Little Michael's Baptism

What a beautiful event this turned out to be! The weather played in our favour given the wonderful garden venue we had selected and Michael behaved like a champion, gracefully going into and out of the water with a smile on his face!

The event was filled with all the cultural elements that make Greek Baptisms extra special. The family enjoyed a delectably lunch and the kids played with the gorgeous Silky chickens in the lush gardens.

My dad summed up the event perfectly, "You don't get to experience a child christening everyday, this is a very special occasion!"

Here are some of the wonderful suppliers that came together to make the event special!

Date  held: 

18 August 2013

Venue: 

Greek Orthodox Church Germiston followed by lunch at Shepstone Gardens

Caterers:

Vicky Crease Caterers

Sound & Lighting:

Joburg Life

Photography:

Bruno Gila Photography

Videography:

Studio Memoir

Bonbonierre:

lovemedesign ZA

Spring 2013 Colour Inspiration

With wedding season in full swing - here is the 2013 colour of the year!

Happy Planning!

Beefcakes - A Bachelorette with a difference

Needless to say - Beefcakes was an awesome venue to host our friends bachelorette.

A drag show, beefy waiters and dolled up as "The Pink Ladies" from Grease really played well into the whole theme.

The entertainment was delightful - then again, I am almost positive I am a budding singer/actress/drag queen in disguise so anything that involves song, dance, glitz and glamour is my cuppa tea!

Vintage Tea Party Year

Ooooh! Super exited to have gotten my hands on this book! its the Vintage Tea Party Year Edition - so you know what that means? Party ideas by occasion!

New Years,
Valentines,
Wedding,
Hens Night - what ever occasion that may pop up in the year you are sure to find a great recipe and idea on set up!

Happy Planning!!

Love G

Vintage Inspired Aeroplane Theme - Inspiration Board

Vintage Aeroplane Inspired Christening

Its that time in a new mommy's life (or second, third, fourth time mum) to plan the Christening!

Having had a beautiful bouncing baby boy, I couldn't resist the beckoning of a Vintage Aeroplane inspired theme

The venue and caterers have been selected, now all I need to do is create the magic! These are my inspiration images thus far!

Here is a sneak peek at the beautiful venue we have selected:

The Vintage Tea Party

Whilst waiting for my friends to arrive at a quint little coffee shop we'd come to love, I thought I would just pop into the bookstore and mozie around to kill time - well lucky I did because I came across an awesome book titled: The Vintage Tea Partyby Angel Adoree.

Now with my love for tea, tea parties, tea time, high tea - you name it, I just had to own the book no matter what was written inside. With the book paid for, I took my seat at the coffee shop and began to page through it.

What a lovely book, if I do say so myself! It was filled with awesome tea party planning ideas, fantastic photography work and of course all the "how to's" when it comes to throwing your amazing tea party function.

I loved how Angel took tea time from a primarily 'nose in the air'/ ladies only territory and showed you how to incorporate it into a snazzy, loved by all event!

I suggest you get your hands on this book for some fantastic event planning ideas - I will be having a baby shower in the near future so I will be sure to conveniently leave the book lying around where friends and family can get inspiration from :)

Happy Planning :)

Spring - Summer 2012 Colour Inspiration

Lavender Sugar Jars as Favours

Recipe:

• Granulated sugar
• Dried lavender blossoms
• Vanilla bean
• Small  jars
• Ribbon and labels to decorate

Pour sugar into a mixing bowl, add the lavender blossoms.  Cut one small end of the vanilla bean off.  Split the vanilla bean down the center, revealing tiny, vanilla bean specks.  Scrape vanilla beans out with a small knife and add to the sugar and lavender.

With the back of a spoon, work the lavender and vanilla bean into the sugar.  Be sure to press on the lavender blossoms to release their oils and to disperse any vanilla bean clumps that may form. Pour the mixture into the jars.  Easy :)

Island Inspiration Wedding

Credit: 

Photographer: John Armstrong Photography in Cape Town 
Creative Designers: FRESH Individual Creative Events from Limassol, Cyprus

Something Blue

Wedding Insurance

Sooo.... after an interesting Facebook post from a Wedding Coordinator, it looks like more and more people are advising that Brides and Grooms consider taking about Wedding Insurance for their weddings...

It may seem like just another unnecessary cost added to the bundles of costs that you have to contend with for your wedding but here is some information about wedding insurance that might help:

         

Before you buy wedding insurance, check with your each of your 

vendors to see how well they're covered.

What Is Wedding Insurance?

Basically, wedding insurance protects a couple's investment from circumstances beyond  their control, and reimburses expenses incurred. For example, what if your limo driver doesn't show up and you have to book another one the morning of the wedding -- for three times the price? Or what if the groom's custom-made tuxedo is lost in airport baggage, and he has to buy a new one the day before the wedding? What if your reception space goes out of business a month before the wedding, and you lose your deposit and have to book another space? These are the types of big-day financial losses that wedding insurance can help to protect.

Why Get Wedding Insurance?

Consider these scenarios:

• Janet and Dan spend months planning their winter wedding. But on wedding day, their reception site is made inaccessible by an ice storm. With the right wedding insurance policy, the couple can postpone their wedding and receive every penny they lost (less the deductible) -- including money for the invites, cake, catering, attire, and non-refundable deposits for ceremony musicians, floral designer, and other vendors.
• The bride's father is injured in a car accident just before the wedding and cannot travel. If the couple has to postpone their wedding, with wedding insurance they could be paid back their expenses to enable them to have the wedding when the father recovers.
• Right before the ceremony, Brittany's gown catches a gust of wind. Unfortunately, the tulle dances right over to the end of Uncle Howard's cigar and the dress instantly goes up in flames. Fortunately, the right insurance policy covers the replacement of the veil and gown.

Do You Really Need Wedding Insurance?

Before you buy wedding insurance, check with your each of your vendors to see how well they're covered -- your reception site or your caterer may already have their own insurance, so you wouldn't want to pay for overlapping coverage out of your own pocket. Ask your vendors for a copy of their policy, and then figure out where you aren't fully covered.

What Does Wedding Insurance Cover?

Problems with the site, weather, vendors, key people, sickness, or injury are the top concerns come wedding day. There is usually a specified maximum amount, which can be claimed under each section, and a deductible also applies. Be sure to find out the details of your insurance plan.

• Site: Check to see if your ceremony and reception site is already insured. If it's not, wedding insurance can cover the cost arising out of unavoidable cancellation (such as damage or inaccessibility to the ceremony site), if your reception hall is unable to honor your reservation because it has burned in a fire, experienced an electrical outage, or just plain closed down. Sometimes this policy covers the rehearsal dinner site, too.
• Weather: Any weather conditions which prevent the bride, groom, any relative whose presence at the wedding is essential, or the majority of the guests from reaching the premises where the wedding is to take place. Insurance covers rescheduling the wedding and all the details involved -- such as ceremony flowers, tent rental, and reception food.
• Vendor No-show: What if essential wedding people -- the caterer or the officiant, for example -- fail to show up? A wedding insurance policy usually covers cancellation or postponement of the wedding for these reasons.
• Sickness or Injury: Wedding insurance may also include sickness or injury to the bride, groom, or anyone essential to the wedding.
• Military or Job: It's true, military personnel may be shipped out at a moment's notice. Wedding insurance can cover postponement of the wedding due to the bride or groom suddenly getting called to military duty. This can also apply to a last-minute corporate move -- i.e. the bride's company suddenly relocates her to another city.

Things to Consider                                 

Every insurance policy and every wedding scenario is different. Be sure to talk to your insurance agent -- and have him or her explain the nuts and bolts to you. You want to make sure you and your sweetie understand every detail of your policy.

Read more: Wedding Planning: Wedding Insurance 101 - Wedding Planning - Wedding Problems http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-problems/articles/wedding-insurance-101.aspx#ixzz24x6AbOeW

Autumn Wedding Inspiration

Baby Shower High Tea

Too cute! My friend recently hosted a Baby Shower and decided on a High Tea theme, I can not think of anything more fantastic than being treated like a princess whist expect your little princess or prince :)

I love the Candy Table idea - bringing the playful element but still looking quite elegant. Macaroon are a fabulous decor and food element, the colours are vast lending to ay theme and decor you can think of. Adding welcome drinks in the color of your theme add to the air of sophistication that a High Tea or Afternoon Tea lends.

The easiest way to create the theme is to use tiered dishes, elegant platter and have tea cups as part of your setting. The ideas fun and it will be a sure fire way to make "mum to be" feel special!

Happy Planning :)

Gina