Holly Go Lightly-esque Hens Party Inspiration in Brisbane, Australia

If we could give an award to the shoot that has provided the most amount of fun to date, it would go to the hens party inspiration you will find below. Brodie Jones, from Click Picnic, is responsible for the concept, planning and styling. The shoot showcased Click Picnic's Mrs Jones collection. Click Picnic describe their collection as this: "Who is Mrs Jones? Mrs Jones is always well dressed and almost never well behaved! This is a high tea package for no proper lady. Indulge in harmless gossip over a combination of vintage English china and Japanese porcelain with a modern twist. This is where ladies meet beyond the hedges for delightfully debaucherous conversation. Perfect for a hens party or baby shower". Brodie's inspiration culminated in a "fun to the max, naughty but nice, Holly Go Lightly-esque party-girl style hens celebration"!

The shoot, held at Bella Brows (4a/54 Vernon Terrace, Teneriffe), featured pretty stationery (handiwork of Lorelie from Studio B Couture), leather clutches (made by Anna from Raw Cotton), gorgeous floristry (by Bumble & Bloom's Zoe), delectable cake pops & macarons (Macarons by Monika), custom-cut signage (Josh & Suzanne from Molossi Designs), gift boxes (Bijour from The Bridal Box Co) &, last but certainly not least, a colourful & delicious platter (provided by Platter to Plate's Rhiannon). Demi, Katherine & Morgan looked stunning in dresses from When Freddie Met Lilly and rocked their robes from Ivory Haus. Hair & makeup by the dream team of Heather Cutts Hair & Makeup by SEM. Johnré Blackie did a sterling job of being a classy waiter for the day. We were thrilled to be part of this shoot. Enjoy!

Demi Groot // model
Johnré Blackie // model
Katherine Lambert // model
Morgan MacLennan // model
Bella Brows // location
Bumble & Bloom // florist & flower crown specialist
Click Picnic // event hire & styling
Heather Cutts Hair // hairdresser
Ivory Haus // bridal party sleep shirts & gowns
Macarons by Monika // macarons & cake pops
Makeup by SEM // makeup artist
Molossi Designs // custom-cut acrylic & MDF designs
Platter to Plate // platters & grazing boards
Poppy & Sage Photography // photography
Raw Cotton // leather accessories
Studio B Couture // wedding invitations & stationery
The Bridal Box Co // bridal & wedding party gift boxes
When Freddie Met Lilly // bespoke wedding gowns

Meet Wedding Celebrant, Fiona!

Happy Monday! Hope everyone has had a manageable weekend. Today you will meet Fiona, a wedding celebrant based in Brisbane. We recently did a shoot with Fiona and we really enjoyed the experience. We found her approachable and professional. It was a tedious shoot (long list of shots we were aiming for) and Fiona came in at a time when everyone was hungry and a bit scrappy. She pulled the situation together effortlessly and with a good dose of humour. We have a feeling Fiona might have seen it all and can certainly handle any situation. You will find Fiona on our recommended vendors page.

"Tell us about yourself"
My name is Fiona McIntyre and I’m a Brisbane wedding celebrant. I’ve been marrying people for 4 years now and love that I get to be part of people’s biggest life moment. When I’m not marrying, I work in my other business doing social media and website design, and try to juggle raising a 6 month old and 4 year old who both have red hair!

"Why did you choose to become a celebrant?"
It had been a dream of mine for 10 years before I finally did it. It was a thought that would constantly pop in and out of my head, so when my daughter was 5 months old, I decided in a split second it needed to be now! I enrolled in my course and performed my first ceremony 3 months later. Part of my reason was wanting to show her that you should always reach for your dreams, no matter how hard they may seem.

"Who in celebrancy inspires you?"
My fellow celebrants. We work together on the belief that we’re a community, not competition. We constantly learn from each other and that makes us better. This means I can offer my couples new ideas and approaches to ensure I deliver them the ceremony they’ve always dreamt of.

"Any misconceptions about your industry that you would like to dispel?"
People often question the price of a celebrant because they think we just turn up and deliver a 30-minute ceremony. They don’t realise the amount of work that’s gone on behind the scenes to deliver those 30 mintues. I do research, meetings, interviewing, writing, drafting, rehearsals, travel and, of course, the ceremony. On top of that, celebrants also have to attend annual professional development to ensure we stay on our game. No celebrant turns up and just wings it on the day – a lot of time and preparation has gone into making those 30 minutes spectacular.

"Do you have any tips for those of us who aren't experts?"
Your wedding ceremony should be all about you. People want to hear the story of how you met, fell in love and came to be standing there together. The past is so important to creating a future together. It can be fun, light hearted and engaging. The wedding ceremony sets the tone for the whole day so have fun with it. No one wants to sit through a boring ceremony!

"Why should couples choose you for their big day?"
I’m passionate about working with couples to identify what makes them unique. That way, I can deliver their perfect ceremony. I take the time to get to know my couples, explain their options, and work with them to craft a personal ceremony. I also believe in making the process fun and stress-free, so guarantee lots of laughs along the way!

"How do you set yourself apart from competitors?"
I invest a lot of time with my couples depending on their individual needs. I provide a ceremony planning guide to really help couples understand their options and think about what they want to include. I don’t limit numbers of meetings or phone calls because I think the ceremony is so important, couples should feel supported through the whole process. I also bring nearly 20 years experience as a professional writer, event manager and presenter so my couples are guaranteed a professional ceremony.

"What is the best advice you ever received?"
Give a man a chance to say no – if you never ask the question, you’ll never know the answer.

"What surprising lessons have you learned along the way?"
Each couple is so different. There are common themes among ceremonies, but being able to create a new ceremony every time, is something I truly love!

"How do you balance work and family demands?"
I thrive on being busy. Running two businesses and working part-time means my life is crazy! I’m lucky to have a really supportive husband and the ability to live on very little sleep!

Website // https://www.yourbrisbanecelebrant.com/
Instagram // https://www.instagram.com/fiona_mcintyre_celebrant/
Facebook // https://www.facebook.com/yourbrisbanecelebrant/
Email // info@yourbrisbanecelebrant.com

Meet Homewares, Stationery & Giftware Designer, Sophie!

You get to meet the lovely Sophie from Sophia Mulheran Designs today! We recently undertook a project with Sophie that we can't wait to share in the coming months. It was a delight to work with her and we can vouch for the wow factor her products bring. We have enjoyed getting to know the Sophia Mulheran Design brand for a couple of reasons in particular. At a business level, we enjoy supporting local businesses and you will find the Sophia. brand based here in Brisbane, Australia. On a personal level, Pete has a science degree with an environmental major & Em has honours in environmental microbiology; the Sophia. brand is passionate about sustainable and ethical business practices so this (environmentally conscious) aspect resonates with us. We recently noticed on Sophie's instagram that the team have picked up 10,479 pieces of rubbish so far this year! What an amazing effort! I am sure you would be keen to hear more of the stories behind Sophie's business so I will now hand it over to her (and you will find Sophia Mulheran Designs listed among our recommended vendors):

"Tell us about yourself” 

I’m a creative and passionate Brisbanite who is working towards the most sustainable and ethical lifestyle and business. I love drawing so to essentially be able to do it as a job (as well as creating other awesome things) is an absolute dream come true!

"Why did you choose to design homewares, stationery and giftware?” 

I’ve always wanted to make a positive difference to our environment and community so when I formulated the idea to turn my passions into a career, I stopped at nothing to get the business up and running. The Sophia. Brand launched in August 2017 and since then, it’s been nothing but a success. I have learnt so much and met so many beautiful and inspiring people.

"How did your interest in design and creativity start?”

I grew up on an acreage property so I was constantly building, exploring, creating and running free. This has shaped me into the person I am today and has armed me with an intense passion for the environment and everything creative.

"Who in business inspires you?”

There’s too many to count!! I’m inspired by anyone and everyone who has the courage to take the leap of faith and follow their dreams. It’s inspiring to see so many people who have made the decision to quit their day jobs and set out to do exactly what they were born to do.

"Any misconceptions about your industry that you would like to dispel?” 

Most people think that I sit down and carefully plan out every tiny detail of my designs but the truth is that I create all my designs on the spot and I never know how they are going to turn out.

"Do you have any tips for those of us who aren't experts?” 

I know there’s people out there who think they don’t have a creative bone in their body but the truth is that my drawings used to be messy and nothing of great quality. It was only the other day that I found a few drawings that I created not long before I launched my business. If I was still creating those dodgy designs, my business would be an absolute flop! Keep exploring different aspects and don’t forget that nearly anything can be considered art!

"Why should couples choose you for their big day?” 

When it comes to weddings, I have a few unique things to offer. The first being custom-designed wedding invitations and menus to suit your flowers, style and wedding layout. I’ve also introduced wedding hire items. These include my hand-crafted copper bowls and plates, which bring a striking colour and texture to the wedding dining

"How do you set yourself apart from competitors?”

I pride myself on being unique and creating things that people have never seen before. What's the point of following the trend when you can create your own?

"What is the best advice you ever received?”

I’ve received lots of awesome advice over the years but one thing I always tell myself is that if you keep going and never give up, you will succeed. Work hard, keep your head down and you’ll get there in the end!

"What surprising lessons have you learned along the way?” 

Who knew there was so much to learn about running a business? I thought I’d done the majority of the work when I launched the business but the truth is that there is always improvements to make. Business is a journey too!

"How do you balance work and family demands?” 

I’m definitely guilty of working for 5am until 10pm without so much as a break. I have way too many ideas that I want to follow through on so at this point in time, work never really stops for me. I might find a balance one day!

"Anything else you would like to add?” 

If you’d like to follow my sustainable and ethical business journey, feel free to check out my website and social media pages: 

Website: http://www.sophiamulheran.com 

Instagram: Instagram.com/sophia.mulheran.designs 

Facebook: Facebook.com/sophiamulheran 

Twitter: Twitter.com/mulheransophie 

Meet Custom-Cut Designers, Josh & Suzanne!

We are thrilled to introduce you to a lovely husband-wife team of custom-cut designers - Josh & Suzanne from Molossi Designs! We have worked with them on a couple of projects: here and here. They are always so pleasant to email back and forth with and they consistently bring quality, stunning pieces to the table. This is their story as told by them (and you will find them on our recommended vendor page):

"Tell us about yourself"
We are a husband and wife team with 6 children that keep us on our toes! We recently made a ‘tree’ change from the city, which has given us more freedom and time in life! Best decision we ever made… This decision has also given us more direction with the business to see it grow.

"Why did you choose custom-cut designs as your chosen field?"
The creative desire and a WOW product!

"How did your interest in custom-cut designs start?"
Originally in the papercraft industry, we purchased our first laser to allow us to create our ‘own’ product – our own chipboard line. When we tapped into the MDF and acrylic designs, the papercraft side closed down as the demand for our products in the event industry grew. Three years later, we purchased our second machine. Two years after that, our third machine. We have grown with the industry.

"Who in custom-cut designs inspires you?"
Everyone from the bride that contacts us the week before her wedding (lol it does happen – and that’s cool with us as we manage it!) to the event planner, the venues, the GROOMS (yup - grooms, too!) to the photographers that capture it all.. There is not one person that doesn’t inspire us.

"Do you have any tips for those of us who aren't experts?"
The key is to capture the spirit of the client and the essence in life. And outsource what you can!

"Why should couples choose you for their big day?"
We are asked this weekly – and our answer: at Molossi it is quality over quantity here!

"How do you set yourself apart from competitors?"
We will work with you to create what your heart desires. We are a big believer in “you are your only limit”.

"What is the best advice you ever received?"
The Five Ups:
‘Get up, dress up, show up, keep your head up, and never give up’.

"What surprising lessons have you learned along the way?"
Never be afraid to ask!

"What does a day in the life of Molossi look like?"
Our days consist of designing orders to cutting, perfecting and packing. We deal with some amazing vendors but my favourite part is opening messages filled with love and images of our products in use!

"Anything else you would like to add?"
The Molossi team are your go-to manufacturer, retailer and wholesaler of custom-made and personalised MDF, wooden and acrylic designs. Whilst personalised MDF wooden signs and acrylic cake toppers are just the beginning of Molossi’s product range, we are always ready to assist when a client brings a design to us; Molossi will help recreate the desired product in mind to the best of our ability, whether it be for that unique wedding/event piece, business logo or home decor, we will work with you to create what your heart desires.

Molossi is situated in New South Wales, with our warehouse located at Mandagery. Even though we are Australian-based, we do ship internationally. Please contact us at info@molossi.com.au for a freight quote.

Shop with confidence at Molossi and rest assured that we will strive to do what is best by our clients. This is not a job for us - it is our passion!! If you are a registered business, you may be eligible to register for a wholesaler's account. Click HERE to register for an account.

You will find Molossi's:

Travel Diaries :: Corrie Ten Boom Huis & Anne Frank Museum

We recently wrote a post addressing today's obsession with presenting a perfect & happy image (literally) on social media platforms, such as Instagram, and musing about the somewhat forgotten art of storytelling (perhaps with less filtering?) by way of handwritten diaries. We wrapped up the post with this: "We vote for both: enjoy and share with the world your highlight reel on Instagram (after all, holidays are usually a huge investment so enjoy reliving those memories over and over!) but also treasure those raw and gritty handwritten travel diaries over a glass or two of red (after all, those genuine and authentic moments are priceless)! Who knows... we might even share a story or two or three from our travel diaries this year. <3"

We are going to share below one of our journal entries from the 3rd of January, 2014. We had just visited both the Corrie Ten Boom Huis & the Anne Frank Museum:

"Today we set out to see the Anne Frank Museum (AFM), the Corrie Ten Boom Huis (CTBH), and go on a canal tour. We got 2 of the above done. However, although we only got 2 done, I feel as though I reached my saturation point today ... so much to write about! Firstly, we went to the tourism place across the road from Centraal Station to find out where the CTBH is located and how to get there (public transport). It turned out that it is in Haarlem and about 10 minutes walk from the Haarlem Station. As the CTBH stopped tours from 3 pm and the AFM closed at 7 pm, we decided to go for the CTBH first. We bought a day ticket for the train and got on for Haarlem.

On the way, the ticket officer asked for our tickets. We produced them. She took them from us and promptly got upset with us. It soon became apparent that we had (unwittingly) purchased a ticket for the tram and bus instead of the train. To make matters worse, it was with another company. How we had made this mistake was that most of the ticket machines required payment by card. The machine from which we purchased our tickets was one of the few we could find that accepted cash. Well, the situation could have been worse; the ticket officer, after we explained that it was our second day in the Netherlands, took the tickets from us and explained that we would have to buy new tickets at the station. So we did.

Image was taken by us during our holiday adventuring. (You can purchase original Ten Boom watches here.)

We headed for the Corrie Ten Boom Huis. It was a beautiful neighbourhood. It was surreal walking the streets Corrie and her family walked. We found the museum and I was so surprised to find that the jewellery shop is still open and trading under the Ten Boom name still. They were selling watches in the window - Swiss, et cetera - and some were just 'Ten Boom'. It was great to see.

We lined up with 3 Americans for the next tour starting in 5 minutes. A very friendly American lady welcomed us in for the tour and directed us to the living room. It was ... surreal. Having read the 'Hiding Place' and watched the film, it was hard to process that we were sitting in the living room of the Ten Boom's home. The tour guide talked us through the main parts of Corrie's story and, as she got to different sections of the story, we moved to different parts of the house. We got to Corrie's bedroom where the hiding place is. Pete and I stepped in. At one stage, while Pete was in the hiding place section of Corrie's room, the tour guide pulled down a curtain and closed the cupboard door to the opening into the hiding place. While it was dark, she started knocking on the wall and Pete later said the experience was unnerving and made the story of the 6 Jews 'held captive' in there for 47 hours more tangible.

We walked to St Bravo Church where the Ten Booms went to church. They were busy setting up for a winter festival tonight and we were fortunate enough that they were playing the pipe organ containing 68 registers and featuring 5,068 pipes. Mozart played the organ in 1766 and G.F. Händel also played it (the Christian Müller organ).

We went and had a high tea (of sorts) at Bij Babette just down the road from the CTBH. We indulged in delicious scones and an amazing green tea called 'The Love Potion'. We asked our friendly waitress to surprise us with a tea and she delivered.

Next stop was the AFM. After the cosiness and warmth of the CTBH, I found the AFM a bit sterile and detached but it was a powerful experience nonetheless. Such a strong story and very glad we went. It was particularly sobering to see Anne's name in a huge, fat in memorium book lising every Jew (103,000) who was killed in the Netherlands during the war. To think that so many people died senselessly was staggering and upsetting.

It was a buzz to see Anne's diary in the flesh - to see her handwriting with corrections, et cetera. It made it all so much more real. Another little thing that stood out to me was on a picture Anne had put on her wall of a pretty young lady (from a magazine or paper, I assume). It was black & white, of course, but Anne had coloured the lady's lips with a pink pencil. It was a reminder that she was just a girl doing girl things."

"Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart." ~ Corrie Ten Boom

We must learn from history.