One week today! It’s real. It’s happening and I cannot wait! Mostly because I’ve worked so hard to make sure that all the fine details are arranged but now I’m ready to kick back and enjoy it all.
I decided at the 4 week mark to buckle down with preparations, in an attempt to avoid last minute stresses. Despite the temporary hibernation from my social life, it’s worked. Thankfully, my list obsession has paid off and my token catch phrase “Ok, I’m on it” has caught onto numerous family members. It’s the “Roger that” of wedding planning in my family! Addressing who’s flying in on which date, how many tables to order and arranging the seating plan has stripped the glamour and challenged my attention span. So it was with great excitement that I decided at the 1 month countdown, to take to the West End…and shop!
First on my agenda was Beauty and Skincare. Allowing time for any potential irritations I redeemed a voucher at Cowshed Shoreditch House for a signature Cowshed facial. It left my skin feeling refreshed and radiant and I would recommend doing this at least a month in advance, so you can follow up with a less intensive facial closer to the wedding. I’ve been using Clarins Blue Orchid Face Oil twice a week at night to maintain the positive results and their Eye Contour Gel to keep the eye area fresh and bright. A make-up kit is incomplete without Urban Decay’s All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray . This is a must-have for your wedding day as it sets your make up so well, it’ll beat all the happy-tears! I trialed it during the summer and even after two trips on rush-hour tubes my make-up hadn’t budged.
As much as I love lists, I love accessories more and have a few great recommendations for your feet. Look after them by using Margaret Dabbs Foot Hygiene Cream , twice a week before you go to bed. The aromatherapy scent will help you sleep and your feet will feel incredible and hydrated the next morning! You’re going to be standing for hours so you need to practice walking in your shoes. If you’re looking to avoid the potential torture of heels, Superga Flatforms have a 4cm flat-form and give you extra height. If flats are more your thing, head to Pretty Ballerina to indulge in a pair of divine pumps. The dance-floor will appreciate your good taste!
My final dress fitting was very exciting and my mum came to the appointment, with a spool of luxurious red ribbon. She explained to the seamstress that it’s a tradition to wear something red, particularly on special occasions, to keep the evil eye away. A little red bow is now sewn inside my dress so here’s hoping I avoid a Jennifer Lawrence-style entrance at the chuppah!!
I’ve also been putting the final touches to a Pinterest Project. I wanted to think outside the box to make our Friday night pre-wedding dinner special and personal and found my inspiration on Pinterest . The wedding is right in the middle of Autumn so I am utilizing nature’s resources and customizing fallen leaves for place settings. I’ve collected leaves, cleaned and pressed them and painted them in a rich metallic shade. Now it’s simply a case of personalising each one.
We’re going to celebrate Elliot’s Aufruf (a custom where the groom is called up to the Torah in the synagogue on the Shabbat preceding his wedding) the weekend before the wedding in Glasgow with our immediate families. He’s been preparing the section of the Torah which he’ll read in Shul. Very conscientious indeed while I’ve been on mission ‘Aufruf dress’. Buying the best from 6 hours of shopping, not even sure if they were entirely appropriate, I asked myself on the verge of desperation, ‘maybe a shoulder could be empowering in Shul’? Sadly not, for the orthodox crowd!
So that brings me to this point. I had the most sophisticated hen party ever known (make-overs at Charlotte Tilbury followed by a private dinner at Quaglino’s, with a bespoke menu, followed by an overnight stay at The Marylebone Hotel) and will be sent off to married life with a bridal shower – it’s a shame you can’t marry your girlfriends! I feel very lucky to have such supportive, tasteful and enthusiastic parents – the hours we spent on FaceTime together will finally pay off and the end result will give us all so much enjoyment. It’s been years since I’ve seen my Canadian relatives and so many people are making such a big effort to join us, I know it’s going to be a fantastic weekend. But most of all, I can’t wait to be married to Elliot!
Karen will be marrying Elliot on 6th November 2016 (that’s just six days time!) at the The Midland Hotel , Manchester.
You can read all Karen’s wedding planning posts so far here .
Images, from top: Cowshed facial :: Superga shoes :: Pretty Ballerina shoes :: Karen’s Autumn leaves creativity :: Karen’s sophisticated hen party – makeovers at Charlotte Tilbury Covent Garden followed by dinner at Quaglino’s, with an overnight stay at The Marylebone Hotel :: Karen’s mother, Marla with her grandmother, Pearl at her wedding on 31 June 1981.
Share this post:
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
