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When it comes to sending out wedding invitations for your guests you have a few options. You can either hand make them yourself, you can order in bulk and fill them in by hand, or you can chose the middle ground and hire someone to make handmade wedding invitations for you that can take all of your wedding themes and ideas into consideration and come up with a great bespoke card for your wedding, a company like Pink Shoes Art can do this for you and come up with ideas or work with your own ideas.

Sending out a personalised wedding invitation says so much more about you as a couple and about the kind of wedding you are having. You can have great personal touches added to the card and it really stands out from the usual stock cards you get sent for most wedding invitations. What you want to do is make your big day stick in people’s memories so why not take the best opportunity to do this when they first hear about your wedding in the post.

If you order some extra bits and accessories you can also make sure the card is tailored to who it is being sent out to. Just stick some extra touches on to each persons card and it will really stand out. A good card designer will also work with you to make sure your handmade card is tailored to you as a couple and the theme of your wedding. Little touches and features on cards can turn them from drab copies of each other into great memorable unique items that people will really treasure and appreciate.

Handmade and hand drawn cards are different to what you expect to be receive when you are being invited to a wedding and its a great way to get people talking about your wedding and remember it rather than just sticking the invitation on the pile. A personalised card is also going to make a great keepsake and is something your guests will probably want to keep forever rather than throw away.

Modern day marriages usually consist of a couple that have been living together for sometime, and more frequently people find themselves in the situation where they already have everything they need at home, leaving the traditional wedding gift list behind.

Not so many years ago, the bride would leave their parents home to start her new life in a new property with her new husband, of course these days that rarely seems to happen. Rising house prices meant that individuals try to get on the property ladder at the first available opportunity, often leaving newly-weds with at least one property well before they get married. The fact that people have fully furnished homes has meant that the days of a full wedding gift list being drawn up has seen a reduction, but that is not always the case, people still compile wedding gift lists and request items that they need at home to start their newly married lives together.

Quite often these days couples are no longer asking for gifts, and prefer to suggest that guests offer a cash gift or vouchers instead, some people are uneasy about requesting their guests do this, as it seems like an invite is only forthcoming if you bring your wallet.

The wedding gift market is still thriving though, with large department stores like Debenhams and John Lewis offering gift list services, where guests can login online and see what the couple would like. Items like a toaster or a kettle are still popular gifts, along with plenty of other kitchenware.

If you’re attending a wedding of someone rather close to you, a cheque in an envelope seems a little impersonal, so maybe consider a small personal gift for the newlyweds as well as a token cheque towards whatever they are saving for.

It’s worth remembering that couples starting out in married still have the same financial strains today as they did 20 or 30 years ago, the difference is that they may of already achieved a significant amount of things with their own home already, so buying a new iron or trouser press may not be a high priority for them, where as a cash collection from guests can be clubbed together to buy a more significant item they can view for years to come and remember that their wedding guests bought that for them.

Whatever you decide for your wedding, whether you opt for a traditional wedding gift list, or a less romantic request for cash, your guests will be just happy to of received an invitation to your special day.

Outside of the UK, Sri Lanka is the most popular place for a British couple to tie the knot. The British based legal system; good value hotels and warm hospitality of the locals make it a popular favourite – even through the long war years which are now thankfully over.  The stunning beaches make it at op destination for Sri Lanka honeymoon tours.

Hotels for weddings in Sri Lanka

The majority of weddings take place in Sri Lanka Holidays beach hotels on the west coast of Sri Lanka.  Places like the Taj Exotica in Bentota and the Royal Palms in Beruwela offer great value weddings for a couple on their own – or with a large group of friends. There is a slight element of the production line to the weddings – some of the hotels host a day during the season with the elephant wheeled out again and again to transport the happy couple back to the hotel room. There is a limited amount of personalisation the can take place constrained as these hotels are by time pressures. Still, I imagine it suits some people very well.

Villa weddings in Sri Lanka

My advice for anyone planning a wedding in Sri Lanka would be to look at the options of taking over a villa or small boutique hotels in its entirety. I should know – my wife and I got married at a villa called The Hideaway back in 2006. With the villa to yourself you get all the personalisation and all the service you could want (all the villas are fully staffed) and none of the pressures of having to be considerate of other guests. After all, from the other guest’s perspectives – is there anything worse than not being invited to a party? Have a look at villas such as Kingsley’s Pearl or Southpoint Villa on Sri Lanka’s southern coastline.

Wedding in Boutique Hotels  Sri Lanka

If you have lots of guests and would like to all stay together – what better way than taking over all the rooms in the hotel and ensuring the wedding of your dreams. Small hotels such as Kandy House, Aditya or Tea Trails would offer the most sumptuous amazing wedding imaginable. I even know of weddings which have taken place in the romantic outdoors at the amazing eco resort – The Mudhouse.

Beach or inland?

When people think of a tropical they usually think of the beach and of course, there is very little to beat the romance of a wedding on a plan fringed beach as the sun sets in the west. However, Sri Lanka is a very beautiful country and the beautiful tropical colours, the tea covered hills or the steaming jungle, can all make unusual and quirky locations for a wedding.

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and the Dingy Bride’s cookbook hopes to prove that proverb.

With 100 mouth watering recipes, the 155 page cookbook has a wide selection of American and Latin dishes, covering everything from breakfast to dinner.

The book claims to create romantic cooking ideas that bring the two of you together.

Sounds intriguing ? Take a look at here for further details – The Dingy Bride’s Cookbook

For any bride getting married in 2012 the organisation has already started. The venue has probably been booked, the date is firmly set in the diary and the table plan is already in the back of their mind!

The exciting prospect of dress shopping has begun and all the wedding magazines and wedding blogs are buzzing with what dresses will be hot for next year. But what make-up and hair will complement that special dress in 2012?

Wedding hairstyles in 2012 will be all about the ponytail, and luckily a ponytail is the start of many wedding hairstyles that you can choose from! They are the foundation for buns, chignons, some half-up dos, messy dos, and also the more structured updos, so you have plenty to choose from whilst being right on trend.

The brides wanting a more relaxed look should go for a bouncy pony either high or low on the head with the lengths being curled with a tong. The curls should be left soft so that they swish when you’re walking, dancing or air kissing.

And for the make-up? As always, a bride’s skin should look flawless, fresh and glowing whilst still lasting all day and photographing well. The hottest look at London Fashion Week was neutral eyes with lips that looked ripe for the kissing. Colours varied from subtle to striking pinks, oranges through to tomato reds.

If strong lips aren’t your thing then take inspiration from Valentino with neat eyeliner to define your peepers. To really make your eyes standout use false eyelashes, either strips or individuals, to really make those eyelashes flutter.

The bridesmaids can also be on trend and follow the Jaeger models at London Fashion Week who were sporting a low, polished, side ponytail with the hair concealing the elastic band, finished with gorgeous curls. The runways were buzzing with inspiration for bridesmaid dresses with citrus shades making an impression. If bright dresses aren’t part of your vision then just add a citrus coloured hair clip to your bridesmaid’s hairstyle. You can find some gorgeous ones at Glitz4Girlz.com and Accessorize.

For more inspiration visit www.essexweddingbeauty.co.uk or to discuss your look with a professional Make-up Artist and Hairstylist contact Lisa on 07850 024 603 or lisa@essexweddingbeauty.co.uk.

First and foremost, congratulations! Your overseas wedding should be the best day of your life and no doubt will be. Furthermore, with a little financial planning, we can help to make sure it doesn’t go over budget and turn into a financial catastrophe. Whether you are planning a stunning beach wedding in California or village ceremony in Thailand, financial considerations need to be thought out well in advance. Thankfully, with the help of international money transfer comparison site MyCurrencyTransfer.com, we can assist you in answering some key questions on how to make international payments (the right way) for an overseas wedding.

1. Prepare well in advance

No doubt, you will have a list of suppliers that need to be paid in foreign currency. Make a full and comprehensive list (invitations, venue, catering, hotels etc) so that you have a figure in mind that needs to be transferred overseas. When making an international money transfer, check out comparison sites like MyCurrencyTransfer.com to help you find the best deal. Make contact with foreign exchange specialists who will typically get you a better deal than the high street banks. There is no fee to open an account with these specialists and an account can be opened very simply within 24 hours.

2. Look closely at the exchange rate offered

If you are sending a large amount of money overseas, it is much more important to focus on the exchange rate offered rather than the fixed fee to transfer. Often, when you send over a certain amount (i.e. above £5000) there will be no transfer fees. A foreign exchange specialist is likely to save you between 3-5% of the value of the transfer. On a £100,000 international money transfer this can equate to a £3000 saving. This is money that can be put to better use on other wedding items, or perhaps to pay for that dream sofa you had your eye on.

3. Consider the use of a forward contract

If you have time before you need to pay suppliers, it is still worth establishing contact with foreign exchange companies. They can discuss the use of a forward contract which allows you to fix the exchange rate for up to 12 months in advance. Perhaps if you like the look of today’s Baht or Euro exchange rate (but only need to pay in 3 months), you can look at locking in the exchange rate to minimize the risk of currency fluctuations.

4. Consider how to buy travel money for the actual trip itself

Once you set off for the trip of a lifetime, consider how you will take foreign currency abroad. A good starting point once again is to use specialist travel money comparison sites. You can compare travel money options at MyTravelMoney.co.uk. It is a sister site to MyCurrencyTransfer.com and is a useful tool as it compares live exchange rates taken from all the major suppliers. Whatever you do, don’t buy currency at the airport (i.e. waiting until the last minute) as the exchange rates will be extremely poor. Most travel money suppliers will actually offer you the option of home delivery of currency. Quite simply, you buy online and the currency will be delivered to your door next day via Royal Mail Special delivery. Once again, allow a few days in advance just incase.

Have an amazing trip, enjoy every moment and you will have the best day of your life. We wish you all the best and hope with our little nuggets of financial wisdom, you will have not only a fantastic wedding, but an occasion that sticks to budget and leave you with a few more pounds in your pocket.

Trends in Wedding Dresses

It goes without saying that choosing the perfect wedding dress is one of if not the most important decisions that a woman makes on her wedding day, which according to the old saying, is the happiest day of her life. With so many different things to consider, it can seem like a daunting task, however, it need not be.

The current fashion in wedding dresses is an elegant and flowing look. Gone are the tight, almost corset like dresses of the past decade which seemed to draw their inspiration from the Victorian era. Today, looser dresses perhaps reflect the mood of the times, focusing more on fashion and personal comfort than the nostalgia that dominated our ideas at the start of this century.

The most prevalent styles of dress for the past couple of years have seen a very noticeable shift towards more flowing and looser designs, arguably a more feminine look. This will come as a welcome relief for many, as summers seem to be hotter every year. An elegant free flowing dress lets your skin breathe more easily meaning less chance for you to feel uncomfortable or sweat on the big day. With so many things to worry about when getting married, it’s good that personal comfort is not such a big problem anymore.

Shoulderless Wedding Dress

Another recent trend that we are seeing more and more of is the one shoulder or even shoulderless wedding dress. In a development seemingly inspired by the glamour of the Hollywood red carpet, more and more women are choosing to show a bit of shoulder on their wedding day. Again this seems to be a move away from the more formal and classic look that has dominated wedding fashion for the past decade or so. In spite of, or perhaps even as a reaction to the troubled economy, many women are choosing to go all out for glamour at their wedding, taking their cues from stars of stage and screen.

Of course, wedding dresses are as much an expression of personal taste as a way to follow fashion, so the choice between sexy and traditional still ultimately depends on the personal choice of the bride. If you choose to follow the fashionable route however, it is important to remember that a wedding is still a formal occasion, and there is a danger that by moving too far away from a traditional look that you may end up being too sexy.

Traditional Wedding Dresses

The traditional aim of bridal outfits is to reflect innocence and purity as well as beauty, you may want to maintain an element of the virginal in your outfit. Although the departure from tradition is welcome news for many, don’t try to turn your wedding aisle into a catwalk.

You don’t have to have supermodel good looks or a movie star figure to look glamorous on your wedding day, beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, with the right balance of tradition and modernity all women can look fabulous on their wedding day.

For further information, please take a look at our Essex Wedding Dress Suppliers page.

Guest post by www.miamiweddingsandevents.com

When people think of Miami, Florida for their destination wedding, they typically think one thing: a gorgeous beach wedding, with the sun setting behind them. Perhaps they’re barefoot, with the warm sand tickling their toes as they take the hand of their groom. We had a chance to chat with Miami’s best wedding planner, Inspired Events, to find out what makes a beach wedding a success.

This is what their dream team had to say about the Rules for a Perfect Beach Wedding:

1. Have a Plan A, B, and C
Your job is to be beautiful, relaxed, and have the time of your life. Your wedding coordinator’s job, however, is to worry about everything that could possibly happen.

If it rains, your event planner should have a party rental company on standby. A deposit should have been made to reserve a tent large enough to cover your entire wedding party. If it’s windy and loud near the water, she should have already coordinated with a DJ to provide speakers and a microphone, so your guests can hear your vows. Considering all scenarios will assure that there is no last minute stress.

2. Consider Humidity
Let your hair and makeup stylists know that you will be near the ocean, so they can prepare you with waterproof makeup and frizz-fighting hairsprays. Want to make your guests happy? Prepare hospitality baskets to be placed in the bathrooms, with similar products.

3. Consider Comfort
You want your guests to focus on sharing your happiness on your big day. Allowing for semi-formal attire instead of formal goes a long way towards this. Placing a basket with flip flops, paper fans, and water bottles along the aisle will assure that your guests comfortable, and grateful. Particularly if they are from out of state and not used to seaside weather.

4. Consider Photos
Unless you know somebody that owns a private beach (in which case, tell them to call me!), chances are, there will be spectators. A wedding is a beautiful event, and people on vacation are likely to stop and stare at it. This means they may end up forever captured in the background of your wedding shots if you’re not careful. Your wedding coordinator can offer you several options for creating a “wall” with draping or florals, which can frame your event and hide the bikini clad spectators!

5. Relax and Trust in Your Wedding Planner
We worry about these things, so you don’t have to. You can contact us at any time, with anything you may think of. Inspiration and communication are keys to a gorgeous event, and we would love to share yours with you!

Visit our website today at www.miamiweddingsandevents.com to learn more!

It is an art to prepare and deliver a good wedding gift and a good pot of tea! Blooming Flower Tea is just one of the many ways to celebrate a wedding with a gift that can be utilized as a part of your wedding. You can serve the blooming teas at the wedding celebration, and gift them as favours too.

Just take one peek at the flower in the cup and it’s asserting one thousand words of love!

A blooming flower tea is a hand tied ball of tea leaves and flower blossoms. When hot water is poured over the bundle, the leaves expand and unfurl like an expanding flower. Many flower varieties make up the ingredients of the blooming tea.

These might include marigolds and hibiscus, carnations and roses, or exotic flowers like jasmine, lily, Osmanthus and Camelia Sinensis flower (the exact tea flower ).
There’s explanation in Chinese history of the conventional uses of tea in wedding ceremonies.
Blooming Flower Tea should be served or presented in a glass vessel, preferably a glass teapot, so you’ll see the unfurling action and experience the visually surprising time-lapse-like display. Typically, all of the tea balls are made from white tea, or silver needle tea, which does not turn as sour as a fermented tea would. Mostly, these teas have been known for their health benefits. Specifically, the promotion of good skin. And, grouped with Lychee fruit, White tea has been well documented to provide great results against breast cancer. Blooming Flower Tea is also made with Green tea, which is well known for its’ health benefits.

Tea Wedding Favors make the best Wedding Favor and Blooming Teas make a great Wedding Gift! They’re a wonderful drink and a great centerpiece to enjoy on each table for you, your guests, and your Wedding Party.

Tea Wedding Favors

Want to find out more about Tea Wedding Favors go to: www.DiscountTeaFavors.com

Are you planning a Hen or Stag do in Essex ?

Television company TwoFour are currently looking for a fun group of London / Essex based Hens or Stags that are willing to be filmed as they look for fancy dress costumes to wear on a night out.

If you and your group of friends are interested in participating in some filming towards the end of September 2011, then we would love to hear from you!

For more information, please get in touch by sending an e-mail to Anthony.White@Twofour.co.uk asap.