Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Wedding Tips


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Some very helpful hints on planning your wedding day




Wedding Venues on a Budget


Picking a venue for your wedding is one of the most important parts of the planning process. Not only does the venue need to be big enough to accommodate all of your guests, it needs to accessible, fit your theme and, most importantly, be to yours and your partner’s liking. However, with some venues costing in excess of thousands, picking the right one has become more about finding the cheapest in cost and not about what the bride and groom actually want for their big day. Here are some wedding venues that will fit into even the smallest of budgets, allowing for the rest of the money to go elsewhere on other aspects of the wedding so that your day is everything you want it to be.


Home is where the heart is
If you and your partner – or someone you know – happen to have a stunning garden that you enjoy spending time in, why not have your wedding reception there? Although many would cringe at the idea of having a wedding reception in their own home, many are turning to this method as a way to cut costs on their wedding day, and with the right decorations and arrangements, it can be a stunning, quaint reception venue. Additionally, friends and family are likely to live nearby, saving on travel expenses; for those who don’t live nearby, make arrangements in advance where they can stay, whether this is at your home, a close friend or family member’s home, or a nearby hotel.
Other steps you can take to make sure your home wedding reception is spectacular are:
·         ensure the garden is tidy – weed and groom it ahead of time
·         plant extra flowers
·         hire a marquee
·         purchase plenty of food and alcohol
·         invite neighbours or warn those in the surrounding area that there’s a wedding reception taking place in case of noise complaints.
Please note that although having the reception at home is a cost effective way to celebrate your marriage, holding the wedding itself at home, unless one of you is seriously ill, is illegal.

Saving money at the venue
If you choose to allocate a portion of your budget to venue hire, there are still a number of ways to cut the overall costs. For example, purchase or make your own unique wedding altar; ensure the colours match your chosen colour scheme and style fits yours and your future spouse’s personality. Ask members of the wedding party to help so that they feel part of the experience. You can then keep the altar forever so that you have a lifelong souvenir from your big day.
Call in favours from your family and friends in regards to food. Have each couple bring in a dish of their choosing. This way everyone will have contributed and your wedding will have an eclectic buffet with manageable food that people can pick at, with something for everyone so that no one goes hungry.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Great ideas and inspiration.

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Some "Everlasting Love"  for that special wedding coming up..


  The Roaring Twenties

Photography: Silvena Toncheva Photography


Stylist and accessories designer: Nantarat Sirat Amos


Models: Silvena Toncheva and Maria Sheovska



The vintage charm of the 20s fascinates and inspires many fashion photographers nowadays.
Our creative team strived to capture the true spirit of the times and tell a story with many possible interpretations. Every detail has been carefully considered by the talented Nantarat who organised the shoot for the launch of her first bespoke collection under the brand "Everlasting love". All accessories are hand-made by her.

"The Great Gatsby" movie is the one that moved the spirits, made people imagine romance, betrayal and passion in a completely new dimension. Somehow naturally it became a source of inspiration for new ideas around which we based the shoot.


Friday, January 17, 2014

Some Ideas and Inspiration

Wedding Theme Ideas And Inspiration



It’s a new year, and what a better way to start it than by planning your wedding. However, before you can start planning for your big day, you need to know what kind of wedding you want. You need to consider all aspects, such as colour scheme and running themes, and before you can decide what these will be you’ll want to put together a folder of ideas and inspiration. By making different collages of images cut out from magazines and print outs, you can easily see all the different styles and themes you like. Once you’ve got a collection of collages with ideas and inspiration, you can decide for yourself how you’ll want your wedding to look and all the little details that will be included. The following ideas will hopefully inspire you and could even be added to some of your collages. For more information, wedding ideas and inspirational moodboards, visit: http://www.hitched.com.au/


Colour Schemes


Lots of brides already have a favourite colour that they want to have as their colour scheme at their wedding, or perhaps you have a dream venue in mind that might influence your colour scheme. However, here are some popular choices of wedding colour schemes and what they represent:


Blush Pink


Blush or dusty pink is a popular choice amongst brides who want a subtle sweet and feminine touch to their special day. Flowers in pink shades are Sweet Peas, Siam Tulips, Ranunculus and Roses.


Orange


Orange colour schemes can vary from a soft autumn tone to a spicy orange. Orange themes are trendy, boisterous and quirky, and can even be perfected with orange flowers, such as orange Gerbera or Ranunculus.


Yellow


The colour yellow has strong connotation with happiness, calmness and sunshine, making it a great colour scheme for an outdoors wedding. It has also been interpreted as the colour that is linked to enlightenment, which means it perfectly suits the day of matrimony.






Alternative Centerpiece Ideas


Rather than the same old flowers on the table, young brides and grooms are being more creative with their centerpiece ideas and coming up with more alternative table decorations.


Little Wedding Cakes


Instead of having the conventional tiered wedding cake, why not put a single wedding cake on each table as the centerpiece, which means each table have their own cake and can cut it themselves. Each colour or design might be slightly altered in order to differ from each other, or perhaps the table number or name could be printed onto the cake. This is an upcoming new trend this year, and is already gaining popularity with young and adventurous couples.


Food Centerpiece

Socialised catering is on the uprise, and instead of individual food orders, couples are ridding of centerpieces altogether and having banquet styled food platters put out as replacements for centerpieces. This simple yet ingenious idea is like a buffet that comes to you, and is looking to be increasingly popular in the upcoming year.


Creative Table Numbers


Rather than having an ordinary table number, creative brides are creating table numbers out of different materials and placing them into a flower arrangement making a popular idea into a unique detail. The 3D number itself could be make from twister wire, beads, painted wood or coloured foam.



Decoration Ideas


First Impressions


The entrance to your venue should be impressive since it will be the first thing your guests experience. Make a good impression by welcoming people into the venue with signposts inviting them inside, or even put up posts like a timeline about how you met. This could include photos and dates and could be chalked onto blackboards which could be displayed along the path leading into the venue or dotted around inside for guests to find.


Decorate The Bar


People tend to spend a fair amount of time at the at weddings, which means you’ll want it to be attractive. You could personalise it by putting up photos of you and your partner when you first met, or displaying funny facts or moments that have happened to you both that you can share with your guests. Or you can simply make it prettier by adding tea lights or mini flower displays.


Glam Up The Bathroom


Your female guests will be trying out the bathroom in hope of fancy hand soap and soft towels, so don’t disappoint! Dot around some scented candles and perhaps some rose petals along the back of the sinks. You could include mini flower arrangements and pretty soap and hand lotion, and you can be sure that your lady guests will appreciate.



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Friday, January 10, 2014

Advice on seating arrangements..

Seating Arrangement Guide

Putting together a seating chart may take some time, but thoughtful table arrangements will heighten your guests' experience.
Setting up a seating chart can be a tricky job, but you can get through this tedious task with your sanity intact. Guests generally like pre-arranged seating assignments for sit-down dinners. It shows you thought about whom they'd be best seated with, and it cuts down on confusion when it's time for the meal to begin.
article-101
No Regrets: Satisfactory Seating Arrangements
• Remember, you're not going to be able to make everyone completely happy. Do the best you can, avoid major political blunders,and hope your guests have the good grace not to complain.
• Do ask your parents and your fiance's about any potential family minefields. There may be old wounds you're not aware of, so enlist their help to avoid unfortunate groupings.
• Build a little flexibility into your seating plan. Inevitably you'll have a few no-shows, and you just might have a few attendees who neglected to RSVP. Your catering manager should be able to squeeze a couple of extra seats in if necessary.
The first thing you need to do is talk with your fiance and decide if you're going to take requests from your family and friends or determine between the two of you where everyone will sit. Then remember the following guidelines.
The head table can be just for the two of you, if you like. Or you can add your maid of honor and best man, or include the entire wedding party. Traditionally the bride sits at the groom's right, with the maid of honor on his left and the best man on the bride's right. The rest of the party follows suit in an alternating male/female pattern. You may include child attendants at the head table, too, but if they are young, they may behave better and feel more comfortable seated with their parents.
If you are having a small wedding party, you may want to include their spouses or dates at the head table. Or, you may choose to spread your wedding party around at the guest tables, which would also allow them to sit with their partners.
The table of honor—located near the head table—is where the parents of both the bride and groom, the wedding officiant, and sometimes grandparents sit during the reception. If there are several people you would like seated at this place of honor, you may have two tables—perhaps one for the bride's family and one for the groom"s. Divorced parents should be seated at different tables of honor with their partners and close family and friends.
Always seat married couples at the same table. Younger children should be seated with their parents or, if you have a lot of children attending, you might want to have a "kids" table"—strategically placed near their parents—with some crayons and paper or other games and toys to keep them busy.
If you have a large group of friends you need to divide, split the group down the middle and fill each table with other people. That way no one feels completely left out. For single friends, judge which seating situation will make them happiest—a table of unattached counterparts or a few couples mixed into the scene. Never, and we do mean never, seat only one or two singles at a table full of couples, and try to avoid tables of all strangers.
Younger people—or people who love music—should be at tables close to the music makers, while older guests may want a quieter table.
Guests should be informed where they will sit by table cards that are placed on a small table outside the reception room: Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Table 5. You can also get creative and choose an alternative to traditional cards. For example, for a beach-theme wedding you could write names and table numbers on shells or smooth beach stones with an indelible pen.
Within the dining room, the tables should be prominently marked in an easy-to-follow order. You may also use place cards to notify guests about specific seats at their tables. They should have names on both sides (so other guests at the table can see them as well), and should be positioned above the plate. This is a good way to help guests become acquainted. Alternatively, many couples now combine place cards with favors, using small picture frames or other gifts marked with a guest's name both to indicate the seat and provide a keepsake.Bookmark and Share

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Maid of Honor Duties





Weddings are hard work, and it falls to the maid of honor to help handle some important details. She's the go-to person for the bride when it comes to guidance, a fresh perspective and, well, some of the heavy lifting. Being tapped as an honor attendant can be a chore, but it's also a tremendous compliment and a lot of fun. If you're on the lookout for fresh information you can use for your own wedding, participating in a friend's arrangements can be an eye opener that may save you time and some potential gotcha moments later, too.

Helping the Bride

The temperament of the bride and the scope of the wedding will have a big impact on how much or how little of the planning and organization the maid of honor will be responsible for. When assisting the bride, the maid of honor may be part facilitator, secretary, delivery person, counselor, decorator, or just about anything else. This partial list will give you an idea of some helpful ways you may be pressed into service:
  • Scout wedding locations.
  • Select invitations and help with invitation prep.
  • Explore floral options and other decorative choices.
  • Help the bride shop for her wedding dress and choose bridesmaids' dresses.
  • Oversee delivery of the dresses, monitor fittings and assist with other wardrobe functions.
  • Encourage the bride to register for gifts, spread the word about where the bride is registered and answer any gift questions that may arise.
  • Help with honeymoon planning.
  • Help with seating chart details.
  • Attend the cake tasting and make recommendations.
  • Attend the catering meetings or tastings and make recommendations.
  • Host the bridal shower.
  • Host the bachelorette party.
  • Maintain timetables and be of general assistance to keep things moving forward.
  • Attend the rehearsal dinner.
  • Keep a list of gifts received.

Maid of Honor Duties for the Big Day

The maid of honor also has some specific wedding day duties beyond wearing a big smile and keeping the bride happy:
  • Help the bride dress and deal with her hair, jewelry and the unavoidable wedding day jitters.
  • Check the last minute details, like instructions for the photographer and deliveries to the hall.
  • Act as a messenger between the bride and groom (and various and sundry family members).
  • Handle dress and veil issues. Maneuverability could be important here, even in the restroom, so this is an important and sometimes unexpected duty involving lifting, fluffing, arranging and rearranging.
  • Hold and protect the groom's ring.
  • Hold the bride's bouquet for the duration of the wedding ceremony.
  • Witness the marriage license signing.
  • Be part of the receiving line at the reception or act as a greeter.
  • Toast the bride and groom.
  • Participate in the first dance at a formal reception (partnered with the best man).
If the bride has help from family members, the groom or lots of bridesmaids who want to pitch in, the maid of honor's responsibilities could be limited to wedding day ceremonial functions and a few other helpful contributions.
The dynamic between the bride and the maid of honor will impact how the planning process unfolds. It's a sure bet, though, that if you're a maid of honor it couldn't hurt to have a sympathetic ear, limitless patience a day planner and a sense of humor.

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Wedding Day Duties for the Best Man





Best Man

Wedding Day Duties



In addition to the speech, there are a few other duties expected of the best man on the wedding day. Preparation is key, so you can enjoy the day as much as everyone else.
Getting the Groom there, on time
Your responsibilities start with getting the groom to the church, registry office, etc. on time and ready for the service. Have a plan of how you are travelling to the venue and allow plenty of time to get there. Also have a couple of back-up plans (e.g. taxi numbers), a fully charged mobile phone, and plenty of cash. Aim to be there early, about half an hour before the service starts, to greet the guests as they arrive.
The Service and the Rings
If you and the groom are at the wedding venue early and you have the rings safety in your pocket, then there is not much else you need to worry about for this part of the day. Now is the groom's time to sweat! The person taking the ceremony will tell you where you need to be and when. A tip for keeping the rings safe is to place them both on your little finger until you take your place for the service. It is difficult to trust those small waistcoat pockets.
General Administration
Generally the bride and her mother would have done most of the organisation for the day, but you will still be expected to do some of the administration on the day. This will mostly be directing the guests to where and when they need to be in certain places. If you are the quiet type there is no need to be worried about this as most guests expect information from the best man and ushers. You may also be entrusted to settle some of the payments such as the church fees, so find out in advance.
Presents and Cards
One of the best man's responsibilities is to accept wedding presents and cards from the guest throughout the day. If you do not have somewhere to put them this can become annoying, especially as you have other things to be concerned with, like the ceremony or your big speech. A solution is to designate a table at the reception for all the presents and request that the guest keep hold of their gifts and deposit them there.
Dealing with any Problems
As best man, you are the main trouble-shooter should anything arise. It is the bride and grooms day so they should not be expected to worry themselves with any problems. It will be down to you, the ushers, and maybe the parents to enlist the venue's staff in finding a solution. Don't panic, most things are easily sorted out, and try to delegate as much as possible to the venue's staff so you can concentrate on your other responsibilities.
The Speech
This is the big one for the best man. You are expected to entertain the guest with a witty speech! Please refer to the several articles on this website for help with the big speech. If doing a speech isn't enough you may be asked to act as the master of ceremonies as well. Check this out beforehand.

Other Duites
It is likely that your role will mean you are expected to do a lot of other things, e.g. first dance with the chief bridesmaid. It is best to arrange some time with the bride-to-be (grooms only tend to know the time and place!) to find out the plans and expectation for the day.


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Thursday, December 5, 2013

Christmas Weddings

Christmas is  the most wonderful time of the year, your family is gathered around you, and the church is already decorated. Why not have a Christmas wedding? Here are ideas and tips to have a fantastic Christmas wedding with all the trimmings.


Wedding Colors:

Red and green are natural colors for a Christmas wedding – It is likely that your church or reception site will already be decorated in red and green for other events and holiday parties. But don't feel limited to this palate. Other possibilities, which will work with existing decorations, include:
  • silver and white
  • silver and light blue
  • burgundy, forest green, and gold (as long as the existing decorations aren't too primary)
  • gold and cream


Christmas Wedding Invitations:

You'll want to reflect the season and your theme, but you won't want it to look like a holiday card. The solution? Forgo a folded card, opting for the traditional thick white card, with a border and engraved or thermo-graphed text. You can highlight the Christmas wedding theme in the border with white snowflakes, an elegant holly trim, or a drawing of a poinsettia. 

Since people make plans for the holidays early, and often have many parties and events to attend at this time of year, you'll want to send your invitations a little bit early – about 12 weeks before the event. You might also consider "save the date" cards in addition to the invitations, which will ensure that those most important to you will be able to attend.

Wedding Cake:

Having each tier look like an individually wrapped package is a popular look that is perfect for a Christmas wedding. You might also do a take on a buche noel or yule log, with a tiered chocolate cake that has holly – either real or made of gum paste – cascading down the side. Use marzipan, an almond paste used in many holiday desserts, as a filling.

Bridesmaids Attire for a Christmas Wedding:

My favorite bridesmaid look for a Christmas wedding is long dresses with shrugs or capelets and a big faux-fur muff. But you can dress them in your wedding colors, give them long wraps or sparkly accessories, all of which will help evoke your theme.

And the Bride Wore:

A Christmas wedding dress needn't be that different from any other kind. Wear the one that flatters you most, and top it off with a long red velvet cape. Or embrace the trend of color in wedding dresses by adding a beautiful red silk sash to the waist of your gown. You could also seek a dress with lots of sparkly beads and sequins to evoke the snowiness of the season. And of course, a faux-fur wrap and muff are always fun.

Flowers and Décor:

Since flowers can be more expensive at this time of year, think creatively. A mirrored platter with pillar candles and sprigs of holly is both elegant and romantic. Buy ornaments in bulk on-line, and create centerpieces of bowls or vases of ornaments. For a simple but elegant look, put pots of poinsettia with a ribbon trim in the center of each table. Fake snow used to be tacky, but there are now very good products available. Set candles or small flower arrangements in the middle of snow. And for my favorite touch, use fake snow instead of an aisle runner. Or, you can always hire a snow-making machine to really make your Christmas wedding a winter wonderland.



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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Choose your Wedding Flowers...




"How to choose your Wedding Flowers" 


Among all the other details you have to plan, choosing your wedding flowers is one of the most important decisions you are going to make.  They carry your own personal theme through, from fragrance & colour, to mood and style, and finally to precious memories in your photographs.
Your wedding bouquet is the finishing touch to your gorgeous gown, and a well designed, beautiful bouquet will enhance your dress, and bring out your best features and compliment your bridesmaids.
It can seem overwhelming to begin with, so here are some tips from your local florist, to help make choosing your wedding flowers a little easier.
It will save you time, and make you feel a lot more confident talking to your professional florist, if you do a little bit of homework before your consultation.  Google Images, wedding blogs (Click here to go to our portfolio of photos of real wedding flowers), bridal magazines and photos from other weddings are a great source of ideas and inspiration.  Take along any pictures of bouquet styles, special flowers, accessories, or anything else that catches your eye.
Think about if your wedding has a theme, and how you feel flowers will carry that through.   I.e. including shells in the bouquet for a Wedding on the beach is perfect!   A popular look for Waitakere Weddings is to include Paua or ferns and palms to bring through the Waitakere bush and beach feeling.
Have a swatch of your bridesmaids' fabric for colour matching of flowers and ribbons.
Pick at least one or two types of special flowers that you would like to feature if they are in season.  Blooms may be included because of their special meaning or they could hold personal memories to the bride and groom.  For more information on the meanings of flowers click here for our meaning of flowers page.
Work within the seasons.  Although many popular flowers like roses, lilies, Singapore orchids etc are white hydrangea bouquets with mauve bridesmaids dresses available all-year round, many other flowers are seasonal, so prices fluctuate depending on which month you are getting married in.  Flowers can be imported, however this becomes very costly, so it is better to be in-tune with nature and plan your wedding bouquets around the season you are marrying in.
And, PLEASE remember that Valentines Day, although romantic, is a very expensive time of year for flowers!

Know your budget.  It can be extremely helpful to the florist if you are armed with a budget.  This allows you both to discuss the best way for you to get the best value for your money.  We have more information on prices for bridal bouquets and wedding flower budgets here.
Don't skimp on the bride's bouquet – it is your special day and you are worth it!
-But you can certainly be creative with the bridesmaids' flowers – a popular trend today is 3 or 4 showy large blooms like gorgeous lilies or gerberas, which gives you real bloom-for-your–buck!  We have lots of suggestions of ways to stretch your budget and to give you WOW wedding flowers.
You can also consider doing the reception table flowers yourself – armed with a team of willing helpers and some champagne of course!    A glass bowl with floating rose heads, or a single Singapore orchid in a bud vase is a lovely effect and certainly achievable for the novice floral artist, however do be aware, that doing their own flowers often takes a lot longer than many brides anticipate, and adds a huge amount of pressure and stress to the last days before the wedding - let alone the damage to your fresh manicure! Think about it - Is it really worth it?


Your professional florist is a real asset to you on your big day, and you should feel confident when booking with them, that they understand you, your needs, and can help turn your dreams into reality, to create that magic you are looking for.







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Monday, November 11, 2013

Hair & Make Up








Julie is a licensed cosmetologist specializing in print, fashion, television, special events and weddings. Likewise, Julie has an extensive portfolio, with clients such as Melissa Ethridge, Phil Jackson, as well as top models and actors as seen on her website.

In addition to offering on location hair and make-up, Julie teaches photography make-up to upper division photography students at Brooks Institute, a world renowned photography school in Santa Barbara California. Julie uses many make up lines ( Chanel, Too Faced, Christian Dior, Lancome, Laura Mercier etc ) including Julie's own exclusive line of cosmetics.

Known by her clients for her clean work, Julie strives for an soft, natural look or an elegant " Red Carpet look " perfect for a bride on her wedding day.

"I feel that most anyone can apply make-up. However, the challenge and true artistry of the professional hair and make up artist is in the ability to create a final look where all eyes are on the individual.....not merely focused on the make up or the hair. This is especially important on the wedding day when a bride wants to look her best! Make up needs to be applied properly to look great on camera, while also looking great for friends and family.
Therefore, my ultimate goal as a hair and make-up artist is to enhance my client's best features, but also not to distract from their natural beauty with too much make-up. The end result should be, the client feels that they are not wearing a mask, but they feel comfortable and like themselves, but better. "

Serving Northern California (San Francisco, Napa, Carmel) Southern California (Santa Barbrara, Los Angeles, Palm Springs) Hawaii and worldwide.



Northern California's Finest Wedding Venues:
V. Sattui Winery St. Helena, The Meritage Resort Napa, Kenwood Inn and Spa, Charles Krug, Viansa Winery Sonoma, Barndiva Healdsburg, Hans Fahden Winery Calistoga, The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn Golf Course, Domaine Chandon Yountville, Estate in Sonoma, Atwood Ranch Glen Ellen, Harvest Inn St. Helena, Westerbeke Ranch Sonoma, Madrona Manor Healdsburg, Beaulieu Vineyard Rutherford, The Carneros Inn Napa, The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa, Bear Flag Farm, Murrieta's Well Winery Livermore, Cornerstone Gardens Sonoma, The Clift Hotel San Francisco, The Fairmont Hotel San Francisco, Chalk Hill Estate, Jacuzzi Family Winery, Little House in Alexander Valley Sonoma, Healdsburg Country Gardens, El Dorado Kitchen Sonoma, Paradise Ridge Winery, Ambiance Antiques in San Francisco, The Sonoma Mission, Flying Cloud Farm Petaluma, Tawantan Napa Valley, Bellisimo Vineyards Calistoga, Ramekins Sonoma, Carmel Mission, Milliken Creek Inn, B.R. 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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Melbourne Cup Carnival 2013: Race Day Fashion Explained



OCTOBER 31, 2013, 3:59 PM

With Melbourne Cup Carnival just around the corner, it's time to start planning our best race day outfits. We give you some racewear dos and don'ts to help you get by this season fashion faux pas free.
The Melbourne Cup Carnival is made up of four key race days at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne.
Each day has its own style with specific days designed to appeal to ladies, racing enthusiasts, socialites, families and more, providing a wide range of hospitality options, exciting entertainment and activities both on and off the track.
Here's a breakdown of each race day. Plus, Melbournian Fashion Blogger Lauren Brain (mastermind behind the fabulous style blog, The Cut & Paste shares her top tips on what to wear, and where to shop for your ultimate racing look.
AAMI Victoria Derby Day – Saturday 2 November
The first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival is considered one of the most prestigious days of racing in Australia. It is the oldest classic race on the Victorian calendar – it was first contested in 1855, six years before the Melbourne Cup.

Style: Derby Day fashion calls for classical elegance with a traditional black and white colour scheme.
Flower: Blue cornflower 

"On Derby Day you really want to stick as close to the traditional black and white dress code as you can. This year there’s sure to be plenty of white-on-white looks at Flemington, as it’s one of the biggest overall trends for spring. Hopefully you can keep it looking clean and crisp all day!"


Emirates Melbourne Cup – Tuesday 5 November

Australia’s most famous race is always run on the first Tuesday in November over a distance of 3200m (2 miles) at Flemington Racecourse. It is the Southern Hemisphere’s richest race ($6.2 million) drawing international competition and more than 100,000 people to the track. Australia’s master trainer Bart Cummings holds the record for the number of Melbourne Cup winners currently sitting at 12.

Style: With its celebratory air, Melbourne Cup is the day for a strong fashion statement, from bold colours to striking design and detail. Hats are customary.

Flower: Yellow rose.


Melbourne Cup is one big party. It’s a public holiday in Melbourne, and the celebration mood really carries into the outfits you see at the track. If there’s one day you want to have fun with colour and print, Cup is the day to do it.

Crown Oaks Day – Thursday 7 November

Crown Oaks is Victoria’s premier event for three-year-old fillies. It’s also regarded as ladies day, when women dress in their most feminine ensemble. The winner of Fashions on the Field, the national fashion competition of Australian department store Myer, is also announced on this day.

Style: Romantic, feminine looks and delicate fabrics.

Flower: Pink rose.

Take the chance to dress like a real lady on Oaks Day, in feminine colours and styles. Pastels and florals are always great on ladies day, just keep it chic and simple.

Emirates Stakes Day – Saturday 9 November

The Melbourne Cup Carnival finishes with Emirates Stakes, the premier mile race in Victoria. Stakes Day is known for its relaxed, garden party atmosphere and is recognised as the Carnival’s Family Day, a highlight being the children’s Fashions on the Field where the young ones have the chance to to parade their race day fashions.

Style: Something more relaxed but still festive.

Flower: Red rose.

It’s the end of the carnival, and ‘family day’ at Flemington, so the kids are dressed up adorably and things are generally a bit more relaxed. Feel free to go with something a bit more contemporary or edgy on Stakes Day, and if you’ve been every day so far – the ladies will want to wear their most comfortable shoes!!


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