​When I first heard that there was a ski resort in Spain not far from where I live, you could have knocked me down with a feather. How is it possible, its always so sunny and warm. Even in the winter, it never feels like winter!  

​The moment you got engaged you began planning the perfect wedding from start to finish. You know exactly what you want from dresses to decor, so you can’t wait to get started with the process. You want to plan a stylish wedding without blowing your budget, so there are a handful of elements that really need the wow factor. Consider the following six ways to ensure a chic and sophisticated wedding day.

​If you have just become engaged, you are probably floating on cloud nine. The thought of spending the rest of your life with your soulmate can fill your heart with joy and your tummy with butterflies.

When we ex pats get bored of the beach and crave some cold weather we head to the Spanish mountains of Sierra Nevada. 

Id never even heard of Sierra Nevada before I moved to Spain, but apparently its a thing and our friends spend most of the early part of the year there. So naturally we had to get in on the action and its fast become a favorite

A favorite, massively due to the fact we have El Lodge... 

El lodge is so cool. The hotel interiors, the service, the apres ski, the food. The list is endless

The rooms are so stylish and cosy you don't want to leave them. Until you catch a glimpse of the heated pool right outside your door... that's really all the persuasion you need!

In Fact I love El Lodge so much, I turn our terrace at home into "Belle Lodge" ... an alpine inspired winter space totally inspired by El Lodge. Cute eh!?

The sundeck is the place to hang out when your not skiing. Chairs draped in the chicest blankets to keep you warm (there are heaters too) and watch the skiers fly against a backdrop of snow covered mountains while you enjoy the most delicious lunch (cheese features heavily on the menu) so I was in heaven

And in the evening head to the Grill 

Watch the sunset over the mountain as fireplace roars over a glass of wine. This place has a very special place in my heart. It was here that we decided on and toasted to our home which we affectionately call Provence in Espania  

Aren't we so lucky to have a ski resort so close to home?

If you're visiting Sierra Nevada, I highly recommend El Lodge, its simply the best place to stay

Belle
Xx

Planning your wedding should be an exciting and happy time, but it can also be quite stressful if you feel like you’re taking other people’s needs and desires into consideration more than your own, which is just wrong because it’s you and your partner’s day, and that’s what you should be focusing on - especially since weddings aren’t exactly cheap these days, so it’s important that you’re getting what you want and what you can afford.
​
So, in this post, we’re going to share with you some tips on how to plan a stylish wedding on a budget.

Cut the guest list:

As mentioned above, this is your wedding, and although people will want to share in your special day, you should only have the people there who you really care about. This means, that even if your parents get offended by the fact that you’re not prepared to invite their workmates whom you’ve perhaps met once, or you twice removed great aunt Sally who you’ve not seen since childhood, they’re entitled to be offended, but you’re entitled not to invite anyone you don’t want to invite. What people need to remember is that a wedding is not a spectator circus, it’s something that’s special and private between two people and the ones they care about the most, so that’s all you should be focusing on. Things can get pricey when you end up having to pay for a bunch of people you don’t even know and who you’ll most likely never see again.

Shop around:

It can be tempting to just go an buy everything from the first place you see because it all looks so beautiful, but really when it comes to wedding stuff, you really need to shop around because so much of it is overpriced and the cheaper versions are exactly the same, so whether it’s a cake, flowers, cars, or whatever else, then shopping around is recommended.

Don’t have a sit down meal:

Food can be one of the biggest expenses at a wedding, and nowadays the idea of the traditional sit down meal is starting to fade out in favor of a more informal buffet. You can have a buffet of whatever kinds of foods you want - it can be as fancy or low key as you want, but it’s a lot more casual and makes it easier for people when they can eat when they want. The best way to approach this is to look for different catering services in your area and make appointments with them to see their selections and prices.

Buy second hand:

The idea of buying a second hand wedding dress is something that a lot of people would never consider, but when you think that someone has only worn this dress for a few hours and that it’s cost them a great deal of money, then it really doesn’t make sense to buy it brand new - especially not when it’s likely been professionally cleaned and looks as good as new.

So we tried something a little different for our accommodation near Hallstatt. Uninspired by what was available the hubb's decided to look in a different direction. 

I think he might have even been joking when he first ran it by me....

"How about glamping he said " 

Well this wasn't any old glamping. This gypsy was Gyspy wagon glam-ping.  

One look at this fairytale place and I was in. How could I say no? 

With its tree house and moss covered roofs and fog enrobes mountains, it is literally too cute for words. Set against the backdrop of a fairy tale alpine mountain and lake Hallstatt its like something from a story book.   

And the prefect base for exploring hallstatter see and all of the lovely towns nearby

There are around 7 gypsy wagon in the park, all with a different theme and each one cuter than the last.

It was so hard to choose which one to stay in, but one stood out among the rest for me...

Here she is..."La Zigane rouge"

She is nicknamed the red gypsy at the parc, and she instantly reminded me of a very feminine Parisian boudoir from the twenties

The owner of the parc explained to be that she is a very rare collector's item: an original "Buggenhout" from the thirties, designed by the famous "Monsieur Albrecht", who also designed wagons for the Orient Express.
This "Buggenhout" was the classic flagship car of the Rolls Royce of the established "gens du voyage", the "traveling people", the circus people, artists, musicians and the wealthy gypsies of northern Western Europe.

Isn't she a cutie! I think we chose well. 

Our gypsy wagon experience was one of the highlights from this trip. The location is so unbelievably stunning and compactly romantic. The gypsy wagon park and Austria a have made me fall completely in love.   

Now all im thinking is when can I come back...
​
Belle
Xx

Bridezilla: “A woman whose behaviour in planning the details of her wedding is regarded as obsessive or intolerably demanding.”

Although it’s hard to keep a check on your feelings, the majority of women do it because they’re scared. The thought of treating friends and family like crap for their big day isn’t nice. Not when some people are likely to bite back and give you a taste of your medicine.

Still, it’s nothing you should overly stress about as there are advantages of turning into a bridezilla. For one thing, there aren’t any growth spurts or gross scales! Here are the times when the disease can be helpful.

Catch-22

Nobody remembers whether you hired a planner or organised the event yourself. All they care about is having a great time so that is the most important thing. Whichever path you choose, there will always be people who judge. A wedding might be the happiest day of your life but it’s also a catch-22 situation. To adapt Pascal’s Wager, the bride might as well go all out to ensure she gets what she wants rather than compromising. After all, you only get married once (hopefully!). Try to politely decline rather than to berate so as not to upset people.

The Dream Venue

Everything has to be perfect, and the venue is no exception. As you’ll spend most of the day there, it needs to cover every base. Sadly, there are little things which brides and grooms have to forego to ensure they stick to their budget. Plus, nothing is going to be perfect. Still, a bridezilla doesn’t take no for an answer. That’s why she checks out furniture rental and convinces vendors to let her swap out the furnishings. Honestly, they’ve dealt with worse. Anyway, if you don’t ask, you won’t receive.

Vendor Snakes

Sorry to burst your bubble of bliss, but not everyone you deal with is going to help. Some will appear to yet they’ll secretly overcharge and take advantage of your big day. Happy couples are content to give them a pass because they don’t want to ruin the occasion; a bridezilla doesn’t think along the same lines. She will speak up for her and her man to ensure they get the best deal possible. Calmly yet firmly pointing out that fees weren’t included is an excellent way to show vendors that you won’t step down.

Factory Reset

You shouldn’t rely on this, but it tends to be true for most brides. After the wedding, everyone you were terrible too will let you off for your behavior. Why? It’s because they understand that weddings are stressful and you weren’t your usual self. While your loved ones won’t be over the moon, the majority of them will bite their tongues for your sake. After all, they want you to be happy. As long as you return to normal, it should be water off a duck’s back.

Remember that even bridezillas get their happily ever after.

As I said in my previous post, Hallstatt is a tiny little village. So the fact that iv had to split my post into 2 sections must tell you just how utterly picturesque this place is. I literally could not stop shooting, And then when I got back and began editing and sorting shots I could not whittle them down. 

So here you are... 2 post from a tiny little chocolate box town in Austria. You don't mind do you? 

What I love about Hallstatt is that you walk one up the street, and you think you've seen it in all of its cuteness. But than you turn round and walk back ad it looks even cuter.  

And if chocolate box pastel colored streets and houses aren't your thing then tell me the lake isn't?! 

Just like Salzburg, the town is filled with handmade, ornate street and shop signs that make you feel like you'v gone back a few century's 

Id say I was sorry for not being able to disregard some of the shots... But I'm not. Not even a little 

Belle
Xx
​For Hallstatt part 1 see here 

You have been planning your wedding in your head since you can remember. Now the time has finally arrived for you to make it all happen, it all seems a little overwhelming. How are you going to ensure everything goes off without a hitch? Those all important wedding details can feel like a source of stress to many brides to be, but it really doesn’t need to be. In fact, organizing those demure details is actually incredibly fun, so you need to make the most of the planning process. Get stuck into creative ideas and you will soon have a big day worthy of a Disney movie.

Choose a Picturesque Venues

In order to create a magical atmosphere for all of your guests, you’re going to need to choose a picturesque venue that matches your personalities. Choose a place that is special to you both and look for ways to make it your own. There is only so much that professional photographers can do when it comes to capturing those special moments on your big day. Having a venue that is already beautiful will help to create amazing images that you can treasure forever once your big day is over.

Find Fabulous Flowers

Although wedding flowers are pretty pricey, there is truly nothing more delicate and demure than stunning bouquets all over the venue. You and your bridesmaids will be able to carry stunning bouquets bursting with fragrant flowers. If you’re feeling really thrifty you could also take some vases to the venue so you can reuse the bouquets for decorations after the ceremony! Pop the blooms onto the cake table or in the middle of the top table and your guests will never know any different.

Terrific Table Plans

Coming up with innovative and exciting table plans is what planning a wedding is all about. Those unique and personal touches that you can add to things such as your table names and numbers are limitless. You could use countries you have visited together or your favourite cocktails. Be a little bit creative with this and you will have a beautiful and memorable day with all of your favourite people.

Fantastic Favours

When your guests go to sit down for their dinner, you want them to be greeted with a beautiful little favour that they can take home or enjoy in that moment. Although wedding favours can be quite pricey, it will all be worth it when your guests are thanking you for the thoughtful gift. A tiny bottle of pink gin, a pot of color-coordinated sweets or even a little photograph will make your guests feel extra special on the big day.

Like most brides to be, you want your big day to be bursting with beautiful details that make your guests smile in awe. When it comes to planning a wedding you have never heard of so many different options, but try not to stress yourself out. As long as you have a clear idea in your mind, you will be able to make the perfect choices for you and your beau. Remember, to stick closely to your budget too otherwise you will be left with a hefty bill at the end of the big day!

So I have a new favorite European town, well after Paris that it.

Hallstatt really is as cute as everybody says it is, and as all the pictures look. Dare I say, its even better in real life!

We woke up bright and early and headed over to the cutest little town iv seen. The first views are really breathtaking, It looks like a town built out of  fairy tale, too perfect to be real. The mirror reflection on the lake is the prettiest thing to see.

We too our town strolling around the tiny village and taking in all of the beautiful details Flowers decorate the entire pastel colored town. In every window box, and every door way. Each house that lines the street is cuter than the last.

Its not hard to see why its fast becoming the most popular village on Austria...probably thanks to Instagram (I know it where I first saw it) 

And our luck was totally in because it didn't rain once making it so much easier to enjoy the town and actually take some decent shots. Which is just perfect as this place is a photographers dream 

We strolled through blue streets, pink streets and yellow streets with houses that look like they are on ttop of one another all draped in the most magical fairy tale like fog. Helping to make the whole place feel even more mystical and cosy .

I really couldn't  have been more delighted to have visited Hallstatt after it being on my bucket list for so long and it totally living up to all of my dreams. Hallstatt, I'll be coming back for sure  

Belle
​Xx