A Little Self-Love

I haven't always loved my body, in fact, I spent most of my teens and 20s trying to 'fix it'. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved my curves, I just wanted less of them in certain places. 

But today at 34 years old I can honestly say I love my body, every single curve. Not because I've finally achieved that silhouette I spent years chasing (I haven't… far from it in fact!), but because I finally understand how amazing and powerful it is.

My wonderful body grew, birthed and nurtured the love of my life, my perfect little boy, and it's in the process of doing it all again! It has endured so much and is capable of so much more, and really it's about time I showed it a little appreciation! Because every scar, every stretchy and every wobbly bit tells my story, the story of my children, the story of our lives together, and that's pretty beautiful.

This is why when our family photographer Victoria Prince suggested trying to get some slightly risqué shots as part of my second maternity shoot, I was all up for trying it out, after all if I wasn’t comfortable with them they never had to see the light of day, and I’d still have some lovely classic images from the experience. Needless to say I loved them (hence this post) and If you'd told me 10 years ago I'd one day be sharing such revealing pictures of myself, I would've called you crazy, but today I don't care about the haters, prudes and critics. 

I absolutely love being a mother, it has completely taken over my life, and I'm ok with that, but every once in a blue moon it's nice to do something for me. It's very rare, and the stars really need to align for it, but it happens, and that's what my maternity shoots have been like. 

Not so much with my first but with this last pregnancy I've definitely been feeling a little out of touch with my own needs. Being pregnant whilst looking after a toddler with no OFF button is HARD! Add to it that I was working full-time from home (so no motivation to dress nice or wear makeup) and you can imagine what I looked like.

This shoot certainly pulled me out of that funk! Vic requested curls (which I don't normally invest time in), and because of the nature of the pictures we'd be trying to get I went all out and pampered myself with all the necessary waxing, a manipedi and a few face and hair masks to get myself ready. All of this at home btw (I'm not made of money!), which reminded me I should do it more often since I'm obviously capable of it!

On the day I felt like a million bucks. My mom was looking after my little boy and I had a few hours in the studio of just me and Vic. I can honestly say there is nobody else I'd do something like this with. Vic isn't just our photographer, she has become a trusted friend and throughout the shoot she made me feel not only comfortable but beautiful, empowered and confident.

It didn't take long before I started to get some of the finished shots and I couldn't believe how much I loved them, every single one! They definitely embody all the self-love I'm feeling these days and I've already chosen a few to frame and display in our bedroom, not because I'm a narcissist (I'm not), but because they will constantly remind me that taking care of myself and ensuring I have some 'me time' every once in a while won't take anything away from giving my family my all, quite the opposite in fact. 

So thanks Vic, your talent is truly extraordinary, and it's matched only by the amazing heart and character you share with all those around you! Can't wait for our next shoot together (if little lady ever decides to make an appearance… 41 weeks and counting!).

And to anyone reading this, I hope this post inspires you to indulge in a little self-love, whatever that may look like for you, just give it a go, make the time, you deserve it!

Making Maternity Memories

I’ve always said photography is one of the best things you can invest in, because when all is said and done, and important moments have been and gone, the pictures are the only thing left to look back on those times and reminisce.

Naturally my pregnancy was one of those times that I want to remember with a smile. I didn’t have the greatest pregnancy, but the end of it meant the start of something pretty amazing, my own tiny human to love and nurture, and that was certainly worth celebrating!

We chose to work with Victoria Prince Photography, she had been recommended by a few friends, and I can honestly say she did not disappoint. From the very start Victoria was on point, she checked out my Pinterest to see what sort of images I wanted, helped with advice on what to wear, suggested a location based on my vision and sorted out the access on the day, as it would be on a Sunday evening and the venue would be closed to the public at the time she wanted to shoot.

The location was Furzey Gardens, a private woodland area in the New Forest, managed by Minstead Trust. This worked out to be exactly what I’d imagined, the gardens had a beautiful enchanted feel to them and the lighting on that gorgeous summer evening was just right. With no other people there it felt very surreal to have such a wonderful place to ourselves for the evening.

The experience was truly wonderful, Victoria gave clear and precise instructions on poses to get the best shots, and made me feel completely comfortable and at ease around her, as if we’d been friends for years. I wouldn’t exactly say I looked like a troll during my pregnancy (I didn’t let go that much!) but it was certainly lovely to put a pretty dress on, do my hair and makeup and have a few hours of being the centre of attention whilst walking around such a stunning location.

I remember thinking how pleased I was that we managed to have the shoot and how everything seemed to have aligned to give me a perfect memory. I kind of left it to the last minute to organise, but luckily Victoria was able to fit us in and John Lewis happened to have the perfect dress available! I wore the Mamalicious Anetta Short Sleeve Maxi Maternity Dress in Snow White for most of the pictures.

For my second outfit I bought some tulle and fashioned myself a giant tutu, which thanks to various Youtube tutorials I was able to make in a day, with absolutely no sewing required! The top was just a thick strip of lace tied over my white strapless bra.

It didn’t take long before we got our sneak peak images and of course Victoria was very considerate, asking if I was happy for her to share on social media and making sure I liked the pictures being shared.

All in all, it was a beautiful day and I couldn’t be happier with the result, Victoria managed to capture all the love I was feeling for both my husband and my little bumpkin, and when I look at them I can finally see that pregnancy glow that people talk about. We will definitely be visiting Victoria again for any ‘little one’ related shoots!

Award Winning Photography

It is every bride’s dream to have the kind of pictures that people look at and think ‘I’d love a shot like that’, or that would not look out of place in an exhibition or a photography book, the kind of pictures that win awards.

The moment I met Citlalli, Tamara and Jimmy from Citlalli Rico Photography, I knew that I had found the perfect team to document our memories, and when they sent back the pictures from my wedding I was speechless at the beautiful moments they managed to capture for us. Today I am once again amazed by their unbelievable talent, as one of my wedding pictures has been awarded a FEARLESS AWARD.

The Fearless Awards are given to photographers who manage to capture stunning pictures that redefine wedding photography and are simply amazing. Taken by Tamara, this shot is from our first dance at La Isla in Xcaret, Mexico. I cannot even imagine where she had to position herself to get this breathtakingly gorgeous picture.

Even before I found out about the award this was one of my favourite photos from such an intimate moment together. It is so artistic and beautiful; I love the colours and how it encompasses not just the stage but also the dimly lit tables where our guests were. It is simply perfect.

So congratulations to Tamara Rico for her Fearless Award and I would like to thank her and Citlalli Rico for taking the kind of stunning pictures that tell the story of one of the happiest days of my life. Thanks to you, my memories will last a lifetime.

Best wishes, Gaby xXx

The Perfect Chemistry

The best piece of advice I received when planning my wedding was from my aunt Zully, she told me to save pennies on anything EXCEPT the photographer. The food, decoration, cake and everything else will all last for one day, but the pictures are our keepsakes, for us to have for the rest of our lives.

With this in mind I set out to find the perfect photographer, and considering I had to pick someone from a distance, without meeting him or her beforehand, this was quite a mission, but in the end it came down to instinct.

To say that I spent weeks looking at photographers in Cancun is an understatement. I had notes with the information about their prices, coverage time, packages and demands, I made pros and cons list for each of them and looked at their pictures so many times they eventually started blurring into one. But I was determined to pick the right one for us and with perseverance I narrowed them down to my top three.

Here is where the instinct comes in, not on my part but from my hubby. I presented him with the top three contenders, gave him all the facts and showed him each photographer’s work. He took one look at them all and within 10 minutes chose Citlalli Rico. When I asked him why, he simply replied saying he liked her style the best because of how versatile she was, the other photographers did great pictures but they all seemed to come from the same mould, and Citlalli’s pictures were not only beautiful but they were varied, she had every style, every angle and found a way to get the most breath-taking shots.

This is why we work as a couple, I make rational choices, he uses intuition, and our joint efforts led us to Citlalli. Best decision ever.

From the very first moment Citlalli made us feel comfortable and at ease, she patiently answered all my questions and added me on whatsapp so we could exchange ideas about what Tom and I wanted for our big day. I didn’t actually meet her until the day before the wedding when she came to our hotel to have a chat, and I was instantly reassured that we had made the right choice. She came with her husband Jimmy and they were both warm, friendly and cheerful, smiled a lot, and just had this incredibly positive energy.

When our day finally arrived, Citlalli and her photography team, comprised by Jimmy and her sister Tamara, were just amazing, it was like a team of ninja photographers, they were everywhere but just seemed to blend in and didn’t at any point interrupt the flow of the evening, they were taking pictures from fantastic angles and capturing every moment, whilst at the same time keeping us on our toes regarding pictures with the guests. They did a fantastic job and for the past 10 weeks I have been itching with anticipation to see the fruit of their labour, and finally, the wait is over.

Below is the slideshow that Citlalli and her team put together for us, and to see more of our fantastic pictures, check out my Mexican Wedding page.

http://www.citlallirico.com/slideshow/Nena-Tom-Xcaret-Wedding/

To any brides considering getting married in Mexico, I can honestly tell you that Citlalli and her team will capture the essence, beauty and love of your day. And if you are not getting married in Mexico then I can only hope that wherever your dream day comes to life, you can find your very own Citlalli Rico.

Best wishes, Gaby xXx

Pinteresting Brides

Tonight I met with my friend Nix for the first time since finding out about her engagement (congrats sweety!), and when I started talking about my own planning experience in a bid to help her start her bridal journey I realised that there is one particular tool that has been my shining start since the very start of my wedding planning days: Pinterest.

For those of you who don’t know, Pinterest is a free digital pin board, where you can create as many different boards as you like and you have a great variety of categories to search through. It is an amazing source of inspiration and a great way to keep all your digital ideas in one place, it’s like an environmentally friendly planner!

For those of you who are familiar with Pinterest you will know it is highly addictive, you can spend hours scrolling through other people’s pin boards and pinning images on to yours, and although you can get distracted and go off on Fashion or DIY tangents, you can also find a lot of hidden gems, wedding ideas that you never would have thought of.

Personally, I have 37 pin boards, only five of them specifically dedicated to wedding planning:

* Wedding Ideas: This was my first board. Initially all wedding related pins went on this board but as I realised my need for a more organised system, I branched out and created more specific categories to cater for my bridal needs. Now it mainly consists of all general ideas, venues, planning tips, thank you cards, cake toppers, table numbers, champagne flutes, cake cutters, themes and colours, invites, wedding favours, bridesmaids dresses… and the list goes on!

* Here Comes The Bride: This board was born when I realised I wanted to share my wedding ideas board with the groom to get him involved and find out his opinions, WITHOUT letting him see what kind of dress I was looking for or how I would have my hair. As every other bride, I want my look on that day to be a surprise for him so this board is more for me. Here you can fin beautiful bridal gowns, tiaras, jewellery, shoes, rings, floral bouquets, hair styles and makeup.

* Wedding Photography: It is impossible to look through photographers pictures and not think ‘I want that shot’ about a million times. Whether you’re just browsing the web as a newly engaged girl, gathering ideas for when he finally pops the question or looking for someone to actually photograph your wedding, having all your desired shots in one place is a huge help. With my wedding being in Mexico I had to pick a photographer from afar and being able to compare all the images I’ve saved with each of their styles was a big help in making my choice, not to mention the fact that I don’t even have to tell them what kind of photography I want on my big day… I can show them!

* Xcaret Weddings: It’s well enough having pictures that I would like to have but there are certain shots that can only be achieved in certain places. I am an Xcaret bride, this is the magical place where I get to say ‘I do’ and it is only logical that I look at past Xcaret brides for inspiration. There are many shots from my wedding photography that I could only have in daydreams, but these, I can make happen. Needless to say my photographer has already been sent this link and is ready to recreate some of these stunning shots!

* Wedding Cake: My cake tasting is the same week as my wedding, and even though I can’t pick the flavour of the cake from thousands of miles away, I can certainly pick the style! I’ve always wanted a lace cake and since my theme is rainbow, these were the two main criteria when adding cakes to this board. Of course when discussing the cake with Mexican bakers, showing them what I wanted was a huge advantage in picking the right place, I sent all the candidates the link and they submitted their proposals, this allowed me to see who could best interpret my vision and I picked the perfect gal for the job!

Long story short (who am I kidding, I never keep anything short!), Pinterest is a fantastic tool for every Bridezilla to be, an endless source of inspiration, a way of translating your vision into pictures and allowing people to see through your eyes. Use it and abuse it, you won’t regret it!

Best wishes, Gaby xXx