Afternoon De-Light

I think afternoon tea is a fab 'hen' way to celebrate your impending nuptials but if you're trying to slim down to fit into that dream dress it can sometimes feel like a treat too far. Well, the Metropolitan Hotel has come to your rescue introducing 'Afternoon De-Light' the traditional British afternoon tea with a cool twist.

Offering a tasty selection of 'no-bread' sandwiches which are little pots filled with savoury snacks, sweet and savoury cupcakes and fruit scones made with low-fat creme fraiche, organic jam and olive oil rather than butter.

Available Monday to Saturday 2pm - 4pm and at £25.00 per person this is a definite guilt free treat.

Cupcake Bouquet

I don't mind admitting that I have a sweet tooth so you won't be surprised to know that I was very excited to hear about Cupcake Bouquet! This fab business - which does exactly what it says on the tin - produces bouquets made from cupcakes. You get six small and seven large cupcakes (either roses or daises) in a bouquet for a reasonably priced £35.

The rose cupcakes can only be delivered to a limited number of post codes in London while the daisy ones can be delivered to any address in mainland UK (full delivery instructions).

They almost look too good to eat......

Essential honeymoon accessories

So your wedding is set, all your plans are in place and now you turn your attention to your honeymoon. This is your holiday of a lifetime and a chance to spend some romantic time with your new hubby. Why not let the world know you are on your honeymoon with some fab and funky luggage tags. You can go for bride & groom, Mr & Mrs or if that's not your cup of tea there are a whole host of tags available to spruce up your luggage.

Alternatively, why not use luggage tags as favours and name cards all in one. Here are a few of my favourites.


1 Swirl tag (Paul Smith at House of Fraser) £65.00, 2 Tiffany blue patent tag (Tiffany&Co) £45.00, 3 Flip flop (Bombay Duck) £7.25, 4 Retro flower (Vendula) £5.53, 5 logo print canvas and leather tag and passport holder (Juicy Couture) $68.00, 6 Cup cake (Fluff at Spoiled Brat) £5.99, 7 Printed metallic tag (Monsoon Accessorize) £6.00, 8 Red heart (dotcomgiftshop) £2.95, 9 Wedding Bells bride and groom set (Bombay Duck) £14.95, 10 Mr & Mrs (Occasions Direct) £14.99.

Beach Calligraphy

Continuing with the sunshine theme, I recently came across a unique photo opportunity which could be incorporated into your wedding especially if you are getting married abroad or having a beach or summer holiday theme.

Andrew van der Merwe is a professional calligrapher who has freelanced in Cape Town for the last 15 years. Having started out using sticks to create an impression in the sand he then started fiddling with different tools and methods to create beautiful beach calligraphy. The artwork, taken on a Nikon D700 camera, can then be supplied for a variety of uses including invitations, thank you cards, or the production of a large canvas print as a gift for the bride and groom or to be displayed on an easel at the wedding and kept as a momento.

Andrew likes to understand a little about the couple in order to personalise the image and ideally needs a weeks notice to take the photo (depending on the weather). Prices start from £100 with two or three image choices per name. If you were looking for a number of images, for example bride and grooms name, a monogram and thank you, the unit price would reduce if they could be shot as a set.

Why not read some testimonials to see what past clients thought of Andrew's work. For more information please contact Andrew direct.

Alesia Barry - luxury wedding candles

I recently came across a beautiful range of natural handmade wedding candles which I wanted to share with you. Alesia Barry have launched a fab range of candles which can be used as table centres, favours and gifts for mother-of-the bride/groom, bridesmaids or anyone who has played a special part in your wedding day.

Specialising in two main products - scented container candles and pillar candles - and finished with ribbon tailored to match your wedding theme or colour. The candles are available in a variety of fragrances and ribbon colours. They would make the perfect addition to any wedding providing a beautiful setting and a fabulous scent.

Made from Soy wax, these candle are idea for those of you who are looking to replace traditional products with a greener option. All packaging is either made from recycled card or is recyclable.

Reasonably priced, soy wax burns 50% longer than paraffin wax. Burn times (below) are approximate depending on where they are placed (drafts can make a big difference) but they should last throughout your ceremony or wedding reception.

Travel tin: 5-8 hours
Glass votive: 10 - 15 hours
Table candle: 20 - 30 hours

Pillars are dependent on size but the largest will burn for around 100+ hours. The pillar candles are also designed to burn through the centre leaving the decorated outer in tact, so that they can be kept as a momento.

For more information visit the Alesia Barry website.

Anna Lou of London

Looking around for some inspiration for Mother's Day I came across these fab bangles and cuffs from Anna Lou of London. As a treat for Mother's Day they are offering a free gift if you spend over £25.


As you can see they come in a variety of styles and colours but this is just a snippet of the Anna Lou range. Worn by a host of celebrities, these accessories could also make lovely bridesmaids pressies which could be worn on the wedding day. It's well worth checking out their site......