Beauty Weddings are back!

After a bit of a break from wedding planning to take care of family business, we are now back and raring to go.

We have lots coming up in the next year and lots of bookings for On The Day Coordination.  Blog writing for the amazing Ice The Cake, showcasing some really great companies, running competitions and lots lots more.

I have to admit I was albeit pleasantly surprised by the uptake in couples option for on the day coordination services.   This includes 3 to 4 meetings with the couple apart from the Initial Consultation, to get details of all their suppliers, help with timings for the day, confirming suppliers on the couples behalf and problem solving any issues that arise on the lead up to the day.   On the day itself, working with all the suppliers and for them to have one point of contact throughout the day, incase of any delays etc.  Making sure the day goes to plan and that the couple themselves are looked after and their guests are happy.

Many venues have their own wedding cooordinator, but their duties are tied to the venue and not the couple. The venue coordinators will make sure things are in place on site, but anything else they won't deal with.  More and more couples are telling me they don't want their friends and family running around at the last minute on the day itself, but want them to enjoy it as much as they will.

We have also a new look website, easy to navigate and easy to contact us.

Watch out for updates and offers over the next couple of months, there might even be a Christmas special offer ...

See you soon.

Fi

Planning Your Wedding - Part 6 After the Wedding

All your hard work planning and organising has now reaped its rewards and the wedding is over and you are now a married.   You may have had your honeymoon, so what now?   Many couples don't realise just how intense the whole planning of a wedding can be until its all over and you might be feeling a little deflated and at a loss of what to do next. 


There are still some things to be done, your photographs will be ready to view and your favourite images need to be chosen, your thank you notes need to be sent out to your guests, your dress needs to be cleaned and stored, it's time to tie up the loose ends as life returns to normal.


Photographs & Video
Whether or not you had a professional photographer and videographer, you will still have hundreds if images to go through and you will have fun doing this, choosing your favourites and creating your wedding album.    Watching any videos that may have been taken throughout your day, you will see many things that you missed, this is a fun part of reviewing your day and over the coming weeks you will look back fondly on your day.

There are a number of ways that you can let friends and family have a copy of your favourite images, one of mine was to create a photobook from Kodak Galleries . This allowed me to upload my favourites and create this delightful photo album for our parents and family.  Not only is it affordable (starts from £5.99) it is a wonderful keepsake.  I also made an extra copy for myself so I could show friends and colleagues.  This allows you to show off your images without your wedding album getting worn and possibly damaged. It also allows you to include images that maybe friends and family have taken too.


Thank You Notes/Cards
You have hopefully taken careful note of the gifts you have received and from whom on the run up to and just after the wedding.  It's so important to do this, after all, your guests have taken the time to think about and choose a gift for you.  It's only right that you thank them properly after the wedding.   There a whole range of ways that you can do this, you can buy pre printed notes, but I always think it is nicer to add a personal message to each guest.  You might get stuck with what to say, here are a few ideas .

Whatever you choose to do, try and send these out within a month of your wedding, don't leave it too long.


Dress Cleaning
Many dry cleaners will offer to clean your dress, wrap it and box it up for you to store, the cost can be from around £65 upwards, depending where you get it cleaned.   The cleaners should be insured and reputable and take advice from friends and family who may have used them in the past.   What should you expect?  Your dress should be cleaned by an expert team, pressed and folded into acid free tissue paper, to avoid discolouration of the fabric then placed in a specially made box to protect your dress from light but allow the fabric to breathe.  I know that this might seem like another expense, but the likelihood is that you have spent a significant sum  of money on your dress, it's not a huge sum to pay to have it cleaned.

I will share with you what I did with my dress although I would not recommend it as a normal course of action.   My gown cost £1200 and after the wedding it had red wine stains, fake tan stains and under the train was grubby.    One evening about a year after the wedding I had the mad idea of putting it in the washing machine!   I turned it inside out and rolled it into a ball, put the washing machine on a gentle wash, after they cycle was finished I took it out and it was absolutely fine, I hung it up on a coat hanger to dry over night.  The next morning it was like new again (phew!!). It is now stored away in my wardrobe.   As I said before I took a risk with my dress and have to say that 45 minutes  it was in the machine were the longest of my life!  Would I do it again?  Not in a million years, which is why I will always recommend having it cleaned professionally.  I got lucky, but I do know that if it had gone horribly wrong I would have been devastated.


So what next?
All your loose ends are now tied up you have found a home for all your gifts and life is settling down.  If you are still feeling at a loss, take on a new project like decorating a room, taking up a new hobby (or picking up an old one), catch up with friends, invite them round for dinner.  Most of all spend quality time with your new spouse, after all that's what the whole event was all about, both of you starting your new life together.


I hope you have enjoyed our series on Planning Your Wedding and that you have picked up some useful hints and tips along the way.   Beauty Weddings are here to assist, advise and guide you through one of the happiest and exciting phases in your life.   Don't get married without us! 

Planning Your Wedding - Part 5 The Wedding Day

The big day is here at last! This is your day, where you and your future spouse start out on your new lives together as a married couple.  This is a day of celebration and it should start as it means to go on.

Available to buy from Gorgeous Gifts

For the Bride
Get up early, shower and have a light breakfast.   Breakfast on today of all days will be the most important meal that you eat, as it could be hours before you get to eat or drink again, and this will provide the much needed energy you are going to need.  

Do not start stressing about things that might be going wrong, there is very little that can't be sorted, replaced, rearranged in the worst does happen.  My previous post titled It's my wedding day what could go wrong addresses this.  What you need to do is delegate and it will be taken care of.





Enjoy having your hair and make up done, have a glass or 2 of bubbly but not enough to get your tipsy, you don't want to remember your wedding day for the wrong reasons! 





Cherish the moments when getting dressed, if you are calm and relaxed you will be surprised by just how emotional and special the moment can be, as you share a special moment with your friends and family, and remember those who maybe can't be with you, in the last minutes before you make a life transition by creating a family of your own.


Many brides have a few jittery moments in the hours leading up to the wedding, this is the day that you have been meticulously planning and organising and its finally here and you start to panic hoping that it all goes to plan,  just take a moment, take deep breaths and it will pass. Everyone knows what they should be doing, trust them to get on with it.


You are dressed, have your flowers in your hand and you look and feel beautiful, the car has arrived and its time to go. (or if getting married in the venue, its time to join your guests! )    Before leaving, take a deep breath, relax and SMILE.  


Walking down the aisle can be a very emotional moment, no matter where you get married.  The ceremony may be the shortest part of the day but it is the most important and most meaningful part of the day.  When you say your vows to each other, face each other and look into each others eyes, its each other you are making those promises to, to the celebrant.     I have seen so many couples over the years that don't look at each other when saying their Vows, they have missed out on such a special moment where it feels as if it's only the 2 of you in the room.   I know that sounds soppy and romantic, but isn't that how it should be on your wedding day?  The rest of the day is going to go past in a flash, enjoy every second of your wedding ceremony that you can.


The Groom

Exactly the same as the bride: get up early, shower and have a light breakfast.


You should have everything ready the night before so that there is no last minute panics, your attire is hanging up and ready to wear (Tip  if you have a new shirt wash it a few days before - this will avoid any irritation caused by over starched collars and smell fresh too!)  You have the rings, your speech prepared, never leave it to the last minute, have everything laid out the night before that way you won't forget anything.


Avoid going to the pub before the wedding, have 1 or 2 of course, but don't get drunk,  there will be plenty of time for that later on in the day.   This is your wedding day too, enjoy every moment of it.

At the ceremony, when you hear the music begin, turn and face your bride as she walks down the aisle towards you, it's okay to shed a tear when you see her, you are making the woman you love your wife in just a few minutes and the moment can be very emotional.





As she arrives at your side, tell her how beautiful she looks and that you love her, she will appreciate it more than you will know.






After the ceremony if you plan on drinking, try not to consume too much before making your speech, nothing worse than a drunken groom trying to tell his new wife how lovely she looks as he tries to stay upright.  I don't think I have every come across a Groom who isn't nervous before making his speech.  Hoping that he has covered everything and has practised enough.   If you make a mistake just laugh it off.  My husband referred to me as "my bride to be & I"!  which resulted in much heckling from family and friends, we just laughed it off, what he was meant to say was "my wife and I".  I still tease him about it sometimes.


Dinners over and now its time to party... enjoy.


Both of you
When you say your vows to each other, face each other and look into each others eyes, its each other you are making those promises to, to the celebrant.     I have seen so many couples over the years that don't look at each other when saying their Vows, they have missed out on such a special moment where it feels as if it's only the 2 of you in the room.   I know that sounds soppy and romantic, but isn't that how it should be on your wedding day?  The rest of the day is going to go past in a flash, enjoy every second of your wedding ceremony that you can.



The Ceremony is over, it's time for photographs, videos, cocktail reception, wedding breakfast and of course the wedding reception itself.   You will probably only come together occasionally throughout the rest of the day as you mingle with your guests and pose for many more photos as the day progresses.   Take time out with your new husband for half an hour, whether that's finding a quiet spot in the venue, going for a short walk in the grounds or going to your room, just to enjoy a few precious moments of quiet and share your thoughts on the day so far.


Enjoy every moment of your wedding day, it about both of you and the promises that you make to each other as you start out on your married life together.






Next Week:  Planning your Wedding - Part 6  After the Wedding

Special Sparkles by Tiny Gems

As a bride you want to make sure that your look is perfect and complete. Choosing the right accessories can be one of the biggest headaches a bride can have and as its completely personal no one can really know what it is you want...or do they?

Sarah from Tiny Gems can help with just that, she will be able to interpret exactly what you want and how you want it. I asked Sarah to tell me a bit more about her work and what inspires her. Here is what she said:

"I was born in North Wales and we moved to Liverpool when I was 3 years old. Tiny-Gems was created when I was made redundant from the bank I had worked in for many years. I am based in Wirral/Cheshire however as I am internet based my jewellery travels far and wide even to Singapore and Australia, distance really is no object.

My main aim is to create something to make your wedding day stand out from the crowd. The website only gives examples of my work and I love nothing more than a bride to be getting in touch and sending me images of their dress and explaining the themes and ideas for their big day so that I can then create something especially for them whether it be jewellery, tiara or heirloom bouquet.

I officially have the best job in the whole world, I love all things wedding and get so over excited discussing plans with people and sharing their thoughts and ideas. Everyone wants everything about their wedding to be special and my main aim is to ensure that happens, even if that includes helping out a bride sourcing items for their wedding that they are struggling with. 

I love developing relationships with my customers and I consider them all to have become good friends. The personal touch is something I am very proud to offer to all of my customers.

"I am inspired by all kinds of things the list is endless, I love old Hollywood Glamour it so timeless and elegant and can be worked into either modern or vintage styling effortlessly. I especially look up to the one and only Audrey Hepburn a real style icon, whose images are as up to date now as they were when they were taken a true celebrity.



When I start designing a new heirloom bouquet I will select one brooch that I want to be the centre focal piece and will work all the rest of the pieces around it. Although it has been known for me to take apart and re-work a bouquet 10 times plus until I am happy with the look of it. I am a very hands on person so once I have made the main part of the bouquet I will then play around with ribbons and materials to make the collar and handle to the brides colour requirements and send lots of pictures throughout the process to ensure we are both working towards our vision for her finished heirloom bouquet."

When I saw the beautiful pieces that Sarah has created, I knew I had to share them with you. I hope you will be as inspired as I was and I will be recommending these to my brides in the future.

For more images and how to contact Sarah visit her website www.tiny-gems.co.uk

You can follow her on twitter www.twitter.com/hhjtinygems and Facebook www.facebook.com/tinygems

Stunning Stationery

Today I am delighted to be showcasing the fantastic work of Ruby at Paper Whispers.   The beautiful work that she creates is as individual as the clients she creates it for.


I asked Ruby what inspired her to start her business and she said   "I love creating beautiful wedding stationery that is truly unique. I was bitten by the design bug when planning my own wedding in 2008. I searched high and low for stylish modern stationery but I could not find any and ended up designing my own."

The first of our signature lines is actually based on my own wedding invitation. It is in a pocketfold style with a thoroughly modern twist. We incorporate photographs ranging from subtle engagement pictures to landscapes from the couple's own collection. We recently completed a beautiful black and white Parisian themed order with the Eiffel tower taking centre stage.

Our second signature invitation line is the vintage inspired collection. I love the vintage crystal beading of the 1920's and 1930's and I was keen to merge it in with stationery. Several of our cards carry delicate crystal beading carefully placed by hand. The amount of beading is easily changed as all our designs are customisable allowing the bride to control how much sparkle she would like

Our brand new line for 2011 is the Alice in Wonderland range. I am very excited about this range as it is full of lovely little miniatures. We have mini place cards (about the size of a 50 coin) and beautiful little tea time tags perfect for vintage tea parties.

We have also introduced the love jar guestbook which is a delicate glass jar that can be filled with handwritten love notes by guests at the wedding.

If you would like to see more of the wonderful designs that Ruby creates visit her website Paper Whispers or email her at customer.services@paperwhispers.com 

Utterly Enchanting

The definition of the word Enchanting is : fascinate, attract; captivate, enrapture : Source 

This is exactly what the gorgeous Tiaras and Jewellery  Enchanted Touches delivers.  I know I was particularly drawn to some of the stunning pieces that Fiona has created.   Today I delighted to be sharing some of her work so you too can be enchanted by them.

Add some sparkle

Icicle Tiara

Enchanted Touches was created by Fiona Bowles in 2010. After modelling bridalwear for 5 years.   Fiona was inspired to create her own range of tiaras and jewellery.  Having had the opportunity to wear an extensive variety of bridal accessories, it gave her a rare experience in understanding what is comfortable, a background of popular and different designs and most importantly - which styles looks great!

After speaking to many brides-to-be whilst modelling Fiona appreciates that every bride has distinctive and individual tastes and every wedding day is unique and special. 

One of my favourite pieces

Satyrium

Stationery collections were added Enchanted Touches, which use top quality materials at highly competitive prices. Up to 3 stationery samples can be sent free of charge and Fiona is more than happy to discuss your colour schemes and wedding themes to incorporate into the designs.

Bird of Paradise

Each piece is Fiona's own design and she would love to hear about your own ideas to make it the perfect piece for your dream wedding day.  You can contact her at fiona@enchantedtouches.co.uk and view her website Enchanted Touches  to see many more of these stunning designs.

Wedding Favours with a difference

Newlyweds

I have had the great privilege of talking to a talented lady Tracey Taylor who makes Wine Glass Favours.  I was so impressed by these that I have even featured them on my website.

These charms not only look great but won't break the bank either and will give your guests something that they can use time and time again, and be a lasting memory of your wedding day.

Wedding Rings

Heart

   

Silver Heart

Tracey has a wide range of these favours and they can be used for numerous occasions not just for weddings. All items are handmade and personalised to match your exact event and colour requirements.  They can be made in any quantity using a vast range of beads from plastic and glass to fine Swarovski crystals.


For weddings Tracey will also supply beautiful organza bags to give them that finishing touch.


You can contact Tracey via her website Wine Glass Charms and connect to via Facebook

Thank You