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Whilst I was aware that an extravagant weekend away was being planned for the hardcore friends (read: drinkers) in my social circle, I didn't want some very special ladies in my life to miss feeling part of it – hence, the two part Hen Party antics that I was treated to. My mother, godmother, cousins and not to mention new mother-in-law found a trip to London far more practical than wherever I will be heading off to in a few short weeks! (Not that I know where that'll actually be, I'm sure Bognor isn't that far!)
Dress code: Vintage Glamour
Location: Betty Blythe Tearooms, West London
Time: 1.30pm
Being in bride-on-a-mission mode, I had planned my morning to within a minute's detail. Again, good practice for the Big Day! First stop, contact lens assessment and trial as there is still a pretty large chance I won't be able to rely on my eyes to find the groom at the end of the aisle! Damn vanity and not opting for a geek chic wedding theme!
Next onto Space NK for my second make-up trial – the first being in January when my skin was at its palest so I was back with a bit more Spring blush in my cheeks. Working with a fabulous make-up artist (one of the region's award-winners no less) and sharing my extended Pinterest board of inspiration, my look for 'natural bridal glow' - READ: "natural" (err let's say medium coverage), "bridal" (but with a vampier eye), "glow" (big yes to contouring) - was achieved. Armed with an amazing Chantecaille Future Skin foundation matched to my Spring/Summer skin tone, an incredible NARSissist matte/shimmer eyeshadow palette, Kevin Aucoin's 'The Flesh Tone Lip Pencil' and matching peachy Chantecaille lipstick, my credit card took a hit but the face looked the part!
Final part of the look, you've guessed it, was the hair! Having spent a year dedicated to ensuring my hair is at its healthiest; goodbye hair dye and heat tooling, hello salon treatments and regular cuts, I was struggling with the notion that healthy hair, in my case, doesn't hold a great curl. A total bummer as that's exactly what I’m after! Anyway, an awesome blow-dry later but I was running 30 minutes late! Yes there's a tradition for the bride to turn up late on her wedding day but I don't think that applies to the Hen Do. So a certain flustered version of myself (but with good hair and make-up thankfully) dashed home to hop into the new ASOS outfit I'd ordered – when better an occasion to wear a white tulle tutu skirt that this?!
Stepping out of a black taxi, I got shivers up my spine thinking this is exactly how I will be arriving to the church in a few weeks time. Walking into the beautiful and quaint tearooms in Brook Green seeing a room full of my favourite faces completely overwhelmed me. Normally quite a loud person in a room full of people, suddenly I was the quietest and had to suppress the overwhelming happiness coming out of my eyeballs in liquid form – yes, the mascara I was wearing may have been prepared for all conditions (even 40 degrees heat) but this was not the time to test it!
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| Project 365: 41 days to go |
Feeling particularly merry as the afternoon wore on, I was ushered out to the garden surrounded by lots of whispering in the crowd. Whilst my mother took on 11 rounds with her iPhone and a tree to video the sequence of events, she managed to completely miss capturing the flurry of white confetto that showered over me! Never mind, time for take 2 – here's the pictures.
The night concluded with the remaining hardcore drinkers working through the alcohol, a Facetime with my sister who was "just hanging" in a hammock in Columbia, and a delicious order from Chosen Bun. Life was complete and I was one happy gal.