no arguments with the suppliers, no huge extravagances that have blown the budget and very few Bridezilla moments (everyone is allowed one or two though right?!) So up until a couple of weeks ago, my fiancé and I were starting to worry we must have done something wrong as neither of us were feeling this supposed stress. With 9 weeks to go however, the mother’s have started to prune their feathers and get ready to parade around the venue, proudly marking their individual territory as the next most important person present.

It all started with a clash of dress choice. One outfit was deemed to be too similar to the other and despite our best efforts to control the situation and point out that the majority of people will be wearing dress and jacket combinations, it escalated in to a huge bubbling mixture of pride, tears and ridiculousness. Cue lots of ego feeding to each mum, driving home the point of accessorising and reminding each one they will of course, be the person everyone is looking at (not). They are now matching each other pound for pound on cost, despite being several rungs apart on the financial ladder. My fiancé and I are the unfortunate victims of not-so-discreet questioning, being directly asked how much the other diva has spent on the outfit. In actual fact, they have both spent much more on their outfits than I have! Not sure yet if I should feel annoyed at that…

Now one of them has decided they are wearing a hat, even though it was something they both said they wouldn’t do. Of course, this drastic development in millinery acquisition has resulted in the other one demanding the dimensions, colour and style of said hat in order not to be overshadowed in the photo’s. Shoes, bags and jewellery have all come under scrutiny, corsages have been ordered exactly the same so as to avoid jealously and favouritism. Keeping up appearances has never seemed so important, it’s almost as if they are vying for prime position on a red carpet, never mind the leading lady not actually being either of them.

I’m more than aware of how proud they both are of us and know that they just want to feel their very best but it’s rapidly becoming an ugly popularity contest and I wouldn’t like to guess the winner. On the day, it remains to be seen if there will be handbags at dawn or whether they will actually leave the ego’s at home, stop comparing who’s lip gloss cost the most and realise that this is our time to shine!

Come back for more of Emma’s stories in a couple of weeks.
To read more of Emma’s wedding plans, along with her trials and tribulations leading up to her big day go to:
emmalouisewrites.blogspot.com

Chapter 1: Planning the Hen Do

For me, in less than 2 months its time for the biggest, most anticipated, (sometimes dreaded), night of a woman’s life. My hen do.
Now, please don’t get me wrong, of course I’m looking forward to it, its just I’m wondering whether the fact I’m likely to end up chaperoning a herd of lustful ladies on champagne around Dublin is a) appealing to me as at least I can post the pictures on Facebook before they do, or b) worse than a centrally positioned boil on your nose on THE big day.
After much deliberation over how to attempt a recession-proof hen do that will prove more exciting than a night in devising our own potent cocktails, I plumped for a day and night in the Emerald Isle. Cheap flights (as long as you only take hand luggage – cue arguments over who’s taking the GHD’s) and a twin bedded hotel rooms make the whole process come in for less than £60 per person. So far, so good. Now I’m left with the challenging task of dreaming up sufficient entertainment to please my wide variety of hens. From fussy eaters to man hunters, police officers to cabin crew, I’ve got my hands full!

I’d love to be the type of bride who can happily leave her ladies to arrange the L plates, cringe-worthy t-shirts and plenty of phallic shaped objects… but I just can’t. My mothers’ obsessive compulsive streak has clawed its way to the surface and I need to be in control! Being the centre of attention terrifies me somewhat, and combined with the ready made pressure that comes with being the bride on a hen do, I can feel my sanity starting to slip by the bridal wayside.
If this is my big send off in to marital bliss, kissing goodbye to those days of single-dom deserves some proper preparation and I’m going for gold when it comes to outdoing the rest. I’d evaporate in a cloud of embarrassment at a stripper, clear the room if made to go on karaoke and instantaneously gag if I had to even sniff Absinth.
So far the plans include blindfolded wheel-barrow racing, Thai food and frozen vodkas; a possible hilarious time or several emergency trips to A & E? Hmmmm.
Follow my fortnightly updates on Boho Events to see if I manage to organise the classy, organised do that I desire… or end up pictured on every social networking website slumped behind a juke box cradling a pint of Guiness…

To keep up to date with Emmas planning stories pop back to the blog every 2 weeks, or you can have a look at Emmas Blog at Emma Louise Writes

Our lovely bride in question is Emma Linder, she lives in London with the wedding tacking place at Satham Lodge in Lymm, Cheshire on Sunday 10th October.

Emma has very kindly agreed to write every fortnight for me leading up to the wedding, shaing with us the stories and experiences behind the big day.
To read more of Emmas wedding trails and tribulations then head over to her blog Emma Louise Writes.
So I’ll let Emma tell you a little more about herself:

10.10.10 –Goodbye Miss Linder, Hello Mrs Gregory

‘I never thought I possessed the elusive bride gene until one sunny September evening in 2008 when my boyfriend of 4 months nervously suggested he had something to ask me. Yes, 4 months isn’t a long time to be seeing someone before making the ultimate commitment to join with them for life, but, I had that good old cliché feeling that he was “The One”. After breaking the news to the parents (cue rapid loss of colour to the face and gaping, goldfish style mouths), it was time to start the planning stage.

So, here I am, 11 weeks to go and on the final steps of the ladder to the Big Day. Living in London, getting married in my home town on Manchester and trying to co-ordinate things with a 200 mile distance gap has been a challenge!
The theme of the wedding is shabby chic (although according to my mother, I can’t possibly use the word “shabby” to describe my nuptials), the colours are ivory, dusky pink and burgundy and the music will be strictly classics. That rules out anything by The Cheeky Girls but CAN include Barry Manilow and Copacabana. The bridesmaids are going to wow in 50’s style vintage dresses, the birdcage centrepieces are going to look stunning…. And I’m just hoping my uneven eyebrows will grow back in time!!!

Follow my fortnightly updates on Boho’s Wedding Blog to find out how I manage to keep the “helpful” parents under control and ensure the Best Man washes his hair!

Come back tomorrow for Emmas First Diary entry……………..