Royal Wedding

Tying the Windsor Knot

Congratulations

So we've seen the dress, although not as exciting as a McQueen dress could have been it was very beautiful & traditional! Inspirations from Grace Kelly's dress when she married Prince Rainier of Monaco perhaps! Chief bridesmaid and sister Pippa looked amazing, her dress was just stunning!

We watched the arrivals of other Royals...including Sir Elton John with David and of course David and Victoria Beckham. David complete with the wedding must have accessory - in hand - a Top Hat - will that ever be worn today I wonder!

So now we wait for the THE KISS!!

Celebrate the royal wedding for a good cause!

Dress like a Royal bride, for a fraction of the price, as Save the Children and Mary Portas’ Living and Giving stores stock up on designer wedding attire.

World leading fashion designers Matthew Williamson, Stewart Parvin (Queen’s dress maker), Eleanor Ofori and Jenny Packham have all stitched their seal of approval to Save the Children Week by donating wedding dresses and accessories, to be sold for a fraction of their original price.

To celebrate Save the Children Week, which happens to coincide with the Royal wedding week (25th April - 1st May 2011), the charity has decided to transform six of their shops into ‘reduced price designer wedding boutiques’. These shops , two of which will include TV retail guru Mary Portas ' hugely popular Living and Giving shops in London and Edinburgh, will be offering brides-to-be the chance to be married in a designer frock for a fraction of the price.

With doors opening at 09:30 am on Wednesday 27th April Save the Children’s aim is to offer brides-to be the chance to wed in designer style at up to 60% off the designer price tag, whilst raising vital funds for the charity. There are a number of designer pieces from the likes of Amanda Wakeley, Dillon Wallwork, Emmy Shoes, Benjamin Roberts and Caroline Charles, all accessible to any bride-to-be-on-a-budget.

Mary Portas said:
“It may be Kate Middleton’s special day but this week Save the Children are giving you the chance to have your own royal wedding without the royal price tag. Our shops are filled with fabulous dresses and accessories and we would love you to make that all important purchase whilst helping the most vulnerable across the world at the same time.”

Save the Children Week is taking place to raise funds for children as part of the No Child Born Without a Chance Campaign. Every donation is precious and will help fund supplies for children all over the world.

Save the Children’s Bridal Shop at Mary’s Living & Giving shop for Save the Children Week will be held from Wednesday 27th April – Sunday 1st May.

For more information on the discount stores and locations, click on www.savethechildren.org/uk/borntoparty

Unlocking the secret’s of the Royal Ring

If you are as stunned as us by the beauty of Kate Middleton’s engagement ring and would love to know more about this precious gem, such as why it is blue, how it is mined and its importance over time, then read on…

In celebration of the forthcoming wedding of William and Kate, and given the close affiliation it enjoys with the British Royal Family, the Sri Lanka Gems and Jewellery Association has come up with a treasure trove of a new website dedicated entirely to the Ceylon Sapphire – the stunning stone at the centre of the most talked about engagement ring in Britain!

The website is full of interesting facts, statistics and titbits about this stunning stone, which has long been recognized as the signature of the late Princess Diana after she handpicked it from Asprey and Garrard for her own engagement. Other highlights on the site included the fascinating journey of the stone from Queen of Romania to Christies, and the depth of its symbol of power, wisdom and loyalty.

Read more on the website - It certainly has us dazzled!

Where do we get our inspiration from?

This is a question we're regularly asked!

As we look forward to launching our new website we are also looking ahead to new season designs & ideas. We love to spend a day being inspired & this month we took a trip to Newark Antiques Fair.

Newark is just incredible! It's amazing what a day browsing for new ideas can do to ignite your imagination! The fair is one of Britain's best for anyone interested in anything antique, vintage or shabby chic!

Definitely worth a visit. It's just huge (covering some 100 acres with around 4,000 stalls!) so no matter what you love we're sure you'll find something to buy (we did!)

Collectable Cards from Tony at Fox and Moon

www.foxandmoon.co.uk

Newark is just one of the fairs organised by the iacf (International Antiques & Collectors Fairs!) You can see where & when other fairs are being held this year over at their website.

From the walls to the cake stand...

...Californian brand goes graffiti style!

If you have a playful sense of humour and are planning a wedding with plenty of surprises, then Californa-based dessert shop Sweet & Saucy may just have something for you. This fabulous store specializes in custom-made cakes, cookies, cupcakes and other delicious desserts, and offers a colourful range of fun and quirky styles and flavours.

The brilliant graffiti range was what really caught my eye; what a novel way to celebrate your love as a couple in a truly modern and different fashion!

Melody Brandon, owner of the Sweet & Saucy Shop, also runs regular classes at the shop’s pastry school and there are plenty of recipes on the website to try out for yourself.

Very tasty!

Is paper the new gold?

Stumbled across a brilliant blog the other day 'The Heart of Paper Cuts' and just had to share it with you all. It celebrates paper cutting, as the name says, but really brings a sense of magic and mystery to this ancient art.

Whilst so many of the incredible creations caught my eye - it was a fabulous paper ring that really stood out. Who knows, this could actually become quite popular as a novelty for brides, or even worked into a display on the 'big day'. Either way, there is no denying the work and skill that has gone into this little gem.

Have a browse at the blog as there are hundreds of themes aside from bridal and you can spend a good while looking at all the creations. I just loved the intricacy of the paper cutting and thought it would complement the delicate laser-cutting works of The Hummingbird Card Company, too. Items from 'The Heart of Paper Cuts' are on sale on Etsy.

Photography Competition Winner

CONGRATULATIONS!

to the lovely Liz & Paul Howarth of Calverley, Leeds. After we ran our competition Liz and Paul sent us some gorgeous pictures from their big day at the beautiful Bagden Hall in Wakefield on March 2010. We hope you enjoy your champagne that is on its way to you!

We loved their pictures of the Table Plan cards which they tied to willow branches, they then used the same branches as a message tree later in the evening. Guests left messages throughout the evening until the tree was covered at the end of the night, and all the messages are now mounted in one of our beautiful photo albums with images from their big day!

Here are a few extra images they sent us of there beautiful day. It looked stunning!

This is Liz's grandad - who just turned 96! We love this picture!

Liz & Paul chose had the 'Wedding Letters' Invitation from our Boutique Laser-cut collection, in alabaster with aqua inlays and ivory ribbon, co-ordinating Menu and Table Numbers, Dove placecards, Table Plan cards, Message Tree cards and Thank You Cards.

Pictures are all by Chris Chambers http://www.chrischambersphotography.co.uk/ who can be contacted on 07905 853155

We absolutely love to see your pictures, and see how your stationery looked, so if you have any you want to share with us drop us a line at info@hummingbirdcards.co.uk and we may well do a blog posting on you too!

Save The Date Wedding Show

Another show success...

It was definitely a date to remember at the Save the Date Wedding Fayre in Nottingham last Sunday! Had a brilliant time mingling with the other wedding suppliers there and of course meeting some lovely couples and brides-to-be with their families. A huge thank you to the Save the Date magazine girls for putting together the event and very impressed with the Riverbank Bar and Kitchen as the venue - will definitely be back there for a meal and drinks!

If you missed us at the event, not to worry - we will be attending a few more Fayres this year and full details will be coming soon...

Hummingbird just gets sweeter!

We are very excited to announce that The Hummingbird Card Company has teamed up with prestigious cake designer Anna Tyler in a very special new collaboration, which will allow brides the opportunity to continue the theme of their stationery by matching their cake and wedding favours.

Anna Tyler Cakes is famous for mouth-watering creations, combining intricate detailing and playful designs with exciting flavours – from the traditional to the exotic - and we don't mind telling you that here in the studio we are not adverse to sampling a new flavour or two!

We are absolutely thrilled at the new partnership and love the specially iced biscuit wedding favours that Anna Tyler has matched to some of the Hummingbird stationery design, particularly the heart and butterfly. The almost look too gorgeous to eat!

The main wedding cake can also incorporate the theme of one of the chosen stationery sets, which again is really exciting and a unique touch that will really appeal to the discerning bride looking for seamless elegance for her wedding.

Anna Tyler's studio is based in Bristol but she happily caters to brides all over the United Kingdom and is available for consultations by appointment only. She is also always happy to arrange cake tasting sessions, which we heartily recommend.

Have a look at the beautiful collection of cakes on her website.

We are delighted to be taking part in the Wedding Fayre at The Riverbank Bar in Nottingham this weekend in collaboration with the East Midlands premier bridal and events magazine Save the Date.

A little birdie told us that there are going to be some fabulous wedding suppliers on hand and events taking place, so well worth a visit. We will of course be there exhibiting and will be offering a special discount to any brides who order from the event. Very excited about it actually! It's promising to be a great day and we are looking forward to meeting brides-to-be and seeing what is inspiring them for the 'big day'.

Come and join us on Sunday 10th April at the Riverbank Bar in Nottingham. Entry is free and the Wedding Fayre will be open from 11am to 3pm. See you there! (Details and directions from the Riverbank Bar website)

Luxe Lingerie

We were so excited to be invited to the super glam launch party for Boux Avenue at Sketch in London.... and wow what a night! We were treated to burlesque & bubbly, cocktails & cupcakes & the whole evening was a spectacular event to showcase the new luxe collection!

This week the stores are opening and they truly are like nothing else on the high street. With stunning Art Deco inspired interiors, in a beautifully simple & elegant monochrome colour palette, they offer a new boutique shopping experience.

Silk mannequins, luxurious dressing rooms & even your own lighting to choose from while trying on - you suddenly feel like you're in a 5 star hotel. There is even a Concierge Desk where you can collect your purchases made on-line at www.bouxavenue.com

'Born out of a love for lingerie, nightwear & all things beautiful, with a desire to bring traditional service, superior fit & outstanding quality to modern & luxurious surrounding!'

Coming soon is their gorgeous Bridal Collection. The perfect lingerie to wear on your perfect day!

In a beautiful palette of delicate, barely there pretty neutrals, they are going to offer Brides the most adorable, perfectly fitting lingerie.

These are going to be the most stunning stores on the high street.

So be tempted & treat yourself!