How to make your other half become your future - Speak to her heart.

Once again creativity is key here. Your aim? To show her (or him) just how much they mean to you with a proposal that can be told for generations. Start as you mean to go on in your life together and think long and hard; apply ideas that mean something special to the two of you, and make a sweeping, confident statement.

Here are some of my favourites:

I'll start with a classy, elegant idea for the bride who would love something from Tiffanys and for the groom who wants to start things off on that sort of foot. You organise a photoshoot with a professional photographer and hide the ring from your love. She sees the photos when they come through from the photographer and you get down on your knee. 

 

 

For a more informal photo engagement idea (that costs a fraction of the first idea) how about this? You take your love to the nearest photobooth for a fun photo session in between a really lovely day out. You pop the ring out when the second picture is about to shoot and the reaction is recorded beautifully.

For couples who love nature and regularly are out walking why not arrange for your local farmer to help out with spray painted silage bales? If your local farmer is not so forthcoming you could arrange before the walk for a sign to be written in the mud of the path you will be walking along or use large stones with the question written on to be strewn across your path. 

 On to your passions and loves (outside of each other of course). If your dog is the 2nd love of your partner's life why not order a new tag for their collar....

Another passion - Books! Find that first edition (don't cut that one!) or buy a copy of their favourite book and cut out a space for the ring. Replace the copy they are always dipping into with this one. 

If you are a tattoo nut (or even if you are not!) but most importantly if you are sure she will say yes, why not get it tattooed? The shock of revealing your newest tattoo will never fade and the happy memories will be with you forever.

Crazy about rollercoasters? Was your first date to a fun fair? This is the one for you! She will see your proposal only when you all get off the ride. 

Or there is the old fashioned romantic - rose petal and candle idea. So intimate and beautiful.

Whatever you decide, make it personal and meaningful so you will remember it for all the right reasons.

Big love - Valentines 2014 xxx

www.festoon.jux.com

My 5 Favourite Wedding 'Cakes' for 2014

I am a big believer in using something unexpected to put a spin on the traditional. Now I'm not suggesting you spurn the sweet traditional tiers of yumminess and the cutting of the cake, I'm merely offering you alternatives and practical solutions for the modern bride. We all need to save money, to impress our guests and to leave a lasting memory of our special day so here comes 5 delicious yet chic ways to do all of the above....

The Cheese Cake.

www.pintrest.com

The classic alternative wedding 'cake'. Tiers made from rounds of cheese, decorated with grapes. Can still be cut as a traditional cake but provides after dinner cheese and lasts waaaaayyyy into the evening buffet. I would add medjool dates and ivy trailing down the layers. 

The Pie Cake.

www.pintrest.com

An evening buffet & 'cake' with plenty of wit thrown in for good measure. Who needs to spend on two lots of catering?

 

The Doughnut Pile.

www.pintrest.com

 Already portioned up. Chic. Yummy. Cheap. Done.

Eton Mess Cake.

www.pintrest.com

This has to be my favourite idea. A society wedding I worked at years ago had a whole table covered in tin foil, then our chefs covered it layer by messy layer with meringue, cream and berries, we then decorated it with edible flowers, berries and icing sugar. It was the messiest most beautiful, impressive 'Cake' come dessert I've ever seen. 

Marshmallow Tower.

 https://www.facebook.com/Pearofpeas

Something so blummin' original no-one (including myself) has put it together yet! The homemade marshmallow trend is so now and so delicious. Pile up an enormous tower and decorate with your flower or fruit of choice. Pennie at the amazing Pear of Peas does the tastiest marshmallows (you can send the freebies when ever you have a spare second Pen)!

Hope you gain some inspiration from my ideas.

Enjoy your sugar high : ) 

www.festoon.jux.com

 

Marriage or Wedding? Both please!

The former Archbishop of Canterbury has commented that the pressure to have the 'perfect' wedding has become one of the biggest threats to marriage itself. With the focus being on the wedding rather than the marriage, profiteers take over and turn what in his opinion should be a 'simple public declaration of commitment' into a 'showy and expensive day'.  He comments that the enormous shows of wealth and extravagance (which many can barely afford) last a day but leave little time to focus on the day to day normalitities that couples then have to struggle through.

You may be surprised to hear that I am with him (despite possibly being one of the 'profiteers' he mentions). I especially agree with his presumption "This is an aspect I think of the short term, unimaginative, emotionally unintelligent climate that sometimes we seem forced to inhabit". Despite charging money to help make people's weddings and parties beautiful events my main focus is to make it a memorable event. Not for the reasons you may assume. A wedding may be memorable because of the enormous amount of money spent on it or it may be memorable because the bride wore an enormous dress, but neither of those reasons create positive and happy memories for the bride, groom, their families and friends.

Positive memories are created when an aspect of the wedding ceremony or reception speaks to the guests and warms their heart. Memories of the couple putting together a time capsule at the altar to be opened in 10, 20, 30 years time. Memories of the day two people you care about promised so much to each other when you look at the flowers growing from the seeds that were your wedding favour. Memories of the photos of  relatives who could not be with the couple on their day, blowing in the wind in a 'family tree'. These are positive memories that I am interested in and that can be created for very little money but with plenty of imagination and emotional intelligence that help focus couples in the long term. These are the things that I believe create the 'perfect wedding'.

I am interested in creating memorable events for the couple. When happy memories last amongst people who love a couple, they grow and add to the love and commitment of the couple. 

For more ideas about how to create the emotionally intelligent wedding see my Pintrest Board: 

It's the little things.

www.festoon.jux.com

2014's Brides and Party Princesses to go Paleo for New Year Detox.

The annual detox that is January is more important for those who will be on a podium at some point in the year ahead. Brides to be and those who are hosting big parties want to look and feel their best. The health trends of 2014 interestingly include many ideas that I have incorporated into my own lifestyle since having a child 18 months ago, and I can safely say they work!

A constant appetite for all things naughty will be the main battle for most January detoxers as they will have consumed more sugar over Christmas than normal, usually in the form of chocolate and alcohol. Sugar is our number one beauty enemy causing cravings as well as blotchy skin, acne, dry skin, enlarged pores, eczema and bloodshot eyes . Candida grows in the sugar addict's tummy and every health problem under the sun can be aggravated, not to mention the suggested link that sugar feeds Cancer.

So, how to heal our gut and thereafter our skin, eyes, hair, nails and energy levels? Cutting out all sugar and alcohol is the first step, then I would suggest gluten, yeast, cow's dairy and all things labelled 'diet'. What to add in? Greens, greens and more greens, chilli, garlic (fight those January colds), lots of fruits and vegetables and meat. Yes folks, I said meat and detox in the same article. Humans have evolved, eating as hunters and gathers so therefore our gut has evolved to consume meat, vegetables and fruit most effectively. The 'Paleo' (as in Paleolithic) diet is not a faddy diet it's a way of life for many Americans and I've noticed it is heading this way. Add that together with the brilliant vitamin boost of a green juice and I think we are on to a winner.

Sounds extreme? Not at all! Here are some eating suggestions that makes your New Year Glow easy to achieve.

Breakfast ideas:
Green Juice (lemon, apple, kale, celery)
Rye bread (yeast free such as Biona. Not strictly Paleo but I find it really good) toast with  hummus or goats butter
Omelet
Eggs on rye bread 

Lunch:
Salad (watercress, rocket, grated carrot, beetroot, cucumber, tomato) with either goats cheese or chicken or Salmon
Soup Butternut squash & celeriac is particularly easy just chop up and boil in good quality chicken stock till soft then liquidise but any vegetable works or good old Chicken Soup.

Dinner:
Roast dinner! A joint of meat with roast veggies. (Don't forget to make a stock from the bones) then you have the next few day's soups).
Pudding: in a blender 2 ripe bananas and a tin of coconut milk - freeze and you have the tastiest no sugar no dairy ice cream known to womankind. Seriously no one will know this is health food.

You can eat as much of the above as you like. You can add as much fat to your food as you like as long as it is a whole fat and not processed (coconut, olive oil, goats butter, rapeseed oil, lard, nut butters - all good for you! Will decrease your appetite and make your skin glow). And you will look and feel incredible... when those sugar and caffine shivers have worn off!

For more information see:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/10314705/Sugar-is-addictive-and-the-most-dangerous-drug-of-the-times.html

http://thepaleodiet.com/getting-started-with-the-paleo-diet/

http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/

Festoon will see you down the aisle in style.
www.festoon.jux.com

(Please note I am not a nutritionist, I'm just talking from my own research.)

Tilley's Vintage becomes Festoon.

Tilley's Vintage has n the last 12 months become Festoon - an event styling, planning and decorating company.

www.festoon.jux.com

I will be available for all event needs at very affordable prices for 2014.

Here is the start of a Festoon Christmas table...

Christmas begins

Christmas in the new house arrived yesterday via Ludlow market and a hunt for a Christmas tree. We wondered if it was cheeky to nick one from the woods behind our house but decided not to this year at least as farmers around here can be a little trigger happy! 

Here is the beginning of Christmas 2012. Our first with the little man, and the last for a few years with any breakable ornaments about! 

I'm in the process of making some snowflakes and a felt garland, will show you later in the week.

The beautiful frosty woods are also deserving of some blog space...

Vintage Nation 2012

Vintage Nation

 As my final project before baby arrives I was keen to do a good job, but the physical effort of dressing four enormous conference rooms was a bit much so thank god for my helpers from Judy's Affordable Vintage team and Brighton Racecourse. Hope I wasn't too bossy!!

Summer's New Dress

A perfect summer dress: vibrant colours and patterns for this season, plus an important elasticated waistline - as mine is getting bigger by the day.To wear with a long pendant necklace, to break up the bust and some boots while still chill then leather flat sandals all summer long.