The National Wedding Show 2015

The weekend before last was my first experience of The National Wedding Show. In fact, it was my first experience of attending any form of wedding show or exhibition of this scale. It's taken me a little while to write this post as I've been a tad manic, doing some of my own wedding planning while all the inspiration and ideas are still fresh in my mind from the show.

After being engaged for almost 2 years now and not ever having visited The National Wedding Show before (they happen twice a year), I thought it was time, with 8 months to go until our big day, that we went along. So I bought tickets for Paul and I to the Saturday show at London Olympia. I managed to get the two tickets for just £20 - there's always offers and deals for these in the run up to the show, so it's worth looking out for them before paying full price. I got mine through my subscription to Confetti.co.uk.

On arrival, our first impressions were... pink! The bright pink flooring, floral decorations and flocks of brides, bridesmaids and mothers of brides immediately made Paul feel a little out of place.

Feeling a bit bemused, we wondered a few yards taking whatever flyers were put in our hands, until we came across the champagne bar. We decided then, before anything else, to sit down and sip a drink while having a read of the program to form some sort of plan. (This, I recommend doing!)

Once we got in to the swing of things and figured out what we wanted to look at and do, we were off and the experience was great. There were really only a couple of things left on our wedding planning list to sort, so we focused on chatting to the exhibitors and suppliers of those things, as well as picking up a few extra ideas along the way! I was quite interested in watching the Bare Minerals beauty tips and makeup demonstrations, as Bare Minerals is my wedding makeup of choice. It also gave Paul a chance to break away and browse the Grooms' attire stands. All in all, we each got a lot out of the day - not to mention all the freebies and cake samples to be had!

One of my favorite parts of the day was watching the wedding fashion show and seeing all the beautiful designs by Allure Bridals, Alfred Angelo, Mode Bridal, Moss Bros. and more. The show included wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, suits and mother of the bride outfits  too - something for everyone. The models all did a fantastic job!

Here's some snaps I got of the bridal fashion show: (before I was told to put my camera away for not having an official press pass - oops!)

Truly unique & original wedding gifts

Customisable heart keychain

Attention brides and grooms! Are you looking for that extra special wedding gift to give each other? Or maybe something for your groomsmen or bridesmaids as a thank you gift? Or even looking for wedding favours that your guests will love and keep forever?

Well, look no further. I am all about being unique and standing out from the crowd, especially when it comes to weddings, so when I heard about Shapeways I knew I had to share it with you.

Shapeways is the leading 3D printing service and marketplace. Now, 3D printed gifts may not be the first thing that springs to mind for weddings, but it's a really cool and original way to show off your personality and interests.

T.A.R.D.I.S. Tie clip for the Doctor Who fan

You can choose from a vast range of awesome designs already created by the Shapeways community - everything from keychains to bottle openers and cufflinks. You can even chose the material you would like it printed in, including precious metals. There is quite literally, something to be found for everyone!

With the huge range of stunningly beautiful and somewhat unusual jewellery, you could even find your perfect engagement or wedding rings that are unique as you are.

Guitar ring

If you want something with a bit more of a personal touch, Shapeways also offers an array of customisable gifts, so you can easily add a special touch by having your wedding date or names engraved on a selection of gifts. If nothing takes your fancy, why not create a truly one-of-a-kind gift by uploading your own designs and bring them to life with 3D printing.

If you're completely unfamiliar with how 3D printing works, fear not, the whole process of turning your ideas in to beautiful products is simpler than you'd think. Just design your gift (via an app, software, or hire a designer), upload, and Shapeways will do the rest. You can also make your designs customisable too using the super easy CustomMaker tool.

So why not try it out? A completely new and different idea that you and your wedding guests will love!

Thinking of having an adult-only wedding?

Have you ever been invited to a wedding and told that children aren't allowed? I wanted to write a post on this as it's currently a hot topic among my family and friends as we have decided to have a child-free wedding ourselves.

This came up between me and my Fiancé quite naturally and early on in our wedding planning (it may have actually been one of the first things we decided on!) It was a mutual and easy decision to make as neither of us are really very maternal.

We've all been to weddings where there are babies and/or toddlers crying, shouting, or having a tantrum over the ceremony, making it really quite difficult to hear all the vows and readings. This is something we really didn't want at our wedding, we felt it would be such a shame for the most important part of our day to be unheard - or worse, ruined.

If you're thinking of having an adult only wedding day yourself, there's a few things to consider before you decide for sure...

Guests may be offended if they're asked to leave their little ones at home.

Remember, they're likely to have to find a baby sitter if you've said no children. Be prepared for some guests not to come at all in this case, especially if they'd be travelling far for your wedding, and staying over night.

With this in mind, think about how many of your guests would this actually apply to? It may not be a good idea to say no children if a large number of your friends and families have them. If that's the case, there are other options to occupy your child guests during your wedding ceremony if you want them out the way.

Make sure all guests with children know the rule.

There would be nothing worse than if you've told a guest that their little angel won't be able to join them for the day, then they arrive to find that another guest is there with a child. You can't have one rule for some guests and another for others!

Of course you may rather have all your family and friends present, no matter what their age. It's just a matter of what's more important to you.

Weird & wonderful wedding venues

GUEST POST BY REBECCA MOORE

When planning the dream wedding, most of our minds head towards a country house or the big hotel; however there are a number of wedding venues that will create more of an impact and give your big day the extra sparkle it deserves as well as providing inspiration to set your big day apart from others taking place during wedding season.

Tree house
Add some childhood charm to your wedding with a rustic treehouse venue! Hidden away in an enchanted forest of native English oak and silver birch, a tree top wedding is a perfect setting for an intimate wedding. Perfect for a Peter Pan groom, or for those who divulge in ‘Eco-Chic’, there are many diverse ways that treehouse weddings can be tailored to your taste with accessories such as lanterns and swinging seats.

Gothic Castle
Breath-taking gothic beauty is something that modern hotel weddings cannot compare too. Impressive chandeliers, roaring log fires and sweeping staircases make sure beautiful memories and photos alike. Many come with stunning gardens and tranquil lakes for your guests to enjoy throughout the day and keep them talking for years to come. 

Lighthouse
Those with a passion for anything nautical should most definitely consider celebrating your nuptials in a seaside lighthouse. Due to the size of the rooms, Lighthouse weddings are very intimate affairs. The smell, character and noise of the sea provides a very raw and romantic type of beauty that is often hard to capture.

Inner City Warehouse
The ideal hipster wedding venue; the stark splendour and urban setting of inner city warehouses offer a unique ‘wow’ factor that only the uber trendy could appreciate. If you aren’t quite au fait with a mix & match furniture style, concrete floors and exposed brick – this option may not be for you, but there’s nothing to say that with vases fresh flowers and candles, this type of venue couldn’t meet even the most girly of brides standards.

City Skyscraper
The iconic The Shard building in London hosts wedding ceremonies on the 39th floor, providing stunning views of the City. A classy and elegant venue perfect for any professional couple - Its gets even better for champagne and canapés, as these are held in the glass dome, giving you the sparkling London lights as the sun goes down.

Home wedding
Home weddings are becoming increasingly popular now and if you have room for your guests at your home, it can add an extra personal touch to your wedding day. You may want to hire a marquee, or perhaps your home has an orangery or veranda to provide the perfect setting; wherever you decide to hold your vows, factor in some gardening and home improvement time too! 

Whisky Vault
Not just for the boys, this sophisticated setting has a certain ‘mature’ air to it and will give a traditional Scottish feel to your day. For those brides that aren’t after a super feminine day, this could be the perfect setting.

Tent
It seems that Marquees are out and tents are in. Very much in, in fact. From modern stretch tents, charming pole tents to enormous frame tents – there is something to cater for every desire. Most tents come with a theme that can be catered to suit your style and colour palette; Arabian nights, Cinco De Mayo and Vintage Tea Parties are all looks that can be created with ease.

3 simple ways to cut wedding costs

It's easy for costs to quickly stack up when you're planning your wedding and you may find yourself having to pay for things that you hadn't originally budgeted for. Weddings are generally quite expensive, but there are a few things to keep in mind if you have to lower your expenditure.

Here are 3 simple ways you can cut the cost of your wedding:

1. Buy a second hand dress

Wedding dresses are expensive business. When I first started looking for my dress, I couldn't quite comprehend spending £1,000+ on a dress that I'd wear once, for one day. Why not consider buying a previously worn wedding dress? There's so many second hand wedding dress shops online and even on the high street (like this one) where you'll find designer gowns for a fraction of the original price. Most retailers will only re-sell dresses if they are in new condition and have been dry cleaned anyway, so no one will ever know on the day, and you'll have saved a fortune.

2. Bridesmaids?

If you're paying for your bridesmaids' dresses, shoes, accessories yourself, you could find yourself spending more on them that you thought you would. If you aren't too bothered about them all wearing that dress, I think it's acceptable to ask your bridesmaids (nicely) to choose and buy their own dress. If you're going for a certain look, give them an idea or style to look for. Mismatched bridesmaids are the new thing! Or, go solo... Save yourself more money (and time and hassle) by not having bridesmaids altogether. Some would say they are an old tradition and don't contribute anything that your best friends wouldn't on your wedding day anyway!

3. DIY & help from friends

DIY is an obvious way to save money and the list is endless what you can do. One of the easiest things you can do yourself is make your wedding stationary. There's loads of kits around to help get you started in stores like Hobby Craft. Get you friends over and make a couple of fun evenings of it. You never know, you might catch the DIY bug and go on to do more crafty things for your big day.

The surname debate: do I take his last name?

When you're planning your wedding, you rarely think past the actual wedding day itself. But you should probably consider perhaps the biggest change of all after getting hitched  - taking your new husband's surname.

It may not be common knowledge, but it is not actually a legal requirement in the UK for you take your spouse's surname once you're married. It is entirely your choice whether to or not, and stats suggest that it's becoming more and more popular not to - especially among younger women.

Why do we take our husband's surname?

Well, it's an old English tradition that became customary in the 17th Century. Women previously had no surname at all, and so after getting married, they would take their husband's name to show that they were of their husband's possession. It's a tradition that's been preserved by the majority of women today as a way to symbolise their unity and to pass on the shared surname to their children.

Should I take his name?

There's a number of reasons why a woman would prefer to keep her own name after marriage, the one I most often see is that they believe changing their name could cause their career to suffer, if for example they've built up a reputation around their name.

Some women may see taking their husband's name as a sign of submission and think this suggests that women are inferior to men. The idea that women must change their identity, while the men's identity remains the same after marriage is just outright not fair, and even considered sexist.

I think there's a part of me that would very much like to keep my maiden name when I'm married. I've always quite liked it and I struggle to imagine being known as anyone else. At the same time, I'm marrying my fiancé because I love every part of him, and want to start a family, so in my opinion, taking his name is a way of showing this. I think when it comes to it I will still have my maiden name between my first and surname - exactly as my mother did, so I won't be losing it completely!

So, will you be taking your husband's name after marriage?

Magical Mystical Waterfall Wedding

When I came across Lisa and Paul's wedding, I knew I had to share it on my blog with you. The couple have now settled into married life, so lets have a peek at how their amazing wedding was put together…

Paul and Lisa met in May 2010 at their local pub in Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, and soon became completely inseparable after their first date.

It was 2014, after being together for 4 years, they decided to take the next step and marry each other. They chose to keep the wedding secret for as long as possible so that they had the opportunity to plan their day as much as they could.

The Location

The wedding was held at Pystill Rhaeadr Waterfalls set in the foothills of the Berwyn Mountains. The waterfall itself is the highest in Wales and provides a most spectacular backdrop. It also provides a spiritual retreat where you can stay in magical, peaceful surroundings.

Paul and Lisa knew this would be the perfect setting for tying the knot after having previously visited Pystill together. Being such a tranquil and beautiful spot meant that the wedding would be kept intimate, as they didn't want to lose sight of the whole reason for being there and saying their vows to each other.

The wedding reception was held at Plas Uchaf Country House, not far from Pystill Rhaeadr, providing accommodation and food for the wedding guests. The house is set in beautiful grounds in the lower slops of Llwyn Bryn-Dinas and has beautiful views from every angle. The perfect backdrop for their day.

One of the things I love about this wedding is how much detail was put in to it. Lisa sourced and hand-made a lot of things for their big day (with the help of her friends and Pinterest of course!). Not only did this allow their budget to stay low, but also gave aspects of their wedding a much more personal touch.

Paul and Lisa chose bespoke and unique handmade wedding rings from Mark Artisan Uprising.

Lisa and Paul remained true to themselves and their love of alternative fashion (think rockabilly and Hot Rod) and chose their wedding outfits around this. Lisa's wedding dress was bought from eBay, hand made to measure with specific requirements by a tailor in the Far East. Her shoes were a steal from her local bridal shop sale at £30!

She styled her outfit with a small, alternative and bespoke bouquet by White Bryony Flower Creations made from ivory felt and fabrics, vintage buttons, brooches and diamante details.

Paul’s outfit was by Pike Brothers Superior Garments and won him "Pike of the Month" in Pike Brothers’ monthly competition for choosing to wear their vintage-styled clothing for his wedding day!

In keeping with the relaxed feel of the day, the guests were instructed to ‘wear jeans and be comfortable’!

More photos from Lisa & Paul's wedding:

Photography by Rocking Weddings

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#MarriedMay

Wow, it's May already, where has this year gone?! So, the other day I was scrolling through Instagram and I came across "#MarriedMay". For those who don't know, it's an idea that every day in May you post a different detail about your engagement or wedding. 

What you post each day is listed here: (Don't forget to use the hashtag #MarriedMay!)

What a fab idea to share! So look out for my #MarriedMay posts on Instagram this month, if you don't already follow me, you can at @bigdaydreamsblog

If you're anything like me though, there'll be a few details you want to keep to yourself until the big day though - that's fine, I'll probably skip the days I want to keep secret, or share something else.

So, will you be taking part as well? I can't wait to see all your wedding plans! x

Should I lose weight for my wedding?

It's no secret that 'shedding-for-the-wedding' is a thing these days, and this week I'm thinking a lot about my diet and exercise regime in preparation for my big day. It's just over a year away so it's time to get myself back to the gym and stop binge-eating to drop a couple of pounds.

I've done so many crash diets in the past but the weight just comes back, so this time I am doing it properly. There's the whole internet available to you full of healthy eating plans and exercise regimes if you want to do the same, and lose weight in a safe way.

I want to make it clear that I would be trying to shed the extra pounds at this point of my life whether I was engaged or not, the wedding has just given me that extra motivation. Brides should never feel like they have to lose weight for their wedding because they think it's expected of them. And that's what I want to talk about.

I've heard comments from people in the past, not about myself, but about other bride-to-be's like "Why is she eating a burger a few weeks before her wedding?!" Umm what? It's a serious issue if people think all brides need to be skinny. I say, go girl! Eat what you like, and love yourself as you are.

Here are some things to think about if you're considering going on an intense diet for your wedding...

Feeling good enough
Feeling like you aren't good enough is no way to start the rest of your life with your husband-to-be. The fact is he loves you just the way you are - imperfections and all - so it's time to accept that and be happy.

Wedding photos
You probably don't want to look back on your wedding photos and barely recognise yourself. Wouldn't you rather look like yourself for the biggest day of your life?

Stress
You definitely won't need the added stress of counting calories and watching the scales while you're planning a wedding, and you'll need the brainpower.

So whether you are shedding-for-the-wedding or not, do it for yourself, not for anyone else, and do it in a sensible way. Just remember, your dress size is by far not the most important thing about your day!

Planning your wedding - Part 3

Part 3/10 of my brief guide to planning your big day:  start looking for suppliers

(read part 1, part 2)

It's taken a little longer than expected but I'm happy to say Part 3 of my wedding planning guide is finally here!

At this stage in your wedding planning, you will have come to terms with the fact you are planning a wedding. Hopefully. You'll have decided on your style of wedding, or theme if you want one, and what you want the overall feel of the day to be. It's going well!

It might be worth mentioning that at this point, you might want to consider hiring a wedding planner to get all your ideas in to motion. But if you're more of a DIY bride, or your budget doesn't allow for a personal wedding planner, read on!

The next step is to start looking for wedding suppliers. I'd recommend starting with the 3 most important things. You'll want to sort these out for your wedding first:

Venue

The earlier you choose and book your venue, the more availability they'll have. Especially important if you want to get married during the peak season or on a weekend. 

We chose a stunning Victorian mansion with beautiful grounds and gardens for both our ceremony and evening reception. This was the very first thing we booked for our wedding, and that was over 2 years prior to our wedding date. Even that early our first choice of date was already taken!

Going to lots of wedding fairs can help you choose a venue, or there are loads of directories online. Most venues will be happy to show you around at any time.

Photographer

I've put photographer as another important thing to book first. This is obviously down to the individual bride, but for myself, and probably many others, wedding photography is one of the most important things to get right. 

I've read too many horror stories from couples who asked a friend / relative to take their wedding snaps, rather than invest in a decent professional wedding photographer, and ended up with photos they are ashamed to show anyone.

My Fiancé and I spent a long time researching wedding photographers and again, had signed a contract about 2 years in advance as his books were already filling up. Read my tips and questions you should ask potential wedding photographers here.

Dress

Deciding on your dress early on is a good idea, not only because it usually take 6 months for the dress to be made plus any time for alterations if needed, but also because you never know how long it is going to take you to find 'the one'. Allow plenty of time, and you can't go wrong.

Finding your dress first will also help you style other aspects of your wedding. For example if you fall in love with a gorgeous 50s vintage dress, you'll know to look for other vintage or 50s style things for your day.

Do Earth a favour, plan an Eco-friendly wedding

GUEST POST BY EMILY CLEATON

Gone are the days when the brides considered ‘white’ as the hottest colour for her wedding. Now, green is on the rise. Many brides are coming down in favour of using eco-friendly tactics into their wedding planning. Recycled invitations, green flowers, plantable wedding favours, and green gowns are some of the things that will make your big day a little more eco-friendly. Know how to incorporate these eco-friendly ideas into your wedding...

Use recycled paper
Instead of a paperless wedding, why not use recycled paper for your eco-friendly wedding. It is one of the simplest ways to create green invitations and set the tone of your themed ceremony. To do this, you need to find a vendor that can print on recycled paper or extra scraps. A little creativity can make your recycled invitations look truly awesome. For an alternative to cut back on paper, you can also send invitations through emails.

Add a green tone
To add a green tone to your wedding, another important thing is to find an eco-friendly venue. Parks, rooftop gardens, and the woods are some of the perfect places where couples can plan a green wedding. If you are tying the knot in a big city like London or New York, you may even be able to find an ideal location that holds your wedding in a natural environment. For those looking for a wedding venue in London, they can narrow their searches at thecitycollection.org.

Go green with wedding favours
You don’t need to break the bank for giving the wedding favours. Honour your guests with something that they actually keep and use. Green favours are great and earth-friendly. Some suggestions for DIY favours include baked yams, jam, chocolate, soy candles, handmade soap, birdhouses, and tea sachets. If homemade things don’t attract you much, what about jute shopping bags, reusable poly bags or other products. You'll find a whole range of green wedding favours at eBay.

All these things will encourage your guests to follow an eco-friendly lifestyle. To make a more powerful impact, you can include information about local stores that offer eco-friendly products along with your favours.

Potted plants for centrepieces
Using in-season and simple produced flowers is one way to go green when holding your wedding eco-friendly. Talk to your local florist about the potted plants and ask him to set up flowers for your centrepieces and bouquets. The best thing about plotted plants is that they can be given away to your guests as a favour, once the event gets over.

Ditch the disposables
If you are an environmentally friendly couple, then you can’t avoid this tip. It is true that disposables will help you to lessen your stress, but they create a ton of waste. So, it is better to go for china dishes, flatware, and cloth napkins. They will look more stylish and can be re-used.

Organic food menu
Ethnic food is great, but why not feed your guests with any organic food. There are restaurants and caterers that promise to serve a hearty selection of organic, locally grown food. You can also get in touch with your local farms to buy the fresh fruits and vegetables for your wedding. Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes, Tortellini with Bacon and Spinach, and Apple Blintz Pancakes are some of the suggestions that you can try.

If you are a little environment-conscious, then follow these whimsical ideas to plan a green wedding.

Author’s Bio: Emily Cleaton is a globetrotter, nature lover, food fanatic, and feature writer. She spends her spare time in sharing the event planning ideas across the web.

We heart floral crowns this Spring

PHOTO CREDIT: Lovedale Photography, Rebekah Westover Photography, Kelsea Holder Photography, Amber Weimer, Matt and Jentry Photographers, Colin Cowie Weddings

I am loving floral crowns on brides at the moment, and with Spring approaching what better time to wear beautiful fresh flowers in your hair on your wedding day!

There are so many ways you can wear flower crowns as a bride. Here's a few ways to style them and how to achieve the look...

The understated flower crown

As the saying goes, sometimes less is more. A simple, understated, and delicate flower crown can be a pretty, Spring-time alternative to the usual bridal tiaras and hair pieces.

Via Lawson Photography

To get the look: Gypsophila (also known as 'Baby's Breath') is the perfect flower for a dainty floral crown, or any small flowers with a bit of foliage works well.  Style with a relaxed hair do and natural make up for a Spring bridal look. Simple and elegant!

The statement flower crown

The opposite to the understated crown, this is great for brides who want to stand out with a statement hair piece. The use of bold, brightly coloured flowers works great for Autumn brides, think pink, peach and purple colours.

Via Taken Photography

To get the look: Wear your hair in a sleek side bun, or side plait to bring more attention to the flower piece. Choose bold coloured flowers that will compliment your wedding colour scheme if you have one. Style with dramatic make-up to match, and choose a lippy of the same colour of a flower in your floral crown to complete the look.

The flower crown & veil

You can still wear a beautiful flower crown with a traditional bridal veil, and there are different ways to wear it too!

Photography by Elisabetta Marzetti & Haley Rynn Ringo

To get the look: There are two most common (and easy) ways of wearing a veil with a floral crown. The first is to wear your veil like a Juliette Cap on your head, or, completely over your face and then place the crown on top. The other way is to attach your veil to the back of your crown underneath the flowers, so that it flows down your back.

The boho bride flower crown

Flowers in a brides hair is probably the first thing you think of when you hear the words 'bohemian wedding'. I love the boho bridal look, especially for a relaxed, garden wedding in the Spring/Summer time.

Via Fiore Beauty

To get the look: Wear your hair down with loose, natural curls, and braid / plait pieces of your hair to give it extra texture. Put some golden, sun-kissed highlights in your hair for the ultimate boho babe look. Finish off with your simple and pretty flower crown made with pastel coloured flowers and foliage. Keep your make up natural and chic to complete the look.

Don't forget to head over to my floral crown Pinterest board for more inspiration! (there may also be a few furry friends in there!) x

Budgeting for your wedding

One of the most important things to establish when starting to plan your wedding is your budget. Your wedding budget is basically the maximum amount of money you are willing to spend on your entire wedding and all the preparations. As I said in one of my previous posts, this should be one of the first things you do before you start buying anything. However big or small your budget is, costs will quickly spiral out of control if you don't keep track of everything you are spending. We all know how easy it is to get carried away!

So how do know what your budget should be?

If you're anything like me when I got engaged, you won't have the foggiest idea of the different costs and pricing involved in getting married, so working on a budget may seem an impossible task to begin with. You can spend a lot of time researching prices and getting quotes to give you an idea, but I guarantee that you will have forgotten some things (and it's amazing how all the less obvious things can add up!)

A really useful tool that I want to share with you is this really quick and simple to use wedding cost calculator. If you already have in mind what kind of wedding day you want, i.e. the venue type, how many guests etc, you can get a pretty accurate estimate of how much you're likely to spend on your wedding using the calculator. Try it yourself below:

(via Every Day Loans)

Things to remember

These are just average prices and every budget will be different depending on what sort of wedding you are planning, and how much you are comfortable spending. Remember, it is most definitely possible to create the perfect wedding for you, on eve the smallest of budgets. It's all about lots of price comparing, DIYs and hand-me-downs. No-one will know on the day!

The truth about wedding dress shopping

Wedding dress shopping is supposedly one of the most exciting parts of planning your wedding. But for some of us, it's a little daunting. I was engaged for over a year and half before I managed to bring myself to enter a bridal shop.

I am the first of my friends to get engaged, so naturally I'd never even looked through the window of a bridal shop, let alone go in one. The whole idea intimidated me to be honest. My two closest friends, who will also be my bridesmaids, couldn't understand why I'd waited so long to start trying on dresses and both agreed that's the first thing they'd do after they got engaged!

One of the main reasons I was reluctant to start looking was because I was so worried I'd be disappointed when I saw myself in my dream dress style. What if I didn't like any that I'd picked out once I'd put them on? There's nothing I hate more than when you get in to a fitting room with an arm full of beautiful clothes and none of them look good on you.

Well, all that has changed. Since I first stepped in to a bridal shop with my mum a few weeks ago, all my worries have disappeared and I can't wait to try on more wedding dresses! I encourage any of you who feel like I did, to get your first couple of bridal appointments over with, don't think too much in to it before you go. It's really not worth worrying about it. From experience, the staff will make you feel so comfortable, it's supposed to be an enjoyable experience after all!

You don't have to make an appointment for your first time, you might prefer breaking yourself in gently by just browsing a couple of local bridal shops. Even if you don't try any on, it's worth looking through the rails and becoming a bit more familiar with the different silhouettes, colours and details available. It will make it a little less intimidating when it comes to trying some on!

So if you're wedding dress shopping, good luck and remember to enjoy yourself! x

5 ways to surprise your Fiancé

It's Valentine's Day! Whether you love it or loath it, it's a reminder to us to let the people we love know how much we love them, and why we love them. It doesn't always have to mean cheesy greeting cards and over-sized teddy bears (although, I would never complain!), sometimes it's just the little things that say it all.

If you're not one for grand, romantic gestures, or you're finding that dinner out at your favourite restaurant is getting a bit old, then read on...

Here's my 5 quick and simple ways to let the one you're going to marry know that they are appreciated, any day of the year!

1. Write him a love letter

Sometimes in our busy lives, our feelings for the people we love are pushed to the back of our minds as we go about our day-to-day routine. Take a few minutes to yourself somewhere quiet, and think about all the reasons why you love that special someone. Write it all down in a cute card or on note paper and give it to them when you next see them. Or, keep it and give it to them when they're having a bad day. I promise it will make them smile and it's something that they can keep forever.

2. Plan a movie night

You've heard your Fiancé go on about a film that's out, and how much he wants to see it, but you have absolutely no interest in it. Surprise him by secretly getting hold of the film to watch together for a cosy night in. Snuggles are compulsory! They'll really appreciate that you remembered the film, and that you're willing to watch it with them (despite it not being your cup of tea). Plus next time, it will be your choice of film (win!)

3. Prepare their favourite meal

Secretly book an afternoon off work to plan a really beautiful dinner of his favorite meal for the two of you. Give yourself a few hours to plan and prepare it, and allow time in case anything goes wrong too! Put on your best dress that makes you feel fantastic, lay the table out; candles, wine, the whole package, and voilá! He'll love getting in from work to the smell of your own amazing cooking, it won't go unnoticed!

4. Make them a mixtape

This one's old school, but still an insanely romantic gesture. Put together a playlist of songs that remind you of him, or songs that represent a special event or time in your relationship. Maybe the first song you ever danced together to? It's such a simple gift idea and it's perfect for Valentine's day! And you never know, it could end up being your wedding playlist!

5. Tell them you love them - in a new way!

Sounds obvious doesn't it? But there's loads of different ways you can say it to mix it up a bit. For a cute surprise, send him a random text during the day just to let them know you love them. Or, stick sticky notes where he'll find them (in the cupboard, in his car, in the shower), just to brighten up his day! My personal favourite is secretly setting an alarm in his phone to surprise him when he's least expecting it!


Have a love-filled Valentine's day all! x

wedding fair season is upon us

It's that joyous time of year again when your inbox starts getting spammed with invites to various wedding fairs and shows. An experience that every bride-to-be is familiar with. 

When I first got engaged, I went a bit crazy, signing up to every wedding-related mailing list I came across... Little hint for you: use a different email address to your personal one, as your details are passed on around the industry and you will receive an impossible amount of communications that you had no idea you signed up for.

Me and my fiancé are having a fairly long engagement - two and a half years, so that's at least 5 rounds of wedding fairs to get through, as they're usually twice a year. So I'm talking from experience when I give you a couple of tips to help you make the most of them...

Take advantage of local wedding fairs to help you choose your wedding venue

If you haven't yet chosen where you would like to get married, or have your wedding reception, then it's a good idea to look for wedding venues in your area, or venues that you are interested in, to see if they have a wedding fair, or wedding showcase. It's a great opportunity to have a nose around different venues without any commitment.

You can, most of the time, contact a venue directly to request a show-around, but it's always nice to have a look around during a wedding fair, as it's usually dressed up for a wedding, and full of people, so you get an idea what the place is capable of.

If you have already chosen your wedding venue, go to their wedding fair

If the venue you've chosen on holds fairs or open days, go to them. They will have all of their preferred suppliers there, meaning that they know the venue and the staff there very well and will have the knowledge needed to create a beautiful wedding there. The suppliers are often local too, so you won't be paying much (if any) travel costs if you book them.

As I mentioned, they are usually twice a year, so depending on the length of your engagement this might only be once. But if it's longer, I'd advise to go to at least two, at different times of the year, as it can look quite different depending on the weather and the current trends that the suppliers are showcasing.

Take your time

The first time I attended a wedding fair I felt a bit lost, and a little overwhelmed in all honesty. (This is totally expected at first!) My advice to you would be, don't rush. There's going to be crowds of people, but make sure you get to look at everything you want to. Even if it takes you all day to get around everything. Grab a cup of tea and have a break for a few minutes too!

Pick up any leaflets, flyers, business cards from suppliers if you can, so you can get in contact once you've had a chance to think about what you want. They often have discounts for attendees of the wedding fair too.

Finally, It's supposed to be an exciting experience, no stress, so enjoy it! x

having a wedding theme

Weddings really stand out when a lot of thought and planning has gone in to the look and style of the day. Putting a theme to your wedding can be a great way of reflecting who you are as a couple and allows you to add your personal touches to make your wedding just how you want it.

So, how do you choose a theme for your wedding?

Colour
Probably the simplest way to get a theme running through your wedding is to pick a colour, or a colour palette that works really well for your wedding. You can incorporate your colours on your invites, flowers, bridesmaids, centerpieces, and even your wedding cake to make everything coordinate. 

You don't have to stick to one or two colours either - check out my last post on rainbow weddings!

Styling from a different era

A'vintage' wedding is one of the most popular theme choice recently, why not take it a step further and choose a particular era to style your wedding around.

Any decade has it's own fashion and styles that you can apply to your wedding, make your guests feel like they've stepped back in time!

Your interests

A good way to decide on a theme is to think about any particular interests you and your other half share, or anything important to you both, it could be animals, music, film, travel... Or think about how you first met, or any experiences that you've shared together that you'd like your wedding to reflect. My Fiancé proposed to me in Paris so we are including subtle Parisian influences in our day.

How do you make your theme come to life?

Incorporating any theme you decide on in to your wedding is never impossible in this day and age. I've seen weddings online covering almost every theme you could possibly imagine (some of them are just plain crazy and awesome), you'll find inspiration overload on the world wide web for anything you want.

Look through the numerous blogs and magazines out there and start collating things you like. Mood boards are wonderful things for wedding planning, or you could do what I've done and create a shared document that you're constantly adding ideas, pictures, links and all things wedding-related to. And whatever you do, use Pinterest - one of the most amazing sources of inspiration! If you're engaged and don't have a Pinterest account, then get one, NOW! You'll thank me.

Sit down with your other half and review everything that you've come across that you might like for your own wedding. Now is the time to rule out anything that either of you definitely do not want, or anything that is an absolute must for your special day. Have fun!