Dress: Eliza Parker
Shoes: Wittner
Necklace: Tu
I woke up this morning, and realised that I was now, officially, two weeks from The Big Day. Exciting!
We finally knuckled down our seating plan, and I started writing the place-cards today while The Sophisticate is at (another!) Buck’s Party (not his own).
The lead-up to the wedding has not been without its hiccups, we’ve had some reception issues and some family issues (really, what wedding is complete without those, right?) but considering we’re two weeks out and I only have a few big jobs left to do I’m feeling pretty relaxed about the whole thing (touch wood).
I realised earlier today when I was putting away a few bits and pieces, that pretty much everything I’ve sourced for the wedding has come from online stores. Jewellery, lingerie, shoes, makeup, bridesmaid dresses, bridesmaid gifts, my hairpiece, place cards. Even my knickers and pantyhose came from online. I don’t know if that’s indicative of the kind of shopping that I do, or the fact that I was so apprehensive of what the folks at A Practical Wedding refer to as WIC (Wedding Industry Complex) that I just avoided shopping in store fronts like the plague.
To be honest, I did look in a few windows, but everything seemed so fussy and lace-covered, and they all seemed to have extra zeros tacked on at the end of the price tags. The pieces I found online were much more my style, and certainly much more wallet-friendly
As ever, shopping online is not without its perils – especially when you’re trying to put together an entire ensemble and have no idea whether everything will work with everything else. As a result I have two extraneous bracelets, a spare pair of earrings, one too many hairpieces, and six unwearable bridal basques.
Enough about the wedding, though – I’m sure you’re all sick to death of hearing me bang on about it. Let me tell you about my new dress instead!
My WONDERFUL friend Jessica from Eliza Parker was sadly not about to join me at my, er, thing in two weeks time, but she sent a couple of treats in the mail, one of which I’ll definitely be packing for the honeymoon, so she’s kind of there in spirit.
This is the (sparkly!) purple version of Eliza Parker’s Sofia Dress, which I also have in the plum.
It fits just as beautifully as the first, with a slightly snugglier fabric – excellent for the bewildering cold snap that Melbourne’s subjecting us to in the middle of summer.
I do love the way the gathered neckline on this dress curves around the contours of my, um, bosoms. It means I can wear the higher neckline without suffering from the dreaded mono-boob, and my adorable Balloon Dog necklace nestles nicely in the valley 🙂
I bought the necklace at a craft market a few months ago, from a shop called “Tu”, but I can’t see it on the site anymore. Have a bit of a google though, and plenty of other versions show up.
Two weeks! Eek, it’ll fly by and before you know it you’ll be Mrs Sophisticate (unless you are like me and stay with your maiden name??). I got the majority of my stuff from the internet to – inc my dress! Only the bridesmaids outfits and the flowers were bought off line.
Love the Eliza Parker dress. I think it was Jessica I spoke to about EP sponsoring the blogger event I’m organising (http://pluslondontwo.tumblr.com/) and she was lovely AND agreed to sponsor! Haha.
If you don’t post beforehand – Good luck with the wedding! I am sure it will be an amazing day. x
That’s great, Claire! Good luck with the organising! And thankyou 🙂
I adore this dress. You’re fantastic. And, totally inspiring.
Thanks Jena! All credit to Eliza Parker, their clothes are amazing
I love buying online and i love the diea that you bought most things for your wedding online, just because i will be getting married to soon!
Congratulations on getting this far with all the planning and im sure things will run just smoothly 🙂
Could you do a post on all the items you bought on the internet for the wedding? I know that it will help me, and perhaps others, when planning their big day 🙂
I don’t really like shopping as much in store as i find my taste a bit different and can find most of the things i like online.
I DEFINITELY will! Thanks, Marina 🙂
Gorgeous!
How do you find the sizing in that dress? I am kinda between sizes…
I also can’t WAIT for your wedding! How exciting…
Hi Alana,
Jessica usually sends me the 10/12 – I’m pretty much bang in the middle of the size chart. The skirt’s very full, and the fabric’s got a bit of give in it. It’s pull on, and it takes a bit of wriggling to get on, so if you’re between sizes with the bust I’d say size up, otherwise you should be fine with the lower size.
When a friend was getting married a few years ago, I suggested that she looked at things/shops that weren’t actually “bridal”, There seems to be a massive markup just because something is labelled as bridal wear.
I noticed that too! Plus it’s all so generic!
Oh Lilli im so excited for you and can wait to see all the pics!
Thanks Rachael! Soon, hopefully!
Because I am ridiculous, the two week thing didn’t occur to me until today, when I thought “In two weeks time Lilli will ALREADY be married and the Sophisticate will be Mr Frou-Frou!” And I don’t suppose the Sophisticate went to the same bucks as a certain Literary Spunk, did he…?
I WISH! No, but it sounds like it was a similar event!
Your long hair is so pretty!
Thanks Stella! It’s starting to drive me crazy though! I’m looking forward to going the chop again!
what a lovely dress! the color is incredible, and it looks so comfy, too!
Thankyou! It is remarkably comfortable!
I’m two weeks post wedding and in the reflective stage!!
I bought most of our wedding things online too!! And it was great! Shopping at a time that suited you!! No over zealous sales assistants! Shopping in pjs!! So much cheaper and soo many more unique items that means the wedding will be just at you two !! Instead of a cardboard cut out of what others expect!!
Enjoy the day!! It’s so awesome!! The best advice I had was to make sure u eat something before hand and make sure u give urselt time to eat at the wedding!! It just flies by!! Enjoy Jo
Thanks Jo! Sound advice! I spend most of the early part of the day at the “bridal salon”, and apparently high tea is served there, so I won’t be going to my wedding hungry!
Ah, that’s so exciting! I’m glad you are a fan of APW, it’s a great site, and it meant a lot to find an online community that got the whole Wedding Industrial Complex – it was also great to write for it after the event as it really helped to feel that my experience mattered, as opposed to the experience that the Wedding Industrial Complex told me I should be having. Hope you manage to have a calm and happy few weeks in the run up – we nearly fell out over the seating plan! And I love the dress, contouring effects are where its at!
Thanks Clare,
so far so good. A few hiccups, but nothing we haven’t been able to overcome!
I’d heard all sorts of terrifying things about the seating plan, but surprisingly it only took us an hour! Either amazing, or we’ve seated people COMPLETELY wrong!
I love the little balloon dog necklace – it is so delightfully kitsch 🙂
Best wishes for your wedding – I hope its all you dreamed for.
Gems x
Lilli, I realize as I write this that it’s even less than two weeks to your big day! Oh my goodness, the excitement is building! I can’t wait to see photos of that wedding dress of yours. In the meantime, the color of this dress is just gorgeous and the little balloon dog necklace, I’ve never seen anything this adorable! I love it! 🙂
hee hee, love the balloon poodle. i have a really similar one i got on etsy a couple years ago and just love wearing it. though, i have this unintentional habit of pairing it with my striped shirt with french on it. i have to be careful not to wear a beret too or i delve into mime territory. 😉