Article by Johanna Osborne.

Whilst you might be forgiven for thinking that it’s all about the 24 hours that span around the magical wedding day, there are a few other events that feature heavily on the wedding frivolity radar.

Tried and true traditions like Hens’ Parties and Kitchen Teas are making a massive and refined come-back. No longer do images of hot-pink veiled “brides” staggering down Courtenay Place carrying money-jars spring to mind… Hens Parties these days are about celebrating with the girls, in a fun, carefree and classy way.

I personally attended the best hen’s party ever just recently. It involved a large gaggle of us gals assembling at a local establishment for morning coffees. This was followed by all the ladies jumping onboard a rented van and taking a surprise trip to the Wairarapa, where a divine wine tasting and lunch amongst the vines awaited us. There were presents, games and lot of fun and laughter. Everyone dressed up and it was the best day for all of us. The bride went home with great memories, and suitably relieved that she wasn’t embarrassed in front of her mother and sister.

Sharing experiences with those that matter is what these age-old traditions are truly about. Your friends have accompanied you this far in life, and are now setting you free and “handing the reins over” to your new husband. Up until he came along, they knew you best and shared your most important moments growing up. Having a hen’s party is a rite of passage, but can be done in so many different ways – and none of them need be tacky or scandalous! Great suggestions include cocktails and dinner parties, day trips, salon pampering experiences or even brief trips away. Many stag-dos now also mirror this type of format, with fishing trips and weekends away proving very popular.

When I think back to my wedding, the things that stand out most (besides marrying the love of my life) were the moments earlier in the day ‘before’ I got to the church. I fondly look back on this snippet in time: with my 3 best friends in the whole world, fresh from the hairdresser, wearing robes, sipping champagne, eating cheese and crackers and gossiping to our heart’s content in the calm safety of my lounge – all before the madness of the main event. The air was thick with excitement and we were all running on adrenalin (and perhaps a bit of Red Bull and lots of Moet). The feelings on a day like this are so incredibly special, and stay with you a lifetime. And so too can the memories of an extraordinary hens or stag party planned in a tasteful and fun way.

Want some more ideas on how to plan the perfect event? Email us [email protected]

Article by Johanna Osborne.

“I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and … I believe in miracles.” – Audrey Hepburn

Every girl deserves to feel like a beautiful princess on her wedding day! But sometimes that’s easier said than done with pre-wedding jitters taking over. Here at Mr and Mrs magazine we often get asked for beauty tips and handy hints by anxious brides to be. So we have created our first list of “what’s hot right now” to help you get on with your fairytale!

First and foremost, at the moment it’s ALL about … lashes! Lots and lots of them – think Kardashian! Long, defined, thick gorgeous eyelashes will make you stand out for all the right reasons. Whether you opt for the false kind, eyelash extensions (these can be amazing!) or invest in a to-die-for mascara, one thing is for sure: defined eyes are all the rage, and they literally pop on film too! Think Elizabeth Taylor’s doe-eyed look, and you are on the right track. What’s our favourite mascara? Why Diorshow, of course! Initially designed as a backstage makeup for runway models, this is one not so well-kept secret. If applied in stages and literally built-up (patience is key – apply too fast and you get clumps) it gives THE best false-eyelash look ever. Divine!

Another “beauty must -have” in every girl’s makeup purse is the humble Clear Eyes. You will be amazed what a difference it makes. Your eyes will be whiter, brighter and more awake-looking within an instant. Not to mention they will feel totally refreshed! One drop is the equivalent of an extra hour’s sleep in our book. Clear Eyes is no longer synonymous with wacky-backy smokers – it’s one of the biggest style weapons of celebrity make-up artists!

God invented colour for a reason – no one wants a complete white-wash on their wedding day! Every bride needs a little colour somewhere. A gorgeous blush will give your face a freshness and vibrancy you haven’t had since you were a teenager. Blush truly is BIG right now – just look at the Golden Globes. There was not a celeb in sight without a peachy cheek. A tan is also still incredibly chic – however the tandori colour of previous years has now graduated to a much more sun-kissed hue, with brides of the moment opting for just a slight hint of golden glow to offset their gowns. Expert spray tans would be our recommendation. It’s worth getting naked in front of a stranger if it means you will end up with a divinely sun-kissed, evenly applied tan. So much better than some of the booths out there that can make your fingers, knees and toes stay orange forever (trust us, we know what we’re talking about!).

Last but not least – Lace. With the vintage-chic look making a massive come-back, dresses and veils are emerging everywhere with lace detail. If you are not sure of what your “look” is, or what you want your wedding to be like, let your dress set the tone. You can’t go wrong with inspiration from bygone eras where style, good taste, and great music were so profound we still talk and write about them today. The 50s, 60s and 70s were all great ages of impeccable taste and can provide a palate of amazingly good ideas.

Stay tuned for our next Style Update! Email us your “big day questions” to [email protected]

Article by Johanna Osborne.

It’s no secret I am a big Nicole Richie fan. Ever since Nicole put her Simple Life days behind her and got a Rachel Zoe revamp, she made everyone sit up and take notice. With the birth of her House of Harlow and Winter Kate accessory and fashion brands, Nicole put her name firmly on the map and showed everyone that she knew what she was doing. What I like about Nicole is her amazing style, her down to earth attitude, her protectiveness of her children, as well as her trademark feisty yet totally charming nature. Of course I don’t know her personally (my husband always thinks I’m bonkers talking about celebrities like I know them), but I like who she is in the media and how she comes across. Most of all I love how she dresses, and it amazes me that there is someone that can repeatedly pull outfit-after-outfit out of the hat, and never ever get it wrong. I am in awe!

Of course Nicole’s wedding was no different – she looked spectacular. Simply put – we just can’t write about weddings and not mention hers. Nicole married her rocker beau Joel Madden in December 2010, and the event produced some of the most poured-over images in media history. Nicole has gone on record with People magazine to say that ever since she was a little girl, there were two things she wanted on the day she married: a show-stopper dress inspired by Grace Kelly’s iconic wedding gown, and a real live elephant for good luck. And being the Hollywood royalty that she is – she got both. Nicole’s dresses (she wore 3 Marchesa designs!), the overall styling of the wedding and the elephant in the room (literally) made this a wedding one not to be forgotten.

Nicole’s poofy Marchesa gown was very versatile, as she lost the big skirt for a more dance-floor friendly version during the evening, with a complete change to follow later. Lionel Richie’s Bel Air Mansion provided the stage for the magical event, and featured a royal banquet in a French garden setting, transforming into a chic nightclub as the night went on. Great minds obviously think alike – Mindy Weiss, Hollywood Event Planner extraordinaire, seemed to have taken a few leaves out of our very own Paula Bevege’s book. Nicole’s wedding “set” resembled Paula’s own wedding very much, with its stylish table settings, stunning blooms, exquisite lighting and easy flow on to a more low-key dimly lit jazz club vibe later in the night.

This is a style-spiration if ever I saw one, as lighting and set creation can transform anywhere (whether it is Lionel Richie’s mansion or a back garden in little old Wellington) into an exquisite destination for a once-in-a-lifetime event. And it can be done – at any budget! That’s where Event Planners are amazing – they have the resources to guide and work with you, and turn your ideas and dreams into reality.

It’s always amazing when a wedding takes place somewhere different, within a creative and unique setting, styled to suit a specific couple. It allows guests to be “transported” somewhere else for one magical night, producing unforgettable memories not only for the bride and groom, but everyone in attendance. The escapism is heavenly and keeps people talking for a long time.

And from what I have read, that’s exactly what the lucky ones on Nicole’s guest list said too!

Article by Johanna Osborne.

2011 was a big year for celebrity weddings! The aisle was the new runway for dazzling gowns and innovative ways of tying the knot. Makes me want to get married all over again – and again!

It’s no wonder people are so excited and fascinated by weddings. It doesn’t really get any better than this does it? The theme is love and it’s accompanied by a great party, delicious food, terrific tipples and you are guaranteed a good time. Not to mention people look amazing and the fashion is a veritable feast for the eyes (or at least it should be – fashion offenders take note!). It’s no wonder people are gunning to be invited to weddings, and when the golden ticket arrives in the mail, us girls immediately start mentally planning what we are going to wear. … And with celebrity weddings it’s much the same. Bar the fact that we are obviously not on the guest list and hence don’t need the perfect outfit, we still find ourselves extremely “involved” in all the details, build up and post-mortem of the big bash. Being in the public-eye makes celebrities “free game” to our merciless dissection of their big day. Oh what fun it is to take the microscope a little closer, and give everything a good once over! The beauty about celebrity weddings is that they have the world’s best wedding planners (hello Mindy Weiss!) at their fingertips and can rock-out some of the most jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring events in record time. If only we were all so lucky!

2011 was obviously the year of the royal wedding and I must say, our Kate did not disappoint. Understated elegance, grace and dignity simply radiated from this amazing young woman. I couldn’t help but feel nervous for her the entire time, vividly remembering my own wedding day with a mere150 guests and the major jitters I had! I could not begin to imagine what it must have felt like having the entire world watching your every move, on what should be your most special and private day! And of course the highlight of all the hoopla – The Duchess of Cambridge’s Sarah Burton designed royal wedding dress was simply divine. Very much reminiscent of Grace Kelly’s gown in 1956, Kate kept it demure yet very elegant. The cut, matching veil and beautiful tiara were all perfection. Kate can take credit for her simple, chic and timeless wedding-look being the catalyst for steering admiring girls the world over back into the less-is-more direction. Kate certainly took the cake as one of the year’s most memorable dresses. We expected nothing less, and she certainly delivered the fairytale we were all anticipating.

However my absolute favourite of 2011 was another Kate and a very different type of royalty – she was the one and only Kate Moss. Could there be a more perfect dress, a more stunningly-styled wedding shoot and a more exciting event? When Vogue chomps at the bit to photograph your wedding, you know you have it going on in terms of style. And when Kate married her rocker Jamie Hinze, she certainly left no style-leaf unturned. Adding a touch of controversy by wearing the defamed and shamed John Galliano’s design, Kate proved to the masses she knew what she was doing. Rocking her vintage inspired gown like something out of Midsummer night’s dream made for awe-inspiring photographs, admired world-wide. Ethereal with just the right amount of glitz and garnish this creation harks back to bygone eras when glamour was paramount and everything was chic. This dress is top of my list for sure! Even Kate’s wedding rehearsal outfit was befitting of her boho-vintage-rockchic vibe she carries so well, with the bride and groom attending in matching teal outfits, looking like they had just stepped out from the cover of a Beatles Record. I think it’s fair to say that I just loved every single detail of this sumptuous wedding. If I could convince my husband to renew our vows in lavish fashion – this is exactly how I’d do it!

Who else got married in 2011? Oh yeah, there was that little old reality wedding at a tune of $10m if reports are to be believed. Kim and her now defunct husband of 72 days Kris Humphries made headlines worldwide – first for their “fairytale wedding” and a mere 2 months later for their quickie divorce. To be honest, I love myself some Kardashian, and am a self-confessed big time fan of this over-the-top family. The gene pool was extremely kind to all of them, and Kim was born to be a stunning bride. I loved her headpiece, and thought that she carried herself like the Hollywood royalty she has become. I was expecting to be blown away by her dress, but it was the event itself with the elaborate table settings, cake and flowers that stole the show for me. With so much lavish detail to compete with, Kim had her work cut out for her to shine though, but all in all I thought Kim made a very pretty bride. And I’m sure she will again in the very near future, when a more befitting prince sweeps her off her feet! One thing is for sure – the world will be watching to see who’s next in line.

The beauty about weddings in this day and age is that there is no right or wrong (Big Fat Gypsy Weddings anyone?!). Whatever makes a bride and groom feel gorgeous and happy on their way to wedded bliss is how it should be. Fashions come and go, trends change and opinions will always differ. Whether the path to happily-ever-after is one of va-va-voom or more low-key, the way to measure how successful it all was at the end of the day is whether the love is everlasting. And that’s something that will never go out of style.

To celebrate the launch of Mr and Mrs Magazine, The Amazing Travelling Photobooth gave everyone at the show an opportunity see themselves on the cover of issue 1

If you’re one of our impromptu cover models, thanks for coming and have a giggle looking for your cover shot.

www.theamazingtravellingphotobooth.co.nz