Wedding dresses throughout film history

Weddings in film – throughout the history of the movies we have seen our most beloved movie stars get married on-screen, and in the most inspirational gowns!

I spoke to movie expert from SCREEN-SPACE, Simon Foster, about our pick of the best wedding dresses in film.

The Father of the Bride (1950) – Elizabeth Taylor

This iconic gown was made by studio craftswoman Helen Rose, who went on to work on movies like Last Time I Saw Paris and High Society. This one-off piece was designed by Edith Head who won 8 Oscars in her career for costume design.

Funny Face (1957) – Audrey Hepburn

Although she didn’t play a bride in the film, but wore it for a photo shoot in Paris – this tea-length dress turned Audrey into a fashion icon and made this a timeless bridal style. It was designed by the actress’s personal and professional couturier Hubert de Givenchy.

Runaway Bride (1999) – Julia Roberts

Whilst she has worn many gorgeous wedding dresses in her film career, this one is a favourite. A gorgeous off-the-shoulder design by Amsale.

Sex and the City (2008) – Sarah Jessica Parker

A Vivien Westwood designed gown, it was just so very Carrie – but it was also available as a limited edition for $9,875! The dress was so popular that it sold out within a few hours of the film’s premiere and to this day, is one of the most sought after second-hand dresses.

Mamma Mia (2008) – Amanda Seyfried 

Almost ahead of it’s time, is this dreamy-boho ethereal inspired gown, designed by one of Hollywood’s most respected costume designers, Ann Roth. Despite the dress becoming so popular with the public, it was unfortunately never made available for sale!

Bride Wars (2009) – Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway

Both gowns were designed by Vera Wang, who we know as one of Hollywood’s most respected designers. Kate Hudson’s dress became a number 1 seller to the public for many years, being sold for just $6,000 – quite a steal really!

The Twilight Sage: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011)

This classic long-sleeve silk sheath gown with open lace back was made by Carolina Herrera. It did go onto sell to the public, but was pulled from the shelves shortly after when women would pretend they were engaged just to be able to try on the dress.

Did we leave out your favourite? Let us know your pick in the comments below.

Click here to listen to my chat with Simon, and Sunday’s full episode of Weddings, Parties, Celebrations.

Mud Crab Pasta

One of my favourite easy entertaining dishes, or simply just as a treat for the family, is this delicious mud crab pasta. Quick to make, incredibly tasty, and perfect for this Good Friday!

You’ll need:

1/3 cup olive oil

3 garlic whole garlic cloves, bruised

1 chilli, halved

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 punnet (250g) cherry tomatoes, halved

400g fresh mud crab, picked

1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped

1 lemon, juice and zest

400g dried spaghetti

Cook spaghetti as per packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan with garlic and chilli over low heat until the garlic is just golden and the chilli and garlic have infused the oil (approx. 2-3 minutes). Strain the oil into a hot frying pan and add the fish sauce. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and gently cook until just softened. Remove from the heat and add the crab, stir gently until the crab is just warmed through by the hot oil.

Add the hot pasta, parsley, lemon juice and zest, and serve!

If you can’t get your hands on fresh mud crab, most good fish mongers will sell the meat frozen, which makes it much easier and convenient to have on-hand. It also means that you can stock the freezer, for an impressively tasty and fast lunch or dinner, any day of the week!

We’d love to see your mud crab pasta creations over the long weekend. Upload to Instagram, and tag @Katering so we can check them out!

A hidden gem in Coogee

Wylie’s Baths, Coogee

There is a hidden treasure nestled along the coastline of Coogee, overlooking the famous Wedding Cake Island, with 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean. Wylie’s Baths, the first communal bath in Sydney, boasts a 50 yard long pool, three outdoor decks and a marque seating up to 150 guests. This heritage listed site is built on a natural rock ledge on the southern end of Coogee Bay and is one of the most unique venues in Sydney!

And I’ve been lucky enough to have worked closely with Wylie’s for a long time – it’s one of our favourite seaside venues. It really is the most unique spot, and being fortunate enough to be a preferred supplier, we’ve created so many fabulous weddings and events for our clients over the years.

Whilst it’s set in one of Sydney’s most popular suburbs, not many people are aware of it, but I think it’s a place everyone should see and enjoy! So why not head over there this weekend, and whilst you are checking out this gem, do your part for the environment and take part in the Great Easter Urchin Hunt all Easter long weekend. Children will learn how to safely remove sea urchins from the pool, and return them into the ocean. For every sea urchin they find, they’ll score a delicious chocolatey egg!

Want to know more? I spoke to Tony from Wylie’s Baths Trust this week and he shared his story of Wylie’s with me. Listen to our chat here.

Styling with Cheesecloth

The humble cheesecloth, recently featured at New York Fashion Week, is a material I’m seeing being used in really creative ways to style tables or give texture to event decor.

It really adds an understated elegance and works for any event – a birthday, engagement party or a wedding! Here are just a few ideas we’ve found to get you, and us inspired!

Use it as a runner, it looks beautiful on a wooden table! Simply run it across the middle of the table and if you like, roughly bunch the ends with some thick ribbon.

Make simple cheesecloth curtains – the light will filter through the delicate fabric and add a warm glow to your room. Combine it with other fabrics like burlap for added texture!

Drape a it little more effortlessly over a feature area of your room, like the cake table!

You can even dye it to add a subtle nod to the colour theme of your event. Creams, blushes and soft pinks work perfectly with the natural texture and colour of the fabric.

Want to make a bigger statement? Make it a main feature, like here where it has been hung from the ceiling for a wedding ceremony.

There are also many more subtle ways where it can be used, like tying a piece of it to hold cutlery together, bow it on a cake knife, or wrap your guest’s bonboneries in it!

Have an idea? Let us know in the comments below, or further inspire us by uploading it to Instagram, tag @Katering and hashtag #stylingwithcheesecloth

Photo credits / click here for images 1 & 5, click here for image 2, click here for image 3, click here for image 4,

The perfect marriage.

Is there such thing? Let’s face it, we’re not all perfect and it’s definitely not easy!

This week I spoke with Nitza Lowenstein, a celebrant with 20 years experience who has done over 1,000 wedding ceremonies. She shared with me some important tips on how to create the perfect marriage to make sure we stay happy and in love.

A marriage, essentially, is two individuals embarking on the same life journey. So how do we do this successfully?

Get connected

Firstly, there must be a mental and physical connection and you must be able to maintain it – the ability to communicate and be each other’s friend is really important. Once you have this, you’ll have a better understanding of one another.

Compromise

Show flexibility and compromise – always consider the other. Come up with a solution that can work in both your favours and keep you both happy.

Be yourself

Retain your individuality – you are of course sharing your life with someone, but you need to be yourself too! There is something incredibly empowering and admirable, especially when women show a strong sense of individuality and aren’t needy. Don’t step behind into your partner’s shadow and loose yourself and what you stand for.

Don’t look for faults

It’s easy to look for faults in others – but as I said before, we’re not all perfect so if you start looking there will be plenty, creating very unnecessary argument!

Support and encourage

How you act in public is also important – people are very conscious of how they are portrayed or what is said about them in front of people, so don’t criticise your partner. Always give them confidence by way of support and encouragement.

Be truthful

Honesty is the best policy right? And it’s no truer than in a marriage. Speak the truth and don’t hide things from your partner – it makes you look untrustworthy and can severely effect your relationship.

Laugh and smile!

We’ve all heard that laughing releases endorphins, which relieves stress and makes you overall a happier person! Well humour helps make a great marriage too! There are so many ways to keep the humour on the up with your partner – relive funny pastimes you’ve both shared, sit down with a bowl of popcorn and watch a funny movie, watch your children play outside! Don’t take yourself too seriously, be able to take a step back and have a chuckle together!

Stay positive

Keeping positive will mean that every challenge or situation will be tackled with a healthy mindset and create less stress.

Be passionate

Keep the passion alive. Have regular dinner dates together, make a conscious effort to head away for a romantic weekend every now and then. Keep eye contact, greet each other at the end of the day with a hug. Simple daily interactions are all you need to keep your attraction strong!

Treasure family

Or perhaps more honestly, be nice to your mother-in-law! Many arguments and challenges revolve around family, so it’s important to always be nice and understanding. We’re all different!

Show respect

Love itself is not enough if you don’t show respect. Show them gratitude when they do something for you, compliment them on their achievements, work as team to show how much you value their opinions.

Cherish them

Hold them dearly to you and show them love through both your words and your actions. Let them know that you’re thinking of them when you’re not near. It’s really important to let them know how much you mean to them, and on the daily, not just on Valentines Day or your anniversary! And don’t take them for granted; don’t ignore the things they do for you and really listen to what they have to say. Value and appreciate their opinions and what they contribute to your marriage.

Money matters

Unfortunately, this can be a big problem for many couples. How much we can spend on what, how often and when? One way to tackle this is to involve your partner in making those decisions, even if it means taking him to pick the curtains! It’s also important to share a bank account; show mutual trust and openness with one another.

It may seem like common sense, but we’re all human beings and we get carried away with life, sometimes not putting things into perspective and overlooking the essentials.

We see it, we read it, we hear it, but we really need to think deeper and make these tips part of day- to-day married life!

To listen to the full podcast of this episode of Weddings, Parties, Celebrations, click here.

Rules were made to be broken.

To break or not to break? I spoke to Heather from Wedded Wonderland this week and discussed what rules can be broken on your wedding day. What traditions in these modern times can we dismiss? Firstly, make sure you do what’s right for you, your partner and your family. You don’t want to disappoint your loved ones, but at the same time you want to be comfortable and enjoy “your” day. Below are a few of the traditions that I don’t think should be broken, as well as those that can be bent, twisted or just clean broken – it’s up to you!

Who pays for what?

Traditionally, the bride’s parents make a significant contribution to the wedding. These days though, couples are paying the majority themselves. This can avoid any tricky situations where those who pay feel as though they have a say in certain decisions like dress choice, or by adding an extra 40 people to the guest list! I think the best thing to do is have an upfront discussion at the beginning, and of course, if you want the day your way, then pay yourself.

Inviting the ‘guest’

Gone are the days where everyone gets to invite a guest. It’s expensive to have guests at the reception and numbers are often tight! If you haven’t met a friend’s partner you don’t have to invite them especially if the venue is tight for numbers… A lot of people are much more understanding these days, so don’t feel pressured!

A registry for the home, or for a honeymoon!

These days couples are already living together, and a lot seem to be older so they do have almost everything they need! Now, registries now can be for more big ticket items, like art or furniture like a sofa, or for experiences on their honeymoon. This is completely up to you though; people including myself don’t always like this as I think it is lovely to look back and remember people when you pull out a jug or tea set!

See them for the first time at the aisle

The first time you lock eyes with your groom on your wedding day, should be at the ceremony. This tradition seems to be one more commonly broken and couples are choosing to have their photographic session before the ceremony in order to not miss out at the reception and save time. Seeing your groom at the end of the aisle, will be one of the most special memories to take through life with you, so keep to this one! There is also nothing more special than seeing his reaction when he sees you, it’s one of my favourite parts of a wedding!

Ceremony seating

These days not many guests follow the tradition of sitting on either the bride or groom’s side of the aisle. Guests will usually take it upon themselves when they arrive, whether they should be sitting on one side or the other. More formal ceremonies may influence the tradition, or if you have someone welcoming the guests, they may direct them. Informal weddings tend to not follow this so much. Again, it’s your preference if you want to enforce it or not!

The guestbook

Traditionally, you have everyone who attended your wedding sign the guest book so you know who was there on the day, but realistically, you will generally have a good idea! The process of inviting your guests are far more thought about and the input is much greater.

Guests books nowadays have evolved to things like photo booth books, thumb prints message trees. Its more interactive and much more fun for your guests!

Something borrowed, something blue

This is a lovely old tradition, where the bride wears or keeps close to them, an item that someone special like their grandmother or mother has given them. And whilst it is a nice gesture, it can be quite stressful if you don’t have something appropriate; it defeats the purpose. So if it’s easy for you to do, go for it, but if not, don’t lose sleep over not having the right item.

The bridal party ‘last supper style’ table

Traditionally, the bridal party would sit at a head of a room, and all sit facing out to the guests. the last supper style table I call it!

Guests do love to be able to see the bride and groom but many couples are choosing to sit around the room in various shapes and forms and having a table made special,  by hanging great floral displays, or highlighting the table with different chairs from the rest of the guests.  You can also use large candelabras, different coloured textiles, decorate the chairs with florals or you own personal touch.      

The garter toss

It was once customary towards the end of every wedding, for the groom to awkwardly search under the bride’s dress for the garter placed around her thigh, and then throw it over his shoulder to a bunch of keen bachelors. Let’s face it, it sometimes can be just that – plain awkward, especially if you’re having a big wedding. The thought of doing this in front of second cousins, grandparents, or even your own parents can be really uncomfortable, so don’t feel as though it’s a must do – you don’t want to be dreading this part of the night all the way through the reception!

Leaving for your honeymoon straight after the reception

Well, traditionally…. However, these days couples are choosing to leave three or five days after the wedding so that they can spend time with family and relatives – especially if they have a large number of overseas guests!

The big overseas honeymoon

It’s ideal I know, you spend up big on the one-month honeymoon through Europe, but realistically, weddings are expensive and usually by the end of it, you can’t always afford to spend all that money.

Remember that we live in Australia, a country with so many wonderful places to explore. Why not venture in your own backyard; snorkel your way through crystal clear Queensland waters at The Whitsundays or Lorde Howe Island. Head down to Tasmania – they have amazing food, romantic retreats and a beautiful untouched coastline. You don’t need to be away for a month either; a week or ten days is all you need to have a romantic honeymoon that won’t take a further hit on the pocket.

The even bridal party rule

You don’t have to do this; if you have five best girlfriends and your partner has two best mates, roll with it. Don’t stress yourself and your friendships over having to pick from the best bunch! And don’t feel restricted with who you ask either . Heather is having her grandmother as her Flower Gran! It’s also becoming more common have both the father and mother of the bride walk her down the aisle.  Involve those who are special to you and don’t feel like you need to stick to a number.

The matching bridesmaid dresses

Not many brides have four bridesmaids all with the same figure, and you don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable by wearing something that doesn’t suit their shape. There’s no need for them all to have the same dress; instead have them all in the same colour theme. Or let each of them choose a style of shoulder strap or neckline, something they’ll feel good wearing.

This is your day; you need to enjoy yourself, feel comfortable with your decisions and of course make sure that everyone is happy too!

Make sure to check in daily on Wedded Wonderland’s blog and Instagram for inspiration on the latest trends, celebrity features, and answers to all those tricky wedding related matters!

www.weddedwonderland.com.au

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To listen to the full podcast of this episode of Weddings, Parties, Celebrations, click here.