Well, this calls for a toast so pour the champagne, pour the champagne.

All week I've been like 'OH I NEED TO TELL MY BLOG ABOUT MY PARTY' and I just haven't had time. This last week has gone so fast! Well, this last MONTH has gone this fast. Actually, to be honest, last time I looked it was Christmas, and now it is August. And I finally have some time to breathe. This last year, everyone seems to have got married and turned 30 and had babies and every weekend has been a THING. And don't get me wrong - I love things! I do! But I'm also really quite tired, and looking in my diary and realising my last free weekend was FEBRUARY kind of explains that. So yay! Quietness!

This party though... man, this party has kept me busy. It's consumed my life. It's given me anxiety dreams. Every spare minute for the last three months has been spent planning and shopping and baking and creating. I think I said, didn't I, that this is kind of like my wedding to myself? It kind of was! I mean, the level of organisation wasn't close to a wedding but it wasn't far off. And it WAS amazing. Such a great theme - everyone really took it on and made a huge effort and it all looked incredible. I had a lot of help, too. Hayley was a star, helping ice cakes and wash up on Saturday and a whole host of other friends including Sha and Russ helped set up the hall, hanging bunting and decorations and blowing up balloons and putting out the food - I felt like I hardly did anything, I had so much help around me! I definitely took a TAD too much on (you'll get an idea of that when I put up my baking post) and it meant that when the first few guests arrived (like poor Amy and El), I hadn't even STARTED getting ready.

But I rushed around and I made it happen. Thank god I'd had my hair done the day before and my blowdry was still semi-intact so I didn't have to do much there (apparently I am incapable of doing ghd curls when I am stressed), and once I added some sparkle, I was pretty much there. I also had Sha handing me drinks (she is the best) and Russ running around taking incredible photos - my friends are awesome. Most of these photos are by Russell.

The dress...
The dress was Topshop via eBay and I have spent the last couple of months trying to avoid junk food so it fits and - hurrah, it does! I teamed it with my new silver River Island belt and my purple petticoat from Boux Avenue which went perfectly, although made the dress very spinny, and it's rather short so that was slightly problematic. Ah well. It ain't a party if no one sees your pants.

The shoes...
I fell totally in love with these Iron Fist Court Shoes. It's as if someone turned dragonflies into shoes, isn't it? They are stunning and I got so many 'OMG YOUR SHOES' comments, although I did switch to my Oasis sparkly flats when the dancing began in earnest. A wise choice.

The accessories...
I was accessorised TO DA MAX. Paperself kindly sent me some of their beautiful peony eyelashes - aren't they incredible? My friend Lenny did my makeup and painted this incredible peacock feather on my cheek too. The finishing touch was a beautiful silver bracelet from Warren James that my work friends bought me - it's so sparkly and pretty, I didn't want to take it off.

The crown...
Oh, and my CROWN. Oh, how I wanted this crown. I wanted this crown so much. Before I even decided to have a circus party, I wanted to wear a crown. I did some googling and discovered this pretty little thing on Etsy from Pearls and Swine. I adored it, but man... £30? For something I might wear once? I couldn't justify it. But then I came home one day and it was waiting for me. My beautiful friends Amy, Hayley and Sarah had teamed up and bought it for me (team mash forever). It's amazing. I wore it all night and loved it just as much as I expected to love it. I mean, it's a flipping CROWN. Not a tiara. CROWN.

It was all over so fast, even though I got to the hall at 7pm and didn't get home until 4am. There were so many people I felt like I hardly got to talk to, and looking at the photos it seems like I missed a lot, but I think that's the way of it. You can't be everywhere at once, and I chose to be on the dancefloor, busting some moves and singing One Direction and Panic At The Disco at Sha and Lenny in a somewhat aggressive manner. It was the best. It made me very grateful for my friends, my family and my life. My twenties were good, but I think my thirties are going to be great.

Dress - Topshop via eBay

Petticoat - Boux Avenue

Crown - Pearls & Swine

Eyelashes c/o Paperself

Shoes (heels) c/o Spartoo 

Shoes (flats) - Oasis

Bracelet - Warren James

Belt & Watch - River Island

Nails - OPI