Category Archives: Bride

Wedding must-haves

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Your wedding dress

We’ve all heard horror stories from brides who chose to risk buying their wedding dress from an online seller. We have so many calls from 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 wedding 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 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.

Common regrets

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Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, but that doesn’t mean that things always go smoothly and as planned…

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.

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!

Beauty trials

Always make sure you have a hair and make-up trial before your wedding morning. There would be nothing more stressful than hating your hair and make-up 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!

Photographs and memories

Mobiles are perfect for snaps, but you should also bring a camera, charger and some spare memory cards to catch shots of your memorable first holiday as husband and wife together.

Finally, a basic first aid kit is always a good idea. Make sure you pack some pain killers, insect repellent, insect bit ointment, plasters and tablets for upset tummies. You know the rule, if you pack it you won’t need it, so make sure you pack a first aid kit!

Unwritten wedding rules

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Falling foul of the unwritten rules of wedding day etiquette may be easier than most of us realise – don’t be one of these wedding guests!

Over half of guests (52%) say they have attended a ceremony where they have cringed at the antics of a fellow family member or friend of the happy couple, according to a new survey.

Call the fashion police

Wearing the wrong outfit is classed as the most common mistake, with 36% of people saying they have witnessed guests dressed inappropriately. One in five (21%) say they have been embarrassed by attendees in very revealing clothing, while 15% know someone who has worn white or come dressed all in black, to a couple’s big day.

Men are not immune to getting their outfits wrong either, with 4% being seen in jeans and another 2% left feeling foolish by mistakenly believing black tie and dinner jacket is the same as a morning suit.

Too wide a hat was mentioned by 14% who thought it rude as it blocked the view at the ceremony, and wearing a similar dress to the bridesmaids was regarded by 11% as thoughtless. Keeping sunglasses on in church was found to be pretentious by 9%, while fake tan that was too dark or streaky, and heavily applied make-up was seen as a faux pas by 6%.

Not the right time

Nine out of ten thought getting drunk and causing a scene was the worst offence, but only 8% said they had witnessed such an event at a wedding. Taking flash photos during the ceremony was loathed by over eight out of ten, though just 12% had experienced this happening. A further 7% said they had been to weddings where a mobile phone ringing had ruined the atmosphere, either during the service or in the middle of speeches at the reception.

Inconsiderate guests causing problems for the organisers had been witnessed by 13% of those asked, either by not replying to an invitation and turning up with a friend who wasn’t invited, or changing the place cards to sit on a different table. People turning up late were another bug-bear for 10% of respondents.

Speech time

Best men are known for walking a tightrope between good and bad taste when giving their speech, and 37% said they had attended weddings where previous girlfriends and past exploits – best left unsaid – had been mentioned.

Leaving before the reception speeches are finished was regarded as unacceptable by one in four, while 5% claimed to have watched unseemly tussles as women tried to catch the bride’s bouquet.

Top wedding guest faux pas:

  • Bad taste best man’s speech
  • Leaving before the reception speeches are finished
  • Guests wearing outfits that are far too revealing
  • Wearing all white or all black
  • Blocking out the view of others in church with very large brimmed hats
  • Bringing someone who was not invited/failing to RSVP but turning up
  • Taking flash photography during the ceremony
  • Wearing a dress similar to the bridesmaids
  • Wearing sunglasses in church
  • Getting drunk/rowing and causing a scene
  • Forgetting to turn the ringer off your mobile phone for the ceremony or speeches
  • Turning up in jeans
  • Aggressively trying to catch the bride’s bouquet
  • Mistaking morning suit for black tie and dinner jacket

Unique wedding entertainment ideas

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If you are looking for unique wedding entertainment or something a bit different, here are five unusual wedding acts that your guests may never have experienced before!  Obviously these ideas may not be perfect for every wedding, but if these brilliant ideas fit the wedding theme, then the bride and groom certainly have an opportunity to help make their wedding stand out in people’s minds.

Petting Zoo

Yes, we’re jumping right in on the unique wedding entertainment ideas by picking something that the Best Man and Maid of Honour will love: a petting zoo. Even the hardiest members of your family will struggle not to smile at stupidly cute fluffy animals in attendance. But if that’s not enough, then a unicorn can also be made available! Okay, it’s actually Tony the Pony in costume, but it’s still incredibly cute and perfect entertainment for your big day. Just think of the photo opportunities!

Pianist

Band or DJ is a classic conundrum for every wedding couple. Not least because saying ‘band’ comes across as a simple choice between one or the other but neglects to mention that there are so many different types of band from a Ceilidh band to a swing band, a quartet to an a cappella trio. There is just so much choice that it’s difficult to know where to look.  A pianist is also a great alternative to a DJ where you and your guests could dance and sing around the piano.

Games Room

Yes, you read that right. Most people want a games room in their house but how about a games room at a wedding? This can take the form of old school classics made large like Giant Jenga, Giant Chess and Giant Connect 4 to your favourite arcade games from days gone by. Pacman, Tetris, Galaxian… How about a game of Pong at your wedding? All doable and great fun for kids and big kids alike!

Dance Lesson

Although many of us learn a few short dance moves and steps, another inspired choice is to hire professional dancers to teach a room a more traditional dance will have you dancing the Charleston in no time! Having a choreographed dance with your guests seem to be all the rage at the moment, and you never know it may be put on You Tube? If some of the wedding guests are from a certain part of the world, this is also a brilliant choice in having an entire room learn a national dance, breaking the boundaries between the guests.

Quiz

Who doesn’t love a good quiz? Although ordinarily associated with a good old British pub, a wedding quiz is a superb choice of entertainment for the post-dinner discussions. At this time, it’s common place for the wedded couple to walk from table to table and thank guests for attending, sometimes leaving guests unsure what to do in the meantime. With this in mind, a quiz is perfect for getting everyone involved. And who’s to say there won’t be a round testing just how well you know the bride and groom?!