21st May, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Searching for a distinctive and fun wedding theme? A Moroccan themed wedding may be just what you are looking for. Don’t be timid about your wedding. Themed weddings are a popular way to create a memorable wedding experience. Follow these tips for putting an exotic spin on the traditional wedding! Your invitations should introduce the Moroccan theme. So choose colorful ethnic designs for your wedding invitations and envelopes. Remember, stylish invitations are the perfect way to clue your guests into your wedding’s Moroccan theme. Don’t forget to continue your theme with the wedding favors. Gourmet chocolates in colorfully wrapped gift boxes make perfect wedding favors. Themed bottle openers, tea light candle holders, and decorative coasters make great wedding favors as well. Search online for more wedding favor ideas. There are many websites that specialize in providing great wedding favors.
Now it’s time to search for the perfect location and find just right wedding decorations. A private garden or even a candle lit church can work wonderfully with your Moroccan theme. Don’t forget to have an estimate for how many guests you may be expecting. Also, consider any special needs some of your guests may have. Your elderly aunt who is wheelchair bound may not be able to easily navigate a sandy beach wedding. When decorating your Moroccan wedding, you can use flowers, garlands, and brightly colored fabric streamers. Use colorful Moroccan glass lanterns as part of your table centerpiece! There are even fantastic places that you can rent or buy decorations, props, and costumes! Be as creative as your budget will allow. Your wedding day is special; so don’t be afraid to make it memorable.
Don’t forget about the music, food, and dance! The right music can really set the atmosphere for your culturally influenced wedding. Research online and find the right type of music for your wedding. Maybe even consider hiring a tasteful belly dancer with musicians to play at the reception. This will certainly delight your guests. Selecting what your guests will eat can be one of the most fun parts wedding planning. There a wide variety of caterers to choose from. So, you may want to work with a wedding planner to locate a caterer who specializes in themed weddings. Do also think about others when choosing the menu items. It just takes a hint of the exotic to give your wedding a unique style. So you may want to keep the main course traditional. Save the more unusual items for the appetizers. Hummus platters, stuffed grape leaves, and kabobs make tantalizing appetizers. This will give your wedding menu just the right balance between the traditional and the exotic!
Remember to have fun. Planning a wedding can be a challenging experience, but it also the most special day of your life. Don’t try to do it all alone, look for a professional wedding planner to help you. If that it isn’t an option get as much assistance from friends and family as possible. Good luck and enjoy your beautiful Moroccan Wedding.
7th April, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
One of the key features of a wedding is the cake and sweets, which can be tricky, since it’s virtually impossible to cater to everyone’s taste. There are some ways over overcoming this, like having a multi-flavor tiered cake. Traditionally, a large tiered cake with icing and fondant is the popular choice for weddings, but recently little towers of cakes or even cup cakes are gaining popularity in weddings.
It helps to pick a theme for the wedding, and using the icing, sugar paste flowers, lacework and even monograms and motifs can help to find the right theme. Usually, a good cake maker will come and prepare the cake on the site.
There is a tradition that the top tier of the cake needs to be kept for the first anniversary. You’ll want to carefully wrap it up and store it in a cool and dry place, or simply you could freeze it. However, you could just store some of the sugar craft details in a glass container.
Some tips to help you get the perfect cake. Try to pick the cake after choosing the theme and take along the sample materials and colors to the cake maker. Do make sure you have sample tastings and if you’re going to include fresh ingredients to bear in mind that this will have to be made in advance, plus take into account of any allergies your guests may have.
If you’re serving dessert, then avoid having the same flavor for the cake, so a chocolate dessert and a cake might be just too much. Also, if you want to preserve a tier of the cake, make sure you discuss this with your cake make so you can store it the best. However, also check the practicalities, like whether delivery and assembly is included in the cost of the cake, and ask for a written contract including a deposit.
Arrange a time with the venue when you can access and set up the cake table.
You can get creative with the wedding cake. Cupcakes are becoming increasingly popular, and this is a way of accommodating a variety of flavors for guests with different tastes, plus cupcakes are easy to transport and assemble. The great thing about modern weddings is that it’s become more convenient to cater and set up shop, however for the traditionalists out there, there are still plenty of ways of having that perfect wedding cake.
2nd April, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
It’s only natural we want to look our most beautiful on our wedding day, and many of us look at Kim Kardashian and her flawless beauty and wonder how we can achieve that ourselves. Well, fortunately, there is an easy way to walk down the aisle with the perfect, flawless look like Kim.
One of Kim’s trademarks is her dark, exotic eyes. Outline the eye with a glide on pencil, try the 24/7 glide on pencil “Perverson” by Urban Decay, and blend it out with a pencil brush, this will create a dark base on which the eye shadow will be built up on. Next, you want to add further definition with some long, sexy lashes. You don’t need to go for fake lashes, just pick a mascara that’ll create the effect, like the Voluminous False Fiber Lashes from L’Oreal, however, if you go all out, then just add some good quality fake lashes on top after you’ve applied the eye shadow. Then apply eye shadow of dark brown shades, but only up to the crease. Make sure to blend it with a good taper brush.
Lighten up the features with a concealer brush under the eyebrows, and then blend this in with a light shadow. Then add a generous amount of concealer under the eyes. Perhaps this might seem excessive, but remember, this is a key part to the Kardashian look.
Make sure you pick out a good quality foundation, that’ll give you good coverage and matches you skin tone. There are plenty out there to choose from, so pick the best for you. Apply this over your face, and you’ll notice it’ll definitely warm up your skin tone.
To set your cheekbones off Kardashian style, you need a good quality blush palette. One great on is the Powder/Blush Brush F1O Sigma. You can use this to create definition. One neat trick is to use a business card to mark the line for contouring.
For the lips, keep it simple. Strong colors are definitely not part of the Kardashian look, so choose a nude gloss or a light pink shade for the lips. What you really want to focus on is flawless skin and strong eyes. You can even go crazy and build up with lashes and set them together by gently using eyelash curlers.
This is a great looks for blondes or brunettes with dark eyes.
30th March, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
When it comes to preparing a wedding, it can become really stressful – so hiring a wedding planner seems like a tempting way to eliminate that stress. However what are the advantages and disadvantages to getting hired help to do the work for you – we assess some of the pros and cons.
The positive side is that instead of worrying about the caterers and getting a good venue, you can get someone else to do it for you. So you can focus on more fun things like your honeymoon or making yourself gorgeous for the day.
A wedding planner can make sure that everything will run smoothly on your big day, and because someone else is focusing on the little stressful details means that you’ll be a beautiful and relax bride rather than one who is fretting about everything being perfect.
Connections are also the key – and a professional wedding planner will know who to go to for the right food, venue, flowers and who can send out those perfect invitations. You want a vintage wedding but have no idea where to start with the details? A planner can sort all that out for you with minimum effort.
So what are the downsides? Well, primarily there is the cost. Weddings are expensive as they are on their own – without hiring a personal assistant to take care of all your whims. You might have a better idea for budgeting, a wedding planner may not be aware of these concerns.
Also planning is a lot of fun. Many brides and grooms enjoy getting ready for the big day – assuring that they’ll have the most perfect experience imaginable. You might tell a planner you want vintage, thinking of throwing a 1930s jazz era and you end up with a Mad Men themed event. You may be specific and know what you want, but the wedding planner may believe they know best. In fact, perhaps working with a planner may stress you out even more!
At the end of the day, if you’re not sure what to do and need a helping hand – and you can afford it a wedding planner may be a good investment. But for the more creative types or those who know what they want, then perhaps it’s better to plan it yourself. The main question is whether you trust someone else, no matter how professional they are, to plan your special day.
22nd March, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Whether you have a thing for all things English or you just want a good cup of tea – a wedding planned around a tea party theme could be pretty cute.
The theme of the vintage tea party has been very popular at classy hen parties and bridal showers, but there is a lot of potential to make it a fun wedding theme – with all that pretty stylizing it could just be the perfect thing!
The easiest way to get the decoration ball running is to take many pretty tea cups. There is just so much potential to be creative! One popular trend at the moment is to use these as candle holders. They also hold the opportunity to make pretty center pieces.
If you don’t have any of your family heirlooms around, then no worries, you can rent your own porcelain pretties from a variety of places, try Pearl and Godiva for one. While it might not be a good idea to use the rented variety for burning down hot wax, you could adorn them with flowers to create cute little vases – or even to top the cakes wit. Pile up your tea cups and plates to create a unique cake stand too!
For those of you going for something more sophisticated and less Mad-Hatter, then try to use a silver tea set for flower decorations. It’s a simple idea that still oh so elegant.
There is more to the theme than just teacups and tea sets – colourful tea tins offer a world of possibility for floral displays. It doesn’t matter if they don’t match, their colourful and eclectic display is part of the charm!
The tea party theme isn’t just limited to table décor, with the rising popularity of dessert tables, you can use vintage tea cups and plates to emphasize the display – or if you’re super creative, make a clock out of teacups!
To give something back to your guests, you can avoid the cliché of tea related gifts by giving handmade early grey soaps wrapped up in tissue teabags!
If you want to go for the English teatime theme, if the weather is good you could hire a garden with a marquis, serve cucumber sandwiches and other teatime treats to give your wedding a rural British fare. Going for tea-themed nuptial celebrations offer a wealth of possibilities if you’ve got the right creative eye.
15th March, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Hawaii is perhaps one of the most idyllic locations for a wedding, with swaying palms and beautiful blue seas; however, sometimes it’s a challenge to pick the perfect location. Check out our little guide to the best places on the islands for your ideal wedding.
Oahu is the liveliest of the islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and also the most densely populated of the islands. The cities of Honolulu and Waikiki can be found here offering a lively nightlife, while still being within reach of nature and native culture. Its central location makes it the most convenient place to organize a wedding. Check out the resorts Turtle Bay Resort or Halekulani.
The Big Island, the island of Hawaii, is the largest out of the group and has some of the most incredible scenery out of the islands, with drastic variation in landscape all around. You’ll find volcanoes, rain forests and lush beaches all over here. Places to plan your wedding on Hawaii Island are the Hapuna Beach Hotel, especially for golfing lovers, or the Kona Village Resort that offers and authentic and luxurious experience.
For a true romantic experience, then Maui is the place to be. Many visitors consider it the most romantic island of the group, with its abundance of waterfalls and rainbows with some of the best beaches in the world. For the perfect beach wedding, try the Fairmont Kea Lani, which has the ideal position on Polo Beach or try the Balinese-inspired B&B at Ho’oilo House. While Ho’oilo house is small, it’s the ideal place for an intimate wedding, since you can hire out the whole house and be spoiled with views of the ocean.
Known as the “Garden Island,” with its lush, tropical landscape it’s easy to see why Kauai has earned its name. It’s the least developed of the islands, so great if you’re looking for something low key and authentic. However, the lush gardens, sea views and the ANARA spa treatments at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa coupled with their wedding gazebo make this resort perfect for your Hawaiian wedding.
Last but not least, Lanai might be one of the smallest islands, but it’s one of the most authentic of the chain. It has a string of high-end resorts and local hotels. For something small, try the Hotel Lanai or for a larger scale affair, then the Four Seasons Resort Lana’i at Manele Bay would suit your needs.
13th March, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
With its dazzling cities and desert landscape, there is something romantic and mysterious about getting married in the Middle East. While many couples choose to take their nuptials on the palm laden beaches of the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands, or in the old streets of Europe, the Middle East captures mystery and what could be a better way of saying “I do” than by beginning your marriage with 1001 Nights?
Dubai is a destination fit for Hollywood Royalty, with its ultra modern skyline and its taste for luxury, but situated halfway between Europe and Asia, you’ll also find stunning mountains and gorgeous beaches. For those of a more adventurous nature, you can also explore sand dunes and incredible archeological sites.
The city of Dubai is a great place to get married, since the city offers a wide range of attractions and amenities. There are many great resorts to pick from, like the Atlantis The Palm, which is modeled after the Paradise Island resort in Nassau in the Bahamas. There is a distinct underwater theme going on here, and the resort has a different flair to it with the two tall towers that are linked by a bridge.
If you’re looking for history and mystery, then Egypt is the perfect location for a destination wedding. With its stunning temples, pyramids and Nile River landscapes, Egypt offers the ideal place to get hitched that’ll leave you with an experience you’ll never forget. However, choosing to get married in Egypt, we recommend to do all the official business back at home and have a symbolic wedding in your destination of choice. You can say your vows on the side of the River Nile or in the Desert overlooking the pyramids.
If you’re looking for a luxury resort, we can recommend the Cairo Marriot Hotel and Omar Khayyam Casino. This is among some of the premier hotels in the Egyptian capital and makes the prefect destination for a destination wedding. The hotel has all the facilities that’ll make your wedding run smoothly. Its central location in Cairo puts it in accessible distance to the pyramids of Giza, the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and the Cairo opera house, not to mention the hotel boasts one of the largest pool in the cities, along with beautiful, lush gardens. Getting married in Cairo is definitely a way to have a wedding to remember.
7th March, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Planning a wedding is lots of work and sometimes it’s difficult to find inspiration – so perhaps looking at the current trends for upcoming weddings in 2013 might help.
If you’re thinking about what colors to go with, cool mint is hot right now. Whether you’re looking for chic bridesmaids’ dresses, elegant mint wedding cake to jewelry and even the groom’s suit, mint is the color that’s in right now. Why not get some mint colored crockery or even serve mint colored macaroons. Spice up your white wedding dress with mint accessories and shoes.
Birds are the big thing in fashion and décor at the moment, and naturally, this will spill an avian theme into many weddings in 2013. Nothing says natural, beautiful and stylish like birds for your wedding.
Add a little bohemian spice to your decorations with birdcages filled with bouquets or decorate your tables with birds’ nests and eggs.
For an inexpensive way to decorate your wedding, why not go for paper lanterns? They’re festive, beautiful and make any event feel special. You can go for the traditional Asian style, but with many chic designs for lanterns there are plenty to choose from to suit your style.
If you’re wondering what to do with your hair, then the rustic braid is in. There is so much you can do with braids. They’re pretty and creative – perhaps go for something different from the usual curling tongs.
Laser cuts are in for any paper or card design. Make beautiful invitations sent out in laser cut envelopes, or perhaps stylize your place cards.
When thinking of doing a themed wedding, then one hot era to aim for in 2013 is recreating the glitz and glamour from the 1920s. Celebrate your nuptials Great Gatsby style, whether it’s with a flapper style wedding dress, accessories or hair, or whether you just want a cool art deco theme for your reception – the 1920s are in for 2013 weddings.
Other trends to consider in 2013 are garlands and bark. There is a strong theme of nature in the fashion for the upcoming year, and garlands are easy to incorporate – whether they’re real or paper made.
Tree bark also makes excellent candleholders or vases, and adds a country and rustic feel to your décor. You could even go all out and decorate your wedding cake – tree style!
The overall focus of 2013 weddings seem to be rooted in nature, whether it’s flowers, bark or birds to outdoor paper lanterns and rustic braids, the hot trend for wedding is getting back to our country roots. For those of us who prefer something a little elegant there is always the 1920s and mint colored designs for inspiration.
26th February, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
We hear all about the lavish weddings of hosted by celebrities, read plenty of ideas on how to have a vintage, bohemian and unconventional weddings – but a what about when the average Joe gets married?
A wedding for a typical person is hard to define, since we’re all individuals so perhaps it’s better to ask the question on how to throw a traditional wedding.
One important component in throwing a traditional wedding isn’t necessarily about the bank balance but about the timeline. For a traditional wedding that’ll be talked about for ages, it’s key to know when to do what and how to plan it.
After saying your vows, whether in a traditional church wedding or in a courthouse, it’s the reception after-party that’s the most important when it comes to your guest. It’s traditional at this point for the husband and wife to head off for pictures with their photographer in tow before you can really get down and celebrating. During this time, instead of keeping twenty to over a hundred of guest waiting, let them go off and being the celebrations without you.
The cocktail hour is a great way to get the ball rolling. Kick off the reception with some boozy delights and classy canapés, and this will give guests a chance to chat, socialize and wait for the newly weds to make their big arrival. One thing that’s important is to greet your guests, and it’s common for couples to greet their guests as they arrive on the site, but modern newlyweds are choosing a post ceremony line, rather than going round the tables during the dinner.
Once everyone is lubricated with cocktails, the bride and groom will make their grand entrance, and perhaps kick start the dancing with their first dance. This can come later after the dinner, but it marks a nice arrival.
Of course no dinner can start without the cheers and toasts, a great time to tell funny stories to the family and friends and to celebrate the couple. Then there is the dinner of course, but once the plates are cleared away it’s time to party. There is also the cake cutting that’s a huge part of the party!
After the party, all things must come to an end and the last dance is an important part to leaving the right lasting impression. So make sure you pick something festive.
For your final farewell, make sure you say your goodbyes and leave with a grand exit! Friends and family can blow bubbles or toss rose petals. Make sure you close in a way people never forget.
14th February, 2013 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Outdoor weddings work wonderfully on paper – you’re close to nature and under the perfect circumstances they make for the perfect and memorable day. However, they can also be incredibly unpredictable so try to avoid some of the pitfalls with some of these tips.Photo source courtesy of Mishka Designs
http://mishkadesignsmexico.com/chris-jessicas-vintage-fiesta-wedding/
Planning is the key, and do take into account what the weather will be like for the time of year you’re planning to get married. Is it going to be very hot and summer or are you likely to have rain? If it’s in the middle of august and the temperature gets up high where you are then make sure your guests have plenty of ice cold water, a fan and sun cream. Hire some electric fans with a generator and invest in a sunshade. For colder days, make sure the guests know to dress warmly or even rent some portable heaters to keep things warm.
Even the best laid plans can go wrong, so it’s always good to have a plan B. Consider what will happen if it’ll rain – make sure you have an indoor location on standby just in case. A good compromise is to have the vows outside and the party indoors. A tent is a good option, but this is only foolproof if you get a light shower and no heavy winds.
This brings us onto the next consideration. Having an outdoor wedding in a wind is something that needs to be planned. Avoid materials in your wedding and bridesmaids dresses which are light – and don’t invest too much into an elaborate hairdo if the wind is only going to upset it.
Food that’s served indoors and outdoors work differently. Having a wedding cake with elaborate chocolate decoration isn’t going to work if it melts under the sun. Make sure you pick caterers with experience with the outdoors. And since drinking a lot under the sun can dehydrate, make sure there are plenty of non-alcoholic drinks to stock up with. Water is a must, but some homemade lemonades or iced teas are a good substitute.
Flies and mosquitoes can be rather pesky, but invest in some citronella candles and your guests can enjoy their meal without being eaten themselves.
And last but not least – if you’re getting married in a park or on the beach make sure you’ve got a permit for your wedding – the last thing you want is to spend your honeymoon in a cell!
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