Thursday 20 December 2012

A personal touch.

Incorporating personal touches into your wedding is a magnificent way to make it different. A bit more fun. A bit more you.
Below are some images (Taken from our Pinterest page) that we have found and would like to share with you for inspiration on ways to incorporate personal touches into your big day.


Cocktail hour?
Plastic wine glasses filled with milk and topped with cookies make a brilliant child-friendly edition.


For table numbers that are a talking point,
include a photo of both you and your partner at that age.


A handkerchief for mum, with a personal message makes for a great gift and a personal keepsake.


A wish tree provides people with the opportunity to write a thought, compliment or a piece of advice for the couple. It also provides them with a romantic night in later on in their lives, when they can sit down, relax and read through them.


Personalised hangers.
What a brilliant touch to avoid bridesmaid dress confusion.



Small notes or poems can really transform a gift or an invitation into something extraordinary.


For a guestbook alternative;
 Guests write a message on a pebble.
This looks great in a glass jar and is a perfect way to incorporate meaningful decor into your home after the big day.



A sweet note from the bride to the groom.



A thank-you present with a sweet note is a perfect keepsake your bridesmaids.


Photo booths are a brilliant fun filled way to add something truly unique to your wedding.
There are many ways you can do it.
You can hire booths, however if you have the time and want to get a little crafty there are many templates you can find online.
Or if you're feeling creative you can make your own!

Another charming idea for photos is to have a stand, with each of your guests names on.
Place a Polaroid on the table and get each guest to replace their name with a photo that they have taken of themselves.

For an even bigger personal touch.
Place a framed chalkboard near a camera for your guests.
Get them to write a message for the couple, take a photo, then erase it ready for the next person!


Unsure on how to tell your guests where to sit for the ceremony?
This chalkboard seating plan is perfect if you do not want the structure of a formal seating plan.


Little brown paper bags, tied with a ribbon are a pretty, inexpensive and charming way to say thank-you to the guests that came, or to send to those that couldn't make it.
Fill it with cake or a couple of wallet sized photos for a really personal touch.



Do you have any ideas, that you've thought of or used for your own big day?
If so leave a comment below, we'd love to hear about them!

If you do not have a Pinterest account and would like one, comment below or inbox us on our Facebook page and we'll send you an invite!
(It's free, addictive and you wont regret it!)








Wednesday 19 December 2012

NEWS: Christmas.

Hello everyone!

Just a quick post to update you on our christmas opening times!

Friday 21st December: 10am-5pm.

Saturday 22nd December: 10am-5pm.

Sunday 23rd December: 10:30am-4:30pm.

Christmas Eve: Closed.

Christmas Day: Closed.

Boxing Day: Closed.

Thursday 27th December: 10am-5pm.

Friday 28th December: 10am-5pm.

Saturday 29th December: 10am-5pm.

Sunday 30th December: 10:30am-4:30pm.

Monday 31st December: 10am-2pm (By appointment only).

Tuesday 1st January: Closed.

Wednesday 2nd January: 10am-5pm.

Thursday 3rd January onwards: Usual opening hours resume.


If you'd like to book an appointment, please call us on:
01243 531131.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
From Everything But The Girl, xx

Tuesday 18 December 2012

The four somethings.



Old. New. Borrowed. Blue.
The four something’s.

"Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue." A wedding custom that we are all familiar with. But is the meaning behind these words well known and did you know that there is actually another line?

No?
Well continue reading and we'll share with you the meaning behind the tradition, along with some of our ideas on how you can incorporate it in to your big day, in a way that’s totally unique to your personality.


The custom began in early Victorian times and originates from the old English Nursery rhyme:

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a sixpence in her shoe."

This rhyme is often referred too as the four something’s (however many people do not include the sixpence). Each line represents a token that family members and guests of the bridal party would present to the bride as a symbol of good luck.



Something old:
Represents the continuity of the brides past moving along with her future.
Ways to incorporate:
- Wear a family heirloom. For example) a hair slide or a brooch that has been passed down through the generations.

-Visit a local antique or charity shop for a piece of vintage jewellery.

- Use vintage lace on the handle of your bouquet, garter or you could even incorporate it onto your ring bearers pillow.

- Use a classic car for wedding transportation.

-Incorporate photos of your journey, together as a couple, into your wedding venue.

- Or if you're looking for a bigger 'up-cycled' project then you'll love this! A couple of weeks ago, we had a bride visit us in the boutique for shoes. She shared with us that she had used her great grandmothers lace wedding dress and had it remade in to the style she wanted for her big day.
Amazing!



Something new:
Represents the optimism and hope for the future and the new life she'll share with her groom.
Ways to incorporate:
- Treat the bride to some new jewellery, make up, or underwear for her big day. This one is completely up to you

- Go with the bride to choose her wedding day perfume.
(Or if you want to treat her to a gift she'll never forget, some companies offer an experience where you help create your very own scent. See <here> for more details.



Something borrowed:
This is an item lent to the bride by somebody close to her and symbolises borrowed happiness. This can come from a friend or family member, however is traditionally given to a bride by a happily married couple, close to the bride. It is believed that the good fortune experienced in their marriage will carry over in to theirs. The borrowed item is also believed to be meaningful to the bride, symbolising that she will always be able to depend on her friends and family.
Ways to incorporate:
-   Borrow jewellery, hair pins or a head piece from your friends or family members.
-   Borrow your fiancés shirt or robe to wear on the morning of your big day whilst you get your hair and make up done.
-   Borrow a book from the library that has a poem or reading in it for use during the ceremony.



Something blue:
Represents love, good fortune and fidelity.
Something blue has been a tradition connected to weddings for centuries, starting with Rome, where the bride would wear blue to symbolise her love and modesty.
Ways to incorporate:
This part of the tradition is a place where your creativity can really run free. There are so many different possibilities on ways to incorporate this in to your big day.

- Have a blue colour theme.

- Incorporate blue into your flower arrangement, whether it be the flowers themselves or a piece of ribbon that binds them together.

- Use blue confetti.

- Have your nails painted blue.

- Wear blue lingerie.

- Wear a blue petticoat underneath your dress.

- Wear blue shoes (or if you want something really different dye your bridal shoes blue!)



A sixpence in her shoe:
The sixpence represents good fortune and prosperity. This is traditionally worn in the brides left shoe, however many women have been known to carry it in their purse or sewn on to the bouquet.
Ways to incorporate:
- Many sites online sell sixpences specifically for weddings,however if you want to add a more personal touch use a coin from the country of yours or your fiancés ancestry.


By choosing meaningful items, the English tradition will hold personal value for the bride and groom on their wedding day.


Did you incorporate this tradition in to your wedding? If so leave a comment below, we'd love to hear how you did it!




Monday 10 December 2012

Women Of The Year!

Friday 30th November.


Last night the 'Everything but the Girl' team attended a glamorous awards ceremony, to celebrate the success and achievements of women, across the West Sussex area. 

The Women of the Year awards ceremony was run by Johnston Press South Events in association with the Mumpreneurs Networking club and took place at the Avisford Park Hotel, in Arundel.

 The evening began with a champagne reception, which was the perfect chance to meet like minded people and to exchange stories about the journey behind the nomination. We met some amazing people and it was the perfect opportunity to network amongst local businesses.


There were a vast array of categories and some truly inspirational people attended the event, sharing their stories of hope, inspiration, courage and triumph!
It was just unfortunate that only one person could win each category!




After the champagne reception we were seated at our tables, where a bag filled with goodies from the supporting sponsors and local businesses, sat waiting for us.
The goody-bag was filled to the brim with discounts, sweets, vouchers, and many more.

The three course dinner was served swiftly, and i have to praise the staff greatly, as they were brilliant at providing our table with alternatives to suit our tables dietary requirements.


Fred Dinenage was the evenings host and he took the time to talk to each winner, finding out a little about their journey and how it felt to them to be nominated, and how it felt when he announced that they had won.


AND GUESS WHAT!


Natalie Wileman, owner and Director of 'Everything but the Girl' bridal boutique, won the award for the 'Women in Fashion' category!

The winners of the other categories were:

Most inspirational women - Theresa Bates.

Women in local government - Louise Goldsmith.

Women in healthcare - Trisha Sharps.

Woman in Art - Dale Rooks.

Woman in Community, charity or voluntary - Susie Brown.

Hair and Beauty - Carol Brown.

Young woman - Rosie Ashton.

Success story - Orla Lambe.

Woman in Education - Stephanie Cracknell.

Sportswoman - Emma Wiggs.

Mum of the Year - Jeanette Stanley.

Woman to watch - Natasha Stuart.

Online business - Jen Trew.

Woman of Courage - Sophie Warner.

Woman in Business - Rachel Boyle.

Overall Woman of the Year - Joyanne Williamson.

Readers choice -  Theresa Bates.




Overall the night was a huge hit, with Fred getting a little naughty over his love of shoes, a cheeky heckle, a full dance-floor and many worthy people being celebrated.
Well done to everyone involved and thank-you to everyone that helped organise such an amazing night.




Two of the EBTG girls!

R-L: Natalie Wileman and Robert White (Owners and Directors of EBTG).