Category Archives: Beauty

Common mistakes

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It’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life. As the bride, you’ll be the centre of attention, and not only will your friends and family be present, but your wedding photographs will capture the moment forever. On the big day, you want to look like yourself, only better. There’s nothing worse than a bride wearing a gorgeous gown, in the perfect location, whose wedding hair is so dreadful that guests can’t keep their eyes off of it.

Brides should always have a consultation with a wedding stylist who will be doing their hair one to two months before the wedding date to ensure that their dream hairstyle fits in with their dream day.

Here are some common hair mistakes that brides make.

1. You forget your veil or headpiece. The veil factors into your overall look, and its length and style may determine if you’ll want to wear your hair up or down. If the veil hasn’t arrived yet, ask the bridal salon to loan you a sample, or at least bring along a photo when consulting with your wedding hairdresser.

2. You cut your hair days before the wedding. Stay away from the scissors and don’t plan on getting a haircut right before the big day. Instead, do it a month or two prior to the wedding to ensure that you like the cut and it will work with the hairstyle you’ve chosen.

3. You don’t carefully choose your stylist. You will remember your wedding day forever, so choose someone you trust to style your hair. If your hairdresser doesn’t typically do wedding hairstyles, ask him or her for a recommendation, or speak with friends or other brides who have had hairstyles you’ve admired.

4. You experiment with hair colour. Talk to your stylist about how you envision your hair on the big day, and let your colourist know if you are planning on wearing your hair up or down. It’s also not advisable to dramatically change your hair colour before the wedding. You want to look like an enhanced version of you, not someone completely different.

5. You only try one style. Just as you tried on several wedding dresses (even if you knew the first one was the best), have your stylist show you at least three different looks based on your description of what you want.

6. You go to your consultation without any ideas. Pictures speak louder than words. Gather photos of hairstyles you like. This will give the stylist an idea of the kind of style you’re seeking. The stylist can’t make you look like the person in the picture, but he or she can attempt to copy the hair as long as the texture and length are not an issue.

7. You forget about touch-ups. If it’s in your budget, consider having the wedding stylist stay after the ceremony and throughout the evening to do touch-ups to your hair—or even give you a completely different look. If the expense is too high, ask the stylist for tips on how to touch up your own hair during the reception.

8. You forget about the wedding dress. Your hair should always complement your gown. Select your gown first and then decide on the hairstyle with your stylist.

9. You think short hair is your only option. If your cute bob doesn’t jive with your dream of having long locks on the big day, ask your stylist for extensions. This temporary fix can be a perfect solution.

10. You forget about the groom. Although you’ll be the focus of the big day, you will want his hair to look just as good. Make sure the groom gets a good haircut a week before the wedding.

 

Lose a few pounds before the big day

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If you’re not particularly thrilled with your body, you’ve probably been dieting as your wedding day approaches in an attempt to reach your desired weight before the walk down the aisle in your wedding dress. Many brides do this but find that they are lacking a few pounds a week or so before the wedding. If this sounds familiar, here are some important tips to lose those last pounds.

Eat More Often

That’s right. If you want to lose those last pounds before your wedding day, eat more often but eat much smaller portions. By doing this, you will be giving your digestive system a break as well as speeding up your metabolism. As your metabolism kicks into overdrive, you will burn more fat and calories – and lose more weight.

Drink More Water

Another important thing that will help you lose those last pounds is drinking more water. Most experts recommend that you drink 8 glasses of water each day.Not only does this help you feel full for a longer period of time, but it aids the body in the natural fat and calorie burning process.

If you find it difficult to drink so much water each day, there are a few different things you can do. Go to bed after drinking 4 ounces of water and drink 4 more when you wake up. This is one glass gone – only 7 more to go. If you don’t like the taste of water, slip a wedge of lemon in to create a more palatable drink.

Cardio Exercise

Don’t neglect your exercise as you try to lose those last pounds. Anything that gets your heart pumping and makes you break a sweat is an excellent exercise to do. For instance, jumping rope, skating, dancing and even jogging can help you lose those last pounds. While most people aren’t overly fond of exercise, doing it regularly will boost your energy and even your sense of well-being! Exercise each day for about a half an hour to forty-five minutes at a time.

Skip the Sugar

In the last week before the wedding, don’t indulge in processed sugar at all. Instead, fill your rumbling tummy with fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans and lean meat.This will help get rid of those last stubborn pounds and you may notice that you feel a lot better too!These foods are great for your health and provide important nutrients and vitamins.

By following the tips above, you can lose those last pounds and feel beautiful and confident in your wedding dress.

 

Purchase the very best

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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 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 wedding photos – the pictures you’ll cherish for a whole lifetime – but the 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 wedding 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 wedding 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 wedding 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.

 

Take a deep breath and enjoy

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Enjoy the wedding morning

Getting ready on the morning of the wedding is bound to be stressful, but make sure you take time to relax and enjoy it with a glass of champers! It’s the one time you’ll be pampered within an inch of your life so sit back and look forward to what is to come…

Don’t go hungry

Couples actually forget to eat during their wedding day! You’ll be super busy greeting and thanking guests, that you might not have time to eat the delicious wedding breakfast you spent all that money on. Make sure you allow you and your hubby time to sit down and enjoy the meal.

Beauty trials

Always make sure you have a wedding hair and wedding makeup trial before your wedding morning. There would be nothing more stressful than hating your hair and makeup whilst knowing it’s too late to change it. We recommend having at least 2 trials before your big day to make sure it’s perfect!

Book a DJ

A lot of couples try to save money on wedding entertainment, and rather than booking a decent DJ they create a playlist on their iPod. Yes, this does save a ton of money but a good DJ will make sure all of your guests get up on the dance floor for a groove!

Comfort over style

Even though those glitzy stilettos may look gorgeous, will you last in them all day? If you’re opting for high heels for the ceremony, make sure you bring flats along too! Many brides end up in pain towards the end of the day due to their heels. We all know the feeling, so if you want to enjoy every second of your special day, sometimes being comfy is best!

Buying your Groom a gift

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Seeing as you’ll be wearing your beautiful new wedding dress, and likely new jewellery and shoes, it’s only fair that your groom gets a little something special on the wedding day – apart from the gift of marrying you, of course! There are traditional options for the groom’s gift the morning of the wedding, but never underestimate the appeal of something small but meaningful to your man.

When it comes to planning a wedding, sometimes it’s easy to forget that it’s not just the bride who likes a little romance – a surprise gift for the groom on the wedding morning can set the mood for the day and make him feel loved and appreciated. Here are some of our top picks for grooms’ gifts!

Buying something that reflects his hobbies is always a good idea – if he’s mad about football, why not buy him a season ticket to watch his favourite team play? If he loves a certain band, buy him tickets to see their live concert. It may seem obvious, but these touches will show your husband-to-be just what you mean to him.

Your gift doesn’t need to cost the earth, either. Your man will most likely be feeling a little jittery before the ceremony, so why not send him a bottle of whiskey and a box of cigars to share with his groomsmen and to calm his nerves?

If you want something traditional that you know your groom will love, then you can’t go far wrong with a watch. If he’s an old-school type, then a pocket watch would be a great choice – particularly if you engrave it with his initials or the date of your wedding. For the more modern groom, a wrist watch is the perfect gift for the morning of the wedding. Attach a note with the time of the ceremony (along the lines of ‘See you at 1pm!’) for a personal touch.

Many brides will buy their grooms cufflinks for the big day, as they’re a gift that can be worn on the wedding day and for many years to come – plus they’re easy to personalise! Engrave them with your wedding date and he’ll never forget your anniversary!

If you and your husband-to-be are equally house-proud, then getting something that you can display for all your house guests to see is a sweet idea. We love this framed record of your first dance song – this would be a particularly great gift if your man is a music buff.

If you want to treat your groom to something a little saucy, then you should definitely consider booking in for a boudoir photoshoot. Companies do sexy shoots especially for brides, and package the photographs in a gorgeous keepsake album for you and your groom. Leave it in his bedroom with a note reading ‘Meet me at the altar!’ and he’s sure to be feeling ready for the honeymoon

 

Mad Hatter Wedding ideas

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Invitations

The maddest guests needn’t be invited, they will simply fall through the rabbit hole and stumble across your party by chance.

 

Dress code

Colourful, bold and avant-garde.

 

Hair code

No one is allowed to have similarities in wedding hair colour or style, other than that, anything goes.

 

Wedding Décor

Matching furniture is forbidden; the more quintessentially Wonderland, the better.

 

Guests

Be specific when choosing your guests based on personality, if they aren’t at least slightly crazy, they won’t fit in.

 

Tea

Earl Grey is the only tea to be served. It needn’t be high quality and can be of any origin, just make sure it’s Early Grey.

 

Sandwiches

There are three sandwiches which are appropriate for a Mad Hatters Tea Party; minted cucumber, egg mayonnaise and mustard cress, and smoked salmon and cream cheese. Cutting your sandwiches into heart shapes is cute, but would Alice approve of your allegiance to the Queen of Hearts?

 

The Chelsea Bun

The Chelsea bun is known predominantly for throwing, so get involved, it’s what Tea Parties are made for.

 

Shortbread

Height should not be discriminated against; therefore, shortbread is totally acceptable at the tea table.

 

Floristry

Wedding flowers perfection should be avoided at all costs. If you have a budget for plants, stick to twigs, decaying leaves and fungi.

 

Hospitality

Being hospitable is essential. This can be achieved through planning a range of unrecognisable party games.

 

Weather

If you’re worried about being outside and it raining, it doesn’t matter too much as the best Mad Hatters Tea Parties are set in very little sunlight. For big budget tea parties, rain and mist machines are encouraged.

 

Seating

If you can’t get bums on seats, bums on anything is fine. Stools, shelves, giant mushrooms; anything goes.

 

Cheshire cat

One ginger cat is required as ‘purr’ its Cheshire heritage.

 

Timekeeping

This is banned as there is no time in wonderland. However, we would only suggest this tip as optional as if adhered to it can cause havoc, after all, you don’t want your guests to be late for this very important date.

Why do brides wear white?

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If you’re getting ready for planning a wedding, and if you’re reading this blog then one can assume so, you’ve probably already picked out a gorgeous white dress for the big day and if you haven’t, we are 99.9% certain that you’ll be in one by the time the wedding date arrives. But why do brides wear white on their wedding day?

The idea of brides wearing white on their wedding day isn’t actually one that’s lasted for centuries and can in fact be pinpointed to one specific point in time. Before we get to that though, we should probably highlight that brides used to wear red on their wedding day – presumably because of romantic connotations – and white was only really worn by ‘unconventional’ brides. The idea that hipster brides existed in the 1800s is one that certainly delights us, whilst the notion that they were deemed so because of wearing white on their wedding day is downright hilarious.

The idea that wearing white was a bad choice had persisted for years though; when Mary Queen of Scots got married in 1559, she wore a white gown. This was widely condemned as inappropriate by the press at the time and the calls only got louder when her French husband died a year later. The reason? Officially he died from an ear condition, thought by many these days to have come from meningitis, but Mary was held to account back then as having cursed the poor man due to her choice of wearing a white wedding dress. In 16th century France, white was officially a colour of mourning.

“But every bride wears white,” we hear you say, “When did a white wedding dress become the norm?” We are glad you asked! Brides wear white not because it suggests innocence as many seem to think, but actually because Queen Victoria happened to like the colour. Yes, rather than pick a red dress, Victoria opted instead for a white gown with an orange blossom wreath, ignoring the protests from members of her court. The wedding dress turned out to be a huge hit with both the public and the newspapers and soon women all across the land were choosing to get married in a white dress.

That’s not the end of the story however, because one can add in another little fact for why brides may opt for white when picking their dress. Just a few years after Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, a popular women’s magazine by the name of Godey’s Lady’s Book stated that white was the most fitting hue for a woman due to be married, with the material used of little consequence. In this article, it was stated that white was an ‘emblem of purity’ and ‘the unsullied heart she now yields to the chosen one’, but this line of thinking was completely unheard of until Queen Victoria chose the colour for her wedding day.

“What become of red?” Good question! Red became less and less popular immediately after the royal wedding and was in fact quickly demoted to being thought of as an awful choice. So bad in fact, that the Farmer’s Almanac (a must read by all of those who worked the land back in the mid-1800s) published a poem on wedding dress colours:

  • Married in White, you have chosen right
  • Married in Grey, you will go far away
  • Married in Black, you will wish yourself back,
  • Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
  • Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
  • Married in Blue, you will always be true,
  • Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
  • Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
  • Married in Brown, you will live in the town,
  • Married in Pink, your spirit will sink.

Not exactly Keats but there you have it. Why do brides wear white on their wedding day? Because a white wedding dress was the choice that Queen Victoria made for herself!

 

Children’s wedding hair

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Although we all hope to be thoroughly organised for the big day, it’s always a good idea to have a backup plan and do as much in advance as possible, especially when it comes to children’s hair!

Before the big day

The dreaded visit to the hairdressers – it can sometimes be a battle to get children inside when it’s time for a haircut but you’ll likely to want their wedding hair is looking fresh for the wedding day.

Try chatting to your children about their impending haircut in the days leading up to the event – treating a haircut as a grown-up treat can help to get children excited about the experience. It can be worthwhile to spend a few minutes in the salon with your child before their appointment. Allowing them some time to watch other children in the salon chair can help them to feel more comfortable.

A little snack often works wonders for keeping little ones still in the salon chair, and small rewards such as a lollipop or a play in the park on the way home can help to make their experience a positive one.

If your child finds the salon environment particularly stressful, it might be worthwhile looking into a mobile wedding hairdresser, since your child is much more likely to feel at ease in familiar surroundings.

The night before:

Washing hair, the night before can help relieve pressure on the wedding day, and gives you at least one less thing to worry about!

Brush through any tangles before bed, and wash and dry their hair before they go to bed. Using a 2 in 1 shampoo can help to reduce the stressful process too by keeping hair washing time to a minimum whilst also easing any tangles.

To help reduce tangle – try to squeeze as much water from their hair as possible after washing, and try not to rub it with the towel as this can encourage tangles.

A little conditioning spray can help so try to do this when combing through wet and through dry hair using a wide-tooth comb, always starting at the ends. If your child has longer hair it can be beneficial to plait it back or tie it into a loose ponytail as they sleep.

On the wedding day:

There are lots of simple styles that even dads can help with! If your daughter has static hair, before diving right in with a bucket of product, he can lightly spray a hair brush with some low strength hairspray and brush through to tame any fly-aways.

Plaits can be a little tricky so unless he sees himself as a secret hair wizard, try gathering two pieces of hair at the front, twisting them individually to the back of your child’s head. Secure the twists with a couple of bobby pins – if you put them wobbly side down, they’ll grip better. Spraying a clean toothbrush to deal with any tricky flyways can also help.

If you are feeling adventurous, you can create some additional twists using the remainder of the hair, and remember – cute accessories can cover all manner of sins so don’t be afraid to keep things simple and let a couple of nice clips or matching ribbons do the talking!

 

Make your own decorations

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You don’t have to spend a fortune planing a wedding on decorations. Have a go at a project today and give your day a personal touch with handmade creations…

Fabulous fans

How about making some brightly coloured pinwheels for your marquee reception. They add a real pop of colour to the venue, but if you want a softer, more subtle look, try pastel shaded pom poms.

Vintage bunting

You could use pastel coloured cloths and vintage style bunting to pretty up your vintage tea party reception. You can pick up table cloths pretty cheaply on eBay to get a similar look.

3D table numbers

Make cardboard 3D table numbers and then cover them in pretty, shabby chic style fabric. A simple and effective idea that you can easily make at home with old off-cuts of fabric. Mix up the patterns and colours for an eclectic look.

Hanging old pictures around your reception wedding venue is a sure-fire way to get guests talking. Personalise the room with photographs of all your loved ones, then let guests find their faces. You could adapt this for use in your table plan, too.

Pretty pom poms

Draw your guests’ eyes upwards with a ceiling full of paper pom poms and lanterns dangling from the rafters. This year’s hottest decorations are to be found on the ceiling.

Rustic jars

Ask your friends and family to keep all of their old jam jars as they make cute arrangements for a rustic theme. Mix and match different shapes and sizes and fill them with cheap wedding flowers like gypsophila for a feminine, just-picked-from-the-garden look.

Trend alert!

This potted plant table plan is such a lovely idea, perfect for a country themed wedding. You can pot them up yourself, use them as a table plan, and then hand them out as thank you gifts at the end of the night. Double DIY delight

Top table runners

Long trestle-style tables work brilliantly with table runners down the middle – go for gingham if you’re planning a country-style celebration like this couple or hessian if you want a more rustic look. A striking runner will mean you won’t have to go overboard with your wedding flowers, either.

 

Look radiant on your Wedding day

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You’re going to want to look your most beautiful on your wedding day and you’ll want your groom to gasp as he sees you arrive. To help you achieve this we’ve asked some top beauty experts and wedding make-up artists for their advice. Because you don’t want to be making any mistakes with your big day look.

Natural beauty

Try all your wedding makeup on before your wedding day and view it in natural daylight, make-up can look very different indoors and outdoors. Wear waterproof eye make-up where possible, especially mascara for the emotional I Dos!

A good foundation

Have your foundation colour matched to your skin tone and bear that in mind if you’re having a spray tan for the big day. Moisturise your face 30 minutes before applying your makeup, to allow time for your moisturiser to sink in and do its magic.

Always wear a primer before applying foundation to give a smoother appearance and keep your makeup on for longer. Also always wear an eye make-up primer to hold your eyeshadow in place and prevent creasing. Keep a small powder compact to hand to touch up any shiny areas towards the evening.

Set in place

Use a setting spray when your makeup is finished to give it lasting power. If applying your own make-up on the day, try to have a professional go through it with you before the big day, to show you how to do the best application.

Look after your skin

Begin a good skincare routine. If you have any issues book a series of facials to get your skin in tip top condition. Get a skin consultation with a professional so they can advise you on which products will suit your skin type.

Use an SPF daily to protect your skin from the sun and keep shoulders covered if you’re wearing a strapless dress on your wedding day as strap marks are difficult to hide.