A very Happy New Year to you! So how was the festive season for you? Well I was a very lucky Lady as Rob & I spent Christmas Day on a beach just off the Dominican Republic on a beautiful Island called Cayo Levantado, we’ve had the pleasure of assisting Brides & Grooms who have married there and it was great to finally meet the wedding team and see the Island for ourselves. So yes, it really was the perfect tropical beach wedding paradise that we’ve been told about (and not so much a mince pie or Christmas Cracker in sight!) New Year for us was back on home turf with my Darling Husband (of course), our adorable yellow Lab Marney (named after Layer Marney Tower where we married in February 2005), a large bottle of bubbly and my Mother In Law!!?? Actually it was really lovely. Quiet but lovely and since we did unusually sneak a break away from family at Christmas it was a good chance to spend some time together with her and catch up. Unlike previous New Years we did a little less partying and a lot more snoozing but joyfully started 2011 hangover free which must have been a first! Actually what with so much time away from work I’ve been itching to get stuck back in; get the shop open again and help to get our Customer’s wedding day outfits and exciting wedding day plans rolling. January in-store sees the arrival of many dreamy new wedding dress samples that we ordered back in September at the British Bridal Exhibition. I’m pleased to report that our wonderful Designers have once again delighted us and that we have really chosen soooo well! Some possible future favourites styles have arrived from our French Designer Eglantine and even more exceptional styles from our fabulous White Rose label. Also due to arrive very soon is the breathtaking and newly launched Alfred Angelo Disney Princess Wedding Dress Collection. Based on 7 iconic Disney Princesses each dress has it’s own fabulous tale of romance – I think that my favourite is Arial, Kirsty loves Sleeping Beauty and Hollie’s fave is Arial too, but they are all simply stunning in their own way!! Frustratingly I began our first week back at work with a cold and so Kirsty has banned my winter snivels and I from the shop and our Customers and is as usual capably holding the fort with Rob, Amanda, Hollie Charlie and the rest of the gang. Roll on Spring weather I say! It’s far too cold for me! Talking of Spring …. the Royal wedding is all set for April 29th at Westminster Abbey which means for many an extended holiday, a celebratory street party or two and possibly some cute commemorative china for the windowsills!!?? The royal news has wedding industry members and many Brides-to-be busy speculating over Kate’s chosen Wedding Dress Designer. I’m predicting Bruce Oldfield but style wise I think if we were to get the call (okay – a tad unlikely, I know – it’s a little too far out of town ha ha). I would actually dress Kate quite classically in a stylish gown with wow factor … I think she’s a minimum fuss elegant Bride so for Kate I would suggest Ciervo by San Patrick or possibly a Pepe Botella style 3265 for an ultra glam look! Mmmm … so which Disney Princess do we think she would be? Well Kirsty and I think she’s probably a Cinderella Bride … now that is certainly a dress fit for a Princess and let’s face it she is most certainly going to the Ball! Well, whatever she wears we’re sure she will look totally divine, I just hope that we have one or two beautiful wedding dresses that are styled in a similar way to her chosen gown so that we can help our Brides who want to recreate Kate’s look for their own big day! I’m sure that with all of our new 2011 fabulous dresses we will have plenty of Kate inspired options, we’ll just have to wait and see. Happy New year once again everyone, I hope that it’s a fabulous year for us all. 2010 was a very exciting busy and successful year for Abigail’s Collection, thank you to all of our Customers for giving us the opportunity to work with them. We had an amazing year and we’re very much looking forward to 2011 and meeting many special new Brides, Grooms, Bridesmaids and Mums.