Tag Archives: planning

Entertaining the Kids

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Balloon Modellers

There are a number of fun balloon modellers to hire that can entertain children in a variety of ways. Not just for children’s parties, these superb artists can make pretty much anything out of their very special balloons. Whether a child would like a dog or perhaps even a hat ‘made’ from Pineapple and other delights, our balloon modellers are more than up to the task. Unlike other children’s entertainment, you might just find your adult guests wanting to get involved as well!

Petting Zoo

The best thing about hiring a petting zoo is that everybody can get involved and enjoy having animals at your wedding. Just like balloon modellers, this idea is perfect for guests both young and old, with a particular highlight being Tony the Pony (above, dressed as a unicorn). Children will be in their element as they pet the animals inside the enclosure and they may just be allowed to feed them as well! Lovely.

Comedian

Perfect for deploying during the speeches, hiring a children’s comedian can entertain the kids in another room whilst their parents are listening to the best man’s various anecdotes about the groom.

Clowns

There’s nothing better than having a clown at your wedding! Able to put a smile on everybody’s face, clowns can entertain children at your wedding with a fun show that focuses on a variety of skills including magic and comedy. Perfect for the young and young at heart.

Face Painting

A simple and traditional idea and one that always goes down brilliantly, face painting is a hugely popular affair when planning a wedding. Whether children would like to go for a tiger look or a butterfly, there are numerous options available to ensure that every single child is happy on your special day.

Lose a few pounds for your big day

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Losing weight doesn’t have to involve a huge overhaul of your daily diet. Instead, making small and simple changes to the way you shop, cook and eat can equal a huge difference – and could even see you drop a dress size slip into a smaller wedding dress.

Week 1

Don’t portion with caution – trying to live on small portions will leave you feeling hungry and more likely to snack on unhealthy foods. Enjoy regular meals and eat to satisfy your appetite by tucking into filling, lower-calorie foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit and veg, lean meat, poultry and fish.

Week 2

For every meal, fill a third of your plate with vegetables. They’ll fill you up, increase your nutrient intake and help you drop a dress size.

Week 3

Take away your takeaways and cook your own low-fat curries, burgers or chips. You’ll save pounds as well as drop a dress size and tighten your belt in more ways than one! Eating healthily doesn’t cost anymore, because you pocket pounds you’d previously have spent on convenience foods and takeaways.

Week 4

Choose whole fruits ahead of juice. Fruit contains lots of sugars (albeit natural). Whole fruit is also full of bulky fibre that helps satisfy your appetite and keep you full for a long time. Juice, however, doesn’t fill you up and it’s easy to have lots of it so you quickly consume more sugar and extra calories. Think about how full you would be after six oranges compared with how easy it is to drink the juice from six oranges without feeling full.

Week 5

Cool swaps are key when you want to drop a dress size – so use extra-lean meat, trim off all visible fat and remove skin from poultry, swap cooking oil for light sprays, sugar for sweetener and calorie-laden salad dressings for fat-free vinegar and see the pounds fly off!

Week 6

Keep a piece of fruit close to hand in case you fancy a snack, plus an apple or a banana won’t melt all over your purse like chocolate! But if you do really want to drop a dress size and fancy a piece of chocolate, don’t deny yourself. Depriving yourself will only see you crave treats more and end up giving in, most likely giving up on your slimming campaign, too. Enjoy in moderation.

Week 7

Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk instead of whole milk in drinks, on its own or in cooking. You’ll still receive the calcium that you need without any extra fat.

Week 8

Take your lunch to work – that way you know what’s gone into it. Pre-packed sandwiches and salads can be loaded with hidden salt and fat. Plus, making your own lunches will work out cheaper, saving more money for the wedding!

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!).

Things don’t always go as planned

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Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, but that doesn’t mean that things always go smoothly and as planned…

Enjoy the wedding morning

Getting ready on the morning of the wedding is bound to be stressful, but make sure you take time to relax and enjoy it with a glass of champers! It’s the one time you’ll be pampered within an inch of your life so sit back and look forward to what is to come…

Don’t go hungry

Couples actually forget to eat during their wedding day! You’ll be super busy greeting and thanking guests, that you might not have time to eat the delicious wedding breakfast you spent all that money on. Make sure you allow you and your hubby time to sit down and enjoy the meal.

Beauty trials

Always make sure you have a hair and makeup trial before your wedding morning. There would be nothing more stressful than hating your hair and makeup whilst knowing it’s too late to change it. We recommend having at least 2 trials before your big day to make sure it’s perfect!

Book a DJ

A lot of couples try to save money on wedding entertainment, and rather than booking a decent DJ they create a playlist on their iPod. Yes, this does save a ton of money but a good DJ will make sure all of your guests get up on the dance floor for a groove!

Comfort over style

Even though those glitzy stilettos may look gorgeous, will you last in them all day? If you’re opting for high heels for the ceremony, make sure you bring flats along too! Many brides end up in pain towards the end of the day due to their heels. We all know the feeling, so if you want to enjoy every second of your special day, sometimes being comfy is best!

Alternatives to the traditional guest book

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Puzzle pieces

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

Celebration Tree

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

Vintage typewriter

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

Wishing well cards

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

Wooden hearts

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

Wedding Shoe Tips!

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Every girl loves a new pair of shoes, especially if it’s the pair she will be wearing on the day of her wedding! Whilst the dress is usually the most exciting part of your bridal look, we believe your shoes are just as important. We take a look at 8 wedding shoe tips to ensure your shoes are comfortable and perfectly complement your wedding dress and personal style!

1. Quality

It is understandable that many brides opt for cheap wedding shoes especially if they are trying to stick to a budget. They usually feel it’s a waste to spend money on something that won’t really be seen under a long dress and that you will only wear once. However, you are going to be on your feet all day so we highly recommend investing in a good quality, comfortable pair of shoes, which won’t ruin your day with sore feet. It really isn’t worth it! Good quality shoes don’t have to break the bank. Inquire at your local bridal shops about sales or ex samples or check out sites such as eBay, Preloved and Gumtree for a second hand pair.

2. Heel Height

This really depends on what you’re used to. Some brides wouldn’t leave the house without their favourite 4 inch heels, whereas others are happier sticking to a heel height of just a couple of inches. Whatever your preference don’t be tempted to go much higher than what you normally wear and what you’re used to. You want to glide down that aisle with elegance and grace, not hobble awkwardly and trip!

3. Shoe Size

There’s always that dilemma if you are in between sizes. Do you go up or down a size? We’d always recommend going up. Your feet will swell as the day goes on, which means they will begin to pinch if you opted for the smaller shoe. Shoes that are slightly too big can easily be amended with insoles and heel grips and can be removed later in the day when your feet swell to fit.

4. Wear Them In

You’ve probably done it before. Gone on a night out with a fabulous new pair of shoes, but within a matter of hours if not minutes, they are rubbing your feet. Even if your wedding shoes felt comfortable when you tried them on in the shop, we recommend breaking them in before your big day. Wear them around the house, to help soften them up and practice that all important walk!

If your wedding shoes are particularly slippy it may also be worth gently sanding the soles with sand

5. Shoe Accessories

Make sure you have these must have shoe accessories for your wedding day!

Heel grips – if your feet keep slipping out the back

Gel insoles – to reduce the pain you get on the balls of your feet from standing up or dancing, for a long period of time.

Shoe protector spray – to protect your shoes from water marks and stains.

Clean heels – to stop you sinking in the grass!

6. Try on With Your Dress

There are a couple of reasons to try on your wedding shoes with your dress. Firstly you want to ensure that the colour and style suit the style of your bridal gown. If you have already been wedding dress shopping you will have come to realise that wedding dresses don’t just come in ivory or white. There’s diamond white, pale ivory, alabaster, blush, light gold…the list goes on! If you are matching your shoe colour to your dress you want to check that one of them isn’t significantly paler or darker than the other, as one of them may end up looking dirty. Obviously carrying your dress around with you whilst you shoe shop isn’t exactly convenient, so try and get hold of a swatch of the fabric that matches your dress. Either ask the bridal shop where you purchased your dress, to send you one or see if there is something small from the dress you can take such as a sash or removable strap.

Secondly it is important that you try your shoes on with your dress to check if the hem needs altering. Ideally you want the hem to sit just off the ground to ensure you don’t trip. Bare in mind that when you are walking down the aisle, you are going to have a bouquet in one hand and the person that is giving you away in the other. You won’t have hands free to hold up the front of your dress too.

On the other hand you don’t want your dress swinging around your ankles because your heels are too high. If you are concerned that the length of your dress might be too short with your heels there are a couple of things you can do. If you haven’t purchased your dress yet or you ordered it quite recently, ask your shop if there is the choice to order it in a longer length. If this isn’t possible, did you try the dress on with a hoop petticoat? If so this slightly shortens the length, so try it without. Your final option will have to be to rethink the height of your heels.

7. A Second Pair

If you just can’t resist those sky scraping heels, get yourself a second pair of lower, more comfortable shoes for the evening. From pretty pumps, to flip flops and customised Converse, there are styles to suit everyone. Bare in mind however, that if you choose to lower your heel for the evening and you are wearing a full length dress, it will drag on the floor, so be careful not to trip!

We also love the idea of filling a box full of flip-flops for your guest to slip into in the evening, so that they are free to dance the night away in comfort!

If there is a chance of rain or snow it is worth having a second pair of shoes to get you from A to B so that you don’t ruin your smart bridal shoes. Cue the wedding wellies!!

8. A Pair to Wear Again

If you are resenting having to purchase a pair of shoes you’ll only wear once, just buy a pair that you will get use out of even after your wedding day. Just because your wedding dress is ivory, doesn’t mean your shoes have to be! Pick a pair in a colour or pattern that you’ll wear again and that matches your wedding theme and colour scheme. This is the opportunity to have some real fun and show off your personality. They also make great photos and talking point between guests!

Alternatively, choose a pair that can be dyed in your favourite colour after your big day so that they can be worn over and over again to make the most of your purchase.

5 Songs to walk down the aisle

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You may have spent a long time discussing your first dance song with your partner, but don’t neglect other important pieces of music you’ll need on your day! For your wedding ceremony songs, you’ll need to make at least two choices – namely, your processional and recessional songs.

A processional song is the music that you and your wedding party will walk down the aisle to – you can have one song for everyone, or choose a separate song for your grand entrance. At the end of the ceremony, you and your new husband leave the venue to your recessional music, which tends to be more upbeat than the processional.

1. Bridal Chorus, Wagner

Often known as Here Comes The Bride, this piece of classical music is the traditional choice for the procession of the bride, and is often played on an organ. We’ve chosen a slightly more modern arrangement by Vicente Avella on classical piano – that way you can keep the element of tradition without the drama!

2. Canon in D, Pachelbel

Another very popular choice with brides. This gorgeous piece of music sounds beautiful played by a traditional quartet, but we also love this version by Per-Olov Kindgren on classical guitar.

3. A Thousand Years, The Piano Guys (originally Christina Perri)

Sometimes couples can’t decide between a classic instrumental or a more modern love song with vocals for their processional music. Why not get the best of both worlds with an instrumental cover of one of your favourite songs? We seriously love this piano and cello cover of Christina Perri – check out The Piano Guys for more classical covers.

4. Glasgow Love Theme, from Love Actually

Walking down the aisle to a song from your favourite film soundtrack is another way to incorporate instrumental music with a personal touch into your ceremony. There are loads of options to choose from – Love Actually is a great place to start, and will have you welling up before you know it.

5. Marry Me, Train

If you want a modern song but aren’t sure what sort of thing to go for, then we think this a great choice. The melody and lyrics are both beautiful, and the tempo isn’t too fast for a processional.

An American themed wedding

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Has anybody else noticed that the USA appear to be in the news a lot recently? America is everywhere, thanks in no small part to the election a few months ago. We thought it’d be fun to focus on the country as a means to hold your very own American themed wedding with some exciting American themed entertainment thrown in.

With an American themed wedding, you don’t want to just ‘have a go’, you want it to be full of all things Americana because let’s be honest, our friends across the Atlantic aren’t exactly the most subtle bunch of people on earth. No, they love a celebration and they love their country! No matter whether you’re looking to host a wedding with an American theme because you and your partner met in New York or perhaps one of you is American or because you just love the country, this is the ultimate guide to holding an American themed wedding with the finest US entertainment around.

You might be think it odd that you have Uncle Sam at your wedding but what American themed extravaganza would be complete without their most iconic character? For those that missed the memo on the theme of your big day (the ‘We Need You’ invites weren’t enough a clue), this should act as a nice moment to ease them in #to the idea of an American themed wedding before the rest of the fun starts. Plus if you’re inviting Americans to your wedding then they’ll be delighted to see the costumed character performing a meet and greet!
If you’re looking to hire wedding entertainment then we know for a fact that you’ll be wanting to hire a band or two. The thing about the US is that it has so many genres so if you’re looking for common requests like Motown or soul, you’re sorted!

Savvy wedding planning

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Whatever the reason, one thing is for sure. Planning a wedding at the last minute can put you into a bit of a whirlwind of activity, in a good way though. Follow our savvy planning tips and you’ll avoid confusion and stress and enjoy each stage to the max!

Finishing touches

These absolutely don’t have to be elaborate, sometimes the simplest thing is best and there’s less to go wrong that way, too. If you’re having a spring or summer wedding you could just sprinkle blossoms or rose petals on the tables to add the wow factor. In winter, put tealights on a mirror in the centre of every table to add a sparkle.

Groom’s outfit
Unlike your wedding dress, suits for grooms can be ordered at much shorter notice. Have a look online and you’ll see that many companies even offer next-day delivery. High street chains usually carry plenty of stock and if you’re marrying out of season you’re probably going to find more choice. The most important thing to get right is the fit, so make sure everybody’s measurements are correct before ordering.

Bridesmaid dresses

Gone are the days when you had to dress each of your bridesmaids in an identical frock, regardless of whether or not it suited them. Now it’s very popular to let your bridesmaids wear different styles of dresses in different shades of the same colour. Let your maids choose their own style of gown that reflects their best features and they’ll be your friends forever and look much more smiley and happy in your photographs.

Forget save the date cards

Email is a wonderful invention for saving time. Instead of wasting valuable days by ordering save the date stationery, send your guests an email save the date instead. Facebook events and groups are also a great way of letting your guests know about your last-minute wedding and they will also help you keep track of how many people will be attending.

Don’t lose sight of your budget

Don’t panic if you’re on a short timescale and overspend, hoping that it will create solutions. If you’re on a tight budget and have very little time, then consider hiring a wedding planner who is likely to pay for themselves anyway. State exactly how much you can afford for a fee and stick to your budget. A wedding planner will be able to negotiate discounts and special rates for you anyway and is more likely to be able to come up with some amazing last-minute solutions for you.

Do it yourself

If you’re having trouble finding a florist who can do your flowers at short notice, then visit a wholesale florist locally to choose your own blooms. Don’t attempt any sort of formal flower arrangement. Instead go for a shabby-chic, rustic sort of look by arranging your flowers and greenery in mismatched vases and bottles.

Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork

If you’ve decided to rush off and tie the knot abroad then make doubly sure you have all the legal documents you need in place to make this happen. Your passport needs to be valid, with at least six months left before it expires and you’ll need your birth certificate too. In New York we’ve heard of weddings being organised in under a week but in Italy they take about three months!

Getting married last minute is possible – but just keep the above in mind, especially our words on documentation. A lot will depend on the destination in which you’re getting married, so check local requirements and make sure you’ll qualify in time.

That said, getting married last minute is very romantic and very do-able. Plus, you’re going to be Mr & Mrs just that little bit sooner!

Getting the music just right

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We all know that when it comes to creating the perfect atmosphere for your wedding, music plays an important part. But if you really want to personalise the soundtrack to your big day, why not consider a completely bespoke musical experience? Here are our top tips for creating bespoke wedding music that wows!

Consider the musical heritage of both bride and groom

Combining Reggae with Charleston makes for a lot of fun, for example. Or mixing world music styles such as Sega and Mauritian traditional music. Speak to your band to see what’s possible. Depending on the preferences of you and your better half, don’t choose between them;combine them and make something totally unique to your personalities.

Mix up playlists and songs
Who didn’t have a secret obsession with the American TV Series ‘Glee’?! Their mash-up song selection was genius and can be recreated with the right band. If the groom is a Led Zep fan but the bride is a ‘Belieber’ you can ask your band to make a first dance song that suits you both perfectly, and perform it live, mash-up style!

Try non-traditional instruments performing traditional songs, or vice versa

A string quartet playing Bohemian Rhapsody, for example sounds awesome. The traditional wedding march on electric guitar? Seriously cool. You can even see if your musicians will mix up their dress code and typical band setting – we once had a band who loosened their ties and set down their instruments before crowd surfing over guests!

Include some singing waiters…

Singing waiters may seem a bit cheesy to some, but they’re still great fun. Or you could try something similar – one of my favourite wedding gigs involved recreating the scene from the film Love Actually where the musicians sit amongst the congregation in the church and stand up as each instrumental section joins the wedding march.

Try a completely non-conventional wedding band

When it comes to hiring wedding entertainment, the sky’s the limit. Depending on your tastes you can choose from heavy metal, bandeoke (karaoke with a live band), reggaeoke (karaoke with a live reggae band), an opera performance, or even Burlesque dancers and fire eaters. Just decide on what’s going to make the day special for you and reflect your tastes, and go for it!