Matched And Hatched

I'm back!

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 10:37:00 -0500

So after about 7 months hiatus, I’m back to share my experiences with you all. Alot has happened in this time. There have been a few personal issues including an increased workload at the day job and planning a wedding!

But I’m proud to say, I’ve come through it.

I’ve been married now for just under 2 months, and I’m very happy to say the wedding was perfect! Every detail and every bit of planning worked out in the end.

And if that wasn’t enough, I’ve also set up my own Candy Bar business, which I hope to share my work with you all over the coming months as the bookings come through.

I’ll be continuing to share my experiences for planning a wedding as a newlywed and will be showcasing the wedding online soon.

To all the brides out there who are in a state of angst, due to the sheer volume of things you will have to wade through to plan your dream day, don’t fear. Hopefully my tips and advice will help you through it.

To party planners out there, hopefully you can find some inspiration on your next theme through these pages.

So until my next post, which will be MUCH SOONER than the last, Happy planning!

Demelza - The newlywed.

Yesterday was Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. Put on...

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:06:38 -0400

Yesterday was Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. Put on every year to help raise money for The Cancer Council, I had the privilege to put the Morning Tea at work together.

Here’s a photo of our tea. It was done on a very small budget.

I used some old silk daffodil flowers combined with 2 yellow tablecloths. Thingz store had these adorable, giant tea cups and saucers and they just added to our ’ Yellow Morning Tea’ theme.

Next time you are putting A tea together, especially with a small budget, have a look around the house and see what you can find to decorate your event!

We thought this idea was just too cute and perfect for that DIY...

Sun, 20 May 2012 07:52:09 -0400

We thought this idea was just too cute and perfect for that DIY wedding decor with a vintage touch! Swap the twine with matching lace or ribbon to glam it up a little more! To find out how visit http://diycrafts.blogspot.de/2012/02/newsprint-heart-candle.html

Here is a gorgeous DIY idea, perfect for photos or to decorate...

Sun, 20 May 2012 07:48:40 -0400

Here is a gorgeous DIY idea, perfect for photos or to decorate the wall or even as a feature for your Bridal table! Source: casasugar.com

Colour My World: Choosing a Palette

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:18:55 -0400

For many brides, colours have been instilled into their minds since they began dreaming of weddings as a child.

If this isn’t for you then there are a number of ways that can help choose your palette if you are unsure.

1. What is your favourite colour? Speak with groom and include him in the colour choice!

2. If your favorite colour isn’t going to do the trick, think of a complimentary colour for your bridesmaids. Will the colour fit their skin tones? Will the colour make you, as the bride , stand out? I have 4 bridesmaids, each girl has a different skin tone. Very few colours match so much variety, so after much consideration we decided to go with a sapphire blue.

3. Colours with meaning. Blue is a double whammy for me. It was my Dad’s favorite colour, and as he is sadly no longer with us I decided to honor him with Sapphire Blue.

4. Colour trends. Every year there are new colour shades. And as weddings change with the times, so to do colours. Research will help give you the information you need about what I in for when you get married!

If you want more than one colour for your wedding, use your main colour as your feature and compliment it with other colours to soften or highlight your chosen colour. Not every colour suits being teamed with white.

A great way to visualize your choices is to go to a hardware store like Bunnings and take some colour samples. I made sure that purple shades like lilac will soften the palette up against harshness of white against blue, and the colour samples helped me do that and even helped convince the groom! It also helps when finding the right colour shade on the bridesmaid dress material!

Hope these tips help you out! If you have already chosen your colours, what made you decide that was THE colour for your day? We would love to hear your tips!

Power Up Ideas: Video Game Inspiration

Tue, 01 May 2012 06:57:00 -0400

Looking to host a Video Game Themed Party but need ideas?

Whether it’s the classics from the 80’s or the battle combat games of today, there are plenty of ways that you can turn your party into one that your guests will never forget!

Wrap Chocolate Triangles with Gold Foil to make a Tri-force or draw bricks onto boxes and hang from the celing for a Super Mario look.

Here are some other great ideas we found that might help!

And if you have some fantastic ideas for Gaming parties you would like to share with Matched And Hatched, then let us know!

Sources: karaspartyideas.com olderandwisor.blogspot.com blog.craftzine.com popularmechanics.com ontobaby.com Other sources unknown.

This is an absolutely gorgeous idea for a baby shower! Candy in...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:46:00 -0400

This is an absolutely gorgeous idea for a baby shower!

Candy in a baby bottle along with beautiful pink moisturizing lotion as gifts for your guests! The small lotion bottle is a rinsed out Listerine bottle, filled with the lotion. How simple!

For prizes, a box of chocolate with cute little baby feet erasers are just perfect!

The Candy, Baby Bottle and Eraser were purchased from The Baby Shower Shop in Willetton, Western Australia.

Special thanks to Kelly B for sharing her work with us!

Colour Inspiration: Black & Honeycomb

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:20:09 -0400

If you are a fan of the colour Yellow (particularly a strong Yellow like ‘Honeycomb’) then perhaps some of these might help.

Combined with Black and White, this colour combo will leave a striking impression on your guests.

As the palette is quite fun, we thought we would go with a modern look for shoes, bridesmaids and invitations. Team up with Gold or quirky Black & Honeycomb accessories for that final touch.

Source:

Invitations - Ohsobeautiful.com (Mitchell & Dent Black, White, Yellow, Honeycomb Invitations)

Bridal Gown - Pronovias Princessa Gown 2012

Bridesmaid Dress 1 - Dessy After Six 6629 (Yellow)

Bridesmaid Dress 2 - Alfred Sung Style D521 (Black)

Shoe - Christian Louboutin Kitten Heel

Cake - www.bvweddings.com

Bouquet - One White Dress (1-3 The Knot, 4-6 Martha Stewart, Petals Galore).

Table Centrepieces - PetitExtra

Dessert Bar - Unknown

Today marks Australia & New Zealand’s National Day of...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 01:18:25 -0400

Today marks Australia & New Zealand’s National Day of Rememberance - ANZAC DAY.

A tradition for Aussies nearing the date is to bake ANZAC Cookies, which are extremely simple to make and so incredibly delicious.

In honour of our fallen soldiers and those soldiers currently serving around the world, here is an ANZAC Recipe from Taste.com.au(.) This is the best way to make them.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons golden syrup or treacle
150g unsalted butter, chopped
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Baking Instructions

Preheat oven to 170°C.

Place the flour, oats, sugar and coconut in a large bowl and stir to combine.

In a small saucepan place the golden syrup and butter and stir over low heat until the butter has fully melted.

Mix the bicarb soda with 1 1/2 tablespoons water and add to the golden syrup mixture. It will bubble whilst you are stirring together so remove from the heat.

Pour into the dry ingredients and mix together until fully combined.

Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place on baking trays lined with non stick baking paper, pressing down on the tops to flatten slightly.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

ANZAC DAY 2012 - Lest We Forget…

Good friends Alison and Eric, recently held their engagement...

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 09:09:00 -0400

Good friends Alison and Eric, recently held their engagement party. But what can you give as a present?

We wanted to create something unique, personal and useful. After all, we figured there would be plenty of other presents given that would be suited for their glory box.

So we came up with the idea of a Bridal Planning Hamper. We know that the two are planning to wait awhile before tying the knot, and this is something that can come in handy when the planning eventually begins. Especially with all the Expos, Venues and Bridal Stores needed to be visited.

So what did the Bridal Planning Hamper involve? Items can change according to budget and bride and groom’s personal tastes. So, we included the following in our hamper:

*A Bridal Guide - the local daily has put together a Bridal Guide of all things Perth for the special day.

*A Suit Bag - To store his suit prior to the Wedding.

*Mini Shaver - for that last minute touch up.

*G-Energize Face Mask - for a relaxing and invigorating facial ahead of a day of planning.

*Ballet Flats and Gel Soles - To ensure the bride can visit more places before her feet start to ache.

*Bandaids - for dreaded blisters.

*Notepad - To jot down any notes and quotes.

*Box of Chocolates - To help sweeten the deal during Bridal Planning discussions.

*A beautiful White Photo Frame - To capture those magical moments.

We created the hamper with the colour Purple and White, as that was the colour of the invitation.

So next time you are stuck for an Engagement present, consider a Bridal Planning Hamper for the Bride & Groom to be!

This monkey party posted by www.hwtm.com is too cute! Now I know...

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:23:34 -0400

This monkey party posted by www.hwtm.com is too cute! Now I know what theme for my fiancé’s next birthday can be. It fits him perfectly!

Real Life Weddings: Picture Perfect

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 09:09:00 -0400

This past weekend, two very dear friends Eddie & Kate tied the knot. I can not begin to tell you just how excited I was for this wedding.

Not only had I been very fortunate to see Eddie & Kate’s romance blossom from the beginning, but Kate (and her Mum) are the Queens when it comes to decorating an event. Their work and effort will take your breath away.

I love how the wedding captured the best of both worlds. Eddie, who has a Hindu background and Kate, a beautiful blonde with attention to detail and a love for Pink.

Vintage in style, the colour palette featured Slate Grey, Blossom Pink and hues of Golden Beige, Light Pink and a Pale Grey.

From the Ceremony to the Reception, every thing matched perfectly.

Tables at the Reception were adorned with bird cages full of flowers and little lovebirds. A Dessert Bar greeted guests for their bomboniere, and the Cake went above and beyond. Kate’s mum, Sandy, has her own Cake business (Sandy’s Cakes) and the Cake left guests speechless.

It was wonderful to see how the couple embraced the Hindu traditions. The Bride changed into a Sari at the Reception, a Hindu poem was read during the Ceremony and the couple were wed on Hindu New Year.

But enough talk. I’ll let you see just how beautiful the day really was.

To Eddie & Kate, I wish you all the health, happiness, joy and prosperity for your life together as husband and wife. Congratulations. Thanks for letting Matched & Hatched use some of your photos too!

Theme: Vintage

Styling: Kate G, Sandy L and friends.

Bride & Groom Thrones & Chair Covers: Orielle

Centrepieces: Bird Cages, Flowers, Mirrors, Tealight Candles, Lovebirds

Flowers: Corporate Floral, Willetton

Dessert Bar: Sandy’s Cakes

Venue: Ceremony - Perth City Council Gardens

Reception - Matilda Bay Restaurant, Nedlands

Cake: Sandy’s Cakes

Photos by: Supplied by Bride

Here’s another gorgeous idea from marthastewart.com(.) The...

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:51:16 -0400

Here’s another gorgeous idea from marthastewart.com(.) The best thing is you can make any colour palette you desire, for any occasion!

Another Easter Treat. Unfortunately, my talent in the food...

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 10:31:45 -0400

Another Easter Treat. Unfortunately, my talent in the food decorating department is lacking so I decided to try a slight variation of the “bunny down the hole” treat I re-posted a week or so ago.

Introducing “the Easter Bunny patch”.

Simply crumb a chocolate cake, ice the top with green buttercream frosting and then decorate with chocolate carrots! It takes about 3 hours to complete but two packet cakes gave me enough for 11 cake cups!

Enjoy!

Tomorrow it’s my turn for morning tea at work so I made...

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:43:00 -0400

Tomorrow it’s my turn for morning tea at work so I made these chocolate crackle nests complete with eggs! Mix rice bubbles, cocoa, copha, icing sugar and desiccated coconut together. Put it in a large muffin patty and make the center hollow. Place eggs in the center and put in the fridge. It’s that simple and perfect for the Easter festivities!

Love the colours and the teapot cupcake from...

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:33:52 -0400

Love the colours and the teapot cupcake from blog.tinyprints.com(.) This is for a baby shower but it would be perfect for a bridal kitchen tea. You could even use some of these with brighter colours for an Alice in Wonderland themed birthday party!

What a clever idea for a baby shower! Check out this cute theme...

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:45:06 -0400

What a clever idea for a baby shower! Check out this cute theme at one of my fave sites www.hwtm.com (.)

Colour Inspiration: Purple & Orange

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:36:00 -0400

Are you looking for a Bold Colour Palette for your wedding? Why not try Purple & Orange?

These two bold colours complement each other extremely well. We’ve put together a Purple & Orange inspiration board, to help make you visualise these striking colours together.

For something more exotic, consider using Magenta and Aqua with a hint of Gold.

Source:

Earrings - Fletcher And Grace

Bridesmaid Dress - Nightmoves 6467 (Purple)

Bridal Gown - Maggie Sottero Alexa

Purple Shoe - Unknown

Cake - Unknown

Invitiations - Clemsongirl

Bouquet - Flowerduet.com

Table Centrepieces - Theweddingguy.ca & Weddingobsession.com

Another fab idea from www.ohweddings.net (.) A Kaleidoscope for...

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 07:46:35 -0400

Another fab idea from www.ohweddings.net (.) A Kaleidoscope for guests to find their tables. Guests find their personalised Kaleidoscope, look through the lens, and ‘presto!’ the number of their table can be found. With something like this, it’s pretty safe to say that these will provide plenty of fun right through the night! Great for quirky, fun and entertaining weddings.

Now this is how you can make your wedding band unique. We found...

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 07:35:30 -0400

Now this is how you can make your wedding band unique. We found this great idea from www.ohweddings.net(.) When making your wedding band, have your fingerprint marked on either the inside or outside. Every fingerprint is different, so no one will have the same as yours, ever!