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Why not indulge in a Wedstival??

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With the festival season in full swing, we’re thinking beyond music, camping and mud, and looking at the celebrity trend of “Wedstivals!”

While their marriage may not have lasted long, the setters of the latest wedding trend, Russell Brand and Katy Perry began their married life with a lavish THREE-DAY wedding party.

The couple created a long weekend of entertainment in Jodhpur, India for their special guests, who were lucky enough to be able to rest their party feet in five-star tents costing around £600 per night.

Trend setters

Since their lavish wedding in India, lots of celebrity couples have been following in the footsteps of Brand and Perry with notorious festival attendees. Kate Moss and Jamie Hince spent three whole days of partying in marquees that were specially constructed at the rear of the model’s mansion to celebrate their bohemian style wedding.

Hollywood star, Matthew McConaughey hosted his wedding and party to the gorgeous Camila Alves in Austin, Texas, taking the festival theme a bit further but still with a slight lavish touch. Guests were glamping on the grounds of McConaughey’s estate!

With more details about newly engaged Holly Valance and Nick Candy’s wedding festivities comes to light, we now know that one day celebrations are not enough for them either. With wedding invitations worth £300 each and another three-day long wedding, it’s pretty obvious there is no excess for this couple.

Would you plan your wedding to last a whole weekend and keep the party going despite the weather? Is a traditional one-day bash not enough anymore?

Colour Schemes

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A soft yellow and grey colour scheme is a great choice for a spring wedding. These colours will look beautiful in any wedding venue! These fab finds will help you create this delightful theme.

Bright bridesmaids

Dress your maids in pretty yellow dresses with silver details to add a bit of sparkle.

Stunning wedding stationery

Pretty teacups wedding invitations are so sweet and it will give your guest the clue to your colour scheme they will have been waiting for.

Pretty petals

Get your guests involved with you colour scheme on the big day by handing out confetti where you can mix petals to fit your theme, this mix is a lovely combination for your yellow and grey theme.

Amazing accessories

Add a touch of colour to your wedding outfit with this sparkly hair comb, and you can wear it after the wedding too! It’s super glam.

Wonderful wedding cake

Have a beautiful wedding cake with its hand painted flower detail is so pretty and a can also double up as a magnificent centrepiece for your reception.

Fabulous favours

Think of your colour scheme such as a yellow and grey colour scheme.

Flaunt your footwear

Primrose yellow shoes will look gorgeous as a little hint of colour under your dress. Alternatively, if your bridesmaids are wearing pale grey dresses these will complete their outfit perfectly!

With so many combinations of colours it’s sometimes hard to think, you want it to look good and not have any regrets.  We think that in the Spring Yellow and Grey look fab and even the gentlemen guests won’t mind wearing a bit of Yellow and Grey!!!

An Introduction to Wedding Fitness

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It’s no surprise that brides often feel a crazy amount of pressure to look good on their wedding day. Not only is there the worry of fitting into your dream wedding dress, but an endless amount of pictures will also be snapped over the course of the day.

Unsurprisingly, over 90% of brides hope to shed extra pounds before getting married. However, perhaps more shockingly, as many as one in three will resort to crash dieting in an extreme bid to get their ideal bridal body.

The good news is that crash dieting is completely unnecessary – which is great seeing as it has no benefit to your overall health and is unlikely to give you the results you want anyway.

When Should I Start My Fitness Regime?

There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to when you should start your wedding fitness regime. It really does depend on your starting point and how much weight you want to lose. The sooner you start the better. Don’t wait until the last minute to try and lose weight and then expect miracles.

You should be thinking about your diet and exercise plan as soon as you start your wedding planning, so that you don’t end up resorting to a crash diet in a bid to lose pounds at the last minute. Ideally you should aim to reach your weight loss goal within 4 weeks of your wedding, in time for the final dress fittings. That way you’ll be able to focus more on the finishing touches of the wedding planning rather than worrying about fitting into your dream dress.

Set Yourself Short Term Goals

Make sure you take regular exercise over the first four to six weeks for general fitness, then start to target specific areas such as your stomach, thighs and bottom. Keeping a fitness diary will also monitor your progress and help you to feel good about your achievements.

What if I’m Short on Time?

Finding the right kind of exercise regime to suit your needs and schedule can vary from a brisk walk to a full workout in the gym or an exercise video that you found online.

If you have a demanding work and life schedule that rarely allows you to fit exercise in, then try to make lifestyle swaps wherever you can. For example, ditch the car and walk to work or the shops and try to take the stairs instead of the lift – even just taking up small exercises like this will help you keep trim.

High intensity interval training (known as HIIT for short) is great for a busy bride. This consists of short bursts of intense exercise mixed in with small rests, which could benefit you more than a long session in the gym.

You need to start sweating and exercising alongside a healthy diet to make great changes to your body but this doesn’t mean that you need to spend hours on a treadmill.

Above all, have fun and don’t beat yourself up if it takes a while to get the results you want. Getting fit and losing weight healthily takes time, but stick with it and you’ll feel fabulous inside and out when you finally get into that wedding dress. 

Grooming The Groom

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So much of the build up to the wedding is about the bride and her beauty regime, whether she decides to do her own wedding makeup or opt for amazing nail art, but what about the groom?

The groom will appear in plenty of pictures on his wedding day, so it’s important to be looking your absolute best. 

Consider Your Scent

You’re pretty much guaranteed at least one kiss on your wedding day, but to guarantee you get a few more make sure you smell incredible. Look for an aftershave that comes with a matching moisturiser and shower gel – by using products that all have the same scent, the smell will be stronger. It’s also worth investing in a decent deodorant – test run it ahead of the big day!

Top tip: Invest in a new aftershave so every time you use it you’ll be reminded of your big day. Why not look for a his’n’hers scent? 

Peak Facial Hair

If you’re clean shaven, make sure you invest in a proper shave. If you want to DIY it here is some tips:

Have a hot shower, and layer on some pre-shave oil, which will soften the hairs and moisturise your skin. This also acts as a lubricant so the razor can glide more easily across your skin, especially when combined with shaving cream. Use a decent shaving brush to whip up your shaving cream in a bowl and lather it on your face – by using a brush each hair will be lifted and your skin will get exfoliated too. Follow up with a soothing post shave balm to moisturise and avoid rashes.

Moustache: To make sure your moustache is in perfect condition, start growing it ahead of the big day. Avoid trimming it above the lip until you’re pleased with the length, and comb through it regularly, brushing the hairs outwards. Invest in moustache wax to style it, twisting the ends upwards and outwards for an on-trend look.

Stubble: Designer stubble is set to be a big trend for 2016 – it’s great news if you struggle to grow a full beard, or can’t be bothered to shave regularly! To make the most of your stubble, allow the hairs to grow until it starts to feel itchy and follow the natural lines on your face to create the shape. Wet shave any of the areas that don’t fit the template. If your face is quite chiselled, fade or taper the stubble so there’s not such a defined outline.

Sideburns: Sideburns are having their time in the sun in 2016 – why not join prestigious sideburn fans Elvis, Tom Jones and Bradley Wiggins and grow some of your own? However, this time they’re part of the full beard – sport them solo if you’re feeling truly edgy.

Tight Beard: If want to be on trendy with a beardy look but can’t deal with feeling unkempt, the tight beard is for you. Keep your facial hair trimmed short for this look, as it gives a well-groomed feel. Set your trimmer to 2-3 millimetres and trim evenly all over, before wet shaving the surrounding areas for a well-defined, sharp look.

Short Long Beard: A long beard isn’t for everyone – that trend may be best left to the hipsters. A long beard can appear quite straggly so for a tidy take on the look go for the short long beard. Follow the shape of your face to style this beard and use sharp, groomed lines. Don’t let the beard go past a couple of inches below the chin and leave the hair under the chin and on the neck to grow for a fuller look.

Style Your Hair

Don’t get so caught up in your facial hair that you forget about the hair on your head. See a barber in the run up to your wedding – around two weeks before – to make sure your hair is tidy and in top condition. You may need to trim your neck and hairline just before the big day. Now is not the time to change your trusty hair products in case they don’t result in the desired effect. Stick to your usual style and products – unless your usual look is inspired by Gareth Gates circa 2001.

Get a Manicure

We’re not talking about French tips or a bit of glitter on your ring finger – but instead consider getting a masculine manicure to make sure your nails are looking their very best for the big day. It’s quite likely that your hands will feature in a lot of photos – as you place the wedding ring on your partner’s finger, and as the two of you show off your shiny new rings after the ceremony. By getting a manicure you can make sure your nails look neat, tidy and buffed ready to be captured on camera.

How to avoid being ill on your big day

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Many brides fear about getting sick in the run up to the wedding day. With heightened stress and emotion, don’t forget to take the time to relax, stay healthy and look after yourself.

If you are looking to prevent a cold or just want to kick-start a new healthy lifestyle. Here are some of the ways you can avoid getting sick in the run up to your big day:

Up Your Fruit and Veg Intake

Wedding planning can sometimes feel like a full time job! So keep your body happy and healthy by giving it the right fuel – not only will you feel like you have more energy but you will also be more prepared to fight off infection. Some simple ways to up your fruit and veg intake is to add a small glass of fruit juice to your day, sprinkle some berries on your morning cereal and keep things like carrot sticks, cucumber and celery to snack on at your desk.

Drink More Water

We all know this but making sure you drink enough water is important for pretty much every aspect of your body. If you struggle to drink enough water, then consider filling up a jug and keeping it on your desk – with the aim to finish it before you leave work. If you are always on the move, then keep a bottle of water handy so you can stay hydrated throughout the day.

Include Probiotics in Your Diet

Introduce probiotics into your diet – probiotics are live bacteria that are good for your health and can be great for keeping a healthy lifestyle. If you are looking for a natural source of probiotics, then include yogurt into your diet – try and opt for more natural low sugar options rather than the highly sweetened variety.

Have Breakfast

Not only will having a healthy breakfast get you energised for the day, it will also stop any reckless snacking mid-morning. As your sugar levels crash you risk reaching for the sweet stuff, keep those hunger pangs at bay my making sure you have a good breakfast.

Get into a Good Hand Washing Routine

Regular hand washing can help keep germs at bay – particularly if you have friends or colleagues around you who are sick! When washing your hands. Hand washing with soap works by removing bacteria and viruses from hands before they get a chance to cause infections or spread to other people. When you wash your hands make sure you use soap and warm water for a minimum of 20 seconds.

Start a Wedding Workout

If you don’t already have a regular exercise routine, then now is the time to introduce one. Walking, swimming or cycling daily can not only give your immune system a helping hand, you will see an overall improvement in your health both mentally and physically. If you are not used to high impact exercise, then start off slowly and go for walks in your lunch break. If you are starting a dramatically different routine them, it’s always a good idea to consult your doctor.

Limit Your Alcohol Intake

Hen parties, stag dos and general pre-wedding celebrations can see your alcohol intake soar. As well as being packed full of empty calories and sugar, alcohol is also a drain on your immune system. Make sure you see alcohol as a naughty treat to be enjoyed in moderation rather than a regular occurrence.

Consider the Flu Jab

If you are classed as a high risk category, then you will receive a flu jab free of charge from the NHS. Even if you don’t come under a high risk group you can still have a flu jab at your local pharmacy, if you are concerned about flu in the lead up to your wedding then speak to your local pharmacy.

If you are planning on kick-staring a healthy diet filled with good fats, protein and lots of fruit and veg then here are some fantastic foods to introduce into your diet:

Green Tea

Swap your morning latte for a green tea, we know it doesn’t go quite so well with a pain au chocolat but you will cut you calorie intake massively. Green tea is also loaded with polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants and can protect your skin against harmful free radicals (yucky stuff that ages your skin!).

Avocados

It seems like you can’t go on Instagram without seeing an avocado smiling back at you! Whether it’s smashed on toasted, whipped up into a smoothie or chopped up into a salad. This popular fruit is packed full of healthy fats and vitamins and can be a great addition to perk up a sad lunchtime salad.

Blueberries

These little low calories berries are packed with antioxidants and they are so easy to incorporate into your diet. Add to your morning cereal or porridge or keep a little pot handy on your desk to snack on during the day.

Eggs

Eggs are a great source of protein and can be a fantastic addition to your diet. Eggs cooked in coconut oil can be a great start to your day – add some chopped tomatoes and steamed spinach if you want to also use your breakfast to up your vegetable intake.

Sweet Potatoes

Swap white potatoes for sweet potatoes for an added boost of beta-carotene. They also contain lots of magnesium which is essential for nerve function. Swap your usual mashed potato for sweet potato mash or make some delicious sweet potato wedges.

Nuts

Add a sprinkling of hazelnuts, walnuts or almonds to your breakfast cereal for a boost in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. Just don’t forget that nuts are also calorific so enjoy in moderation if you are trying to lose weight.

Oily Fish

Oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel will give you a great source of protein and vitamin D and long chain Omega-3s.

Soup

Adding soup into your diet can be a great way to increase your vegetable intake and the high water content in soup will mean you are left feeling fuller for longer. If you want to swap your lunchtime sandwich for a bowl of nutritious soup, then consider making your own batches of soup as many shop bought soups have high levels of salt and sugar.

Spinach

Popeye’s favourite vegetable! Spinach has high levels of chlorophyll which is great for your health. Spinach is also low calorie and really easy to introduce to your diet – add a handful to your favourite smooth, swap your usual lettuce leaves for the dark green stuff or add a steamed portion to your dinner a few times a week.

Coconut Oil

Swap processed cooking oils for organic coconut oil– as well as being a great healthy fat to add to your diet coconut oil also works well as a lip balm or a body oil. If you are adding coconut oil to your diet just remember to consumer in moderation as it’s high in calories.

Are you planning a beach wedding?

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Once you find the perfect wedding dress and booked an amazing seaside wedding venue, you need to start thinking about your look. 

What constitutes beachy wedding hair for you? Braids, texture with waves. A fresh unstructured playful look.

What should a bride do if she’s marrying on a beach in a humid climate and is prone to frizzy hair?

The best thing to do would be to have braids or twists in the hair, or have the hair pulled back fairly tightly. Always embrace the texture and using salt spray to add to it, perhaps have some braids around your face for some pretty detail and then it doesn’t matter so much if the rest of the hair gets a little frizzy as it adds to the look. You can also use a strong hairspray to seal the hair but it can look quite fixed so although it seals away moisture it may not fit for a relaxed look as much.

What styles work for a breezy beach in the UK and why?

It depends on how warm it is, but if it’s really breezy, a loose chignon of some sort to keep the hair away from the face. A look with loose tendrils and texture would be ideal, nothing too fixed and neat. Then if it isn’t too structured the odd hair being blown about will add to the look and it will not look as though anything is out of place.

How can a bride master boho, beachy waves?

The conical wand is best to create natural looking waves in the hair, and salt spray for adding texture is brilliant. Adding a few fishtail braids woven through or around the face can look very boho; a fine floral crown looks amazing with this style or a few small flowers dotted through the hair also will look beautiful.

What type of wedding hair accessories would you recommend for a beach wedding?

Definitely a flower head crown– Or a few faux flowers dotted through the hair.

Booking classical entertainment

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Create an elegant and calm atmosphere by having some live classical music performed at your wedding. Vaughn Jones from Manor House Music talks about how to make the most of hiring professional musicians for your wedding celebration.

Setting the scene

Try to imagine when and how you’d like music to be part of your day. Many couples opt for music to be performed during the ceremony and to entertain guests during the wedding breakfast. 

When you’re thinking about booking wedding musicians, consider the volume of their instruments – for example, a brass quintet could be a little overpowering for an intimate occasion, but a harpist or string duo would be ideal. Similarly, if you have 150 guests chatting and enjoying themselves, it might be hard to hear a solo musician, but a string quartet will be easily heard above the sound of conversation.

Professional costs

Music students, amateur groups and recent graduates may charge less, but as the saying goes ‘you get what you pay for’.

It’s often worth budgeting a bit more to hire a professional group. This will give you peace of mind that they will turn up as agreed (as professional groups usually have back-up musicians available in case of emergencies) and you’ll know that your wedding music will be ‘just right’.

How long should they play?

Although it might seem economical to only book a group for an hour, surprisingly this can be the most expensive way of doing things.

Once musicians have taken on a wedding, it usually means they will be unavailable for any other work during that day, so many groups have a minimum booking time of three hours, especially on peak days over the summer. Try to think of other times in the day that might require music and make the most of what you’ve got.

Agency bookings

This can be a tricky one. On one hand, booking through an agency means that they’ll handle the contractual agreement between you and the musicians, and they’ll be responsible for sourcing a replacement if there is any problem on the day. However, it does means that you’ll pay a higher fee because the agent takes a cut of the overall amount.

By booking directly, you will almost certainly save money and you’ll be dealing directly with the musicians themselves. Any professional group will exchange a simple contract that protects both parties, outlining timings, costs, insurance and so on, plus pro players will know plenty of colleagues who they can call on to replace themselves in case of illness.

Versatility

These days, many classical groups specialise in a wide range contemporary pieces, so it’s often possible to request your favourite song to be played at the wedding.

In many cases, popular musicians will have a wide repertoire to choose from, so you don’t need to just have classical music on your big day. Having a string quartet perform surprise rock and pop numbers during a drinks reception can delight and entertain guests of all ages!

Reasons to have a photo booth at your wedding

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Your guests will love it. The wedding photo booth will be the highlight of the night and everybody will be really pleased with the photographs.

Suitable for all ages

It will be great to have something the children and grandparents could join in with. 

Nostalgia

Back in the good old days we never had cameras on our phones! To grab an instant picture of you and all your friends you had to walk into town and squeeze into a wedding photo booth. Now the booths may look more stylish but the concept is the same. And, of course, there are some fun props to make it even more memorable.

Talking point

Want your wedding to have something a little bit different? Well a photo booth will have your guests raving for weeks afterwards. 

Fabulous favours

Why give a traditional box of almonds when you could have a fun photo from the day that guests can look back on for years to come? One nice idea is to give them an empty key ring with a note to go to the photo booth later! 

Theme it!

Are you having a theme on your big day? Whether you want a winter wonderland, day at the beach or even just a colour we can bring the props to match your theme. They can even customise your prints to match and – if the budget stretches – they can even customise the booth itself!

Share the love

Not only will your guests receive a copy of the fun wedding photographs on the night, they will also upload all your ‘clean’ pictures to your very own Facebook album! This helps carry on the fun for weeks after the big day as friends and family tag, comment and copy their pictures.

Top tips on getting the perfect tunes

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Ceremony music tips

You are not permitted to have any music during a Civil Ceremony that is overtly religious. Though rules are somewhat more relaxed than in the past, your Registrar will advise and vet your choices.

There are literally millions of pieces of modern wedding music that don’t have any religious association. Choose classical music for your ceremony and have lighter pop music during your drinks reception.

Consider choosing two contrasting pieces of music that are moderate length. The first should be contemplative while the guests enter and the second could hint at the celebrations to follow the ceremony.

Choose something celebratory, when your guests leave, that can be heard alongside the happy throng.

If you have the budget, then live wedding music will feel much more personal and special. Harps, string quartets and pianists are the most popular choices. They can also stay at your reception afterwards during your wedding photographs, drinks and canapés.

If you find a title you like on a modern wedding music CD or a website, then make sure you check the title and composer with another couple of similar sources to make sure it is correct.

Modern wedding music for your ceremony

Bridal March from ‘Lohengrin’ (Here comes the Bride) – Wagner
Canon in D – Pachelbel
Trumpet Voluntary – Jeremiah Clarke
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba – G F Handel
Ave Maria – J S Bach/C Gounod
Adagio – Albinoni arr. Giazotto
Panis Angelicus – C Franck
Wedding March – ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ – Mendelssohn
Toccata from Organ Symphony no 5- C M Widor
Alla Danza / Hornpipe from ‘Water Music’ – G F Handel

Make sure your dancefloor is never empty

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Book a live band

A great wedding band will be experienced and know exactly which music to play to get your guests on the dancefloor, and how to keep them there! There are lots of different styles and sizes of bands to suit all tastes and budgets, making this decision especially difficult. Booking through a reputable wedding directory will help to guarantee great quality, and with our easy booking process, pretty much all eventualities are covered.

Dim the lights

This is extremely important, because you want your guests to feel comfortable and relaxed on the dancefloor. Having bright lights will make them too self-aware so bring the lighting right down. Ideally roving or flashing lighting will create an illusion of a busy dancefloor, which will encourage more guests to join in.

Get your timings right

The biggest mistake many brides and grooms make is for their evening reception is to start the entertainment too early. Your day guests will have just eaten dinner and your evening guests won’t be relaxed (or drunk) enough yet. Don’t be afraid to let everyone ease into the evening rather than rushing through and trying to force a good time – 9pm is usually the ideal time to start your band or disco.

Check your space

You need a dedicated dancefloor space but it can’t be too big or too small for the number of guests you have. A huge dancefloor will intimidate your guests while a tiny dancefloor will give the impression you are not expecting anyone to dance. Another point to remember here is that having the bar in a separate room will take your guests away from the dancefloor, leaving it looking a bit empty and sad.

Be present

As the bride and groom you are the stars of the show and your guests will generally want to be where you are – on the dancefloor having the time of your lives! You can also prepare or recruit some close friends who you know are more confident to be the first ones up and dancing, to help get the party started!