Author: Olga Pomeransky

Olga is manager at Best for Bride since 2005. Currently Best for Bride operates 4 bridal stores in Canada (Toronto, Etobicoke, Hamilton and Barrie). Best for Bride sells wedding, bridemaids, mob dresses and more. https://www.bestforbride.com/
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The Cost of Popular Wedding Locations

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Every bride has an image of what her perfect wedding day will be since the minute she understood what the concept of marriage meant. While some women are content with their wedding taking place in a Pancake Parlour or backyard, most women want their childhood dream transformed into reality. A recent article revealed that the average Australian couple spends over $36,000 on their wedding, not including the honeymoon. While important aspects of the wedding like bands, caterers, flowers and dresses cost a substantial sum of money, the most significant amount of money is spent on the venue.  The cost of the venue will depend on lots of different things but today we are going to have a look at the location of the venue.

Happy couple on their wedding day.

HAWAII

A common cliché for weddings is by the beach. Hawaii offers a vast range of exquisitely beautiful islands with locations like sunset boats, volcanic tops and beach fronts. Hawaii is a tropical paradise designed for any dream wedding with a range of companies offering packages for Hawaiian weddings. The ease of having the venue, photographer, band, hotel stay and transportation all covered prompts an additional bonus attraction for Hawaii as a popular wedding destination.

Cost Rating: 7/10

FRANCE

The tranquil and lush countryside of France is another sought after wedding destination. Complete with French chateaus, country retreats, magical lakes and of course, the city of love, Paris. Many couples are drawn towards this location. French weddings generally take place within an old church with overflowing flowers and incense with a silk canopy hanging above the newlyweds. A tradition carried on from the Middle Ages consists of each wedding guest bringing a small cake and stacking them in a pile as high as possible in the center of a table. If the bride and groom can kiss over them without knocking them over, it symbolizes a lifetime of prosperity.

Cost Rating: 9/10

Bridal Shop in Toronto

ITALY

Italy is a consistent attraction for brides and grooms across the world. With it’s historic villas, unique old towns and stunning countryside. Deep in the heart of Tuscany lies an elegant twentieth century demure villa named Villa Magi. Villa Magi holds an elegant combination of the beautiful Tuscan landscape and an Art Nouveau style to provide a perfect destination for weddings. Lucca is another prime location in Italy sought after by brides and grooms worldwide. Lucca is situated on the River Serchio near Tuscany. Lucca holds a vast array of historical gardens, buildings and churches such as the Church of San Michele in Foro and the Romanesque church of San Giusto. Wedding goers looking for a more traditional wedding often head to Italy.

Cost Rating: 8/10

INDIA

While initially India doesn’t seem like a contender for a popular wedding destination, it is surprisingly appropriate for those looking for a bright and cultured wedding. Beach retreats and palaces are the wedding trend in India. There is a vast range of places such as the HariMahalJodhpur which imitates the shapes and colors of the TajMahal and provides services for wedding functions as well as providing accommodation for the guests.

Cost Rating: 5/10

Author Bio:

Jessica Josh is a freelancer and blogger from Sydney Australia.  For the past 5 years she has made a living writing about weddings, wedding photography, and articles for companies like J.Crew Photography.

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The Secrets of an Event Planner: Planning your Wedding like a Professional

I’m an event planner.  That is precisely why I wanted to hire someone else to plan my wedding.  Planning a party, event, wedding, shower- each of these things has its own stresses right up until it’s over, and planning all of these things within the space of six months is an overwhelming nightmare.  I have long sympathized with ‘bridezillas’ knowing that under their scales they are generally lovely girls who are simply experiencing the stresses of event planning; stresses which I have learned to take on board (without anyone else seeing the external effects) over the course of a lengthy professional career.  Much as an emergency ward nurse, I imagine, I see people crazed by the pain of a trying ordeal who immediately return to being sympathetic, friendly personalities as soon as the pain is alleviated- in this case meaning the event [wedding] is over.  Is this how a person wants to feel on their wedding day?  I certainly did not.

Alfred Angelo Disney Wedding Dresses

Why Hire a Wedding Planner?

Hiring an event planner is not about outdoing your friends’ or relatives’ weddings, or even about getting a better end result.  Hiring an event planner is about alleviating as much stress from the shoulders of the couple as possible so they are able to fully enjoy their own big day.  It’s about hiring a data entry specialist to get all the contact details, spellings and phone numbers of your friends and family into the event software quickly and correctly; it’s about having someone else taking twenty calls a day ringing up to RSVP, to ask what will be served on the menu (when the wedding is a year away), and to change their minds about attending over and over again; hiring someone to plan a wedding is an investment in always being shown the three best options on flowers, food, cakes, venues, etc. with all the proper research done and dusted, and you simply pointing and saying ‘that one.’

Why, then, doesn’t everyone hire an event planner?  Why didn’t I?  The problem with hiring an event planner is that it takes away from the actual wedding budget, and in the face of dropping all those zeros, a seasoned event planner must roll up her sleeves and say “I’ll do it myself.”

If like me you are planning to go it alone, I have a bit of solid advice for you to help arrive at the altar feeling fresh, prepared, and with only a few slight bumps where the scales are sticking out under your perfectly tailored satin gown.

  • Lock in everything possible– right now.  Sit down with only one other person, your soon-to-be spouse, and decide when and where you will have the bridal shower, the hens and bucks nights, the rehearsal dinner, the wedding and the honeymoon.  Do not leave the room until this is done.  Call and make bookings for everything.  If you need to book catering, book the tasting now.  Pick the three best options for each venue or option, and only explore those.  Do not waste time hemming and hawing, or you will end up with choice #42 on the list instead of choice #3.
  • Plan slightly under all across the board (except for booze and food).  If you can fit 150 people in your reception hall, plan for 120.  Plan to spend only 70% of your ‘full’ budget.  Plan under, because as all event planners know at the last minute there will be expenses, you will have to take in extra guests, and you will have unforeseen battles to tackle.  This wiggle room saves your skin over and over again.  That being said, and for obvious reasons, over-plan for drinks and catering.  A trick of the trade?  Assume each adult will have 6 adult beverages, and 1 Bottle of Wine = 5 Beverages, 1 Bottle of Beer = 1 Beverage.
  • Make technology your friend.  There is fantastic, free, software out there which can help you keep track of everyone invited, their details, what events they are coming to leading up to the wedding, help you create table plans, remind you to call the caterers, remind you of the day to order the flowers, keep track of dietary requirements, and the list goes on and on.  You will reach a point where you literally cannot remember everything and this will make you feel like you are losing your mind and the world is spinning out of control.  Have one resource to go to where all the information has been recorded.  Also remember that a paper wedding invitation is romantic, but that following up with emails, in this day and age, is a luxury that you should afford yourself without hesitation.
  • Delegate.  Ask a family member to take all the RSVP calls.  Ask each bridesmaid and groomsman to take one task on board that you won’t be able to do on your own.  Get the bridesmaids to pick their own dresses.  Get the groomsmen to pick a few wedding bands for you to audition.  Everyone is willing to do one task.  TRUST YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
  • Be where the buck stops.  Let’s be honest, as the bride it’s your day that you graciously ask opinions about from one other person and one other person only- your partner.  At the end of the day you are where the buck stops.  There has to be one person sitting at the top of the pyramid that settles debates, makes final decisions, and throws out bad ideas- even the ones that come from your soon-to-be mother-in-law.  Stand firm, stand tall, and put your foot down.  Everyone else will get over it.  Trust me.  I’m a professional.

Author Bio:

Jessica Josh has spent the past 5 years writing and blogging online.  She has worked with a number of different companies in the wedding entertainment and corporate entertainment niche such as http://weddingbandsmelbourne.net.au/

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Five essential tips for choosing a fabulous mother of the bride outfit

Is your daughter’s big day approaching and you still haven’t found that perfect mother of the bride outfit? It can be a scary task and you’ll want to make sure that it not only complements you, but the style of the wedding too! Below you’ll find some tips to help ease the stress and narrow down your search.

Mother of the Bride Dresses
Mother of the Bride Dresses
  1. Get the colour scheme right. Using a matching colour scheme can really help you all feel connected on that special day and ensure that there isn’t a clash of colours or styles. However beware of your daughter’s choice of dress. If your daughter has selected pale shades in the colour scheme for the wedding you don’t have to search for a dress in a similar shade. Find a close matching colour that is maybe a little brighter so you standout rather than blending in.
  2. Footwear. Believe me when I say, you’ll find yourself running around and on your feet for the vast majority of your day. You’ll want to find comfortable shoes that match your outfit. You will also want to make sure that you choose shoes that you like! Feeling confident in your image is an important part of having a good time, so bear this in mind. If you’re going for heels, make sure you choose the right height that will allow comfort whilst taking nothing away from style.
  3. Don’t forget a coat! Throughout the day you’ll find yourself in and out. Moving from one venue to another, photo shoots, dancing, standing, the day will have you up and down like a yoyo. You’ll want a light weight coat that will keep in the warmth and can easily be transported. You’ll also want to make sure that it complements your dress, so take time in choosing it and remember it’s going to be on and off all day so make sure it isn’t overly heavy.
  4. Put your thinking hat on. Choosing the right hat all depends on the dress you’ve decided on and the style of the wedding itself. Hats are generally considered to work with a traditional style and can hugely vary in style. A key thing to remember though is that everything is down to you. Don’t just wear a hat because that’s what other people are doing. Make sure you feel happy and comfortable with your decisions.
  5. It pays to shop around. Many of your usual wedding boutiques haven’t largely changed in style. They still offer the stiff traditional options that many people now consider to be dated. Remember to think outside the box and aim for contemporary fashion, such as a Condici mother of the bride dress. If you put time and care into shopping around, you’re bound to find something that’s up to date and affordable.
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Going on a honeymoon Safari in Africa

The countdown has started and friends and family are all very excited and have already RSVP’d for your big day, but it is the special time after the wedding day that should not be neglected by the bride and groom to be. Deep down all they really want for their honeymoon is this special time to just be about them as a new couple, entering the world together. Being on honeymoon is a special time to absorb the excitement of the past few months (or year!) and to cherish the reality of your future commitment to each other.

Birkenhead-house-honeymoon

There are so many possible honeymoon destinations these days that it can be really hard to choose the perfect location. From beach resorts to tropical island getaways, sun, sea and sand do seem to be the popular attraction. The one underlying ‘thread’ for most couples going on honeymoon is to take themselves off to a beautiful place on earth that will inspire a lifetime of love, friendship and amazing memories.

honeymoon-motswari-pool

I have just the location for any couple reading this and I pose the following question to you – have you ever considered going on a honeymoon safari? There is no doubt in my mind that this is truly one of the most romantic experiences for any ‘budding’ new couple and I ask you to give me just a few minutes of your time to convince you why a honeymoon safari in Africa will be the most romantic experience yet.

honeymoon-safari-lodge

To start off, ‘Love’ in the lingo of a safari honeymoon means “Loving our Outdoor Vibrant Earth’ and this is exactly what you will experience. From your first open air drive through the reserve to the safari lodge there is an immediate sense of adventure and excitement that fills the air. Hand in hand you will be welcomed by friendly staff and lodge hosts and with a sense of warmth and caring you will be given time to settle in and soak up the African atmosphere of your private and romantic suite that will be your little retreat for the next few days.

honeymoon-londolozi-1

Enticing enough? Well, there is more. Most safari lodges have a communal deck area that overlooks the spectacular and breath-taking landscapes of the African bush or one that provides a bird’s eye view of a waterhole down below. It is here too, that you will find yourselves sipping an aroma filled cup of coffee in the early morning to watch the sunrise or dwelling in the enjoyment of the last rays of sun kissing the horizon with a cocktail in hand. There is truly no finer and more romantic place on earth to share in the magnificent wonders of Mother Nature on your honeymoon.

honeymoon-londolizi-2

Waking up to the sounds of the African bush is an indescribable experience and there is no better way to start  your day of African adventures than going one of the popular activities when on safari, an early morning game drive, to search and experience the awaking of the African bushveld and wildlife as the sun slowly rises up into the sky. Keep your eyes peeled for members of the Big Five traversing the landscape or heading down to a nearby waterhole. Cast your eyes to the skies to catch the silhouettes of some of the most spectacular species of African eagles. Your senses are truly going to tingle all over.

After a busy day, filled with exciting safari activities, enjoy a refreshing dip in the lodge’s pool and delight in the magnificent evening that approaches. Indulge in some of the highest quality of fine dining and African cuisine under the stars, while listening to the beat of the African drums that fill the night sky, a more capturing and memorable experience you could not wish for on your honeymoon.

You need only give yourselves a day or two before you are truly relaxed and soaking up the totality of this once in a life time experience. From the exclusive safari lodge accommodation and impeccable hospitality to the breath-taking scenery and experiences of the African bushveld, these few days away on your honeymoon safari will leave you loving life, the outdoors and most importantly each other, guaranteed!

Paula van Breda is editor at Safari Guide Africa who arranges honeymoon safaris for couples from all around the world.  For more information about what options are available visit their website on http://www.safariguideafrica.com/honeymoons.php or call them in South Africa at +27 (0) 21 880 0105.