Themed wedding ideas: Alice in Wonderland, Casino Royale and more...

Hi guys,
Apologies in advance that this piece is slightly off topic, but I want to talk about weddings. Yes, again! Since I shared my wedding photos last year, and the theme for the wedding the year before, I have been inundated with emails asking me to share some of my ideas on how to have a themed wedding on a budget. Given that that's exactly what we did (big wedding, small budget, buckets of creativity) I thought I'd write this post. Here are some of my favourite wedding themes, and how you could make them work on a budget:

Yes, all of these photos are from our wedding!

I loved our Alice in Wonderland wedding and with the help of my trusty team (read: my mum and sisters) we managed to do alot of it ourselves. If you're looking to throw an Alice themed bash on a budget then make your local carboot sale and vintage shops your friends: this is where I sourced all 60 of my teacup favours, and all of the tea pot centre pieces. The best investment I made though was to spend £12 on two stamps: one of Alice and one of the Mad Hatter. I used these to personalise everything! My invitations, menus, table plan, and even sweet buffet all had a visit from those stamps!


If we hadn't chosen the Alice in Wonderland theme for our wedding, then we were also toying with a circus themed wedding. Again, simple ink and stamps would have been key for making this theme consistent. I am a sucker for the circus font type face too: you can download this and use it to make your own stationary.


If Mike had his way, the wedding theme would have been casino. Think card tables, poker games, dancing girls, and a Vegas-style carberet. Although it wasn't right for us, I actually love this theme idea. Your invitations could include casino chips (which could then be used as drinks tokens at your bar) and the feathers from a show girls frock would make great table decorations! This theme would probably be harder to do well on a budget though: you'd need to hire croupiers, entertainers, and all of the games tables too. I would also have wanted an Elvis impersonator! On the DIY front though, you'd be amazed at what you can do with a pack of cards. Make that the centre of the theme and get creative. I also love the cookies and cupcakes above, if you know anyone who can cook...

Would you have a themed wedding? Or do you think they're a little tacky (I won't be offended I promise! I love tacky!) I'd love to hear your thoughts....

Love Tor xx

Etsy obsession of the week: Follow the white rabbit

Etsy is proving to be a valuable wedding tool, both for sourcing suppliers and finding inspiration for my own DIYs. Because we are having an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding, I often type "Alice in Wonderland" into the search box on Etsy and wonder at the lovely stuff that pops up. In celebration of my new favourite theme, it will be the focus of today's obsession of the week: Here are some of my favourite Alice in Wonderland Etsy fashion finds:-

Rabbit in a rush necklace, Shoogi, $29.50

I love how dignified the rabbit on this necklace looks, and I love a locket that you can personalise on the inside with pictures of your family and loved ones. The tiny key charm is a lovely detail to the necklace too, and I think the pricepoint is really reasonable. The designer is based in Isreal, and even if you're not an Alice fan, well worth checking out for some of her other incredible designs.

Alice in Wonderland vintage book handbag, Alanamalia, $75

Of all the pieces i've found this is my absolute favourite, as it combines my two favourite things: books and fashion! These book bags are constructed around real books, and each bag is custom designed and handmade; the inside and the lining etc are 100% cotton. Other books are available including Jane Austen, Edgar Allen Poe, Brothers Grimm, HG Wells and many more; there is something for every book lover. I fell head over heels in love with this etsy shop!

Queen of hearts dress, loliposh, $125

These dresses are an absolute bargain, especially when you think of the amount of work that must go into custom making them! Not quite costumes, but too elaborate for a stroll around Asda, I don't know how or where I could make this work, but I know I want to give it a go! This dress would look so flattering on a pear shape or hour glass figure: if the queen of hearts inspiration is too much for you, then loliposh also make similar shaped dresses in vintage pastel or floral fabrics perfect for garden parties, picnics, or hot summer days!

Love, Tor

Alice? Alice? Who the **** is Alice??

On Saturday (before the worst of my icky illness really kicked in) I went to see the wonderful Alice in Wonderland at the cinema. (By the way, this cost me £12.95, which I resented-when did going to the cinema start costing as much as cheap theatre seats?!) I haven't been feeling well enough to engage my brain into writing a proper review, so this comes a little late, but if you're still caught up in Alice-fever, here it is:

I love Tim Burton's distinctive film style, and this didn't disappoint. The film is a sequel to the original Disney Alice in Wonderland cartoon which I thought was an inspired decision, as although you know the basis plot (which is drawn on alot) it also gives enough room to leave you guessing.

As far as i'm concerned Johnny Depp can do no wrong and although the inevitable comparisons have been made between his performance here and his performance as Captain Jack I thought the two were worlds apart: here he is vulnerable, lost, and wild. Helena Bonham Carter was the perfect choice for the red queen; she pouted like a petulant child and was terrifying in the same way it is always terrifying when someone ignorant and with no self-control is given power. Ann Hathaway as the White Queen was difficult to relate to, but I wondered if Burton had made this deliberately so; how can anyone relate to someone who professes to be perfect?

This film is a treat for the eyes, and seeing it in 3D only enhanced the spectacle: the costumes, the scenery, the wonderland. There was so much to take in it was overwhelming. I'm not giving any of the plot away because i'm sure lots of you will still want to see the film, but I found it magically nonsensical, and definitely worth the watch. I also found myself reciting the Jabberwock all the way home, and wishing I was Alice.

I'm a big fan of dressing up to go to the movies, and if you want to channel a little wonderland into your look, what better place to start then the Tom Binns for Disney Couture jewellery. This has been everywhere over the past month, so I finally decided to succumb and check it out. I was impressed: pretty, intricate designs. I especially love the keyhole ring, although I do think £40 is overpriced for a base metal ring with an adjustable band. Still, if you're prepared to accept that you're paying for the design and the name rather than for quality of materials, I think this is a lovely collection. Prices are between £14-145. (The more expensive pieces are gold plated) I also like how wearable this collection is; it's subtle enough that even after Alice fever has disapeared the pieces could still integrate and become wardrobe staples.

Will you be channelling Alice in your wardrobe this Spring? Or do you hate it when these gimmicky trends kick off and avoid them like the plague?

Love, Tor xx