The Big Day

Now I'm sure most of you who follow me across social media are aware that I got married in April. I flooded the internet briefly with all of my favourite snaps but I did not want to go into too much detail until I received all of the photos back. I had heaps of questions regarding my dress, accessories, underwear, locations etc so I've jam packed this post with all the links and information you might need.

Our wedding was very non-traditional and perfectly planned to suit us. From the moment we started planning our nuptials we knew we wanted a no fuss event with little stress and lots of fun. We knew that no stress part was never really going to happen but the event itself was laid back, beautiful and exactly what we wanted.

With our families combined and the best of the best humans, we had one of the most brilliant days. Our ceremony was held at the Boy on the Turtle at Fitzroy Gardens. This was the same location that my husband's parents were married, so it was extra special that we got to share the same spot for our wedding. With a tiny wedding party of our best friends Margie and Matt and my step children Ophelia and Jonas, we had a super fast ceremony packed with things that were true to us. Vows containing a little love for all things horror, cheese and music related. Music by Mariachi El Bronx and The Descendents played and bubbles filled the air.

After our super fast ceremony we snuck off for sneaky drinks in the park and Brooke Orchard took care of all of our photography. Unlike most weddings, we only hired one photographer for the first half of the wedding as we just wanted to focus on fun at the reception.

The reception was held at Temple Brewery, a stunning micro brewery in East Brunswick, Victoria. They took such amazing care of us and filled our tummies with copious amounts of yummy food and amazing beers. So here are some of my favourite images captured on our special day. I've listed all the links for each item below if by chance you want to nab a few of the items.

My Dress : 

Custom Creation from Baylis and Knight - Price TBA

After googling lace gown/Dita I came across a UK based Etsy store named Baylis and Knight. I fell hard for their lace evening dresses and quickly asked if they could combine two of my favourite styles into one dress! Then with a little bright pop of green my ultimate wedding dress was created. I've never been a fan of white or full and formal wedding gowns so I opted for a stretch lace swing style with lots of cleavage. I think this style was perfect for me and it meant I was comfortable all day long! I could eat, drink and dance up a storm with no issues all while looking and feeling amazing. 

The Groom's Outfit : 

ASOS Slim Fit Blazer With Embroidery - $85.00

Skinny Black Jeans 

Custom Belt Descendents Belt Buckle with Silly Girl and Milo - EBAY

Black European Fit Shirt from Bossini - $50.00

Red Western Bowtie Etsy - $25.73

ASOS Chelsea Boots in Black Leather - $60.00

Triple Red Rose -  $19.00

The Villianess Black Leather Lace Up Belt - $64.85

Stardust Confetti Green Wing Earrings (sold out buy you can find some others here) - $25 to $30 

After being a fan of Gigi's Retro Closet and her amazing floral creations for a while now I knew that she would be making the perfect hair flower for my special day. I was going to order some over the top, perfectly paired to my dress floral arrangement but as soon as I saw this simple double rose I fell in love and I instantly bought it along with a single velvet red rose for my bridesmaid. With their great prices and stunning selection of flower and colours I think I've got a bit of an addiction to their awesome styles. These flowers paired wonderfully with my Stardust Confetti earrings from Kat Frankies and I get all of my retro style earrings here. 

Now on my wedding day I couldn't wear any old black belt, nope I needed something with perfect for my bold dress and something with a little darkness! So I headed over to Contrived To Charm and found this simply stunning hand crafted black leather corset waist belt. It paired perfectly with the green and black fabric of my dress and added almost an old world, fairytale feel to my outfit with the black ribbon/corset fastening at the back. I'm now saving up for another of her stunning hand tooled belts as I've fallen head over heels for the stunning bat wings belt and need it asap.  

Chevron Purse in Green Glitter Vinyl and Black Trim by Pinup Couture - $98.00

Melissa Shoes Ultragirl Heel + Karl Lagerfeld - Originally $175 now only $69.99

I could not create my wedding outfit without some thing from Pinup Girl Clothing! The moment they released the Chevron Purse I knew the green glitter was the perfect match for my dress. As my style was more cocktail than formal I wanted a bag to that paired perfectly with my entire outfit and that held all of the essentials needed on the day. The quality and design of Pinup Couture's handbag line is second to none and this is now my 4th purse from their line. The retro styling, quality and colour selections make them the stand them the perfect accessory for all outfits. 

I knew many people would wonder what shoe I'd choose for such an event as I seem to have a rather large and always growing collection. For a day full of walking, dancing, standing, posing and running about like crazy I needed something stunning yet comfortable. So it had to be Melissa Shoes! I collect a few things but one of my main obsessions is sunglasses. I pick a new pair up whenever I have the spare cash and can't get enough of all the different styles out there be it modern or vintage. So when I discovered these adorable sling back 4 inch heels with a peep toe and sunglasses I instantly purchased them. They were the first item I bought even before I designed my wedding dress so my outfit was basically designed around them. I will admit by the time I hit the dance floor flats were needed but these are super comfortable for a full day's wear. They also come in pink or grey and a have a ballet flat option. 

My Bridesmaid's outfit : 

Erin Dress in Black by Pinup Couture - $96.00

Simple green ribbon sash - DIY 

Red Velvet Rose - $9.00

When my best friend and bridesmaid Margie and I discussed her dress I wanted her to be able to feel comfortable and wear something she liked and would wear again. We both adore Pinup Girl Clothing and she has a been a big fan of the Erin dress for a while now. So we went for the black version which I have to say is the perfect LBD! Such a stunning shape and fit and I loved the look when paired with my outfit! 

For the Best man we opted for a more relaxed version of the grooms outfit with a smaller red rose motif and not western tie. The option of black jeans over suit pants meant these boys were super comfortable all day and they loved it. I absolutely love this look and I'll be making my husband collect a few more of these western ties. 

Our outfits paired together so well and I love the green, black and red theme throughout the wedding. We both live in these colours so it was the obvious choice. This is one of my favourite shots for the day. 

 

On our way to snapping our official wedding photos we had to have a sneaky beverage or two! Pimms and bubbles for the girls and Coopers Pale Ale for the boys. Yep, we can pose and pretend to be proper but in the end we are dorks and proud of it.

Now I've not included any of the extended family shots as I won't do that without each person's permission but I just wanted to included this stunning shot of my stunning step kids Ophelia and Jonas! They were perfectly paired on the day and rocked the colour and theme with ease. Ophelia wore a simple black skater dress with a emerald green sash and Jonas wore black skinny jeans and a shirt version of his dad's suit jacket. They looked like proper little rockabilly kids! Brooke captured them so beautifully and she is brilliant at making your little ones look amazing! They were an integral part of the ceremony and rocked at their ring and flower girl/page boy duties. They almost look too grown up in this photo to play those parts! 

All flowers by North St Botanical 

I was a little lost for ideas when it came to flowers and being a non traditional bride I could not think of what would suit me the most. While I wanted lilies or orchids I knew that being April they would be out of season. So I sent my bridesmaid off to with two main wants : something natural looking featuring green and red. The end result was our two bouquets and 4 pin wholes for both the boys and the kids. I love how effortless and stunning these were. North Street Botanical is a unique, fresh and creative store providing everything you desire when it comes to flowers, from unique floral arrangements to corporate events. 

So that's a little taste of our wedding and all the links you might need to pick up anything that we wore on our brilliant day. If you have any more questions ask away in the comment sections below. 

I Want Your Skull

Being a very curvy and busty girl I've found that shirt shopping is an absolute nightmare. If a shirt fits me in the bust it won't fit me in the arms and visa versa - there is never a middle ground! I'm a size 16 so if I try plus size brands they won't fit me in the waist but give me ample room in the bust, a standard store gives me room everywhere else but then I get the button pop.

But after searching for years I went out on a limb and decided to try the latest offering from Wheels and Dollbaby as they have expanded their shirts to a size 16! Now let me gush about this brilliant shirt that is everything I've been looking for in a button up. I knew when reviewed the La Carla Bruni Blouse that I was going to have no issues with fit for this western style.

Wheels & Dollbaby Skull Western Shirt - $190.00

Wheels & Dollbaby Irma La Douce Pencil Skirt in Red - $290.00

TEEZE-08 BLACK PU-WHITE POLKA DOTS - $94.00

Skull Net Fascinator from Gigi's Retro Closet - TBA

The Skull Western is a an amazing fit in the 16 and I can button it up over my bust and down to my hips without an issue (any pulls on the shirt are due to my bust being a little large due to a corset). It hugs my curves and is super soft and smooth as it's made from a cotton voile. 

Now lets just go crazy for the skull print please? It's hot!!! I love skulls but rarely do I wear them in such a bold print. This fabric had me smitten from moment one so I had to have it. 

This shirt has limited stretch so if you are unsure be sure to double check with with the size chart prior to purchasing. For non stretch items at Wheels & Dollbaby I tend to go for a 16. In stretch I can do 14 or 16 and for oversized items like the angora sweaters I wear a size 10. 

I've paired this shirt with the amazing Irma La Douce Skirt in red and my all time favourite polka dot Teeze platforms from Shoe Me Gorgeous. I love the mix of prints and one bold, bright solid and mixing up two different prints in the same colours. 

If you are looking for a silky high waisted pencil skirt full of sex appeal and va-va-voom then look no further. The Irma is a stunning creation made from double layered stretch matte deluxe satin and is soft like butter. The stretch satin is hugs your body and stretches that much I could have gone down one size for a tighter fit. I adore the bold black plus velvet buttons which are actually functional, you can open a few for a higher slit or just wear it as shown.

Loving the red, black and white combo here and how well they work together. I'm so very in love with the Irma and need it in ever colour including black, Mary Antoinette and leopard print. They are perfect for all seasons and I would love to style the leopard version next autumn and winter.

Now for a closer look at my amazing fascinator from the amazing Gigi's Retro Closet. When I found this style at Halloween I had to snap it up as it's everything I adore all rolled up into one amazing piece. Packed with red and black roses, glitter, skulls, spiders and more and it's not just for Halloween! Now Gigi's is currently sold out of this style but there are so many more items you can choose from or you can make a custom order for whatever you heart may desire! I think I need to get this amazingly talented designer to create me something unique for my wedding next year. Below are a few styles that are close to this spooky headpiece.

Wicked We We Weave - $55.00

Red Roses in Black Night - $55.00

My True Love - $29.00

My Bleeding Heart - $19.00

How amazing are these babies? I think I need to spoil myself once a month so I can shoot them forever.

Many thanks to the always brilliant Julz Photography for shooting these images with me and for making me feel amazing! Can't wait to shoot more with you in the new year!

Voodoo Doll

These past few months have been brilliant for finding new brands to go gaga about! From clothing to accessories I've found two brilliant designers that I'm absolutely head over heels for right now.

So who has got me so excited and I have to admit super excited to get dressed for this summer? Voodoo Vixen and Gigi's Retro Closet! Yes I know I'm a little slow to the Voodoo Vixen party but I only discovered the brand midway through last year and fell hard for their latest range.

Based in the UK and distributed throughout the world Voodoo Vixen are a pinup/retro inspired clothing company offering both standard and plus sizing. With stunning unique prints, great fabrics and amazing fits you will definitely love many if not all of their range. I recently had the pleasure of shooting my two favourite dresses from their current range.

Voodoo Vixen Connie Dress  - £49.99 

Sweet Sweater in Black from Heart of Haute - $39.99

From the moment I laid eyes on this amazing cats eye glasses print I was sold! In my mind there is nothing  better than a bold red swing dress but when that dress comes with a brilliant black retro glasses print and a cross over neckline then it's even more of a dream. A full skirted swing style with a unique criss cross neckline and thin black piping around the bustline. 

I paired this with my amazing red floral hair flower from Gigi's Retro Closet. Gigi's is an Australian based handmade hair accessories company and I swear I'll never need another hair accessory shop again. Her work is absolutely amazing and the detail on each clip or fascinator is fabulous. At the Gigi's Retro Closet Etsy shop you will find a hair accessory for any and every occasion. From Christmas, to Halloween, every day and one for every outfit. With a large floral clip priced at $25 and full facinators at $50 plus you can pick up a few stunning hand made items to cover all of your outfits. I adore the pairing of the reds in this clip and the different texture and size of each of the petals.

I'm wearing the Connie Dress in a size XL and I found it to be a perfect on the waist, around the bust and sleeves. The best feature other than the glasses motif has to be the hidden pockets, they always make an already fantastic item into an amazing one. 

Voodoo Vixen Hazel Dress - £42.99 

TEEZE-08 BLACK PU-WHITE POLKA DOTS - $115.00

Next is my new absolute favourite and the best LBD I've ever owned - the Hazel! This little mod inspired number is an absolute dream to wear with its silky soft stretch fabric and sheer sleeve. Shorter than the previously shown style but still a real showstopper. Now the Connie Dress is more my day time style while this is definitely a date night or cocktail party style. I'm wearing this style in a size XL and I've found it to be a perfect fit with my curves.

Now this style is sold out on Voodoo Vixens website but you can find it via the following online retailers : Eggs n Chips (UK), Beserk (AU) and Rebels Market (UK).

I paired this with my bright and beautiful tropical yellow hair flower and I adore the mix of black with a bright pop of colour. This amazing piece is perfect for my deep red locks and I love the how it works with my outfit. Each hair clip or accessory is fastened with sturdy alligator clips and can be secured with extra pins if you plan to dance, jump or frolic. 

As you can see this dress is rather short but it's the perfect length for my height and my booty. Any one out there with an ample rear knows how shorter skirts can become super mini due to a big booty. This is the perfect length and does not show anything. To top the look off I wore my absolute favourite platforms from Shoe Me Gorgeous. I can't get enough of these polka dot beauties and need another pair asap.

Many thanks to the always amazing and super fun to work with Julz Photography. I absolutely adore working with Julz and it's so nice to get out of the studio and take some full length images. Can't wait to work with her again in the new year!

On a more festive note I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and to thank you for following me for the last few years. It's been an absolute pleasure creating new photo shoots and styling amazing pinup clothing for each and every review. I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store for Curves to Kill!