Category Archives: Love

The roaring 20’s

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The Roaring 20s are a big one. This decade is full of Big Band Jazz, Art Deco visuals, and intricately adorned ensembles. Here are some ideas for your 1920’s Wedding theme:

  • For a 1920s theme, a classic palette of black, white and gold is easy to achieve and truly timeless and elegant. For the bride, we love the look of a trumpet-style gown.
  • Bridesmaids can be styled in simple LBDs with the addition of headpieces or fascinators, and the groomsmen will look dashing in classic black tuxedos.
  • Champagne towers are making a comeback, especially in Roaring 20s-inspired celebrations. We adore the look of sophisticated black and white striped linens.
  • For brides preferring something a little more colourful, jewel tones are the way to go! Think of the rich shades of a peacock feather for inspiration.
  • ​With vintage ​wedding cars you can show up in style and use this classic as a prop in your wedding photos.
  • ​For wedding entertainment, try a unique performer like a Charlie Chaplin impersonator. With a comedic 20s era presence, Charlie can make your guests feel like they’ve travelled to a time of satire and silent films.
  • ​For your wedding photos, ask your wedding photographer about vintage overlay options for development. Your big day will be captured with a nostalgic 1920s look.

We wish you a happy marriage and roaring celebration!

 

Wonderful winter weddings

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A winter wedding can look absolutely beautiful. But which songs, hymns or carols should you incorporate into your big day that highlights this sensational season without being too Christmassy? We’ve selected five that go perfectly!

Winter – Vivaldi

It doesn’t matter if you play this exceptional tune from speakers or a string quartet as it truly is beautiful music to have as you walk down the aisle. Alternatively, you might wish to have Vivaldi playing whilst everybody is taking their seats for their ceremony; it really is a magnificent piece of wedding music. Even so, you might wish to skip the first two minutes as they are a tad intense for the ceremony! From then on though, this is a perfect tune for a winter wedding.

Walking in the Air – Peter Auty

Peter who? Aled Jones is the person most famous for singing Walking in the Air but did you know that it was actually Peter Auty who sang the song that you hear in The Snowman? He was too old to record it when the song became a hit so along came Aled Jones to take the glory. But let’s back on track: this is a stunning winter song to have at your wedding because it sounds superb no matter which instrument plays it. Harp, guitar, string quartet, solo vocalist… They all sound perfect. It’s also just the right amount of Christmassy for your ceremony, paying homage to the season but not being overtly about the season.

Love is all Around – The Troggs

This is an interesting one because although it was a summer hit way when Wet Wet Wet covered it back in 1994, a lot of your guests will hear Love is all Around and think of Christmas. Why? Thanks to Love Actually of course! In the film, Billy Mack records his own festive version of the song and it actually works rather well. A lovely tune that is sure to have a few people tapping their toes as you walk down the aisle, we think it sounds absolutely gorgeous from a string quartet, which is perhaps why the Troggs’ had one on the original hit!

Once in Royal David’s City – Choir of King’s College, Cambridge

For this particular list, you could honestly pick any Christmas carol so if Once in Royal David’s City isn’t your type of tune then feel free to swap it for something more up your street. Whether you’d like your congregation to sing a carol or book a choir to do the honours, there’s no denying that there is a sensational sense of beauty to the finest carols and it’s definitely a perk of getting married in December.

All You Need is Love – Lynden David Hall

Yes, yes, yes, we know that it’s another song from Love Actually but this one even features in the wedding scene at the beginning of the film! What more inspiration could you need? Soulfully sang by Lynden David Hall, various instruments appear from the pews during the ceremony, much to the delight of Keira Knightley and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

 

To have and to hold

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When planning a wedding there’s no doubt about it, in this day and age more and more couples are choosing to write their own wedding vows rather than follow the traditional verse. If you’re a modern man or woman, it probably makes sense, with the traditional vows perhaps being a bit too traditional in their tone, while many couples like to tailor their words to their partner in a more personal manner. With that in mind, here are a few tips!

Read Wedding Vows Online

We don’t mean the traditional words – though they could help too – but vows written by other modern couples! You can either watch them on YouTube or have a read through a variety of wedding sites. Certain phrases or ideas might be too good to pass up!

Agree on a Tone

This is a must because you don’t want to exchange vows for the first time at the altar, with one of you opting for a deadly serious tone and the other joking about the hilarity of the first date jitters. Pick a tone between you and stick to it. References to parts of the relationship are a nice idea, but ensure that you aren’t saying things to one another that your partner doesn’t want to be heard in front of friends and family…

Have a Ponder

What makes your relationship special? How do you view the person that you’re going to marry? Can you explain how they make you feel in just three words? What inspires you? What are you going to accomplish together? What difficulties have you faced as a couple? What does the future hold? These are all questions that can help when it comes to writing your wedding vows. Write the answers and then combine these thoughts into something coherent for the big day.

Think of a Promise

If you decided to google ‘define vows’, you’ll find that a vow is described as ‘a solemn promise’. As such, your vows shouldn’t just be a vivid description of how much you love the person in front of you but a moment to promise something to them, throughout your forthcoming wedded lives. “To love and to hold…” is of course the most famous traditional line, but we think you can come up with something just as good.

Don’t go on and on…and on…

…and on. A wedding is all about two people coming together and yes, it should be a given that you love each other very much, but unless you’re a top quality poet who’s won a Nobel Prize for your grasp of literary verse, it’s often best to keep your vows short and to the point. Nobody wants to feel that the most important of the wedding is dragging on and often, shorter is better (just like the wedding speeches!) with more meaningful choice words winning out over long, rambling declarations of love each and every time.

Enjoy it!

Our final tip isn’t so much a tip as a simple hope: Enjoy it! This is the only time you’ll get to say how you feel to your partner with all eyes on you. You’re marrying the love of your life! Make it special and bask in the occasion.

Good luck!

 

Packing for your Honeymoon

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After you’ve said “I do,” you can finally stop stressing out about place settings, wardrobe mishaps, wedding invitations, and everything else related to wedding planning, and you can focus on relaxing a bit. We’re talking, of course, about your honeymoon!

1) First and Last Day Outfits, Plus More

Chances are you’ll take the most photos on the first and last full days of your honeymoon, so plan to bring outfits special for the occasions. Whether it’s a fancy dinner, a night of dancing, or a highly anticipated show that you’re doing, plan to wear something that you absolutely love and that looks great on you. Past that, you’ll want to make sure you bring a variety of outfits to choose from depending on your plans. Make sure you have swimsuits or warm jackets (depending on your destination!), something for upscale locales, and perhaps most importantly, comfortable shoes that you can walk in for hours to sightsee.

2) Cameras, Chargers, Memory Cards, and Batteries

You’re going to want to take no fewer than a million photos, so make sure you bring everything you need to make sure you can. Along with your camera (or phone camera), you’ll want to make sure you have all of the components and accessories that it requires, like charging cables, memory cards, batteries, and the case so that it stays safe when you’re not using it.

3) Backup Plans for Itinerary Interruptions

Even if you’re the type of couple who prefers spontaneity on vacation, you’ve probably got some things you definitely want to do during your trip. Unfortunately, we all know that even the best-laid plans can fall through, so it might not be a bad idea to come up with a few backup plans just in case. For instance, if the special restaurant you really wanted to see doesn’t have a reservation or is unexpectedly closed, or the weather is bad on the day you wanted to take surfing lessons, you’ll want to make sure you have something else to fall back on lest you have to scramble to come up with a last-minute activity.

4) Luggage with Enough Room for Souvenirs

No matter where you vacation, you’ll probably end up picking up some mementos to bring back home either to remember your trip or to give as gifts to loved ones. When it comes time to fly home, it can be a real let-down to realize that all of your things won’t fit in the bags you brought, and you’ll have to decide whether to leave things behind or find an emergency second bag, which you’ll probably have to check at the airport (which can be costly, depending on the airline). Make sure that you either pack light enough that there’s some room left over or that your bag is big enough to accommodate all the things you want to bring and then some.

5) To Enjoy the Moment and Be Present

This one’s intangible, but when you’re on your honeymoon, it’s important to remember to really relax and enjoy yourselves. That means letting your work emails go unanswered (even if you have to force yourself not to check or take it off of your phone for the duration of the trip), unplugging from social media (it’s okay to post a picture here and there, but make sure you’re not spending your whole trip trying to snap the most Instagram-able shots. Take the opportunity to really connect with your new spouse and enjoy your time alone together!

 

That special dance

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There are a number of traditional moments on a wedding day. There’s walking down the aisle, the speeches, kissing the bride and many, many more. It’s fair to say that there is a lot to remember and that is never more true than with the first dance. Since all eyes are on you, here are our top tips to ensure your wedding dance goes without a hitch.

Take some dance lessons

You might not be the one to rush to the dance floor in a nightclub and you may not own a pair of dancing shoes, but at least attend a couple of sessions to get the basics. You might not become Michael Flatley overnight but you we think you’ll definitely pick up enough knowledge to not only scrape through the first round of Strictly, but also wow your guests!

Practice, practice, practice..

When doing the dishes, run through your steps. When out for a walk, practice your steps. When on the way to work, ponder through the movements in your mind. There’s nothing better than practicing your dance to ensure that it will be perfect on the day and if you’re lucky, the wedding venue might even allow you both in to see how much space you’ll have!

Pick something that’s danceable

It goes without saying that you should be sure to pick a song that is special to the two of you. Not only that but you also need to ensure that the lyrics are okay. Most important however, is making sure the song you pick is danceable. You might love heavy metal, but it doesn’t make for a good first dance wedding song. Here are the most popular ones and most come under three minutes and have a melodic tune. Take note and you should be fine!

Tell the wedding entertainment

If you have a live band rather than a DJ, it’s fair to assume the wedding band will be the ones playing your song on the day. You might not get a chance to rehearse with them, so do make sure that the song they’re learning is the version that you’re hoping to hear on the day. Many songs have numerous covers and it’d be terrible if they’ve learned the wrong one!

…And practice on the day

It’s all very well practicing from the comfort of your own home but we all know about nerves! Considering you might be performing your first dance in front of well over fifty people (and that would be on the small side), you might wish to run through it with your partner on the actual day. Can’t think of time when you’ll be alone? A wedding photographer is sure to allow you a couple of minutes to practice whilst waiting for the perfect shot.

Wear the right shoes

There’s no point practicing the dance in your slippers if you’re not going to be wearing them on the day. Unless you’re planning a sleepover themed wedding, we suspect you’ll be wearing some nice high heels or a smooth pair of black brogues. The thing about both these forms of footwear is they don’t tend to have a lot of grip… So make sure you’ve worn them during some of your rehearsals; nobody wants to fall over during their first dance!

 

Should I buy a hat?

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When planning a wedding outfit, stylish, dramatic and beautiful, fascinators are becoming a must-have addition to any look, and, for the modern wedding guest they are a stunning addition to this season’s trends. So what are your options? Here are some top tips to help you find the perfect fascinator.

Large, colourful hats have traditionally always been the desired choice for a mother of the bride or groom. A trend resulting in nothing less than a huge hat-off between wedding guests determined to impress with stunning headwear. Thank goodness then that the current trends have seen the fascinator come into its own.

What is a fascinator?

A dramatic headpiece often made from feathers, fabric, beads or flowers, attached to a headband or comb. They come in a huge range of shades and colours and tend to cost less than more traditional forms of headwear. You’ll find styles and shapes to suit every face shape or hair style.

Where to start?

A bigger shop is more likely to have a wide range of styles to choose from and it’s a good idea to take a swatch of your outfit along to match colours as well as possible.

Debenhams and Selfridges.

Online stores are a fantastic starting point and if you are willing to take a risk you may even pick up a bargain on e-bay. However, it’s always nicer and less risky to try before you buy.

Go with a trusted friend and a digital camera so that you can try on lots of different styles and then have some thinking time before deciding what looks best.

Think about your hairstyle and how your chosen fascinator will complement your hairstyle and colour.

Bespoke or budget?

If you have the budget then go for a bespoke fascinator, a made-to-order piece in your chosen style and colour. Alternatively search for one-off creations in smaller boutiques and shops.

Happy headwear hunting!

 

Less travel more holidays

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There are over 1.8 billion transits and stopover flights annually that are more cost-efficient than long-haul direct flights. So instead of avoiding the extra hours, why not enjoy a longer stop and have two holidays instead of one? So that means if you’re going on your honeymoon, you can explore a new location and stay at one of these select hotels before taking their next flight. From stretching your legs riding a bike in Amsterdam to a rejuvenating jetlag therapy treatment in Bangkok,

Amsterdam

The Dylan, Amsterdam;

This stunning hotel is a destination for a swift visit. Wind down with a glass of delicious seasonal wine and savoury amuse-style bites, finely selected by the executive chef Dennis Kuiper. Guests can also stretch their legs and explore the Dutch city on one of the hotel’s private bikes.

New York

Loews Regency, New York

Guests can relax and restore in this stunningly renovated hotel after a long flight or even after a day of sightseeing, with Loews’s special restoring package. This includes two cocktails at The Regency Bar as well as a reviving spa session at Julian Farel’s salon in midtown Manhattan.

Zurich

Baur Au Lac: Zurich

Let time fly in the beautiful city of Zurich with Baur Au Lac’s delicious afternoon tea, and enjoy the historical atmosphere of the location through this culinary delight. Taste homemade scones, exquisite sandwiches and pastries in the hotel’s Le Hall after a tranquil walk by the lake.

So when planning your perfect wedding, think about travel that’s involved with these destinations and play it smart. Happy honeymoon!!!

 

How to choose the right music

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We suggest that you don’t choose anything too cutting edge. That doesn’t mean to say you can’t show off your taste in music but if you choose that week’s number one hit, you might regret it in years to come. Just as you might regret wearing a wedding dress that’s heavily styled for the moment. Go a little classic and you’ll never be out of style.

There are also some things you’ll need to bear in mind when making your music choices.

You need to consider just how long it’s going to take you to walk down the aisle. It usually takes about one to two minutes for most brides to walk the aisle. So choose a piece that doesn’t have a long intro or is instantly recognisable. If you’re planning a religious ceremony, some churches won’t allow you to play non-classical music or your own music. So you need to check your choices with the vicar.

Next, you should be thinking about how your wedding music is going to be played. If it’s in a religious building, keep it classic and have it played on the organ. Alternatively, you could organise your own musicians to fill the hall with romance.

Four pieces of music to play when you walk down the aisle;

  • The wedding processional from the Sound of Music.

  • Clair de Lune by Debussy.

  • For The Love of a Princess from Braveheart.

  • The Bridal Chorus by Wagner.

Well this is the most traditional of traditional music to walk up the aisle to. Everybody will know you’ve arrived when this starts to play!

Now what about after you’ve said your vows? When you’ve signed the register and you’re legally man and wife and starting the first steps on your new life together?

Here you can change the tempo a little bit, and have something that’s celebratory and uplifting.

  • Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours by Stevie Wonder.

This says it all really. You’ve said your vows and you’re on your way. A timeless piece that’s joyful, catchy and instantly recognisable.

 

A wedding poem

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Sometimes words are not enough and writing something for a bride who had been told she that only had a short time to live, she may want to write a poem for her groom thanking him for sticking by her, and loving her through tough times. Or writing something to be read at the wedding reception, thanking all their friends and family who helped her to put the wedding together so quickly. This of course can be a very precious keepsake.

Anything written by you is touching in their own way. A groom may want to write a poem for his bride about all the things he loved about her – right down to her not being the best singer in the world, but loved to hear her sing as it meant she was happy. You may have been through tough times, but against all the odds, you made it to the altar and are looking forward to the future together.

Little details make the difference, so in each case try to weave your personal memories and feelings into something that you are proud to deliver, either written down, or read aloud.

Poems are incredibly useful when used as best man speeches. Often the best man doesn’t have a lot of public speaking experience and it can be daunting, and so it can be nice to have the rhythm of a poem as something to focus on while they are trying to deliver their speech. Also, for a best man, what they really want to do is be there for their friend in the run up to the wedding, so having a poem to be used as their best man speech frees up their time to really be there for them. Then all they need to do is practice their poem, present on the big day and then sit back and take all the praise for their clever delivery!

Best Man poems can contain all the regular things you would put into a best man speech, so humorous tales from the groom’s younger days, and how he met his bride and what his friends think of her, messages from friends who can’t be there and thanks you’s and so on. They can choose to have their full speech as poem, or just a small part, perhaps to be used as the crowning glory and rounding off their speech.

Poems can be presented as gifts in a number of ways, as the main gift where the sentiment is in the words, or as thank you poems for the bridesmaids to go alongside any other little gifts that you may give them. They may want to simply write it into a card, frame it with a wedding photo, record themselves reading it and then share it, or have it transcribed into calligraphy.

 

Beautiful winter weddings

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The number of winter weddings taking place every year is increasing. Although off-season rates are a factor for many couple’s, there are lots of fun reasons to have your big day during the winter months.

  • As dusk falls early, you have an extended evening to celebrate. With endless possibilities for candles, fairy lights, and fireworks to light up the night sky, winter weddings are a great excuse to have fun with lights.

  • Every winter bride dreams of a magical sprinkling of snow. If you get married north of the border, the chance increases even further.

  • Most wedding venues and wedding suppliers will have off season rates, but many will also provide tempting incentives. Scottish venue Dundas Castle is offering complimentary bubbly, fairy light ceiling, and sparklers to all winter weddings in January and February 2017 as part of its ‘Winter Sparkle’ promotion.

  • Why not welcome your guests into your wedding venue that has a roaring open fire? You could also reflect on your day with a nightcap as the fire crackles – one of the great pleasures of winter weddings.

  • Winter is full of memorable dates to make your chosen day even more special. You could have a festive Christmas wedding, a romantic Valentine’s weekend wedding, or even start the New Year as you mean to go on – as a married couple.

  • Fly to the Maldives during Summer, and you’ll hit a monsoon! Winter is southern hemisphere honeymoon season, with no school holiday supplements. The chance to ski or get some much needed winter sun makes it a honeymoon triple whammy!

  • Getting married in winter totally eliminates ‘Will it? Won’t it?’ weather related stress. Guests will be expecting colder weather, so the focus will be on what’s going on indoors. That way, any snow or winter sun comes as an added bonus.

  • Your guests may have ‘wedding fatigue’ by the time your summer wedding comes around. A winter wedding will be a seasonal highlight too. This gives you and your guests a great excuse for a post-Christmas knees up.

  • Winter is still low season, making getting your ideal Saturday date a breeze. It’s also much easier finding accommodation for your guests, or bagging your dream photographer or wedding band.

  • Last but surely not least, a winter wedding is your chance to sport some stylish bridal wellies. If you’re less adventurous, winter offers a plethora of clothing options. Why not go for fake fur, feathers and capes to tempt the fashion conscious.