To church or not to church

So a little update... We have FINALLY reserved a wedding date! Saturday 15th April 2017. With saving for a house we want to make sure we have enough time to plan and arrange things with out it being too much of a rush.

Now we have found out dream venue of Sandburn Hall, we now have a larger dilemma of whether to get married in a church.

Being brought up in a family of going to Sunday school and being surrounded by grandparents who where church wardens, getting married in a church is important to me.  I understand it isn't for everybody but for me it is something I have grown up dreaming of a nice church wedding.

With this in mind the big dilemma of finding a church has risen. We want to get married in York as that is where we will be buying a house.  It is important for us to find a church which we can continue to go to and have out children christened in.

Not being part of a parish in York. I am finding it tricky on how to get the ball rolling.  I have found a website which joins together all the churches in the city center.

http://www.yorkcitychurches.org.uk/weddings.html

This is really informative and has links to other sites which goes in to details about how you qualify for a church wedding, the fees and how you go about arranging it.

After finding this site it put my mind at ease that we should be able to arrange somewhere with not much hassle.

For the time being there is no rush.... I don't think, so I will keep you all updated on where we decide.

Faye xx

How I found my love for running.

At the end of September we arrived back from a fantastic holiday in Spain.  With another week before I started back at work I was conscious I need to do something to drastically to shift the extra holiday pounds I seemed to of found.  ( This is what three scoops of ice cream a day does to you.)

With this in mind I spent the next week at my parents which is in the lovely country side of West Yorkshire and decided this was the week I was going to once and for all force myself to love exercise. 

The week went something like this, it was a mix between playing badminton with my twin brother, which he basically stood still and I did all the work ( I was exhausted at the end of it), with a daily run thrown in.  I stated basic, just running around the village for a gentle 2k and I was surprised how it made me feel.

I really enjoyed myself and over the next few months I began to run more and more.  Mostly at the gym as it was now winter and awful outside and I didn’t feel brave enough to venture out in the cold.  I found running as a great form of stress release, it really helped me forget about a rubbish day, or clear my head if I was feeling a bit down.

By December I decided to enter the Jane Tomlinson Run For All in Leeds.  This is a 10k so I thought it would be a nice challenge for a beginner.  I roped in some family members to take part with me and currently there are 6 of us.  We are running in memory of my Grandma who passed away in July at one of the Sue Ryder hospices.  I thought it would be a fitting way to say thank you for the fantastic work they do and a great way to give back.  My Grandma was only in Manorlands for two days but the hospice has helped our family a lot over the years for various people and it is a very important charity too us. 

So after encouraging the family to take part, I am so impressed for everyone’s progress. My Dad is doing so well,  I took him to the gym on Saturday and he beat me at 5k, ( he hasn’t exercised properly for a long time !) we did 3 mins walk and 7 mins running. He was so fast, at one point he was at speed 14 and I was actively looking around for a defibrillator just in case.  He was showing off so then slowed down. We did the same on Sunday as well; I wasn't being beaten by an old man so I pushed really hard and we both finished dead on 40 mins.  He has been most days this week and on Tuesday shaved 3 minutes off his time!!!! Not bad for an oldie!! I am very proud.

With the majority of us being couch potatoes this is a big step for us, we are aiming to raise around £1000 for Sue Ryder and if you are interested in sponsoring us please click on the link below to learn more and give to a really worthy cause.

The run is on 12th July in Leeds city center. :) Donation Page

Wedding Cake Trends

Since becoming engaged one of my biggest pass times has become stalking the internet looking at amazing wedding cakes. I love how much detail you can have these days and the inner greedy girl in me loves how many different flavours are on offer.

Being wheat intolerant cake is a big guilty pleasure of mine and one of the only flower based products I do occasionally let myself have. The 10 second taste tends to out do the day long tummy ache… bad I know!

Looking through cakes I have noticed a few trends, here are examples of just a few.  All the cakes features are by local wedding company York Cakes.  They specialise in bespoke creations all designed to really show off the couples personality and to reflect any specific theme.

Metallic

This metallic creation, though small really stands out. This season metallic has been every where. I think that this trend really is for the bride who is going for a full glam wedding.

Flowers

This cake is gorgeous, I love the petal effect, the pastel colours are a really subtle pop of colour. I think this cake would be perfect for really feminine brides who may be more of the shy type.

Pearl and Lace

I love love love the pearl and lace effect on these two cakes.  The beautiful detail and the subtle pop of colour from the flowers on the second cake make sure it is a head turners. The attention to detail on both these cakes is amazing and you can really tell a lot of care has been put into the creation.

Chocolate

Though chocolate doesn't really do it for me this cake is amazing. Chocolate wedding cakes are defiantly on the up with the help of programmes such as chocywokydoda.  I think it is so interesting how the flowers and details can be made from chocolate.  Lets just hope wedding breakfast rooms don't get too hot.

Naked Cakes

If there is one type of cake which has come out of no where in 2014 it was defiantly the Naked cake.  With rustic theme weddings on the rise these cakes certainly fit the bill.  Stripped back to the basics these cakes are covered with seasonal berries and look perfect in outdoor weddings.

The Show Stopper

Having seen this cake in person at the Castle Museum Wedding Fair this cake really is the cake to compete with for me.  It has outdone any other designs I have seen.  It really focuses on every element for a vintage wedding.  The lace and pearls are details which will be heavily featured in my day and the flowers will be able to be changed to match any colour theme.  Elements of this cake could even be used in stationary and wedding flowers to really link all aspects of the day.

After all this talk about cake I am starting to get distracted. I am going to have to go and raid the kitchen.

Faye

All images are copyright of York Cakes.

www.yorkcakes.co.uk

                                                               Tel: 07791 701374
                                                      Email: kate@YORKCakes.co.uk

Pre Wedding Weight Loss

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My journey with Slimming World started just before I became engaged  we became engaged.

Since starting University in 2009 I have struggled with my weight.  Living on my own and having nobody to relay on to make my meals made me lazy and I would prefer to grab a burger rather than make a good meal.  Living at home, my mum was able to manage my potion sizes and watch what I ate, meaning I alway had a balanced diet and was slim with out trying hard.

Over the the past 5 years my weight has steadily gone from a 10 stone to 12 stone 13 pounds.  While at University this didn't really bother me too much as I was far too busy partying and generally having a good time.  Whenever people mentioned I had gained weight I would always brush it off and say I would lose it when I have finished Uni and don't have a dissertation to worry about. Well this soon came around and the weight stayed.

Moving into our first home together didn't help, we always tried to cook healthy meals but a lot of the time finishing work would mean we would much rather grab something quick.

Having tried fad diets in the past I knew this wasn't for me.  I tried Herbalife in the past, I found this was a quick fix to weight loss. I did this for about a month and lost around half a stone.  But the negatives really out weighed the positives, for me I see food as a social activity and I hated saying oh I'm just having a shake for lunch  On top of this I was starving, and when I say starving I literally mean I was angry I was that hungry all the time. In general it made me very unhappy, so needless to say this didn't last long, and as soon as it stop the weight just crept back on.

My journey really started on 1st April 2014 ( yes I know April fools day but I was ready to take things seriously).   I weighed up the options between joining online and finding a group.  For me if i had to attend a group every week it would be more motivational for me and would mean I had make a conscious effort to go.  I decided to join on my own as at that time I didn't really know if any one would be up for joining with me.

Initially the first meeting blew my mind!!! Lots of talk about Free foods, speed foods, super frees, A choice, B choice I left the group feeling confused.  When you join you are given a welcome pack which is now like my bible.  I went home from the first meeting and read the pack cover to cover and I found I could really get my head into it.

The founding principles with Slimming World is it is a lifestyle change.  I found working in an office was hard as there is temptation all around, whether it is someones birthday or someone just baked a cake, there is always something to snack on and this was my biggest down fall.  Slimming World really encourages you to snack on the right things. I substituted all my snacks for fruit and everyday at work I made sure I had enough supplies to take me through the day, this way I could avoid temptation.

Slimming World really works on the basis that by being on a 'diet' you needn't miss out on anything.  I didn't miss any social occasions, ate food I enjoyed and could still have treats.  The Slimming World website is really helpful as it gives you meal plans, from breakfast to snacks and from quick lunches to catering for a dinner party.  I found that this tool really helped me as I could plan what I was eating through the week and this in turn made it a lot easier to stick to the plan.  The main changes I found was eating a smaller breakfast portion, and not something packed full of sugar and changing my snacking.  As long as you combine this with healthy lunches and dinners you can still have a little bit of what you fancy.

A few months into my journey I moved areas to Doncaster, here I joined Vicky's group at Carcroft.  I went from attending a group where I sat on my own and nobody really spoke to me to being really involved and feeling very welcomed.  Vicky offers a lot of support throughout the class, sharing her personal stories and how she may have come back from a bad meal.  I found her classes are really up beat and my weigh loss came on a lot since joining her group.  I think finding a group that I loved really helped my weight loss, and I can honestly say with out Vicky's guidance I may have had slips and not reached my target.  She really is a fantastic consultant!

Here are some of my top tips:

• Muller Light yogurts became my saviour are they are also quite sweet.
• Snacking on fruit.
• Making sure you have good snacks at work or on the go it is amazing how it helps.
• Changing from full fat fizzy drinks to diet. This was a big thing for me as I love Coke.
• Swapping your full fat caramel lattes for an americano as the sugar content is sky high.
• Planning ahead so you have in the right foods for lunch and tea so you cannot be tempted with the ready meals.
• keep a food diary, you will be less tempted to run astray if you have to consciously write it down.

Below are a few pictures of my journey. I reached my target weight of 10 stone on 17th November after being a member for 35 weeks.  So the next chapter is sticking to it. I am going to introduce more treats and a combination of more gym sessions to become more toned is my next step.

Before

University Summer Ball May 2011

May 2011

September 2011

After

Becoming a target member

Christmas 2014

January 2014

If you are trying to became a slimmer bride. Good Luck.

Faye

Lovebird Brides

Lovebird Brides

This weekend was the first anniversary of my Granny passing away, and as she didn’t know about our engagement I decided to honour it with a trip to my very first bridal boutique. Planning our wedding in York I really wanted a part of West Yorkshire to be present on the day. 

Lovebird Brides is a new boutique situated in the heart of Yorkshire. Addingham is a quaint village next door to the thriving town of Ilkley.  Open in October Laura has set up Lovebird Brides to incorporate her love for classic glamour and her keen eye for beautiful pieces.

The decor in the boutique fits with the classic and vintage feel of the dresses.  Filled with classic furniture and draped in gorgeous handmade accessories the boutique really makes you feel like you have stepped back in time. 

Lovebirds stocks English designers Maria Senvo and Charlotte Balbier and there isn’t a big fat gypsy wedding dress insight.  Instead Laura has cleverly picked designs which wouldn’t look out of place in Great Gatsby.  From 1920s Glamour to Vintage Chic, if you are interested in vintage and classic gowns this really is the place to be. 

Being my first bridal shop experience I really had no idea what to even pick off the rail.  All I had in mind is that the general theme of the day will be vintage decor and pastel colours.  Taking Laura’s advice I let her lead me as what to try on.  The dress which really stood out to me as soon as I walked in was a Charlotte Balbier ivory piece called Belle, this full gown was a princess style dress with a full skirt.  This gorgeous dress would fit perfectly in anyone’s romantic day; it really would make any bride the centre of attention.  The full skirt has delicate lace detail which really stands out and the bodice has elegant lace straps which cover the sweetheart neckline in an appropriate and classic way.  Though this dress really was stunning and when you picture a wedding this will be the dress most brides imagine, it really wasn't me. It seemed too girly and I would be far too worried I would trip over the full skirt.

The other dresses I tried ranged from full lace to satin with a lace top and without giving too much away all the gowns where gorgeous. This experience really made me realise that Charlotte Balbier is the designer for me. She really embodies everything I am looking for in a dress and I feel it would complement the overall feel of the day.  Her feminine designs are elegant and flattering and her styles will suit any bride who loves traditional glamour. Her pieces range in colour from the traditional white and ivory to gold’s, creams and blush which I found really flatter darker skin tones and are very warming.

One thing which really stood out to me about the boutique was Laura’s handmade accessories.  Lah De Da accessories are created using crystals and pearls . Her accessories range from hair pins to head pieces and belts to bespoke designs. These pieces really do finish an outfit. I was amazing how her creations transform a simple dress.  You may find you try a dress on that you like but are not amazed by, then you add a head piece and a belt and you feel like you have tried on a completely new design.  Laura really has an eye for which pieces competent each dress. She cleverly has included pearls into some designs which brings out the tones in the dresses and complements the lace and pearls in the designs.

Laura can also take old family pieces of jewellery and create them into a new design. For example taking an old set of pearls and transforming them into a bracelet, earrings or threading them into the dress. This would be a unique way to have a part of family history present on the wedding day.

At the beginning of the day I really wasn’t expecting to visit one bridal shop and decided not to go anywhere else. Laura at Lovebirds has done such a wonderful job with the new boutique and I really feel some of the more established stores in the area have just gained hot new competition.  I wish her all the success and I defiantly won’t be visiting any other boutiques.  I had no idea that the first boutique I visited I would find the one..... Watch this space; I think I have found the dress.

Faye

Flash back Friday

Today I am starting a new flash back Friday thread. Dedicated to the marriages I look up too, to the people who show me love and inspiration daily.  Today is dedicated to my lovely parents. Having just celebrated their silver wedding, your strength and commitment to each other is inspiring. The support and love you show each other, I hope in many years to come I can be this happy still.

Location dilemma

The first thing on the top of everyone's wedding checklist seems to be the venue.

Fifty years ago this would be quiet simple, you would be married in the parish of the village you live in and the reception would be in the church hall. 

But these days the possibilities are end less... Weddings at stately homes, outdoors, abroad on a beach, back gardens, you really can be married and hold a reception anywhere.

We have to decide between two choices, do we plan our day in York, the city we met, graduated University in and started our life together. Or do we go down the more traditional route and marry in my family's parish in my Grandma's church, she passed away a few weeks after we became engaged so this would be a way of having a part of her with me on the day.

For quite a while I found trying to make a decision on the location very difficult, my heart was being pulled from both sides. I just wanted to please everybody.

We decided to approach it from a different perspective, taking a step back for now and just have fun looking round venues and see what feels right.

Over the next few months we will be visiting venues across York and West Yorkshire, and here I will be sharing my honest (but kind) opinion.

We split our top venues into two lists, North and West Yorkshire and Sandburn Hall in York was top of our list for North Yorkshire. As we want to go down the vintage theme all the pictures I had seen on Pinterest and social media I instantly fell in love. 

When we arrived for our show around we where met by Lucinda, she was warm, welcoming and very knowledgable. It is fair to say this venue does not disappoint, the views over the golf course are amazing, we were lucky enough to visit on a sunny day and the weather really shows off the venue. The viewing started off with a great size reception room for the welcome drinks, equipt with its own bar, this room was intimate enough to hold our potential day quests and could even house a string quartet.

The stairs upto the main room where decorated with flowers for the days wedding, I could picture our bunting twirled around the banister. 

The first thing you notice when you enter the main room are the beams. Striped back to the bare wood it really is a big focal point.

This room really is a blank canvas for any theme wedding. We love all the DIY wedding ideas so could really imagine setting up the room exactly how we wanted it.

One thing I took away from the viewing was how accommodating the company seemed.  Nothing seemed like it would be too much trouble and they sounded really interested and positive about some of our ideas.

It is fair to say Sandburn Hall has shot up to the top of our York list, it really is going to be a tough act to follow.