D&M Wedding

I just wanted to take a little moment to share with you some photos from one of my best friends' weddings in the beautiful French countryside this July. As so many of you have been asking me about wedding preparation I thought that you would enjoy these photos and if not for inspiration, then purely for the beautiful imagery.

 The reception venue was an old Abbey set in the French countryside near Versaille.

 Getting ready in the bridal suite... I did my own and bridesmaids' makeup :).

 Something blue? Louboutins of course!

 The gorgeous Caroline Castigliano dress (honeycomb) and veil with blusher (apologies for my ridiculously long arms ruining an otherwise perfect photo)!

 Confetti cannons!

 The wedding party (and me trying to hide the fact I'm as tall as the groom).

 The lake created such a stunning backdrop!

 Luke and I stealing a quick moment alone during the drinks reception.

 The wedding breakfast. The table numbers and place cards matching the laser cut invitations by Intricate Creations.

The cake was a custom creation by The Cake Parlour to match the lace in the wedding dress and shipped all the way from London!

Wishing all the best to my dear friends D and M in their future life together!!! 

 xxxxxxx

Magdalene May Ball 2013

With a full time job and a wedding to save up for it's not often these days that I get to have a really extravagant night out. However, the fiance and I decided that this year we would once again return to the Magdalene May Ball and indulge in some nostalgia.

I chose a black MaxMara Pianoforte ball gown that has been hanging in my wardrobe for the last 10 years! The last time I wore this I was 16! It was a special gift from my mama to wear for my first ever ball at school and having carefully preserved it for a decade I decided that this would be the perfect time to revive it. The dress itself is pretty simple as it is made up of layers of black material. The netting underskirt really gives it the vavavoom, however it can feel a little overwhelming so I tied the belt in a kimono style (tying it around twice with a bow at the front) to add some definition to my waist.

I paired it with simple black heels that had soft feather detailing to match my feathery ASOS bag. I also kept jewelery very minimal as such a classic dress requires very little. I finished off the outfit with a simple diamond tennis bracelet and long Swarovski crystal earrings.

 

For my hair I used my trusty Babyliss rollers. I decided on a half up, half down style to ensure my hair stayed in place all night and secured it at the back with a beautiful silver feather comb the fiance got me for Christmas. When it came to makeup  I reverted to form with a silver and black smokey eye topped with false lashes. 

We had such a fabulous night! Though I didn't quite make it all the way to the survivors photo at 7am, especially after being at work during the day, I am so happy we took a little time out of our busy schedules to sample all the delights that were on offer!

As much as I love having a career I do sometimes miss those carefree student days! Going back to work felt very sombre the next day. Oh well, time to look forward to 2015! xxx

Sandie Khoo

With the chill in the air now is the time to invest in winter warmers that can keep you comfortable and cosy, but still stylish. I am a big believer in finding versatile pieces for the colder seasons, a capsule wardrobe if you will, that can be dressed up or down. This is why I wanted to introduce you to Sandie Khoo, a designer from Hong Kong who makes the most luxurious cashmere pieces.

I am so excited that Sandie has recently launched her website as I have sampled pieces from her collection for the last 10 years! She kindly sent me some of her new pieces to review and I couldn't be happier to show them to you.

This cashmere dress ($190) is so comfortable and easy to wear. It could easily be worn as a dress with opaque tights or leggings, or as a tunic over trousers.

All of Sandie's pieces are made from the highest quality cashmere, which originates from the mountains of North Xinjiang. Sandie believes that a wholly sustainable cashmere production is extremely important. So to tackle the potential deforestation of grassland resulting from over-grazing, she has worked with herders in developing an eco-friendly breeding of mountain goats - controlling grazing areas and allowing the grassland to be sustainable farmed. The fibre itself is so fine that two goats are needed for every garment, ensuring each is made from the finest cashmere.

One of my favourite pieces comes from the Limited Edition line. This Silk Cashmere Fox Collar (removable) Cardigan is the perfect piece for layering.

If you are looking for some stylish, luxurious pieces to invest in for the colder season you can check out more of Sandie Khoo's collection of cashmere basics here.

Neom Scent With Love: Home Scenting Gift Set

Have you ever bought a present for someone, but couldn't quite make yourself part with it? Well greedy guts over here has, and from discussions around my office it seems to be a common trait. Though the gift set below has been compiled as such, I think it would also make a lovely treat for you. After all you deserve it!

The Neom Scent With Love Home Scentig Gift Set comes in a beautiful, weighty box that bursts with fragrance even before you lift the lid. It contains a perfect mini reed diffuser in the scent Happiness (White Neroli, Mimosa and Lemon), a Complete Bliss (Moroccan Blush Rose) scented travel candle and a Pillow Mist in send-you-to-sleep Tranquillity (English Lavender, Sweet Basil and Jasmine).

With a beautiful mix of the most popular Neom scents this gift is a great introduction to the brand, letting you try out three of their most popular fragrances.

The Neom Scent With Love gift set can be purchased for £50 here.

Timothy Dunn Arabian Fig

Christmas is all about setting the scene, and my favourite way of doing this is with scent. We all deserve a little luxury and my indulgences often include candles. The latest candle I have been sampling is Timothy Dunn's Arabian Fig, which I think is the perfect scent for the festive period.

The candle comes in leather look packaging, which contains a beautiful burgundy hand-blown glass holder with a classic silver lid.

The look of this candle is incredibly sophisticated and makes a proud addition to my coffee table. I think it would make a wonderful Christmas gift as it evokes luxury and smells absolutely amazing.

The inspiration behind this candle is the sophistication of ancient Constantinople – the largest and wealthiest city of the Middle Ages.  With notes of fig, basil and clove enhanced by frankincense, cassis, rose and jasmine, as well as rich sandalwood, cedarwood and musk this candle creates a festive aroma that warms the room. Plus with a burning time of 60 hours it will ensure the atmosphere lasts for weeks!

The Timothy Dunn Arabian Fig Candle can be found for £45 here.

Karen Millen Off Duty Luxe edit

The second of my Karen Millen edits is a much more casual look called Off Duty Luxe!

I chose to accessorise this look with some amazing over the knee suede boots and a long necklace to add a little glamour to a very relaxed ensemble.

If you haven't entered the competition to win my choice of luxe accessories or a @KarenMillen £100 gift voucher you can still go ahead and enter here! Good luck lovelies! xxx

*Sponsored Post*

Neom Inspiration

After waxing lyrical about Neom's beautiful reed diffuser (check out my review here) I was keen to continue my sensory journey with Neom's organic body and hand creams.

Neom's luxurious Organic Hand Cream is packed with anti-oxidising extracts which are great for anti-ageing. They include Acai extract and nourishing Argan oil, known to aid collagen production and tighten the skin. It penetrates rapidly, leaving hands super-soft, smooth and non-greasy. It is a fairly thick cream, but you only need a very small amount to hydrate and release the gorgeous scent. This hand cream comes in a handbag friendly size of 75ml and can purchased for £20 here.


The Neom Organic Body Cream comes in a hefty 200ml jar that has made a permanent home on my bedside table. The cream is rich and luxurious, boasting ingredients such as antioxidant Acai extract, Cocoa Bean to promote skin elasticity plus Rosehip Oil, Avocado Oil and soothing Almond Oil which are packed with essential fatty acids. I prefer to use this cream straight after showering to lock in moisture and makes sure my skin remains hydrated. However, the scent also makes it perfect for the mornings as a re-energising and uplifting little treat.


Have you tried any of the products from Neom's Inspiration line? What are your favourites? xxx

Neom Organics Happiness Candle Review

Neom is an organic company that offers a modern, luxurious take on beauty and home treatments. The brand aims to introduce its customers to the benefits of beautiful, organic products that also work as holistic treatments because their essential oil content is so high. Neom strongly oppose synthetic scents and harsh ingredients, but also believe beauty should be about spoiling yourself, fabulous scents and utter indulgence!

I was therefore really excited when I was offered the chance to try one of their new candles - Happiness with White Neroli, Mimosa & Lemon combined with natural fresh grass notes to create the awakening of spring (£37.50). The fragrance of this candle is delicate, yet it effortlessly fills the room, without being overpowering.

NEOM Luxury Organics candles are made using only vegetable wax and pure essential oils rather than synthetic fragrances so they burn without releasing harmful pollutants, toxins or soot. As I have a myriad allergies I was keen to see whether this candle would burn as cleanly as promised and I put it to the test by holding a white piece of paper (at a safe distance) above the flame for a few minutes. Indeed there was no trace of soot or any kind of residue visible!

Neom candles are designed tp work as powerful holistic treatments as you breathe in the scented air so it is recommended to burn them for between 2-4 hours at a time. Each candle has 3 wicks and burns for up to 55 hours. I have used this candle almost every night since it was sent to me and have noticed that it burns really evenly, without any dips in the wax. There is nothing more frustrating than when you purchase a large candle to find that it quickly burns straight through the middle, leaving the wax around the edges untouched. The vegetable wax in the Neom candle melts quickly once the candle is lit, so it is always even when it re-solidifies.

Neom are so passionate about the purity and quality of their products that they have even created their own promise!

I am really impressed with what I have seen from Neom so far and look forward to trying more of their products in the future!

Have you tried any Neom products? Do you prefer using organic products? What are your favourite candle brands? xxx

Carmine Review

To get 50% off your first Carmine box (for £5) enter the following code at checkout: 50GORGEOUS. This code expires on the 29th of February.

For more information on Carmine please visit their website http://www.carmine.co.uk/


Products included in January's Box:

• Korres Wild Rose-24 Hour Moisturiser
• Eldora False Eyelashes
• Eyeko Fat Eye Stick 
• Balance Me Radiance Face Oil
• Westlab Himalayan Pink Salt 

The box was sent to me for review consideration. This is not a sponsored video and all opinions are my own as always. xxx