Tag Archives: happy

Things not to do when proposing

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We love to hear a good proposal story, and we’re sure you do too. But there are some things that just make us cringe at the thought of. If you’re thinking of proposing soon, here are the things NOT to do…

Get ahead of yourself

Popping the question is a big moment in any man’s life. No matter how confident you are, you’ll want to know the answer you’re going to get, not just assume it. It’s sensible to test the water before going ahead and proposing – talking about the possibility of marriage isn’t ruining the surprise!

Lose the box

No matter what kind of proposal you have prepared, whether it’s tying the ring to a puppy’s collar or hiding it in your fiancé-to-be’s ice cream in a restaurant, make sure you keep the box. Without it, it’s kind of like a cup of tea without milk, a burger without a bap, or, just an engagement ring without the fancy box.

Forget to practice

Even though the words ‘Will you marry me?’ seem simple enough, the moment you’re actually asking the question will make you aware that it’s a little more difficult than that. Getting the proposal right is all about good timing, wording, and minimal hiccups – so practice, practice, practice!

Tell too many

The thoughts of you marrying this girl might have started up from the first date you had, and your friends probably started getting sick of it. But do you know what? That’s okay. What’s not okay is going on and on about your proposal plans, so much that you don’t know who you’ve told and who they will tell. Keep it a surprise from your friends as well as your girlfriend.

Go public

The whole flash mob idea may be great to watch on YouTube, but it’s a different story when it’s actually happening to you. Most brides that we know certainly wouldn’t enjoy this public display of affection. Keep the proposal to yourselves, and shout about it after!

Get impatient

If you’re on a romantic holiday with the intention to propose on the last night when you’ve planned to go watch the sunset (just an idea for you all!), don’t be tempted to blow this plan just because every time you go for a change of t-shirt, you see the engagement ring hiding away in the suitcase. Wait for the right moment, and keep patient. It will all come together in the end.

Be empty-handed

… or, perhaps, you don’t have a ring. This isn’t a good idea for a proposal because it makes it seem unprepared and a spur of the moment thing. (If it was a spur of the moment thing, we hope it was a previously-thought-about-spur-of-the-moment thing.) We know it shouldn’t be down to a piece of jewellery, but…

So hopefully your proposal story will run, or did run smoothly! Hopefully you’ll be planning a wedding very soon!!

 

A non traditional speech

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Speeches may be traditional, but they’re not for everyone. We’re here to help you plan your dream wedding – speeches or no speeches, so what can you do if you don’t want to give one?

Staunch traditionalists will expect a run of speeches after the wedding food, but don’t let that deter you from changing things up. It’s your day, so you have every right to do it your way. If you won’t enjoy making a speech or one of the traditional speakers wouldn’t, then why let the nerves and stresses ruin the celebrations?

Here are four things you can do if you or a member of your bridal party doesn’t want to give a speech.

STUNT DOUBLES

We’re not one for passing the buck but… if you’ve got a willing friend who is more of a public speaker, why not ask them if they’d mind speaking instead? It could be on your behalf or a speech entirely of their own – whatever you prefer. For traditionalists, this will keep your speeches full even if the conventional people don’t deliver them.

NOT CAMERA SHY?

If it’s more the ‘here and now’ element of giving a speech that worries you, why not pre-record your speech instead? We think the best speeches balance thoughtful stories and anecdotes that you’ve planned ahead with a touch of improvisation on the day to inject the intense emotions you’ll doubtless be feeling.

Don’t worry, though, because we’ve got just the solution to make this happen for pre-recorded speeches too! Once you’ve hooked up the projector and played the speech, simply raise a toast with a few in-the-moment (romantic!) words for your new spouse afterwards. Best of both worlds? We think so!

LOVE LETTERS

Not a fan of speaking in front of a large audience, this groom put pen to paper before his big day to make sure he said all that was important to him. The couple then had the speech printed beautifully and included a copy with each place setting. When the time for speeches came, guests were asked to read their copy.

Rest assured this won’t be lacking the emotion of a live speech, this couple that once the sound of pages turning ceased, the smiles and tears were free flowing! You could also mix and match this approach with a regular speech by using print outs, flip charts or other visual aids to distract attention from you.

RAISE A GLASS

For a more relaxed approach, why not ditch one or more speeches altogether and consider an alternative instead? Simply raise a glass of your chosen tipple, toast to the day, to your love, to each other, and you’ll create just as heart-warming an effect as the traditional counterpart would, without any of the stress, formality or fuss.

Embrace a 20’s Wedding theme

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

  • For a 1920s theme, a classic palette of black, white and gold is easy to achieve and truly timeless and elegant. For the bride, we love the look of a trumpet-style gown.

  • Bridesmaids can be styled in simple LBDs with the addition of headpieces or fascinators, and the groomsmen will look dashing in classic black tuxedos.

  • Champagne towers are making a comeback, especially in Roaring 20s-inspired celebrations. We adore the look of sophisticated black and white striped linens.

  • For brides preferring something a little more colourful, jewel tones are the way to go! Think of the rich shades of a peacock feather for inspiration.

  • ​With vintage ​wedding cars you can show up in style and use this classic as a prop in your wedding photos.

  • ​For wedding entertainment, try a unique performer like a Charlie Chaplin impersonator. With a comedic 20s era presence, Charlie can make your guests feel like they’ve travelled to a time of satire and silent films.

  • ​For your wedding photos, ask your wedding photographer about vintage overlay options for development. Your big day will be captured with a nostalgic 1920s look.

We wish you a happy marriage and roaring celebration!

Packing for your Honeymoon

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

1) Cameras, Chargers, Memory Cards, and Batteries

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

2) First and Last Day Outfits, Plus More

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

3) Backup Plans for Itinerary Interruptions

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

4) Luggage with Enough Room for Souvenirs

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

5) To Enjoy the Moment and Be Present

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

Your ‘ex’ wedding guest

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Planning your wedding guest list can be stressful enough, without the added dilemma of whether to invite your friends or ex your husband to be does not approve of.

Be sensitive

Ask yourself why specifically you want that person at your wedding. Often people invite people because they are part of a friendship network and if everyone else is going then why not invite them? It is not unusual to stay good friends with an ex-partner, and inviting people to your wedding is a lovely gesture!

Honestly is the best policy

Being completely honest with your other half is important from the very beginning, and the sooner you approach the subject, the better. Make him feel completely comfortable, and ensure that you aren’t demanding your ex has to come, but rather asking if he would be happy with the idea. An ex might feel snubbed if they’re not invited, but in some cases, people may not have been invited to spare their feelings.

Think sensibly

Make sure you think about how you and your ex ended, was it friendly? Was it recent? Worst case scenario is your ex ruining your big day by drinking far too much and saying something offensive. People should only invite people to weddings if they think that person will be a positive presence at the wedding.

Your husband-to-be

There is a chance that your h2b will say no. It is as much your day as his, so it is only fair that you take his feelings into consideration! After all, your ex is an ex for a reason. Every case is individual, sometimes we have enough trouble when the couples’ parents are divorced or remarried without the added pressure of exes being invited too! As long as the couple have discussed it and have both agreed that they are comfortable with it, then there is no problem!

Dos and Don’ts

  • Do invite your ex with a guest

  • Don’t spend a long time chatting with your ex

  • Do sit your ex with people he or she gets on with

  • Don’t dance with your ex

  • Do take control of the situation and keep your h2b as busy as possible!

  • Don’t introduce them to people as your ‘ex’

How to stay well before your wedding

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Being stressed with wedding planning on the run up to your big day can wreak havoc on the immune so follow some advice on how to stay cold and flu free this winter…

Eat well

Eat foods that are good for the immune system – a healthy plant based diet containing broccoli, cabbage, red fruits such as blackcurrants and strawberries, carrots, turmeric and onions contains plenty of immune protecting chemicals.

Relax and reduce stress

Stress harms your ability to fight viruses and has a huge impact on the immune system. The best thing you can do to reduce stress on your wedding day is to plan ahead. Make a schedule for getting everything done and stick to it!

Green tea

Green tea which is rich in many chemicals that have been shown to have health protective properties.

Wedding workout

Getting some gentle exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling for half an hour daily can be very helpful both physically and mentally. But beware that excessive exercise such as that undertaken during extreme training sessions for competitive sporting activities can reduce the immune response.

Sleep tight

Be sure to get enough beauty sleep, because not getting enough lowers your immune function. The body needs a good seven hour’s kip to help build itself up. Poor sleep over a long period can decrease the immune function very quickly.

Limit alcohol

Take it easy on your hen do because drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is also bad for your immune cells, which get disorientated and confused just like us!

Herbal help

Take Echinacea at the first sign of feeling run down to help support the immune system to fight off colds and flu.

It helps the body fight the symptoms of these infections by supporting the immune system, helping to maintain the body’s resistance.

Tips to help the years ahead

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Do things together

Plan things to do with your hubby or wife-to-be! And it doesn’t just have to be at the weekends, what about a midweek date night to keep you going for the rest of the working week? Date nights aren’t only for people who have just started seeing each other, married couples need date nights too. Plus, who doesn’t love getting dressed up and eating something that’s not a microwave meal every now and then?

Compromise

The point of marriage is that you share your life with the one you love. Now, that can get a bit complicated. This is where the art of compromise comes in. It starts before marriage, because it has to; if one of person in the relationship can’t see themselves sharing the rest of their life with the other, then getting married isn’t the right thing to do, is it now? You can’t be selfish anymore – compromise is necessary to make it work! You may have wanted one thing when you were twenty years old and single, but things changed over time and you make room for the one you love, and they’ll make room for you.

Talk

Talk it out. Are some of the wedding plans worrying you? Tell them! Communication is vital to a happy marriage – you should know everything there is to know about each other: all the good, the bad and the ugly. Why don’t you just tell him that you really hate that jumper that he got you for Christmas? Why don’t you let her know you’re not happy with the amount she wants to spend on the decorations? And why not tell him that you and his mother are just never going to get on. Because really, what’s the point in not being honest with the person you’re spending the rest of your life with?

Listen

Talking + listening = the dream team. Mostly because not many people like talking to a brick wall (or a useless equivalent), and also because talking things out between you is the best cure for any kind of problem! Being able to take on board anything that your partner says to you is a key factor of a happy marriage, and likewise for them to take on board anything you have to say. Like we said, it’s all about communication! It makes things a lot easier to share your worries or problems with your loved one than keep it to yourself – you never know; they might just say something useful! (Or at least can offer a cuddle at the end of it).

Be best friends

Being totally open with each other and the art of compromise sort of link to this too: be best friends with the one you love! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll be able to share things you didn’t think you’d ever share with anyone else. Why? Because that’s just what best friends do, and who in their right mind wouldn’t want to live with their best friend for the rest of their lives? Answer: no one. Want to find out if your husband or wife-to-be is your bestie?

Work at it

We’re sure lots of people have already told you, marriage isn’t the easiest thing in the world. The wedding is a beautiful day that you’ll always remember, but it isn’t all three-course meals, confetti and honeymoons from there on out. It’s hard work! But don’t give up too easily – there will be arguments and there will be disagreements, but with a little bit of patience, you’ll get there; the good times will make up for the bad times. Trust us, you just wait and see.

Know your value

We’re sure you do already, but you’ve got to make sure that you both realise how important you are to each other! You know each other better than anyone else in the world – you know when they need you the most, and when you should give them a bit of space, and they know the same for you! It’s not necessarily about saying ‘I love you’ every second of the day, it’s just about knowing how special you are to each other – with no words needed to be said. Although, a nice ‘I love you’ here and there works just as well, of course!

Keep up appearances

Just because the wedding day has passed and you’ve got the ring well and truly on your finger does not mean you should let your appearances slip. Okay, so we’re not saying you’re not allowed your weekly Sunday slob-days and so on, but it’s good to still make the effort every so often! Remind them how lucky they are to have you by wowing them with a new haircut, outfit or a weekend away – and it’s not a bad treat for yourself either!

Be realistic

With all that being said, you’ve got to be realistic too! Don’t set high expectations on marriage being an absolute dream, and most importantly, don’t set high (and impossible) expectations on your wife or husband. No, they probably can’t mind-read that you wanted this not that for your Christmas present. No, they probably can’t magic up an amazing meal just in time for when you step in the house. And no, they probably don’t really want to give you a foot massage after a long day at work. Give your partner a break (and you might just get that foot massage out of good behaviour!).

Popping the question

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Popping the question is a huge moment for any couple, and most of the time, it’s down to the proposer to get it just right.

So what are those all-important things that go through every man’s mind before proposing?

Himself

Before speaking the official words of ‘Will you marry me’ to his loved one, there’s no doubt that his mind will be thinking ahead to a married future, picturing how it will actually be; him as an actual husband, and her as a wife. And if you don’t already have any little kiddies in the family, he’ll be picturing himself as a dad.

Another thing that will inevitably enter his mind is what has to happen before becoming Mr and Mrs: the wedding! Envisioning himself at the top of the aisle as his soon-to-be fiancée walks towards him is a pretty big moment, and pretty powerful stuff when it comes to emotions – it may even help him think of what to say!

The parents

Even though asking the father of the bride for permission is more of a tradition than common practice these days, the parents of the bride would probably appreciate a little hint into the fact that this guy might be the one to marry their daughter. It’s good to bare the parents in mind, just a bit!

The ring

Walking into a shop and choosing a diamond ring isn’t the easiest task for the typical man. Doing some digging into what kind of ring she may like to have on her finger after the proposal is something that will save men a lot of shopping time, and maybe even some nerves by the time it comes round to popping the question.

The method.

The next BIG question is HOW will he do it? This is where he’ll have to consider everything about his fiancée-to-be. Will she love a flash mob proposal or is she the kind of girl that cringes at the thought of a dance and sing-along? Is there a memorable date in your relationship that would be significant? Or is there a location that means a lot to you both?

The words

The words ‘Will you marry me’ won’t necessarily naturally come into conversation – especially when the proposal is a total surprise, who knows how the conversation will go with an unsuspecting girlfriend! Whilst you can’t plan everything, he should consider different ways of saying it and practice! It will help the nerves when it comes to it!

Wedding doesn’t have to be conventional

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If you are not a conventional couple and you don’t want to go by the book of how a Wedding should pan out for the day, why not incorporate your personality into planning your wedding day and have fun!!

1. Walk Down Memory Lane

Make the guest feel like integral parts of the day by incorporating them into the décor — in a gallery of meaningful photos. Why not hang pictures of the bride and groom with friends and family along the walk from the ceremony to the reception. It’s a fun cocktail party conversation starter. As guests take a leisurely stroll and find pictures of themselves with you, they can reminisce and socialize.

2. Break the Ice Creatively

When you enter your reception for the first time as husband and wife, don’t just take a conventional arm-in-arm stroll. Run. Skip. Dance. Swoop in on a rope swing! Brainstorm with your groom about the most creative, appropriate way to make a big impression. This is a great way to break the ice and set up for a fun vibe for the rest of the event.

3. Play Party Games

How about the menus being puzzles, so each person got one piece of the puzzle at their place setting, then everyone had to put the pieces together to get the full menu description. Crossword puzzles are fun for the back of a program or if you have guests going on a long bus ride to get to the reception venue.

4. Be Entertaining

Guests always love the energy of a live band but tend to want to hear the original artist sing their favourite tunes. As a compromise, a bride may hire a dance band but also play DJ music during the breaks, or she’ll arrange to have live music during some parts of the event and recorded music during others.

5. Surprise them!

Love poems from a book makes a wonderful, lasting guest favour that’s much more meaningful that a bag of sugared almonds! If you buy in bulk, you might get a discount — contact your bookseller directly. And don’t forget to add a personalized bookmark thanking your friends and family for sharing your big day with you.

Your journey is about to begin

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Your journey has now begun and you are both on your way to being Mr & Mrs. but before you walk down the aisle or have that romantic first dance, you need to have the ever so popular engagement party! The engagement party is the time to get all your friends and family together to celebrate the brilliant news. Many questions surround engagement parties such as who organises the party, how close after the engagement should the party be, who should we invite etc. Well, here are some ideas…

Set the date- This is the most popular question… When is the right time for an engagement party? Well firstly, when you are engaged is a good start, but I figure you already know that! So the most popular time frame for an engagement party is within the first 4 months of your engagement. This is because there will still be such excitement and this is the calm before the storm of wedding planning. Go show off that new engagement ring, dance together as an engaged couple and enjoy the planning of the engagement party.

The Guest List- Firstly, do not invite guests to the engagement party who will not be invited to your wedding. This has happened before and can be quite rude. So make sure that the guests at your party will also be partying with you on your wedding day. The guest list can be as small or big as you like. Many futures brides and grooms prefer for the engagement party just to be close family and the full bridal party. Others want all their loved ones there, which can be very fun as you can then decide who is going to be that crazy friend at the wedding, which uncle will do the embarrassing dance first and which mum will cry first… yes these are some of the things to look forward to.

Invites- State clearly that is an engagement party, and not your wedding! You would be surprised at how often this happens. Also tell your guests the venue, time and dress code if applicable. Your engagement invites should represent what you and your fiancé are like as a couple so if you are having a formal engagement party, your invites should portray this. But if it is non-formal and more of a knees up then your invites do not have to be as formal. I know I know, but it is the small detail which makes all the difference!

Decorations- This is the part you can have loads of fun with. You could go and buy some engagement banners and balloons and have the balloons filled with helium for table centre pieces. These can be found very easily from any party store. You could also print out loads of photos of you and your fiancé from the day you met to the present day and place them around the room, your guests will love looking at these and it will bring back some beautiful memories. You could choose a theme for your engagement party and play on this. Even get your guests to dress up so your party really will be unique.

Entertainment- Your engagement party is overall the first steps towards your wedding and therefore it is a reflection of your wedding day. Your entertainment can be kept simple with a DJ and a few fun family games or you could go all out and hire a live band. Live bands are a great source of entertainment at an engagement party as they can talk to the crowd and really get them involved. You could also find some unique entertainment ideas such as a fun casino, caricature artist, a magician and even hire out a photo booth. The world is your oyster when it comes to your engagement party entertainment.

Overall just enjoy it all. This is you and your fiancés first official party as an engaged couple and that is all that matters. It is all about celebrating this massive milestone in each other’s lives and also spending it with your friends and family.