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Needless to say, your wedding day is meant to be special, one of the greatest days of your life. At the same time, though, your wedding day is a whirlwind of emotions, events, and excitement. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos and miss out on the small, meaningful moments. Just so much is happening, and it’s all going to fly by! So, that’s why staying mentally present on your big day ensures you soak in every precious second. But how can you do this? Where do you even start? Well, here’s how to keep your head in the moment and truly enjoy your wedding day. Start Your Day with Intention So, you’ll need to begin your wedding day with a clear and calm mind. Take a few moments in the morning for yourself. Whether it's meditating, journaling, or simply taking a few deep breaths, set an intention for the day. But overall, you need to just remind yourself of the love and joy that brought you to this moment. It’s really going to help if you just start your day with a clear intention, which helps you stay grounded and focused on what truly matters. Delegate and Trust Your Team You’ve spent months, maybe even years, planning this day. Now, it’s time to trust in that planning. You need to enjoy this day; you can’t do everything on your own. So, that’s why you need to delegate responsibilities to your wedding party, family, and vendors. It’s best to just surround yourself with people you trust and let them handle the logistics. But overall, knowing that everything is taken care of allows you to relax and be present. So, just trust that your team has everything under control so you can focus on enjoying your day. Try and Keep a Close Circle This might sound a little weird, but there’s a lot of truth to this. So, you need to spend your wedding morning with a small group of people who bring you calm and happiness. For most, it’s their bridesmaids and groomsmen. These are the people who will keep you grounded and remind you to savor each moment. Their presence can help you stay relaxed and centered. Whether it's your closest friends or family, having a supportive and loving circle around you sets a positive tone for the day. Take It One Moment at a Time Hands down, you have to keep this in mind: your wedding day is a series of beautiful moments. They’re so beautiful that the best way to truly let these little candid moments shine would have to be through documentary style wedding photography. Basically, only a good photographer can shoot these special moments, but only you can truly enjoy these special moments- it’s your day. So, you need to try to experience each one fully. Seriously, you don’t want to rush from one thing to the next- this is a massive mistake that couples keep making. You don’t want to look back on this day and barely remember anything! Steal a Few Private Moments Your wedding day is about you and your partner, but most couples don’t even get to interact that much! So, amidst the festivities, find time to steal away together. These intimate moments can be some of the most memorable parts of your day.
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The lead-up to a marriage proposal can be an exciting time for everyone involved. However, to make sure you are prepared, that you can make the occasion perfect, and that nerves do not take over, there are a few steps you should take before dropping the question. Then, here are some of the actions you should think about before you get down on one knee.
Find the Perfect Engagement Ring The perfect engagement ring is important. It is likely that your loved one will wear it every day for the rest of their life. However, the perfect engagement ring does not have to be expensive, nor do you have to opt for a traditional one. Instead, you should look around for an engagement ring that speaks to you and that you believe your partner will love. You might even consider asking your partner to pick one out themself after the initial proposal to ensure that it is right for them. You might also look around for a design engagement ring for this once-in-a-lifetime purchase that can stand out and make your other half feel special. Choose the Right Moment Although you should only propose to your loved one when you are both ready for marriage, it is still vital that you pick the right moment to do this. You should make sure you are both in the correct mood and mindset and that you can create a romantic and safe environment where your partner will not feel rushed or self-conscious when replying to you. The perfect proposal is different for everyone. While some people might get a thrill from a public profession of love and commitment in a beautiful place, others might prefer a low-key discussion in the comfort of their own home. By working out what is right for you and your partner, you will be able to ensure that you create a memorable proposal that you will both look back on with nothing but happiness. Talk to Your Partner You might feel like talking to your partner beforehand ruins the magic of an engagement. However, this is not the case. Having a casual discussion with your partner about their goals and vision for the future can ensure that you are both on the same page and ready for marriage and commitment. You should make sure that you talk about what you want from life, such as children, and that you have an understanding of each other’s financial goals. Not only can this make certain that your marriage will not end in a quick divorce, but it can also prevent you from feeling crushed if they reject any surprise proposal that you have thought of and planned. Save Up A wedding can be expensive, and this means that you should consider saving up for the big day before you have even proposed. By doing this, you will be ensuring that your big question does not put a strain on your finances and that you will not have to wait years and years after the proposal to tie the knot with each other. Your wedding day is one of the most significant moments in your life. It's a celebration of love, commitment, and the beginning of a new chapter. Naturally, every bride wants to look and feel stunning as they walk down the aisle. Traditionally, this has meant donning a white gown, but times and wedding dress norms are changing. More brides are opting for unconventional wedding dresses, and there are plenty of reasons why you should consider joining them. Express Your Individuality Your wedding day should reflect who you are as a couple and as individuals. Choosing an unconventional wedding dress is a fantastic way to express your unique style and personality. Whether you're into bold colors, intricate designs, or alternative fabrics, there's a non-traditional dress out there to perfectly capture your essence. Break Tradition While there's certainly nothing wrong with sticking to tradition, breaking away from it can be liberating. Choosing an unconventional wedding dress allows you to challenge societal norms and create a wedding that truly represents you and your partner's values and beliefs. It's an opportunity to do things your way, without feeling confined by expectations. An unconventional floral wedding dress can beautifully express your individuality while adding a touch of nature's elegance to your special day, for example. Stand Out from the Crowd Let's face it; traditional white wedding dresses can start to blend together after a while. Opting for an unconventional dress ensures that all eyes will be on you as you make your grand entrance. Whether it's a vibrant color, a unique silhouette, or unexpected embellishments, a non-traditional dress is sure to turn heads and leave a lasting impression. Celebrate Your Culture If you come from a cultural background with its own wedding traditions and attire, choosing an unconventional wedding dress can be a powerful way to honor your heritage. Incorporating elements of your culture into your wedding attire allows you to celebrate your roots while still putting your own modern twist on things. Comfort is Key Traditional wedding dresses often come with layers of tulle, corsets, and heavy embellishments that can be uncomfortable to wear for extended periods. On the other hand, unconventional wedding dresses offer a range of options that prioritize comfort without sacrificing style. From flowy bohemian gowns to sleek jumpsuits, a non-traditional dress will keep you feeling comfortable and confident all day. Budget-Friendly Options Wedding dresses can be expensive, but an unconventional one can often be more budget-friendly. Since non-traditional dresses tend to be less in demand, you may have an easier time finding affordable options that still look stunning. Additionally, you can explore alternatives to traditional bridal boutiques, such as vintage stores or online retailers, where you might snag a unique find at a fraction of the cost. Environmental Considerations With sustainability becoming increasingly important to many couples, opting for an unconventional wedding dress can be a more eco-friendly choice. Traditional wedding dresses are often made from materials that have a significant environmental impact, whereas non-traditional dresses offer more opportunities to choose sustainable fabrics and support ethical fashion brands. Conclusion Choosing an unconventional wedding dress opens up a world of possibilities for expressing your individuality, breaking tradition, and creating a wedding day that is truly unique to you and your partner. Whether you opt for a colorful gown, a vintage find, or a modern jumpsuit, the most important thing is to choose a dress that makes you feel confident, comfortable, and ready to celebrate the beginning of your happily ever after. Getting married is one of the most magical adventures that any couple ever embarks on. However, it is known to be a potentially stressful situation too. With the right strategy at your disposal, though, it does not have to be that way. You’ve already done the hard part by finding “the one”. Now is the time to focus on ensuring that your big day is the magical and stress-free event you deserve. Here are 10 top tips to guide you down the aisle in style. #1. Give Yourself Time First and foremost, this will be the last time that you ever complete the wedding planning process. Naturally, then, you should want to enjoy it. Sadly, this will be very difficult if you rush things by booking a date that’s only a few weeks away. The average engagement length is 1-2 years, which is probably right for most couples. Still, if you feel you need longer go for it. It’s better to take your time and get things right rather than look back with regret. #2. Find The Perfect Venue The recipe for a perfect wedding includes many ingredients. However, memorable wedding events begin with stunning venues in idyllic locations. Stunning backdrops will make the day infinitely more magical while your wedding photos will stand out for all the right reasons too. More importantly, it gives you a foundation to build upon. So, subsequent decisions should be easier to make. Besides, the venue is certainly one of the most memorable aspects. #3. Choose The Best Best Man & Maid Of Honor Even before you start building your dream wedding, you must consider the important guests that have a huge influence on the day. They will provide emotional support during the build-up and help fix any issues that surface on the day. This may include de-escalating disagreements between other guests. After all, every family has at least a couple of members that don’t get on. The best man and maid of honor offer a valuable emotional safety net. #4. Know Your Budget There’s no point in denying that financial matters are one of the chief causes of stress. The average wedding costs $30,000, which is a lot of money to find. However, you don’t have to spend this level of money. After finding the dream venue, you can cut the costs by designing your own invites or getting guests to help with items like baking the cake. It can work out far better than receiving gifts. Crucially, you need to calculate how much you can comfortably spend. #5. Choose Outfits With Amendments Included As the wedding approaches, most brides and groomsmen will want to tone up. After all, this is the day when you want to look your best. However, you may not get to the exact physique that you wanted. Or if you do, your body may be very different from when you got measured. Therefore, finding beautiful wedding dresses and suits that included alterations is hugely beneficial. Whatever happens leading up to the big day, you will look fantastic. #6. Make Early Bookings Even if you take the DIY route for many of the key features, you’ll still need a lot of services. Photographers, entertainment, florists, caterers, and a wedding officiant are all needed. If you try to book these services at the last minute, you will have far fewer options. Similarly, it’s likely that you will pay a premium cost as a direct result. Early bookings will boost your hopes of a positive outcome. And when the wedding gets close, you’ll have fewer issues to consider. #7. Consider A Wedding Planner If you want to take a backseat role while still knowing that your dream will be brought to life, wedding planners are available. They can work to your brief and subsequently build the perfect package. Their experience and contacts will ensure that no stone is left unturned. It can be a particularly useful choice for anyone that has a particularly busy lifestyle and other commitments. It is an approach that lets you focus on enjoying the day. #8. Plan Your Guest Lists You want to share your big day with your nearest and dearest. However, a large guest list will increase the costs. Likewise, it means you’ll spend less time with each person. So, many couples find that a smaller wedding is better. Or they invite more people to the evening reception. Another option is to throw a more casual party after the honeymoon, there are options available. It also reduces the risk of fights breaking out. Perfect. #9. Schedule A Vacation Together Even with the above steps in place, wedding planning is stressful. Therefore, it’s hugely beneficial to take a step back to recharge the batteries and your minds. Taking a romantic weekend away is a chance to do this. It also gives you a chance to discuss any remaining issues that require confirmation. Better still, you can find the balance between doing this and temporarily forgetting about the wedding period. Of course, the separate bachelor and bachelorette parties are vital too. #10. Remember It’s Your Day Finally, many couples fall into the trap of trying to design the big day that everyone expects. Frankly, there is no reason why you have to satisfy all traditions. If the thought of a first dance terrifies you, for example, drop it from the schedule. Ultimately, this is the one day where you are the center of attention. The most important factor, then, is that you do things your way. If doing things differently helps you start married life with a smile, that’s all that matters. If you and your partner are thinking about getting married at some point in the near future, you’ll obviously want to start planning for that, and this can be quite a stressful thing to do. The main thing is to make sure that you are creating exactly the day that you would both genuinely enjoy, and to help ensure that you need to know what it is that makes a wedding truly amazing. Here are some of the factors that you might want to consider on that front, to help you plan the big day more effectively and successfully. A Unique Venue Few things are quite as important as the venue, and you will definitely want to make sure that you have chosen this well when you are planning out your wedding. After all, if the wedding is not quite what it should be, the day is not going to be what you want it to be either. You can always play it safe with something like Lake Arrowhead Resort Weddings, where you know the venue is going to be unique, and that way you’re going to have a lot more confidence in how the whole day pans out. The Personal Touch It is your wedding, after all, and what matters most of all is that you are designing a day which is true to you and your partner. For this reason, you’ll want to try and aim for the wedding to have something of a personal touch to it, because that way you are going to feel a lot happier about it in general. Think about some of the elements of your personality that you may want represented in your day, and then find some unique ways to incorporate those seamlessly. This is going to make the day so much more special. Memorable Food One element to a wedding that most of the guests usually remember fondly is the food. This, after all, is essential to the overall experience of the day, and it’s something that you will likely be keen to be as special as possible. You want it to be memorable and amazing, and the best way to ensure that is to spend a decent amount of time and effort going through some of the options for catering that you may have come across. The better the food is, the better the experience of the whole day is going to be. The Right Guest List Perhaps nothing else causes quite as much stress and upset as figuring out the guest list. You need to make sure that you are getting this right, because otherwise it is going to be the kind of thing that can be really troublesome. What matters most, again, is that you are happy with who is in attendance, so make sure that you are spending some decent time figuring out the guest list, and you should find that this helps you a lot. It will mean that your wedding is more how you want it to be. You've gotten engaged! Congratulations! Choosing an engagement ring, or even a wedding band, is now the exciting part of the process. Whether you're looking for engagement or wedding rings, we've got all the information you need. Diamond Finding the ideal diamond for your preferences is something that many people take for granted. Diamonds come in a variety of colours, sizes, and shapes. It's important that the one you pick is one that you'll cherish for the rest of your life. Examine your options and decide if you want a perfect diamond that dazzles and wows, or whether you'd be content with a quaint little gem on your finger. Keep in mind that immaculate diamonds will almost certainly set you back an extortionate amount. Size We know, it's a very obvious thing to consider. On the other hand, people sometimes choose rings that are somewhat bigger in order to avoid the possibility of getting their finger stuck. Make an appointment to get your wedding ring finger properly measured. Many jewellery stores will do this for you at no cost, but keep a note of your size if you aren't planning on purchasing from that particular store. Keep in mind that you may get your ring adjusted if it becomes too little or too big for your finger. You can order a ring measurement tool if you’re choosing to buy your rings online. Brilliant Earth can send one to you for free to measure your fingers before ordering. Colour Consider the colour of your wedding bands before venturing out to find your wedding rings. Do you want your engagement ring to be accompanied by a classic gold ring? Would you prefer to have your ring made of white gold or platinum, which you can flaunt proudly on your ring finger? Platinum, on the other hand, is significantly more costly than gold. Personalisation When a couple becomes engaged, they might have a personal statement or phrase inscribed on the inside of their wedding band. If this is something you're interested in, talk to your jeweller about how much it would cost to have this done for you and your spouse. Remember that the wording or message must be brief enough to fit in a ring while still having meaning for you. "I love you" is a frequent choice. Cost The cost of your wedding rings has been covered briefly throughout this piece. Before you go shopping for your engagement rings, make sure you and your partner have agreed on a budget. Set a limit for yourself that you will not be able to exceed. This way, you may specify your pricing range to the jeweller and choose from their selection. Alternatively, if you want to shop online, you may input your maximum price and browse the options. That concludes the complete guide on purchasing wedding/engagement rings. Remember that you'll be proudly wearing your rings for the rest of your life, so even if you're on a budget, why not go all out and get each other wonderful rings to honour your love? Your wedding day is one of the most important occasions and events of your life. It’s not only about having fun but marrying the love of your life. It’s wise to take your time planning it and make sure you attend to all the most vital details. Learn four steps to having a memorable and beautiful wedding so you can ensure your guests enjoy themselves and you’re happy with the end results. It’ll require patience, time, and dedication on your part but know that your efforts will pay off and you’ll look back on your wedding day in the future and have no regrets. 1. Choose the Right Venue Your first step to having a memorable and beautiful wedding is to choose the right venue for the event and your theme. What this means is that it’s not only within your budget but a place that will impress your guests and set the right tone for the day. It’s also about choosing a wedding venue that’s suitable and appropriate for you, your finance, and your taste and style. It’s your chance to set yourself apart from the rest and have your big event stand out in a positive way. 2. Focus on the Décor Another step to having a memorable and beautiful wedding is to focus on the décor and creating an unforgettable environment and ambiance. For example, you should choose a wedding florist that can help you bring your vision to life and ensure your wedding looks classy, elegant, and reflects all the right colors and feelings. You’ll need a lot of flowers and in multiple places throughout the day and night to ensure your wedding day is both memorable and beautiful. Be thoughtful as you choose your linens, the lighting, and table décor as well. 3. Pick Out A Fabulous Dress The highlight and focus of the entire wedding day will be you, the bride. Therefore, you must commit to picking out a fabulous wedding dress that will help you look even more stunning than you already are. Go shopping ahead of time and try on different styles to see which look you like best and which is most flattering. Have a budget in mind that will help you narrow down your choices. You want your dress to be appropriate for you, the theme, and one that helps you truly have the most memorable and beautiful wedding day possible. 4. Be Picky About the Guest List Your wedding should be filled with people who love and care about you and want to see you two happy. It’s important that you’re picky about the guest list and who you invite to attend your big day. Your wedding day will be more memorable and beautiful when you’re surrounded by people who have your best interest at heart and are in your corner. You want to avoid including people who may create drama or who you’re not very close to. Stick to a guest list that’s full of people who love you two and want to celebrate your wedding day and happiness with you. There is one absolute must for every wedding, and that is where it will take place. You may well be able to swap a dress for a suit or saying no to a cake, but you have to physically be somewhere. Finding the perfect wedding venue for you and your needs is not always the easiest task. First, you may well be inundated with choice. Or unsure if the theme of your wedding matches the location. One thing is for sure, you want somewhere that will be as magical as you always wished it would be, and somewhere that will leave you with a lifetime of happy memories. What is Your Style? Due to the abundance of beautiful venues, you will want to decide on your theme and style first. There is no point in having a elegant ballroom venue when you want that rustic feel. If you can decide on an overarching theme that is not going to change, you will find it easier you find the perfect location. Budget Before you even start thinking about venues, you should have an overall budget and limit how much you can spend on a venue. Again this will help narrow the search and avoid you looking at something totally beautiful but way out of your budget. So. budget first is a must. Your Guest List Creating a guest list and having a rough idea of numbers will help you search too. If you have very elderly or disabled people attending you may need to give extra consideration to wheelchair access and toilet facilities for a start. Some venues may well be perfect but are actually way too small for your needs, and vice versa. You hardly want a huge and extravagant venue and only fill one corner of it. Think About The Experience of Your Guests If you are going to be expecting people to travel quite some distance like to a Top Mountain Wedding Venue, it helps if you choose somewhere with enough parking spaces and some excellent stay-over facilities. Again you want to ensure you can not cramming people into a space that is far too small. You also want to make sure there are good food options, and how about a bar, or a free bar, whatever your budget allows. Never Forget Yourself When it comes to a wedding, yes you want your guest to come and have an excellent time, but you must not forget yourself in all the planning chaos. If you have a strict budget and can only afford X number of people, you are going to have to make some hard choices. Get somewhere you feel comfortable with and fits into your major criteria as a couple. It is your day, and it is most important that you feel special and not stressed out. This will ruin the experience for you. After all, it is supposed to be the best day of your life, not everyone else’s. So always bear that in mind when you start planning a wedding. The first time you met your fiance, it was love at first sight. You knew this person was the one for you. But as years pass and life gets busy, it's easy to forget about that feeling of excitement when you think about spending time with them. It might seem like they don't understand what is important to you or that they are not invested in your relationship anymore. But, the truth is, sometimes relationships need work just like anything else does. So, here are tips on how to build healthy relationships with your fiance. Show Appreciation You can show your fiance appreciation in several ways. Consider these:
Invest in Trust Trust is the glue that holds relationships together. Whether it's a romantic relationship, friendships or with your family - trust becomes the foundation of everything else you do in life and can make even difficult situations more manageable. But how does one build this necessary element? The first step to building trust in any relationship is to have shared values. This includes having similar beliefs about marriage, children and money, taking care of each other, always being honest and understanding what each partner needs. The second step is to establish a level of comfort, which you can do by taking small steps together, such as: creating an environment where you can express yourselves, learning how each other's triggers work and being open about personal struggles. Communicate Communication is an integral part of any healthy relationship. There are many ways to communicate, and you should choose the method that best fits your personality or lifestyle. It needs to be a two-way conversation with active listening on both parties. The goal in communication is not just sharing information but building mutual understanding, so try to avoid becoming defensive when discussing problems. For love and commitment between couples to grow stronger over time, communication needs to remain open at all times—not just in good times but even more importantly, through struggles or difficulties. Spend Quality Time Together Spending time together is an essential ingredient for a healthy relationship. So take time to have fun together and not just when it's convenient or necessary. For example, try to schedule regular date nights, even if you can't make them every week. Use your creativity! The point of dating is figuring out who someone is and seeing what they like outside of their comfortable environs. So get creative with new and exciting dates that allow you to learn more about each other. One example that you won’t need to leave the house for is gaming. You can play online games together. This is just about finding a genre that you both enjoy whether that’s shooting games, racing or perhaps problem solving games. Right now, couples are having fun playing on Wordle together in friendly rivalries so there are countless options here. Conclusion In conclusion, building healthy relationships is about more than just following the steps above - it's also about finding what works best for each person to feel happy, safe and respected. Deciding what to give as a wedding gift to the happy couple can be very challenging. Continue reading to learn some great gift ideas that might help make that decision easier. Getting a couple the perfect wedding gift can be a little challenging today, unlike 50 years ago when people married younger, and therefore had less material goods. Many young couples would register with their local large department store, and guests could simply purchase items off of their registry. Even if the young couple didn’t have a registry with a store, because they were young and just starting out, they were very appreciative of any basic kitchenwares, appliances, bed linens, towels, and other things that people need in their everyday lives. Modern Day Couples Are Different Today people are getting married later in life, often pushing off marriage while they finish school or start their career. Most people have left the family home and are already living on their own, often times with their partner. This means they usually own many of the household items that were traditionally put on the wedding registry. Sometimes upon moving in together find they own duplicates or triplicates of the same thing! Once the wedding date is set, the traditional registry process for gifts may not be needed, or be very different that what was expected in the past. Gift Cards Or Cash A gift of cash or gift cards to the couples favorite stores or restaurants can be an excellent gift idea that would be very useful. However, some people tend to find gifts of money or gift cards impersonal. The prefer to give something that they can wrap beautifully and present it to the happy couple. This makes them feel good about the present they are giving.
Ask The Couple The purpose of wedding gifts is to give the newly married couple a boost as they start their new life together. Traditionally housewares were given to save the couple the added expense as they were often new home owners. For the modern bride and groom, being asked specifically what they want, means they do not have to return unwanted items or be stuck with an undesired colour or style. Many couples now live in condos not large homes like in the past, so space saving appliances such as the compact Nespresso Inissia Espresso Machine are what people want. While you as a guest may really want to give them the biggest and best like the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine they may not have the counter space for it! Basic Model or Deluxe Model? It is generally best to purchase exactly what the couple have asked for, because that is the appliance that they can actually use in the space they have to work with. However, if you speak to them and find out that they would really love the deluxe model, but felt awkward asking for the more expensive appliance, then they may really appreciate you contacting them to find out that information! This is why asking the couple is so important. Weddings are always stressful but you can overcome obstacles. Continue reading to learn 6 ways you can reduce your wedding day stress even if disaster strikes. Any bride and groom hope for an amazing day once they get the chance to tie the knot. For the most part, the day will go off without any issues, no matter how nervous you might have been before. However, not everyone is so lucky, and there will be some disaster that you need to deal with. What disasters can you expect? Everything from bad music to terrible weather and even things like a strange, confrontational venue manager has the potential to ruin your big day. While it has this potential, it doesn’t need to send you spiraling, so here are six ways you can overcome disaster on your wedding day. A Dodgy DJ Music is one of the most important parts of a wedding. Once the romantic and legal stuff is out of the way, and once everyone is thoroughly stuffed with the finest catered food, it’s time to let loose and party. But, what if the DJ is not what you assumed? What if their choice of tunes drives people away from the dancefloor? A bare dancefloor at a wedding is never a good sight, but you can mitigate this by providing a playlist before the wedding. This can keep them on the script, so to speak, and ensure everyone gets something they want to dance to during the night. Rain Rain, Go Away Someone in the 90s said something about rain on your wedding day being ironic. This isn’t the proper use of the word, but it’s still something that can severely impact your wedding day, especially if you’re hosting an outdoor event. No matter what you do, you should always plan for the worst, even if the forecast tells you there are sunny skies throughout the week and beyond. You can never truly trust the weather, so bring extra umbrellas (and encourage guests to do the same). You can also pick up a marquee or gazebo for guests to stand under, while secure flooring will prevent any slips and falls. Last-Minute Cancellations Hopefully, it never happens to you, but last-minute cancellations are a thing. No matter who cancels, it can throw your entire day into disarray, so it’s important to have a plan. Being friends with someone talented with a camera, even on a smartphone, can still provide you with some excellent wedding photography, and you can pay them if you feel it’s necessary. This shouldn’t fall to just one person, though, and if your photographer cancels, get everyone involved so you have shots from all angles. Venue Issues Most venues are equipped to handle plenty of guests, loud music, and a party that lasts into the night. However, some venues may not be as straightforward as this. You may encounter some pushback from the venue manager following too much noise or other issues they perceive. You don't want to be disrespectful to the venue, but there should be a compromise. Some venues that began taking bookings during the pandemic have encountered these problems and were as-such not equipped to handle post-pandemic weddings. If you encounter issues with the venue manager, it’s important to remain calm to prevent making things worse, as this will put you in a poor position. Family Drama Family drama is often the most dreaded element of wedding issues, so you must understand the best tips to avoid it. You don’t want to deal with an aggressive parent or a relative you can't trust, so find ways to look out for them from afar. The best man or maid of honor usually takes these roles, but it isn’t fair to them to expect them to control a total stranger. Speak with your family members who understand the situation better and hope for the best. Missing Guests Missing guests happen at every wedding. Sometimes life gets in the way, and it is not as much of a disaster as other problems. However, there are some occasions when this can cause issues. You don’t want the wedding to look empty or even have some food go to waste. So, speak to the venue and caterers beforehand (or get someone else to do it), and they will be able to change the seating arrangements to suit how many people show up without anyone else being the wiser. Happily Ever After At the time, it feels these disasters are insurmountable like you won’t ever recover from this. However, if you have the right people in charge of overcoming such issues, everything will be much easier to manage. You may not want to laugh about it right now, but maybe one day you’ll see it as something that made your day even more memorable. Planning a wedding can be hard and everyone wants something unique. Here are some ideas to help mix things up and give you a day to remember. Fun Facts A lot of the people at your wedding probably haven’t been privileged to know all of the details of your relationship, this is the perfect time to share them. We don’t mean the embarrassing details of the best man's speech, but you can share some details on napkins. It is easy to get custom napkins printed with little facts about the happy couple which can share some more of their journey together than the best man ever can. Family Desserts Having a wedding means two families are joining together and what can be a better way to celebrate than bringing the family recipe to the wedding? If your family has a signature dessert or sweet treat, ask the ladies of the families to contribute a dessert each that everyone can enjoy at the reception. Although, if you are having a small wedding and don’t want a caterer, you could ask each family member to cook up a dish and create the entire reception around the favorite family recipes. Fun Drinks While you are getting your photos taken, the guests are left to fend for themselves with cocktail hour. This is a great chance to do something a bit different. Rather than have just plain wine, why not try big jugs of cocktails or even some little umbrellas to make it that little bit different. You could even create a cocktail bar so that guests can create their own drinks while they wait. Big Flowers Some brides like to keep their flowers small, and this is ok, but this doesn’t mean that you have to. You could add anything you want to your flowers such as feathers, reeds, or even just some large flower types. As long as you can hold it, there should be no limit to the flowers in your bouquet. Frozen We aren’t talking about the Disney movie, but if you want to do a Frozen theme we won't judge you. What we are talking about is having an ice cream display for you guests. This is really great during the summer when everyone might be overheating in their formal wear, and it is perfect for little kids who need something to enjoy while the adults have their wine and cocktails. Lean into Your Culture Do you or your groom have an ethnic background, even just a tiny bit? The joining of families means the joining of cultures and history. Boho weddings are great for blending cultures and you could try this Bohemian dress guide for inspiration. So, if you have a certain heritage, why not lean into it a bit? You could have a floor display of dancers, or a musician to play some music. Locations Throughout your relationship, there have been plenty of places that are important to you. At your wedding is a great place to share these with people. You could include them in your fun facts or use them as something else entirely, such as a board with a timeline and your favourite places on it. This is a great idea for couples that have travelled a lot as you also get the chance to show off those travel snaps. Take advantage of the sun this summer and live your life to the fullest. Continue reading to learn about some fun types of parties that you could host. If anything, the last year has taught us to live in the moment and enjoy life as much as we can. We are all looking forward to getting back to partying and seeing all our friends and family. This summer will be celebrated bigger and better than ever before, and we will celebrate everything we can, in the most creative and fabulous ways. There is so much to celebrate with weddings, birthdays, and holidays coming up, so you definitely won't want to miss out. It's time to take advantage of the sun and live life to the fullest. Go With The Classic Garden Party One thing we will certainly enjoy is having garden parties again. With barbecues, friends, and cocktails alongside kids playing around happily laughing and creating new memories to last a lifetime. Garden parties are great, especially if you're nervous about mixing in large groups again after the pandemic. You can limit yourself to a number of people. Have over as much as you feel comfortable, and all enjoy the comfort of your own home. So if things get too much, you can take a quick break indoors and then go back to the festivities once you feel better. To throw a fabulous garden party, it is best to include barbecues of delicious food, some mood lighting like fairy lights hanging outside, and making sure you have enough seating for everyone attending. If you have kids coming along to the party, make sure there are some things for them to do like play equipment, for example, swings and slides. You can even set up a little craft table and give them something creative to make that they can take home with them. You can also make your party stand out by having a signature cocktail that you made yourself. Or you can go one step further and just have a cocktail-making kit available, so people can experiment and mix their own drinks. Themed Nights Are Always A Hit You can't go wrong with a theme night. Everyone loves getting dressed up and getting involved in the occasion. With a themed party, there is so much that you can do, like the 80s, fancy dress, neon, black and white party and even something like a film night where you come dressed as your favorite character from a popular film within your friend group or family. Theme nights are really easy to throw, as when you have a theme, there's so much that you can research and find online. You are able to find certain recipes for appetizers that go with certain themes as well as decor, balloons, and anything else that you need to throw together. These types of parties can be great for bachelor parties, birthdays, and anything else you want to celebrate. You Can't Go Wrong With A Boat Party Boat parties are timeless and luxurious as everyone will look forward to them as it is something different and not a lot of people have attended boar parties. Show off your hosting skills by throwing a party on a boat this summer to come back with a bang. With the warm weather, the smell of the sea air, and the option to jump in the sea for a quick swim, if you fancy and have your bikini prepared, then you can't go wrong. It will give such a luxurious feel to your party, and everyone will want to come. They will also be talking about it for a long time after. These types of parties are great for things like bachelorette parties, birthday parties, or wedding anniversaries. By having a boat party, you can drink under the stars as well as take advantage of beautiful beaches nearby. It doesn't have to be the only thing that you do that night. You can pair it with something like an escape room or even an evening show to make a night of it. Then it's onto a party under the stars until the sun comes up. Try something like Lagerhead Cycleboats to book your party. Brave A Beach Party By having a party on the beach, your options are endless. You can do something fun like volleyball and watersports. Pair that with mixing with your friends and family and then going into the evening with drinks. Or you can even do something more classic like a bonfire, roasting marshmallows, catching up, and enjoying each other's company again with some lovely cocktails and beers on hand. IIf you have a beach party, you don't have to worry about numbers as you won't be in a crowded space. You've got a whole beach to enjoy and set up how you want the party to be. You can take a dip in the ocean at any point if it's hot. There will also be food vendors nearby and ice cream parlors nearby, so if you run out of food, there's going to be plenty around. You will also not have to worry about outfits too much as most people be in swimwear and sundresses. Make Your Own Pizza Party If you aren't sure about crowds and don't really want to be in big groups with everything that has gone on, you can do something simple like make your own pizza party. This is where you get the supplies to make pizza, dough, marinara sauce, and cheese and then have lots of different options for toppings available. It's a really creative and engaging night as everyone will be getting involved. They will roll out the dough, but what they want on the pizza, and then all you need to do is cook it. It's also great for kids to get involved in, so if you have friends with kids, you can have it as a play date party to help them mix and create social bonds. All while you are having fun. Then to make it more interesting for the adults, add in some cocktails and wine, and you're good to go. Wedding are expensive but what parts should your money go towards? Keep reading to learn 3 areas where your money will be well spent. Everyone loves a bargain! Weddings are so expensive that it makes sense that you want to get a good deal on the flowers, the catering or the cake. However, there are some aspects to your big day that simply cannot be scrimped on. Would you want a bog standard and drab venue just because it was cheap? You need a venue that means something to you, that looks great in photographs and that makes your guests gasp in amazement. It’s crucial that you can dedicate funds to the most important facets of getting hitched. Outfits Yes, you might only be wearing your wedding dress for one day in your life, but this is the most memorable day of your life. The day that you choose to say your vows to the love of your life needs to be special. You need to feel confident and the easiest way to do this is by choosing one of the many Ronald Joyce wedding dresses that will make you feel like a million dollars. Expert tailoring, detailing and stunning design costs money, so don’t scrimp. When it comes to the groom, a simple suit might not suffice. You want something with extra detailing and a little extra pizazz. Consider matching your outfits with a common color palette alongside flower details. Venue If you are eager to get hitched in a swanky hotel, a simple B&B won’t do. To make the most out of your day, consider choosing a venue that is personal and sentimental. If you had your first kiss in the cinema, why not opt for a 1920s Picturehouse in which to say ‘I do.’ The art deco styling and classic monochrome decor could even inspire a theme or dress code for your big day. The big screen is a great way to show off photographs in slide show format of you as a happy couple. You could also use the aisles to walk down and make the most out of the surround sound system to play your favorite love song. If you love the great outdoors, you might fancy getting hitched in a country garden, on the beach or in a national park. These can be expensive venues as they are so unique but they will bring something extra special to the most important day of your life. Photographer To make your day as memorable as possible, you need to document it. Consider hiring the services of a contemporary wedding photographer that takes those candid shots and finds those hidden gem moments. Documenting these will give you the chance to look back on those laughs, tears and dancing that you didn’t even know were happening. Posed formal shots are very 1980s whilst a journalistic style is en vogue. With it being a trendsetting style, the cost can be expensive. However, don’t scrimp and stretch to a photographer with an excellent portfolio and who you get on with. Follow this guide and you can enjoy a wedding day that has the ideal combination of budget-busting aspects and wallet watching facets. Weddings are stressful for everyone! Here are 7 Tips for men to help make their wedding day run smoothly. Here's a call out to any guys getting married soon: Don't screw it up! Your bride-to-be will have been waiting for this day her whole life, so the last thing you want to do is to ruin it for her. Your goal is to do all in your power to ensure a successful wedding day, so take heed of the following mistakes, and start the first day of your married life the right way! #1: Don't arrive late The bride is often traditionally late, but you don't want to be. Your goal is to get to your wedding venue before she does, so do the following. While you might be partying the night before, remember that you do need to get your sleep. Get home at a decent time, set your alarm, and give yourself the opportunity to wake up and refresh yourself before you need to get to your wedding. You should also consider a wedding transportation company. Professional drivers won't let you down, and they will be ready and waiting for you to take you to where you need to be. This is better than relying on a best friend or family member for transport, especially if they have a track record of being unreliable, and if their cars have a habit of breaking down! By following these simple steps, you should have no trouble getting to your wedding on time, much to the relief of the bride-to-be who will be expecting to see you at the aisle. #2: Don't turn up looking a mess If you have managed to get up at an early time on your wedding day, you should have more time to get ready. You will have time to shower and get a shave, and you will have time to make sure you look presentable in your wedding outfit (make sure you iron and hang up your clothes the night before). The bride will be doing all she can to look good on the big day, so you don't want to embarrass her with your appearance. Make the effort to look good, as you will then avoid any stressful arguments with your bride, and she won't be forced to say some of her wedding vows through gritted teeth. #3: Don't forget to compliment your bride on her appearance As a follow on from that last point, don't forget to tell your bride how beautiful she looks. She will have taken a long time getting ready (probably rising from her bed hours before you), so remember to give her all of the compliments she will be hoping to hear. You don't need to make big, gushing statements, as a simple "you look amazing" will probably suffice. Hint: For a happy and successful marriage, remember to make such compliments on a regular basis! #4: Don't screw up your wedding vows If you're following the traditional pattern of wedding vows, you will have very little to remember. But if you have crafted your own, take time before your wedding day to rehearse them. By doing so, you are less likely to get flustered when you're stood in front of your bride, and you will be less likely to improvise with words you might later regret. If you need some inspiration for your wedding vows, consider these real-life examples for the big day. #5: Don't forget to spend time with your guests at the wedding While you might only have eyes for your bride on the wedding day, especially if she looks stunning in her wedding dress, you still need to avert your gaze occasionally and consider your guests. They will want to spend time with you too, more so if they have traveled a long way to get to the wedding, so don't spend all of your time with your bride. After all, you can have all the time you want with her during your honeymoon, and in theory, you have a whole lifetime to be in her company too! So, talk to people at your wedding, be they your friends or family members, and remember to thank them for coming. You don't need to spend a long time with each person, as a few short minutes of your time might be all it takes to make them feel appreciated. #6: Don't overdo it on the alcohol If you're prone to an odd tipple or two, remember not to overdo it. If you drink too much, you might only get drunk, and that could cause you to do all kinds of crazy and unfortunate things. You could stumble into the wedding cake, and demolish it with your body weight. You could reveal too many personal secrets about your bride when you're giving your speech at the dining table. And you could insult one of your in-laws, and that would not stand you in good stead for happy family relations. So, know your limits, drink in moderation, and improve the chances of your wedding day going by without a hitch! #7: Don't forget to lend a hand Too often at weddings, it's the bride running around trying to make sure everything is going smoothly. From checking in with the caterers to managing the needs of the guests, the bride will often be the person that is trying to keep everything under control. Why? Because she wants the day to be perfect, as this is a day she may have dreamed about her whole life! So, on the wedding day, remember to give her a hand (above and beyond your hand in marriage). If there are jobs that need doing, and if your bride is trying to do everything on her own, be there to support her. Of course, if you have both delegated responsibilities to others, you might both have the opportunity to relax. Still, people can let you down, so whether you have delegated or not, you should still be alert to anything that might need your intervention. By avoiding these mistakes, your wedding day should go well. You will end the day on a happy note, and reduce the chances of your first day in marriage being a tense and argumentative one! Newly married? Dreaming of a honeymoon in the future when we can all travel again? Read these tips on how to make your honeymoon romantic and embrace your special time together. A honeymoon is the ultimate holiday for newlyweds to enjoy their married bliss. After getting married, you would usually have a honeymoon booked for that same year, with some even opting to go straight after the wedding day itself. Whatever your preference, here are some tips to make your honeymoon romantic. Have A Lazy Day In Bed There’s nothing like unwinding and relaxing in a tropical paradise. Whether you go for a Maldives honeymoon or you fancy a trip across America, there is always going to be an opportunity to lounge. And one way to get the most out of a trip is to have a day where you do nothing at all. That means having a lazy day in bed or around the pool where you do nothing but chill out in each other’s company. A lazy day in bed might be ideal if the place you’re staying in is a luxurious one. If not, then there’s likely plenty of opportunities to lounge around the pool, on a sun lounger, or one of those day beds if you get lucky. Make sure you are allocating some time to just chill out because the likelihood of you getting a moment like this might be pretty rare for those that do a lot of work back at home and may never get the opportunity to enjoy doing absolutely nothing. Get A Couple’s Massage A couple’s massage is the ultimate romantic treat that you both can enjoy. Instead of going into a separate treatment room, why not get yourself booked in a room together where you have individual masseuses but can enjoy the relaxing massage as a pair, rather than alone. When you’re on a honeymoon, you’ll likely want to spend as much time together as possible, and a couple’s massage is definitely one of those treats that can be enjoyed as a pair. Watch The Sunset Being able to watch the sunset isn’t something most will typically do when back at home. It’s good to see the world from a different viewpoint, and when you’re somewhere abroad, it can be nice to watch the sunset together. It can be a romantic and peaceful experience that will help say goodbye to the day’s events and a thing you do before going off and having fun in the evening. Do Lots Of Activities Together The purpose of a holiday is to have a great time to relax and do activities where preferred. However, when you’re on a honeymoon, it’s good to do as much of the holiday together, rather than apart. Make sure you’re taking advantage of any activities that are available, and that would be fun for you and your partner to do. Take some time to yourselves, whether it’s a ride across the desert on camel or water skiing along the ocean. A honeymoon is the perfect chance to spend quality time together before it’s back to the reality of the daily grind. Use these tips to make the most out of your trip. Weddings are a lot of work to plan. Continue reading to discover a few tips to help you narrow down your options. Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life. It is a day you will look back on in years to come, and speak fondly of to your children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. You want your wedding to be a day you will never forget and everything to go off without a hitch. But the problem is, there is just so much to think about. There’s the guest list, the food, the entertainment, the rings, the vows, the speeches. And that’s not all. The wedding venue itself is an integral part of the day. Pick the wrong location, and you could be looking at a ruined wedding. There are several factors to consider when picking a wedding venue. You want it to be beautiful and photogenic, yet also convenient for everyone and within your budget. Wedding venues can be expensive, and often book up well in advance, so even if you find the perfect location, you are never guaranteed to get it. In order to make the right decision and settle on a venue that meets yours and your partner’s requirements, it is necessary to start with the basics. Here are a few tips to help you narrow down your options. Choose a location If you’re willing to get married anywhere in the world, you have too many options. Try to make your search a little easier by narrowing it down to a preferred location and exploring your options within a certain radius. Practically, it makes sense to get married near where you currently live, but you may prefer to go with a more sentimental location. Perhaps your hometown or the place where you first met. You may even choose to get married in an exotic country you’ve both always wanted to go to. Once you have picked a rough area, you can start looking for specific venues and find local suppliers and entertainment options. Set a budget Wedding venues can be expensive, so it is a good idea for you and your partner to discuss how much you are willing to spend. By creating and sticking to a budget, you ensure that you don’t go overboard with your spending. Once you have a figure, you can then start to look for venues that fall within your price range. Don’t be afraid to be flexible with your budget if you find a perfect place that is a little more expensive. You may be able to negotiate a better rate or cut costs in another area of your wedding. Think about guests How many people are you planning to invite to your wedding? Will it just be close friends and family, or are you planning a massive party with hundreds of people? Either way, you will want your venue to reflect the size of your gathering. You don’t want to have a huge party crowded into a tiny building, nor do you want to have a dozen attendees milling around an enormous ballroom. You should come with a rough list of exactly who you want to invite to your wedding and choose a suitably-sized location. Choose a date Some wedding venues are so popular they can book up well over a year in advance. You may have a fixed date in mind for the big day, but it pays to be flexible before you have actually booked the venue. The date will depend on the availability of you and your partner as well as your guests. Make sure you let guests know the date as soon as you have booked it, so they don’t make any plans. Figure out your priorities What do you want from your wedding venue? The decision you make will depend on several factors. Think about the style of wedding you want: classic and traditional, or modern and unique? Do you want it to be child-friendly or pet-friendly? Do you need an outdoor space or inhouse catering? Perhaps you want somewhere with accommodation so you and your guests can just head upstairs after the party is over. Prioritize the aspects that you are most keen for your venue to have and order your shortlist accordingly. Reach out to a few venues Once you have narrowed down your list to a few options that you really love, it can be difficult to pick one. It is a good idea to contact each of the venues to express your interest and ask them a few questions. You will want to know the practical information such as their availability, capacity, and pricing. But you also want to get an idea of how helpful and responsive they are. If they take a long time to get back to you or send blunt responses, you might get a better experience elsewhere. Visit your favourites You will need to visit the venue in person before the wedding day to ensure it is the right choice. Photos do not always do a place justice. You will want to take a tour, looking at the layout and making it is a good fit for the number of guests and the format you have in mind. Talk to the venue staff to get a good feel for the atmosphere in the venue. Make your choice At this point, you may have two or three potential options, so you will have to weigh the pros and cons of each and make a choice. It is good to have at least one backup in case your favourite option falls through. Both you and your partner might have a different top choice, so have a frank discussion and ensure you are both happy with the final decision. As soon as you have come to an agreement you should get in touch with the venue to book your wedding on your chosen date. Congratulations, you now have a venue for your wedding. There are so many different options for the location of your wedding ceremony and party. Learn more about some of the different types of venues available to you. Discover what you need to remember when planning a wedding. Wedding planning is an overwhelming time for any bride to be. There is so much to think about. It’s too easy to be distracted by one thing and another and even easier to forget the little things that some people would notice. Without further ado here are the things a bride is likely to forget when planning a wedding. Wedding favours Brides can get so wrapped up in everything to do with their wedding that things like favours can be forgotten. For anyone who isn’t sure what a wedding favour is here is a little explanation. A wedding favour is a token of appreciation to your guests for attending your big day. Things like candied almonds are more of a traditional gift. But these days you can get quite creative. Perhaps this is why wedding favours can be forgotten. But take it from me your guests will notice. Bridesmaid gifts It is a lovely gesture to offer your bridesmaids and maid of honours a gift. This is normally handed over to them during the speeches when the best man toasts the bridesmaids. This could be anything but the more personal, the better. This is a brides way of saying thank you for all the help and hard work. Things like jewelry are always well received. The all-important photographer Believe it or not, it can be quite easy to forget all about the wedding photographer for your wedding day. With so much focus on the wedding venue, the dress and the guests, you may forget that you want to capture the day as well. Speaking with some of the wedding professionals, they suggest you book a good photographer early on, so that you know that this detail is at least ticked off the list of jobs that need to be done. Bridesmaid shoes and accessories. Brides will have everything organised for themselves. But it’s easy to overlook the bridesmaids complete outfits. The dress will have been organised but what about their shoes and accessories? When organising your bridesmaids make sure you speak to them and either get involved in their choices or make them aware it is down to them. Booking hair and makeup. You may have been organized but up to the day of the wedding you realise you forgot all about your hair and makeup. It happens. Again, it’s easy to focus on what you are wearing rather than the complete look. It’s always a good idea to write a list for everyone in the bridal party to make sure you cover all the bases. Wedding night accommodation Unless you are have your wedding reception at a hotel where a room might be included in your package, it’s easy to forget about where you will stay. Getting from the reception to a place to stay is also a very common mistake some brides make. The best thing to do is discuss with your partner or friends everything to do with the wedding and try and tick off a list. It’s hard planning a wedding. It’s easy to see why some brides can forget a few details. But the most important thing is to enjoy the day. All of your guests will have fun spending time with family and friends and celebrating the love. 5 Professionals To Hire To Have An Effortless Wedding Planning a wedding is a gargantuan task. Sure, it’s generally just a one-day event. But for many people, this will be one of the biggest days of their lives and chances are you’ll want yours to go as smoothly as possible. Now, there’s no way one person can undertake all of the tasks required to help a traditional wedding come to fruition. Instead, you’re going to find yourself having to call in the help of multiple professionals to bring things together. Here are a few that you might find yourself collaborating with! A Wedding Planner If the weight of responsibility associated with organising a wedding feels too much for you, or if you simply don’t have a clue how to pull a wedding together and really need a helping hand, you may want to push the responsibility onto a professional wedding planner. These specialists will have overseen endless weddings, so will know what works, what doesn’t and what’s absolutely essential to make the happy couple’s dreams come true. A Photographer Sure, your guests will take plenty of pictures throughout your big day. But you could really do with a professional wedding photographer to take the best shots possible. This person will have the best equipment, expertise and creativity to get stunning pictures of all aspects of your big day. Make sure to look through portfolios before putting down any deposit or hiring anyone. This will show you their style and give you confidence that they’re good at what they do. Take a look at Christophe Viseux Photography for a good example! A Videographer Increasing numbers of people want video footage of their big day too. Professional wedding videographer is great in the same way that hiring a professional photographer is. Again, you’ll want to look around for recommendations and you’ll want to see a good portfolio to give you an idea of your chosen videographer’s style and professionalism. A Catering Company Guests are bound to get hungry on the big day. If you have many, or you want high quality food, you’re going to have to use a catering company to supply the meals! There are various options out there and the best for your big day will largely fall down to your budget, preferences and needs. Buffets are great for large weddings. Sit down meals can be preferable for small weddings. Food vans are also rising in popularity as a cute and novel way of serving guests food. A Band or DJ We all want music on our big day and few are going to leave this up to someone sitting with their phone plugged in and a playlist on the go. Instead, most people will hire a band or DJ to keep the music going throughout the day. These are just a few professionals you may come into contact with when it comes to planning your big day. You’ll likely meet many more. But those listed above should really help things to go well! Learn some wedding planning tips before you say I do! There’s nothing like the thought of having to say I do that’ll send shivers down your spine. The thought of having to walk down the aisle and see everyone staring at you is enough to put some people off. Most of us want to get married, and we love the thought of being with the person that we love for the rest of our lives. But comfortably getting to that point is not as easy as it used to be. There’s plenty of things that you need to do before saying I do. You need to be so prepared that you think about nothing but the love for your partner during the day. You don’t want to spend the day rushing around making sure everyone is happy and everything is running how it should do. So, we’re going to show you some of the things to say before saying I do, so that you can have the most magical wedding day. Bridesmaids & Groomsmen Your entourage of bridesmaids and groomsmen is either going to be absolutely huge, or you'll have a small party of people following closely behind you. They’re the people who are going to support your decisions throughout, and basically just go with the flow of what you’re doing for the day. But there’s a few things that you’ll have to do to ensure they’re happy with the whole day, and the first is picking what style dress and suit you want them to have. For the females, it’s more about style and colour. An olive green bridesmaid dress might suit one girl, whereas another finds it horrible. So you start to see one big problem before you say I do, and that’s keeping everyone else happy. The best way to do so is letting them have an input into what they’re going to be wearing, and doing all day! Wedding Favours & The Food The wedding favours are the little bit of the day that everyone gets to take home with them. They’re called wedding favours, but they’re more like a little gift for everyone who has managed to turn up. There are so many design ideas to look at on the internet, but try and make it personal to you, or perhaps personal to the guest. It depends how much effort you want to put into this, but it is nice for your guests to go home with something great to remember the day by. The Venue & The Photographer These two go hand in hand. Once you’ve secured the venue, you need to find out about how many they’ll allow, where cars can pull up, and where the best location is going to be for the photos afterwards. Working closely with the venue and finding everything out from the get go will prevent any dramas. There are always reviews on the internet to guide you towards a good photographer as well! You want someone who is going to be able to capture the magic of the day that you’re having! Treat your guests! Make your wedding day memorable by including some of these unique ideas into your wedding ceremony and reception. Everybody wants their wedding day to be special and unique. It's the chance you get for all your friends and family to gather together to celebrate the love you and your partner share, so doing everything you can to make it memorable is crucial. Even though it is only one day, there is still so much going on. It's a long day that starts early, and from the moment you wake up, it feels like a whirlwind that is hard to pull yourself away from. It's better for the happy couple when they know that everything will go off without a hitch while they get hitched. Everybody Gathered The ceremony is about the vows, rings, and final kiss sealing your union. But before that, there are plenty of ideas to make it unique for you and your guests. Surprise ring bearers are always an excellent addition, whether it's a family pet or someone who you didn't think could make the day. You can also consider unique seating ideas like arranging the guests in a spiral so the bride walks past everybody on the way to her soon-to-be-spouse gives everyone a clear view of what's going on. This is superb for getting the perfect photo that they can share with you once everything is said and done. Your First Walk After the announcement that you and your partner are in this forever, your first walk gives your guests the chance to cheer, congratulate, and get their first proper pictures of the happy couple arm in arm. This walk will take place immediately after signing the register. Still, you can also do it when leaving the venue with everyone gathered outside and with the photographer in a special place to get the perfect shot. Walking back past everyone now as a married couple gives them the chance to congratulate you, give out hugs, kisses, and celebrate your union. Once upon a time, people would throw rice, but considering that's not done anymore, confetti is a fantastic alternative. The pictures you get from this can be flush with color, and who doesn't like popping off confetti no matter the occasion? The Downtime There is always downtime during a wedding, and this is typically after the ceremony but before the food comes out. This isn't a bad thing, though, and it gives everyone a chance to relax and talk with the other guests while the wedding party poses for photographs. You can make sure that everyone enjoys themselves while they wait for their dinner by ensuring the venue has a great social place for them to hang out. Ideally, there are both indoor and outdoor areas to accommodate for the weather and also giving people a place to sit down. On the Table While the day is very much about you and your partner, the guests are still an essential part of the event. Without them, there would be no wedding, and the guests help to make it the success you've always dreamed of. With this in mind, it's nice to give them a little something to remember the day by. Carved table placements with everyone's name on is a good option, but so many people do this that it becomes almost a cliche. Instead, you can get them more involved in the proceedings once everyone is set down. A list of photo challenges is a great way to get the guests engaged, and they can post it to Instagram or Facebook using your wedding hashtag. There may not be a prize for the winner, but the activity is still sure to get everybody talking, especially if they don't know each other that well. Treats for the Guests While you'll hope that most people can make the ceremony, this isn't possible for everybody, whether it's because of work or just not having enough space for them during the first part of the day. This doesn't mean you don't care for them as much as others; you just have to find a cutoff point. However, those attending the after-party still have a place in your day. This can be dancing their feet off or drinking you to a drink or two. To say thank you, personalized wedding reception chocolate bars are a fantastic way for them to feel more involved in the day. The wrappers can have the date with your names on as well as their name, giving them something to take home with them after treating themselves to a little munch to get the energy pumping. The Last Song You want to end the day memorably, and because of this, the last dance is almost as important as the first. Regardless of you having a wedding DJ, live band, or a Jukebox for everyone to pick their favorite songs, you can finish the day by selecting a last song that will get everybody dancing. Before the wedding, you can ask your guests to submit requests for what they would like for the final song. Often, you'll find many responses are the same, and you can go with the most popular option to end on. As for the other songs, sprinkle them throughout the rest of the evening so that everyone gets the chance to boogie. Together Through Life After the dust settles and you both crash into your hotel room after your big day, it will dawn on you that you have the rest of your lives together. To make every day from now on as special as your wedding day, remember to support and trust each other. Doing this means you'll not run into any problems, and if you do, you can work together to overcome them. A Day Everyone Will Remember Whether you want to embrace a traditional wedding or do something out of the box, your wedding will be unique no matter what. But if you're going to put a twist on your most favorite of all days, though, indulging in some of the wholly unique and wholly unique ideas can make it a day that everybody will remember, and it might even give others some great ideas for their big day, too.
Explore some ideas on how the right decor can make your summer wedding unforgettable.
Summer weddings are so popular that many people find themselves getting ready for wedding season at some point in their lives. With so many summer weddings, making yours memorable might seem like a difficult feat. One thing to focus on might be summer decor, but there are many ideas you can consider to make your summer wedding unforgettable. Beach Theme You don't have to be on the beach to have a wedding with a beach theme. Even if your wedding is mostly indoors, you could still create a summer atmosphere. You could do anything from a lounge area with deckchairs to bottles of colored sand decorating your tables or a seashell motif. Think of natural and earthy tones, combining sandy colors with blues and greens. Set Up Some Evening Lights The longer days of summer and warmer weather are perfect for partying into the night at your wedding. But when the sun does start to go down, make sure you have plenty of lighting. It's a great opportunity to set up some beautiful lights, from strings of fairy lights to candles and lanterns. Just be careful with any open flames. Get to Know Summer Flowers Your choice of flowers can be a big part of your wedding. Choosing seasonal flowers helps you develop a theme, and it's better for the environment too. Get to know your choice of summer flowers by looking at the infographic below, which takes you through some of the most important things that you need to know. Explore some suggestions for a themed wedding in this creative post, and see if you can spot a theme you love! So, you're planning your wedding, the biggest day of your life. You know you want 'something unique' and 'something special,' but you're not quite sure what that is. Remember, it's your day, and you shouldn't worry about what other people think or what they want. It's your day, and you should have it just how you want it. Choosing a theme for your wedding can be a tricky task, but once you have decided, then the rest of the planning will stem from your idea and work around it, making all those decisions easy and a load of fun. If you're not sure on what exactly a wedding theme is, it is an idea or a concept that flows throughout the whole of your big day. It can be simple as your favorite color or as specific as a favorite movie or decade. No matter what you choose to have as your theme, you don't want to overcomplicate it. You want your guests to recognize the theme; you also want them to understand that this theme is personal to you. Ideas For Themes Perhaps there's a decade that you love or a time period that means something to you, for example, Ancient Greece is a beautiful theme to have for a wedding; it's romantic, classy, elegant, and straightforward to do. Using plenty of grapes and gold strewn throughout your venue, you could even dress your ushers up like Spartans, and it'll be straightforward to find your perfect wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses to suit this theme. You could opt for something a little more 'out there' and choose a movie-inspired theme, something like the Great Gatsby could work as not only does it combine one of the most memorable books and films, but it also includes all of the glitz and glamour of the 1920s. Just imagine the over-the-top vintage jewelry, the embellished ball gowns, and all the bling from your decorations. You could choose for something inspired by TV...and perhaps a little less glamorous? A Game of Thrones themed wedding offers endless possibilities, from your tables, invitations, and any other decorations can be in the theme of the various "houses" of the realm complete with the color scheme and the emblems. The bride, groom, and guests can choose from a variety of leathers, furs, long flowing lace, and Celtic knot hairstyles. Oh – and you can get married in a castle too! A Harry Potter theme is another easy one and could be a lot of fun too, with red napkins and tall candles defining the dining hall, the table names with the houses, and there's always a place for wands and golden snitches too. If you are a big fan of something like Star Wars or Harry Potter, then you probably don't need much advice on how to plan a wedding in these themes. When it comes to Star Wars, there are loads of ideas from glow in the dark lightsabers hanging from the ceiling, the imperial march playing as you walk down the aisle, and dancing to the Cantina Song. You could even have the ushers directing your guests to the Dark or Light Side. If you're more into your books than TV and movies, then a literary wedding could be the one for you. Celebrate your big day with themes from literature's most famous lovers such as Romeo & Juliet or Tristan & Isolde. Instead of the standard table runner, use pages from your favorite books, and ask your guests to come dressed as their favorite literary characters. Music might be more your thing if so imagine a gorgeous traditional gown with some cowboy boots, and a denim jacket draped around your shoulders. Play some country music, have everyone up line dancing, and a food truck serving your guests their dinner? Sounds good. A festival might be more your cup of tea or even a rock concert, and these themes give you loads of avenues to be creative. Print your tickets, post your lineup, and tell your guests to expect a lot of loud music, dancing, and light show. Add some vintage microphone decorations, a great pyrotechnics show, and swap cutting the cake with lighting a guitar on fire. If you want your wedding to be an actual event, then go for it! Plan something that your guests will look forward to, something they can interact with and experience something like never before. Let your guests know what's to come and make sure they know that they'll need energy and enthusiasm to appreciate what's in store. Also, it' would be nice to give them suggestions and examples for outfits as well as a basic itinerary for the day so that they know how to pace themselves. Learn 5 top tips on how to personalize your wedding in this loving post. When it comes to weddings, everyone definitely has their own way of doing things and their own unique style, but the problem is that there really seems to still be a lot of pressure to do things a certain way and adhere to tradition. Although tradition certainly isn’t a bad thing, when it comes to something as personal as your wedding, it can be easy to go overboard with the traditions and have things that end up feeling stuffy and impersonal, which is really not something you want to have associated with your wedding that you’re going to be looking back on for the rest of your lives. So, if you’re looking to have a wedding that really reflects your personality and is unique to you and your partner, then in this post we’re going to share with you some of our top tips for how to make your wedding more personal. Personalize your save-the-date cards: The concept of the save-the-date card has been around for many years already, and is something that comes before the formal invitation. Basically a save-the-date card is just that - something that informs people of your intention to get married on a certain date and this will even be sent up to one year before your wedding or when you officially lock down the date so that people have plenty of time to plan ahead by doing things like arranging time off from work, etc, unlike in the past when things were just said verbally and then an invitation would arrive a few weeks before the big day. However, when save-the-date cards first became a thing, they were quite simple and really just aimed to fit one purpose and often they weren’t very personal or individual, but nowadays there are so many options to get creative with these and really tailor them to your personality and to the theme of your wedding. So, for example, couples who may be getting married abroad may consider having something that resembles and air mail envelope, a baggage tag, or even an airline ticket/boarding pass as their save-the-date. A couple who come from different countries may consider something like a passport style or even a visa stamp - anything that really reflects them as people and that forms part of their love story. Another example could be a couple who share a hobby or interest that plays a role in how they met could theme their save-the-date cards to reflect that. Design your own rings: Wedding rings have always been a big part of the wedding iteself and since you’re going to be wearing them for a large portion of your life, then it’s important that you pick something you like and that really suits your style and personality. However, it’s not as easy as you might think to choose a wedding ring because there are simply so many options out there to choose from, so one way around this is to get your own rings designed and made especially for your wedding. There are many places where you can go to have a women’s and mens ring just for you designed the way you really want it and that truly captures who you are as people, both individually and as a couple. Have a theme that means something to you both: Again, the theme of your wedding is often quite difficult to choose because it’s something that there are a lot of options for, and if you’re like most people then you probably both have a varied degree of interests among you both, so it’s really not something that’s going to come incredibly easily - especially not when you start looking online for inspiration and find yourself nearly drooling over everything you see there. That being said, if you want to have a wedding that’s more personal to you and your partner, then you could consider this in your theme and go with something that’s personal to you as a couple and that really highlights your relationship and your love story. It could be a theme to do with travel if that’s how you met, it could be a shared interest or hobby or it could be around a certain song or movie - really anything that matters to you both, so a good idea is to sit down together and look at your relationship and see where you could possibly find some theme ideas to really make your wedding more personal to you both. Make your own favors and centerpieces: Although these will ultimately be part of your theme and decor, if you’re really looking for some additional personal touches, then instead of going with some standard floral centerpieces or the usual favors, then you can get creative and make your own to match the overall theme of the wedding and to really highlight your personalities and your relationship. You could even do things like mixed favors, so you could have different ones for men and women - or different ones created by each of you and then lay them all on the tables for guests. Combine tradition with your personality: As mentioned at the start of this post, a lot of weddings really take the tradition thing a bit far which can cause the essence and personality of the couple to become a bit lost, and whilst having some tradition can definitely be nice, it’s a good idea to combine your personality in there, too. So, for example, some couples will do things like instead of having a slow, romantic song for their first dance, they’ll create a dance together as a sort of show for their guests, there could be the bride giving a speech which isn’t traditionally done at weddings, or there have even been weddings where the couple have hired a flash mob and surprised their guests with this. It’s not about trying to stand out and be funny for the sake of it, but it’s about truly injecting your personality into the wedding and having it showing who you are, and of course it’s also about having fun. Read 7 creative tips to preserve your wedding day memories in unique and thoughtful ways. Your wedding day is supposed to be the best day of your life. However, as magical as it may be, there’s no escaping the fact that it’s over in just a few hours. That being said, the memories of the amazing time you had can, thankfully, last forever. From photographs to replica cakes, there are lots of ways to preserve your wedding day memories. Your big day may only happen once, but with these seven creative tips, you can relive the wonderful time you had again and again. 1. Keep A Planning Journal Planning a wedding is a major task, which is why most brides keep all of their ideas and research in one place, like a planning journal. Rather than throw this away once your big day is over, you should add to it and keep it as a lovely memento. You can use it to write about your proposal, keep fabric samples for your dress, and even draft your vows. Any sort of journal will do for this task, but you may want to decorate yours or spring for something a little fancier. 2. Take Some Beautiful Snaps When it comes to wedding mementos, photographs are the option most couples first thing of. After all, a picture can tell a thousand words. That being said, not all wedding photos are on the same level. If you want to enjoy looking at yours for years to come, then ensure you shop around for someone with lots of experience, like Rachel Howden Photography. To see your wedding from other perspectives, you may also want to give your guests some disposable cameras. 3. Get It On Video Although wedding pictures are crucial, it’s just as important that you have a videographer on hand. This will allow you to relive your wedding vows, your first dance, and view must-see candid moments of your guests. Unless you capture your big day on video, you’ll miss out on this opportunity and only see a small fraction of what went on during the biggest day of your life. Just like with photographers, you should ensure you find a videographer with skills and experience. 4. Stash The Wine Bottles Wine, Prosecco, and champagne are classic beverages almost every couple offers at their wedding. Rather than throwing away all of your empty bottles, you should keep one or two for later. After being cleaned, these can then be used to store petals from your bouquet, confetti from your ceremony, or even well-wishes from your guests. You could also keep a few full bottles to drink together at your wedding anniversary celebrations. 5. Create A Cake Replica After spending so much on something so beautiful, most new couples decide to keep a tier of their wedding cake and freeze it for later. The only issue with this is that so many things could go wrong. Your cake just might not taste the same after being frozen, or freezer problems could leave it ruined. For this reason, you may want to eat the entire thing sooner rather than later. To keep the memory of it alive, you can take pictures of it and hire an artist to create a clay replica. 6. Makeover Your Wedding Dress Wedding gowns are garments that are typically only worn once. Instead of leaving your dress to gather dust in a closet, you should consider giving it a makeover. You could turn it into a skirt, for example, or even alter it to create a shorter, more casual dress. This will allow you to wear your gown whenever you feel like it. If you can’t bear the thought of this, then you could take some lace from your gown and use it to create jewelry. This way, your dress can always be with you. 7. Press The Bridal Bouquet With flowers as beautiful as the ones in your wedding bouquet, it can seem a shame only to enjoy them for one day. Thankfully, you don’t have to. As long as you keep your flowers close to you, or order another bouquet to toss to the ladies, you can preserve them for later. There are lots of ways to do this, but one of the most popular is pressing them. This is a traditional and simple way to preserve your flowers, which you can then frame and display in your home. Your wedding may only last for one day, but, with these sentimental and creative tips, you can create keepsakes that you can enjoy for a lifetime. |
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