For The Girls: Bridesmaids Dresses

This time round, we've done our research on a variety of bridesmaid brands that could satisfy any group of girls; and you know how difficult that is!

@lesheroines

Stylist Vanessa Cocchiaro redefines typical bridesmaid dressing into something much more fluid and elegant- you'll find no frumpiness here. Jumpsuits and jackets are a way for Les Heroines to deliver their sartorial inspiration while soft colours and silky fabrics retain a feminine touch.

There's really something for everyone with the wide variety of cuts and styles. We particularly love their bias cut pieces; a flattering option with a relaxed fit. They're versatile and definitely easy to move around in!

@leaveherwilder_bridesmaid

Dusty sage and warm rust immediately caught our eye with their flowing, simple silhouettes. We looked a bit closer and were delighted to find that they offer 12 beautiful colours for each of their designs in a vicose/rayon blend in sizes XS to XL, all hand dyed and made in New Zealand.

You know what this means, right? Every bridesmaid would find her fit in the exact shade, so who needs to worry about matching anymore? Leave Her Wilder has your back for easy, fuss-free options.

@BHLDN

If you haven't heard of BHLDN, listen up. They're the bridal line of Anthropologist and they offer a selection of carefully designed pieces that are current without being trendy.

Metallic and jewel tones stand out a lot here on their beautifully draped dresses when paired with sparkling earrings.

Delicate lace, subtle sequins and pleats all add a touch of high-fashion glamour to their gowns while still being affordable.  

@becandbridge

Bec + Bridge plays with sensual lines in their signature style of their Wedding Edit. Their dresses feature soft contouring and sophisticated fabrics while keeping it light and spirited. 

This Australian duo have been in the business for about fifteen years now, delivering their perfect balance of accessible fashion.

We’re in love with the range of satin viscose pieces in shades of pearlescent blush, ink, and sand, but their Endless Love dresses are to die for too.

100% pure crinkled silk in these lovely colours offer a sense of light-heartedness and girlish charm, but with none of the traditional frippery and fuss.

@bhldn

@becandbridge

Adorn Yourself: Labels We Adore

We’ve spotted some brands that we love on Instagram! Here’s the spotlight on contemporary jewelry for the modern woman.

@ryanstorer

Ryan Storer offers abstractly romantic jewelry inspired by everything and constantly evolving. You can easily see the Sydney-based designer’s evolution since his launch in 2012 with 13 years experience below his belt. We love the delicate floral forms of his most recent collections, and the edgy, dazzling crystals of Collection 9.

@brie_leon

Sometimes, a little twinkle in your ear is all you need. Brie Leon’s variety of hoop earrings offer everything from multi-layered textures to sparkling “pillar” glass. The brand’s offerings have been crafted thoughtfully by designer Janine Zafra for you to have a connection to each piece. It’s a contemporary take on classically inspired pieces, and we do love the timelessness of it all.

@hollyryanjewellery

There’s a staunch commitment to producing responsible, meaningful objects in Holly Ryan’s studio. The intense dedication to craftsmanship and an ethos grounded in sustainability elevates her objects from merely pretty things; these pieces are meant to be treasured forever. Her sculptural shapes are driven by an organic-minimalist aesthetic that we personally adore.

@thelineofsun

Chubby, geometric shapes of metal dangle charmingly from The Line of Sun’s earrings. They’re cast in precious metals from hand-carved wax molds by Melbourne creative Alice Tsakirakis. Even as she pursues her art and meditative philosophy, she also ensures a sustainable practice in her studio. Each scrap of metal is saved and melted down to create new works right there in Melbourne.

Tips and Tricks: 5 Helpful Wedding Prep Apps

Wedding Planning. These two words alone used to mean hiring a really expensive (but well-worth) event planner or sitting down with your bridal party, surrounded by sheets of to-do lists, invitations, and business cards of caterers.

Well, fret not because we’ve figured out the best way to DIY in 2017 is with none other than your trusted smartphone. There are dozens of apps out there to allow you much less hassle with planning your big day.

1. Appy Couple

Sophisticated, easy to navigate, and useful. Three of the most important things in 1 app, Appy Couple. It creates a sort of a miniature website for your wedding taking in context all your needs and wants for your event.

There are hundreds of designs to create an elegant look for your website so that it can appear as great and in sync as the actual day’s theme. Personalising your experience and managing tasks like vendors, guestlists, invites and RSVPs, collecting photos taken by your guests… It’s all in one.

2. InTime

This app is another that can help you plan your wedding. Creating tasks that may be assigned to people who are also on the app, discussing any problems with them and receiving updates as they complete tasks are a great way to keep track for everything that’s going on.

You can edit and add them in real time. This flexible tool is a godsend if someone in your party is unwell and needs help finishing up. It’s simple enough to sign up and get started.

3. Paperless Post

You’ve always dreamed of your ideal wedding, down to the very last detail. Up comes the quotes from printing companies and wedding planners, and you realise that your gold-leaf, embossed, and wax-stamped invitations are way out of your budget.

Should you pay up or go for a plainer design?

With Paperless Post, you won’t need to detract from your designs at all. The app allows you to digitise everything, from your getting them to your guests (the postal service might just leave your expensive physical invites in the rain), to actually getting an RSVP because who doesn’t have their phone with them everyday?

Avoid receiving last minute RSVPs with its features and put in a little effort into reducing your carbon footprint. The pity of throwing a beautifully printed wedding invitations is miniscule to the actual damage it can do to the environment on a global basis. It’s the 21 st century; time to be modern and eco-conscious.

4. WedPics

A photographer and videographer is a must have on your special day, but sometimes you’d want your friends and family to share how they’ve celebrated your wedding too. Both photographs and videos can be uploaded through the app, and you’re able to download it all for your keepsakes after it all ends.

Seeing your beautiful gowns and happiest moments captured through the eyes of your loved ones are something that professional photographers may not be able to capture. It’s extremely user-friendly and you can look back to catch moments that yourself may have missed in the hustle and bustle of celebrations.

5. Artifact Uprising

If you’re an avid user of Instagram, you might be familiar with the popular editing app VSCO. VSCO has released an app called Artifact Uprising that allows you to create photo books, cards, and gifts with your beautiful photos straightaway.

Co-founder Jenna Walker decided to establish this platform after her foray into photography left her with innumerable captured memories sitting in her phone and computers with no real place to be displayed like they should be.

Artifact Uprising uses recycled paper in their photobooks, and partner with local sawmills to use fallen pine trees that would have been disposed of in their uniquely coloured gray-blue papers. They are also partnered with the non-profit SKCAC to provide jobs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It’s a win-win situation here.

A Slow Dance: Lake Tekapo

In the grasslands around Lake Tekapo, a cloud of fine tulle rises up against the wild tussock. A vision of ivory stands tall on the rolling plains dressed in Piece 9, our lovingly crafted double-layered silk sleeveless gown.

Piece 4 and plain veil // all by L’eto Bridal

A closer look reveals a smattering of pristine snow left from the mid-year winter on the gravel and grass, a beautiful backdrop for the embroidery of tiny blooms.

The highland lake in New Zealand is surrounded by the Mackenzie Basin on the South Island. A calm and tranquil place guarded by the Southern Alps and the Two Thumb Range, this highland is a quiet and unassuming paradise tucked away from the rest of the world for lovers to visit.

Keep your partner warm with a fine lambswool jersey from Crane Brothers, and if you’re planning any sort of pre-wedding shoot there, consider visiting them for their tasteful offerings of silk ties and other masculine accessories.

Piece 4 and L’eto Bridal veil

Wrapped in an oversized Egyptian cotton puffer by Lucilla Gray, our bride looks out at the milky turquoise lake. Large acrylic and gold-plated earrings by this young New Zealand brand are a charming and modern accessory for our contemporary bride.

@mimco heels and @letobridal plain veil

Suede heels with a hammered metallic finish perch delicately in the wild brambles of a bush. These shoes by Mimco would be perfect for a reception with their sensible mid-heel. Of course, comfort is key.

Snow covered mountains echo the organic patterns on Piece 4. A full train of sheer silk filter the pink hues of the day’s fading light while its trailing vines of silk embroidery catch a subtle reflection.

Piece 4 and stylist’s own boots

Choose from Lucilla Gray’s vast array of polished and stylish jewelry to enhance your elegance on the daily. This English-New Zealand brand was borne of siblings and produces pieces of dazzling shine for both men and women, also including wedding bands and engagement rings.

Piece 4 with a plain raw edge veil

If you choose to visit in the summer, the rocky landscape is transformed into a striking view of pink and purples thanks to the wild Lupines that fill the plains. Colourful silk printed scarves from Deadly Ponies would be the perfect accessory for the visitor to Mother Nature’s garden. The brand actually specialises in leathers which are ethically and locally sourced and designs feminine and current pieces that suit every occasion.

Piece 9 in pure silk satin

Places To Be: Our Top 3 Getaways

In a blink of an eye, the happy chaos of your wedding day is over, and you and your husband are the only ones that linger.

What next? The honeymoon, of course.

Take the chance to journey off the beaten path and into paradises you’ve never seen, much less imagined.  Forget the atypical hotels and trendy beaches that half-hearted Pinterest boards offer you. Adventurous spirits need the extraordinary, and our list of phenomenal destinations will get your heart racing.

1.      Amangiri Resort

Fitted into the otherworldly landscape of Southern Utah, the raw beauty of nature is arresting on sight. Weather beaten warm rocks hide the resort from prying eyes, designed to be a monastery of luxury.

It’s a retreat in every sense of the word- with perfection planned into its amenities and architecture, crafted for the comfort of those seeking contemplation and meditation. To be with your significant other here in this breathtaking landscape is a whole new experience in itself, and don’t be too worried about flocks of tourists there.

Amangiri ensures that with only 34 suites, you can fill up your time enjoying the landscape around you in the comforts of the resort, hike through the meandering rock formations with an expert guide, or simply relax in their Barragan-inspired spahouse- all at your own leisure.

Ph: Joe Fletcher

2.      Cappadoccia, Turkey

You must have seen an iconic scene of hot air balloons of a hundred different colours all rising up through filmy dawn skies at least once before, on social media, television, or even paintings.

This whimsical wonderland is so much more than that, housing secret underground caverns both natural and carved by man through the ages, and exotic bazaars filled to the brim with the hustle and bustle of merchants and hagglers alike.

It’s a geological oddity that translates into a curious lunar-like view of the land, with towering boulders that dip down in soft curves, carved by millions of years of erosion. Explore every nook and cranny this mysterious land has to offer with your beloved; it offers rich foods and an even richer heritage, if you would only lend your ear.

Ph: Kati

3.      Ananda In The Himalayas

If the tropics are your thing and you’re looking to escape to somewhere that’s warm and lush with the greenery that only rainforests can provide, look no further.

Ananda in the Himalayas of India is a wellness retreat located on a sprawling Maharaja’s (King’s) estate, designed with 78 rooms in the British colonial style.

Lounge in soft, leaf-filtered sunlight while indulging in an array of organic and locally grown fare, or go on a safari in the nearby Rajaji National Park.

You can also trek through the trails leading into the forest or settle down for a holistic healing of mind, body, and soul with your partner. What better way than to start a new relationship upon a clean slate?

Ph: Venue Report

Places To Be: Bali

Bali is the destination of dreams for travellers looking for something more than just the scrubbed-up tourist landscapes we find in so many other beautiful places. Known for its brilliant array of food, culture, traditional art and architecture, the island offers a striking balance of true local lifestyle and comfort. 

Other than the renowned beaches that vary from volcanic and rocky to white sands, the wild beauty of inner Bali lies in its jungle temples, waterfalls, and the lush rolling hills. There’s a place for everyone in here.

We visited the gorgeous island for a shoot against the stunning backdrops of a cliffside beach. If you’re looking to escape the cold, it’s the ideal location to sit back a little, enjoy the province and its offerings whilst winding down from your big day.

Here we have Piece 1, decorated beautifully with frothing embroidery throughout the ivory chiffon. Spin your way through the sand and watch the metallic yarns and glass beads catch the light. Delicate shoulder straps are perfect for basking in the soft warmth of the Indonesian sun and a plunging back pulls everything together for a tropical dream.

Our sylph-like Piece 4 isn’t to be forgotten too, with a modest sleeveless cut and round neck for the modern brides-to-be. Easy to move around while navigating the rainforests or rocky cliffs, this sheer silk chiffon dress is a dream to be in.

After your exploration, head back to your hotels for a wellness retreat or go on gastronomical adventure around the island. We’ve put together a list of the places we think are the cream of the crop, with their gourmet offerings and holistic care.

Fivelements Retreats

Ph: @andathousandwords

Maduranese Duck Sate at the Arang Sate Bar

Ph: @zirafi.carmen

Canggu

If you’re looking to live on the slow side of life for a bit, Canggu, a coastal village area would be perfect for you. Surf enthusiasts will be delighted with the pristine black sand beaches and great surf breaks.

Seafood is a must here; restaurants and cafes alike are supplied with a never-ending stream of fresh lobster, prawns, and fish of all kinds.

@reddoorbali

Forgo a typical hotel and try the Red Door Villa instead. A luxurious villa set amongst gardens almost like paradise, it’s ideal for couples looking for privacy and a more personal feeling to their honeymoon home.

The Pancaran river runs next to the intimate retreat and provides a brilliant view of the natural wonders around. Personal services such as butlers, maids, and chefs ensure that your every need and comfort is seen to for your ultimate escape.

@cafe_vida_bali

Cafe Vída has shot up into popularity with locals, expats, and travellers alike with their locally sourced, organic ingredients that they turn into mouth-watering meals.

Balinese grown teas, kombucha, jun, kefir, and jamu are just the beginning of their massive menu.

The Pool Suite at the Katamama

Ph: @eatandtreats

Ubud

Famous for the fields of padi (rice) cultivated over decades, Ubud is the hub of culture and art in Bali. Woodcarvings, batik paintings, and other crafts originate from this traditional country town.

@fivelementsretreats

Fivelements, Puri Ahimsa, is a wellness resort offering a comprehensive and high impact programmes aimed at supporting and bringing couples closer in their life journey.

Guided by traditional Balinese philosophies with organic, herbal products and services, the award-winning eco-conscious retreat emphasises on harmony with spirit, the environment, and one another.

Envision a complete severance from toxicity from our daily lives and returning with a whole new perspective and joy of living- that’s what Fivelements hopes to achieve with every one of their guests.

@arangsatebar

If you’ve ever encountered issues with overordering food just because you wanted to try a little bit of everything, Arang Sate Bar is the place to go. Indonesia’s national dish, sate, is presented in skewers of grilled and specially seasoned meats ranging from duck, barramundi, and lamb.

The marriage of tastes is carefully planned by New York trained chef Agung Nugroho. Their extensive bar menu is heavily inspired by traditional Indonesian concoctions with healing digestive properties as well.

A tropical sanctuary at Reddoor

Ph: @hannaschonberg

Organic breakfast burrito at Cafe Vida

Ph: @cafe_vida_bali

Seminyak

Seminyak has a lively atmosphere; colourful and bustling. It’s a place for food, dancing, and shopping. With multiple nationalities mingling both in the day and night and it being host to world class cuisine and fine boutiques, it’s a town to have fun and enjoy life.

@katamama_hotel

A gem of a boutique hotel nestled in Semiyak is the Katamama. It’s the perfect representation of the modern and current Bali. Traditional techniques, specially commissioned artwork and handmade furnishings all play a part in the bold and meaning architecture while remaining stylish.

Skilled artisans created the hotel from scratch, from hand dyed indigo, hand-pressed coconut-shell fired bricks, and woven sheets, and you can sleep in comfort knowing that the hotel has maintained a sustainable process from the very start.