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Looking your good on your big day is just about as important as it gets! All the planning, all the mad dashing around, all the worrying, none of it will matter to you if you don’t feel the most beautiful you have ever felt. You’ll want to remember that feeling of all those ‘wow’ moments for the rest of your life, so here’s a blog to give you a few ideas of how to do something a bit different on your big day that’s certain to leave you looking beautiful.

The Dress
Quite possibly the most important purchase of your entire life, you wedding dress has to be perfect. Somewhere between fit-for-the-occasion and personal style is a good place to start, but just because it’s a wedding it doesn’t have to be white. There’s a whole host of gorgeous dresses out there, from the classic to the contemporary, and it’s up to you which you prefer. The sultry and sexy Ruby and Diva host a sumptuous collection of some of the coolest dresses around, you can see for yourself at www.rubyanddiva.com/boutique/the-bride/the-dress, with modern designs with traditional roots, on trend dresses and some stunning alternative ideas.  As well, I’d also seriously recommend taking a look at the brilliant www.rockmywedding.co.uk for their total wedding commitment and sheer passionate approach to all things nuptial. There’s loads of great places out there offering a lot of great ideas, but I have to say I love these two the most because they’re just a little bit different and aren’t afraid to show their individuality, which is what your big day is all about really!

Hair and Makeup
Styling is everything, and your hair and makeup should complement your dress, whatever style you choose. Classical understatement is always a perfect choice, but what if you find yourself wanting to do a little bit more? Well, you could bring an exotic element to your style by checking out www.hairmakeup.co.uk/asian-bridal-make-up-london. These Asian styles team intricate hair weaves with soft, smoky makeup to produce a stunning visage. The combination of elegance and intricacy in combination with the soft, pastel colours really create a lasting impression of timeless beauty with an exotic and enigmatic twist. Conversely, for that more traditional, classic approach, take a look at www.lucyjaynemakeup.co.uk/services/bridal-services.html. Here you’ll find a bespoke makeup service for you and your bridesmaids, as well as a very useful freshen-up service for when you want your make up reapplying or changing for the evening! For even more great tips and tricks, check out the video below.

Accessories
Accessories are the little things that can help make your big day. Your veil, if you opt for one, can be a great addition, as can a tiara or a garter, not to mention your jewellery too. Again, there’s a lot of choice, and there’s always the danger of over-accessorising – there is such a thing as too much! It really just boils down to two options, you either look to complement your look, or add to it. For either choice, take a look at www.elliesweddingaccessories.co.uk for an amazing collection of some stunning items, perfect for any wedding. If you’re looking for something a little less traditional, then I cannot suggest www.funkybride.co.uk highly enough. Funky Bride offers some of the coolest handcrafted, bespoke bridal accessories available, their unique pieces really lending your day a personalised touch.

Whatever you choose, it is your day and all it really comes down to is how comfortable you feel. A beautiful dress, hair and makeup combination can go a long way to making that happen, and all topped off with a couple of extra trinkets for that little added glam.

 Wedding Venues

With more and more venues now holding their own wedding and civil partnership licenses, the choice can seem overwhelming. There are though a few major factors which should help you to narrow down your options…

The Classic Venue

Hotels and stately homes provide the most sumptuous and English of wedding venues and there are fewer more perfect settings for the Classic hotel, stately home then than the Lake District. After all, there’s a reason The Lake District has inspired and lured some of the country’s most famous poets, writers, painters and creative thinkers.

Then, clutching to the south fray of the Lakes is The Grange Hotel and Restaurant which you can explore for yourself by visiting their equally sumptuous website. When I attended a book launch and stayed over at The Grange Hotel last year, I almost proposed to my man just for an excuse to return in a beautiful gown and take a walk in the garden.

The Grange Hotel looks out over the quaint town of Grange over Sands and its mile long Victorian Promenade. Interestingly, Grange over Sands tops travel writer, Bill Bryson’s top ten short break destinations and the hotel itself provides the dreamiest mix of whimsical gardens, grand architecture and furnishings and modern amenities. All in all, The Grange Hotel manages that careful balance of classic yet functional that makes it the perfect elegant and classic wedding venue.

The Ultra-Modern Venue

In contrast to the Classic Beauty of The Grange Hotel, Altitude 360 occupies an ultra-modern skyscraper slap-bang in London’s centre. Located on the 29^th floor of the striking Millbank Tower, Altitude 360 offers views even The London Eye cannot rival. Check it out for yourself at the Altitude website.

Featuring white marble floors and an extremely minimalist interior, the space can be dressed up or dressed down to suit you and Altitude’s wedding planners can further assist and advice how to best work the space.

While Altitude certainly isn’t my first choice of Wedding Venue, I can see the appeal and for anyone who simply loves London and / or is planning on a super modern wedding, you have got to have a look at this place. Bold, block colours and simple or edgy asymmetric dresses would team up with this space strikingly and stunningly.

The Outdoor Venue

Portmeirion is essentially a life-sized village of doll’s houses created by the absolute genius, Sir Clough Williams Ellis. It resides in Gwynedd, North Wales. You can find out more about it and their weddings at the Portmeirion website.

This Italian inspired village is said to have directly influenced the post modern era of architecture. Williams Ellis incorporated partly demolished, pre-existing structures and architectural bricolage gives Portmierion an ethereal, nostalgic air that is best enjoyed in the British summer…when it isn’t likely to pour down or the wind try suck your guests into the nearby ocean!

I have just returned home after a few days down south to attend a wedding, and I can honestly say I enjoyed every moment. I’ve been to many weddings in my time, but when the focus of the day is on everyone and not just the newlyweds, the real meaning behind a wedding shines through. After all, it’s not just about vows, cake and fancy dresses; it’s about surprises, showcasing and glamor.

The ones to remember are the days when you feel most connected with everyone there, even if you’ve only met some of them. Let me explain what happened.

Mark, one of my university flat mates, was getting married to his beautiful fiancé in Pembroke Lodge, the details of which can be found on Hitched.com here: 11 Acres of stunning land and an even more impressive interior. There aren’t too many places with that much elegance in Liverpool, and I admit I felt a little nervous surrounded by such well-to-do folks. At least I didn’t have to worry about my gift of personalized wedding champagne from NotOntheHighStreet.com, a stroke of genius from whoever came up with that!

When you’re a relative stranger in an unknown area surrounded by people much more connected than you, it’s easy to forget why you have to be there in the first place. I certainly felt this way until the service took place, and then I began to understand the bigger picture behind someone else’s big day. The service was so intimate, not like half the wedding services I’ve been to in the past. Perfect strangers came and talked to me afterwards, each of us remarking on the beautiful service. The photographer Matt Pereira did a fantastic job throughout the day, directing people to get the best shots and was generally a nice guy to be around.

By far the best part of the day was during the reception. I had seen Matt before in a video Mark had sent me. He had outlined to me and a few others what was going to happen after his brother’s speech: some of the waiters were part of The MIB Experience, which Matt credits in this video. They were strategically placed during the speech, and as soon as Mark’s brother had finished they burst into song accompanied by the rest of the band. It was sensational. Jenny, Mark’s bride, was absolutely thrilled, and before long everyone was on the dance floor having a ball. Mark had organized this surprise through MIB Music Ltd who had helped him plan the process, and it went off without a hitch.

From the location, the service, the ingenius placement of singing waiters, and the rest of the night, everyone had a blast. I think it was partly down to the surprise being something everyone could enjoy rather than a single gift to the bride, and as such, reminded me that weddings are things to be celebrated by all.

Community is a strong word, and what it stands for is even stronger. Slumping on to bed after a long weekend with the family back home, I am now on my own again. After what I experienced, being on my own again seems less appealing than it did a few weeks ago. I used to crave independence when I was living with the folks, used to take any excuse to get away and do my own thing. At the weekend I was invited to my nephew’s christening and I agreed to attend the ceremony. My parents are fierce believers, my sisters less so, and so I the atheist and black sheep of the flock had the most reason to moan. By the end of the weekend, I had experienced something akin to an awakening, not in any spiritual sense, but in how a good community functions.

Back to Church

My reluctance to re-enter the church walls after my childhood days of singing and praising was evident as soon as the christening was brought up over dinner. Despite one or two accidental quips, I remained relatively silent on the matter and turned the conversation on to christening gifts. I had found this site: http://www.wickeduncle.co.uk/, (the title of which made me chuckle), a few nights before and ordered a Rufus Rabbit Rattle, confident that my gift would be the best. On the morning of the christening, I fell into my past Sunday morning routine of getting ready for church. The problem I had with re-entering church was not just about beliefs. I have been working to unite people in my town under a music community project, and hated having to leave in order to be part of one I was sceptical about.

I have no idea why I was so anxious, my parents are the loveliest people I know. They are continuously donating to charity and helping to strengthen fellow believers. They are involved in several charitable organizations, including http://jesushouse.org.uk/ which runs festivals, events and projects in impoverished countries. As stated, I had no real reason to be anxious, many of the people I would see again had helped raise me in my youth.

We entered as one family and were instantly greeted with the warmest reception. I expected no less, and suddenly remembered what it felt like to be part of this group of dedicated people.

The Ceremony

In the church we went to, christenings operate on a slightly different basis. They are called “dedication services”, and they involve less ritualistic practice and put a greater emphasis on community spirit. The child is sprinkled with water and then dedicated to the church community, every member promising love and support. It was a truly touching experience.

Afterwards we gave gifts, and while my Rabbit Rattle went down a treat, the most unique christening gift my sister was given was a very special clock. The gift had been purchased from http://www.babybirthplates.com/ from several of the older ladies, an idea that had never crossed my mind. The clock was set on a plate with Riley’s name and date of christening painted eloquently on the cover. In comparison, my gift felt too materialistic and generic. I had not even considered collaborating with any of my family to get Riley something memorable, and in light of this community spirit I felt humbled.

The Gift of Community

According to this short essay from http://keithhopper.com/essay/definition-of-community real community is not one united under a single belief, but a mix of interconnecting social circles of varying beliefs/practises. Considering I was so reluctant to leave was my own community of musicians back where I live, I felt I had learned a valuable lesson from the church ceremony. I soon found myself laughing and joking with old friends and teachers, and despite my long absence from the grounds, I was treated with the same compassion as little Riley.

I had overlooked the fact that organizations like Jesus House focused on community building as well as practicing a belief. When I came home I did more research into this idea and found more organizations like http://www.community-tu.org/ that make it their living to love and support local members of their town. The experience actually helped quell the doubts I was having about my own project, and I am now filled with determination once more.

I have no qualms with what a person believes, but if they don’t believe in what a community stands for then they miss the heart of the message.

You’ve just got engaged and you are starting to plan your big wedding day! When I first got engaged many of my friends and family who are already married shared some fantastic tips on planning the wedding and now I am sharing them with you!

Venue and Catering

First things first, I started with what I thought were the most important things, the venue and the food! I am a bit of a traditionalist so I got married in a chapel and had my reception at a lovely hotel. But, everyone has their own particular ideas around where they want their venue to be. If you are absolutely clueless, you can find a wide range of locations on Wedding Venues which let you select your date, where you are and your price range. Select more than one venue to view so you have a choice and be sure to see the places in person, as they might not always look as good as they do online! Most hotels will offer a tour and allow you to see their honeymoon suite also so you know how you’ll end your wedding night! If your venue does not supply food it is important to arrange a caterer or a food supplier however you wish to do it that will meet the standards you are looking for. Elizabeth Caton is a caterer based in Brighton and Howe who provide a range of catering services for your wedding but also maybe as a fun pre-wedding activity and trip, take one of their cooking classes. I brought my bridesmaids with me and it was a sure way to relax from those pre-wedding jitters, and I’m sure you’re new hubby to be won’t be complaining either! Remember!! Everyone has a budget, therefore don’t overspend or worry. There are many ways to have your perfect venue on a cheaper budget!

Dress, Cake and Table Decor

Your dress is most definitely one of the most exciting parts of your wedding planning. Channel 4 have a great article on Choosing Your Wedding Dress that give some top tips on the matter. Well worth the read before you go shopping! Take your trusted loved ones, and the ladies of the wedding party with you to choose your dress, and that will cover the bridesmaid dresses too! You will know your dream dress once you put it on, and you will be beautiful in it! The best ideas I got for the wedding cake was from magazines. ‘Wedding Cakes’ which can be found in any local WHSmith stores, give me loads of designs and different types of cake to choose from. Words describing a cake will not be good enough, pictures and tastings are needed to confirm your cake is exactly what you want it to be! Deciding on your table decor for your venue is a chance to have some fun and get arty! Use websites like Pinterest to get your brain jogging for ideas. There are lots of DIY table decorations available and at a cheap cost. Also, see it as an opportunity for you and you’re husband-to-be to get hands on involved in the wedding. If you aren’t really the DIY type there a number of different companies out there that will dress your chairs and tables for you! Check out Celebration Chaircovers for further ideas on how to dress your room.

Your Photographs

For me, this was without a doubt one of the key aspects of my wedding. A picture is forever and captures a memory that you make on the day. It’s something you will always have and can look back on and remember how wonderful the day was. If you know people who have been married recently have a nosy at their photos so you get ideas on what kind of style you are looking for. Remember all photographers will be different so have a look at a few different ones, and then decide. George and Nina Photography took my wedding photographs and they made my day special as they made a big effort in doing what my husband and I wanted. I aimed for my photos to be natural, without any structure, so true moments could be caught for the album. Communication is key when dealing with your photographer so don’t be afraid to ask for what you want!

Invitations

Get your invitations sorted early as it saves a lot of time running up to the final months of your big day! My husband and I chose to splash out the money on the venue, the photographer and the band therefore everything else was on a tight budget. We made our invitations ourselves getting ideas from magazines and online. Wedding chicks had lots of different DIY projects that we never thought of and added to the wedding planning because we could make them ourselves! Making your invitations allow the invite itself to be personal to the guest you are inviting adding so much more to your big day!

 

SO… These are only a few small tips to get you started but when it comes to planning a wedding take all the advice and tips you can get! It will save you tonnes of money and therefore allow you to spend a little more on the things you really want to have, like that dream honeymoon you’ve always wanted. Congratulations and good luck with your big day!!

Though it probably won’t be the first thing you think about when planning a wedding, hen and stag nights are becoming essential parts of the wedding experience. The stag night has a much longer history then the hen night, according to an article in Time Magazine it first turned up in the 5th Century BC and was held a by Spartan soldiers who made toasts in honour of their friend’s impending nuptials. In the 19th Century the Bride-groom used it as a way to say goodbye to friends that would not be welcome in his marital home. The hen night didn’t started popping up until the 1960′s during the sexual revolution, alongside the wave of female empowerment which allowed women to stage their own pre marital party.

There is an image of what hen and stag nights are like. Women go out wearing pink feather bowers and men end up hiring a stripper. In fact groups of stags and hens whose only plan is to get blind drunk will not get a warm reception. An article on the BBC states the names stag and hens ‘became enough to earn a firm “no entry” from many a bar or nightclub’. So choose something that you and your friends will enjoy and don’t just get drunk for the sake of it. If you and your friends enjoy white water rafting go for the weekend, or if you want to have a de stress and an unwind go to the spa. Of course if you and your friends want to have a bit of a knees up try choosing something a little outside of the box. You can rent party buses for the night which are little nightclubs but are a less sticky and you can choose the music. My friend got his party bus hire in Essex and had a great time and did not the end the night naked and tied to a lamp post but brought safely back to his house without being kicked out of one club or getting into any fights.

Keep this in mind when planning your hen or stag do and make sure it is a night to remember and not a night you forget.

Looking back at photographs of my families’ wedding dresses is like looking through back catalogues of a fashion magazine. Albeit, none of my relatives –it has to be said, sorry mum– benefitted from the stylists, itsy-bitsy waist lines or gargantuan budgets afforded the collection of well-known brides featuring in Vogue.  Still, the fact remains; wedding fashion, high or low has divorced more trends than Zsa Zsa Gabor has had husbands.

When I asked my mum recently why my grandma wasn’t wearing a white dress, but a skirt suit and tennis shoes, my mother prickled and replied, ‘she was seventeen, poor and pregnant.’ Apparently my grandfather had actually purchased my grandma a lovely pair of heeled shoes, but her ankles were too swollen to wear them, due to the twins she’d give birth to a month later. When I asked my mum, ‘but great grandma never wore a white dress either?’ my mum simply shrugged, ‘White dresses weren’t fashionable then, or as fashionable. A wedding dress in the 1930s was usually a women’s best dress, whatever the colour.’

The eponymous white wedding dress is a relatively recent trend, popularised by Queen Victoria in the 19^th century. What might surprise you even more is to learn that the white wedding dress was not worn to represent purity or virginity at all, but to symbolise class and wealth. Yet, in modern, British culture the white wedding dress has become synonymous over time with chastity and purity, though the modern white wedding dress is not without its flare or drama too. To browse example of white wedding dresses with a modern twist, I found Amelia’s Classics,  who stock prom, evening and wedding dresses in Wiltshire.

These days the white wedding dress is as popular as ever, as Marie Claire’s lo-down of the hottest wedding dresses featured at the 2013 Bridal show New York shows. Amongst them, the likes of Vera Wang and Marchesa both opted to showcase white dresses, while Oscar De La Renta’s collection of white, princess-style dresses were surprisingly traditional, leaving many wondering, is it true, will late 2013 or early 2014 really see a lace revival? Judging by his recent collections, designer, Justin Alexander certainly seems to think so.

 

My darling sister is getting married and I couldn’t be happier for her, once they’re married she can finally stop talking about the big day. I have two older sisters and the oldest got married when I was 15. There wasn’t much expected of me, but I managed to fail spectacularly at it anyway and proved to be about as much use as a hammer on a wedding cake. This time though, this time I am adamant to be both useful and entertaining. I have compiled this short guide for any other struggling siblings should your idea tank be running dry.

Before I begin though, it should be noted that while it’s always appreciated for a relative to go the extra mile, make it your priority that you don’t try too hard to impress the guests. I hardly think over-stepping is going to be your problem, so instead here’s a list of ways to gentle nudge your way into the good books and avoid those big day stresses.

 

Stay Well and Truly Out of the Way

Can you read that ok? Yeah, don’t get involved, especially if you’re in my situation. It’s a recurring phrase but the big day really is all about her, so don’t pester your poor, nervous family member, use your initiative and stay out of the way. This doesn’t mean that you can’t make some useful suggestions; my vote for Jon Hall Photo as the photographer was received surprisingly well, and now we have an affordable, professional camera man. Sibling points!

Look Sharp

Again, you are not in control of anything here, what you are told to wear you wear, and smile as you do. I’ve not seen the wedding dress yet, but I did catch my sister browsing through wedding jewellery, a very nice idea for adding glamour to the event. I’d recommend mentioning sites like Wedding & Gems, but I wouldn’t go so far as to purchase anything without formal consent. So remember to iron your clothes, sort out your hair, and for the love of god tuck your shirt in.

Speech Therapy

If you are a trusted enough family member, you may be asked to deliver a heart-warming speech to mark the occasion. Now don’t go full tilt Tom Fletcher or anything, you’re not being asked to accept an award. The best, the BEST speeches aren’t a load of poetical nonsense about love: they’re the down-to-earth family fun speeches that are honest, funny, and completely lacking in ego. Don’t steal the limelight, keep it brief but emotive. If you’re still struggling, then check out these tips for sibling speeches.

 

One last thing, this myth about hooking up with bridesmaids and friends of the bride just because it’s a wedding… is kind of true, just don’t get caught. Have a lovely day!

When it comes to those little extras and luxuries at your wedding; bride and grooms to be often spend countless hours visiting wedding fairs and surfing the net to come up with something unique, something which will set their wedding apart from everyone else’s. It doesn’t have to be something huge which sets your wedding apart, however, and even the smallest of things can create a great impression and offer something that little bit different. As such, we thought we’d take a look at our current favourite wedding items which can make perfect favours, centrepieces or edible treats; cake pops! You can even get cake pop bouquets if you really want to go all out, check the link to take a look at some of my favourites!

Whilst a relatively new concept, especially as far as being used as wedding favours and centrepieces go; cake pops are absolutely fantastic at getting your guests talking and at offering something that little bit different. In essence, cake pops are little round cakes on sticks which can be decorated in a whole manner of ways! Whether you want them to represent the bride and the groom, other characters, flowers or pretty much any other design you can come up with; cake pops make a great impression!

It’s little things such as these which create a lasting impression and are what people remember about your wedding. Whilst simply cakes on sticks; cake pops are unique! They’re something which you can have a little bit of fun with and which you can be one hundred percent confident that your guests will love! More than anything; it’s something which is worth considering for anyone in the process of planning a wedding. They don’t cost the earth and can be created entirely to your own bespoke designs and ideas!

Couples are looking more frequently these days for a wedding venue that makes the day a little bit more unique for them as we slowly drift away from the standard church altar image that many of us grew up with when we imagined a wedding. This freedom has inspired many couples to seize the day and get married in a location that is very out there in order to make their wedding one of a kind. Whether underwater, in a bouncy castle, or up in the air, the sky is the limit when it comes to tying the knot for two sufficiently zany paramours.

But it is important to remember that whilst weird and wonderful can be a lot of fun, the fact that no one has done it before is rarely an appropriate reason to stage the most memorable day of your life in a logistically challenging location. Our escape from the church altar model has freed young nearly-weds when it comes to imagination and possibility and the choice can be quite daunting. But if you are looking for wedding venues in London there are several important aspects remember.

Intimacy

Intimacy is about striking the perfect atmosphere for your wedding and the tone you want to set. It isn’t entirely necessary, some people like to have a huge blow-out large party wedding, but many wedding planners agree, when a wedding becomes too large it starts to lose some of the tenderness and loving atmosphere that smaller venues can capture. A cozy venue and a small party can sometimes make it feel as though there is so much love and emotion in the venue that it might overflow, whereas large halls or cathedrals will always have high ceilings and cold pockets that make the venue feel emptier.

Comfortable Seating

One thing that most couples don’t like to admit, but all wedding guests can acknowledge is that weddings are long, very long. This is a good thing, and it’s clear to see why, if you are celebrating your eternal love, you want to make a full day of it, besides, with everyone dressed smartly and having a good time it’s nice to stay as long as it goes on. However, what this does mean is that it’s important to have your guests in a comfortable and hospitable environment. Everyone is on board for enjoying the celebrations, but to do so in cold weather or tough chairs will quickly kill the atmosphere.

Catering

Catering and food is an essential part of the wedding day. This is true in other cultures just as much as it is theirs, often families will get together to cook huge home-meals and delicacies for the entire wedding party. So your venue needs to be able to accommodate food for your guests on a grand scale. As well as plenty of alcohol for the reception after the ceremonies.