tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17880298738733373532024-03-05T16:15:44.592+00:00Charlotte Balbier - The Goddess of BridalCharlotte Balbierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03126918688564112866noreply@blogger.comBlogger377125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-89217465164507227702013-10-24T16:07:00.002+01:002013-10-24T16:07:50.319+01:00Exciting Career Opportunity At Balbier Wyatt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1uVkHyfT3Hg-VZpCkBNyAx01oiCos_BRjysK7sUubwmJHkGW6vSQ-t5-1JPH9ZAAiaBmhHgN_Mx083zyql9SLXt8xN1FfglSUJzsvXmwIR0oaYBeciA27MvP1P0kwJXF6YXsTI-ix0wG/s1600/blabierwyattlogo+low+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1uVkHyfT3Hg-VZpCkBNyAx01oiCos_BRjysK7sUubwmJHkGW6vSQ-t5-1JPH9ZAAiaBmhHgN_Mx083zyql9SLXt8xN1FfglSUJzsvXmwIR0oaYBeciA27MvP1P0kwJXF6YXsTI-ix0wG/s320/blabierwyattlogo+low+res.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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*EXCLUSIVE NEWS* Amanda Wyatt ltd (Balbier Wyatt Group) exciting sales role;<br /> Area Sales Manager (the South& Midlands)<br /> Amanda Wyatt Ltd. <br /> The Midlands/North West – Excellent salary + bens based on experience <br /> Over the last few years, the bra<span class="text_exposed_show">nds within the Balbier Wyatt Group have continued to soar. With new brands and new collections being developed and their sales in turn are wowing both brides and retailers a like. The Balbier Wyatt Group now dresses women all over the UK and Ireland with its reach now expanding to the UAE, Europe and the U.S. making the Balbier Wyatt Group the UK’s number one choice for bridal, party and evening wear.<br /> <br /> We’re now looking to extend that growth further in and this role of Area Sales Manager is key. The focus will be primarily on the management of the territory of retailers within the south and Midlands, therefore a clean, valid driving license is a must. As a confident and dynamic individual, you will maximise all sales opportunities throughout this region by adopting a very positive and pro-active approach to business development, whilst managing an existing account base and monitoring and driving sell-thru throughout the season. Proven field sales experience of 1-2 years and a track record of driving growth and development of accounts are needed. Working with the Marketing team as Brand Ambassador, this role will include staff training and running incentives for key retailers at the Head Office near Manchester Airport. <br /> To apply send your CV to <br /> <br /> careers@balbier-wyatt.com <a href="http://www.balbier-wyatt.com/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.balbier-wyatt.com</a></span><a aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" class="_dxs _p" href="https://www.facebook.com/aw.bridal?ref=hl#" id="u_jsonp_2_31" rel="toggle" role="button"></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-56861882718446880152013-10-08T09:18:00.003+01:002013-10-08T09:21:04.999+01:00Why Choose Your LOCAL Charlotte Balbier Boutique?...<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why choose your LOCAL Charlotte Balbier
boutique?</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The Beautiful Isabella Grace Boutique</em><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When it comes to finding the perfect dress for your big day there are so
many things to think about...shape, colour, cost, fabric, strapless, not
strapless...the choices are endless!!</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>You will find your dream
dress by visiting our exclusive </em><a href="http://www.charlottebalbier.com/stockists.php" target="_blank"><em>stockists</em></a><em>!<o:p></o:p></em></span><br />
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<em><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bridal boutiques around the country are small, independent and often
family-run businesses. Unlike the big high-street competitors, Charlotte
Balbier stockists have a wealth of experience and specialise in the bridal
industry...they really know their stuff!!<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
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<em><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By supporting your local Charlotte Balbier stockist you will receive a
service that is second to none and they are always willing to go that extra
mile. A one-to-one service where you get to know the staff ensures you get the
individual advice and tailored help you deserve. Independent retailers have the
flexibility to ensure their opening times meet your needs; late night openings,
Sunday opening, individual opening times to cater for your busy schedules.<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
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<em><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some people say it’s wise to shop around to get the gown you want at a
lower cost. Our boutiques work to a Suggested Retail Price and are unable to
offer discounts on gowns as they are already sold at the best possible price.
Also, in our experience ‘shopping around’ isn’t as cost effective as you’d
think, often spending more on your fuel to reach someone else or even having to
find yourself a seamstress nearby to do your alterations.<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Our exclusive stockists also have the knowledge and experience of our gowns,
often having seamstresses in-house that know our gowns inside and out. It is
this knowledge and service that you get when purchasing a Charlotte Balbier
gown with our official </em><a href="http://www.charlottebalbier.com/stockists.php" target="_blank"><em>stockists</em></a><em>.<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>For a full list of Charlotte Balbier official stockists please visit
our </em><a href="http://www.charlottebalbier.com/stockists.php" target="_blank"><em>website</em></a></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em> </em></span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Independent bridal boutiques are there to provide an extra special
service that every bride-to-be deserves. Shop locally to help support your
boutiques and ensure the independent retail industry doesn’t disappear for
good.</em> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">**CHARLOTTE BALBIER ENDORSES SUPPORTING
YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT BOUTIQUES**<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-84069391538677007872013-10-07T15:53:00.001+01:002013-10-07T15:53:02.675+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary.... Beauty<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f93372.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=Charlotte+Balbier+make-up&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=19029&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="Charlotte Balbier make-up"><img alt="Charlotte Balbier make-up" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/93372.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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If I was a lady of leisure who had endless time on her hands there is no doubt in my mind I would spend most of my time in a beauty salon as I just love to be pampered. Sadly, with my crazy work schedule, spa days are an annual treat but I do always make time for regular facials and would never leave the house without perfectly manicured nails. Given the attention I usually pay to how I look on a day-to-day basis, it's safe to say I'm starting to think about my hair and make-up for my wedding!<br /><br />Following up my earlier blog post on diet and well-being, I continued my delivery diet by sticking to the general rule of 80/20; 80% of the time being healthy, and for the other 20%, allowing a few naughty treats, which usually takes the form of a few drinks with the girls for me. I really don’t believe you should deny yourself anything – just a little bit of what you fancy now and again – and I'm delighted to say this motto is paying off for me, as I've lost a stone and I feel great! <br /> <br />With my weight loss on track, it's time to think about my hair and beauty on the actual day. Not only do I want to look radiant and glamorous when I say ‘I do’, but I've also got to meet the beauty demands of eight bridesmaids, two flowergirls and my mum and aunt. It's no understatement to say I'll need a full team on hand! The only thing to do was call in some amazing experts who I've worked with in the past, so I have six very talented and creative make-up artists and hair stylists lined up to make me and the rest of the wedding party look our very best on the day.<br />
It might not be for everyone, but I think it's super important to have a professional step in to do a bride's make-up on her wedding day while she sits back and relaxes. If your budget doesn't stretch to treating the entire wedding party, just get one for yourself – you're only a bride once after all. To know I've got a few beauty mood boards on the go will come as no surprise (you know how much I love a mood board!) but it's definitely worth pulling together some specific ideas and examples before you meet up with your make-up artist and hair stylist for a trial, so both you and they know the look you're going for on the day.<br />
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One of the best pieces of wedding advice I've been given is to make sure you look like <em>you</em> on your wedding day - the most polished version, of course! If you let the professionals have too much control, or attempt to try new trends you've never dipped into before, you'll not only feel out of your comfort zone but it'll be a bit of a shock for your new husband too! This is what I'm keeping in mind when trialling ideas for my wedding day beauty look. My 'look' is smoky eyes, minimal lips, rouge cheeks, red nails and tousled hair, so I want to stick close to these elements but look better than I usually do. I'm sure with the super talented <a href="http://www.sarahbmakeup.co.uk/" target="_blank">Sarah Brock</a> in charge, my make-up will be flawless. I've worked with her before and she's an absolute genius with a make-up brush. My hair, however, doesn't fill me with such confidence. It's a little on the fine side which often means I can't always pull off voluminous, glamorous looks, but I've been assured by hair guru Nicola that she can make even my hair look fabulous. It’s all so exciting!<br /> <br />My wedding day beauty team have been passing on so many fantastic hints and tips that it’s only fair I share a few with you. The three that I've really taken on board are: <br /> <br />"Be honest when you're having your hair trial. If you're not sure then speak up now (or forever hold your peace!), as it's better to play around with different styles and settle on something perfect now than on the wedding morning. This could be your one chance to make your feelings known, so <em>do</em> it." <em>Claire from <a href="http://www.harryjonmua.co.uk/" target="_blank">Harry Jon</a></em><br /> <br />"Primer is a must for brides, as it softens fine lines, fills enlarged pores and depending on your skin type, hydrates or controls oils. It provides a smooth surface for your foundation to lie on and ensures it stays put all day." <em>Catherine from <a href="http://www.ivyclara.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ivy Clara </a></em><br /><br />"There are lots of products that promise radiance but drinking lots of water in the lead up to your wedding day really is the key to plump, perfect skin. Drinking two litres every day (that's roughly four big glasses) will help your skin look clearer and glowing, plus it will feel hydrated." <em><a href="http://www.zoeyclarkson.com/" target="_blank">Zoey Clarkson </a></em><br /><br />I think I'm pretty much on track for looking and feeling fab on the big day, don't you? Here's to staying motivated to keep it up after the wedding is over too!<br /><br />Until next time.<br />
Much Love,<br />Charlotte xUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-30559588048536023892013-10-07T15:33:00.002+01:002013-10-07T15:33:33.614+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary... Transport<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f85561.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=red+bus&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=18850&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="red bus"><img alt="red bus" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/85561.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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The big day is approaching now at rapid speed – the months, weeks and days seem to be going quicker and quicker and now I'm thinking not just about the pretty things like flowers, shoes, dresses and décor but also the logistics of the day and how I can make sure my wedding runs as smoothly as possible.<br />
Early on in our planning, Teddy and I decided we wanted to get married in a church even though our wedding venue offers a beautiful space to hold a civil service. It was tempting to have the actual ceremony at Iscoyd just because of the ease. It would mean not having to worry about getting the two of us, a bridal party of 20 and all of your guests from A to B, but in the end our want for a church wedding overruled.<br />
I've been doing hours of research investigating into how other brides have tackled the transport issue that faces those of us who choose to have a church wedding and then need to get everyone over to the second venue. I love to hear from my brides about the ideas they've come up with and there's definitely some unusual solutions out there. It seems vintage and classic cars are still as popular as ever – Rolls-Royce, Daimler, Bentley and Mercedes are all very popular choices – and that's including the new models which I think are popular for couples who want a traditional vibe with a modern twist. Then there's buses! I've noticed a huge trend for VW Camper Vans, London double deckers and old-fashioned buses, conductor and all. A bigger vehicle definitely makes sense when you need to get your whole wedding party from one place to another, but these choices are so much more imaginative than a standard coach.<br />
On my quest for the perfect wedding wheels, I've also looked into some alternative options that are very specific to the style of wedding. If your wedding is a high summer affair set in the rolling countryside, have you thought about arriving on a tractor? If someone had said this to me I would have thought they'd lost their mind(!) but after seeing some images from a beautiful wedding of a bride and her maids arriving on a hay-filled tractor and trailer dressed with flowers, I fell a little bit in love with this idea. (Sadly it just doesn't suit my winter wedding.) Another idea I like for a city celebration is black cabs, but white! They look super-chic and stylish but can be a cheap alternative for wedding transport.<br />
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As much as I love the quirky ideas, both Teddy and I agree that we're a classic couple, and should go for a classic car. We don't usually spend a lot of time talking about cars (shocker!) but after discussing wedding cars we quickly agreed that we like the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. One thing I hadn't taken into consideration was that we'd need to find our dream transport near our venue, as a lot of cars won't travel far, especially the older vintage ones. It's one of those things you just don't think about until you become a bride yourself… well I didn't anyway. After some help from my wedding industry friends, I managed to track down a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow 1 (woohoo!) and the best news ever was that the company who owns it is just a few miles from our venue. So without further ado, we booked the most beautiful car called ‘Alice’ (love the name) and she'll be transporting me and pops to the church, and then Teddy and I back to Iscoyd.<br />
Although we have our dream car sorted, we still haven't worked out how to transport the wedding party and our guests from the church to the reception venue. Like most couples, we're having to keep a close eye on our ever-growing budget, so we're looking into using our own cars and those of our wedding party. We've got some lovely-looking cars between us, and it makes sense to use them if we're all there on the day. <br />
But while I'm happy that we'll have enough cars to do the job, what about night buses to ferry the evening guests home at the end of the night? Perhaps that's where the red double decker will come in but that decision can be left until a little nearer the day. Until then, if you're a bride who's struggling to choose your transport, take a look at my <a href="http://pinterest.com/balbierbrides/wedding-day-transport/" target="_blank">transport Pinterest board</a> for some cool ideas.<br />
Until next time,<br />Much love,<br />Charlotte xxxUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-37053441192209668822013-10-07T15:29:00.002+01:002013-10-07T15:29:23.601+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary... Favours<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f80719.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=jam+favours&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=18772&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="jam favours"><img alt="jam favours" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/80719.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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Homemade jam favours by Melysweddings on Etsy.com </div>
With just six months to go until the wedding, it’s time to start turning my attention to all the finer points of the day's theme. Being a perfectionist and a firm believer in attention to detail, I’ve actually been looking forward to this part of the wedding planning since the whole process began! Whenever I launch a new dress collection and hold an event to celebrate, I always include little gifts for my guests, just like wedding favours, so I thought there was no better place to start. My <a href="http://pinterest.com/balbierbrides/wedding-favours-gifts/" target="_blank">Pinterest board</a> is bursting with fabulous favour ideas from purse-friendly to blow the budget and I literally can't stop pinning!<br /><br />I love chatting to my brides about their ideas for wedding favours and from what I'm hearing it seems DIY options are proving to be <em>the</em> trend for 2013, with brides galore opting to get creative rather than buy ready-made. From borrowing their granny’s sewing machine to making homemade lavender bags or getting busy in the kitchen creating home-grown tasty jams and yummy baked goodies, you lot are getting your hands dirty when it comes to wedding favours. One of my brides-to-be Catherine, who's getting married on a beautiful Cornish beach this summer, is giving each of her guests a stick of seaside rock that supports the local lifeboat charity; I love an idea that’s both delicious and for a good cause.<br /> <br />So with all this talk of wedding favours, I've become curious as to why it's a tradition for couples to give them on their wedding day. My only knowledge until recently was that the tradition was to give sugared almonds in sets of five as they represented fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. When looking into the history of favours a little further I found the idea originates from France and bonbonnieres (porcelain trinket boxes filled with precious stones and sugar cubes) were given as glamorous gifts to wedding guests of French aristocrats, and the sugar almonds followed years later. Doesn't that paint such a romantic picture? I’m actually finding it really interesting to look back at wedding history and tradition, wondering what our ancestors would make of our weddings today.<br /> <br />Back to my wedding planning, and after much consideration and Pinterest-related research, I've decided that we'll only be gifting the ladies on the big day as let’s face it, most men don’t notice the favours, or will forget to take them home, leaving me with a pile of leftover little gifts with no home to go to! So my female-friendly shortlist is as follows...<br />
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Lavender-scented fabric hearts by KarenWalkWeddings on Etsy.com </div>
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Budget: <br />
DIY lavender bags made from fabric used elsewhere within the wedding decorations<br />Charity badges for RSPCA (both Teddy and I love animals and you can get doggy ones like our pooch Buster Bear)<br />Traditional sugared almonds after being inspired by Parisian history and tradition!<br /> <br />Fancy:<br />Charbonnel & Walker chocolates – the pink and gold heart box is perfect for our wedding<br />Ladurée macaroon gift boxes, personalised biscuits or sweets (I’ve seen so many when flicking through the bridal glossies)<br /><br />Luxury:<br />Jo Malone bubble bath (in the hope someone does leave one behind by mistake!)<br />Vintage perfume bottles<br />Diptyque candles – I'm smitten ever since my first experience at Space NK<br /> <br />So I am now on a mission to source prices and availability on all of my shortlisted options so I can work out just how much of the wedding budget to allocate to favours, and when is the best time to buy them.<br /> <br />I would love to hear what you're planning to have as your wedding favours so join in the debate on my Facebook page.<br /> <br />Until next time, happy planning fellow brides-to-be!<br /> <br />With love,<br />Charlotte xUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-57468737146257504062013-10-07T15:27:00.001+01:002013-10-07T15:27:16.577+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary... Shoes!<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f83491.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=Freya+Rose+shoe&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=18807&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="Freya Rose shoe"><img alt="Freya Rose shoe" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/83491.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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Now that we've been sharing wedding experiences for a few months, I'm happy to let you lot into a confession; I may be more excited about buying my wedding shoes than any other aspect of my wedding. Shoe shopping is a love of mine and one I can't deny given the collection I have stashed away - Carrie Bradshaw's got nothing on me! Shoes can make all the difference to an outfit or your mood and I love admiring them when I'm out and about shopping, not to mention ogling over the brand new collections at wedding trade shows. Luckily, some wedding shoe designers have become close friends of mine over the years so I get to try their creations on before they hit the bridal boutiques!<br /><br />The task of finding my perfect pair of wedding shoes (or pairs, as I think the case may be!) is well under way. I've accumulated quite a long list of shoes by different designers, and as always my Pinterest board, overflowing with beautiful styles from classic ivory to more unusual colours and looks. There's a couple of deal breakers for me - the heel must be high as I'm only 5"4 and want to feel like a glam goddess on my big day, and I'm looking for a peep-toe as I want to show off either pink or red perfectly-pedicured tootsies - but the rest is yet to be decided! <br /><br />I have noticed during my search that there's a real trend for non-white shoes, instead brides are loving bright shoes that bring a pop of colour when worn with a traditional bridal gown, with blue being super popular and I suspect a certain Miss Bradshaw had something to do with that. Do you remember those totally amazing Manolo Blahniks she wore in the SATC movie? And don't forget that they could count as your 'something blue'.<br /><br />So, on to the shoe styles I have my beady eye on. I've been lusting after the Jimmy Choo 'Crown’ shoes for a while now as they are a gorgeous champagne shade - and they provide the perfect excuse to pick up the matching ‘Riane’ bag, too! They are a little on the pricey side (my budget is between £300-700), but then again they're not typically bridal so I'd probably be able to wear them again in the future. It's always good to rationalise spending! Actually, even if these don’t end up being one of my chosen wedding shoes I'm tempted to buy a pair anyway as I just love them.<br />
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Also on my radar are some rather amazing Freya Rose styles, which I've fancied since I used them on the photo shoot for my new 2014 A Decade Of Style collection. They were the perfect match to my gowns and not only do they look lovely but they're also super comfy. I'm a big fan of the ‘Tahiti Boudoir’ style (love that name!) with a mother of pearl heel that Freya Rose are famous for as their signature feature. The ‘Ennis’ design is another of my favourites, as these gold delights come with a detachable rose flower, vintage antique in style and very special. Given that I've been eyeing up various styles from this collection, and letting everyone know of course!, I've actually been invited to the Freya Rose showroom in London for a personal fitting with Freya herself. Woohoo, I'm going to be in shoe-loving heaven! My plan is to work the meeting into a trip to London with my mum, for an ultimate girly visit doing bridal bits and bobs and I’m really, really excited to not only try on shoes but to take a few days out of normal life to focus on all things wedding!!<br /> <br />If you’re a bride-to-be who needs comfort and a higher heel is not your thing, then you must check out Rachel Simpson shoes. Rachel’s shoes are some of the comfiest I've tried and as the heel height isn't as high as a lot of other styles, they're perfect for those brides wanting to dance the night away! Her vintage-inspired designs are dreamily pretty and I really like the colour palette Rachel uses with all of her soft ivory hues and rose-pink tones. Then again, I've long since had a love affair with Aruna Seth shoes from the moment I first laid eyes on them a few years ago. I've lost count of the number of pairs I own (oops!) because they're gorgeous, comfortable and handmade in Italy, which adds to the chic elegant feeling that washes over me as soon as I step into a pair.<br /><br />By now you'll have guessed that my shoe journey is going to be a long but enjoyable one - it's one of my wedding planning tasks that I'm happy to drag out because I'd be happy trying on shoes all day long. I promise to keep you posted on my wedding shoe finds over on my Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages and would love to see what shoes you are all wearing for your special day.<br /> <br />Until next time, happy shoe shopping ladies.<br /><br />Much Love,<br />Charlotte xxxUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-52098611470839595552013-10-07T15:19:00.001+01:002013-10-07T15:19:50.023+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary.... Decor<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f91361.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=Red+Floral&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=18964&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="Red Floral"><img alt="Red Floral" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/91361.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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What's that saying again? "Stop worrying about what could go wrong and instead get excited about what can go right." This mantra has, happily, finally hit home this week as our wedding plans have really started to come together and both Teddy and I are getting super excited. Over the last few weeks I feel like we've made massive headway in our planning with lots of meetings with our wedding suppliers. Brainstorming with creative people is always such good fun and I'm loving the opportunity to work with the talented <a href="http://www.redfloral.co.uk/" target="_blank">Red Floral Architecture</a> again, who are not only doing all of my wedding flowers but are also adding their brilliance to my décor and styling for both the church and the reception venue. Despite hectic schedules on both sides, I managed to sit down with them this week to discuss décor and let me tell you, I've been one elated bride-to-be ever since! Their ideas and plans for our wedding day really blew my mind and surpassed my expectations, and then some.<br /><br />My vision, and subsequently my brief, for our wedding décor was simple: I wanted WOW! Chandeliers and candelabra, lots of candles mixed with draping fabrics, crystals and pearls and of course A LOT of flowers. I certainly don't want subtle, but equally I don't want to go too over the top. And that's why I've called in the experts. My colour palette is ivory hues teamed with rose pinks and metallic shades. It's taken me (and my maids!) a long time to get my head around the fact that I don't really have a theme as such, so all there is to do is make the most of my colours. My problem was that I loved so many I just couldn't decide on what was truly us, so instead I went with what felt right and I kept coming back to those 2 words; sophisticated and glamorous. After many hours looking at décor themes on Pinterest and gathering inspiration from my surroundings, I came to the decision that it's OK for me not to be a theme bride - I just wish I'd realised this 18 months ago!<br />
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I'm a great believer in trusting your suppliers and letting them have the freedom to be creative, as they are the experts after all, and I know as a fellow creative that I do my best work when I'm left to my own devices. I have a major advantage, in that although I've never been married before, I have worked with many of the companies we've booked for our wedding so I knew from the start that we were working with the best in the biz. That's not to say little old control freak me doesn't struggle with letting go, and I do still want to be included in all of the ideas and planning, but I've learnt to do it from afar. The best tip I have is to do lots of research first and create mood boards and tear sheets which will help you express your vision to the suppliers.<br /><br />So now it's time to work with my suppliers to source all the décor that will create our dream wedding, although my general excitement means I've given myself a little head start. I feel like I've spent the best part of this year looking for gold-toned cutlery, and have become somewhat obsessed with finding the right pieces to hire. But after searching high and low for months, the result was me realising that to hire this kind of cutlery is nigh-on impossible and to buy it is far too expensive, so my gold dream has had to be shelved. Cue meltdown! Luckily, Jane and Mat at Red Floral are used to brides losing the plot over little things and are working on some cutlery ideas for me as a plan B…<br /><br />So now that my breathing has become less erratic since the décor and styling is well underway, there is still a lot to think of; luxury linens, chair décor, marquee styling, special touches in the church, romantic centre pieces, delicate place settings, the fancy top table… the list is endless. I'm starting to feel sorry for the team at Red Floral! However, armed with my trusty pin boards and their general amazingness, I'm sure that between us we can make this wedding every bit the sophisticated and glamorous affair I envisage – and limit anymore meltdowns along the way!<br /><br />Until next time,<br />Much love<br />Charlotte xxxUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-60653969516923379122013-10-07T15:17:00.001+01:002013-10-07T15:20:08.315+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary.... Let them eat cake!<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f78717.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=Cake+consultation&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=18745&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="Cake consultation"><img alt="Cake consultation" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/78717.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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Working in the bridal industry for over a decade has meant I've constantly been surrounded by pretty ideas and amazing wedding inspiration, so even in my pre-Teddy days I'd already come across a few things I knew I wanted for my big day when the time finally came. The ring, the shoes, the cake – I've got tear sheets from bridal magazines that I pulled out years ago hidden away (that can remain our little secret!) and although a lot of my fixed ideas have actually changed dramatically, one thing has stayed the same. My dream cake is still my dream cake.<br />
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Not wanting to sound too much like an M&S advert but this is not just any cake I'm talking about, this is the most beautiful cake I've ever laid my eyes on. The <a href="http://www.peggyporschen.com/collection.html" target="_blank">Peggy Porschen</a> floral avalanche cake is quite simply a work of art. I remember the first conversation we had about the wedding after Teddy proposed and I proudly informed both my mum and husband-to-be that one decision was already made and I wouldn't budge. Sadly though, like all brides, I'm planning a wedding within a budget and once Teddy and I had gone over the figures and decided on our priorities, I realised we just couldn't include the floral avalanche cake in our plans. Peggy Porschen cakes are absolutely amazing and the master baker has created wedding cakes for the likes of Kate Moss and even royalty, so I knew we'd be talking big bucks. But as I’ve said before, you have to work out what’s most important to you as a couple and sometimes you have to compromise (however hard it is!). <br />
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Between you and me, I'll admit I did contemplate having a bridezilla moment and saying I wanted 'that cake or no cake,' and was even tempted to consider the other extreme of buying a shop cake and decorating it myself... but I've since come full circle and reconsidered both options, thanks to Pinterest! When in doubt, make yourself a Pinterest board and let your mind get creative, I say. <a href="http://pinterest.com/balbierbrides/wedding-cakes/" target="_blank">My cake board</a> is one of my favourite boards and I have become obsessed with cakes (nothing to do with me enjoying eating them so much, I'm sure!) – with my board of 187 cake pins my mind is buzzing with ideas. There is so much choice out there; you can literally have whatever you want. Right now the trends are all about the naked cake or vintage-inspired cakes but I think the traditional iced style is also making a comeback. As my dream cake was a £4500 work of art, it's no surprise I'm thinking I'll go big and make mine a feature!<br />
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I thought I'd found my expert baker back in April when I was driving through the pretty town of Knutsford with my mum and aunt and we came across a local cake studio, but unfortunately after meeting the lovely team of ladies there, indulging in a cake tasting with Teddy and choosing our wedding cake, the shop closed down! It's been my first real wedding drama, so I've now got the task of finding another bakery who can create our cake, with just four months to go until the big day. Fingers crossed that we don't come up against any other dramas in the meantime.<br />
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I have to say, although my plan A <em>and</em> plan B haven't worked out, cake tasting is great fun, not to mention yummy, and such a nice thing to do with your fiancé and family as part of the wedding planning. You just don't get the same experience when making your own or buying one ready-made from a shop so for me, whatever your budget, a professionally made cake is a must. Happy tasting!<br />
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Much love,<br />
Charlotte xxUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-68421963761526282282013-10-07T14:15:00.002+01:002013-10-07T15:20:19.664+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary... Wellbeing & Weightloss<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f76539.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=wedding+wellbeing&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=18714&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="wedding wellbeing"><img alt="wedding wellbeing" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/76539.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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'Just relax for a second and breathe…'<br />
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If someone gave me a pound coin every time this thought has crossed my mind in recent months I’d be super-duper rich! They say planning a wedding can be one of the most stressful things you can do and with just seven months to go until our big day, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't starting to feel the strain of organising everything – on top of my day job. I'm trying to keep calm and carry on, but I’m noticing that the closer the wedding gets, the more stressed I am starting to feel (and look!). Not ideal for a blushing bride-to-be.<br />
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So I think the time has come to start fitting some pre-wedding wellbeing into my planning schedule. It's only fair to spend a bit of the wedding budget on feeling and looking fabulous on the day, right? Already being a beauty junkie, I'm always on the look out for the latest products or treatments and I religiously read every beauty column out there. A few years ago I started using <em>Clarins</em> skincare products at home after indulging in one of their facials, and I have never looked back. I think every woman has one treat that always relaxes them, and a visit to my local spa is mine - it takes me away from my busy schedule and the stresses of running a bridal business – even if it’s just for a mere 60 minutes.<br />
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Spending my days working with gorgeous models and flicking through glamorous shoots in You & Your Wedding is bound to make any girl envious of those divinely gifted with blemish-free looks, so clear, glowing skin has fast become top of my priority list. The Clarins girls advised that I have one of their Tri-Active Facials every 3-4 weeks and, for the last couple of months leading up to the wedding, their Radiance Reviver Facial. I’ve been promised this will leave my skin looking fresh and dewy. Yes, please!<br />
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So that’s my stress levels and soon-to-be super glowing face taken care of but what about my body? From the neck downwards I confess I've never been great at keeping my beauty regime up. Believe me, I have all the products - cellulite busting creams, body brushes, skin oils, body scrubs. But most of them are sadly gathering dust and taking up space on the bathroom shelf. I promise myself that tomorrow will be the day I start my new at-home body beauty regime… but surprisingly tomorrow never comes! I did treat myself to a Body Polish and Body Lift Sculptor treatment but, like many women before me, I expected too much and wanted instant results. Sadly it seems you need more than one trip to the spa, <em>and</em> keep up the DIY treatments at home, to look like Elle Macpherson.<br />
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When it comes to hair, I do know a trick to glossy tresses which I’ll use more in the countdown to wedding day. It’s a homemade olive oil with vinegar potion. You heat them both together, apply to your hair, wrap in foil and then a towel and leave for 20 minutes. The oil replenishes weak hair and the vinegar adds shine. I read this in a beauty magazine years ago and it’s really effective.<br />
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And finally, I'm overhauling the diet. I want to lose some weight and get fit and healthy for my wedding but with such a full-on, stressful job I already know I'll need a little help to keep me focused. After hearing about the plan on the grapevine (read: the endless stream of brides I chat to every day) I looked into <a href="http://www.soulmatefood.com/" target="_blank"><em>Soulmatefood</em></a> where the food looks so yummy it doesn't even seem like a diet, plus the extra bonus is that it's delivered straight to your door. No more trips to the supermarket desperately trying to avoid the chocolate and wine aisle in favour of a lettuce leaf! Friends and brides I know have done the juice detox from Soulmate and others have followed the meal delivery option and they've all raved on about how amazing it is: easy to follow; healthy and delicious with great-lasting results; and a superstar following.<br />
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In terms of slimming down, I know food won’t cut it on its own, I need to up the exercise ante. At the moment I spend between 30 mins and an hour walking our dog Buster every day, so my plan is to start to incorporate some jogging into this time. It means I’ll aim to be running three times a week for at least 30 minutes, but I’m not against getting a personal trainer as time goes by. I think a lot of brides do this towards the end of their pre-wedding slimdown to keep them focused.<br />
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So I’m kickstarting the whole thing six months before the day. Six months of healthy food, regular exercise, lots of beauty treatments, plenty of sleep (and maybe the odd little holiday!) should do the trick. Which means, by my calendar, I have four weeks left of ‘wine o’clock’. So let’s make the most of it - someone grab me a drink and make it a double!<br />
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Until next time,<br />
Love Charlotte xxxUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-5335775465441080972013-10-07T14:13:00.002+01:002013-10-07T15:20:33.704+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary.... Bridesmaids & Flower Girls<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f73766.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=Charlotte+Balbier+with+bridesmaid&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=18668&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="Charlotte Balbier with bridesmaid"><img alt="Charlotte Balbier with bridesmaid" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/73766.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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One of my all-time favourite films is <em>Bridesmaids</em>. I've lost count of the amount of times I've laughed until I've cried at the same hilarious scenes. The dynamics of the different bridesmaids is super funny and if you're a bride with a large bridal party then you'll surely relate to this film. I mean, fingers crossed your maids aren't quite as extreme as the girls in the film, but I think most of us could have a Lillian or Annie moment at some point!<br />
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It's probably enough to put some brides off having adult maids, but I'm an all or nothing kind of girl so I've decided to go large for the wedding. My choices for the bridal party were two bridesmaids (both family) or all of my closest girlfriends. So eight adult bridesmaids and two flowergirls later, I've got my own <em>Bridesmaids</em>-like group going on! This Sunday we had our first bridesmaids event (I say event, because with so many maids any kind of wedding soiree turns into something more than a simple meet-up) and the girls not only insisted I wore a bride-to-be badge all day but I even had balloons waiting for me at our lunch table! It's made me slightly dread the thought of my hen party!<br />
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Along with designing my own dress, my mind has been buzzing with ideas on how to style my girls for the wedding. I think I'll worry more about what they'll be wearing than my outfit on the big day (oh, the hazards of being a bridal designer!). I guess it's because it's harder dressing eight people than just one. We're talking eight figures, eight opinions and eight different sets of body hang-ups! So after lunch on Sunday, I invited all of my girls over to our HQ to spend the day with me in the showroom trying on dresses and accessories.<br />
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I only managed to have five of my eight bridesmaids present, but don't despair – sometimes meeting with your maids in smaller groups makes dress fittings more productive. My three who were AWOL are each going to do a one-to-one with me at a later date. Another thing that can be difficult is finding one style that suits all, but there are two options on how to conquer this age-old problem. The first is to keep it simple and choose a style that flatters most shapes and sizes - you really can’t go wrong with an empire-line or A-line. The second option is to mix it up and style each maid in a different shape that they love - choose a fabric and just go from there. Putting ladies in dresses they love is a must to make sure they have a good time!<br />
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Once the style is sorted, then comes the colour. Thinking back to the beginning when Teddy and I first got engaged, I thought I had it all worked out - the wedding was going to be black tie and the bridesmaids were wearing black. But fast forward 18 months and I have literally changed my mind over 100 times. Every day I go from one look to another, glamorous and sultry to pared-down boho, traditional vintage to modern retro… Then there’s the colours. Maybe pink (you know me well enough by now!) or a gold-mocha shade? Then again, why not keep it completely classic, as I'm a sucker for all-ivory weddings which the royals do so well. Oh, but there's still black and who doesn’t love a flattering LBD… help!<br />
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The only way to succeed in keeping everyone happy, including me!, is to be a mix-it-up bride. I've already decided that each bridesmaid is going to choose to have their own hair and make-up done just how they want it, so maybe it makes sense to let them pick their own gown, too? Sunday’s marathon trying-on session was really fab and we have four front runners that both the girls and I like, so I guess it’s down to me to decide: is it eight of the same? Or each girl can wear any of those four styles? <br />
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Once that's decided, I must MUST decide on a colour, because I'm driving myself crazy with layers and layers of colour swatches covering every inch of my desk. And until that's done, I can't even think about choosing décor, flowers and table decorations – with no colour scheme! Wow, this wedding malarkey is harder than I thought… anyone else in the same boat?<br />
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See you again next time,<br />
Much love Charlotte xxx<br />
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(p.s. Maybe the trick is to just have mini maids? The one thing that has been super simple is deciding that my two gorgeous little flowergirls will wear princess-style dresses with masses of tulle. At least I know they'll look adorable on the day!)<br />
<a href="http://www.dsbcreativeweddings.com/" target="_blank"><em>Photos taken by DSB Creative</em></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-21403118084056617272013-10-07T14:11:00.002+01:002013-10-07T14:11:43.778+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary.... 'THE DRESS'<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f71137.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=Charlotte+Balbier+dress+blog&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=18641&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="Charlotte Balbier dress blog"><img alt="Charlotte Balbier dress blog" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/71137.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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Shock horror! - I still don't have a dress. Yes, you read correctly, the wedding dress designer who's getting married in 8 months still hasn't found The One. Well, when I say found, I mean finished, because I'm creating my frock from scratch.<br /><br />Since I first put pencil to sketchbook, I've designed four gowns that were in the running to be my wedding dress, but in the end they didn't feel quite right for me. That's not to say they weren't beautiful dresses, in fact I've included two of the styles in my 2014 collection because I adore them so much and know they'll look perfect on the right bride. <br /> <br />Although I haven't finalised my creation just yet, there are some things that, as a designer, it was helpful for me to decide early on. First things first was the shape of the dress, which was based on the shape of my body. I’m a cross between an apple and triangular shape, so I look good in a classic A-line style, with a slight drop waist. That's not to say I'm unlike most brides in hankering after other styles (fishtail, slinky, backless, anyone?) but after 15 years of bridal experience I know that the right wedding dress has to be a shape that flatters and suits your figure. I keep trying different styles but I have to accept that no matter how much exercise or dieting I do, my body shape will never change and I am what I am so I must embrace this. If you're not sure what kind of shape you are or what styles flatter you the most, buying from a specialist bridal boutique is key. The ladies who work at these shops have dealt with so many brides and dresses, they'll know your perfect style the moment you walk in (brides - please no internet buying, it’s just not right when making one of the most important purchases of your life).<br /><br />Another challenge that I've faced in making my own W-day dress has been choosing what fabrics I want to work into the design. I'm practically obsessive when it comes to lace, so it will come as no surprise to learn that my dress will feature some lace, although I still don't know whether it will be a completely lace affair. I also love soft silk tulle, it's so luxurious and romantic, so perhaps this will make an appearance along with some French lace. Even while writing this my mind is buzzing with ideas. What about spotted tulle, oh fun, kitsch spotted tulle (look out for my ‘Sarah’ dress in the new collection…). Then there's the beading, detailing and embellishments to think about. Am I a bling bride? Or more of a subtle beading bride?<br />
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So, to the task at hand. I've sketched several new designs, new fabrics are arriving daily from my suppliers and I think I 'm getting closer to finalising what will be my perfect dress. It’s been a long and difficult process, and I admit I'm feeling huge pressure to create something totally unique and amazing (as everyone expects my dress to be spectacular!). But as long as I love it and feel amazing in it, that's all that matters. <br /> <br />All this to-ing and fro-ing reminds me to pass on one piece of advice to any brides reading this. DO NOT wait until eight months before your wedding to find your dress! I'm super lucky that I can design and make dresses very quickly but, brides, you should give yourselves at least 8-12 months before the wedding to order your gown, to allow time for alterations and avoid any last-minute panics. If I was to be buying my dress from a bridal boutique, I'd be one very lastminute.com bride right now!<br /><br />Oh, and before I go, a declaration of sorts. A lot of people within the wedding industry and brides that I work with have predicted that I'll be wearing pink for my wedding, given my love of the colour. But it's time to put this rumour to bed. I won't confirm or deny what shade I will be wearing on the big day, but I can tell you that I will not be wearing pink! That's your last clue, before I spill the beans entirely. <br /><br />Until next time, happy dress-hunting fellow brides-to-be! Keep me posted….<br /><br />With love,<br />Charlotte xxxUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-57986128999780949562013-10-07T14:07:00.001+01:002013-10-07T14:07:22.523+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary.... Flower Girl Keepsakes<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f69410.jpg&area=&category=Favours+%26+thank+yous&title=Molly+B+bracelet&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=18631&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="Molly B bracelet"><img alt="Molly B bracelet" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/69410.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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With all the major things ticked off my wedding to-do list, now it's time to turn my attention to the finer details. Often it's the smaller touches that make a lasting impression on wedding guests so it's equally important to get them just right. With a bridal party of eight adult bridesmaids, two flowergirls, two best men and six ushers – not to mention mothers of the bride and groom – I need to start thinking about my wedding day gifts for them as early as possible to give me enough time. As a self-prescribed professional shopper I'm looking forward to one wedding task I know I'll find easy, and enjoyable too. It's also an excuse to find the odd thing for myself, as a stressed bride-to-be you understand…<br /><br />For the ladies, I already know jewellery is the way to go. I love good quality, simple jewellery because it can be worn and loved forever, so it makes the perfect keepsake for bridesmaids and flowergirls alike. If you ask me, the beauty of jewellery is that it can hold our memories for as long as we wear it – I have so many delicate pieces that each tell their own story and some of them are as old as me (no comments please!). I really think a love for jewellery can be inspired at any age and indulged for a lifetime; us brides-to-be certainly know the importance of our engagement rings anyway.<br /><br />I have been a great admirer and fan of <a href="http://www.mollybrownlondon.com/" target="_blank">Molly Brown London</a> for some time, ever since I first saw their cute pendants in Harrods. For those of you who haven't heard of the brand, they offer luxury designer jewellery akin to Tiffany but for younger girls. With collections in Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason as well as Harrods, the pieces are just dreamy and something I as a little girl would have absolutely loved.<br />
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Having recently had the pleasure of meeting with Molly Brown designer Erica and being treated to a sneaky preview of the new collections (trust me, they're divine), I knew my two favourite girls would love a set of real pearls to call their own, and Aunty Charlotte and Uncle Teddy are just the people to give it to them! I can't think of a better way for a bride to thank her mini chums than a gift to accessorise their wedding outfit and a precious keepsake that they can wear for a lifetime. So, being an organisation queen, and thanks to Molly Brown, little Liv and Georgia have the most gorgeous <a href="http://www.mollybrownlondon.com/small-pearly-girly-bracelet.html" target="_blank">delicate pearl and silver bracelets</a> - how lucky are they? I was 20 before I got my first set of real pearls! They will be the envy of little girls everywhere.<br />
So that's two down and another 18 gifts to go! For my adult bridesmaids, I'm thinking Tiffany or Links of London. Both so gorgeous. I think it's time to hit the shops to see what's out there for my lovely ladies.<br /> <br />Until next time,<br />much love Charlotte xx<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-85550653376046444462013-10-07T14:05:00.000+01:002013-10-07T14:05:12.561+01:00Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary.... Stationary<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=%2fuploads%2fimages%2foriginal%2f65307.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=wedding+stationery&SiteChannelId=-1&objectId=18574&objectTypeId=6&moduleId=8" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title="wedding stationery"><img alt="wedding stationery" class="protect" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/65307.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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Working with fabric all day every day, it's not surprising that I'd describe myself as a touchy-feely kind of person. It's not just dresses though, I can't resist fabulous stationery either - I love the texture, feel, look and even smell of a good luxury print, so it was probably a bigger deal for me than the average bride!<br /><br />Before I even started my search for wedding stationery, I already knew the kind of thing I was looking for. I wanted something utterly feminine and super romantic but which still felt chic and classic, with a modern edge - a lot to ask I know, and a tough challenge for any stationery designer! Sure, I was open to ideas but being a creative person myself, I admit I had very set ideas about what I liked and more importantly, what I didn't. <br /><br />When I first started thinking about my Save The Dates and invitations a few months ago, I was initially drawn to some designs from Hello Lucky, as their pink invites are gorgeous and felt very 'me' - I really did love so much of their work but I felt myself thinking 'I wish it had something more like this…' or 'I love this but perhaps with a different…' so it was back to the drawing board for me.<br />
At this point I started to worry that my 'stationery wishlist' just wasn't compatible with the designs out there. I fell in love with the idea of having gold glitter incorporated into our print, but after chatting with Teddy about the delicacy of it, I had visions of the glitter falling off in transit and guests receiving bald invites - so that was the end of that. Another problem came when deciding on the background colour. Pink is my favourite hue but our wedding (shock horror) is only having subtle hints of pink and I don't want to give guests the wrong idea about our colour theme. To cut a long story short, I just didn't know where I could find a design to match the kind I'd been dreaming up in my head and was pretty much convinced I would have to commission a bespoke design which would be a lot more work and a bigger chunk of budget.<br />
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Happily, which I'm sure you B2Bs are discovering too, suppliers in the wedding industry usually have the best knowledge of other great businesses catering for brides, and so when I explained my stationery woes to my wedding photographer <strong><a href="http://alexandreweddings.com/" target="_blank">Polly Alexandre</a></strong>, she instantly had a person in mind who might be able to help…<br /><br />How right she was! Polly recommended <strong><a href="http://www.roseandrubypaperco.com/" target="_blank">Rose and Ruby Paper Co</a></strong> and as soon as I set eyes on Rose’s new portfolio of designs, it was love at first sight. As I looked through the different options, I found the design, colour and style I'd been forever dreaming of. How's that for luck? If I'm completely honest, I was still drawn to the idea of a bespoke design from Rose, as I love the idea of our wedding being completely unique, but I have always said don’t mess with perfection, so we decided on one of Rose's existing designs with no changes at all. <br /><br />Soon after I confirmed my chosen design with Rose, a gorgeous pastel-pink box arrived at Balbier HQ, delicately wrapped in sweet spotty paper and gold ribbon. Since it was the week of Valentine's Day, there was much excitement that it might be a romantic present for one of our employees, but I was actually the lucky one! I opened the box and there was Rose's stationery design mocked up with our wedding date and details. There was invitations, envelopes, Save The Dates and a few other surprises. Rose’s attention to detail and obvious love of all things creative, feminine and luxurious was apparent and I knew I had made the right decision with Rose and Ruby Paper Co.<br /><br />Now that we've sent the confirmed names and addresses of our guest list through to Ruby, I can officially say our save the dates are in production, and it all feels very real now!<br /><br />As I'm writing this blog post, I can't help thinking of something Rose said to me as we discussed my stationery for the first time. She was so right when she gushed that stationery is often the first glimpse of your impending big day that the wedding guests see, and is crucial in building the excitement, for both the couple and their friends and family. It was so lovely to hear that she was as excited as I was about setting the flavour of my wedding and thinking up special touches to help Teddy and I tell our love story on our big day. I can't wait!<br /> <br />Until next time,<br />Love Charlotte xxx<br />
<em>Check out Rose's designs for yourself at <a href="http://www.roseandrubypaperco.com/" target="_blank">roseandrubypaperco.com</a></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-73144599412459011752013-07-03T10:16:00.000+01:002013-07-03T10:16:38.230+01:00An Etta Bride!It's always nice when I get to meet my brides face to face, I love hearing about their experience and every detail of their big day! <br />
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When I met Hannah, a month or so ago at the launch of my latest collection for 2014 'A Decade of Style' it was as always amazing to hear her story - Hannah works for a beautiful stockist of mine Mrs Jones Bridal Boutique in Newbury and so she was super spoilt for dresses!! Yet... she chose a Charlotte Balbier favourite of mine and looked stunning even if I do say so myself!<br />
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Hannah married her sweetheart Lee Gibson in a small and intimate ceremony in Gretna Green and celebrated with a family party a few days later on the 6th - One dress with 3 different looks!! <br />
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When we asked Hannah how she felt about her choice of gown for the big day Hannah said; "<em>W</em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>orking at Mrs Jones Bridal Boutique meant I
was really spoilt for choice but I knew I wanted something quite understated.
As soon as I tried Etta, I knew she was the one as I loved the lace jacket (so
elegant) and I was really drawn by the fact I could dress it differently for
the evening! For the day I teamed her with a simple ribbon sash and birdcage
veil, for the evening, I took off the jacket and wore a fab sparkly belt!
And then I got to wear her all over again a few days later- she was perfect!"</em> </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-49527708400453880582013-05-15T11:11:00.000+01:002013-05-15T11:12:01.927+01:00A Decade of Style.... The Story!With only days to go until the launch of my new 2014 collection 'A Decade Of Style' at the White Gallery London this weekend, things have got a little hectic to say the least around here at Balbier HQ!! <br />
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So we took the time out to re read the hand written love stories that go with each of my campaign images and all was rosy again! <br />
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So if your in need of a little love injection on this gloomy Wednesday then grab a morning cup of coffee and a biscuit and enjoy; <br />
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<a href="http://issuu.com/balbierwyatt/docs/decadeofstyle" target="_blank"><strong>View my online 'A Decade of Style' magazine here</strong></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-15232342273592079232013-04-26T13:00:00.001+01:002013-04-26T13:00:55.204+01:00Libby.... The Runaway Bride!<span class="userContent"></span><br />
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You've seen her in one light..... but there's always 2 sides to every story!! Introducing 'Libby' #ADecadeOfStyle #CharlotteBalbier2014<br />
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“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun”</div>
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Caught in a whirlwind, a breeze of lust, but love? <span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">Is this love? Day dreams of escape, a circus of thoughts, Libby’s mind wanders through the life she needs to pick up and run from. A run-away bride caught up in the fairy tale show of seemingly precious time, she craves an existence of soul capturing love that oozes the pleasures of intelligence and wit. Elusive she may be, Fugitive she is, monotonous she is not.</span></div>
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</span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-58718578873900611362013-04-05T11:20:00.003+01:002013-04-05T11:20:55.729+01:00Molly Brown Exclusive!<span class="blackcopy">I have been a great admirer and fan of <a href="http://www.mollybrownlondon.com/" target="_blank">Molly Brown London</a> for some time, ever since I first saw their cute pendants in Harrods. For those of you who haven't heard of the brand, they offer luxury designer jewellery similar to Tiffany but for younger girls. With collections in Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason as well as Harrods, the pieces are just dreamy and something I as a little girl would have absolutely loved. Having invested in some super special keepsakes from the brand for my 2 little flower girls, I couldn't help but notice their adult range has something delicate and unusual for brides to be!! </span><br />
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<span class="blackcopy">So.... As a special treat </span><span class="blackcopy">Molly B Couture and the Charlotte Balbier team have rallied up to bring you this exclusive accessories giveaway! </span><br />
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The ultimate accessories prize includes a beautiful Cultured Pearl Necklace
and matching Bracelet from the sophisticated and timeless PR77 collection from Molly Brown, a
sumptuous fur wrap “Flossie” and a luxe feather headpiece from Charlotte
Balbier’s <i>A Decade of Style</i> collection. <br />
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So go on? Why not capture the femininity and
delicate details of the bygone era; simply add your details on the <a href="http://www.mollybrownlondon.com/charlotte-balbier" target="_blank">link HERE</a> for the chance
to win this elegant and super exclusive prize. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-15943649862290403012013-03-28T15:34:00.000+00:002013-03-28T15:34:31.522+00:00Introducing Beaullea<span class="userContent"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed">
Just because everyone has been so nice about my new 'A Decade of Style' collection, I just havent been able to contain my excitement and this week have given my brides to be another sneak peek of the 2014 collection!! </div>
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Proving so popular already over on my facebook page, please say hello to .....</div>
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<br /><strong> 'Beaullea' <br /> <br /> "Adornment, what a science. Beauty, what a weapon. Modesty, what elegance!"</strong> </div>
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<br /> Embellished with a wealth o<span class="text_exposed_show">f achingly deep affection, she is encased in an air of admiration from her love, radiating through her she shines a silver brighter than a star of clear night. Confident in her sweetheart, Beaullea is poised and self assured as she dreamt of a love like this, a profound love, and now in the midst of a fantasy like daze she is creating her own story, with a an ending more than perfect and with feelings no words can describe.</span></div>
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</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-26006538252461361412013-03-26T16:19:00.000+00:002013-03-26T16:19:52.172+00:00The wedding of a true hero! For any groom his wedding day is a momentous occasion but war hero Johnson Beharry VC had so many reasons to feel proud when he married his gorgeous bride Mallissa Noel (wearing Charlotte Balbier!! Eeek!) last week! <br />
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Not only had the hero got the girl of his dreams, he recently was promoted from the rank of corporal to sergeant and was wearing his real Victoria Cross on the couples big day!! <br />
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I was delighted to welcome Mallissa and her bridesmaid to our showroom and assist her in finding her 'one' and what a lovely day we had! Filled with lots of smiles and oohs and ahhs (and a cake or two of course) Mallissa chose 2 of my gowns to wear on her special day; <br />
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'Ellie' was the gown chosen for their vows, an intimate ceremony of family only held at Londons Marylebone hall. A soft lace strapless gown with fishtail skirt 'Ellie' has a small train and is detailed with beautiful pearl buttons. The lace is vintage inspired with a silver pewter thread and I must admit is a popular choice for brides to be. <br />
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View 'Ellie' and the rest of my 'Candy Kisses' collection on my website <a href="http://www.charlottebalbier.com/dresses/candy-kisses/ellie" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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'Ellie' as seen in Hello! Magazine</div>
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'Lula' was the 2nd of my gowns chosen for the couples big day and the one Mallissa wore for her evening reception to dance the night away!! Lula is a beautiful french lace Aline gown with a delicate flower pattern and looked super stunning on Mallissa.</div>
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View 'Lula' and the 'Romantic Decadence' collection on my website <a href="http://www.charlottebalbier.com/dresses/romantic-decadence/lula" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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'Lula' as seen in Hello! Magazine </div>
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I couldn't be more thrilled to see the pictures of how happy the couple looked whilst flicking through the latest issue of Hello! over my morning coffee. Mallissa looked divine and myself and the team wish them every happiness for the future!</div>
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Love Charlotte </div>
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xx</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-39027069805183946652013-03-26T14:32:00.002+00:002013-03-26T14:32:55.947+00:00Charlotte Balbier's wedding diary: now for the entertainment<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous Charlotte Balbier bride Naiomi in 'Natasha' at her 'sparkler send off'</td></tr>
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What makes good wedding entertainment? It's the question that haunts my dreams at the moment, as we still haven't booked it! Teddy and I have spent countless hours trawling the Internet for clips of bands, DJs, you name it, for our special day but we still haven't confirmed anything. I'm starting to think it's because there's too much choice out there.<br />
Over the past few years, attending weddings as a guest and a bridal designer, I've noticed a huge change in wedding entertainment – the traditional local DJ is out it would seem, and the other possibilities seem endless. The opportunities to provide entertainment throughout the course of the wedding day are growing too.<br />
For me, there are two parts of the wedding day excluding the actual evening reception where I think it's great to give guests that extra something; the drinks reception, while the bride, groom and wedding party are off having their official photos taken, and between the end of the wedding breakfast and the beginning of the evening reception, when everyone is letting their food digest and the speeches sink in. For the former (while Teddy and I try to look our best for the cameras), my plan is to keep my guests busy drinking lots of lovely champagne and enjoying yummy canapes, but I want to make sure there's something to grab their attention too - I don't want anyone to be bored on my big day! I love the idea of a magician so I called Dynamo but surprisingly he is out of our budget (shocker!). However, there are so many amazing magic acts out there that I'm sure we can find the next up-and-coming Dynamo. But then I have another worry. If the focus for this part of the wedding is the magician, do we need some background music? And if so, what are my options? Do we go traditional with a beautiful classical singer and acoustic band? Or more modern and have contemporary music played?<br />
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Moving on to the time following the wedding breakfast, I want to take this hour to make a few changes to our venue so we're ready for the arrival of our evening guests. It's obviously important that this isn't dead time for the day guests though, so back to my list we go… For those who want to take it easy (don’t forget, there are always older family members to think about) there is the option to retire to the drawing room for tea or coffee and a sit on the sofa. For those hardcore party animals, I'm thinking more along the lines of a mini casino/burlesque show/cocktail bar where they can have a masterclass and make their own cocktails…or do I just leave them to prop the bar up and socialise amongst themselves?</div>
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Now to the biggie - the evening reception. I have no doubt I'll find a band and a DJ I love, but it wouldn't be my wedding if I didn't add something extra to make the party all the more memorable. Everyone loves a photo booth and it seems this is a trend that just keeps running; I have to admit I do love them at a wedding or any event for that matter. Add your own personalised props to make it extra fun, like cute and quirky signs or fancy dress items. Another idea I like is fireworks (naturally romantic) but sadly our venue doesn't permit fireworks so an alternative might have to be a ‘sparkler send-off’ (where all the guests gather outside after the dancing ends, making an arch of sparklers as the bride and groom run through and off into the night).<br />
Before I go, one piece of advice – always run your entertainment ideas past your venue. Teddy and I have found a band we love which would fit perfectly with the evening reception, but there's the small (or big?!) problem that the whole shebang, including singers, trombone player, drums, saxophone, guitarist etc. takes up a lot of space, and after consulting our venue we think there's a high possibility they simply won't fit in. With an optimistic attitude we are off to the wedding venue armed with our tape measure to see if we can make it work, but it just shows it's always worth touching base with your venue before you book!<br />
Until next time,<br />Love Charlotte xxUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-15079892312672798152013-03-26T13:47:00.001+00:002013-03-26T13:47:19.599+00:00Charlotte Balbier’s wedding diary: getting the guest list right<a href="http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/image.aspx?url=/uploads/images/original/62760.jpg&area=&category=Celebrity+brides&title=&SiteChannelId=3" rel="shadowbox;options={animate:false}" title=""><img alt="" src="http://s3.youandyourwedding.co.uk/uploads/images/medium/62760.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><br />
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Photography by 3objectives. Styled by Claire Smith. </div>
Although time is flying by, Teddy and I are thankfully beginning to tick things off our wedding to-do list. But one rather BIG thing we still have to do is the guest list. And it’s one very important task all brides have to face. I must admit it's somewhat daunting to say the least. Where do we start? And of course more importantly, where do we finish? We simply can’t put it off any longer.<br />
In an ideal world it would be so lovely to have all your close friends, family and work colleagues at your wedding but with budget in place and venue’s capacity to bear in mind, it’s not always realistic. So the inevitable happens and you have no choice but to be practical and pick and choose who you invite and who you don’t.<br />
Teddy and I debated how we were going to make these tough choices. Do you go with tradition and split the guest list equally between the bride and groom or do you take the modern approach and split it in a way that suits you as a couple, even if that means one of you ends up with more guests than the other? And what about your parents' friends? I know a lot of my brides find this the most tricky guest list conundrum to navigate. There is also the question of do you split the list in to day and night guests? Do you include children and what about plus ones?<br />
So Teddy and I decided there would be no sitting on the fence. We’d be honest with ourselves and each other and won’t invite people because we feel we have to. I made a few rules when making my list (and when ‘supervising’ Teddy’s list - he has so many friends, I feel like Billy No Mates!) and we started to draft our list.<br />
First off was a compromise when it came to day and evening guests. I have always said strictly no night guests - I wanted people to be there to enjoy the whole day of celebrations. But we realised we simply can’t fit everyone in all day. That made the plus-one do or don’t debate simple. Don’t I say! Who wants a complete stranger at your wedding? Not me thank you! The same applies to extended family and long lost relatives. Only invite the ones who either you or your parents want there. There’s nothing worse than a family feud or an atmosphere at a wedding between rellies who are long lost for a reason.<br />
The next big choice was to say strictly no children. As much as I love babies and little ones, I want our day to be an adult only affair. We have made an exception for our gorgeous little flower girls, Georgia and Liv, but their grandparents will whisk them away before the wedding breakfast. This was actually their parents' idea and not ours as they want the day and night to themselves!<br />
The last factor in deciding our guest list was how many invites to hand over to our parents. The more we plan the wedding the more I realise I am a traditional kind of bride and for me it was never an option not to invite all my parents' and grandparents' friends as well as my own. Having people at the wedding who have known Teddy and I all of our lives is not only important to us, but also to our parents and I really do believe your wedding is as much your parents' day as it is yours. I see it as their last chance to ‘show you off’ so to speak and it’s such a proud and emotional day for them. So of course they want all of their family and friends there to share it.<br />
So now the tricky business of deciding who makes the list is done and dusted, I can get started with the exciting job of choosing stationery. I can’t wait to share my plans with you next time.<br />
Much love, Charlotte xxUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-91525869411573158582013-03-19T15:18:00.001+00:002013-03-20T16:49:49.871+00:00Belle... A Decade Of Style<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="userContent">EXCLUSIVE - 2014 COLLECTION 'A Decade of
Style'<br /><br />Introducing.... 'Belle'<br /><br />"A woman has got to love a bad man
once or twice in her life, to be thankful for a good one."</span></div>
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<span class="userContent"><br /> With the elegance and bountiful beauty to that of a princess, with a presence so powerful she could sink a thousand ships; Belle has elegance and a style that captures the romance of the Renaissance era and an old fashioned love to compliment her grace. She fell for him like no-one had ever fallen before, captured by his essence and drawn to him right from her core. This was a soul found love that bound with a never ending story.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-86774348610598366972013-03-19T14:42:00.001+00:002013-03-19T14:44:04.499+00:00The Bridal Boutique Halesmere Grand Opening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDGVYzrqPiteGcAzgekHo2-2BpxRLBCaU3rHLt99Z4l4YCbcE75jrpqCwIg577ZBC2xFrfRctQdZXC1oETASEXvABA7t2pLIEbasPNL0I4MOkAnIb268rHemVhW2gDVNoBU9kWZ5lhoUH/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDGVYzrqPiteGcAzgekHo2-2BpxRLBCaU3rHLt99Z4l4YCbcE75jrpqCwIg577ZBC2xFrfRctQdZXC1oETASEXvABA7t2pLIEbasPNL0I4MOkAnIb268rHemVhW2gDVNoBU9kWZ5lhoUH/s320/images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Saturday 23rd is a very special day for The Bridal Boutique Halesmere as they open their fabulous boutique doors for what is set to be the new 'must visit' boutique in Surrey.<br />
Brides to be grab your diary and email today <a href="mailto:sarah@bridalb.com">sarah@bridalb.com</a> to book your appointment. The boutique will have a large and varied collection of Charlotte Balbier gowns for you to try on and Sarah is on hand to guide you into finding your 'one'.<br />
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Wishing Sarah and all the lovely ladies at the boutique a fabulous grand opening,<br />
Love Charlotte & all team Balbier<br />
xxx<br />
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<a href="http://www.bridalb.com/surrey/">http://www.bridalb.com/surrey/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-49546998610197093552013-03-05T14:09:00.000+00:002013-03-05T14:09:11.163+00:00Libby - A Decade of Style<div style="text-align: center;">
NEW PREVIEW <strong>'A Decade of Style'</strong> 2014 Gown </div>
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Introducing......<strong> Libby!</strong><br /><br /> “Love is above all, the gift of oneself”</div>
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<br /><br /> In-between a halo of blush pink blossom they fell, deep into a summer of love like no other. An indulgent romance of an unconditional kind, just like the fairy-tale dreamt of many before her, Libby’s smile was voluminous and vibrant an obvious show of a woman in love. This tender love she holds is the kind to be wrapped up in an abundance of layers, layers of soft cloud like tulle to protect it from the forces of the world surrounding it.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1788029873873337353.post-37740940799863638672013-02-21T15:56:00.000+00:002013-02-22T10:44:13.794+00:00A Decade of Style 2014 Collection<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #505050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sweeping across the floor, the ‘Decade of Style’ bride
is a Charlotte Balbier bride of the next generation, confident with her choice
of gown she glows with a beautiful edge of elegance.<br />
Welcoming her 10<sup>th</sup> anniversary as a leading British bridal designer
this year, Charlotte’s latest collection embodies a celebration of style and
grace that has been the key to her success since launching in 2003. Now 10
years on and exclusively stocked in 30 boutiques nationwide, the label is set
to embark on a fresh and exciting journey with the new direction proving that
to innovate and lead by example are top of the priority list.<br />
Embellishing definitive looks with modern touches of cloud like romance and
teaming muted hues with metallic accents for subtle sophistication, ‘A Decade
of Style’ takes a turn to the future with a plethora of luxury textures and
tones that have never been seen before from this leading bridal fashion house.<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #505050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Each gown has an identity, a distinct look and feel, a story behind the
magic; The collection captures the imagination and that’s just how Charlotte
intended when designing each fashion forward piece with the bride in mind. Each
bride embarks on a journey and each bride is consumed by love, and they all
have their own consuming love story to tell…</span><br />
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<strong><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #505050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Boadicea & Holly</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><u9:p></u9:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #505050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #505050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“If you love two people at the same
time, choose the second one, because if you really loved the first one you
wouldn’t have fallen for the second”</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><u9:p></u9:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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A love so strong no-one can take it away, a willing and a bursting anxiety to
please but who should she become? Which girl inside of her does he long for,
the maze of games is a consuming tunnel and it’s only she who can decide. In a
race to find herself; the fire mane adorned with siren lace? Boadicea is a
lover so vivid she captures his imagination. Or the subtle mysterious beauty of
Holly? So intriguing she holds a powerful energy over his dynamic ways. A
decision of endless love is a painful one to make. <u9:p></u9:p></span></div>
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