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Simplicity Meets Splendor: 5 Expert Tips for Crafting a Memorable Minimalist Wedding!

Minimalism is the new buzz word. With houses, offices and dresses, all taking the minimalist route, weddings are quick to follow. This article on This Luminous Life, gives us an insight into what minimalism is actually about. It rightly says that minimalism is not about getting rid of things, instead it is about shifting focus to what really matters in your life and making way for it by eliminating the unimportant things. Isn’t that an accurate way to put it?

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Many couples now choose to have a minimalist wedding, for several reasons. For some it is about avoiding the stress associated with a big wedding. For others, it is about making it more meaningful by celebrating just with the people who matter to them.

While the term can mean different things to different people, having a minimalist wedding is usually a huge budget saver. Nevertheless, this doesn’t have to mean it shouldn’t be stylish. Minimalist weddings can have the desired impact, if you plan it right. Before we go into the planning part, let us take a quick look at why you may like to have a minimalist wedding.

#So you can enjoy the wedding planning

Often, planning a big wedding ends up like a chore, especially when there are hundreds of details to perfect and it is entirely up to you to do it right. Even if you hire a wedding planner to do the planning part, it can seem impersonal and you may not really enjoy planning everything in bulk. Brides who want to enjoy every aspect of the planning and do it with perfection are better off when the wedding is small. Intimate gatherings are easier to personalize and allow you a better chance at enjoying the process.

#It helps keep your finances in check

Holding a big wedding is costly. Whether your parents or you pay for the expenses, there is no doubt that it will add up and a huge amount of money will be spent. Not all couples are keen on starting their life together in debt, or with most of their savings spent. A minimalist wedding offers more control over your wedding finances, and helps you plan a meaningful wedding without spending more than you can afford to.

#To keep it simple

Let us consider what a wedding is actually all about. Many weddings just end up being an extravagant show and people remember nothing beside all that was on display. Isn’t a wedding actually meant to be celebrating your love and being married in front of the people who matter to you? This idea is quickly forgotten with the stress of bringing together an elaborate wedding. Many couples find the pressure stifling, that they cease to enjoy their engagement. A minimalist wedding gives you a better chance of making the most of what you have, and enjoying every moment without worrying too much.

#To spend on the more important things

When you host a big wedding, you may feel obliged to spend on the food and favors.. This can sometimes leave you with a limited budget to travel to a place you love for your honeymoon. Or, it may be that you wanted a designer dress, but your funds run low after you budget for all the other wedding aspects. Keeping it simple will allow you to designate money to the more important aspects of your wedding, and not worry about impressing guests or obsess over how they will judge you.

Now, let us look at the planning part. How do you plan a minimalist wedding, and still make sure it has all that is important? These tips will tell you what to do.

1.Keep the crowd small

The wedding budget is directly proportional to the number of people attending it. If you think you should invite all the people you know, meet, have been friends with, whose wedding you have attended etc, the list will just go on. And with it, your ideas of keeping it small will have to be tossed out. Invite only your immediate family, close friends and those who you really want at your wedding. A good idea is to first fix a number, and then plan your guest list. This will allow you to narrow it down to people who are most important to you.

2.Leave out the fancy stuff

Unless it is important to you, of course! There is no rule that says your invitations have to be engraved, your décor should include real flowers or you have to buy your wedding dress. There is plenty of scope to customize, and you can find brilliant designs at a nominal cost. All you need to do, is to research options and find cost-effective ones. You can always rent a fabulous wedding gown at a fraction of the original cost and still be the beautiful bride you always wanted to be. Of course, with the bonus that you save a significant amount this way. Similarly, you can craft the look of the venue by mixing and matching options, or working with something that isn’t extra-expensive.

3.Plan the timing well

Did you know that wedding costs are significantly reduced, when held on weekdays? The same applies to when you get married during the off-peak-season. Have your wedding between December and February, and not only will it be easy to book the venue you want, you can also get a discount on it. The same applies to your caterers and other wedding services, as it is not wedding season. If you don’t mind having a wedding brunch instead of a dinner reception, you can also serve delicious meals at a cheaper rate.

4.Skip all that is unnecessary

There is a lot going on during the wedding planning, but have you ever felt that most of these are totally unnecessary? An engagement party, bridesmaids in matching outfits, save-the-date cards, expensive favors, flowers that have to be flown in and tiered wedding cakes—are all these actually compulsory? Keep the ones that really matter to you, and choose the sensible approach for the rest. Go with personalized wedding favors and bridesmaids in dresses that you choose specifically for the wedding, only if they matter to you. Go with seasonal flowers and accessories for the décor, a simple wedding cake, and minimum wedding stationery and your wedding will still be a wedding.

5.Getting help and delegating duties

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There will be many people around you who would love to help. It may be family, or friends. Enlist their help and give them the chance to make your life easier. For a smaller wedding party, you can afford to find time to employ your DIY skills in making gifts and décor items. So, make the most of it. Not only will it be more personal, you will also enjoy it a lot more than just having everything done by a vendor. If there are florists, bakers or photographers in your circle, you can even delegate the wedding tasks to them, if appropriate.

With these 5 tips you should be well on your way to planning a meaningful minimalist wedding. We also suggest that you take a look at the Nourishing Minimalism blog page, for more ideas.

If you are stuck for ideas, here are some specific ideas to go minimal.

Invitations: For those of you who want to minimize expenses on stationery, either send out wedding invites by e-mail or print your own invites and send them out. But if you are looking at budget-friendly professional options, you can choose thermography or digital printing for your invitation cards.

Bridal party: Like we said before, skip the matching look and go with the mix ‘n’ match look instead. Find out how you can obtain cheap bridesmaids dresses on a budget with the help of this article. Or, you can always ask your girls to wear a common color (the Little Black dress is a wardrobe staple and your best bet), and work around to achieving a cohesive look through inexpensive accessories like shoes and belts.

Courtney & Justin June 11th 2011

Image Credit: Mark Taylor Cunningham, via Flickr [CC BY 2.0]

Wedding dress: Rent your wedding dress, buy it on sale or second-hand. If you start your search early, you can find fabulous vintage dresses on sale, and even second-hand dresses with tags. You don’t have to skimp on style, just because your wedding is minimalist. Although a dress silhouette may be simple, it can still be classic and stylish. The sheath and A-line silhouette are essentially minimalist, but you will find fantastic dresses in these options with a signature element or two that makes it fantastic. At stores like Best for Bride, several designer collections allow you to pick from what is available within your price range.

Accessories: If there are family heirlooms, make the most of the available choice by building your outfit around it. You can also consider wearing a wedding dress with an illusion neckline or longer sleeves to minimize the need for jewelry. Just like renting your wedding dress, you can do the same for accessories too. It makes sense too, as it is a one-time occasion and you needn’t spend so much on it.

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Venue: For a small crowd, you could plan your reception in your backyard, at a nearby park or a site that your friend or family has agreed to lend you. With a little effort, even the simplest location can be transformed into a beautiful wedding venue, without the additional costs that you incur when booking an actual hall. You could also keep the ceremony and reception venue the same to minimize cost.

Venue décor: Limit the décor to what is available seasonally and locally, and try to DIY for a pocket-friendly choice. Look at Pinterest or other online websites and borrow ideas to make the most of simple décor items that you can find at thrift stores. Consider alternatives to flowers, like potted plants, candles, berries, fruits and vegetables, to make attractive but inexpensive centrepieces and decorations.

Food and cake: You do not need the classic tiered wedding cake, especially for a small crowd. Either ask to make a faux cake with just the first tier made from actual cake, or choose practical and equally attractive options like wedding cupcakes or a dessert buffet instead. Opt for brunch or a buffet with local and seasonal fare to keep the food costs minimum.

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Bouquets: The bride needs a bouquet alright, but it doesn’t have to be made from exotic blooms. Equally appealing bouquets can be crafted from flowers like daisies, lilies and lavender. Even wild flowers can be grouped together to create a fantastic rustic and unique looking bouquet. If you are flexible, you can even work with what you find on the day before the wedding, and design your bouquet around it. Another option is to use silk flowers or faux flowers to create a beautiful and different bouquet.

Wedding favors: Think of whether photo wedding favors or expensive wrapped favors will actually be displayed or used by your wedding guests. If you really want to gift a favor that will be appreciated and used, gift edible favors like cookies or candy that will cost less too. The other option is to gift green wedding favors like plant starters or nice sachets of tea or coffee that will find use.

Driveaway car: Skip the limousine or vintage car, and instead go with a regular car that has been decorated to look festive enough for a wedding. As with everything else, remember that it is not all about impressing the guests, it is about functionality and how meaningful it is. As long as you keep this in perspective, everything will seem alright.

Now that you have all the inputs you need to plan your perfectly practical and minimalist wedding, you are set to act. Whether you want to buy or rent your wedding dress, visit our bridal gallery at Best for Bride and you are bound to find a dress that you will fall in love with. Also find all your wedding needs, ranging from décor and accessories to wedding favors and invitations, all at our Best for Bride stores.

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Autumn Allure: A Comprehensive Guide to Picking the Perfect Fall Wedding Color Palette!

The wedding look you plan to have should center around the colors you choose for your wedding theme. You do not have to be an artist to create a beautiful wedding color palette, you can find inspiration everywhere and work with it to create the colors that will make your wedding venue what you always envisioned it to be.

If you are planning your wedding in fall, we have the perfect ideas to help you find your wedding colours. The three most important things to consider in order to find a winning combination are

  • Consider the venue where you are to be married
  • Please make the most of the season and exploit it to find a winning combination
  • Consider the style of your wedding and decide on the color combinations.

Let us take a closer look at each of these points.

1.Consider the venue where you are to be married

Your wedding location plays a huge role, as it influences the effect of your color palette. The same color combination works differently in different settings, as the nature of lighting, disbursement of color and other aesthetic elements in the venue contribute to the overall effect. There is no specific order in which you have to work; you can either choose the venue first and then decide on your palette, or first choose your wedding color palette and then look for a suitable location.

Either method has it’s own pros and cons. In the first case, you will have to limit your color choices to those that will work well in the natural ambiance of your chosen venue. If it is a venue with signature décor attached to it or strong colors that stand out, you may have to come up with a combination that will blend in or complement the existing colors on site.

In the second case, you will have certain colors in mind already. In this scenario, you will have to choose a venue where these colors look good. This can limit your options, as not all venues will equally yield to all color palettes. The alternative is to switch to darker or lighter shades of what is on your palette and make a few necessary changes, so it works well in the setting.

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2.Make the most of the season and exploit it to come up with a winning combination

Fall is a wonderful time to get married. Not only is it romantic, the weather is just perfect being neither too cold, nor warm. In fact, fall weddings are almost as attractive as spring weddings, if not better. A certain beauty is associated with the natural colors of fall, and it offers enough inspiration to help you plan a spectacular day. Deep, dark hues and rich indulgent colors add a luxurious touch to the natural environment, and these colors can render beautiful combinations at your wedding as well.

The color combinations mainly focus on shades of red, orange and purple with a refreshing mix of greens, yellows, blues and peaches thrown in. These are some of the signature colors we immediately associate with autumn. Weave your wedding color palette around them, and you cannot go wrong.

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3.Consider the style of your wedding when you decide the color combinations

We know that some colors work better for certain wedding styles than others. While certain color combinations are inherently elegant and classic, others are joyful and fun. You have to find this balance when planning your colors for a unique wedding style. Here is a quick guide to choosing colors that work well together for different wedding types of weddings.

  • Fresh and light colors like peach, pale yellow and glassy green look great in outdoor weddings. You can complement them with accent colors like pink or turquoise for a touch of drama. Other fall colors include maroon, gold, ochre, rust, brown and purple.
  • For indoor weddings in formal settings, consider working with metallics like gold, silver or copper to add sophistication to your classic wedding palette. These metals work best with dark solid colors like navy and red, but you can also try combining them with lighter shades.
  • White is a simple, but beautiful solution for almost any venue, and especially in those that have bright colors in the walls, décor or carpets. By using white in plenty, you can add pops of your favorite colors into the décor. These won’t clash with the existing ones as white will balance it out.
  • Dusty colors should be used with caution in autumn weddings. Either mix them in with bright complementary colors or with dark shades. They can otherwise look faded and dull.

Every bride wishes to have a wedding that is unique, and the colors that you incorporate into your wedding palette play a huge role in achieving it. Here are the steps you should follow to find your color palette and fine-tune it, so it is just perfect for your big celebration.

1.Set up a wedding inspiration board

This is the first step towards planning your wedding palette. Refer to our article on creating your wedding inspiration board to find out what you need to get started. Once you have your setup ready, start collecting and pinning pictures that you like, to it. Slowly, you will observe a pattern emerging, and this will help you move on to the next step.

2.Choose one or two favorite colors

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Take a look around you. Your wardrobe, favorite décor items and your inspiration board will help you choose one or two main colors to focus on. To make this easier, from your inspiration board, first eliminate those that you are not sure about. Next, pull out your favorite combinations so you can zero in on the common colors that you seem to be attracted to. Choose your favorite one or two bold colors from this list. Alternately, you may already have a color, flower or décor item that you must have. Then go with this as the starting point for your wedding color palette. The next step is to find the complementary colors that will set the mood for your wedding.

3.Choose complementary colors

Once you know the bold colors that you will use in your wedding palette, the next step is to find the complementing colors that will create the mood you want for your wedding. Refer to the color wheel for help. Two basic rules to find the best complementary colors are

  • Choose from colors that are neighbors to your chosen main colors. These will help create an elegant combination, that is best suited for formal and classic styles
  • Choose from colors that are directly opposite to the main colors your choose. These brighten up the main color in your palette, and should be your go-to choice for casual and fun styles.

You can experiment with light and dark shades of your chosen colors to find a combination that you love. Also add neutrals to balance it out appropriately. Consider adding a single metallic shade into your palette, if you want more sophistication or bling. Since each choice can drastically alter the ambiance, make sure to choose between gold, silver, copper or colored metallics with due care.

3.Decide where which color will be incorporated

This is a very detailed process. You will have to determine how your décor settings will be, the colors the bouquets should contain, how your table settings will feature your chosen colors and how your wedding party will reflect your color selection. Remember that you do not have to put in too much of the bold color for an impact. Sometimes, you can achieve more effect by adding pops of it as an accent color in your décor. Here are some factors to consider in this regard.

Bridesmaids dresses: If your bold color is an unusual shade, like berry or peach, that won’t flatter the skin tone of your bridesmaids, consider using the mix ‘n’ match trend when choosing their dresses. Read more about it here and here. Otherwise choose their dresses in the neutral colors in your palette and weave in the bold colors through accessories and flowers.

Wedding party: It is necessary to bring the looks of the bridesmaids and the groomsmen together and there are several ways to go about it. Make sure that the main colors of your palette are included in the right mix, without simply adding it in bulk. You could choose ties with a pattern that includes the main colors, but with taste. Or the boutonniere could have flowers in the main colors, while the rest of the outfit is simple.

Bouquets: If the main colors in your palette aren’t easily available in flowers, choose a neutral colored bouquet instead, and bring the color in through accessories like the ribbon. This is better than choosing the closest match, which can offset the intended effect entirely.

Decor: Be careful with how much color you add and where. Too many bold colors can tire the eyes, and your guests may feel the arrangement is too cluttered. So, balance out your décor with plenty of neutrals, and use your bold colors in small and properly balanced quantities. Add complementary colors when it is a huge display, so they are more effective.

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Food: Keep the food colors simple, and rely on colorful stationery instead. While colorful desserts and few bright dishes may be appealing, too much of it may look unappetizing and artificial. Instead, add the color into the setting using colorful stationery for food labels and in centerpieces and napkins, to make it interesting.

Cake: Colorful cakes may look interesting. Nevertheless, not everyone finds it very palatable. The better option is to choose a design that has the right balance of the colors added through accessories like ribbons, flowers and other cake toppers. Autumn wedding cakes look best when decorated with berries, deep flowers and silky ribbons and soft glitter.

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4.Tweak the details till you are satisfied

Be calm and composed, and approach the process of getting your colors right, one step at a time. It can become overwhelming, but dividing it into separate projects and handling only one aspect at a time is tricky. While inspiration boards are helpful, don’t depend on it for everything. Add your own touches to what you find, and work with what you have. You always have scope for enhancements, so add improvements and changes, so you have something new.

A very important thing to remember is that there is nothing called perfection. It is your satisfaction that matters. When you like what you see, stop and mentally note that you have done this right. This will allow you to relax and enjoy what you have, instead of wishing for something better. Get the opinions of your friends and family, or enlist their help with getting certain aspects right. Nevertheless, don’t lose track of the big picture. Recognize when it is time to stop obsessing with your color palette and focus on the other important things about your wedding.

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Now that you are armed with all that you need to know about planning your color palette for your fall wedding, you are all set to begin. We suggest that you take a look at this color guide on Magnetstreet for some winning color combinations that work beautifully in autumn. They have done a wonderful job of sorting out each palette according to the mood the combination creates. So, whether you want a tangy vibe or a poetic wedding combination, you have the starting point to build your palette.  You can also visit Wedding Paper Divas here for some more color combinations that scream autumn!

To find bridesmaids’ dresses and choose invitations, décor or cakes in any of these color palettes, visit us online at Best for Bride. Use our wedding services to make your dream wedding colours come to life.

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Wedding Flowers for Every Season

Just like there are brides for every season, there are flowers that go along with every season. While this may make it difficult if your favorite flower is not in season when it comes time for your wedding, this is great for brides who are looking to be married during less popular seasons. Below, you will find flower options that will work with weddings depending on the particular season.

Summer

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Summer is a great time for a wedding and one of the most popular seasons. There are many flower options to choose from here and brides will look beautiful when they select any of them:

  • Orchids
  • Poppy
  • Chrysanthemum
  • Sunflower
  • Freesia
  • Rose
  • Hydrangea
  • Snapdragon

Spring

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Spring is also a popular time for weddings and one of the best times when it comes to flowers. There are so many in bloom during this season that a bride can easily get carried away with selecting her flowers:

  • Iris
  • Peony
  • Orchid
  • Rose
  • Sweet Pea
  • Calla Lilly
  • Hyacinth
  • Lilac
  • Tulip

Fall

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While it may not be the most popular time of the year to plan a wedding, fall is a great time for a number of reasons. You can easily plan an outdoor wedding during this time due to the fantastic colors and there is an interesting arrangement of flowers available. Be sure to consider the following flowers when your wedding is in the fall:

  • Asiatic Lily
  • Dahlia
  • Chrysanthemum
  • Rose
  • Bi-color rose

Winter

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Even though there are many flowers that do not bloom during the winter, don’t think that you will have to forgo them for your winter wedding. In fact, there are many different flowers that you can choose from that will create a beautiful look for your wedding. The following are all fantastic options for winter weddings:

  • Carnation
  • Rose
  • Tulip
  • Gardenia
  • Narcissus
  • Lily
  • Orchid
  • Star of Bethlehem

Making the Choice

When you are ready to choose your flowers, one of the first thing that you should do is to make sure that you know what flowers are available during the season that your wedding will be taking place. While it can be disappointing to learn that some flowers are not available year round, there are many options that will help make your wedding special and memorable.

f you plan a wedding in Abu Dhabi or the UAE, you may consider ordering your flowers from an online flower shop in Abu Dhabi. Ordering online can save you time, effort, and money while ensuring you get fresh and beautiful blooms that suit your style and theme.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a great number of flowers that you can select from regardless of the season that your wedding falls in. These flowers can also be mixed and matched to create the most perfect wedding design available. Whether you are getting married when it is warm or when snow is on the ground, you can easily add flowers to your big day.

Best for Bride

Best for Bride is a bridal shop that offers everything that a bride needs to plan her big day. With wedding gowns, dresses for the bridesmaids and décor options, you will be able to find everything that you need to begin planning your wedding around the flowers that you have chosen. They will even help you to find the best dress to go along with those flowers.

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Wedding Flowers: Bouquet shapes and how to choose the right one

You have chosen the perfect wedding dress, jewelry to match, the hairstyle to sport and shoes to glide down the aisle. You’re almost the perfect bride, except for one small detail that will add the finishing touches – your wedding bouquet!

Bridal bouquets are not just a bunch of flowers that are put together at random. When chosen well, your bouquet will complete your bridal look perfectly. How do you get it right?

Let us look at the different shapes in which wedding bouquets are available, and find the choice that is the right size and shape for your figure.

Circular bouquets: Nosegays and Posies

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The round bouquet is a popular traditional choice. It can be created from the same flowers or an assortment of blooms that are neatly arranged in a circular fashion. Nosegays and posies are extensions of the classic round bouquet, but are smaller in size. In nosegays the flowers are arranged tightly, the cluster is small and the stems are all cut to the same length. Posies are small bouquets that are usually tied with a ribbon.

This shape is generally versatile, and all three go extremely well with classic ball gowns or A-line dresses. Posies particularly suit petite brides. You can choose the size of the round bouquet, or the arrangement of the flowers to complement your figure, so it helps to balance out your look.

Hand tied bouquet

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You can understand from the name itself that these bouquets have a casual look and feel. The chosen bunch of flowers are gathered together and simply tied with a ribbon. Unlike the other prim and perfect bouquet designs, hand-tied bouquets are loosely tied to create a messy look, with the stems and foliage showing. It is an apt choice for an outdoor wedding, and you can adjust the size and choice of flowers to match your size.

Cascade bouquet

By Photo by and (c)2007 Jina Lee (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Credits: Jina Lee CC-BY-SA-3.0
This is a rich bouquet with flowers that flow downwards to resemble a mini-waterfall. The style was a hit in the 1980’s and is one of the most creative arrangements. An assortment of flowers are necessary to create the luscious cascade, and it is often mixed with lavish specks of green. It is also known as the teardrop bouquet, when the thickness of the arrangement thins towards the ends of the bouquet.

The flowers chosen for the bouquet will determine whether it is traditional or modern. The contemporary choice includes orchids and lilies, while the traditional choice has roses. Since the bouquet falls downwards, it has a slimming effect which works well for plus-size brides. The dramatic design also matches mermaid or ball gown skirts.

Presentation bouquets

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This style is similar to the ones we see at pageants. Long stemmed flowers are tied together and the bouquet is held across the body to rest in the crook of the arm. It has a formal touch and suits all body shapes.

Composite bouquets

This is a bouquet that takes time and effort to create. An individual big flower is crafted out of hundreds of small petals from individual flowers, which are glued or tied together. It is more expensive than the other bouquets, but is a unique and stunning design worth its price.

Now that you know the technical differences between the various bouquets available, you should be able to choose the one that is right for you. Visit Best for Bride for more wedding advice and tips.