Classic Lily of the Valley

Lily of the valley is a wedding classic – it formed Princess Diana’s cascading bouquet and was echoed in the subtle bouquet carried by Kate Middleton in 2011. A British bloom, flowering naturally in April, these tiny dusky pink or white flowers have a beautiful smell and symbolise purity and modesty. Perfect little flowers for a really clean white floral theme lend themselves to unstated elegance or as part of a bigger display.

Daffodil sunshine

Daffodils have often been overlooked as wedding flowers but their glorious splash of yellows, whites and oranges will give a bright, vibrancy to a simple scheme. Balanced in a bouquet with other seasonal colours and displayed in recycled jam jars, daffodils will brighten any cloudy March day and work wonders as part of a simple, country wedding feel.

Something blue belle?

Bluebells are beautiful in their natural environment – who hasn’t seen a bluebell field and fallen a little bit in love with the with these tiny blue flowers – no, just me then?! Arranged in a natural style hand-tied bouquet these delicate blue flowers are the perfect answer to your something blue and they smell beautiful!

Lovely Lilacs

A beautifully scented flower, lilacs have tiny star shaped flowers in white, purple, violet or pink. The purpley lilacs only flower for a very short 6 week period but have a fabulous scent and look beautiful matched with other seasonal colours.

Tulips

Need I say more? Tulips come in so many stunning colours and varieties making them incredibly versatile for wedding bouquets and venue decoration. They are so gorgeously striking and teamed up with traditional roses or greenery, these flowers will suit a laid back but utterly elegant floral theme.

Only Iris

I guess the question is, can your traditions handle the option of not having the first moment of seeing each other on your wedding day on the walk down the aisle – I mean, doesn’t it fly in the face of bad luck to see the groom before the wedding?! However, I’ve done some research and there are some undeniable pluses to taking this first peek option to wedding photography and here’s what I found.

A special moment for the two of you to share alone

Having first look photos means you get to have your photos before the ceremony and enjoy the time afterwards with your family and guests – it definitely saves you that hour or so of time which traditionally sees guests eating canapés and drinking champagne while you get your pics taken away from the action. After all, it’s your big day and you don’t want to miss a second.

Calm before the storm

Meeting up before the actual aisle will certainly ease nerves and might be in favour for couples who are feeling the strain of having everyone watching you at this important moment. Meeting up before hand will give the two of you chance to take a deep breath before the wedding day begins in earnest. From experience, the day goes so flipping quickly and there are a hundred and one demands for your time and attention – my biggest piece of advice is to try and get half an hour of alone time and I guess first look photo’s gives you just that (well, you two and a photographer!)

Great photos

Having a first look session with your photographer will maximise the light so he can get the best possible photos of you guys as the happy couple. As the photos are usually done in the morning, the light will be brighter and gives the photographer chance to make the most of the weather he has. The key to this first look option is at least it gives you a bigger weather window to try and get some outdoor shots without too many umbrellas

Hmm, so, what do you think? I’m not sure I’m entirely convinced – perhaps I’m too old school but it’s quite romantic that the first moment you see each other is walking down the aisle after a morning of excitement and getting ready. Plus, although I felt a bit like we missed out on the drinks reception on our wedding day – the time we had away from the fuss was lovely – a bit of time out from the bustle gives you sometime to process what just happened – Wait? We’re married?! Amazing!!

As usual, I would love to know what you think so if you like this blog then share it with your friends on Facebook or leave me a comment.

Ciao for now,

Jo

There are claims that the tradition of a love lorn lady being able to ask for a man’s hand in marriage was kickstarted by St Patrick in 5th century Ireland. Apparently his thinking was to give women who were sick of waiting for their men to ask them a chance of getting off that fabled shelf! Sounds like St Paddy had some pretty modern thinking (shelf reference aside!) ….If it’s true of course, but there is conveniently no evidence to back this story up. A similar dead end for the oft quoted Scots law of 1288 in which reportedly gave women the option of proposing marriage to the man of their choice that year. An amusing addition to that was the side law stating that if a man declined, he’d need to pay up – 12 pairs of gloves (to cover the shame of nay ring on it!) or silk to make a new frock. So, frankly this all sounds a bit old school. I think we’ve all pretty much agreed that the concept of male ownership, obedience, goods and chattels doesn’t have a role in modern marriage and things have moved on significantly since so why does the Leap year proposal still get attention and does anyone actually do it?

Apparently they do, I just don’t know anyone that has done it and I can’t find any statistics, despite trawling the interwebs all morning! Lots of examples of women that have done the deed themselves and the overwhelming majority seem to be already committed couples where the girl is pretty sure he’s going to say yes – I’m guessing that if you’ve asked and your intended says, ‘No thanks love’, you’re going to feel pretty rubbish and aren’t likely to talk to a journalist looking for a filler love story. That’s the bit that would freak me out – for some reason we (or is it just me) assume that men can handle the rejection of a proposal decline but I can safely say if I had put myself on the line and asked for my beloveds hand in marriage – and didn’t hear ‘Yes’, no amount of gloves could hide my horror. That’s why, even thought we didn’t have a traditional proposal (no bended knee etc), I just couldn’t do the Leap year thing, just not for me but, I guess it depends on the couple, depends on the circumstances. Crikey, this whole Leap Year proposal is complimacated!

I think the moral of the Leap year proposal story might be the same as for any man planning the big moment, don’t get hung up on the traditions and do it in a way that will make you both feel super happy and romantic – and if you’re a lady who’s pretty sure your man will say yes without him checking his bunnies are all still unboiled – go for it! Turn the tables on all this old fashioned rejection fear nonsense and ask the guy, will you marry me? And then tell me what happened! I’m intrigued!!

Every year we see traffic spikes at particular times of the year. Christmas, New Year and Valentines engagements send record numbers of brides-to-be to the internet searching for their dream venue and this year is no different. More and more often couples are using the internet to plan, book and share their wedding day. This year has started out with a massive spike in people searching online for Scottish wedding venues, up by 30% for the same period last year and a fact which bodes well for the Scottish wedding industry as a whole.

After a quiet December in the lead-up to Christmas, the excitement of rings on fingers over the holidays and Valentines Day promising romantic engagement opportunities in February it spells a busy time for wedding venues taking bookings for weddings in 2013,14 and beyond. Last year we saw a big increase in people searching for Scottish wedding venues around holidays and special occasions – the May and August bank holidays alone sent our statistics to more than double the average daily hits.

With the recession at the back of people’s minds, couples might be taking more time to plan and save for their wedding days but they are still tying the knot. According to Registrar General for Scotland there was a 2% increase in the number of marriages and civil partnerships in Scotland between Jan and Sept 2011 in comparison to 2010. It’s not a massive increase but it shows that people are still choosing to marry and we are seeing the results of them turning to the internet to plan their dream day.

Brides are even more discerning in the current climate so looking online and relying on word of mouth to fully research their wedding suppliers before they commit to paying a deposit is an emerging pattern. Myscottishwedding.com give brides the opportunity to review their wedding venue and share the ups and downs of their day with girls planning their own weddings and from the traffic so far this year, 2012 is set to be just as loved up as 2011. And after all, it’s a leap year, so this month might see some lucky chaps being popped the question on February 29th!

So, congratulations! With 5 months to go, how are the excitement levels?

Graham proposed back in November 2010 so it feels like my whole life has been wedding-mania for years now. I go through stages where I am crazy excited and other times I freak out completely about things that are still to be done. All in all I am excited but looking forward to all the hard work being done and being Mrs Lindsay.

What about the organising, what’s still on the to-do list?

I would say I am ahead of schedule however I have heard horror stories from friends who thought the same thing at this stage and then suddenly realised it was not the case. I work off my “Complete Wedding Spreader” spreadsheet. In it there are 7 tabs – Guests / RSVP & Addresses / Budget / Hen list (for the b-maids) / To do (which is sub categorised into tasks for each member of the bridal party / Gift list and Post wedding thank you’s. Currently oustanding on my to do list (for me) is: Buy Head piece Collect vintage family pictures for our card box Cake tasting and meeting with venue on the 23rd Dec Organise dress fittings for b-maids hair and make up trial in Jan Buy candy table sweets Table decor (petals and vintage books) Buy rings I think I’ll stop here.

What’s been the most fun part of planning the wedding so far?

If I’m honest, I think it’s been the excuse to go out with my friends and celebrate each month that passes as it’s another month closer to the big day.

And how about the most difficult part of planning your day?

I think the hardest part of arranging my day so far has definitely been organising others and also transport for the day. I was quite keen to have something other than a Beauford which seem to be extremely popular with Brides these days. After several weeks of surfing every car hire company in Scotland I finally found my car.

How involved has your fiancé been in the planning?

Graham works a lot and plays rugby three times a week so wedding organising stretches as far as watching “don’t tell the bride” for him. Joking aside, he knows I’m quite an organised person and that anything important would of course be discussed with him prior to organising.

What is the one thing about your wedding day that you would never compromise on?

I would have to say for me personally it was definitely the photographer. I think you spend so much time and money ensuring your guests are catered to throughout the day that I felt that it was important we had great memories to take from the day, especially as every bride tells me the day goes so quickly!

Finally do you have any tips for newly engaged brides?

One job at a time! Every time I thought about something I had to do, it grew arms and legs leading to mini panic attacks!

Thanks Serena for answering our questions – wishing you a stress free last few months and a fabulous day on May 5th.

1. Shop around for everything

If you have the time and the inclination, there are bargains out there to be found. If you have a dress or pair of shoes in mind, get the name, the make and get yourself on google to find alternatives. You might just find that perfect thing on another site for a much better price so it definitively to pays to look around. Which brings me on to the second point…

2. Online shopping

The internet is a strange and wonderous place – totally geared up for you to find your perfect finishing touches for the big day – or even the big important things like your dress. Between all the wedding forums and sites like Preloved, you can pick up your own new things or fill the ‘something old’ category by buying items from sellers looking to get a good price for their once loved wedding bits and pieces.

3. Get married on a weekday

We got married on a Thursday and I have to say it was brilliant. It must have saved a good £20 per head on the cost of the venue and gave us a bit extra to spend on other things. The venue is by far and away the most expensive part of the day – unless you are really going to town on your dress, cars, photographer etc. Traditional Saturday weddings are the ones that get booked up in advance and of course that will mean the venue prices are at maximum! The cons of this option are that a week day wedding will mean that there’s a chance some of your guests may need a lot of notice to get time off work but by letting them know in advance, you should be able to make sure your most nearest and dearest are there. Somehow we seem to know all the teachers in the world and all of them managed to get the day off so it is possible.

4. Ask your friends and family for wedding tips

Friends and family who have already been married are a wealth of useful information and creative tips on how to keep costs down. Mining your Mum, Aunts, Grandmothers for tips on their weddings is a great way to involve everyone and might uncover a lovely family tradition you want to carry on. The chances are, since older family members got married long before bridezilla-sytle weddings, they probably did it on a budget so may well have some ideas on how to reduce costs you just hadn’t thought. Likewise of friends or cousins who have been married recently – if they planned their wedding under the same economic conditions, they will definitely be able to suggest something they did to keep costs from spiralling.

5. Get married out of high season

More and more couples are choosing to marry outside of the traditional summer season and picking winter weddings to celebrate their big day. This can save massively on the venue hire costs which are geared towards higher charges during the winter months. Money saved on your venue is a big deal as it’s often the priciest thing on your budget sheet.

6. Cut out the non-essentials and pool your resources

Wedding days are about celebrating your love and I guess this point is about making sure you celebrate with some thought on what you really need for the big day. Decide which things you absolutely need, which you would like and which you really don’t need after all.

We saved money on cars as the wedding was in the same place as the reception, we decided against booking transport which although would have been amazing, was really unnessecary and something we were both happy to cut out of the budget. If you can find one or two things in the traditional list that you don’t need to spend a fortune on – go for. We didn’t spend an awful lot on wedding rings, less on his than mine but that turned out to be a good saving because, believe me, even though you think these rings will last forever – they don’t always! My husband lost his within 3 years of the wedding and although I was a little sad, it wasn’t a reflection of our relationship which is still as shiny as the day we said I do

Additional savings can be made by pooling your resources, my lovely Mum and Auntie both helped make and decorate the cake which cut costs and although I think the stress started to take it’s toll the cake was fabulous! You might have friends with amazing skills that you can use to help make savings. My friends Mum made her beautiful wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses, saving a small fortune in the process. Between you and your fiancé, I bet you can rustle up some people out there who would love to contribute towards your big day.

7. Get creative

Even the least creative person can find tips on getting a bit crafty on your wedding. Wedding invites can be super expensive but they don’t have to be. Get a plan together, visit some a Hobby store or art supplies shop and get designing. If you have seen an invite style you like, how well can you copy it by sourcing similar materials? Once the design is in place (and I would opt for keeping it simple), get your girlfriends, Mum whoever around, crack open some wine and get your invites done in a fun evening.

Homemade favours are also a money saver – cupcakes with your guests name on? It might take a bit of organising but will look thoughtful and cute on the tables.

8. Keep your numbers down

The politics of a seating plan is like a dark art for some couples and can cause real stresses. However, keeping guest numbers down to a reasonable figure is essential to stop your costs spiralling out of control. Of course you want to have everyone you know and love at the wedding – equally you want to look out and see the faces of those you share your lives with – not necessarily a room full of cousins you see once in a blue moon and your fiancés Mum’s best friends brother in-law. I would suggest getting an idea of the cost per head at your venue and working out how many you can afford to invite. I guess it’s a trade-off between dream venue and dream guest list – unless you’ve got the cash stashed away, you might not be able to do both. Once you’ve decided on the venue, that will often dictate your maximum numbers anyway so pool your invite lists and see how many people you have. Once you have that in place, you should be able to see whether it’s going to work. Be ruthless if you have to be, invite work colleagues or friendly associates to the evening reception not the whole day. Do your cousins have millions of children? Maybe they don’t need to be at the day either and give their parents a night to let their hair down. Whichever way you choose to do it, it starts to become easier to cut the guest list once you calculate how much per head you are actually paying for everyone there.

9. Budget and then keep track of it

Budget, budget, budget! You need to know what you are working with before you start spending otherwise things can get expensive pretty quickly. If you have saved money for the wedding, or even if you are spending as the pay packets come in, you absolutely want to get the most for your money. The dreaded words wedding spreadsheet might fill you (or your fiance) with dread but it is essential to know what you’re spending and where. Keep track of the cash that’s going out, even on the small things and you’ll be in control of your wedding budget, instead of it being in control of you.

10. Be realistic

This is possibly the most important tip of all, be realistic. Honestly ask yourself if you can afford what you are about to blow on that £5,000 wedding dress – is it going to impact the spend you have for the rest of the wedding? If you have prioritised the things you absolutely need and done it with clarity, this shouldn’t be a problem. Of course you are excited and of course you want to have things perfect on the day but as long as you do it with one smidge of a toe on the ground you can achieve the most fabulous wedding without the financial headache.

Supposedly when the minister calls for silence, everyone at the wedding raises their glass and takes a swig – sounds like you’d need to be a whiskey fan and be ready for a slightly messy wedding dance! For more slightly bizarre drinking culture facts take a look at article here.

If you don’t have THE tune in mind already here are a few ideas for lovely pieces of music to top the walk of your life…

Traditional music pieces – these will sound lovely played from a recording or on a harp, strong quartet – whatever you fancy…

• Bridal Chorus (Here comes the bride),  Wagner
• The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart
• Spring (from The Four Seasons), Vivaldi
• Canon in D, Pachelbel
• Air (from Water Music Suite), Handel
• Procession of Joy, Hopson
• Trumpet Voluntary, Clarke
• Te Deum, Charpentier
• The Prince of Denmark’s March, Clarke
• Rigaudon, Andre Campra

Contemporary – likewise for contemporary songs, there are so many and so many will sound wonderful on a recording or as a musical piece.  Let your imagination run wild!

• Greatest day, Take That
• Unchained melody, Righteous Brother
• Can’t help falling in love, Elvis Presley
• All you need is love, The Beatles
• At last, Etta James
• Walking on sunshine, Katrina and the waves

I guess the main thing to do is pick a song that reflects both your personalities.  If you have a wedding theme and it fits, then perfect.  If it’s just a song you both love then it’s probably right.

Family or friends

If your Dad is not around and you’re Mum is up for giving you away, then this is a beautiful alternative.  The idea of someone accompanying you down the aisle is, for me, about support so a relative, brother, cousin, best friend that you feel very close to can be that someone to give you that morale boost on the aisle walk.

With your partner

Walk half way up the aisle and be met by your fiance halfway to complete the walk together. Symbolic of the journey you’ve taking as individuals so far, and will be together into the future.

Involve others and collect your bouquet

Involve more people in the ceremony as the you walk alone down the aisle but have special people placed at the edge of the walk, each handing you a flower to make up your bouquet.

Wedding pooch

If your dog is important to you, involve him or her in your special day walking you down the aisle or acting as the ring bearer.

Sing your way to wedding bliss?

Sweet but not sure this will catch on in Scotland…

Groom singing his wife down the aisle

Singing bride

And another singing bride

Dance it out!

If you are feeling particularly ready to start the party for your guests early, take a tip from the couples below and dance your way to the aisle – not for everyone I’ll agree but definitively sets an upbeat mode for the day!

Groove is in the heart

Dancing groom

I gotta feeling in Liverpool

So many ways of getting your way down that aisle! Let us know if you’ve got any others

There are some fabulous ideas out there and given the current economy, it helps that some of the most special are actually the least expensive.  I saw a lovely summer wedding which used the favours as table decorations and place names in one.  Lovely crunchy green apples with a bay leaf tied to the stalk and guest names written on the leaves in gold pen – simple, elegant and fresh.  Search ‘green apple wedding favours’ for some ideas on this theme.

Another lovely idea which I would do if I’d only come across it before I got married – a little tree seedling, with a personalised message – what a cute idea that guests can plant as a reminder of the day, cute and carbon reducing!

We picked the sweet option for our day, going for New Zealand chocolate treats from my childhood – chocolate fish – totally random and not well known in Scotland so it probably made a few people wonder what on earth I’d picked but it meant something to me and that’s why we picked them!  I guess that might be the moral of the story – pick whatever the heck you like for your favours.  If it makes you happy, then it’s for you!