All Things Events

Blogmas Day 24: Christmas Dessert

It is becoming quite a tradition for me to make the dessert for Christmas Day for my family.

Over the years, I have done a huge range of different options - usually quite light, summery options because it is usually quite hot.

This year, I will be making Pina Colada Chilled Cheesecakes.

I can't remember where I found this recipe... but this is the version I will be following.

I am posting this on the morning of Christmas Eve & I will be making these today - will update later with a picture of my creation & any notes I have :)

Pina Colada Cheesecakes | Serves 6

Ingredients:

100g biscuits (I use Nice biscuits, or Scotch fingers)

1/4 cup shredded coconut

40g butter, melted

250g cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup coconut cream

1/4 cup caster sugar

1/4 tsp finely grated lime rind

1 tbsp white rum

Lime Syrup:

1/4 cup caster sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp finely grated lime rind

Method:

Step one: Crush biscuits until they are fine crumbs.
Step two: Combine biscuits with coconut and butter. Mix well. Spoon between 6 serving glasses and chill.
Step three: Beat cream cheese, coconut cream, sugar and lime until smooth. Fold in rum and spoon between serving glasses, cover and chill.
Step four: Make lime syrup - combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until thickened slightly. Chill.
Step five: Serve & enjoy! You might like to top with mint or coconut flakes & pineapple if you like - I am just doing coconut, as my mum is allergic to pineapple!

What does your family eat for dessert?

This is it for Blogmas for me - I will be enjoying Christmas Day with both families, eating too much food & drinking Mack's Dad's homemade Baileys!

This has been a fun challenge for me - definitely intend to do it again next year.

I will be back in January with a New Year post.

Have a safe & wonderful Festive season, whatever you are doing! :)

Hx

EDIT:

Here are the cheesecakes I made:

I doubled the above recipe to make 12 & served them in disposable wine glasses. I omitted the white rum (because we have kids at Christmas). I popped pineapple on 9 of them & made 3 of them without.

Additional note: I shouldn't have to tell myself this anymore, but here we go. Don't leave the pan handle sticking out when you make the lime syrup. Stupid me knocked boiling sugar syrup all over me & the kitchen. Such a fail!

Here is my Outfit Of The Day for Christmas Day.

Whilst I would love to be wearing jeans & a comfy Christmas jumper, it is going to up around 30 degrees for us here in Sydney, so definitely not appropriate!

I bought this jumpsuit from Shein recently. It is an inch or so too long for me, but it is SO comfy & I love it so much that I'm just going to safety pin the hem up a bit so I can wear it for Christmas Day. I'll take them up properly afterwards haha. So perfect for warm weather too.

What are you wearing this year?
Hx

Only 3 days to go until Christmas!

As we speed towards to Big Day, it got me thinking about what I love about Christmas.

I think, for me, Christmas is about spending time with my family. Whilst Mack & I spend quite a lot of time with his parents, I really don't see mine all that much. I definitely could make more effort to see my parents... goal for 2019 maybe? But we are so busy all of the time that sometimes weeks have passed before I realise I haven't spoken to them. Terrible, I know.

Christmas Day is a guaranteed day that I will see them & I love it. Starting with present opening in the morning, the same way that we always have since I was born, all the way through to lunch. I guess you could call it a tradition, since we have done the same thing pretty much every year.

With Mack's parents, I love going for Christmas lunch there (well, this year it's dinner, but still). It is so chill & delicious. A really simple, casual arrangement, again focusing around seeing family & just spending time together doing not much.

It isn't really about the gifts for me, but of course it is nice exchanging gifts. My parents have a one present each rule (which my mum has, so far, never stuck to haha) & the gifts are always a surprise. Mack's parents ask what we want & buy exactly that. I kinda like having the best of both worlds haha.

The one thing I hate about Christmas is how commercial it is. I think you can easily go overboard with gifts & it is just not necessary. Our families have a good system I think - not buying things for the sake of buying them. But we as a society are very wasteful & get sucked into the crazy Christmas retail frenzy. I am definitely one to either buy something someone needs/wants, or if they don't want anything, buy them an experience that they can enjoy. It feels much less wasteful than buying things for the sake of it.

What do you love about Christmas? What don't you love?

Hx

It took 20 days, but I finally missed one! Dammit. I would say I'm going quite well haha - daily blogging is actually quite hard. Today's is for yesterday & today.

I had all of the intentions in the world to bake some Christmas cookies to give as little gifts to people. My friend & I had grand plans. But time is running away with us & now I don't think we are going to have time at all.

With this in mind, here are 3 recipes which I will make a massive effort to make for 2019 instead!

Chocolate Crinkles by Gimme Some Oven - bake here.

White chocolate candy cane cookies by Liv For Cake - recipe here.

Stained glass sugar cookies by Sprinkle Bakes - discover here.
I think this is the one I am most exciting about giving a go.

These all look so good - cannot wait to make them (just not this year haha).

I will be making the Christmas Day dessert - recipe for that coming soon!

Did you do Christmas baking this year?

Send me your fave recipes!
Hx

Wedding Wednesdays: Choosing Your Bridal Party.

This week, we turn our attention to the team you surround yourself with in the lead up to the big day - the wedding party! I'm going to talk from the perspective of the bride here & focus on my girls, but the same theory applies to the boys too.

Your bridal party is there to support you in your marriage, and to help you plan the big day. It is such a huge honour as well, to be asked to stand by your side as you tie the knot.

Apparently, the tradition of bridesmaids & groomsmen in the Western world stems from late Roman law. Here, you had to have 10 witnesses at the wedding; they would all wear the same as the bride & groom to outsmart evil spirits, so they wouldn't know who was getting married.

Thank goodness this isn't the case anymore haha!

It is so important to select people that are your closest friends, and people that you know will help you along the way (and not hinder you).

Typically, the bridal party will have the following roles/expectations during the planning process:
- Help choose bridesmaid dresses (& buy their own dress, shoes etc.)
- Help the bride shop for her attire
- Attend all wedding related events (engagement, rehearsal, wedding day)
- Pay for their own transportation & accommodation
- Assist the bride with wedding related tasks (DIY invitations anyone?)
- Listen to a little bit of bitching and/or provide advice if asked
- Plan the hen party/bridal shower

The maid/matron of honour is the bride's right hand woman (or man) & then the bridesmaids back up the maid/matron of honour.

Here are my tips for choosing the right bride tribe for you:

1. Think carefully about it!

Once you ask someone to be your bridesmaid, you can't take it back, so take your time deciding. Your bridal party should support you & your hubby/wife to be & should be willing to help you plan your big day in any way you need/any way they can.

It was important to me that I had girls who would not only help me plan the wedding, but also would be honest when I asked their advice on something!

2. Set expectations from the beginning.

Put all of the cards on the table when you ask someone to be in your bridal party. Let your team know what thoughts you have about the day & what you think you will need help with (e.g. dress shopping, or DIY projects for invitations or decor). Listen to your girls if they have any concerns & work out a way where you are both happy.

When you ask someone to be your bridesmaid, also give them the option to say no - friends that have hectic schedules, or live far away, or are financially struggling might want to stand by your side, but are not in the best position to, so respect that.

3. Think about the size of your wedding party

I have a 1 matron of honour with 2 bridesmaids, which I think is perfect. You don't want to go too big - if you have a wedding of 50 to 60 people, 4 or less works well. If your wedding is 150+, then it wouldn't be as outrageous to have 8 - 12 maids... but more isn't necessarily better. With a bigger bridal party, you have much more organising to do & there are lots of differing opinions flying around. Keep it simple & stress free!

4. Include your siblings, if that suits you

I have 1 sister & we're close, so it's a no brainer that she would be one of my maids. But if you have 6 sisters & you only spend time with 1 or 2 of them, don't choose them all just because. If you & your siblings aren't close, don't feel pressured to choose them! We are living in a modern world where traditions are often fall by the wayside, so don't feel guilty if your siblings aren't the right fit for you.

5. Kids are not necessary

If you don't have a small human in your families that would suit the role of flower girl or ring bearer, then don't have one! If you don't want children at your wedding at all, also totally fine (& fair enough in my opinion haha). You don't need these roles at your wedding if they don't make sense to you. Simply have your maids/men carry the rings, or give the job to another close friend who isn't in the bridal party if you want to. I have my Nan as my 'flower girl' :).

6. Don't ask someone just because they asked you

Pick the girls/boys that make sense to you & don't feel guilty if you don't pick someone who had you on theirs.

To sum up, you should try & create the most stress free environment in which you can plan your wedding with people who are there to help. So many times you hear stories of too many opinions, or not being able to make a decision because someone doesn't like something etc., which is so crazy & stressful. Make sure you have the right team for you!

I am skipping next week to enjoy Christmas, so join me in the new year on the 2nd January for my next Wedding Wednesday!

Have a wonderful Christmas & New Year, wherever you are & whatever you are doing!

Hx

It fills me with great joy that TK Maxx has made it to Australia! If you aren't familiar, it is great for heavily discounted designer pieces & is filled with everything from clothes to homeware. Also a great place to look for gifts for people. Sometimes I find lots in there, other times not so much.

Today, I was looking for Christmas candles; TK Maxx certainly did not disappoint.

Their range is enormous, so I definitely spent some time smelling all of them.

These candles were my favourite picks.

3. Cheers mulled wine 3 wick candle

Who doesn't love Mulled wine at Christmas? This one smells so wintery & delicious. I didn't buy this one because I'm not in the market for a chunky wine candle right now, but would recommend.

2. Casestudy Winter mint & eucalyptus

This one gets huge bonus points for the cute design; I love the wooden base. This candle smells delightful & also comes in this small version & a bigger version too. This company also makes different flavours, with the same design, but this one is the best (in my opinion).

1. New Zealand Aromatherapy Co. Fig & Cinnamon Festive Fir

This is the candle I ended up buying. I just couldn't resist the cinnamon! If a spicy cinnamon candle is your jam, this is definitely the candle for you. So yummy.

Hx

On Day 16, I talked about reflections, resolutions & goals; the things I think or want to happen in the following year versus the things that actually do. The surprises Past Me didn't anticipate.

I love doing this each year; I think, above all else, it shows growth as a human. The things that changed within me throughout the year & thinking about how & why. I love looking back on it!

Something 2018 taught me that I didn't expect was this.

Appreciate the little things.

We spend so much time looking at our phones & dashing around from one place to the next, sprinting head on towards the big goals think we're aiming for.

But in doing this, we forget to even look for the little things that happen that are amazing. In watching where you are going, in looking up rather than at your phone, in being present in the moment, you notice the small stuff & create awesome memories.

Remember, too, that if you focus so much on the big goals, you only notice that you are not there yet, or how far you have to go. You fail to notice how far you have come already. And that is so so important!

So. Here are 5 little things that I noticed this year.

1. I wore more makeup this year than any other.

When I say makeup, I don't mean foundation & concealer & blush & whatever else makeup exists haha. And I also don't mean every day either. By 'more' I mean I wore it possibly 10 days in the year, which is more than the 2 or so from last year hahaha.

What I mean is I bought a fine line felt tip eyeliner that I love. And I actually learnt how to put it on. Yes really. I still smudge the eyeshadow on with my finger, but I can manage the eye liner. And I think this counts as a mini achievement hahaha. #worstgirlever

2. Yoga changed me.

This is the second year I have consistently done yoga, but this year it really became a huge part of who I am. I carry my body differently. I am stronger & leaner. And, most importantly, it is so great for my mental health. Yoga taught me to breathe through life; it sounds ridiculous because we need air to survive. But many of us forget to breathe. Really breathe. Life if so much easier if you use breath as a tool to move!

Something that also happened was that I am no longer afraid to arm balance! My goal was crow pose, which took me a good 6 months to get. But now learning to be upside is currently my thing haha. The yoga teacher I have on a Friday pushes me; if you try again & again, one day, it will just happen. And that applies to life too!

3. I love craft.

Becoming a adult can often mean you stop creating. Life is too busy to paint or draw or whatever your chosen vocation is. In planning my wedding & thinking about the decor that I want sparked that passion again! At the moment it is dreamcatchers, but painting is also on my list. It is never too late to start up creative passions again.

4. I still know all of the words to Shania Twain's Come On Over CD from 1997.

It's true. I spent an evening with my family singing & dancing along to Shania & it was awesome!

5. It is wonderful to just sit with your friends.

Mack & I have spent lots of time with friends this year, but usually we are always running around doing things. Which is great, don't get me wrong. But just sitting enjoying a coffee, talking shit is so wonderful. There was an evening a few weeks ago where I was sitting in my friends van while Mack pottered around doing things getting to know how new girlfriend. We sat & chatted & she started teaching me how to crochet. And it was amazing. Of all of the things I have done this year, sitting & learning crochet with Sara is one of my favourite evenings! Add crocheting to my crafting list also by the way!

What tiny things have you done or noticed about yourself this year?

The last couple of years have a been a little abnormal for us, with travelling & various other factors which have meant not spending Christmas as we normally would.

This year, Mack & I will be spending Christmas together, with each of our families one at a time.

My parents are big on the opening presents together thing in the morning to fun Christmas music, followed by a lovely lunch (think BBQ-salads etc. type lunch). This year, we will be doing lunch in Centennial Park, which is a bit different to normal, but at least we are together.

Mack's family are changing it up a bit & having a Christmas dinner instead (think traditional roast). Which is perfect for us, because it means we can do both! :)

Who will you be spending Christmas with this year?
Hx

At the end of 2017, I wrote a post about reflections, which you can find here.

If you haven't been following me for a while, to summarise, I have a little book in which I write my goals for the following year. When December rolls around, I then go through those goals to see which ones I achieved, which I didn't & think about the things that happened that I hadn't imagined at all.

I don't read this book at all throughout the year; I tuck it away. I find this much more productive then resolutions, which usually fall by the wayside before January is over. I also find it fascinating to see how I have changed throughout the year, because sometimes priorities change.

For 2018, I wrote down 18 goals & I managed to achieve 13 of them. That's 3 more than last year! Most of my 2018 goals were experiences - go to Psyfari, roadtrip Tasmania, see Foo Fighters, Ed Sheeran & Pink in concert, Brain Candy Live.

We did all of those things!

I also kept up meal prepping (including Tara driving to Sydney back in March!), which is so awesome. Turns out that extreme meal prepping session meant that I didn't need to cook between March & September! Insanity.

I managed to blog regularly, for which I am so happy about! I have every intention of keeping this up, so this is one of my 2019 goals too.

The 5 things on the list I didn't achieve are all things that no longer matter because I changed & life changed.

The biggest highlight of the year definitely wasn't on my list of goals - getting engaged!

Other highlights include:
- Meeting Adam Savage & Michael Stevens
- Being part of the crew that built Psyfari
- Going to Dragon Dreaming
- Finding out I'm going to be an Auntie! **EDIT - becoming an Auntie!!! The gorgeous little guy arrived early, just in time for Christmas :)
- Road-tripping Tasmania

I feel like 2018 flew by! It was been a really fast, really full, really amazing year.

So what does 2019 hold?

My list for next year has 20 goals on it; my extra little goal for myself is to aim to reach 16 - 18 of them. Which is a huge task, especially when you consider I pop this book away & don't look at it all year. But I am going to try!

I can't wait for 2019 to get into full swing. I can feel already that it is going to be a really hectic, but really great year.

How was your 2018?

Do you set goals or resolutions for the following year?

Do you reflect on the year just gone?

See you tomorrow!
Hx

I love the tradition of having a work Christmas party; not so much to celebrate Christmas, but more to round out the year & have a celebrate the great year just gone.

This year, I ended up having 3 work Christmas parties!

The first was last Friday; this was the whole company party, for which we went on a harbour cruise. It was a lovely afternoon & just nice to hang out with everyone. Did get a little sunburnt, but all good!

The next was the party for SUVA. I helped organise this one; we had it at Australian Museum, in the Westpac Gallery. Such a fabulous venue! Really enjoyed this - Court & I learnt a lot of the man who had some skulls etc. for people to touch & learn about. Loved it.

The last was this afternoon, with just my main office team. Really cool little place in Glebe called The Charleston. So delicious. I really enjoy hanging out with my team any way, but it is lovely to just get out of the office for lunch!

I think for work parties to be a success (in my opinion), it's nice to go somewhere super casual, not have any awkward forced fun games & definitely no dressups! Haha.

What did your company do this year?
Hx

I am a huge fan of the normal, round baubles for my tree. I also love it when they all go together nicely. This year I even abandoned the tinsel & went for only beads & baubles, which I really love.

I did pick up a few new baubles in purple & green so I had more to work with (& just because I wanted to haha), but most of those were the standard round, some glittery baubles.

My favourite decoration this year has to be these:

I picked them up from Target (Australia) for literally $4. So affordable & so cute. They only did them in purple & green, which is perfect for our tree! I don't know why I love them so much, but they look adorable on the tree, clipped on amongst all of the normal decorations.

:)
Hx

I don't know about you, but I absolutely hate going to the shops in December. It's hard to get a park. Every shop is crowded. It's every man for himself.

This year, I am essentially playing a game of risk, by ordering everything I can online... & hoping it arrives on time haha.

Here are my tips for surviving the shops at Christmas.

1. Order what you can online

It definitely is a bit risky in case it gets lost or doesn't arrive on time, but shopping from the comfort of my living room is the preferred choice! Really, if you were organised, you could do this in October or November & then the risk is lower haha.

2. Go really early or really late

Shops in Australia over Christmas are open for much longer. Get up early, or go shopping around 11pm or midnight to get a smaller crowd.

3. Take public transport, or arrange a lift

Don't try & drive. Just don't. I once waited in a car park for 2 hours just to leave! It was mental. Take the bus or train... or if you are planning on buying a lot, arrange someone to take you & pick you up.

4. Go with a plan

Make a list & know where you are getting everything from! Know exactly what you are getting, sizes & all, so you can literally be in & out as fast as possible.

5. Take snacks & water

If you are doing all of your shopping in a mall, do all of the above things to minimise the chaos; also take supplies! You don't know how long the queues will be or how long each shop will take & you certainly don't want to be fighting for a seat in a cafe.

Good luck out there & look after each other.

See you tomorrow!
Hx

Wedding Wednesdays: The 10 - 8 Month Checklist.

Another week, another wedding checklist!

My 10 - 8 Month Checklist - actually running relatively on time with this one! I am now officially just less than 8 months out from my wedding date :).

This should be the time you start locking in all of your big ticket items - the good suppliers really do book up fast! Think celebrant, florist, hair & makeup, reception entertainment.

Also start thinking about your decor & bridal party outfits. It's good to get in early to give your maids/men time to get their attire in.

1. Design & send out save the dates

Once your venue is locked in, tell your guests when the wedding is happening! Especially if some of your guests have to travel (we have people coming in from Melbourne, the UK & Russia). Design wise, have a think about what you want your invitations, other stationary & your wedding website to look like & aim for a similar design.

2. Confirm your venue(s), if you haven't already

Sign that contract (after reading it of course) & pay the deposit to lock in the venue. If you are having the ceremony & reception in different locations, lock them both in.

If you have an all-inclusive venue, that's great! If you have a DIY venue, be sure to also lock in your caterers at this stage as well (a whole blog post on this to come soon).

3. Choose your celebrant

If you aren't religious, finding an officiant for your big day can be a challenge. I actually found this part quite challenging to find a good one that will suit us. We met another celebrant before choosing ours, & she was just not going to work out with our very non-traditional approach to marriage!

Sticking points we found were:
- A lot of the young, fun celebrants are very expensive (think AUD$1000 or more)
- Travel costs for going 2 hours of the Sydney weren't included in the prices

Take your time & choose wisely - make sure you & your fiance(e) meet them as well, and have a good old chat over a coffee!

4. Choose your florist

We aren't having flowers at our wedding. No floral bouquets, centrepieces or anything else. The amount of shocked faces I see when I say that! Flowers are not a part of our lives - the only flower Mack ever bought me was made of metal. So we took this one out altogether. But if flowers are your jam, get in quick with locking in a florist - start researching them now, & aim to have one locked in at least 6 months in advance, if not now.

I will show you my bouquets at a much later date (probably after the wedding) - I love them!

5. Research and book hair & makeup

Hair & makeup was another massive challenge for me. There just aren't that many, especially in the Blue Mountains. And the ones that do exist are SO expensive. I even went to an expo looking specifically for hair & makeup, & there were just none that suited me/weren't expensive. It's important to me to have polished looks at my wedding, but it's not AUD$1800+ important. I found mine from a Facebook ad actually, & she is affordable even with additional travel costs to my venue. But I think $850 total is pretty reasonable to we locked it in!

6. Order wedding dress

If you are ordering a dress, remember it takes 3 - 6 months to come in (a general rule in Australia), so order with some time to spare, just in case. Have your shoes ready to go before you order the dress so you can order a custom length, if that is an option. I ordered mine a month ago, so around 8 months out.

7. Research invites and stationary

This goes alongside point 1 - think about the design you would like to go with so all of your wedding stationary matches. We are doing save the dates & invitations only - no menus or programs or other stationary. All good if you want all of the things, but remember this... the vast majority of your wedding stationary will end up in the bin. Spend money on the things you will use again, or that people want to keep! A wedding website is also a fabulous way to get the information out there without spending a fortune or printing lots of pages. Blog to follow soon on the wedding website options.

8. Choose bridal and groom party outfits

Give your wedding party time to acquire the outfits you want them to wear. Especially if you want them all to match. Mack & I are going for mismatched outfits and the shape is entirely up to them. I would much rather my girls choose an affordable outfit they will wear again, than spend a fortune on a dress they will only wear once.

9. Research reception entertainment

Good DJs & wedding bands book up early, so at least research what you want to go with, & lock them in as soon as you can.

10. Start thinking about decor / theming company

Decor can add up quickly, so I am a huge advocate for using whatever your venue has onsite for free (watch out for hidden costs on rentals!). If you're DIY-ing everything (or even just adding a personal touch to the already existing decorations), take your time to work out what will have the most impact for your guests.

If you are not creative at all & you don't have crafty friends, you might want to consider a theming company - this can be super expensive! But if big bod decor was high on your priority list that you made at the start, then maybe it is worth splurging here.

I picked a venue that is all inclusive - I will go to the ends of the earth to design & make things for someone else's big day. But for mine, I want it all done for me haha. We will be staying onsite & will be using the majority of the venue's decor & equipment. I have then made a small amount of decor to make it a bit personal & Mack will go crazy with LEDs (because festival chic vibes with fire & LED is the look we are going for), but that is it!

Do what makes sense for the two of you as a couple, not what everyone else is doing :)

Here you go for pinning - contact for the PDF version.

Hx

If you search for Christmas cocktails online, you get SO many options to choose from! I, personally, am a huge fan of a prosecco cocktail, a nice summery punch or a whisky based cocktail. Remember I'm not looking for mulled wine on a summer's day here.

My current favourite cocktail came from Jamie Oliver.

The original post is here.

I have modified it a little to suit my tastes - Vermouth is not really my jam, but apple juice as a mixer is delicious.

Apple Crumble Festive Cocktail | Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 shots (120ml) gin
60ml fresh cloudy apple juice
Ginger ale to fill glass
Apple segments to garnish

Method:

Mix all ingredients together over ice & lightly stir. Either make straight into the 4 glasses, or mix into a jug for your guests to pour their own.

Garnish with apple slices

Enjoy!
Hx

If I still lived in a cold country over Christmas I would fully embrace the ugly jumper trend! Australia really is well above 30 degrees on Christmas day; the one year we were in South Australia it was 48 degrees!, so I just can't justify buying a jumper.

Here I have my top picks for ugly Christmas jumpers in 2018; I obviously won't be buying them, but absolutely would if I was having a cold one.

5. ASOS sweater in fairisle print in velour: buy here.

I think it's the colour of this that I love. I actually don't think it is that ugly haha. Also it is men's, apparently, but I would totally wear it.

4. Amazon retro novelty sweaters, bambi - buy here.

This jumper is so bad it's good haha!

3. Rudolph the Ryandeer - buy here.

The fact that they have a couple wearing matching sweaters is the best part of this. But also the design is really cute. I don't think I could get Mack on board though.

2. Elf Christmas jumper - buy here.

HILARIOUS!

1. ETSY ugly Christmas sweater - buy here.

It lights up. Need I say more?

What is your favourite jumper this year?
Hx

Every year at Christmas, my parents get out the Christmas Greatest Hits CD, which has tunes such as Last Christmas, Merry Christmas Everybody etc.. Sometimes Michael Buble makes an appearance too.

These days, I am much more of a Spotify fan.

Here are my favourite Christmas Playlists for 2018.

1. My Christmas SK - this one was made by my manager at work & I love it. All the fun, upbeat tunes all together!

2. Christmas Favourites - a Spotify curated list, which I enjoy. There are a few dodgy tunes scattered through, but overall, awesome.

3. Christmas is Coming - also a Spotify creation, also very enjoyable.

What are your favourite Christmas tunes & playlists this year?
Hx

Christmas has always been big in my house!

Growing up, we put milk & cookies out for Santa. We put carrots & water outside for the reindeer.

Waking up to the cookies being eaten & the carrots gnawed on was just so great (yes my dad really did make it look like the reindeer had a snack!).

I think my favourite memory would have to be waking up on Christmas morning (I don't remember how old I was) & there were little paper footprints leading from my room, down the stairs, all the way to the huge stack of gifts waiting for me & my sister in the living room. The thought that Santa had gone to all that trouble made the whole morning feel so magical!

It is the little details for me that make that special. The effort my parents went to to make it look like Santa had been! So amazing. I have a vague recollection of receiving a letter from Santa one year also (likely my mum writing with her left hand haha) & again, having it feel like Santa had made such an effort made it really special.

Hx

Hi all - me again.

Today I thought I would do the Christmas Tag.

I found this one on The Enthusiast's blog, but there are many others very similar.

Here we go!

1. What is your favourite Christmas film?

Miracle on 34th Street

2. Have you ever had a White Christmas?

I have! Quite a few actually. My last white Christmas was when I worked in France in a ski resort in 2009/2010.

3. Where do you usually spend your holiday?

Wherever my family are... unless Mack & I choose to go on a roadtrip.

4. What is your favourite Christmas song?

Fairytale of New York

5. Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?

We don't! We save them all for Christmas morning.

6. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?

Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Vixon, Rudolph... apparently no, I can't name them all!

7. What holiday traditions are you looking forward to most this year?

Spending time with both my family & Mack's.

8. Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

It's fake... it is also black. :)

9. What is your all-time favourite holiday food/sweet treat?

I love a traditional hot roast; meat (preferably not turkey), Yorkshire pudding, all of the veggies.

I also love Mack's dad's homemade Baileys.

10. Be honest: do you like giving gifts or receiving gifts better?

I would love to say giving... but receiving. I find it so hard finding the perfect present to gift!

11. What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received?

The year I asked my mum & dad for a fridge/freezer & they bought be a super tiny kid's toy version instead of the real thing :)

12. What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday season?

I think I would enjoy Canada or Alaska - somewhere really cold & really snowy.

13. Are you a pro-present wrapper, or do you fail miserably?

I wouldn't say I'm the best.. haha

14. Most memorable Holiday moment?

In my adulthood, getting stranded in South Australia on a 48 degree day with a broken down car haha.

Childhood wise, refusing to eat Christmas dinner unless it was all inside a giant Yorkshire pudding.

15. What made you realize the truth about Santa?

I can't remember actually! I did get to enjoy keeping up the ruse for my younger sister though when the time came.

16. Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Do you stick to them?

I don't make resolutions as such. I set goals for the year. This year's post on this coming soon. Last year's post here.

17. What makes the holidays special for you?

Having time to spend with Mack & both of our families. It is a good excuse to stop just for a few days & just enjoy yourself!

Day 7 already!

Today we head towards Pintrest.

I am going to talk about this again soon re weddings, but today we're talking about Christmas.

I love Pintrest.

It is a great tool to get your creative juices going & develop your own ideas for decor, food, whatever you need really.

My Christmas board currently looks like this.

Christmas wise, you can see I'm going for Christmas cookies haha. I find it so useful for design ideas & even for recipes.

You could also get some ideas for table decor, Christmas tree designs, gift ideas. Whatever you need.

Remember though, be realistic! Not everything on Pintrest is real life - some of it is staged, so don't be disheartened if your version doesn't look exactly the same haha.

Join me tomorrow for day 8!
Hx

Welcome to Blogmas Day 6!

Today is going to be short & sweet.

Let's talking about Vlogmas.

I actually learnt about Vlogmas (& by extension Blogmas) from watching YouTubers.

Most of the channels I watch are British - I don't actually know any Australian Vloggers.

Vloggers who are doing Vlogmas this year who I might watch some/all of are:

- Zoe Sugg (Zoella)

I have watched Zoe's vlogs for a while & I enjoy them! Especially at Christmas because she gets really into it & goes all out!

- Alfie Deyes (Pointless Blog)

- Niomi Smart

- Emily Norris

Vloggers who aren't doing Vlogmas this year, but are enjoyable to watch (& hopefully do it next year) are:

- Louise Pentland
- Gi Fletcher
- Carrie Hope Fletcher

See you tomorrow!
Hx

Wedding Wednesdays: The 12+ Month Checklist.

Here we go with my 12+ months checklist.

This one I meant to post at my own 12 month mark... in July! But never got around to it, but November is better than never!

Remember - if these things are for you, awesome. If you need to add or remove things to suit you, do so :).

1. Engagement Party

This wasn't something high on my list of things to do (Mack & I took engagement photos instead, and then my maid of honour arranged a girl's day for me to celebrate being engaged - Hen Party #1 haha), but you should do this fairly early on if it's on your list. Remember you're now saving for a wedding, so don't go too crazy spending lots on the engagement.

2. Set that budget & start saving

We will get to my budget spreadsheet in another blog, but get organised and start keeping track of what you have to spend and what you will spend it on. The small things add up too, so don't forget to add these into your costs (not just the big stuff).

3. Research, research, research

Actually take your time looking at options. Pintrest is great (I'll cover this separately too), but it is so easy to get carried away with ideas you might not be able to afford. It took me 4 months of really thinking about everything to lock in a venue, and a further 3 or 4 months to start deciding on the decor and other small details. Unless you are on a tight deadline, don't rush. Think about it. Be really sure before you start spending money.

4. Choose a venue

Good venues fill up really fast, so definitely prioritise this! Be sure to have a rough guest list before you start getting quotes, and get at least 3 or 4 quotes before you make a decision. Have an idea in your head on the type of wedding you want (plated, buffet, cocktail, share platters etc.), and if you are looking for a DIY venue, or an all inclusive (another topic for another day!). Also refer back to your 3 main priorities and be sure your venue can accommodate those things.

For example - finding a venue that allowed fire pits and allowed us to spin fire was the number 1 priority, so raising the topic of fire was the first thing we did. FYI finding a venue that will allow fire in Australia is quite a challenge (which is partially why we are having a winter wedding haha).

5. Set a date

If you have a special date, then obviously this part comes before choosing a venue. For us, we picked the venue and worked around the dates they had available for 2019.

Sending out save the dates doesn't need to happen now, although if you have people travelling internationally like we do, it is at least nice to let them know ASAP so they can start making plans.

6. Choose your bridal party

I will cover this topic in more detail in a couple of weeks, but this should be one of the first things you do. Choose carefully!

7. Find a photographer and videographer

The good suppliers here in Australia book out so far in advance, definitely start looking at portfolios now and locking one in ASAP. If you are looking for both photo & video, it might be more cost effective to find a supplier who does both. Mack & I are going for photography only, despite so many people telling me we will regret it later. I will let you know on that after the wedding, but I don't think we will. We booked our photographer ages ago (he took our engagement photos and I just love them) - I will post soon some of the Australian photographer portfolios I absolutely love, but did not go with.

8. Attend a wedding expo

I have attended a few of these, and, to be honest, a lot of them a just overwhelming and not that helpful. The best one was Blue Mountains Love, which has lots of local suppliers exhibiting - I found my celebrant here. And there were lots of suppliers there that my venue uses regularly as well, which is really great. I have seen smaller local expos in different areas, and I think they would be much more valuable than the large generic ones. When attending an expo, go with something in mind that you are looking for, like hair & makeup, or a photographer, or wedding cars, so you can just ignore everything else and not get bombarded with information.

9. Start dress shopping

Another topic where a whole blog post on its own is coming soon, but definitely start this early! You can buy off the rack, or get lucky with a sale, but generally, if you are shopping for a dress that you need to order in, it will take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to come in, so be sure to leave yourself enough time! Start early! And be open minded - it'll make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable (more on this soon!).

10. Choose our wedding theme, colours etc.

Whilst you might have themes & colours in mind, lock it in only after you have confirmed your venue. You really don't want to have a hot pink colour scheme if your venue has an orange carpet (or something equally hideous haha). Or choose this before you choose your venue, and keep it in mind when you do site visits to make sure the venue matches your dream theme.

Pin this list for future reference - or contact me for the PDF version.

Join me next week for a conversation about choosing your bridal party.
Hx

I am such a sucker for a Christmas movie - I just love them!

At the moment, if you scroll through Netflix, there are so many new ones popping up. To be honest, I can't imagine they are all good, but I will probably end up watching some of them anyway.

Here are my top 5 favourite Christmas movies :)

5. Elf (2003)

4. The Holiday (2006)

This is the movie I watched while I put up my tree this year.

3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

2. Love Actually (2003)

1. Miracle On 34th Street (1994)

This one is such an oldie, but it still has to be my ultimate favourite movie. SO good!

If you haven't seen any of these, I would certainly recommend seeking them out & indulging in them this year :)

See you tomorrow!
Hx

I have such fond memories of having chocolate advent calendars when I was a child back in the 90s & opening the little door every day for a little chocolate shaped like Santa, or reindeer, or a snowflake or whatever else.

Fast forward to 2018, advent calendars have gone so far beyond your simple little chocolates for kid to enjoy.

There are SO many calendars for adults so they can join the fun too.

Everyone is doing them now! You can get them for accessories, beauty, fragrance, candles, toys, alcohol. You name it, you could probably get an advent calendar for it.

Here are 5 calendars that I have seen this year that I love (but didn't get this time around).

I have popped the link for each calendar on where to buy them, but please note at the time of writing, some of them are already sold out.

The Body Shop 24 Days of the Enchanted advent calendar - buy it here.
Price: $100
Value: $165

Aside from the fact that this calendar has a lot of really useful, nice products inside, it is just so pretty! I am not a huge user of beauty products, so I opted against this one for me, but with the variety of creams & potions that are included here, it is great value for money. The full list of contents is listed on the website, so don't read all the way through if you want a surprise everyday.

Australian Whisky - buy it here.
Price: $299
Value: $339

Boozy advent calendars are really popular this year. They have been available worldwide for a while, but this is the first year Australia has a really good range available here. Whisky is my favourite drink, so having 25 nips of some amazing whiskies is so appealing. You can also get gin, rum, vodka, wine, beer & cider, so all tastes are covered. This one priced me out this year, but is certainly one to keep in mind for the future.

English Tea Shop - buy it here.
Price: $19.95
Value: not disclosed

I have a lot of English Tea Shop tea already & it is really delicious, so the idea of having a different flavour every day is really cool. It is a really nice affordable option too, if you are budget conscious this year.

Dusk 12 Days of Scents - buy it here.
Price: $70
Value: not disclosed

Another calendar that gets top marks for being really pretty! It might only be a 12 day calendar, but I love a candle, so it is definitely one I am going to go for at some stage.

Green Pea stationary - buy it here.
Price: $240
Value: $400

I just love stationary! This particular calendar only does a really short run, so you would have to get in quick to get it, but I would love this one if it was still available this year! I am sure there are other stationary calendars available, which would satisfy any stationary lover's needs haha. Again, a super pretty design - love it.

If you are looking for a high end beauty calendar for yourself, Fleur de Force (a UK Vlogger) does a wonderful review here of the top 10 (note I haven't checked to see if all 10 of these are available in Australia).

I went for this calendar this year - the Boozebud cider advent calendar.

We are 4 days in & I'm loving it so far! Such a range of different ciders!

You can shop their range of calendars here.

Until tomorrow.
Hx

EDIT:

Here is a pic of all of the ciders we enjoyed throughout December.

Our faves are the ones on top of the box :)

I love putting up my Christmas decorations! Mack is a lot less interested, but he goes along with it haha.

Last year was the first year we actually put up our tree.

The first year we were together, we were road-tripping through the Australian desert, so no need for decorations there. The next year, we were living with Mack's parents, so I didn't put mine up then either.

Last year's tree looked like this:

This year, I bought a few new ornaments & Mack let me put some more up around the house! It feels so festive now :)

My Christmas tree is an artificial black tree, which I bought from Kmart, I think, about 7 years ago
The colour scheme is purple, green & silver. I don't envision this changing any time soon, as they are our favourite colours!
Most of my ornaments & decorations come from Target & Kmart. I don't see much value in splurging on really extravagant expensive options (although if that is your thing, go for it!)

One year, I think we are going to be that house with the lights, because Mack wants to go crazy with LEDs ... but we can build up to that another year.

Until tomorrow.
Hx

All Things Events

Blogmas Day 24: Christmas Dessert

Blogmas Day 23: Christmas OOTD

Blogmas Day 22: Christmas Love & Hate

Blogmas Day 20 & 21: Christmas Baking

Wedding Wednesdays: Choosing Your Bridal Party.

Blogmas Day 19: Christmas Candles

Blogmas Day 18: The Little Things

Blogmas Day 17: Christmas Day Plans

Blogmas Day 16: 2018 Reflections

Blogmas Day 15: Work Christmas Parties

Blogmas Day 14: My Fave Decoration

Blogmas Day 13: Surviving Christmas Shopping

Wedding Wednesdays: The 10 - 8 Month Checklist.

Blogmas Day 12: Christmas Cocktail

Blogmas Day 11: Ugly Christmas Jumpers

Blogmas Day 10: Festive Playlist

Blogmas Day 9: Favourite Christmas Memory

Blogmas Day 8: Christmas Blog Tag

Blogmas Day 7: Christmas on Pintrest

Blogmas Day 6: Vlogmas 2018

Wedding Wednesdays: The 12+ Month Checklist.

Blogmas Day 5: My Top 5 Christmas Movies

Blogmas Day 4: Advent Calendars

Blogmas Day 3: My 2018 Christmas Tree