Weekly round up w/c 25th Nov

Well hellloooo lazy Sunday ! 

Well it's been a sad week as we said goodbye to Araminta and Michelle! 

But as we approach 2014 we have some new bloggers, and new projects I cannot wait to share with you!

So snuggle up with a mug of hot chocolate and catch up with what's hot in the world of weddings!

Monday 25th

Today Michelle's post was about saying thanks you, from sticky notes to blackboards some quirky ways to thank your guests. NB we apologise for the images not on display in this post.

Tuesday 26th

Araminta have us some beautiful backless dresses! Truly stunning, if your bust area is your main feature then opting for a backless design will create a whole new look.

Wednesday 27th

Today was Araminta's last post and was a look back at the year she has been at ABB2B. From Doctor Who to her amazing DIY posts check out Looking Back 

Thursday 28th

Today was my plead for help! As part of the Big C wedding fair next May we are relying on past brides to donate their pre loved dresses to raise money for the charity. 

Friday 29th

Today Michelle celebrated her last day with Black Friday. So black cakes were on the menu with some stunning designs from Art Deco to chic. NB we apologise for the images which cannot be viewed at this time. 

Saturday 30th 

Today blog was to introduce MikeSavory from  MSPROVISION. 

Working across the East, check out Mikes post video from past work ! A big

Welcome to Mike! 

Mike Savory - MSProVision !

Good morning ! 

On today's blog I'm showcasing our newest sponsor to the blog MSProVision ! 

Here's what Mike had to say about his business. 

"I'm not really sure how I started the business.  I suppose it started basically because I love weddings! I love videoing and I really wanted people to see that having a video of your special day is a magical and really affordable way to remember it.

 I take pride in turning the memories of your special day into a magical wedding  keepsake that will stand the test of time.

I am very proud of the fact that all my clients' feedback is around how discrete their service is, for me its very much stepping back and capturing the story of your special day."

Here is a lovely wedding from September Mike filmed, and just doesn't the bride look amazing! 

http://www.mikesavory.co.uk/hayley-brads-knock-out-day/

https://vimeo.com/77092003

Catch mike on 

web:  www.mikesavory.co.uk
email:  contact@mikesavory.co.uk
mobile: 07584579308

 

Black Friday Beauties!

It's Black Friday! Today is the day after Thanksgiving, where shops and store offer huge discounts to shoppers. It's almost like the celebration of the start of Christmas shopping. And what better way to show our love for this fabulous discounted day, than by lots of beautiful black wedding cakes!

Sleek and sexy, these cakes give some class and sophistication whilst offering a unique take on a traditional cake. I love it!

WE NEED YOU !!!

Good morning,

Today I'm giving a big shout out about the next Big C wedding show taking place on 11th May 2014 at Roundwood celebration centre, Taverham Norwich.

Last year was fantastic, a glorious hot summers day, and weddings suppliers from planners to candy carts to casinos, sparkly shoes to florists and of course cars and Campervans ! 

And the best bit of all ?? The pre loved wedding dress sale! 

Raising thousands of pounds for the charity last year, past brides and the lovely bridal shops of Norwich, donated designer and pre loved dresses to be sold at our fashion show!   

And this year is no exception ! We are looking to top last years total ! So we are going for bigger and better! Not only do we want your pre loved dresses, shoes, tiaras, mother of the bride, bridesmaids dresses, we also want your wedding decorations! So if you have any old wedding related items, could be birdcages to candles, favour boxes to thank you cards, please donate them !! 

 

Drop off zones! 

The amazing Drayton Old Lodge have kindly offered the lovely venue as a drop of zone. If you could kindly take your donations there myself or Michelle Gregory will collect them and get them ready for the show.

The Big C shop on Timberhill Norwich will also accept your donations. Please place your items in a bag clearly marked BIG C Wedding show. 

AND...... This year we are luckily enough to have Karen Walpole from Diversify Media, sponsoring the show ! Karen will be displaying at the wedding show so make sure you stop by and book her to film your wedding! 

Looking Back

Sadly today is my last blog, but I hope I've helped to inspire you over the past months with my posts.

For me, my favorite blogs include my first, about wedding favours, my glamping wedding and my Doctor Who themed wedding moodboard.

I've thoroughly enjoyed collating images of beautiful things, be it dresses, cakes or decorations to help you make those decisions which can sometimes seem incredibly difficult. I've enjoyed guiding you through tutorials of how to make your own cupcakes. I've enjoyed suggesting unusal yet revolutionary ideas for things such as guest books. And I've loved pushing past the traditional imagery surrounding weddings. 

It's so important to make your wedding a celebration of the two of you, it should reflect your personalities and hobbies. Remember that it's ok if you don't want to wear white, or if you want to wear trainers, or have a black wedding cake (or no cake at all). It's ok if you want to get married somewhere a little unconventional. Whatever is going to make your day special for the two of you is what it boils down to.

I have, most of all, loved having the opportunity to work with some fantastic suppliers on numerous photo shoots. I feel we are very fortunate in Norfolk to have such a large amount of talented people within the wedding trade. It's safe to say there is a supplier out there to meet everyone's specific needs and desired style.

Here are some images from some of my favorite blogs:

Araminta x

Back It Up

Every woman has a part of their body which they love. They may not voice it, but there will be something which they are proud of, no matter how low they're feeling. It could be legs, arms, stomach, eyes or back... 

Today's post is for you ladies who love your backs! What better way to show it off for all your friends and family to admire (and envy) than wearing a dress which draws attention to it.

This can be done in a number of ways...

Backless dresses, detailing, sheer fabrics, cut-outs... And many ways in between.

I will take this moment to point out how envious I am that I can't get away with wearing any of the following dresses. It makes me sad as some of them are just stunning! But alas, for me it's not a style I could pull off successfully. 

Here are some dresses to inspire you if you're hunting for a wedding gown...

Saying Thank You!

Every couple receives gifts at their wedding, like it or not. So you need to be prepared with a way to say thank you to the kind people wishing you well on your future life together. And if you are going to do it, well the why not do it right?

Get creative and on the day, with your trusty photographer, how about getting the perfect 'thank you' shot for your cards to send. Using different props, from signs to umbrellas, couples are finding more and more ways to say thanks in a unique way, and leaving behind a great keepsake for everyone.

Have a look at these for ideas!

Weekly round up w/c 18th November!

Hello and happy weekend! 

Well I haven't stopped this week with getting the blog changed and working on our new packages due out in January,

It really is all systems go!

So lay back and chillax with a cuppa and let's catch up of what's hot in the East ! 

Monday: 

Michelle brought to you Movember! A fantastic charity and something which will bring giggles and tickles to your wedding!

Tuesday: 

Araminta gave you a tasty dessert bar! Try this and incorpriate a candy buffet and cake all In one!

Wednesday:

 Today Araminta's flower globes looked so pretty and so easy to make. They really are a fantastic idea to decorate any venue!

Thursday: 

How to eliminate wedding stress was my topic today, how to enjoy the build up to your big day!

Friday: 

Michelle gave you a muppet wedding today! Proving popular it gave us a few smiles to!

Saturday: 

Today was about how to financially plan for your wedding - no good dreaming of your big day if u can't afford it ! 

Its Not About The Perfect Wedding

Good morning,

Too many brides make a wanna-have list – a fairy tail dress, champagne and strawberries, platinum rings, a celeb style honeymoon. and i have to ask how they'll pay for it?

One brides said to me her father asked what her budget was. an d she replied, 'Dad, how can I work out my budget until I know what I want?'"

So, instead, ask yourself,"what can we afford to spend on our wedding?" Then work out how to have the best do possible within that budget. A marquee in a garden with close friends can be just as beautiful as a glizty bash for 300. 

Before I get too far into this, and you skip straight to the DIY section on the blog, it really is worth pausing to think about the money you want to spend. 

 "While a wedding is a wonderful dream day, it's important to remember one of the biggest causes of divorce is debt and financial worries.

If the cost of your wedding is going to leave you financially worse off and in debt for most of your married life, then you need to re-evaluate your dream."

If you're saving up to get married or perhaps your parents have given you a contribution, ensure you maximize the interest.

The best way is to open an easy-access account, which means you can easily withdraw the cash when needed. Yet many people avoid cash ISAs, wrongly thinking their money is locked in.

Every UK citizen over 16 gets a cash ISA allowance, which lets them save safely from the taxman. Use that up first to max your rate.

You can withdraw it anytime (provided it's easy-access), you just can’t then return it – not a problem if you're spending it anyway. 

Once you know your budget, the next step is to work out how much you can actually afford to spend on different areas and prioritize what’s important to YOU.

Write down all the things you need to spend cash on on a different piece of card – from cakes to cars, rings to registry office fees.

Talk about what’s most important to both of you. You may want a vinatge shabby chic day,  but would you prefer a honeymoon abroad? Or a professional photographer? Remember, .the biggest cost is the venue. Costs here are likely to be about one third to half of your budget

The end result may be that you can't afford the wedding you wanted. But, more importantly, it means you won't spend what you can't afford.

Holiday Inn, Old English Inns and Britannia hotels have £999 wedding packages - fab if you're on a tight budget and have a limited guest list. The key is you know what you're going to pay from the outset.

Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn offers a buffet for up to 40 guests, a wedding ceremony and planner, a disco with a DJ and overnight stay for the happy couple. Packages start at £999 and all 60 of its hotels take part - for more info, We have Two hotels in Norwich.

Old English Inns

Here you get a three-course sit-down meal, including wine and a glass of bubbly, and a disco for up to 50 guests - all for £999.

The offer is valid Sunday to Thursday (Friday and Saturday may be available with an extra charge). Look through the list of 42 participating Old English Inns and call quoting the offer.

Britannia Hotels

The Britannia Hotels £999 deal includes Buck's fizz, a three-course meal for 50 guests, evening buffet for 100 guests, room hire and a toastmaster.

The offer's subject to availability - call Britannia Hotels to check. Some higher-end branches charge £1,499 for the same package 

It's Time to Meet The Muppets!

So, if you haven't heard already, the Muppets are back with another fantastic dose of hilarious puppetry to feast our eyes on, with a huge cast following them in the film. And so in honour of the new film, I thought I'd find some Muppet madness wedding fun!

I love the bouquets especially, such a quirky and fun twist to your day. Even the little buttonhole. And just think how your guests would react to your first dance being the Muppets theme song!

So as they say.... It's time to meet the music, it's time to light the lights. It's time to meet the Muppets!

How to Minimise Wedding Day Stress

Sounds silly doesn't it?

Trust me I'm not about to start blasting out a self help pitch! Today I speak from experience.

I want to share with all you brides to be what I class as vital information for any bride and it's something I wish I had learnt earlia in the planning process! 

 From the minute you say "yes" to the "I do" you will find that all aspects of the planning can be challenging. 

From parents and your future in-law's telling you who to invite, whose paying for what and your bridesmaids not liking the dream peach dresses you choose!  Planning can take over your life! 

Here's my advice on how not to turn into bridezilla!! 

Rule 1! Set your boundaries! 

Lose your expectations! Don't let family or friends tell you how things "ought" to be done. A huge mistake as a bride, is when you let yourself get wound up by people that don't see your vision. You need to be able to say NO! It's one of the most important things during your planning process. If you can't say no, then you will end up agreeing things to keep the peace and not sticking to your original plan. Once you do it, there won't be an end to it! 

Love you list of jobs !

You may have a list the size of a ball of string, but hey, this is the most exciting todo list ever! 

Delegate jobs to family members and use family resources. If your auntie is amazing with a sewing machine then ask her to make DIY decorations like bunting and knapkins! 

Start collecting items like jam jars or vintage crockery and any items that you can source for free early on so you know that you will have enough. 

Have a wedding timeline to, so you know what and when things need doing. 

We all get stressed out! Even as a wedding planner, I have brides call me in a panic as they have forgotten things or need some advice on how to deal with not having to invite relatives that they never see! Remember it's perfectly normal to feel stressed and anxious about your big day. As girls somewhere in our hearts we have all dreamt of this day since we were little,  And if your like me, dressed up in mums dress and heels aged five, holding her dried flower arrangement! It has and will be perfect, no matter what adventures your planning takes you on, 

The biggest regrets I have as a past bride? Its without a doubt having time to enjoy my planning. It's the most important day of your life and it goes sooooo quickly! Enjoy every minute of the planning stage. Keep a wedding planning diary. Keep your receipts, fabric samples, photos and mood boards in there as a keepsake of your big day, something to show your daughter when she dresses up in your Dress ! 

And if all else fails? Log onto www.evissawedding.co.uk and let me take the stress away! 

Flower Globes

This is slightly out of season, however, I've just found a simple tutorial for how to make your own silk flowe balls to hang from the ceiling or walls to decorate your wedding. 

It basically involved getting polystyrene balls and gluing silk flowers onto them, be it roses, sunflowers, daisies..

This looks incredibly effective and it led me to thinking about what other things you could glue to polystyrene balls to look effect for the relevant season or theme.

Perhaps silk leaves for an autumnal feel, or pearls (fake not real) for a glamorous edge.

For a festive wedding why not use baubles or cranberries! 

Buttons can look great too. 

Don't forget that it's often the simple ideas that look the most effective!

Dessert Bar

There is always a lot of focus on the wedding cake. But what if you don't really like cake (this may sound crazy, but there are some people who don't). There are a lot of alternatives out there but there is a chance that none of the cake pops, cheese cakes or cupcakes appeal to you. If this is the case this may be the perfect alternative for you!

A dessert buffet table! Genius. Imagine all of your and your guests favorite sweet things on one table - yum!

Now this can be done one of two ways. Either you can get your bake on and spend a few days making a wonderful selection of delicious foods OR you can ask your guests to bring their favorite dish. This could always be an alternative to wedding gift. I think the second option is a good one; it will mean there is something there that every guest likes and there is one less thing for you to worry about.

The big question is, what would you bring if someone else was having a dessert buffet?

Movember Wedding Madness!

We are now half way through Movember! For those of you who know it and are taking part, awesome! And for those who don't know it, Movember was set up to raise awareness for testicular and prostate cancer, getting more men aware of their bodies and how to spot the signs early. From the start of November, all the MoBros start growing out the most awesome 'tache they can, and even the MoSista's can join in with a fake 'tache too. (Find out more from the link at the bottom of the post)

And what a perfect thing to have at your wedding to help spread the word! Moustache photos are becoming a ridiculously popular prop to have at weddings all over the globe. So how about having your own Movember wedding to raise awareness to all the men you care about at your special day, and of course, to have a heck of a lot of fun! 

Find out more at: http://uk.movember.com/?home