by Johanna Osborne

Oh to be a bridesmaid! It’s the greatest honour your bestie could bestow upon you! The minute you are crowned are bridesmaid you have an all access pass to the most fun year of your life. Dress fittings, make up and hair trials, endless deliberations over dress styles, colour schemes, table runners, hors d’oeuvres, music, flowers… it’s like stepping inside a warm cloud of all things gorgeous and wonderful. You get a backstage VIP pass to seeing everything unfold without the stress of being the one that wears the crown. A bit like being Beyonce’s right hand woman or Riri’s bestie. Or at least that’s how it will feel. To your friend on the other hand the process might be a bit more overwhelming, and that ladies, is where you – the supersonic bridesmaid – must step in! I will never forget when the hook at the back of my dress (which was holding my heavy train up) broke at my wedding reception. Out of nowhere my trusty bridesmaid Susan Philp stepped up like wonderwoman, holding a sparkling safety pin that saved the night!

There are many things a bridesmaid does – from lending an ear and being all round supportive to offering to take over small tasks – and of course the all important bridal shower, hens night and other such fancy and exciting celebrations. It goes without saying that a bridesmaid must always be enthusiastic and positive. But more than that, a bridesmaid comes prepared! So superwoman, what do you need to have in your bag on the big day? Let us show you the way!

The bridesmaid emergency kit is the signature trademark of all bridesmaids who take their role seriously. This is your chance to shine and be the knight (or knightess?) in shining armour (or tafetta lace if you prefer). Here is our recommended list of things to pack to keep you prepared. Remember, prior preparation is the key, and this is your licence to wow, dazzle and impress!

-Sewing kit in every colour anyone in the bridal party is wearing, and of course safety pins in all sizes
-Chapstick, gloss, lipliner and lipstick
-Cotton buds
-Tissues
-Hair Spray, Bobbypins/Hairbands. Hairspray can be used to keep dodgy zippers from unzipping, remove lint, polish shoes, keep makeup in -place and preserve wilting flowers.
-Bronzer and all other make up selected for the day
-Water, coffee, energy drink and of course bubbles
-Rescue Remedy
-Muesli bars/candy/snacks
-Straws for drinking with lipstick on
-Nail files, nail polish for touch ups in the designated colour as well as clear to fix runs in panty hose!
-Band-Aids
-Lady Products
-Hand sanitiser and wipes
-Small compact mirror
-Toothbrush and toothpaste
-Chewing gum and/or breathmints – because sometimes there’s no time for a toothbrush
-Masking tape – a great little secret for fixing hemlines.
-Heartburn relief – there’s a lot of rich food and wine at weddings, and you want to be able to enjoy it.
-Cellphone charger – a universal one if you have it
-Deodorant
-Eye drops (and contact lens solution if any of the wedding party wear them).
-Flip flops – heels break and feet get sore and tired. What a relief to be able to kick off the stilettos and slip these on after the formalities are over!
-Water/mist spray to keep everyone cool and dewy
-Sunscreen
-Lintroller

by Johanna Osborne

 
It’s a busy world we live in; hectic and fast paced. We like it like that… at least I think we do. And whilst our frantic schedules bring great rewards such as a rich social life, successful careers and constant stimulation, the casualty of such a pace can be that the small things get forgotten. Particularly touch.

These days many of us rush out the door without having a moment to give our loved on a kiss on the lips (or even the cheek) and when we get home, there’s often just too much to think about. The end of day hug and snuggle is falling to the wayside for many couples, when in reality the intimacy you gain from such a fleeting yet significant encounter is perhaps the most worthwhile of all. We have somehow skipped over the small meaningful things, and we want all the big stuff instead. Teenagers these days are madly pawing themselves rather than discovering the magic of holding hands. Couples go to sex therapy instead of snuggling at the movies or looking at each other and talking. Love and romance haven’t changed, we have.

If you look at those golden oldie couples that have been married for decades and ask what their secret is, they always have one thing in common – time for each other and plenty of affection. And that includes touch – holding hands as they walk down the road or watch TV, snuggling and cuddling and always having time for that kiss hello or goodbye. It’s not crazy and wild, but it’s insanely romantic all the same.

Have you tried it? Give a big giant bear hug to your husband/fiancé/best friend/dad/mum and squeezing hard. It is the most amazing feel-good thing there is! It can be romantic or just as meaningful on a platonic level. I recall giving my Dad big giant hugs and as manly as he was, he loved them as much as me. He squeezed me tight back and I could literally feel his energy flow. He had strong arms and it was the most amazing feeling that I was his little girl and he loved me beyond measure. I felt so happy, so safe. What I wouldn’t do to be hugged by those arms again!

It’s a fact, humans need touch. Experiments have shown that newborns would not survive if they were denied human touch. We crave it, we need it, it helps us grow and instantly makes us feel better. Ironic then isn’t it, that we spend so much time talking about the importance of personal space, when in fact we might need the opposite.

The nurturing effect of touch goes way beyond couples- children need their parents to hug and kiss them, stroke their hair and tickle their feet, animals crave to be patted by us and we religiously head to massage clinics to have someone heal and distress us with their hands. Touch is magic.

Just like sight, smell, sound and taste are the things that flavour our world, touch is equally vital in our existence. It’s only a matter of being aware of exactly how powerful such a little touch is. And making a difference with it!

by Johanna Osborne

We love nothing more than an array of gorgeous elegant dresses, hot looks and creative inspiration. We love it even more when it’s our favourite stars who are dressing up to the nines for Awards season. That’s more than enough to put a bit of spark in our keyboard and get us furiously compiling lists of our top picks for best dressed. What do you think about our choices?

1. Hot newcomer Margot Robbie steals the show in streamlined Gucci! The girl from small Gold Coast town Dolby has become an overnight star through ‘The Wolf of Wallstreet’ in which she stars with none other than Leonardo DiCaprio. Handling it all in her stride she looks like she totally belongs on the red carpet!

2. Pregnant Kerry Washington debuts her baby bump in custom Balenciaga. That sure is one stylish fetus!

3. Amber Heard is hotter than ever now that she’s made her first public red carpet debut with Johnny Depp. This young lady can do no wrong and she is rocking the satin look here on the red carpet. The dress? Versace, of course.

4. Monica Potter wowed us all the way back in her Boston Legal days, and she’s still as beautiful and classy as ever at 42 years old. She’s rocking a Romona Keveza dress.

5. We love the Marchesa, but we don’t really love the hair. Not sure if the person and the gown are a good match, but the dress is very pretty.

6. We think Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber make a pretty hawt couple! Naomi in particular steals the show and looks like she’s in her 20s not her 40s! She is quite possibly our favourite look and that’s saying something with so many beautiful dresses on display.

7. Ariel Winter’s Mikael D dress is in that hot new shade of the season – burgundy! Love!

8. How unique! Zooey is wearing an Oscar de la Renta ivory tulle gown with pearl and crystal embroidery and embroidered caraco. Different and rather lovely!

9. Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky are expecting their second child, and are the picture of perfection here.

10. Pregnant Olivia Wilde makes us green with envy in Gucci! Sleek and sexy, pregnancy has never been so stylish!

11. A pregnant flower child! Drew Barrymore is oh so cute in a Monique L’huillier dress.

12. Kate Mara’s hair and make up might be American Horror-esque but her dress is to die for!

13. Kate Beckinsale is a freak of nature. She just doesn’t age and always looks flawless! Zuhair Murad gown. Nuff said.

14. Seems metalics are big this year. Normally photo shy Mila Kunis makes a special appearance sans Ashton looking rather sparkly and gorgeous. She still gives plenty of attitude to let us know this is not her favourite type of gig, but that’s why we love her.

15. Oh we love red! Amy Adams looks divine in this stylish and seksi gown.

16. We couldn’t let these new parents slip by unnoticed. Jenna and Chatum are a show all of their own!

17. Last but not least – we love Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul, but we love his brand new wife’s dress even more! Lauren Paresekian looks totally divine. Swoon!

by Johanna Osborne

Stylist to the stars Rachel Zoe has a fabulous friend called Derek Blasberg who writes these amazing books about etiquette in the modern day and age. And that got me thinking: nothing beats old fashioned manners, especially in today’s era where everything is fast and instant. We fancy ourselves as vintage this and old school that, but our decorum and manners are often anything but. What would Grace Kelly do? I bet my bottom dollar she wouldn’t “lol and OMG” nor would she obnoxiously speak on her mobile in the middle of a quiet restaurant. We are all guilty of the modern day faux pas and to be honest, who cares, but then again a gentle reminder from yesteryear doesn’t hurt every now and then. Ladies sit up straight – this one’s for you!

1.Thank you cards Who doesn’t love receiving mail? Actual real life mail, not a brochure or a bill. It’s exciting when there’s a handwritten card smiling at you from the mailbox. Oooh, what could it be? Besides an invitation, a thank you card is the next best thing. It shows someone has taken the time to personally thank you, and for the sentimental this provides a lovely keepsake. For wedding gifts thank you cards are an absolute must. We know there is an increasing trend to forgo this tradition but in our humble opinion if a guest has taken the time to select a gift for you and your new husband/wife, then they deserve the respect and recognition of having their gift acknowledged. On another note we have also seen some very thoughtful wedding guests who have actually thanked the bride and groom in writing for including them in their special day. And considering how much time, planning and money goes into a wedding it truly is an honour to be a guest, and what bride and groom would not like to hear how much their guests appreciated it?

2. Response We are drowning in a sea of technology, phones are beeping and emails are pinging through constantly. It’s hard to stay on top of things, but I am personally a believer that each message deserves a response (apart maybe the Nigerian scammer who claims he needs my date of birth and full name and bank account # asap so he can deposit money in it) . I worked in an environment for many years where our rule was each email was to be responded to within 24 hours. Best policy ever. Nothing every piled up and everyone felt looked after and listened to. Even if you don’t have the right answer then and there, a simple “thanks for your message, I will look into it and get back to you” is sometimes all it takes to put someone’s mind at ease, knowing their email did indeed go through.

3.Compliments If you think someone looks nice make sure you say it! If someone has done something lovely remember to thank them. Sometimes life and its trials and tribulations steal our mojo and we lack the energy and enthusiasm to express the good. But nice words breed more nice words, and who doesn’t want to live in a nice world?

4.Be polite If you had a birthday dinner and your friends showered you in gifts, maybe a written card is not warranted (too formal!) but a nice email, text or even phone call the next day to let them know how much you appreciated it is a nice touch. The same applies if you have been invited to a dinner party – it’s always polite and good manners to thank the host a day or two later.

5.Gifts If you are invited to someone’s home then it is a wonderful gesture to bring a hostess gift. It doesn’t have to be big; a small candle, hand lotion or flowers for the host is a lovely addition to the other BYO items you may choose to bring.

6.Say hello Many are friends with people on Facebook that they wouldn’t talk to on the street, either because they can’t be bothered or wouldn’t recognise them. In my humble opinion if you can’t stop and chat to that person, then they should not be privy to your private life online. Facebook is awesome, I’m a massive fan, but it is seductive in terms of sharing many private moments with a wide audience. Make sure those people are worthy of your private details and if not, I would suggest a good old fashioned spring clean.

7.Be honest No one likes a bragger. Good friends are happy for you if you succeed and do well, but no one likes a show off. Be gracious and never boastful. Don’t try too hard to impress, it’s not worth it. Be honest with your feelings and your true friends will still love and support you even if you don’t have as much money as you’d like, don’t drive the coolest car or your job sucks. No one needs fair weather friends, so don’t waste your time trying to impress them.

8.Be grateful I gave a small gift to someone yesterday because they had done something kind for me. The lady was blown away and so touched by my admittedly very small gesture. Why? I assume not many people think of these things anymore. Be grateful when the need arises and show your appreciation. It doesn’t have to be a gift, it could be an email or a kind word, but don’t let the good go unsaid.
 

9. Mobile madness Couples at restaurants each furiously texting away on their phones, families sitting around a table all with heads buried in their tablets or iPads, friends having coffee with mobiles firmly on the table… these things are commonplace nowadays. I don’t know about you, but I recall a day and age where no one had a mobile and where you made plans, stuck to them and showed up – none of this changing your mind business. You gave the person you were with your attention and any messages would be returned once you got home to your house. I love my mobile, I would say I couldn’t live without it, although I know that’s not true. And I know it’s easy for me to preach, but I honestly don’t think a mobile phone needs to be on the table when you are having coffee/lunch/dinner with your friend/husband/fiancé. No one is THAT busy or important. Unless you are an on-call brain surgeon that is of course… but otherwise give the greatest gift of all – your time and attention to the person you are with.

10. Be gracious The most elegant of women of all time are always remembered for their graciousness, class and style. Think Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe. They were polite, well spoken, had good manners and left behind them a wake of awe. They weren’t rude and they knew how to use their charm and manners when it counted. And their legacy lives on. Maybe we can learn a thing or two?

by Johanna Osborne

T’is the season, the time of year to get sentimental and thankful. Today we would like to share with you a few of this year’s favourite special images and touching moments of true love and devotion (as documented by Popsugar) as we get ready to raise our glasses and toast to a new and wonderful 2014! The below brings perspective; there is always someone whose struggle is worse than yours, someone who prays for the things you have, and someone who can teach us to appreciate our blessings. Most of all, the lesson here is that with love in your heart you truly can conquer all.

The first is a moving story of a wife who relearns the alphabet with the help of her devoted husband. “Patience, love, and understanding at its finest” is how the photographer describes this image of a husband teaching his beloved wife, who suffers from memory loss. This couple embodies the true meaning of “for better or worse.” Something we can all learn from.

This widow continues to have lunch every day with her husband at her local Steak ‘n Shake, by propping his photo up on the table while she eats. Gone but never forgotten. That is old fashioned devotion if ever we saw it and we love it!

Together for 54 years and married for five, John Darby and Jack Bird celebrated over half a century of being a couple. After they got together in 1959, they kept their relationship a secret due to fear of their society’s reaction. Today, Darby and Bird walk proudly holding hands, they share kisses and sweet words like many other married couples.

Frank and Eleanor Turner, a married couple of almost 65 years, died six hours apart on the same day without knowing of the other’s passing. Their hearts were truly linked and their souls no doubt again reunited.

Angelo Merendino created something amazing for his wife, Jennifer, through incredible photos taken before her death from breast cancer in 2011. He published them in an eBook this year in a most loving tribute. This particular one captures the touching moment when Angelo shaved his wife’s head. We can only imagine what this painful journey would have been like and applaud this brave and amazing man for what he did for his beautiful wife.

Love exists the world over – in different shapes and forms, and if are lucky enough to have found true love then you are one of the fortunate few that has a lot to be thankful for this New Year’s Eve!

As a recent article released by various news outlets states, people have many similar regrets when they lay on their deathbed – they wish they had been happier, enjoyed themselves more, done more for others, hadn’t taken themselves so seriously, hadn’t worked so hard. They wish they had spent more time with family and loved ones, hadn’t taken things for granted, hadn’t worried so much, had taken better care of themselves, had travelled more, had lived in the moment more often. They wish they had followed their passion in life, been braver and stood up for themselves more and most of all, they wish they had showed their loved ones just how much they meant to them. It’s impossible not to have regrets in life, but perhaps some of these are food for thought as we go forward with new goals and aspirations for 2014.

Whatever your New Year’s resolutions, we wish you all the very best with keeping them and can’t wait to share more romantic moments with you in 2014. Long live LOVE! The Wellington Wedding Show will be back, bigger, brighter and better than ever.