Tag Archives: happy

Wedding Night gifts for the Groom

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A hand-written love letter, an engraved keepsake, or something suitably sexy. Here’s some inspiration for meaningful gifts for your groom, from boudoir shoots to honeymoon accessories for every taste and budget, with romantic ideas for how you can make it a night to remember.

Meaningful gifts for your groom are best served up on your wedding night, before the acrobatics begin. It’s the time you finally get to be together, just the two of you, so make it memorable. You should know, better than anyone, what he will appreciate most, whether it’s an act of love or something he can keep forever, or both.

A Bed of Rose Petals and Fairy lights

Set the scene: light the room with gently glowing heart-shaped fairy lights, small scented votives and church candles and scatter the bed with real rose petals as a prelude to your night ahead. Hang the fairy lights around your own bed when you get back home.

A Champagne and Candle-lit Bath

Leave all the drama and spectacle of your wedding day behind you by running a romantic, candle-lit bath and share a bottle of Champagne as you relax together.

Sexy Photograph Surprise

Present him with stunning professional boudoir style photographs of yourself. You will love the experience, which can do wonders for your confidence, and he will love the results. The framed photo can be hung on your bedroom wall when you get back from your honeymoon.

Beautiful Bridal Lingerie

Ask him to help you out of your wedding dress to reveal the sexiest lingerie he has ever seen you in, complete with garter! Alternatively, change out of your ivory bridal lingerie into something befitting your night of passion ahead.

An Engraved Pocket Watch

A vintage pocket watch, with your own engraved message of love for him to see every day is both thoughtful and practical. Add your wedding date and he’ll never be able to forget your anniversary either!

His ‘n’Hers Passport Covers

If practical gifts are more his style, give him a passport cover with matching luggage tags for your honeymoon and get yourself the same!

Whatever you feel he would love most, your wedding night is special, and to mark it in this memorable way shows how thoughtful you are. Just don’t forget to hint that you’re getting him a little something…

Guests Dos and Don’ts

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Brides often worry about some guests that may not behave and are worried about how to approach the issue of the Grooms (or her) relatives or others that may not behave well. Here is a list a do’s and don’ts for guests. We dare you to include a print-out in your wedding invitations!

1. RSVP on Time

Hi guest! You’ll notice on your wedding invitation there’s a date for RSVPs to be in by. That deadline is there for a reason, so please make sure you get back to us by then. The seating plan is hard enough to sort without all of the RSVP’S!

2. No Kids Means No Kids

You might notice your wedding invitation is addressed to just you and your partner. As much as we love little Cosmo and Chrysanthemum, we’ve decided to have a child-free wedding. No exceptions. Not even for children as delightful as yours. Don’t ask. (This goes for everyone – if the name isn’t on the invitation, they NOT invited.)

3. Don’t Wear White

Or ivory, or cream. Steer clear of those colours, and even more so if lace is involved too. You can wear your nice white lace dress to any event of the year. Brides get one day to wear their nice white lace dress. Don’t ruin it.

4. Don’t Wear Black

Black is a bit funeral-esque, and traditionally wearing black was a way to protest against the marriage. So unless you not-so-secretly wish the bride was marrying you, put your black tie back on the rack and pick out a more jaunty floral one.

5. Just Obey the Dress Code in General

Unless the wedding invitation states that there’s an informal dress code, don’t assume there is one. That means no jeans! Yes, they’re comfy and you can do an awesome slide-across-the-room-on-your-knees in them, but it’s not the time or the place.

6. No Last Minute Change of Plan

If you’ve said you’re going, unless it’s a serious emergency or you’re horribly, contagiously ill, do not even think of cancelling. Likewise, if you said you’re not attending, don’t even think about rocking up to the wedding breakfast unannounced. Even if you bring an awesome gift. Come to the evening party (with the gift).

7. Switch Your Phone Off

Picture the scene, the registrar is guiding the couple through their vows, the bride is delicately wiping tears of happiness from her eyes and…what’s that? ‘Toxic’ by Britney Spears starts blaring out. Oh, that’s your phone? TURN IT OFF.

8. Don’t get in the Photographer’s Way

So you have over 500 followers on Instagram? You’re still not the photographer the couple hired for their big day, so don’t get in their way, wielding your iPhone. Or iPad. But no one would actually bring an iPad to a wedding, right…?

9. Think about Your Hat

If you’re wearing a hat to the wedding, good for you. More people should wear hats. But be considerate when choosing it – a tall hat will block views at the ceremony and a wide hat will eclipse guests during the group pictures.

10. Don’t Smuggle in Alcohol

You’re not going for a night out in Oceana. You’re going to a fancy wedding, where the couple have paid a considerable amount to host you, and may be limited by corkage charges. Don’t risk getting them fined or getting yourself thrown out for the sake of a few Malibu miniatures in your clutch bag.

11. Don’t Drink Too Much Alcohol

There’s a fine line between dancing with your friends and taking some hilarious photo booth pictures, but if you start to cry, swear or be sick, you’ve gone too far. No one wants to be the person who wrote a rude message in the sentimental guest book after one too many Sambuca’s.

12. Behave Yourself

You wouldn’t go to a restaurant and decide to steal some of the décor (at least we hope not), so resist the urge to make off with one of the carefully assembled centrepieces or inhale the helium from a giant balloon before giving an impromptu speech. Unless you’re invited to, in which case, knock yourself out

13. Do Not Touch the Seating Plan

I know Uncle Jerry is a bit boring, but if you’re sat by him – tough luck! The couple have spent hours working out their seating plan and you can’t even begin to imagine the logistics. If you switch place cards for whatever reason, all hell could break loose.

14. Try Not to Sulk

There’s a thing about wedding season – lots of wedding tend to happen. If you’re marrying at a similar time to a friend, don’t be upset if they, like you, have gone for a rustic theme or a similar dress. It happens! No one will notice, unless you point it out.

15. Consider the Environment

Everyone loves the confetti shot – it’s so much fun! But be considerate and choose biodegradable confetti. It’s nicer for the environment and avoids the happy couple getting whacked with any fines for flouting the venue’s rules.

16. You get what you’re given

Don’t moan about the menu choices to the couple. It’s their wedding and they’re footing the bill, so it’s only fair they’re allowed to eat their favourite wedding foods. As long as they’ve catered for any dietary requirements, you can’t complain. And don’t try and ask for different food on the day anyway. It won’t happen.

17. Try Not to Be an Entertainment Hog

It’s fine to request a song or two, but be wary of being the guest who hassles the DJ or band with an endless stream of requests, or commandeers the iPod playlist to introduce everyone to your favourite experimental jazz band. It’s quite likely the couple will have a playlist worked out – now is not the time for experimental jazz. We’re not actually sure there’s ever a time for experimental jazz.

18. Have Fun!

It seems like a lot of rules and diva demands, but really it’s just courtesy and common sense! Be happy for the newlyweds and enjoy yourself!

Marriage and equality

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Celebrate “Love Wins” with these inspired same-sex wedding décor ideas — from cute “Mr.” and “Mr.” chair signs to customized cake toppers featuring two brides.

When it comes to crafting a beautiful wedding, it’s all about representing the couple’s style and personality — and same-sex weddings are no different. With the law changing in favour of marriage and equality, we’re feeling especially inspired to share some gorgeous wedding-planning ideas for gay and lesbian couples.

We’ve rounded up a few décor ideas that provide a unique twist on traditional wedding details: Kick off the festivities with a personalized billboard sign, a fun way to welcome your guests — and get them excited for the nuptials ahead! Add a twist to traditional ceremony seating with a tongue-in-cheek sign pointing guests to choose a seat and not a side (either way it’s for a bride!). Want to show off your newlywed status in style? Opt for matching ‘Groom and Groom chair designs adorned with greenery or display whimsical “Bride” and “Bride” laser-cut letters in front of your handcrafted sweets. You can also add a humorous — and elegant! — upgrade to the grooms’ cake with tiered chocolate cupcakes adorned with mini bowties and top hats. For brides, go for simple “Hers” and “Hers” calligraphed signs in front of delicious, non-traditional wedding cakes. And as the night’s celebration comes to a close, send off your guests with personalized canvas totes that read “Love is Love” — a perfect closing to an unforgettable night!

Whether you’re sticking to tradition or going all-out with personalized details celebrate love with these creative wedding ideas that make for a truly unique same-sex wedding!!

Welcome your guests with a sign with big personality — like a billboard with your wedding-day phrase!

Sit back and Chillax

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If you’re feeling frazzled on the lead up to your big day, you are most definitely not alone. There is no doubt that planning a wedding is one of the most stressful events you may have to put together so it makes total sense that every once in awhile you need to take a step back and essentially, chillax. So we’ve put together a list of some activities that are guaranteed to get you zen 

1. Keep a Balanced Diet 

Some stress can often be perpetuated by having too much or too little of something in your diet. In the lead up to your wedding, it’s important you’re staying healthy and eating enough of everything. Make sure you’re eating at least 5 fruit and veg a day (preferably more vegetables than fruit) and that you are getting the correct amount from each food group. A good way to do this is to ensure you’re sticking to this as a routine throughout the weekdays and then at the weekend let yourself indulge a little. 

 

  1. Have a friends night 

Just as much as a wedding is a celebration of the love you have as a couple, it is also all about the love you have for your friends and family. There’s no doubt that sometimes when you need to take your mind off things, getting together with all your good friends is the best thing for it. To minimise any stress of organising, get your pals round and have everyone bring a dish and some vino and just let the giggles begin.

3. Have an evening dedicated to YOU

Everyone has their ideal kind of evening and has a good idea of what sort of ingredients that might involve. For some it may be a takeaway and a boxset, for others it might be cocktails and a night out until the late AM. Have a think about what fail-safe things always make you happy and have an evening dedicated to YOU.

 

  1. Get Outside

Sometimes there’s nothing better than wonderful fresh air to clear your head and help you realise the things that matter in life. Take a stroll in the countryside or in your local park – we love a bit of people watching as a way to check out of your own life, just for a little while. Treat yourself to a hot choc or a burst of caffeine, grab a magazine or a book, a good pal or the dog and just chill – we guarantee it will do you the world of good. 

  

  1. Go on a date 

In all the wedding chat, you can often lose sight of what this is all about – your marrying the very person you love the most. So turn this period of time into a bit of a pre-honeymoon phase and value the time you spend with your husband to be. Organise a date night that you know you’ll both love and just catch up and most importantly – ban the wedding chat, just for one night. If will help you put everything into perspective and help you realise there’s other stuff outside of the wedding bubble. 

 

Valentine’s Day proposals

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It’s completely understandable why you’d want to! Is there a more romantic day of the year? Whilst everyone seems to be planning a wedding you haven’t even proposed yet!!!  So even if the day is cliché, your proposal doesn’t have to be. Here are 5 creative ways to propose on Valentine’s Day!

  1. Put It in the Movies

Are you and your love a couple of movie buffs? Rent out an ad space at your local theatre to play your “trailer” asking them to marry you! Thanks to technology, you can produce a short video fairly easily using video editing software. Or hire a Videographer to help you produce something that’s a little more high-end. Turn your life into a true romantic comedy with clips of video of the two of you, or recreate classic scenes from old romantic movies. We guarantee they won’t see this one coming!

 

The Proposal: During the last scene of the trailer, proclaim your proposal onscreen and have the ring waiting for the moment of surprise.

 

  1. Make it a public affair

An idea for the artsy couple, or just those who appreciate spontaneity and the unexpected: Incorporate live art. The trend of “living creativity” is definitely growing, and live artists are quite amazing to watch. Maybe you set up an evening stroll, and “happen” to come across a Performing Artist who is painting on a canvas, or creating a chalk mural on the sidewalk. Encourage your significant other to stop and take it in for a moment, for a truly unique memory.

 

The Proposal: Coordinate with the artist ahead of time to have them include the two of you in their piece. As your darling realises that it’s about the two of you, pull out the ring for your big moment.

 

  1. Say It with Paint

For the imaginative couple who loves to try new things together, hide your proposal in painting class. Most cities offer a wine/paint class, where romance and art meet! They’ll assume that you’ve found something new and exciting to do together, never suspecting that you have a proposal waiting. And after the big event, you’ll have a memento to remember the evening for the rest of your life.

 

The Proposal: Paint several easels ahead of time, spelling out “Will You Marry Me?” and make arrangements with the class instructor to have them help coordinate the big reveal.

 

  1. Create a Storybook

There’s no better way to lead up to the next chapter in your life than to start at the beginning. Create a book about the journey that has brought you to this moment by highlighting key moments in your relationship! Start with how you met, your first date, first holidays, memorable trips, or inside jokes along the way. Don’t worry if you’re not an amazing artist or writer.

 

The Proposal: On the very last page, create a part of the story that says something like “This is when I asked you to be mine forever.” Or simply draw or include a picture of a ring.

 

Leave it to the Band

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You’ve found the love of your life, you’re getting married, you want your night to be a party to remember, so you hired a band for the wedding entertainment… what next?

 

Your aim is to make sure you and your wedding party have an absolute whale of a time – to end the night having that much fun you haven’t noticed you’re only wearing one shoe and your Dad has found himself a table to dance on. If you’ve booked the right band, there’s a high chance that these things could happen… here’s a few party tricks that will help make this mission a success.

 

Timing is Key – Start the band as late as you can. Ideally the first set would start at around 8.30pm/9pm to make sure everyone is limbered up and ready to start throwing some incredible looking shapes. This kind of timing also gives the evening guests time to arrive, catch up with the newly weds and get a few drinks down them.

 

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of dutch courage to prepare you for the dance floor, but to create the perfect party atmosphere, dim down the lights and hey presto! Your dance floor will be full of shape throwers.

 

Trust Your Band – Your band is playing ‘Mr Brightside’, everyone is singing their socks off and the dance floor is packed, next up is your favourite Kayne West song, the band plays it and everyone leaves. Now we all love a bit of Kayne but it might just not be the right time. Being particular about what the band plays means they won’t want to upset you by going against your wishes but they also want you to have the best possible time.

 

Putting together a set list that keeps such an eclectic bunch of people is an art form and this will be one of the main reasons why you will have such an awesome party. You will always be able to choose the odd song or two.

 

Having 3 sets of music can mean a lot of stopping and starting, the last thing you want to do is stop the music when your wedding party has just formed a dancing conga. If you’re still stuck, let the band worry about it, they will do what’s right and look after your Band too, don’t forget to feed them.

 

Being able to leave your night in their capable hands whilst you have the time of your life. So go on, give it a go.

 

You Tube Proposals

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We thought we’d round up a few amazing You Tube proposals that really made our mouths drop. These are extremely impressive whichever way you look at it!

The Zip Line Proposal

It’s not often that you find a wedding proposal on YouTube that has incredible camera quality and video editing, which is why the Zip Line proposal is a must watch. Uploaded just two days ago, it features popular YouTuber Brodie Smith who hadn’t uploaded any Frisbee videos in the past 5 months. That was all to change as you can see in this video where he takes out his girlfriend Kelsey under the guise of shooting a new branded video. What transpires involves seven members of her family, tears from both and some fab interviews beforehand.

The Skydiving Proposal

How do you go bigger than a zip line? How about by jumping out of an aeroplane and proposing afterwards. That’s exactly what Austin did when he proposed to Catherine. Another couple that have an incredible amount of followers – 8.1 million! – we feel that this deserves a spot in the blog because hey, you don’t jump out of a plane everyday and because Austin is actually scared of heights. He only jumped out of the plane because this was Catherine’s wish for her birthday.

The Greatest Showman Proposal

There’s no doubt that The Greatest Showman has taken the world by storm since its release at the end of last year. The soundtrack is often on in our office and we are certain that it probably blares out of your speakers fairly often as well. Imagine Amy’s surprise when what appeared to half of Brighton turned up to her proposal in the form of a flash mob dance, whilst her boyfriend Harry came forward in the Hugh Jackman role. Cuteness personified!

The Lip Dub Proposal

A classic these days (it was recorded six years ago), but one we absolutely adore. Isaac’s lip dub proposal is daring because not only is he sitting his girlfriend in the back of a car as it drives off but everybody involved in this lip dub flashmob is actually a friend or family member of his soon-to-be fiancée. We are sure that you know relying on so many amateurs is a recipe for disaster but it works absolutely brilliantly here!

The Abseiling Proposal

We’ve had zip lines and skydiving so why not abseiling as well? Seth saved the life of Nicole when she was abseiling a year earlier – you could say that she literally fell in love with him – and a year later, Seth decided to propose in a similar manner! Too cute. There’s not much else to say about this one but we love the dawning realisation on Nicole’s face as she descends and every other member of their group is far away from her beloved.

 

How to be a confident Bride

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On your big day, you want to be a confident bride, not a bride that’s hiding away from her wedding guests and the photographer in the corner! Don’t think you can do it? We beg to differ…

Look the part

First thing’s first: if you’ll look the part, you’ll radiate confidence. It’s all about your posture, smile and eye contact. We don’t want to sound like your grandma, but stand straight and keep your head high! We doubt your hubby really had his imagination set on marrying the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Plus, it will do wonders for your back. And what’s more attractive than a gorgeous natural smile and genuine eye contact? Now, for how to actually feel confident.

Forget what the others think

Don’t go following trends or other people’s expectations just to make sure your wedding guests are happy on your big day. It’s YOUR day, and it’s about you and your husband getting married – you’ve got to show each of your personalities, not anyone else’s. Too many brides concern themselves too much with meeting other people’s expectations, from the wedding theme to that ‘dream wedding body’, which is extra stress that those brides just don’t need. If it’s not you, don’t do it!

Don’t overdo it

It’s not uncommon for brides want to take on as many tasks to do with the wedding as possible, if not all of them. You want to be in control of your perfect day, don’t you! However, don’t overdo it! Make the most of your hubby, your friends and your family – hand some tasks over to them to relieve yourself before it’s too late, and you start to resent wedding planning.

Take a break

No matter how much you think you have to do, it’s so important that you take a break from it all from time to time. We mean it! Don’t head home from work and head straight to your laptop to narrow down the different centrepieces you’ve got in mind – do something a bit different. Schedule in a date night for you and your hubby-to-be where wedding chat is totally banned. Nope, no mention of which colour napkins or what wine to serve. It’s will make you feel revived, refreshed and more ready to get back on it, we promise!

Get foody

Eating healthily is not just about losing weight, it’s about feeling great and at your best – aka feeling confident! A balanced diet, full of lots of goodness, is super important to your mood,  and we all want a happy bride, don’t we! Make sure you fight the bad binges that just make you grumpy and feel rubbish; pack your fridge full of good-for-you foods, and snack on fruit and nuts rather than that share bag of Doritos you’ve got in your cupboard…

Boost your endorphins

There are a number of ways to boost your endorphins, and yes, exercise is one. The idea of exercise might send a shiver down your spine, but we’re not necessarily talking hardcore cardio – even going out dancing with your friends can count! That’s not the only fun way to boost those endorphins either: laughter is a booster, music is a booster, and sex is a booster… even more reason to have that date night we talked about

Treat yourself

Just because of that wedding diet or wedding budget that you’ve got going on, doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself every so often. Yes, that means a little retail therapy or a sneaky Twix or Crunchie bar here and there. You should enjoy yourself now you’re engaged, not punish yourself by banning your favourite pastimes or treats. That’s no fun!

Relax

Planning a wedding isn’t all about running round and doing stuff – that’s just exhausting! You need the nights when you can run yourself a lush bubble bath, sit back and read your favourite wedding magazine. There’s no point in stressing and getting uptight over things that aren’t going to get done, or aren’t playing by your exact plan, because your wedding day will undoubtedly be the best day of your life – even if you’re getting a three tier cake instead of four.

 

Staying healthy for your big day

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If you are looking to prevent a cold or just want to kick-start a new healthy lifestyle. Here are some of the ways you can avoid getting sick in the run up to your wedding:

Include Probiotics in Your Diet

Probiotics are live bacteria that are good for your health and can be great for keeping a healthy lifestyle. If you are looking for a natural source of probiotics, then include yogurt into your diet – try and opt for more natural low sugar options rather than the highly sweetened variety.

Have Breakfast

Not only will having a healthy breakfast get you energised for the day, it will also stop any reckless snacking mid-morning. As your sugar levels crash you risk reaching for the sweet stuff, keep those hunger pangs at bay my making sure you have a good breakfast.

Get into a Good Hand Washing Routine

Regular hand washing can help keep germs at bay – particularly if you have friends or colleagues around you who are sick! When washing your hands. Handwashing with soap works by removing bacteria and viruses from hands before they get a chance to cause infections or spread to other people. When you wash your hands make sure you use soap and warm water for a minimum of 20 seconds.

Up Your Fruit and Veg Intake

Planning a wedding an sometimes feel like a full time job! So keep your body happy and healthy by giving it the right fuel – not only will you feel like you have more energy but you will also be more prepared to fight off infection. Some simple ways to up your fruit and veg intake is to add a small glass of fruit juice to your day, sprinkle some berries on your morning cereal and keep things like carrot sticks, cucumber and celery to snack on at your desk.

Drink More Water

We all know this but making sure you drink enough water is important for pretty much every aspect of your body. If you struggle to drink enough water, then consider filling up a jug and keeping it on your desk – with the aim to finish it before you leave work. If you are always on the move, then keep a bottle of water handy so you can stay hydrated throughout the day.

 

Wedding day nerves

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We can assure you that as soon as you see your betrothed at the end of the aisle, those nerves will disappear, but how do you cope with them in the meantime? Well, to give you some top tips on calming those wedding day nerves in the lead-up to and on the big day itself.

Identify your list of chief concerns

Make a list, get some hierarchy and perspective going. Identify your big worries, know the smaller ones and accept them.

Surround yourself with positive people

Anyone that has an agenda about your wedding should not even be in your vicinity. If there are certain friends or family members that are causing problems, do not engage with them.

Talk about your anxieties

Any doubts about anything will fester so articulate them to your nearest and dearest, don’t get distracted but do tackle what you need to tackle them. Confronting them and taking action will instantly reduce stress levels.

Focus on your breathing

If you start feeling anxious, focus on your breath, and in particular, your diaphragm. And become calm – yoga is a brilliant way to learn body awareness, build stamina to stress and remain flexible, emotionally and physically. Take it up!  Spending five minutes each day focusing only on your breath is a fantastic strategy for dealing with worry.

Look ahead with positivity

Start visioning a wonderful day ahead of you, with people who want to share it with you… This is the gift of a wedding.

Allow yourself to be supported

This wedding is not solely your responsibility, you can delegate tasks to chosen trusted friends, you do not have to be the one holding it all together alone.

Think of your posture

If you think you’re getting overwhelmed you will look at the floor more, give and receive eye contact less and your voice will become more high pitched. If you haven’t realised yet you are stressed, those around will have done. Acupuncture is a brilliant way to counteract the manifestations of tension and finding a good practitioner will pay dividends.

Allow yourself to be pampered

Let go and relax. Have fun in the run up, lighten up, see the funny side to any conflict.

Rehearse the day in your mind

Mentally walk through what will happen on the day, from beginning to end. If there are parts you are worried about (these are usually the aisle walk, the vows and the speeches) focus on your role in that only – you can’t control what anyone else does or says.

Be positive

Smile, be happy and enjoy planning your wedding day. It’s going to be amazing!