Tag Archives: weddings

Unwritten wedding rules

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Falling foul of the unwritten rules of wedding day etiquette may be easier than most of us realise – don’t be one of these wedding guests!

Over half of guests (52%) say they have attended a ceremony where they have cringed at the antics of a fellow family member or friend of the happy couple, according to a new survey.

Call the fashion police

Wearing the wrong outfit is classed as the most common mistake, with 36% of people saying they have witnessed guests dressed inappropriately. One in five (21%) say they have been embarrassed by attendees in very revealing clothing, while 15% know someone who has worn white or come dressed all in black, to a couple’s big day.

Men are not immune to getting their outfits wrong either, with 4% being seen in jeans and another 2% left feeling foolish by mistakenly believing black tie and dinner jacket is the same as a morning suit.

Too wide a hat was mentioned by 14% who thought it rude as it blocked the view at the ceremony, and wearing a similar dress to the bridesmaids was regarded by 11% as thoughtless. Keeping sunglasses on in church was found to be pretentious by 9%, while fake tan that was too dark or streaky, and heavily applied make-up was seen as a faux pas by 6%.

Not the right time

Nine out of ten thought getting drunk and causing a scene was the worst offence, but only 8% said they had witnessed such an event at a wedding. Taking flash photos during the ceremony was loathed by over eight out of ten, though just 12% had experienced this happening. A further 7% said they had been to weddings where a mobile phone ringing had ruined the atmosphere, either during the service or in the middle of speeches at the reception.

Inconsiderate guests causing problems for the organisers had been witnessed by 13% of those asked, either by not replying to an invitation and turning up with a friend who wasn’t invited, or changing the place cards to sit on a different table. People turning up late were another bug-bear for 10% of respondents.

Speech time

Best men are known for walking a tightrope between good and bad taste when giving their speech, and 37% said they had attended weddings where previous girlfriends and past exploits – best left unsaid – had been mentioned.

Leaving before the reception speeches are finished was regarded as unacceptable by one in four, while 5% claimed to have watched unseemly tussles as women tried to catch the bride’s bouquet.

Top wedding guest faux pas:

  • Bad taste best man’s speech
  • Leaving before the reception speeches are finished
  • Guests wearing outfits that are far too revealing
  • Wearing all white or all black
  • Blocking out the view of others in church with very large brimmed hats
  • Bringing someone who was not invited/failing to RSVP but turning up
  • Taking flash photography during the ceremony
  • Wearing a dress similar to the bridesmaids
  • Wearing sunglasses in church
  • Getting drunk/rowing and causing a scene
  • Forgetting to turn the ringer off your mobile phone for the ceremony or speeches
  • Turning up in jeans
  • Aggressively trying to catch the bride’s bouquet
  • Mistaking morning suit for black tie and dinner jacket

Don’t let your wedding end in disaster

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We all love weddings. Who doesn’t? The breakfast, the ceremony, the drinks, the dinner, the reception, the dancing. To be honest, there’s a whole lot to love! Of course the actual planning isn’t quite so carefree and more often than not runs into a number of difficulties along the way. Nothing encapsulates this more than the BBC’s Don’t Tell the Bride, which has just returned to screens and we’d celebrate this return by recalling some of our favourite ‘just what were they thinking?’ moments.

The One Under Water

“I don’t even have a quid for the locker…”Lovebirds Ian and Jane met at work, which happens to be the local leisure centre. Wanting to recapture that wonderful moment, Ian decides that it makes perfect sense to actually get hitched underwater in the deep end of the pool. Watch in horror as poor Hayley realises her fiancé hasn’t quite thought this through as she ruins her makeup, hair and dress by jumping in. And Ian’s new mother-in-law is none too happy at sitting on the side-lines, staring at the water, well aware that vows are being exchanged beneath the surface “I can’t work out where I’ve gone wrong. “There’s something to be said for a man who bets one of the biggest days of his life on red or black. Simon does exactly that, ultimately deciding that a good way to spend his budget of £12,000 is by flying to Las Vegas and paying for a small portion of family and friends to fly out for the wedding as well. His fiancée Kaleigh unsurprisingly disagrees, at one-point exclaiming that the engagement is off and that she won’t be flying. A quick phone call later and all is (kind of) forgiven, with the family ‘enjoying’ the day… Minus Kaleigh’s brother who couldn’t be paid for.

The One in New York

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, am I marrying a fool? “This is probably our favourite because of the way the entire wedding comes about. Juan is put in charge of organising his wedding to Alice and her favourite book just happens to be from a film. In fact, she’s got her heart set on one day visiting the statues of the characters in New York’s Central Park. Without thinking too much about it, Juan decides to fly out there with his best man, fully intending to get married next in front of this wonderful park display… Until he sees them in person for the first time and declares them ‘a bit tacky’. Still, having committed to his plan he then sets about seeing what else New York has to offer, leading to a whole host of enjoyable moments including ordering a wedding dress from a seconds store and housing his fiancée and her friends in a drug den!!!

The One with the Island

“We aren’t actually married. “This wedding features as a wonderful parable for us all. When it comes to your wedding, research, research, research. For a reason known only to himself, David has his heart set on getting married to Rosie on the Isle of Lundy, a place she once nearly drowned, leaving her with a phobia of water for life. Things go from bad to worse for David when he discovers you have to be a resident of the island for seven days to get married there. Ignoring the fact that you only have three weeks to plan the entire wedding on, David triumphantly completes the seven days before discovering both partners have to spend seven days there before the wedding.  With everything already paid for, the duo end up enjoying a fake wedding with their family and friends before confirming everything at the registry office the next day!!

Don’t worry we are sure that your Wedding is never going to be as extreme as these stories, but careful planning and conversing with each other is the key to a very special day.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

The importance of a good videographer and photographer

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One of the most important questions you’ll ask yourself when picking your wedding suppliers is ‘how much does it cost?’ and ‘can I get it cheaper elsewhere?’. Like most budget-savvy brides you’ll be keen to know that you’re getting the best price. But when it comes to wedding videography, cheap and cheerful can be risky.

A wedding is a live event and we don’t get any re-shoots like in the movies. This is where the skills of a good videographer come in handy. It is possible to unobtrusively film someone’s wedding, and create a film that is great to watch over and over again.

A good editor will be able to craft your story into an entertaining and watchable film that you can proudly share with friends and family. So many couples have their wedding filmed, and it ends up gathering dust on the top shelf. You really want to spend your money on something that you’re going to watch for years to come.

At the other end of the spectrum in wedding videography, you have the ‘film your own wedding video’ companies, an idea which originated from Shoot It Yourself in 2009. While this is certainly cheaper than hiring someone to film your wedding for you, as you don’t have to pay for a videographer to be there on the day, it is still a professional editing service and you get what you pay for.

Some people don’t really understand the concept; that whilst there is actually nobody present at the wedding, the company prep, maintain and deliver the cameras and go through all six hours of footage to find the best clips. It’s the same amount of time, energy, attention to detail and skill goes into editing a ‘self-shot’ wedding video as it does a professional wedding video.

On the other hand, there are those couples who are looking for something less formal, that captures the big personalities of their family and friends.

There are, of course, hundreds of wedding videographers to choose from but with so much time, effort and money spent on your wedding day, we would recommend that you choose a reputable company with a proven track record. Remember, there is no such thing as a good cheap wedding video and if a deal seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is!

Your wedding photography and videography are two of the most important things to get right on the big day, as they will capture precious memories that you cannot repeat again.