The biggest wedding trends to hit twenty eighteen

Calling all #bridestobe! If you’re in the early stages of planning your wedding or in the midst of it all, we are super excited to share with you some info! Forget about recreating a Romantic Vineyard 2.0 look – we’ve got the word on the latest wedding trends to hit twenty eighteen. And trust us, you’re going to love them all! Here’s our forecast for the top wedding trends of Australia in 2018. 

SUSPENDED FLORALS

 Stylish floral hanging displays were introduced towards the end of 2015 in one of our bridal photo shoots  and the trend has only just picked up (yep, we’re always three steps ahead!)

Expect to see more hanging flowers and greenery in 2018. Not only does it create a dynamic to the space by experimenting with shifting heights and viewpoints, but it also provides more opportunity on your tables to introduce additional elements like candles, or big sharing platters

TRANSPARENT ELEMENTS

We love love LOVE see-through elements and décor – it’s so on-point for the modern and minimalist couple who love to play with clean lines and futuristic flairs.

Think Perspex hanging seating plans, tablescapes, chairs, and even invites + menus. We think these clear ghost chairs from Melbourne’s Wedding Planner will set the scene perfectly, and look INCREDIBLE in an intimate venue as it gives the illusion there’s extra room – less really is more!

INTERACTIVE GRAZE CRAZE

In 2018, we’ll be seeing more and more weddings abandon the large guestlist + formal sit-down dinner. Instead, grazing tables are predicted to take over as the go-to meal option for couples looking for elaborate spreads and indulgent feasts. Not only are they an incredibly easy way to cater to a variety of tastes for your special event, but they’re also super social.

CASCADING BALLOON INSTALLATIONS

One of the biggest wedding trends we’re anticipating for 2018 is saturating your event with an enormous can’t-miss-it balloon display. Why let kids have all the fun? We want in on this playful decoration that can be perfectly customised to your event space: we promise that it will add an instant wow factor. Who knew a ball of hot air could become so on-trend!? 

D I Y IDEAS FOR YOUR TABLES

We all know a simple DIY wedding would save your money by using some handmade details. What’s more, it’s also great for brides who want their big day extra special with their own thoughts. That’s the reason why so many brides pay attention to wedding decoration, especially wedding table setting décor. So today in this post we will introduce you to DIY wedding centerpieces ideas for your reception. 

#1 Candle Vases Centerpieces

Simple vases with lighting candles, you will love this for the table setting. By the way, add water for a floating look if you are interested.

#2 Painted Bottles

Painted bottles centerpieces will be perfect for your rustic wedding. Gather different shapes of bottles and just paint! Wrap them with twine and decorated with wheat, which makes a great rustic inspired wedding.

#3 Wine Glasses Table Decor

Common wine glasses container wedding centerpieces will make your wedding quite special and earthy with some little things, like stones, sands, succulent or any cut flowers.

#4 Mason Jars Wedding Centerpieces

If you read my other post about mason jars, you would know mason jars are terrific for every wedding décor, let alone centerpieces.

#5 Lanterns Centerpieces

Different shaped lanterns in nude colors make great table centerpieces, especially when the sun sets. Decorated with mason jars and seashells, an outdoor beach wedding table setting will show its real charm.

#6 Sand and Flowers

Finally, my favorite wedding centerpieces idea – sand & flowers. Glass vases, colored sands and single bloomed peony, which décor will be more creative than this? Just buy some sands from local store and add the flower. You will find the beauty!

Your Day, Your Way:

 Say Thank you in Style:

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Tak! Merci! Danke! Grazie! Cheers! Thank you!

However you choose to say it, saying thank you to those who have helped you prepare and celebrate your special day is a must! While plain, traditional thank you notes can be beautiful in their own right, show your family, friends and guests how truly thankful you are by spicing up your notes with personal touches and a dash of modernity.

Writing thank you notes is not only polite, but is an easy way to let your guests feel appreciated. And while sending thank you notes for gifts received is appropriate, remember to say thank you to those who helped prepare for your big day, such as your bridal party, parents, ushers, officiant and wedding coordinator. Thank you notes come in all shapes and sizes and can show off you and your groom’s style. Personalization can be elaborate or simple, but doesn’t have to cost a lot.

Have monogrammed stamps made with your new initials and/or address to add to the front of a blank note card or use to seal the envelope. Give personalized notes to those special members of your wedding party, such as the M.O.H. that helped carry your dress around or the best man that guarded the rings with his life. Pick out thank you notes in a favorite color or fun font to add youthful flair to a simple monogram. Do you love your theme? Select invitations that have matching thank you note options or contact your printer to see if matching notes can be made.

Whichever style you choose, make sure everyone involved feels appreciated and knows how thankful you are to have them be a part of this event. With a little creativity, it’s easy to say thank you in style—your own style!

Brush up on the conventions of saying thank you for all occasions and learn how to add a pinch of style with “The Art of Gratitude” by Town and Country. 

Thank specific members of your wedding party personally with these beautiful handmade thank yous by Style Guide

Left: Add a personalized monogram to a traditional thank you with these hand-engraved notes with gold lining 

Matching your notes and invitations lets guests know exactly who it’s from while adding a bit of detail and flair to a plain thank you. 

Have a personalized stamp created with your monogram to customize thank you notes and other correspondence. The Peel & Stick stamp by has an interchangeable design. You can easily change it with the seasons, use a special design just for wedding notes or change the address when you move into that new place! 

How to Host the best Fashion Event

Fashion and Lifestyle events take style and personality to the next level and demand a level of sophistication that can often be overlooked with your day to day corporate functions. The finest details make the world of difference and transform a run of the mill event into something mind-blowing and amazing.
 

1. First tick has to be location

Always looking to make a new discovery and raise the bar, our fashionistas look for inspiring spaces that ooze creativity and character. Even for something as simple as a model casting or show de-brief a unique backdrop will engage the audience and steer the conversation. Ease of access is key so even for a location that sits outside the CBD you can still be top of the days appointment schedule if you have thought out some fun and easily accessible transport options. 

 

2. Diversity for the win

Offering flexible venue space, services and branding opportunities helps a fashion event extend its marketing reach. Often fashion events take place within a short time frame around the main fashion week and the competition to be ‘noticed’ amongst all the other content is high. Get creative with thinking about how a brand can best showcase itself within your spaces and maximise the potential for memorable activations. Where better to showcase a swimwear or activewear brand than poolside? Also work closely with suppliers to bring together multiple ideas in one place; an activation that captures all the senses has more chance of resonating with people and being memorable.

Find a creative space to let your product shine, plus attract and excite the right guests.

3. Comfort (just quietly!)

That’s right sometimes we have to admit that a long day power walking in heels from one event to the next has lost its shine. What better way to show your guests some love than with a stay in a number 1 hotel and home of all things fashion? Personalise their stay and create the event within the comfort of their own room; from tailored wardrobes, accessories to look through and luxury cosmetics you can place the products of your event right into their hand at the perfect moment they would need them. Or just leave them to relax and enjoy… everyone loves the event that took good care of them.

Salon Etiquette:

 The Dos & Don’ts of the Hairstylist/Client Relationship

Few people would disagree that hair is an important part of how we look—a great hairstyle goes a long way to making us look and feel good. Getting along with your stylist can do wonders for getting the style you want, but that's not always as easy as we'd like it to be (not to mention, how much and who should you tip?). We consulted with several hairstylists for their experiences, along with the feedback of staffers and fans to help explain why this stylist-client relationship can be so complicated. 

The Hairstylist-Client Relationship

A woman's relationship with her hairstylist can be like her relationship with a significant other: When things are going well, the woman is wildly happy, blissfully in love, and feels beautiful; but when things go wrong, life is a disaster and she doesn't know what to do.

For men, their relationship with a stylist (or barber) usually is less mercurial, but that doesn't mean men are always happy with their haircut or color, or that guys don't feel just as much anxiety about whether their hair looks good or not.

Not surprisingly, like any interaction between two people, a successful relationship is mostly about communication. Regardless of the salon you go to, sometimes you end up with an untalented or incompatible stylist, and you just have to let go.

On the other hand, you should never be the client from hell. No stylist wants to deal with a client who demeans, disrespects, or treats them as an underling. The goal for both sides is a long-lasting, healthy relationship between the client, stylist, and salon that lasts years.

When Stylists and Clients Clash

Although this may not be easy for either the client or the stylist to hear, the truth is both can have objectives or moods that simply clash. Maybe not always, but from time to time tension can develop, and the goal is to defuse it—or to know when you have a mismatch and need to move on to someone else.

Ask your friends or salon employees who don't do hair and you'll often hear that stylists can be a sensitive, tricky group of artists. Oftentimes, ego gets in the way of reason—but there absolutely are stylists out there who are exceedingly talented yet humble.

Stylists often will ask for your feedback, but then seem to ignore or disregard everything you say. However, you also must keep in mind that lots of clients want haircuts that won't work for their hair type, or they have completely unrealistic expectations about what's possible with their hair. A stylist must deal with such situations delicately; some are true pros at this, while others don't know how to tell a client that his or her hair wish is unrealistic or impossible to achieve—which doesn't ensure either party will be satisfied with the result.

Stylists have a difficult job. Most are on their feet all day long, while trying to make their clients look great, even if they have wispy, seriously damaged, over-dyed, or difficult-to-manage hair. As clients, we need to understand that hairstylists, even the incredibly talented ones, aren't miracle workers. If we show up with seriously damaged hair, we cannot expect to walk out looking like we're ready to star in a shampoo ad!

Salon Etiquette: The Dos & Don’ts

1. Don't be late. If you're overbooked or running late, tell your client as soon as possible or ensure the front desk staff handle it. Do not leave your client sitting in the waiting area wondering what happened. If you're running behind by more than 30 minutes, offer to reschedule the appointment at a discounted rate; your client will appreciate you being respectful of their time.
2. Your client wants a great haircut and style (or color), so be patient and kind when discussing how to achieve that. Explain everything: Assume your client has never heard of fringe or an inverted cut and doesn't know the difference between highlighting techniques. Be sure to ask your client if they have any questions about what you've recommended, and if they do, clarify it for them.
3. Be clear about the costs. As the stylist, it is best to assume the client didn't do any research and that the front desk staff didn't do their job when booking the appointment. That means you must be up front about what everything is going to cost. This is especially true for dyeing hair, as each process has a different price. Sticker shock at the end of the service is uncomfortable for everyone.
4. Honesty is the best policy, up to a point. Be patient and listen, offer a kind smile in a reassuring tone, but if you can't give the client what they want, be sure to say so, explain why, and describe what you can do. Offer a positive alternative rather than a flat-out “no”—and never make the client feel insecure.
5. Don't expect a tip for mediocre or poor service. It is not a given that a client will leave a gratuity, it's something you as the stylist must earn. Just as you wouldn't tip a restaurant server who was lazy, rude, or inept, a client at the salon shouldn't tip a stylist who does a poor or careless job. The motto is: Expect the cost of the service, but work for the tip.
6. Put away your cell phone while you're working on the salon floor! Your clients shouldn't have to wait while you check your email, respond to a text message, or “Like” a post on Facebook. When you're on the salon floor, you're on the job, and all of your attention should be focused on your clients, not on your cell phone. We repeat: Put the phone away. Thank you!
7. Keep conversation pleasant and professional. It's tempting, especially when a client brings up such topics, to talk intimately about religion, money, sex, romance, or even politics. Avoid these topics as much as possible, as well as any gossip about the salon. Whatever you do, be mindful not to put the client in the crossfire of your battle with a co-worker or manager—that is the height of unprofessional behavior and is guaranteed to make your client uncomfortable.

Salon Etiquette for the Client

1. Don't be late. If you're more than a few minutes late, don't be offended if you get short shrift or if you lose your appointment altogether. Being late happens, but take responsibility when it's your blunder. Just as you would hope the stylist or salon would call you if they are running behind, it's always OK to call the salon to let them know you're going to be late.
2. Bring pictures of the haircuts and styles you admire. Show your stylist what you have in mind, but be prepared to accept it if the answer is no. Expect your stylist to explain (clearly) why the look you want isn't possible or realistic for your hair, then move on to discuss what is possible, and make sure you both understand and agree on the desired outcome. As one stylist whispered to us, "I have only shears, not magic wands."
3. Tell the stylist how much time you spend styling your hair each day. If 10 minutes tops is what you want, don't ask for a style that takes longer than that.
4. Know what the services you're requesting cost. As a client, you should ask what the price is for the work you want done when you book the appointment. Do not wait to ask until the end of your service or just “guesstimate” the cost based on what you paid at another salon—you may be in for an unpleasant, awkward surprise!
5. Speak up, but do so in a kind courteous manner. If you want something, ask for it, but don't be insulting or imperious. As the client, you should expect a gracious level of customer service, but it's also your responsibility to be gracious in return. Believe us, salons know which clients are unreasonably difficult or downright mean—you don't want to be on that list!
6. If you're happy with the service, tip your stylist. A gratuity of 10–20% is the norm in the salon industry, and is customary for a job well done. Stylists remember clients who tip well, and doing so will earn you points down the road, perhaps when you need to make a last-minute appointment with your stylist to prep for an unexpected interview or other event.
7. Don't try to become your stylist's BFF (best friend forever). Chances are you see your stylist on a regular basis, and may even discuss some personal details of your life, which might lead you to think that you can become friends outside of the salon environment. Don't do it. Keep it professional, so that if a problem crops up, it won't be awkward to address it with them.
8. Only use your cell phone if truly necessary. Even if you don't want to chat with your stylist, it's rude to spend your time in the chair making phone calls, texting, or responding to emails that can wait. Sooner or later, this will interfere with the stylist's work and you can't blame them for that.

When Things Go Wrong (What Did You Do to My Hair?)

Even the best stylists have bad days or make the occasional mistake, just like all of us. Here's how the good ones handle it:

• Stylists don't argue, even if they disagree. They listen to the client, apologize sincerely, and offer to make it right as soon as possible.
• Stylists realize that the most important thing is for no one to feel traumatized. There is rarely a reason to be shocked or insulted if you're the stylist or to be despondent if you're the client. Almost every hair mistake or disaster can be fixed with minimal collateral damage.
• Stylists realize that generosity on the part of the salon and understanding on the part of the client keeps a long-term relationship intact.

What if you're the client and you hate how your hair turned out? Do you grin and bear it, only to break down in tears as soon as you reach your car? That's not what we suggest; you need to speak up right then and there, but in as rational a manner as possible (even if you're freaking out inside). Our advice:

• Tell your stylist (or, if your stylist is already working on a new client, the salon manager or front desk staff) that you're unhappy with how your hair turned out.
• Keep your composure, and clearly state what you don't like about your hair. Is it too short? Not enough layers? Is the color copper when you wanted honey tones? Be as specific as possible so the person you're speaking to will know how to frame the fix.
• It is OK to withhold payment for the service until it is done to your satisfaction. Whether fixed on the same day or at a later date that's convenient for both parties, do not pay for a salon service if you're unhappy with the results. If the salon insists on payment, be sure you have written confirmation that the cost to fix the problem will be zero (as in free).
• In the future, be sure to discuss with your stylist any concerns you have about how your hair turned out the last time. Perhaps the problem was due to the dye being left on too long, so the timing needs to be adjusted, or perhaps you forgot to tell your stylist you had colored your hair a couple weeks back (how color turns out on dyed versus virgin hair can be very different). Get everything out in the open to ensure the same issue doesn't happen again.

The Bottom Line

To a client, the salon environment (especially a new salon) can seem intimidating. The tips above will help you feel empowered and capable of handling the sometimes fractious, but more often than not rewarding, relationship you can have with a talented hairstylist.

As a stylist, you're in a unique position to make your clients look and feel like a million bucks. They're trusting (and paying) you to make them look good, and they deserve your full attention and the full extent of your talents. Fostering and maintaining a positive experience for every client will reap huge rewards for you, both personally and professionally.

6 KEY TIPS FOR CREATING A STYLISH INTERIOR

home / 6 key tips for creating a stylish interior

Mastering the art of interior design can be a real challenge, especially when redecorating an entire room – or house! However, by following a few key guidelines, you can ensure that your design project is a success. Drawing upon our many years of experience in the design of bespoke furniture to complement existing spaces and styles, we’ve put together some top tips to help you out.

1). Research is Key
Research is key to any successful interior design project. Start by consulting interior design magazines and websites for inspiration and see what colour-schemes and furniture styles you like the look of.

Creating a mood-board is a great way to keep a record of your ideas and favourite looks. Pinterest is a great online tool for creating a mood-board, or you might prefer to create a traditional, physical mood-board to which you can pin magazine cuttings, colour swabs and fabric samples.

By taking the time to explore different looks, you can ensure that your design choices are the best they can be and you will be happy with the end result.

2). Work With What You’ve Got

Use your budget wisely. Spend money on crucial items, such as furniture, or on pieces you love which can become a focal point, but don’t waste precious pennies on expensive items which could go unnoticed. 

For example, hand-painted tiles may be beautiful, but regular tiles can still create the look you want to achieve. Invest instead in a statement piece such as a painting, or a beautiful dining table

Your budget might not extend to the replacement of flooring or the purchase of new furniture, so think carefully about how best you can work with your existing pieces. An ugly sofa can be transformed with a throw and a scattering of pretty cushions, while an old carpet can be disguised by introducing a rug.

While your style and tastes are likely to evolve over time, flooring, curtains and major pieces of furniture will not be replaced frequently, so use these as your framework.

3). Focus, Focus, Focus!

Once you’ve established your colour-scheme and the overall style of your room, stick to it! When you’re redecorating it’s easy to get distracted and buy all manner of ornamental pieces and soft furnishings, only to find that they don’t work when combined.

That being said, a colour-scheme can always be enhanced by introducing splashes of a new colour; you just need to ensure that the colours complement each other and you’re not going over-the-top.

For example, if you’ve opted for a blue-and-white Hamptons’ style room, the blue and white can be stylishly off-set by vivacious green plants or ornaments. Equally, vibrant splashes of colour can add a new dimension, bringing life and character to a room decorated in a neutral palette.

The use of a mood-board will help to keep you focused, so you don’t start running off-track or going overboard with your decorating.

4). Create a Statement

If you have a particular item of furniture or an ornament you want to draw attention to, make this your focal point and work from there.

Be it a painting, a sculpture or a fireplace, a carefully designed room will draw the eye to your statement piece. For example, a painting on the facing wall as you enter a space will immediately stand out, while a fireplace can really make a statement so long as it isn’t overshadowed by large pieces of artwork or furniture either side.

If you can’t find the stand-out piece you’re looking for, why not combine ornamental beauty with practicality and engage a furniture make to sustom design a 'showcase' peice for you?

5). Size Matters

When choosing colour-schemes and selecting furniture, give due consideration to the size of the space you are working with. Small furniture in a large space can look lost and out of place, while large furniture and too many decorative pieces in a small room can make it look cluttered.

Plenty of light is key to making a small space seem larger. Lighter colours on the walls and floors will  make your small room feel bright and spacious, while the use of mirrors is a fantastic way to maximise natural light and also creates the illusion of more space.

6). Time for Texture

Once the layout of your room is complete, it’s time to add texture. Even the most beautifully proportioned, stylishly furnished and well laid-out room can seem dull and lifeless without texture.

Curtains, cushions, rugs and throws can make all the difference.  Adorning a sofa with cushions will immediately make it look and feel more cosy and inviting, but adding cushions of varying fabrics (and patterns) can really take it to the next level.

The use of different textures will add depth and character to your room. Be bold and mix it up; a chunky, embroidered cushion, or even a sequined cushioned can work well alongside a velvety one. And a shaggy rug or textured wallpaper can add a degree of willful complexity to complete your look and achieve a big tick in the style stakes.

Flowers are the perfect way to brighten up your home and garden.

Frangipani

Stunning frangipani!

Who doesn’t love frangipanis? This stunning tropical flower carries a beautiful floral scent, which many of us link to summer, and is the perfect plant to grown in Australia. There are a variety of ways you can plant a frangipani including potting, bedding or planting alone as a feature in your garden. They thrive in well-drained soil and benefit from plenty of sun.

Bougainvillea

Beautiful bougainvillaea

Love a bit of colour in your garden? Then perhaps you should think about brightening things up with some Bougainvillaea? This is the perfect spring and summer plant that benefits from sun, so be sure to plant it somewhere that attracts a lot of light. Bougainvillaea looks beautiful when grown on trellises or around an arch.

Gardenia

Delicate and light

You can’t go past gardenia if you’re searching for the perfect garden flower. This beautiful species can require a lot of attention, but it’s all worth it for the stunning display of gorgeous white flowers. They offer a lovely aroma and grow best in the warmer months, from November to May.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a great choice!

Rosemary is a great plant to grow if you’re one for multi-tasking. This Mediterranean herb gives off a delightful smell, and once grown, can be picked to use in a variety of dishes. The best thing about rosemary is that it can grow in poor soil conditions and will thrive on very little water. If you’re searching for a new herb to add to your garden that requires little care, choose rosemary!

Roses

Bright roses

It’s no surprise that roses are one of the most popular flowers in Australia. These beautiful plants come in a never-ending variety of different colours and species, and can bloom from spring, all the way through to autumn. Surprisingly, roses are pretty hardy and require little maintenance, however it is always important to give them a good prune after every bloom.

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So that’s your garden brightened up, but what about your home? If you’re keen to add a splash of natural colour to your living room or kitchen, we suggest visiting your local florists who can work magic with flowers!

Bright and beautiful arrangement, Blissful Blooms Florist – Emerald

Tea Party Girl

How Tea Dresses Add Simple Elegance to Your Hectic Day

When you add tea dresses to your wardrobe, you give yourself a gift that enhances your whole life and lets The Elegant You shine. Days are long, and they’re filled with chores, work and a million other tasks that take up your energy. Recharge, and look great doing it. Read on to see how simple and beautiful dresses add elegance to your daily life.

Tea Dresses are Simply Simple

You don’t need to have frills, high heels, jewelry or an up-do. Now, that’s not to say that you can’t add those features to your ensemble, but beautiful, comfortable tea party dresses for women need none of those things.

During summer, the hot days can drag by. Whether you’re working in an office, or getting messy in the garden, taking an hour for afternoon tea is a great way to reconnect with yourself. A tea dress is a great way to make that connection enjoyable. It’s just not the same when you plunk down on a couch in your work clothes to escape into a short moment’s rest. Taking time to change clothes, and enjoying the dress you choose, turns your afternoon break into a truly relaxing experience.

Tea dresses are perfect, especially in the summer. They are light and breathable, loose fitting and easy to wear. While lighter colors traditionally rule this roost, modern vibrant colors are making their way onto the scene.  In the cooler months, a simple, classic cardigan in a neutral color will usually go with most dresses and give you a sense of cosiness in your outfit.

So, head to your closet, quickly change into a dress that makes you look great, or feel great (or both!) and enjoy a quiet setting in your pretty outfit. Wearing tea length dresses is the wardrobe equivalent of stopping to smell the roses. Yes, jeans and a t-shirt are comfortable, too, but they’re not elegant. You can skip the dressing nicely option, but you’ll miss the whole point of afternoon teatime elegance.

“When you add afternoon tea dresses to your wardrobe, you give yourself a gift that enhances your whole life and lets the elegant you shine.”

Dressing for Tea Allows Room for Creativity

There is no hard and fast rule on what makes, and what does not make, a good afternoon-tea dress. This lets you have freedom to express your personality in your choices. Gone are the days when afternoon teatime held a strict dress code and every invitee also needed a parasol. These days, you can make your outfit style all your own.

If you choose to take your teatime to the next level and turn the event into a tea party, the opportunity for creativity is even grander. Friends make dress-up time so much more enjoyable. Here are a couple of ideas:

If you’re enjoying green tea or Matcha green tea for your daily time of tranquility, try incorporating the Japanese culture. A kimono-style short dress makes a wonderful selection. Even flowy dresses that feature oriental patterns or colors can help add to the ambiance and enhance your elegance level. Other cultural garb, such as saris from India or togas from Greece should open your eyes to countless opportunities. You can take the theme idea as far as you’d like, there are three hundred and sixty five days a year to try out a new one. The point is to keep your tea dresses pretty, comfortable and fun.

Beauty plus Comfort Equals Elegance

Imagine yourself in a beautiful couture dress. Now, think of how difficult it is to breathe, how hard it is to keep the train clean and how impossible it is to sit down for long periods of time or walk without tripping.

We are not talking about dresses like that. Tea dresses allow you to feel the beauty that comes with comfort, and that’s a pretty profound thing. When you’re comfortable, you’re relaxed and happy. When your comfortable clothes are pretty, things get elegant. The stress melts from your day, any feeling of frumpiness disappears and even bad-hair issues seem less important. You start to see the small, beautiful things that constantly surround you, and you embrace them, all because you choose pretty elegant dresses for your time of respite.

Elegance Spreads to Other Parts of Your Life

After a few weeks of habitual elegance and afternoon teatimes, you’ll start to see the vines of elegance gently twist their ends around different activities you take part in. You’ll even see the elegance start to seep into your décor. Your tea dresses are more than simple fabric, they’re a conduit to your inner elegant goddess. She’s the woman inside you who understands the beauty of existence and strives to make herself a part of it. And, believe it, she’s there.

It doesn’t matter what your personal style is, there are styles for you.  Take advantage of flowers! Even the simplest dresses benefit from a few well-placed blooms and fresh leaves.

The Edgy Girl: Tea party is not the same as prim and proper. Dark colors are acceptable for modern tea dresses. So are short cuts, fringe and metal bedazzlement.

The Fashionista: The goal of afternoon tea dressing is easy, comfortable simplicity. So, utilize your trendy talents with ultra-cool accessories. Think hats, sashes, or ankle bracelets to use in making your tea dress fashion statement.

The Professional: No, your suit does not count as a tea party dress. But, please keep the pencil skirts and low heels.

The Busy Mamma: Here’s your chance to enjoy something that’s just for you. Keep your afternoon tea attire separate from the rest of your wardrobe so you won’t associate them at all with chaos. That way, no matter which of your tea dresses you choose, it’s clean, available and wrinkle-free so that you can concentrate on elegance.

AFTER YOU GET ENGAGED

10 Things You Should Not Do After You Get Engaged

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This is a crazy time for many newly engaged couples. With all the Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s engagements, it probably seems like half of your friends are involved in a wedding in one way or the another. Everybody is either engaged, a member of the wedding party, a parent of an engaged child or making travel arrangements to attend a destination wedding.

With all the crazy going down, brides and grooms sometimes get ahead of themselves and — feeling happy and like they can take on the world — do and say things that cause them stress and consternation down the road. Here are 10 things you should not do after you get engaged and before you get married:

1) Do not adopt a puppy. Do not buy a horse. Do not add anything to your schedule that will require extra maintenance and a babysitter for your wedding week. You won’t have time for it and it’s not fair to the animal. Seriously. Do it after you get back from your honeymoon.

2) Do not decide that it’s time to start house hunting or move unless it’s absolutely, positively necessary. The most stressful times of your life are getting married, moving, changing jobs, having children and getting divorced. Why would you want to double up on the stress when you’re already committed to wedding planning for next however many months? Adding a move to the mess will only make you crazier. Plus, it will smack your budget hard, no matter how well you plan ahead. Also try not to change jobs if you can help it. Why pile on more to worry about?

3) Don’t take an out-of-control vacation within six months of your wedding, unless it’s your bachelor or bachelorette weekend with friends. If you have the money for a fabulous trip, please save it. Put it away and hold onto it for unexpected expenses that may come up with your wedding. Blowing it all on a cruise three months before your big day and then whining because you have 20 more guests than you’d anticipated so you’re over budget is just ridiculous. Plan for the emergency if you have the resources.

4) Don’t spend all of your time surfing wedding websites and buying bridal magazines. After you’ve planned your décor,swear off of Pinterest for a whole 30 days...if thats possible. One way to really make your wedding planner insane and blow the hell out of your budget is to keep messing with the details of the wedding after the decisions have been made, bids obtained and deposits paid. The time to choose was before you signed the contracts and locked things down.

5) Don’t continue shopping for wedding gowns after you’ve already bought one. That’s a really, really stupid thing to do, unless your original intent was to end up with more than one dress (and yes thats a huge trend now).. But if you planned to buy and wear one wedding gown, once you’ve ordered it, stop second-guessing yourself. And stop looking at dresses. I’ve had clients who bought three different dresses (and absorbed the cost of all of them and wore only one) because they made themselves crazy continuing to shop.

6) Don’t share all your wedding details on social media or with all of your friends. There should be some surprises, and it’s tacky to talk about it in a forum where most of your “friends” on Facebook won’t be invited to participate in the festivities anyway. You may find the vast selection of favors fascinating, but you don’t have to post about it. In fact, you shouldn’t. Look forward to having amazing pictures that you can share after the wedding when no surprises will be ruined and those who aren’t invited won’t feel like it’s being shoved up their noses.

7) Don’t solicit the opinion of all of your bridesmaids regarding the bridesmaid dresses. That is the kiss of death and a guarantee that somebody is going to end up unhappy. Include the Maid of Honor and maybe one more bridesmaid (particularly if you have somebody who is going to be a difficult fit), but leave everybody else out of it until it’s a fait accompli. Seriously.

8) Don’t involve your bridal party in your wedding planning, unless it’s to help you make favors or do some other bridal party project. Leave them out of your meetings with vendors and conference calls with your planner. Your fiancé and your mom are the only ones who should participate (and only if you want to include your mother).

9) Don’t put off the stupid little homework assignments that your wedding planner gives you. Do not wait ‘til the last minute to write your wedding ceremony. Do not wait ‘til a month before the wedding to start thinking about your DJ playlist. The marriage license information form you were given at the first meeting could have been completed the first week of planning — the info on there won’t change before your wedding date. Although it seems like you have gobs of time for planning when you’re looking at the “to do” list six or more months out, it’s important to listen to your planner about what should be finished when, or you’ll find yourself with a big old pile of homework a few weeks before your wedding.

10) Don’t let the stress of wedding planning ruin the fun of being engaged. I know brides who never tasted anything at any of their showers or parties and only drank one night of their bachelorette weekend because they were so determined to lose the extra pounds before the wedding. Some of them have even been known to turn on the groom, asking him to diet too. He didn’t ask you to lose weight to get the second ring, why are you asking him to drop pounds to say “I do?” I mean, for real, does that sound like fun? I’m not saying you can’t slim down, but don’t get so stressed out about it that you take away the bubbly fun of all of it. Don’t turn dance lessons into a torture session — go out for cocktails first (it worked for me and my husband Bill). Don’t talk exclusively about the wedding when you’re spending time together — it will make you both a little nutty. Try to be your normal selves and bask in the glow of the shiny diamond. And remember to keep your nails pretty.

At the end of the day, you can make your wedding planning process as easy or difficult as you want to make it — really, it’s up to you. But if you avoid the items we mentioned above, you have a better chance at having fun during your engagement and making fantastic memories along the way.

Until next time, happy wedding planning from Style Guide