Tag Archives: wedding

Would you invite your ex?

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

A survey conducted states that two thirds of couples admitted that they would invite their ex to their wedding, with men being twice as likely to do so.

With statistics showing that many people are getting married later in life, this means that they are more likely to have long-term ex-partners who they are still amicable with. If you’re thinking about inviting your ex, take these pointers into account before popping the question!

Be sensitive

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

Honestly is the best policy

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

Think sensibly

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

Your husband-to-be

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

Dos and Don’ts

Do invite your ex with a guest
Don’t spend a long time chatting with your ex
Do sit your ex with people he or she gets on with
Don’t dance with your ex
Do take control of the situation and keep your h2b as busy as possible!
Don’t introduce them to people as your ‘ex’

Is your partner is going to propose?

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Chances are if you’re looking at this website you’re hoping your partner is about to propose. If you’re starting to wonder if he’s ever going to put a ring on it, here at the subtle signs to look out for…

Talking point

Usually when you bring up the subject of marriage and the future, he either changes the subject or his eyes glaze over. But not this time! In fact, nowadays he actually turns off the PlayStation to talk in more depth about it all.

Saving £££s

He’s suddenly got all enthusiastic about saving money, when he’s never really taken an interest in budgets and spreadsheets.

Missing jewellery

Your favourite rings seem to have gone missing for a few days, but then mysteriously reappear in the same place. Suspicious? We think so.

BFFs with your dad

All of a sudden he’s come best friends with your dad – golf weekends and pints at the local become a regular occurrence.

Out of character

Does your partner seem shifty, nervous and anxious lately? Time to get a manicure, ladies. He’s starting to get nervous about dropping down to one knee.

Jewellery expert

He becomes interested in your jewellery collection and asks about your favourite ring. It’s starting to get pretty obvious now…

Exciting phone calls

Your mum / best friends / family get super excited every time you call, only to be disappointed when you’re calling for a chit-chat.

So there you have it, so look out for these clues and one day soon you probably will get a proposal – good luck!!!

Heat up your wedding night

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After months of planning and organising, along with plenty of tantrums and tears, your wedding day has finally arrived. But how do you make sure the spark of the day isn’t lost when you and your new hubby are finally alone? 

Back off!

You might have had an amazing time with friends and family on the dance floor, but that’s exactly where they need to stay. Inviting guests back to your room is a guaranteed passion killer – you’ve waited all day for this, don’t let the party kill the mood. This is your wedding night; you don’t want to make your man wait a minute longer to get you out of that dress.

Set the mood

There’s no better time to turn up the heat than on your big day. Get the bathroom misty with a soapy shower or luxurious bubble bath; either one will get you in the mood for a hot and steamy wedding night. Light some candles, scatter rose petals, and get ready to release your inner minx. Team up a sensual night perfume with traditional white lingerie – tease that innocence you both know isn’t really there.

Experiment

Use your first night as husband and wife to ramp up the passion and allow your curiosity to take over. Love and lust will be at their peak on your wedding day, so use that confidence boost to suggest something new. Start off your married life in charge with role play, or bondage. Indulge in new positions that you’ve been dying to try.

Ramp up the naughtiness and give your bae the ultimate ‘access all areas’ backstage pass with some erotic knickers. Crotchless styles are perfect for when you just can’t wait – or show off your best asset and encourage spanking with something bumless. At the end of the day, you just need to own it.

Get adventurous

There’s no limit to how wild you can go on your wedding night, so why not go shopping for some couple’s sex toys before the big day? If you’re stuck with where to start, try a bullet vibe. Both pocket-sized and powerful, it is the ultimate beginner’s toy. Add a little massage oil into the mix and use it to explore each other’s bodies, you’re guaranteed a night you’ll never forget.

Just relax

It’s easy to build up the tension before the wedding night but, at the end of a long day, it’s easy for it to end up as a bit of an anti-climax. Don’t pressure each other to make it the best night of your lives – if it happens, that’s amazing. If not, you have all the time in the world to have mind-blowing sex, so there’s really no rush. Don’t let it put a downer on the day.

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.

Do’s and don’ts of proposing

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Did you know one in 20 married couples are currently making plans to make the big proposal at Christmas or New Year – that’s an estimated 789,775 people nationwide! Receiving the ring as a present when it’s just the two of you was voted the preferred method.

The figure was revealed following a survey asking 2,000 Brits the dos and don’ts when popping the question over the festive period. Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year and, and it couldn’t be a more romantic time to take the next step in your relationship. Novelty moves such as tying a beautiful ring to the collar of a pet, hanging it on the tree or dropping it in a champagne flute can all be fun yet stand-out ways of popping the question. But as the results show, presenting a ring when it’s just the two of you will always be the ultimate truly romantic memory.

The most desired festive proposal would be when the couple are alone rather than in public, with three in ten who said opening a present to find an engagement ring would be the ideal scenario. One in four wanted their other half to get down on one knee in the snow, with 27 per cent who envision hearing the big question in front of a romantic log fire. Hiding a ring in a cracker, spelling out ‘Will You Marry Me’ in fairy lights, and giving a ‘For my Fiancé’ Christmas card with a ring taped inside were also listed as perfect proposal moments. 

DO

1. Get their parent’s permission
2. Find out whether they’d like a private or public proposal
3. Gauge what their ring style is before buying
4. Have them open the ring as a Christmas present
5. Keep the ring in a different hiding place to the presents
6. Consider whether they’d want a Christmas Day proposal
7. Make sure the receipt for the ring is well hidden
8. If you’re going to propose over the family dinner, let their parents know first
9. Wait for the perfect moment
10. Use a romantic setting such as a log fire, out in the snow or over a romantic dinner

DON’T

1. Blurt a proposal after too many drinks
2. Give the engagement ring as their only present
3. Propose during EastEnders, Dr.Who or the Queen’s speech
4. Pop the question during turkey preparation
5. Accidentally hide the ring in a plate served up to Gran
6. Arrange an elaborate stunt, such as a Christmas elf flash mob, unless you know they’d like it
7. Don’t tell everybody and let them be the last to know

Wedding must-haves

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Your wedding dress

We’ve all heard horror stories from brides who chose to risk buying their wedding dress from an online seller. We have so many calls from brides who have been let down by an internet supplier, receiving a dress in a condition not at all as described or how they’d pictured.

Every bride deserves the one-on-one attention they will receive visiting a bridal store. It’s the most important item of clothing you’ll ever buy: make a day of it – make a week of it! It’s an experience you will treasure for the rest of your life.

Your perfect venue

Finding the perfect venue is like finding the perfect pair of shoes: they should fit beautifully straight away!

Just as influential as the dress, your wedding venue will say a lot about the type of wedding you are having. Not only is it the backdrop for your photos – the pictures you’ll cherish for a whole lifetime – but the venue also acts as a prompt for your guests: it sets the scene and will give them a hint of the day to come.

When searching for venues, couples often comment that ‘the one’ hit them like a thunderbolt. It fitted their theme perfectly; it accommodated all of their guests; the grounds were stunning and it ticked all the right boxes. Don’t be tempted to compromise on the venue. It will add to that sense of ‘specialness’ by marking your big day out as something unique and memorable. It’s the venue that helps to set apart a wedding from a run-of-the-mill party.

Gastronomical delights

If Jamie, Marco and Gordon are all unexpectedly unavailable, never fear – there are some delicious taste-bud treats out there!

Hugely important, the food for your big day will play a big part of your guest’s opinions about your wedding. Hungry or dissatisfied guests are a big no-no. Treat your guests to a gastronomical delight. And it doesn’t have to be super fancy, either – bangers and mash is always a winner – just make sure that there will be enough for everyone.

Your wedding photography checklist

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You don’t want to forget anything. All those important moments need to be captured.

  • The Photos You Really Don’t Want to Forget on Your Wedding Day
  • Before the ceremony
  • Shots of the bride and bridesmaids getting ready
  • The bride and father in the wedding car
  • The groom preparing
  • Wedding dress hanging on a beautiful hanger
  • Wedding Shoes
  • Groom waiting (nervously!) outside venue
  • Shot of the bridesmaids
  • During the ceremony
  • The bride’s grand entrance
  • The guests’ faces on seeing the bride
  • The groom waiting at the altar
  • The ring exchange
  • The kiss
  • Register signing
  • Bride and groom leaving
  • A confetti shot
  • It’s traditional to have photographs of:
  • Bride, groom, best man and ushers
  • Bride, groom, and both sets of parents
  • Bride and groom as new couple
  • Bride and groom with bridesmaids
  • Bride and groom with brothers and sisters
  • Bride and groom with grandparents
  • Bride and her mother
  • Groom and his father
  • Bride and groom with friends
  • Whole bridal party and guests

 

Reception

  • The decorated room and table plan before the guests arrive
  • Bride and groom entering
  • Speeches
  • Cake cutting
  • First dance of the bride and groom

Of course, you can add to and amend this wedding photography checklist however you want. But these are the classic images to build around. Enjoy your big day!

How to avoid wedding shoe mishaps

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Say goodbye to sore feet, blisters and sinking into the grass!

Every bride-to-be must, at some point, get the fear of falling. Tripping as they walk up the aisle, slipping as they walk on the grass – the fear of being the next wedding fail on YouTube! But have no fear. Follow these top tips and you’ll be gliding elegantly down the aisle in no time…

Relax!

When you are tense and nervous, you are more awkward and therefore clumsier. We know this is easier said than done but this aside, it’s your wedding day, your friends and family are there to see you get married to each other, and they want the best for you. Smile, look directly into your partner’s eyes and take a deep breath.

Go for comfort

Ouch! There is nothing worse than limping around with sore feet because of ill-fitting or cheap shoes. Please remember that comfort is key here – pick a pair from a reputable seller of professional bridal shoes. The biggest secret of wedding shoes is they are designed to be the most comfortable shoes you will ever wear. Most shoes purchased off the high street do not have these extra added comfort features as they have cushioned lining and extra insole padding. Shoes with leather linings are also really comfortable as they mould to the shape of your foot, enhancing the comfort. 

Think about heel height

Linking in with tip number 2, don’t choose your wedding day to be the first time you decide to wear 6-inch heels then totter around like a bride on stilts with your bottom sticking out and sore feet to boot! That’s not a good look and you are likely to fall over, too.

Get some practice

If you want to wear heels and you’re not used to wearing them, then you’ve got to practice! Firstly, relax, then walk slowly, lean back – it may feel unnatural, but you are compensating for heels you have so lean into them. Shoulders back, don’t swing your arms but keep them at your side, one foot in front of the other, heel to toe, head up, smile and glide!

Avoid that sinking feeling

Your photographer beckons you onto the grass for those all-important couple shots – but wait! No bride wants to be sinking into the grass, so luckily we have the perfect solution. We know of the perfect solution: Clean Heels, as featured on Dragon’s Den, feature a large disc on the bottom to give your stilettos more circumference to stop them sinking in.

The right dress length

Make sure you get your wedding dress altered wearing the shoes you’re going to be wearing on the day. And remember, if you kick your shoes off later in the evening, your dress will become a trip hazard! If your dress has a train, make sure you know how to bustle it up before you start dancing.

Don’t get drunk

Sure, you’ll have the odd glass of champagne to celebrate the big day, but no one wants to see a drunk bride wobbling all over the dance floor – and falling flat on her face! You won’t have had a lot of practice walking in these shoes so do yourself a favour and stay away from the booze.

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!

10 tips to help you serve great wedding food ideas on a budget!

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Too many cooks?

Although you are catering for the whole wedding party, when choosing your menu, don’t offer too many options. Offering a multitude of choices for the wedding breakfast doesn’t enhance your guests’ experience, or make anything taste better. More choice only means more expense.

Cooking on gas

Some of the most beautiful wedding venues are outdoors – be it a marquee or a hog roast festival – but these celebrations do not have on-site kitchens or furniture. You will be required to pay extra to supply these facilities, so make sure you include this in your budget.

Smooth operator

The key to a successful wedding reception is timing and service. Making people wait for food and drinks is not a great idea. Pay for extra serving staff to ensure a smoothly-run reception and you will notice the investment – and your guests will love you for it!

Trade your toasting tipple

Champagne is everyone’s top tipple for wedding parties, but it can be a little on the expensive side. However, there are some great sparkling wines available, which are just as good but cost less. To impress your guests on half the budget, add a little elderflower cordial and a hibiscus flower to Cava, to create the perfect festive fizzy cocktail. Not only does this add a light, sweet, floral taste to the drink, it makes the Cava go that little bit further – good news all round!

Bacon buffet

If you plan to party in the early hours of the morning, don’t serve an evening buffet – you are essentially paying for two full meals that many people won’t even touch. Why not serve bacon sandwiches or posh kebabs a la Lily Allen? This will give the illusion of an evening meal and your guests will be thankful for the traditionally British fuel injection before the trip home.

A cheesy ending?

Cheese cakes are a great alternative to traditional tiers. You can ask your caterers to cut and serve the savoury slices with fruit and biscuits as the dessert after your meal. Alternatively, cupcakes are a cheaper option than a tiered cake and work well as both a dessert and a favour.

Raise the bar

The drinks reception tab can easily set couples back a few thousand pounds, so limiting what is served can be a great way to reduce costs. Ask your bar to carry beer and wine, or alternatively, have a cash-only bar that your guests will have to pay for. If you have provided them with a lovely meal accompanied with great entertainment, guests won’t mind forking out for a few drinks towards the end of the evening.