3 tips for buying your dream dress!

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Here are some top tips to share about the secrets for selecting a sensational wedding  dress! Here is a small snippet of all the great tips when choosing your dream wedding dress.

When you visit a bridal boutique to start trying on a selection of dress, make sure you bring a pair of heels with you. They don’t need to be the exact pair you plan on wearing on the big day, just a similar height. The height of your heel changes not only the length of your dress but how it also fits your body with how you stand.

Whether bridal underwear means Spanx or lacy lingerie it’s important you try your wear them when trying on your dresses. The shaping of your underwear will mould your body making your gown fit differently.

Know your weight expectation from the start of wedding dress shopping. Many brides want to lose a few pounds before their day and if you choose a dress that fits you at the time before you’ve changed weight it may look very different when you do! Remember that different shaped dresses suit different body shapes so where possible get to your ideal weight before shopping!

So there you have it, but all in all don’t rush the experience, take some trusted friends with you to give you an honest opinion and relax.  If you feel like it’s just not going right for finding the perfect dress, just make another appointment for another day. Your dream dress will turn up and you will feel a million dollars.

 

Getting your scent just right

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A guide to help you with choosing the best perfume for your wedding day…

Here are the top 10 favourites will help you decide which one is right for you…

  • Calvin Klein Eternity Moment Eau de Parfum

The perfect Floral, feminine and fresh. The simple bottle portrays the simple, but elegant fragrance which is perfect for those brides that want a classic smell to go with their wedding day look.

  • Calvin Klein Euphoria Women Eau de Toilette

Euphoria is a more mysterious and seducing fragrance from Calvin Klein.

Its exotic fruitiness makes it slightly more off a heavy perfume than Eternity Moment, but not so heavy that it’s overbearing.

  • Chloe Eau de Parfum

Another fresh and feminine scent with Chloe’s well-known signature chic feel.

A light but fun and creative mix that is bound to give you extra confidence on your big day. And, who can say no to a pretty bow?

  • DKNY Be Delicious Golden Apple Eau de Parfum

To match its apple-shaped container, this perfume is full of fruitiness but not so much that you smell like a fruit basket. The subtle fruity flavours are fresh, at the same time as being warm and tempting – a very clever mix we say!

  • Dolce and Gabbana Rose The One Eau de Parfum

All Dolce and Gabbana fragrances are feminine, but Rose The One has more delicacy and romance to it which is perfect for a modern, young bride. It has an understated beauty to it which is very youthful and captivating.

  • Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum

The translation ‘Life is beautiful’ describes the positive and happy fragrance from Lancôme perfectly.

Its concept of natural and simple beauty is not let down, with the upbeat but subtle fruitiness and warmth.

  • Marc Jacobs Eau So Fresh Eau de Toilette

This is reminiscent of the original Daisy, but is lighter and fresher – perfect for a spring or summer wedding. The bright and happy florals with light musk is beautifully pleasant and not overpowering. The flower lid is pretty too…

  • Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum

For the sophisticated and chic bride! Dior is always a classic, but this one is young and fun at the same time. Miss Dior Cherie is a long-lasting and charming fragrance that will look nice on any dressing table.

  • Stella McCartney L.I.L.Y Eau de Parfum

This timeless and therefore seasonless perfume is casual and unfussy whilst having a prominent floral smell. A floral smell far from your gran’s favourite old-fashioned perfume as Stella McCartney makes it versatile and up-to-date

  • Vera Wang Lovestruck Eau de Parfum

…a great name in the world of wedding perfumes! Inspired by a modern day twist on Romeo and Juliet; it’s meant to capture the feeling of women struck by love and completely captivated by passion with its romantic and young scent.

 

Get married on a weekday

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About 99% of happy couples want to get married on Fridays or Saturdays. However, despite there being many valid reasons for this, a future bride and groom should always take into consideration a mid-week wedding as it can have many advantages.

Here are her five reasons to choose a mid-week wedding over a weekend…

Cost

There’s one thing couples always ask, how much? Couples fall head over heels for wedding venues and are then put down by the price. However, mid-week weddings are often far more negotiable when it comes to price. It is believed that a mid-week wedding can work out about a third cheaper.

Availability

There is nothing more frustrating for a Wedding Coordinator than showing a couple around their wedding venue and then not being able to find availability for them. Popular wedding venues get booked up in advance so by opting for a weekday wedding, the availability is often a lot better and there will be more flexibility with dates.

Intimacy

Mid-week weddings suit a smaller and more intimate affair. Close family members and friends may be more than happy to take a couple of days off work to celebrate with you. For example, if you choose a day later in the week such as a Thursday, this means that the working week is nearly over and your guests are much more likely to let their hair down.

Quality

Wedding suppliers, from photographers to florists tend to prefer mid-week weddings as not only does it mean they can spend longer at the venue (as Saturday’s tend to be far more hectic), they also have more availability too. Setting up and arranging supplies during the week can also save significant amounts of money too, due to each supplier’s weekend demand.

Timing

It can seem like you spend your whole life waiting for the weekend. And this shouldn’t have to be the case for finding a free weekend at your chosen wedding venue. By having your wedding during the week, you will simply be able to get married sooner! This means there is no big countdown and you don’t have to wait over a year for the big day.

 

Great wedding photographs

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While there is a place for staged shots that look exactly that and the obligatory group photograph, there is also plenty of opportunity to make your group photographs more natural and fun!

TURN YOUR BACK

Group wedding photographs might traditionally mean a carefully lined up arrangement of the bride, groom, bridal party and family members, front on, but that’s not the only way to do it. And, while this may be a useful photo to look back on to recall each of your guests, but it can also appear overly formal.

Mix things up a little in your group photographs with smaller numbers by turning your back or turning towards each other rather than facing the camera directly. Not only does this add another dimension to your photograph, it will also give you the chance to show off the gorgeous details on the back of your and your bridesmaids’ dresses! And remember, you don’t all need to do the same thing here, in fact, it’s better if you don’t!

LAID-BACK POSING

You might have noticed a bit of a running theme here – subtle staging in a more relaxed, natural style can really help to give the more boring staged shots the boot while still getting everyone in that needs to be. It can be as simple as arranging your group members in a variety of more casual poses, some sitting, some standing, and with a mixture of people looking and laughing with each other and others making eye contact with the camera.

GET MOVING

Whether you walk, run or jump, moving while your wedding photograph is being taken will help you to feel more natural and relaxed. Rather than holding a rigid smile and pose, you’ll have something else to distract you with, so, even if you’re jumping on cue, your expression will be more natural. Let’s not forget the greatest moving group photo of all – the confetti shot!

PROPS TO YOU

Don’t be afraid of introducing props into your group wedding photographs. While this again involves a staged element (would you be holding a heart shaped umbrella like that normally?), it gives you something else to interact with. Have your photographer keep snapping while you arrange yourselves, and just have some fun! Let the shots capture your high spirits as newlyweds

And if we’re talking bridesmaids-only photos, these are the ones you just have to get with your best girls.

 

Let Mum get involved

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Traditionally the mother of the bride is the host of your wedding party – the reception. It is her job to make sure that everything goes according to plan. When planning your wedding check out what other jobs are ideal to assign to your lovely mum.

First things first…

Remember…

  • DO Look after her – she is going to be working hard for you behind the scenes

  • DO Give her a bouquet at the reception, during the speeches

  • DO Encourage her to wear a complementary outfit to the colour scheme

  • DO Invite her to be involved with choosing your wedding dress. It’s the most special bit for her

  • DO Encourage her to meet up with your fiancé’s mum regularly so that they know each other before the day (and don’t wear clashing outfits)

  • DON’T forget to thank her

  • DON’T exclude her from anything

  • DON’T forget her on the day – she’ll be longing to be useful

  • DON’T leave her to do everything. By tradition, she would be the last to leave the reception, but don’t ask her to stay until the last drink is drunk

  • DON’T forget to book her in with the wedding hairdresser and nail technician in the run-up to your big day

  • DON’T let her interfere. It’s your day really…

 

Then the fun bits she can do…

 

  1. Announcing the engagement to the press, locally and nationally

  2. Working with the bride and groom to draw up the guest list

  3. Ordering the stationery and chasing it up

  4. Sending out the invites and keeping an eye on acceptances and regrets

  5. Supplying the wedding gift details to anyone who asks for them

  6. Helping to organise the seating plan

  7. Help you to choose your dress and the bridesmaids’ dresses

  8. Planning the flowers for the ceremony and reception

  9. Ordering the wedding cake

  10. Arranging table decorations

  11. Making sure all of the guests have got somewhere to stay that night

  12. Help you to get dressed and ready on the morning of the wedding

  13. Give the order of service sheets to the ushers

  14. Organising the buttonholes for key members of the wedding party, including the ushers, best man, bridegroom, and the two dads

  15. Look after the gifts during and after the wedding. This includes finding a safe place to store them during the day

  16. Collect the photo proofs from the photographer while you are on honeymoon

  17. Organise the wedding photo list – send out the right ones to the right people. You may want her to chase up your photos while you are away on your honeymoon, too. It’s great if the contact sheets are already waiting for you to look through when you get back home.

 

Your Countdown to Wedding day

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Plan a wedding beauty routine so you will be picture perfect for your big day..

Three Months To Go

See a brow specialist at least three months before your big day for an initial consultation and shaping. A brow professional will be able to assess your face shape and natural brows and can determine the most flattering brow shape for you. They will be able to wax, thread, tweeze and tint your brows, regularly, over the next few months, helping you to grow in any new hairs where necessary. Wait four weeks in between each session and then schedule your final shaping for a week before the big day so your skin has time to settle.

One month to go

Start using a regular facial exfoliator and skin oil. By regularly buffing and oiling your skin now, it will be silky smooth on your wedding day. Find an exfoliator and oil that are specific to your skin’s needs; there are so many different types, from daily bead exfoliators, to chemical exfoliators, designed to be used less frequently. Layering an oil under your daily moisturiser and night cream will help to retain moisture and will encourage a natural, dewy glow to the skin. Massage the oil in for a few minutes each day, to boost circulation and further encourage your skin to glow.

Two weeks to go

Make any hair removal appointments for this week. If you are planning on waxing any areas of the body that will be on show, you will need to allow a fortnight for any associated reddening or skin reactions to settle down and / or pores to close.

One week to go

Book in for professional lash extensions. Ideally you will have trialled these at least two months beforehand, to know which length and style suits you. You will also need to know which type of extensions you will be wearing, so that you can adjust your wedding makeup accordingly. For your big day, it’s ideal to have them applied a week before. Individual lash extensions should last 2-3 weeks, before needing to be filled in, so they should last until you return from your honeymoon.

Two days to go

If you’re planning on fake tanning, whether you are applying it yourself or are opting for a professional spray tan, this is the time to do it, to allow the colour to settle on the skin and develop a more natural hue with no tell tale aroma. A good beautician with experience in spray tanning will be able to match the right colour, brand and formula to your skintone. If you would rather apply the fake tan yourself, spend time researching brands to find one that suits you. Remember hands and feet soak up more colour than the rest of your body, so dilute the tan with moisturiser before applying to these areas, and wash it off sooner than you would for the rest of the body. For lighter skin tones or winter weddings, wash the colour off after six hours rather than the recommended eight-12 hours. Exfoliating the skin, as well as hair removal, is a pre-tanning essential: We’d recommend doing both 24 hours before tanning.

One day to go

Leaving your manicure and pedicure until the day before will leave less opportunity to chip the nail varnish or break your nails before the big day. For a longer-lasting and glossier colour that will see you right through your wedding day, to the end of your honeymoon, opt for a professional or home-use gel polish, which can last for up to three weeks.

 

Bridesmaid Dress ideas

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The rules for dressing your bridesmaids have changed. They no longer expect to be asked to all wear the same bridesmaids dress, in the same style, in the same colour.

We think that’s a real step ahead. At the end of the day, you want your maids to look happy and smiley in the wedding photographs, not awkward and pulling down their skirt to cover their knees or pulling up the strapless frock they’re having trouble keeping in place.

Mix it up!

Keeping girls over ten happy when it comes to picking the best bridesmaid dresses can be tricky. They don’t want to look ‘girly’ but grown up styles are not right for teenage figures. Involve them in your decision-making and they’ll love you for it! Choose a matching or coordinating fabric that will sit well with the flowergirls’ dresses.”

When planning a wedding there’s no rule any longer that says bridesmaids have to wear exactly the same shade. We love it when brides mix it up a bit. It’s telling that the promotional poster for the comedy film ‘Bridesmaids’ showed all the girls awkwardly dressed in one size fits all hot pink taffeta, with ruffles.

There’s no one style suits all you can see that different styles of neckline feature – strapless and one shouldered. If one of your girls has a small bust she might feel uncomfortable wearing a strapless dress and a sweetheart neckline would be more suitable (actually a sweetheart neckline suits all busts). Or if one of your maids is better endowed then choose a dress with straps.

The same goes for lengths. Some of your girls might be happy with the shape of their legs, others would rather wear something below the knee. It’s always best to talk your ideas through with them and give them some options.

 

Tips for limo pics

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Entering or Exiting

A picture featuring the husband, bride, or both in the doorway of the vehicle can be a great way to show excitement for the wedding ceremony, or the beginning of their new life together.

Inside

This picture can feature either just the happy couple, or include the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Another fun thing the passengers can be doing is waving out the back window, like they would do leaving the ceremony to say goodbye to their friends and family. This also the perfect opportunity to show off the interior of your ride for the day.

Beside the limousine

A picture along the side of the limo can be great for wedding pictures meant to include a large amount of people. The long side of the vehicle is perfect for this because anyone being included from groomsmen to family members can fit within this background. Taking the picture from an angle along the side is also a great way to add perspective to the picture, and take advantage of the reflections off of the paint. This picture may be best taken with everyone lined up alongside the limousine.

In front of the hood

The front of the limousine is great for individual wedding photos or for pictures of the couple. The two can lean against it casually or simply stand in front of it. The subjects of the picture can even lean against the front corner, and the picture can be taken from an angle to add depth and perspective by showing off the rest of the limo.

The sunroof

This photo opportunity is a classic. It’s great for pictures of small groups or individual shots to have the couple coming out of the sunroof like they’re joyriding. This picture can be taken close-up to capture the fun of the moment, or from farther back to show off the vehicle. This photograph is fun and light-hearted.

 

Choose The Right Photographer For You

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1. Remember that practise makes perfect

While you can get good deals with a photographer who’s new to the industry and building their portfolio, you do need to find someone you trust to get it right, and experience can play a big part in that. A professional wedding photographer distinguishes all the subtleties of shooting a wedding – they’ll know exactly when to photograph your groom as he first sees you walking down the aisle, how to achieve the perfect confetti shot, and what to do in the event of rain. A creative and flexible approach often results in the most breathtaking and brilliant wedding photographs.

2. Browse your photographer’s portfolio

Look through the portfolio of any photographer you’re considering. You won’t just be looking for examples of the weddings they’ve captured. You’ll also be looking at their different styles and approaches. When you find the photos that resonate with you, you’ve found your style and photographer.

3. Make sure you budget for your photographer

Brilliant pictures cost a lot, but they last a lifetime, so it’s an investment worth making for your wedding. Your budget will inevitably determine which photographers are in the running, but don’t make it an element you scrimp on. Memories are priceless and high quality photographs make all the difference.

4. Create a detailed action plan

Everything from your chosen wedding venue to the time of year will effect your wedding photographs. If you’ve got your heart set on certain shots, like couple’s portraits at sunset or a sparkler send-off photo, then you need to talk it through with your photographer. If they know what you want, together you can work out when and where to fit those photos in.

5. Make sure you’ve both done your homework

You can trust your photographer’s experience and ability to come up with great ideas for photographs. But, it is also worth finding your own fun ideas too. Ideas for unusual group shots, any props you might want to include, or parts of your venue that offer a particularly interesting backdrop will all help to create fantastic photographs.

Planning a wedding is a busy time with a lot of pressure to get it right. But, with these five steps to choosing the right wedding photographer, you’re now ready to make at least one decision. Then all that’s left, as far as your photographs are concerned, is to relax, have fun and smile for the camera on the best day of your lives.

 

Tips for hiring Wedding bands

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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.

Many professional bands perform so regularly that they don’t rehearse more than once in a blue moon and, with the best will in the world, may not be able to book rehearsal space in what little free time they have to learn songs for all their clients.

Can the band physically play your song?

If you’re booking a jazz band to play at your wedding reception but want your first dance to be ‘Rock DJ’ by Robbie Williams, chances are the band is not going to be able to accommodate. Be aware of the instrumentation and style of the band you’re booking and realise what limitations this might have on what they can play.

Another good example of this would be a rock/pop party band being asked to perform a tune like ‘Fly me to the moon’ by Frank Sinatra. The popular Sinatra version of this song has an orchestra playing on it and whilst your party band may be able to busk the chords on guitar and piano, it won’t sound like the original.

Get your first dance song on CD

When planning your wedding dance, a good idea is to get your first dance song on CD and have either the DJ or band play the song through their equipment. This is a very popular choice as it’s the least hassle and allows the band to create an impact when they kick off their set immediately afterwards.