1. Hello my lovelies, I hope everyone is out rocking the sandals this week, while we have the hot weather! 

    You may have noticed a lack of posting on my behalf over the last week or so, and for this i must say: Sorry. Life hast got in the way of my blogging and like always life is hard to control, however, I have been working on something totally fabulous, that I promise you are going to love!!!

    So stay tuned, and keep your eyes peeled I will be back on twitter with an announcement soon!!

    xxx
    Follow @TheBridalGeek
    Posted by

  2. Good morning all! I hope Monday treats you well and that you are ready for your weekly dose of wedding geekiness! 

    Articles and Ramblings 
    Well what have we got from this past week then! As usual, I have some top tips for you, this time on Invitations - How much for paper?! which gives you all the tips on keeping your costs down, and of course the ever present HBD - High Street Bridesmaid Dresses, this week from my all time favourite high street shop River Island! 

    So take your Monday easy with a cupper and all of last week's reads

    Geeky Bits...
    • Are you thinking about your guests? Julie at the Wedding Genie has posted a great guide to how much your wedding is costing your guests, by the lovely team at Chillisauce. Definitely worth a read!
    • The herd over at Wedding Ideas have put together a list of the top ten wedding trends for 2012
    • You can always rely on Martha Stewart Weddings to give you a good wedding selection, this time it's some wonderful modern wedding invitations
    • If you are not already aware, there is a wedding carnival happening this coming weekend in Salford, so if you are in the area head on down. It's going to be ace!
    • The Apprentice is back this Wednesday, score! And one of the contestants is Bridal Shop owner Laura Hogg; put it on the list to watch!
    • And finally, I am not just a geek of weddings, am generally a geek. Here is a totally awesome Night Elf wedding board by When Geeks Wed
    Follow @TheBridalGeek
    Posted by
    Labels: HBD news geeky bits top tips

  3. Before I even start this week's HBD, I urge you all to pop in to Primark - hear me out. I dropped into the Oxford Street store on Wednesday eve, and whilst I was almost overcome with 'people in my way' rage, their dress collection is super. Summer stock is out and bright coloured, well cut dresses are up for all to have at half the price of Top Shop. Go in and grab yourself one before everyone starts wearing them :)

    Let's stick to the issue at hand here, its HBD time, which can only mean I have a great gathering of potential bridesmaid dresses, all for under a £100 and all on our very own high street. This week, I am giving you a taster of my all time favourite shop River Island www.riverisland.com

    I am a self confessed River Island whore. On a daily basis you will find me in at least three pieces from River Island, including my uber awesome bags! I love it, and so it's understandable that I have been slightly anxious about using them in HBD, along with the fact that River Island is all about detail and flare, not always something you want in a bridesmaid dress. But hey, here is the best of what is in store at the moment. So enjoy!

    HBD 1: River Island - Lace Skater Dress
    • £35
    • Navy/Turquoise
    • Product Number: 615496
    • Find Here



    If you not already aware, lace has exploded in the wedding industry in the last year (due to a certain royal wedding), and so, as you can imagine, these dresses are bang on trend. The lace covers a multitude of lumps and bumps, ending with a pinching waist, which will make your ladies look awesome. They fit in with the 'vintage' crazy and will soon be released in several other colours; why wouldn't you want one of these beauts? I know I do! 

    HBD 2: River Island - Textured Bodycon Dress



    It's a traditional wedding cut, but with modern elegance. The colour can be themed with any wedding, and apart from the bodycon element (where you may need some massive pants), it transcends ages, great if you have a range of different maids on your day.




    HBD 3: River Island - Sleeveless Skater Dress
    • £40
    • Black/Cream
    • Product Number: 619332
    • Find Here


    Monochrome is the new black...or whatever was new before black?! Stylish with a flattering cut, this dress would not only look great on your bridesmaids but they can definitely reuse it! Why not put half of your maids in the cream and the other half in black and complement each other. Stunning!


    Now I could not leave this post without showing you some bags from River Island, as I am just a bit obsessed with them. So I have limited myself to three, which are as close to something that may look ace at a wedding. I know, they are awesome.

    Find Here
    Find Here

    Find Here









    Follow @TheBridalGeek
    Posted by
    Labels: HBD river island High street bridesmaid dresses bridesmaids dresses

  4. It's Top Tips time! This is where I give you lovely bridal geeks some age old advice on how to grind your money down and keep all the wonderful things you want in budget. Today we are all about the invite...

    1. Here Is One I Made Earlier
    I remember many a day spent gluing my fingers together and watching the husband get many a paper cut as we attempted to pull together the invitations ourselves, and in the end all of that effort paid off, because they rocked! Making them yourself will not only add your own touch and give you ample amount of pride, but will also be considerably cheaper. Get down to your local craft shop and get busy!

    2. Independent Ladies
    You will find that as brides continue to 'make their own', a few have the rare talent of being bloody amazing at it and have started their own businesses. These ladies are the ones to go to, not only will they have a hands on approach with your order but will also be considerably cheaper than larger companies.

    3. On Mass  
    If you, like me, have a family that could populate France then you will be ordering a lot of invitations. Many companies will offer discounts for the more you order, so barter away and grab yourself a deal. 


    4. Rope in a Relative
    Not literally. Well, you can if you have to! If someone has a drawing skill or makes crafts, and on the flip side you cannot tell a craft knife from a scapulae, then use them. Ask them if they can help make or if you know a designer, ask if they can put together the look for you. Utilise the ones around you!


    5. Go Digital
    With the rise of social networking and the ever present email, why use the snail mail, when you can get all your invites out in one click? I admit I am not sold by this idea, but then maybe I am a stickler for tradition. If invites are just an expense you cannot afford then email, Facebook, Twitter or even send a video via YouTube. It's free, and let's be honest, no one else will be doing it!









    Follow @TheBridalGeek
    Posted by
    Labels: invitations top tips

  5. It's Monday my fellow bridal geeks, and that mean I have lots of lovely bits for you to read over this morning. So start your day at work with ten minutes to yourself, because that weekend just wasn't enough!

    Articles and Ramblings 

    This week I went looking through the rails at Next for some awesome HBD's - High Street Bridesmaid Dresses, all under £100 and all lush, including a dress designed by Geri Haliwell. (Still really hard not to make a Spice Girls joke). I also went food crazy with some edible wedding favours, a smorgasbord of food gifts, which are, in my opinion, the best gifts to give.

    You will need a cup of tea and some sort of biscuit treat to read away

    Geeky Bits...


    • The National Wedding Show is coming to Birmingham this weekend! From 16th to 18th March the wedding industry will invade the NEC and give you your yearly bridal dose. Head over to the website for more info.

    • Good luck to everyone at the Bridal Buyer Awards tonight; for a list of all of the finalists head over to their website.
    • Last Tuesday, Jenni at Bespoken For posted a great guide to a Brides Emergency Kit and I just had to share it, it has everything you will need for those potential mishaps on the day.


    • If you live near Hatch End, head over to the brand new Genuine Cakes store, not only for your wedding cake, but because I hear that the Nutella Cupcakes are to die for!


    •  Pronovias is previewing its new 2013 collection over at You and Your Wedding, and there are some stunners!
    Follow @TheBridalGeek
    Posted by
    Labels: HBD edible favours wedding news High street bridesmaid dresses geeky bits

  6. Its Friday, and let's be honest it's been a long week, so to make your last working day a little bit more joyful I am going to show you some food. Well, not just any food, no, this week I am geeking out about edible wedding favours. Yummy!

    Favours top a wedding off for me, they are that extra something that just makes you smile, and nothing makes me smile more than food (except my husband, obviously)! Now I am not talking sugared almonds or cake to take home, no no. I mean edible pieces of fun!

    Forget your lottery tickets, charitable donations and candles, I want a treat and I want to be able to eat it.



     Who doesn't love a preserve?! Chutney or jam, you can have it on your toast or enjoy with some cheese, oh I am just getting hungry thinking about it. You can buy these or make it yourself, personalised with some colour coordinating. 



    Don't bother with the bride and groom shapes, go off piste and have fun, like these amazing ones from Cheri Bakewells




    Let it be known that I LOVE fortune cookies, in fact when it was Chinese New Year I ate my way through 30...by myself. So why not have them for your big day. They are fun and can come in many flavours and colours, you can even personalise your message!




    It's completely fun and retro, reminiscent of an old school sweet shop. I actually had one for my wedding; we did our own, getting bags, tons of sweets and the vases. Let's be honest, everyone is jumping on the sweet buffet!





    It's a classic and why mess with it. Chocolate is great, and it's even better when it's given to you in whatever shape you fancy.


    Follow @TheBridalGeek
    Posted by
    Labels: edible favours weekly geek out

  8. Good morrow all! I hope everyone is filled with the joys of weddings and such; I got a haircut, so I am suitable happy today :)

    Articles and Ramblings
    This week I have been going on about many a thing, firstly on our leap year tradition I asked would I have the guts to propose? I also had a butchers at some lush dresses from Topshop for our HBD - High Street Bridesmaid Dresses this week, including a rather lovely china plate design one, and I topped off the week with some non-paper Save the Dates which has now made me want some tea towels!

    If you don't know the drill by now, then grab a hot drink and some sort of snack to enjoy these with.

    The Blog Issues
    I must apologise if the blog is looking, well, totally wrong at the moment. I am having arguments with it, but if it appears in black and white please just refresh for your full viewing enjoyment

    Geeky Bits...
    • Let's be honest ladies, we all like to rate other people's weddings, and if you have your day coming up why not try out for Four Weddings! Sky are looking for potential brides, so do sign up!
    • Richard Branson has shared some of daughter Holly's wedding photos, and they are totally beautiful.  
    • If you want to see some proper vintage weddingness then pop over to Under the Vintage Bride for an uber epic 1960's wedding. You know, when you actually had your mum make sandwiches for the reception.
    • A new blog has launched! Far From The Wedding Crowd is the brain child of Anna, from Anna and the Ring, definitely worth a read!
    • The Bridal Buyers Awards are in one week, pop over to their website to have a gander at who is up for an award, and if you want you can still book a table!
    • Are you in the Manchester area? Then you must go to the Wedding Carnival on 24th March, arranged lovingly by All Wrapped Up Events. Full of great suppliers, it's going to be a colourful, wedding extravaganza!
    • The Bridal Magazine Awards voting is now in session, and they need your votes! So head over and give your two cents!
    •  Whilst we are on more events, the International Wedding Show is on 11th March, at Wembley Stadium, head over to their website to register for free entry
    I hope you all have a super week! 
    Follow @TheBridalGeek
    Posted by
    Labels: HBD non-paper save the dates news High street bridesmaid dresses geeky bits proposal

  9. I love Save the Dates, not only because they are incredibly informative, but also because they allow the couple to express their creative side and it happens to give them time to get some awesome invites ready. 

    As this wonderful wedding world expands, Save the Dates are becoming more and more unusual and creative; so for this week I shall be geeking all over the different and simply superb Save the Dates. They can come in many a shape, size, or useful implement nowadays, and below is but a selection of some of the best that I have come across in non-paper form. Enjoy:

    Save The Date Magnet
    The ever popular magnet is a brilliant way to keep everyone informed, as we all know the fridge is the centre of all family life. I actually had mine made through Vistaprint and they were awesome (if I do say so myself). What is great about magnets is that you can use a preloaded design or upload your own picture!

    Save The Date Badges - Twenty Seven
     So cute and sweet, these are a wonderful alternative to any paper save the date

    Save The Date Tea Towel - The Original Wedding Tea Towel
     If I was to marry again, to the same person obviously, I would have to send out tea towels. These are fun, and let's not forget, incredibly useful! The Original Wedding Tea Towel make several different designs as well as tote bags!

    Save The Date Stickers - Little Cherub Designs
     What could you not do with a Save the Date sticker?! I found these gems on Not On The High Street which is packed full of great ideas as well!

    Save The Date Pencils - Cox and Cox
     Along with the line 'pencil us in' this Save the Date is lovely. What it lacks in longevity, it makes up for in creativity
    Save The Date Mints - Lola's Big Day
     What are these if not great. Mints and a lovely reminder of your big day. Score!


    And if after all of this you still haven't found your non-paper save the date, you can always send an email. Casual, yet effective!
    Follow @TheBridalGeek
    Posted by
    Labels: non-paper save the dates weekly geek out save the dates

  10. Afternoon all, and welcome to this week's HBD - High Street Bridesmaid Dresses! Today you shall find me getting down with the kids and being totally 'fashionable', as I have chosen a shop I haven't set foot in since I was fourteen. Not that their stock isn't good, I am pretty sure a large amount of the population shop here. 

    So be prepared for some totally on trend dresses, as this week all HBD's come from Top Shop www.topshop.com

    Topshop are always at the forefront of fashion, making the newest designs and trends accessible for all. As you know, HBD is all about finding dresses under £100, so there were a few beauts that I have had to omit from this week's article due to price, but there are a very small selection of pricier dresses at the bottom for you as well.  

    Warning now, these dresses are not your traditional, run of the mill bridesmaid dresses; these are amazingly beautiful dresses that I just had to show you. Because you should have your day your way, and some of these dresses scream difference in the most brilliant way! 


    HBD 1: Topshop - China Floral Lattice Sundress
    • £36
    • White & Blue
    • Product Number: 10M01BWHT
    • Find Here






    Think tea parties and bunting with a chic blue theme and this dress is where it's at. It's stunning in pattern and design, and totally perfect for a summer wedding. Although it may be a little bit above the knee, this dress balloons out at the waist giving your ladies comfort and a smaller waist. I love it, just image the photos!

    HBD 2: Topshop - Lace Midi Dress



     
    Now they say that only a bride is allowed to wear white, but if it's good enough for the Queens of England then it's good enough for us! This lace dress is 1930's elegance with a modern edge, and to be honest this dress could be worn by bridesmaids of all ages. I know it's a little hard to see against the white, but I promise its ace.


    HBD 3: Topshop - Chiffon Mullet Hem Dress
    • £65
    • Black/ Peach/ Coral
    • Product Number: 62R97BCOR
    • Find Here 








    This dress has all the makings of a perfect bridesmaid dress, well fitted, a range of colours, it's cheap and it has a modern edge. Possibly more suitable for a younger maid, this dress would pop with some killer heels, maybe in a cream or white, and a matching pashmina. Lush!

    Like I promised, below are some more dresses that may be slightly over the £100 budget but are still totally wonderful! Be different, branch out and try a different dress as these are all gorgeous!

    Find Here
    Find Here
    Find Here
    Find Here


    Follow @TheBridalGeek
    Posted by
    Labels: HBD High street bridesmaid dresses bridesmaids edition 9 dresses topshop
Loading
Send feedback