Wedding Dress | Wedding Ideas

So, summer is over (insert sad sigh) and autumn has arrived with noticeably cooler mornings. This means one thing, hearty comfort food! I am a soup fiend in the cooler months and yesterday I celebrated the first pot of homemade tomato soup made from the most delicious cherry tomatoes fresh from our veggie garden. My sister Edwina is quite the chef and rich, hearty meals are her speciality. I recently received a copy of the new Country Style cookbook Country Chefs and thought it'd be right up her alley. The book features stories and recipes from Australia's best-loved country chef's including Stefan Manfredi, Stefano de Pieri and South Australia's very own Maggie Beer. If you're planning an autumn or winter wedding this would be a great book to get some menu ideas from. There's nothing quite like sitting down to a hearty meal with family, friends and nice wine. Ahh... one great thing about winter! A couple of recipes that really took my fancy were Stefano Manfredi's Prawn & barley stew, Patrizia Simone's Asparagus & taleggio cannelloni and Annie Smithers Braised lamb shoulder on white bean & tomato stew. Delicious! The cookbook will be on sale in Australia on 29th March for $39.95. Visit www.countrystyle.com.au for release details.



Posted by Emilie Harrison

I was rummaging around in my bookcase at home this morning and stumbled across one of my favourite books, one I'd like to share with you. It's called The Grammar of Ornament by Owen Jones. My version is a reprint of the first release from 1856.

Owen Jones was an architect and designer in the Victorian era and was esteemed enough to be appointed Director of Decorations for the awe-inspiring Crystal Palace exhibition in London. Over his lifetime he travelled extensively through Europe and the Near East, cataloguing the amazing array of decoration and architecture in an attempt to improve the standard of British design. It's an incredibly interesting read as he details his finds from each country and touches on the history he unfolds and it includes over 2000 patterns - makes my head spin!





I find this book is a constant source of inspiration for me - something that inspires design, colourways, ornamentation, decoration - all of the elements that go into wedding styling. It's a question we hear over and over here at Wedding Style Guide - 'how do I determine a theme for my wedding'. The answer is simple - find something that inspires you. It may be an interesting pattern like the ones in my book, or it may be something completely unique to you. Whatever it is, it can be a platform from which all other ideas will spring.

Posted by Jane Cameron

Book Review

Bat Your Eyelashes - How To Be Well Mannered With Style
by Marianne Vicelich

I am a girl that is a right old bossy britches when it comes to manners. I've been brought up with a father who's adamant that impecable table manners are one of the most important things you can learn. Although family dinners were often painfully frustrating I am so thankful to know that I could be in the company of royalty and my manners would be perfect. No elbows on the table, when putting down your knife and fork they must be on the plate and not hanging off the side, food to your mouth not your mouth to your food, no reaching or leaning, knife and fork together when finished and no leaving the table until you've been told. They seem like basic rules... but SO many people get them wrong. If you've been watching Master Chef Australia (I'm addicted!!) you would have noticed judge George Calombaris' shocking manners. Licking your knife is just disgusting... and on national television!

BOOK REVIEW

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man
by Steve Harvey

I have to confess I am a bit of a bookworm. For me reading is my unwind and relax time. I wouldn't consider myself a nerdy bookworm either. I have a penchant for gorgeous coffee table books, fashion books and, with a deep regret, self-help books. I don't need self-help books but (and there is a but) there's something empowering about realising you're not the only one in the world that has 'issues'.

I recently had the book Act Like A Lady, Think Like a Man sent to me by Harper Collins. Writen by comedian and self-proclaimed radio 'superstar' Steve Harvey, it gives a great insight into how men think about life, love and their careers. There are many contributing factors that make men and women different (thank god!). I would love to have the ability to think like a man. For men it's black and white with none of this grey business that takes up so much of women's precious brain space. It's narrow minded to put all men into the same box, although from past experiences they're all really the same... sport, mates, beer, food are all considered high priorities. Regardless of whether you are married, engaged, single, in a relationship or divorced, this book will give you a clearer insight into what men really think about and how they do it. The best bit? It's from a man's perspective. Steve Harvey may be arrogant and a little bit off centre but what he says does make sense... which for a man is a miracle! It's a very easy read (3 nights tucked into a cozy bed) and is definitely worth passing around amongst your girlfriends. A good, quick winter read.



Posted by Emilie Harrison