TOP BRIDE TIPS FOR EACH SEASON

Top bride tips FOR EACH season

Here at weddingxtras.co.uk we like to go the extra mile to ensure every bride knows some top tips for when you have chosen your wedding date.  No matter what season you have picked.

Summer

• Marrying in the summer could save you pounds. Lightweight gowns are slightly cheaper as they come in light material.
• Want to save pounds on your flowers, pick fresh flowers from your garden that are in bloom.  You could even put a flower in your hair for a bohemian chick feel.
• Summer is the perfect time to use bright and bold colours.

Autumn

• Use the autumn falls to your advantage and make centre pieces using acorns, nuts and leaves
• Autumn is best for golds, oranges, browns, beiges and cream colours for bridemaids dresses.
• Want a fancy dress wedding why not use Halloween as an excuse.

Winter

• To be savvy with your money ensure you buy accessories which you are likely to wear again.
• If you are going for a vintage look the must have accessory is elbow-length gloves.
• Are you wanting an easy winder theme on a budget, choose all white colour and add touches of sparkle for your accessories and table décor.

Spring

• Spring weddings look best in pastel colours with little accessories.
• If you use flowers that are in season, it will save you pounds.
• Check your venue prices as Spring is classed “out of season” so therefore you may get a cheaper quote.

Aboard

• To save on luggage costs take your dress in your hand luggage.
• Want to get rid of the creases hang your dress in a humid bathroom.
• The must style for aboard weddings are halterneck, empire line and one shoulder gowns.

We hope you find our blogs useful or interesting, if so please visit our website to view our great range of gifts for the bride, the groom the bride and grooms wedding day attendants.

HAIR STYLING

Hair Styling

Are you having trouble deciding what would look best on the day?  Here at weddingxtras.co.uk we would like to let you know what trends are in for glamorous bridal hair…

Are you going for a vintage theme for your wedding then the must hair do has to be wearing your hair down and giving yourself a low side parting with feminine retro waves.

If you are after hair which looks similar to your day-to-day look then the must hair do is to have a strong centre parting and with plenty of volume and wavy blown dry.

Is your wedding theme based on the 60’s then the must hair do has to be the beehive, with a wide width alice band.

Are you after a simply but elegant hair do you cannot go wrong with a plait.  There are so many styles of plaits available now…. French plait, fish tail plait or even the milkmaid plait.

Is your wedding theme romantic then the best hair has to be a soft, loose chignon.

All professional hairdressers will know what is meant by these style names.

The last thing we must suggest is no matter your hair must maintain its style throughout the day and night so its best to invest in professional products.

If you find our blogs useful or interesting please visit our website and take a look at our range of thank you gifts for Bridesmaids and attendants.

COUNTDOWN CHECK LIST

Countdown check list

We at weddingxtras.co.uk have put a countdown check list together for you so you can have the added reassurance that everything is falling into place for your special day…

Things to do now

      Tell relatives and close friends of your plans

      Arrange your first meeting with your minister, priest or rabbi to set a date

      Decide the number of guests and draw up a list with both sets of parents

      Set a budget

      Decide who will do what (delegate)

      Visit venues – if it is a busy place, book it you cannot afford to wait if it is your ideal place

6-9 months to go

      If you haven’t already done so book your venue

      Make all your bookings for the reception (ie, flower arrangements, centre pieces, music, etc)

      Book your photographer

      Book your car

      Buy Wedding Insurance

      Start looking for your dress

3 months to go

      Arrange a second meeting with your minister, priest or rabbi and agree a date for publication of the banns.  Also choose your hymns and music for the service.

      Order/make your wedding cake

      Check both passports are in date

      Discuss your bridal hairstyle ideas with your hairdresser

      Arrange fittings for your wedding dress

      Order/make your wedding stationery

      Go shopping for your wedding rings

      Send out your invitations

2 months to go

      Finalise your order of service and place your order

      Reconfirm all your bookings (car hire, florists, hairdresser, venue, etc)

      Go shopping for your accessories

      Check and buy the Groom and best man have their wedding suits

1 month to go

      Start your beauty regime

      Write up a list of all must-take photos and give to your photographer

      Draw up your seating plan and pass to the reception venue

2 weeks to go

      Try on your wedding dress and practice walking around in your lovely wedding shoes

      Confirm your number of guests to the caterer

1 week to go

      Check and call all reception arrangements

      If needed have a rehearsal at the venue

      Confirm photographer, florist and transport again

      Start packing for your honeymoon and order travellers cheques.

1 day before

      Treat yourself to a manicure

      Send your overnight bag to your venue

      Have a long bath and if you can an early night

On the special day

      Relax – ensure you have plenty of time to get ready

      Have the bouquets, buttonholes and corsages delivered

      Ensure your mother or bridesmaids have the emergency first aid bag with them

      Ensure your mother and bridesmaids leave the house first

If you enjoy our blogs and find them useful please follow us, tell your friends and visit our website to see our great range of personalised wedding gifts.

10 pieces of advice from recent brides

We’ve spoken to some recent brides and they have been so kind as to share their top tips for making the most your big day.

1)     Always check whether there will be any big Sporting Fixtures due on your special day.  The last thing you want is all the men huddling around a TV on your wedding day (including your husband).

2)     Give yourself a day of rest after the wedding day, there is nothing worse than having to get up early to catch your flight.

3)     Ensure you all your parents and bridesmaids around you in the morning of your wedding day, as they will pamper for your ever need and be there to dry your eyes when things get emotional in the lead up.

4)     Don’t assume your guests will approach you they are most proberly thinking you have a lot on your plate.  Be the first to make the conversation.

5)     Smile all day and even when you are crying.  There is nothing worse than getting upset on your walk down the aisle as your photos will look terrible.

6)     Be prepared for the morning of your wedding day.  Allow yourself plenty of time to get ready and have time to relax by yourself.

7)     Take your time when walking up/down the aisle, take every moment in.

8)     Ask for what you want.  Don’t be afraid to say to your beautician/hair dresser how you want your makeup/hair done, you need to feel happy with what they have done.

9)     Ensure you choose your first dance carefully and practice will always make it perfect.

10) Make a list of photos you would like your photographer to take and ensure they are taken, because you cannot turn back the clock.

If you find our blogs interesting please visit our website to view our great range of gifts for your wedding attendants, including some great personalised Bridesmaid gifts.

DO YOU FANCY A UNIQUE WEDDING CEREMONY

 Do you and your partner fancy a unique ceremony? One of a kind? Something different? Something out of the ordinary?  Then why not pick one of our suggestions mentioned below:

Penthouse

You could hire the tallest hotel in New York, with Panasonic views of central park or the downtown skyline.

Las Vegas

You could get married at the Little Chapel of Flowers by the King, Elvis.  Then you could get a helicopter to take to you the Grand Canyon where you could have your first lunch as Mr and Mrs in the great outdoors.

Big Wheel

You could tie the knot in Austria’s equivalent of the London Eye, 65-metre Ferris wheel. 

Cliff Edge

Do you fancy getting married on a cliff edge looking out across the Mediterranean.  Then Italy is the place to go with views across Florence on Amalfi Coast.

Safari

Ever fancied saying I do overlooking views of a safari park in South Africa.

Iconic Architecture Building

Fancy getting married on a roof top of the most iconic building with the most vertiginous pool on the rooftop, then you need to head to Melbourne in Australia.

Tree-House

Are you one with nature?  South Africa has a romantic chapel in the forest and you can then spend your first night as Mr and Mrs in one of their Tsala Treetop Lodges.

If you find our blogs interesting or useful please follow us and take a look at our great range of thank you gifts for the wedding party, including some stylish wedding cufflinks for the Ushers.

Work Up the Heat

We at weddingxtras.co.uk have been speaking to personal trainers and they have suggested that working along side your partner not only heats up your pheromone levels it helps build a shared interest and support for each other.  So we have listed some top tips as to why you should give it a go…

1. Firstly try a sport that neither of you have done before, this will start you on an equal balance and less intimidating.  Here our some of our suggestions: tennis, biking, rollerskating, basketball, netball, rounders, etc

2. Keep the exercise as a date and not a chore.  If you can both set a day/time as to when you are both free you can make the workout “extra time you’re together”.  Once you’ve managed it as part of your routine you will find that you actually see and speak to each other more than sitting at home side by side watching the TV in silence.

3. If there are two of you going through this journey you will always have someone there to support you through the lows and encourage you to find the motivation than if you were to be doing it by yourself.

4. During a workout and immediately after you pheromone levels reach new heights.  This means your partners attraction towards you will go through the roof and vice versa.

5. However you must remember that when working out together you must not take on the role of a personal trainer and start barking orders.  You need to remember you are on the same team and working together will help you to become stronger partners.

If you like our blogs, please follow us and take a look at our website where you will find inspirational ideas for thank you gifts for your wedding party members, including a great range of wedding cufflinks for all the men.

Hen Party on a Budget

Want to hold your bride the best Hen party? But your on a budget?  Look no further for tips and suggestions we at weddingxtras.co.uk have put a list together for the best hen do a bride can get…

PJ Party

Get the girls over for a girls only evening, with cheesy films, classic music and party food. Stock up on DVDs of all the classic chick flick films.  Offer products so you can do manicures and pedicures on each other.  Ensure you have party food available all night.  Play drinking games like “I have never” or “truth or dare”

Dinner Party

Get the girls round for a civilized relaxed evening round yours, and provide them with enough food and drink to have a good time.   You could even throw in a couple of drinking games if you wanted to provide some entertainment.

Tea Party

Get the girls together for a traditional afternoon tea filled with clotted-cream and strawberry jam scones, cucumber sandwiches, pots of tea and treat yourselves to a glass of bubbly too.

Burlesque Fun

Is your bride a dancing queen, then why not get the girls together and go to a burlesque lesson at your local dance studio.  If you take your own champagne and nibbles you can make it as cheap as you like.

Spa at Home

Get in touch with your local spa venue and see if they do any deals for at home packages.  That way you can supply all the drinks and nibbles as cheap as you like and the only thing you have to spend money on is a treatment or two at a subsided price.

If you like our blogs, please follow us and take a look at our website where you will find inspirational ideas for thank you gifts for your wedding party members, including a great range of wedding cufflinks for all the men

Tips to get you through your fabulous day

We at weddingxtras.co.uk would like to help you get the most out of your day so we have advised some tips to help you throughout the day…..

1)      Breakfast at Tiffany’s: You want to start the day off on the right foot so a sustainable breakfast is a must.  You will most properly not want to eat what with all your anxiety and excitement but if can you stomach a light breakfast this will give you a slow release of energy throughout your day.  We suggest maybe poached egg with tomatoes, or wholemeal toast or maybe natural bio yoghurt with granola.

2)      Dance the night away: You’ve finally got your hands on those fabulous shoes you have been pining over for months, but you have the fear that after an hour your feet are going to sore.  Our tip is 30 minutes before all systems go massage your feet from ankle to sole to loosen up all the muscles in your foot and strengthen your arch.

3)      Feel sick to your stomach: Okay every bride will have the morning jitters here are our suggestions to overcome these morning nerves… remove anyone who wishes to use negative words or ask “how stressed are you”.  Ensure the vocabulary used around you are focused on words like relaxed, happy and in control.  Have lavender essence in the room you are getting ready and have a cup of camomile tea.

4)      Lets raise a glass: Are you concerned that you might get a little bit too merry on your special day…. Don’t be!  You will find if you think back to all the weddings you have been too the bride is never drunk.  This is because you have so much adrenaline running through you and you are kept so occupied with everyone around you, you will not have time to drink.  But if you feel you are getting slightly merry just alternate your drinks with water.

If you like our blogs, please follow us and take a look at our website where you will find inspirational ideas for thank you gifts for your wedding party members, including a great range of wedding cufflinks for all the men.

Ceremony choices

We at weddingxtras.co.uk have broken down the details of all the types of weddings you can choose from.  Here are the four options:

1)      Rules of Engagement: You and your fiancé/e must be at least 16years old to get married within the UK.  In Wales and England you have get consent from your parents if you are less than 18 years old.  And last but not least you have to have two witnesses.

2)      Civil Ceremony: If you wish to get married in the UK you have to be solemnised by a registrar which can happen in either an register office or building approved for marriage.

3)      Religious Ceremony: You can get married in a Church of England as long as it is in your parish or you have connection with that church.  You banns will have to be read 3 times before your wedding day at your chosen church, and the two local parishes where you live.

4)      Overseas Weddings: You will have to be in the country of your choice for at least 5 days before you get married and you will need to check that the marriage licence is valid for when you return to your home country.

If you like our blogs, please follow us and take a look at our website where you will find inspirational ideas for thank you gifts for your wedding party members, including a great range of wedding cufflinks for all the men.

Camera Shy??

Fear Not, we at weddingxtras.co.uk have put together a list of tips to get you to LOVE the camera.  We shall have you posing for your wedding photos with confidence and elegance if you just follow these simple tips.

1)      Find a photographer you gets you and your partner: Ensure the photographer you choose has a similar personality and understands what you want to capture in your photos.

2)      Personalise your photos: Ensure your photographer has 20 minutes alone in each venue so they can capture all the small but personal photos of your decorations

3)      Have fun formal shots: Don’t get stressed trying to figure out who and where you want your photos, have a chat with your photographer before the special day and make a list of all the photos you would like and where on the grounds you would like them.

4)      Entertain your guests: Keep your guests happy whilst photos are being taken by booking a magician or caricaturist for a laugh, when people are preoccupied with fun things they become less self-conscious.

5)      Opt for a pre-wedding shoot: If you and your partner are still camera shy then why not get ahead and have a tester before your wedding so you can have a practice and get relaxed around the camera and the photographer.

If you like our blogs, please follow us and take a look at our website where you will find inspirational ideas for thank you gifts for your wedding party members, including a great range of wedding cufflinks for all the men.

Wedding Budget Planner

One of the many first things you should do after getting engaged is to write your budget planner, we at weddingxtras.co.uk have produced this table which will help you to keep track of your pennies as you happily spend your cash on your amazing wedding day…

If you like our blogs, please follow us and take a look at our website where you will find inspirational ideas for thank you gifts for your wedding party members, including a great range of wedding cufflinks for all the men.

Description	Estimate	Actual
Ceremony:                                 Marriage Licence
Ceremony Fee
Registrar/Church Fee
Ceremony Music
Reception:                                            Venue Fee
Catering
Drinks
Favours
Cake
Entertainment
Hired Items
Decorations
Honeymoon:                                         First Night
Flights
Accommodation
Spending Money
Honeymoon Clothes
Stationery:                             Save the Date cards
Invitations and Envelopes
Order of Service
Seating Cards
Table Planner
Menu Cards
Postage
Thank You Cards
Attire:                                                           Rings
Wedding Dress
Bridal Accessories
Bridal Hair and Make Up
Groom’s Suit
Bridesmaid Dresses
Bridesmaid Accessories
Alterations to Dresses
Flower Girl dress/Page Boy suit
Flowers:                                                  Bouquets
Buttonholes
Ceremony Decorations
Reception Decorations
Gifts:                                                         Favours
Parents Gifts
Bride/Groom Wedding Gift to each other
Bridesmaid Gifts
Bestman Gifts
Flower Girl/Page Boy Gifts
Misc:                                    Wedding Planner Fee
Photographer/Videographer
Transport
Wedding Insurance
Guest Book
TOTAL