It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I always struggle to get into the festive spirit here in the desert; bright blue sky, warm sunny days and an abundance of sand are all so far removed from the cold, dark and blustery Christmas I grew up with in England.

One thing that always warms my Christmas cockles is present wrapping. I love it. I started last night wearing my new winter scarf and rocking out to all the festive tunes from ‘Santa Baby’ to Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’. Oh I do love a good old Christmas tune. I honestly think that they’re good for the soul. I digress….

Today’s post is about inspiring your Christmas day wrapping. There are so many creative ways to wrap your gifts for your nearest and dearest and here are some of them. From fresh greenery and berries to stamping and glitter, there are some simple and some not so simple ideas for you to take on-board when performing your own Christmas routine.

Now I don’t know about you folks but I do find unique wrapping paper hard to come by in Dubai – my go to is Paperchase but if you know of any shout-out worthy stationery shops here in the UAE please do leave a little comment below as I would love to know about them!

One of the best finds I have come across are printable gift tags on Etsy; perfect for those last minute presents and for those of us wanting something a little different from the norm. There are hundreds of these out there but here are a few of my favourites:

White Willow Paper: With Love and Stags

Mooseberry Printables: White Tags and Black Tags

Left: Pixel Perfect Shoppe Right: Design by Tracy

Left: Christine Marie B Right: In Digital World

Romona Keveza Spring 2014

Celebrity red carpet couturier of choice, Romona Keveza’s Spring 2014 collection paid tribute to timeless style. Named ‘A Passage Through Time’, Keveza’s latest offering fused great fashion moments of the past with a modern sensibility. Each gown within the collection represents a particular era; from the elegance of the 1920’s right through to the millennium and into the future, this collection is exquisitely diverse.  

A vintage touch

A vintage touch is one of the most popular themes for any wedding day and with good reason; it’s just so darn romantic.

For this moodboard I’ve taken inspiration from Downton Abbey (if you haven’t watched it then you really should) and the early 1900’s without trying to get too distracted by the Gatsby era of abundance and art deco.

One of my favourite new loves has to be the shoulder necklace which fits in perfectly to a vintage vibe, in fact these images are making me hanker after one myself. You know, for all the balls I attend….I digress.

If like many brides you want to achieve a romantic look but don’t want to go overboard on a vintage theme, then why not add some ‘splashes’ of vintage. Lace, old suitcases, leather bound books and lavender are some of the easiest ways to achieve these ‘splashings’. This is an easy and accessible theme to incorporate into your day and if you’re a fan of the this era I guarantee it will make your heart soar.

A dash of purple; Alex & Jo

I love a wedding that captures all the little moments and Eric Montoya has done just that in today’s lovely affair. Alex and Jo were married in San Jose, California in an outdoor ceremony that is so sweet and full of joy.

My favourite thing has to be the look of love written all over Alex’s face…it’s surely every girl’s dream to be looked at that way.  

Chartreuse

Bold colours are definitely making waves in the wedding world at the moment so today is all about the little known colour chartreuse. Somewhere between yellow and green lies chartreuse; a bold statement of a colour that I love.

Immortalised in Jason Wu’s wedding dress, chartreuse is back on the fashion radar and making its way into weddings. Used in the right way chartreuse can bring zest into your wedding décor.

Alyne by Rita Vinieris

Holding true to the timeless style she is known for, Rita Vinieris Fall 2014 collection embodies sophisticated elegance. Romantic details and subtle embellishments guarantees this collections popularity among brides looking for a classic look.