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| Picture by Paper Pleasing |
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| Tabel decor from Brides, bouquet from Southern Living, cake from Consumed By Cake |
There's something about the white anemone flower that just oozes style. With it's black or deep blue centre, no wonder it pops up at so many weddings. A member of the buttercup family, anemones actually come in a variety of colours from bold reds to pretty purple, but white is probably the most popular choice for weddings.
Anemones are seasonal flowers, available in Australia in the winter. If you're considering working with them for your bouquet or decorations remember they can appear dried out quite quickly so they will need to be hydrated as soon as possible. Trim around 2cms off their stems at an angle, under a running tap, this will help them to soak up the water. Place into cold water right away and refresh it every day using a preservative or sugar. The anemone stem is hollow and quite brittle so when selecting your flowers watch for crushed or cracked stems and avoid yellowing leaves.
Kate's hairdressers are keeping their 'demi chignon' creation a closely guarded secret but we think this great step by step from Martha Stewart is a pretty close approximation. Start by using a curling wand for plenty of soft romantic waves, and go a little lighter on the teasing part of the process for a closer match to Kate's look.
If you don't have a queen handy to lend you a tiara, how about making one? There are some beautiful ideas for beaded tiaras, but this project is a little different, building a wire frame and then gluing crystals to it. The results will have you feeling like a princess in no time. Check out the tutorial on eHow.
Hands up who dressed up in tiara, scoffed cucumber sandwiches and watched the royal wedding last week - or was that just me? We were so pleased at 'i do' it yourself to learn Kate is a DIY bride! While she wasn't at the Abbey night before hanging streamers, she did opt to do her own makeup. Something many brides put right at the bottom of their DIY list and that's without two million people watching them walk down the aisle. Celebrity hairdresser Richard Ward, who's salon styled Kate, said the one rule she had was to be recognised by William on the day. So hats off to Kate for bucking the increasingly alarming trend of shows like brideaplasty!
No matter what look Kate went for, it was going to be a trend setter. So what ideas can we steal from HRH?
- Do a test run. Kate only decided to go the DIY makeup route after lessons and plenty of practice with a professional. Make sure you test your makeup look before the big day.
- Brows are back. Bigger defined brows were already set for a come back and Kate's wedding look certainly boosted that.
- Timeless beauty. Kate choices for hair, makeup and even the dress epitomise classic beauty. From a nude shade of lip colour to simply pale pink nails. Avoid the latest trends and go with timeless styles that won't date in photos.
- Stick to what you know. Kates look wasn't all that far off her usual day to day look. Make sure you feel comfortable with your wedding makeup and keep it close to your normal style but taken up a notch.
- Natural locks. Odds were on a right royal updo for the day, but instead Kate let her naturally beautiful hair do the work with a demi chignon. More relaxed styles are heading our way.
Be sure to keep an eye on the blog and our facebook page for DIY bridal makeup tips.
The word damask actually refers to many warp-faced and weft-faced reversible textiles and has been in existence since the early Middle Ages.
But today when referring to damask we generally think of the classic black and white ornate pattern. It conjures up a feeling of opulence and luxury, which has made damask a popular choice for weddings. So with the royal wedding still fresh in our minds its the perfect theme for this month as we look at some great DIY projects to get the regal look on a budget.
Credits: Louis Mariette Alexandra crystal tiara, the royal wedding invitation, black and white dining via Wedding by Color from Brides, sexy black and white tablescape with glossy black lamps and anemones via The Secret Life of Flowers. An all white table design with a touch of silver and black via the knot.
A simple white bouquet of carnations decorated with black ribbon, from Martha Stewart. Camilla canisters filled with black and white treats, from Pottery Barn. Black candelabra. Damask thank you card from 'i do' it yourself. Hand made anemones on black cupcakes with silver cachou by Le Cupcake. Black and White Damask Wedding Cake by Maki's Cakes.
Colour palette: black and white
