Category Archives: Ideas

Remember your loved ones

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Of course you plan your wedding will be the happiest day of your life, with the person you’re going to spend the rest of your life with, surrounded by the people you love the most. But during this special day you’re allowed to feel a little bit sad, as you remember your nearest and dearest who can’t share the celebrations with you.

Dedicate a reading

Why not have a close family member dedicate a special reading to lost loved ones? 

If Roses Grow in Heaven

If Roses grow in Heaven,
Lord please pick a bunch for me,
Place them in my Mother’s arms
And tell her they’re from me.
Tell her I love her and miss her,
And when she turns to smile,
Place a kiss upon her cheek
And hold her for a while.
Because remembering her is easy,
I do it every day,
But there’s an ache within my heart
Because I am missing her today.

This poem is good for anyone else who you want to remember on your big day…

Someone is missing

Let this candle be a loving reminder
that someone is missing today,
Someone our hearts still hold on to,
As we travel along life’s way.
Someone who made life so special,
for all those who gather here,
Someone who won’t be forgotten,
But cherished from year to year.
And now as we pause to remember,
Let us all fondly recall,
how dearly each of us loved him,
and oh… how he loved us all!

How to save, and what to splurge on

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Your wedding day should reflect your style, your personality and of course be the best it can possibly be for your budget. 

Your date

Choose a week day or an off-season date and you might find that everything is that bit cheaper, and that suppliers are more open to offers. We’re not suggesting that you barter, but it might be worth simply asking your preferred suppliers if they offer a reduced rate on your chosen date. You never know! It’s fair to say that Fridays have joined Saturdays as premium spots, given that couples and guests like to make a long weekend of their celebrations, but you’ll definitely find much better availability and probably better prices for an early-week, early-year celebration.

Your venue

The best wedding venues will offer flexible packages, with price ranges to reflect what they can offer. To secure your venue on an exclusive use basis will always attract the highest prices, but what about if you were more flexible in your approach? For example, if you chose to have your wedding reception at your favourite restaurant (which will keep costs down in itself), would you be willing to share the space with normal paying customers? Or perhaps you might consider holding your reception somewhere that is open as usual during the day? If the venue can take bookings as normal, it’s going to keep costs down. That said, if you do choose to get married and have your reception in the same place, guests won’t need to be transported, you might be able to stay there too keeping accommodation prices down… it’s all in the planning, which includes negotiation with your venue.

Your guest list

We all know that the big cost of any wedding is in feeding your guests. Your venue will talk about a ‘per head’ cost. There is absolutely no shame in making it clear to everyone from the start (including your parents and anyone else who thinks that they are going to be allocated invitations to give out!) that you are having a small do. Far better to feed fewer guests with an amazing meal that they will remember than lots of guests with food chosen purely because it was the cheapest option. The general rule is that if both of you haven’t met someone, they shouldn’t be on the list, but actually by eliminating big groups like ‘colleagues’ and ‘cousins’ and standing firm on your decision, this will make a huge difference. Manage expectations from the start. Tell everyone at work that you’re really sorry but, much as you would love to invite everyone, you’re on a really tight budget (and you hope they understand?). Enlist the help of a friendly relative to spread the word that the wedding is small and intimate, but the family is big so not to expect – or demand – an invitation.

Your dress

It’s never recommended that you save on your dress! Buying your wedding dress online, or from an imitation dress site, or from anyone that tells you that they can copy a designer dress for a fraction of the price is tantamount to disaster! There have been oh-so many stories of devastated brides who took a risk and it didn’t pay off. Your wedding dress is an investment, something that you will look back on for the rest of your life. You need to get it right, and the only way you can do that is by buying from a bona fide bridal boutique. Good boutiques will work with you and your budget to make sure that you are happy and comfortable with your choice, and show you that you don’t have to re-mortgage to get the dress of your dreams.

 

Your bridesmaids

Do you even need bridesmaids?! Well, yes, of course you do, and it makes sense that you want them to look right, happy and comfortable, too. Bridesmaid dresses are best bought from proper bridal shops too, and there are many options available, but once again, it’s not worth breaking the bank over. Again, it’s about managing your girls’ expectations. If they don’t understand that you are on budget, are they the right person to be your bridesmaid at all? Also, don’t get carried away and have your 15 closest friends… Instead, you should stick to the few that have always been there for you, through the good times and the bad. They are also supposed to offer practical help and support, so think it through carefully!

Your flowers

It’s another thing that you need to fork out for, so get a professional who can interpret your style and work with your budget. That said, there are clever ways with flowers… They can be moved, for example – church flowers can appear again in the evening; bridesmaid bouquets can form table centres – the possibilities are endless. You could even enlist the help of the church flower team, or speak to the venue about sharing the costs, maybe with another event or wedding. There are some incredible silk flower options around – it might be that your out-of-season peonies are better value in silk, for example. Talking of peonies, did you know that they are on average five times more expensive than roses? You should always buy flowers that are in season.

Your photographer

Saving money by hiring someone cheap, or by relying on friends who take good photos will not work. We’re sorry, but you simply can’t take a risk, or rely on, anyone else other than a professional photographer who has a wealth of wedding experience. Taking quality photographs of you on your big day is not the same as taking Facebook-worthy selfies.

Your reception

Of course your best budget bet would be to choose a venue that doesn’t need much decoration, or that already has a huge stock of items you can make use of to decorate. Or you might have some friends who are really good at making things, all of which would keep your costs low. Once you have decided on your theme, you can start to stock up – each shopping trip could include candles, or confetti, or fairy lights. Start a wedding cupboard, and you will be surprised how quickly it builds up! The sales are always good, too, even if your wedding seems like a long way away. And of course you might find that if you get married in December, for example, your venue will be decorated well anyway.

 

Choose the best perfume for your big day

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Here are the top 10 favourites will help you decide which one is right for you…

  • Calvin Klein Eternity Moment Eau de Parfum

The perfect Floral, feminine and fresh. The simple bottle portrays the simple, but elegant fragrance which is perfect for those brides that want a classic smell to go with their wedding day look – be careful the bridesmaids don’t nick it.

  • Calvin Klein Euphoria Women Eau de Toilette

Euphoria is a more mysterious and seducing fragrance from Calvin Klein.

Its exotic fruitiness makes it slightly more off a heavy perfume than Eternity Moment, but not so heavy that it’s overbearing.

  • Chloe Eau de Parfum

Another fresh and feminine scent with Chloe’s well-known signature chic feel.

A light but fun and creative mix that is bound to give you extra confidence on your big day. And, who can say no to a pretty bow? 

  • DKNY Be Delicious Golden Apple Eau de Parfum

To match its apple-shaped container, this perfume is full of fruitiness but not so much that you smell like a fruit basket.

The subtle fruity flavours are fresh, at the same time as being warm and tempting – a very clever mix we say!

  • Dolce and Gabbana Rose The One Eau de Parfum

All Dolce and Gabbana fragrances are feminine, but Rose The One has more delicacy and romance to it which is perfect for a modern, young bride.

It has an understated beauty to it which is very youthful and captivating.

  • Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum

The translation ‘Life is beautiful’ describes the positive and happy fragrance from Lancôme perfectly.

Its concept of natural and simple beauty is not let down, with the upbeat but subtle fruitiness and warmth.

  • Marc Jacobs Eau So Fresh Eau de Toilette

This is reminiscent of the original Daisy, but is lighter and fresher – perfect for a spring or summer wedding.

The bright and happy florals with light musk is beautifully pleasant and not overpowering. The flower lid is pretty too…

  • Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum

For the sophisticated and chic bride! Dior is always a classic, but this one is young and fun at the same time.

Miss Dior Cherie is a long-lasting and charming fragrance that will look nice on any dressing table.

  • Stella McCartney L.I.L.Y Eau de Parfum

This timeless and therefore season-less perfume is casual and unfussy whilst having a prominent floral smell.

A floral smell far from your gran’s favourite old-fashioned perfume as Stella McCartney makes it versatile and up-to-date 

  • Vera Wang Love-struck Eau de Parfum

…a great name in the world of wedding perfumes! Inspired by a modern day twist on Romeo and Juliet; it’s meant to capture the feeling of women struck by love and completely captivated by passion with its romantic and young scent.

Mid-Week Celebrations

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About 99% of happy couples want to get married on Fridays or Saturdays. However, despite there being many valid reasons for this, a future bride and groom should always take into consideration a mid-week wedding as it can have many advantages.

Here are her five reasons to choose a mid-week wedding over a weekend…

Cost

There’s one thing couples always ask, how much? Couples fall head over heels for wedding venues and are then put down by the price. However, mid-week weddings are often far more negotiable when it comes to price. It is believed that a mid-week wedding can work out about a third cheaper.

Availability

There is nothing more frustrating for a Wedding Co-ordinator than showing a couple around their beautiful wedding venue and then not being able to find availability for them. Popular wedding venues get booked up in advance so by opting for a weekday wedding, the availability is often a lot better and there will be more flexibility with dates.

Intimacy

Mid-week weddings suit a smaller and more intimate affair. Close family members and friends may be more than happy to take a couple of days off work to celebrate with you. For example, if you choose a day later in the week such as a Thursday, this means that the working week is nearly over and your guests are much more likely to let their hair down.

Quality

Wedding suppliers, from photographers to florists tend to prefer mid-week weddings as not only does it mean they can spend longer at the venue (as Saturday’s tend to be far more hectic), they also have more availability too. Setting up and arranging supplies during the week can also save significant amounts of money too, due to each supplier’s weekend demand.

Timing

It can seem like you spend your whole life waiting for the weekend. And this shouldn’t have to be the case for finding a free weekend at your chosen wedding venue. By having your wedding during the week, you will simply be able to get married sooner! This means there is no big countdown and you don’t have to wait over a year for the big day.

Small wedding ideas

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Small is beautiful and we’ve got 10 top tips to help you plan your perfect wedding abroad. 

 

  • Firstly, you need to choose a destination for your small wedding abroad. Consider the climate, legal requirements such as length of residency, and any restrictions before booking any suppliers in another country.
  • Do your research before you book the hotel? Use websites like trip advisor and our planning section for venue reviews, and make sure that your requirements can be met.
  • Documentation you need to marry will differ from country to country. Your passport will need to have at least six months left on it, so make sure this is up to date.
  • When booking, you should be offered a wedding planner– it will be worth taking this up as they will ensure all bases are covered, paperwork is correct, and everything you need at your destination is in place.
  • If you are planning the whole event on your own, make sure that you fully understand all the contracts you’re signing. You may need to hire a translator to make sure.
  • Check out all the offers available to you when booking, as some companies will offer group discounts. You should also look carefully at what the actual wedding day will consist of – flowers, cakes, cars, photographers and so on.
  • When choosing your dress, think about the journey it will make. Most locations should offer a pressing service, but you don’t want your dream dress to arrive looking less than perfect. Think about boxes to store your gown while you’re in transit. Choose a lightweight fabric like silk or chiffon that will keep you cool throughout the ceremony.
  • If you’re planning a wedding in a cold country, think about alternative routes to the ceremony. You could get caught up in snow or ice on impassable roads!
  • If you’re having hair and makeup done by a stylist at the resort, make sure you take lots of pictures of the looks you like. Makeup should be mattifying to minimize shine.
  • If guests are joining you from the UK, make sure you give them something to keep them cool during the ceremony. Fans are a great idea!

Ideas for finishing touches

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Finishing touches are so important. They’re the icing on the cake, they tie your whole theme together and show your guests that you’ve thought about every last detail.

But here’s the thing – they don’t have to be expensive. Some of the most beautiful finishing touches we’ve seen in real weddings have been from brides who have used their imagination and creativity. One of our favourite shots of the year so far has to be this beautiful picture of ribbons hanging from a chair back. Simple, elegant and inexpensive – the perfect finishing touch.

All that glitters

Wedding flowers are the perfect opportunity for brides to make a personality statement. Tangerine is a key colour and works well with pink and gold.

Talking of gold, this is the colour to luxe up your wedding look. We love apples covered in gold leaf, gold charger plates, and even the golden wrapping on Ferrero Rocher!

The great outdoors

Tree-inspired schemes are going to be big this year – think bark pots, hanging tree decorations and large branch arrangements.

When it comes to hanging wedding decorators, our favourite new idea is the pom pom. Easy to make and instantly eye catching, they can be hung from the ceiling at your reception or in your marquee.

Don’t forget your aisle when it comes to decorations. Ask your florist to create some simple pew ends and attach them to the end of each pew with a pretty ribbon in your wedding colour(s). For a budget-friendly, alternative finishing touches why not pick some flowers and stand them in jam jars at the entrance to your ceremony?

Using lavender seeds to spread a scent is an old wedding florist’s trick and one that’s easy to steal. Simply drop some at the entrance to your marquee and let the guests spread the scent on your shoes as they walk around – brilliant!

Budget Blooms

Is your wedding flower budget almost gone? Fear not! Add a single stem to every other person’s place setting to pretty up your tables in an instant.

When it comes to finishing touches in the hair, peonies or garden roses are so effective. Purse friendly and oh-so pretty, they will work just as well as a comb or tiara.

But perhaps the easiest finishing touch to include in your day is a personal, hand written note to your guests. Tell them how much you appreciate them and how important it is that they’re sharing your special day.

Finishing touches for under £500

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With a little planning, you can transform your wedding with finishing touches for under £500 – here are some of our ideas!

Outfits with wow factor

If you’ve got a bit of spare money in your budget, consider adding a little something to your wedding day outfit to really make it pop. Splashing out on a finishing touch like a brooch or bolero means you can change your look from day to night without spending a fortune on another dress – genius!

Eat, drink and be merry

Many venues will ask you to have your menu and drinks finalised long before the big day, but there’s still a lot you can do with a spare £200-500 at the last minute. Serving canapés with the wedding drinks is one option, especially if you’re worried that guests might get hungry waiting for the wedding breakfast. Or, consider serving extra snacks during the evening celebrations, when guests might get peckish. There are plenty of other ways to make your choice of food more entertaining – why not try an ice cream or pizza bar and let your guests’ imaginations run wild?

Dreamy decor

When you walk into your reception room for the first time, you’ll want it to be magical – an extra £500 can help guarantee that you and your guests will be blown away by it. 

If you’re holding your wedding in a marquee, there are lots of other low-cost decorating options. Scattering lavender flowers on the floor and tables will not only look pretty, but also smell fantastic. Wedding signs are also a great, cheap way to add impact to your decor 

Musical treats

For £500, you can hire talented musicians to entertain you and set the mood for your celebrations. At the ceremony, drinks and the meal, a string quartet is a classic option for a sophisticated feel. Look around for an excellent vocalist – it makes such a difference having someone sing as you enter the church and it’s great for your guests while you are signing the register.

For a musical idea that costs nothing but will mean a lot to your guests, include something on your invitations asking guests to RSVP with song suggestions – playing them on the day will ensure you get the musical tone right and that everyone hears something they like.

Evening entertainment

This is the area where your money will make the most noticeable difference to the day. Everyone will remember the fab toastmaster, salsa dancers or casino that made your celebrations so much fun. If you are concerned about your guests not mingling, hire a magician, human statue or caricaturist to get people talking. Book them for when guests are due to arrive at the reception venue, to work the crowd as they arrive, when people are quite shy – later on, the atmosphere and alcohol will take over.

Lasting memories

At the end of the big day, all you will have to remember those special moments will be your photographs. For many brides, it’s worth spending a bit more to get your wedding photographer to stay all day, from morning into the night so he can capture everything, especially those more relaxed moments at the evening party

Alternatively, buy a Polaroid camera and lots of film! Ask guests to take their photo and write a message on the back for you to keep as an alternative to a guestbook.

How to do Wedding Planning on a Budget?

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First things first – set a limit

If you want to plan a wedding for £10,000 then you may want to plan your budget like this:

  • £3,000 for venue
  • £2,500 for catering
  • £1,500 for drinks
  • £1,500 for dress and suits
  • £500 for transport
  • £300 for a cake
  • £700 for a photographer

Separating the budget accordingly means that you know where the money is allocated and it gives you a little bit of leeway to adjust your price on each aspect. One thing we would always say is never hire a budget photographer – everything else may just be for the day, but those wedding photos will last forever!

Pick the Cheapest Time to Get Married

When you decide to get married can make an even bigger impact than where you decide to get married. Choosing to get married in the middle of the week or on a Sunday, compared to a Saturday wedding could save you a small fortune. Similarly, picking a date in Spring, Autumn or Winter will also see big savings coming in when compared to a summer wedding.

Choose Your Venue Carefully

You can have some amazing budget weddings if you pick the right location – often, somewhere you wouldn’t typically consider. There are lots of venues around the country that are licensed to hold marriage ceremonies, why not pick something a little bit different?

This holds two benefits really – 1 your special day is truly special in a unique location and 2 these venues tend to be a lot more affordable than places which are booked up years in advance! Some of the best budget wedding venues in the UK are still yet to be discovered… you could just be one of the first people married there.

Personalisation

Budget doesn’t mean ‘stock’, in fact it is very different to that. Taking the reins and deciding to add or remove certain parts of the wedding package is a great way to save money. For example, making your own table decorations could end up saving you around £500 plus you have the added bonus of spending time together making them yourself!

Scrap the DJ

Honestly, cheap wedding DJs are the worst! Instead of forking out your hard earned cash on someone who will just play a generic wedding music playlist, why not create your own playlist with all your favourite songs? You probably already have one – plug this into some speakers and you’re good to go!

Make memories you’ll never forget

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After months, maybe even years, of saving, searching and planning your big day, it finally dawns. If there’s one thing our real brides tell us time and again, it’s that their wedding day goes by in a blur and that, if they could do it all again, they would do just that – relive it to treasure each moment. It’s all too easy for your wedding morning to be a haze of preparations, nerves, excitement and clock watching (you don’t want to be late!). To help you slow down and take your most special of days in, we’ve put together seven things to do on your wedding morning to make the most of every moment and make memories you’ll never forget.

Raise a toast

Sipping Champagne is a wedding morning must, but don’t forget to share a toast to your last morning as a single lady or gent! You’ll never get the chance to do it again, so clink your glasses together in celebration of your life and love so far and let those with you wish you luck for your next step.

Have something to eat

Yes, you want to fit comfortably into your figure-hugging dress and yes, you might well have lost your appetite a little as a result of big day nerves and excitement, but it’s essential that you still eat something. Sharing platters of nibbles are a great option to pass around and dip in and out of as you get glammed up for your aisle moment!

Wear special dressing gowns

This one’s a little lighter hearted, but here at Wedding Ideas we just love the photos of our real brides and their maids dressed to impress in coordinated dressing gowns! They’ll make your wedding morning photographs pretty and sophisticated and are a comfortable option for before you get into your gown.

Pamper, pamper, pamper!

Whether you’re doing it yourself or have a host of makeup artists and hairdressers knocking at your door on your wedding morning, take the time to relax and just enjoy being pampered. Everyone around you is there to support you and help you look and feel your absolute beautiful best, so indulge and enjoy!

Have a little fun

However, you define it, make sure you let yourself have fun on your wedding morning. Don’t spend it worrying about timings, how ready your maids are, or whether the reception décor will be exactly as you planned it. Instead, do something you love – one of our real groom’s played golf with his groomsmen the morning of his wedding and we think it was a great idea! Schedule in some time, however small, to do one thing together – it’ll make for wonderful memories and a lot of laughter.

Reveal the dress

You might have one of your maids there to help button your dress up or you might be keeping it as a surprise. Either way, don’t miss your big reveal moment with your bridal party. Have them wait at the bottom of the stairs or just outside the door, then surprise them in your gorgeous gown? Keep your wedding photographer on hand to capture the moment on film – you’ll love looking back at people’s wowed faces afterwards!

Let the little details go

Because brides tend to plan their dream day down to the teeniest of details, it’s very easy for something to go wrong and, however small it may be, the bride will notice. For the small hiccups and things that don’t go to plan – maybe your maid forgot her matching earrings or your shoes aren’t quite as comfy as you’d hoped – try to let them go. No one but you will ever know and, at the end of the day, what are mismatched earrings or a sore toe when you’re about to marry the love of your life?

Do something that’s just right for you

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1. Walk Down Memory Lane

Make the guest feel like integral parts of the day by incorporating them into the décor — in a gallery of meaningful photos. Why not hang pictures of the bride and groom with friends and family along the walk from the ceremony to the reception. It’s a fun cocktail party conversation starter.” As guests take a leisurely stroll and find pictures of themselves with you, they can reminisce and socialize.

2. Break the Ice Creatively

When you enter your reception for the first time as husband and wife, don’t just take a conventional arm-in-arm stroll. “Run. Skip. Dance. Swoop in on a rope swing! Brainstorm with your groom about the most creative, appropriate way to make a big impression. This is a great way to break the ice and set up for a fun vibe for the rest of the event.

3. Play Party Games

How about the menus being puzzles, so each person got one piece of the puzzle at their place setting, then everyone had to put the pieces together to get the full menu description. Crossword puzzles are fun for the back of a program or if you have guests going on a long bus ride to get to the reception venue.

4. Be Entertaining

Guests always love the energy of a live band but tend to want to hear the original artist sing their favourite tunes. As a compromise, a bride may hire a wedding band but also play DJ music during the breaks, or she’ll arrange to have live music during some parts of the event and recorded music during others. 

5. Surprise them!

Love poems from a book makes a wonderful, lasting guest favour that’s much more meaningful that a bag of sugared almonds! If you buy in bulk, you might get a discount — contact your bookseller directly. And don’t forget to add a personalized bookmark thanking your friends and family for sharing your big day with you.”