Wedding Style: Kidlets

We're in the official less than a month to the wedding run up. So I'm going to share my current trend loves available on-line and/or the British high street. Today, its Flower Girls, Page Boys and other tiny guests and members of the wedding party. And all under £50.

I am a massive fan of this hydrangea print dress from Monsoon. It's stocked in a range of baby sizes from 0 to 3 years for £30 and in child sizes from 3 to 12 years at £38.

 

Sticking with light fresh blue, how about this bright pop of colour from Boden mini? Its the Broderie party dress which comes in this blue, a navy and a lovely soft pink in sizes ranging from 1 to 10 years in the sizing. Prices range from £34 to £36.

 

Staying with Boden, and another broderie  dress. On sale to boot! It comes with three sashes in pink, blue and ivory. This time the size range is a bit wider ranging from 1 to 14 years, prices are from £44.40 to £46.80.

How about something a bit brighter for the littles with big personality? This bold floral dress from Next comes in sizes from 3 months to 6 years for £22 to £24. Bargain!

How about this dapper little outfit for the mischievous wee gentlemen in your life? The waistcoat set and trousers are two septate purchases from the same page in sizes 3 months to 6 years, the whole outfit prices range from £34 to £37.

 

For the really, really tiny ladies in attendance how about this gorgeous little floral number for £6? Sizes are from newborn to 6 months.  

 

A little something bright and comfy for very new wedding attendees?  This little fluro knit number is £14 and ranges from 3 months to 18 months from the Topshop mini range.

Or how about this teeny tiny boys outfit? £21, sizes from Newborn to 18 months from John Lewis.

Happy Friday! Minnie xoxo

FOCCUS part 2

So when you take part in the first part of the FOCCUS course you make an appointment with the counsellor to discuss your collated results, how you're partners answers compare to your own.  You are encouraged to talk about the experience together after your first session, and this follow up session is more about gently talking through those answers where you might not see eye to eye, or feel like you're evenly vaguely on the same page.

All fairly simple, all fairly straight forward. So why do it? Well it's easier to have a chat about bank accounts, hypothetical children and hypothetical ageing parents before it happens. And that's really the whole point of FOCCUS whether its a denomination specific version or not, talk about the hard stuff now with the help of a third party before it happens. Marriage is hard. Every one is different. But it helps to be really aware that none of you are mind readers and having some ground work laid down for the great unknown helps.

Would we do it again? Yes. Would I do anything any differently? I think making time for a treat afterwards would have helped. I kept on getting so wound up and agitated before had that by the end of both sessions I was exhausted. Cake and tea or a wee picnic on the way home would have really helped. And don't schedule anything important for afterwards, we went to meet with father K in the evening and I couldn't remember anything. My poor wee brain was frazzled.

I really hope that this wee mini series on FOCCUS is useful to someone, when I was doing my research there were very few positive reviews just reams of horrid experiences on various wedding boards. I assume this is because the majority of people have a similar experience to Bloke and I. Kind, warm, polite staff and a very straight forward common sense approach.

Minnie xoxo

I am in love with a coat

 

This one.  I love it. Alas is costs ever so much. And I'm not sure I could pull it off with out buying some new boots. Its very beautiful all the same. Le sigh. 

Have you fallen for any ridiculous items of clothing?

Minnie xoxo

FOCCUS, part 1

Bloke and I are getting married in the Catholic church, and part of that process is taking part in a FOCCUS premarriage course. I made the terrible mistake of searching FOCCUS and reading some of the posts people have made on various wedding sites. This was a bad idea, all these women talking about the arguments, tears and doubt it had all caused. I was now terrified. What had i signed us up for. I have enough problems with the politics of the Catholic church as is. What kind of questions were they going to ask us?!(FOCCUS also comes in a number of versions for various of denominations as well as a religion free version.)

Bloke tried to reassure me. He'd been the one to set up our appointment and the lady from Scottish Marriage Care had sounded lovely he said. And you know what? He was right. They have been lovely so far.

And FOCCUS itself? Its at least 150 very common sense questions. We had to do a few more because Bloke isn't Catholic and we live together, so we had two extra little blocks of about 15 questions apiece. Questions isn't quite correct, statements is more accurate actually and you have the option to agree, disagree or uncertain. And there shouldn't be anything that will shock you assuming you've both talked about money, the prospect of children, careers, the place of your social lives. That you're aware weddings don't magically fix any of your problems, that relationships are hard and that people are flawed and you might encounter problems. Some questions might be a bit shocking for more conservative types, you will be asked to think about the prospect of your partner cheating, statements on your own sexuality and if their is a pregnancy or other aspect that is pushing you into the marriage. And you have to think about how the relationship you have with your own as well as your partners parents might impact on your own relationship.

Once you fill the quiz out separately, its sent away to be computed and after about a week and a half you go back to discuss the results as a couple with a counselor.

See? Nothing to be afraid of. At all I promise. The only thing to be wary of is the smug feeling you'll get from being sure you are complete agreement over everything. More on that come part two...

Minnie xoxo

Summer

I love summer. Or rather I love Scottish summers. It gets lovely and sunny with out getting too hot. I'm pale and ginger. I don't do heat well. At all. I spend may through to early September slathered in factor 50 suncream. Suncream is a wonderful invention, it means I can hang out outside when Bloke goes on adventures to go biking. Last week we headed up to Comrie Croft in Perthshire, Bloke really likes to take the bike and ride the trails and I like to take a book or some knitting, drink tea and laugh at the chickens. The chickens are really funny, the camping facilities usually mean there are a couple of small children trying to bribe a chicken into going home with them.

Today we headed through to Alva to the Alva Glen. The Ochills are all gorgeous, but the Alva Glen is really special and the paths are all really well maintained and there's plenty of railings which is good if you're a wimp like me.

I love how close we are to so many awesome places. Its really good fun to just jump in the van and go on an explore. especially in summer when the weather is warm and the days are lovely an long.

How are you all spending you free days?

Minnie xoxo

The Passing of Iain Banks.

Others will be far more eloquent, setting down the influence this great man had on their formative years in elegant little quips.

My first experience with banks was in fifth year, Intermediate Two English. We had to choose a book for the personal study section of the qualification. I found myself casting about in the rather small community school library for something I hadn't actually read. This resulted in the librarian, rather exasperated with the mass of teenagers trying to find the smallest book they could get away with, pointing me towards the adult section. I picked up The Crow Road and promptly fell in love. I found solace in the fact that I was not the only neurotic, cynical weirdo in Scotland which is rather helpful when you're at a school with less than 100 pupils.

As an adult I am now fully aware that everyone feels like this. And I learnt this and many other life lessons through banks' brilliant writing.

He will be sorely missed.

Now I'm going to go curl up and reread everything of his I have in the house,

Minnie xoxo