Wedding notebook: Diary it

Inspiration and ideas for the big day can be found at the Bride and Groom Show. Photo / Supplied

If you need more inspiration and ideas for the big day, don't miss the Bride & Groom Show on May 1 at Ellerslie Racecourse. Everything you dreamed of - and things you hadn't - is under one roof, along with fashion shows throughout the day and the chance to win a dream wedding package. To find out more, go to brideandgroomshow.co.nz.

A week of it

We have New Zealand Fashion Week, the New Zealand Fashion Festival (next week), and now we have the Bridal Fashion Week. From April 1-5 the Dome at the Auckland Museum will be transformed with a catwalk and throughout the week there will be shows featuring wedding dresses from leading Paris label Cymbeline and Ruben Perlotti of Barcelona, along with top local designers including Liz Mitchell, Rosemary Smith and John Zimmerman. There will also be the opportunity to enjoy picnic lunches and high tea, as well as take part in events such as the gala cocktail party, international shows and a "best of the best" charity show. See bridalfashionweek.co.nz.

Nipped in

Create a beautiful, feminine silhouette on your big day with elegant body-shaping underwear. Wedding designer Jane Yeh's range of lingerie is so gorgeous you won't be able to wait for your wedding night to show it off!

Long torsellette, $104, Gloria corset, $59, both from Jane Yeh Design, 272 Parnell Rd, Parnell, ph (09) 368 1527.

Good for the groom

The name says it all, making Aramis Impeccable an excellent choice for the perfectly presented groom who doesn't want to put any noses out of joint. He won't with this refined, warm scent designed with black tie occasions in mind. Available as a 110ml eau de toilette spray for $135.

Cheek chic

For a delicate rosy radiance try Clarins Instant Blush Magic Colour. The limited edition gel is translucent pink but adapts to skin tone to deliver a natural looking blush. The handy pottle costs $62 and can also be used to subtly enhance lips.

Natural love

Bring a low-key, more personal approach to your big day with the gorgeous ideas found in The Natural Wedding Book by Louise Moon (Murdoch Books, $55); It is a delightful guide to creating an eco-friendly wedding day. From sourcing a one-off vintage dress to decorating and baking ideas, this book evokes a sense of simpler times when the value was based on meaning rather than the dollar, which is kind of nice when it comes to celebrating love.

Perfect all day

Plump for a kissable, petal pink colour that marries the benefits of a vitamin-enriched formula with a soft satin finish in Estee Lauder's Pure Colour Long Lasting Lipstick in Wild Blossom, $57. The gold case makes an elegant accessory.

Gowns for all

Fashion designer Sera Lilly has begun to focus more on the bridal side of her business, finding her niche with gowns that are affordable and suitable for all shapes and sizes.

"There is a very definite lack of beautiful, well-made gowns that are also affordable - and New Zealand-made of course," explains Lilly.

"We have always made bridesmaids' dresses, but over the last year the whole bridal side of the business has really been growing quite rapidly. It just seems to make sense to focus on it a lot more seriously."

"I have always had a philosophy that with the right cut and good quality choice of fabric, any woman - no matter what her body shape - can look fantastic. And this is especially true for her wedding day. Interestingly over the past six months we've had quite a few curvier girls who have had bad experiences trying to find their perfect dress, coming to me."

* Sera Lilly, 2 Williamson Ave, Grey Lynn, ph (09) 360 6994.