Summer Baby Shower

Today Isa Maria shares some pretty baby shower inspiration, over to you Isa.

Baby showers are still not as commonplace in the UK as in America but they are gaining in popularity. They are the perfect opportunity to spoil the Mum-to-be before the baby arrives and to celebrate the new life on the way.

I've put together a pretty inspiration board for a Summer baby shower. Instead of a specific theme, colours can be used to create the right mood and link everything together. Flowers, cupcakes and tissue paper poms all add a sense of style to a refreshing gender neutral colour palatte.

1. Cupcakes: Hello Naomi 2. Cake, flowers, drink: Pinterest 

3. Flowers: Pinterest 4. Tissue Paper Poms: Paper Pompom

5. Cupcake: Call me Cupcake 6. Dessert table: Lisa Storms

Pinterest

image from Pinterest

I recently discovered Pinterest, a fabulous website that allows you to 'pin' images from websites onto your own pinboards.  This concept is perfect if you are planning a wedding or party as you can literally pin images as you find them and then the image links back to the exact place you found the image.  Pinterest is also a new concept in social media,allowing you to follow other peoples boards and then repin images to your own boards or 'like' or comment on an image.  I am sure many of you have already discovered Pinterest but for those who haven't you must take a look.  But beware it is very addictive and offers endless inspiration!

image from Pinterest

I use Pinterest most days offering even more inspiration for you as I collect images for future blog posts or just because I like something.  You can find Inspired Celebration on Pinterest here. Enjoy!

Inspiration - Orange

Orange is set to be the colour of the season which also ties in perfectly with the Seventies revival that was witnessed on the catwalks for SS11.  So I have had fun over the weekend collecting images to inspire you to create a fabulous orange themed celebration.

from Lovely Little Details

Orange works so well on it's own or with grey, purple or even aqua.

{All You Need Is Love Events} {Weddingbee}

{The Perfect Palette} {Lovely Little Details}

{Some Pretty Things} {Hapitat}

{Luxe Deluxe} {Rachel Elliot Glassworks}

Pinwheels - Paper Polaroid

PomPoms - Paperpompom

Favour boxes - Martha Stewart Weddings

Save The Date Balloon - Emmaline Bride

The Perfect Palette

{Suziebeezie} {ffflowers} {Style Me Pretty}

Inspiration - Ruffles

{Kay Morgan} {Emma Gordon London} {Anusha}

{Ozzana} {Gabrielle Louise Bridal Design}

{Kiki's} {Fairytale 13} {Chateau de Sable}

Inspiration - Navy

Navy is a dark colour but lends itself well to luxury and granduer. As a fairly neutral colour Navy can be teamed with a variety of other colours to achieve a variety of looks.  By putting Navy with gold or silver you can acheive a regal theme, perhaps with sumptuous velvet or silk.  Yet by teaming navy with white we automatically think of sailors clad with bold striped tops or perhaps parisian chic would be the prefered option!

{Gina Michele}

{Emma Gordon London} {Yensew}

{Sherri Weese Designs} {Mermaids Dream}

{Chloe & Maddie} {Bernadette Winter} {Black Satin Shoes}

{Lilguy} {Cards By Sophie}

INSPIRATION - Birds & Birdcages

It would seem that birds and bird cages are still a popular theme choice.  Whilst you could use birds in your stationery design, flower filled birdcages make fabulous table centrepieces.  As for favours you could make lavender filled fabric birds, as seen in Sew by Cath Kidston or make birdcage cookies as seen in Cake Decorating At Home by Zoe Clarke.  So let's take a look at some birdie inspiration!

Stationery

from Inviting Moments

from Whimsical Prints

from Cherry Gorgeous

from Beau Wedding Stationery

from To Have To Hold

Decorations

from Giddy Kipper

from Leah Halliday

from The Contemporary Home

from Kirsty Elson Designs

 

Favours

from Little Singing Bird

from Polka

from Prince Design UK

from Martha Stewart Weddings

from The Celebration Shoppe

 

Birdcage Veils

from Lily Bella

from Head Full of Feathers

from Talulah Blue

Cakes

from Ice Maiden Cakes

from Martha Stewart Weddings

Inspiration - Country Fete

Open publication - Free publishing - More wedding

A couple of weeks ago I was chatting to somebody who said her sister wanted to have a Country Fete theme for her wedding next year and asked if I knew of any blogs that may help.  I put together this little magazine of inspiration, but know there is plenty more so will add to this theme in weeks to come. 

I will be adding bespoke inspiration boards and magazines to my portfolio later this week, so please contact me if you are planning a wedding or party but are a little stuck or overwhelmed with putting together ideas for your theme. 

Inspiration - Yellow

Dresses from Annabel & Ruby

It is such a grey day here today that I needed an injection of colour and what better than yellow.  This is a colour of hapiness, sunshine and cheers even the greyest of days. I have been reading with interest a series of posts on the Flourish Studios blog all about the pyschology of colour and writes -

"Yellow is an emotional colour. From the most delicate primrose yellow to a warm, intense mustard shade yellow exudes emotional strength, self esteem and friendliness."

Fiona, of Flourish Studios, explained in previous posts that colours fit  into seasonal groups. Yet by combining yellow with a colour from a different seasonal group can make the colour lose it's confidence and make it less appealing.  So if you are choosing soft, subtle shades of yellow keep the rest of your palette pale.

{Hip Flasks} {Sunflowers} {Stationery} {Shoe Clips}

{Pinwheels} {Pompom} {Necklace} {Cupcakes}

{Invitation} {Cupcakes} {Sweet Jar} {Balloons}

{Cupcakes} {Pinwheel} {Earrings} {Invitation}

Inspiration - Purple Winter Wedding

{Ruffle Clutch Bag} {Pearl Bracelet}

{Pearl Earrings} {Hair Flower}

{Alfred Angelo}

 

{Bow Clutch} {Fascinator}

{Hair Clips} {Bracelet}

{Kelsey Rose}

 

{Lavender Bags}{3 Tier Cake}

{Favours} {Cupcakes}

{Hydrangea Invite} {Paisley Invite}

{Orange & Purple Invite}{Poster Style Invite}

If I Was Kate

Today I am thrilled to introduce you to Lou, of Met My Match wedding blog, who is busy planning her own DIY wedding.

We are all incredibly pleased and excited to hear that Wills has popped the question, particularly us brides-to-be and wedding pros. We haven’t had a Royal Engagement for some time now so this is just what the UK and our gossip mag culture needs. I shall be marrying my Prince next June, or should that be frog?!? Either way, we can’t wait to walk down the aisle in our brand new togs after (what will be) a two year engagement.

I suspect that one of the joys of being a Royal is a large disposable income; there will be none of that saving malarkey for the blue blooded couple! We’ve been squirreling pennies away for some time now and our little budget has actually helped to shape the style and theme of our big day. We’ve gone all DIY and opted for a village hall affair with a retro twist. I love our theme but I have to admit that if I had a budget like Kate’s, our big day would certainly be very different…my guest list would triple for one! If I had more money I wouldn’t have to demote anyone to the evening list and I’d ensure that everyone was able to bring their plus one.

Everybody loves a grand wedding venue and I’m not different. If I had reliable regal connections I would have loved to have said my vows in the RAF Church, St Clement Danes, on the Strand in London. Imagine how fantastic it would be to emerge from this imposing church perfectly positioned in the middle of the road for all of London to see, plus it would allow me to stay true to my days in the Air Training Corps.

I’d have a fleet of vintage Routemaster buses transport all of the guests and an army of vintage black London taxi cabs take the entire wedding party to a reception at The Imperial War Museum in London, where their Large Exhibits Gallery can cater for up to 400 people

from Cotton Bunting

I’d enlist an “Oooooooh Britannia” theme (rather like “Cool Britannia, but with more flair and retro styling), complete with masses of Union Jack bunting and lots of red and blue bridesmaids dressed in matching Dessy ensembles; style number 6553 in flame red and sapphire blue would be perfect, simple and chic.

And then there’s me… I would drape myself in a super posh frock by Johanna Hehir, her Giovanna dress with a blue sash would be fantastic (and if I had a whopping sapphire like Kate, the colour detail would compliment it nicely). Caroline Costigliano is another fantastic designer who is perfect for big budget brides. Her Legacy dress and Beautiful are both superb.

With regards to the big day gems where else could you go other than to the Queen’s jeweller, Mappin and Webb?!? Their collection of solitaire diamonds is simply stunning.

Beautiful blooms by Robbie Honey in shades of red, white and blue would be on the agenda, as would gorgeous letter press invitations from Hello Lucky. I just love their London collection.

The cake would have to be by the uber talented Peggy Porschen, I love her Rose Explosion, but I would tweak it to match the red, white and blue theme.

After a fish and chip supper I’d like to get everybody dancing around the imposing V2 bombs and gigantic tanks, something that I’m sure Main Events could do as the organisers of Jitterbug parties, or perhaps the Blitz Party patrons would be keen to do a private event.

As a budget bride I have shied away from the concept of favours but if I were able to be flash with the cash I’d buy all of my girlie guests “Keep Calm and Carry On Shopping” mugs and “Keep Calm and Carry On” mugs for the chaps, as well as “When in Doubt Brew Up” mugs for the younger guests [

To top the evening off I’d have to forgo fireworks and enlist the Red Arrows for a smoke filled fly over before the summer night drew to a close… Ahhhhhhh a girl can dream!


Wow these are truly fabulous choices, carrying a patriotic theme but with style and fun. Thank you Lou.