OH MY GOSH! We love this wedding proposal :)

Oh my gosh! we loooove this wedding proposal :) You should watch it...

You know how we always go on and on about weddings, brides, and decor right? Well, wedding proposals are also high up there on our list, and we are so loving this one! I won't say very much about it so i don't spoil it for you, but its oh sooo romantic...



If you have any funny or romantic wedding proposal videos or pictures that you would love to share with us, please email us at blog@christinescreatives.com and we'll post it. 

Bless xoxoxo!!

Life's journey... through our eyes

It has been a very busy week for us, from designing and creating wedding event decor to creating wreaths and decorating a laying-in-state. It certainly brings with it a whole lot of emotions... From joy and laughter, to a more somber and reflective mood.

With every event that we design and decorate, we realize more and more how our services impact life events - Baby showers, birthdays, weddings, promotions, 'just because', funerals... It is these events that give us pause, and remind us that everyday is a gift and that we should appreciate and maximize every minute of it. we should celebrate life while we can, and not get bogged down by things around us that we have no control over.

We certainly hope that you live life to the fullest, so that when you look back on your life many years from now you can smile and say to yourself "I lived my life the best I could... I did my very best"

We hope you all had a great week, and hope you have an awesome weekend!!! Cheers!

"Bleeding Heart" wreath by Christine's Creatives

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) inspired wedding bouquet

When Will and Kate got married in 2011, we were all awed at how simply and elegantly put-together Kate was. Her wedding dress, flowers and bridal party were not over the top. Apparently, Kate had requested that her bouquet be "unpretentious, simple and natural" which seems to be a true reflection of her personality. Kate looked graceful and poised, a testament to how secure she felt transitioning into her new role as William's wife, future mother to their kid(s) and Britain's future queen. 

Image of bouquet on left by Christine's Creatives. 
Images of Royals on right by Jens Rost

Two years later, we find that brides are still inspired by her simple and elegant style. Over the weekend, we created a Kate inspired bouquet for one of our brides, and she loved it! Among the sea of colors at her wedding, her white airy bouquet created out of 'Baby's breath' stood out as simple, elegant and unique. 'Baby's breath' is used as a symbol of purity and being pure of heart, and was definitely a great choice for our bride.

While Kate's bouquet was created with more expensive flowers, it wouldn't break the bank to create a similar bouquet for the regular bride. We love this style, and agree that there is definitely something about understated wedding bouquets that exude an airy sense of simplicity and self-security. 

Cheers!!!

Related articles

• What type of bouquet should a bride carry? (christinescreatives.com)
• Kate Middleton Named UK's Most Influential Beauty Icon (gossipcenter.com)
• Kate To Give Birth At Same Hospital As Diana (news.sky.com)

Dessert Table / Wedding Cake alternatives?

So yesterday evening I attended a Google+ hangout hosted by a couple of big names in the wedding industry, including +HauteLook and +Nordstrom and it was such a blast! They addressed a lot of very interesting questions that brides have about planning their weddings including: pre-wedding diet routines, trending colors for 2014, and wedding cake alternatives (which i'll be discussing in this post).

One of the things I've learnt over the years being in the wedding planning/event decor business is that typically the components of every wedding are generally similar - you just need to tailor the wedding to the environment, culture, religion and demographics of the wedding attendees and host(s).

With regards to wedding cake alternatives, one of the more common alternatives is cupcakes. Most people love the idea of individualised cakes for their guests, and the different look and feel of their cake table. In addition with cupcakes you don't have to worry about cutting a huge cake on site. 
Read more »

How would you pick your Bridesmaids/Maid of Honor? (PART 2)

(Photo credit: Egui_)

Based on our readership yesterday, I think it is fair to say that the issue of how to pick your bridesmaids/maid of honor is a hot button topic for a lot of brides - and rightfully so. Funny thing is I had the same discussion with a friend yesterday at lunch time. She is also a wedding planner (amongst all the other maaaaaany things she does) and is going to be the maid of honor at a wedding in 2 weeks. 

Interestingly, as we continued to chat we both agreed on the same thing - managing a bridal party with individuals who have very different temperaments is not easy - and this is not just bridesmaids specific, it also relates to groomsmen. She's had to deal with members of the bridal party coming to her to complain about each other, instead of resolving issues amongst themselves, and has also had to deal with groomsmen being too laid back and not wanting to participate in any of the planning activities. To provide some context, my friend is not Nigerian (or even African) so these issues definitely cut across cultures.
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How would you pick your Bridesmaids/Maid of Honor? (PART 1)

Bridesmaids (Photo credit: Mo_Lishomwa)

Seriously...How would you pick your Bridesmaids/Maid of Honor without causing drama? For a lot of brides, picking the ladies on their bridal train isn't quite so easy. There's family politics to consider, and there are friends who just assume they'll be on your train because you've know them since forever, or because they invited you to be on their train... yep!

Here are a few tips that may (and i stress 'may') make selecting your bridesmaids a little easier:

1. Bachelorette party - Pick bridesmaids who will make it their mission to throw you the funnest bachelorette party ever! After all, it's the last time you get to celebrate as a single woman. Do not complain that 'no one has your time or cares' if you decide to pick ladies who are too busy or just don't have a clue - that's all on you dear!
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For the groom: orange and green color palette

Seeing as we have focused on bridal accessories over the last couple of posts, I figured it is only fair that we give the guys some real estate on here. Besides, yesterday was father's day... so they get special preference  :) Below is an orange and green color palette for the groom. What do you think?

Credits (top left to bottom right):
1. Tie and boutonniere - The Knot
2. Cufflinks - Etsy
3. Boutonniere - Christine's Creatives
4. Tie clip - Etsy

Dubbler - the 'new' cool kid on the block

So... we just found out about this new cool voice messaging app called dubbler! We think its super awesome and just gave it a test drive. It allows you to record voice notes for up to 60seconds, and then allows you to share it with your friends and followers across multiple social media platforms.

One of the more fun features is that it allows you to add sound effects to your voice, and changes the way your real voice sounds. So on the dub below, I sound like a dude when in fact I'm not :)

Listen to the voice note below and share your thoughts.... maybe even create a dubbler account and have some fun with it!!!

'#Grateful mood. Hope y'all have a great weekend by Christine's Creatives (www.christinescreatives.com) on #Dubbler

 
Have a great weekend folks!

Car Decor puzzle

Since you were all so fabulous at spotting the differences in our last 2 "spot the difference" games, we figured we could give you something a little more challenging. Try this puzzle and let us know what you think. Enjoy!!!

Car Decor by Christines Creatives

Navy Blue, White and Yellow Color Palette

Here's another rich color palette to inspire you - Navy blue, white and yellow! This fun, charming and bright color palette is so heartwarming, that we know you'll feel like royalty at any event with these colors incorporated. Hope you find it fabulous enough to incorporate at your next event! Cheers!!


Credits (top left to bottom right):
1. Table setting - Amina Michele
2. Invitation cards - Wicked Bride
3. Bouquet - Christine's Creatives
4. Shoes - Etsy
5. Rings - Allurez

How Do You Pick Your Ideal Wedding Colours?

So if you are like me, you probably read through the color palette posting (Red and Mustard Wedding Color Palette) a few days ago, and it got you thinking about how couples go about picking the colors for their special day. Is it divine inspiration, mathematical deduction, architectural thinking, artistic drive, the union of two worlds in radiant colors, the love of nature, or  sheer inspiration from others? Perhaps it is a little of all the above.

Chatter (Photo credit: loveylaurenn)

With this in mind, my question to myself is how will I choose my special colors? 

Fortunately for me, this isn't rocket science nor does it come from divine intervention.  I love the calmness and brightness of baby blue, pink, lime green and yellow tones however it's unlikely that these will make up the colors on my special day. 

Like many nature lovers out there, I get my inspiration from the colors of the season. my favorite color palettes boast a combination of oranges, reds, browns, greens and beige, YES YOU GUESSED RIGHT---- FALL COLORS. 

For my special day, I'll have colors that instill in me a sense of warmth and family, a sense of romance and passion. Colors that are calm yet bold. I'll have colors that will remind me of what a special day it is and what a lifetime with my special someone is going to bring: Warmth, Calmness, Romance, Passion and yes Family.

This is how I've picked my colors. 

Over to you. How did / would you pick yours?

Related articles

• Red and Mustard Wedding Color Palette (christinescreatives.com)
• Wedding flowers...It's all in the details (christinescreatives.com)
• Do not forget your wedding vehicle decor ... (christinescreatives.com)

Nigerian Weddings: Traditional Wedding Cakes

In our line of work we meet a lot of vendors - cake decorators, musicians, photographers, caterers, makeup artists etc. Some of these vendors have been in the industry for years and are professionals at their trade, while some are still honing their skills. Obviously, we always hope we meet other vendors on site whose work compliments our event decor so that the event looks beautiful, very well put-together and is an overall success! 

Cakes by Syndy's Cakes - Abuja, Nigeria  Ph:+234 802 3230253 

  
On this post we will be featuring one of our favorite vendors - Syndy's Cakes, located in Abuja, Nigeria. Syndy's cakes is a high-end cake boutique that caters to brides who are looking
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Red and Mustard Wedding Color Palette

Feeling bubbly and want to add a splash of color to your wedding colors? Red and mustard is the way to go! The great thing about going bold with your wedding colors is that it allows you to use more subdued colors as accents. With this color palette there will be no mistaking where the celebration is at! Cheers!!! 

Credits (top left to bottom right):
1. Boutonniere -Frosted Petticoat
2. Clutch purse - Etsy
3. Shoes - Christian Louboutin
4. Fascinator - Etsy
5. Bridesmaids dress - David's Bridal  
6. Bouquet - Christine's Creatives

Do not forget your wedding vehicle decor ...

There are so many moving parts when you start planning your wedding, and you really do not want to forget your wedding vehicle decor. Decorating the bride, groom, and bridal party vehicles is just as important as the boutonnieres and flowers for the bridal party. Besides the beauty and sense of festivity the wedding vehicle decor provides, it also helps to single out the most important vehicles of the event. Simply put, decorations on the wedding party vehicles should be just as beautiful as they are functional.

Think about it.... decorating your wedding vehicles is just as good as a VIP pass. Have you seen how politicians and government officials clear traffic with their sirens and lights? Well, your wedding day is your day to be THE VIP. Your decorated vehicles will open up parking spots and clear the way for you if there is traffic on your way to your wedding/reception venue. 

Read more »

Can you spot the difference?

This a picture of a church we decorated for a wedding. Can you spot the 3 differences in these pictures?

Related articles

• Centerpieces: Your event is your own production... make it a true reflection of you (christinescreatives.com)
• Wedding flowers...It's all in the details (christinescreatives.com)
• Essential tools for event planning (christinescreatives.com)

Oscar de la Renta Bridal Spring/Summer 2014 | Monique Lhuillier Wedding Dress Collection - Spring 2014

As an event decorating and florist design shop, we typically draw our inspiration from various sources. Over the past couple of days we've been reviewing various designer wedding shows, and there are definitely a few that caught our attention - The Oscar de la Renta Bridal Spring/Summer 2014 and the Monique Lhuillier Wedding Dress Collection - Spring 2014 were our top two (videos are embedded below).

Oscar de la Renta Bridal Spring/Summer 2014 collection

If you are bride-to-be, and haven't yet purchased your wedding dress , you should watch the The Oscar de la Renta Bridal Spring/Summer 2014 show for inspiration.

It was a spectacular show with gorgeous accessories to tie together the collection. The exquisite lace embroidered gloves, veils, and floral headpieces for the flowers girls definitely got our attention. This timeless collection featured a lot of structured wedding dresses designed with Chantilly laces, taffeta, and floral sequin. 

Read more »

A plethora of THANKS to you - our fans & customers!

Decor by Christine's Creatives

If you are one of our facebook fans, you probably noticed that we decorated a wedding over the weekend. It was a beautiful wedding, and we were honored (as we always are) to be invited to decorate the event. 

As is normal with most event decor projects, there were situations that tested our resolve to 'make it happen' (we call it the Naija effect :) ). Thankfully, with all the experience we've accumulated over the years, it was easy to be patient, proactive and creative in dealing with unforseen situations and curve balls. The icing on the cake for us, were the many compliments and thanks we got from the guests and families of the couple.

In turn, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our readers, fans and customers who have supported us over the years. Your likes, comments, emails, orders and phone calls have kept us going over the years and we truly appreciate you. Without you we wouldn't be here today, and we recognize that. Muah!

Please feel free to leave us a comment or send us an email about ways in which we can make your experience with us even better. Our customers always come first! Thanks again and we look forward to many more years of service to you. Bless.

Related articles

• Centerpieces: Your event is your own production... make it a true reflection of you (christinescreatives.com)
• Wedding flowers...It's all in the details (christinescreatives.com)
• Essential tools for event planning (christinescreatives.com)

Wedding day accessories - Epaulettes, Hairpins, handbracelets...

Jewelry worn by a bride on her wedding day is just as reflective of her personality as the dress she wears. In as much as brides would like to wear dresses and accessories in trend, it is more important to be true to yourself and what kind of style you are comfortable with. 

Typically, the most expensive piece of jewelry a bride will be wearing on her wedding day is her wedding ring. This is a piece of jewelry that will be worn for a lifetime, as such the price tag attached to it is understandable. With the cost of weddings being so high, it is a breath of fresh air to know that brides have the option of wearing fashion jewelry on their wedding day. Fashion jewelry, if selected properly gives you the look you desire, but for a fraction of the price you would have paid for the real thing.

Victorian/Vintage style bridal jewelry

A bride's wedding accessories should typically complement the dress she is wearing. A more romantic bride can match rhinestone and pearl set jewelry accessories to a Victorian or vintage style wedding dress. 

The more elaborate your dress, the simpler your wedding accessories should be. Vintage inspired shoulder epaulettes, hairpins and/or necklaces are great accessories to include as part of the bridal outfit. 

 

Bohemian style bridal jewelry

For the whimsical bride with an eclectic taste, wearing a mother of pearls hand bracelet, bohemian style headpiece or foot jewelery may be more suited to your bridal style.

Whatever your personal style is, make sure it shines through on your wedding day. Trends are fine, but being comfortable in what you are wearing is more important.

Related articles

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• Gbemi & Yewi tie the knot in Dubai (christinescreatives.com)
• Marriage on your mind? How do you pop the question... (christinescreatives.com)
• 1940s Vintage Style Wedding Dresses - austerity chic (vintagestyleweddingdresses.wordpress.com)

Ifeoma and Uyi tie the knot in Lagos

The smile on Ifeoma's face as she walked down the aisle with her dad to meet her love - Uyi was... priceless!!! 

Ifeoma and Uyi tied the knot in Lagos on June 1st, 2013. We are so happy and congratulate the both of them.  Ifeoma wore a beautiful form fitting lace wedding dress that flattered her figure and flowed gracefully as she walked down the aisle. She carried a beautiful hand-tied bouquet with multi-colored roses, and was accompanied by her bridemaids dressed in elegant orange dresses.  

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