Showing posts with label Advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Advice. Show all posts

Sunday, 25 September 2011

Finding the One - Vintage Wedding Dresses

Finding 'the one' is the most important step in preparing your big day, and I'm not talking about your groom. Picking your dress could be the hardest decision you ever make - after all, how often are you going to let yourself spend that much money on one gown? The secret is to choose a style you like, and then personalise it with the help of a professional dressmaker. Here are two fantastic options to help you on your way. The first collection comes thanks to The Vintage Wedding Dress Company and the second from Clapham-based company Ellie & Charlotte. Both offer a selection of silhouettes which you can then adapt into a unique and personal gown, designed just for you!


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Sunday, 7 August 2011

How to Recycle Your Wedding Dress

This is the weekend when I say goodbye to my Delphine Manivet Anatole wedding dress. He's going to a good home - the lovely bride-to-be Kirsty has bought him from me for her Shoreditch wedding next month. It seemed like fate when she got in touch saying that she'd been searching for a second-hand Anatole, and then found mine, only 10 minutes away from her London home. It feels a bit sad to let him go, but in my view it's crazy to keep a wedding dress locked away in your cupboard for twenty years. Let's be honest, fashions change so much, it's really unlikely your daughter is going to want to wear it. And what if you have sons? You don't want to be the psycho mother-in-law who makes your son's fiancé wear your old dress. So much better to make some of the money back, and recycle your big day. What do you think? Are you in favour of selling your gown, or are you going to keep your wedding dress for posterity? If you're interested in recycling your wedding dress, take a look at my advice below.


{Photo Credit} Delphine Manivet Anatole wedding dress, worn by a model {not me!}

How to Recycle Your Wedding Dress

1. When you choose your wedding dress make sure you buy a well-known brand. It's lovely to have a dress made to your own design, but it's very hard to sell it afterwards.

2. Try to be careful with your dress on your wedding day. That doesn't mean you can't have fun, just lift up the skirts when you're walking on gravel, or through puddles!

3. A dress without a train is less likely to pick up stains, and will therefore be easier to sell on. That said, my dress had a train, and I still managed to sell it, despite having trod in someone's dropped canapé. The bride-to-be who bought my dress didn't want a train, so she's going to have it adjusted sans stains.

4. Take the dress off after your first dance. It's less likely to get wrecked in the dancing, and you're more likely to be a little tipsy later in the night, and that's when you might spill things down yourself. Also, it means you get to have two bites at the wedding outfit cherry! I changed into a bright pink dress, which was fantastic for dancing the night away.

5. Avoid red wine - for obvious reason!

6. Ask your mum to help you take the dress off at the end of the evening and hang it up for you.

7. Get it dry-cleaned as soon as you can. Stains can set in. I didn't send my dress away to a special dry-cleaner - I just sent it to my usual one. I reckon all the special places are a bit of a rip-off, unless your dress is massively intricate.

8. Wear really high heels. That means that even if you're short, the bride that buys your dress can cut off the dirty hem and have it raised a couple of centimetres.

9. Avoid drunk uncles holding canapes or glasses. Ditto for your 16-year old cousin, who's been allowed to drink champagne for the first time.

10. If you've got a dress to sell, then why not advertise it for free on the Before the Big Day Facebook page? All you have to do is click here, click Like, and then you can post a picture or a video, plus a description.

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Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Your Wedding Flowers for Less

Wedding flowers can blow your budget. They certainly blew mine, and that's despite me knowing all the secret tips. Unfortunately most of my wedding tips didn't translate into French for my wedding, but if you're getting married in the UK, then this advice on wedding flowers is going to save you a fortune. If you're looking for super-high end designer flowers, then this is not the feature for you - but right now, most of us are trying to save a few pennies on our wedding budget, and I'm all about cheap and chic. To get you in the mood, here are a few pictures of my own wedding flowers, taken by the lovely Chloé from Caught the Light. We couldn't DIY all our wedding flowers, because we needed to hire the vases from the florist, and it worked out as more economical to keep him on-side. But we saved a fortune by buying clouds and clouds of baby's breath from a local market. Our wedding planner Kerry Bracken collected it on the night before the wedding and it stayed lovely and fresh. Our Provencal florist, Stéphane, was wonderful - I'd recommend him to any bride planning to get married in France.


Before the Big Day Tips - Your Wedding Flowers for Less

1. Keep it seasonal. For a list of what flowers are in season for your wedding, click here.

2. Consider using plants rather than cut flowers for your table displays. Some garden centres will rent you plants, but even if you need to buy them, you can give them away as lovely presents after your wedding. You could even grow your own plants, whereas growing enough flowers is a mammoth task.

3. Keep it simple. Single blooms in lots of vases take a lot less time to arrange, and that means the florist will charge you less for their time. This isn't going to give you a luxury look, but elegant simplicity is very in right now!

4. Choose a cheap variety of flower, and buy tonnes of it for a dramatic effect. For example, I used baby's breath - a flower I hate when mixed with roses, but adore on its own. Carnations have the same effect. They're dreadful dotted in bouquets, but when you mass loads of them together, the effect completely changes, from awful to awesome.

5. Buy direct from a flower market and ask a friendly florist to moonlight on your behalf. This probably only works if you have a friend or a friend-of-a-friend who's a florist, but it's worth asking around. They could do your wedding flowers instead of giving you a wedding present.

6. DIY. Now I say this with huge caution. If you're doing simple single blooms as suggested in Hint 3, then you're not going to find this too traumatic. If, however, you're thinking luxurious mixed and hand-tied bunches, then you're not going to be able to produce the effect you want. Plus it takes hours, and it has to be done really near the wedding. You do not want to be arranging flowers the morning of you wedding. Really, trust me, you don't.

7. Don't DIY your buttonholes. They're harder to produce than you think, and they're going to be in every photography. Ditto for your wedding bouquet. Even if your budget is tiny, splash out.

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Wednesday, 20 July 2011

Engagement Rings Advice

It's surprising how many of my male friends say they don't want to get married because they're worried about the cost of an engagement ring. If only they knew that their girlfriend would be happy with a Hula Hoop, if only they'd propose! But there's no doubt that the boys do get the more expensive end of the deal, and many of them are nervous about going into jewellery shops, and getting laughed out the room because of their puny budget. Or course they don't need to worry, because engagement rings come in all shapes and sizes, and in all budgets. From solitaire diamond rings to multi-jewelled knuckle dusters, there's something out there for everyone. Here are a few of my hints and tips on how to buy wedding jewellery....leave this page open on your laptop, so they can 'accidentally' read it! Plus if you've got any advice, please do add it to the Comments section below.

{Photo Credit} Stephanie Williams Photography

1. Traditionally a wedding ring should cost two month's salary before tax. I've heard some US jewellers suggest it should be three months!! But there in the UK it's definitely supposed to be two.

2. Lots of little diamonds give a really dramatic effect, but don't cost nearly as much as solitaire diamonds.

3. Coloured stones are often a cheaper option, but remember that diamonds match everything, and your bride is going to want to wear her engagement ring every day of her life.

4. If the clarity isn't perfect, don't worry. If the flaw can't be seen by the naked eye, then who cares!

5. Why not buy a smaller solitaire diamond ring for your proposal, and promise to replace it with a bigger rock when you've saved up the money? Your bride will be thrilled to be engaged - she won't care about the size of the rock.

If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up for our free newsletter and click for more wedding ring ideas . Before the Big Day - the Best UK Wedding Blog.

Monday, 14 February 2011

Amazing Wedding Advice - The Wedding Photographer Agony Uncle

Two of the first new friends I made as a brand-new wedding blogger were photographers Nikole Ramsay and Ken Buist. I met Ken for coffee one afternoon in Islington, and as the rain poured outside, we shared stories and coffee, and he promised to let me feature lots of his gorgeous weddings. Having attended more weddings than he can count, Ken is the ultimate agony uncle for all those wedding questions you've always wanted to ask. He knows venues, caterers, wedding planners, florists, beauticians and hairdressers. He's been in the bride's bedroom, he's witnesses the tears and the tantrums, and he's stayed calm throughout. You're sure to have dozens of questions for him - please leave them in the comments section below - but first, here are a few of my own. All the pictures published with thanks to Ken - check out his website here.


Q. As a photographer, you go to a different wedding nearly every weekend. What's the best way to make a wedding stand out from the crowd?
A. Your aim should be to make your wedding stand out for "your crowd", so focus on what would make your big day amazing for you and your guests. Don't worry about wedding trends or traditions, or keeping up with the Joneses, just do whatever you want. I've seen everything from a bride in a pink carriage (with horses in matching pink coats), to a glamorous Venice wedding with James Bond-esque speed boats. At both weddings, the guests had the time of their lives. I would strongly recommend having an evening lounge bar area with funky background music, so that your guests can lounge around, relax, drink and chat. Another memorable way to stand out is to learn a traditional Venetian waltz for your first dance. It's incredibly romantic and a real treat for your guests.... but you'll need to practice the steps. Don't have Michael Buble for your first dance ..... its been done a million times before ;-)



Q. What's the best original theme or idea that you've seen recently?
A. For most weddings the theme is usually understated (except for the 'pink wedding'). A Summer-time jazz theme can work really well with vintage clothing, details, and a jazz band. Plus the bride and groom, and guests can all get dressed in Mad Men-era clothing. It's a great way to encourage your family and friends to get involved. Also remember the bride's dress doesn't have to be white or long if that's not really you! See my website and blog for some different colours and styles.

Q. What are the latest trends in bridal fashion for 2011?
A. I'd recommend wearing whatever suits your personality and body shape - simply, be yourself. Super-fashionable dresses tend to fade with age, so I'd aim for something classic. In my view, one of the best designers is Ritva Westenius. She combines the latest fashion trends with classic styles without losing sight that the normal bride isn't stick thin.


Q. What advice do you have for brides who are worried about how they're going to look in their pictures? Should they practice posing before their big day?
A. The best way to look good in your pictures is to get to know your photographer before the big day. Go for a drink and chat while you're still engaged, and that way you'll be more relaxed and in-tune with each other. Enjoy having your picture taken - embrace the attention rather than shy away from it. Lean slightly into the camera as this removes double chins. You can also look through fashion magazines to get an idea on posing, but personally I am not a big fan of overly-posed images so you will still want to keep things natural. Don't do the 'lunge photo' {bride leaning back almost touching the floor and groom smooching her neck}, who actually kisses like that?


Q. What's the most comon mistake made by a bride on her big day?
Make-up too heavy; not enough time allocated for getting ready; getting too stressed over small things; not delegating the organising and stress to someone else (either a bridesmaid, friend or wedding planner).

Q. What would you recommend to help the wedding day run smoothly?
Allocate more time for everything, as weddings always start to run behind schedule. Get a wedding planner if you have a large and/or complex wedding. Lots of champagne and laughter.

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Sunday, 13 February 2011

Rocking Bridal Lashes

As a wedding blogger, I get lots of offers of free stuff because people want me to promote them on the blog. Mostly I turn them down, because I'm too busy with featuring Real Weddings, or because their product just doesn't float my boat. But when Kym from Lash Lab offered me a free set of semi-permanent eye-lash extensions, I knew I had to say yes! I'd already been considering it for my own wedding day, as I'm aiming to do my own make-up, and I'm useless at putting on false eyelashes. So last week, I headed down to her super-glam salon on Brick Lane in East London, and emerged from the treatment 25% prettier. I kid you not - it works that well. Even The Boy noticed something had changed. He wasn't sure what, but he knew 'something' was different. Since then, everyone has commented and said how natural they look. So I can wholeheartedly recommend Kym AND eye-lash extensions, and I'll be keeping them up for my wedding day. Pictured below is me with my new lashes, click here for my before and after shots. The lovely Kym is offering £10 off to anyone who mentions Before the Big Day, so get ready to rock some serious lashes!

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Saturday, 7 August 2010

My Wedding - The Stationery #2

This is where I tell you all about planning my own wedding. After all, if I'm publishing all these Real Weddings, it's only fair I share my trials and tribulations. Read the rest of my wedding diary here.

You'll see from the title of this article, that I'm still obsessing about stationery. It's got to the stage where I really need to get our Save the Dates out. We're not getting married till 28th May 2011, but I'm keen for everyone to be able to pick up the cheapest Easyjet flights, so we need to be organised.

After endless agonising and pondering, I've finally settled on stamping the Save the Date statement on a business card-sized piece of balsa wood, stamping the other side with my key symbol, adding a Mini Moo card with the details of our website, and pegging them together with a tiny peg. These will all go in a miniature brown envelope. Whew! Lots of fiddly bits, but I'd like to add intrigue to the invitations, and build the anticipation for the wedding. Originally I was going to use luggage tags, but I really liked the unusual, natural element of the wood, and it fitted in with my Secret Garden theme.

 Meanwhile, I've been a big fan of Mini Moo cards for a few years. They enable you to create your own designs, and the finished products arrive in these cute boxes, and are just the most desirable things ever. The added bonus is that because I get their newsletter, I get their discounts, so 100 of them only cost about £10 including postage - bargain! The balsa wood cards were a custom order from Perch Papiers, and I already had those from early in my planning, but choosing an ink stamp was really difficult. I spent hours and hours looking through Etsy for the perfect stamp, and then realised that if my stationery is going to look a professional package, then I'm going to need everything to be in the same font. 


If you're DIY-ing your stationery, then you've probably already figured this out, but if you're just starting out, my advice is to choose a font first. Now in my quest to be constantly original, I didn't want to use just any old Windows font, so I went in search of special free ones online. Be warned - there are thousands. And then there are thousands more that cost about $40 each, and they're even more beautiful. Prepare to spend several days choosing - I browsed DaFont, 1001 Free Fonts and Urban Fonts, but there's loads more sites. Eventually, I picked a free font called English, which looks just like the picture above!


It's a bit scrolly and a bit romantic, but not so fussy that my elderly relatives won't be able to read it. What do you think? The relief of having finally made a decision was huge - I felt I'd achieved something! Now it came to the fun bit - I designed the Mini Moo cards, and the Save the Date stamp and set about getting it all made. The Moo cards will have 'Hooray! A wedding in Provence' on one side {white on grey}, and 'Excited? Want to know more?' and the details of our wedding website {grey on white} on the other side.


Originally I wanted the Save the Date stamp to look like the picture on the left, but I got in touch with Purple Lemon Designs, on Etsy, and the lovely Kelly suggested a slightly different looking stamp, which I loved, so I decided to go ahead with that. All in all the whole package will cost about £65 pre-postage - bargain!

Thursday, 5 August 2010

Best Idea Ever

Does your future husband disagree with your wedding choices? Are you having trouble deciding whether his great-aunt makes the wedding list? Fear not! Because I've stumbled across quite possibly the best idea since sliced bread. This website could save your marriage. It's called Couples Spark, and it relies on the wonderful web-community. All you have to do is post your conflict, and sit back and wait for the world's verdict. Recent arguments include 'My boyfriend is still friends with his annoying ex' and 'He lost his wedding ring 3 months ago and we've only been married 6 months'. LOVE it!

Sunday, 1 August 2010

Hello and Welcome!

Exciting things are happening at Before the Big Day. We've had a huge influx of new readers and sponsors, and I want to welcome you newbies to our boutique wedding blog. As you know, Before the Big Day is here to inspire you with lots of fabulous real weddings and wedding theme ideas, to make your big day stand out from the crowd. But we're also really keen to start a bridal community, where you can talk to other brides about their latest obsession with pompoms, or giant balloons, or corsetry, or the agony of choosing your first dance. I've had so many brides come up to me and say things like, 'I can't stop thinking about the chair covers at my wedding, am I normal?'. The answer is YES, you are normal, even if your husband-to-be thinks you're mad, and your girlfriends glaze over with boredom. So my plan is to create a space where brides can stick together, and help each other out, and thanks to the wonderful world of Facebook, I now have a Before the Big Day Page. This is open to everyone - it's a place where you can post messages and pictures and advice, and share enthusiastic wedding obsessiveness. All you have to do is click here, and Like!


{Gorgeous cards from Sparrow Nest Script}

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Monday, 19 July 2010

Top Tip Week ♥7

If you're looking to save a few pennies for your honeymoon, then check out all of Before the Big Day's Top Tips. There's helpful moneysaving tips for everything from your flowers to your favours.


Top Tip ♥7
With fees for experienced snappers hitting £5000 a day, you might be tempted to forego a photographer altogether. Whatever you do, don't ask a friend to take the pics for you. They'll never do as good as job as a professional, and they won't enjoy your big day, because they'll be running around trying to get the 'perfect' shot. Instead, choose a short package from a local photographer, and ask them to come just for the ceremony and the start of the reception. Then set up a self-portrait area in the corner of your reception, complete with a dressing up box and a couple of empty frames, and encourage your guests to take hilarious pics of themselves. Use a clean white sheet or funky fabric as the background, and set up your digital camera on a tripod, and use the self-timer. You'll get a fantastic album of posed shots, rather than lots of slightly dodgy pics of people looking sweaty on the dance floor. Buy silly accessories like fake moustaches from online shop Whisker Works.

Get more fabulous wedding advice by clicking here.

Sunday, 18 July 2010

Top Tip Week ♥6

Of course, you don’t have to give your guests favours, but it’s a sweet touch and it leaves your guests with fond memories of your big day. Also they don’t have to be too pricey, particularly if you’re good in the kitchen. Jam, biscuits, truffles and sloe gin - all can be handmade and packaged up a tag saying ‘Love is sweet’. Domestifluff will help you with recipes.

Get more fabulous wedding advice by clicking here.

Thursday, 15 July 2010

Top Tip Week ♥5

With two maids of honour and four bridesmaids to my name, I'm seriously considering whether they all need to be in the same outfit. Six dresses, six pairs of shoes, six sets of jewellery, you get my drift, everything is six times more expensive. So I'm completely in tune with Before the Big Day's 5th Top Tip.


Top Tip ♥5
Traditionally the bride buys her bridesmaids' dresses, but that can seriously add up, even if you pick them up in the sales. So instead ask them all to choose their own outfit from a particular colour palette and then add identical accessories. Try parasols from Brollies Galore or Asian Ideas or fascinators from Rock n' Rose, for a striking on-trend look.

Product Credits: Parasols - Asian Ideas, Hair Accessories: Rock n' Rose

Get more fabulous wedding advice by clicking here.

Wednesday, 14 July 2010

Top Tip Week ♥4

Florist fees can be pretty pricey, but you don't want to end up with an undecorated reception venue, so what to do? Well thanks to Before the Big Day's Top Tips on how to save money, you will go to the ball {or something like that - I'm having a Cinderella moment!}.

Top Tip ♥4
Eco friendly brides are turning against cut flowers in favour of living plants that can double up as presents for favoured guests. Splash out on a bridal bouquet by all means, but potted plants make for gorgeous table displays, and they save on florist fees. Worried that you don't have green fingers? Buy fairly mature herbs like lavender or rosemary and slip them into simple white Ikea planters for a professional, elegant look. The added benefit? They'll make your venue smell gorgeous.

Get more fabulous wedding advice by clicking here.

Tuesday, 13 July 2010

Guest Blogger: OMG I'm Getting Married

Where do wedding bloggers go to get their ideas? It's a bit of a trade secret, but there's one resource I'm happy to shout about. When the creative cloud descends, and I can't find anything cool, original or just plain gorgeous, then I sneak off and look at other UK wedding blogs, to remind myself that the fabulousness is out there, I've just got to keep looking! OMG I'm Getting Married is one of my favourite sites, and in a flurry of new friendship and mutual appreciation, editor Alexis and I have agreed to do a Guest Posting on each other's sites. So here is a wonderful contribution to Before the Big Day, from OMG I'm Getting Married! I've also written a feature for OMG, so take a look.


Top 10 things for the Maid of Honor to remember!
OMG my best friend got married this weekend and it was amazing!!! I know I have been going on and on and on about all this for quite a long time now, but I really can’t help it. My fab friend Giorgia was really the inspiration (along with my fiance OF COURSE) for this blog as a lot of the content has stemmed from questions and queries I have had about how to best support her on her fabulous day. So here is a top 10 list of things I have learned from this experience.

1. Bring an Emergency Kit
Even if your bride doesn’t need anything in here, someone, somewhere at the wedding will and you will save the day! If you don’t bring it, you will most definitely need it. Plus it is fun to put together. Your emergency kit should include the following:

- bandaids or plasters for blisters
- chapstick and lipstick for touch-ups
- baby wipes, tissues and Q-tips
- gum, tic tacs or minty item of your choice
- needle and thread for both the bride and groom’s outfits
- flask or mini bottle of the brides favourite liquor (just do it.)
- nail file and nail polish for any last minute touch ups
- a Tide pen (for those of you in the UK that don’t know what this is, it is a GODSEND)
- mini scissors

2. Take pictures ALL THE TIME
This time, from the minute your friends gets engaged until the day they get married, is one of the most important times ever, and you will never be able to remember all the fun things that you did unless you document it some how. If you are like me, I can barely remember what shoes I was wearing yesterday, let alone the millions of things I will probably do in preparation for my wedding. Your bride is probably the same. If you have a camera, or a camera phone, make sure you take photos, all the time, any time.

3. Be organised, make lists, keep a calendar and write yourself notes
Ok so this seems pretty obvious, but OMG I have never made so many lists in my life. And my bride was the most organised person in the universe. If you are like me and you love weddings and want to do everything and anything under the sun to make the day special, you will have loads of ideas. You will have ideas in the shower, on the bus, at the gym, at work and in meetings. Write them down! Make lists of everything you need to get done, even if you have done them already and then cross them off to remind yourself you have done them. Also make sure to keep a calendar of all your bride’s events along with yours so you never miss a fitting, appointment, tasting, spa day or dinner. Colour code things because it looks pretty and helps you focus. Go bridesmaid go.

4. Ask for help
I was extremely lucky to have the best fellow bridesmaids ever in the universe – they were some of my closest friends and so they therefor know me very well. (Massive thank you to Katie, Chantelle and Cyrena for all your help!) It was towards the beginning of our countdown (which started around the 2-months-to-go period) that I started sending millions and millions of OMG I AM SO EXCITED emails with bits and pieces of things we should do that had no sense of structure to them other than the fact that I was so excited. We had ideas coming from left, right and centre and it was very overwhelming. I am so sorry girls! Anyway, one of the girls suggested we nominate “captains” for each major planning event / item – ie. Scrapbook Captain, Bachelorette Party Captain, Bachelorette Dinner Captain, Gift and Goodie Bag Captain and overall Rome Liason (as the wedding was in Rome). This was such a great idea! Everyone had their duties, everyone was involved and no one was stressed. Win.

5. Involve the groom
If you want to surprise your bride, involve the groom. We did and it was awesome. We took our very best friend to New York for a surprise Bachelorette excursion and we could not have done it without the mastermind that is now her husband.

6. Be honest
Your bride is counting on you to tell her the truth when she asks you about anything. I know when it comes to be my turn, I will want the brutal and honest truth about everything from does this dress make me look fat? to does 80% grey look better than 79% for our invitations? Remember how important this day is to your bride and remember you will be there too, if you haven’t already. She will want everything to be perfect so do your best to help her make decisions and be honest! If she doesn’t agree with you, she will tell you.

7. OMG HAVE FUN!
This is your best friend and she is getting married and it is so exciting! Don’t forget to have fun because it is an experience you will remember forever. Cheesy but true.

8. Be prepared
Make sure you have a schedule for the week / weekend / day of the wedding so you know exactly what your bride is going to need and when she is going to need it. You should know timings and order of events for the day including pick up time, ceremony beginning and end, transportation to reception if necessary, times of drinks, dinner, speeches, dancing and cake as well as ending times to the evening so you can help usher people to get home. Also make sure to bring anything with you the bride might forget – ie. cash, keys, wallet, phone etc. Lastly – coordinate what you and the other bridesmaids are going to do with their purses / handbags etc. as you can’t bring them down the aisle with you!

9. Its OK to chase people, and if they don’t answer you, chase them again.
Planning a bachelorette party and people are not getting back to you? Chase them! Everyone seems to be busy these days, and some people are just lazy, but they will not want to miss out on your fabulous party planning skills! So just chase them, who cares if they are annoyed with you, its not your party, and they can’t get annoyed with the bride, because she probably doesn’t even know its going to happen yet. The worst parties are the ones people don’t know about, so they don’t come. Send out reminders closer to the date and don’t be afraid to call / email / chase.

10. Take time out.
So you are going to be super busy as a MOH – but this is not your full time, overtime job. Your bride doesn’t expect it to be that way, and so you shouldn’t either. If you get stressed, make a list and attack things one by one. Crossing things off is the best feeling in the world. Your bride might be planning wedding stuff every day of the week for months, but thats because its her wedding, not yours. So chill out, take some time to yourself and take time out for yourself.

Monday, 12 July 2010

Top Tip Week ♥3

Worrying about the cost of your wedding dress? Never fear, Before the Big Day's Top Tips are here. Check out the fabulous advice below, and get the gown you want for a fraction of the price. Meanwhile, if you have any money-saving advice that you'd like to share with other brides, please leave a comment. Every little helps!

Tip ♥3 - Your Dress
The days of keeping your wedding dress for future generations are long gone. Most brides sell their gowns once they get back from their honeymoon, and there are thousands of dresses that have, by their very nature, only been worn once. Websites like Almost New Wedding Dresses and Sell My Wedding Dress enable you to search by size and designer, and there's no reason for you not to be able to try before you buy. Even better - go into the bridal boutiques and try on the style you like, then find one second-hand via the internet.

Photo Credits - {from top} 1. Jenny Packham 2. Temperley

Get more fabulous wedding advice by clicking here.

Sunday, 11 July 2010

Top Tip Week ♥2

Looking to save a few pennies while planning your wedding? Don't miss the Before the Big Day Top Tip Week {TM!}. Top Tip 2 is all about stationery, but click here for more money-saving DIY ideas, and sign up for free Before the Big Day updates to never miss a helpful hint!

Tip ♥2 - Your Stationery
Invitations are only the first step in the world of wedding stationery. You're going to need response cards, menus, place markers, table guides, thank you cards and an order of service for each guest. Phew! It's not surprising that the average couple end up spending over £500 on paper goods alone. This is where DIY comes into its own. Plenty of graphic designers have cottoned on to the fact that brides want to cut costs, and they offer print-your-own invitation templates at a fraction of the price. Try Swoon & Creative or Ella & Grace Stationery for ideas, plus Download & Print for *free* printables - woohoo!

Photo Credits - {from top} 1. Download & Print, 2. Swoon & Creative, 3. Ella & Grace Stationery

Get more fabulous wedding advice by clicking here.

Saturday, 10 July 2010

Top Tip Week ♥1

We love weddings, but we don't like how much they cost. I've figured out that if I was a billionaire, every second of planning my wedding would be pleasureable, because the only thing that really worries me is the cost. Right now, I'm worrying about the expense of catering, but next week it'll be the stationery, and the week after that, I'll be anxious about whether I should be spending over a grand on my dress. One thousand pounds? That's a lot of money to be spending on something I'll only wear once. So, inspired by my own desire to keep the cost of our wedding manageable, I've come up with a few tips which should help you save your pennies. I'll be posting one a day, so keep coming back for more, or sign up for free updates here!

Top Tip 1 - Your Reception
Save money and surprise your guests by serving a traditional British tea rather than the standard 3-course meal. Vintage is a huge trend in weddings this season, so hire antique crockery and cake stands from Pretty Vintage or Eclectic Bliss for that classic olde-English feel. Ask your grandmother to knit tea cosies for a personalised effect, and hand-hem floral material for sweet mismatching napkins. Cabbages & Roses or Cath Kidson are renowned for their old-fashioned fabrics, and if you're not handy with a needle, learn how to sew via Ooh. Instead of one grand (and pricey) wedding cake, ask your bridesmaids to get baking, and offer prizes for the best-tasting and best-looking!

Photo Credits - {clockwise from top left} 1. Olivia Brabbs Photography, 2 & 3. Eclectic Bliss, 4. Marianne Taylor, 5. Olivia Brabbs Photography

Get more fabulous wedding advice by clicking here.

Friday, 19 March 2010

Choosing a Photographer

It's a minefield, choosing your wedding photographer. These are the pictures that are going to grace your granny's mantlepiece for the next twenty years, so you want to be looking good. But that's not the only thing to think about - you need to decide your style. Will it be traditional or reportage, arty monochrome or popping colour like a Mario Testino shoot? Do you want your photographer to be a man or a woman? And the elephant in the corner - what's your budget?? To help you answer some of these thorny questions, we sat down with well known British photographer, Mark Bothwell, to discuss some key points to consider when commissioning the person who could make or break your big day.....

BTBD : As a photographer, you understand how important your role is on a couple’s big day. You’re a paid guest {!} and in charge of recording our memories – a huge job! So…when choosing a photographer, what should we be thinking about?
“It’s impossible to narrow it down to one area, it’s a process which happens in stages. First of all clients contact photographers whose work they like - that could be a group of as many as a dozen. From there, cost will narrow the field down, and then it’s usually based on instinct. The couple have to often warm to one particular photographer. In my experience couples will often be prepared to go beyond their budget if they really like a photographer’s attitude, so while quality of work is the hook, personality is often the clincher. Photography at a wedding is a very pivotal task, you’re being trusted with a huge day in people’s lives and you can’t underestimate the responsibility of that role. My own attitude is to give the absolute maximum each time you’re commissioned because you’ll never get the chance to impress that particular group of people ever again”

BTBD : What’s the deal with photography packages? How do they work?
“I cant speak for anybody else, but for me this is really clear cut. I hate the whole package idea, I just don’t see the point as it confuses the issue. People want clarity, transparency and to know what they’re paying for, and why. My personal approach is to have a price for the photography, a price for books and a list of unit costs for prints. This simple approach allows couples to piece together as much or as little as they wish. You wouldn’t believe the stories I hear about photographers who bamboozle clients with this, that and the other.

BTBD : We’ve been to so many weddings where the photographer took ages to shoot the family groups. Is this an inevitable part of the process, is it always like that?
“No, not at all. I hear this stuff too, and it’s so frustrating because we all get tarred with that brush. I suppose if you give a photographer a list of 30 family groups then it’s going to take ages to shoot, but you have to decide whether you really need that? Maybe it’s because of my reputation and style of working, but I’m never asked to shoot groups in any quantity. My clients don’t want their day interrupting with an overly formal approach, plus it greatly reduces the natural feel of your pictures. A wedding day is a gentle, intimate occasion, and I think it’s really poor and quite invasive for somebody to walk in and dictate the pace of the day, which trust me some try to do. A photographer works for the couple, it’s not the other way around.

BTBD: Loads of our friends have got printed books of their wedding pics rather than traditional albums. How do you decide which shots to choose? Can we choose which ones we like and the layout?
“Absolutely, I think it’s very important couples feel they can get involved in the final look of something which will hopefully be valued for many years to come. It comes back around to that principle of being flexible, because high quality art books aren’t cheap, so why would you settle for something less than you know you can have? Speaking for myself, initially I’ll design a draft, then turn this over to the client to check. They can then list changes, or come into the office and direct their ideas for improvement in real time on the big screens. I would go as far as to say that often couples really enjoy a mini stint as an art editor, it’s a fun and collaborative process which always yields better results for them, which is the ultimate goal. If you want that level of involvement, you need to tell your photographer what you want, so they can work round you.

BTBD : What’s the deal with copyright. It seems weird that a photographer can own the copyright to my wedding pictures?“This is another straightforward area for me because I always offer the ownership of the photography to clients – after all it’s their big day! The feedback I receive from clients who have spoken to other photographers who don’t offer the rights automatically is that the they are suspicious of hidden costs later and that something is being almost kept from them. It supports the theory that couples want a clear, easily understandable arrangement with their photography and I consider confusion as a fast route to mistrust.

BTBD : Lastly, wedding photography gets a bad press sometimes among other pro photographers, why do you think this is?“It’s a great point, and something I find increasingly amusing. The basis for this attitude is that anybody can  show up and take pictures, and often weddings take place on the weekend so people abuse the trust placed in them in the pursuit of easy cash. But this exists in all areas of life, not just the wedding industry. It’ll be the same with fashion, news, products, etc.. There are lots of suppliers who are awful, many who are good and a small group who excel. Life in a nutshell, really”

{Mark’s portfolio can be viewed at www.markbothwell.com}

Tuesday, 1 September 2009

Submissions

Before the Big Day is ALL about Real Weddings, and I'm always on the look out for more! So whether you're a photographer, or a bride, or a wedding planner {or anyone else!}, do get in touch with your gorgeous weddings, so I can feature them on Before the Big Day.

I'm also massively interested in fashion and product shoots, DIY ideas and any other fabulousness you think I should know about. So don't be shy - get in touch! Simply send me a selection of the best pictures from a particular wedding, or a link to a blog post you've written, and I'll tell you whether your wedding fits with Before the Big Day.



{Photo Credits} Buy these gorgeous prints from Skippy Design

Once I've accepted your wedding, I'll need the following... 


1. Please could you send about 80 pictures, telling the story of the day, with a special focus on wedding details. I’m only really interested in the bride, groom, bridesmaids and ushers, so no need for any guest pictures.

2. Please only send colour pictures.

3. There’s no need to resize your pictures, my Blogstomp software does that for me!

4. Please send your pictures via Dropbox, labeled with your company’s name, followed by the bride and groom’s name.

5. If possible, could you ask your bride to fill in our Bride’s Questionnaire? If she’s not able to do it, could you tell me the key details about the wedding – including location and date, and anything else you can add about the theme / suppliers.

In the meantime, why not take a look at the Real Weddings already featured on Before the Big Day, or take a look at all the details of My Own Wedding.

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