Chic Contemporay Wedding Palette

I hope to bring some lovely "real life" wedding colour palette's to life in my blogs this year. As January is usually cold, chilly & icy outside then what better way than to start the year with a chic cool wedding colour scheme. Suzanne and Declan Curry were married in November 2010 and the colour scheme is perfectly fitting for this feature. A beautiful wedding which was co-ordinated by top London wedding planner Lester Gethings of No 10 Weddings.

Cool contemporary shades of Stone, Silver and Steel Greys were used. Mixed with a strong Cobalt Blue & hightened with light Ivory & Quartz shades in the form of magnificent floral displays and bouquets by Euphoric Flowers. A hint of dark Aubergine & Pillar Box Red was picked out in the miniature tailor made cake display by Peggy Porchen.

It was a delightful wedding to work on from the initial invitation brief which were thermography printed in Cobalt Blue & Silver Ink on Winter White Quartz Board and supplied with lined envelopes in Cobalt Blue paper for a hint of luxury.

The brief for the stationery was quite specific and defined by Top London Wedding Planner Lester Gethings of No 10 Weddings, which always makes the job so much easier and a pleasure to work on.

The Haymarket Hotel is a striking venue set in London which has a traditional exterior which lends itself beautifully to the line drawing which I produced for the invitations which were also used on the Order of The Day Cards. The escort cards were produced by hand in a traditional hand calligraphy style in Cobalt Blue ink as were the Menu Cards which had a small Silver Initial Monogram printed at the top with the guests names personalised. Popped in a pocket napkin and dressed with a miniature corsage by Euphoric Flowers set on Cobalt Blue charger plates.

Stunning photography by Lloyd Dobbie captured the day on film & delicious detailing such as the lovely furniture from The Great Hire Company and special little touches of elegance with antique tea light settings & silver grey silk linen & glassware. So much attention to detail.

The Bride, Suzanne looked splendid in her ivory Wedding Dress by Wedding Dress Designer Johanna Hehir finished off with a splendid diamond necklace by Diamond Thrills. Her make up was done by make up artist Oonagh Connor and hair by Martin Maxey. What else can a girl ask for?

The guests were entertained by music performed in the library by Jon Nicols at Gary Gary Parkes and then in the evening live swing music by The Jazz Cannons

COOL...

Getting Personal - A Bit About Me...

I've always been a bit worried about getting too personal with my blogs. Its hard to draw the line between "business blog" and your personal life and feelings. But it seems to me that your personal life really overlaps your business life in so many ways. It becomes hard not to share your personal feelings, moments, ideas, friendships, family issues with your business ones, it becomes the tapestry of your life.

Selecting what is relevant from the trivia of every day life which touches us all is not always easy. As the business head always goes with the business ethic. It is always wise to consider what you bring into your "business blogs". It has to enhance the business and reflect the personality of the owner.

Without a doubt it certainly gives more depth to a blog if it reveals a bit more of "your true self". For instance take the highly successful blog by Julie Powell which was made into a book and blog "Julie and Julia". I loved it! My goodness, she really did manage to combine both of her wonderful skills and personality into that blog. It took blogging and cooking into a different stratosphere and dimension. She was a lucky girl because she not only loved cooking but was also a very skilled writer. We are not all so fortunate to have two great skills at our fingertips.

I love the blogs that I read which give a hint of the person behind them. "The Person and Drive" behind the business. It makes it just that bit more personal and it makes you smile, agree, laugh and be somewhat cynical at times. Sometimes though, too many of us are just that little bit scared or even slightly embarrassed to show too much of our personal lives/ideas/feelings in case other people don't like what they see or read. Well, that's always going to happen. Isn't it?

My life which is perfectly normal, sometimes verging on boring! because life is not always exciting as it is in film and novels. It revolves around my family, my friendships, my "business" contacts who have also become my dear friends as it so happens. Family, People and Business Relationships that's what matters most in life.

I am a mother of two teenage boys. Lovely but normal, difficult but frustrating, the usual sort of thing. When others are blogging about pregnancies and babies, I just think yes that's so exciting I knew that stage once many moon's ago. It's so wonderful, enjoy, treasure and learn. That's what life is for, personally and professionally. Enjoy the journey. It goes so fast.

Just last weekend I was at a friends surprise 40th Birthday Party. Now, you know a bit more about how old I am (roughly speaking!) if you had not guessed already by my picture! and quite unexpectedly I met up with a lady whom I had worked with in one of my early design jobs. I was thrilled to hear how well her boys were now they were grown men and all doing things they were destined to do. My old colleague said to me Adrienne "You are the glue that keep's it all together" Well as a stationer I am familiar with glue. PVA, double sided tape, spray mount, quite frankly anything that sticks. Sticking at it, to it , with it. That's the thing that keeps it all together. Through the good, bad and frankly indifferent periods of life.

So while I wait on my husband to come home for dinner hopefully soon as the steak pie will be burnt and teenage son no. 1 to roll in from the cinema and as I try to get the rugby kit dry for morning while feeding the dogs, yes I had a weak moment prior to Christmas and we now have a new puppy "Matilda" aka "Tilly" who is eating all the pants, socks and boxers she can get her claws on.
Both adorable I have to say.

I would like to wish all my friends, family, business contacts, blogger's, tweeter's, facebooker's all the best for an eventful 2011. Be yourself. Enjoy what you do and just go for it. Be the glue that sticks with it. Adhere to your goals and aspirations, Believe in yourself.

That's the best we can do.

Hopetoun House Special Wedding Event by Appointment Only

Hopetoun House is hosting a very special day for prospective bridal couples for private individual tours of the house on Sunday 30th January 2011 (by appointment only).

This is a rare opportunity to have a personal tour of the house and the opportunity to see the venue set up for a wedding before meeting with some of Hopetoun House's most regular suppliers. The first appointment will start at 10 am and with the last appointment at 3.00 pm.

During that time frame five experienced Hopetoun House event managers will be on hand answering questions and conducting show rounds on the day.

Guests will initially be welcomed with a glass of champagne into the front hall of the house, where they will be introduced to their event manager and start their tour of the State Apartments & Libraries. If they are considering holding their ceremony with Hopetoun House then the event manager will show the couple the Adam Stables which will be set up in this style. The tour will then finish in the ballroom wing where a selection of sample tables set up and suppliers exhibiting. The Tapestry Room will be available for guests to sit down and look through information/brochures etc at their leisure.

As spaces are limited it would be advisable if you are interested to book your appointment as quickly as possible to avoid disappointment.

The Hopetoun House wedding suppliers are detailed below with links to their services and web sites.

Heritage Portfolio: www.heritageportfolio.co.uk
Freja Dress Design: www.freja-fashion.co.uk
Joyce Paton Couture Milner's: www.joycepaton.com
Planet Flowers: www.planetflowers.co.uk
Magenta Ink: www.magentaink.co.uk
LG Make Up: www.lgmakeup.co.uk
Elemental Weddings: www.elementalweddings.co.uk
Blue Sky Photography: www.blueskyphotography.co.uk
Rankine Photography:www.rankinephotography.com
Entertainers Agency:www.entertainersagency.com
Design Scotland: www.designscotlandvideo.com
Dakota: www.dakotahotels.co.uk
21 cc Fireworks: www.21stcenturyfireworks.co.uk
Truly Scrumptious: www.designer-cakes.com
Liggy's Cakes: www.liggyscakes.co.uk
Lovie Stationary: loviestationery.blogspot.com
Carriages For All Occasions: www.carriageforalloccasions.co.uk

Contact Hopetoun House Wedding co-ordinator for an appointment By email: Jennifer.Pirie@hopetoun.co.uk or telephone
+ 44 (0) 131 319 3952 (Direct Line)