Baby Shower fun

When I logged onto my facebook a few months ago to see my cousin Colleen having a baby shower out in Australia I was very intrigued.  I have always known baby showers to be very American and haven’t really heard of anyone here having one. So as my interest grew I decided to throw one for my friend. I started to plan it 2 months ago, gathering banners, balloons and even a piñata shaped like a pram. I have to admit, I did go a little crazy but I just love to organise things for other people and wanted it to be extra special.

So what is a baby shower some of you might ask? ( Or as my da said, eh? A party for a weene before its even born?!) Well it originates from roman and Egyptian times. , the baby shower party was part of the traditions associated with welcoming a new child into the world. However, there really wasn't much of a party involved. Instead, the other mothers would provide the new mum with items she would need to care for her child, such as clothing. It was also a time for women to share wisdom and lessons on the art o becoming a mother. Clearly back then, these informal events were very practical and were meant to help prepare new mothers for the newest family member. In those days, there was no such thing as Piñatas filled with sweets! The shower centres on gift giving so it is usually a friend that will organise the party and not a family member as this can seem rude for family members to beg for gifts.

Well this baby shower was a first for all that attended and it was a great day of fun and laughter for the expectant mummy. I decided to hold it in the evening time from 4pm to 7pm as at this stage of the pregnancy the mum can be very tired and suffering from the lovely swollen ankles. With a theme of ‘High Tea’ I brought all my mummy and grannies tea sets from back in the day, along with cake stands to give that real High Tea feel. Pinkies at the ready we delved into delicious delights made by a friend of the family and we played baby shower charades. A great days craic and lovely for the mummy to be to have something to look forward to and take her mind of child birth (even though that was reenacted in baby shower charades!). So if you are thinking of throwing a baby shower, speak to the mummy to be first, see if its an idea she would like and take it from there. There are lots of baby shower paraphernalia available online and off course you can make your own banners to make it more personal. I think I have missed my calling in life, to be a baby shower organiser!

My week at Channel 4

I am currently doing work experience at Channel 4 in London ( I know this sounds like I am 16 again). Well, what can I say?  Channel 4 is amazing. The building, the people and the work. Its exactly how you picture it to be, funky bright and modern.

London is mental! Buses, tubes and trains, all in a days work. I miss my little clio to drive around whenever I want. I am totally not used to this craziness. I miss the quiet life and now would class myself as a 'cultie'.

I am only here for a week but I am trying to get as much cramed in as possible. I will keep you updated!

A Wedding with a Twist

I never thought I’d see the day that I would be going to a wedding dressed as Princess Fiona from Shrek. Well that was exactly the case at the weekend. ‘Sir Clive and Lady Joni’s Wedding’ was the wedding of the year! The bride is relation of my fiancé’s family and I was invited to this medieval styled wedding in the local History Park. Anything to do with fancy dress and I am there without a doubt. I started planning my outfit as soon as we got the invite. When I proposed Fiona everyone laughed but I thought it was a great idea…until I had to wash the green body paint off!

The main advantage of having a themed wedding is that is way more exciting for you and your guests. People dread getting wedding invites but getting an invite like this puts that all out the window. There’s a lot of hype surrounding the costumes and getting photos taken and the adults turn into big kids. (Well I did any way, running about the History Park like I was 10 and had just discovered The Secret Garden!) It was great having a costume to find instead of running about Belfast or Derry at the last minute looking for a dress.

Another benefit of having this kind of themed wedding is the photographs. With all the natural outdoor beauty at a location like the History Park, you’re guaranteed great images. Once you upload your photos to Facebook, you are certain to get plenty of response to your crazy costume.

To many people a themed wedding can sound a little bit crazy but why not go against the grain? With jousting, fire throwers, archery and a pig on a spit to name a few, this wedding had it all and no one knew what to expect on the day. You don’t get that from your average wedding that everyone dreads going to and you’re also not out a fortune on an outfit for the day! This wedding was spoke about for months before hand and will be talked of for years to come for the craic, costumes and utter craziness. Now I am just thinking what I can do to make my wedding that bit more exciting!