Tag Archives: marry

Smart Wedding Apps

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Appy Couple – £25

A great app that allows you to create a mini website to announce your engagement. Once they’re on the site, your guests have everything they need to know about the big day – people can RSVP to different parts of your wedding, browse the gift list and more, replacing paperwork and keeping key elements of the big day in one place.

Wedding Snap – Free

This handy app means you won’t miss a single photo from your big day, as it gathers guests’ smartphone snaps and compiles them in an online album that can be viewed in real time anywhere in the world. Plus, the live slideshow function also means the pictures can be shared during the reception itself, which adds a nice personal touch.

WeddingHappy – Free

When it comes to organisation, WeddingHappy is great for making sure nothing is missed. The app remembers your wedding date and keeps you on track to ensure everything gets done on time, as well as helping out with which tasks to tackle when. A one-stop shop to wedding planning ease.

Colour Inspector – Free

The days of carrying around colour swatches are over with this app that turns your iPhone into a colour detector. You can rest assured that everything you choose will be ‘on brand’ and nothing will be sticking out like a sore thumb

The Colour Genius – Free

This clever app from L’Oreal picks the perfect cosmetics for any attire, making sure that months of careful outfit planning isn’t ruined by bad makeup – great for passing on to your mum and bridesmaids.

With some Apps that are free, there is no excuse for you not to plan the perfect Wedding!!

What to do if it rains at your Wedding?

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If your wedding is just around the corner you’ve probably been refreshing the 10-day forecast every other hour. The last thing you want is bad weather on your wedding day, but sometimes it’s simply unavoidable and it’s important you have a Plan B.

This means if that dreaded rain cloud does appear on the weather forecast, you can still relax and enjoy your wedding day as you’ve already got a back-up plan in place. Note – this is much better than having a breakdown on the morning of your wedding because your ceremony is based outside and it’s pouring with rain.

Prepare your photographer

A good wedding photographer will have a back-up plan for bad weather. However, it’s always worthwhile showing them around the venue before the big day so they can see possible areas to shoot if photographing outside is impossible. This will save a whole ton of time on the day! Photographers can also take some seriously romantic shots in the rain if you’re brave enough.

Always accessorise

Stock up on some pretty umbrellas and colourful wellies! Supply your guests with a box of brollies (they might not be as prepared as you) and match the colours to the theme of your wedding day. This will also look fab in your wedding photographs.

Choose a summer wedding

If you know this is something you are really going to stress about, to the point where it takes over and you end up dreading your big day, choose to have a summer wedding as it’s way less likely to rain.

Have a back-up plan

If you’re planning on having an outdoor ceremony, always book a venue that has a back-up option if it rains. It’s extra helpful if you have the option to switching to an indoor ceremony at the last minute, if not, ensure there is cover if it does rain!

Avoid any make-up disasters

If you want to keep your make-up looking perfect for the whole day, including if it rains, set your foundation with a primer. Wear waterproof mascara and water-resistant foundation, just to be extra safe!

Embrace it

If it rains on your wedding day, there’s not much you can do about it so simply embrace it! Do not let it stop you and your hubby enjoying your special day. It also makes for some seriously romantic photographs in the rain…

Don’t make these mistakes!

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Mistake 1: Not dealing with debt

Money is the number one thing couples fight about. Set up a financial plan to conquer any debt.

Mistake 2: Alienating your friends

Having separate interests is key to a successful marriage, so tag along on your friend’s nights out.

Mistake 3: Neglecting the bedroom

Did you know that over 60% of newlyweds are in a sex rut! Initiate sex, even if you don’t feel like it. If you get in the habit of having it, you’ll start wanting it (and liking it) more.

Mistake 4: Outlawing the in-laws

Did you know that 50% of couples have a problematic relationship with their in-laws? Even if your spouse is moaning about his family, resist the urge to join in. Stay neutral at all times!

Mistake 5: Letting yourself go

Take pride in your appearance and weight even if you’re ‘off the market’ now – you and your partner will feel better for it, trust us!

Mistake 6: Becoming baby-obsessed

The average couple has a child within three years of marriage. Savour the moments and the travel you can do now!

The ‘after the wedding’ to-do list

Get your dress professionally cleaned and store in a cool, dry place.

Leave helpful reviews about your various wedding suppliers.

If you wish to change to your married name, do them all simultaneously to avoid confusion.

Check your tax situation as a married couple – you may be entitled to tax relief in some situations.

Send thank you notes for wedding gifts – aim for 10 a night!

Finalise your wedding album and video – if you leave it too long, you may forgo it!

Discuss finances: should you have a joint bank account?

Figure out things like joint health insurance plans and discuss changes to life insurance details

Get your Groom involved

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Society has lead us to believe that a groom’s only involvement in a wedding is to have a raucous stag party, show up to the wedding, and enjoy a tropical passion-filled honeymoon.

As we move away from old and antiquated ideals, men are becoming more involved in their wedding day, and the responsibility of planning a wedding no longer needs to fall solely on the shoulders of the beautiful bride.

The modern groom has taken on more and more responsibilities in preparation for the big day, however this doesn’t mean that you need to include him in every single aspect or detail. It is important that you find ways for your groom to be involved so you can work together for your dream wedding.

Don’t include him in everything

We know there are a lot of details and decisions to be made on your big day, however many of them are far more important to you as a bride. While a groom might be excited about attending a cake tasting, he probably won’t be as thrilled about picking out table linens or dress designs. This doesn’t mean all grooms will be checked out when it comes to the details, but if you have a reluctant groom, don’t overwhelm him.

Tell him about any issues you’re facing

Most men have a desire to fix things; sometimes they even fix things that don’t need to be fixed – as you probably well know. However, if you are facing any issues, it is best to run it by your partner as you might be surprised by how engaged he becomes when he is asked about his opinion regarding any issues you’re having!

Respect that you care about different aspect of your big day

Don’t feel discouraged if your hubby-to-be isn’t as vested in everything that you think needs his full attention. It’s best to present a list of what needs to be done rather than let him choose what he is interested in. This doesn’t mean let him off the hook when it comes to being involved in the wedding planning process, just don’t let yourself get frustrated if he isn’t chomping at the bit to go pick out flower arrangements.

Embrace his creative side

If you have a husband who is handy, artistic, or loves music, finding a way to involve him could be easier than you think. Incorporating what he is passionate about into your wedding will be a great way to assure that you have an engaged groom. Let him book the band or DJ. If you’re groom is a tool smith, let him build something that can be incorporated into the ceremony, as it might even save you some money as well.

Make sure his input is valued

The most important step in this whole process is making sure that your groom feels as if his opinion is valued. If you ask him for his opinion and continually shoot it down, he will more than likely lose interest in playing a role in the planning process. Make sure to encourage his ideas and find ways that they can be included in your wedding day.

If you have a reluctant groom, try following these steps and encourage him to be more engaged! It will make your big day even more special knowing that you’ve worked together to make your dream wedding.

What your bride wants to hear in your groom’s speech

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You popped the question, the date is now set, the venue booked, invitations are being printed, the stag weekend is in hand. Just that minor matter of a groom’s speech still to write…

You’re not at all anxious, but why is your fiancé? Here are some top tips on how to keep her happy on the big day…

Big up the bride

Although it’s good practise to mention the best man and your ushers, and make a bit of fun at them at their expense, always remember that your wedding day is about your bond with your bride, not your best mates.

Thank your new in-laws

If your bride chooses not to speak at the wedding, she probably won’t get the chance to thank her parents publicly for all they’ve done in helping to organise the big day, and indeed for all the help, love and support provided over the years. So it’s down to you to do it for her – and she’ll love you for it.

She’s your wife – don’t be shy mentioning it!

Nothing gets more of heart-warming cheer than the line “my wife and I…”. I agree it’s predictable and a little bit cheesy, but the novelty of hearing it for the first time never fails to make a new bride smile, or indeed every one of your guests.

Keep it original

Using the occasional predictable phrase, as above, is fine, but don’t get too reliant on these one-liners, or your speech could easily sound like an internet cut and paste job. Your new bride wants you to talk about her, so be creative and keep it personal.

Mention her looks

Dazzling, stunning, beautiful – however you wish to say it, make sure you comment on her appearance, and in a positive way. The expensive dress, designer jewellery, trips to the hairdressers, manicures and facials count for something!

Remember this is a celebration of love

It isn’t your chance to deliver a 10 minute comedy stand-up routine. So try to combine your witty one-liners with a good dose of sincerity. Why did you ask her to marry you? What is it about her that you adore? How has your life changed (for the better!) since you met her? Which of your bad habits does she have to live with?

Delete all stories of ex-girlfriends

However ‘understand’ your new wife is about your future and not the past, there’s a time and a place for mentioning the exes, and the groom’s speech isn’t one of them.

Direct your speech to her

Although you’re giving a speech to, what is often, a large number of people, you don’t always have to talk to the room. It can be far more meaningful and personal if, when you’re talking about your wife, you actually speak to and make eye contact with her. But remember to keep projecting your voice. Your wife will want the guests to hear what you have to say about her, even if you’re not addressing them.

Good reasons to have a winter wedding

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The number of winter weddings taking place every year is increasing. Although off-season rates are a factor for many couple’s, there are lots of fun reasons to have your big day during the winter months. Read on to find out more…

1. Dusk till Dawn

As dusk falls early, you have an extended evening to celebrate. With endless possibilities for candles, fairy lights, and fireworks to light up the night sky, winter weddings are a great excuse to have fun with lights.

2. White Wedding

Every winter bride dreams of a magical sprinkling of snow. If you get married north of the border, the chance increases even further.

3. Money Matters

The biggie. Most venues and suppliers will have off season rates, but many will also provide tempting incentives. Scottish venue Dundas Castle is offering complimentary bubbly, fairy light ceiling, and sparklers to all winter weddings in January and February 2016 as part of its ‘Winter Sparkle’ promotion.

4. Fireside Glow

Why not welcome your guests into a venue that has a roaring open fire? You could also reflect on your day with a night cap as the fire crackles – one of the great pleasures of winter weddings.

5. A date to remember

Winter is full of memorable dates to make your chosen day even more special. You could have a festive Christmas wedding, a romantic Valentine’s weekend wedding, or even start the New Year as you mean to go on – as a married couple.

6. Honeymoon Heaven

Fly to the Maldives during Summer, and you’ll hit a monsoon! Winter is southern hemisphere honeymoon season, with no school holiday supplements. The chance to ski or get some much needed winter sun makes it a honeymoon triple whammy!

7. Sunshine Stress

Getting married in winter totally eliminates ‘Will it? Won’t it?’ weather related stress. Guests will be expecting colder weather, so the focus will be on what’s going on indoors. That way, any snow or winter sun comes as an added bonus.

8. A Break from the norm

Your guests may have ‘wedding fatigue’ by the time your summer wedding comes around. A winter wedding will be a seasonal highlight too. This gives you and your guests a great excuse for a post-Christmas knees up.

9. Great Availability

Winter is still low season, making getting your ideal Saturday date a breeze. It’s also much easier finding accommodation for your guests, or bagging your dream wedding photographer or wedding band.

10. Winter Wellies

Last but surely not least, a winter wedding is your chance to sport some stylish bridal wellies. If you’re less adventurous, winter offers a plethora of clothing options. Why not go for fake fur, feathers and capes to tempt the fashion conscious.

Avoid a cold before your winter wedding

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Research shows that brides should vow to stress less, or risk a Rudolf nose on their wedding day. Those suffering from stress are more likely to catch infection after infection. Echinacea was found to halve the risk of recurrent infections amongst individuals with higher stress levels.

Being stressed on the run up to your big day can wreak havoc on the immune so follow some advice on how to stay cold and flu free this winter…

Green tea

Green tea which is rich in many chemicals that have been shown to have health protective properties.

Eat well

Eat foods that are good for the immune system – a healthy plant based diet containing broccoli, cabbage, red fruits such as blackcurrants and strawberries, carrots, turmeric and onions contains plenty of immune protecting chemicals.

Wedding workout

Getting some gentle exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling for half an hour daily can be very helpful both physically and mentally. But beware that excessive exercise such as that undertaken during extreme training sessions for competitive sporting activities can reduce the immune response.

Relax and reduce stress

Stress harms your ability to fight viruses and has a huge impact on the immune system. The best thing you can do to reduce stress on your wedding day is to plan ahead. Make a schedule for getting everything done and stick to it!

Sleep tight

Be sure to get enough beauty sleep, because not getting enough lowers your immune function. The body needs a good seven hour’s kip to help build itself up. Poor sleep over a long period can decrease the immune function very quickly.

Limit alcohol

Take it easy on your hen do because drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is also bad for your immune cells, which get disorientated and confused just like us!

Herbal help

Take Echinacea at the first sign of feeling run down to help support the immune system to fight off colds and flu. 

It helps the body fight the symptoms of these infections by supporting the immune system, helping to maintain the body’s resistance.

Breaking the ice with some entertainment ideas

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When it comes to wedding reception entertainment ideas (and we’re talking about the drinks reception here), there’s a number of ways which you can go. Many choose to simply ditch entertainment completely in favour of quiet talking or complete silence as guests struggle to work out just who they should speak to over their glass of Champagne. In order to break the ice, we think that a little wedding entertainment goes a long way and here are just a few ideas to get you started

There’s nothing quite like completing the wedding vows and heading to the wedding reception to be met by the sound of bagpipes. Many of the guests may be in kilts anyway so it’s a perfect excuse to celebrate your heritage! Admittedly if neither the groom nor bride are Scottish or Irish, bagpipes may be a truly unusual wedding party entertainment idea, but there are many other options. The kora is a gorgeous instrument for those of African heritage.

Some find it very difficult to chat to others at weddings, especially if they haven’t brought along a plus one. Not to worry what about having some lookalikes which will be a fantastic way to get wedding guests talking be they playing a celebrity that the bride or groom might fancy or a favourite character from their childhood! Captain Jack Sparrow is sure to give the wedding party ideas when it comes to breaking the ice or you could even go for the real thing! Contestants from the X Factor and Britain’s got Talent aren’t as expensive as you might think and are sure to wow the assembled guests with their musical talents.

Some strolling entertainment at your reception is often a fab way to get people chatting. Moving away from the music acts, there are some wonderfully romantic wedding entertainment ideas that at first might not seem obvious but then make sense when you’re there. One of these is looking into hiring a fortune teller, tarot card or palm reader. A great bit of fun, you never know, they may just see another wedding on the horizon between a couple of your guests!

If you aren’t too sure about predicting the future of those in your wedding party, ideas don’t come much better than getting a magician for your big day. As the wedding reception entertainment, magic is sure to bring people together and provides a little relaxation for the Best Man and others ahead of the speeches later on! A handwriting expert is also an unusual entertainment idea for a wedding but no less compelling. Who doesn’t want to know what their handwriting tells an expert about them!? You never know, the writing might be on the wall for another marriage before too long.

Don’t forget the lighting

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Many people forget about lighting when they are planning their wedding reception –

“Wedding Lighting is a key area that people find difficult to get right, yet it is so important in creating a stunning atmosphere and making sure that you and your guests feel comfortable, relaxed and have a good time.”

Night and Day

If you are planning an evening reception, look at the room that you are going to use for the reception after dark, as well as in daytime. You can then see how the fixed lighting in the room works and think about what lighting you need for your reception to add the right atmosphere. Uplighters might be the perfect solution to bring the room to life at night.

Dancefloor divas

If your reception is a venue where the dancefloor, tables and chairs are set up in different parts of the same room, use different coloured lighting to separate the two areas and build up the atmosphere. Make sure your dad’s moves are in the limelight while he’s busting his moves! (…or keep him and those moves in the dark.)

Mood setting

Coloured venue lighting really adds atmosphere to a room. Use different colours to really set the mood for each part of the evening – from the welcomes drinks right through to the meal and dancing. This can be pre-programmed and done at the touch of a button if you use an intelligent lighting system.

Light the way

If you expect your guests to use outdoor space in the evening, ensure that steps and uneven services are well lit to avoid accidents. Create a magical atmosphere by hanging lanterns in your venue’s outside space, or if you are on a budget, why not try tea lights in old glass jam jars and use them to light up the paths or shrubbery?

Great lighting can be set up around any size of budget – think about what you want to do first, talk to your venue and then take advice from an event planner or lighting designer. Even the simplest of lighting schemes can impress your guests if they are done right.

Wedding Day Traditions explained

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There are lots of weird and wonderful wedding day traditions – your own wedding day might include a few ancient superstitions to avoid bringing ‘bad luck’ without you even realising! Here are a couple you might not know about…

Rain on your wedding day is thought to be unlucky – not only for the soggy guests, but the rest of the marriage too! However, it is considered good luck for a bride to meet a spider, chimney sweep or black cat on her way to the wedding ceremony.

One of the most familiar superstitions is that it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding ceremony. This one isn’t such a romantic tradition – it originated in a time when arranged marriages were common, and seeing each other was more likely to result in one or both parties doing a runner!

Have you ever wondered why the groom carries his new bride over the threshold? In medieval Europe, it was believed that evil spirits might make their way into the house through the soles of the bride’s feet!

Much of the bride’s outfit has been based upon superstitions, including a white wedding dress to signify virginity and purity. Some think that a sugar cube in your glove will sweeten your union, whilst almost every bride knows the traditional poem, ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’.

Wearing ‘something old’ is meant to represent the life that the bride is leaving behind, while the ‘something new’ represents her new life as a married woman. The ‘something borrowed’ should come from someone who has had a long and happy marriage, and blue is meant to symbolise purity, fidelity and love.

The final part of the poem is ‘and a silver sixpence in her shoe’. Traditionally the bride’s father would slip a sixpence coin into his daughter’s left shoe on the way to the altar, to bring luck and wish the happy couple a long and prosperous life together. Today, you can buy special wedding sixpences to recreate this tradition.

For many years it was also tradition for the bride and groom to give each other gold and silver coins after exchanging rings, and this act is recorded in the first book of common prayer published in 1549. Gold Sovereign coins and silver Britannia coins are a perfect way to observe that tradition today.

Used to symbolise prosperity, love and unity, coins have a long-standing history within many wedding traditions across the world.

In Wales, silver coins are inserted into the popped champagne or wine corks and given to the bride and groom as a lasting memento of their day of celebration.

In Sweden, the bride’s mother gives her a gold coin to put in her right shoe and the bride’s father gives her a silver coin to put in her left shoe to represent their wish that she will never be without.

In Spain and Latin America, a coin is given by the groom to his bride after the blessing of the rings. It symbolises his willingness to share all that he has or will have. The coin is kept as a family keepsake and passed down from mother to her eldest son on his wedding day.

In Poland, coins are tossed over the newlyweds instead of confetti as they leave the ceremony. The couple is required to pick up all of the coins together as a sign of their new unity.