Category Archives: Wedding Party

What to do if it rains at your Wedding?

Posted on by

Unknown

If your wedding is just around the corner you’ve probably been refreshing the 10-day forecast every other hour. The last thing you want is bad weather on your wedding day, but sometimes it’s simply unavoidable and it’s important you have a Plan B.

This means if that dreaded rain cloud does appear on the weather forecast, you can still relax and enjoy your wedding day as you’ve already got a back-up plan in place. Note – this is much better than having a breakdown on the morning of your wedding because your ceremony is based outside and it’s pouring with rain.

Prepare your photographer

A good wedding photographer will have a back-up plan for bad weather. However, it’s always worthwhile showing them around the venue before the big day so they can see possible areas to shoot if photographing outside is impossible. This will save a whole ton of time on the day! Photographers can also take some seriously romantic shots in the rain if you’re brave enough.

Always accessorise

Stock up on some pretty umbrellas and colourful wellies! Supply your guests with a box of brollies (they might not be as prepared as you) and match the colours to the theme of your wedding day. This will also look fab in your wedding photographs.

Choose a summer wedding

If you know this is something you are really going to stress about, to the point where it takes over and you end up dreading your big day, choose to have a summer wedding as it’s way less likely to rain.

Have a back-up plan

If you’re planning on having an outdoor ceremony, always book a venue that has a back-up option if it rains. It’s extra helpful if you have the option to switching to an indoor ceremony at the last minute, if not, ensure there is cover if it does rain!

Avoid any make-up disasters

If you want to keep your make-up looking perfect for the whole day, including if it rains, set your foundation with a primer. Wear waterproof mascara and water-resistant foundation, just to be extra safe!

Embrace it

If it rains on your wedding day, there’s not much you can do about it so simply embrace it! Do not let it stop you and your hubby enjoying your special day. It also makes for some seriously romantic photographs in the rain…

Scariest stag night ideas

Posted on by

If your man is an adrenaline junkie looking for something a little bit more adventurous than a night on the tiles…

The Bull Run

Available to stags in Madrid, this event takes the bull by the horns and pits the guys against some terrifying beasts. Running with the bulls is one of the most famous events in Europe, and it’s a sensational idea for a stag party. The event is steeped in tradition and the experiences on offer come with either a mentor or a tutor to ensure both your safety, as well as that of the animals.

This is a great way to embrace the culture of another country in a completely fun and novel way. Events come with a Spanish meal, so your groom will have enough energy to get out of the way of the horns!

Bungee run

If the groom is a big kid at heart, this classic event will take him right back to his childhood. Now he and his mates are all ‘grown up,’ no doubt there’ll be an added element of competition. The point of the event is to run as far as possible before the bungee hurls you backwards. In the process, the competitors have to place a baton as far along the belt as possible. The bouncy castle arena makes the going unstable as the guys run for the end, and this will inevitably tee up some quality tumbles. 

Sumo Wrestling

This fun-fuelled event pits fellow stag group members against each other.  The guys are separated into two teams and thrown into head-to-head competition. The winning team will be determined by the amount of wins they get under their extremely large belts. In some locations you can theme your evening with a trip to a Japanese restaurant, where sake will undoubtedly be on the menu.

The Kidnap

(Before you decide this would be great for your stag night, please make sure he is not of a nervous disposition). Available in Eastern Europe, the event involves a group of ‘soldiers’ ambushing the group and hijacking the stag, and whoever else is in the dark, at (fake) gun point and bundling them into the back of a van, where they are then taken off to a derelict prison. After some intimidation through mock torture, they reveal the hoax and let everyone go. 

An alternative scenario is where the stag is handcuffed and a bag is thrown over his head. He’s then bundled into the back of a car and taken away. When they stop, he is walked into a building where he is then chained to a pole. The bag is then removed to reveal a lap dance club and the rest of the group, who are probably pretty happy with themselves by this point.

These are pretty extreme scenarios, we do think however, it would be best to drop a few subtle hints to the groom beforehand, so at least he knows ‘something’ is going to happen. This is not for the faint-hearted, but that’s the whole point of these scary alternatives.

How do you buy a gift that says everything?

Posted on by

Buying presents for your loved ones on the big day can be a difficult task.

Anything written by you are 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.

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 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.

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.

How is a poem useful when used in a best man speech?

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 wedding 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! Perfect!

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 wedding 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 photo, record themselves reading it and then share it on YouTube, or have it transcribed into calligraphy.

Your wedding photography checklist

Posted on by

You don’t want to forget anything. All those important moments need to be captured.

  • The Photos You Really Don’t Want to Forget on Your Wedding Day
  • Before the ceremony
  • Shots of the bride and bridesmaids getting ready
  • The bride and father in the wedding car
  • The groom preparing
  • Wedding dress hanging on a beautiful hanger
  • Wedding Shoes
  • Groom waiting (nervously!) outside venue
  • Shot of the bridesmaids
  • During the ceremony
  • The bride’s grand entrance
  • The guests’ faces on seeing the bride
  • The groom waiting at the altar
  • The ring exchange
  • The kiss
  • Register signing
  • Bride and groom leaving
  • A confetti shot
  • It’s traditional to have photographs of:
  • Bride, groom, best man and ushers
  • Bride, groom, and both sets of parents
  • Bride and groom as new couple
  • Bride and groom with bridesmaids
  • Bride and groom with brothers and sisters
  • Bride and groom with grandparents
  • Bride and her mother
  • Groom and his father
  • Bride and groom with friends
  • Whole bridal party and guests

 

Reception

  • The decorated room and table plan before the guests arrive
  • Bride and groom entering
  • Speeches
  • Cake cutting
  • First dance of the bride and groom

Of course, you can add to and amend this wedding photography checklist however you want. But these are the classic images to build around. Enjoy your big day!

Breaking the ice with some entertainment ideas

Posted on by

When it comes to wedding reception entertainment ideas (and we’re talking about the drinks reception here), there’s a number of ways which you can go. Many choose to simply ditch entertainment completely in favour of quiet talking or complete silence as guests struggle to work out just who they should speak to over their glass of Champagne. In order to break the ice, we think that a little wedding entertainment goes a long way and here are just a few ideas to get you started

There’s nothing quite like completing the wedding vows and heading to the wedding reception to be met by the sound of bagpipes. Many of the guests may be in kilts anyway so it’s a perfect excuse to celebrate your heritage! Admittedly if neither the groom nor bride are Scottish or Irish, bagpipes may be a truly unusual wedding party entertainment idea, but there are many other options. The kora is a gorgeous instrument for those of African heritage.

Some find it very difficult to chat to others at weddings, especially if they haven’t brought along a plus one. Not to worry what about having some lookalikes which will be a fantastic way to get wedding guests talking be they playing a celebrity that the bride or groom might fancy or a favourite character from their childhood! Captain Jack Sparrow is sure to give the wedding party ideas when it comes to breaking the ice or you could even go for the real thing! Contestants from the X Factor and Britain’s got Talent aren’t as expensive as you might think and are sure to wow the assembled guests with their musical talents.

Some strolling entertainment at your reception is often a fab way to get people chatting. Moving away from the music acts, there are some wonderfully romantic wedding entertainment ideas that at first might not seem obvious but then make sense when you’re there. One of these is looking into hiring a fortune teller, tarot card or palm reader. A great bit of fun, you never know, they may just see another wedding on the horizon between a couple of your guests!

If you aren’t too sure about predicting the future of those in your wedding party, ideas don’t come much better than getting a magician for your big day. As the wedding reception entertainment, magic is sure to bring people together and provides a little relaxation for the Best Man and others ahead of the speeches later on! A handwriting expert is also an unusual entertainment idea for a wedding but no less compelling. Who doesn’t want to know what their handwriting tells an expert about them!? You never know, the writing might be on the wall for another marriage before too long.

Don’t forget the lighting

Posted on by

Many people forget about lighting when they are planning their wedding reception –

“Wedding Lighting is a key area that people find difficult to get right, yet it is so important in creating a stunning atmosphere and making sure that you and your guests feel comfortable, relaxed and have a good time.”

Night and Day

If you are planning an evening reception, look at the room that you are going to use for the reception after dark, as well as in daytime. You can then see how the fixed lighting in the room works and think about what lighting you need for your reception to add the right atmosphere. Uplighters might be the perfect solution to bring the room to life at night.

Dancefloor divas

If your reception is a venue where the dancefloor, tables and chairs are set up in different parts of the same room, use different coloured lighting to separate the two areas and build up the atmosphere. Make sure your dad’s moves are in the limelight while he’s busting his moves! (…or keep him and those moves in the dark.)

Mood setting

Coloured venue lighting really adds atmosphere to a room. Use different colours to really set the mood for each part of the evening – from the welcomes drinks right through to the meal and dancing. This can be pre-programmed and done at the touch of a button if you use an intelligent lighting system.

Light the way

If you expect your guests to use outdoor space in the evening, ensure that steps and uneven services are well lit to avoid accidents. Create a magical atmosphere by hanging lanterns in your venue’s outside space, or if you are on a budget, why not try tea lights in old glass jam jars and use them to light up the paths or shrubbery?

Great lighting can be set up around any size of budget – think about what you want to do first, talk to your venue and then take advice from an event planner or lighting designer. Even the simplest of lighting schemes can impress your guests if they are done right.

How to choose your guests for your Wedding

Posted on by

When it comes to wedding parties, there are many different schools of thought. There are those couples who want every single important person in their lives to stand up at their wedding. There are those who feel obligated to invite anyone for whom they’ve stood up in their wedding party. And then there are those who think wedding parties are just plain ridiculous.

Most people, though, fall somewhere in the midst of these opinions. The average bridal party size is eight (four on each side), but that doesn’t mean you have to fit the “norm.” Here are some tips on how to choose your wedding party:

1. Think about your overall event size. If you’re having a 25-person or less wedding, having a large wedding party would just be awkward. Scale down your party in accordance with your event size.
2. Are you having a formal or casual wedding? For the most part, casual weddings are more suited to smaller wedding parties, where formal weddings can support a larger one.
3. Try to keep it balanced. While it’s perfectly fine to have more women than men (or vice versa) in your wedding party, do your best to keep it close to balanced so it doesn’t look odd in photos. If you find yourself with a large difference, consider narrowing down your wedding party to just one or two on each side to keep it under control.
4. Start with siblings. Especially if you’re having a small wedding party, invite siblings before you invite friends. Your family has always and will always be a part of your lives, so they should come first.
5. Consider their circumstances. Being in a wedding party requires a significant investment of time and money. Make sure that your invitation to serve as a wedding attendant won’t be a hardship on anyone.
6. Remember there are other ways to honour people. If you have a lot of people you want to stand up for you at your wedding but there isn’t room in the wedding party, consider inviting people to serve as ushers, guest book attendants, gift collectors, speakers, singers, or other important roles on your special day instead.
7. Pick people you can rely on. Your wedding day party is meant to include people who do more than just stand beside you and smile for pictures. You’ll need to rely on them for any number of things before and during the wedding. Choose your party accordingly.
8. Consider how long you’ve known them. Once you’ve asked your family, it’s time to consider which friends you’d like to ask to stand up for you. I recommend beginning with the friends you’ve known the longest, the ones who have been there with you through thick or thin. Those are the friends who are most likely to help you out when you need it, and who will remain a part of your life after the wedding.

These are our quick tips on choosing your wedding party, but the fact is, there aren’t any hard and fast rules. Do what works best for you and your wedding.

Same Sex Wedding Tips

Posted on by

Wedding planning is stressful enough. It gets even more confusing when most of the advice out there revolves around a bride and groom—and you’re both one of the above.

1. Don’t worry about what you “should” do

Instead of worrying about how to make your ceremony line up with (straight) tradition, view it as a chance to throw an event exactly your way, without any of the old-school “must-haves” that don’t mean anything to you personally. “Because many same-sex couples don’t have gendered roles in their relationship, they really have the freedom to reinvent the wedding.

2. Get creative with your wedding party

Who says a woman has to have maids of honour and only guys get to nominate best men? Choose the guests you want up at the altar with you—whatever sex they are—and name them accordingly. You could have bride’s men, groom’s maids, a man of honour or a best woman, for instance, or give the whole gang a fun name like the “I Do Crew” or “Bridal Brigade.” Or skip the guests altogether and keep all eyes on you and your partner.

3. Social media is your friend

Can’t visualize what your invitations, vows or any other part of your wedding should look like? That’s what Pinterest is for.

4. Put your own stamp on the ceremony

Many traditional wedding ceremonies feature a groom waiting at the altar for his bride to walk toward him down the aisle. So what happens if you’ve got two grooms or two brides? It totally depends on what you and your partner feel comfortable with. Some ideas:

Walk down the aisle one right after the other.

Walk each other down the aisle, perhaps arm in arm or holding hands.

Walk in unison down separate aisles leading to the altar.

Flip a coin before the ceremony to decide who proceeds down the aisle first.

5. You can still have your own pre-parties

There’s no reason you have to forego a party with your best mates just because you’re both stags or hens. So go ahead and plan your own celebration, whether it’s a weekend in Amsterdam or a trip to the seaside. One thing that’s really common is two partners having separate parties on the same night and then meeting up at the end.

6. A planner may be worth the money

Though a wedding planner isn’t in everyone’s budget, a coordinator can help you save time by steering you toward venues and officiants that he knows to be inclusive of same-sex weddings.

7. Vet your honeymoon destination before you book

Once you’ve come up with a list of dream destinations—particularly international ones—do a little research first and cross off any that don’t afford the same legal protections and cultural acceptance that same-sex couples have here. That way, your honeymoon can be just as blissful as the wedding itself.

Mother of the bride

Posted on by

Even though it’s all out of the goodness of their hearts, the Mother of the bride and the mother of the groom can get a little too involved in the Wedding. Here are a few things that they definitely shouldn’t be doing – where you know they’ve crossed a line…

Obviously, with their child getting married, both sets of mothers are bound to get excited. Your diaries will be filling up with lunch dates with you and your mother, or you and your groom’s mum where every single thing you could possibly talk about when it comes to weddings, will be mentioned.

It’s good to see brides accepting help from others so they get a bit of stress relief, but don’t let that mean that no part or no detail of your wedding is planned by you. It’s not uncommon to see that motherly tendency of ‘taking over’ – whether subtle or slightly more aggressive – so be warned. If you want something done in that way, don’t let your mother’s words sway you. Your day, your way – and that’s that.

As we said, by no means refuse ALL the help the offer, because at the end of the day, it’s saving you a job and it’s saving you time. But when delegating wedding duties around your friends and family members, make sure that both you and the recipient are realistic in the amount they are taking on.

No matter how eager and keen your mother-in-law may sound about taking on 12/20 jobs you’ve got on that to-do list, remember that she still is human, and her eager excitement for the wedding plans may wear out before she’s even finished her second task of writing out all the place cards. At that point, you won’t even DARE to mention the handmade favours she agreed to do…

It’s a common stereotype of mother-in-laws – both of the bride and the groom – that they can be quite… disapproving… of everything. Of course, we don’t believe in that stereotype, but there might be times where you can understand where that common image of mother-in-laws have come from.

Taking her along to your wedding dress fitting can quickly turn from a lovely and thoughtful idea, to maybe changing the aim of the shopping trip to buying an axe, and a shovel. And her constant comments about your hubby-to-be not making enough effort? Just no. If this is happening to you, calmly let her know what she is saying is upsetting you, and most importantly, don’t let it affect you!

Wear White

Oh come on! This is number one of the wedding rule book, isn’t it? If wedding guests aren’t allowed to wear white, neither should your mum. This is the point when the question will be raised, by you, by your groom, and by everyone else: “Is she pretending it’s her wedding?”.

We’re almost sure your mum would think this one through, but do ask her what she’s wearing before the wedding day actually comes.

Match with the bridesmaids

On a similar note, unless you’ve actually specified for her to do so, if your mum or mum-in-law is deliberately matching her outfits to your bridesmaids – essentially, assigning herself as an extra bridesmaids– that’s another line crossed!

If she wants to make some kind of link to the bridal party, suggest the idea of a corsage in the same colour as the bridesmaid dresses. It would be a really nice touch for the photographs, and make your mum a little bit happier. But remember, make sure that both sets of mothers go with this idea so that one isn’t left out.

From offering the bride advice and knowing exactly how to calm you down, to readjusting that strand of hair that’s a little out of place after you’ve finished getting ready, your mum should be there for you on your wedding morning! She shouldn’t show up late and think you won’t notice.

That goes for the rest of the wedding planning process, too – all the arranged appointments, lunch-time meet ups to talk about table plans, and so on. You should never underestimate the usefulness of a mum around your wedding time, and neither should she!

Wearing white on the day is one thing, but taking complete control of everything that’s going on, pointing out every little detail she helped with, and not letting the bride or groom get a word on their wedding day is on another level! Either the excitement of the wedding has got a little too much for her or her glass is getting topped up a little too often, either way, there comes a point when it’s acceptable to just say ‘STOP’. I mean, she didn’t even help with that bunting!

To be honest, we’re sure that you won’t have to deal with any of these extremes, but you might witness a few hints of this kind of ‘Mumzilla’ mode. Just always be careful how you approach it and what you say. Want more advice on that?

Why wedding music is so important

Posted on by

When planning a Wedding, you’ll want the very best for your guests to enjoy. You’ll want the best food, the best decorations – and the best music to get them up out of their chairs and strutting their stuff on the dance floor all night long, which makes music at weddings so important.

If so, your big music decision is – wedding disco or live wedding band? Wedding discos have been popular for generations of newly-weds, and with good reason. Professional wedding DJ’s do much more than play tracks; they assess the age range of your guests, their energy levels, take requests, and create a flow of music that ensures all ages and all musical tastes have a great evening of non-stop dancing. 

If you’ve ever headed for your chair and a drink at a wedding disco, only to turn on your heels as another of your favourite tracks calls you back on the floor, that’s due to the skill of your wedding DJ! A top wedding DJ will have an impressive collection of tracks at his fingertips, and thanks to the wonders of technology, they’ll probably be stored on an easy to carry hard drive or a laptop. So, whatever your guests request on the night, chances are, your wedding DJ has it on file, or can even download it on the fly! 

Most wedding DJs also bring their own sound system and lighting, to turn a marquee or hotel function room into an instant nightclub atmosphere. They can usually integrate their kits with a venue’s own sound system if required, important if the venue has sound-limiting equipment installed. 

So, today’s wedding DJs can set themselves up in almost any space or room, perfect entertainment for smaller weddings and large venues alike. 

A live wedding band brings the energy and excitement of a live gig to your special day. Wedding and function bands are actually cover bands, who played all the hits you know and love. The best wedding bands play a wide selection of hits from the 1950s to the present day, so every guest can enjoy something they know, played live right in front of them. Every professional wedding band wants their audience (your guests) to have the best time possible, so they will tailor their performance just like a wedding DJ, to ensure the best range of music to suit all tastes. 

Although many wedding bands may be able to learn a special song just for you, it’s often easiest to pick a first dance song which is already in their play list. Likewise, classical musicians may read sheet music but a well rehearsed tune for your ceremony is far more preferable to putting manuscript in front of them and making the best of it.