PARTY TIME: Dig out your sparkliest frock, it's the book launch soiree!

Do you have anything planned for the 5th December? Scratch it. As you're invited - whether literally or metaphorically - to a certain little bash to celebrate the launch of The Secret Quintessentially Weddings Guide. Whilst the 'party' itself will be jumping (and doubtless those antique chandeliers shaking - cripes) here at 29 Portland Place, we'd like to encourage you, our lovely readers, to partake of the fun at home and host your own Planning Party. That's right. Put on your sparkling finery, gather your wedding crew about you, shake yourself a cocktail, and raise a toast to a book that will help take all of those wedmin stresses away - and that we hope you'll love as much as we did making our masterpiece.

NEED SOME INSPIRATION? We've put together some planning party ideas below...

1.Send some pretty invites. We love these jolly (and chic) versions from Brownpaperdesigns.com. 2. This is your chance to fool around a little with decor, and try those ideas knocking around for the big day. Experiment! Balloons from Geronimoballoons.com ; similar from etsy.com in the UK 3. Bake yourself one of Peggy Porschen's deliciously pretty Victoria sponges with this recipe at Mulberry's Brilliant Britain - if only to prove that you can bake (whatever the ribbing of your husband or his best man may say on the big day), you're just going to get the pros in for the wedding itself. 4. Get ideas cracking in Smythson's glamorous tome 5. And serve drinks in these elegant Rosy-Cheeked coupes from BHLDN

And what's more, if you sign up for updates on the book at www.quintessentiallyweddings.com/pre-order/ you'll be in with the chance for you and a friend to come and rattle those crystals with us!

Love (a very excited) QBride XOXO 

PRINTS CHARMING: hot off the press news about The Secret Quintessentially Weddings Guide!

So, after a very loooong absence (apologies lovely readers, even my new husband has forgotten quite who I am), we're back with the very, very exciting news you've all been waiting for....

Cue a thundering drum-roll...

THE BOOK HAS GONE TO PRINT!!

Many months of hard-labour later - and that was just the prising of top secret names and addresses from the little white books of the Quintessentially Weddings team - some printing presses just outside of fair Verona in Italy whirred into action with the illustrated pages of The Secret Quintessentially Weddings Guide. This special project and something of a book-shaped (whisper it) baby of ours sees a myriad of over 100 venues, artisans, boutiques and brilliant designers come together in a uniquely hand-bag sized wedding planning tome.

We personally still can't stop ogling up the ozalids - yup, we've become total book geeks and now speak in bookish language. Vera Wang's cloud-like gowns in blush pink the precise shade of a Laduree macaroon; Smythson's wedding etiquette and how-to guide accompanied by delicious stationery ideas; a delicious mulled wine recipe given to us an exclusive by any self-respecting fashion label and Kate Moss' wedding caterer of choice, Cellar Society (perfect for any winter's nuptials); masterclasses in floral beauty from the likes of Absolute Flowers & Home; Blake Lively's wedding dress designer Marchesa; royal wedding florist Shane Connolly, Rebel Rebel, Zita Elze, Phillipa Craddock, CJ Floral and Hayford & Rhodes; all come together to make for a wedding book we hope you'll be as delighted to own, use and tote about as we were to make.

There are new names to reveal too: the astonishingly beautiful tailoring of Alexander McQueen gracing the groom's section, Elizabeth Emanuel debuting her relaunched collections of glorious gowns fit for a queen, House of Hackney's less-chintzy-more-cool furnishings and novel photobooth backdrops of ombre dipped rose-patterned fabric, shimmering gems with whimsical settings from Emma Franklin, word-of-mouth pretty gowns and accessories from Minna, cult party-rocker Guilty Pleasures DJs, Laurent-Perrier's delicious Champagne, Pomp de Franc's fantastical wedding cakes, almost too gorgeous gowns for bridesmaids from Ghost, Snow Business' fairytale snowscapes, simply chic stationery from Brown Paper and delectable cakes from Peggy Porschen.

Yes, there were names we were sad to not be able to include (I'm thinking of you, mister de la Renta, and you, Ellie and Anna at The Flower Appreciation Society, the lovely and talented Louise Richardson and of course being something of an engagement ring magpie,Tiffany's). But written with real affection, the book is filled with insider tips and expert tricks on everything from handling those inevitable meltdown moments with aplomb and a joke or two to putting your own stamp on your wedding feast and even pretty hand-drawn illustrations by yours truly.

You can order your copy now, by simply clicking this little here link or visit www.quintessentiallyweddings.com/pre-order. And the countdown to a bookshelf near you begins now!

QBride XOXO