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