Choosing bridesmaid dresses

Things to consider when choosing bridesmaid dresses:

It seems like a silly question, but do you want your bridesmaids in identical outfits? Maybe if they are all a similar height, age and build, but that's unlikely really. So what are your options?

You could get a dessy twist dress for each bridesmaid, and leave the rest up to them.

http://www.dessy.com/accessories/little-twist-dress/

The dessy twist comes in a rainbow of colours, and can be twisted into loads of different styles, including a skirt!

Another option is to get strapless dresses, and have them customised for each bridesmaid, using lace or mesh to create straps or sleeves. 

http://www.gregandcailin.com/2007/05/18/going-bare/

Many brides choose bridesmaid dresses from high street shops or department stores, who often sell different styles of dresses in the same fabric. Debenhams, New Look, and website Chi Chi London have an excellent selection of gowns which can work for bridesmaids.

If you are on a budget, BHS sell a wide range of dresses from flower girls up to adult bridesmaids, and with matching colours throughout.

http://m.bhs.co.uk/mt/www.bhs.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogNavigationSearchResultCmd?pageSize=24&catalogId=34096&viewAllFlag=false&sort_field=Relevance&beginIndex=1&categoryId=471150&langId=-1&storeId=13077&parent_categoryId=471109&refinements=category~%255B471576%257C471150%255D&un_jtt_redirect

If you're not like the "completely matching" bridal party, why not choose two colours to complement your theme. That way, bridesmaids can choose a colour they like, or older bridesmaids can wear one colour, and younger bridesmaids wear the other.

A new trend is having bridesmaids in lots of different shades of the same colour, which sounds and looks amazing, but I'm guessing it would be difficult to plan. 

Some brides just ask their bridesmaids to choose their own LBD. That way, they can have one in their own style, and it can be worn again after the big day. 

Also, you might want to consider putting something slightly different on your Cheif bridesmaid/ Maid of honour to make her stand out a little. 

One of the most important things to consider is your budget. Traditionally, bridesmaids pay for their own dress, but a lot of the time, this isn't the case. Bridal boutiques custom make gowns, but this is very pricey, and alterations aren't usually included. If you have a huge budget, this is the option for you.

Debenhams stock a range of Jenny Packham dresses which are beautiful, and ideal for bridesmaids, but are a little more affordable than ones from her bridal range.

http://m.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_008010240004_-1

Ted Baker and Coast offer affordable luxury dresses which will be loved for ever, and could even double as a gift for your bridesmaids if you're stuck for ideas. 

High  street stores including Quiz and even Tesco have beautiful affordable dresses. It's definitely worth checking out every option before buying, you never know where you'll find the perfect dress. 

Beware of online shopping, and make sure you are aware of returns policies in case products are unsuitable. It may be tempting to order from eBay sellers in China, but check sellers feedback, and always interact with the seller before purchasing, and check on any extra fees in tax that you may have to pay.

Wedding dress shopping

I had never really considered the implications of wedding dress shopping until it was time to start, and I wondered why nobody had posted advice online about it. I sort of made it up as I went along, so thought I'd use my experiences to assist others. 

1. Plan in advance - some wedding dress shops will let you just walk in and look at dresses, and try on ones that you like. Some won't. You usually need to make an appointment, which can sometimes be a few hours long. If you have the time, make two or three appointments staggered throughout one day, so that you can compare the different styles and prices in each shop. 

2. Dress appropriately - In most wedding dress shops that I visited, an assistant helped me into each dress. This means being naked in front of a stranger. Some people may be comfortable with this, however I was not. I wore a dress with no fastenings to go shopping, with a vest and leggings underneath. This meant I could get dressed and undressed quickly, and I left my leggings and vest on to save my dignity. 

3. Keep in mind what you want - most shops will encourage you to try on lots of different styles, which is a good idea. You won't necessarily like the style that you have always planned on. But if you know you don't feel confident in skin-tight outfits, don't waste time trying on ten fish-tail gowns.  Also, consider the shoes you want to wear. Some assistants insisted I wear heels with the dresses, when I knew I would be wearing flats on the day.

4. Keep a budget in mind - Don't listen to people who say; "if it's your dream dress, cost isn't an issue" unless you're made of money. Everybody has a budget to stick to. It's worth bearing in mind that shops usually ask for a 10% deposit to reserve a dress, and you can then pay off he rest in installments.

5.  Sizes - lots of wedding dress shops have one dress in each style available, and that dress is usually a size 10 or 12. If you're not a size 10 or 12, the dress will be adjusted for you to try on, by extending the back with a panel, or by pinning it to fit smaller frames. This can be frustrating, as it's hard to feel comfortable in a dress which is clearly too small. However, your measurements are taken, and the dress you choose will be made to your specific requirements. This can take up to twelve months, so the earlier you start looking, the better.

6.  Off the rack - Some stores sell dresses "as seen", which you can get altered in your own time. This is often a more cost effective method, however it can sometimes mean you don't have the option to pay in installments.

7.  Don't be pressured - I came accross one sales assistant who used the excuse of a dress being on sale to push me to make a decision. When I asked how much the dress would cost after the sale, I was told; "It depends on which sale is on at the time." I was told by a friend that an assistant from the same shop told her there had been a lot of interest in the sale dress that she liked, and it might not still be there the next time. You will know if it's the right dress. Sales assistants usually make commission from gowns sold. Keep this in mind.

8.  Book regular fittings - Especially if you are trying to lose weight. Make the last one around a week before the big day, so that you have time for last minute alterations if need be.

9.  Take people who you trust- I took my best friend and my mum for most of my appointments, but all of my bridesmaids, and my mother in law came along too at one point. This was good, as they all had different ideas, so it was great when we all fell in love with the same dress.

10.  Enjoy it!  Although it can be stressful, this should be an exciting time. And for the record, not one store I looked in offered champagne and strawberries while I tried dresses on, so book a table for lunch and cocktails afterwards. 

Expert Wedding Advice - Part One : The Bride

In this new series of blog posts, I will be sourcing the most sought after information regarding wedding planning, to provide you with a foolproof how-to guide. Harri Moran, who tied the knot just a few weeks ago, was kind enough to share her words of wisdom with us for our first post in this series.

Weddings are extremely expensive!  Were there any traditions that you were happy to change or overlook in order to keep to a budget, or did you feel that it was important to take a classic approach, whatever the cost?

"We decided not to have a wedding breakfast. It cut hundreds off our bill and the day had much more of a fun feeling because everybody knew

the party was coming next! it also meant there was lots less waiting around and that kept the guests happy as its easy to get bored"

How did you decide on your initial wedding budget, and did you have any problems sticking to it?

"We looked at what would be reasonable for us to put away each month and then looked at what was most important to us for the day we decided we wanted a posh wedding and a fun party where everyone felt at ease!we then worked the budget to suit these wants.we went over budget by about £200 which was nothing in the grand scheme of things"

Would you recommend any websites in particular which helped you to plan or save money on your wedding?

"We bought almost everything from eBay for the party - all of the decorations,napkins and cutlery etc. We also went round lots of pound shops for plates and other bits. EBay was a life saver for us we got lots of quirky bits that made the day really unique to us.  It was important to us that we had things people hadn't seen, or that put smiles on their faces.  We could get things like napkins personalised as keepsakes."

Did you feel that you could add  DIY aspects to any parts of your wedding to save money? Or is it safer to trust the experts?

"We did lots of the wedding ourselves we bought the decorations for the reception and decorated it ourselves. This was nice as we could make it look exactly how we wanted it to. We also bought the suits,shirts,waistcoats and cravats separately from different places, and this gave the boys the look we wanted.  We were able to pay for the suits as, and include them as groomsman's gifts, for the same price as hiring them would have cost.  I did do most of the wedding DIY as that suited me, but people shouldn't feel they have to do everything themselves. Sometimes spending a little more to get someone else to help out with things for you saves headaches - and looking back i should have used the wedding coordinator at the venue more!!"

Which services are best left to experts-what would you recommend paying out for?

"We catered the wedding ourselves and it saved lots of money but on the day it was very stressful getting everything sorted logistics wise.  Other than that we enjoyed being super involved in the process it was stressful before but the day was amazing and totally worth it!!"

Camp and Furnace Wedding Festival

Sorry this is a bit late, but a second wedding festival is in the pipeline for this venue, so this post should still serve a purpose.

I had been eagerly awaiting this event. My maid of honour was unable to join me, but after listening to me gushing about how cool the venue was, i successfully enlisted a very helpful friend to come along with me. The entry fee of five pounds had put me off a little, as the other wedding fairs I have previously attended were always free, but I was so excited that parting with some hard earned cash was something that I hardly even considered.

The initial scene seemed promising, classic camper vans and cool vintage cars provided by 'VW Vintage Wedding Vehicle Hire.' (www.vwvintagewedding.com)

Upon entering the venue, I was struck by how amazing the space was - perfect for any cool party or celebration, but definitely the right place to hold a barn style or festival inspired wedding.

While we wandered around the various stalls, most stall holders were keen to chat about my upcoming nuptials and to discuss their services on offer. Some excellent ideas for hen parties were offered by 'Hen Craft'. (www.thecraftcreative.com) A perfect idea if you don't fancy getting overly tipsy on your hen do, workshops include 'make your own fascinator' and 'pimp your pants' (a chance to design and make some frilly knickers!) These fun classes would not only provide entertainment, and perhaps help you find a new hobby, but you could also use your creations on your big day. I really like this idea!

Beautifully intricate cake creations were on display, crafted by 'The Chocolate Cellar' (at The Wedding House). With awe-inspiring designs, delicious cakes and chocolate favours, The Chocolate Cellar seems like an excellent choice for your dessert course.

Many of the stall holders were really friendly, which added to the happy and relaxed atmosphere. Others were extremely stand-offish, if not downright rude! (There's always one!) At one point, my friend excitedly complimented some beautiful stationary, and the lady manning the stall simply raised her eyebrows and continued to slurp her tea - no stationary is pretty enough to be snooty about!

While I enjoyed searching through the racks of vintage wedding dresses, it was hard to imagine anybody actually wearing one on their wedding day. I think a 'vintage inspired' dress would be more appropriate than genuine vintage, but each to their own I suppose.

When we had finished browsing, we took a seat in the cool 'picnic style' seating area, and I treated my companion and I to a half of pilsner each while we discussed the experience as a whole. We concluded that the stalls offered an eclectic variety of products and services, but felt that we hadn't really seen anything exciting or different (aside from the crafting hen parties!). Some stalls are regulars at vintage fairs, which do not have an entry fee, which was a little disappointing. We felt that on the whole, we couldn't justify paying an entrance fee for this event. I have been to similar events which cost nothing, and I received more goodies! (See my previous post on Memory Lane Wedding Fairs for details.)

The Camp and Furnace venue is undeniably excellent, with a cool, laid back vibe. Even if you are not planning a wedding, I would recommend a visit. The bar is relaxed and comforting, with a roaring fire to keep warm by. The menu looks very exciting, and there is also an art gallery space, as the venue actively encourages and promotes the arts. I feel that it would be an excellent venue in which to hold a modern or vintage inspired wedding...and the kitsch caravan accommodation is an amazing gimmick, meaning that family and friends don't have to worry about finding their way home after the event. I just felt that we didn't get much for our money, and hope that if we were to return next time, that this would possibly be rectified.

New Wedding Accessories

  Now, while I've been spending a lot of time planning for my own wedding, I've also been talking to other people in the same situation, and I know that a lot of people (myself included) are keen for their own personality to shine through, reflected in the accessories that they choose for their big day.  With many couples still scrimping and saving, it helps when these little touches can be hand made.  This makes them seem even more personal.  Here are some of my favourite ideas so far.

http://pinterest.com/pin/226235581251201593/

 

 

 

This music sheet bunting is simple to make, but very effective.  You could stain the paper with food colouring or teabags for an antiqued effect, or add ribbons to tie in with your colour scheme.

http://pinterest.com/pin/226235581252021490/

Another beautifully simple idea, is to collect pretty pebbles, and display them in a pretty glass jar, vase or bowl.  Guests can write their message onto the pebbles, instead of using a guest book.  This can then be kept as an ornament and sentimental keepsake in your home

http://www.facebook.com/groups/TabithasGifts/

 

 

For music lovers, this retro style vinyl record cake stand can be used to display cupcakes, sweets and other deserves, or even alcohol shots.  They can be bought for reasonable prices at many craft fairs, or if you're feeling crafty, you could whip up a few for yourself.

Finding a Unique Wedding Venue Continued

While searching for a beautifully different backdrop for my upcoming wedding, I noticed something that I walk past almost every day, and decided to take a closer look.  Set in the stunning surroundings of Sefton Park, the Victorian structure of The Palm House is definitely unusual.  The thing that appealed to me was it's similarity to an antique birdcage - perfect for a vintage wedding!  Due to the amount of light allowed in, and the exotic plants inside the Palm House, your photographs would look amazing, even on rainy days. (The weather wasn't the greatest when I visited, but the building and surroundings are so pretty, it the photos still look good.)  And if good weather conditions are kind enough to RSVP on your big day, there are plenty of photo opportunities around the park, including statues, boating lakes, and of course, views of the park itself.  Due to it's age, the building has lovely original features, which were carefully restored in order to return it to it's former glory.  This venue seems pretty flexible when it comes to planning your wedding, and a full price list is even available online.

http://www.bluecoatoccasions.co.uk/1.html

 Not too far down the road, just past the iconic Penny Lane, is The Blue Coat School.  The building had caught my eye a while before, but from the outside, just looks like a school really... a nice school, but a school nontheless.  However, upon entering the Grade II listed building, an entirely new perspective is gained.  The chapel is breathtaking, with coloumns, an organ, and domed ceilings.  As I'm opting for a non-religious ceremony, the room that I was escorted to was very blandly named "The Boardroom."  The events organiser explained to me that it is an actual boardroom, but it is used for civil ceremonies.  I was ready to fake excitement when the door was opened, but found that my acting skills weren't required.  The room has a very classic look, chic and grand, without being flashy or tacky.  An amazing fireplace is situated at the end of the room where vows are taken, and floor to celing length wndows are dressed with dramatic drapes.  It's not hard to picture how lovely the wedding photos could be in these amazing surroundings, but the events team are keen to show me anyway! The team were really friendly, and keen to show me photographs of all of the different types of weddings that they have catered for, pointing out that they are very flexible, and will be on hand to help with all of the aspects of your wedding day.  I would reccommend arranging an appointment to view this amazing building, as I really think it's a hidden gem.  Pricing information is available here.

http://www.ainscoughs.co.uk/Racquet-Club

http://www.ainscoughs.co.uk/Racquet-Club

Another hidden gem that I discovered on my journey is The Racquet Club.  Situated near to the business district in Liverpool City Centre, the exterior looks just like that of many offices, apartments and bars in the same area.  Although it does seem grand, I think I have been somewhat desensitised to the buildings in this area, as they are all similarly beautiful.  That being said, it does have some pretty distinctive doors (I'm a bit of a sucker for a good looking door!).  Once inside, the most beautiful red carpeted staircase came into view, forcing me to stifle a squeal of delight (imagine coming down those stairs in a wedding dress!).  There is a real mix of classical and modern features, but this has been orchestrated so delicatley, that it works really well.  I particularly loved the mounted moose head (despite being a vegetarian) and it gave me some ideas for fun wedding photo props.  I was told that some brides try to hide them in their wedding photographs, as they consider them ugly - each to their own I suppose.  I really liked the flexibility that this venue offered, as there are a variety of rooms available to choose from, each with different surroundings in order to cater for different parts of the day.  There are a limited amount of hotel rooms available upstairs, and children are not only allowed, but activley welcomed (if that is what you want!) which takes the pressure off when planning the guest list.

Finding a Unique Wedding Venue

photo from http://liverpool.gov.uk

Living in Liverpool, I was extremely excited to hear that the local registry office has moved from the Cotton Exchange building, to the historic St George's Hall.  This means that even on the tightest of budgets, it is possible to have your wedding in a beautiful building, with amazing potential for photographs.  Upon visiting the venue, I'm told that on the day, the bride enters through the dramatic St George's Plateau, if that's not a classy entrance, then I don't know what is!  Although most of the building is run separately to the registry office, it is still usually possible to wander around the building to find the perfect wedding shot.  Considering there are many features including a ballroom, columns, gardens and even a court room complete with cells, I think that most photographers would have no trouble coming up with inspiration for a photo shoot.  The ballroom is available to hire for wedding receptions, although it does cost a pretty penny.

http://www.aboutliverpool.com

Another beautiful building in Liverpool available for weddings is the Town Hall.  The seemingly dark exterior is forgotten as soon as the amazing staircase is in view.  I can imagine that walking up the stairs in a white dress, contrasting against the plush red carpet would make for amazing photographs.  Once upstairs, a classic piano can be played for you, while your guests wait to be seated.  Alternatively, there is an option of holding the ceremony in a court room style setting, which is almost half the price of the traditional room.  If you are looking for a unique setting, this could be the perfect option for you.  A ballroom is also available to hire for receptions here, which is lovely.  However, it would appear that I don't have a ballroom permitting budget, so while it would be a fantastic venue, I am required to continue searching.

http://www.blackburnehouse.co.uk/

Of course, there is the option of having the ceremony in a traditional venue, such as a church or registry office, and then finding an eclectic venue for the reception.  While researching reception venues, I came across Blackburne House on Hope Street, and was keen to explore this option.  The building was originally Liverpool's first school, and is now a Women's Education Centre, which houses many services including a nursery and a cafe.  The building itself is stunning, located in the Georgian Quarter of Liverpool.  I feel that this would make for majestic photography.  As Blackburne House is charity orientated, weddings held there are referred to as "weddings with a conscience", so even if you do spend a fortune, at least you know that it's going towards a good cause.

http://www.theblack-e.co.uk

Possibly the most unusual venue that I have stumbled across so far is The Black-E.  Although it's not specifically advertised as a wedding reception venue, I found that the space would be almost perfect for what I had planned.  A huge floor space, with a stage area and various balconies would be perfect to house a band, or any other kind of entertainment hat you might have in mind, plus as many guests as you like!  The wooden floors and large windows give a classic yet modern feel, which could be altered with any decor that you might choose, and upon enquiring, I was told that the venue can also provide chair and table hire.  This is yet another charity run space, which basically allows flexibility to do whatever you like with your wedding celebrations.  There is also a dressing room available, with shower and disabled toilet access, which  sounds perfect for pre-celebration preparations, and also, an answer to possibly embarrassing "wedding dress in toilet cubical" problems!