My current obsessions

1. Game of Thrones (the TV show) Frankly, who isn't obsessed with Game of Thrones; I mean just LOOK at Jon Snow! Talk about gruff! I'm in the process of reacquainting myself with seasons 1 and 2, before moving onto season 3, which Cheryl kindly loaned to me. I know she's dying to gossip about season 3 with me, so I'm moving through 1 and 2 as quickly as possible! I'm even watching it as I type.

2. A Song of Fire and Ice (i.e. Game of Thrones, the books) - I'm currently a quarter of the way through the first book and can't put it down. The characters (particularly the female characters) are even more compelling in the books than they are in the series. Daenerys Targaryen and Lady Stark in particular are both far more complex characters in the books than they are in the series. I'll be posting a review of the book once I've finished it.

3. Wedding planning. Boy, it's proving harder than I ever imagined. Our particular problem is that we don't have a budget to work within (for various reasons), which makes planning almost impossible! The ceremony venue and registrar are booked though, as is the reception venue. My Pinterest boards are filling up nicely with ideas, and I already have most of it mapped out in my head. Just have to work out some way of paying for it all now!

4. My garden. We've lived in our little house for two years now, and as we've made the decision to remain until we can afford to buy somewhere of our own, I've decided that this summer I'm finally going to make something of the garden. I've always kept it tidy and mowed, but I've never really made it my own. I've decided to purchase some large planting pots and have various species of flowers in them. I adore tulips, so they are high on my list, and I'd also love some wildflowers, peonies and hydrangeas. I planted a white rose bush when we first moved in, which has somehow managed to thrive, despite my complete gardening ineptitude. A trip to the garden centre looks imminent.

5. Getting myself in shape. As most of my friends will know, in the last couple of years I've lost a huge amount of weight. This wasn't always easy, and took a great deal of self-denial and willpower. Over the last year that willpower has drained, and subsequently I've put around a stone of the weight I'd lost back on. My aim is that by the time Cheryl and I go to Dubai in September I'll be back in my bikini, and looking better than ever. I'm devising myself an eating and fitness plan to accompany this, and will be relying on my friends to prevent me from sabotaging myself (which I am prone to doing). I'm determined to be as healthy as I can be (whilst still enjoying life along the way!) I've been completely inspired by an online friend of mine, Laura Jane Williams, who has been working has ass off (literally) since the beginning of the year, and has lost 35lbs, gone from a size 16 to an 8/10 AND has run a 10k! Her dedication and commitment blows my mind, and I'm determined to follow in her (now very slender) footsteps! Some of the work gals and I have signed up for the Race for Life Pretty Muddy 5k in July (which you can sponsor us for here), so I'll be needing to get into shape for that. Well, any shape other than round, that is!

WEEKSTAGRAM // 26th March - 1st April

Quiet week this week...... Baked a Fruity Tea Loaf as a Mother's Day gift // Saw a beautiful combination of flowers on sale - tulips and hyacinths. Gave me some ideas for wedding flowers // The Mamma Mia Italian Food Market arrived in Cardiff and brought a touch of Italian tastiness to the capital // Cheryl and I had a wander around town and marveled at what passes for fashion these days! Feeling intensely old right now! // Started eating walnuts as a healthy lunchtime and post work out snack // Significant changes have been made to our wedding plans, including a change of date and change of reception venue. Aberdare Hall is currently the front runner for the reception venue. Meeting with the venue next week to discuss our ideas

Wedding Planning Tips

Planning a wedding is tremendous fun! It gives you and your beloved the chance to express your love in front of those you care about most in the world. However, if you're not careful it can turn from something joyous to the proverbial albatross around your neck.

My fiance, Cal, and I, have set our date for August 2015, and our preparations are well underway. We're loving every minute of the planning, and derive a lot of pleasure from it. Through my own experience, and from speaking to several of my friends who have already tied the knot, I've compiled my top 10 tips for a (hopefully) smooth and stress-reduced wedding planning.

My Top Ten Tips

1. Set your budget, and stick to it

Whether your budget is small (like mine) or large, setting a budget is a must! Without a well managed budget even the most organised couple can lose track of their wedding finances. Set out lists of exactly what you need, and when you need to get it by. If, like me, you're saving bit by bit (and not wanting to rely too heavily on parental handouts), I suggest staggering your spending. You don't need to buy your entire wedding outfit in one go!

2. Give yourself enough time

As the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is a wedding planned in one. Of course it's perfectly possible to plan a wedding within a limited time frame, but you have to be willing to cut corners and make concessions should you wish to do this (unless you have bags of money, in which case please give me some!)
Most couples give themselves a year in which to plan a wedding; ideally a little bit longer. Remember that popular venues book out a year in advance, so if you have your heart set on that castle in Scotland, make sure you book early! Time keeping, preparation and organisation are the key to a smooth running wedding day. 

3. Take advice on board, and rely on your bridesmaids/groomsmen

I think weddings should be a collaborative event. I've loved taking advice and tips from those who've already been through it, and it's great to draw upon this wealth of knowledge. Remember though - taking advice on board, doesn't mean you necessarily have to follow it. Don't allow anyone else to bogart your wedding; and yes this includes your mother!
I think bridesmaids and groomsmen are the linchpin to any successful wedding. A good bridesmaid will do whatever the bride asks of her (well, provided it's reasonable). A great bridesmaid won't even need to be asked - she'll already instinctively know what you need because she's already so involved with the wedding. I'm lucky to have three truly amazing bridesmaids, who have been really supportive and helpful already. I trust each of them implicitly, and I'm not afraid to leave things in their capable hands. I've included them in every aspect of my planning, and have taken a lot of inspiration from each of them. They each have their strengths, and I fully intended to utilise them!

4. Get inspired

Here I'm going to break the myth every person who has ever planned a wedding tells themselves - your wedding is not ever going to be 100% unique. If you've thought of something, I will guarantee that someone, somewhere, has also had the same idea as you! We each of us borrow ideas from other weddings, be it colour schemes, favour ideas, or choice of music. But I see this as a hugely positive thing. There are so many amazing ways to gain inspiration for your wedding. From bridal magazines, to wedding blogs, to Pinterest (my personal favourite), there are thousands of ideas out there to help you make your day extra special. 

5. Shop around

Wedding Fact - everything costs three times as much when it has the word 'wedding' in front of it. This means it really pays to shop around. Try and get as many quotes as you can, and think outside of the box when it comes to suppliers. Websites like Etsy and Folksy are fantastic for finding inexpensive bespoke pieces, including dresses, jewellery, invitations, centre pieces; you name it!
One top tip I learnt from one of my bridesmaids is to not tell the supplier that the item you're ordering is for a wedding. The particularly applies to wedding cakes, which are (in my opinion) the most stupidly over priced part of the day. If you need to say anything, just tell them the cake is for 'an event'; if you're collecting the cake yourself then they never need to know otherwise. Don't allow yourself to be taken advantage of by suppliers, and don't be afraid to haggle.

6. DIY
You can cut costs by doing a lot of things for yourself. If you're creative or artistic (or even just really good at following You Tube tutorials), use those skills to create your own centrepieces, decorations, bouquet and invitations. Not only will it save some money (and is lots of fun), it'll also make your look unique.
Etsy has a marvellous array of graphics and pre-made invitation designs you can download for a small cost, and then have printed yourself. This gives you greater creative control, and many designers will happily work with you to make your design precisely as you want it. 

7. Be brutal

This is especially relevant to those of us on a tight budget. Do you need that string quartet? Do you really need to release doves? Do you really need 5 tiers on your cake? If the answer is anything other than a firm "yes", put the idea on the back burner. Your wedding won't be any less lovely without these additions, and the only person who'll know they're missing is you!

8. Include your partner

It's common in wedding planning for one partner to take the lead. This is absolutely fine, as sometimes couples work best when they're not tripping up over one another. However, don't forget to include and consult your partner in all aspects of the wedding planning. Remember - it's their wedding too, and the wedding should speak about you both as a couple, not you as an individual.

9. Set up a wedding website 

Lets face it, most people are online these days. Even those who aren't know at least someone who has access to the internet. Thanks to this the frugal couple can reduce the cost of their wedding invitations by having the bulk of the their information online. Websites like Wix provide a free and easy to use service which'll allow couples to set up and manage their own wedding website. Through these websites your guests can RSVP, learn more about the big day, and find useful information about the day (directions, dress code, etc). I also recommend using social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and WedPics.

10. Do it your way

Never forget it's your wedding. Don't feel as though you have to follow convention, simply because it's traditional.

One last thing - don't allow the details to overshadow the most important aspect of the day; the fact that you're marrying your one true love. Love is the answer, and you know that for sure!