Wedding Planning

Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Your Wedding Reception Food

One thing people often remember when going to wedding receptions is the food, whether it's good or bad. Yes, I know the cost is important, but something you should consider when you are choosing your wedding menu is your guests.
I know it's your wedding, but you are spending a lot of money so you want people to like what is being served. Let me give you some tips so your guests can enjoy your reception food.
 
How about giving them a choice
 
It's always a great idea to offer them a choice on what they'd like to eat.  There's other things to remember like people with food allergies, vegetarians, people on diets.  By providing them different choices they can choose what they would like to eat.  If you have a tight budget, it's okay to have two options.
 
Keep it simple
Just because dishes may not look fancy, it doesn't mean that it won't taste good. If guests are faced with something that they aren't sure what it is, they may be reluctant to eat it so don't go for things that people can't identify or too fancy.  So simple is good.  
 
A extremely popular choice at the moment are the cupcakes.  They can be more cost effective and easy to eat.  Lots of colour can brighten up your reception.  So why not try them yourself.
 
Keep it clean
 
Everyone at your wedding reception will probably be wearing their best clothes. So it's a good idea to stay away from food that is very messy or could cause stains that's difficult to remove later.
 
Remember, you will probably be wearing a white dress. The last thing you will want is to have something spilt on that beautiful wedding dress and ruining it.  Be careful.
 
Think about what you have had at other wedding receptions you've been too, what you liked or didn't like about them. It's a good way to plan your own wedding reception menu.  Put excitement into planning your wedding reception menu. 
 

Tuesday, 29 April 2014

Wedding Reception

The wedding reception is something that most people really look forward to after the wedding ceremony has finished. Finding the perfect wedding reception locality is part of making your whole day successful.  Affordability is also something you have to take into consideration. Don't just rent any venue or hall without first checking it out and evaluating it properly. Make sure it's going to accommodate everybody well for the night /day. You wouldn't want people to feel crowded and making it uncomfortable to enjoy the event.

You will probably want to decorate for the wedding reception in advance. The decorating is usually  completed the night before the wedding ceremony by the wedding party. It could be after the wedding rehearsal dinner and ceremony have taken place. You'd want to use similar colours to your wedding as the main part of decorating. This can include ribbons, bows, flowers and various other types of decorations. Click here wedding decorations ideas.

Decorating the tables needs to be carefully looked at as well. Floral arrangements are often used as centrepieces.  Be careful they are not too tall though so as to block your view to the dance floor and of the wedding party. Putting nice decorations on the table as well as a nice gift or wedding favour for each guest is very popular. These mementos are a great way to thank them for coming.

Of course you serve food at a wedding reception so you will need to decide what you want to offer your guests. You can have something small like sandwiches or side dishes but the most popular wedding breakfast is a 2 course meal, main meal and dessert.  If you don't want a dessert, the wedding cake at the end of the night is suffice.  You can choose just about anything you like. But it all depends on cost, so cost per person is something you need to take into consideration when you are planning your wedding.
Drinks - may want to offer alcohol but it is fine if you do not want to. You should offer plenty of non- alcoholic beverages too for people who choose not to drink alcohol.
Wedding cake - yes of course you have to focus on the famous wedding cake because people will be waiting all night long to get a slice of it!

The wedding reception is a time to celebrate a new union between two people. While there is plenty of planning involved in it, try to have some fun with it. If you get too worried about the wedding reception you won't be able to relax and enjoy any of what is going on. 




 

Monday, 7 April 2014

Getting Married | Going to the Races

Finding the perfect pair of shoes quite often means having to spend a little more than planned so that we have the perfect match that goes with our outfits.  

We arrive at the celebration venue only to find that it involves walking across the soft ground or across the sand.  Sometimes we even find ourselves feeling guilty with our stiletto heels creating holes in the soft brand new polished floors. 


Feeling like you have the highest heels in the group and standing proud with your purchase and a proud woman in heels, the thought of your gorgeous high heels being damaged does not put a smile on your face.

So when we found these fantastic high heel protectors for grass we were ecstatic.  These heel covers are just perfect for getting married, going to the races, and any occasion where you just don't want to damage your brand new  sexy shoes.


We love our clean heels heel stoppers and you can be assured that these high heel protectors really do work.   They are really flexible and stop you sinking into the soft ground



Sunday, 2 March 2014

Say Your Own Vows – Personalised Wedding Vows


Your wedding is your own.  And in today's society, people have been constantly scouring every book for any way to make their wedding as personal and as unique as possible.  One way to do this is to whip up your own wedding vows.
Traditionally, couples to be wed do not have much of a say in what goes into many of the words spoken during the wedding ceremony.  Today, it is increasingly getting easier to personalise and influence what is said during the ceremony – within reasonable bounds, though.

If you desire to make your wedding vows unique and personal, you are not alone.  Many other couples incorporate feelings, and intimate messages into their wedding vows.  It has an added effect of making your wedding more touching, dramatic, and memorable.

Talk with the Officiant Ahead of Time If you would like to personalise your wedding vows, first notify your Officiant to find out the legalities, guidelines and rules in drafting your own wedding vows.  He or she will typically give pointers and examples to help you draw up your own vows.  Furthermore, the Officiant will inform you of the parts of the vow that are expected to be said. 

The Topic It may include promises, such as "I will swear upon my life to do ..." or it may be heartfelt messages for each other, or even hopes for each other plans for the future and such.  You may also opt to create a mixture of each to spice up your wedding vows.  Although norms vary from culture to culture, as a general rule, the wedding vow should not take too long to recite.  Keep it concise yet meaningful.  Remember, you will have to recite this, and long recitations tend to make the memory suffer. 

Make it Official After creating a draft of the vows you wish to exchange, it would do well to meet up with the Officiant again and show him a draft of your vows.  Although in the end, it is ultimately your decision that is followed, do take heed of the Officiant's advice, as it is usually sound and has been honed by experience.

Practice; It is a good idea to practice your vows before the wedding.  Although there is no rule against reading vows, a thoroughly practiced, heartfelt rendition of the vow will definitely make a lasting impact on your partner and the people witnessing the ceremony.  As mentioned earlier, avoid overly long vows as they tend to be less remembered and are harder to memorize, not to mention quite inconvenient to others.  You may do so, however, if you feel the need is justified.

The Performance When reciting your vows during the wedding, always keep calm. People who are tense tend to speak to fast, and since the wedding vow is a very important part of the wedding, you will want to take your time in the spotlight.  Loosen up, so that in case you forget a line or two during the exchange of vows, you will at least be able to bounce back with something from your heart.  If you desire so, you may also keep a written version of you vows with you.  You might want to read it surreptitiously though.

Good luck on your wedding, and may the sweet words you utter during the exchange of vows never lose their meaning for rest of your days!

Sunday, 16 February 2014

Wedding Favours for a Romantic Wedding

 
A Wedding can be planned in a variety of different themes.  Weddings can have themes based on the seasons, on a holiday, on the beach, on science fiction, on a period of history or any other theme imaginable. However, the underlying theme of any wedding should always be love and romance. Even weddings which may not have a particular theme will likely convey the message of love and romance. This article will provide ideas for wedding favours which will help you to give your guests a reminder of your wedding which will help to invoke the feeling of love and romance. Whether you are planning a particularly romantic wedding or a wedding based on another theme you might want to consider giving favours which are related to romance.

Anything invoking a feeling of love will be an appropriate wedding favour for a romantic wedding. One great example is a silver picture frame with the word love inscribed into the silver. This is a very simple favour but it is also one which accurately conveys the message of love. Your guests may choose to put a picture of you and your partner in the frame to serve as a definite reminder of you and your wedding or they can use the picture frame in any way they  wish. However, if  they decide to use the frame, it will likely always remind them of your wedding. Each time they see the frame displayed in their home, they will fondly remember how much fun they had at your wedding.



Coasters can also be given as favours for a romantic wedding. This may not seem like a particularly romantic gift because it is more of a practical item but you can find ways to make this simple gift more romantic in nature. For example coasters can be purchased in a heart shape or in a design which reflects the theme of love and romance. A coaster displaying a picture of a bride and a groom is one way to do this. The coasters can also simply have the word love written on them or can be decorated with heart shapes to make them seem more romantic. There are even heart shaped coasters available which are designed specifically for wine glasses. These coasters are much smaller than average coasters and can create a very attractive appearance.


Books can also be an excellent idea for wedding favours for a romantic wedding. Again, this may sound as though it will not be particularly romantic because books are typically viewed as being very practical items. However, your choice of book can greatly influence whether or not it is appropriate for a favour at a romantic wedding. A book such as a book of love poems or quotations related to love would be very appropriate to give as favours at a romantic wedding. With a little creativity you may also find other books which are appropriate. For example if you and your partner are particularly fond of a certain classical romance novel you might consider giving each of your guests a copy of this book.




A CD filled with love songs is another great favour idea for a romantic wedding. You can download some of the love songs you and your partner enjoy or songs which you plan to feature at the wedding and put these songs on a CD for each of your guests. You may even want to decorate the CD cover with a portrait of the two of your or with another image which will invoke the message of love and romance. This is not only a romantic gift but it is also a gift which can be very inexpensive. Many savvy brides and grooms may even be able to create these CDs on their own with their home computer. However, even if they do not have the time or the resources to do this, it should be rather inexpensive for the couple to find someone to do this for them.

Monday, 10 February 2014

Wedding Dance | Dance Floor Activities


Dance Floor Activities


Dancing is an essential component at most wedding receptions. We look forward to the couple's "first wedding dance" and the special father daughter wedding dance. It's also a place to get loose and funky, if you're a guest or a member of the wedding party.

But what if the wedding planners decided to add some fun and surprise to the dance floor by adding fun activities there? This doesn't mean a rousing version of the "Bunny Hop", which, while maybe essential, is hardly unique.

There are, however, many fun games and activities you can add to your dance floor activities that are sure to be a hit.


Try a fun game of the "chicken dance". Ok, so that doesn't sound too original. But if most of your guests are just sitting at their tables, watching a few brave couples dancing, or just finishing their meals, you might want to get everyone up and having fun. Try this game.

The DJ announces a number. Everyone looks under his or her chair, where there is a number. Depending on the number of guests at the wedding, there might be only numbers "1" and "2" or more, up to 5.

So, say the DJ announces number "4". Each person checks under their chair to see what their number is. These numbers can be written simply on a piece of masking tape and affixed to the underside of the chairs when the reception is being set up. Each "4" in this scenario will head to the dance floor to do the chicken dance with the other "4s". Not only does this get people out of their chairs and on to the dance floor, they get to know other wedding reception guests they might not otherwise know.

One dance floor activity that's gaining popularity is to bring in a dance teacher for the wedding reception. As a kind of pre-dance activity, the teacher will quickly walk people through their paces on the dance floor, perhaps teaching a bit of the waltz or, for something completely different, a little bit of the tango, before the music officially begins and dancing commences.

Having a dance teacher do a bit of teaching not only livens up the reception right from the start, but it gets people out on the dance floor who might otherwise be too self-conscious normally to get out there and let it all hang out. And practically speaking, it will likely make the wedding guests feel more confident in their skills before the "official" dancing begins.

Another fun activity to get everyone on the dance floor, including even the most reticent, is something you can refer to as the "snowball" dance. This is a good way to jumpstart the dancing at the beginning of the evening.


Here's how the "snowball" dance works. The wedding party, bride and groom included, will head to the dance floor for a fun dance. The music for this dance should be fast, something with a disco beat or a fast song that most people have at least a passing familiarity with. After a bit of wedding party dancing, the music stops. The female members of the wedding party move into the crowd and bring back one male each. The male members of the wedding party do the same, but they bring in female guests. The dancing then begins again. This is repeated until all the guests are dancing. It's truly a snowball effect!


Sunday, 12 January 2014

Good Wedding Songs

Wedding Songs List To Celebrate The Day

Wedding songs play a vital role throughout the entire wedding day. Best Wedding songs help create the mood and ambience of the day from start to end. Choosing the right wedding songs can also help accentuate the emotional significance of the occasion for a more memorable celebration.

In earlier years many weddings showcased traditional wedding songs. However, nowadays there is no limit to the type of wedding songs that couples can choose to play on their wedding day. Selecting wedding songs is also one of the fun things that couples can do to prepare for their wedding day.

Most couples prefer choosing a wedding songs list that have a significant meaning to them in order to create a more unique and personal atmosphere for their wedding day. A song that was played on their first date or songs of the couple's favourite artist are typical selections for wedding songs of many couples.

Things to remember when selecting wedding songs

When selecting good wedding songs, it is important to take into consideration the venue for the ceremony. Most wedding ceremonies often take place in a church, couples should first check with the minister if there are any restrictions to the type of wedding songs that can be played. Some churches have concerns regarding the kind of wedding songs that should be played during the sacrament of matrimony.

Other venues may not have a strict policy regarding the variety of wedding songs to be played. However it is still a good idea to choose wedding songs for the ceremony that would not turn the occasion into a comedy act. It is best to reserve the entertaining wedding songs for the reception where everyone can cut loose to the music.

Another important factor to consider is the selection of the band or DJ who will play the wedding songs during the reception. Couples with a more traditional wedding theme may opt for a classical ensemble to perform wedding songs at their reception. For an intimate gathering a solo pianist, flute trio or string quartet serve as an ideal choice to play classical wedding songs.

For a more contemporary wedding theme, there are a number of professional bands that cater specifically to wedding receptions. Couples can also choose to hire a DJ to play wedding songs at the reception.

Planning the wedding songs

Couples need to select a number of wedding songs for different parts of the wedding. There are essentially six parts of the wedding ceremony that would require music. The type of wedding songs for the prelude music is used to welcome family and friends to the ceremony. Happy and festive wedding songs can help set the tone for the entire wedding day.

Wedding songs for the processional of the wedding party marks the start of the ceremony. The songs are meant to usher in the wedding party and to prepare the guests for the entrance of the bride. The bride's processional is the critical moment of the ceremony. Though many would opt for the traditional bridal march, it is also a good idea to select different wedding songs that can make it more memorable.


The interludes are the various moments during the ceremony wherein a number of wedding songs can help enhance the overwhelming emotion of the occasion. Wedding songs during the recessional should be festive to celebrate the official union of the couple. The postlude wedding songs are meant to create a pleasant atmosphere to thank guests for coming to the ceremony.