Tag Archives: traditional

DIY Decorations

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You don’t have to spend a fortune on wedding decorations. Have a go at a project today and give your day a personal touch with handmade creations…

Fabulous fans

How about making some brightly coloured pinwheels for your marquee reception. They add a real pop of colour to the venue, but if you want a softer, more subtle look, try pastel shaded pom poms.

Vintage bunting

You could use pastel coloured cloths and vintage style bunting to pretty up your vintage tea party reception. You can pick up table cloths pretty cheaply on eBay to get a similar look.

3D table numbers

Make cardboard 3D table numbers and then cover them in pretty, shabby chic style fabric. A simple and effective idea that you can easily make at home with old off-cuts of fabric. Mix up the patterns and colours for an eclectic look.

Hanging old pictures around your reception venue is a sure-fire way to get guests talking. Personalise the room with photographs of all your loved ones, then let guests find their faces. You could adapt this for use in your table plan, too.

Pretty pom poms

Draw your guests’ eyes upwards with a ceiling full of paper pom poms and lanterns dangling from the rafters. This year’s hottest wedding designs and decorations are to be found on the ceiling. 

Rustic jars

Ask your friends and family to keep all of their old jam jars as they make cute arrangements for a rustic theme. Mix and match different shapes and sizes and fill them with cheap wedding flowers like gypsophilia for a feminine, just-picked-from-the-garden look.

Trend alert!

This potted plant table plan is such a lovely wedding decoration idea, perfect for a country themed wedding. You can pot them up yourself, use them as a table plan, and then hand them out as thank you gifts at the end of the night. Double DIY delight

Top table runners

Long trestle-style tables work brilliantly with table runners down the middle – go for gingham if you’re planning a country-style celebration like this couple or hessian if you want a more rustic look. A striking runner will mean you won’t have to go overboard with your flowers, either.

Be bold at your Wedding

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Weddings don’t have to be a formal affair. Add some personality to your big day with these fun and quirky wedding ideas.

Bright and bold

There’s no better way to show off your fun side than with colours. Bright, bold and in your face is what you should be going for when you’re thinking of colourful and quirky wedding ideas.

Think ravishing reds, grassy greens and passionate pinks. Not only will they stand out, they will look amazing in your photographs.

Nature’s gift

Think outside of the box when it comes to your floral decorations. Instead of red and white roses and carnations, think pink and orange sweet-peas or tulips. Trust us, they will look amazing!

Don’t forget to take a trip down to your local garden centre and pick up some lavender seeds to scatter in the doorway. When your guests walk into your venue they will take the scent of lavender in with them. 

Terrific transportation

Nothing says quirky like a brightly coloured VW camper van. Leave your venue in style in your very own mobile home, all packed and ready for your next adventure as husband and wife.

Even if camper vans aren’t your thing, you’ll need to rock up to your reception in a cool vintage car. How about a pink 1950’s Cadillac that really will wow your guests.

Time for cake

Ditch the classic 3-tier wedding cake in favour of some more quirky wedding ideas. Cake pops are a great alternative to a traditional wedding cake.

Choose round and colourful cake pops or get them designed to look just like you, the choice is yours!

Finally get some friends, learn a dance routine and surprise your partner and above all have fun!!!!

Favourite themes for 2016

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Finding the right theme for your wedding can be a massive headache – especially when you and your soon-to-be spouse have different tastes.

Here are some of the most favourite wedding themes for 2016 so you and your betrothed can find some common ground

Vintage nautical

Although vintage wedding themes have been a firm favourite for the last few years, 2016 will see this taken to the next level with more niche trends. For example, we’ll start to see the entire wedding based upon a particular reading, like the Owl and the Pussycat, which is becoming more popular as couples shy away from traditional love-based or religious musings, or perhaps a more nautical theme, like Titanic, that turns the usual into the more unusual. Suited to all seasons, you can easily incorporate this styling into every aspect of your wedding, whether you opt for an indoor or outdoor ceremony.

Fantastical wedding

What could be more outlandish and fun than stepping into the world of Alice in Wonderland, or maybe Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Whether you want to bring the Mad Hatter to your party, or would rather sample the sweet delights of Willy Wonka, the fantastical theme will help your wedding and the after party start and end with a bang. Bright colours, wonky decor and brash props make this a standout theme for 2016.

Get colourful!

Top tips for colour trends and theming for 2016 is all about being bold and brave with colour. It’s time to lose the pastel pinks and make your wedding pop. It’s all about making a big impact and sophisticated fun. This works really well with a Mexican themed wedding – think Mexican fiesta bunting, jars of colourful punch, colourful flower wreaths in your hair – or alternative wedding gowns that don’t necessarily fit to the white or ivory stereotypes.

Party decor

It’s goodbye to bunting and hello 2016 is the year of balloons, streamers and real plants as the centrepiece on tables. We’ve long been a fan of getting creative at weddings with colours and objects and we’re super-happy to see colour-coded props and peg boards making an appearance. It won’t lose that handmade feel though, so crafty-types, don’t fear. Feel free to add your personal touches to the entire experience and let your creativity run wild!

Retro

Feeling as though the vintage theme may be a bit too old-fashioned, but still looking to inject a bit of nostalgic fun into your big day? How about opting for a retro theme instead? Take a trip back to the 1950s and give your wedding a Grease-like feel, complete with diner-style food, multi-coloured straws and maybe even hire a vending machine or bar to finish the venue off properly. Finish everything off with an Airstream wedding photo booth and a retro looking enclosed photo booth – think Berlin photo mats – both can be set to print in vintage style old strips.

Inject some fun into your big day with customisable wedding photo booths and pop boxes, designed to fit any wedding theme or occasion.

Crazy Marriage proposals

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There are two types of people when it comes to marriage proposals; there’s the type of person who says that a proposal should be a private, intimate moment between two people in love that should reflect their time together.

Here are a couple of crazy proposals from the second type of person – take a look at these grand, public proposals!

A Blackpool Tower flashmob

This is a pretty unique flashmob, as the girlfriend in question was dancing along with the crowd!

The groom-to-be is a dance instructor, and is teaching a whole crowd a routine to’ Marry You’ by Bruno Mars on the dancefloor at Blackpool Tower. Once the crowd gets the routine sorted and are dancing away happily, his girlfriend Emily (also an instructor) comes up on stage to dance with him and lo and behold, he pops the question – much to her delighted amazement and the shouts and cheers of the crowd. This one takes some confidence and chutzpah but it really works and is emotional in all the right ways!

A surprise trip to New York

“I proposed to my girlfriend using deceit, lies and trickery.” Actually, it was a lot more romantic than it sounds – in fact he had two, rather than one big surprise lined up. The first was that his girlfriend was convinced they were going to Paris for their break, and it wasn’t until they got to the airport and Andy produced her passport and a beret that she discovered that they were actually going to New York! 

Then he sets things up just so he can propose in Times Square and film the whole thing – and really takes her by surprise yet again. How impressive!

 As if by magic

A proposal should always be magical, but this one might take the cake! David enlisted the help of magician and street performer to help him pop the question in Las Vegas his girlfriend Mary really had no idea this was going to happen. She’s completely amazed – in all the right ways!

April Fool’s!

Timing is definitely a key part of planning a proposal. One man took a bit of a chance proposing on April Fool’s Day – his girlfriend’s first response is, “This better not be a joke!”. She doesn’t look convinced until he finally pulls out the ring!

His girlfriend is crazy about dogs and always admired the puppies she saw on their walks together in Hyde Park, which gave the groom-to-be in question an idea. He got some special little coats made for three puppies professing his love and popped the question that way. 

Working it out

Proposing to your girlfriend whilst she’s at work isn’t always the best idea – unless she’s a teacher and you can get her cute pupils involved!

That’s the idea this groom-to-be had – he made them all hold up letters spelling out his proposal and briefed them before his girlfriend entered the class.  It’s a really sweet idea, and of course all ends well.

Why your Wedding day is the best day ever!!!

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It’s all about you

Your wedding day is a literally a day where you and your partner can embrace each other. Everything on the day is for the both of you; everyone is there to celebrate your love and marriage. Most importantly, it is a day to celebrate the start of your lives together!

The dress

Choosing your Wedding dress is possibly the best part of the wedding planning. It’s what every girl dreams of! It’s one time you can buy a really expensive dress without having to justify the price tag.

Wonderful company

One of the best things about the wedding is being able to spend a whole day with your closest friends and family. It’s all about love, laughter and celebration!

Pamper time

Although the morning of wedding is pretty stressful, it’s also a chance to be pampered by professionals whilst drinking champagne with your best girls. You can get your hair and make-up done professionally while you sit back, relax and think about married life!

Hen do

You may find it hard to get all of your best friends together at the same time to catch up and have a party. However, your hen doo is the perfect time for this! And what better reason to meet up to celebrate the fact you’re transitioning to married life. There are many ways to have a hen do, rather than going all out with sashes and tiaras, you could have a more formal affair where you dress up and have a sophisticated cocktail party.

Romantic honeymoon

Whether you decide to go to a hot country, go travelling or simply rent a quiet cottage in the countryside, a romantic getaway directly after your wedding is the perfect way to start married life. It gives you both a chance to let your hair down after months of planning your perfect wedding and look back on your memories.

Dream wedding

Everyone has an idea in their head as to what they want their wedding to be like, whether it’s princess Wedding, boho-inspired big day or a Disney themed affair, we’ve all been dreaming about the idyllic wedding since we were children. Now you’re a bride, you finally get to plan every single aspect of it, even from choosing what kind of cutlery you want! Although wedding planning is stressful, it’ll be completely worth it.

Love of your life

You know what the best bit of being a bride is? You get to marry the love of your life: your soulmate, your best friend and your love. If that’s not the best thing in the world, we don’t know what is?

Wedding dress dilemmas

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Choose your co-shoppers carefully

The people you choose to take wedding dress shopping are very important people. Not only should they consider themselves lucky, but they should have a personality that shows it. If you’ve got a couple of friends you feel will get bored or enthusiastic quickly, they may not be your best choices. Get a small group of people that will offer helpful comments on each of the dresses you try on, and that will keep up interest no matter how long the shopping takes!

You won’t always stick to your plan

Before you embark on the wedding dress search, you might have a specific image in your head. Don’t lose that ideal image of a lace fit-and-flare with an illusion neckline, but don’t dismiss other options. Trying on things you don’t think will suit you may sometimes surprise you, you know… Make sure you try on a range of different designs and shapes, and take the advice of the shop assistants into consideration!

It’s not always love at first sight

Remember, most dresses will look bad on the hanger! Try things on! Whilst the shape may not look your cup of tea while it hangs on the dress rail, the moment you put it on, pair it with a killer pair of heels and add the accessories you might change your mind completely. But don’t go through all the dresses you can get your hands on in the boutique, be selective!

Wear the right underwear

For wedding dress shopping, make sure you’re wearing plain and seam-free underwear to give you an idea of how the dress really should look. Step away from the bras and knickers covered in frills and the bows for today, please. You’ll thank us later.

Consider bridal sizes

Picking up your usual size 10 off the dress rail and it not fitting does not mean those after-dinner biscuits last night has gone to your hips already. Fear not! Wedding dresses are typically one to two sizes smaller than regular street sizes, so don’t get too fixed on the number. And for those brides that are wedding dress shopping with the plans to lose weight, don’t be too ambitious. Often, it’s a lot better to order the size that fits you now and deal with fittings nearer to the big day itself.

You will get tired

Wedding dresses – they’re not exactly the lightest of garments, are they? The repetitive routine of getting undressed and dressed during any shopping day is tiring enough, let alone getting undressed and dressed into a series of heavy wedding dresses. Before you head out, get a good, but light, breakfast down you, and keep a bottle of water on hand – then you’ll be ready for the ‘Wedding dress workout’.

Try before you buy

Once you’ve got it on and think it might be ‘the one’, try and glide like you’re walking down the aisle and move like you’re on the dancefloor! If you can strut your stuff in the dress, we’re with you: it is the one. Everyone present, hold back the tears or grab the tissue.

Common regrets

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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.

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!

Beauty trials

Always make sure you have a hair and make-up trial before your wedding morning. There would be nothing more stressful than hating your hair and make-up 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!

Photographs and memories

Mobiles are perfect for snaps, but you should also bring a camera, charger and some spare memory cards to catch shots of your memorable first holiday as husband and wife together.

Finally, a basic first aid kit is always a good idea. Make sure you pack some pain killers, insect repellent, insect bit ointment, plasters and tablets for upset tummies. You know the rule, if you pack it you won’t need it, so make sure you pack a first aid kit!

Survival tips for anxious bride

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Weddings are a pretty big deal and they can be kind of scary if you’re feeling anxious about being a bride. Are you stressing about being the centre of attention? Dreading speaking to vendors? Avoiding all the nosy questions? Don’t worry, we’ve found a way to cope with the stress of it all…

It’s ok to not be ok

Getting engaged is pretty amazing, but once the initial excitement is over, it’s not uncommon for brides to feel overwhelmed. There’s a huge amount of pressure for everything to look perfect and to get everything ‘right’. And then you get the added anxiety as you know you should feel happy about planning the most important day of your life, but in fact, when you think about it your heart drops. Is that normal? Of course it is. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad bride or you’re getting cold feet – it’s a pretty stressful time so be kind to yourself.

Long engagements

As soon as you get engaged, people tend to start asking you the date of the wedding almost immediately. Don’t feel pressured to immerse yourself in wedding planning straightaway if you don’t want to – give yourself plenty of time, there is no rule about how long an engagement should be. Discuss with your partner about how long you need to plan the wedding and whether or not you want to tie the knot ASAP. Don’t put yourself under extra stress if you don’t need to.

Accept help

If your friends and family offer a helping hand, accept it! Not only will they enjoy being part of the planning process, it’ll make your job a whole lot easier. If no-one is offering, ask for help! People often don’t want to offer help as they’re worried about getting in the way, but they’re usually more than willing to help out if needed.

Apologise for bridezilla moments

You will probably become a little bit of a bridezilla in the lead-up to your wedding day. Whilst this is completely acceptable, your groom-to-be may not agree. In fact, chances are your groom is going to get the wrong idea and think you’re terrified of marrying him. Make it clear to your husband to be that you’re freaking out about the catering or flowers – not about getting married.

Being in the spotlight is scary

If you’re a pretty anxious person anyway, being in the spotlight probably isn’t your idea of fun. However, it is a vital part of any wedding. Even if you’re dreading being the centre of attention in the lead-up to the big day, when it comes to it you might actually surprise yourself! You’re in the limelight for all the right things, so simply make the most of it. If you really can’t face walking down the aisle on your own with all eyes on you, why not break tradition and get your hubby to walk down the aisle with you?

It’s fine to be selfish

It’s probably the one time when it’s socially acceptable to be incredibly selfish – especially the week before the wedding. It’s completely ok to say no, ignore the constantly ringing phone, or conveniently ‘forget’ to reply to that text. Don’t even feel bad about it. Direct it to a helper, such as your maid of honour or your mum. They’re here to help out!

You’re going to be great

When the big day arrives, you’ll probably be a bag of nerves mixed with excitement. But as soon as you walk down the aisle into your hubby’s arm, everything will fit into place and you’ll forget about everyone else in the room. Your wedding day will whizz by, so make the most of it and enjoy every second.

If you really are getting cold feet, make sure you’re marrying your best friend!

Congratulations! You’re engaged!

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If you’re planning the big day yourselves then it’s best to break your planning down and give yourself dates of when to have things done by. That way these milestones will give you a real sense of achievement and you won’t feel so overwhelmed about how much you have to do. Instead you’ll have a clear vision of where you’re at and what else needs to be done and when you plan to do it.

Set your budget

The very first thing couples should do before anything else is to figure out what budget they have for their day. No decisions can be made until you know how much money you have to work with. Seriously think about what your limit is and speak to family members early on about what they may contribute. This is likely to feel awkward to bring up but it is important to do before you begin so you can then make plans for your day that are realistic within your budget and do not get carried away.

Get organised

Once you have added any contributions from family to your own money for the wedding allocate it sensibly to all of the elements (venue, dress, flowers etc).  If you have a wedding planner they’ll be able to guide you on this. Remember to leave 10% for contingency to give room for changes.  Create an excel spreadsheet with two columns, ‘predicted’ and ‘actual’ so you can keep track of everything that has been spent.

Book your venue

Decide whether you would like two separate locations for the day, one for ceremony and one for the reception or if you would rather have it all in one place and begin making appointments to look around potential contenders. Venues get booked up far in advance so this should be top of your list, along with booking your officiant. Make sure you have a list of questions for your venue before you go to view it. Once you’ve booked your venue, it’s time to start organising caterers, photographers and entertainment.

Time to decorate

This is when Pinterest becomes your best friend. Spend some time thinking about your wedding vision and what’s important to you for your wedding day. What are the emotions they want to evoke? Forget about how it will look for a moment and thinking about how you want it to feel. For example fun, heartfelt, romantic, full of surprises, respectful of traditions, or one hell of a party!

When do you start?

Start early but not too early. Starting early gives you the luxury of taking your time to handpick your wedding suppliers and it also means you won’t rush and panic book. You’ll have time to negotiate and do enough research. But be warned – your taste and ideas for your day can change over time and if you start too early you may regret some of the decisions you have made later down the line. Couples often leave the booking of the entertainment until late in the planning. This is usually when their budget is looking a little low and the music has almost been seen as an afterthought. Music and entertainment is super important as it can really create the atmosphere for the day so make sure you don’t leave it too late!

Enjoy it!

Finally as the wedding draws closer be careful not to tire yourselves out the week before the wedding with all those little jobs to do, such as picking up the table decorations, folding the name place cards or writing the wedding photographers shot list. If you don’t have a planner then get help from friends and family. The last thing you want is to be shattered on your big day. Lastly, enjoy it and don’t be afraid to ask friends and family for help. You’re only ever going to do it once so do it the right way!

Get your Groom involved

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Society has lead us to believe that a groom’s only involvement in a wedding is to have a raucous stag party, show up to the wedding, and enjoy a tropical passion-filled honeymoon.

As we move away from old and antiquated ideals, men are becoming more involved in their wedding day, and the responsibility of planning a wedding no longer needs to fall solely on the shoulders of the beautiful bride.

The modern groom has taken on more and more responsibilities in preparation for the big day, however this doesn’t mean that you need to include him in every single aspect or detail. It is important that you find ways for your groom to be involved so you can work together for your dream wedding.

Don’t include him in everything

We know there are a lot of details and decisions to be made on your big day, however many of them are far more important to you as a bride. While a groom might be excited about attending a cake tasting, he probably won’t be as thrilled about picking out table linens or dress designs. This doesn’t mean all grooms will be checked out when it comes to the details, but if you have a reluctant groom, don’t overwhelm him.

Tell him about any issues you’re facing

Most men have a desire to fix things; sometimes they even fix things that don’t need to be fixed – as you probably well know. However, if you are facing any issues, it is best to run it by your partner as you might be surprised by how engaged he becomes when he is asked about his opinion regarding any issues you’re having!

Respect that you care about different aspect of your big day

Don’t feel discouraged if your hubby-to-be isn’t as vested in everything that you think needs his full attention. It’s best to present a list of what needs to be done rather than let him choose what he is interested in. This doesn’t mean let him off the hook when it comes to being involved in the wedding planning process, just don’t let yourself get frustrated if he isn’t chomping at the bit to go pick out flower arrangements.

Embrace his creative side

If you have a husband who is handy, artistic, or loves music, finding a way to involve him could be easier than you think. Incorporating what he is passionate about into your wedding will be a great way to assure that you have an engaged groom. Let him book the band or DJ. If you’re groom is a tool smith, let him build something that can be incorporated into the ceremony, as it might even save you some money as well.

Make sure his input is valued

The most important step in this whole process is making sure that your groom feels as if his opinion is valued. If you ask him for his opinion and continually shoot it down, he will more than likely lose interest in playing a role in the planning process. Make sure to encourage his ideas and find ways that they can be included in your wedding day.

If you have a reluctant groom, try following these steps and encourage him to be more engaged! It will make your big day even more special knowing that you’ve worked together to make your dream wedding.