By Georgina Clatworthy

Whether you are at the beginning of your wedding planning or have just returned from honeymoon, it is likely the only thing you have thought about for the past few months has been your wedding.  So after the big event is over and you have returned from a blissful honeymoon in the sun, how do you cope with suddenly coming back down to earth and a return to normal life?

For many couples whose live have been consumed by all things wedding related for a long period of time, the transition from wife and husband-to-be to Mr and Mrs can make them feel like there is something missing.  It is common to feel a sense of comedown after planning and experiencing such an amazing event.  But the secret to coping with life after the wedding is to begin married life in a state of bliss, relaxed and looking forward to the future.

Whether it is choose wedding dresses or sourcing favors, planning a wedding can seem like a full time occupation, but it is important that you keep some perspective about why you are doing all of this.  If your first choice of centerpiece is unavailable then simply move onto the next option, focusing too heavily on the wedding rather than the marriage will make the transition from wedding planning to married life harder.

If you have read plenty about coping with wedding planning then you will already know how important it is that you and your fiancé sit down together regularly during the planning phase and talk about things that are not wedding related.  A good tip for starting your married is to discuss your hopes and dreams for the future and the expectations you both have of married life.  You may both want to start a family straight away or enjoy regular holidays together before any children come along.  Being able to talk openly with each other will help you both to begin your marriage on the same wavelength.

After the wedding comes the honeymoon, but after that?  For most coming back from honeymoon and straight back to work and normal life can be a shock to the system.  It is at this point that you should both begin to think about something else, on which you can focus your energies.  It maybe renovating your home or planning another trip somewhere exotic.  The post honeymoon period is also a good time to get together with friends and family and go through the wedding photographs, video and to talk about the day.  Having your nearest and dearest indulging you on how wonderful your wedding was will help to make you feel special and appreciated.

Wedding planning can consume your lives for the best part of a year and it is a time when you often take center stage as people ask about your plans and send you their wishes.  Planning a wedding also gives you a goal and something on which to focus in your lives, afterwards all of this is gone.  It is important that you allow a period in which to adjust to your new found status and lives.  Keep the romance going with special dinners, trips out and romantic breaks.  Finding a new project which you can plan together will give you both something new to focus on and will make the transition much easier to adjust to.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Green weddings are the hot new trend at the moment and a good way to cut your wedding costs.  Wedding planning eco style needn’t be difficult and you can create a trend setting, memorable wedding day that won’t cost the earth!

Here are just a few ways to planning that eco chic wedding reception:

Reduce:

• Keep your guest list small to reduce the impact on the environment. It is also cheaper than trying to entertain a couple of hundred guests. A smaller guest list will also reduce your carbon footprint, particularly in terms of travel.
• Host your wedding ceremony and reception at venues close together, preferably within walking distance. It will cut down on transport costs.
• Cut out the cocktail hour and have your wedding ceremony and reception straight after each other. You will save money on drinks and canapés as well as the washing up!
• Use local suppliers within your planning. You will be supporting the local community and reducing your carbon footprint.
• Hold your wedding outdoors in a park or garden to reduce your decoration costs.
• Choose seasonal flowers which are locally grown. They will be cheaper so you can use more of them.

Recycle:

• Ask if your venue recycles and composts its waste, such as left over food, plastics, glass bottles etc.
• If you need to bring in your own tablewares, then look out for them at boot sale, charity shops or clearance stores. Another option is to hire them in.
• Use your floral pew ends as table center pieces.
• Go eco chic with jam jars or preserve bottles as vases on your tables or put pillar candles inside and use them to decorate the venue.
• Serve your food on bamboo plates and hand out drinks in recycled cups. Put a sign on the bar which says ‘please re-use your cup and recycle it when you’re finished’.
• Use recycled papers and cards to make your wedding stationery.
• Double up your wedding favors as name tags and use recycled card to make them.

Re-Use:

• Have your wedding flowers delivered to a local hospital or hospice after the wedding. Alternatively give them away as thank you gifts to those who have helped you throughout the wedding planning.
• Give out reusable grocery bags as wedding favors.
•  Use dried flowers or potted plants as your table center pieces. You can take them home afterwards or give them away as gifts.

By Georgina Clatworthy

The usual advice with regards to wedding planning is based around drawing up budgets, writing endless guest lists and deciding on who the wedding party should be.  And whilst all of these are very important to your planning, creating the wedding of your dreams should be your main priority.

A wedding should be all about the couple who are getting married.  It is the unique touches and personal details that tell your guests exactly whose wedding it is and which contribute so much to making your day memorable.  Therefore I am going to suggest a slightly more radical to proceed with your wedding planning and one which I feel will help you pull off the perfect wedding!

I have to admit I got the idea for this from a TV program but at the time I thought it was such as lovely way to plan a wedding that I had to write about it here!  Here is my ten step guide to a succesful wedding:

1. Who is most important to you? – husband-to-be/children/parents/siblings? Write down the name of the most important person you want at your wedding.

2. Who else is important to you? – immediate and close family should be your answer here.

3. What about close friends?

4. Your favorite color? For instance: blue.

5. Your favorite time of day? For instance: sunset

6. Your ideal venue? For instance: a beach

7. Your favorite flower? For instance: roses

8. Your favorite food? For instance: Seafood

9. Your favorite drink? For instance: Champagne

10. Your favorite time of year? For instance: fall

When you combine all these things together you should (if you have answered truthfully) be able to plan a wedding which ticks all the right boxes for you both.

Taking the example answers to these ten questions you would have a wedding which comprised of:

A fall, beach wedding at sunset, with seafood and champagne.  Your tables will be dressed with blue colored linens and blue decorations.  Your flowers will be roses and you will be surrounded by all your close family and friends.

As you can see this sounds like a wonderful wedding, full of special touches without being over the top.  Your answers to these ten questions will also help you to prioritize what is more important to you about your wedding day and will also help you to plan a wedding which is all about you and what you want without any outside influence!

Once you have written these down and answered them, keep a copy in your wedding planning notes, perhaps on top or stuck insde the front cover so you can always refer to it when things become a little overwhelming!

By Georgina Clatworthy

Wedding planning is a long and stressful process even for the most laidback and organized of brides!  So it is a good idea to brush up on the fine art of delegation and rope in an army of helpers to aid you with all your planning, organizing and arranging!

I know it can be tricky to hand over certain areas of your wedding day to someone else.  After all you know exactly what you want and have difficulty in trusting someone else to carry out your instructions to the letter.  But by implementing a little teamwork and giving clear and concise instructions you can achieve everything you want, on time and with less stress! 

So why delegate in the first place? Well planning a wedding can involve a tremendous amount of fun stuff but it can also involve a large amount of medial tasks that take up much of your precious time.  It is these types of task that you need to delegate to others, freeing you up to concentrate on the fun things!  You will probably have an army of willing helpers all desperate to help you in some way even if it just a small task – so what are you waiting for? Put them to work!

Delegating is something of an art.  It is more than just giving out an order like ‘fetch the flowers’ or ‘make the wedding favors‘.  You need to give clear and concise instructions, especially if you want something doing in a particular way.  Use your friends and family as a sounding board for your ideas, but don’t bother asking their opinion if you are not going to listen to it.  You don’t have to go with their suggestions but it can be a good idea to let someone research something further, perhaps by gathering quotes, brochures etc.

If you delegate someone a task then try to give them complete control over it.  For instance, if you ask someone to find you wedding programs, ask them to find you all the wedding stationery, it makes more sense.  But do try to avoid breathing down their necks every second of the day to make sure they are doing it right!  Give them a ring every couple of days or once a week.  Of course, if it is the week before the wedding then you are within your rights to constantly pester them!

When it comes to things you could delegate here are a few ideas:

• Flowers are an obvious choice from collecting them on the wedding day, to making buttonholes or table centers.
• Music can be a good choice for brothers or friends who have some experience. They could source a good DJ for you and help you put together the playlist.
• Transport on the day will be crucial and you will need to trust someone who can calculate the various trips needed, the number of people to transport and to book and arrange all the necessary transport requirements.
• Other elements of your day which you could delegate include things like making the wedding favors, keeping the guest list up to date as RSVP’s come back, making a seating plan. If you delegate a whole chunk of the wedding planning it will take weight off your shoulders and leave you free to concentrate on the bigger picture.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Choosing your wedding date will be the single most important aspect of your wedding planning.  Nothing can be achieved without one, you cannot book venues, arrange suppliers, order your dress even without a firm date with which to work with.  That is why it very important you do this first and that you take some time and careful thought over your choice.

Choosing your wedding date can seem a confusing task.  When you begin your planning you come to the realization that there is so much to organize and coordinate and it all revolves just one day.  But choosing your date can be made much simpler with just four basic questions:

1. Venue/s: Can you book the venues you have in mind, now this in itself can cause confusion, because you cannot book venues without first having chosen a date, but choosing a date depends on when your venues are available!  A bit of a chicken and egg scenario.  You may already have some idea of the venue/s you would like and it can be worth calling them to find out when they could accommodate you.  Typically wedding planning can take anything from 12 to 18 months although it can be done in less time.  So it is a good idea to decide on a month first and make a shortlist of several potential dates and to have more than one potential venue in mind.
2. Other commitments: what about work or are there any family or friend commitments during your chosen time frame?  What you don’t want to do is steal the limelight from someone else’s important day because your wedding is at the same time.  If your work sees you taking regular trips away or if it involves lots of long meetings, then you may want to consider your work commitments at that time as well.  You don’t want to trotting up the aisle looking frazzled and tired because work has kept you busy the last few days!
3. What about important guests: there will be certain people in your lives that you will want at your wedding so you will need to make sure they can be there around the dates you have chosen.  If you have relatives or friends abroad it can be wise to talk to them sooner rather later so they have plenty of time to make arrangements.
4. How much time do you need: as mentioned earlier wedding planning can take 12 to 18 months on average, so you need to ask yourselves if you will have enough time to get everything you need organized.  Many elements of your day can take several months to prepare, such as your wedding dress which can take around two months to appear, your wedding cake which can take two to three months to design and make and there is also your other guests to think about – will they be able to make the necessary preparations in time?  Will Auntie Mabel be able to find a suitable hat?

By Georgina Clatworthy

Getting married should be and will be one of the best occasions of your lives.  But for many starting their wedding planning comes the realization that they simply cannot afford the kind of wedding they were hoping for and with that comes some difficult decision making.

The cost of your wedding depends largely on what you consider to be most important to you.  The average cost of a wedding comes in at around $28,000 but beautiful weddings can be achieved for much less.  What you need to decide from the outset of your planning is what is important, what you really want and what you are prepared to compromise on.

I could tell you a hundred ways or more to save money on various elements of your day, however these would probably take too long to read through and many may just not be relevant to your wedding planning.  There is however five simple steps you can follow to reduce your budget but still have a fantastic and memorable wedding day:

• 1. Reduce the guest list – strike off those people you haven’t seen in over six months, particularly those you haven’t talked to. Strike off neighbors, casual acquaintances and work colleagues – all of these can be invited to the evening reception. Remember the longer the guest list, the more it will cost you, heads = $!
• 2. Beg, borrow and steal – find out if anyone in your family or circle of friends has a particular talent, skill or something they would be prepared to lend you. This could be entertainment, card making, dress making, cake making, or lending you a classic car for your wedding transportation.
• 3. Always consider every option – would a wedding package with one venue be cheaper than a ceremony and reception at two venues? Can your caterers make your wedding cake or would it be cheaper to have a cake made separately?
• 4. Sharpen your negotiation skills – always negotiate on prices, and try to obtain at least two quotes for services and goods. Ask about added extras, discounts and freebies. It doesn’t hurt to ask and they can only say no, fact is most venues and service providers will be desperate to secure your booking so may be more open to offering something ‘extra’.
• 5. Remember what is important – the most important part of your wedding day is you two getting married. Everything else is just ‘window dressing’ and not necessary to you achieving your goal! But, a wedding is special and so it is these added details such as dresses, flowers, presents and photographs that help to make it so. Prioritize every element of your wedding day from the ceremony to the wedding favors, that way you will achieve everything that is important to you and anything else is just an added bonus!

Weddings are meant to be unique and individual to the couple who are getting married.  Every element you add will say something about you as a couple, but you need to be realistic, prepared to compromise and focused on the end goal.  When you first write your wedding budget you will probably include every little detail, right down to the color of the table cloths on the reception tables! But if your end total is way out of reach you will probably find it quite easy to strike off many of those things, leaving a more comfortable budget to work with.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Guests are integral to your wedding celebrations but they also form a big wedding planning nightmare!  To start you need to think about who to invite, who not to invite, who is more important and the size of your wedding.  For many couples what starts out as a small intimate wedding quickly snowballs into the wedding of the century, purely because of the guest list!

There are no hard and fast rules with the guest list and there is no easy place to start either.  As your planning progresses you are likely to find more and more people to invite so it is important to get a grip on the size of the guest list early on.  A good time to start your list is early on and no later than one month before you send out the wedding invitations.

The size of your guest list will depend on the size of your budget and the size of your reception venue.  Most venues will be restricted by law as to the number of people who can be in any one room at any one time so make sure you check that out first.  That is why it is always a good idea to start by writing down the names of those people who are most important to you (don’t forget to include yourselves).

Once you have agreed the guest list between yourselves it is a good idea to hand a copy over to each set of parents so they can check for anyone you may have neglected to include.  If your parents are contributing towards the cost of the wedding then it is polite to allow them a certain number of guests.  This can cause some tension but you will need to realize that the wedding is not only about you but also about the union of two families.

What can cause friction is if you do not approve of the people they wish to invite.  In this case you will need to adopt a degree of tact and diplomacy in telling them that you do not want these people at your wedding.  One way of dealing with this situation is to point out that numbers are limited and others must take priority.

Another dilemma couples face when wedding planning their guest list is what to do about those people struck off the list.  This is where it is advisable to come up with an A list and a B list.  The A list contains the names of all those guests you want to join you during the ceremony and afternoon reception.  Everyone else is relegated to the B list and are usually invited to the evening party.  Should someone from the A list drop out then you can promote someone from the B list.

Don’t be worried about inviting people to the evening party only.  In actual fact most guests who are not related or close friends will be happier to join you for the evening party rather than have to sit through all the traditional wedding formalities during the day.  The evening party is a great idea for guests such as neighbors, work colleagues and casual friends.

By Georgina Clatworthy

The way you go about your wedding planning will be the key to your wedding day success.  Go about it in a confident, organized manner and you will achieve everything you want, go about it in an indecisive and unorganized manner then your wedding preparations could well end up in chaos!

Follow our ten steps to planning a successful wedding for a day to remember.

1. Get a Notebook: Buy yourself a handy notebook – spiral bound is best and of a size which will fit in your handbag.  Take it with you wherever you go so you can jot down numbers, dates, contact details, sizes, names and any ideas that suddenly come to you!
2. Create a Timeline: A clear timeline will help you make sure every element of your wedding is dealt with on time.  The best way to create on is to work backwards from your wedding date, plotting each milestone as you work back to the present day.
3. Keep Track of Your Budget: Creating a clearly itemized budget for your wedding is vital, without one you will have no control over what is spent where and on what.  Use a free downloadable budget planner from the internet or create on yourself on a spreadsheet.  Make sure your figures are realistic and that the total balances with the money you have available.  Also make sure you update it every time you pay out on something.
4. Stay Calm and Focused: Even the smallest of weddings can be stressful and emotions will always run high in the build up to the big day.  It is important therefore that you take regular timeout from your planning and spend sometime by yourselves or alone doing something as far away from the wedding as possible.
5. Pick Experienced Vendors: Make sure that the vendors and service providers you hire are experienced enough to deal with you wedding.  If a caterer has never catered a wedding for 250 guests you may want to think twice about hiring them.  In the same vein beware the cheapest quote! Keep in mind the saying ‘you get what you pay for’.
6. Give out Clear Directions: Make sure your guests know where they are going!  You don’t want to be standing at the ceremony or reception waiting on half your guests because they are lost! Hand out maps or route finder directions and also consider placing signs at key places so your guests can follow them.
7. When the Unexpected Happens: If something can go wrong it will and this is something you will need to bear in mind with your wedding planning.  The trick is to stay calm and deal with the situation as quickly as possible.  On the day make sure your best man and chief bridesmaid are up to the task of dealing with any problems as and when they arise.
8. Be Creative: Give yourself a lesson in design and color and apply your creative flair to your wedding preparations.  A good understanding of how color and design work together will help you to place all those little details perfectly within your wedding scheme.
9. Communication: Nominate yourself as in charge for every part of your wedding planning, whether it is dealing with venues, caterers or cake makers; make sure they know who they are dealing with and how to contact you.  Keep the lines of communication open and let everyone know of any changes as soon as possible.
10. Create Checklists: Checklists will be your new best friend throughout your wedding planning, so get used to creating one everyday with all the tasks you need to do.  As your wedding day draws near create checklists for the main members of your wedding party outlining their roles and responsibilities.  Follow them up by making sure everyone knows what they are doing, when they need to do it and with whom (if applicable).

 By Georgina Clatworthy

With the resurgence of the ballgown on the wedding catwalks, fairytale weddings have never been so popular.  So if the princess bride look is your wedding dream then take a look at our showcase of the best gowns available now: 

Hollywood Dreams

Raylia Designs

Demetrios

Alfred Sung

So what makes a wedding dress a Fairytale Wedding Dress?  Typically skirts will be full, very full, the archetypal ballgown.  Usually they are strapless with lace up backs & detailing will include embroidery, crystal beading & jewels.  Skirts will feature layers of tulle, pick-ups, bustles & overlays, with trains no longer than chapel length to add balance to the skirt width & to create a symmetrical silhouette.

Accessorize with opera length gloves, a crystal tiara & full length veil.  You can also add crystal chokers, bracelets & chandelier earrings for the full princess effect!

The typical fairytale gown will be pure white, but ivory, pale pink & even scarlet red are other popular choices.

By Georgina Clatworthy

“There is something about a wedding gown prettier than any other gown in the world.”

- Douglas Jerrod, 1859

Your wedding dress will say a lot about your personal style.  It is a statement about you, your tastes & your personality, so you need to get it right.  Throughout your wedding planning you will make choices about where to get married through to the type of wedding favors you hand out.  All of this decision making will create the backdrop to the two things that your guests will notice the most – you & your wedding dress.

Determining your wedding personality will help you make most of these decisions which can be difficult at the best of times.  For most brides, their wedding persona will be a close match to their everyday persona & their weddings will be likewise.  However, there are those who will seek to reinvent themselves just for their wedding & go for something completely different.  Well, it is your wedding day after all!

So to find your wedding personality read through the four descriptions below to find the one which best suits you:

The Romantic Bride:

The romantic bride has been dreaming of her wedding ever since she was a little girl & she has big fairy-tale sized aspirations.  You want a church filled with flowers or a beautiful garden setting; your dress will be typically feminine & full of pretty details.  Your chosen wedding color will most probably be pink!

The romantic bride can choose to make her wedding as formal & traditional or as laid back & casual as she likes, as long as it is oozing with romance.  Your choice of wedding dress will be traditional with lots of lace & ruffles & will probably have the ‘Cinderella’ look about it with a strapless bodice, long train & veil.

The romantic bride may also choose beautiful tulle dresses with delicate details or maybe lean towards an historical inspired gown from the Renaissance or Edwardian eras.

The Natural Bride:

For the natural bride a relaxed look is key.  The wedding will probably take place outdoors, a beach or parkland setting perhaps.  A natural bride will want to appear comfortable & her wedding dress will probably be simple & pure.

Natural brides will have a tendency to shy away from formal weddings; they make them nervous & instead will opt for a semi-formal affair.  Their wedding dress will be simple, lightweight & with minimal details. Because comfort is paramount they will also put their prospective gown through it’s paces before buying; considering how easy it is to walk, dance, hug & bend in, before placing a deposit!

The Classic Bride:

The classic bride will err on the side of caution; her wedding will be formal or semi-formal, conservative & full of tradition.  For her a wedding dress should be elegant, tasteful & timeless.  Her chosen color will probably be white & the dress will feature a fitted bodice, an a-line skirt with a chapel train & minimal detailing such as a subtle lace trim & some scattered pearls.

She will choose silk or satin over tulle & chiffon & is quite likely to be dusting off her mother’s or grandmothers dress for her big day!

The Drama Queen Bride:

The classic drama queen will see her wedding as a classy affair, probably held in the evening with top class catering in a five star hotel.  Her choice of dress will be contemporary, avant-garde & above all stylish – she has to be noticed!  Her wedding dress would be considered a risk by others but the drama queen has a closet full of risks & they normally pay off.

Because she is more daring than most her wedding dress will most likely be a strapless, backless design.  She will probably look at mermaid or trumpet gowns, with elaborate detailing such as lace, sequins & crystal beading.