So You Just Got Engaged, Now What?

I got engaged over 4 years ago now and I have learned a lot during this period. Not only have I now planned 2 weddings, as the first one we fully cancelled in March 2020, but we've changed as people during this time and so has our interests. The two different weddings we planned had two different themes, decor choices, venues and much more. I've also been reading several blogs, magazines and planners to see what exactly you should consider when you begin wedding planning, so here is what we've learned.

Go online and watch some wedding videos

We went on YouTube and searched for our venue to see people's wedding videos there, then searched more broadly like 'Cheshire Wedding Videos' and so on. You may find inspiration for themes or colours, what type of venue you want (like a barn, a hotel, a teepee in a field etc). You can listen to people's vows and speeches, look at the timeline and so much more. Often people write in the description which suppliers they used too so this can be so helpful in the beginning. Look up whether the venues you're considering or have booked have tour videos online too. More venues have started doing this over the last 2 years and it really helps to save these videos and keep watching them as you plan out your day.

Set up accounts on Hitched, Bridebook etc

Here you can search for suppliers and shortlist them, message them, request brochures and read reviews. You can use their checklists to see a timeline and keep track of what you need to do, and when. Bridebook have even introduced a feature where both partners can use the app on their own phone and use it equally. A lot of the time the planning is focused on 'the bride' but you may have two brides or none. It's 2022, these wedding companies really need to modernise themselves.

Consider everything when looking at a venue

I've spoken about this before but before paying a deposit you need to consider everything. Accessibility is so important and this impacts everyone. It impacts the elderly, the pregnant person, the disabled person, the person with a chronic illness, the person who gets migraines, babies and toddlers, the person who broke their leg. It affects the families and friends of all these people too. There should be a disabled toilet, if there are steps you need a ramp, adequate comfortable seating, no flashing lights, highchairs, etc. At our wedding there will be several elderly people who have access needs, myself and at least one other disabled person who will need to use the disabled loo, neurodivergent people and multiple people including myself that are prone to migraines. I know sometimes it feels like access can have a long list but trust me, it's so worth it. If you put in the effort to provide access, the people who need it will be forever grateful.

Have a look at getting wedding insurance

This seems impossible right now, but have a look and see if getting wedding insurance is possible. We went with John Lewis who provided us two lots of compensation (if that is the right word) for our cancelled and postponed weddings. We now have no insurance because we have claimed twice so we need to look again to see if we can get it. Wedding insurance provides you money where vendors haven't shown up, vendors have cancelled, you've had to postpone your wedding and if vendors haven't provided what you agreed upon. It's so useful if you can get it.

Sign the contracts

This is so important! Your suppliers (within reason) should supply you with contracts that list everything that will be provided at the wedding. This helps you know exactly what you will be getting and gives you something to refer back to. On the off chance something went wrong and you needed to cancel or rearrange your wedding, having a signed contract makes things a lot easier, particularly if you are having to claim with your wedding insurer as they will often require contracts to be provided before paying out.

Make a wedding website

Not only can you provide a lot more information on here than in your invitations, but you can provide a lot of helpful advice too. We have made a website on Zola, where we have put down hotels within a 3 mile radius to the venue, taxi numbers, things to do in the local area and more. We have an FAQ page where we have answered a lot of common questions and some that are specific to our wedding. There is an RSVP page for those who are tech-savvy and will respond online. We have written about our story over the years as we will have known each other 10 years by the time we get married. Finally, we have added the timeline for the day so people can know what time to arrive, what time photographs are in case they want to grab a drink and chill out, what time food is and what time the evening events start. It's so useful and if you use a website like Zola or The Knot, it's really easy to add your information and customise the website design to suit you.

Book hotels in advance

You don't even have to pay for them right now. We have provisionally booked a lovely hotel that is 15 minutes drive away from our venue that at this point, we can't afford to pay for with everything else. We know we can slowly save up to pay for this but at least we have put our booking in now so we know we have somewhere to stay. If your venue does not have rooms to stay in, it's so important you book as soon as it's possible to. We have booked somewhere more expensive as not only is it a treat but also nobody will probably be staying in the same place so we can have some rest ahead of the big day. Some hotels allow you to book blocks of rooms in advance which can come in useful for your guests.

See if your venue has table layout plans

Our venue handed us a ring binder with a ton of table layout plans that are catered for the number of people going to the wedding. We took photos of all of them and so far have made two separate plans, one of long tables and one for round tables. You may have a list of everyone you're inviting but not everyone will be able to come, so having different plans you can edit along the way is really helpful. Wedding websites often have the option to make table plans out of your guest list and this has been really helpful too. The app iVow also has this as an option if you prefer to do it on your phone or tablet.

Consider the time of year

Depending on when you are having your wedding, several things need to be considered. The first is the temperature; if it's hot does the venue have air conditioning or fans, if it's cold do they have heating, outdoor heaters or even fireplaces. The second is the clothing, particularly of the Bridal Party. The people wearing suits may have to opt for a thicker material so buying a year ahead is what I'd recommend. The Bride may also consider buying something to wear around them or providing blankets for guests. We have a basket for blankets and a basket for flip flops for sore feet. The final thing to consider with the season is what your theme is and colours. When we planned for a May wedding originally we have navy blue and blush pink/rose gold but our decor was white blossom trees with pastel blue and pink flowers. Now we've moved to an October wedding we have gotten rid of the blossom trees and are looking at adding pumpkins to the decor along with changing the theme to a celestial/starry night theme.

Make specific Pinterest boards

I started off with one big board for everything and it so hard to look through. I recommend having boards for hair/makeup/nails, boards for interior decor, boards for invitations, boards for the theme or colours you're considering and so on. We also have a board for things we are DIY'ing as Pinterest is a great resource for that too. It is so easy to keep on top of when you have smaller board types.

Real or fake flowers?

I was always going to have artificial flowers as the cost of real ones was not something I wanted to spend a lot on. One thing to consider when weighing up your options is, what happens for people with allergies/hayfever? If it's only bouquets then you only really need to thing about the people holding them but if you want flowers on the tables or dotted around the venue you may run into people sneezing a lot. I ultimately went with artificial flowers so that I can keep my bouquet forever and I need to buy a lovely vase to put it in so I can have it on display after the wedding.

Wedding groups

Facebook has a ton of useful groups on it, I have some for chronic illnesses, vegetarian food, crafting and weddings. You can search by your local area, wedding themes, weddings on a budget, DIY weddings and so much more. People even sell things on some of these groups that they've used in their own weddings if you're looking for something more affordable. People ask for advice so group members can help them out, some people ask for ideas or how to budget and so on. They are so helpful and it's honestly the single only reason I still use Facebook. 

Wedding jewellery 

Don't just limit your search to high street jewellers, look online too. We found both my engagement ring and wedding ring, and Andy's wedding ring on Etsy. I have seen a lot of bad reviews from high street jewellers from wedding groups and it made me want to look into smaller businesses. Maybe look online for reviews from anywhere you're looking to buy from before you get set on rings. This also goes for other jewellery you may wear on the day, including earrings, hairpieces, necklaces and bracelets; any kind of jewellery you like. Definitely look far enough in advance and have a look into getting your rings insured in case they end up needing a cleaning or stones fall out etc. Also, don't get set on engraving your ring, mine is so thin that it can't be engraved so I had to drop that idea.

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Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill Chester Review

As part of my stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Chester, I was able to test out the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill. The restaurant is attached to and accessible through the hotel so is perfect for when you are staying at the Hilton. It's also open to the public so if you are ever in Chester then you can go and enjoy drinks and a meal. I found it to be cosy, being in a booth we were able to look out into the restaurant. It has a number of different sections which split it up nicely and meant you weren't just in a large open room that became too noisy. You can also enjoy impressive views of the grounds of the hotel which adds to the overall enjoyable experience.

For starters, we both actually ended up going for the Classic French Onion Soup (£6.75) which had croutons and Gruyére cheese on top to add some texture. I've not had this type of soup for years and really enjoyed it. It had plenty of flavour and the portion size was just about right, without enough to enjoy without filling you up too much before your main. For the second course we both looked at different parts of the menu. Andy loves a good steak and it was the perfect place to have a few to choose from. He went for the Grilled 35 Day Aged Sirloin 10oz Steak (£25.95) that was served with pommes frites and was complemented by the Classic peppercorn and brandy sauce and on the vine tomatoes. Having it medium well-done, it had plenty of flavour without being too dry, and you could tell it was a higher quality meat. I don't eat steak myself so went for the Classic Macaroni Cheese (£13.95) that came with poached egg, wild mushrooms and herbs. The meal was nice and quite filling so couldn't end up finishing it. I think it may have been better without the egg due to the very similar silky textures and there were a lot of mushrooms, though it was still enjoyable.

As part of our meal, we enjoyed a bottle of Californian Vendange White Zinfandel Rose Wine (£22.50) which was nice to enjoy with our meal. For dessert, we ended up both fancying the Mr Coulson's Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce (£5.95). It was a lovely end to the meal and worked particularly well with the sauce. I found our experience at the restaurant really nice, the food was great and came out in good time, and we had a lovely blonde who served us and made sure we had everything we need to make our visit run smoothly. The interior was different, with dark blue walls with matching velvet-like fabric chairs which is exactly what I'd choose if I was selecting the theme of the restaurant. I'd come again for sure and would try to pick out some other options from the menu.

Complimentary meal in return for a review.

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DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Chester Review

I've always loved travelling and visiting new places and have found that my favourite type of trip is to do short breaks away in hotels. Hilton invited me to stay in their Chester Hotel and experience the 18th Century Manor House that is set in beautiful grounds. It's located only two miles from Chester City Centre so is perfectly located to explore the historic city. They have recently refurbished and extended the hotel which includes the addition of 79 new bedrooms which is where we stayed. It has been given a new look that fits in with the history of the hotel while maintaining the class and comfort of Hilton. Facilities at the hotel include The Garden Room, a Lounge/Bar area, the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, a fitness room and the DoubleTree by Hilton Spa. 

When arriving at the hotel we were greeted by Alice on reception who was very friendly and welcoming. The warm conversation about what we had planned for our stay and where we have come from gave a nice personal touch. We were informed that we had complimentary access to the spa which we didn't know beforehand so hadn't packed any swimwear. You can buy some swimming attire at the spa, however, I didn't see the point in this for a one-night stay. Shortly after arriving the check in was all sorted and we were handed our room key along with a couple of warm fresh cookies to take to our room. I can't think of a better welcome than that.

The room we were staying in was one of their new King Junior Suites. It was large and had a great layout that was split into different areas while still maintaining the open plan look and feel. You get a super king bed and a large smart TV with Sky that can be rotated between facing the bed and the two-seater sofa. Two well-sized wardrobes give you space to store your clothing and other items while containing some handy amenities such as a safe, iron and ironing board and robe & slippers. A tray with a good selection of tea and coffee making facilities can also be taken out of the wardrobe, making it easy to make refreshments. There's also a fridge with complimentary snacks and drinks inside but after taking the time to look around and have dinner etc we completely forgot to make us of it. The desk area has plenty of space to do any work or comes in handy to your makeup and has plenty of plug sockets which came in useful when straightening my hair. The bathroom is a decent size with a large wall mirror and a smaller movable magnifier mirror which are useful and could be good for doing makeup. I'm not able to do my makeup standing up due to chronic illnesses but I was more than happy to sit at the desk. Having some Crabtree and Evelyn mini shower items were handy and I know Andy particularly enjoyed having an overhead second shower head that he could actually fit under as he's quite tall. Our suite had a lovely view across to the garden terrace and was nice to see something different that wasn't just a patch of land or another wall of the hotel. 

The spa that is part of the hotel offers a selection of treatments and provides a "blissful oasis away from the stresses of everyday life". A relaxing range of options including wet and dry thermal suites, Watsu hydra therapy pool, steam room, sauna, Hamman mudroom and aroma room as well as an outside heated pool with waterfall. Access to this can be added for £15 per room or £25 for a family room with any treatments having additional individual prices. As part of our stay, we went for an Elemis Introduction Facial in the spa. There was a 'before' room when you could start to wind down in the comfortable seating and enjoy the complimentary juice bar and herbal tea. From here I was taken to the treatment room by the spa therapist Meg. She was really lovely and made me feel relaxed from the start and throughout the process. When I got to the treatment room I talked through my skincare regime and the type of skin that I have. I was also asked about any medical conditions and checked that the mini massage would be okay.

I lied down to a relaxing facial that helped to soothe and cleanse my skin. I wasn't expecting the head and neck massage to be part of the treatment but it helped me to relax and I came out really calm. At the end of the session, Meg recommended some Elemis products to us which for me was the Superfood Facial Wash (£25) and the Hydra-boost Day Cream (£40). Andy mentioned that he really enjoyed the facial and didn't feel like it was just designed for women. He also particularly enjoyed the head massage part of the session. We both felt that our skin was noticeably softer and more nourished afterwards plus feeling much more relaxed. You were then taken into the 'after' room where you could continue to wind down for as long as you wished on the beanbags and beds while enjoying the complimentary lemon sorbet. The treatment lasts around 30 minutes and costs £45 which I think is a reasonable price for what you get. I would probably pay that just for a head massage so the added bonus of having your skin all clean and moisturised was great. I didn't know that you are not supposed to wear makeup for rest of day post-treatment and we had dinner booked so I had to break the rules a little but I didn't feel like it changed how my skin felt after taking it off later on.

We decided to enjoy breakfast in the room as they have a good selection on their menu. You can either call up or leave your order on the door hanger the night before to have it delivered at your chosen time the next morning. There is a £5 charge if you wish to do this but that's not much to enjoy it in the comfort of your own room. Alternatively, you can go down to the Garden Room to have your breakfast. We went for a selection of items including granola, fruit, pastries and traditional cooked items with pots of tea and fresh apple juice. It was fresh and delicious, and gave the perfect start to the morning. We actually ordered not knowing that this was also complimentary as part of our review, so we used the door hanger to order one breakfast (I'm not too hungry in the mornings) but when we spoke to Alice on the reception she informed us that it was a part of our stay and since we had booked the biggest breakfast for Andy they doubled it so we had a choice. Andy preferred the cooked breakfat whereas I enjoyed the melon and granola so it all worked out well. I'd definitely get another breakfast at the Hilton in the future.

I had a lovely stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Chester Hotel and Spa, and was able to enjoy a relaxing time where I could wind down and get away from normal life to come away feeling refreshed. The hotel was set in some impressive grounds and had some of the best scenery I've experienced when going away. I had never stayed at a Hilton hotel before but have already been looking into booking our own stay as it was very well-rounded. The grounds looked so pretty as the March snow had come down quite heavy the day before too. There is also a review of the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill as we ate here as part of the overall hotel review.

Complimentary stay in return for a review.

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Festivals I'd Love To Go To

Festivals have always been something that I've enjoyed attending as they are a great opportunity to see loads of different artists in one place. Watching live music has been one of my favourite things, there is something about watching bands in a field with the sun beating down on you. Well, that's if you get lucky and aren't getting stuck in the mud and drenched from head to toe. Even those times when I've been to a rainy festival, it doesn't ruin the atmosphere and I tend to just accept I'll be getting wet and enjoy the weekend. 

I'm not one to normally like to go camping, but when I'm at a festival it's a much more enjoyable experience. There's always a number of different things to do, such as checking out the different food options on offer or going on some of the rides that tend to be at most festivals these days or even heading to the comedy tents. I think I've got the experience from Leeds Fest since I've been three times already, as well as attending V Festival twice. We are right in the middle of festival season and I'm sad to say I've not actually been to or will be going to a festival this year. As you might be able to notice, I've tended to stick to the same festival choices, however, I would like to experience different ones.

Having looked through this interactive summer festival map, I've picked out a few options that I've like to experience. Even though they play the same acts that are at Leeds Fest, I'd like to see what it's like at Reading to find out if there is a different feel and atmosphere to it. Having listened to a many rocks bands over the years, I'd love to check out Download, in Leicestershire, which is packed full of this genre all in one location and be something a bit different. Parklife is a different kind of festival that's based in Manchester which is nice and close for me to get to. It's not a camping festival, so you can stay in a hotel overnight, or even stay at home if you are not too far away like me. It's a bit of a mix between pop and indie genres, and I think the non-camping element will make it a bit different. The last one I'd like to try is Latitude Festival, located in Suffolk, which has got quite a few bands I like listening to, as well as some I've not heard of before so it will be good to discover new music.

So if you're planning to head to a festival next year and need to get your drivers license before heading out on the road, why not head over to Go Girl for an affordable learner driver car insurance quote.

This is a sponsored post

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What It's Like To Live With Chronic Illnesses

I don't tend to really write about my health online, not only because I don't want to dwell on the fact that I'm not well, but only because I don't want it to seem like I limit myself. I don't want those prejudicial thoughts that immediately pop into people's heads that I can't do things without asking me first. I've been having a real hard time lately due to the weather changes, stress and anxiety so I thought it was fitting that I lay out some of the problems I experience that probably a lot of other people go through too.

Not Looking Ill

This is something that people with 'invisible illnesses' deal with a lot. If someone has a cast on their broken leg, it's quite clear to people that they're in pain because of this injury. If you have pain in your joints, muscles and nerves, people can't see the problem and therefore don't think you look ill. If I have makeup on people assume you're perfectly healthy - I don't want to look ill, and I'm sorry if you think makeup equates to being fine. If I can't attend an event and someone sees me, they will ask why I can't go because "you look fine". Your appearance has nothing to do with whether you're ill or in pain, so these assumptions can really hurt. 

Being Young And Ill

I have a wheelchair that was given to me by my Auntie to help when things get really bad. Often I'm in pain the day after an event, such as charity walks, taking blog photos, going shopping or lifting heavy objects. Although I've only been in the wheelchair roughly 4 times since I got it last year, I get a lot of stares from people because I'm young and in a wheelchair. People will assume I'm paraplegic so when I get out of the chair there are dirty looks. I've had the comment about it being a shame that I'm so young but I'm ill like an elderly person. I can't change any of these things, so yes, I'm 23 and chronically ill.

Packing Extra Things For Trips

Going on a trip, whether it's a little hotel break or just a day out requires packing things to help me out. Most of the time I need a spare pair of shoes, usually the memory foam Skechers I have that makes it feel like you're walking on cushions. I need to pack wrist supports in case they start hurting. I have to write a checklist to remember medications and a pillow for longer car rides. I can't do spontaneous trips not only down to anxiety but also having to make sure I have everything.

Not Getting Better

What some people don't understand about chronic illnesses is what the word 'chronic' means. A chronic condition or disease is persistent and long-lasting. They cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication. I have three chronic illnesses: Asthma, which is a chronic respiratory condition, and two chronic pain conditions, Fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. They are managed by medications but cannot be cured so I take offence when people say I'll hopefully get better soon. I appreciate the sentiment but I'd rather people say that their thoughts are with me or that they hope I feel a little better.

Sensitivity To Uncontrollable Things

This is a hard one for some to understand. I'm more sensitive to light, sound and temperature and it drives me mad. If you show your phone to me on full brightness it can trigger a migraine and it will be a completely innocent mistake. If you blast your music or shout close to me it can trigger a migraine. If I'm in the car I need to keep sunglasses with me as the sun can pop out of nowhere are it will hurt my eyes.

Opinions Of Sorts

A lot of things change depending on what condition/s you have. Pain management may be in the form of physiotherapy or it might be medications. How much you can move, how much energy you have, what extra items you may use as aids depend along with many other things. No matter what condition you have, most spoonies have the opinion that every person matters despite them, although I have come across the odd person who measures value depending on your condition. We're all people at the end of the day, and this is one thing we face daily. People will always 'have an answer' or compare your condition to someone else. I've actually had the 'think of the people in Africa with no food or water' which has nothing to do with being chronically ill. I think there is a clash depending on whether you're registered as a disabled person or not too. There is such a spectrum when it comes to chronic illness so it doesn't surprise me when there are varied opinions.

What Other Spoonies Think:

@ellexmay "Being asked how can I be so tired because I haven't done anything"
@findingmygay "Getting called a hypochondriac. Using illness as an excuse. Friends making plans knowing you can't do things and expecting you to keep up"
@dreamsglitterxo "A lack of understanding or empathy"
@wonderlandblogs "I'm not too young or too pretty to be chronically ill. Illness doesn't discriminate. It also takes various forms, and people may have the same condition but be affected very differently. Never assume, judge or compete"
@beckieeschle "Feeling awkward for asking to sit down because it's an invisible illness and nobody can see that you need to sit down. Being told exercise will make it better and to just push myself. Getting told that you're so lucky to lie in bed all day"
@neesharees "I'm in permanent pain and when I say no to doing certain things, people try to coax me to do it because I look fine. If I hear one more person suggest doing yoga I will punch them in the face"
@wilson16jade "Having panic attacks at work and being told not to cry because it's all in my head"
@curlysuereview "That a chronic illness is life-long and I won't feel better tomorrow, next week or next year. People lose patience when caring and they wonder why you're not magically better"
@shambiwolf  "Treating you the same as non-ill people and holding you to the same standards can be difficult. I was ill and was told to quit uni or hold it off until I got better. I was asked to leave my internship due to my health and received every PC excuse they could muster which affected my mental health"
@rosettaxoblog "Being challenged for using the disabled toilet even though I had a radar key"
@eleanormaem "People give up on you"
@wildonesweare "People don't realise that medication doesn't always help or doesn't magically stop you feeling shit and having symptoms. When you're being made to feel like you're using your illness or making it up. Having a work newsletter that asked people to stop being poorly as it affects patient care"
@betternotstop "I get super exhausted every day and have to remind people often that the pain is ALWAYS there"

It seems like the biggest issue brought up by other spoonies is what other people think and their actions. We get on with being in pain and we don't mention it every single time because for some the pain is every minute of the day. The prejudice from able people and negative actions that they take seems to be the problem, hence why I've written this post. I'd love to hear more thoughts in the comments section about what your main issues tend to be or some advice you'd give to help others.

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Your Great Escape

I've always loved travelling. There is just something about exploring new places that just attracts me to it. Having been on a number of different trips over the years, from quick breaks in Berlin to a more recent trip to Los Angeles last year. I've experienced trips from a night away to nearly two weeks laid next to the pool in the hot sunshine. Short breaks seem to the right combination of time away with keeping busy. I feel like they are where I'm at my happiest when I go away, as I can get quite a bit done without worrying about trying to find things to pass and fill the time.

I've recently booked to go away to Poland for a few days which I'm really excited about. I'm not going to lie, it was a rather random booking as we thought of the ideas one afternoon and by the evening we'd booked the flights and hotel. Wanderlust seemed to strike as I was looking through Twitter and saw some photos of someone's recent holiday.

When you want to book somewhere to go away it would be great to have a quick option to do this. Cheapflights have launched a free-to-install extension for Google Chrome called EscEscape that utilises that escape button that you probably rarely use. Once installed, if you tap escape key (Esc) twice it launches a live flight search to find you the cheapest, quickest and smartest return flights to nearby destinations. It will open in another browser tab and bring up the cheapest option for a weekend break within the next eight weeks, and if you don't like the look of it, double-tap that escape key again to give another choice. Don't worry if you use Safari, you haven't been forgotten as an extension is in the pipeline.

Spontaneous trips can often be the best as you don't spend ages trying to decide where to go as you may never end up booking it. Particularly for short breaks, having less of a strict plan about where you want to go could open up opportunities to visit some amazing places that you would never have previously thought about. Spontaneity will come down to your gut feeling about the location you are trying to book, and for me, I'd say that my gut feeling is normally right, so I guess it won't be long before I book another trip away...

**This is a sponsored post

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A Real Night's Rest | Hush Sleep Premium Mattress Review With Airsprung

A comfortable nights sleep has been something I had missed for quite some time. Even without chronic illness, I've always had trouble getting to sleep or waking up uncomfortable from a low-quality mattress. When you're saving up for a house you always imagine you'd be buying a bed and mattress as your first items, and for sure these have been on our list for quite some time. While every month I'm putting in money towards our house deposit, it doesn't half dampen your spirit when you've had an awful nights sleep but still have to get up and work. For the first time in a while, aside from hotel stays, I've been sleeping better. I'm the proud owner of a Hush Sleep Premium Mattress! (£520)*

I thought a memory foam mattress for someone in their early twenties was out of the question as I'd heard they were super expensive and they're larger than normal mattresses so it would be even harder to get it in the house and up the stairs. What if I told you they were wrong. Before it was delivered I received a text with a 2-hour delivery slot on which worked well considering a lot of deliveries are just specified by day. The mattress comes rolled up in the packaging in the above photos, in a nice swiss roll looking shape, inside a box that's smaller than me (the width of the bed). It does take two people to carry it upstairs as it recommends on the box and due to chronic pain I didn't do this myself. When you put the mattress on the bed you begin to unroll it and it's still vacuum sealed at this point and looks quite thin. Once you cut open the plastic and take it off, we flipped it over to the correct side and it began to 'inflate'. It basically doubled in size and although I've read you're supposed to let them do their thing I had to lie on it immediately as it looked so comfortable. I was right. 

It was strange getting used to the mattress as I was used to springs poking me in the ribs, but this was like sleeping on a cloud in comparison. It's made up of full-size springs and memory foam so has the durability with added comfort. I was so surprised at how deep the mattress is, and as you can see from the above photos it was unusual for me having to get up onto a higher bed. The bed frame we have has four drawers underneath with them filled to the brim as we moved from university up in Newcastle back to my Dad's house almost two years ago so since we're saving we don't have a glamourous bed frame to really show off the mattress. Besides that, the brighter photos do it justice and I can't believe how much my sleep has improved since throwing our old mattress away and replacing it with memory foam Hush Sleep one.

The mattress features 1,000 pocket count 18cm full-size pocket springs and 'next generation memory foam'. Inside the mattress are numerous layers which all provide different things to help aid you in a good nights sleep. The top layer is a soft-knit fabric with Hush branding on and provides an excellent sleeping surface. The breathable design helps to keep the mattress cool which will be great when the summer months roll around. there's a soft white supportive layer to protect the memory foam, a supportive base for the memory foam, a fibre insulator to cushion the springs that are below the luxury foam layers, a support core and the foundation. The support core is the heart of the mattress (Revo) which uses a unique open cell structure to increase airflow by up to 30 times compared to a premium visco-elastic mattress. The foundation is a combination of foam and fabric to stabilise the base. You can tell a lot of research has gone into making the mattress, which you would expect as the company have 145 years of manufacturing experience in total. The mattress is made in the UK in Wiltshire with free delivery anywhere in the UK.

I pride myself on being honest in every single blog post I write here, and I kid you not this is one of the comfiest mattresses I've had the pleasure to sleep on. It does take some time to get used to if you've never slept on a memory foam mattress before so the first few nights had me a little confused, but after about four nights my body was used to it and I slept through. It's been a few weeks now and I could never go back to a bed without memory foam in it as I comfortably sink into the top layer and I sleep like a baby. I'm excited about the future when we buy a new bed frame with a beautiful headboard which will really make going to bed the absolute dream. Getting out of bed in the mornings sure is getting harder though!

*Mattress received in consideration for a review

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LauraHadley.co.uk Turns Three!

I feel like every year my blog ages, I have so much more to talk about when it comes to progress and growth. I once felt like my blog was so minuscule and my photos would forever be taken on my iPhone 5s but no, it's changed completely. My layout has completely changed as is so much more professional looking and I'm proud to now talk about my blog to others outside the bloggersphere. I'm so much happier focusing my content on beauty and lifestyle when this space was originally here for fashion posts, but I didn't realise at the time how much I loved makeup and try new things out. Here is my round of my favourite posts since February 2016 and what I'm looking forward to after my blog's third birthday.  

Beauty

I've had some amazing collabs in the past year when it comes to beauty. First in mind is Urban Decay when I started reviewing palettes such as the Full Spectrum Palette, the Blackmail Vice Lipstick Palette and the Naked Ultimate Basics Palette. As time went on I review their Halloween Party Kit, the All Nighter Foundation and the Naked Skin Color Color Correcting Fluids. Urban Decay are a brand that instantly makes you think eccentric and exciting, so it's been a pleasure working with them.
I never thought I would have the chance to work with YSL and although it's still a relatively new thing I've been loving their products such as the Black Opium & Black Opium Nuit Blanche fragrances and the Touche Éclat Le Teint Foundation. They're a brand I've admired since I was young and I'm so thankful for the opportunity. Another high-end brand is Lancôme, where I've reviewed two products of theirs; the Grandiose Liner and the Juicy Shakers, both of which I'm using regularly and are so worth the money.
L'Oréal Paris has been another brand that has been brilliant to work with, who create classic products such as the new False Lash Superstar X Fiber Mascara. In terms of different types of beauty collaborations, my Getting Festival Ready with L'Oréal was a breath of fresh air when it comes to blogging and it was amazing to take the items with me to V Festival. Another brand under the L'Oréal branch is Garnier who have really changed skincare for me. Their Pure Active Range has prevented me breaking out more which gave me a huge boost in confidence.
I 've reviewed amazing makeup and fragrances from Fragrance Direct such as Nars, Mac, Bobbi Brown and Marc Jacobs which was a fabulous way for me to delve into these brands by choosing products I had never used before, especially Bobbi Brown who I had never tried before. I also wrote some feature posts such as Glam Glow Gift Sexy Set, Debenhams Festive Hamper, Autumn Makeup with Boots, Kiehl's x MTVSAF, John Lewis & Charlotte Tilbury, TH Baker Does Pandora, Illamasqua Metamorph Range and Maybelline Brow Drama Pomade Crayons.

Lifestyle

As I've switched from more fashion orientated posts to more lifestyle posts, I've explored a ton of new things. Restaurant reviews started for me after my blog turned two and although it did give me anxiety since I've never been great in such public places, it helped me try out new places such as Yard & Coop, Crust and Jamie's Italian. Wth three restaurants in the bag, I'm hoping to try out some others along with reviewing hotel stays or days out, not only to collaborate with companies but to see if broadening my horizon makes me realise that the same is not always the best choice. 
Another achievement is that I'm nearly celebrating a full year working with Degustabox which has been very different to my previous product reviews. With new items each month, it's changed my food routine and encouraged me to get back into the kitchen more. Subscription boxes can be quite hit and miss, but with Degustabox they give you full sized items to really try out and review the items.

Blogging

Starting off with the biggest milestone in the last year, I surpassed 30,000 followers which was mind-blowing. Followers isn't everything but it did make me smile when I was updating the Work With Me page for brands/prs to look at, or for other bloggers curiosity. Something else that made me happy is that I created my Blogs I'm Loving Right Now series which displays a list each month with twelve blogs that I'm enjoying reading on. Every post in the series has different people featured with links to their blogs to encourage readers to have a look and so far it's gone down really well.
I've created more tips posts for other bloggers such as Pinterest Tips, A Basic Guide To Working With Bloggers, How To Find Blogging Opportunities, How To Promote Your Blog Posts, How To Create A Successful Blog Post, How I Take My Blog Photos and Why Blogging Enhances Your CV which have all taken ages to write but have had mostly positive responses from. In the future, I plan to write SEO posts but I feel this blog still needs to grow before I can give that advice to others. I'd also love to write an Instagram tips style post but feel I need to still learn myself before dishing tips out.
I really feel like my photography has improved, especially in posts such as the Anastasia Beverly Hills Ultimate Glow Kit Review, my Colourpop Haul and my Huge American Makeup Haul. Getting a new camera at the end of 2015 completely switched up my photography game, and although I'm still learning I'm quite confident that I take good photos now. Learning features such as how to alter the aperture, using the touch focus on the screen and making the most out of lighting has made the biggest difference and hopefully in the next year I can upgrade my lens to get even better photos.
And finally, I've really gotten into creating YouTube videos with my boyfriend Andy. We don't do sit down videos as that's 'not our vibe' and we're keen explorers, so we vlog our trips out, such as our UK Travel Vlog and the LA Vlog. Obviously they're completely different in nature as walking around Hollywood isn't the same as walking down Oxford Street but you get the picture. Fingers crossed we have some great content to feature within the next year!

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