We left a rainy but utterly gorgeous Saltzburg in search of new view and the super cute Insta famous town of Hallstatt.

It was one of those road-trips that feels like an event all in itself. I mean I LOVE a roadtrip, but give me views like these and my jaw doesn't leave the floor. 

Its not a long drive... around an hour and thirty minutes. But throw in my demands to stop  because iv seen something I want to photograph and it'll soon end up taking much longer... 

There are fog draped mountains, cute alpine houses, raging rivers and glittering lakes with the odd mountain cow or 2 ​

I'm falling in love with Austria already... 

Belle
​Xx

When you get married, you become someone’s wife. Once the wedding reception is over, you go home with a husband who should be by your side forever more. What you might not realize is that this isn’t the only commitment you make on your big day.

For centuries, a ring has been a symbol of love and marriage. It’s a physical reminder of your commitment. The band is supposed to signify the eternal union you’ve entered with your loved one. And, it should also stay with you forever.

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As such, you make two lifelong commitments on that day. One of them you’ve probably spent a few years leading up to. The other you may have decided within half an hour when you went to the jewellers. Is it any wonder, then, that this latter commitment doesn’t always have the happiest of endings? Many married couples have to resize or replace inappropriate wedding rings. Don’t let the same happen to you. Ensure you can commit to your ring by asking yourself the following before settling on the one.

Will that color still work in years to come?

Colored wedding diamonds come and go. A red diamond-encrusted ring may be all the rage now, but it could cause you issues. What if your colour palette changes as you age? What if red doesn’t stand the test of time? As a general rule, you’d be better off sticking to colours like those mentioned on www.beautylish.com which are sure to go with anything. These tend to be timeless classics which you should easily be happy with for the rest of your life.

Will the cut get in your way?

There are no hard and fast rules about what makes a decent wedding ring. Some couples opt for classic bands, while others prefer diamonds. This is a matter of taste, but it is worth asking yourself whether the cut of a diamond would get in your way later. Are you going to be able to hold your babies without stabbing them? Can you get on with life without your ring forever catching on things? If yes, you’re onto a winner. If not, you may be best off reading up about the best cuts on sites like https://diamondexpert.com/. That way, you can get the diamonds you want without endless issues in later years.

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Will that style stand up to your developing tastes?

There’s a temptation to invest in rings which ‘reflect your personality’ nowadays. This is beneficial for obvious reasons. It ensures your wedding rings reflect who you are as people. The trouble is that you're sure to change. A ring which is incredibly stylised to what you like right now may not suit in as little as five-years time. Instead, then, it may be worth staying simple with this. A subtle style such as a basic band can stay looking good through every style you get stuck into. If you want to inject personality, stick instead to subtle additions like engravings which never get old.

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In an ideal world, when you get married it’s for keeps so getting everything right from the flowers to the venue is important. But with so much to consider, how do you know you’re getting everything just right and not missing any of the crucial details?

The good news is that we’ve looked at all the wedding planning and lifestyle blogs to help with a checklist of not-to-be-overlooked details, including photography and stationery, so take a deep breath and have a look at our marriage shortlist.

Get it on paper

Don’t spend hours doing this, you don’t have to have too much detail, neither do you have to have sheets and sheets of paper but instead just some details written down of how you want your day to run. After that you can start filling in the details starting at the very beginning with church or marriage venue and reception, followed by guest list.

Once you have those details in place then you can start booking your venues and getting those wedding invitations or save the date details out. Ask yourself if you’ll be going for a modern invitation, where you as a couple issue the invite or whether you’ll follow tradition and have the bride’s parents make the formal request?


Think themes

Now’s the time to start thinking themes. Are you the kind of couple who prefers a more relaxed, Converse under wedding dress kind of affair with a barbecue or big party following the nuptials or would you prefer a more formal church-based ceremony? However you are, start thinking early on how you plan on running your day and get booking.

The important thing is that you stay true to who you both are and let your wedding reflect that.

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Book the people

Now’s the time to start telling the people who are crucial to your wedding success when the date is. Get your bridesmaids and best man signed up, book the vicar, the florist and the band. Don’t forget that unless you’re asking guests to take photos for you, you’ll also need the services of a photographer, such as myphotosforever.co.uk and possibly a videographer.

Don’t forget to let family members know early on so they can plan for the big day and make it clear if you will be allowing children to give plenty of time to parents to start ringing around for babysitters.

Whoever you are and however you plan on creating your big day, the key is to start planning early enough and to follow a logical sequence so you don’t find that you’ve missed out a wedding DJ here or a suit hire there. Delegate where you feel comfortable but be absolutely clear that the final decision rests with you and not with a well-meaning friend or relative. If you need to be firm, do so but remember emotions can run high at occasions such as weddings.

Above all, your wedding is a celebration of love and commitment and should be as unique and individual as the people organizing and celebrating it.


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Have you been overspending a bit over the holidays, neglected your savings account or even fallen behind on some of your payments? While it can happen to anyone, it’s still important that you take care of things as soon as possible and try to work your way back to where you were.​ ​

There is, after all, no surer way to get yourself into a worse financial situation than to close your eyes and ignore the issue completely.

If you need a few tips and tricks to get back on track financially, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Here is a handful of ways to get you started so that you can go in plus again rather than in minus - and so that you can fend those creditors away.

First: Revise your budget

As a good rule, the beginning of a new year should give you the opportunity to go through your budget again and make a few more tweaks. It could be revised temporarily, for example, to reflect your overspending of last month and make it a bit easier for you to get back to where you were before the holidays.

Increase your savings a bit, cut down on the money you use on fun stuff, and remind yourself that it’s just for a bit. In a short month or two, you might be able to spend the way you used to without having that nagging feeling of guilt at the back of your mind.

Another point to this is that you should try to revise your payment solutions on your debt, in general, as well. These wedding loans with Buddy loans, for example, will be able to pay for your big day and you can stick to this one payment to pay everything back.

It just makes it a bit easier to keep track of everything and not lose control over your payments. Check out this article for some more wedding tips, by the way, to make the day even more perfect.

Next: Sell some of your stuff

Minimalism is hyper-trendy these days, you know, and there will be a lot of people who are willing to give your beloved stuff a great home - and they will even pay you a bit of money for it. A new year is, after all, a great opportunity to clean out your wardrobe and get rid of everything that will just create clutter at home; just advertise it on one of the many online marketplaces and you should be able to find a buyer.

Be patient, though, and remember to take good pictures of what you’re trying to sell so that it can go a bit quicker. The money you make of this should, of course, be spent on paying back your debt or to save up money for a rainy day and not just on having fun.

This is a good point to keep in mind, in general, if you would like to have a bit more to spend without having to take up a loan. Declutter your home and give your stuff loving new owners so that you can have a bit more money to spend on your big day, a kitchen renovation, or just a nice dinner out with your family.

Another day and another rainy but always magical day in Saltzburg. It really is one of the most beautiful places to visit in any season but I can’t help but feel like we got super lucky to see it shrouded by magical fog everyday. The rain however I could have done without.

After a lovely breakfast at our hotel, where they serve the famous sacher torte for breakfast (winning at life or what!?) we headed out for another rainy day in Saltzburg.

The stores are full of traditional items like traditional Austrian clothing and antiques so its a little bit more special than your average high street. 

Whilst on the way to lunch we also found this lovely street where the houses are built into the mountains whcih reminded me of Setenil de las Bodegas in Andalusia 

In the afternoon we made our way to St. Peter Stiftskulinarium for some lunch. Not only is it one of the oldest restaurants in Europe, It is very cute and was a welcome sanctuary from the rainly cold afternoon with its roaring fireplaces and cosy spaces. 

We took a table by the window and cosied in for the afternoon. 

It was at this point that once again my camera decided to fog up, but still I persevered and tried to capture what I could. 

I ordered the duck with risotto, which just divine and exactly what I needed after a long morning exploring Saltzburg.

The hubb's ordered the schnitzel with cranberry sauce, which I can vouch for its deliciousness as I tried some myself. 

And we finished with the most incredible dessert ever. We ordered the famous Salzburger Nockerl, which was the most unique and incredible dessert iv ever laid my eyes on.  Made for sharing and as absolutely gorgeous as it was we couldn't even make a dent in this baby, depite all of our best intentions.  If you ever visit Austria, I dare you not to try it.

I sincerely couldn't recommend St. Peter Stiftskulinarium enough, it was a total highlight from our trip to Saltzburg. 
After lunch we headed out to the ​Mirabell Gardens. Mirabell is a woman’s name from Italy, a compilation of two words: mirabile “admirable” and bella “beautiful”.

You might recognize the gardens from the sound of music, and they are every bit as wonderful as they are on the big screen.In the film, Maria and the children dance around the Pegasus Fountain in front of the palace, singing. 

Aren't they just divine?
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For more from our Austrian road trip see here and here

Belle
​Xx

There are several reasons you might elope. You might decide that you don't want to deal with the fuss of a full wedding. Maybe you want to roll your wedding and honeymoon into one package, or you even want to avoid sticky issues related to who will and won't be invited. But just because you're eloping, it doesn't mean that your wedding has to be a quickie in Vegas, complete with Elvis impersonator. An elopement can still be memorable, touching and unforgettable if you get it right. Have a look at some of the ways you could make your elopement the best.

Pick the Right Place

The first thing that you need to do is make sure you choose the right destination for your elopement. There are so many places to choose from, and you could spend a lot more if you're not paying for any guests (or very few guests). Have you ever considered eloping in Iceland or jetting off to Thailand? You can choose any destination that calls out to you, whether it's close to home or a long plane ride away.

Don't Get Tripped Up By the Legal Stuff

Before you leave for your wedding, make sure you have any legal necessities sorted out. You don't want anything to ruin your union, especially not paperwork. If you just want a symbolic, non-legal ceremony and you want to marry legally at home, you're probably good to go. But if you want a legal commitment, you should check out the legalities of getting married in your chosen destination, as well as what you might need to do to register your marriage when you get home.

Have a Plan

Eloping can be all about the freedom of not having any responsibilities or the stress of planning an elaborate affair. But that doesn't mean that you should have no plan at all. You should still make some arrangements, from booking the ceremony and somewhere to stay to buying your outfits. You can be spontaneous but there is such a thing as being too spontaneous, especially when you're getting married.

Make Some Memories

Without your friends and family there to see you get married, everyone is going to want to know all about it when you get home. So make sure you book a photographer for your wedding so you have photos to show them when you're finally ready to return. Of course, the joy of an elopement is that you get to combine it with your honeymoon, and there are plenty of other things you can do to make some memories. Go on some adventures so you have plenty to talk about back home.

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Celebrate When You Get Home

Hearing that you're going to elope can be tough for some family and friends to swallow because they want to be part of your special day. To help ease the sting a little, you might want to consider having a small party or gathering when you get home - or even a few gatherings with different people - to celebrate.

If you decide to elope, it's still worth taking the time to get it right. It's all about being fun and enjoying the freedom of making your own decision.

Belle
Xx

We chose to stay at Hotel Sacher Salzburg after staying in the Vienna Sacher a couple of years previously and absolutely loving the experience. 

If you haven't heard of the hotel than surly you'v heard of its very famous and even more delicious cake. My husband and I are crazy about it and always buy a box to take home with us to share with friends (or not)

​The hotel was built in the 1800's and although currently undergoing renovation it still manages to be everything a Sacher hotel should be. In the best location in the city overlooking the Salzach River its a stones throw from the footbridge to the Old Town.

My Favorite thing about staying at Sacher hotels is that your just minutes away from the in house cafe and its famous sacher torte.  I wasn't even a fan of Chocolate cake until I tried sacher cake.  I'm told that its spread with apricot jam, which is what gives it the unique flavor. 

It was just about this time that my DSLR decided to completely steam up on me due to the on pour of rain and humidity. Luckily some of the images were usable, and even a little atmospheric in the end 

Served with a dollop of Fresh cream and a cup of hot tea or coffee it is what dreams are made of.

Have you ever tried Sacher chocolate Torte? 
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Belle
​Xx

For more from our Austrian road trip see here 
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Your wedding should be the happiest day of your life, and you’ll never want to wonder ‘what if’ or regret the choices you made afterwards. Of course, weddings are very expensive and a lot of the time you’ll be questioning why you’re spending so much money on everything! However, when it’s all over, you’ll find that there are some things that you’ll be glad you splashed out on, helping you to look back fondly over the day.

Which wedding items are worth splashing out for? Take a look at the following for some wedding inspiration.

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A photo booth
Love them or loathe them, a photo booth makes a great addition to your wedding. While you’ll have the formal photographs to enjoy, they don’t always capture your wedding from the perspective of your guests. When the wedding’s over and you’re feeling a bit blue, looking at photos of your guests getting silly with props and poses will help you remember what a fun and lovely day it was, and your guests will get to take home a reminder too.

Remember, if money is tight, you can always create your own wedding photo booth that you and your guests will love!
A videographer
A wedding video isn’t always a must-have on every bride-to-be’s list, and they can be one expense that often doesn't make the cut. However, it’s also one of the things that couples regret not getting the most. A wedding video is something you’ll have forever, and can be a beautiful record of your day that you can relive again and again. It’s worth taking a look at wedding videographer prices to help you see if you can fit one in your budget after all. Can you really put a price on capturing those special memories?
A wedding band
There’s nothing quite like a wedding band to help get the party started. Wedding bands add a lot of fun to the occasion and are guaranteed to get everyone up on the dance floor. Choosing a wedding band who will play the songs you love and get the crowd going are worth every penny, Check out local listings or explore some lesser-known bands who might be able to offer you a great deal for your big day. Friends and family are a good place to get recommendations, and you’ll be sure to find someone who can bring the party on your big day.

If I said I was excited about Salzburg, that would be an understatement. Ever since discovering Kiel James Patrick's incredible Instagram account and his photos from his travels iv been obsessed with visiting here and Hallstatt (coming soon)

I had the biggest fairytale expectations from this part of the world and was not disappointed at all, even with the actual bucket loads of rain we encountered everyday in Salzburg (causing me continuous camera problem)    

Our first stop was the absolutely beautiful St Peters Abbey. I loved the use of white, which gave it a very different feel from other cathedrals iv been to. It really stood out to me. It also provided much needed rest bite from the rain

Next we visited St. Peter’s Cemetery (The Petersfriedhof) and the catacombs. Although It felt totally strange to visit a cemetery, I had heard it was an absolute must see in Saltzburg.

And I have to admit I am  so glad we did, as it was the absolute most beautiful baroque cemetery iv ever seen. Completely full of beautiful flowers, and every detail perfectly maintained it truly is something to see. 

Still braving the rain we made our way to Hohensalzburg Fortress which is the largest castle fully preserved castle in Europe.  Its quite the walk up and the higher you go, the more of Salzburg is revealed. ​

Once at the top, I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on those views for any amount of rain or climbing. ​Plus, all that climbing means I can eat more apple strudel right?

Stop by later this week for more adventures in Austria 

Belle 
Xx