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Graziadaily
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
This Is The One Wedding Purchase I Regret Spending Thousands On
By bridal magazine standards, my husband Luke and I moved fast. We got engaged in June 2012 and set a date for the following December. We were to be married in a small Norfolk church, followed by a party at my cousin's house nearby. The theme (awful term, but accurate) was Christmas. We planned a candle-lit service, evergreen flowers, festive food and invited 130 guests. In other words - though I had never dreamed of a big white wedding - it was all happening. I'd also never really thought about wedding dresses. Only two of my friends were married, so my main references were the 2012 Royal Wedding, Richard Curtis films and bizarre bridal chat-rooms – where people insisted your wedding must reflect 'you'. Tricky, if you've never imagined yourself as a bride. I knew the dress I didn't want (a Disney meringue), but there was a weird lack of chic alternatives. The big Vera Wangs engulfed me, the elegant sheaths looked strangely drab (the same way Cos makes me look ill). Everything was also priced in a wild alternative currency, starting at £2000. The most I had ever spent on a dress was £200. It was like a luxury parallel universe. Then, in Browns Brides, I found a dress by Lebanese designer Reem Acra. It had glittery cap sleeves (Christmassy!), a stunning crepe-de-chine skirt, and was just the right ratio of virginal : sexy. The fact Olivia Wilde had worn it on the red carpet swayed me. The only issue was the price - £5,500 (about £8000 today). I had enough, in savings, but only just. So I decided, sadly, to forget it. Except, there was no going back. I ordered cheaper wedding dresses from Net-A-Porter, and returned them. I asked a seamstress to make a Reem Acra imitation, but at the firstfitting I looked like Bo Peep. As the clock ticked, the stress intensified. In hindsight, I had begun to pin all my pre-nuptial anxiety on 'the perfect dress'. This was unsurprising. Anyone I asked insisted that, when the day came, it was vital I felt more beautiful than ever before - in my entire life. If that meant spending a nauseatingamount some silk, so be it. I suspect they knew what I wanted to hear. I went back to Browns Brides, where I was now an irritating regular. I reminded myselfwe were saving on the venue and various other expenses: no bridesmaids, no make up artist and no beribboned car. The DJ was our friend! The ice cream cake was the pudding! Then I shut my eyes, prayed, and handed over my bankcard. Initially I felt relief. The money was gone, the dress was mine. I assured my mother that I would somehow transform it for future use (who says brides go mad?), or bequeath it to a hypothetical daughter. And yes, on the day I did feel great. The fact that one sparkly sleeve came away from the bodice was a minor glitch. I still feel happy when I look at photos, and remember how confident I felt. But then, real life resumed. I had a baby boy, and then two more. One day I tried the dress on, and found pregnancy had permanently expanded my ribs. The faff and expense of having it remodelled seemed absurd now, and I had no daughters to inherit it. Still, I couldn't bear to part with such sentimental value. It hung in my bedroom for years, like an accusing 8ft body bag. Eventually, when it began to scare my children, and I wanted a sofa more than an un-wearable dress, I decided to sell it. First I tried which specialises in re-selling wedding dresses. It spent months on the site, without a single enquiry. Recently, I took it to a second hand designer boutique, where I will get half of a sale. If that fails, it's eBay. There's such pressure on brides to find The Dress and to blow the budget, as if economising will ruin 'your special day'. But at those prices it's insanity. You can't wear it again, you won't alter or dye it, and you'll feel torn about selling (assuming anyone wants it). I remember dismissing rentals at the time, having swallowed the myth that I needed _my_dress with bespoke alterations. But I would rent if I could go back - it makes so much sense for a one-off occasion. Now I have children, and an erratic income as an author, I can't fathom spending thousands on a dress. That said, my wedding inspired my new novel So Good To See You , so perhaps the madness wasn't all in vain. I just wish my royalties allowed me to splurge that way, today. So Good To See You by Francesca Hornak £20,
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Queen Elizabeth II's Cousin Believed Meghan Markle's Father Thomas Was ‘Frightened' to Attend Royal Wedding
Queen Elizabeth II's cousin reportedly believed that Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle, had reservations about attending her wedding to Prince Harry. Before her 2020 death, the late Lady Elizabeth Anson — Queen Elizabeth's first cousin once removed — shared her perspective in conversations with royal author Sally Bedell Smith. In a story that was published by The Times on Tuesday, July 1, Smith revealed Anson once told her 'that Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, was 'frightened of coming to the wedding,'' referring to the royal nuptials between Meghan, 43, and Harry, 40 — although no explanation why was given. Ahead of the wedding, Anson reportedly asked Queen Elizabeth if it seemed 'rather odd for Meghan to be arriving with her mother' Doria Ragland. Anson also explained that since Thomas was unable to 'do steps,' he planned to enter through a side door and meet his daughter at the chapel's main entrance. In May 2018, Thomas, now 80, was caught posing for photos for paparazzi and it was ultimately revealed that he had struck a deal with a photo agency. Around that same time, he told TMZ he suffered a heart attack and was opting not to attend. King Charles — then Prince Charles — accompanied Meghan to the altar. As Star previously reported, Queen Elizabeth was allegedly 'dismayed' that Harry reached out to the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform the ceremony in St George's Chapel without getting permission from the Dean of Windsor first leading up to the couple's wedding. According to Bedell Smith, Anson — who had asked to be called Liza — said, '[Prince] Harry wrote to me and said they were going another way. He said, 'I am close to my grandmother, and she is content with this. When I spoke with the Queen, she said she is not at all content.' Smith continued that Liza 'added, 'Meghan could turn into nothing but trouble. She sees things in a different way.'' Harry and Meghan have continued to forge their own path, notably stepping down from their duties as senior working royals in 2020 just two years before Elizabeth died in September 2022. After relocating from the UK, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are still living in Montecito, California, while raising their two children: Prince Archie, 6, and 4-year-old Princess Lilibet.
Daily Mirror
07-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners with vegetable patch urged to do one simple thing for abundant crop
Some key steps - and a trip to the garden centre - now, will mean enjoying homegrown produce including courgettes, pumpkins and carrots later on in the season, says top gardener The growing season is well under way, frost is just a memory now and vegetable patches are starting to show signs of growth. So now is the time to plant out young courgettes, pumpkins, and squashes. If you didn't grow these from seed, there are plenty available in garden centres. Meanwhile, thin out carrot seedlings – remove these thinned seedlings because if they are left about their scent will attract carrot fly. You can cover with horticultural mesh to keep this away. Collect seed from candelabra primulas and sow fresh. Pop a few nasturtium seeds in pots for a late summer vibrant display. Start feeding tomatoes in grow bags with high potash feed to encourage flowers and fruit formation. Fruit will also need your attention - put netting over soft fruit such as gooseberries before the birds tuck in. Here are my other jobs to do in the garden this week: Borders are filling up with colour. Oriental poppies have begun to bloom in the front garden, bringing with them a riot of colour and drama. Their flamboyant, bright orange-red petals are striking, each flower marked with a dark, almost black blotch at the base, encircling a regal-looking purple centre. Though their display is brief, typically lasting around ten days, their perennial nature makes them a reliable and rewarding addition to a mixed border, returning year after year. These poppies grow on stout, hairy stems that can sometimes flop under the weight of their impressive blooms. A little forward planning can help here — staking the stems early in the season provides much-needed support to keep the flowers upright and looking their best. There's also a wide array of stunning cultivars to explore. 'Royal Wedding', for instance, produces silky white petals with a dramatic purple blotch at the base, while the beloved 'Patty's Plum' is admired for its maroon, ruffled flowers . After flowering, oriental poppies can be cut back to tidy up the plant, though many gardeners choose to leave the ornamental seedheads in place for their sculptural beauty. While these cultivars don't grow true from seed, they can be propagated through root cuttings — a task best tackled in autumn. Simply dig up the plant, snip healthy roots into 4cm lengths, and plant them in cuttings compost. The parent plant can then be returned to the soil to re-establish itself. Among annual poppies, the corn poppy, Papaver rhoeas, is perhaps the most iconic. Also known as the field or Flanders poppy, it has become a powerful symbol of remembrance for those lost in war. Its seeds are remarkably resilient, capable of lying dormant for decades until disturbed. During the First World War, the upheaval of soil on battlefields in France and Belgium caused these poppies to bloom en masse, creating vivid displays that inspired Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae's famous poem: In Flanders fields the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row... Plant of the week: Sambucus 'Black Lace' Elderflowers are producing their distinctive flat heads of scented flowers, and foragers will be gathering these to produce the distinctive cordial. 'Black Lace' is a cultivar with finely cut dark purple leaves and pink flowers. It comes as a large deciduous shrub or small tree, and is good as an ornamental plant for smaller gardens. Grown in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil, the flowers and fruit are valuable to wildlife. Another notable species is Papaver somniferum, the opium poppy. Historically associated with the Opium Wars between Britain and China in the 19th century, this species is still cultivated today for medicinal purposes as the natural source of morphine and codeine. In the garden, however, it's prized more for its striking ornamental forms. These hardy annuals are best sown directly into the ground in spring or autumn, as they dislike being transplanted. Varieties such as 'Black Swan', with its finely cut, deeply coloured petals, or the heirloom 'Hungarian Blue', known for its simple, silky purple blooms, make bold, beautiful statements. For gardeners with acidic soil and cooler, damp climates, the elusive Himalayan blue poppy, Meconopsis betonicifolia, might be worth a try. Native to the mountainous regions of Nepal, Tibet, and Myanmar, this rare, short-lived perennial is often considered the 'holy grail' of blue flowers. Though notoriously tricky to grow, it thrives in the cooler, wetter conditions of northern England and Scotland. However, even a brief spell of strong sun in dry weather can quickly damage these delicate, captivating blooms. With their dazzling beauty, fascinating histories, and evocative symbolism, poppies continue to enchant gardeners, poets, and nature lovers alike.
Daily Mirror
07-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners warned to be prepared over popular plant used to make drugs
Sow your opium poppies - used to make medical painkillers including morphine, codeine and oxycodone, as well as illegal narcotic heroin - in autumn or spring for a bumper crop in summer Oriental poppies have begun to bloom in the front garden, bringing with them a riot of colour and drama. Their flamboyant, bright orange-red petals are striking, each flower marked with a dark, almost black blotch at the base, encircling a regal-looking purple centre. Though their display is brief, typically lasting around ten days, their perennial nature makes them a reliable and rewarding addition to a mixed border, returning year after year. These poppies grow on stout, hairy stems that can sometimes flop under the weight of their impressive blooms. A little forward planning can help here — staking the stems early in the season provides much-needed support to keep the flowers upright and looking their best. There's also a wide array of stunning cultivars to explore. 'Royal Wedding', for instance, produces silky white petals with a dramatic purple blotch at the base, while the beloved 'Patty's Plum' is admired for its maroon, ruffled flowers. After flowering, oriental poppies can be cut back to tidy up the plant, though many gardeners choose to leave the ornamental seedheads in place for their sculptural beauty. While these cultivars don't grow true from seed, they can be propagated through root cuttings — a task best tackled in autumn. Simply dig up the plant, snip healthy roots into 4cm lengths, and plant them in cuttings compost. The parent plant can then be returned to the soil to re-establish itself. Among annual poppies, the corn poppy, Papaver rhoeas, is perhaps the most iconic. Also known as the field or Flanders poppy, it has become a powerful symbol of remembrance for those lost in war. Its seeds are remarkably resilient, capable of lying dormant for decades until disturbed. During the First World War, the upheaval of soil on battlefields in France and Belgium caused these poppies to bloom en masse, creating vivid displays that inspired Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae's famous poem: In Flanders fields the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row... Another notable species is Papaver somniferum, the opium poppy. Historically associated with the Opium Wars between Britain and China in the 19th century, this species is still cultivated today for medicinal purposes as the natural source of morphine and codeine. In the garden, however, it's prized more for its striking ornamental forms. These hardy annuals are best sown directly into the ground in spring or autumn, as they dislike being transplanted. Varieties such as 'Black Swan', with its finely cut, deeply coloured petals, or the heirloom 'Hungarian Blue', known for its simple, silky purple blooms, make bold, beautiful statements. For gardeners with acidic soil and cooler, damp climates, the elusive Himalayan blue poppy, Meconopsis betonicifolia, might be worth a try. Native to the mountainous regions of Nepal, Tibet, and Myanmar, this rare, short-lived perennial is often considered the 'holy grail' of blue flowers. Though notoriously tricky to grow, it thrives in the cooler, wetter conditions of northern England and Scotland. However, even a brief spell of strong sun in dry weather can quickly damage these delicate, captivating blooms. With their dazzling beauty, fascinating histories, and evocative symbolism, poppies continue to enchant gardeners, poets, and nature lovers alike. Jobs to do in the garden this week Plant out young courgettes, pumpkins, and squashes. If you didn't grow these from seed, there are plenty available in garden centres. Thin out carrot seedlings – remove these thinned seedlings because if they are left about their scent will attract carrot fly. You can cover with horticultural mesh to keep this away. Collect seed from candelabra primulas and sow fresh. Pop a few nasturtium seeds in pots for a late summer vibrant display. Start feeding tomatoes in grow bags with high potash feed to encourage flowers and fruit formation. Tie in climbing and rambling roses – the more you train them horizontally, the more this will encourage side shoots to develop and go on to produce more flowers. Water containers, pots, window boxes and feed them fortnightly. Train sweet peas and start cutting flowers as they appear so you'll get more. Plan for next spring – now's the time to start sowing seeds of Bellis perennis, polyanthus, pansies and wallflowers so they will be in flower (when very little else is) for brightening up the garden in late winter/early spring. Soft fruit such as gooseberries need netting over them before the birds tuck in. Plant of the week: Sambucus 'Black Lace' Elderflowers are producing their distinctive flat heads of scented flowers, and foragers will be gathering these to produce the distinctive cordial. 'Black Lace' is a cultivar with finely cut dark purple leaves and pink flowers. It comes as a large deciduous shrub or small tree, and is good as an ornamental plant for smaller gardens. Grown in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil, the flowers and fruit are valuable to wildlife.
The Age
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
The Prince and Princess of Wales share a kiss after Royal Wedding
Lifestyle Prince William and Kate Middleton share a kiss after their Royal Wedding watched by millions.
