Chalkboarding – Not just for kids

A Darling Affair 29/04/2013 Chalkboard, DIY, Signage, styling 0 Comments

I always loved chalking up the driveway as a kid. I still occassionally write a love message or a ‘welcome home’ to my husband just outside our front door.

It’s envokes a personal touch to me. The handwritten, raw, rustic and the stroke of an artists hand.

So chalkboarding has made it onto the tables at weddings and it has become an art form for the talented person who can master the dusty lines.

Chalkboards are great because you can use it again and again after your big day for party’s and shin digs. A great investment.

Enjoy the simple black and white!

Carrie xx

Credits: Boots Photography, Fresh Honey Wedding Styling, Figtree Pictures Wedding Photography, Senna Jean Designs, Down Bangalow Road Photography.

Things We Love – Pull up a chair…

A Darling Affair 16/04/2013 0 Comments

OK so I’m just going to put it out there….I’m not a big fan of chair covers and big bows.

I personally haven’t had the opportunity to sit on one at a wedding (not that I can remember). Just by looking at them I think “Oh my gosh I would probably slip off that silky chair cover or spill a liquid of some sorts on it”.

A lovely chair is a great crowd gatherer. Make your guests comfortable.They will be sitting on that chair through your Aunty Jo’s long speech!

If your the bride and groom don’t forget to spoil yourself with the “royal” chairs. You are the king and queen of a wedding day. Live it up!

So sit back and relax in your chair and take a look at these:

For more seating inspiration click here: Pull up a Chair

Have a lovely day! I’m off to find a comfy chair to sink into…

Carrie x

Styling: Fresh Honey & The Red Cherry Styling Co.

Photography: Dear & Tine, Angie Branch Photography, Down Bangalow Road, Greg Mace Photographer, Alyce & Collette

Things we love – Fanciful Feathers

A Darling Affair 09/04/2013 bouquets, centrepieces, feathers, flowers, invitations, stationery, styling, vintage 1 Comment

There’s a strong boho-vibe in the wedding industry at present and along with that we’ve noticed an emergence of feathery details. I’ve always had a “thing” for feathers; I would often be found sketching feathers in my notebooks when I should have been taking notes. There is just something so whimsical about their delicate, floaty nature; something so day-dreamy about them – it’s easy to get carried away. Maybe it’s that dreaminess that makes them such a welcomed addition to a wedding celebration.

Kicking off with stationery, add that extra detail and texture with a feather – much like these designs from Gemma Lauren Invitations…

[Photo by Anna Gilbert Photography]

Or create a more dramatic bouquet by incorporating some stunning plumes…

[Bouquet by Lavish Floral Design, Photography By Dear & Tine]

Add some finer details to your centrepieces by placing feathers in vases,

[Styling by Fresh Honey Weddings, Photography by Dear & Tine]

Or take the boho-vibe that step further with some dream-catchers…

[Styling by Cherry Red Styling Co., Photography by Alyce & Colette]

I absolutely adore the boho-luxe golden feather embellishments on this cake by Rebellyous Cake Co.

[Photography by Down Bangalow Road]

And last but certainly not least, by way of Bridal accessories ask your florist to incorporate feathers in your floral wreath…

[Wreath by Lavish Floral Design, Photography by Dear & Tine]

Or absolutely indulge your fancy for feathers with this stunning “Maine” head piece, created by Heidi of Shut the Front Door.

[Photography by Karen Buckle]

All these feathers are leaving me little light headed, and certainly light hearted! I hope they’ve lifted your spirits and send you floating away with some inspiration for you big day.

Emily xxx

Let there be Light!

A Darling Affair 02/04/2013 Fairy Lights, fresh honey, Gold Coast, Industrial Lighting, Lanterns, Lighting, Naked Bulbs, styling, Wedding Fair 2 Comments

Elissa, from Fresh Honey, lights the way in the first edition of this months “Lovely Light” series.

Elissa is one of our beautifully talented sponsors for A Darling Affairs – Gold Coast Wedding Fair.

Here are a few of her thoughts on styling with light…

“Lighting is one of the most effective tools you have in your styling arsenal when it comes to setting the theme, tone and mood of your wedding day. With a little thought and planning, the right lighting choices will complete the look and feel of your special day, imbuing it with elegance, glamour and style. Ignore its importance or handle it clumsily, and you risk your wedding lacking the ambience, romance and magic it deserves!

So let’s kick this blog post off with a few of my all-time favourite ways of bringing light, illumination and style to weddings.

Candles, candles, candles

Never underestimate the impact a humble candle can create, especially when used en masse! Candlelight is soft, romantic and spiritual, making it perfect for weddings. If you are on a tight budget, make good use of candles as they create an amazing atmosphere at a very small cost.

The other wonderful thing about candles (which is also a money saver!) is the way in which they double as a décor item that you can style in a myriad of ways. Clustered in jars, dripping from candelabras, glowing inside paper bag luminaries or floating in water with delicate blooms, candles are a fail-proof lighting option for weddings. Did someone say romance?

Fairy Lights

Delicate strands of fairy lights are ‘oh, so enchanting’, creating an allure that is almost impossible to top in my opinion! When strung up against the roof of a marquee or hall, wrapped around a tree or incorporated into your décor in another way, fairy lights are a magically captivating way to play with lighting.

Cafe Lighting

Cafe lighting has taken the wedding industry by storm in the last few years, lending an industrial edge which is at once both vintage and modern. I love this type of lighting at weddings, as it’s so whimsical and fun, yet still quite rustic. It looks fantastic both inside and out, and works really well when combined with other décor elements, such as lanterns, chandeliers or fairy lights.

Lighting: Byron Audio

Paper Lanterns

Paper lanterns are always a very popular choice when it comes to wedding lighting. Whether strung individually, between poles or in colourful clusters with fluffy pom-poms for extra impact – it’s hard to go wrong with these pretties!

Image: Down Bangalow Road

Image: Byron Bay Bunting

Chandeliers

Are you looking for elegance, glamour and a splash of drama? Cue the chandelier, or even better – multiple chandeliers! With their dripping crystal jewels and undeniable vintage charm, chandeliers evokes old-world glamour like nothing else. For added appeal or to really ‘up-the-ante’, mix it up with some fairy lights or naked industrial bulbs.

Image: Fresh Honey Weddings

Lighting has the power to literally improve, enhance and transform every other element of your wedding, so taking the time to talk over your options with a lighting professional is a worthy investment. Your wedding planner or venue should be able to recommend a lighting company whom they know and trust, so be guided by this when deciding on which kind of lighting to incorporate into your wedding day. For more lighting inspiration visit my pinterest page “Let there be Light” http://pinterest.com/freshhoney/let-there-be-light/)

Image Sources: Unless otherwise stated all images have been sourced online and repined to my lighting board: http://pinterest.com/freshhoney/let-there-be-light/”

Thanks Elissa xxx

Things We Love – Minty Freshness

A Darling Affair 01/04/2013 color, colour, mint, pallet, seafoam, styling, wedding 0 Comments

“Things We Love” is all about what makes us excited at A Darling Affair.

We will be sharing loads of gorgeous images on colour palettes, themeing, styling, blooms, objects used in different ways, cool ideas that are out of the ordinary and basically inspiring you to understand your own individual style.

Minty Freshness!

I love mints! I love to eat them. Mint chocolate, mint lip gloss, peppermint scents, it goes on and on. I’m pretty addicted to it.

So it’s not surprising that I LOVE the colour Mint!

Mint is a soft pale green with a touch of blue. It can come across as fresh and pretty, or icy and cool.

With our two Wedding Fair locations sharing a common theme being on the coast – Sunshine Coast & The Gold Coast – it’s safe to say that mint blends in with the freshness of the sea, as mint is sometimes referred to as ‘seafoam’.

So here is all the prettiness of the different shades of mint and how to style it!

Gorgeous mint props like vehicles – boats and cars – make for awesome back drops to you in the foreground.

Photography: Wholehearted Studio

Kombi: Woody’s Surf Car Hire …… Photography: Feather & Stone

Mint is stunning teamed up with white, making it fresh and crisp. A bridesmaid in mint will not drown you out as a bride but will help the centre of attention – YOU – to stand out.

Photography: Alyce & Colette

A must have for the beach wedding. No sand in these shoes and the mint feathers look soft and sweet. Grace Loves Lace‘s collection of “feather feet”

Add some old world charm to your table setting – tinted bottles.

Props: Sunshine & Confetti

Add colours of pink and yellows to give it pop!

Stationary: Gemma Lauren Invitations

And for something a little out of the ordinary – a mint skull styled next to a dainty tea cup. Surely a conversation piece amongst your guests.

Styling: Style Le Aisle

Hope you’ve enjoyed my colour LOVE – MINT!

I hope I’ve tickled your taste buds. Now off to find something minty to eat….nom nom nom!

Carrie xxx

Anna’s Perfect Parties – The Celebration Fair Vendor Feature

A Darling Affair 29/01/2013 0 Comments

Anna has been with A Darling Affair right from the beginning. That is commitment right there. Her hand is the first one up in the crowd saying “I’m here! I’m ready!”. That’s why she loves what she does.

Anna is here today to tell you all about her passion:

Welcome to Anna’s Perfect Parties!

I am a party planner & stylist situated here on the Sunshine Coast. With a passion for entertaining and styling and all things lovely my new business was born.

I absolutely love working with people and helping them create something unique and memorable. From vintage inspired to contemporary I can work my magic . My services include dessert and candy buffets, wedding styling, birthdays, baby showers and everything in between .

I custom make tissue paper pom poms, paper fans, cupcake flags, mini cake buntings, garlands and supply vintage straws . I also design PARTY PACKS which are a party all in one bag , my range includes small and large party packs and girls and boys party packs all at affordable prices.

For me its all in the details , that’s what people remember.

I now also have a hiring service so you don’t have to hunt for those goodies and with free delivery how can you say no.

I work with each client individually and will work within your budget .

Let me take the stress out of planning your next event and make it one that all your guests will remember.

Anna xx

Anna’s ready to party at The Celebration Fair!

Fresh Sponsor and Stylist for our Gold Coast Wedding Fair

A Darling Affair 28/11/2012 0 Comments

We are pleased to announce that Elissa and Sarah of Fresh Honey will be joining us as a sponsor for our Gold Coast Fair and will be treating us to their talents in wedding design and styling as they work their magic on The Abbey for our event.

Elissa launched Fresh Honey this year, but has almost 10 years experience in the wedding industry. With an extensive collection of furniture and decorative items, and a flair for interior and graphic design – they take care of the lot, from place cards to chandeliers!

We are so excited to see what they create for us to share with you at our first Gold Coast event, here is a sneak peek of their past work to give you a taste of what they may have in store….

Announcement: Style Le Aisle to sponsor and style our Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair

A Darling Affair 08/11/2012 0 Comments

The fabulous sisters from Style Le Aisle have come leaps and bounds since they joined us very early in our darling journey. You would remember them from their perfectly styled ceremony setting for our fashion parade in September, and may have seen them since in a number of styled shoots and features articles. We are very pleased to announce that we will continue to work closely with these fabulous ladies as they join us as a sponsor! The Chapel Woombye will be dressed to impress as Scienta and Jacinta work their styling magic on the venue for our 2013 wedding fair. We’ll leave you with some of their spectacular work, and be sure to head to their website for even more inspiring images and to have them style your next special occasion.

Vendor Feature: The Rose Room

A Darling Affair 04/09/2012 1 Comment

One sugar, or two?

The Rose Room is a boutique Vintage China Hire Company on the Sunshine Coast offering a personalised service to make your special occasion truly unforgettable, from weddings to the quintessential English High Tea Party, a favourite for bridal showers.

Their range of beautiful and authentic vintage and antique china, silver ware, crystal, linens and unique antique accessories & props will bring old world glamour and charm to your special day. You can browse their fine collection online at www.theroseroom.com.au or join their Facebook page to get the latest on Vintage Weddings!

You can also take a peek at these stunning images, courtesy of the lovely Boots Photography…

Vendor Feature: The Rustic Emporium

A Darling Affair 17/07/2012 0 Comments

For Sharlene from The Rustic Emporium, it all began with a love of vintage pieces & passion for childrens parties. Her business idea was not a spark, so much as a natural evolution. Having thrown many a delightful party, complete with vintage props, for her own little ones; Sharlene began to gather a collection of treasured items, and decided it was time to see them reused and reloved at others’ special events.

The Rustic Emporium is a great place for parents to come and hire pieces to style their children’s parties. Unique pieces, that are hard to find, but without the need to spend a fortune for a one time use. For those of you who do not yet hear the pitter-patter of little feet, you will find that the emporium’s props for hire are well suited to anyone wanting to style an event or photoshoot.

If you want that little bit of extra help, Sharlene also goes that one step further to offer event styling services for birthdays, engagements, weddings, baby showers & photo shoots. Based in Burpengary on Brisbane’s north side, she services Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Kingaroy and Gympie.

*Printables by Style Me Gorgeous