Monday's Muse: Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart, an amazingly creative visionary whose inspiring ideas for your life, home and wedding is today's muse. I love reading her magazines and am a regular visitor to her website for inspiration which is both fresh and easy to achieve yourself.

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A few fabulous wedding ideas

After some fabulous wedding ideas? Look no further!

Roses sealed in ice are beautiful, eyecatching and something unique


Paper Lanterns create a pretty path guiding guests to their destination


Personalised paper napkins


Paper decorations are eye-catching and can create a focal point in a special area of the room


Photobooth is fun for guests and gives the bride and groom a great way to remember the wonderful moments from the reception.

Images: French Blue, Ideal Home, Pink Frosting, Martha Stewart, Snippet & Ink,

Lifestyle YOU

Lifestyle YOU is a fabulous new channel which has just launched on Foxtel. But even better is their website. It is filled with hints and tips and stories for the bride to be and wedding guests. I guess I should say I am biased as I had the pleasure of writing some of these articles!

Monday's Muse: Lara Stone For Vogue

I love this shoot by Mario Testino for UK Vogue featuring the gorgeous Lara Stone. Glamorous inspiration for the bride after a full-skirted gown.

Source: Mario Testino for Vogue UK

What Love Looks Like- Victoria & Joe

This engagement shoot truly captures the love and happiness of this couple.

See more of their engagement shoot here.

Stunning photography from Clayton Austin Love Stories

And The Winner Is...

I'm thrilled to announce the winner of the Beckoning Designs guest book is...

Alex Noonan
with this entry
"I love the idea of the guest book being the 'something blue', so that design would be my choice"

Congratulations Alex and thank you to everyone who entered!
Thank you also to the lovely team at Beckoning Designs for this fabulous opportunity.

We Amour: Nicola of Ruby & Joy

Nicola Spies is the sweet, funny and seriously talented girl behind Sydney florist Ruby & Joy. As well as weddings, Nicola's work can be seen in some of Australia's biggest bridal, fashion and home magazines, high-profile events and fashion shoots.

So who better to give us the heads up on getting the perfect floral styling for your wedding!?

1. Where did the inspiration for the name Ruby & Joy come from?
I get asked this question a LOT which I love! Joy is mine and my Nanna's middle name, and my Nanna was a florist. She's been a huge inspiration and support to me and so when I was tossing around names I thought it would be lovely to use it.
But Ruby doesn't come from anywhere unfortunately! I just really loved the sound of them together. But it's been quite suitable as I absolutely love a profusion of red and pink blooms, and use them quite a lot in our advertising, so it's all worked out quite well.

2. What is your favourite flower/floral trend at the moment?
Tricky. For weddings I'm loving two separate ideas. I love keeping the bouquets all in one bloom, but all different. This is especially effective when used in a bright colour, like raspberry red or bright greens.
I also love the country style clustered posies that are relaxed and use a number of different blooms.
My favourite flower changes almost weekly, and always depends on what's new in season. It's always exciting when you spot the first Anemone or Hydrangea at the markets! For now, I'd have to say Peonies. I'm a sucker for the romantic blooms, they're just so beautiful!

3. Not only do you have a thriving business but you also have a gorgeous blog, what inspires you?
Oh my goodness, everything! New books, old books, new little cafes, being outdoors, my ever growing inspiration board, all kinds of magazines, music, other gorgeous blogs, fashion, colours and working on creative projects, new combinations that are unexpected.
Being surrounded by creative friends and a creative industry means you're never short of new ideas. I'm so lucky to work in a vocation where no two jobs are the same so it definitely keeps me on my toes. And being surrounded by beautiful blooms makes me appreciate the small things which always brings me back to earth!

4. Many brides favour soft tones over bright colour for their wedding day, any tips for going bright?
Working in ivory, nudes and blush tones will always look gorgeous for brides, but if you're wanting to go bright there are a few main points that will keep it more fabulous and less frightening.

• Try to keep it simple, perhaps work with a mass of one bloom, for example candy pink peonies, purple hydrangeas, cobolt blue delphiniums, bright green goddess lilies or golden sunflowers.
  
• If you've decided to work with colours but want to soften the bouquets, working in different shades of your chosen colour will lessen the impact of the posies, especially in photos.
  
• And another small tip, if you're wanting to keep the tone of the day clean and gorgeous with hits of colour, keep your bridesmaids frocks a neutral tone which will really make the flowers pop.

5. Three quick tips for brides to be to remember when choosing flowers for their wedding?

1. Work with a theme for your day. If the word theme freaks you out and makes you think 'under the sea', try to choose three words that express how you want your day to be. This is a good starting point and will help with colours and styles immensely.
2. Don't necessarily try to match everything, contrast looks fantastic when done right!
3. Chat to your florist about what you love, but also what you don't love. You need to workwith someone you trust and can develop a relationship with, and giving all the information helps them to produce something you will be absolutely thrilled with.

I am so excited to announce that Nicola will be updating Amour Amour readers each month with floral trends, seasonal flowers as well as answering any burning questions you might have.
Don't be shy, just comment below or email me.

If a month is just too long a wait, you can visit Nicola at her gorgeous blog, Lovely Pretty Cheery Things!

Belles & Whiselles, Wedding Belles Stationery

I am loving this quirky, fun and modern stationery from Sydney designers, Dan and Cilla who together are the talented team behind Belles & Whiselles, a boutique stationery company.

Aren't they cute?
Cilla & Dan were inspired by Christmas degustation, ice-cream flavours from their childhood and high-tea with their friends.

Monday's Muse: Celebrity Hens

Stuck for ideas for a fabulous hens night? Whether it's your own or you're planning one for a friend these celebrity hens are the perfect inspiration.

Gail Elliott
"Dinner was at Balthazar on Spring Street in Soho (NY) and Ten’s Cabaret on East 21st Street! ...we ended up at a strip club downtown where we met up with the guys."
More...





Lindy Klim
"I had my hen’s night 2 weeks before my wedding, in 2006...I’d only just had Stella, my daughter, a few months before and I was still breastfeeding, so it was fairly low key. We went to Koko’s Teppanyaki at Crown in Melbourne for dinner, and then to Boutique, which is a nightclub in Melbourne, for a dance."
More...

Clare Press

"I’m known to be pretty squeamish about strippers and have a low tackiness threshold, so they avoided the penises/dress made of condoms etc. They had to be creative! When I arrived (at Lo Studio, Surry Hills) I was met with 60 versions of me, in black dresses – my friends were all holding up masks of my face. It was weird! Very Being John Malkovich. After that shock, it was just chic: canapés, champagne and a lot of dancing (at Lady Lux in Kings Cross)"
More...

And, moi!

"The evening was held in the private dining room of Otto restaurant at Woolloomooloo wharf in Sydney. It is has great food and a private dining area which was key to make it more intimate and special. Afterwards we partied at a fabulous city apartment!" More...

Thank you Sucheta (Chief Hen) for including me in this fun feature!

See here for more on these fabulous hens and here for great ideas and advice from the Chief Hen herself!

It's Our Birthday (and I almost forgot!)

Oops!
This week has been so busy I forgot our first birthday!

Amour Amour is One year old (and 9 days!)
Thank you to all my beautiful readers and followers.
There are so many of you who visit every day it makes my day to see you've come by!

Stationery from Alannah Rose

French Navy Stationery

I was delighted when a little navy blue package appeared on my desk, even more so when I unwrapped a set of oh so elegant French Navy Note cards.

Reading the accompanying note, I felt like Miss French Navy was a lady after my own heart.
Miss French Navy is the modern woman who knows how to be graceful in any situation. Growing up, Miss French Navy was always impressed and enchanted by the elegant people, stylish magazines and coffee table books that seemed to be ever present in her world.

This chic stationery is a new favourite of mine!
I am loving the quality textured stock, simple designs and beautifully lined envelopes.

And my favourite?
A, for... Amour Amour of course!