Month: March 2017

Wedding Hair and Makeup Trial – Quick Guide

Wedding Hair and Makeup Trial

The time has come for your wedding hair and makeup trial! Your first sneak peek of your wedding face! This is a day to enjoy some pampering and soak in the excitement. At the same time, there are some practical points to consider as this is your chance to check and change any aspects of the hair & make up that don’t match up with your expectations. Hear are our top tips:

Don’t use products

First things first. Don’t use any products on your skin or hair the night before the trial. You want the trial to be as realistic as possible so don’t use any hair sprays, styling products or styling appliances. Likewise, avoid using skin creams, lotions or toners that may affect the makeup. If there is anything you need to use, check it with your hairstylist/makeup artist to make sure it won’t pose a problem.

Take veil and accessories

Take your veil to your hair trial to make sure it suits the hairstyle. If you are having your hair and makeup done by the same person, get the hair done first so you can try the veil before makeup is applied to avoid any makeup marks on the veil. If you have any other accessories that you would like to check with your hair and makeup, it’s a good idea to take these too. This would include necklaces, tiaras, hairclips etc.

Do you know what you want?

Do you have a very specific idea of the hairstyle and makeup that you want to achieve? If so, make sure your hairstylist/makeup artist are on the same page, otherwise they may stray from your vision. At the same time, it’s good to be open to their suggestions as they may have ideas which could make your vision even better. They are the experts after all.

Be honest

This is very important. If you don’t like any aspect of the hair and makeup, it’s important that you tell them now. This is the purpose of the trial after all…..to find a style you are happy with. Don’t worry about offending them. You’re not insulting their work, you’re just saying that you don’t feel it suits you. If your hairstylist/makeup artist is offended by this, they are not particularly professional and they are completely missing the point of the trial. Without honesty, the trial is a complete waste of time.

Give the hairstyle a road test

Once the hairstyle is complete, you want to make sure that it stays in place. Try going out for a meal followed by dancing to accurately emulate wedding day conditions(extremely scientific!). Or alternatively……just go sky diving! Try to schedule your hair and makeup trial for the same time of day as you will have it on your wedding day. If it’s still in place by the end of the night, you’ve got a winner!

Other than that, just make sure to enjoy your trial. Spend some time getting to know your hairstylist/makeup artist then go out afterwards to make the most of the “do”.

How to Manage Wedding Stress and Anxiety

Congratulations, you’re getting married!

As the planning stage kicks in and you realise the size of the task ahead of you, amidst all the excitement, anxiety can often kick in.

Some of us worry more than others, and with weddings people worry about all sorts of things: the size of the task, the cost, being the centre of attention, how they will look, making a speech, feeling judged, wanting the day to be perfect, and so on. All absolutely understandable, for this is the biggest day of your life, right? 

Mind Marriage is here to remind you that while it’s perfectly natural to feel some elevated stress, there is still a lot you can do to help you manage it and ensure you keep in sight the most important thing – that you’re getting married to your life partner and celebrating your relationship.

Bridebook.co.uk wedding couple

How does anxiety affect us?

A surprising amount of people experience anxiety without even realising it. Some of the ways it might manifest itself is by experiencing some of the following:

  • Lack of enjoyment of the process
  • Making rash or poor decisions
  • Not doing things as well as you normally would
  • Having negative thoughts
  • Catastrophizing
  • Feel irritable and/ or short tempered

People who are calm and relaxed generally enjoy the process much more; furthermore they perform better on the day, and have much better memories of the day. Three very good reasons to address those nerves!

You are what you think! Your mind is a very powerful thing and most of us believe that we aren’t in control of our thoughts. But you ARE in control, and you become what you think about. Your mind actually does exactly what it thinks you want it to, and it responds to the words you say and the pictures you make.

So, if you are saying ‘I can’t do this, it’s too much for me, I’m not good at it, I can’t make decisions… .’ your mind will believe this to be the case. It becomes a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

However, you can create an image in your mind of how you want to be and tell your mind this is what you want. Tell yourself:

  • I can do this
  • I am so good at it
  • It excites me
  • I make excellent decisions
  • I’m loving this

Simply by thinking the right thoughts, you can change the way you feel.

Start imagining your wedding and the planning process the way you want it. Create a picture in your mind and think about that picture. Believe in it.

Try this:

Pick your favourite ‘uplifting’ song, one with positive messages, something like Simply the Best by Tina Turner, We are the Champions, or Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen.

Now pin those positive thoughts to your song, and listen to that song every day.

Your mind loves what is familiar! The old negative thoughts and images will become unfamiliar and your mind will banish them! The new, positive thoughts and images will become familiar and your mind will take you towards your goal.

Bridebook.co.uk bride opening curtains

Comment below with any tips or tricks you’ve learnt along the way of how to best manage your stress or anxiety during your planning and big day. Unfortunately, this topic is not nearly addressed enough even though the majority of brides suffer from it. With careful planning, support and the right approaches, your wedding planning and big day can be as enjoyable an experience as you want it to be!

Good luck and have a wonderful wedding!

Bridebook.co.uk Mind Marriage logo

The Small Stuff : 20 Items for Your Wedding Equipment List

Wedding Equipment List

So, you’ve hired all the big equipment you need. The only thing left to do is to arrange all the small things that add character to your day. Most of these items you will want to buy rather than rent as you can keep them as memories of your day. These are the items that are easy to forget but can make your day more special for a relatively small amount of organisation. Add these items to your “items to buy” spreadsheet.

On with the list.

  1. “Ceremony this way” signs
  2. Aisle decorations
  3. Ring bearer pillow or box
  4. “Pick a seat not a side” signs
  5. Guestbook
  6. Dinner seating plan and stand
  7. Table numbers
  8. Table number holders
  9. Place cards on tables
  10. Flower baskets
  11. Flowers for mother of bride and groom
  12. Sparklers
  13. Flip-flops
  14. Blankets for guests who want to go outside
  15. Children’s games
  16. Puzzles for tables
  17. Charades for tables
  18. Quizzes for tables
  19. Custom games(e.g. how well do you know [bride and groom]”
  20. Table decorations

Lazy Sunday Morning Workout

The essence of this morning workout is working on exercises that are fundamental to how we move in everyday life and will help you move more effectively. We will work the whole body as a unit rather than working body segments separately.  The end result is a more effective workout with a bigger result for your time and effort.

HOW SHE DOES IT

Perform each move for 60 seconds, rest for 30 seconds between each exercise.

Take two mins rest and repeat the circuit. 

 

GLUTE BRIDGE

Bridebook.co.uk sunday morning workout

 

Why she does it

This is a fantastic exercise to activate your glutes and improve butt strength as well as teaching you how to extend your hips whilst keeping your core braced.

Strong glutes can help reduce risk of injury by taking the stress off of the lower back and helping with hip function.

 

The position

Lie on your mat, arms by your sides and legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Your feet are hip width apart and heels rooted to the ground.

 

How she does it

Engage your abdominals and push down through your heels. Squeeze your glutes to extend the hips so your pelvis comes into one straight line.

 Hold at the top for a count of two keeping the glutes engaged before releasing and lowering back to the ground.

 

Be mindful

Don’t just throw yourself up as this will simply send you into excessive lumbar extension, move through the movement carefully.

 

SQUAT

Why she does it

The squat is a fundamental exercise that everyone should be doing and is able to do. They challenge strength, mobility, balance, and flexibility in your hips and ankles which all translates into helping your body move more effectively. You will primarily be working your butt, legs and abdominals.

 

The Position

Stand with feet firmly planted on the floor about shoulder width apart, toes slightly turned out. With your hands clasped in front of your chest, gaze forwards, back straight, chest proud.

 

How she does it

Ground down through you’re heels as you sit your hips backwards allowing your knees to push outwards in line with your toes as your butt lowers just below parallel.

 

Be Mindful

Do not let your knees collapse inwards. You can always reduce your range of movement as you work on your technique.

 

PRESS UP

 

Bridebook.co.uk sunday morning workout

Why she does it

If you thought the press up was just a chest, shoulder and arms exercise, then think again. Done properly, the butt, abdominals, back and legs play a key part to the press up and developing coordinated strength.

 

The position

In full plank position, shoulders are in line with wrists and feet together. Firm your thighs, locking out the knees, and drawing your legs together. Squeeze your butt tight and draw your abdominal in creating a strong, solid body.

 

How she does it

Keeping your body solid from head to toe in the plank position, slowly lower your body all the way to the floor. Once your chest is on the ground you have two options.

 

  1. Keeping the thighs firm, buttocks tight and abdominals engaged, push down through your feet and hands and return to plank position.
  2. If you can’t push yourself up from the bottom of the pushup, that is okay, just return to the top with your knees on the ground.

 

Be Mindful

If the lowering phase in full plank is difficult then it’s perfectly ok to perform the movement on your knees, slowly lower and return.

 

CRAWLS

 

Bridebook.co.uk sunday morning workout

 

Why she does it

This exercise integrates your whole body whilst challenges the nervous system to learn new movement patterns and proprioception (awareness of your body in space). From an aesthetic point of view this one really works your core and is great for working the upper body too.

 

The Position

Come onto all fours with your knees just forwards of your hips. Your knees hover 2 inches max off the floor. Spine is neutral and gaze down.

 

How she does it

Purposefully crawl your left hand and right foot forwards working in unison (lifting and placing the hand and foot at the same time). As your crawl, keep the movement purposeful and try not to extend the gap between the hands and feet.

 

Take 4 steps forwards and 4 steps backwards, repeat x 10

 

Be Mindful

Keep your knees close to the floor throughout the movement.

 

PLANK TOUCHES

 

Bridebook.co.uk sunday morning workouts

 

 

Why she does it

I love this variation on the plank as it’ really focusing on body awareness, engaging the mind and physical body.  You will work your core whilst challenging co-ordination and balance.

 

The Postion

Come into a full plank position on your hands and feet. Your gaze is down and abdominals engaged.

 

How she does it

Focus on rooting down through the non-moving hand and foot. Engage your abdominals as you move opposite elbow to knee and return under control

 

Be mindful

As you move, focus on keeping your hips as still as you can and keep the movement precise and controlled.

 

 

STEP UP WITH KNEE LIFT

 

Bridebook.co.uk sunday morning workout

 

 

Why she does it

This exercise is excellent for strengthening the glutes and legs whilst boosting your metabolism.

 

The Position

Stand in front of a step/bench, with the left foot firmly on top. Your spine is straight and hands clasped in front of your chest.

 

How she does it

Root down through your left heel and focus on “firing” the left glut as you step yourself up to stand tall, bringing the right knee towards the chest.

Return the right leg slowly to the start position, keeping the movement slow and controlled.

 

Be Mindful

If you’re struggling with balance, then step the right foot onto the bench rather than taking the knee to the chest.

 

Should I Bother Creating a Wedding Website?

Why bother creating a wedding website?

A wedding website is more than just a pretty web page where you show off your engagement pics! It acts as a centralised hub for key wedding information that your guests can peruse at their own leisure. This greatly reduces the amount of time you will need to spend emailing and calling your guests with any wedding-day updates and can reduce the costs of printing various invites(save-the-dates etc.) as all the information is available online. If there are any sudden changes of plans, a quick update to the website and an email to your mailing list saves hours of phone calls.

The content you put on your wedding website is completely up to you. Here is some of the most useful information you can include:

  • Venue information(including map, directions and parking information)
  • An email contact form(to allow your guests to contact you directly)
  • A link to your gift list
  • Information on travel arrangements
  • Information on local accommodation
  • Weather forecast for the day of the wedding(to aid in outfit planning)

As you can see, there is a lot you can do with a wedding website which makes it an incredibly useful tool in helping you plan your wedding with ease. Most of the time, a wedding website can be built completely free of charge.

How To Choose Your Wedding Flowers

Whether you’ve found your dream florist or you’re still considering options, it’s time to talk wedding flowers. And from buttonholes to bouquets and ceremony flowers to centrepieces, there’s a lot to talk about. So here’s how to get started choosing your wedding flowers.

1. Have A Colour (Or Two!) In Mind

Have you chosen your wedding colours yet? If not, check out this article – then come right back here. You’ll use the colours you pick throughout your wedding decor, tying everything together – and that includes your flowers.

2. Think Seasonally

Daffodils at a winter wedding? Maybe not. But tulips for spring? Perfect! Thinking seasonally is an easy way to choose flowers that will work with your wedding’s aesthetic (and it can save you a few pennies too!).

3. Think Outside The Box

You don’t need to stick with tradition! Roses are great and if that’s what you want, go for it – but there’s a whole world of wedding flowers out there! We love wildflowers, especially for more casual weddings, while sunflowers brighten up any summer ceremony. We’ve even seen a few weddings incorporate vegetables like kale, cabbages and artichokes – and honestly, they’ve looked amazing!

4. Trust Your Florist

At the end of the day, your wedding is about you and you should always trust your gut – but it’s never a bad idea to take a little advice from the professionals! Work with your florist to come up with something you love together, combining your taste and ideas with their creative eye and years of experience.

5. Waste Not, Want Not

If you’re on a tighter budget (and honestly, even if you’re not!), consider how you could reuse flowers from your ceremony at your reception. For example, the same flowers you used to decorate your aisle might be repurposed into table centrepieces later in the day.

6. Consistency Is Key

Once you’ve decided on a theme for your wedding flowers, stick to it. That doesn’t mean that everything has to be identical – but you want some consistency between your bouquet and your buttonholes, for example. If you do want more variation, think about how you could incorporate this into your celebrations – perhaps switching things up after your wedding breakfast to signal a transition from day to night?

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How To Pick Your Wedding Date

Picking your wedding date is one of the first decisions you’ll make as a newly engaged couple. And once this date is set… Well, it’s the ultimate deadline! There’s (usually) no rescheduling – so this is it, and it’s full-on wedding planning mode from here on out.

But with 365 days to choose from, how are you meant to choose? Well, here’s our four-step guide to narrowing things down so you can pick that one perfect date.

1. Think Seasonally

Let’s start nice and broad with four options: spring, summer, autumn or winter. What do you want your wedding to look like? And what kind of vibe are you going for? A formal wedding can be done indoors at any time of year – but if you’re hoping for a garden party, it’s probably best to stick to the summer months. If in doubt, think about what you want your pictures to look like. Are you imagining photographs with a backdrop of autumn leaves or spring tulips? Do you see yourself and your guests wrapped in fur stoles or wearing shorts and summer dresses? This is an easy way to get an idea of what time of year you’re aiming for.

2. Who Has To Be There?

Sure, your wedding is about you and your partner – but it’s also having the most important people in your lives around you as you take this step together. Before you commit to a date, check that your most important guests will be able to make it. You don’t want to send out save the dates, only to find that none of your nearest and dearest can attend. This is especially important if you have guests travelling in from abroad as they’re likely to have more restrictions on when they’ll be able to fly.

3. Weekend or Weekday?

Once you’ve worked out the time of year and blocked off any “no-go” periods, you can start looking at specific dates. Most weddings are still held on Saturdays, giving your guests the day after to relax before work on Monday. That said, Saturday isn’t the only option and it’s increasingly common for couples to choose other days of the week – especially as this often means bagging a bargain. If you have your heart set on a venue that’s just that bit too expensive, consider a weekday wedding – and you could nab your dream venue for a price that won’t give you nightmares!

4. Work Your Priorities

Do you decide your date then pick a venue that’s available then? Or do you find your perfect venue and set a date based on their availability? It’s all about what’s most important to you and your partner. Our advice is to stay as flexible as possible. There’s no point deciding you must get married at 4pm on 8th August if nowhere’s available – but there’s also no point booking your dream venue if no one can come! Sit down with your partner and come up with a list of must-haves to help guide your decision.

Follow these four steps and you’ll have your perfect date picked out in no time! And to make things even easier, try using our Venue Search Tool to find your wedding venue – our wedding venue directory is the biggest (and the best!) in the UK.

7 Tips for Staying Calm the Week Before the Wedding

Week Before Wedding

As the time is approaching for the big day, you will be facing a flurry of emotions. Excitement, fear, joy, panic……to name a few. They all seem to combine into a big mush that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and highly stressed. These emotions are natural. Don’t worry if you’re feeling stressed….everybody does! It would be weird if you’re not! But don’t suppress the stress. Instead, do what you can to distract yourself from the negative emotions and relish(every minute) of the positive emotions. Here are our tips for keeping your cool for the final countdown.

1. Book a spa for the final week

Not exactly rocket science but this is a great way to loosen up in the lead up to the big day. Massage, facial…..whatever your preference is. Either go on your own, with your fiancé or bridesmaids…..or anyone else for that matter. And yes, Grooms are allowed to go for a spa treatment too!

2. Go for a country walk

Ease the stresses with a long walk in a pleasant countryside setting. The peace and quiet should help clear your mind from all the hustle and bustle of your wedding preparations.

3. Think about the dancing

You may be feeling stressed about your ceremony. The idea of standing in front of all your family and friends can be very stressful for some people. If you’re giving a speech, this may make you even more nervous. If you fall into this category, try to distract yourself by focusing on the non-stressful part of your wedding. Think about how you will feel once all the stressful parts are done and you can spend the rest of your day enjoying time with your family and friends. The dancing is normally a good part to focus on. Once you’re dancing, all the hard bits are over and the rest of the night can be spent boogying on down. And then comes……

4. ….the honeymoon

That’s right! Another great thing to focus on is the honeymoon(if you are honeymooning straight after your wedding). Your honeymoon is the first time in months that you will be able to fully relax and you don’t have to look at a to-do list once! If you’re feeling nervous about the wedding day, try distracting yourself by getting excited about the honeymoon.

5. Think about the marriage

With all the wedding planning arrangements you are going through, it is very easy to become so focused on organising the wedding that you can forget the most important thing…..the marriage. Remember what it’s all about. All this planning is for one purpose…the celebration of your marriage to the person you love the most. Once the wedding is finished, the marriage remains and this is the thing that lasts. Focus on the importance of the union…..as this is the thing that matters. Next week you will be husband and wife…..and that’s amazing!

6. Go for a meal with your fiancé

Following on from my last point….this is a great way to keep the romance flowing. Not only that, it gives you and your fiancé some time-out from wedding arrangements and gives you some breathing space. Take a couple of hours to catch your breath. Reminisce about how you met and look back at your relationship together. Don’t talk about wedding planning at all! Enjoy the company and just relax.

7. Don’t worry about small problems

It’s very easy to become obsessed with every little detail, but don’t worry too much about this. The truth is….with so many arrangements going on at the same time, it’s very likely that at least 1 thing will be missed or won’t go as planned. Try to accept that now, rather than feeling annoyed/frustrated on your wedding day. When the day comes, you won’t be thinking about the length of the twine that is tying favours together. Often small mistakes in your wedding day become anecdotes for the rest of your life….they actually make the day more special and memorable.

To sum it all up, there is only 1 thing to remember. The perfection is in the day, not the arrangements.

The Easiest and Smartest Way to Send Your Save the Dates

With over 40% of engagements happening between Christmas and Valentine’s Day, the UK will be seeing Save the Dates and engagement party invitations flying across the country left right and centre. If you’re one of the lucky many to be sending Save the Dates then congratulations! But don’t let preparations daunt you: in perfect addition to our free wedding planning tools, our incredible stationery experts at Paperless Post have all you need  for smart and easy wedding announcements – perfect for today’s couples who move faster than the Royal Mail. So what are you waiting for? Start sending those Save the Dates! You won’t believe how good it feels… 

Bridebook.co.uk Paperless Post Online Wedding Invitations

 

Start Spreading the News

Since you got such good tidings over Christmas, now’s the time to share. If you’re feeling especially generous, an engagement party is an ideal way to kick off the many wedding festivities to come. It’s also a great introduction to the convenience, customisability, and ease of our other event invitations. You’ll find options for every style of party—from drinks at home to something more formal—including a few photo invitations with room for spare frames from your engagement shoot.

Bridebook.co.uk Paperless Post Online Wedding Invitations

 

Make Your First Mark

Your save the dates are the first “official” step in your wedding stationery timeline, so now’s the time to make a stunning first impression. Whether you’re celebrating in a classic mode, trying out something more rustic, or embracing modernity, you’ll be in good hands with options from design stalwarts like Liberty London, contemporary stationers like Rifle Paper Co., or something from our own team of wedding aficionados. 

Bridebook.co.uk Paperless Post Online Wedding Invitations

 

Put It All Together

They’re pretty, of course, but our online save the dates are nothing if not practical. You can track whether your guests have opened them and they’ll collect postal addresses for you, too. (Use that list to order a set of pre-addressed envelopes for your printed invitations, and save yourself the hand-inscribing.) While you shouldn’t start counting heads just yet, this early show of interest will help you start making decisions about your venue, your caterers, and how many paper invitations you’ll need to order.

Bridebook.co.uk Paperless Post Online Wedding Invitations

Date, Set, Match

Even with that bit of pre-planning, we’d still recommend sending out your save the dates approximately 6 months before your wedding day and sending your printed invitations 3 months later. (Eagle-eyed readers will note that that’s 3 months before the big day.) If your venue is farther afield guests will really appreciate the extra time to make transport arrangements, and you’ll be surprised how quickly time flies when you’re planning anyway! We can make the paper stationery simple, of course—many of our save the dates come with matching suites of printed invitations, menus and programs, and couples’ stationery, to carry the theme of your wedding through every event. Whether you opt for flat printing, thermography, letterpress, or engraving, each part of your ceremony is sure to be well-appointed.

Bridebook.co.uk Paperless Post Online Wedding Invitations

Are you in love with Paperless Post’s incredible online and printed invitations as we are? Check out their whole collection of tools and exquisitely designed stationery online today!

 

Happy Planning!

9 Romantic Honeymoon Destinations

Time to plan the most romantic holiday of your life! The Luxury Travel Book share with us their favourite honeymoon destinations.  Feast your eyes below! 

Remember you can receive 10% off your booking by mentioning Bridebook.  

 

 

Paris

Quai d’Orléans 2, Ile St Louis

This stunning studio apartment is situated in a quiet side street near the Quai d’Orleans, on the Ile St Louis.  With luxurious furnishings, high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling French windows, it opens to a balcony which benefits from fabulous views of the Seine, the Left Bank, Ile de la Cité and Notre Dame Cathedral. 

 

Bridebook.co.uk honeymoon destinations

Venice

Apartment  San Samuele

Situated in a great central location in San Marco, just off Campo Santo Stefano, this splendid apartment comes with the advantage of a furnished ‘altana’ roof terrace with spectacular views over the rooftops of Venice.  The interiors are of a very high standard and offer the very best of Italian styling, hand-crafted furnishings and luxury fittings.

 

Bridebook.co.uk honeymoon destinations

Cape Town

Camps Bay Penthouse

This ultra-luxurious penthouse spans the top floor of a modern architecturally designed beach house, and situated just across the road from palm-fringed Camps Bay Beach. The property is ideal for romantic couples, with its deck, complete with Jacuzzi and panoramic views of Camps Bay Beach

 

Bridebook.co.uk castle wedding venue

Santorini

Captain’s House, Oia

The village of Oia on Santorini is one of our most romantic honeymoon destinations.  Located right on the westernmost point of Santorini, Oia is justifiably famous for its magnificent sunsets and  its charming pastel coloured houses, perched on the edge of the cliffs, about 150 metres above sea level.  This small Santorini ‘cave’ house has a private cliff-side terrace complete with chromatherapy Jacuzzi tub, set against the backdrop of the Aegean Sea.

 

Bridebook.co.uk honeymoon destinations

Santorini

Oia Ivory, Oia

Another Oia romantic hideaway, perched on the  steep cliffside in a quiet location in Oia town, where the famous caldera views and sunsets can be enjoyed. With typical cave-like whitewashed curves, the property combines the traditional Santorini architecture with the modern comforts, and there is a secluded terrace where guests can relax, looking out over the blue Aegean sea and the volcano.

 

Bridebook.co.uk Santorini 2

Seville

Apartment Alcazar

A stunning apartment in a listed 19th Century building right in the very heart of Seville. Situated on the banks of the Guadalquivir, it a short walk to the main sights, including the Cathedral, the Reales Alcázares (Royal Palace), and the archive of the Indies. There are magnificent views from the apartment’s two terraces.

 

Bridebook.co.uk honeymoon destinations

Lake Como

Villa Lakeside

A beautiful villa situated right on the edge of Lake Como, in the hamlet of Lezzeno.  The villa has a private pool, large garden and wonderful views.

 

Bridebook.co.uk honeymoon destinations

Positano

Punta Reginello

A charming villa located at Punta Reginella in the heart of Positano. A lively neighbourhood by day, full of small restaurants and boutiques, it is very quiet at night due to its location, 60 steps below the road which passes through Positano. The main beach of Positano and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, which are the heart of the village, are a just few minutes away on foot.

 

Bridebook.co.uk honeymoon destinations

Cape Town

Ellerman House One

The height of luxury in Cape Town, tucked away in Bantry Bay with spectacular ocean views, yet close to all the attractions of Cape Town. With its exquisite sea view location, dramatic architectural proportions and minimalist decor, this villa is attached to one of the most exclusive small hotels in the world, offering complete privacy and discreet personal service, including the services of a private chef. Guests also have full use of the spa relaxation area with sensation shower, sauna, steam room and jet pool.

 

Bridebook.co.uk honeymoon destinations

 

Happy Planning! 

Guest Transportation Organiser Spreadsheet

Arranging wedding transportation for your guests can be a difficult business. We’ve done a full hack on this to walk you through how to do it with as little stress as possible.

Download the Guest Transportation spreadsheet to help you in making the various arrangements between guests and transport companies. Stay on top of your planning with this simple spreadsheet.

Wedding Day Timeline – Spreadsheet

Creating a wedding day timeline is a very useful tool for both you, the venue and your vendors. It helps you clarify how the day will unfold but also allows the vendors to see how the service they provide will fit into the day. This is especially useful for your photographer and videographer as it gives them rough times as to when the key events of your day are going to take place. This allows them to plan in advance and work out best camera angles etc. Your venue and caterer will probably also ask you for a rough timeline of your day as they need this for planning food, bars and staffing.

This spreadsheet gives you a basic template to follow which includes all the key information that you need to keep your day organised. Fill this in once you have the information you need and you will find yourself feeling a lot more relaxed. Send the completed spreadsheet over to all relevant vendors and your venue. They will probably be very grateful.

You should also send(or print) this for anybody who is delegated a task on the timeline so that everybody has a clear idea of where they need to be.

10 steps to Arranging Wedding Transportation – Avoid These Pitfalls

Wedding Transportation

Do not underestimate this task! Arranging wedding transportation for your guests can prove to be a logistical nightmare. Fortunately, we’ve been there and done it and know the pitfalls. This hack will save you (literally) hours of needless correspondence and prevent any transportation disasters from occurring on your wedding day. Trust me, your guests not being able to get to your wedding is one of the most stressful things that can happen on the day. Here is how to avoid it and make sure everything goes smoothly.

1. Download our Wedding Planning spreadsheet – complete the guest list

Download our wedding planning spreadsheet(if you haven’t already) and go to the tab titled “Guest list 2”. Ideally, you should have completed this already. If you haven’t sent your invitations yet, do this as soon as you can and put a box for them to tick if they require transport. Alternatively, you can ask your email list/facebook conversation with all your guests. When you have all the responses, add the info into the column titled “Need transport?” and add contact numbers for all guests who require transport.

2. Count total number of guests

This step is pretty easy. Count the number of people in the ” Need transport?” column who have confirmed they need transport.

Tip: Pass this spreadsheet onto a bridesmaid or best man. If there are any problems with the transport company on the day of the wedding, this will allow them to easily contact all the affected guests.

3. Download our Guest Transport spreadsheet

4. When do you need to arrange transport for?

There are 3 main times on your wedding day when you may need to arrange guest transport:

  1. To collect guests from a central location and take them to your ceremony venue. This is mainly if your ceremony venue is in a difficult to reach place.
  2. Between the ceremony venue and reception venue. If your ceremony venue and reception venue are more than 5 mins walk away from one another you will probably need to arrange transport between them.
  3. To return guests to a central location(or near their house) at the end of the night. Again, this is mainly only needed if your reception venue is in an area with no transport options. A coach company may be willing to take a route with a few drop-off points to deliver your guests near their homes.

Once you have determined the transport options you need to provide, it’s time to email your guests.

5. Create email list – contact all

Create a new email list(or Facebook messenger conversation) with only the guests who require transport. Contact them all and ask whether they require transport:

a) to take them to the ceremony venue?

b) between the ceremony venue and the reception venue?

c) to return them to a fixed location at the end of the night?(this would be if your reception venue is in an area with no transport options)

d) a selection of the above

As you receive responses, add them to the Guest Transport spreadsheet.

6. Ask your venue if they cater to coaches?

Some venues may have small entrances which can only cater to small vehicles or may not allow larger vehicles on their grounds. Check with your venue if they have any restrictions.

7. Contact transport companies

Do a Google search for some local transport companies and send them all the following email:

“Good afternoon,

I am emailing to enquire whether you could provide a [number of guests] seat coach on the date of [your wedding date] to provide transportation for my wedding guests.

The trips I would require would be:

[number of guests] going from [location A] to [location B] at [time]

repeat further trips if needed

I look forward to hearing from you.

Many thanks”

8. Receive replies and work out best price

As you receive replies, add the details to the Guest Transport spreadsheet and work out the best price.

9. Make the booking

Book the transport company and make sure to get an email confirming all the details.

10. Email list to advise of pick up times/locations

Finally, send an email to your email list confirming all the details(pick up times/locations) and transport company name so they know what to look out for. You may even want to send them your guest transport spreadsheet so they have all the details and they know who else is travelling with them.

Follow these 10 steps and you will successfully book your guest transport with as little effort as possible and will have secured yourself in the eventuality of something going wrong with the transport company on the wedding day.

What Equipment do You Need to Hire When Planning a Wedding?

Wedding Equipment Hire

There are many different people and services that you need to hire when planning a wedding. “Wedding equipment hire” is probably the least glamorous and least spoken about. But it doesn’t need to be. Wedding equipment is one of the few areas that will really make a big difference to your theme and the “feel” you are trying to create. Unfortunately, the lack of publicity for wedding equipment hire leaves many people bewildered as to what it actually means. Is it just light and sound?? In this hack, we outline all the equipment that you (probably) need at your wedding.

Before you begin, check what equipment your venue already provide. You can use the list below to check with them.

Tables

  • Dining tables
  • Bar/serving tables
  • Cake table

Chairs

  • Ceremony chairs
  • Dinner chairs
  • Lounge chairs
  • Chair covers

On the Tables

  • Cutlery
  • Place settings
  • Serving pieces

Glasses

  • Water glasses
  • Champagne flutes
  • Red wine glasses
  • White wine glasses
  • Bar glasses

Linen

  • Table linens
  • Napkins

Lighting

  • Lighting canopy
  • Uplighters

Sound systems

  • PA system and microphones for ceremony
  • PA system and microphones for speeches
  • Sound system for band or DJ

That takes care of all the big stuff, let’s take a look at the small stuff.

Download The UK Wedding Report 2017

The UK Wedding Report 2017 by Bridebook.co.uk and TWIA

Bridebook.co.uk, the free app and website that connects couples with local UK suppliers, are thrilled to bring you the most comprehensive study on UK weddings:  The UK Wedding Report 2017! 

Together with The Wedding Industry Awards (TWIA), Bridebook.co.uk have examined the behaviours and spending habits of nearly 4,000 recently married couples in the UK.  We’ve uncovered trends, statistics and average costs based on the real-life answers of UK newlyweds. 

 

Click here to download the free UK Wedding Report 2017

 

Use these learnings to influence your business’s marketing strategy, inform decision-making and ensure your prices are competitive to help you book more weddings in 2017-2018.  

 

Get the most from the report and increase your wedding bookings with Bridebook.co.uk

Haven’t claimed your FREE Bridebook.co.uk profile yet? Visit Bridebook Business to get started!

There are 15,000 registered UK venues and suppliers with free profiles in the Bridebook.co.uk directory. By claiming/creating your free Bridebook.co.uk Business account, and adding all the information you love about your business (inc. photos, details, links to your social media, reviews and more), you are instantly searchable and accessible to our community of 40,000 couples (Top tip: the more information you add, the higher you will appear on search and the more couples will find you).

Once your profile is complete, couples are able to view your business profile and contact you, sending all relevant lead information directly to your inbox – saving you time, and making sure that enquiries received are relevant to you and your business.

 

How do couples find you on Bridebook.co.uk?

1 in 7 UK couples visit Bridebook.co.uk (and our newly launched iOS app) to plan their weddings with state-of-the-art free personalised wedding planning tools such as Checklist, Budgeter, Guestlist Manager and Advice which keep them on track from day 1 to wedding day.  Couples visit Bridebook.co.uk week after week to follow their checklist tasks and search the supplier directory (the largest in the UK) for local providers every step of the way.  Couples can filter their searches by location, style and specific offerings they want so they’re connected suppliers that best fit their needs.

 

Any questions?

For any questions about your free wedding business profile on Bridebook.co.uk, email our friendly supplier success team at [email protected] who always want to hear from you.  We look forward to helping make 2017-2018 a fantastic year for your wedding business!

 

How to Easily Find Wedding Accommodation for Guests

Wedding Accommodation for Guests

Now that you have booked your own wedding night accommodation, it’s time to help your guests to do the same.

Let’s face it! You’ve got enough on your plate without having to research accommodation for all your guests.

It’s not your responsibility to actually book the accommodation, but it is extremely helpful if you can at least look into the various accommodation options near your venue and send them some details. This hack will help you do this in the most efficient time-saving way possible.

Ask venue

Firstly, does your venue have any accommodation available? If you are getting married in a hotel for example, then it is highly likely that it will. A castle on the other hand may not, or may require that you book the entire place!

Your venue should also have a list of accommodation available nearby which they can send over to you.

My venue has no information on accommodation

Unlucky for you, the hard work is now in your hands. You will need to do some searching to find all available accommodation near your venue and create a spreadsheet to store all the information. Lucky for you, we have created a template especially for this.

Create email list

If you haven’t already, create an email list with all your guests(do this as early as you can as this email list is going to be useful throughout the entire planning process). Send an email to the entire list with the “accommodation information” spreadsheet attached.

If your venue offers accommodation, let your guests know which rooms are still available and that these will be booked out on a first-come-first-serve basis.

If your venue requires that you book the entire place, they may give you a bulk-price for all the rooms. In this case, you will need to work out the estimated pricing for each room and then email this information over to your guests and see who is interested. If there are only a small number of rooms, you may wish to offer them to your immediate family first.

If gathering emails is proving difficult, creating a Facebook messenger group with all your guests can sometimes be an easier option. The beauty of a messenger conversation is that your guests can liaise with one another to arrange joint accommodation and transport etc. Just beware that if you have a lot of guests in the conversation, they may begin to get irritated with 30+ notifications every day and will begin removing themselves from the conversation.

Our wedding planning spreadsheet has a sheet especially for adding accommodation info which you may find useful.

If you found this hack useful, you may also enjoy our hack on arranging guest transport.

2017 Celebrity Engagement Predictions

Alright, confession time. There are some of us who may or may not be just a little bit intrigued by celebrity couples. We just can’t help ourselves! So if you’re as guilty of this as some of the Bridebook.co.uk team are, this piece is perfect for you… our top list of duos we’re putting our money on getting engaged in 2017!

And though we may be just a little biased, we’re also convinced they’ll all be planning their weddings on Bridebook.co.uk, the UK’s free online wedding planner and app. Because all the smart couples do…

 

Cheryl Cole & Liam Payne

 

Bridebook.co.uk cheryl and liam
Photo by Getty Images

With a baby on the way any time soon, this X Factor couple are sure to take things to the next level. Payne is rumoured to have already bought a ring for Cheryl, so it’s only a matter of time before we find the One Direction singer down on one knee.

 

Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton

 

Bridebook.co.uk castle wedding venue
Photo from Inquistir

Rumours have surrounded this duo for a while regarding an engagement when Stefani showed off some bling on her left hand last year (supposedly hinting to Shelton about marriage). It seems to have worked, as Blake has been seen jewellery shopping recently – only time will tell!

 

Katie Holmes & Jamie Foxx

 

Bridebook.co.uk katie holmes and jamie foxx
Photo by Getty Images

Having reportedly been secretly dating since 2013 and recently celebrated New Year together in Miami, things are looking serious for Holmes and Foxx. The couple seem like they have a lot in common, both with daughters from previous relationships, so we reckon it won’t be long before it looks like they’ll tie the knot.

 

Jim Parsons & Todd Spiewak

 

Bridebook.co.uk celebrity couples
Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Film Magic

November marked the 14th anniversary between the Big Bang Theory star and his partner Todd Spiewak. Parsons continually denies engagement rumours, however Spiewak is said to have wanted to marry for a long time – and with encouragement from Ellen Degeneres during an interview with Parsons, we have high hopes for this pair!

 

Prince Harry & Megan Markle

 

Bridebook.co.uk celebrity weddings
Photo by Desiree Navarro/WireImage

Has the prince finally found his princess? We think so – and it’s in the form of Suits star Megan Markle. They reportedly spent their first Valentine’s Day together this month, hiding away at Kensington Palace. We just want to know when he’ll follow in the footsteps of his brother, and when to expect another royal wedding!

 

Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom

Bridebook.co.uk castle wedding venue
Photo from Inquistr

Having both moved on from previous marriages, we’re predicting great things for this pair. They’ve been linked since January 2016 and have even sported rather epic couple’s costumes at Hallowe’en, dressing devotedly as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. They can commit to dressing up, but can they commit to each other? We think marriage is on the cards at some point.

 

Adele & Simon Konecki

Bridebook.co.uk celebrity wedding
Photo by Getty Images

We all know Adele is great at writing break-up material, but it’s her love songs that hint at a potential engagement – after all, her and boyfriend Simon Konecki have been together for 5 years. They’ve had a son and are now talking about having more children, so are her love songs telling their story? We don’t think it will be long before the singer can expect a proposal.

 

Happy Planning!

 

Choosing Wedding Night Accommodation

Choosing Wedding Night Accommodation

Your wedding night is the first evening that you are going to be able to “fully” relax in months. No more planning to do. Just time to take in the events that have just occurred and soak up the magnificence that was your wedding day. You want to make sure that you enjoy it and that you’re not in some crummy hotel with terrible customer service. You don’t want anything to put a dampener on your night.

In saying that, your wedding accommodation is going to be one of the shortest hotel stays in your life. Assuming that your wedding finishes at midnight, you will be arriving at your accommodation pretty late, then checking out at lunchtime the next day(unless you have booked more than 1 night) so you may not get that much time to enjoy the hotel room and amenities. Nonetheless, it is worth spending a little more to get a hotel that is slightly more special than you would normally book. This is the last part of your wedding day and a perfect way to put a cherry on the cake.

Here are our key pieces of advice that will help make sure you book your wedding night accommodation properly:

Venue or hotel?

Does your venue have a honeymoon suite? If so, then your wedding night accommodation is sorted. If not, then you will need to find accommodation near the venue. This means arranging additional transport to get you from venue to hotel.

Book early

If you need to book a hotel, do it as early as you can so you can get the best room before it gets snapped up. Make sure to get email confirmation of the booking(you don’t want any nasty surprises on your wedding night).

Tell them you will be arriving late – any snacks available at this time?

Advise the hotel that you are getting married during the day and that this is your wedding night accommodation which means you will be arriving late. Give them an idea of the time you will be arriving and make sure this is ok. Ask if they can provide any snacks at this time as you may be hungry?

What is the check-out time?

Ask what time you need to check out the next day and if you can use amenities after this time.

Getting your luggage there

Somehow you need to get your luggage(either for your honeymoon or just for the night) to the hotel and you won’t be wanting to take it with you on the wedding night! You could take your car the day before and ask the hotel if you could leave it there overnight or alternatively you could ask the hotel if you could leave the luggage with them if they have somewhere to store it? Quick tip – Pack a notebook in your luggage to take some notes of the pleasant things which happened on your wedding day – It will still be fresh in your mind the day after but if you don’t write it down, I guarantee you will forget things in the coming weeks and months.

If you manage to get the above done, you will have successfully booked your wedding night accommodation with no problems. Hack complete.

Now to sort your guest accommodation

4 Steps to Choosing Wedding Rings for You and Your Fiancé

Choosing Wedding Rings

Choosing wedding rings is both one of the easiest and most difficult tasks you will encounter in your wedding planning.

It’s easy because it bears very little relevance to your actual wedding day…..guests probably won’t see it up close, so as long as you have a ring, your guests won’t care what it looks like.

It’s difficult however because it is one of the few wedding planning decisions that you will live with for the rest of your life! That ring is going to be on your finger everyday which makes it a very personal decision. As a physical symbol of your love and marriage, it is unlikely that you will ever buy a piece of jewellery with such significance. No pressure!

We have established that this is a personal decision which makes it very difficult to provide any solid advice on how to choose your rings. So we will just give you 4 simple steps, not to tell you what kind of ring to choose……but to make sure you are happy with your choice. Let’s do it!

1. Matching or not matching?

Do you and your fiancé want to have matching rings? If you are going for plain bands, you may want to go for the same shape so that they match. This is down to your shared preference.

2. Colour

The main 2 options here are yellow metal or silver metal. Try both to see which one suits your skin tone best.

3. Metal

There are many different metal options. Some are heavier and stronger than others. Metals such as platinum(one of the pricier options) are heavy and very hard-wearing which makes it a desirable choice. Cheap alternatives such as Palladium are growing in popularity due their lower price tag but sacrifice weight and strength.

It’s worth noting that if you plan to wear another ring(like your engagement ring) beside your wedding ring every day, they should ideally be the same metal. If they aren’t the same metal, the softer metal will slowly be worn down by the harder ring.

4. Size

Consider the size of your ring. Firstly, make sure you can get it on your finger. Are your hands hot or cold while putting the ring on? If you’re hands are cold, your fingers are slightly slimmer which will make it easier to put on, but once they heat up, your finger will expand and make the ring a tighter fit.

Keep this in mind: On your wedding day, your hands will probably be slightly sweaty due to nerves(making your fingers wider) and thus harder to get the ring on.

The most important thing of all is that you love the ring you pick. You NEED to LOVE it. Don’t settle for “like” with this decision as you need to live with this choice long past your wedding day.

If you are looking for a more unique wedding ring, take a look at some of the rings available on Etsy.

7 Steps To The Perfect Groom’s Outfit

Depending on where you are in the world, what the groom wears at his wedding varies. But in this article, we’re going to take a look at one of the most popular options: the suit.

Now, you might think a suit’s a suit, right? Wrong! Black tie is different to white tie, and then there are lounge suits and morning suits too. And once you’ve worked that out, there’s cuffs, collars and lapels to pin down…

But the suit is just one component of the perfect groom’s ensemble. So let’s talk how to build your perfect outfit.

1. Do Your Research

As always, start off with some research. Head to Pinterest or Instagram to find out what you like – as well as what you don’t! And remember to spend some time looking at shoes, accessories and grooming too.

2. Start With The Suit

Now for the fun part! Pick out a few options for suits and see how you feel in each of them. Do you feel good? Are you comfortable? How will it look with your partner’s choice of outfit? Once you’ve found your perfect match, make it official, whether that’s buying or booking in hire dates.

3. The Perfect Fit

To make sure you have the perfect fit, you may want to have your suit altered (although bear in mind that if you’re renting your suit, you won’t have this option). While your retailer may offer this service, you may also need to find an independent tailor. Either way, make sure to organise tailoring ASAP so that there’s plenty of time to make all the necessary adjustments before your big day.

4. Find Your Dancing Shoes

Now your suit’s sorted, look back at that Pinterest board we made in step one. What sort of shoes do you like? Pick out a few options and try them on with your suit to make sure they work together. Try not to go for style over substance – comfort is key! Remember that you’ll spend most of your wedding day on your feet – and there’ll probably be drinking and dancing too, so make sure you’ve got a good grip on the soles.

5. Add Accessories

Now it’s time for the finishing touches: your cufflinks, pocket square, tie or cravat, a top hat, decorative silk scarf… The options are endless! Our advice is to keep it simple with just two or three key accessories. And don’t forget about your socks!

6. Put It All Together

Okay, you’ve got the suit, sorted the shoes and assembled your accessories… We’re nearly there. Now to put it all together. How does it look? Is there anything you’re not happy with? (Did you remember the socks?) If not, now might be the time to go back to the tailor for further alterations – so make sure you’ve left plenty of time to turn that around.

7. Wear Your Shoes In

Whatever you do, don’t skip this step! Wear your shoes around your house at least three or four times in the weeks leading up to your wedding to break them in before your big day. No one wants to spend the happiest day of their life battling blisters…

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