Christmas to me is about celebrating with friends and making time to appreciate each other. So we get some of our favorites together, and have a Christmas soiree. This year we hosted an afternoon tea. 

I created a winter whites table tablescape with a touch of gold, which I could later change up a little to become the Christmas day tablescape.
As it was Christmas week, I added in fresh roses to the chandelier (They are in oasis foam so they will stay fresh for a few days)  and I also add fresh roses into some of the glass balls hanging from the chandelier with fishing wire or nylon thread. I also added in some sparkly snowflakes to cement the Christmas theme.

I kept the floral's white and cream with lots of green foliage. I used Ecuador roses in polar white and vendela along with amaryllis and cream spray roses. For the bottom vases I grouped white chrysanthemums together.  Again I built out the arrangement using oasis floral foam to help keep everything in place, it really is a lifesaver!

For the table setting, I use my white tea set (as its neutral, its a great set to have as can be used with almost anything). 

We served finger sandwiches in a variety of fillings. Turkey and cranberry, cheese and chutney, roast beef and cream cheese and cucumber. We also found mini goats cheese and cranberry parcels and the cutest festive sausage rolls.  If your making sandwiches the ahead of time, keep them sealed in Tupperware and refrigerated.
For sweet treats we served mini mince pies, stolen bites, gingerbread cookies and cupcakes and Bavarian desserts. 

And of course it wouldn't be Christmas without Christmas cake.

Are you planning any holiday partys? Id love to hear all about them in the comments below

Belle
Xx

For more Christmas inspiration see HERE and HERE 

It can be worthwhile to tailor your wedding exactly how you and your partner like it. If you cherish the day, who’s to say you’ve made a decision that’s wrong, simply because others in your family might not have chosen it for themselves? Weddings are often momentous formal occasions, but they can also be times of great passion and coming-together if you let it. They can help families bond, and for the presence of you all to be celebrated with joy.

While this will often happen naturally, there are methods you can take to ensure the entire process is well taken care of. No matter who you are, a little effort in this direction can be novel when figuring out your wedding plans. You might consider:

A Photo Booth

A wedding photo booth can help you capture all of the silly social fun that happens after-hours, after the wedding service is done and the catering have completed their excellent job. This is the time where the wine flows, and the party begins. All weddings are different, but most are jovial and a fun, slowly growing informal time, particularly if there’s a free bar. With a novelty photo booth, you may come back from your honeymoon vacation with a list of hilarious shots you didn’t even know took place. If a wedding photographer is there to capture the full extent of the love between two people and families, the wedding booth is there to help the lighthearted fun of the event truly show itself.

Specific Catering

Specific catering can be very worthwhile, depending on your needs and wants. However, sometimes choosing a novelty can be a great idea. Instead of the four course meal at the local restaurant or event hall, you may decide to have something a little more your tastes. Bringing in a pitmaster for the best barbecue you have ever eaten, or perhaps something more culturally appropriate such as seeing sushi made in front of you, or maybe even asking your chef relative to put a large spread on for you can all have that personal touch, which can sometimes feel much more welcoming than simply selecting a range of options on a sheet.

The Free Bar

The less said about a free bar, the better. You likely know what you’re getting into. Is it a novelty? Surely.

An Alternate Reception
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An alternate reception could be a great idea to give your wedding that unique spin. No matter how traditional or untraditional your main wedding service was, it can be truly worthwhile to find something more appropriate to you when everyone congregates. If your parents have some land, why not hire a marquee and set of large tents to have a more home-spun occasion, instead of hiring out an event hall? If your family is filled with athletic surfers, why not have a wonderful summer beach surf? Something highly personal to you and your family will often have the most impact, so don’t feel constrained to only a few options, as your true inner wants might be more than applicable.

With these tips, you’re sure to find novelty in all of your wedding applications.

For last years Christmas tablescape I really tried to challenge myself not to use pink.  Pink is my absolute all time favorite color and I naturally just reach for it no matter what i'm doing. 
That said, I also really like to change things up and make things look completely different. After all life is too short to do the same tablescape twice!  

So in the spirit of change I went with white, mint green with gold accents. For the floral display, I created a large arrangement with white and cream Ecuador roses, amaryllis and white snapdragons. I used lots of fresh eucalyptus (which just smells incredible) boxwood and white waxflower. To add in extra drama I used vases or chrysanthemums packed tightly together. 

I built the arrangement with an afternoon tea party we were also hosting in mind and I wanted it to be able to work between the two but have 2 sightly different looks. Its amazing what a different shade of tablecloth can achieve. 

I added foliage to the chandelier to add in some drama (and if i'm being honest its something iv wanted to do since we moved) 

I hung gold snowflakes from the bottom of the chandelier, along with hanging glass balls with a combination of tea lights and fresh roses inside. 

I found these gorgeous glasses by LSA which were the perfect color. These are the melon balloon glasses and the I also used the tumblers in the same shade. I actually love these glasses so much I purchased them in rose also ​

Now lets see if I give in to the pinkness this year....

Belle 
​Xx

When you’re planning your wedding, the ceremony is all about you and your partner. It’s your time to declare your love for one another and make the promises of marriage. But the reception is the time to celebrate with all of your family and friends and so you want to make it special for them. The reception is the time when you can have a bit of fun with your wedding and do something interesting for your guests so your wedding is one to remember. These are some great fun ideas for a memorable wedding reception.

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The average wedding in the USA costs in the region of $35,329. Once that figure has sunk in, you may be thinking of ways to cut the costs down on your wedding to make sure you are not paying for it for the rest of yours and your partner's life. Without sounding too cliche, marriage is supposed to be about, love, commitment, and loyalty. Which this post aims to cut some of the more significant costs of running a wedding so that following the big day you can actually get on with spending money on the next milestones of your lives together. Such as a holiday, starting a family or building a home together.
The VenueWhat venue you choose to hire for your wedding is vital as it could have a massive impact on your budget. Before you look at places to view, first of all figuring out how many guests you want to invite is vital, as this will denote the kind of space you need to hire and the number of people you need to cater for. Once you have a list of potential guests, you can begin calling venues to ask if they provide room for this amount and to give you a rough price range to check whether it’s in the budget. Here are a few ideas for you to consider to help reduce the cost of your venue.

1. Check sites such as Wowcher and Groupon for wedding package deals.
2. Negotiate the cost of a wedding venue down.
3. Ask if they might include extras at no additional cost. Such as decor, or a free bar for a limited time.
4. Consider decorating the venue yourself, by sourcing decorations from stores such as hobby lobby.
5. Choose to elope.

If you’re quite happy with the prospect of a small intimate affair, outside of the realms of a conventional wedding, eloping could be the best option for you, your partner and your budget. For the adventurous amongst you, businesses such as S Photography elopement provide packages for you and your guests, by sourcing an exciting location, providing photography and handling the boring parts such as the licensing.
Wedding DressChoosing what you will wear for the day is incredibly important to ensure you are comfortable, but also feel and look beautiful on your big day.
If the bride is choosing to wear a wedding dress, this can rack up an unreasonable cost if you decide to source a brand new gown from a wedding dress shop. On average a new dress can cost around $1,500. Thankfully, there are alternative options that are better for your pocket such as;

1. Buy a dress that has been marked down in the sale.
2. Purchase a wedding dress second hand on sites such as eBay or craigslist.
3. Negotiate the cost of your wedding dress down.
4. Rent a dress for the day.
5. Purchase a dress from a wholesaler website online such as Aliexpress.

Bear in mind, the second-hand dresses for sale have most likely only been worn for one day. So it is unlikely to be in poor condition. Buying second hand is also an excellent way to bag a designer dress for far less than purchasing it new. Do take into account, if you’re particular about the dress fitting you in a certain way, you will need to hire a seamstress who can adapt the dress for you, this will come at an additional cost.

In a bid to have the perfect wedding without breaking the bank, the tips above should provide you with a few ideas of how to get a great venue and dress for less.

​Belle

Seeing all of you're favourite people at Christmas can be really hard as everyone is so busy shopping, decorating and visiting family as well as living life in general. If you're not careful you can miss out on time with your closest friends. This is why I always try to plan a brunch or a lunch so I don't miss out on time with my favourites at such a special time. 
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Last year I invited some of my girlfriends from Spain to a very pink and girly afternoon.

As it was just the girls I had free reign to go as pink and girly as I wished (not that I ever let anything stop me doing the pink thing)

Like afternoon tea, brunch is another favourite party style for me as it can take minimal effort food prep wise and lots can be prepared before hand. Which leaves me with more time to focus on the styling and decoration which is what i'm definitely better at. I also don't like to be away from guests when they arrive so this is perfect.

As its the festive seasons I cracked out the Champagne along with the coffees, teas and orange juice. I served fresh warm, sweet and savoury pastries, fruit bowls, and muffins which went down a treat. You could also add in eggs as they can be prepped before hand and kept warm.

Excuse the low res iPhone snap, but this was the only one we managed to take ha ha 

Aren’t girlie brunches the best?!

Belle
Xx

After a super productive day Christmas shopping in the beautiful city of Edinburgh, (if you haven't been shopping there you should definitely check it out) we headed to the Christmas markets. Because is it even Christmas if you haven't been to the Christmas markets...

'sWe checked out the stall filled with Christmas decorations, festive foods and artisan cheese. And in true Scottish style you can pick up some cute tartan pieces. 

After we had finished our days shopping we headed to The Dome for dinner and a well earned cocktail. The Dome is the quintessential Christmas venue. It is probably the most Christmassy restaurants iv visited to date, so if this place doesn't have you filled with festive cheer than I don't know what will.    

They make the most incredible cocktails, they are to die for...

We had the most perfect weekend in Edinburgh, I definitely recommend it 

Belle
​Xx 

During our festive trip to Edinburgh, we stopped by The Balmoral hotel for afternoon tea at the Palm court. Festive afternoon teas are a tradition for for us and we are always looking to try new one's. This would be my first Scottish afternoon tea... how exciting! 

I think this afternoon tea gets the award for the sparkly est afternooon tea iv ever been too. The palm court is absolutely beautiful, and as its Christmas its dressed to its very best.   

I was delighted when we were shown to our table and saw the sparkly backdrop. I am all about the sparkle, especially at Christmas time. It was almost as glittering as the glass dome and Venetian chandelier hanging above 

And than we were served a divine selection of sandwiches and savoury's along with fresh out of the oven scones served with clotted cream and Jam 

And than came the handmade pasties from the pastry chef. Each one as delicious as it looked. The addition of a super cute ice cream cone shaped treat was the icing on the cake. 

Such a lovely festive treat, and the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon 

Belle 
​Xo

If you have a busy summer season of weddings coming up for 2019, the chances are you will need to plan your weekends very wisely. Weddings come in all shapes and sizes in the twenty first century. One Saturday you might be watching a distant relative saying their ‘I do’s’ in a traditional Catholic church, and the next weekend you might be enjoying a bohemian ceremony on a beach. It doesn't matter where you are heading to witness the joyous occasions, you need to ensure that your etiquette doesn’t slip. You will be attending one of the most special days of a couple's life, so you need to put in the extra effort. Follow this simple guide to help you be the perfect wedding guest.

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Don’t Upstage The Bride

The chances are that the bride will be wearing white. So its said that you shouldn't wear white as well. While you know that your friend will be stunningly beautiful, radiant and over the moon with her special day, this could be ruined if you rock up wearing the same colour. It’s an unwritten rule that the bride has dibs on white for the day. There are plenty of other colours out there to choose from. Go for something pretty, feminine and floral or opt for the trouser suit look a la Priyanka Chopra at Harry and Meghan’s wedding. Just because your favorite dress is the white one hanging in your wardrobe doesn’t mean you have to wear it.

Be Courteous

Just because you have many wedding invites to sort through doesn’t mean you should be tardy in your responses to them. It’s vital that you RSVP promptly and using the relevant communication method. If it asks for an email, don’t send a text. It looks lazy and disrespectful. Make sure you pencil in the dates on your calendar and start getting organised. Seek out gifts early, sort out your transport to and from venues and investigate hotels or accommodation if you need it. The bride and groom have enough on their plate and will not want to be chasing late responders to their invites.

Don’t Be The Bride’s Shadow

Just because you may be one of the brides closest friends doesn’t mean you can take up all her time at the reception. While you may be overjoyed to see her getting hitched and just want to express how proud you are, you have to let her mingle and share her time fairly. Wedding guests can number over one hundred, so it’s important that the bride and groom can speak to everyone. Be polite, wait your turn and allow her to enjoy her special day. You will see the bride when she gets back from her honeymoon so don’t hog her on the dance floor in the evening. The chances are that she will want to be with her new husband.

You may find the thought of attending so many weddings tedious or exciting. In either case, it's important that you follow this guide to ensure that you master the art of perfect wedding guest etiquette.

Belle 
​Xx


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Where possible we try and come home to the U.K as much as possible over the festive season, as to be quite frank no where does Christmas like it. Spain certainly has its own Christmas traditions,  some of which we have come to love but nostalgia has us craving home soil. 

We decided to spend a festive shopping weekend in Edinburgh after enjoying our time their so much in the Autumn. For this trip we stayed at the Principle Hotel on the prestigious George street and was the perfect backdrop for a cosy Christmas weekend. ​

I love it when hotels decorate for Christmas, it really adds to the festive vibe and the Principle's hotels decoration were lovely. 
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After checking in, and checking out the hotel... we hurried off to see the sites and do a spot of Christmas shopping. 

Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful city's iv visited, and its really brought to life in the festive period with all the buzz of shoppers and beautiful trees decorating the streets. Whether you choose to visit the castle, one of the many Art Galleries or Exhibitions or just walk the historical streets, Edinburgh’s fascinating history is inescapable.

Edinburgh castle sits at the top of the quaint and traditional Royal Mile where you can explore ancient walls, battlements and prisons. Don't be alarmed by the cannon, which fires at 1pm daily.

We passed by my favourite The Witchery by The Castle which is a must if your visiting Edinburgh which was so beautifully decorated I couldn't help but take some snaps.  

Such a perfect town for romantic festive getaway. Check back this week to see what we got up to in the evening 

Belle 
Xx