We've Postponed Our September Wedding.

Yes, you read that correct. We've postponed our wedding and here is the reason why...

Well, you can probably guess why we've postponed it. The awful C word? Exactly that.

I don't want to speak too negatively about what's going on in this crazy world right now, but this is life and unfortunately we've had to make a big decision and I feel like I should share what has been going on. It also helps me feel better getting things off my mind.

The past month has been one massive whirlwind, that's for sure. Liam and I have been through so many different emotions, we've received lots of different opinions and advice from friends and family too. There has also been lots of stress and many tears with it.

If you would've told me at the start of 2020 that in a few months time I'd be making a decision to cancel my wedding, I would've laughed, maybe even cried. Even though it feels like September is ages away, it is only 4 months away and things could go one way or another from now. I truly believe everything will have blown over by September but I also believe there will still be some restrictions in place. We had sat down multiple times and seriously thought about what was best for us to do. We were originally going to risk leaving our big day as it was and carry on as normal. But then we went into lockdown and our appointment to give notice of our marriage was cancelled and that's when it all felt a lot more real.

I hadn't even been for my first dress fitting or alteration, along with needing to get the bridesmaid dresses altered. Liam was still suit hunting and hadn't found any he liked for him and the groomsmen. Liam's stag do for the end of April was cancelled and mine at the end of May is still highly likely to also be cancelled. We agreed that everything was going to be one big rush by the time lockdown was going to be lifted.
We wanted to get married and celebrate our marriage as normal as possible. The main reason we made our decision is that Liam and I are very close to our families, so having them all around us and celebrating with us on our special day is so important to us both as well as their health. So we decided, if there's a possibility of large gatherings and/or vulnerable people not being allowed at weddings, we're not going ahead with ours.

When we first looked into moving our wedding with our venue, they were more than happy to help us, but they had limited dates for next year. After collecting around five possible new dates from our venue, we had to contact the suppliers that we already had booked for September to see what they could do. Most of them were very limited on dates and a few of them were already booked up for 2021, so this really made our final decision.
We were going to lose our photographer, cake maker and my hairstylist along with the deposits we had paid. We thought, if we leave it any longer, we're going to lose more suppliers and more money as well as finding it harder to get a new date and re-book new suppliers.

Even though we were extremely upset about the big decision we had made, all the excitement had suddenly come back knowing that we will definitely get our day, even if it is nine months later. So we looked at the positives; we can re-organise and plan our hen and stags again, everyone will be able to attend our wedding, we can definitely go away for our honeymoon and we can save up even more money to buy a house this year. Well, hopefully.

Of course we didn't have to postpone our wedding, but we truly made the decision that we thought was best for us. I haven't written this to scare any other brides/grooms of 2020 away. I wrote this to purely get everything off my mind and of course, to let all of you know because you've been following my wedding planning journey. Also, I think it will be interesting to look back on in years to come. Everyone has their own opinions and every couple is different and I think that needs to be respected.

The lead up to your wedding is meant to be a really exciting time and we just weren't feeling excited about it anymore. Since postponing, it's like a huge weight has been lifted off of our shoulders. I'm so glad to say that we are both really excited again and enjoying even more planning.
We're so lucky to have the most supportive friends and family too.
Here's to the 3rd of June 2021.

The Eye Cream Worth Every Penny

I have been a lover of the Extra Eye Repair Cream from Bobbi Brown for years and in all honesty, I think I will love it forever more. Every time I finish a pot of this cream, I repurchase it and repeat.

I used to be awful with skincare in the past. All the way through my teens, I used makeup wipes every day to rub off my makeup and never used any type of moisturiser, serums or creams. Looking back now, it honestly makes me cringe how I used to drag my skin with a wipe to get my makeup off, especially under my eyes as the skin is thinner and more sensitive.

A few years ago, after trying a sample of this eye cream, it changed my skin for the better and I massively improved in caring for my skin altogether. I still remember being stunned when I first used the sample pot because I literally noticed a difference within days. The fine lines in the inner corners of my eyes had reduced massively within only a week, and that's how my obsession with this eye cream started.

"This rich, concentrated cream visibly revives eyes - so you look extra well rested. A Bobbi Brown best-seller, this formula with peptides, natural plant oils, and humectants targets fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness and dryness."

The cream itself is quite thick, although it sits very lightly on the skin - which is great for during the day, especially if you'll be wearing it under makeup, you don't want anything too heavy. I actually find that my concealer applies a lot better and looks smoother with this eye cream underneath as well.

A little really goes a long way with this product, a pot of this seems to last me absolutely ages and I use it every morning and night without fail. Currently, it's retailing at £48.50 and I strongly believe you get your moneys worth without a doubt. You only need a tiny amount of product, warm it up between your two ring fingers and gently pat it in under the eyes. On top of that, it absorbs fairly quickly too, so there's no waiting around to put your makeup on in the mornings.
It has really helped brighten up my eyes and reduced the appearance of dark circles as well as make my under eyes look more hydrated and firmer overall. It definitely does what it says, that's for sure.


Have you ever tried the extra eye repair cream or a good alternative?

20 Things To Do Whilst Staying at Home

 I'm not much of a social person, I never have been. To be honest, I've always preferred spending Saturday evenings in my pyjamas scoffing a takeaway and watching crap TV than going 'out out'. However, I'm now at the point where I feel like all of my days are merged into one. I got into too much of a routine and now I'm bored. So as the UK lockdown is set for another three weeks, here are 20 things to do whilst staying at home...

1. Bake

2. Learn a new language - I love Duolingo for learning Spanish!

3. Play a videogame - The Sims 3, Club Penguin, Habbo Hotel, Mario Kart on the Wii are just some I've been playing. I've even dug out my old Nintendo DS!

4. Follow a workout online

5. Give your phone a clear out 

6. Spend time improving your cooking skills or learning a new recipe

7. Start a scrapbook

8. Clear out and re-organise drawers and cupboards around the house

9. Read a book

10. Watch YouTube

11. Videocall friends and family

12. Get involved and experience TikTok - it's honestly so much fun and great for passing time!

13. Find a new series to watch on Netflix

14. Have a pamper day - paint your nails, toes, slap on a face & hair mask and have a chill in the bath.

15. Sort through your Pinterest boards

16. Spend some time colouring or painting

17. Clean your makeup brushes

18. Find an old series to watch - I've found all of my old box sets of Waterloo Road and I am so happy about it! I may also watch Charmed from the beginning too.

19. Learn a new skill - I want to learn how to do the splits, a handstand and French plait my own hair.

20. Listen to a podcast

My Self Tanning Routine

I have experienced many years of fake tanning and tried loads of different products and techniques (quite a few dodgy ones at that). I have been using Bondi Sands for a few years now and I'd never go back to anything else. It's the only tan I've really proper loved and spend every last penny on.

I always prep the day before I want to tan. I hop in the shower, shave wherever needs to be shaved and then exfoliate my whole body to get rid of any dead skin cells. I either use a scrub from The Body Shop or one from Soap & Glory - both brands are great! If I have old tan on from the week before, I pump some of Bondi Sands self tan eraser onto an exfoliating glove and just go over my body which loosens the tan, then I lightly exfoliate over to remove the rest and then shave as normal. After drying myself off, I moisturise my whole body as I usually would after a normal shower.

Before applying my tan, I moisturise my chest, hands, elbows, knees, feet and ankles, just any areas that are dry and that tan would cling to. I do this about 20-30 minutes before I tan so it gives the moisturiser time to sink in. I've been switching between the Bondi Sands self tanning foam in light/medium and their dark foam. I used to use the dark tan all the time but because I'm so pale I had quite a few people say it looked too dark.

So I only now really use the dark one for an occasion or if I'm going out at the weekend (which is hardly ever!). The light/medium shade is the perfect colour for me, it gives me a healthy glow but nothing too drastic. I squirt two or three pumps onto a mitt and start at my feet and work my way up in circular motions. I usually have Liam about to tan my back for me, if not, I tie my mitt onto a clothes hanger with a hairband and reach around to my back, it works a treat!

 I'm not gonna lie, it does have a slight biscuity smell that everyone hates (apart from me), but it's not too overpowering like other tans on the market, you can also actually smell a twinge of coconut so it's not too bad.
Depending on what I'm doing on the day of tanning, I sometimes sleep in it or let it develop during the day. If I tan during the day, I leave it on for 3 or 4 hours and put on some loose, dark clothing. Or if I sleep in it, it's obviously left on for a longer amount of time, but to be honest it doesn't go that much darker.
When I wash it off, I don't use body wash I just rinse with the showerhead until the water runs clear. I then pat myself dry with a dark coloured towel.

I've never found the light/medium shade to have a noticeable fade, it actually fades out really nicely. Whereas the dark shade was a lot more noticeable. To maintain the tan, I very lightly exfoliate in the shower every few days. I also moisturise every day, especially my feet and hands. I have quite dry hands anyway, so I also use hand cream more often throughout the day too. In the summer I like to have more of a glow, so I tend to use the Bondi Sands Everyday Liquid Gold after a few days of applying my usual tan. It's a gradual tanning dry oil so it just boosts your tan and gives it a little refresh.

Are you a tanner? What do you use?

Six Ways To Keep Yourself Motivated During COVID-19

Oh hey, I haven't been around for about a month or so and honestly, I've missed it. 

I've missed my little space on the internet where I can escape and take my mind off of things, especially now with what's going on in the world.

I'm not going to lie, I have really been struggling but I know everybody else is in the same boat. So, I have put together a list of ways to keep yourself motivated and positive during this time.

I've put this on the top on my list for a reason. I feel like I can't get anything done if I'm lounging around in my pyjamas. Even if I get changed into joggers or leggings and a hoodie, I feel much more awake and motivated than sitting in my pyjamas that I've slept in all night.

 Exercise is so important. Not only does it help you sleep better, it improves your mood and relieves stress which is what I think we all need right now, oh and you'll have that summer bod ready! If you didn't do exercise before this global pandemic, now is a great time to get yourself into it! As I haven't been able to go to my ballet classes and boxing classes for a few weeks now, I've really been missing them.

So, as well as prancing around the kitchen in my ballet shoes, I've also been doing home workouts. Every other morning (I try every morning), I have been out in the garden to do a 30 minute workout. I usually follow Courtney Black's workouts, she's been doing them live every day on Instagram. Cassie from Blogilates on YouTube is also amazing! Luckily, there are so many PTs on Instagram and YouTube to follow at the moment. 

I've even dragged out the Wii Fit, I forgot how much I loved that!

We've been very lucky to have gorgeous weather at the moment which is why I've been getting fresh air pretty much every morning. It honestly makes me feel so much more positive and it's extremely important to get that Vitamin D. Even if you just open a window, it'll do the world of good.

We're so lucky in this day and age to have so many fantastic ways to communicate with people. Especially with what's going on in the world right now, it's crucial to check in on friends and family to make sure they're all doing ok and to see if they need anything. On top of the worries about COVID-19, I've also been stressing about our wedding in early September. I'm praying that it'll all blow over by then but it's just the unknown and having zero control that I've been stressed about. When I have felt down about it, so many close friends and family have been supporting me. Never bottle up how you feel! 

I'm one of those overly-organised people, like when they have an idea they need to do it there and then. For example, changing the layout of the bedroom or redecorating the house - I get excited about ideas and like to get stuff done. I've found that putting together a weekly schedule has really helped me spread things out and actually get other things done as well as stopping my brain from going into overdrive.

I've had to take a few breaks now and then mainly from Twitter and Facebook. All the news, rumours and stories have been too much for me and I instantly go from being in a great mood to an anxious mess and admittedly, I've cried a number of times. 

Whether you delete an app or turn off your phone for a few hours, it's good to take a break.

I hope you've found at least a couple of things on this list helpful.

Take care of yourselves.

x