Monthly Archives: February 2019

Wedding guest dress tips

Posted on by

As a guest, choosing what to wear to a wedding can be a tricky task. Here’s how to avoid any fashion faux pas and rock the aisle in style…

Check your invitation

Has the bride specified a strict dress code for what to wear to the wedding? Will it be a black tie affair? Are there hats involved? Firstly, check your invitation. This will give you a good indication of where to start.

Don’t wear white

Female wedding guests should avoid wearing anything white or ivory – these shades are strictly reserved for the bride. Men should avoid wearing a morning suit, you don’t want to turn up looking like a member of the wedding party when you’re actually not.

Mum’s the word!

Try to find out what colour the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom are wearing and, as a guest, try to avoid these colours. It’s a big day for the mums as well and they want to stand out in the photos as much as the bride.

Don’t over or under – dress

This is the bride’s special day and this is a formal occasion, so you need to dress appropriately. Let the bride and groom know that you’ve made a special effort for their day. Don’t over dress with huge, eye-catching details that will take the emphasis of the bride. Equally, don’t under dress and give the vicar an eye full! For the guys, a well-fitting suit, shirt and shiny shoes is all you need. During the day, make sure you wear a tie – this can be discarded in the evening once the party becomes more casual.

 

Incorporating kids at your wedding

Posted on by

Children at weddings? Do you invite them or not? It’s always a heated topic when discussing wedding planning and we’re here to help you make a properly informed decision. Read on to find out more…

Do you invite all kids? Just babies? Or just teenagers? What about if you’re having young flowergirls and pageboys? Can you then ban your friends from bringing their offspring (we think not).

In addition, you may have teenagers at your wedding too. They are easier to entertain (they’ll like chatting to friends and maybe even dancing if they consider the music cool enough) but you’re still going to have to bear their likes and dislikes in mind.

First off, let’s think about the young children. Very young babies aren’t such a problem – they’ll hopefully sleep and can be cuddled by everybody (something the grannies usually enjoy!)

However toddlers and under 5s can be quite demanding. Supermodel Kate Moss solved this problem at her wedding by having a marquee dedicated to children, with drama teachers and nannies on call.

Obviously that’s not something most of us can copy as we don’t all have a supermodel’s budget, but you can have children’s play areas on your wedding day – maybe a corner of the marquee or barn stocked with colouring books, toys and somewhere peaceful to watch a DVD. Overtired children can get tearful so if you can have a quiet chill-out area for them, so much the better.

If you’re having a Christmas wedding, you could invite ‘Santa’ to visit the young children and bring a gift – this would be good timing just after the wedding speeches when everybody is getting ready to party.

Finally, if you do employ childcare for the event, make sure that the individual is CRB checked beforehand.

Children of all ages – including ‘seen it all before’ teens will enjoy watching a good magician – particularly one who works the tables and does magic close up.

An experienced conjurer will gauge his tricks according to the age group he’s entertaining – you just have to look at the cult following of Dynamo to see that ‘how did he do that’ magic has never been more popular.

If you’re having a summer wedding and you’ve room outside, consider having a bouncy castle for the kids but alternate sessions for different age groups. An energetic 12-year-old boy let loose amongst toddlers will quickly result in tears and of course you’ll need to have a responsible adult to keep an eye on proceedings.

Garden games always go down well (but remember they’re largely weather dependent). You can hire giant games of Jenga, croquet and even old-fashioned fairground swings.

The trick to making sure kids have a great time at your wedding is to think about them beforehand, maybe consulting the parents as to what they like and have some planned strategies and entertainments.

 

Hair & Beauty for the big day

Posted on by

Something old

Keep your hair healthy by trimming and conditioning regularly during the run up to your wedding, and don’t be surprised if your stylist wants you to wash your hair the night before. Just washed hair is often too soft and silky – hair behaves better for styling when it is a day old and means pins, veils and hair accessories grip better.

Flawless foundations

The prettiest bridal makeup always features flawless skin as a base, so your foundation must be a perfect match for your skin. You can add colour afterwards with bronzer, soft blusher and lipstick. Choose a lipstick and lip liner that will give your smile definition… especially with neutral or barely there shades. Contour and highlight carefully but don’t over do it – you can take a black and white photograph to check whether your contouring is too dark, if need be it can easily be toned down.

Eye it up

Your eyes are the most expressive part of your face and you’ll be amazed at the difference well groomed eyebrows can make since they quite literally frame your eyes. Neutral colours will enhance your natural eye colour, but don’t be afraid to use a little sparkle, which can look stunning on the most natural makeup. Individual eyelashes are great for lifting and accentuating the outer eye area, and don’t forget to add waterproof mascara!

Best of both

If you can’t decide whether to wear your hair up or down, why not have both? Ask your wedding stylist to add some curl or volume first, then create a soft, natural up style that can be easily let down later on in the evening. If you’re struggling to choose a hair accessory and have decided against a veil, a delicate hair comb or small spiral hair pins  can be added in to complement your hairstyle and add a subtle sparkle to your look.

On trial

Book your trial around six to eight weeks before your wedding. If you just can’t wait that long, ask your stylist for a consultation as early as you like so you can meet and discuss the look you’re aiming for. A Pinterest board reserved for bridal hair and makeup is a great way to show your stylist your ideas. Don’t wear black or bright coloured tops to your trial – a colour close to that of your wedding dress will mean you’ll get a much clearer idea of how your makeup colours will work on the day.

Flashy lashes

Eyelash extensions are becoming a really popular option and it’s something I often suggest to my brides. They can really open up the eyes and can look more natural than strip lashes, especially when applied so that they gradually increase in length towards the outer corners. The added bonus of these is that you get to keep them for your honeymoon!

Flowers everywhere

If you love flowers, ask your florist to wire tiny buds and sprigs that complement your bouquet so that your stylist can work these into your hairstyle. This creates a timelessly romantic look and can be a fresh and pretty alternative to more traditional headpieces or wedding hair accessories.

 

Bridesmaid Planning

Posted on by

Assembling the dream team

When organising a wedding It can be tricky enough rallying the team together to find your dream dress, so how do you start shopping for them? We suggest a dedicated girls night in to begin the wedding planning.

We love an excuse to get together so what better way to shop than online at home with your faves and a few bottles of fizz?

Start with the flip of a laptop

Options online are now so vast; yes, even for bridesmaid dresses, even our favourite high street brands are releasing bridesmaid dresses. Make sure you shop them all, including Monsoon, ASOS and so many more.

Gathering the bridal party

Make this night a hen-initiation night. An evening of friendship, laughter and of course decisions. This is also an opportunity to discuss with your bridesmaids what it is you expect from them and what they can offer you in the build-up to the big day. And if you have ordered your bridal gown already, don’t forget to request a swatch of fabric for your dress to compare to the bridesmaids.

Make your other half scarce for the evening, get the team over, whack Bridesmaids the movie on and let the games/ dress trials begin.

Making the final selection

The day is, of course, yours so the theme and feel to the attire is ultimately your vision. However, don’t forget to listen to your bridesmaids too. The wedding photos from the day are going to last a lifetime and you want your bridesmaids to feel fabulous with you.

Each person is an individual and combining style, cut and colour is all the trend at the moment so don’t be afraid to mix things up a bit. Trust that you can work together as a team to create that beautiful look you’ve envisaged.

 

Harmony singers

Posted on by

There is something so beautiful about close harmony  that they were hugely popular during the 1940s and 1950s and we are working on bringing them back to the forefront of entertainment. But how to choose the right harmony group for you? Well,  here’s a few excellent options below, and we’ve also thrown in a string quartet too..

Eden

Eden are an internationally renowned close harmony trio. Featuring superb choreography as well as stunning voices, the ladies perform a splendid repertoire of vintage classics from the 1930s and 40s as well as a few new tunes and original songs on occasion. Able to perform with a backing band and the group of choice, this superb close harmony trio are sure to impress at your wedding.

Manor House Music

Manor House Music consists of some of the UK’s finest wedding musicians, having performed for over 700 weddings, corporate events and private functions as a string quartet and string duo. We combine a high quality of musical performance with a large repertoire of dynamic arrangements and a desire to work closely with clients to ensure that every detail is just right for your event.

Berkeley Trio

Taking their inspiration from a host of genres including jazz, blues, swing, They pride themselves on their personal service from your initial enquiry to the day itself. Thy can advise on music for the ceremony if necessary and accompany a singer or your hymns. We can also entertain in most settings, inside or out.

They have various images that suit the formality of the occasion. We take care to liaise with staff at your wedding venue to ensure a superb presentation.

Nero String Quartet

The Nero String Quartet is one of the most sought after quartets in the UK and has been established for 13 years performing at over a thousand weddings and functions. They have also worked with professional orchestras (BBC Phil, BBC CO, BBC NOW, WNO, RTE, RLPO, Ulster, Northern Ballet Sinfonia) and have performed on luxury cruise ships including P&O, Fred Olsen, Saga and Cunard. In addition to their classical work, members of the quartet have also performed on TV, Film and Pop recordings, most recently performing on GMTV, Don’t Tell the Bride and Four Weddings.

 

You Tube Proposals

Posted on by

We thought we’d round up a few amazing You Tube proposals that really made our mouths drop. These are extremely impressive whichever way you look at it!

The Zip Line Proposal

It’s not often that you find a wedding proposal on YouTube that has incredible camera quality and video editing, which is why the Zip Line proposal is a must watch. Uploaded just two days ago, it features popular YouTuber Brodie Smith who hadn’t uploaded any Frisbee videos in the past 5 months. That was all to change as you can see in this video where he takes out his girlfriend Kelsey under the guise of shooting a new branded video. What transpires involves seven members of her family, tears from both and some fab interviews beforehand.

The Skydiving Proposal

How do you go bigger than a zip line? How about by jumping out of an aeroplane and proposing afterwards. That’s exactly what Austin did when he proposed to Catherine. Another couple that have an incredible amount of followers – 8.1 million! – we feel that this deserves a spot in the blog because hey, you don’t jump out of a plane everyday and because Austin is actually scared of heights. He only jumped out of the plane because this was Catherine’s wish for her birthday.

The Greatest Showman Proposal

There’s no doubt that The Greatest Showman has taken the world by storm since its release at the end of last year. The soundtrack is often on in our office and we are certain that it probably blares out of your speakers fairly often as well. Imagine Amy’s surprise when what appeared to half of Brighton turned up to her proposal in the form of a flash mob dance, whilst her boyfriend Harry came forward in the Hugh Jackman role. Cuteness personified!

The Lip Dub Proposal

A classic these days (it was recorded six years ago), but one we absolutely adore. Isaac’s lip dub proposal is daring because not only is he sitting his girlfriend in the back of a car as it drives off but everybody involved in this lip dub flashmob is actually a friend or family member of his soon-to-be fiancée. We are sure that you know relying on so many amateurs is a recipe for disaster but it works absolutely brilliantly here!

The Abseiling Proposal

We’ve had zip lines and skydiving so why not abseiling as well? Seth saved the life of Nicole when she was abseiling a year earlier – you could say that she literally fell in love with him – and a year later, Seth decided to propose in a similar manner! Too cute. There’s not much else to say about this one but we love the dawning realisation on Nicole’s face as she descends and every other member of their group is far away from her beloved.

 

Wedding Planners

Posted on by

There are a million incredible wedding and party planners, so when planning a wedding and hiring wedding planners, make sure that your planners do all the the things listed below. This will enable your big day and the run up to the big day to be as stressless a possible:

Certain criterias on your checklist should  include…

– Optional services, like day of planning, wedding PA’s, and complete planning. Making your planner available to fit your unique needs.

– Boutique and high style planners who have an artistic eye and stay current with the newest trends in weddings. No taffeta and puff sleeves for you!

– LGBTQ+and denominationally friendly and experienced services. Your wedding is all about you, your traditions, and your lifestyle.

– Openly communicative. Readily adaptable, with a wide range of vender relations. It’s important that your planner have good contacts so you can get the vendors that perfectly fit your vision.

– Easy to book and not so busy that your needs will come second to anyone else. Experience is necessary, but you have to be sure that you and your wedding is the main priority of the planner.

– Good value for money. Weddings aren’t cheap, but the right planner can save you quite a bit of money.

All of these criteria make perfect sense when choosing a wedding planner in London. It’s important that, ultimately, your day is stress free, fun, beautiful, and exactly as you’ve pictured it since you were a little girl. So here are our favorites to help you celebrate your special day in style!

 

Public speaking

Posted on by

Planning a wedding is the best day of your life if you are the bride and groom but there are many guests in attendance who are secretly getting more nervous as the day progresses. You see, there are a lot of people in the world who hate public speaking and unfortunately, a wedding is full of them. Whether you’re the groom, maid of honour or father of the bride, we’ve compiled a host of tips to help make your wedding speech the best one on the day.

Don’t Improvise

Sure, you may be funny in the pub with your mates but this is a big day and requires preparation. There can be a number of things you’ll want to say and there’s nothing worse than somebody given a microphone to speak, who ends up dithering their way through it. Don’t start planning it too late either; the more time you have to plan it, the better it should be. If in doubt, have a trusted friend read it over to you and offer advice.

Humour is a Must

This is primarily aimed at the Best Man as it’s their speech which is the one most people look forward to after the dinner. A few jokes are great as it makes the audience like you and once the laughter flows, you’ll grow in confidence as your speech continues. Again, if you’re unsure about some jokes, have a friend read them over. Most people know somebody who’s naturally funny as well; tap them up for possible areas where you can add in moments of humour.

Make it Emotional

Move from humorous anecdotes to more heartfelt contemplations on love and what the newlyweds have found. This blend of deep thoughtfulness and lighter moments combines to create a truly captivating speech.

Don’t Overdo It

Nobody wants to be sat watching a speech and urging it to end. Keep it clear and concise and ideally around about five minutes maximum. By all means pepper your speech with memories and hopes for the future, but by keeping it short and sweet, your speech will be remembered fondly for having no ‘fluff’ around the edges.