Tag Archives: weddings

Smart Wedding Apps

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Appy Couple – £25

A great app that allows you to create a mini website to announce your engagement. Once they’re on the site, your guests have everything they need to know about the big day – people can RSVP to different parts of your wedding, browse the gift list and more, replacing paperwork and keeping key elements of the big day in one place.

Wedding Snap – Free

This handy app means you won’t miss a single photo from your big day, as it gathers guests’ smartphone snaps and compiles them in an online album that can be viewed in real time anywhere in the world. Plus, the live slideshow function also means the pictures can be shared during the reception itself, which adds a nice personal touch.

WeddingHappy – Free

When it comes to organisation, WeddingHappy is great for making sure nothing is missed. The app remembers your wedding date and keeps you on track to ensure everything gets done on time, as well as helping out with which tasks to tackle when. A one-stop shop to wedding planning ease.

Colour Inspector – Free

The days of carrying around colour swatches are over with this app that turns your iPhone into a colour detector. You can rest assured that everything you choose will be ‘on brand’ and nothing will be sticking out like a sore thumb

The Colour Genius – Free

This clever app from L’Oreal picks the perfect cosmetics for any attire, making sure that months of careful outfit planning isn’t ruined by bad makeup – great for passing on to your mum and bridesmaids.

With some Apps that are free, there is no excuse for you not to plan the perfect Wedding!!

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.

Good reasons to have a winter wedding

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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. Read on to find out more…

1. Dusk till Dawn

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.

2. White Wedding

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

3. Money Matters

The biggie. Most venues and 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 2016 as part of its ‘Winter Sparkle’ promotion.

4. Fireside Glow

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

5. A date to remember

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.

6. Honeymoon Heaven

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!

7. Sunshine Stress

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.

8. A Break from the norm

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.

9. Great Availability

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 wedding photographer or wedding band.

10. Winter Wellies

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.

Avoid a cold before your winter wedding

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Research shows that brides should vow to stress less, or risk a Rudolf nose on their wedding day. Those suffering from stress are more likely to catch infection after infection. Echinacea was found to halve the risk of recurrent infections amongst individuals with higher stress levels.

Being stressed on the run up to your big day can wreak havoc on the immune so follow some advice on how to stay cold and flu free this winter…

Green tea

Green tea which is rich in many chemicals that have been shown to have health protective properties.

Eat well

Eat foods that are good for the immune system – a healthy plant based diet containing broccoli, cabbage, red fruits such as blackcurrants and strawberries, carrots, turmeric and onions contains plenty of immune protecting chemicals.

Wedding workout

Getting some gentle exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling for half an hour daily can be very helpful both physically and mentally. But beware that excessive exercise such as that undertaken during extreme training sessions for competitive sporting activities can reduce the immune response.

Relax and reduce stress

Stress harms your ability to fight viruses and has a huge impact on the immune system. The best thing you can do to reduce stress on your wedding day is to plan ahead. Make a schedule for getting everything done and stick to it!

Sleep tight

Be sure to get enough beauty sleep, because not getting enough lowers your immune function. The body needs a good seven hour’s kip to help build itself up. Poor sleep over a long period can decrease the immune function very quickly.

Limit alcohol

Take it easy on your hen do because drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is also bad for your immune cells, which get disorientated and confused just like us!

Herbal help

Take Echinacea at the first sign of feeling run down to help support the immune system to fight off colds and flu. 

It helps the body fight the symptoms of these infections by supporting the immune system, helping to maintain the body’s resistance.

Drop a dress size in eight weeks!!

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Do you want to drop a dress size before your big day? We know that, as brides-to-be, you’re going to be pretty busy with all that wedding planning and the thought of embarking on a strict, time consuming weight loss plan in the run up to your big day can seem too much to bear.

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

Week 1

Don’t portion with caution – trying to live on small portions will leave you feeling hungry and more likely to snack on unhealthy foods. Enjoy regular meals and eat to satisfy your appetite by tucking into filling, lower-calorie foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit and veg, lean meat, poultry and fish. Week 2

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

Week 3

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

Week 4

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

Week 5

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

Week 6

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

Week 7

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

Week 8

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

What to pack for your Honeymoon

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After you’ve said “I do,” you can finally stop stressing out about place settings, wardrobe mishaps, invitations, and everything else related to wedding planning, and you can focus on relaxing a bit. We’re talking, of course, about your honeymoon!

A fitting reward after walking down the aisle, many couples agree that the best part about getting married—aside from starting a new life together with the one they love—is getting to jet off to somewhere new (or somewhere you already love!) and spending some down time with your brand-new spouse. As you plan and pack for your vacation, though, don’t forget these five essentials.

1) Cameras, Chargers, Memory Cards, and Batteries
You’re going to want to take no fewer than a million photos, so make sure you bring everything you need to make sure you can. Along with your camera (or phone camera), you’ll want to make sure you have all of the components and accessories that it requires, like charging cables, memory cards, batteries, and the case so that it stays safe when you’re not using it.

2) First and Last Day Outfits, Plus More
Chances are you’ll take the most photos on the first and last full days of your honeymoon, so plan to bring outfits special for the occasions. Whether it’s a fancy dinner, a night of dancing, or a highly anticipated show that you’re doing, plan to wear something that you absolutely love and that looks great on you. Past that, you’ll want to make sure you bring a variety of outfits to choose from depending on your plans. Make sure you have swimsuits or warm jackets (depending on your destination!), something for upscale locales, and perhaps most importantly, comfortable shoes that you can walk in for hours to sightsee.

3) Backup Plans for Itinerary Interruptions
Even if you’re the type of couple who prefers spontaneity on vacation, you’ve probably got some things you definitely want to do during your trip. Unfortunately, we all know that even the best-laid plans can fall through, so it might not be a bad idea to come up with a few backup plans just in case. For instance, if the special restaurant you really wanted to see doesn’t have a reservation or is unexpectedly closed, or the weather is bad on the day you wanted to take surfing lessons, you’ll want to make sure you have something else to fall back on lest you have to scramble to come up with a last-minute activity.

4) Luggage with Enough Room for Souvenirs
No matter where you vacation, you’ll probably end up picking up some mementos to bring back home either to remember your trip or to give as gifts to loved ones. When it comes time to fly home, it can be a real let-down to realize that all of your things won’t fit in the bags you brought, and you’ll have to decide whether to leave things behind or find an emergency second bag, which you’ll probably have to check at the airport (which can be costly, depending on the airline). Make sure that you either pack light enough that there’s some room left over or that your bag is big enough to accommodate all the things you want to bring and then some.

5) To Enjoy the Moment and Be Present
This one’s intangible, but when you’re on your honeymoon, it’s important to remember to really relax and enjoy yourselves. That means letting your work emails go unanswered (even if you have to force yourself not to check or take it off of your phone for the duration of the trip), unplugging from social media (it’s okay to post a picture here and there, but make sure you’re not spending your whole trip trying to snap the most Instagram-able shots. Take the opportunity to really connect with your new spouse and enjoy your time alone together!

Personalise your 2016 ceremony

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It wasn’t so long ago that you could only wed in religious places of worship or a registry office, but now brides and grooms can blend their marriage ceremony and reception by holding their wedding at any one of a number of fabulous venues. Weddings can be done in restaurants, barns, conservatories, hotels, and even beach huts!

Such a variety of venue choices mean that you can really make your wedding day your very own – there’s no one size fits all these days – and this season there are loads of new ways to theme your ceremony to suit your personalities.

Poetry please

If you’re both literary types (and even if you’re not!), why not try having a go at writing your own wedding vows?

First off, think about what getting married to one another really means to you; think of words to describe the relationship you have and your hopes for the future. Then just let your mind wander until the right phrases spring to mind.

Writing your own wedding vows works particularly well if you’re having a boho, country style or festival ceremony theme – it fits in with the slightly organic, hippie vibe going on.

Woodland wedding

How about a treehouse ceremony? – Particularly if you’re having a smaller, more intimate sort of an event. Look at venues like The Sole Street House of Kent. Built in an ancient horse chestnut tree, you can marry on the covered balcony while your guests look on from below.

Scotland has its own treehouse wedding venue – the Lodge of Loch Goil – and it’s certainly a fairy-tale setting.

If you’re thinking about having a woodland-themed ceremony, why not try carrying it through to every possible aspect of your big day? Think about wedding stationery designs inspired by trees, use twigs and moss in your table centres, maybe dress your bridesmaids in shades of green – an ombre look would work well.

A retro ceremony

The great thing about having a retro wedding is that you can select a style and a period that you love, and then just go all out! For example, if you’re picking a 1950s theme, then you could arrive at the wedding ceremony in a pink Cadillac. Dress for the occasion with a vintage tea-length gown, set off beautifully by a birdcage veil.

Or if you fancy something really elegant, then what about a 1930s-style ceremony?

You could play music from the jazz age to set the scene – what about hiring a portable wind up gramophone as a prop? Indulge your Art Deco fantasies with your wedding invitations and stationery and maybe set a monochrome theme throughout (which could extend to your guests – just ask them to dress in black and white, which is fairly easy for everybody).

Music is the perfect way to evoke this era in your ceremony – why not walk down the aisle to a 1930’s tune? Begin the Beguine by Artie Shaw is one of our favourites.

Something a little different

At most wedding ceremonies the guests stand behind the bride and groom as they say their vows. But what about facing your guests as you say your wedding vows or setting the space up so they can sit or stand in a circle around you as you say those all-important words?

You could also have a wedding ring warming, where the rings are placed in a small bag before they are exchanged, and are passed around to each guest so they can say a prayer or bless them.

Traditionally it’s a man who walks the bride-to-be down the aisle towards her bridegroom – but it doesn’t have to be. You could ask both your mum and dad to escort you (after all your mum is giving you away too!) or you could even walk down the aisle arm-in-arm with your fiancé.

Getting your guests chatting and enjoying themselves is a huge part of making your big day successful, so why not set the ball rolling with a drinks reception before the wedding ceremony? It doesn’t have to be alcohol either – you could serve tea, coffee and homemade lemonade. Many guests will have travelled quite a distance on the day of the wedding and would be delighted to be greeted with a bit of refreshment as the event begins.

Winter wedding for your groom

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Consider a tweed wedding suit

Known for its rough texture and beige or grey colour, tweed was once considered an informal cloth. Today, people see tweed in a different light. In contrast to the rural and informal associations of yesteryear, tweed is often seen as chic, whimsical and authentically British. Not only have we seen an increase in tweed business suits, we’ve also tailored some fantastic, tweed, wedding suits, too.

Rustic weddings

If you’re having a rustic wedding this autumn or winter, in a barn or a country church, a tweed suit will look fantastic. Tweed was designed for the green but often rainy, Great British outdoors. Nothing looks better against a misty backdrop of hills and fields than a man in a tweed suit.

Add a waistcoat

Still not sure about a tweed wedding suit? Consider adding a waistcoat, making it a three piece suit instead. The waistcoat will balance the perceived informality of the cloth, making it special enough for the occasion.

Warm up with wool

A wool/cashmere blend – whether as a lounge suit or as a morning suit – is a good choice for an autumn or winter groom’s suit. It’s luxurious, comfortable and keeps you warm all day. The fact that this is your wedding suit means durability might not be your number one priority.  This is good because cashmere trousers wear through quickly and tailors will often recommend buying two pairs with your suit.

Look fab in flannel

A flannel wedding suit will keep out the cold and add an autumnal flavour to your attire. Flannel was once the go-to fabric for men’s suiting. This was before wool ousted it as the most popular type of cloth. One very good reason to get married in flannel is that you’ll have the suit for many autumns and winters to come as is it very durable. Its softness, versatility and medium weight means you’ll probably get more use out of it than a tweed alternative.

Eye on the time

If you’re wearing a three piece suit, a classic pocket watch on a chain is a great way to mark the specialness of the day. There look particularly dashing when wore as part of a wider vintage theme.

Bring on the braces

Braces are an attractive addition to a groom’s wedding suit, especially if you’re going for a more casual look – for instance, if you’re wearing them with trousers, a shirt and canvas trainers. Not many modern men get to wear braces.  Like the pocket watch, they have a novelty factor that can look unique in your wedding photographs.

Things men will consider when proposing

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Popping the question is a huge moment for any couple, and most of the time, it’s down to the proposer to get it just right. The pressure!

So what are those all-important things that go through every man’s mind before proposing?

Himself

Before speaking the official words of ‘Will you marry me’ to his loved one, there’s no doubt that his mind will be thinking ahead to a married future, picturing how it will actually be; him as an actual husband, and her as a wife. And if you don’t already have any little kiddies in the family, he’ll be picturing himself as a dad. Sounds pretty grown up, right?

Another thing that will inevitably enter his mind is what has to happen before becoming Mr and Mrs: the wedding! Envisioning himself at the top of the aisle as his soon-to-be fiancée walks towards him is a pretty big moment, and pretty powerful stuff when it comes to emotions – it may even help him think of what to say!

The parents

Even though asking the father of the bride for permission is more of a tradition than common practice these days, the parents of the bride would probably appreciate a little hint into the fact that this guy might be the one to marry their daughter. It’s good to bare the parents in mind, just a bit!

But then again, all men should know perfectly well that from the moment they meet the parents and onwards, it’s all about trying to impress. And there’s definitely no point in calming down on the ‘impressive’ factor when it comes to the proposal story, is there?

The ring

It’s common for couples to discuss the idea of getting married before popping the question, so the proposal doesn’t come as a total surprise. But maybe the ring shouldn’t come as a total surprise either? The ring is something she’ll wear for the rest of her life, remember!

Walking into a shop and choosing a diamond ring isn’t the easiest task for the typical man. You can most likely picture your significant other saying ‘A ring’s a ring, why does the cut matter so much?”, but any talk of getting married will change their mind (we hope).

Doing some digging into what kind of ring she may like to have on her finger after the proposal is something that will save men a lot of shopping time, and maybe even some nerves by the time it comes round to popping the question.

The friends

Something that’s really important for men to consider when they’re planning to propose is who they tell. They might want to keep it to themselves, but some might want some help or advice of his friends or the bride’s friends – this is where he’s got to be picky! He’ll have to choose friends or family members that he knows will keep it on the hush hush, and stay well clear of blabber mouths!

The method

The next BIG question is HOW will he do it? This is where he’ll have to consider everything about his fiancée-to-be. Will she love a flash mob proposal or is she the kind of girl that cringes at the thought of a dance and sing-along? Is there a memorable date in your relationship that would be significant? Or is there a location that means a lot to you both?

Any proposal should make sure that the only word that’s going around their head is ‘YES’! That means no sign of hesitation or an awkward face being pulled because of how he did it. A flash mob marriage proposal to someone who hates PDA could make her re-evaluate; public humiliation may temporarily conquer how much she wants to marry him. You’ve been warned!

The words

The words ‘Will you marry me’ won’t necessarily naturally come into conversation – especially when the proposal is a total surprise, who knows how the conversation will go with an unsuspecting girlfriend! Whilst you can’t plan everything, he should consider different ways of saying it and practice! It will help the nerves when it comes to it!

Winter Wedding Cake Flavours

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or your winter wedding, pick a cake that tastes like winter. What does winter taste like, exactly? Think rich flavours — and don’t be afraid to stray from the traditional white cake. Consider a caramel spice cake filled with caramel and a buttercream, or an orange chocolate cake with dark chocolate filling and decorated with flecks of orange. For a lighter cake with a taste that still reflects the season, go for a white cake with cranberry buttercream frosting and filling.

Wedding Cake Colour

Colour counts for every wedding cake, and nothing says “winter” better than a palette of whites, icy blues, and deep reds or rustic greens mixed with brown. Add a hint of winter colour with a simple chocolate ganache-covered cake trimmed in light blue, or an ivory buttercream cake trimmed in red. Or let the winter colours pop with an ivory cake covered in red sugarberries and green sugar holly leaves.

Wedding Cake Shapes and decorations

When it comes to a winter wedding cake, snowflakes, pinecones, and other winter elements made out of chocolate, sugar, or rice paper are an obvious choice. But you don’t have to go overboard with these decorations to get a wintery look. Instead, you can order a white cake with subtle white sugar snowflakes. The tone-on-tone look will up the elegant factor and still give you the same seasonal effect.

Wedding Cake Sides

Whether you’re already set on a wedding cake design or you’ve decided to take your wedding cake in a not-so-seasonal direction, consider serving a winter-inspired side with your wedding cake. Serve cake with black walnut ice cream; add a handful of mints to each plate; or indulge comfort-food lovers with warm chocolate pudding.