Tag Archives: preparation

What to eat

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When planning a wedding, what you eat could make the difference between a stressed bride and a happy bride! Here is a list of top foods and nutrient packed ingredients with the properties that will revive your glow, boost your energy and promote a settled and happy stomach!

Watermelon

Watermelon is low in calories and it consists mostly of water and the anti-bloating potassium. If you wish to try another melon opt for cantaloupe. Eat slices of melon as a snack or slice it into cubes and add it to a salad to fully de-bloat.

Bananas

Perfect if you had any salty food the night before – the high levels of potassium found in bananas will counteract with the sodium, making any bloating completely disappear. Additionally, the minerals found in bananas will keep the overall levels of minerals in your body replenished, meaning that you won’t get muscle cramps or experience numbness in your legs, which is essential during your wedding day!

 

Avocado

In the run-up to your wedding day, try adding slices of avocado to your salads, or your morning slice of toast. A known superfood, avocados are full of vitamins C and E, which work together to give your immunity a boost, as well as leaving your skin and hair looking healthy.

Tangerines

Tangerines are a great source of vitamin A and C, which not only help your skin battle acne, but also speed up the rebuilding process of your skin. Fine lines and wrinkles are much easier to manage with plenty of vitamin A, as it has wonderful anti-aging properties, while vitamin C helps you produce collagen, which keeps the skin supple.

Eggs

A perfect wedding day breakfast staple! Eggs are full of protein which will leave you feeling full without causing any bloating. Eggs are also rich in sulphur, which is not only good for your liver, but also great for increasing collagen and keratin production, which are responsible for healthy hair. Additionally, eggs have a diuretic effect, which will further reduce any bloating.

 

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes contain 65% of the minimum necessary daily amount of Vitamin C and have a very low glycemic index of 17. The best way to benefit from sweet potatoes is to keep the skin as it possesses healing potential with its high levels of vitamin A, beta-carotene and high potassium content. The body converts beta-carotene into active vitamin A, which is important to maintain healthy skin, hair and teeth.

 

Salmon

Wild salmon is another great staple to add to your pre-wedding diet. Rich in omega-3, it keeps your skin looking healthy, as well as well moisturised. Additionally, the vitamin D found in salmon will help keep your bones and teeth strong in the run-up to the wedding.

 

Blueberries

Blueberries have been labelled a superfood due to their high levels of polyphenols, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory compounds that positively impact the nervous system and brain function, helping to combat memory loss and improve your mood, keeping you calm and happy.

 

Green Tea

In the run-up to your wedding day, you might feel like you need all the coffee you can get, but try and steer clear of it as it can stain your teeth. Instead, drink some green tea. The tea will provide you with the energy you need and the amino acids in it will help you feel less stressed and more resilient under pressure, giving you a feeling of purposeful calm

 

The perfect wedding soundtrack

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While booking daytime wedding musicians might feel a little indulgent when planning your wedding music, ceremony songs are an essential element of every ceremony. Think about those all-important quieter moments… They occur as you walk down the aisle, sign the wedding register, and during your recessional as a happily married couple.

Even as the guests are being seated, playing some wedding music will create the atmosphere and anticipation you want. Red Masque an entertainment directory specialising in a huge selection of entertainment for any event, including weddings – we are here to help you choose the perfect live wedding music for your special day.

String quartets

If you would like to keep things traditional, why not hire a string quartet for your wedding music? Have them perform during your wedding ceremony for a truly magical start to your wedding day.

Comprising of two violins, a cello and a viola played together, string quartets create a whimsical and unique sound. If you are hosting your wedding in a church, your string quartet can perform stunning classical wedding songs from the likes of Pachelbel or Vivaldi – ever the favourites with brides and grooms

If you are a more modern bride who wants something a little different, many string quartets will also offer the choice of contemporary wedding songs, played in an instrumental manner. Whether you want Adele, Ed Sheeran or even a bit of Bob Marley, check your chosen string quartet will be able to perform them, then get booking!

Cellists

For a warm and rich sound, look to a cellist to provide the wedding music. There is a huge choice when it comes to choosing an instrumentalist for your wedding ceremony. Hiring one musician is perfect if your wedding budget won’t quite stretch to a whole string quartet. They are often cheaper to book (depending on their experience, of course).

Harpists

The harp is the instrument of choice for a lot of wedding music. In fact, you’ve probably attended weddings of family and friends yourself that have been graced by a harp’s soft notes. Harpists will need a little more space than some other instrumentalists, but they are still perfect even for more intimate wedding venues thanks to their gentle music.

Long hailed as one of the most romantic of sounds, the harp is bound to win the hearts of both you and your guests.

 

A bit of a romance

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A little romance goes a long way. The very best weddings manage to incorporate small elements of romance and elegance without going overboard and still remaining cool!

Your wedding entertainment is crucial in setting the mood for your day so what acts in particular should you be looking at this year to create that warm, fuzzy feeling at your wedding?

Rat Pack Singers

You can celebrate in effortless style with a Rat Pack Singers and Bands. There is something suave and special about this era of music that brings a touch of class to your wedding. The tempo of the tracks are perfect for dancing to and often have a really romantic and personal touch – without going overboard on cheese.

Fire Performers

Make a change to the traditional end of night fireworks and heat things up during the evenings with live fire performers. The flickering flames and amber glow of the fire is inviting to say the least and is something completely unexpected for your guests. Create special moments and surprises for a memorable night.

Gospel Choir

If you’ve seen romantic comedy ‘Love Actually’ then you will know the impact a choir can make on your wedding. The sound of a choir is magnificent during weddings, especially during the ceremony where their grand voices can carry beautifully throughout your wedding venue. If you are in a large venue or a church then the acoustics will be absolutely perfect for this!

Wedding Harpist

If you are unsure about the acoustics of your venue then you can still create a romantic atmosphere with a live musician such as a Harpist. A solo musician like this is beautiful, personal and elegant. Not only that but the harp is an amazing looking instrument within itself. It stands tall and is hard to miss as the talented performer serenades both you and your guests.

Ballerinas

Enthralling snowflake ballerinas gliding across your dance floor with flawless choreography bring wonder and fascination from your guests. Live dancers are always unexpected at weddings and make for amazing photo opportunities. Top tip: Have them perform with you during your first dance to make the that moment even more romantic and memorable.

 

Get your family involved in your big day

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Make your own photo bunting

DIY bunting is always popular with brides wanting to personalise their wedding – it’s super easy to make and can transform plain spaces like marquees. Why not take it one step further and create bunting out of family photos? It will go down a storm with your guests, who will love reminiscing over the photographs during the reception.

Ask them to do a reading

One of the most meaningful ways to include family members in the ceremony is to ask them to do a reading. This is an especially lovely way to involve family members who may be be a little further removed from the immediate family, such as aunts or uncles.

Have personalised place cards

This is another sweet photo idea – use pictures of your friends and family in their place names! It’ll get everyone talking on their tables, and literally putting faces to names means that you’re less likely to get awkward introductions. We also love it when couples use photos on their table plans for the same reason.

Set up a hashtag

In the age of social media, it’s becoming much faster and simpler to share your wedding photographs and videos of the big day with lots of people at once. If you’re embracing social media on your big day, why not consider setting up a hashtag and letting your guests know for easier photo sharing? You may have to explain it a little to the grandparents, but once they realise that they’ll be able to see everyone’s photos all at once, they’re sure to be on board!

Have a family wedding wall

This is a great way to observe family wedding traditions on your big day while still keeping it your own. Get as many family members as you can to send you their wedding photos before the day, and then create a big canvas out of all of them. If nothing else, this is a great way to see how wedding trends change! We also love it when couples recreate one of their parents’ wedding pictures for a nostalgic photo opportunity.

Don’t forget granny!

It might seem obvious now, but your wedding photographs will be over quicker than you think – so if you know your grandparents would love to be involved in the formal photos, make sure your photographer knows this before the day. The pictures will make great keepsakes to send your family after the big day, and they’ll always treasure them.

 

The Night Before Your Wedding

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The day is almost here! After all that planning, you’re going to be feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness because your big day is actually happening… tomorrow!

To make sure you’re not feeling too lost in excitement, we’ve put together the things you should do the night before your wedding day.

Wash your hair

Whether you’re getting in a professional wedding hairdresser to do your ‘do for your wedding day, or if you’re keeping it in house and getting one of your bridesmaids to bring along their curlers and clips, washing your hair the night before will make sure your a lot easier to work with. Yes, freshly washed hair means it will still smell like your apple shampoo and conditioner as well as shine like the sun, but silky smooth hair can be a little too silky smooth for your hair styling appliances.

Honeymoon packing

If you’re off on your honeymoon or minimoon straight after the big day itself, it’s a good idea to, firstly, pack ahead of time, and secondly, double check it the night before your wedding. This way you won’t have that awful realisation mid wedding reception that you forgot to pack underwear for your trip. Make you and your hubby-to-be a checklist and use it to get packing in the weeks before the big day, then bring out the checklist again on the night before just to make sure you’ve packed absolutely everything you will need so you can quickly whisk yourselves away after the wedding…

Last minute beauty prep

Tonight is the time for the finishing touches! Manicure? Check. Pedicure? Check. Just completely spoil yourself with a totally relaxing beauty session with your bridesmaids to prepare for the day. Run yourself a bubble bath, play some chilled out music and have a good old gossip with your girls. But do remember, now is not the time for a facial. The night before your wedding is not the time to be introducing some new things to your beauty regime – it only risks the potential of waking up to an absolute corker on the end of your nose.

Step away from the spot

Talking of spots, if you’ve already got one or two – as annoying as they are – don’t pick them! Your wedding make-up will do the trick. If you’re getting someone in to do your make-up, they’ll know all the tricks in the book, or if you’re doing it yourself and you’re unsure on how to go about covering and concealing, YouTube it! YouTube has so many amazing hair and beauty tutorials to inspire your wedding look. But remember, it’s always a good idea to try out any new make-up techniques before the wedding day itself to get an idea of what suits you and your complexion.

Emergency kit

Round up all your big day essentials the night before to be ready – from kirby grips and safety pins just in case, to the essential lip gloss for topping-up before all the photos! That way you won’t be up all night thinking about what you’ll do if your hair goes out of place. Get it done and save the midnight stressing, and consequential lack of bridal beauty sleep – the most important kind of sleep!

Outfit checklist

If you’re all together, organise all the bridal party’s outfits ready for the big day. Lie them out on the bed and make sure everyone has got everything: the dresses, the suits, the ties, the accessories, the shoes. Only realising that one of your bridesmaids has got one shoe missing on the morning of the wedding probably isn’t the most ideal situation, right? There isn’t exactly a lot of time to schedule in an emergency jog to the nearest shoe shop on that specific morning…

 

Who should do what

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Planning a wedding is a pretty daunting task for any bride and groom, which is why traditionally the bridal party have a number of jobs to help with the process, and to ensure smooth wedding planning at all times…

Bride and groom

The bride and groom’s biggest responsibility is obviously to seal the deal and get married, but they have some crucial planning decisions to make first. It’s important that the bride and groom work on these decisions together and share the workload fairly, and that both are happy with each decision made.

  • Set the budget
  • Compile a guest list (this will be influenced by the budget)
  • Choose a theme, date and venue – make the necessary reservations and deposits
  • Organise invites, flowers, a photographer and wedding entertainment
  • Choose the wedding rings
  • Write the wedding vows
  • Thank-you notes for the guests
  • Greet everyone at the reception
  • Dance the first dance at the reception – some couples have lessons beforehand

In addition to the bride and groom’s joint responsibilities, each traditionally have tasks to handle on their own. The bride needs to choose her bridesmaids and maid of honour and their dresses, and choose a gift for her hubby-to-be. The groom needs to choose his groomsmen and best man and their attire, and also choose a gift for his wife-to-be.

Bride’s parents

In past traditions the bride’s parents have always paid for the majority of the wedding, but today the cost is usually distributed between mainly the couple, the bride’s parents and the groom’s parents. However there are still certain responsibilities for the bride’s parents to take care of.

  • Help the bride and groom with the guest list
  • Offer assistance and moral support with the wedding details
  • Attend any wedding rehearsals
  • The bride’s father escorts her to the ceremony and usually walks her down the aisle

Groom’s parents

The groom’s parents have very similar responsibilities to the groom’s parents:

  • Help the bride and groom with the guest list
  • Offer assistance and moral support with the wedding details
  • Attend any wedding rehearsals

Maid of honour

The maid of honour is traditionally a sister or best friend, and is the member of the bridal party that the bride relies most on. The maid of honour’s responsibilities include:

  • Organising any bridesmaid-related activities
  • Coordinating the hen do
  • Most importantly, organising the wedding dress shopping and any fittings
  • Helping the bride and groom with any ad–hoc tasks or errands  (keeping record of RSVPs, etc)
  • Attend any wedding rehearsals
  • Help the bride dress and get ready on the morning of the wedding
  • Arrange her veil and train during the processional and recessional
  • Holds the bride’s bouquet at the altar
  • Sign the marriage license as the bride’s witness
  • Helps the bride during the reception with the dress

Bridesmaids

There is no minimum or maximum number when it comes to bridesmaids and you can have as many as you want for your wedding. Bridesmaids can be single, married and any age.

  • Assist the maid of honour with the wedding planning duties and help the bride when needed
  • Help organise the hen do
  • Attend any wedding rehearsals
  • Walk in the processional and recessional

Best man

The best man is the groom’s go–to man during the wedding planning and his biggest support. The best man is traditionally the groom’s brother or best friend, and can be single, married and any age again.

  • Organise the stag do
  • Help to organise the groomsmen’s suit fitting and pick this up before the wedding say
  • Write a speech for the wedding reception
  • Attend any wedding rehearsals
  • Make sure the groom gets to the ceremony on time
  • Brings the rings to the ceremony
  • Signs the marriage license as the groom’s witness

Groomsmen

Apart from assisting the best man, the groomsmen don’t actually have many responsibilities before the wedding.

  • Help the best man with any wedding planning duties
  • Attend the stag do
  • Attend any wedding rehearsals
  • Arrive early at the ceremony on the wedding day and help to greet and seat guests

The final countdown

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When your dream day finally dawns, after all those months of planning a wedding, you want it to be nothing but dreamy. Often things don’t go entirely to plan, but you can still have the most perfect of days, so don’t let the worries build up. For a day filled with smiles and a sought-after stress free wedding morning, we’ve put together our top tips to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

One month before

Your bookings should all be made and arranged by now – we’re talking florists, cakes, wedding venue styling, entertainment, beauty – but it doesn’t hurt to get in touch again and finalise your plans. If you’re able to and haven’t already, arrange the timings for your event so you have a clear running order for the day in plenty of time. Make sure you include notes for the parts you won’t be present for yourself, too, like setting up – someone will need to know what goes where and when!

One week before

Finish any handmade items and DIY elements. Whether they will be decorative or you’re making your own wedding favours, when the day comes around you’ll be thanking yourself for finishing ahead of time. Get them all packaged as you’d wish and put aside in a clearly labelled box, ready to go for your wedding morning.

Now is also a great time to remind your bridesmaids and groomsmen what roles you’d like them to play on the day (if you need some pointers, you’ll love this bridesmaid jobs guide!). Dish out the jobs to keep things manageable and relax knowing that all the plans are in place.

One day before

The chances are you’ve prepared an ‘Order of the Day’ in some shape or form already, but this tends to begin with the ceremony. It’s a great idea to write down a running order for your wedding morning, too, so that you allow plenty of time for each element.

Think about what time your hair and makeup will be done, remembering to budget time for the bridesmaids too, when you’ll get into your dress, how long you’ll need for photos, and even when you’ll have a bite to eat! Give yourself some spare time on top so you don’t end up keeping your groom waiting should anything be held up (it’ll also save you from any last-minute panicking!).

Remember, it’s not worth worrying about things that are out of your control. Maintain this mantra for the simplest way to have a stress free wedding morning and follow these tips to start your day exactly as you’ll end it – in wedded bliss.

 

Surprise your guests

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When it comes to weddings, there are many opportunities to surprise the bride and groom. Be it with gifts, a fun interactive game for the newlyweds to engage in during the wedding reception or the Best Man’s speech, each surprise is sure to delight and entertain those in attendance. But what about surprising the bride and groom with some wedding entertainment? Here are three brilliant options.

Singing Waiters

Perhaps the most famous of the surprise acts, since their arrival on the events scene over the past decade, Singing Waiters have been a hugely popular booking for weddings each and every year. Working as part of the catering staff throughout the wedding breakfast, Singing Waiters surprise every person in the room by breaking out into song at a pre-arranged time. Perhaps the bride and groom have a special song that would be perfect for the Singing Waiters treatment? Hugely fun, this is sure to stun the room.

Stand Up Opera

One for the couple who love a bit of musical theatre, Stand Up Opera is a comedy and music performance unlikely anything you’ve ever seen! The concept begins during the drinks reception, where two charismatic performs will mingle with other wedding guests. Later in the day, the duo take centre stage to commemorate the new Mr. & Mrs. but their witty chatter quickly turns into an impressive and unexpected performance with operatic and classical crossover duets. The perfect blend of laughter and spine-tingling music for your big day!

Breakdancing Waiters

For those who are familiar with flash mobs, Breakdancing Waiters shouldn’t be too hard to explain. For the uninitiated, a flashmob is when a group of people who appeared not to be linked suddenly break out in song and dance! If you book Breakdancing Waiters for your wedding, you’ll receive a troupe of performers who immerse themselves among the wait staff and then break out into a stunning dance routine that will shock everybody in the room. A tremendous alternative to Singing Waiters but just as enjoyable!

 

Planning a wedding when pregnant

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Life has an excellent little habit of throwing lots of stuff at you at once and getting hitched when you’re pregnant to some women may be totally daunting. Often you don’t plan a wedding around a pregnancy and vice versa, however, it is possible to plan and have the best wedding ever when you’re a pregnant bride. Here’s how!

The dress

Some advice to all brides, pregnant or not, is to choose a wedding dress that makes you feel fabulous and is comfortable. Comfort is often treated as the second cousin, when it comes to wedding attire, which is a shame because a big factor in looking good is feeling good. If you can’t breathe, sit down or dance without wincing, if you have to wear three spanx to suck it all in, then maybe that’s not the dress for you. If you’re looking for maternity dress inspiration, then there is a plethora of celebrity pregnant brides to check out, very few of which, hid the bump. Whatever dress you choose make sure you have a good chat to your seamstress about how alterable the outfit is as it can be hard to predict how your body is going to be changing.

Shoes

This is one that’s often forgotten but pregnancy can cause swelling in lots of different places, one in particular…your fingers! Be mindful of your wedding and engagement ring size. If you have a wedding ring fitted while you are pregnant, it may need resizing later on. Another option is to use a substitute ring on the day, get something cheaper and save the real ring for later when you finger return to ‘normal’.

The party

It’s a big day… emotions are heightened, endorphins are flowing, make sure you look after yourself and listen to your body. If you need a rest. Have a rest. If you want to dance your behind off, then by all means, have a great time!

Planning

Be strategic in your planning. Work in ways to sit when you can, schedule in little down time moments and use other people to help you. YES, you are superwoman…we all are but you will be surrounded by many helper bees that want to assist you on the day and in the lead up to your wedding. Accept help, drink lots of water, have snacks at the ready and make sure you have easy bathroom access!

 

The perfect smile

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When planning a wedding 20% of adults feel judged because they have crooked, bucked or goofy teeth, and it looks like weddings make those people even more self-conscious!

Many of those surveyed described landmark events like weddings, christenings, special birthdays and so on, as a primary motivation to enhance their looks, with 6% undergoing orthodontic treatment to get themselves the perfect smile ahead of a milestone event.

The survey also revealed that weddings are the landmark event where concern about our appearance is most prevalent – 63% looked for ways to improve their looks before a wedding. Perhaps because so many pictures are taken on the big day?

Smiles are on full display, not only for the bride and groom, but the other members of the bridal party too – the mother of the bride, the bridesmaids, in fact, everyone will get snapped up by the wedding photographer at some point!

The rise in the use of digital camera and smartphones has led to a massive increase in the number of pictures being taken, particularly at the major events in our lives, like weddings! It is estimated that last year, there were 809 billion photographs taken in 2014, up from 664 billion in 2013.

Weddings are the landmark event where concern about our appearance is most prevalent – 63% looked for ways to improve their looks before a wedding. Perhaps because so many pictures are taken on the big day?

Little wonder the number of adults straightening their teeth is growing exponentially every year. This has been attributed to the fact that straightening one’s teeth has never been simpler or more discreet.

Invisible braces have become so popular and so frequently requested by adults because it is virtually undetectable. It has been equated with contact lenses compared with glasses – where no one needs to know that you are having correctional treatment. The system works by repositioning teeth discretely, little by little, using a series of custom made clear plastic ‘aligners’ which are changed in two weekly increments.

The aligners are custom made according to a treatment plan, specially trained orthodontists and dentists who combine their clinical diagnostic skills with the use of the latest digital scanning technology and 3D software to plot the way the teeth should move over a period of weeks – and this is demonstrated to the potential patient before they embark on their treatment so that they can see the predicted desired outcome at the outset.