I love polka dot touches for a wedding and constantly come across some great finds by other bloggers

This was one of my first inspiration boards I did for the blog- everything polka dot!

Brooklyn Bride shared these finds from Martha Stewart

Wedding Fanatic did a great post on polka dot cakes. Read the full entry here They also did a cute post on Polka Dot fashion

Wedsmack shared these two inspiration boards- read more here

Never teh bride at Manolo For The Brides did an entry on polka dot dresses- read more here

Toast & Tables did a fantastic polka dot post after discovering Kate Spade’s polka dot crockery range. See the full post here

Dream Weddings On A Budget even has a polka dot category! See the full category and entries here

Bridal Wave did an inspiration board with that Michelle Roth Maya gown

Faye and Greer showcased Lauren and Robert’s wedding invitations

Magnolias, Marriage & Manhattan did a gorgeous polka dot entry focusing on everything from bowls to luggage tags

I’ll be showcasing more great polka dot posts soon so stay tuned!

The Chinese Garden Of Friendship in Sydney is such a stunning wedding venue. So lush and green with the peace and tranquility.

The gardens were built to celebrate by the local Sydney Chinese community to celebrate Australia’s bicentenary. A nod also to Sydney’s sister city of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, China.

There are three venues to choose from for your wedding (ceremony or reception) with gorgeous names like the ‘Hall of Longevity’ (fits 120) or the ‘Peace Boat Pavilion (fits 40).

The garden is a public area, but can be hired privately for wedding receptions from 5.30pm until midnight. You can even have champagne served to add to the celebration.

The Chinese Garden of Friendship is located close by to the historic Rocks area in Darling Harbour makes it perfect for photos with the iconic bridge and of course, throughout the gardens.

For more information email chinesegarden@shfa.nsw.gov.au or phone the gardens on (02) 9240 8888

Photo courtesy of Vincent Lai Photography

I love these pieces by Jules Collins. Simple, bold and beautiful designs!

Jules Collins began designing jewellery in 1994. She works with precious and semi precious gemstones like pink tourmaline and peridot creating modern luscious pieces which show off the stone in it’s glory.

Jules Collins Jewellery

36 Oxford Street

Woollahra NSW 2025

http://www.jcollinsjewellery.com

Telephone or Fax: 9331 6175
Email: jules@jcollinsjewellery.com

I love this colour combination. The vintage glam of deep raspberry red with the soft touch of blue

Gown from JLM Couture, cake from Planet Cake, Candles from brides.com, seating chart easel from bridetobe.com.au, Chanel Glossimer lipstick in Pulsa from brides.com  centerpiece from theknot.com, favours from brides.com,Kara & Brett’s Bridesmaid from theknot.com 

Following a two year engagement, Adelaide Crows player Mark Ricciuto wed Sarah Delahunt in Port Lincoln, South Australia on the 18th of January.

The ceremony was held in Port Lincoln’s St Mary Of The Angels Catholic church as a weekend getaway.

Pregnant bride Sarah wore an Alexis George shantung sheath featuring tulle and french lace and carried a bouquet of white carnations.

The groom and his groomsmen wore black tie suits from Axel Beers with white carnation boutonnières.

250 guests, including baby daughter Sophie, celebrated at the Port Lincoln hotel (part owned by Mark) and shared the weekend together. Guests included Wayne Carey, Tyson Edwards & Bill Sanders.

Photo from news.com.au

Today is a day for BBQS, for lamingtons and pavlova, sausages, vegemite, cherry ripes and tim tams!

Happy Australia Day!

The Egos of Your Entertainment may get in the way if you haven’t looked after the Extra details like your bridal Emergency kit and other Essentials!

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A wedding ring is the most important part of the wedding day. After all it’s a symbol of why there’s a wedding in the first place!

Getting a wedding ring engraved is a nice simple touch that captures the essence of the marriage for you both. You may choose to simply have your wedding date engraved, but you can also be creative with it! Is there a line from a song that is special to you? Something you always say to each other? Remember this is going to be on your hand forever, so choose something timeless!

Don’t rush into the decision, think about it carefully! (A lot like marriage really!)

Simple Engravings

Sam & Sarah 12/02/2007 (Insert your own names and wedding date)

Forever

I Love You

Love Me

I Do

Remember

Fun Engravings

Put It Back On!

Oh The Places We’ll Go!

Yes, I Still Love You

Nonrefundable

Gotcha

Romantic Engravings

Bless This Ring, Bless Our Life

With You Always

You and no other

To Have & To Hold

Grow Old With Me

Love, Honour, Cherish

All My Love

Celebrity Engravings

Courtney Cox & David Arquette - A Deal’s A Deal

The Boys of 7th Heaven - You Bring Out The best In Me

Jennifer Aniston & Brad Pitt - Jennifer (In Brad’s Ring) Brad (In Jenn’s ring)

Anastacia & Wayne Newton - Wedding Date

International Engravings

Amor Vincit Omnia - Love Conquers all (in Latin)

Semper Amemus - Love Always (in Latin)

Pour toujours et toujours- Forever and Always (in French)

Te Amo - I Love You (in Spanish)

Mon cœur est a vous- My heart is yours (in French)

Ani L’dodi V’ dodi Li - I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine (in Hebrew)

A couple might take each other’s wedding ring and have it engraved, leaving the inscription a surprise for the wedding day.

Tips For Ring Engraving

• Make sure your ring is the right size, incorrect sizing will ruin the inscription once you have it resized
• Make sure you leave enough time for the engraving to be done before the wedding
• Choose a thick simple font
• Double check your spelling
• Be realistic about the size of your ring and engraving options (hand vs machine) available. Machine can be more precise but can wear more quickly. Hand engraving is unique and often deeper.

Polka Dot Bride gets many readers from all around the world. So as you read this I have a question for you…

Who are you? Where are you from? Are you engaged? Are you 25 or 30? I’d love to know about you! Tell me stories, thoughts and facts! Don’t be shy, I don’t bite! (although we ran out of peanut butter this morning (latest addiction) so I am slightly hungry!)

This post is all about you! Go for it!

Dads often create Drama around the details, the bride with her Diamonds and Dress will take his hand and ask him to Dance.

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The first dance is often a nervous event! Often called ‘the bridal shuffle’ there are plenty of ways to have fun with it (of course a shuffle is a fine option too!)

The latest trend is to have a choreographed dance that gets the guests into the groove and provides an unexpected twist.

A great place to start if you want to avoid the shuffle is to get some DVD tutorials. These let you learn in the comfort of your home with no worries about people watching.

‘Learn Your Wedding Dance’ is by an Aussie couple and includes a waltz, rumba and slow rhythm dance with each ‘role’ individually taught step by step.

Another option is to hire a choreographer to teach you to dance and design a dance to your music. You can find these companies at wedding expos or seek out your own. You may choose a sexy rumba, an elegant waltz, samba, foxtrot or others. This will depend on what you feel your style as a couple is.

If ballroom isn’t for you try a speciality dance group- like the Swing Patrol who offer a choreographed swing dance for your first dance- with a twist!

Picking a song to dance to can be hard! If you choose to dance to a particular rhythm like the rumba, the song will have to fit. Many couples choose ‘their’ song for the first dance, or something utterly romantic.

Classic choices include

• ‘At Last’ by Etta James
• ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ by Frank Sinatra/Michael Buble
• ‘Your Song’ by Elton John/Moulin Rouge
• ‘Better Together’ by Jack Johnson
• ‘Let’s Stay Together’ by Al Green
• ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ by Frank Sinatra
• ‘Moon River’ by Andy Williams
• ‘L-O-V-E’ by Natalie Cole
• ‘Someone Like You’ by Van Morrison
• ‘It Had To Be You’ by Harry Connick Jnr

Of course nothing says you have to do your first dance alone, like this now famous couple- you could get the whole wedding party involved!

Other special dances you may consider are

• Father and daughter dance
• Mother and son dance
• Bridal party dance

Today Australia lost one of it’s best young homegrown actors

Rest In Peace Heath