SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE WEDDING BLOGS.

1) Belle Amour – This is an easy viewing, alternative wedding blog that offers quirky and creative wedding ideas with a “Less of the traditional more of the original” approach. http://www.belleamour.co.uk/







2) Festival Brides – This one is for the free spirited. Founders Laura and Kelly hope to inspire like-minded individuals who are planning the most important day of their lives. www.festivalbrides.co.uk









3) Love My Dress – A vintage inspired wedding blog that has collated tonnes of glamorous and chic ideas, set to make you feel fabulous on your big day. A truly fab blog! http://www.lovemydress.net/









4) Style Me Pretty – An American Wedding blog showcasing only the most fabulous imagery and fashion forward ideas. www.stylemepretty.co.uk









5) Rock My Wedding – Another fabulous UK based wedding blog filled with gorgeous images of other people's weddings, the perfect source of inspiration for brides-to-be. www.rockmywedding.co.uk









6) London-Bride – The London Bride is a fresh and stylish wedding blog for all those looking for alternative and creative ideas for weddings in the big city. 
www.londonbride.com






7) Whimsical Wonderland Weddings – With stylish and beautiful content, Whimsical Wonderland Weddings is all about the couple's behind the images who get the chance to tell their story.
www.whimsicalwonderlandweddings.com






8) Boho Weddings - ‘Create the wedding you want, not the wedding you’re told to have!' The tagline perfectly sums up this great blog.
http://www.boho-weddings.com/







9) Before the Big Day - A great blog for the bride looking for inspirational tips, pics and ideas. 
www.beforethebigday.co.uk

Images from the ilovegorgeous classic collection - beautiful, vintage inspired dresses for bridesmaids, flower girls and confirmation gowns: http://www.ilovegorgeous.co.uk/index.php/bridesmaids/

Lula’s fashion diary

SCHOOLS OUT scream and shout! This is where my summer began. I wore my ILG love jumper to go with my fluorescent orange skirt and Nikes (my new favourite colour). A perfect way to brighten the end of a summer term.

A summer evening on a Greek island, going into town with my sisters and friends. I wear my jolly yellow ILG dress with this cute fish print mini rucksack and a matching scrunchie in my hair. My jelly shoes make me a little taller and the dress is backless so it shows off my faint Indian henna.

Summers bloomin’ so I’m wearing dazzling colours like my ILG rainbow sparkled striped jumper with my simple denim mini skirt. To finish off the outfit I chuck my fluorescent pink satchel over my shoulder which carries all that I need for the day.

In my spare time I love to play with my puppies! This is me wearing my pretty, light and vintage ILG dress. It's perfect for the summer sun...

Next month I am super excited to be creating my favourite autumn looks taken from new ilovegorgeous AW13 collection. Watch this space!

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          love from Lula x

Calling on the Jellymongers and their incrEdible experience at Kew Gardens!

Jelly moulding wizardry, neon lakes and crazy golf with bakewell tarts; Bompas & Parr have been hailed as the 20^th century Willy Wonker...but we think they’re way cooler. The two friends began making bespoke jelly moulds in 2007 and before they knew it they were feeding a Prime Minister and Heston Blumenthal with their creative delights. Now Sam Bompas and Harry Parr, who turned the River Lea emerald green last month, wow the world with their psychadelic experiences and artworks. ilovgorgeous were so intrigued by the mischievous duo that we tracked Sam Bompas down in his lab to ask him some questions...

If you were a fruit what would you be? 

A durian fruit... I'm obsessed with the eerily flavoured flesh. The fruits are so pungent that they are banned on public transport across South East Asia. My grandfather got so into them that he once ended up in hospital with durian fever for eating too many (and not drinking whisky like locals do to balance it out). I eat all I can get my hands on! 

If you could create a crazy Bompas & Parr lunchbox, what would you put in it?

Candy sticks, pastel finger sandwiches, marbled quails eggs.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A lawyer. Doing this is far more fun!

Where would be the ultimate place to pull off a Bompas & Parr spectacle?

In the stomach of a living whale (without injuring it). 

What's been your favourite experiment/project so far?

Exploding jellies, and also the Truvia Voyage of Discovery where we flooded the roof of Selfridges to create a boating lake and float-up bar. 

If you could create a Bompas & Parr ice cream flavour, what would it be?

Old champagne sorbet 

Jelly pebbles, exploding jelly, stripy jelly... you have done it all! Can you still bare to eat jelly?!

We keep learning new things with jelly - there are ever more creative challenges. At the moment we are working on filling the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall with jelly. We've worked out the engineering challenges already.... 

Bompas & Parr have many cool projects coming up that are set to amaze; like the wedding cake explosion service, Guinness tasting and their latest fruity installation, “The IncrEdibles” at Kew Gardens. We had to go see it for ourselves, and loved it so much that we are running a competition to give away a family ticket to Kew gardens including the Bompas & Parr fruit salad boating experience. You can teach your little ones about the weird and wonderful world of edible plants, visit a floating pineapple island and discover the banana grotto beneath. We loved it and we know you will too, so take a sneak peak at our photos below and ENTER HERE!

To compliment Bompas & Parr’s tropical installation they have self published their own juicy book “Tutti Frutti”. You can pick your favouite fruity cover with a peelable fruit sticker title - view on their wesbsite here

ilovegorgeous meets Molly-Meg Price...

molly-meg is an innovative children's design shop that offers a mix of modern and classic design. Whether you are looking for a multi-functional bunkbed, a retro geometric blanket or an unusual gift (we especially love the sea-life water pistols!) molly-meg will certainly help you make your home a fun and creative place. Here ilovegorgeous talks to founder Molly-Meg Price...

You are from a fashion design background, what made you start up molly-meg? 

Since I was six years old I have wanted my own shop - except then it was an old fashioned sweet shop! I started molly-meg in 2009 whilst working as a childrenswear designer in London and New York. I came across so many undiscovered designs for children from all over the world and I became hooked on selling children's vintage chairs when I spotted a Costco booster seat at the Rose Bowl flea market.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I get to work with designers who make bespoke items for me, which helps make molly-meg different and more unique. I recently came across the work of Sincerely Louise who design and make beautiful knitted animal heads to hang on walls. These are taxidermy without the guilt and far nicer! 

What do you get up to when you aren’t working?

I enjoy wandering around my favourite haunts like Columbia Road flower market on a Sunday and spending time with my two year old niece Tilly. I also love to travel and am planning a US road trip later this year with a friend who is researching a book about artisans of America. 

 
What would you give as a gift to the royal baby?

I would give the Royal baby a baby Bobby blanket by 'Lucky Boy Sunday', a crochet rabbit rattle by 'anne claire petit' and the black and white picture flash cards by 'Wee Gallery. '

Describe your ideal summer party...

A huge picnic by a lake in the countryside, with good music, a barbecue, and swimming. An old school fair with games like splat the rat and a coconut shy.

Do you have a favourite fairytale/story?

Columbia Road flower market

When I was younger I was obsessed with Pippi Longstocking and her pigtails! Also anything written by Roald Dahl: The BFG, Twits, James and the Giant Peach and so on...

And finally...do you have a favourite ilovegorgeous piece?

I have been a fan of ilovegorgeous since the beginning and I love that the bridesmaid dresses include some of the classics like the Marie Antoinette dress which is true fairytale dress, perfect for twirling. 

If you want to see more exciting designs by molly-meg, visit design junction where she will be exhibiting on 18th-22nd September. And in the spirit of festivals and summer parties we are running a competition with Molly Meg to win a £50 voucher to spend in her online store. Simply answer our question here
 http://on.fb.me/18RiOoX

The ilovegorgeous festival guide...

It may be August but the summer is still jam-packed full of wondrous events and festivals tailor-made for families. Marvel at jaw-dropping circus acts and dragon parades, explore enchanted woods and get involved in unique workshops like how to build homes for fairies! To make it easy for you we have picked our favourite family-friendly festivals, all coming up in the next month…Happy Glamping!

   

Standon Calling, Herts, 2nd-4th August

This imaginative festival has a “Run away from the circus” theme this year with live acts, trapeze lessons and a Circus Smell Safari. The best part is that under-13s get in absolutely free. 

Camp Bestival, Dorset, 1st-4th August

This is a boutique musical festival with an avalanche of activities to keep you and your little one entertained. Head to the Upper Kid’s Garden to find lessons for budding ballerinas or to learn a circus skill. We think the magical backdrop of Lulworth castle couldn’t be more perfect for this year’s fancy dress theme, Fairytales. 

 

For some glitter and sparkle whilst you're there we recommend the show stopping ilovegorgeous Serpentine Skirt.

 

  



Green Man, Glanusk Wales, 15th- 18thAugust

This festival is located in the stunning Black Mountains in the Welsh wilderness and is guaranteed to unleash your free-spirited Pocahontas. Children can join in eco workshops such as forest cooking in the Enchanted Woodland. 

No accessory captures the hippie spirit more than our beautiful Rose Headress, the finishing touch to your girl’s festival outfit.    

Shambala, Near Market Harborough, 22nd-25thAugust

Shambala is a child-friendly festival with a wild side! Over this year’s August bank holiday Shambaholics will flock to a magnificent secret location in the heart of the Northamptonshire countryside to dance at the Shambala Carnival, or to relax and listen to bedtime stories with a cup of cocoa in the Family Camping Yurt.

The Big Feastival, The Cotswolds, 31stAugust – 1st Sept

The UK’s favourite TV chef, Jamie Oliver and Blur bassist Alex James, present this unique celebration of food and music. Keep little ones entertained and venture to The Little Dude’s Den, a vintage fun fair or get seriously creative in the Big Feastival workshop and of course enjoy lots of scrummy food and some seriously cool tunes.

The ilovegorgeous festival wardrobe 

Many of our summer pieces are inspired by woodland and wild flowers, which capture the ethereal spirit of the summer festival season. Whether it’s a whimsical tiered dress or an ice-cream girl playsuit you're after, ilovegorgeous has everything your little festival-folk could wish for. Start their festival wardrobe here: http://www.ilovegorgeous.co.uk/index.php/ 

Here are our festival essentials:

Baby Hat - Pink Tulip Print

Sunscreen and sun hats - with the summer sun looking to last a wee bit longer this is top of the list 

Wet wipes - absolutely essential, we need not elaborate! 

Umbrellas/ wellies (one can never be sure)

Ponchos and waterproofs (hopefully you won't need to use!)

Zip lock bags - always handy

Anti-bac handwash...

Torch -  (pack a spare battery too) for navigation when the sun goes down

Toys - keep little ones entertained in between all that entertainment!

Blanket - even a festival-goer needs a snooze

A pair of funky child-friendly headphones (so they aren't left with music ringing in their ears for weeks)

Pack some of their favourite snacks - just incase, although festival foodie-fare has come along way!

Crafty Tip: Make your own fluorescent flags, they are a great way to locate each other

Congratulations to the Royal Family!

In celebration of the arrival of the Royal Baby, we are offering up to 50% on selected items AND we have teamed up with The Biscuiteers for an exclusive giveaway. You'll find one of their special edition royal themed biscuits in your delivery if you are one of the first 300 people to order from us..

To celebrate this royal occasion further we have also put together a gorgeous Baby Gift basket, perfect for birthdays and baby showers. The basket includes our summery Catherine Dress, classic soft knit cardigan and cute Summer Daisy knickers to match. Enter 'royalbaby10' at the checkout to receive a further 10% off the sale price. 

 http://www.ilovegorgeous.co.uk/index.php/babies/gift-basket.html

'Babyccino Kids' have posted some simple and lovely ideas for you to organise a sweet and summery children's party

The days are warm, the evenings are long… That alone is enough of an excuse to throw a little summer children's party! Pack up a picnic and meet up with friends in the park, or invite some (little) people over for a fun gathering in your garden or living room. Just putting up a bunting, organising some cakes, and serving lemonade in pretty cups gets a party going. Celebrate those sweet summer days - we hope these ideas will get you in the mood!

Courtney, Emilie and Esther xxx (www.babyccinokids.com)

Set the mood! A bunting transforms any place into party venue -  park, garden or living room! (If you own a sewing machine, click here for an easy DIY guide to create your own bunting.)

 

 DIY Fairy wands: A star glued on a stick - it's as simply as that! Hours of fun is guaranteed.

Pretty party bags: A few goodies in a bags to bring home, which child doesn't love that? These cute bear bags are so sweet, and very simple to make!

Decorate your cake! How cute are these cake toppers? Whether they be personalised or home made, kids lovethese!

Bake a cake! (What's a party without a cake anyways?) These chocolate cakes in a tin  are fun and original to make with your kids. We also love this carrot cake recipe  -- fool proof and delicious http://babyccinokids.com/2009/07/20/carrot-cake/

Personalised party glasses: These plastic cups are painted with chalkboard paint so you can write the kids' names on them. So practical and so festive (we love the paper straws too)! 

Babyccino Kids offers a curated selection of children’s boutique webshops, organised into relevant categories and highlighted by key products, making it easy to find the perfect webshop for your shopping needs. Whether you’re looking for wooden toys, children’s decor, or even maternity wear, we have dug up the best and most unique online shops.