Australia Day Wedding Inspiration

January 26th is Australia Day and naturally I'm celebrating with friends, and abundance of green and gold balloons, vegemite sandwiches, mini meat pies and foster's beer.  If you're particularly patriotic, why not incorporate a few Aussie-isms into your celebration.  Need some inspiration?

* Decorate cupcakes with mini Australian flags on toothpicks.
* Top your cake with a mini koala/kangaroo/boomerang etc.
* Offer native wattle seedlings as favours.
* Serve damper on slabs of wood and Aussie shiraz to wash it all down with.
* Decorate your venue with didgeridoos and aboriginal artwork.
* Send out invitations with images of the Sydney skyline.

  

NZ designer

Fusing timeless glamour with a strong modern edge, Auckland based Liz Mitchell is one of New Zealand’s leading couture and ready to wear designers.  Original design, and attention to detail and fit all contribute to her distinctive design style.  Fabrics include chiffon and soft draping satins to luscious duchess satins and Thai silks.  I'm personally a huge fan of organza petals, layered with hand dyed textured tulle.

Check out the collection and feast your eyes on hand painted silk satin, antique lace, beading, patchwork and appliqu'.

Black Barn Vineyards

A small vineyard just five minutes from Havelock North in Hawkes Bay Wine Country; Black Barn Vineyards is not only an excellent location for grape growing, it also boasts stunning views and offers offers twelve unique properties for nightly rental.  Each fully self contained and exclusively yours for the duration of your stay, the properties are luxuriously appointed to reflect their individual character with the very best in furnishings and amenities.  From an eight bedroom luxury retreat to a two bedroom turn-of-the-century cottage in the heart of the vineyard, for a truly unique holiday experience, these properties are recognised as amongst the very best available in New Zealand.

With an ampitheatre, grower's market, art gallery and bistro, Black Barn is a must-see venue for your Hawkes Bay wedding.

Bridal Henna

Mehndi (or mehendi) is the application of henna as a temporary form of skin decoration, most popular in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. It is typically employed for special occasions, particularly weddings, usually drawn on the hands and feet, where the designs will last the longest.

I love it for many reasons.

Not only is it safe to use, the result is beautiful.

Mehndi (Henna) is a natural product so there are no known side effects. Unlike other black pigment tattoos, Mehndi is not a huge commitment because of its temporary nature, therefore for those of you who aren't keen on needles or too ambivalent to commit to wearing the same design forever, Mehndi is a wonderful alternative.

The patterns of Mehndi are typically quite intricate and predominantly applied to brides before wedding ceremonies, however, traditions in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sudan sometimes expect bridegrooms to be painted as well. In other countries, such as Morocco, it can be done for any special occasion, such as pregnancy or engagement.

There are several salons that offer henna application in Australia and New Zealand so why not add a bit of artistic flair to your celebration?

Australia’s answer to Christian Dior

Hailed as Australia’s answer to Christian Dior, Shane McConnell has dazzled me with his classical and opulent gowns.

I love that McConnell offers a personal experience, where clients feel at home in his studio space; an intimate warehouse inspired boutique, with clean, open space and luxury interior. Gowns are hung on fashion forward industrial racks, which you can explore at your leisure.

McConnell likes to see his brides six months before their wedding date. After making an appointment, he and his team will dedicate an hour for your initial consultation, where you’ll receive exclusive one-on-one attention and this is when he will help you explore styles and shapes to create a very personal gown to match your body type and personality – ultimately sketching the design to give you a visual impression of the finished product.

In order to create gowns that fit like a glove, McConnell takes no less than 18 body measurements and blueprints a pattern for each individual. He ensures consistency of construction by only allowing one seamstress to work on a single gown.

Couture at its best.