Are you 'mad men' for wedding dresses?

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Mad Men style suits are tipped to be a big trend for 2011 which I reckon we'll see filter down to the ladies as well... and why wouldn't it when it en-captures so much of what we love? Femininity, vintage, big bold lips and of course those darling birdcage veils!

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Will you be getting a rare 14.23 carat pink diamond for Christmas?

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We've just had one of the largest engagement announcements of the year, well the century really, with Prince William and Kate Middleton and with just 32 days left in the year will we hear about the largest engagement ring announcement?

Very possibly!

With 42% of engagements taking place in December, January and February a whole host of lucky ladies will find their beaus down on bended knee or tiny boxes under the tree. But will your 'soon -to-be' Fiancé purpose with this?

This stunning, rare diamond is 14.23 carats and called The Perfect Pink. If your man's got a spare $23 million laying around you could well be seeing this gorgeous diamond very soon!


The Perfect Pink sold at a Christie's auction yesterday to anonymous Hong Kong based buyer and is one of only 18 perfect pink diamonds, that are bigger than 10 carats, to go on sale through auction in the auction houses 244 history!


Check out The Independent for the full story!

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I promise to limit the Royal Wedding posts!

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I've just realised that my blog has been taken over by post, concerning and about the Royal Wedding... not a great look when this is suppose to the be 'Ultimate IRISH wedding blog', so while I will never stop I'll stop posting about the Royal Wedding I promise to include me 'non' Royal Wedding' content!

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Today's hot tip for Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress: Amanda Wakeley

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The date is set.

Friday, April 29th 2011 will see Kate Middleton walk down the Westminster Abbey aisle, but the all important question is, who or what will she wear?

Currently tipped

The bridal designer of choice, Kate's choice that is, is the amazing Amanda Wakeley.  What a year 2010 will have been for Amanda Wakeley if she does manage to dress the future Queen having been an awarded an OBE by Kate's future 'In Laws' on February 16th 2010.

Tradition

A bride would normally order her wedding dress six, and in some cases, eight months out, but I expect that Kate will be afforded the luxury of time, in fact she will probably be afforded every luxury known to man over the coming months [and most probably years]!

What AW dress might Kate Middleton wear?

My guess, something totally new, designed especially just for her, most probably never to be produced [exactly] again. After all, what designer, or future Queen, in their right mind, would want to wear something that's be 'on the rack' for months or possibly years [unless of course its vintage... hmmm will Kate wear vintage]?

All that aside, we can speculate as to the type of dress, from the AW collection, that is likely to act as inspiration for Kate Middleton's wedding dress. Which do you think would most suit her?

Images from Amanda Wakeley

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Royal Wedding Party, anyone?

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So I've had 'Eviction Parties', I've had 'X Factor Parties and yes I've been strongly thinking about having a 'Royal Wedding Party' but the possibility of the Royal Wedding being broadcast live in cinemas on the day, maybe even in 3D, might scupper my plans!

A wedding date hasn't even been set, although my money is on August 13th, and speculation is riff about the wedding going live and 3D at a cinema near you! With an expected 1 billion viewers estimated to tune in to see Prince Wills and Kate exchange vows, this wedding will probably be the media event of the century, so its easy seeing how everyone and anyone will try and cash in on the event.

Perhaps I should get on to my local cinema and see what type of 'Royal Wedding Party' they'll be organising... save me on the clean up I suppose... anyone got the number for Movies at Swords handy?

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Cutest flat wedding shoes

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I love heels, in fact I love them so much I once went hiking in heels. [ Yes its true, I did it mostly cause someone said I couldn't, but it illustrates the point.] You would be forgiven for thinking then that I would never consider or look at flats, given my close affinity to heels, that is until you see something like this!

Simply gorgeous; enough said I think.

Liana Ivory Pearlised Leather Ballerina

Aliah Ivory Satin Ballerina

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Today's top three choices for Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress

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Choosing a wedding dress can be a difficult decision to make. Choosing a wedding dress when you are the fiancée to Prince William and future Queen of England must be an unimaginable [but amazing] choice!

No matter what wedding dress Kate Middleton wears in her upcoming 2011 nuptials, it will be talked about; alot.

In some respects the girl will be damned if she does and damned if she doesn't. Her choice will no doubt be limitless, with thousands of designers from around the world, champing at the bit to dress the gorgeous new Royal, but will she get it really, really right, or really, really wrong? It remains to be seen, but in the mean time, me and countless other wedding fanatics will take great joy and pleasure in predicting what she will and wont wear!

Today's Top Three Wedding Dress choices for Kate Middleton are: 

By Alvina Valenta

By Bridal Wedding Gowns

By Douglas Hannant

Which is your favourite for Kate to wear and why?

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Engaged: Prince William & Kate Middleton

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I'm devastated!

Ok, I know I didn't stand a chance. But I always thought it would be me; well apart from the fact that I'm married, catholic and living in Ireland I always thought [ as a child ] that I would marry Prince William.

And I'm sure that I am not the only one crying into her laptop this afternoon as Prince William formally announces his engagement to his long term girl, the gorgeous, Kate Middleton. Prince William popped the question while on a private holiday in Kenya during October after doing the honourable thing and asking for darling Kate's hand in marriage from her father [imagine the future king of England asking for your daughter's hand in marriage; would LOVE to have been a fly on that wall!]

The official line is that the wedding will take place during the Spring or Summer of 2011 with the Bookies touting August 13th the most likely date for a wedding to take place a Westminster Abbey.

Wills and Kate's wedding will be the largest Royal wedding since Charles and Diana in 1981. In fact, Wills and Kate's wedding will probably be the largest wedding the world will ever see! [Ok, this generation will ever see!]

While its widely rumoured that wedding plans and preparations are already well under-way if either of you need any help at all you've only to give me a call! One thing is for sure, whatever Kate Middleton decides upon for her wedding will become the world wedding trends of the century; no pressure then!

Once wed, the couple will settle in North Wales while Prince William will continue to serve with the Royal Air Force.

Congratulations guys!!

Image: The Mirror

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The World's most Expensive Wedding Dress

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They say money can't buy you love or happiness and in this case sense. I'm a big fan of wedding dresses, love them, there are perhaps few women who don't, but even I draw the line at this.

€8.7 Million smackers and its yours. 

That's 'all' you have to pay for the world's most expensive wedding dress, €8.7 million [$12 million]. Now I bet you are thinking, ok, I'm a billionaire, I can afford that... so you might be able to afford it but you really want this ensemble?


Designed and created by jeweler Martin Katz and dressmaker Renee Strauss the dress featuring a stunning 150 carats worth of diamonds laced throughout. The pictured veil does sparkle, but not with diamonds, instead, the with rhinestones?! [WTF] I'm thinking if I had €8.7 mill to splash on a diamond wedding dress I would want a veil to match to!

While I wont be raiding my piggy bank to buy this, em 'creation', the dress, which was first unveiled in February 2006, remains unsold, and I'm told that Martin & Renee are open to offers. I suppose one good about buying this wedding dress is that its sure to hold its resale value? [Isn't it?]

 Images from: The Diamond Blog

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My IT List

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The inaugural 'IT List' 

Bet you are wondering what exactly this is all going to be about? Well its simple really, in my opinion, these guys have got 'IT'. They are either fun, funky or fabulous and a wedding must have! [ At least a wedding must have this week!, I'm a woman, I'm prone to changing my mind.]

First up.... [drum roll please]

The French Touch, floral design.


If I truly was a little flower [ its what Bláithín means ] I would want to be arranged by these guys. Their work is Amazing. Photos don't even do just to the gorgeous and somehow totally simply and elegant bouquets and arrangements they create.Today I am loving this fabulous blue hydrangea bouquet & candle arrangements.

Photo credit: www.thefrenchtouch.ie

Photo credit: www.thefrenchtouch.ie 

Next up...

Best Wishes, video booths 

I love a bit of wedding tech, and this is one of the most fun, and potentially most embarrassing I've come across in some time. This tidy, compact wedding booth will provide hours of entertainment to your guests and to you, once you watch all the fun, interesting and sometimes drunken messages that you are left.

While the Best Wishes video booth definitely has the novelty factor going for it, I do like that fact that its not a videographer 'pointing at you' and with it being tucked away in the corner of a reception room or lobby area, it  gives guests the chance to have a think about what they are going to say, so you don't end up with; 'great day and all the best for the future' times 150.

For full details check out Bestwishes.ie 


And finally, for today's IT List... 

Buck Mooney's, hen parties with a difference!

This is just a hoot! Definitely not every b2b's cup of tea, but with a jam packed day of ho downs in the hay, treasure hunts in a darkened maze, wagon jaunts in the wild country and being kidnapped by Tribal Indians, making your own stone baked pizza and planting a tree, which you are welcomed back to visit, it definitely offers Hens, and their parties something totally different and unique, and sure isn't that what the IT List is all about?!


Check out all the shenanigans that go on at a Buck Mooney hen party here

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Coming tomorrow; My 'IT List', for weddings

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Some people say I am a wedding expert, other's say that I am just wedding obsessed; either way I know a thing or two about weddings and I definitely have loads of opinions, so when the wonderful Meghan Ely of OFD Consulting talked about Lara Casey's 'IT List' at last weeks The Business of Weddings in Ireland Conference, I thought to myself why can't I have one?

Ok, so I'm not the Editor in Chief of [one of the world's ] largest wedding magazines, but I could be, some day [couldn't I?]. While Lara's 'It List' focuses oh 'hot shots' hand picked by her I'm going to focus on 'Hot Shot Suppliers, who I think are the best! So going forward every, Wednesday, I am going to publish my 'IT List'; comprised solely of Irish Wedding Industry Professionals or Contributors who in my [humble] opinion deserve to be placed on a pedestal.

So I am signing off, to light a fire, open a bottle of wine and select the best of the best!  Don't forget to check back tomorrow to see who gets featured first!!

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Purely Elegant Wedding Dress

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By utter chance, searching for something else, I happened upon this picture and fell in love!

This divine wedding dress is a creme silk duchess satin ball bridal gown with draped bodice and modified sweetheart neckline with an English Rose silk duchess satin band with bow and streamers tied around an empire waist line. It has covered buttons and loops over zipper at center back and a chapel train.

Does anyone else thing it just divine? 

Available from JLM Couture I think it would go perfectly with a previous cake [post] I did The Perfect English Rose Wedding Cake.

What do you think, should I create an inspiration board in honour of the two?

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