Smashing Plates

I thought the request was straightforward. I thought I would be able to identify the design of my dreams within a moment of entering the crockery department. I thought that it would be easy, satisfying and exhilerating.

I am only just now recovering from the strain of the exercise and remain without a chosen set of crockery.

I had hoped to find:

• Crockery that would be suitable for daily use as well as for more formal dinner party occassions
• Some design-added feature such as an interesting print, a handmade quality or a textured finish that would take it away from the normal white run of the mill set
• Nothing with a silver or gold plain stripe on it

The Boy's only two stipulations were that it be not too girly and that he be comfortable eating a pizza off the chosen set.

After 50 minutes of a two hour consultation with no decision and a week of frantic internet surfing under my belt, I can confirm that we have narrowed down the options to the following SEVEN:

Farmhouse Chic by the Johnson Bros at Wedgwood with mix and match designs (I like this pairing but it's a bit feminine for the Boy and I'm not sure it's elegant enough for grand dining)

Filets Bleu (left) or Hortensia (right) at Gien

Blue Denmark from Wedgwood or Old Luxembourg by Villeroy & Boch

Cottage Blue or Country Heritage by Villeroy & Boch

Any preference? Any other suggestions? Any advice??

Save yourselves...

Save the Dates are out and in the open...

Cooling from the printer...

With envelopes printed ready to go!

Fly well my little angels!

Listings

As a lover of all things handmade and/or British-designed as well as all things vintage choosing somewhere to host our wedding list was actually quite a problem. We knew we didn't just want the basics from a normal department store: I'm such a homebunny that I've been asking for duvets and mixing bowls for birthdays and Christmases since the age of 17.

So I was delighted when I read about the service offered by Wrapit, an online gift list company with a select few physical stores dotted around the country, which stocks over 30,000 products from 350 designers, including companies like The White Company and Robert Welch, both of whom were bound to figure highly in our list.

We made an appointment to go to their West End store yesterday for a two hour session to set up the registry and have a look at a fraction of their available selection. I can now confidently affirm...

Kitchen Aid CHECK

Pots and Pans CHECK

Robert Welch Radford Cutlery CHECK

The disgustingly young and excrutiatingly talented Lisa Stickley teatowels and duvet set CHECK

We did, however, come acroppa on the subject of crockery...

But that story will be left for another day...

Weddingbee Wonders

For a community forum the Weddingbee wonder is really a very useful wedding planning resource. I read it devotedly when I was unengaged but since starting to plan my own nuptials it has become more useful as a tool for ideas than for the interest in reading about other celebrations themselves.

For example, I was searching for a piece of classical music that had interest and tempo but wasn't one of the tried and tested traditional wedding march works. Google it into the Weddingbee search facility and I came up with this post. Got me to YouTube and fell in love with this piece.

Hey presto, my walking up the aisle music is chosen...

This ideas factory helped again when designing our invitations. The Boy had chosen a script font that I was not quite into although it worked perfectly fine. I had a quick google on the boards and sure enough, found a script that won't break the bank but does make me happy.