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.

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?!

I selected a few of my favourite pieces from Phase Eight's SS13 Collection to share with you. All of the items featured are available on the Phase Eight website, I've included the links below:

1. Peony Print Maxi Dress - http://tidd.ly/ddc738a3
2. Helen Hearts Print Dress - http://tidd.ly/4925f339
3. Japan Bird Print Dress - http://tidd.ly/4925f339
4. Kirsty Pointelle Cardigan - http://tidd.ly/8735eff0
5. Catherine Jumper - http://tidd.ly/5c9f0e8c
6. Lexi Jeans - http://tidd.ly/5c9f0e8c

My latest blogger challenge comes courtesy of Phase Eight; who challenged the readers of their blog to put together the ultimate party outfit. The timing of this challenge is perfect, with Christmas only round the corner festive parties and events are imminent and Phase Eight have all your outfit problems solved.

The biggest challenge as it turned out was not choosing one outfit, but stopping myself from choosing hundreds. As it is I ended up selecting three, all equally versatile and perfect for the upcoming holiday festivities.

Outfit One
The first outfit I put together features Phase Eight’s new Sienna beaded tapework dress. This is a beautifully elegant dress and I’ve teamed it with their Thandie clutch bag and glitter platforms for that extra bit of sparkle. Completely perfect for festive drinks with your girlfriends.

Outfit Two
Outfit number two is all about preppy edge; the sequin panel skirt adds that necessary bit of sparkle with the Agatha silk blouse finishing the party-prep look. The leopard print bag is a distinctive and contemporary choice and the simple black Mary-Jane pumps complete the look perfectly. A wonderfully chic outfit to wear to your office Christmas party.

Outfit Three
The ultimate 1950s style party outfit; a magnificent crush taffeta prom dress with full puffball skirt, complemented by sophisticated metallic t-bar shoes and finished with a faux fur collar that adds both a touch of warmth and glamour. A vintage style outfit that would be perfect for a glamorous New Year's Eve!

Perhaps it’s just me, but the temperature in the UK appears to have dropped recently and although it would be premature to declare that winter is on its way, there is certainly a chill in the air that hints at the continued shift in the weather over the coming months. This new autumn bite has left me reaching for my comfy knits and warmer coats earlier that I expected. That being said, this is British weather we’re talking about and its continual unpredictability is legendary.

To celebrate the arrival of autumn I have pulled together a list of my favourite snuggly knits available to buy online from a few select brands. Choosing an overall favourite would be hard, but the cream poncho from Phase Eight does look delightfully soft and comfy. A wonderful alternative to a jacket in the earlier autumn months and an ideal knit to keep you warm and cosy when travelling.