Board#229: Butter & Lilac

This is definitely moving away from the 'norm' as far as colour combinations go, but it's ever so pretty! However I do think you need to be very careful with it so as not to turn it into a garish eyesore!! I would pick out a couple of key elements to bring the colour into and then use lots of fresh white. The florals are an obvious choice... especially using this centrepiece as inspiration. Those purple hydrangeas are just gorgeous, and with that teeny pop of yellow it just introduces a hint of that colour. Follow through with a pop of the yellow on your cake, and perhaps have your bridesmaids in a pretty shade of lilac, but I wouldn't be trying to throw these colours into everything. It's definitely a case of less is more in my opinion.

Photos from top left; Centrepiece | Meg Smith, Aperitif | Best Photography, Stationery | Jim Pieringer, Menu | Birds of a Feather, Favour | Oh Darling, Marshmallows | Judit Meron (photo by Sutherland Kovach), Invitation | Ruby & Willow (photo by Sutherland Kovach), Cake | Lisa Lefkowitz

A colour story - Purple & Orange

Thought I'd inject a little vibrant colour into this Friday! This was my colour shoot for Issue 4 of {MAG}rouge. Such fun colours to play with! I can't believe it's October in just a couple of days. I really don't feel like we've even started spring, the weather has been so average! I'm quite sure we're due for a really good run of settled warm weather soon... and I think we're all hanging out for it!Do you have any plans for the weekend? We might try and catch the new movie, Looper... has anyone seen it yet? Looks like a goodie! And it's my little niece's 10th birthday so we'll be doing something with the family... I can't believe she's 10!! Well you have yourselves a lovely weekend! K xo

Click here to see previous colour story posts.

Outfit of the week - Jewel Tones

I know I'm heading into summer so I don't think I'll be dressing in these rich jewel tones any time soon, but they're soooo pretty aren't they? I love these shades with denim. And so easy to dress up with fabulous costume jewelery. Which would you go with... the purple or the green?

To see more shoe love visit:

Superburbs | Brancoprata | Postcards & Pretties | LandlockedBride | Unreal Bride | Meant to be sent
The Demoiselle | Simply & Forever | Luna & Chloe Weddings

Click here to see other posts in this series

Outfit of the week - Jewel Tones

Board#149: Lavender & Hay

I know, I know, I've been MIA!! I seem to have lost my blogging mojo! Truth be told it's more the time to do it that I've lost. I know this will come as NO surprise at all to many of your who run your own businesses, or do double duty writing a blog as well as working full time, but it's hard!! Really hard sometimes. As business owners we wear so many hats, and it's hard to juggle them all at once or indeed keep on top of all aspects that are involved in a business. My first priority (business wise) has to be my clients! First and foremost I have to focus on the jobs I need to get out the door, and of course there are always other projects on the go that help inspire me creatively. And since relaunching the website I've been so overwhelmed and consumed with work that I've hardly so much as looked at other blogs! Of course being busy is always a great thing and I'm not complaining about it, however I'd love to start feeling on top of things one of these days... like I'm not always 10 steps behind! I still have to try to fit in some balance and spend time with my husband and do all the things that are involved with running a house (something I fail miserably at!!), as well as trying to clear some head space for working out how to decorate said house and garden! 

In the interest of full transparency, there are days when I simply don't feel like working, don't want to sit at my desk churning out quotes and emails,...  I know, we all have them right? But a 'duvet day' is not an option when it's your own business. There is NEVER, EVER, nothing to be done!! And whilst the freedom of running your own business is highly attractive and one of the things I love the most, there is also no accountability. No boss to question why I haven't done something on time, where is this report etc? And believe me, for me that's definitely a good things by most accounts, but often I think I need that person to keep me on top of things. And also for positive reassurance. I will often send a job out to a client, and a month later have to follow up to see that the invites have even been received as I haven't heard so much as a peep from them. This my friends is disheartening. You spend the time to work on their stationery for their special day and you don't get so much as an acknowledgment. Which is why when my week began with the below email I practically skipped to my desk. Christy mailed me from Taiwan to work on her stationery, and whilst I wouldn't usually share this kind of thing on the blog (it feels a little braggy!) sometimes we all just like a little praise and it's lovely to know that the passion we put into our work is appreciated. This makes it all worth it.

"Your parcel has just arrived!!! I was so excited, I was literally shaking as I opened the package.
And may I just say it is THE most beautiful invitation I have ever seen in my life!!! It's too beautiful to be true. I feel so happy and relieved right now I could start crying any second now.
Thank you so much Kate. You have absolutely outdone what I could dream of.
And the most important thing is I have been stressed out recently and from time to time I would imagine that my wedding was falling apart. Feeling that it's not going to live up to my dream wedding. But seeing the invitation has brought back all my faith, feeling that my wedding might just be that perfect. Thank you so much, Kate!!! If you were next to me right now, I would give you a big hug. Thank you for your patience, your talent and the wonderful work.
I would recommend you to all my friends."

And since I've missed blogging over the past week I thought it was about time I posted something!! I returned to my rustic roots and created a scrumptious board for what I picture to be a mountain wedding in an old weathered barn. With just the right combination of rustic chic and prettiness. (and of course the name inspiration from my friend Erin!)... lace hankies, lavender sachet favours, pretty lilac and lavender bouquets, sweet homemade jam favours. Tell me you don't love it too? Ok phew... this may just been the longest post I've ever written!! I'm off to finish up a fabulous letterpress job I'm working on... can't wait to share it with you... I'm well overdue for some invite photo sessions!!

Plum Perfect Inspiration Board...

So the ol' bloggity blog is suffering a bit from my time-poor life right now and I'm having to rely a little on reposting. This is a board I did for The Perfect Palette a few weeks back. Using a recent invitation job I did for inspiration, the colour palette was just so incredibly pretty and luscious. With warm rose and plum tones, combined with a grey-brown shade it excludes girly sophistication. I love the idea of bringing berries into your bouquet or table decor to work these colours into the rest of your day. I hope this adds a little pretty to your day!

Clockwise from top left; All stationery photos | Ruby & Willow, Bouquet | Karen Wise, Berries | Jasmine Star, Beetroot | Sunday Suppers, Bride & Groom | Aaron Delesie, Vintage Cushions | Jasmine Star

Introducing: Devon

Wow it feels like just minutes ago I was saying 'Good morning Monday'. This week has zipped by with the blink of an eye!! I feel like I've been a bad blogger lately cause I'm SO unprepared (oh to have a few weeks worth of blog posts in the bag like someone I know ;-). One of these days I will actually sit down and spend a few hours planning blog posts rather than doing them last thing at night! I did manage to escape the office earlier in the week to catch the NZ Weddings Fashion Show at NZ Fashion Week which was quite the treat. There were so many pretty gowns on the catwalk it made me seriously want to have a vow renewal (cue my husbands protestations at that!!) or something that would give me an excuse to don a pretty gown!! Anyway for this first Friday in spring we have Devon; another new invite... a pretty botanical one with an modern English garden appeal to it. Have a super Friday xo

Visit Ruby & Willow to see more of this invitation design.

Photo credits; Bed Linen | Wallace Cotton, Bride | Jose Villa via Once Wed, Lilacs in buckets | Karen Lidbeck, Bride with wreath | Jose Villa, Country Table setting | All the beautiful things

Copper & Amethyst Shoot with Sutherland Kovach

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of styling a shoot with Hannah & Jasmine from Sutherland Kovach and Judit from Artisan Cakes, which recently featured on Style Me Pretty. The inspiration came from this board that I did some time ago, and really it was all about the gorgeous combination of the rich copper tones, with the pretty amethyst and lilac shades. Rather than the usual candy table I wanted to do something a little more organic and healthy and inspired by the stalls at farmers markets I filled burlap sacks with different nuts and dried fruits. Of course you still need to satisfy the sweet tooth to a point so it was interspersed with Judit's lovely sweet treats and the jaw-droppingly beautiful ruffle cake that she created for the shoot. It's actually quite a cost effective way to do it as well... bulk nuts and fruits are quite a lot cheaper than filling a whole table with candy and desserts!
I used one of my new designs for the stationery suite and as a little something different with the save-the-date invitations, Judit made it into a cookie!! Genius! Now tell me you wouldn't be a happy camper receiving an invite like that through the post? Our gorgeous model Je t'aime wore a beautiful lilac ruffle dress from Yvonne Bennetti, and the poor thing froze in the chilly winter air but it was worth it to get these stunning pics! Sutherland Kovach worked their magic once again, I was thrilled with how they captured the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location | Matakana Country Park, Flowers | Kelly Amundsen from Flowers by Blush

Board#135: Purple Patch

Good morning, good morning!! How are we all this fine Monday morning? Did you get up to anything fun over the weekend? I did a spot of clothes shopping... the first in an awfully long time... my husband keeps urging me to go and buy some things so I stop complaining that I have nothing to wear. I find it rather amusing that I get such good feedback on my Tuesday Shoesday posts as seriously if you could see me in my daily get up you'd know I most certainly do not walk the talk!! Working from home means I want to be comfy with a capital C and on those days where I don't have any appointments and only need to do runs to the printer, well let's just say I'm in my office with a click of my fingers... often without so much as a glimpse in a mirror! I remember the days back in London working in the corporate world, up early to blowdry my hair every day, heels, full face of makeup etc. Phew... such effort! It was fun for a while but I tell ya I'm pretty glad I don't need to do that now unless I go out. Sadly though I have totally lost my shopping mojo! This from the girl who shopped pretty much every weekend without fail in London... but alas those were the days before I ran my own business and firstly, the time on my hands was plentiful back then, and that was before I wanted to plunge my hard earned funds back into said business. So yep I almost had to be dragged out shopping, and after nearly giving having found zero inspiration I finally purchased a few items... oddly enough only because the husb actually made me break out of my mold and try something new... and get this... two black items! Unheard of for me, but boy oh boy there is little option in the shops out there. I know it's winter, but if I had wanted to buy anything with colour I'd be out of luck... so drab!

Wow... I just said quite a lot for me, so I won't go on and on about the below board, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!! Hope your week gets off to a great start. I might start a new thing and get dressed up to sit in my office for the day!

Photos from top left; Rustic Chair | Country Living, Ceremony Tent | Aaron Delesie, Bouquets on wood | Simply Bloom, Flowers on chair | Loreta Jasiukeniene

2nd row; Gumboots | Loreta Jasiukeniene , Centrepiece | via Utterly Engaged, Bride in woods | Jenny Sun

3rd row; Bouquet | unknown source , Silver Cutlery | Loreta Jasiukeniene, Lavender | Di Lanatta via Karen Tran, Couple with umbrellas | Kirstie Tweed

Field of Dreams Inspiration Board...

Some of you may have seen this from a guest post I did for The Bride Suite a few months back but since I have nothing else prepared thought I'd share it with you here today. I'm heading up to the lovely town of Matakana today to do a shoot with these fabulous ladies!! Enjoy the pretty!

Photos from top left; Model in field | Rosie Hardy via We Heart It, Flowers | Caroline Ghetes via Style Me Pretty, Purple glassware | Source

2nd row; Model in yellow | via Dress, Design, Decor, Purple Slippers | Hairpiece | Twigs & Honey

3rd row; Invitation | Ruby & Willow, Lace Necklace | White Owl, Muslin Bags | Chewing the Cud

Amore Shoot

Happy Easter everyone!! Whether you're heading away for the four day break or hanging around home I hope you have some fun things planned. I haven't had a chance to do a bloggity rounds much this week so I thought I'd share with you this Valentines shoot I was involved in a few months back. To see the inspiration board I did for it click here. We wanted to do something very decadent, with rich, lush colours, reminiscent of the days of long lingering 5 hour dinners, sumptuous and overflowing fruit bowls, flowing wine (except we actually forgot the wine :-)... Based loosely on an Italian Renaissance theme, the stationery featured vintage motifs and flourishes with a grand script font, and focused on using lavender and purple with touches of red rather than going for the red overkill. Judit from Artisan Cakes made the AMAZING sweet treats.... let me just tell you her macarons are to die for... and I love them in the little heart shape! Perfect for a wedding! They had this cassis filling which had me reaching for more every few minutes. The gorgeous flowers were put together by Melissa Greenough who also owns Eterno where we shot... so worth a visit, she has such beautiful pieces. And the pretty hair pieces/flowers are from Natalie Chan in Parnell. All captured perfectly by my lovely friend Greta from Vela Images. Don't you think this colour palette would be perfect for a winter wedding?

Board#113: Lavender & Chartreuse

Morning lovelies! I all over this combination of shades of lavender and purple, with chartreuse green and a deeper moss. So so pretty! And perfect for weddings in between summer and winter. There are a few gorgeous dresses in the new BHLDN collection in this fabulous chartreuse colour range which I just love (in fact I could really do with one of those dresses tomorrow night for a special dinner out!). And aren't those little lavender gingham favour jars just the cutest things ever!! I want a pile permanently on my dining table thank you very much!

Photos from top left; Bouquet on chair | Ellen Silverman, Lavender field | Janne Peters, Pinecone Escort Cards | Martha Stewart Weddings

2nd row; Favour jars | Amy Carroll via Once Wed, Purple Shoes | unknown source, Invite on Lace | Heather Curiel via Style Me Pretty

3rd row; Mens suit | Michele M Waite via Style Me Pretty, Cake | The Knot, Dress | BHLDN

Saint Valentines Inspiration Board + a sneak peek

Happy Valentines everyone!!! Did you all have a wonderful weekend? I went down to the stunning Hawkes Bay and saw Sting in concert at the Mission Estate which was truly fabulous!! It's such a gorgeous part of the country too, I can see why so many couples choose to get married there amongst the beautiful vineyards. So I hope all you romantics (and even the not-so-romantics) have something lovely planned for the day. I know we're a little bit more low-key over Valentines day here in New Zealand... in fact when I jokingly mentioned a 'grandiose present' to my husband, he told me that grand gestures were hollow and every day was Valentines day in our house!! Really he did say that... and he's kinda right. We don't go all out with big things, a card is about the extent of our givings and he tends to do random things throughout the year rather than at the time 'he's expected to'. And I truly believe that sometimes it's the littlest every day things which are the most romantic. What do you think, would you rather have a grand gesture on February 14th each year, or less obviously romantic thoughts throughout the year?

Below is a little sneak peek at a shoot I worked on last week with the fabulous team of Greta from Vela Images, Judit from Artisan Cakes, and Melissa from Eterno. And below that, the board that inspired it.

Photos from top left; Purple Dress | Elizabeth Messina, Statue | source, Table Setting | unknown source, Girl with red heart | Elizabeth Messina, Statue | unknown

2nd row; Love letters | Helen Norman, Red Shoes | Stephanie Williams, Red heart | All the Beautiful Things, Red Chairs | via Snippet & Ink
3rd row; Hydrangeas | unknown source, Reception | Sedona Bride, Hair piece | Dixie Pixel via Be Inspired

Board#102: Purple 'n Paris

Well so much for easing back into things this week... I feel like I'm right in the thick of it again. What started off as very scheduled days on Monday quickly became abandoned as things didn't go to plan and other things came up. I guess that happens in business right... you just have to roll with the punches. Now when I did these boards I had no idea that it was following straight after an Italian themed board so guess we have a bit of a European theme going on this week! Isn't that purple dress just to die for... don't you all just want to saunter down the Champs Elysees in that?

Photos from top left; Paris shot by Mario Sierra via Haute Design, Interior | Janne Peters, Flowers | Gemma Comas
2nd row; Model on red chair | Wedding Style Guide, Purple Tie | Susan Stripling via Green Wedding Shoes
3rd row; Cork Heart | Molly Janes Tumbler , Shoes | Anthropologie, Pomegranates | Katie Quinn Davies

Board#83: Lavender & Lilac

Well... things should be looking a little different around here this morning. Yep we've had a little bloggy makeover. A spring clean shall we say. There's a bit more tidying up still to come so please bear with us, but this is in preparation for the new website which realistically is going to be in the new year now I think, but this should give you a wee clue as to the look/colours of it. Just a hint! I'd love to know what you think so please feel free to leave me some feedback (good and bad, well constructive is welcome!). Bigger images have got to be a good thing right?
We some some spring prettiness to brighten the mood this Monday morning. I love how happy the bride in the top row looks striding in her dress! That's how all brides should look on their big day. I know that's how this particular blogger will be looking this Saturday when she walks down the aisle with her man!! Her excitement is infectious!
Well I hope you all had a lovely weekend and the week is getting off to a good start for you. Mine was - in a word - busy! Have a fabulous Monday!

Photos from top left; Hydrangeas | Meg Smith, Bride | unknown source, Lilacs | A Creative Mint, Couple | All the beautiful things
2nd row, Lilacs | Frolic, Flowers in Jars | unknown source, Bride | One & Only Paris Photographers via Style Me Pretty , Lavender Field | unknown source
3rd row; Boutonnieres | Martha Stewart Weddings, Couple | Hearblack, Bottle | Max Attenborough, Purple tie | Oh Darling via Ruffled

Board#79: Amethyst & Copper

Happy Monday! Hope you've had a nice relaxing weekend and are all ready for the week ahead! I've done a few spring boards lately and despite the fact that Sunday was finally a lovely warm day with some sunshine, today's board is all about the cosy again for those of you heading into fall. I was working on something over the weekend and ended up with this colour combo and it struck me as being so inviting. I would like to step right into this board, nestle in and make myself at home for a bit. So in love with that piano in the woods... and the antler chandelier (I'm trying to convince hubby we need one for the new house!) Another pairing of colours that work unexpectedly well together. Do you agree?

Coming up tomorrow - it's GIVEAWAY time!! Make sure you come and check it out and be in to win!

Photos from top left; Antlers | Daria Bishop via Style Me Pretty, Wooden Chairs | Loreta Blog, Piano | Picotte Photography
2nd row; Dessert | My Tartelette, Purple Aubergine | Gemma Comas, Bride | via Green Wedding Shoes, Lavender | Elizabeth Messina
3rd row; Bride & Groom | Simply Bloom, Menu in frame | Sunday Suppers, Dessert | My Tartelette, Copper Plates | Elizabeth Messina

Vibrant South African Wedding II

Ok I've gotta say it... I am totally in luuuurve with these top images in front of the blue striped iron roof. Absolutely gorgeous!! Nikki you have done a superb job with these. Thank you to the lovely couple for letting us share their special day here.

Vibrant South African Wedding

I have a stunner of a wedding today from Nikki Meyer, who I've had the pleasure of featuring several times now, and I'm never disappointed. Today's wedding is certainly no exception, she has beautifully captured Maché & Niël's day... I especially love the one of them in the church singing their hearts out. And can we just take a moment to look at Machés' stunning dress... those lace sleeves are to die for! Nikki herself has shared her thoughts on the day with us.

I don’t even know where to start writing about this amazing wedding… I adore weddings (I am sure you all know this by now!) and this wedding is to my opinion what it is all about…the emotion, ecstatic joy, family and friends that share the joy of a couple’s opening chapter of their new lives together; the father that is somewhat hesitant (though deeply happy) to hand over his daughter at the end of the aisle; the groom that praises the Lord with the deepest joy and dancing that continues well into the early hours of the morning. For the family and couple photos we travelled a few km’s out of town to the beautiful Springfield wine estate. Maché asked her father to paint her a ‘Kalkbay wall’, which served as a backdrop for the couple and family photos… how sweet is that?! I had so much fun photographing Maché & Niël because they are such an energetic in-love couple! My favourite photos are those taken in the open field with cacti and in front of the chicken-braaikiosk. Enjoy!