Tag Archives: planning

A wedding poem

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Sometimes words are not enough and writing something for a bride who had been told she that only had a short time to live, she may want to write a poem for her groom thanking him for sticking by her, and loving her through tough times. Or writing something to be read at the wedding reception, thanking all their friends and family who helped her to put the wedding together so quickly. This of course can be a very precious keepsake.

Anything written by you is touching in their own way. A groom may want to write a poem for his bride about all the things he loved about her – right down to her not being the best singer in the world, but loved to hear her sing as it meant she was happy. You may have been through tough times, but against all the odds, you made it to the altar and are looking forward to the future together.

Little details make the difference, so in each case try to weave your personal memories and feelings into something that you are proud to deliver, either written down, or read aloud.

Poems are incredibly useful when used as best man speeches. Often the best man doesn’t have a lot of public speaking experience and it can be daunting, and so it can be nice to have the rhythm of a poem as something to focus on while they are trying to deliver their speech. Also, for a best man, what they really want to do is be there for their friend in the run up to the wedding, so having a poem to be used as their best man speech frees up their time to really be there for them. Then all they need to do is practice their poem, present on the big day and then sit back and take all the praise for their clever delivery!

Best Man poems can contain all the regular things you would put into a best man speech, so humorous tales from the groom’s younger days, and how he met his bride and what his friends think of her, messages from friends who can’t be there and thanks you’s and so on. They can choose to have their full speech as poem, or just a small part, perhaps to be used as the crowning glory and rounding off their speech.

Poems can be presented as gifts in a number of ways, as the main gift where the sentiment is in the words, or as thank you poems for the bridesmaids to go alongside any other little gifts that you may give them. They may want to simply write it into a card, frame it with a wedding photo, record themselves reading it and then share it, or have it transcribed into calligraphy.

 

Beautiful winter weddings

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The number of winter weddings taking place every year is increasing. Although off-season rates are a factor for many couple’s, there are lots of fun reasons to have your big day during the winter months.

  • As dusk falls early, you have an extended evening to celebrate. With endless possibilities for candles, fairy lights, and fireworks to light up the night sky, winter weddings are a great excuse to have fun with lights.

  • Every winter bride dreams of a magical sprinkling of snow. If you get married north of the border, the chance increases even further.

  • Most wedding venues and wedding suppliers will have off season rates, but many will also provide tempting incentives. Scottish venue Dundas Castle is offering complimentary bubbly, fairy light ceiling, and sparklers to all winter weddings in January and February 2017 as part of its ‘Winter Sparkle’ promotion.

  • Why not welcome your guests into your wedding venue that has a roaring open fire? You could also reflect on your day with a nightcap as the fire crackles – one of the great pleasures of winter weddings.

  • Winter is full of memorable dates to make your chosen day even more special. You could have a festive Christmas wedding, a romantic Valentine’s weekend wedding, or even start the New Year as you mean to go on – as a married couple.

  • Fly to the Maldives during Summer, and you’ll hit a monsoon! Winter is southern hemisphere honeymoon season, with no school holiday supplements. The chance to ski or get some much needed winter sun makes it a honeymoon triple whammy!

  • Getting married in winter totally eliminates ‘Will it? Won’t it?’ weather related stress. Guests will be expecting colder weather, so the focus will be on what’s going on indoors. That way, any snow or winter sun comes as an added bonus.

  • Your guests may have ‘wedding fatigue’ by the time your summer wedding comes around. A winter wedding will be a seasonal highlight too. This gives you and your guests a great excuse for a post-Christmas knees up.

  • Winter is still low season, making getting your ideal Saturday date a breeze. It’s also much easier finding accommodation for your guests, or bagging your dream photographer or wedding band.

  • Last but surely not least, a winter wedding is your chance to sport some stylish bridal wellies. If you’re less adventurous, winter offers a plethora of clothing options. Why not go for fake fur, feathers and capes to tempt the fashion conscious.

 

A Wedding Under £1,000

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With wedding dresses alone averaging out at over £1000, is it really possible to plan the perfect wedding under £1,000?!

Given that the average UK wage is just under £28,000 per annum, it’s clear that getting married is an expensive pursuit. Not only that, it’s one that puts many couples in a huge amount of debt, and at a time when life should be a carefree bed of roses.

It may not surprise you that it’s possible to get married without breaking the bank, and it is, in fact, possible to have a perfect wedding day for less than £1000. Being savvy in your choices and concentrating on what really matters can mean you still have the day of your dreams, as well as enjoying a debt-free marriage! Start married life wedding debt-free with a guide to wedding planning for less than £1,000!

1. Do it yourself

You can delegate almost every job to a wedding planner, other than saying ‘I do’ and spending the rest of your life in marital bliss. Save the cost and do it yourself.

2. The Guest List

The idea of a lavish crowd might excite you, but keep it to close friends and family and you’ll be saving thousands of pounds. Aim for a list of 40 for starters and do your best to stick to it.

3. Use the talents of your guests

Do you have a keen photographer, DJ or cake baker amongst your friends and family? Then use them. Although professionals will tell you differently, there’s not an awful lot to baking three wedding cakes and stacking them on top of each other.

4. The Venue

Have a budget, shop around and source your own venue – village halls are a good starting point – then decorate it with the help of friends and family. Go local and save time and money on a wedding car – delegate a friend to drive and glam it up yourself.

5. Food & Drink

Many wedding venues will allow external catering, and buffet food is cheaper. Marry later to avoid serving two meals. And does anyone really want vol-au-vents and finger food, when a massive plate of serve-your-own hot dogs will fill the hungry.

6. The Outfits

Purchase or hire suits from the high street, ask the best man to wear his own and colour co-ordinate with matching ties. High street brands are all jumping on the wedding attire band wagon and offering affordable ranges of wedding and bridesmaid dresses for under £100, and for some of them, no one will be able to tell the difference.

7. The Honeymoon

You’ll be exhausted following your big day, and may just want to sleep and indulge in whatever else newlyweds get up to. Save money on a massive holiday abroad for a time when you can afford it after the wedding.

Essential Costs

  • Detailing essential costs will let you know how much you have left to ‘splash out’ on non-essentials, be these hair, jewellery, flowers, decorations etc.

  • Marriage License & Fees: approx. £150

  • Venue: Village hall hire from £20 per hour x 7 hrs = £140

  • Food & Drink: 40 person self-service buffet catering from £5 per head; buy your own booze for £250 (average 50 bottles of wine or 30 crates of beer)

  • Outfits: Men’s suit from £49; wedding dress from £69

  • Rings: Matching titanium bands from £35

  • Total Essential Costs: £893

  • Budget left for non-essentials: £107

What to scrimp and splurge on

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Your wedding date

Choose a weekday or an off-season date and you might find that everything is that bit cheaper, and that wedding suppliers are more open to offers. We’re not suggesting that you barter, but it might be worth simply asking your preferred suppliers if they offer a reduced rate on your chosen date.

Your wedding venue

The best wedding venues will offer flexible packages, with price ranges to reflect what they can offer. To secure your venue on an exclusive use basis will always attract the highest prices, but what about if you were more flexible in your approach? For example, if you chose to have your wedding reception at your favourite restaurant (which will keep costs down in itself), would you be willing to share the space with normal paying customers? Or perhaps you might consider holding your reception somewhere that is open as usual during the day? If the venue can take bookings as normal, it’s going to keep costs down.

Your guest list

We all know that the big cost of any wedding is in feeding your guests. Your venue will talk about a ‘per head’ cost. There is absolutely no shame in making it clear to everyone from the start (including your parents and anyone else who thinks that they are going to be allocated invitations to give out!) that you are having a small do. Far better to feed fewer guests with an amazing meal that they will remember than lots of guests with food chosen purely because it was the cheapest option. The general rule is that if both of you haven’t met someone, they shouldn’t be on the list, but actually by eliminating big groups like ‘colleagues’ and ‘cousins’ and standing firm on your decision, this will make a huge difference.

Your dress

Your wedding dress is an investment, something that you will look back on for the rest of your life. You need to get it right, and the only way you can do that is by buying from a bona fide bridal boutique. Good boutiques will work with you and your budget to make sure that you are happy and comfortable with your choice, and show you that you don’t have to re-mortgage to get the dress of your dreams.

Your bridesmaids

Do you even need bridesmaids?! Well, yes, of course you do, and it makes sense that you want them to look right, happy and comfortable, too. Bridesmaid dresses are best bought from proper bridal shops too, and there are many options available, but once again, it’s not worth breaking the bank over.

Your wedding flowers

It’s another thing that you need to fork out for, so get a professional who can interpret your style and work with your budget. That said, there are clever ways with flowers… They can be moved, for example – church flowers can appear again in the evening; bridesmaid bouquets can form table centres – the possibilities are endless. You could even enlist the help of the church flower team, or speak to the venue about sharing the costs, maybe with another event or wedding. There are some incredible silk flower options around – it might be that your out-of-season peonies are better value in silk, for example. Talking of peonies, did you know that they are on average five times more expensive than roses? You should always buy wedding flowers that are in season.

Your wedding photographer

Saving money by hiring someone cheap, or by relying on friends who take good photos will not work. We’re sorry, but you simply can’t take a risk, or rely on, anyone else other than a professional wedding photographer who has a wealth of wedding experience. Taking quality photographs of you on your big day is not the same as taking Facebook-worthy selfies.

Your reception

Of course your best budget bet would be to choose a venue that doesn’t need much decoration, or that already has a huge stock of items you can make use of to decorate. Or you might have some friends who are really good at making things, all of which would keep your costs low. Once you have decided on your theme, you can start to stock up – each shopping trip could include candles, or confetti, or fairy lights.

 

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.

 

Keep calm, it’s your wedding

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You’ve spent tireless hours planning your wedding, crafting, revelling, and swooning over your wedding dress and the fact that you get to marry the person of your dreams. But guess what? When your wedding day finally arrives, all of your plans are going to be set in motion, and it is time for you to sit back and enjoy! Sadly, not everyone gets to do this for one reason or another… but if you adhere to the following things, you will get to fully enjoy the entire experience of your wedding day:

1. Limit your activities on the morning of your wedding.

Don’t plan an activity that doesn’t fall within your normal routine. You don’t want to end up sore from a 7-mile bike ride that you wouldn’t normally do on any other day. Or you don’t want be late for the rest of your day because you decided to go get pedicures on your wedding day. Getting ready on your wedding day will take time, so enjoy it. There is also no need to add any stress of completing tasks before the wedding, so make sure you have all your projects done! Be smart and be reasonable with yourself and make sure you’re not overdoing anything.

2. Eat and stay hydrated.

Seems like a no brainer but not eating and drinking water can ruin your wedding day. Staying hydrated will help your skin glow in your pictures. And in case you need us to mention the obvious… staying hydrated will also hopefully prevent you from over-drinking and getting sloppy from too much Champagne in the morning!

3. Turn off your phone.

Or at least only answer your planner’s calls. Live in the moment. Your wedding day will pass by so fast- you don’t want to regret spending it on your phone. Plus, if you’ve hired someone to help manage your day, there is no reason you need to be directing people or making calls on what needs to get done. Direct everyone to your planner, but also friends and family- so you can enjoy your wedding day!

4. Trust your vendors.

Give them space and have confidence they’ll handle everything for you. Especially your wedding planner. She is there to represent you and will do just that, but you have to trust she’s got it covered! Intervening and not allowing her to do her job creates confusion, chaos, and wastes precious time! You hired your planner for a reason – remember that. Also, if there is a vendor who you feel like isn’t on par, discuss it with your planner and she can handle it for you. The whole goal is to not have to worry about anything, right?

 

Wedding photo ideas to inspire you

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Perfect props

With wedding photo booths becoming more and more popular, brides these days know the importance of a funny prop! Moustaches, glasses, hats and wigs make for hilarious photo opportunities with all your guests, but make sure you get at least one with just you and the girls!

Getting ready

This one’s a classic, but a surprising number of brides forget it! Whether it’s a natural shot of you all prepping for the big day or a posed group photo of you all together (these work particularly well if you’re wearing matching robes, pyjamas or t-shirts!), make sure you capture the atmosphere of excitement and anticipation before the ceremony.

Pucker up

This one is easy peasy – apply lipstick and pout! We especially like images like this if the bridesmaids are wearing a bright pop of colour on their lips, but it’s a funny, girly photo to have in your album whatever your maids are wearing.

Cuddle with mum

If you have tiny flower girls or if your bridesmaids have young children of their own, it’s nice to get a candid shot of the family having a quick cuddle, especially if the little ones are all dolled up for the occasion.

Drink up

This cheeky wedding photo brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘group shot’! Although it may be more traditional to have a photo of the groom and his ushers enjoying a tipple in the bar pre-ceremony, we love to see brides and their girls partaking in a little Dutch courage!

Funky glasses

These days, many couples use their wedding reception as the opportunity to just have a brilliant rave-up with their friends and family. If you and your bridesmaids are serious party animals, don’t forget to dig out some funny photo props like novelty sunglasses and glo sticks!

Funny face

Having younger bridesmaids or flower girls is great for unintentionally hilarious photo opportunities. Get your little ones to goof it up for the camera for a sweet picture that you’ll love – and can bring out at their 18th birthday parties!

Looking back

This is a great opportunity to show off the back of the bridesmaids’ dresses if they have pretty details like bows or keyholes.

Give it some welly!

Let’s face it – in a British countryside wedding, there’s a very good chance that you and your bridesmaids will have wellies on standby whatever the season. Turn it into a positive – buy cool patterned or coloured ones and have a fun photo with you and your girls wearing them!

Swing out sister

Many country wedding venues have swings in their grounds, so use them for a photo opportunity! This is a particularly good shot for brides who only have a small number of maids but still want the fun of a group shot.

 

Common mistakes

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It’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life. As the bride, you’ll be the centre of attention, and not only will your friends and family be present, but your wedding photographs will capture the moment forever. On the big day, you want to look like yourself, only better. There’s nothing worse than a bride wearing a gorgeous gown, in the perfect location, whose wedding hair is so dreadful that guests can’t keep their eyes off of it.

Brides should always have a consultation with a wedding stylist who will be doing their hair one to two months before the wedding date to ensure that their dream hairstyle fits in with their dream day.

Here are some common hair mistakes that brides make.

1. You forget your veil or headpiece. The veil factors into your overall look, and its length and style may determine if you’ll want to wear your hair up or down. If the veil hasn’t arrived yet, ask the bridal salon to loan you a sample, or at least bring along a photo when consulting with your wedding hairdresser.

2. You cut your hair days before the wedding. Stay away from the scissors and don’t plan on getting a haircut right before the big day. Instead, do it a month or two prior to the wedding to ensure that you like the cut and it will work with the hairstyle you’ve chosen.

3. You don’t carefully choose your stylist. You will remember your wedding day forever, so choose someone you trust to style your hair. If your hairdresser doesn’t typically do wedding hairstyles, ask him or her for a recommendation, or speak with friends or other brides who have had hairstyles you’ve admired.

4. You experiment with hair colour. Talk to your stylist about how you envision your hair on the big day, and let your colourist know if you are planning on wearing your hair up or down. It’s also not advisable to dramatically change your hair colour before the wedding. You want to look like an enhanced version of you, not someone completely different.

5. You only try one style. Just as you tried on several wedding dresses (even if you knew the first one was the best), have your stylist show you at least three different looks based on your description of what you want.

6. You go to your consultation without any ideas. Pictures speak louder than words. Gather photos of hairstyles you like. This will give the stylist an idea of the kind of style you’re seeking. The stylist can’t make you look like the person in the picture, but he or she can attempt to copy the hair as long as the texture and length are not an issue.

7. You forget about touch-ups. If it’s in your budget, consider having the wedding stylist stay after the ceremony and throughout the evening to do touch-ups to your hair—or even give you a completely different look. If the expense is too high, ask the stylist for tips on how to touch up your own hair during the reception.

8. You forget about the wedding dress. Your hair should always complement your gown. Select your gown first and then decide on the hairstyle with your stylist.

9. You think short hair is your only option. If your cute bob doesn’t jive with your dream of having long locks on the big day, ask your stylist for extensions. This temporary fix can be a perfect solution.

10. You forget about the groom. Although you’ll be the focus of the big day, you will want his hair to look just as good. Make sure the groom gets a good haircut a week before the wedding.

 

Include Mum in the ceremony

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Sometimes it seems near impossible to pay Mum back for all her love and support, but she is your Mum, and because she’s your Mum, we guarantee she’ll be as pleased as punch from even the smallest of gestures.

1. Have her walk you down the aisle!

Don’t think you need to find a male replacement for that Moment if Dad’s no longer in your life then the perfect choice will be your Mum, or if Dad is still around why not have both parents walking you down the aisle?

2. Give her a flower before the altar.

Dad still doing the giving away? Take a Moment before you step onto the altar to give your mother a flower from your wedding bouquet. Purposefully singling her out right before you say your vows will show her (and everyone in attendance) how crucial her support has been in getting you there. The gesture will become even more special if you tuck one of her favourite blooms into your bouquet and present her with that.

3. Set aside a space dedicated to her memory.

When planning a wedding, If your mother has since passed, place a framed photo of her and her favourite flowers on the chair where she would have sat.

4. Include Mum in the getting ready fun.

Book her a seat next to yours while you and your bridesmaids are getting your wedding hair and wedding makeup done. Involving her in this girls-only tradition will let her know that you see her as a friend and confidant, which is the ultimate compliment.

5. Recreate a moment from her wedding day.

Sort through Mum’s wedding photos and select a photo you find particularly striking. Surprise her by bringing the shot to your wedding and recreating the pose with your wedding photographer—we guarantee she’ll be touched by the gesture.

 

Take a deep breath and enjoy

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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 wedding hair and wedding 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!