This month marks the end of an era for me, in more ways than one. Not only am I turning 30 at the beginning of June, but I'm also wrapping up my second career as a professional bridesmaid/maid of honour (I know I should really be a ‘matron of honour’ as I'm married, but I’d like to avoid any association to the word ‘matron’ this close to my 30th birthday).

Being a bridesmaid is an honour, not only do you get to spend the morning with the bride herself, but you get to enjoy the entire day with the happy couple, helping to make it as special as possible for them both. Since July 2011 I have had the pleasure and the privilege of being part of four wonderful weddings. First was my brother’s wedding to my now sister-in-law Faye, I was delighted when they asked me to share their day with them and I especially enjoyed getting to know Faye’s sister Rachel during the build-up and on the day itself. Second was my husband’s brother’s wedding to the lovely Lucy (who has popped up more than once in my posts and videos), a truly spectacular day and an equally brilliant party. This was followed by my friend from school’s wedding, at which I was delighted to take up the role of maid of honour. This was my first winter wedding and it was full of snowflakes and sparkles, which suited the bride perfectly. Last, but by no means least was my oldest friend Emma’s wedding on the Saturday just past. The weather was a concern, but we needn't have worried, the sun came out from behind a cloud and provided the perfect accompaniment to their gorgeous church wedding.

For the time being at least, that is my short-lived bridesmaid career over. From planning hilarious hen weekend activities (singing on the pier in Brighton, overflowing a hot tub and drinking pints of wine in a field…) to helping ensure that the wedding day runs as smoothly as possible (make-up touch ups, dress bustling and general ferrying), being a bridesmaid may not be a challenging occupation, but it certainly requires both passion and diligence.

Since this is predominately a fashion website, it would be wrong not to acknowledge the fabulous dresses that I've worn over the past two years. All from the high-street and all equally lovely. First was a dress from L.K. Bennett for my brother and sister-in-law’s wedding, bought in their Christmas sale it was a veritable bargain. Next up was the first of my turquoise dresses, this one was from Phase Eight and on top of being wonderfully comfortable, it was surprisingly resilient to creases (always helpful when travelling any distance for a wedding). My second turquoise dress was found rather unexpectedly while browsing through the rails of Marks & Spencer with the bride-to-be. Yet another beautiful dress costing a fraction of the price that you might pay at a specialist bridesmaid dress store. The latest addition to my collection is another sale bargain discovered by the bride in House of Fraser's evening dress range. A wonderfully elegant empire line dress in a delicate sage green colour.

I've been very blessed to know four wonderful brides that have all chosen beautiful dresses for me to wear and I hope I have proved equal to the task of being their bridesmaids. Thank you to Faye, Lucy, Claire and Emma for letting me be a part of some truly extraordinary occasions. Here's wishing each of you your happily ever after.

My first experience of the new Birchbox UK subscription. For more information please check out the Birchbox site: http://bit.ly/ZTLiXI

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With the summer season just a couple of months ahead, people are starting to look toward warm weather fashion trends to update their wardrobes. Of course, every year we see constant advertisements for the latest fashions and trends in basic clothing. But sometimes it is a trendy accessory or two that can truly put your summer image. For example, consider something like a nice new pair of designer sunglasses to pull your look together when the sun is shining.

The trouble with sunglasses, for many people who are generally very fashion-conscious, is that they can be tricky if you rely on corrective vision. A need for prescription eyeglasses can greatly reduce the number of options you have when picking out sunglasses! However, if you already wear, or may be inclined to switch to Acuvue contact lenses, you will unlock a whole new range of possibilities for fashionable summer eyewear. Here are five top trends for designer sunglasses this coming summer.

Stripes
Bright and bold sunglasses frames are very popular for spring and summer 2013, and within this concept, striped frames have been very present on the runways. Prada put out some particularly bold looks, and though the striped frames trend works almost exclusively for women, it will still be noteworthy once people are hitting the beaches in a few months. Specifically, white stripes on bold and bright coloured frames are looking popular, and inspire a sort of retro look.

Neutral Colours
While bold and bright colours are trendy in basically all aspects of fashion for spring and summer 2013, neutral colours were also prevalent on runways in early spring. Nude and cream-coloured frames can look very casual and classy with the right beach clothing ensemble, and a set of these frames is certainly a great accessory to have on hand.

All-White
Also in contrast to the bright and colourful style trends, all-white frames with dark lenses will always be fashionable, and have been on runways looking forward to spring and summer 2013. These frames, too, inspire a bit of a vintage, retro feel that can have you looking like a Bond girl, but are perfect for those bright sunny days by the beach.

Snake Skin Patterns
If you're looking for something a bit more unique this coming beach season, consider one of the many snake skin design frames that are making the rounds. Victoria Beckham provides a great example in an aviator style frame with delicate snake patterns, and a set of frames like these can certainly give you something a bit more original in your collection.

All-Black
Always a favourite among trendy men, all-black frames will never go away, and have certainly shown that they will have a presence in the spring and summer of 2013. In all different styles from all different designers, black frames will always be an option.

* Guest editorial *

I've wanted to own a pair of The Cobra Society's Otto boots since the beginning of the year. I spotted a pair for the first time on a trip to Marrakech in January; Olivia from My New Favourite Thing wore hers and I loved them. When they went on sale from $795 to $239, I decided it was meant to be and ordered a pair.

For more information, check out the boots on The Cobra Society's website: www.thecobrasociety.com

Last Friday I finished work at 12:30pm (early finish Fridays should be made mandatory!) and quickly hopped in my car to head to my first ever Bristol Fashion Week (BFW). En route I stopped to collect my lovely friend and newbie blogger Claire (check out her site here - Desperate Blogwife) and we both chatted excitedly (barring some mild road rage from me) all the way to The Mall at Cribbs Causeway where the bi-annual event takes place.

It was thanks to Claire that I found out about BFW, although I'm from Wiltshire originally I haven’t lived there full-time since 2001 and as a result I've not been able to participate in local fashion events regularly. BFW has been running since 2011 and is an open event where anyone can buy a ticket to attend and see the latest high street collections showcased on their catwalk. This season’s event was sponsored by M&S and John Lewis.

Having arrived early at The Mall, Claire and I made our way to the fashion pavilion as instructed to collect our blogging passes for the 4:30pm show. After some initial confusion we finally managed to speak to a member of the BFW team that was able to help us and give us our passes for the show. As it was still early we had the opportunity to have a wander round the shops before grabbing a bite to eat. I made a beeline for River Island as I had a gift voucher that had been burning a hole in pocket for the best part of three months. It wasn't difficult to find something to spend it on, I choose a gorgeous rose gold coloured sparkly necklace and a basic slouchy sweater. Claire had also seen a dress that she liked, so we put the voucher to good use and then headed off to have some lunch before the fashion show.

Once we’d finished eating we made our way slowly to the fashion pavilion and waited patiently for the show to start quaffing M&S pink fizzy and carrot cupcakes as we queued. In front of us was the lovely Lorna from Raindrops of Sapphire. I couldn't help but notice her galaxy print jeans, so when she got in touch and described her outfit I knew exactly who she was.

Claire and I managed to snag seats on the second row and as we were next to the aisle we both got an excellent view of the catwalk and the models. The show started promptly and we were treated to an array of Spring and Summer fashions presented by Mark Heyes and Andrew Barton. Who make quite the dynamic duo!

Favourites of the trends showcased were the monochrome and floral sequences, whilst my favourite brands included Phase Eight (natch) and River Island. It was also wonderful to see such an eclectic mix of models take to the catwalk showcasing SS13 trends from across all age groups and sizes. All in all I had a really enjoyable day out which was capped off perfectly by watching the cast of the show finish in style with their own Gangnam Style routine. Who said the fashion industry takes itself too seriously?!