Tag Archives: wedding

Get your dream day for less

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A is for Asking for help

Clever couples know that accepting the help of loved ones will save them a heap of cash. From making your wedding cake to helping put together the favours, use your friends’ and family’s skills.

B is for Bartering

If you don’t ask, you won’t get! When it comes to buying your wedding flowers, details and even booking your venue, there are always negotiations to be made. Can your venue throw in free corkage? Or perhaps your tailor made suits can get a discount for buying in bulk? Don’t be shy – it’s always worth an ask.

C is for Cocktails

For a cheap-but-chic drinks reception, ditch traditional bubbly and serve pitchers of your own bespoke cocktail. Give them a romantic name, too, like ‘Marital Bliss’ or ‘Love Struck’. Adding fruit juice makes pricier alcohol go a long way.

D is for DIY

Crafty brides will not only make their day personal and unique but also save a bundle, too. Make your own stationery, cake, wedding bouquets, hanging decorations and even set up a photobooth – it can be a really fun party of the planning process and the cost of materials will be less than ordering from a professional. Just make sure you don’t take on too much at once, or you could run out of time!

E is for Excel

Budget spreadsheets are an absolute must when planning your wedding. You must keep on top of your finances, and ensure you are going to meet all the payment deadlines.

F is for Flog it!

Increase your bank balance and wedding fund by having a mass clear out. Take all your things to a car boot sale or jumble sale and put every penny you make into the wedding piggy bank.

G is for Games

For great wedding entertainment or a small budget, hire lawn games such as giant Jenga, croquet or even a bouncy castle! It will go down well with all your guests… especially after a few cocktails!

H is for Honeymoon research

Do your research before you book your honeymoon. There are plenty of websites out there that showcase the very best packages, deals and last-minute offers. The later you leave booking the better price you’ll get on your trip.

I is for Imagination

Think outside the box. No cash for table centres? Display your favours on retro cake stands. Ghastly entrance? Use white drapes to cover any eyesores.

J is for Join our forum

You’ll find top saving tips and advice from other brides-to-be on a Wedding ideas forum, as well as get the opportunity to buy their wedding dress second hand.

K is for Keep to the plan

When you’ve set your budget, it’s very easy to be tempted to buy the odd little extra here and there, but these details soon add up. Make sure you stick to the plan and get only what you need.

L is for lists

To-do lists are an absolute must. With so many suppliers to deal with and details to buy, don’t leave it to chance that you’ll remember everything. There’s something quite satisfying about ticking things off as you go.

M is for Music

Every wedding needs good wedding  music to get the party going – but if a DJ is out of your price range, ask a budding rockstar friend to do a live set as their wedding gift to you.

N is for Nature

What better inspiration for your big day than the great outdoors? Hand pick flowers from your garden for your table centres, use pine cones as place card holders or fruit as favours.

O is for Old treasures

Rummage around in your cupboards and attic for old toys and treats that could be used at your wedding. Maybe an old birdcage could be painted and used for decoration, an old suitcase could be scrubbed up and used to hold the gift cards, or an old camera could be used to take old-fashioned photobooth snaps.

P is for Pom Poms

Easily made using sheets of tissue paper (the internet is packed with ‘how to’ guides), pom poms look fantastic hanging above your tables, outdoors or from the beams of your marquee, so rustle up style for pence rather than pounds.

Q is for Quality not Quantity not quantity

Don’t feel that you have to buy everything that has the word ‘wedding’ next to it. Be selective about what you buy and your wedding will look spectacular.

R is for Recommendations

If you’re at the age where all your friends and family seem to be getting engaged or married, take their advice! Ask them about the best value-for-money suppliers they’ve dealt with.

S is for Savvy shopping

Is there a Blue Cross sale on next weekend? What about the January sales? Can you get a discount at the National Wedding Show? Hold fire on buying finishing touches until the end of season sales.

T is for Tough love

One of the biggest costs per head is the guest list. Don’t be afraid to cut distant family members and friends that come in and out of your life. It’s the toughest job, but it will save you the most money in the long run.

U is for Unpopular dates

From a Monday or Tuesday through to Friday 13th, if it isn’t on a regular weekend, it will inevitably be cheaper. Don’t be afraid to negotiate when booking your venue – they’ll probably bite your hand off!

V is for VAT

You may think you’re getting a bargain, but often the price you see in front of you is minus tax. When this gets added in, it can all seem a lot more expensive. Make sure you check what’s included in the price before you set your heart on anything.

W is for Win

There are literally thousands of wedding-related competitions out there, so enter them all! You never know, you may land your dream honeymoon, decorations or accessories without spending a penny!

X is for X marks the spot

Entertaining children at a wedding is an added expense you could do without. Why not set up treasure hunt for them? It’ll keep them occupied for hours!

Y is for Your day, your way

There’s no point in buying those shoes just because your mum thinks they’re perfect for you. Spend your budget how you see fit, and don’t waste it!

Z is for Zero percent

You should always protect yourself when buying things for your wedding. Use a credit card with 0% APR or maybe choose a bank that gives you cash back the more you spend.

How to pay for your wedding

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With the average cost of a wedding now reaching the dizzying heights of £21,000, big days are demanding big budgets to match, and many couples are left wondering how on earth they will finance their fairytale day…

Times change

Traditionally the task fell to fathers of the bride who would foot the bill for their daughter’s wedding, a spinoff custom from dowries of the past. While news that this tradition has had its day will garner a sigh of relief from your father, it does mean that there’s more to manage for you as a couple instead. Brace yourselves!

Budget first

Gather quotes from key wedding suppliers like wedding venues, wedding flowers and wedding photographers, as well as a ballpark figure for your dress (don’t forget the alterations!), and you can begin to work out a wedding budget.

 

Factor in breathing space for unexpected extras, then divide the total cost by the amount you can afford to save each month. This will give you the number of months it’ll take to save up enough to pay for your wedding, so you’ll know when you can afford to set the date for.

 

A lot of brides will tell you that doing the sums and making the spreadsheet is the easy part – sticking to it is much harder, but stick to it you must! It is possible, though, as these five couples prove with their own tips to avoid blowing your budget.

 

Family matters

 

By starting out with a wedding budget that you can afford yourselves, you needn’t stress so much about how much others might be able to help you, if at all. While fathers no longer have to fork out for everything, many parents still like to contribute in some way. Be aware that this won’t always come as a direct offer of money – your mother might offer to buy your dress; your in-laws might give you a free bar for the evening, or your aunt might make your wedding cake.

 

Just because one set of parents paid one amount doesn’t mean the others should do too – indeed, there is no requirement for families to contribute at all. Be grateful for whatever you may receive and treat it as a bonus rather than an expectation. Everyone’s circumstances, timings and wishes will likely be different.

Something borrowed

If you’ve drawn up a budget but are unable to finance it yourselves, try reining in your spending in the areas less essential to you. You can also use these tips to have your dream day for less.

Failing that, there is the option to borrow money to fund your wedding. Do so with caution: will you really want to be paying for your big day months, possibly even years, later? Remember that the interest will only make your costs climb further.

 

It’s a personal decision that should be made only after careful consideration, so take the time to mull your options over. An alternative you could try is to set up your gift list as a wedding fund and have guests contribute in place of giving presents on the day.

How to choose your wedding party

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1. Think about your overall event size. If you’re having a 25-person or less wedding, having a large wedding party would just be awkward. Scale down your party in accordance with your event size.

2. Are you having a formal or casual wedding? For the most part, casual weddings are more suited to smaller wedding parties, where formal weddings can support a larger one.

3. Try to keep it balanced. While it’s perfectly fine to have more women than men (or vice versa) in your wedding party, do your best to keep it close to balanced so it doesn’t look odd in photos. If you find yourself with a large difference, consider narrowing down your wedding party to just one or two on each side to keep it under control.

4. Start with siblings. Especially if you’re having a small wedding party, invite siblings before you invite friends. Your family has always and will always be a part of your lives, so they should come first.

5. Consider their circumstances. Being in a wedding party requires a significant investment of time and money. Make sure that your invitation to serve as a wedding attendant won’t be a hardship on anyone.

6. Remember there are other ways to honour people. If you have a lot of people you want to stand up for you at your wedding but there isn’t room in the wedding party, consider inviting people to serve as ushers, guest book attendants, gift collectors, speakers, singers, or other important roles on your special day instead.

7. Pick people you can rely on. Your wedding party is meant to include people who do more than just stand beside you and smile for pictures. You’ll need to rely on them for any number of things before and during the wedding. Choose your party accordingly.

8. Consider how long you’ve known them. Once you’ve asked your family, it’s time to consider which friends you’d like to ask to stand up for you. I recommend beginning with the friends you’ve known the longest, the ones who have been there with you through thick or thin. Those are the friends who are most likely to help you out when you need it, and who will remain a part of your life after the wedding.

These are our quick tips on choosing your wedding party, but the fact is, there aren’t any hard and fast rules. Do what works best for you and your wedding.

Share your Wedding with everyone

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Wedding ceremonies are all about sharing. While the big day ultimately belongs to you, the couple getting hitched, it’s also a special and significant moment for the people who know and love you best. So, how can you involve your guests to make your wedding day into a truly shared experience for everyone. Here are some ideas.

Ceremonial rituals

For centuries, people have used rituals to help cement their unions. One relatively new wedding ritual is the lighting of the unity candle, where close family members of the betrothed couple light a separate candle each before the ceremony. The newlyweds then take their respective candles and bring them together to light one single flame.

In a twist to include everyone in your new union, you could hold a version of this ceremony in reverse, letting each guest light a candle of their own from your united flame.

Confetti throwing

Showering confetti over the happy couple is another time-honoured wedding ritual. Make sure everyone is prepared for the big moment by handing out confetti dispensers like wands or cannons to all your guests. This is a job that you can delegate to a trustworthy member of the wedding party. Alternatively, why not set up a ‘confetti bar’ beforehand, so that everyone can mix and match their own unique concoction?

Music mixtape

Once you’re on the dancefloor, you’ll want everyone to come and join the party. Why not make everyone feel included by playing one song for each guest? (You can ask them to nominate their chosen track when they RSVP to your invitation). The DJ can announce any special dedications or significant songs with comments from the nominator. The mixtape approach will make your reception into a truly communal experience that everyone will appreciate… and they’ll have no excuse not to get up on their feet and boogie!

Photo opportunities

Posing for wedding photos is the perfect opportunity to get everyone involved while creating some stunning shots! You could set up an aerial shot and get everyone to stand in formation to make a heart shape or a word. Or if you have suitable space, why not lead everyone in a procession around the grounds of your wedding venue? It’ll be a special, shared experience to cherish, and you’ll be able to treasure some ‘action shots’ of all your guests together.

Like and share

Yes, today’s wedding ceremonies can now be digital events! Why not create a real-time Twitter Wall at your reception, where you can project your guests’ tweets by giving them a dedicated #weddinghashtag?

It’s also good to give your guests somewhere they can all share their respective photos of the day. Wedding apps like WedPics allow your guests to upload all their snaps to one central place, making sure you don’t miss a thing! Alternatively, set up a Facebook event for your wedding day. This will ensure that everyone can communicate and stay in touch after the big day, if they so wish.

Tips for the wedding speech

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A wedding is the best day of your life if you are the bride and groom but there are many guests in attendance who are secretly getting more nervous as the day progresses. You see, there are a lot of people in the world who hate public speaking and unfortunately, a wedding is full of them. Whether you’re the groom, best man, maid of honour or father of the bride we’ve compiled a host of tips to help make your wedding speech the best one on the day.

Don’t Improvise

Sure, you may be funny in the pub with your mates but this is a big day and requires preparation. There can be a number of things you’ll want to say and there’s nothing worse than somebody given a microphone to speak, who ends up dithering their way through it. Think of it a little like an interview – you should go in with a prepared speech and if something comes to mind halfway through, by all means say it but don’t go too far off script. By practicing in the mirror or reciting it before bed, you should find a place where you feel happiest constantly rehearsing your speech. Don’t start planning a wedding speech too late either; the more time you have to plan it, the better it should be. If in doubt, have a trusted friend read it over to you and offer advice. Relax, you got this.

Humour is a Must

This is primarily aimed at the Best Man as it’s their speech which is the one most people look forward to after the dinner. A few jokes are great as it makes the audience like you and once the laughter flows, you’ll grow in confidence as your speech continues. Although yes, you might well be talking to a crowd of over a hundred people, everybody is wanting you to do well and the drink is flowing, meaning it’s as nice an audience as you’ll ever have. Again, if you’re unsure about some jokes, have a friend read them over. Most people know somebody who’s naturally funny as well; tap them up for possible areas where you can add in moments of humour.

Make it Emotional

There’s no doubting it, weddings are emotional places. The parents on the top table are often well into their second packet of travel Kleenex by the time you get to the speeches and if you tug at the heart strings during your speech, you can rest assured that they’ll be onto their third by the time you sit back down. Move from humorous anecdotes to more heartfelt contemplations on love and what the newlyweds have found. This blend of deep thoughtfulness and lighter moments combines to create a truly captivating speech.

Don’t Overdo It

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from weddings over the years, it’s that there definitely is ‘too much of a good thing’. Nobody wants to be sat watching a speech and urging it to end. Keep it clear and concise and ideally around about five minutes maximum. If there’s a lull in the speech then the audience will feel it and so will you. By all means pepper your speech with memories and hopes for the future, but by keeping it short and sweet, your speech will be remembered fondly for having no ‘fluff’ around the edges.

If In Doubt, Leave it Out

It’s a classic adage, but if it rings true anywhere then it’s at a wedding. So whether you’re pondering putting in that one anecdote that might disgruntle the bride or groom, or perhaps if you’re not entirely sure whether a joke is appropriate for the friends and family in attendance, then go with your gut and leave it on the cutting room floor. Sure, it might be a classic tale from your youth or have a genuinely funny punchline, but it’s just not worth the trouble if it doesn’t come across well. Besides, you can always share it with individuals once the entertainment has begun.

Perfect pictures to capture

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You won’t want to forget moments of your Wedding (only of course Uncle Jimmy passing out from one too many!!) So here is a list of photographic ‘must haves’ throughout the day.

  • Before the ceremony

  • Shots of the bride and bridesmaids getting ready

  • The bride and father in the car

  • The groom preparing

  • Wedding dress hanging on a beautiful hanger

  • Wedding Shoes

  • Groom waiting (nervously!) outside venue

  • Shot of the bridesmaids

  • During the ceremony

  • The bride’s grand entrance

  • The guests’ faces on seeing the bride

  • The groom waiting at the altar

  • The ring exchange

  • The kiss

  • Register signing

  • Bride and groom leaving

  • A confetti shot

  • It’s traditional to have photographs of:

  • Bride, groom, best man and ushers

  • Bride, groom, and both sets of parents

  • Bride and groom as new couple

  • Bride and groom with bridesmaids

  • Bride and groom with brothers and sisters

  • Bride and groom with grandparents

  • Bride and her mother

  • Groom and his father

  • Bride and groom with friends

  • Whole bridal party and guests

Reception

  • The decorated room and table plan before the guests arrive

  • Bride and groom entering

  • Speeches

  • Cake cutting

  • First dance of the bride and groom

Of course, you can add to and amend this wedding photography checklist however you want. But these are the classic images to build around. Enjoy your big day!

Garden party wedding

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One of the biggest wedding theme trends last year was ‘garden party’, but this year’s brides are set to combine this elegant theme with rustic country details. With these top tips, you can make this ever-evolving theme personal to you.

Outdoor venue

To hold an authentic country garden wedding theme you usually need one of three types of wedding venues – a country barn with fairy lights wrapped around the beams, a marquee reception with hay bales for seating, or a quintessentially English manor house with beautiful gardens filled with blooms where you could set up garden games for your guests to enjoy.

Tea and cake

What’s a country garden party without high tea? Instead of a traditional dessert, put a tiered cake stand on each table filled with scones, muffins and cupcake so guests can help themselves, with a pot of tea and coffee on hand to wash it down. Why not stir up a little competitive spirit among your guests and have a Great Wedding Bake-Off?

Set up a table in the marquee and ask guests to bring their homemade goodies. The bride and groom can then present first, second and third prize before cutting their own wedding cake.

Pastel perfection

From the details through to the bridesmaid dresses floral prints and pastel shades are best suited to a country garden theme.

The best floral prints for this theme are pansies, daisies and roses. Think pink, lavender, turquoise and lemon for perfectly pretty girls. Keep shoes nude and hair accessories minimal – flower headbands, perhaps?

The little details

It’s the little details your guests will notice, so consider some of these country inspired ideas… Handpicked flowers for the wedding bouquets and centrepieces, raffia-tied jam jar favours filled with mini eggs and handmade bunting with Cath Kidston-style material spread all around the venue.

Searching for cheap and cheerful favour ideas? How about attaching a place card to a shiny green apple, or laying a sprig of lavender on your napkins?

Boho bride

For a country look, consider a short or tea-length wedding dress, and for a bit of fun, add a coloured underskirt with matching shoes! Put real flowers in your hair and accessorise with pearls – the chunkier the pearls, the more modern the look.

Make sure you have some wedding wellies on hand for your outdoor reception, as well as some white umbrellas should you need to shelter guests at any point.

Country stationery

Textured stationery with a DIY feel will work really well with this theme. Raffia, cotton or button embellishments are great.

Arrive in style

Instead of a traditional vintage car, consider something a little more authentic, like a tractor! Just make sure you give it a good clean beforehand or you could end up with a muddy dress!

Country garden brides may want to take advantage of the (hopefully) good summer weather and walk to their ceremony – the ultimate eco-friendly way to arrive at your ceremony or reception.

Country entertainment

The obvious answer here is country music, maybe a live folk band for the evening? This type of fun upbeat entertainment will appeal to all ages and will certainly get everyone on their feet.

Plus size Wedding dresses

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Over half the UK female population wears a dress size 16 or over, so we think it’s only fair that all brides get to find the wedding dress of their dreams, no matter their shape or size!

Gone are the days where larger sizes weren’t even manufactured, let alone stocked – these days’ bridal designers are wising up to the fact that not every bride is a size 8, and are creating beautiful, flattering dresses for sizes 18 and over. Some of the very favourite names in the bridal industry have increased their range of sizes so that larger ladies can rock their stunning designs: Alfred Angelo, Maggie Sottero and True Bride all cater for plus-size brides, with UK sizes going up to 30, 32 and 36 respectively!

Finding your dream plus size wedding dress should be one of the most exciting moments of any girl’s life, and thanks to forward-thinking designers and boutiques, curvy brides have more choice than ever before!

Choose your fabric wisely. Chiffons will skim over lumps and bumps, while heavier satins and taffetas can be ruched for a flattering effect.

Use what you’ve got! The brilliant structuring of dedicated plus-size gowns means you can really work that hourglass shape – don’t be scared of curve-hugging silhouettes like the mermaid!

Think about clever accessories. A well-positioned sash and brooch will draw the eye to the smallest part of your body, and will help to balance out your top and bottom halves.

Speak up! Don’t be afraid to end the appointment if you feel that you’re not being treated well – you deserve to feel fantastic during your wedding dress shopping!

Wedding doesn’t have to be conventional

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If you are not a conventional couple and you don’t want to go by the book of how a Wedding should pan out for the day, why not incorporate your personality into planning your wedding day and have fun!!

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 dance 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.

Why Every Bride Should Wear a Garter

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Are garters a thing of the past? A recent poll had a mixed reaction. It seems some of you love them, while others think they should be consigned to the dustbins of history.

So how do you wear them and what should they look like? Garters are often ivory and blue silk, satin or lace – ivory to match your dress and the pale blue to be your ‘something blue.’ They come in old fashioned lacy Edwardian or racy contemporary styles in all colours and widths, with ribbons or crystals or, if you’re superstitious, a lucky 6pence in a matching bag stitched to the garter. You can even get edible candy garters for the naughty child in you! Garters should be worn mid-thigh and were originally designed to hold up silk stockings by tying a length of silk or cotton around the top, before the invention of elastic, or nylon, or tights for that matter!

Garters for every size of thigh

For slim or sexy thighs they provide an ideal wedding photography opportunity for the wedding album. And for sexy plus-size brides there are plus-size garters out there to fit every thigh. About a Bride offers plus-size bridal garters in dress sizes from 18-54. Yes 54! So there’s no excuse if you want to wear one!

Embroidered keepsake garters

Sweet Nothings Lingerie and Silk Garters both offer a bespoke service where you can have a garter made in your chosen style, colour and fabrics. A biker bride could have a leather garter made, another bride may prefer to have a personalized garter embroidered with her new married name and the date of her wedding to have as a keepsake long after the wedding.

Tossing the garter

These days many brides have two garters, one to treasure as a keepsake of the wedding, the other for her new husband to (ahem) ‘toss’ to the male guests at the reception. Traditional folklore has it that the groom removes the bride’s garter and throws it to his single friends after the wedding in much the same way that his new wife throws the bouquet, but this strikes a startling image of a hapless male struggling to get the darn thing off. No, once slipped onto a sexy thigh, we think it’s better left there for your new husband to peel off later, much, much later.