I Fancy Friday v. 34

Oh how I love Friday's! The weekend is ahead, I know when I leave the office that a glass of wine with Mr. Beau is calling my name, long walks with Oliver, time set aside for projects, oh Friday, I love you! I've truly been inspired this week to put together so many upcoming projects. Gorgeous flowers, yummy recipes, creatives office spaces, there has been so much I have fancied throughout the week. Happy Friday! What do you fancy?

1 . These peony photos make me want Summer back! and these Amazing Flowers on Once Wed want me to have an amazing part with these at the entrance. Flower love. 

2. Flourless Pistachio Cake

3. WOW! Did you see the amazing studio space from Studio DIY

4.  LC is getting married and I am LOVING the front of Martha Stewart with her gorgeous bridesmaids. I will be reading this issue this weekend!

5. I finally made it to the Wedding Dress Exhibit at the V&A  last week. You must go! Gwen Stefani's pink dress has always been a fav of mine and it was great to see in person. 

6. Did you know that Sweaty Betty offers free classes weekly. I took the Boxing Yoga at Sweaty Betty in Soho last week and OMG, yoga & boxing mixed, it was amazing. 

7. My new favorite lipstick, Bitch Perfect Lipstick from Charlotte Tilbury I actually wore it on my wedding day. I guess it was perfect;) 

Only a few more days to cast your vote for the BLOG awards. Please vote, Best International Wedding Blog , if I could ask for a favor:) You have until Monday, 1st of September! VOTE HERE! 

xoxo - Becca

Working Women : Aneta Mak Photography

I am so excited to be sharing a little insight into the lovely and talented Aneta Mak's photography world today! I met Aneta when I first moved here to London, meeting up to chat with her about wedding business and our wedding. Unfortunately Aneta was already booked for our big day, however, I was so  glad to have met an amazing lady that day! Aneta's work is beautiful, her personality and professionalism is lovely and you can see it in the reflection of her photos, I truly love her dreamy images she captures  It has been a pleasure getting to know Aneta over the past year and I have to say, she is certainly well deserves that spot on Martha's top photographer list! As one heck of a working women, read on below to be 

inspired by her thoughts on business below! 

When did you start your business? 

I started in 2008 - although it never really felt like a "beginning", more a continuation - it always felt like a natural step to take after drawing for many years, with a focus on monochrome human portraits using chalks and pencils.

WIN tickets to Brides the Show

Getting married soon? Have a friend or a sister getting married soon? Yes???? If so, I would highly recommend heading over to Brides the SHOW this year. I have attended the show for the last two times and would truly recommend it if you are planning your big day. I am SO excited that Martini with Severin Photography has offered to give away two tickets to the event for Urban Flip Flop readers! See below for details...

To WIN a pair of Tickets to Brides The Show this Autumn, follow Severin Photography & Urban Flip Flops on Facebook or Twitter and mention @Bridestheshow #weddingplanning 

Details of the Event: 

3 -5 October 2014, Business Design Centre, Islington, London

This October, the UK’s favourite bridal magazine comes to life at a wedding planning experience like no other with over 130 luxury suppliers and inspiring ideas!

Catwalk shows, top designers including, bridal expert workshops, wine tastings, beauty master classes, champagne and much more.

For more information or to book tickets for the most stylish day out in your wedding planning diary visit www.bridestheshow.co.uk

WINNER will be chosen Friday, 5th of September! ENTER NOW!  

*Make sure you stop Severin Photography's booth at Brides the Show to discuss your upcoming wedding and introduce yourself to Martini!!!! 

xoxo- Becca

*I had a BLAST at the first Brides the Show when I was engaged!!!!  It is a great show! 

The First Year Flat

Mr. Beau and I have been living in our London flat for almost two years now. We are so lucky to have found a spacious flat, right on a park for Sir Oliver and also big enough to fit most of our house from Florida in our little flat. That being said, since we moved here, we have been engaged and decorating was not top on my priority list. We have a nice flat, we have decorated and have lots of nice things, however, there is a lot of room for improvement, too much STUFF, too much clutter and time to jazz it up! I decided to start a new series called "The First Year Flat". A little look into our flat as it transforms into our "home" as newlyweds during the first year of our married life! 

 Mr. Beau and I dated long distance for almost three years before I moved down to Florida. That being said, we are still in the state of having things that were once mine from my DC flat and his from his apartments. We moved to Florida, we moved it to London and well, now it is time to renovate and sort it out and make a home for us. Above is a photo of our back room at the current state it is. We are SO lucky to even have a second room in the city, however, we should really use it as a room, not as storage and ironing. We have decided to make some changes! I've put together a few ideas of things on our list below and would love to hear your ideas and what you have DIYed yourself, London bargains you have found. I can't wait to keep you posted on the progress. 

Fancy Friday: Guest Post Helene Millot

Happy Friday lovely ladies! It is a three day weekend here in England and wow, I can't wait! I have big projects to start ticking off the list and I can't wait to get some done and also relax a bit. One lady I know that has started some big projects is Katherine from Helene Millot. She has had one busy year from getting married to starting one amazing business. I am so excited to have her here to share some of her fancies today. Enjoy and enjoy the weekend!

A few things Katherine has fancied throughout the week: 

1. Reminiscing about her summer wedding - Did you see Kat's beautiful English Country Wedding? It was BEAUTIFUL! Everything from the flowers, the bridal party, the bride, to the amazing table settings from Kat's collection!

2. MAC Cosmetics Matte Lipstick - I have ALL the colours and almost never go out with out it on! I love the matte ones as it keeps your lippy on all night!

3. Gold Jewelry - especially designs by Alex Monroe

4. Amsterdam - I used to live there and still spend a lot of time there so i have experienced the side if it that exists out of the red light district. There is so much water in and around the city that you regularly see new bars and restaurants built in on the water in cool industrial areas.Cafe Deceuvel , Hannekes Boom, Noorderlicht

5. Swedish Fashion Design - Love their clean lines and interesting cuts. These three high street stores are my favourite places to shop Cos Stores, Weekday, Monki 

6.  Home Interior Magazines - I regularly gain inspiration for Hélène Millot Furnishings by following the latest trends in interior design. I recently discovered a magazine called Lux Living (bought it once and actually haven't found it since, very weird. Also cannot find in online!)  it shows you some of the most cool and luxury homes out there. I love clean lines where it comes to fashion but my own home is filled with colour, varying textures, lots of antiques and various styles. So I guess I prefer interiors that are more eclectic. This magazine really showed you amazing homes in this style.

{image by Carina + David Photography }

Kat started her business Helene Millot after discovering a beautiful collection of French table linens, porcelain Limoge dinner sets, drawers full of ornate cutlery and cabinets fill of crystal, all when her grandmother, Helene, passed away. Soon after Kat decided to begin her business and has quickly become a go to company for vintage and stylish hire items in the UK and Europe. I know I love everything she has! We used her gold flatware and pink glasses for our big day. 

{image by anouschka rokebrand }

Kat has a background in branding, marketing and events. She has worked at a 

 few fashion houses like G-Star, Tommy Hilfiger and Mexx doing marketing.

She also worked on big events when working at MTV in London.  She is now offering not only rental hires but also event styling services. You can see by checking on these photos that she knows a thing or two about how to use her items right! 

{image by anouschka rokebrand }

Getting married soon? Planning a dinner party? I highly recommend reaching out to Helene Millot to add some prettiness to your event. 

Helene Millot on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

Thank you for sharing your fancies today Katherine! 

xoxo- Becca

*you may also like these posts if you liked this one!  Peach Blossom, Coquette + Dove, Berry Diaries

Our Rehearsal Dinner Party

Two months ago I married my Beau, yes, now who I refer to as "Mr. Beau". It was THE most amazing and perfect day of my life. The weekend in London was filled with such happiness and celebration that it makes me smile just typing this post. Two nights before our wedding we threw a small little party for our family and bridal party. We never wanted our rehearsal dinner to be too formal, most of our guests were just arriving that day from flights overseas, so we decided to plan a cocktail party in an amazing London spot, and it truly was the perfect night to start off our wedding weekend. I am so grateful that our amazing wedding photographer, Abby Jiu, was there to capture the night!

We decided we wanted to have a small group of people together for amazing cocktails, small bites, speeches, gifts and toasts. It needed to be small so we could talk with all of our guests and spend time with everyone who had travelled from far on the evening. We chose the House of St. Barnabas House in Soho  for the evening. The house is a beautifully renovated Grade 1 listed building. It is gorgeous, historic and classic and allowed us a setting for a stylish but casual evening. Drinking cocktails and eating a tapas style dinner, it was a lovely start to the weekend!

DIY: Gold Edge Business Cards

A few months ago I attended the Blogtacular Conference and I knew that I wanted to get some new business cards to have with me for the event. I have a huge love for gold foil and really wanted some foiled pretty new cards, however that was a little out of the budget I had set. Instead of foil, I took a few minutes on my Luxe Moo Cards and made them fancy in just a few easy steps! 

 What You Need: 

1. Business Cards - made out of a heavy paper stock. 

2. Gold Paint - I preferred Martha Stewart Metallic Paint, Gold

3. Foam Paint Brush 

4. Heavy Can 

 1. Stack up your cards on place a heavy can on top of the cards {a can of tomatoes, maybe two!}. 

2. With the sponge brush dab a small amount of paint, you do not need a lot, a little goes a long way! 

3. Press the pile of cards down with one hand and make sure that your cards are lined up perfectly. 

4. Paint one side of the stacked cards at a time, lightly. As I said, a little paint goes a long way. 

5. LET DRY! Make sure that the paint is very dry before removing the can and removing the cards. 

6. Separate cards. 

*try a few cards at once. Pressing firmly down on the stack and making sure all the cards are lined up perfectly, will avoid paint on the front of the card and ONLY the sides. A trial run is always good. 

That is it! They are not gold foil, but I think they look pretty nice with the metallic gold peaking out on the sides.

xoxo - Becca

What To Pack For Your Italian Honeymoon

In the past two weeks I shared all about our amazing honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast {Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4 } and it got me thinking, if I were to go again, what would I pack! Packing, the never ending question to a trip, right? While we were in Italy, I probably wore half of what I packed. The weather was so hot, sunny and gorgeous, that all I wanted to wear was my bathing suit, long flowy tops and dresses and sandals. If I were to head back to the Amalfi Coast, this is what would be in my suitcase. 

1. Nail Polish Pink | Fresh Lip Tint SPF 15 | Sunscreen Oil 2. Oversized Sunglasses 3. Ruffle One Piece Suit 4. Metallic Woven Clutch Bag  5. Marysia Scalloped Bikini 6.Strappy Sandal 7. Camilyn Beth Get Away White Dress  8. Trapeze Top 9. Solillas Sandal Gold Glitter  10. Instagram  Passport Cover 11. Canvas Bag 

White dresses, a cute cover up, sparkly sandals, a cute bag for daytime and or evening and minimal makeup is essential to feel glam but also ready for the sunny weather!  

xoxo - Becca

*If you like this you may like: Italian Honeymoon Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4

New Blogs I'm Loving

Recently I've been in a bit of a project, to-do list, idea overload. Our wedding is over {sniff sniff} and that huge project we planned for a year and half is finished. I now have time for all of the amazing things I want to start and these past two weeks I've just been in a bit of a hold with everything. I started browsing around looking for some new inspiration and well, yay, I have discovered some blogs that I have added to my bloglovin feed that I am absolutely loving. I hope you love reading their posts just as much as I do! 

Style: Pink Peonies by Rach Parchell  - Ummmm this girl has some SERIOUS style. The pink skirt above, I would really love THAT for the blog awards in October. Check our her recent closet makeover, oh my oh my! 

Weddings: Burnett's Boards  - I have been following for awhile but it wasn't until recently when some images on Instagram caught my eye that I have added her to my daily read. Wedding inspiration and words of advice {how to become a wedding planner}, this is a lovely site. 

Food: Healthfully Ever After - I just love this blog. She has been writing about everything being healthier and happier, before and beyond "I do!

 Yes, hello. I love this. Her recipe features are always beautiful delicious and healthy. 

Crafts/DIY: Studio DIY - OK, not a new new read, but only one that I've started actually reading all the posts daily. I mean doesn't everyone need ice cream elbow patches, yes! I love that she takes simple ideas and makes them so fab! 

Any new blogs that you are inspired by and have added to your daily read? I would love to know! Leave me a note and share the love. 

xoxo - Becca

Afternoon Blog Break

Tuesday afternoon, I'm a bit sleepy and could use a nice big coffee and a little break. I have just received our wedding photos from our amazing photographer Abby and can not WAIT to share them with you! For now, here is a little sneak below of just a bit of the prettiness that we had on our big day. Yes, are you surprised, peonies, pink and lots of pretty:) I hope you find a little pretty time to take a break today and catch up on the loveliness around the web. Here are some of my favorites I've been reading... 

I love fresh summer tomatoes and there is nothing better then a quick, easy, no cook 5 ingredients recipe. 

A polka dot wedding dress and some GORGEOUS overflowing flowers make this wedding inspiration oh so beautiful. 

Martha Stewart hosted a party for Vogue, uuummm, did my invite get lost? 

Kate Middleton wears them, I've been wanting a pair of my own, but now, if Kate wears them, I think we all need a pair. What would Kate do. 

Want to become a wedding planner, read this. And yes, a bonus is the amazing beautiful photos from some local UK amazing wedding pros! 

Oooo, one of the past Presidential Social Secretaries has a lovely blog about entertaining and etiquette. I'm looking forward to reading it! 

I love seeing the story of how the recipes are made in food magazines, it seems like a foodie dream job! 

WOW! Rach has the most amazing dream closet/office….can I find a flat that can fit this because I'm in love.

xoxo - Becca

Our Honeymoon Part 4: Capri

I can't stop smiling thinking of the beautiful memories we made in Italy during our honeymoon. Coming back to a hectic week, it has been nice to look back through photos and see the beautiful time we had after our wedding in the beautiful Italian coast! This is the last post of our ten day honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast {part 1, part 2, part 3}, our last stop, Capri! ……sigh. 

We took the ferry from Positano to Capri, which is about 45 minutes and a great way to see the coastline. When you first arrive at Capri you are in a bit of the touristy area down by the marina, however, after taking the short ride up the funicular you arrive in the glamorous and beautiful centre of Capri! After staying on the island for a few days, I can understand why it was once a home to an Emperor.