Life, through rose- colored, horn-rimmed spectacles: An Intimate affair for the Winter Solstice

I love weddings! I thought I was over that phase when I had mine, almost 3 years ago now. But for some reason, I always manage to get excited and all passionate when a friend talks to me about her upcoming wedding or engagement party! And the inner party-planning goddess in me, just can't help but inject some of my meaningful albeit unsolicited advice at times ( sue me... ).

And with that in mind, I have often been jokingly commented on, that I seem to have a penchant for themes to the small parties I throw, and yet for me this is just as important as the food! Yep, yep I said it.. the non-cook in me said it. I personally think that having a theme, a motiff or atleast a color scheme keeps things clean, fluid and a big help on the Menu!

A good example would be, the husband's ( or as I fondly call him, THE COMPLAINT RECEPTACLE or THE TANTRUM BUFFER) 29th birthday last year. I know how much he loved his beer, meat and his night out with the guys, so instead of having just a guys night out at the Pub.. I transformed our home into a Pub, invited our tribe ( with the girls ofcourse) wherein we all had a good time, without having to think of an astronimical bar tab at the end of the night. So at this said party, I had the The Tantrum Buffer Chef cook up a storm ( yes I made him cook for his own birthday, but you would actually think kindly of me, once you have tasted one of my infamous inedible dishes). I gave him an idea of what we should serve the guests as befits our Pub-themed party.. or as it is "famously" known now as The CRANKY CHEF PUB. It was pub grub through and through, giving us a very wide selection of food, but I for one would know, that you can't serve caviar at a party like this ( not that we can afford caviar). In saying that, you will actually have an idea as to what decor,food, cutlery and the general feel for the night, what is expected of your guest and what they will be expecting as well. So hence my love for themed parties.

But going back, a girlfriend who's been engaged since I knew her, decided to jump the shark and get married over the weekend. Just like that! I know she always wanted to have the big, white, beach wedding at home in the Philippines, but for personal reasons, they decided to have an impromptu small wedding here in Auckland first. She got their license, invited our few close friends and she had a wedding!

The first thing I asked her was, what will your theme be? ( and when I say theme, it doesn't have to be an all out theme with a costume feel.. like I said, it could just be a color scheme). I for one as a guest would love to know what to wear, without upstaging the bride, but not be under dressed so as not to insult your hosts. ( Yes please, common courtesy and good etiquette is still very much a big plus for anyone,)

So she picked a theme but wasn't too fussed about it, but being a very good NAGGING friend, I encouraged her to insist ( yes, she knows how much of a shrew I can be with party details) that her guests stick to the theme!

TWINKLE AND ICE.. I couldn't have thought of a much better theme very fitting to the season, which unbeknownstly fell on WINTER SOLSTICE, the 21st of June.

So armed with an impromptu budget and with less than a week to prepare, we went straight to our local dollar store deals and came out with really good cheap finds. And the end product as I will gingerly post here as well, was more than what I expected! It was a small and intimate wedding but far from lacking in taste! Less is always more and It was as how she likes it, clean and beautiful in its stark simplicity with an intimate group of people, who we endearingly call family in this home away from home!

To Brad and Mikko! I am genuinely very happy for you guys, that you have both finally got to this day unscathed and still full of love. We love you and your whanau will always be here for you! Be it here, or across the ditch!

Congratulations and best wishes!