Category Archives: The Big Day

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.

 

Record your Wedding memories

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When planning a Wedding searching for a quirky way to record all your wedding memories and good luck messages? Look no further! Here are five fabulous alternatives to the traditional guest book…

Puzzle pieces

Your guests write a message on the back of the wooden jigsaw pieces and then you fit them together after the big day and create a wonderful, original work of art to display long after the big day. Just make sure you ask guests to write their messages before the drinks start flowing!

Celebration Tree

Let your guests design an original work of art for you to treasure and admire in your home for years to come with the Celebration Tree! Your friends and family simply ‘leaf’ their fingerprint onto a chosen branch. They can sign the leaf if you wish but celebration tree also offer a self-adhesive signature plate that you can stick to the back of the frame picture if you wish.

Vintage typewriter

Your guests type a message on the long scroll of paper set up on the old vintage typewriter. Hear the clunking of the keys and again another fun interactive way to engage with your guests. Great nostalgic idea and will make a wonderful table piece. If you can’t borrow – or you don’t want to buy – a vintage typewriter just for one day, how about hiring one?

Wishing well cards

Wishing well cards are a fun alternative to traditional wedding guest books. The pretty bird designs work especially well if you’re planning an outdoor or nature-inspired celebration. Your guests simply write their good luck messages, or their advice for the future, and then mail them into a beautiful birdcage. There are lots of colour options available, too, so you can easily find the one that works well with your theme.

Wooden hearts

This idea is so romantic! Ask your guests to sign their love on a wooden heart keepsake that you can keep in your treasure chest to look over on your anniversary. You could even make these wooden hearts your inspiration for your whole wedding theme, and offer heart favours and incorporate a heart onto your thank you cards.

Luxury Weddings on a budget

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With the average wedding in the UK costing around £20,000, it’s understandable why some couples quiver at the thought of tying the knot. But this shouldn’t steer those wanting to get hitched away from their dream day. Here are some handy tips on how to avoid a five figure bill while still achieving a wedding day to remember

Avoiding an engagement party to cut costs is totally missing out on a valuable opportunity to gather essentials which could help to cover costs otherwise incurred. By being opportunistic and holding a small gathering to celebrate will spark generosity between friends and family which will be needed in the run up to the big day.

Nothing pulls harder on a guest’s heart strings than a handwritten invitation. Scattered with personalised notes and hand-stuck pictures; there is no cheaper way of convincing a guest to join in the celebrations on the big day.

Everyone wants to say their vows on the weekend. Instead pay less and give family and friends the opportunity to take some well-deserved time off during the week to celebrate? It often costs much less to host your wedding on a Friday and means your guests can stay and celebrate with you all weekend long if you choose!

Being in love with a prestige location needn’t mean it has to be ruled out. For example, wedding venues in Oxfordshire, the Cotswolds, the Lake District and other countryside locations can be pretty pricey; however, by doing some homework, modern residencies like the Oxford Abingdon Hotel can cater for a range of sizes and budgets while still being in the heart of the destination.

One of the biggest costs faced is internal or external wedding caterers. As opposed to cutting back on courses or opting for a buffet, why not consider inviting fewer guests and upping the style of dining? Alternatively, a buffet can also be a viable option which will reduce the overall cost.

After stretching the budget to craft a truly fabulous wedding day, it could all have been in vain if one chooses to start a bar tab. Instead, pay-as-you-go to avoid a bad start to the honeymoon.

No matter how many lists or hints received by guests, it is inevitable that a handful of, to put it nicely, non-favourable gifts will be received. By utilising handy sites like eBay and Gumtree, shifting these will help save for a dreamy honeymoon.

 

Perfect Wedding packages

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Get hitched in the capital!

Where? Hotel Russell, London

The deal: If you want an iconic celebration on a shoestring, this opulent hotel in the heart of London’s Bloomsbury is hard to beat! Offering a range of packages to suit all budgets, get more bang for your buck by plumping for the ‘Perfect Day Package’, which will keep a party of 50 elegantly wined and dined for a very pocket-friendly £3,995! Including your own wedding coordinator, a sumptuous three-course spread, fizz and a complimentary first night stay for the newlyweds – a DJ or yummy canapés will also be thrown in to make sure your day goes with a bang.

Spectacular scenery!

Where? Cotswold Water Park Hotel, Gloucestershire.

The deal: Craving a Cotswolds wedding? Brilliantly, this luxury four-star hotel offers an impressive all-inclusive package for celebrations held during January and February, starting from £4,995. Including all the essentials – from room hire for your ceremony and reception, a top notch wedding breakfast for 60 people and an evening buffet for 100 – plenty of coo- inducing extras will be thrown in for good measure such as a red carpet welcome and use of the picture-perfect lake for your wedding albums!

Take to The Thames!

Where? Runnymede-On-Thames, Windsor

The deal: For a wedding with real wow factor, this beautiful hotel offers an “Unconventional Package” for £135 per person – which means you can party with 35 of your nearest and dearest and still come in under the £5k budget! Including wedding venue hire for your civil ceremony, a delicious riverside three-course barbeque and four-hour riverboat cruise, complete with stunning views and your own banging DJ – why stay on land when you can take your party to the river?

Hire a castle!

Where? Lumley Castle, County Durham

The deal: Think a castle wedding venue is out of reach? Refreshingly Lumley’s ‘Fairy-tale Package’ means history-loving couples can now enjoy all the grandeur of high society for as little as £2,500! Say ‘I do’ in one of Lumley’s magnificent state rooms before enjoying a formal three-course wedding breakfast fit for a king, for 40 people. An evening buffet and first night stay in one of the castle’s grand bedrooms is also included, so you are guaranteed to feel like royalty.

Country chic!

Where? Stapleford Park Country House Hotel, Leicestershire

The deal: A secret hideaway for countless celebs, if you are looking for a small but perfectly formed celebration, this sprawling estate is a must-visit. Offering a spend-savvy ‘Intimate Package’ at £115 per person (available for small weddings held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays), doing our marital maths, this means you could bag the tranquil grounds, a stylish drinks reception and three-course wedding breakfast for 30 people for just £3,450.

 

Don’t get tongue tied

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When planning a Wedding traditionally, at the reception, the bride’s father is the first one to make a speech to the wedding guests. Closely followed by the best man and groom, the father of the bride is usually seen as a bit of a warm-up act, and something to be endured rather than enjoyed. However, with a little effort you can make sure your moment in the spotlight is something to be remembered.

Whether you intend to make it short and sweet, or to really reap the benefits of the spotlight, your speech will need to contain some basic elements if it is to be in keeping with tradition.

Ask any public speaker what their biggest fear is, and they’ll pretty much always say it’s forgetting where they are in their speech. Take your speech on cue cards with bullet-pointed reminders of what you want to talk about, rather than printing it all out in full. This will give you a more natural delivery, and will save you having to read through several paragraphs to find your place after getting lost.

If you do get stuck, use a moment to clear your throat, take a drink of water or give your daughter a kiss. These moments might seem a lifetime to you, but will feel like a natural pause to your audience, and will give you the breathing space you need to get things back on track. Take your time, don’t panic and try to enjoy your moment of fame.

  • You need to introduce yourself, but it doesn’t have to be reminiscent of an AA meeting. Tell them your name and maybe crack a small joke to make yourself feel relaxed.

  • Make a formal welcome to everyone, and thank them for coming. Try to mention, in particular, the bride’s mother and the groom’s parents too.

  • Formally welcome the groom to your family, in any way you feel appropriate. You can mention how you felt about him when you first met him, or a moment when you’ve been particularly glad he’s around.

  • As the elder speaker at the wedding venue, you should impart some of your wisdom to the happy couple about maintaining a healthy marriage or living a happy life. This is also a good place to throw in some jokes about wives, weddings or life in general, just as long as it doesn’t upset your wife!

  • Finish up by asking everyone to stand and raise a glass to the happy couple. No doubt, the best man will do something similar at the end of his speech too, but it’s the traditional way to close yours.

Jokes are a great way to break the ice and loosen up the crowd, but don’t be too focused on being funny. You’re the elder statesman of the speakers today, so you can afford to be a bit more conservative in your words. That doesn’t mean you have to be full though; a few jibes at the expense of the wedding or your daughter’s love of spending money are fine, just don’t go too close to the bone. Leave it to the best man to really roast up the groom, and focus on welcoming your new son-in-law to the family and toasting the happy couple.

 

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.

Just chill!

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Keep calm and marry on! Wave farewell to wedding worries with these six steps. Wedding day nerves may be natural, but that doesn’t make them nice. Planning a wedding certainly hits the nerves, these are the commandments to wed by if you want to keep those niggling thoughts at bay. You’ve got this!

Between friends

For many brides, the moment you walk down the aisle is like marmite – you either love the idea or are filled with nervous dread. All eyes will be on you, but remember that they are those of friends and family. Your guests are all there to wish you well and to celebrate your marriage, and definitely not to be critical. Try to keep this in mind.

And if you’re worried about tripping? Don’t be. You’ve got someone’s arm there for physical support, you’ll be walking slowly, and your dress has already been altered for the perfect fit. You’ve got nothing to worry about.

Forgo formalities

If familiar faces don’t still your nerves, then consider forgoing some of the formalities that might make you unnecessarily anxious. If either of you can’t bear to be the centre of attention, ditch the speeches and receiving line, perhaps even the top table, to relax things. Round tables will be more convivial and prevent you from feeling on show during the wedding breakfast. Your conversation can then flow as freely as the Champagne, without any pressures, and you can stop and say a few words if and when you please.

Sharing is caring

If people don’t know what you’re feeling, they won’t always be able to help, so be sure to tell them. This applies both during the run up and on the day. Are you nervous? Stressed? Excited? Tearful? You’d be surprised how much just saying it out loud will help. When the day comes, remember that you’ll be surrounded by the people that you love the most and who love you in return – we bet they’ll be able to keep you smiling and feeling steady.

Mind over matter

Maintain this mantra for all elements of your wedding, through the wedding planning to the day itself. You can practise mindfulness techniques to keep your head happy and clear. It can be as simple as focussing on taking slow, deep breaths for a few minutes or pausing to acknowledge the things that make you happy each day.

It’s about being aware of each moment and not wrapped up in other worries. Try these techniques at night for better sleep, and, if you’re still struggling to switch off, grab a sleep-nourishing pillow mist to spritz over your cushions just before you turn in.

What wedding?

Yes, you might have a lot to do to put your wedding together, but you absolutely must make time for other things. Plan date nights, dinner with friends, girly nights in or out. Don’t let every minute, conversation or social visit become about your wedding otherwise it will consume you. Make sure exercise is part of your schedule too for a happy and healthy you – yoga will be especially good for clearing your mind and aiding relaxation.

 

Indoors or outdoors weddings?

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With summer here – the preview was obviously the weather last week – many start to ponder whether they should have their wedding indoors or outside at their wedding venue. Of course, if you decide to go with the latter option, you might also decide to theme your big day and with that in mind, we’ve put together a few acts that are perfect for a festival themed wedding.

A capella

A capella is classic with songs ranging from classics through to modern hits. Giving off a summer vibe, you’ll will find all your wedding guests fall in love to the dulcet tones of an A Capella group long after the sun sets.

Face Painting

A superb choice if you have children attending your wedding, this is also a fun idea if you have adults who enjoy letting their hair down every once in awhile! From butterflies to tigers and many other designs, our incredible face painters will be able to paint your face in a matter of minutes. Calling to mind summer days in long grass, we love this idea and it’ll certainly liven up your wedding photos!

Circus wedding entertainment.

If you decide to hire some circus entertainment for your festival wedding then it’s probably best to go with a strolling act because it’s a lot more likely that the majority of your guests will be able to see their show. A circus act like Acro-Jugglers are great fun and will certainly enhance the enjoyment of the day, whilst also providing some spectacular moments for Instagram and Facebook. Other circus options include unicyclists and balloon artists (to name just a few).

Photobooth

If you can give us one good reason why you wouldn’t want to have a photobooth at your wedding then we’d like to hear it! They are easily one of the most popular forms of wedding entertainment that are booked for weddings and the best bit is that they can often be customised to suit you! There are so many different types that there is bound to be a booth that best represents the personality of the bride and groom from Tuk Tuk to Camper Van and many more besides!

 

Your wedding march song

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When it comes to planning your wedding ceremony, you can choose to walk down the aisle to any music you like. Some people choose a pop track, others choose a classical version of a pop track and most dispense with pop tracks entirely and go for a tradition piece of wedding music to accompany them on the most exciting walk of their life.

That intro wasn’t quite true; religious songs at secular ceremonies might not be allowed depending on your wedding venue so do check in advance. That being said, the three most traditional pieces of music that brides choose for their wedding ceremony aren’t deemed to be religious so go ahead and pick them if you’ve been wanting them for years! Below we’ll run through Pachelbel’s Canon, Mendelssohn’s Wedding March and Wagner’s Here Comes the Bride.

Pachelbel’s Canon

A wedding favourite, Pachelbel’s Canon wasn’t always as popular as it is today. It was lost for centuries until it was republished in 1919 and only became a tradition wedding staple in the 1970s when the Palliard Chamber Orchestra recorded themselves playing the piece, which was then used in a number of adverts and film scores. A canon is a piece of music repeated a number of times by different ‘voices’ and in Pachelbel’s case, his Canon is the same eight bars repeated twenty-eight times. Apparently it’s awful to play if you’re on the cello, as this comedian recalls.

 Mendelssohn’s Wedding March

Another popular tune to be played a wedding ceremony, Mendelssohn’s Wedding March is a composition that every string quartet will know. Often used as the ‘recessional’ to close the service, the fanfare that begins the Wedding March effectively introduces the married couple to the guests. Composed as part of his most famous work, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it was initially used between acts IV and V during a wedding feast. It has been used at weddings since at least 1848, though only became hugely popular from 1858, when Queen Victoria’s daughter, Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise, got married to Prince Frederick William of Prussia.

Wagner’s Here Comes the Bride

Richard Wagner’s Here Comes the Bride was composed as part of his opera, Lohengrin, in 1850. Officially known as the Bridal Chorus, Wagner’s piece if most often used to announce the entrance of the bride and has become a seminal – if controversial – part of traditional wedding ceremonies. Why controversial? Well for a time, the tune was associated with paganism thanks to the content of the opera, leading to the Roman Catholic church regarding it with some suspicion. Thankfully, the popularity of the piece is almost certain to outweigh any misgivings about the song’s origins these days and it’s instantly recognisable notes mean that it is one of the only orchestral pieces that can be played on a variety of different instruments.

 

The First 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.

 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 band

 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!

 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 venue might even allow you both in to see how much space you’ll have!

 …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!

Back straight and keep smiling!

Although you want to make sure your shoes aren’t slippery and that you’ve worn them before the music begins, remember that nobody will be watching your feet.  All the focus will be on your upper body so if all else fails, keep your back straight and smile!