Category Archives: Planning

Bridal Countdown

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Six months to go

This is the time for any professional or cosmetic treatments to take place. Teeth-whitening is a great pre-wedding treatment as there’ll be lots of smiling and plenty of photos. If you can afford it, a professional teeth-whitening treatment, six months before the big day, will ensure teeth are pearly white, while giving you a chance to adjust to any increase in sensitivity and get used to how much whiter your teeth look. If the end result is too white, six months is the perfect amount of time for the brilliance to fade to a more natural shade. If a professional teeth-whitening treatment is not within your budget, find a good quality teeth-whitening toothpaste or whitening strips and start using now, on a regular basis.

Three months to go

See a brow specialist at least three months before your big day for an initial consultation and shaping. A brow professional will be able to assess your face shape and natural brows and can determine the most flattering brow shape for you. They will be able to wax, thread, tweeze and tint your brows, regularly, over the next few months, helping you to grow in any new hairs where necessary. Wait four weeks in between each session and then schedule your final shaping for a week before the big day so your skin has time to settle.

One month to go

Start using a regular facial exfoliator and skin oil. By regularly buffing and oiling your skin now, it will be silky smooth on your wedding day. Find an exfoliator and oil that are specific to your skin’s needs; there are so many different types, from daily bead exfoliators, to chemical exfoliators, designed to be used less frequently. Layering an oil under your daily moisturiser and night cream will help to retain moisture and will encourage a natural, dewy glow to the skin. Massage the oil in for a few minutes each day, to boost circulation and further encourage your skin to glow.

Two weeks to go

Make any hair removal appointments for this week. If you are planning on waxing any areas of the body that will be on show, you will need to allow a fortnight for any associated reddening or skin reactions to settle down and / or pores to close.

One week to go

Book in for professional lash extensions. Ideally you will have trialled these at least two months beforehand, to know which length and style suits you. You will also need to know which type of extensions you will be wearing, so that you can adjust your wedding makeup accordingly. For your big day, it’s ideal to have them applied a week before. Individual lash extensions should last 2-3 weeks, before needing to be filled in, so they should last until you return from your honeymoon.

 

Two days to go

If you’re planning on fake tanning, whether you are applying it yourself or are opting for a professional spray tan, this is the time to do it, to allow the colour to settle on the skin and develop a more natural hue with no tell tale aroma. A good wedding beautician with experience in spray tanning will be able to match the right colour, brand and formula to your skintone. If you would rather apply the fake tan yourself, spend time researching brands to find one that suits you. Remember hands and feet soak up more colour than the rest of your body, so dilute the tan with moisturiser before applying to these areas, and wash it off sooner than you would for the rest of the body. For lighter skin tones or winter weddings, wash the colour off after six hours rather than the recommended eight-12 hours. Exfoliating the skin, as well as hair removal, is a pre-tanning essential: We’d recommend doing both 24 hours before tanning.

One day to go

Leaving your manicure and pedicure until the day before will leave less opportunity to chip the nail varnish or break your nails before the big day. For a longer-lasting and glossier colour that will see you right through your wedding day, to the end of your honeymoon, opt for a professional or home-use gel polish, which can last for up to three weeks.

About Your Engagement

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Your engagement is a promise to marriage as well as the period of time between the proposal and your marriage. During your engagement you are said to be affianced, betrothed, engaged to be married, or simply engaged. Future brides and bridegrooms are often referred to as fiancées or fiancés respectively (from the French word fiancé).

Long engagements were once common in formal arranged marriages and it was not uncommon for parents betrothing children to arrange such many years before the engaged couple were old enough to marry.

Origins Of Engagement

The concept of an official engagement period in Western culture may have begun in 1215 at the Fourth Lateran Council, headed by Pope Innocent III, which decreed that “marriages are to be … announced publicly in the churches by the priests during a suitable and fixed time, so that if legitimate impediments exist, they may be made known.”

Such a formal church announcement of the intent to marry is known as banns. In some jurisdictions, reading the banns may be part of one type of legal marriage.

Engagement Rings

A woman displays her engagement ring. The modern Western form of the practice of giving or exchanging engagement rings is traditionally thought to have begun in 1477 when Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, gave Mary of Burgundy a diamond ring as an engagement present.

In the United Kingdom and many other countries, an engagement ring is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. The tradition of wearing a ring for engagement originated from the Egyptians, who believed the circle was a bond between the two people who were to be married, but was initially first practiced on the fourth finger/ring finger by the Romans, who believed this finger to be the beginning of the vena amoris (“vein of love”), the vein that leads to the heart.

In the modern era, some women’s wedding rings are made into two separate pieces. One part is given to her to wear as an engagement ring when she accepts the marriage proposal, and the other during the wedding ceremony. When worn together, the two rings look like one piece of jewellery.

Engagement Parties

Some engagements are announced at an engagement party, traditionally hosted by the bride’s parents. These parties are given in the family’s usual style of entertainment. Traditionally, engagement parties were normal parties at which a surprise announcement of the engagement was made by the father of the bride to his guests. Therefore, it is not a traditional gift-giving occasion, as none of the guests were supposed to be aware of the engagement until after their arrival.

In modern times, engagement parties often celebrate a previously publicised engagement.

A Whole Day Of Music

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Starting with the wedding ceremony, a piper is traditional to play the bride in and out of the church. A string quartet or harpist are common choices to provide a beautiful musical backdrop during the wedding ceremony and immediately afterwards whilst photos are taken.

Your wedding drinks reception. A jazz or swing band is an ideal choice to provide light background music during the afternoon reception, helping to settle guests and create an exciting atmosphere. It is also quite common for the string quartet from your ceremony to continue playing during the afternoon reception.

Evening wedding reception. And what evening reception would be complete without a top quality wedding party band or DJ? Rock and pop bands are by far the most popular choices, with soul, disco, salsa and jive offering something a little different.

DJs are a cost effective solution if a band is out of your budget but are also often booked as well as a band to fill in the gaps between the bands performances. Also, ask if the band themselves can DJ in between sets as this is very often possible.

Don’t just stop at wedding music though as all manner of wedding entertainment can be arranged. From top caricaturists and table magicians to entertain your guests while they mingle, to traditional dancers and stage hypnotists, there’s no end to the fun that you can arrange.

Extra Special Day

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1. To make your special day extra special

If you want your special day to be extra special, live music is the perfect accompaniment to every magical moment of your wedding. The secret is to decide what kind of mood you’d like at each stage of your wedding day, and matching music and musicians with that mood

2. To welcome your guests with a romantic atmosphere and set the mood for the day

Your wedding ceremony is the first event of the day for your guests, and most will be arriving at least 30 minutes before the ceremony starts. Rather than letting them sit in silence in the church or wedding venue, you can welcome them with gentle background music such as a string quartet, a pianist or a harpist playing live. This creates a lovely, relaxed and romantic atmosphere in which your guests can chat to each other if they wish, or just listen to the music and get their handkerchiefs ready!

Most musicians enjoy weddings, and would far rather perform for more than just a few minutes, so why not ask them to play during the ceremony too.

3. To personalise your ceremony

An ideal moment is the five to ten minutes ‘slot’ where you need to sign the register and have your photos taken! For a church wedding, add some vocal excitement with a gospel choir or professional opera singers to lead the hymns and sing a solo psalm or similar.

4. To kickstart the party atmosphere

While you and your new spouse are having your photos taken, your guests may move onto the venue, and a drinks reception. These can be a little quiet at the start, so why not book a Rat Pack singer or jazz band to kick-start the party atmosphere before you both arrive, and your wedding breakfast starts.

5. To entertain and relax your guests during the meal

Wedding meals can seem very long for young guests, so why not entertain them with comedy singing waiters, who suddenly burst into song, or roaming magicians who amaze with clever tabletop tricks.

6. To add wow-factor to your evening party

The key to a really memorable evening wedding party is to choose live entertainment that involves all your guests, regardless of age! At Red Masque, our most popular wedding entertainment is a wedding function band, who play a wide range of pop, soul and contemporary hits to get the party going with energy and enjoyment. If yours is a big family wedding with everyone there from toddlers to grannies, a great way to get your guests up and dancing is to book a ceilidh band or Irish band.

Popular first dance songs

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Your wedding is going to be one of the happiest of your life. Unless you’re taking part in Don’t Tell the Bride, that’s just a guaranteed fact. A big part of planning your wedding day is that all important first dance and deciding which song you will share with your new husband or bride. Do you want to go for a classic, a current top 40? Here to offer up some inspiration in the form of the most popular first dance wedding songs.

Before we list them here, we feel we should point out that this is as close to scientific as it gets because the data comes from Spotify, who analysed over 12,000 wedding playlists on their streaming service to find out just what newlyweds are dancing to. Without further ado then, in order, here is the global list of the most popular first dance wedding songs.

You’ll notice that Ed Sheeran has two songs in the top ten, whilst ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ features twice, sang by two different artists.

“Thinking Out Loud” – Ed Sheeran

“At Last” – Etta James

“Can’t Help Falling In Love” – Elvis Presley & the Jordanaires

“Marry Me” – Train

“Tenerife Sea” – Ed Sheeran

“You Are the Best Thing” – Ray LaMontagne

“First Day of My Life” – Bright Eyes

“Make You Feel My Love” – Adele

“Everything” – Michael Bublé

“Lucky” – Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” – Ingrid Michaelson

“Better Together” – Jack Johnson

“God Gave Me You” – Blake Shelton

“Come Away With Me” – Norah Jones

“The Luckiest” – Ben Folds

Be creative with Engagement photos

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You’ve met the love of your life, have a little sparkle on your finger, and you’re ready to shout it to the world! That can mean only one thing: it’s time for engagement photos. Make sure your pictures are everything you’ve been dreaming about since the day you said yes! Draw some inspiration from these adorable engagement photo shoot ideas.

1. Be Passionate

Well, not like that. Engagement photo shoot ideas should obviously be centered on you as a couple, so include the things that you both love! Do you both love coffee? Your cat? Movies? Snowboarding? Whatever passion you both share, representing that in your engagement photos is guaranteed to make them original.

2. Stay At Home

Keep things simple with your engagement photo shoot ideas. There is no rule saying that you have to pose in a field of flowers for your photos. Break from the usual and set up a comfortable photo shoot in your own home! This where you and your significant other can really be yourselves. You’ve created a perfect space for both of you, so celebrate that!

3. Get Artsy

Tap into your creative side with these artsy engagement photo shoot ideas! Break out paint, chalk, paper, paintbrushes, or glitter. Whatever you need to get a little messy with colour! You can keep it classy and imaginative, or just go crazy and cover each other in paint or powder.

4. Celebrate the Season

Getting engaged in summer, spring, autumn, and winter all have their perks! No matter what season you’re in, you can take advantage of what’s happening outside. Incorporating nature into your engagement photo shoot ideas is a failsafe way to end up with gorgeous photos.

5. Go Glam

Something about being all dressed up really brings out the romantic side in couples! High-fashion is great for fashionistas looking for engagement photo shoot ideas. If you’re planning a sophisticated or evening wedding, glam engagement pictures can give your guests a peek at what to expect on the big day.

6. Include Props

Do you and your fiancee feel awkward in front of the camera? Bring in some props! They can help you interact with each other in a playful and natural way. Getting your photos taken can be intimidating. Take some of the pressure away with fun items like bicycles, bubbles, sparklers, coffee cups…whatever strikes you! Your photographer can usually help with this, too.

7. Use the Golden Hour

Good lighting is the number one thing to consider when thinking of engagement photo shoot ideas! Any top wedding photographer will tell you that the “golden hour” is a beautiful time for photos. Take advantage of early morning or late afternoon times to create truly stunning engagement pictures.

Planning a bridal shower

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Planning a bridal shower for your sister, bestfriend, cousin, or another special person in your life? Then you need a creative bridal shower theme! Some brides are all about flowers and lace while others just want something unique.

1. Brunch and Bubbly

Traditional brides may appreciate bridal shower themes that are a little more sophisticated or classy. And what’s classier than champagne? Hosting a “Brunch and Bubbly” theme for your bride allows for lots of blush pink, gold, and cream. Fresh flowers, white or cream tableware, and cloth napkins are all a must when decorating for brunch. If you’re really ambitious, you can have brunch at someone’s house. If you’d rather have someone else handle the details, hiring a Caterer is always a great option!

2. Mad Hatter Tea Party

For a whimsical bride, a Mad Hatter Tea Party bridal shower theme is perfect! You can get creative with decor and refreshments, too. Take a page out of Lewis Carroll’s book and use clocks, teapots, book pages, and even playing cards to decorate the space. Use mismatched teacups, plates, tablecloths, and napkins to add to the eclectic feel of the party space. For refreshments, tea of course! And other miniature desserts like petit fours, macaroons, or cupcakes are perfect for a tea party. Adding “Eat Me” placards or even putting the words on cakes or cookies is a great way to incorporate Wonderland into the party. You can serve other drinks like lemonade or wine spritzers, but don’t forget the “Drink Me” tags!

3. Let’s Taco ‘Bout Love

Who doesn’t love tacos? Low-key brides may not want a huge shower that has a lot of fluffy decorations. Wedding planning is stressful. Being “on” all the time can take a toll. Laidback bridal shower themes are definitely the best choice for the stressed out bride-to-be. Give her some time to chill out by throwing a casual fiesta! Decorate with bright colours, sombreros, or other Southwestern- or Mexican-themed decor. Set up a taco buffet bar with different shells, meats, and vegetables. Add some crisps and homemade salsa or guacamole for tasty appetizers. What would a taco party be without margaritas? There are lots of fun recipes out there besides the traditional lime margaritas. Shake it up with strawberry, mango, or even pomegranate flavors! Cucumber margaritas are a growing trend and are super refreshing in the summer months. You can play bartender or set up a couple of blenders for guests to make their own. However you choose to host it, the main idea is to let your bride kick back with her favorite food…and a cold margarita for some laughs with friends and family!

4. Two Less Fish in the Sea

For the girl who loves the sand, sun, and sailing, nautical bridal shower themes are an easy choice! Nautical decor is simple and tasteful, using lots of navy blue, gold, and white. You can also use natural elements like, rope, driftwood, or seashells. For more of a beach vibe, use faded colours like coral, teal, or yellow. Natural elements fit beautifully into this theme, too. Phrases like “Tying the Knot” or “Two Less Fish in the Sea” can be used on your decor to add a little romantic flair to the party. Refreshments are pretty flexible. We suggest white wines, oysters, or other tasty seafood for the classier nautical theme. Fruity cocktails like Pina Coladas or Tequila Sunrises are more beachy. Fresh fruit, and other easy finger foods are fabulous for beach themes, as well. Let your bride be a beach bum for a day and let all her wedding stress fade away!

5. You Had Me at Merlot

Wine: it’s a girl’s best friend sometimes. And why not use this as inspiration for a bridal shower theme? Your bride will no doubt welcome the chance to sip some wine, open presents, and just enjoy some time away from the wedding planning process. For decor, wine glasses, grapes, corks, and empty wine bottles are all perfect for a wine party. Mini bottles of wine are great party favors, or just set out a basket and let guests take their pick. Refreshments should include wine, of course! Offering a few selections of white, blush, and red wines allows your guests choose their favorite or try something new. Gourmet cheeses, crusty breads, crackers, and fruit are all perfect additions to wine. We recommend placing your wine selections with the various foods they complement. White wines pair well with white meat or light foods like quiche. Red wines complement richer flavors like red meat and roasted vegetables. So sit back, sip, and enjoy the party with your bride!

Creative ways to propose

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While it may seem cliché to pop the question on Valentine’s Day, it’s completely understandable why you’d want to! Is there a more romantic day of the year? We think not. Even if the day is cliché, your proposal doesn’t have to be. We have 5 creative ways to propose on Valentine’s Day!

1. Create a Storybook

There’s no better way to lead up to the next chapter in your life than to start at the beginning. Create a book about the journey that has brought you to this moment by highlighting key moments in your relationship! Start with how you met, your first date, first holidays, memorable trips, or inside jokes along the way. Don’t worry if you’re not an amazing artist or writer…just keep it simple and we promise it will be a hit. Even stick figures are romantic when it’s all about your love story! Using your own photographs is another option, for more of a “scrapbook” feel. You can have your book bound at local printing shops.

The Proposal: On the very last page, create a part of the story that says something like “This is when I asked you to be mine forever.” Or simply draw or include a picture of a ring!

2. Put It in the Movies

Are you and your love a couple of movie buffs? Rent out an ad space at your local theatre to play your “trailer” asking them to marry you! Thanks to technology, you can produce a short video fairly easily using video editing software. Or hire a Videographer to help you produce something that’s a little more high-end. Turn your life into a true romantic comedy with clips of video of the two of you, or recreate classic scenes from old romantic movies. We guarantee they won’t see this one coming!

The Proposal: During the last scene of the trailer, proclaim your proposal onscreen and have the ring waiting for the moment of surprise.

3. Take It to the Streets

An idea for the artsy couple, or just those who appreciate spontaneity and the unexpected: Incorporate live art. The trend of “living creativity” is definitely growing, and live artists are quite amazing to watch. Maybe you set up an evening stroll, and “happen” to come across a Performing Artist who is painting on a canvas, or creating a chalk mural on the sidewalk. Encourage your significant other to stop and take it in for a moment, for a truly unique memory.

The Proposal: Coordinate with the artist ahead of time to have them include the two of you in their piece. As your darling realises that it’s about the two of you, pull out the ring for your big moment.

4. Say It with Paint

For the imaginative couple who loves to try new things together, hide your proposal in painting class. Most cities offer a wine/paint class, where romance and art meet! They’ll assume that you’ve found something new and exciting to do together, never suspecting that you have a proposal waiting. And after the big event, you’ll have a momento to remember the evening for the rest of your lives.

The Proposal: Paint several easels ahead of time, spelling out “Will You Marry Me?” and make arrangements with the class instructor to have them help coordinate the big reveal.

5. Love to Laugh?

Looking for unconventional ways to propose? This is for the couple that loves to laugh. If you and your significant other are always teasing each other a prank could be a perfect fit! Maybe you book a Singing Telegram that “proposes” to the wrong person, or a hire a Mariachi Band to follow them around (while you act clueless of course). You know what makes them laugh better than anyone, so get creative!

The Proposal: After you’ve tortured them for a few minutes, whip out the ring and let them know that they’re the only one for you.

Booking great entertainment

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After your guests leave your wedding and have returned to their daily routine, they’ll remember two things about your special day: the interaction between you and your spouse-to-be, and the rockin’ band or DJ. Details like centrepieces, name cards, and dinner selections will trail far, far behind in the memory banks of your friends and family. That’s why you should look at all your options and carefully choose the most amazing wedding entertainment out there.

Tips for Booking the Best

When you’re searching for that perfect wedding entertainment, it’s important to do your homework. If you’ve never heard or seen their performance, you can do a little research to see what they offer. Reviews are always a great option as you can hear from some of their happy past clients. However, in some cases, reviews may not be available. If you’re interested in hiring a performer but you want to dig a little deeper to make sure they’re the perfect fit, then you should do the following:

  • View their website.

  • Look at their social profiles to see how they interact with fans and followers.

  • Have a contract with clear and precise terms.

  • If at all possible, go see a live performance.

  • Reach out to the entertainer to discuss their prior performance experience. They may be able to connect you with clients they’ve worked with for a referral.

  • Most importantly, you must trust and like who you are dealing with while negotiating the booking.

This is a very special day in your life, and like any milestone event, planning a wedding can get hectic. It’s wise to be prepared for last-minute hiccups and do everything you can to make sure the entertainment is what you’ve always dreamed it would be.

Savvy wedding planning

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Whatever the reason, one thing is for sure. Planning a wedding at the last minute can put you into a bit of a whirlwind of activity, in a good way though. Follow our savvy planning tips and you’ll avoid confusion and stress and enjoy each stage to the max!

Finishing touches

These absolutely don’t have to be elaborate, sometimes the simplest thing is best and there’s less to go wrong that way, too. If you’re having a spring or summer wedding you could just sprinkle blossoms or rose petals on the tables to add the wow factor. In winter, put tealights on a mirror in the centre of every table to add a sparkle.

Groom’s outfit
Unlike your wedding dress, suits for grooms can be ordered at much shorter notice. Have a look online and you’ll see that many companies even offer next-day delivery. High street chains usually carry plenty of stock and if you’re marrying out of season you’re probably going to find more choice. The most important thing to get right is the fit, so make sure everybody’s measurements are correct before ordering.

Bridesmaid dresses

Gone are the days when you had to dress each of your bridesmaids in an identical frock, regardless of whether or not it suited them. Now it’s very popular to let your bridesmaids wear different styles of dresses in different shades of the same colour. Let your maids choose their own style of gown that reflects their best features and they’ll be your friends forever and look much more smiley and happy in your photographs.

Forget save the date cards

Email is a wonderful invention for saving time. Instead of wasting valuable days by ordering save the date stationery, send your guests an email save the date instead. Facebook events and groups are also a great way of letting your guests know about your last-minute wedding and they will also help you keep track of how many people will be attending.

Don’t lose sight of your budget

Don’t panic if you’re on a short timescale and overspend, hoping that it will create solutions. If you’re on a tight budget and have very little time, then consider hiring a wedding planner who is likely to pay for themselves anyway. State exactly how much you can afford for a fee and stick to your budget. A wedding planner will be able to negotiate discounts and special rates for you anyway and is more likely to be able to come up with some amazing last-minute solutions for you.

Do it yourself

If you’re having trouble finding a florist who can do your flowers at short notice, then visit a wholesale florist locally to choose your own blooms. Don’t attempt any sort of formal flower arrangement. Instead go for a shabby-chic, rustic sort of look by arranging your flowers and greenery in mismatched vases and bottles.

Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork

If you’ve decided to rush off and tie the knot abroad then make doubly sure you have all the legal documents you need in place to make this happen. Your passport needs to be valid, with at least six months left before it expires and you’ll need your birth certificate too. In New York we’ve heard of weddings being organised in under a week but in Italy they take about three months!

Getting married last minute is possible – but just keep the above in mind, especially our words on documentation. A lot will depend on the destination in which you’re getting married, so check local requirements and make sure you’ll qualify in time.

That said, getting married last minute is very romantic and very do-able. Plus, you’re going to be Mr & Mrs just that little bit sooner!