Travel - Lulworth, Dorset

The Cove House B&B

We've decided to make more of the beautiful country we live in and certainly see more of the South, seeing as we've both lived down here for over eight years now. Anyway, we decided on West Lulworth, Dorset, as our base for exploring surrounding areas such as Durdle Door Door and the Jurassic Coast. We stayed at the Cove House B&B, based purely on the rave reviews on Trip Advisor and it did not disappoint. 

The Lulworth room

The Cove House is run by Justin and Mandy who are just delightful. From the wonderfully warm welcome and the belly stuffing breakfasts, there's really nothing to fault with our stay. We stayed in the Lulworth room, which seemed to have been recently renovated. Very modern,  lovely decor, and nice little touches such as magazines, a wee game, and even a torch for night time trips to the pub (there was no street lighting in the area). It truly was a great base to explore the surrounding areas. 

Our first day was pretty jam packed. We started with a long coastal walk to the Man of War Cove and Durdle Door. It was another hazy day (this is a recurring theme of our day trips of late) which was a little disappointing but the views were still amazing. 

Our walk then took us via Lulworth Cove, where we saw two very brave swimmers; without wetsuits! Brrrrr

Spot the swimmer...

Just down the road from the cove there are some beautiful cottages, especially Cove Cottage. Perfectly British!

We stopped for an ice cream too, well I did. It was a bit nippy but you can't visit the coast without having a proper, creamy, Devonshire ice cream. 

In the afternoon we visited Corfe Castle, Swanage and Worth Matraver. Our highlights included: 

• Afternoon tea at the lovely and somewhat chintzy Worth Matravers Tea and Supper Rooms. Such a lovely, quaint and VERY British tea establishment. It was the perfect afternoon pick-me-up...

• There's also a fantastic pub in Worth Matravers called the Square and Compass. Renowned for its pies and pasties, there's also a dinosaur museum inside. Keep an eye out for the buggered bat (I won't post here as it'll give you nightmares). 
• Corfe Castle and all the lovely sheep protecting the grounds! There's actually a lovely walk around the castle if you don't want to pay to go into the castle grounds

Corfe Castle

• Chococo in Swanage. Recommended by Mandy at the B&B this was a little slice of chocolate heaven. Tucked away down a little side street, this shop has the most amazing chocolate. I had to buy something; yes, chocolate fish n' chips...

We also had the chance to visit Monkey World, which I was irrationally excited for. I seriously cannot recommend it enough. Young or old, this place will appeal to all. Such fascinating creatures even when they're just munching on a stick of celery. Keep an eye out for playful Mikado the golden-cheeked gibbon and the little 'Elvis' monkeys (you'll know which they are based on their hair). Here's some photos for your enjoyment...

Good times!

Thanks for reading...

Shones
xoxox

S&F Wedding - The Dress...

Having booked the date and venue, the next focus was the dress. I really wasn't sure what to make of the impending experience and whether I would enjoy it or not. I started with Pinterest and magazines to get an idea of the styles I did like. I was very certain from the beginning what I did NOT like. Looking at dresses was fun for a while but it soon became overwhelming and a little irritating what with the lack of prices online...

I started my search at a Bridal Boutique in Hull while I was at my parents over Christmas. I knew my mum would be brutally honest about what looked best on me.  I tried on a variety of styles, even the obligatory 'meringue' dress, and quickly knew what I did, and did not, want. A really important factor for me was to find a dress that reflected me and my personality i.e. the dress that everyone would look at and say "that's so Shona". I know I achieved that. And feel lucky that I didn't have a long and painful search for my dress. You'll know yourself when you've found the right dress - you won't want to take it off...

The first dress I considered a 'contender' was a Justin Alexander tea length dress (style 8706), however there was a satin band that I just did not like. Sometimes the minor details can be the deal breaker. You HAVE to love every single detail of the dress. I did, however confirm that I wanted nothing but a tea length dress for my wedding day...

Justin Alexander 8706 (front)

Back

After Christmas, I booked another set of bridal boutique visits; this time closer to home and with my sister - another brutally honest family member. The first boutique I visited was Wedding Frox, in Cranleigh. I didn't mess around and asked straight away if they had any tea length dresses. Initially the assistant didn't think they did [sad face] and then she was directed to the end of the (very long) rail to a dress they had "just received yesterday". As soon as she took it off the rail I knew it was "the one". I was so excited to try it on...

It was so perfect! It ticked every single requirement: classic, simple, elegant, timeless, lace, fuss free, and had lots of tulle. I honestly could have walked out of the shop in it there and then.  The dress I chose was a Kenneth Winston, Private Label by G - style 1550. I had not come across Kenneth Winston during my original searches, which meant I had no preconceptions about the designer/collections in general. I think this was a blessing as it made me confident that I loved the dress for how it looked and fitted me, rather than loving it for being a fashionable label. 

KW style 1550

My dress...

I was set to buy the dress there and then but the assistant advised I go to my other appointments that day and at least sleep on it. I thought that was really sensible and trying on other dresses certainly helped confirm my decision about the Kenneth Winston dress. Bizarrely, the KW dress was not the dress that made my sister cry. Go figure!

I guess what really sealed the deal for me was the fact that the KW dress would work perfectly with my bridal shoes. I'd already decided that I wanted shoes in Fraser's tartan, which I thought would a) look awesome and b) provide a sense of unity between us on the day.  I wanted the wedding day to be as much about him as it was me.

'Muted Fraser' tartan shoes

I had the shoes custom made at Upper Street and they were perfect in every way. Fraser (and everyone else) absolutely loved them, and I personally love the fact that I can wear them again and again.

I also wore a birdcage veil and pearl studs from Lily Bella. As we got married in November I also had a marabou shrug, which I purchased from John Lewis. It was bucketing it down on the day, so our photographer brought the lovely white umbrella, which I actually love. I just think it adds another dimension to the photographs - rain isn't all bad huh?

Tips for wedding dress shopping:
- Go with family and friends that you trust wholeheartedly and can accept (any type of) feedback from;
- At the beginning of your search, be open minded. Try on all styles of dresses as it will really help you decided what does and does not suit you;
- Know your budget and tell the shop even if they don't ask. There's really no point trying on a £3k dress and falling in love with it, if you only have £1k to spend (it was a £3k dress that made my sister cry);
- Wear supportive, nude underwear, especially a strapless bra. You'll be getting undressed in front of strangers, so try not to be too shy either - they'll have seen it all before, no doubt!
- Don't forget to try on veils and other accessories to see if they work well with the dress - you don't want to leave anything to chance...
- Be completely in LOVE with every inch of your dress, every single inch. If you are not 100% in love with your dress, do not buy it and hope you'll grow to love it. It's one of the most important purchases you'll make as a woman - LOVE EVERY SINGLE INCH OF THAT DRESS!

Here's some of my favourite photos from the day - I hope you like them...

 

 

Shones

xoxo