There’s no such thing as “wedding season” anymore. Weddings are year-round, with many couples looking to monopolise a trend, theme or style for their big day. If you’re attending a wedding in the coming months, you’ve probably already planned out what you’ll be wearing. It’s an important day after all and the best excuse to hit the shops and find a new head to toe outfit.
After picking out a gorgeous dress (careful you don’t upstage the bride – unless you are the bride!) and some equally stunning footwear, you’ll be looking at how to accessorize in a stylish way to tie the ensemble together. This is often the hardest part. But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered. Follow this advice, because there’s no more sure-fire way to make a statement than landing the right wedding hat.
The wedding reception is your chance to celebrate with your friends and family, from getting down on the dance floor to enjoying your wedding cake. However, sometimes your guests will want a break from dancing or chatting with friends, which is why it’s great to always have other options for entertaining your guests.
Have you been given the task of organising a hen party or bridal shower? No pressure, right?! As you’ve probably already guessed, there are a lot of plates to spin to ensure everyone, especially the bride-to-be, has the best possible experience.
Once you’ve booked the perfect venue, sourced or made all the decorations and stocked the fridge with plenty of bubbly it’s time to start thinking about some fun activities to keep everyone in the party mood.
Your first dance is a magical and memorable moment, and all eyes will be on you, so what will you choose!
The first dance song is the most memorable one of any wedding. Couples can spend months deciding on the perfect tune but it shouldn’t become a stressful matter and ought to be very personal to the bride and groom.
Traditionally, the married couple performed the first dance to open up the dancing for their guests. In days gone by, this was usually a waltz, but these days any style of dance goes.
A good hairdresser will do everything in their power to make your wedding day special!
Don’t delay thinking about what to do with your hair until the last minute. It’s worth booking a professional; that way you can sit back and relax with a glass of bubby while they do all the hard work. Here are some top tips for booking your hairdresser and other beauty treatments for the big day.
Searching for the perfect dress? First define your shape
Every bride wants to look fabulous on her wedding day and the best way to see what is right for you is to make appointments at bridal shops and try on a variety of dresses you like. Keep an open mind and take the advice of the experts in the shop as they are well practised at knowing what suits brides of all shapes and sizes.
THE PEAR
The pear-shaped bride is smaller on top than the bottom with hips wider than her shoulders. Princess dresses will help disguise fuller hips and emphasise your better half, balancing you out. Strapless ballgowns also work well in this regard and empire line dresses highlight the smallest part of your body.
Avoid: Tiered, trumpet and mermaid dresses which draw attention to your bottom. Sheath dresses are another no-no.
Wedding transport comes in all shapes and sizes and prices vary greatly so make sure you allocate enough of your budget to match your requirements. Firstly you should decide on what type of vehicle you would like.
If your journey from home or a hotel to the ceremony venue, and/or ceremony venue to reception is anything more than a local journey, make sure the car you book is suitable and comfortable for the length of time you are travelling.
Want to get away and relax in the sun on your honeymoon?
Our travel guide suggests some perfect locations and the best time to visit them.
Bahamas
Comprised of 700 islands in 100,00 square miles of ocean, the Bahamas boasts some of the clearest water on the planet. You can see your toes as easily as you can the world’s third largest barrier reef!
When to go?
November to April, although the trade winds bless the Bahamas with year-round weather, with winter lows averaging around 70f.
When not to go?
Although June to October is the hottest time of the year, these months also see the most rain, with a chance of hurricanes.
Fashion has travelled back to the Jazz Age since the release of Baz Lurhmann’s film of The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio as sartorialist Jay Gatsby and Carey Mulligan as elegant socialite Daisy Buchanan.
The bridal industry in particular has taken inspiration from the lavish film based on the iconic American novel depicting the era when the rich got richer and style ruled.
In this post we take a look at some 1920s inspired dresses – perfect for that vintage Gatsby inspired wedding!
From stately homes to traditional fincas, rustic barns to contemporary hotels with the quirky thrown in, there’s literally hundreds of venues a bride and groom can choose for their big day in Mallorca, whether they want the whole day there, or just the ceremony or reception.
You’ll need to make sure you choose the perfect one for your needs.
Start your planning early – until you start researching you don’t know what legal requirements you might have to fulfil or how long they will take.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions – no question is stupid, you’ll only have your perfect wedding if you make the right choices, and that means asking questions.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help – there are specialist wedding planners who deal with destination weddings and can offer you all the advice you need. Most resorts also have in-house wedding planners.
Visit before you book – if you think you want to marry in a certain location why not take a little holiday there first? You wouldn’t think of booking a venue at home without visiting first after all.
Get everything in writing – especially before you pay any bills.
Arrive early – that way you and your groom can acclimatise, check any last minute details and relax before greeting your guests.
So, you’ve decided that a marquee either at home or in the grounds of a breathtaking venue is the way to go. There are bound to be things you haven’t considered so here’s your guide to making sure all goes smoothly.
Size matters
The size of your marquee will depend on how many guests you invite, how you intend to use the space and how much space is available where you are erecting it. For 100 people seated you’ll need a marquee around 9m by 12m, but you might want to also consider adding on extras like “chill out” tents as well.
Your wedding rings are something that you’ll wear for a lifetime, so make sure you make the right choice
Style
Make sure you are happy with the look and design of your ring. A traditional band is plain gold, however you might want something more modern and unusual. Consider the style of your engagement ring and make sure the two can be worn together comfortably.
Traditionally the bride’s sister or her best friend, the chief bridesmaid needs to be someone who is unflappable, organised and there to provide a shoulder to cry on during the ups and downs of planning a wedding.
Think about important moments during your day. At the ceremony, do you want an organist/a string quartet/a choir? Do you want music while your guests are eating? And, if the wedding includes evening entertainment, will you need to book a band or a DJ, as well as other styles of entertainment such as magician or a caricature artist?
How can you set the right mood?
Choose the musical style according to the formality of the wedding. A grand venue and formal meal will be best accompanied by a live band. A funky DJ is more in keeping with a civil ceremony and coctails. If the rooms are large, remember to check whether speakers will be necessary – and if they are permitted.
How can all tastes be catered for?
Your guests are bound to be a mixture of ages and they won’t all share the same taste in music. You’ll find choosing a mixture of classics and modern songs will appeal to most people. If you want the dance floor heaving, 70s and 80s disco tunes are always popular.
What is your budget?
The more performers you have the greater the cost so, if your budget is limited, think about keeping things simple: have just an organist for the ceremony; compile a CD of your favourite background music to play during the meal; and then book a DJ for the evening.
You need to find someone who shares your vision for your wedding. Arm yourself with pictures from magazines and expect to be inspired.
What time of year are you marrying?
Although just about any flower is available all year round – at a price – using seasonal flowers for your wedding will look right and save you money. Find out from your florist what will be available and in what colours.
How many flowers do you want, and where?
Be clear from the outset about how many floral arrangements you want and where you want them to go. Do you need a lot of flowers at the ceremony? Most time is spent at the reception, so this is where the majority of the flower budget should be spent.
How much of your budget is set aside for flowers?
It’s essential to find a florist who can come up with good ideas to suit how much you have to spend. If they trying to get you to spend more than you’ve allocated, this florist is not the one for you.
What flowers do you like?
Make a list of your favourite flowers. If the blooms you would like are particularly expensive, remember that just a few can make an impact if used creatively.
Blooms, usually a variety of roses, wired together or casually hand-tied. They work best at a contemporary wedding with a simple, modern dress.
Pomander
A tight ball of flowers, usually without foliage, suspended on a ribbon that the bride hangs on her wrist. These are also very popular for bridesmaids of all ages.
Posy
Small, simple and usually hand-tied with ribbon. Lily of the valley makes the perfect minimalist posy.
Round
The classic bouquet, usually consisting of larger flowers such as roses and peonies loosely arranged and tied with ribbon.
Shower
A waterfall-like spill of flowers wired to cascade from a handle. This is the most traditional and formal of the bouquet shapes and suits full-skirted dresses.
Do you know anyone who has been married recently or have you seen a wedding album that you like? Look at the real weddings section on www.youandyourwedding.co.uk for inspiration or contact a professional association such as the Master Photographer’s Association.
How much of the day you want photographed?
Do you want photographes of every part of the day or just the ceremony and important moments such as cutting the cake? How much does the price drop if the photographer is there for only part of the day?
What is your budget?
Prices vary enormously and you’ll need to do your homework, comparing what’s on offer to find the best photographer. It is important that you like him or her too!
Popular wedding photographers get booked up quickly, so start looking as soon as possible.
Decide on the style of photos you prefer. Do you want traditional shots or a more relaxed, reportage style? Choose someone who specialises in your preferred look. Reportage photography may look easy but it takes a certain sill to capture unposed moments well.
The shape and colour of your bridal bouquet or posy will be guided by your dress.
Have you chosen a formal gown, which will be best complemented by an elegant bouquet filled with structured flowers and foliage? Usually these bouquets feature a single colour theme. Or will be wearing a cocktail, prom-style or flowing empire-lline dress, which will enhanced by gentle, delicate posies? For these styles, you could try wildflowers or cottage garden blooms in a mix of colours, loosely tied together.
Getting married abroad is becoming more and more popular and appeals to couples who have been married before or who simply want something informal in an often amazing location. A wedding abroad is usually a cost-effective way of marrying but you’ll have to accept that a lot of family and friends won’t be able to join because of financial or time constraints (which may, or may not be a good thing!).
Be a master of mixology: My guide to stirring and shaking the signature cocktails that have defined the decades.
1950s – MARTINI
Until de late 1950s, a Martini was nearly always made with gin, not vodka. Served ‘wet’ or ‘dry’, a wet Martini has more vermouth than a dry one. For ‘wet’, try a 1:5 or 1:10 ratio of gin to vermouth.
INGREDIENTS
5-10ml dry white vermouth
50ml London dry gin
Fresh ice
Lemon twist or green olive to garnish
METHOD
Pour vermouth into a chilled glass. Add gin to a mixing glass filled with ice and stir for 60 seconds. Strain through a sieve into the chilled vermouth. Garnish with a twist of lemon zest or green olive.
Marquees, tipis, yurts and Bedouin tents offer fantastic opportunities for unusual and striking decorations not only on Mallorca.
Fields and farms can provide the perfect setting. Often farmers will rent out a field for a day or weekend; some will even provide local produce. Ask if you can borrow straw bales for seating, and whether there are toilets nearby for your guests. Always check with the relevant authorities if you need either a marquee or liquor licence for the event, and make sure there is access for your tent hire company and any guests with disabilities. You can set up a small kitchen tent and hire catering equipment, although food prepared beforehand will mean less fuss.
Tipis
Tipis and kata tents consist of a hand-crafted timber pole structure covered with natural canvas. The design allows for easy assembly and is intended to include a real fire in the centre. Giant Hat Kata tipis are huge and can be joined together to form beautiful arrangements with enough space for hundreds of guests. Hire companies can provide gorgeously rustic trestle tables and benches, which you can decorate with foliage and candies. During chilly evenings, lay vintage woollen or sheepskin blankets across the benches.
Favours are traditionally given as a thank-you taken to guests for attending your wedding.
From heavenly chocolates to personalised cards, you can make all manner of gifts that will please your friends, young and old. Think of unusual options that say something about you as a couple.
Truffles
Decadent little rounds of soft chocolate, dusted with fine cocoa powder, melt-in-the-mouth truffles are simple to make at home. Prepare them just a few days beforehand, and keep them cool. Continue reading →
But regardless of whether you have been saving for years or are strapped for cash, you can still have a glorious wedding. Don’t be tempted to borrow money for your celebration – in my experience this simply leads to stress and worry. It is better to start your married lives together without this burden. Continue reading →
Planning a wedding is time-consuming and requires considerable effort.
You may have spent months, even years, preparing for your perfect big day, and carefully choosing your green products and services. And the bulk of this work usually falls on the bride. The result is a day to which a great deal of expectation is attached. Continue reading →