Tag Archives: wedding tips

Have A Disaster Plan: Wedding Insurance

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What if it happened to you? What if every bride’s worst nightmare happened…and something in your wedding went completely haywire? Your dress somehow got a coffee spill on it…your venue double booked you…the bridesmaids dresses you got from China only got as far as the Pacific Ocean…

As women…we need a plan! I came across this wonderful thing called ‘Wedding Insurance’. At first I thought it was ridiculous…but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense to me. I get travel insurance just flying from one city to another…so why wouldn’t I get wedding insurance for one of the most important days of my life?

This wedding insurance company has a video that really explains it well;

So if you’re a bridezilla, or simply a worrier…look into wedding insurance as it will make you feel a whole lot better on that special day.

Last Single Walk: Down The Aisle

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This gallery contains 7 photos.

Walking down the aisle towards your soon-to-be-husband is one of the most magical moments that a woman will ever experience. This magical moment is for many women, that moment, where they just want everything to be ‘perfect’. To see HIM … Continue reading →

The Ins and Outs of Your Guest List

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~Karen~

Your wedding should be memorable. A memorable wedding is dependent on the wonderful, influential, and close people you invite. While people make your wedding exciting and intimate, creating a guest list carefully is vital to enhancing your experience. This is a guide on how to handle guest lists!

Tip #1: To create an estimate of the number of guests you should invite, base this number on your budget. You are paying for their meals which can be the most expensive part of your wedding. Each meal adds up and a few people here and there is just more costly for you. Unless your budget is one that allows for space, be careful on inviting too many people.

Tip #2: Create three lists and then another three. (Don’t panic!)  Once you decide the number of people, divide that by three. Parents, your groom and yourself should each get a third of the list. Once all three of your lists are created, create the Must-Invite List, Could-Invite List, and Maybe-Invite List.  Your ‘must’ invite list should include close family and friends. Your ‘could’ invite list are your friends and other influential people… while your ‘maybe’ invite list might consist of distant relatives for example. Your ‘could’/ ‘maybe’ list will come to life once you start getting replies about attendance. The more people who can’t make it on your top two  categories, the more likely you are to invite the ‘maybe’s’.  To make it easier, think of it as a Celebrity List. Try the A-list, B-list or C-list categories. You’re ‘A-listers’ are your must-have guests of course! Expect between 10-30% of your invites to not be able to make it to your wedding.

Tip #3: The problem with inviting co-workers is once you invite one person, you feel obligated to invite everyone else. Even if there are people you simply socialise with, other employees will see that and see that as a way of positioning yourself away from the team environment.

Tip #4: Children are wonderful but you cannot help their meltdowns or tantrums. Unfortunately, children are also an addition to your budget. When sending out invites, your guests will understand your desire to leave children at home. If you do choose to have children at your wedding, try to include some games/ music centred around children during the reception and try to plan around every age group. Brides who are considerate to all their guests will be remembered as wonderful party planners!

Tip #5: Talk to your fiancé about this one. Inviting ex-boyfriends and ex-girlfriends might not be a feasible idea. It could end up bringing up old feelings and emotions of jealousy. This is just another form of consideration for your fiancé, who this day should be all about.

Tip #6: Alcoholics at your wedding? We all have people in our lives who don’t know their limits and who tend to become belligerent at events. Take into consideration the guests who are sometimes intolerable and remember that your day should be special and not ruined by anyone. Use your risk-management skills! Talk to those people beforehand if you decide to invite them because it would be the bride’s budget that has to take care of broken chairs or glassware.

Tip #7: Use online guest tools. Don’t let your mind spin with all those names and regrets. Keep  track of everything with these tools and stay stress free!

Wedding Guest Lists

Wedding Planner

Free Wedding Website

Silhouettes

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~Karen~

Ladies, when shopping keep in mind silhouettes. These are the shapes of the wedding dress you are looking for.

Ball Gown
The ball gown is your Princess dream dress characterized by a tighter upper body and a full skirt. Ball gowns tend to have corset types on top with a large amount of fabric to create the skirt.
Pros: Can hide large hips and legs
Cons: Dancing might be hard ladies!

Empire Gown
Empire gowns are reminiscent of neo-classical times. Characterized by a high waistline, the dress tucks in right under the bust, bringing attention to the chest and emphasizing it more. The bottom skirt is  non-fitting  and flows over the hips down the floor.
Pros: Makes pear shapes look slimmer, hides belly and thighs quite well/ Adds length to the body
Cons: Emphasizes your bust so try to avoid this if you are trying to minimize appearance of chest size

A-Line or Princess Gown
A-line dresses are characterized by an unmarked waistline with vertical seams which flow down your body. These seams flare out into an A shape.
Pros: Flattering to figures which are heavier in the middle, most suitable for all types, hides hips, emphasizes waist
Cons: Narrow hips that want to be emphasized might need to wear a hooped petticoat

Sheath Gown
The sheath gown has lines which follow the lines of your body. The dress is one of the most form fitting for brides looking for an elongating look. The hem of this dress is not flared out.
Pros: Makes shorter brides look taller, Tall/Slim Brides look elegant
Cons: Brides looking to cover flaws might need to wear Spanx for this one!

Mermaid Gown
Mermaid gowns contour the curves of your body and flow out at the knees. They are trumpet-like in figure and are quickly gaining style.
Pros: Makes petite women look taller and tall/ slim shapes have added curves and femininity
Cons: Looking to hide anything? Probably not your cup of tea, it is considered one of the most “unforgiving” wedding dresses

Generally the A-line and empire type suit most body types whereas the mermaid and sheath dresses are for women who are a little bit more comfortable with their body type.

Terms to Know
Shopping for a dress can be hard. Here are some fabric terms you should become familiar with and used to hearing.

Satin
This is a popular fabric for brides because it exudes elegance and formality. It can be touched up with some lace and has such a great sheen. For the most luxurious satin, go for a Duchesse Satin which doesn’t wrinkle as much as Acetate Satins or Silk Satins. The most common satin is polyester satin which is less expensive but beware of thin polyester satins which are more prone to being shiny, this can give off a less luxurious and cheaper look. Dresses that are draped down your hips are great with satin.

Silk Taffeta
Silk Taffeta is a great, “crisp, full bodied fabric” which usually looks more textured and adds a bit more weight to your dress. It is described as “ornate and elegant” with a strong shine to it. This type of fabric will make that rustling noise as you walk and adds a great formality to your wedding event. Taffeta is commonly used in ruffles and detail in your wedding dress.

Silk Shantung & Silk Dupionis
These two silks differ in the weight of the yarn used as well as the expenses of having one. Silk Shantung uses the heavier yarn and has a “higher luster” and “radiance” than that of Silk Dupionis. The Silk Shantung is weaved with the ribbed effect and is considered a rough silk due to the slubs which are  woven into the material. However this silk is still fine to the touch and does not feel rough. Silk dupioni resists wrinkles well has a high shimmer effect. The benefits of this silk lay in the fact that it takes dye well, it can be creased to create a formal look and you can use both sides of it. However, this silk does not take stretching well and tends to unravel.

Organza
Looking for a fabric that takes detail well? Organza is your best bet, making anything from bead work to lace feel light. Organza can also add body and structure as well.

Chiffon
Chiffon is soft, sheer and seemingly transparent fabric. This fabric usually needs to be lined with another fabric to give it substance but chiffon is a timeless fabric and adds a wonderful romanticism.

Tulle
Tulle is very light and is typically used in bridal veils and to create a lightweight effect. The fabric originates from either nylon or lace and is also used to create full-bodied skirts.

Velvet
Velvet has come into the light now ladies! This is the fabric most commonly used in the colder months. It has the potential to create intricate, soft patterns on a dress and provides a luxurious, soft feel.

Crepe
Crepe has a heavier, elegant drape. It is usually lined with silk and has a matte texture to it.

Lace
Lace is soft and romantic. It creates a decorative, detailed feel. You can choose from several different laces which can border a dress or even create a bodice.

Ladies & Gentlemen…

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~ Diné ~

Public speaking. Don’t we all just love it!

When it comes to making speeches at weddings, most people try to avoid it because they hate speaking in front of a large crowd. Unfortunately, some people aren’t so lucky as they are expected to give a speech. If you are apart of the bridal party, you might just be one of those ‘lucky ones’, chosen to get up there and make a toast. The joys of speech making.

So who is generally expected to say a word or two at weddings?

  • The Best Man
  • Parents of the Groom/Bride
  • The Maid of Honour
  • The Groom
  • Not expected, but becoming more popular: The Bride

Speeches at weddings are tricky as people expect you to come up with something sentimental or funny. They want tear-jerkers, whether it is through crying or laughing. Here are a few tips of what to do, and what NOT to do;

What to do:

  1. Keep it short
  2. Add a funny story
  3. Be sentimental
  4. Practise!!!
  5. Look at the guests…eye contact is the key!

What NOT to do:

  1. Get drunk
  2. Mention past relationships
  3. Use inappropriate language
  4. Take a joke too far
  5. Reveal information that might cause trouble between the couple

If you try to be funny, but no one laughs…don’t panic! Tell the guests that they were ‘meant’ to laugh because you intended that part to be funny; and just refuse to go on until you get a response from them. It’s sure to work!

Don’t stress, the couple will appreciate your efforts regardless of whether your speech is a success or a failure. As long as you mention how adorable they are, and you wish them well for the future-you should be sweet!

Happy speech making!

Wedding Nerves

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~ Diné ~

Hey ladies,

The last fear your future husband will have before you get married, is that you might be a runaway bride. Or even worse, you, the bride, may fear you’ll have a runaway groom and would have to face an empty space at the altar.

It’s completely normal to feel ‘wedding nerves’ both before, during and after the wedding. These nerves could be for very different reasons but they can definitely be managed with a couple of cute tips.

Pre-wedding nerves

Whether you are nervous because you are making that final step, or nervous to have to walk down the aisle with all eyes on you, nervousness is the norm. To calm yourself prior to the wedding…consider the following;

  • write your feelings down-it’s a useful way to express them and then be able to reflect on them
  • get a bottle of champagne…it’s sure to do the trick
  • ensure family or friends are managing the wedding, so that you can relax

Post-wedding nerves

If you have nerves after your wedding, it could be because you have started on a new journey as a committed couple. This can be daunting, to think that the person you just married will be by your side till ‘death do you part’. As well as being daunting, it can be overwhelming and frightening. It can also be exciting and uplifting, bring about happiness you’ve never experienced before. You will most likely experience a mixture of these feelings, as newly married couples are still adjusting to their lifestyle together.

The best way to manage post-wedding nerves would be to do the following;

  • express your nerves to your husband-believe it or not, he can help!
  • ensure you have ‘me time’ fitted into your daily schedule, whether that be with exercise, reading…etc
  • visit friends and family regularly, so it doesn’t feel like an overwhelming change all of a sudden

If none of these tips help you, I suggest to discuss it with your husband. He made promises to you (or will be making promises soon), so I’m sure he will be understanding and would have a few suggestions up his sleeve to help you.