There is not a lot to say here, just a smorgasbord of beautiful bridal shoes!  So I will just let you browse the sumptous photos yourself.  I might just have to add a pair of these to my Birthday wishlist… I wonder how many of my friends read this blog?

Don’t waste your money on wedding favors that will end up stuffed in a drawer, unused and forgotten.  Give your guests gifts that they will truly enjoy.  If you have a passion for fashion then try out some of these fashion themed wedding favor ideas.

Handbag Holder Wedding Favors

I discovered these handy handbag holders a few years ago and keep buying and losing them because I use them so much.  A girl’s best friend, whether at a busy wedding reception (it is so annoying when your straps end up getting wrapped around a chair leg or worse, tripping up some oblivious guest) or a restaurant.

Bracelet Favors

Treat your female guests to simple bracelets such as this one made with Swarovski crystals.

Manicure Sets

I love these pink polka dots manicure sets.  Great wedding favors for women, don’t you think?

Compact Mirrors

I think my favorite fashion wedding favor though, are these compact mirrors.  Sophisticated in the black and white damask, these are lovely for an elegant evening wedding.

With spring on its way you and your boyfriend might be considering getting engaged just in time for the warmer weather and Valentine’s Day.  If you need to give him any ideas in regards to engagement rings that you really love, you might want to consider Jean Dousset Diamonds.

This elegant and luxurious jewelry company was founded by Los Angeles based jeweler Jean Dousset, who is also a descendent of the famed Louis Cartier.  The brand aims to design stunning engagement rings that bring together the best of historic and timeless styles with cutting edge (pardon the pun) trends.

If you’ve been curious as to what some of the spring 2012 ring trends will be, you’ll be happy to know that the classic raised diamond center stone will continue to be popular.

Vintage rings that steal anyone’s breath away with their intricate details are also still touted as a hot trend.   Look out for pave set bands, halo surrounds and large solitaires in round and cushion cuts.

What are a few sophisticated rings from Jean Dousset Diamonds to consider? Well, besides all of them (because let’s face it…all of them are gorgeous,) here are few of my favourites:

Nina was inspired by the time era of the 30s through the 50s and is a timeless engagement ring with just the right amount of vintage glamour. Pull up the ring online or show your boyfriend this blog article and he’ll be impressed with the fabulous design and how much it makes you smile!

Sasha is another gorgeous ring from this designer that’s both trendy and very stylish. It is designed with a lovely diamond center stone and also features sparkly diamonds that surround the center stone and band. This classic engagement ring might suit you if you love the vintage look.

The founder Jean Dousset prides himself in having a zero-tolerance policy toward conflict diamonds. This means that they only purchase diamonds through the largest suppliers who stick to and enforce the strict ethical standards established by the Kimberley Process.

If you are on the hunt for a ring that will last you a lifetime with your love, check out ultra-feminine engagement rings, wedding bands, and more at Jean Dousset Diamonds’ website.

So are you impressed by the Jean Dousset Diamonds’ sparklers?  Let us know on Facebook.

It’s that time of year to make beautiful Christmas memories. Perhaps you are a newly
engaged bride to be, new wife, or hoping for that engagement ring. Whatever the case
may be, the Christmas season is a beautiful time to celebrate love. If you do happen to get
engaged during the holidays or are planning a wedding for next year in December, read
on for some holiday inspiration.

Glass Ornaments in a Vessel

A beautiful way to glam up your festive wedding is to place glistening glass ornaments
in a glass or silver vessel. Place them on every table in your reception room or make
them a focal point on your wedding table. After the wedding when it’s time to sit down
and eat dinner, you’ll enjoy looking at a vessel with pretty bobbles. Glass ornaments are
beautiful decorations for a wedding and will remind you and your guests of the wonderful
Christmas moments in the making.

Pine Cones Dusted with Snow

Scented pine cones flocked with snow would look gorgeous tied to the back of festive
chairs in a wedding venue. If you have church pews you can have the cones tied to the
end of them for an outdoor and dreamy effect. Pine cones are natural and easy to retrieve
in a near by forest and are also a creative way to reuse nature.

Hot Chocolate with a Whipped Cream Topping

During the reception spoil your guests with delicious hot chocolate with whipped cream
and yummy marshmallows. Pair the hot chocolate with snow ball and snowflake shaped
confectionaries. Your guests will feel like they are in a winter wonderland and will love
staying warm as the evening goes on.

There are countless of other ideas to consider for a Christmas wedding, such as a cozy
fireplace at the reception site and warm and fluffy blankets for your guests to grab before
they sit down. Enjoy planning for your festive wedding and remember to not only enjoy
the wedding memories, but the magic of the Christmas season.

Author Bio: Sierra is a freelancer and writer. She enjoys being a fashion blogger for
JoeShopping.com, a social shopping site. Discover wedding inspiration on
JoeShopping.com and save money on your ring with Diamond.com coupons. Sierra also
runs her own personal blog at Ocean Dreams.

London designer Babette Wasserman’s latest jewellery is ideal for brides.  Designed with Mother and child in mind, I actually love these designs for wedding jewellery.

I love the sophisticated polish of the sterling silver and sparkle of CZs paired with the organic tied cords.

Babette Wasserman is a favourite designer of stars such as Cheryl Cole, Kimberly Walsh and Sienna Miller while her cufflinks have been sported by Anthonio Banderas (yum), Jonathon Ross, Stephen Fry and David Beckham.  I wish more men wore traditional suits and cufflinks!

Fore more information and to find stockists, visit http://www.babette-wasserman.com/

Forget silver servers, toasters, matching towels and a dozen other twee wedding gift options.  Think outside the box!  I love this personalized blue heritage plaque from Photo Fairytales.At only £16 with free delivery, this is also one of the most affordable wedding gifts that you could buy a couple.

That doesn’t make it one iota less adorable though!

Personally, I love flowers.  I think you can’t beat a traditional posey or bouquet of fresh blooms.  That said, I adore some of these ideas to create a more unique look.

Vintage Brooches

www.dcbouquets.co.uk will do an amazing job of creating a custom bouquet full of sparkling vintage gems, or, if you are a DIY type try scouring car boots for old pieces that you could use.

But be sure to start looking early, because it will take a fair few elements to create a stunning look.

Not only is this bouquet beautiful but it is everlasting, and eco-friendly.  You could also incorporate items of jewellery from your past and previous generations, making it a true heirloom for future generations.

Lollipops

I have a super sweet tooth so I doubt this bouquet would make it down the aisle in one piece, but I do love the whimsical look and feel of this cute idea.

Perfect for a fun, informal wedding with the currently popular Carnival and Fete themes.

http://www.lollipopbrides.com/

Beaded Flowers

Another forever option are these beautiful hand made beaded flowers.  Choose any type of glass, crystal or pearl beads to match your theme.

http://www.vintagebyfreyacolette.co.uk

Feathers

Feather bouquets have been popular for a few years now.  They range from exquisite to extravagant made with Ostrich plumes and Peacock feathers, or fluffy white down.

Paired with ribbons, crystals and any number of other elements, they are bold and beautiful.

Feathers can be tricky to work with, so unless you want to moult while walking down the aisle, I’d recommend turning to a professional for this bouquet option.

http://www.the-little-things-in-life.co.uk/wedding/feather-wedding-bouquet-in-white-small.htm

Fabric

I love this idea.  You have two basic styles here- fabric can be made to look like flowers, or a more organic fabric feel can be kept.   Either way, these bouquets are pretty and embody the vintage feel of today’s wedding trends.

http://loveisyouloveisus.wordpress.com/category/wedding-2/flowers/page/2/

Paper

This is one of my favourite ideas.  There are lots of origami patterns and tutorials online to help you create flowers, and with a little practice you should be able to make enough to make a beautiful bouquet.

Experiment with different types and colours of paper, or try using pages from your favourite book, love poems or sheet music.

Not a good option if you think there is a chance of rain on your wedding day or if you are getting married in humid conditions.

http://ecosnobberysucks.com/2011/10/how-to-make-recycled-paper-flowers-for-a-wedding-bouquet/

Twigs and Vines

I stumbled across this option on Etsy and love it’s simplicity and rustic charm.

Ideal for outdoor and country weddings.

I think it would be beautiful to keep this on display in your home and throw in a few seasonal flowers for an ever changing floral arrangement.

The Big Bang Theory, along with How I Met Your Mother are two of the world’s favorite sitcoms right now.  If you are a fan, you may have seen the recent episode where Bernadette and Howard attended a wedding and wondered where the bride got her fabulous dress?

Well wonder no more fashionistas!  The gorgeous gown was from the Oleg Cassinni collection at David’s Bridal.

The whole collection is pretty lovely, with feminine shapes that look couture without the scary price tags.  I love the fact that there are silhouettes to suit all figures, and also plus size options.

What did you think of the gown?  Is there another in the collection that you like more?

All images from and copyright to http://www.davidsbridal.com

Imagine having a visual image from your wedding that could hang on your wall forever, never ageing, never looking dated and that looked amazing in any room in your home.  An image as classic as the idea of “the little black dress”.  Enter artist Sam Day, who literally paints your wedding scene as it unfolds…

About Sam:

In  2004, a groom called me, just a week before his wedding, and said he had an idea for a gift for his bride. He wanted an artist to come to the reception and paint the scene, live. He was certain that his wife would find it romantic, and his guests would be entertained by watching. He made seventy-five phone calls in search of a willing artist. An art professor at the University of Washington told him no one could paint that fast.

I had never done this either, but I took the professor’s incredulity as a dare.

I had hitherto advertised myself as an illustrator, working for magazines and advertising agencies, with my images being published on four continents. My speed with a brush had been honed over fifteen years of doing caricatures at events, sometimes drawing as many as 400 faces in a day. Those were done with ink, but I decided the best medium for this assignment would be oil paint. Because it dries slowly, I could make changes throughout the evening, even removing and repainting figures as necessary. To soften the aroma, I used a citrus thinner instead of turpentine; a byproduct of making orange liquor.

My process has not changed from that first wedding client: I arrive enough before the guests to paint the ballroom or scene, and when people arrive, I paint them too. The bride and groom are the focal point of the picture, even if they only get to stand in front of me for a few minutes. Many times, I have painted them during their first dance, or as they descended a staircase. The style is impressionistic, it’s energy flowing from the spontaneity of painting events as they happen.

That first bride was delighted, and so were her guests, who referred me for other weddings. I have now painted at many weddings and events across North America, from Seattle to New York— and, of course, Las Vegas.  I eagerly await my first overseas assignment.

Where you can find him:

Website :: Blog :: YouTube

Sam’s Stunning Artwork:

I love the soft shapes and shifting colours in Sam’s paintings.  So romantic and miles away from the standard “pose and smile” images often displayed year after year from a wedding.

(Click to view larger images)

All images and artwork (c) Sam Day

Remember we featured Black and White Wedding Dresses a while ago?  And then we raved about Bridal Ballet Pumps?  Well here is a great find that works perfectly with both of those trends.

Coco Rose sell a variety of great footwear, with comfort and fashion at the forefront of their range.  I adore this black and white ballet pump, that offers the easy storage of a foldaway pump, comfort of suede and leather materials and sheer glam of the black and white design.

The shoes come with their own gold embossed bag to keep them in tip top condition while stored.

A word of warning:  although Coco Rose are dedicated to comfort, it is not advisable to wear pumps like these for long periods of time day in, day out, as they don’t provide a lot of support for your feet.  Wear them on a full day’s shopping spree around a city and you will soon find out what I mean!

Oh, and since our Black and White wedding dress post was so popular, stay tuned for more great features on Black and White Bridesmaids, and Black and White Wedding Accessories coming soon!