Author Archives: wedding@admin

Don’t let silly things get in your way

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The ever-growing to do list

You think you’re getting to the end of the list, happily ticking it all off, but then you’ve found that somehow more things to do have magically appeared on the end. Ticking off one thing makes you remember to do another. It just keeps going, and going, and going, and going. Will it ever end? The answer is yes! Keep it up – you’ll miss it when it’s gone!

Nosy parkers

Once you’re engaged, there are a number of questions that you’re almost guaranteed to be asked by anyone you talk to. Why are they asking what your baby plans are when you’ve just got the ring on your finger? You can barely decide on the colour of napkins for the wedding yet, let alone a baby’s name…

Yeah but no

Something that is super annoying, and understandably so, are the people who are SO up for helping you out with bits and bobs for your wedding, but then… then they just don’t. You don’t understand why, because you swear they were just excited as you were. But you know what? That’s not what you need, so focus on what you – and the friends that WILL stick to it – can get done!

Monster-in-laws

Well, every bride-to-be will know she’s not alone here – we mean, there’s even movies on it! We know, it’s not just the mother-in-law that can be a bit of a pain, it’s your own mother too, but what you need to remember is that it’s all out of the goodness of their hearts. Sometimes they just need a little bit of reminding that it’s your wedding day, oh and that you’re not a baby anymore.

Cancellations

The days leading up to the wedding: the last thing that you want is something that you’ve been planning for your wedding gets cancelled. Whether that be some mishap with your chosen florist, entertainment, or even one of your invited guests. Whilst your wedding flowers being cancelled is worse than the seats at your reception not being filled, either way, just breathe. Remain calm, and your problems will be resolved quicker.

Comparisons

There is nothing worse than getting excited about your wedding plans with one of your friends or family members and their reply to be, “Oh yes, Sally did that” or “Well, Sally didn’t do it like that “. Firstly, you don’t care what Sally did, and secondly why mention that!? You needn’t worry about any comparisons or any expectations, because it’s YOUR wedding and not Sally’s!

Your ‘ex’ wedding guest

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Planning your wedding guest list can be stressful enough, without the added dilemma of whether to invite your friends or ex your husband to be does not approve of.

Be sensitive

Ask yourself why specifically you want that person at your wedding. Often people invite people because they are part of a friendship network and if everyone else is going then why not invite them? It is not unusual to stay good friends with an ex-partner, and inviting people to your wedding is a lovely gesture!

Honestly is the best policy

Being completely honest with your other half is important from the very beginning, and the sooner you approach the subject, the better. Make him feel completely comfortable, and ensure that you aren’t demanding your ex has to come, but rather asking if he would be happy with the idea. An ex might feel snubbed if they’re not invited, but in some cases, people may not have been invited to spare their feelings.

Think sensibly

Make sure you think about how you and your ex ended, was it friendly? Was it recent? Worst case scenario is your ex ruining your big day by drinking far too much and saying something offensive. People should only invite people to weddings if they think that person will be a positive presence at the wedding.

Your husband-to-be

There is a chance that your h2b will say no. It is as much your day as his, so it is only fair that you take his feelings into consideration! After all, your ex is an ex for a reason. Every case is individual, sometimes we have enough trouble when the couples’ parents are divorced or remarried without the added pressure of exes being invited too! As long as the couple have discussed it and have both agreed that they are comfortable with it, then there is no problem!

Dos and Don’ts

  • Do invite your ex with a guest

  • Don’t spend a long time chatting with your ex

  • Do sit your ex with people he or she gets on with

  • Don’t dance with your ex

  • Do take control of the situation and keep your h2b as busy as possible!

  • Don’t introduce them to people as your ‘ex’

Get your wedding makeup picture perfect

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1. Get your skin in shape

Seek professional advice to ensure your skincare routine is right before your big day. This way, your skin will be in tip-top condition and your foundation will look ultra-flawless. Try using a facial oil at night for powerful and quick results.

2. Prime your canvas

For perfect bridal beauty on your big day, be sure to start with a primer all over your face to even out skin tone and texture, and help your foundation to last all day.

3. Choose long lasting foundation

Choose a long lasting foundation to avoid shine and dullness throughout the day.

4. Peach your cheeks

Choose a peachy blusher and apply to the apples of your cheeks for a fresh and natural look. When applying this type of wedding makeup, blend upwards and along cheekbones to finish.

5. Wear eyeliner and make it gel

Gel eyeliner is magic! It creates real definition like liquid liner but is so much easier to apply. It looks great on and lasts all day, something you’ll need with all the attention. Opt for brown for fair skins and black for darker complexions.

6. Line your lips for great definition

Use a lip liner (in a natural shade) all over your lips before applying your lipstick or gloss. It creates natural definition and the colour lasts for hours!

7. Get rid of those dreaded bags

Do not use light reflective concealer under your eyes as you risk having white eye circles in your photographs. Instead use a matte concealer or your wedding makeup foundation to hide those bags.

8. Focus on your eyes

When it comes to wedding makeup for eyes, use waterproof mascara to avoid panda eyes in pictures, but comb through your lashes after each coat to eliminate clumps.

9. Eliminate creasing or fading around the eyes

If you suffer from creasing or fading, make sure you start off with a good base. Use an eyeshadow before your shadow to keep it smooth.

10. A quick pit stop – touching up on the day

On the day itself, carry with you 3 essential products for touching up; your lip liner, lip gloss/stick and a translucent powder for stopping shine. This will ensure you look your best throughout the entire day. Why not buy yourself a little wedding makeup bag as a treat for the day

Casual dining experience

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Informal wedding dining options such as buffets, bowl food and rustic platters are shaping up to be hot this year. These all give guests the freedom to move around and enjoy proceedings, making for a more relaxed atmosphere. Remember, the key is to include a good mix of meat, fish and vegetarian options to accommodate all guests.

Offering canapés as a starter or dessert adds a fresh twist and provides a good talking point for guests. Think miniature steak and chips with a warm horseradish cream – lovely!

Another huge trend this year will be reinventing classic dishes. Pay homage to your childhood favourites, with a twist. Think pie and mash, mini sirloin hamburgers, bangers and mash, or fish and chips all made from local produce. We particularly love the fish and chip option. If it’s not formal enough for the day time, it would definitely work for your evening guests, and it may work out cheaper than a buffet.

When it comes to desserts, the key is to think small! Opt for dessert tables or platters with an array of miniatures. smatterings of your favourites such as cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, dainty trifles, chocolate brownies or crumble will allow guests to tuck in. And with light portions they won’t be left feeling lethargic, meaning they can dance the night away!

One particularly lovely trend ‘bring a cake’ dessert table. Brides are asking friends and family to bring their favourite homemade desserts – cakes, flans and more. It’s a cost-effective way to add a personal touch, guaranteed to get everyone talking.

For a novel menu idea, why not serve an actual ‘wedding breakfast’ a la Carrie and Big in Sex and the City? A beautifully served full English with locally sourced produce, fresh orange juice or fruit to start and pancakes or waffles for dessert.

Keep calm, you’re only getting married!

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Weddings are a pretty big deal and they can be kind of scary if you’re feeling anxious about being a bride. Are you stressing about being the centre of attention? Dreading speaking to wedding suppliers and vendors? Avoiding all the nosy questions? Don’t worry, we’ve found a way to cope with the stress of it all…

Don’t stress about getting every detail right.

Getting engaged is pretty amazing, but once the initial excitement is over, it’s not uncommon for brides to feel overwhelmed. There’s a huge amount of pressure for everything to look perfect and to get everything ‘right’. And then you get the added anxiety as you know you should feel happy about planning the most important day of your life, but in fact, when you think about it your heart drops. Is that normal? Of course it is. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad bride or you’re getting cold feet – it’s a pretty stressful time so be kind to yourself.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

If your friends and family offer a helping hand, accept it! Not only will they enjoy being part of the wedding planning process, it’ll make your job a whole lot easier. If no-one is offering, ask for help! People often don’t want to offer help as they’re worried about getting in the way, but they’re usually more than willing to help out if needed.

Don’t obsess about everything.

You will probably become a little bit of a bridezilla in the lead-up to your wedding day. Whilst this is completely acceptable, your groom-to-be may not agree. In fact, chances are your groom is going to get the wrong idea and think you’re terrified of marrying him. Make it clear to your husband to be that you’re freaking out about the catering or flowers – not about getting married.

If you don’t like being centre of attention.

If you’re a pretty anxious person anyway, being in the spotlight probably isn’t your idea of fun. However, it is a vital part of any wedding. Even if you’re dreading being the centre of attention in the lead-up to the big day, when it comes to it you might actually surprise yourself! You’re in the limelight for all the right things, so simply make the most of it. If you really can’t face walking down the aisle on your own with all eyes on you, why not break tradition and get your hubby to walk down the aisle with you?

It’s ok to be selfish

It’s probably the one time when it’s socially acceptable to be incredibly selfish – especially the week before the wedding. It’s completely ok to say no, ignore the constantly ringing phone, or conveniently ‘forget’ to reply to that text. Don’t even feel bad about it. Direct it to a helper, such as your maid of honour or your mum. They’re here to help out!

Everything is going to be ok.

When the big day arrives, you’ll probably be a bag of nerves mixed with excitement. But as soon as you walk down the aisle into your hubby’s arm, everything will fit into place and you’ll forget about everyone else in the room. Your wedding day will whizz by, so make the most of it and enjoy every second.

If you really are getting cold feet, make sure you’re marrying your best friend!

Lose a few pounds for your big day

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Losing weight doesn’t have to involve a huge overhaul of your daily diet. Instead, making small and simple changes to the way you shop, cook and eat can equal a huge difference – and could even see you drop a dress size slip into a smaller wedding dress.

Week 1

Don’t portion with caution – trying to live on small portions will leave you feeling hungry and more likely to snack on unhealthy foods. Enjoy regular meals and eat to satisfy your appetite by tucking into filling, lower-calorie foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit and veg, lean meat, poultry and fish.

Week 2

For every meal, fill a third of your plate with vegetables. They’ll fill you up, increase your nutrient intake and help you drop a dress size.

Week 3

Take away your takeaways and cook your own low-fat curries, burgers or chips. You’ll save pounds as well as drop a dress size and tighten your belt in more ways than one! Eating healthily doesn’t cost anymore, because you pocket pounds you’d previously have spent on convenience foods and takeaways.

Week 4

Choose whole fruits ahead of juice. Fruit contains lots of sugars (albeit natural). Whole fruit is also full of bulky fibre that helps satisfy your appetite and keep you full for a long time. Juice, however, doesn’t fill you up and it’s easy to have lots of it so you quickly consume more sugar and extra calories. Think about how full you would be after six oranges compared with how easy it is to drink the juice from six oranges without feeling full.

Week 5

Cool swaps are key when you want to drop a dress size – so use extra-lean meat, trim off all visible fat and remove skin from poultry, swap cooking oil for light sprays, sugar for sweetener and calorie-laden salad dressings for fat-free vinegar and see the pounds fly off!

Week 6

Keep a piece of fruit close to hand in case you fancy a snack, plus an apple or a banana won’t melt all over your purse like chocolate! But if you do really want to drop a dress size and fancy a piece of chocolate, don’t deny yourself. Depriving yourself will only see you crave treats more and end up giving in, most likely giving up on your slimming campaign, too. Enjoy in moderation.

Week 7

Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk instead of whole milk in drinks, on its own or in cooking. You’ll still receive the calcium that you need without any extra fat.

Week 8

Take your lunch to work – that way you know what’s gone into it. Pre-packed sandwiches and salads can be loaded with hidden salt and fat. Plus, making your own lunches will work out cheaper, saving more money for the wedding!

How to stay well before your wedding

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Being stressed with wedding planning on the run up to your big day can wreak havoc on the immune so follow some advice on how to stay cold and flu free this winter…

Eat well

Eat foods that are good for the immune system – a healthy plant based diet containing broccoli, cabbage, red fruits such as blackcurrants and strawberries, carrots, turmeric and onions contains plenty of immune protecting chemicals.

Relax and reduce stress

Stress harms your ability to fight viruses and has a huge impact on the immune system. The best thing you can do to reduce stress on your wedding day is to plan ahead. Make a schedule for getting everything done and stick to it!

Green tea

Green tea which is rich in many chemicals that have been shown to have health protective properties.

Wedding workout

Getting some gentle exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling for half an hour daily can be very helpful both physically and mentally. But beware that excessive exercise such as that undertaken during extreme training sessions for competitive sporting activities can reduce the immune response.

Sleep tight

Be sure to get enough beauty sleep, because not getting enough lowers your immune function. The body needs a good seven hour’s kip to help build itself up. Poor sleep over a long period can decrease the immune function very quickly.

Limit alcohol

Take it easy on your hen do because drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is also bad for your immune cells, which get disorientated and confused just like us!

Herbal help

Take Echinacea at the first sign of feeling run down to help support the immune system to fight off colds and flu.

It helps the body fight the symptoms of these infections by supporting the immune system, helping to maintain the body’s resistance.

Tips to help the years ahead

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Do things together

Plan things to do with your hubby or wife-to-be! And it doesn’t just have to be at the weekends, what about a midweek date night to keep you going for the rest of the working week? Date nights aren’t only for people who have just started seeing each other, married couples need date nights too. Plus, who doesn’t love getting dressed up and eating something that’s not a microwave meal every now and then?

Compromise

The point of marriage is that you share your life with the one you love. Now, that can get a bit complicated. This is where the art of compromise comes in. It starts before marriage, because it has to; if one of person in the relationship can’t see themselves sharing the rest of their life with the other, then getting married isn’t the right thing to do, is it now? You can’t be selfish anymore – compromise is necessary to make it work! You may have wanted one thing when you were twenty years old and single, but things changed over time and you make room for the one you love, and they’ll make room for you.

Talk

Talk it out. Are some of the wedding plans worrying you? Tell them! Communication is vital to a happy marriage – you should know everything there is to know about each other: all the good, the bad and the ugly. Why don’t you just tell him that you really hate that jumper that he got you for Christmas? Why don’t you let her know you’re not happy with the amount she wants to spend on the decorations? And why not tell him that you and his mother are just never going to get on. Because really, what’s the point in not being honest with the person you’re spending the rest of your life with?

Listen

Talking + listening = the dream team. Mostly because not many people like talking to a brick wall (or a useless equivalent), and also because talking things out between you is the best cure for any kind of problem! Being able to take on board anything that your partner says to you is a key factor of a happy marriage, and likewise for them to take on board anything you have to say. Like we said, it’s all about communication! It makes things a lot easier to share your worries or problems with your loved one than keep it to yourself – you never know; they might just say something useful! (Or at least can offer a cuddle at the end of it).

Be best friends

Being totally open with each other and the art of compromise sort of link to this too: be best friends with the one you love! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll be able to share things you didn’t think you’d ever share with anyone else. Why? Because that’s just what best friends do, and who in their right mind wouldn’t want to live with their best friend for the rest of their lives? Answer: no one. Want to find out if your husband or wife-to-be is your bestie?

Work at it

We’re sure lots of people have already told you, marriage isn’t the easiest thing in the world. The wedding is a beautiful day that you’ll always remember, but it isn’t all three-course meals, confetti and honeymoons from there on out. It’s hard work! But don’t give up too easily – there will be arguments and there will be disagreements, but with a little bit of patience, you’ll get there; the good times will make up for the bad times. Trust us, you just wait and see.

Know your value

We’re sure you do already, but you’ve got to make sure that you both realise how important you are to each other! You know each other better than anyone else in the world – you know when they need you the most, and when you should give them a bit of space, and they know the same for you! It’s not necessarily about saying ‘I love you’ every second of the day, it’s just about knowing how special you are to each other – with no words needed to be said. Although, a nice ‘I love you’ here and there works just as well, of course!

Keep up appearances

Just because the wedding day has passed and you’ve got the ring well and truly on your finger does not mean you should let your appearances slip. Okay, so we’re not saying you’re not allowed your weekly Sunday slob-days and so on, but it’s good to still make the effort every so often! Remind them how lucky they are to have you by wowing them with a new haircut, outfit or a weekend away – and it’s not a bad treat for yourself either!

Be realistic

With all that being said, you’ve got to be realistic too! Don’t set high expectations on marriage being an absolute dream, and most importantly, don’t set high (and impossible) expectations on your wife or husband. No, they probably can’t mind-read that you wanted this not that for your Christmas present. No, they probably can’t magic up an amazing meal just in time for when you step in the house. And no, they probably don’t really want to give you a foot massage after a long day at work. Give your partner a break (and you might just get that foot massage out of good behaviour!).

Perfect pictures to capture

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You won’t want to forget moments of your Wedding (only of course Uncle Jimmy passing out from one too many!!) So here is a list of photographic ‘must haves’ throughout the day.

  • Before the ceremony

  • Shots of the bride and bridesmaids getting ready

  • The bride and father in the car

  • The groom preparing

  • Wedding dress hanging on a beautiful hanger

  • Wedding Shoes

  • Groom waiting (nervously!) outside venue

  • Shot of the bridesmaids

  • During the ceremony

  • The bride’s grand entrance

  • The guests’ faces on seeing the bride

  • The groom waiting at the altar

  • The ring exchange

  • The kiss

  • Register signing

  • Bride and groom leaving

  • A confetti shot

  • It’s traditional to have photographs of:

  • Bride, groom, best man and ushers

  • Bride, groom, and both sets of parents

  • Bride and groom as new couple

  • Bride and groom with bridesmaids

  • Bride and groom with brothers and sisters

  • Bride and groom with grandparents

  • Bride and her mother

  • Groom and his father

  • Bride and groom with friends

  • Whole bridal party and guests

Reception

  • The decorated room and table plan before the guests arrive

  • Bride and groom entering

  • Speeches

  • Cake cutting

  • First dance of the bride and groom

Of course, you can add to and amend this wedding photography checklist however you want. But these are the classic images to build around. Enjoy your big day!

Don’t scrimp on any of these…

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Your wedding dress

You’ve all heard horror stories from brides who chose to risk buying their wedding dress from an online seller. Many brides who have been let down by an internet supplier, receiving a dress in a condition not at all as described or how they’d pictured.

Every bride deserves the one-on-one attention they will receive visiting a bridal store. It’s the most important item of clothing you’ll ever buy: make a day of it – make a week of it! It’s an experience you will treasure for the rest of your life.

Your perfect venue

Finding the perfect wedding venue is like finding the perfect pair of shoes: they should fit beautifully straight away!

Just as influential as the dress, your venue will say a lot about the type of wedding you are having. Not only is it the backdrop for your photos – the pictures you’ll cherish for a whole lifetime – but the wedding venue also acts as a prompt for your guests: it sets the scene and will give them a hint of the day to come.

When searching for venues, couples often comment that ‘the one’ hit them like a thunderbolt. It fitted their theme perfectly; it accommodated all of their guests; the grounds were stunning and it ticked all the right boxes. Don’t be tempted to compromise on the venue. It will add to that sense of ‘specialness’ by marking your big day out as something unique and memorable. It’s the venue that helps to set apart a wedding from a run-of-the-mill party.

Gastronomical delights

If Jamie, Marco and Gordon are all unexpectedly unavailable, never fear – there are some delicious taste-bud treats out there!

Hugely important, the food for your big day will play a big part of your guest’s opinions about your wedding. Hungry or dissatisfied guests are a big no-no. Treat your guests to a gastronomical delight. And it doesn’t have to be super fancy, either – bangers and mash is always a winner – just make sure that there will be enough for everyone.