Wedding ETC, Author at Wedding ETC

In Bridal Party

5 tips to remember when picking your bridesmaids dresses

July 18, 2018 No Comments

Having your wedding day accompanied by your absolute besties as your bridesmaids, all matching and looking gorgeous, is an absolute dream. However, this can be quite a challenging task.

Your bridesmaids may not like your choice of dress, style, colour or overall idea towards what they will wear on the day, and if you’re someone who wants everyone to be happy and satisfied, this can cause serious complications and even some drama.

With an open mind and these simple tips, finding the perfect bridesmaids dresses that everyone will love will be much easier.

1. CUT OUT SAME-STYLE DRESSES

Unless your bridesmaids all look identical, the same style of dress will fit each woman differently, and may not be suitable or flattering for every body type. This is where styles like the infinity dress come in, where one dress with the same material and colour can be worn in multiple ways to suit each woman’s body. Try to be more open with finding different styles for each bridesmaid.

2. MAKE COLOUR THE COMMON THEME

If you’ve decided that your bridesmaids can wear different style dresses, make sure they stick to a very specific colour palette that suits you and your wedding theme. Even though the dresses may not be identical, your bridesmaids will still appear co-ordinated and will be comfortable in their favoured style of dress.

3. SET A GUIDELINE

Apart from simply having a common colour scheme, ensure that your bridesmaids know the boundaries of what you want for their appearance on the day. Try to use your wedding dress at a starting point, and model the bridesmaids dresses after it. Decide whether you want classy or glamorous, short or long dresses, what season you are getting married in, and how conservative they will need to be.

4. STAY IN TOUCH

Stay up to date with your bridesmaids’ dress-hunting, and, if you can, try to go with them to be a part of the decision process. Staying in contact will also show your interest and concern for your bridesmaids, as it is an important day for them too. Make a WhatsApp group and regularly ask for images. This may become frustrating, but it will be worth it to ensure that you are part of the decision-making process.

5. REMEMBER, YOU ARE THE BRIDE

Above everything else, remember that you are the bride and it is your special day. If you cannot come to an agreement with one of your bridesmaids and it is causing you more stress, it is not selfish to cut someone out. At the end of the day, it comes down to what you and your partner have decided for the wedding.

Image: Unsplash

In Flowers

7 steps for choosing your flowers

July 9, 2018 No Comments

Flowers (and more recently, a flower theme) have been a part of wedding ceremonies for as long as we can remember. It is believed that in certain European countries women would carry bouquets to mask the scent of not having bathed for a few months.

Nowadays, florals are a huge part of the decor and, of course, the bridal and bridesmaids’ bouquets. Typically, florals fit into your specific wedding theme or colour palette, or your entire theme can revolve around your flowers and other natural elements.

So how should you choose your floral arrangements? We have 7 easy steps to help you create the floral setting you’ve always dreamed of.

FIRST THING’S FIRST

Decide on your budget and whether you want to go big or small. If florals fall into your theme, you’ll want to set aside a larger portion of your budget to them.

GET INSPIRED

Try to research designs or arrangements you want to see at your wedding, while still keeping an open mind and have at least two extra options. Pinterest is a great app for finding all the inspiration you need!

RESEARCH

While looking for inspiration, you should also start to familiarise yourself with the kinds of flowers you want to have at your wedding, whether they’re in season, and their basic information. It will really benefit you when you meet with a florist and you understand the terminology.

FIND A FLORIST

Before picking a florist, make sure you research their work and pricing to ensure that you go with someone whose style will match your desired theme. Also keep your options open here, and make several consultations with different florists to get a feel for what would suit you best.

BOUQUET

If you or your fiancé plan to carry a bouquet, make sure that this is your starting point, as it features as a big element on the day. You ideally want the bouquet to match the wedding dress, and can design your flower arrangements from there.

SCENTED

When picking your flowers, you also need to consider whether you want scented florals or not. The idea of a lovely sweet scent in the venue seems tempting, but it may affect some of the guests. When you send out your invitations, ask guests to let you know if they have any allergies so that you can avoid any unpleasant experiences on the day.

PLAY MATCHY

While not everything has to be perfectly coordinated, it is elegant to match your flowers to your wedding style. Whether it be formal, playful or mystical, flowers can really emphasize the atmosphere you want to have on your big day.

“A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.” – Max Muller

In Guys

5 tips to get your partner involved in the wedding planning

July 6, 2018 No Comments

You’ve had the big engagement and decided on a date – now it’s time to get down to the planning but your partner doesn’t seem keen on contributing. Wedding planning can be stressful enough without having a partner who is not interested in helping out, so we’ve put together these five tips to get your partner involved in planning your big day together.

1. FROM THE GET-GO

Make sure you are both discussing wedding options from the start. You don’t want to get ahead without your partner and leave them behind, only to want their input later on.

2. BE OPEN MINDED

Your partner may have some strange ideas, but try not to brush them off harshly, as you want them to continue making contributions. If you don’t like something, be gentle and explain why.

3. GET HANDS-ON

If there are certain areas that you know your partner will be interested in, such as the music, food or transport, then hand over those tasks, making sure you are both on the same page when it comes to what you want.

4. ASK FOR HELP

If you’re struggling to juggle all of the invitations, nagging family members and bookings, ask your partner if they can take on some of the tasks, or that you work on them together to ease the pressure.

5. JUST BE HONEST

Tell your partner that you want their input, after all, you both decided to have a wedding. Having open communication will help you to express how you feel as well as finding out what your partner wants.

Image: Unsplash

In Advice

“Harry Potter” Book Proposals

June 25, 2018 No Comments

A Redditor named trehlo cut a hollow square into the pages of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” then attached a ring inside the hollow section so it rested on top of the chapter titled “The Unbreakable Vow.”

In Stationery

5 Things You Need to Know About Mailing Your Wedding Invitations

June 25, 2018 No Comments

You’ve got each of your big day invitations signed, sealed, and ready to be delivered to the final destination in one pretty little piece — that’s the hope, at least! After spending a few months working on your stationery, you probably feel like you know everything there is to know about those paper products. But before you head to the post office to ship out your invitations, there are a few major thing you need to consider that may have never crossed your mind. So, without further ado, here are five things to do to make the most of your mailing.

1. Tissue paper inserts aren’t just for good looks. While placing tissue paper between the layers of your stationery suite can increase your costs, it also helps prevent the ink from smudging. If you chose to use a darker colored ink on your invitations or you went with thermography, your cards could rub together as they make their way through the mail. If it’s not too late, add a bit of tissue paper to ensure your pretty paper arrives in pristine shape.

Photo Credit: Esmeralda Franco Photography on Wedding Chicks via Lover.ly

These GIFs Show You Exactly How to Assemble Your Wedding Invitations >>

2. Square invitations require more postage. Due to the abnormal shape, square envelopes require more postage to mail. While this isn’t a huge monetary difference (about 20 cents per card, depending on the size) you can easily cut a couple of extra dollars by opting for a regular ol’ rectangular envelope. If you’re looking for other ways to save on your invitations, opt for an RSVP postcard rather than a traditional mail-in response card, as the cost of a postcard stamp is less than a normal stamp.

Photo Credit: Ben Q Photography on Wedding Chicks via Lover.ly

4 Ways to Showcase Your Signature Wedding Style with Your Stationery >>

3. Never lick the adhesive to close your envelopes. To avoid having one of your precious invites open en route, reinforce the closure method on your envelopes by using glue or some other super strong adhesive. Licking is not only hard on your mouth (the taste! paper cuts!), it also doesn’t guarantee the package will arrive in one piece. For a pretty touch, add a sticker or piece of washi tape, but don’t rely on these things as the main closure method. They can fall off or catch on other items during delivery.

Photo Credit: Katelyn James Photography on Grey Likes Weddings via Lover.ly

Everything You Need to Know About Wedding Invitation Wording >>

4. Always take your cards inside the post office. For extra peace of mind (and to avoid risking your invitations having to battle the elements), never drop them off in a street-side mailbox. If you hand them to a person at the post office directly, they are less likely to get damaged in transit, and you can ensure you’ve done everything correctly, from the postage to the writing of the addresses. This is an especially important step if you’re using vintage stamps — they can be tricky!

Photo Credit: Pat Moyer on Inspired By This via Lover.ly

This Typo Is a Reminder to Proofread Your Big Day Stationery Carefully! >>

5. Ask the post office to hand cancel your stamps. Instead of letting the post office run the invites through a machine-operated sorting system (which marks the envelope with thick lines in the top right corner and may damage the envelope in the process) ,ask them to “hand cancel” your invitations. This means that they’ll use a special ink stamp to mark your invitation, and they’ll sort it by hand, reducing the risk of the damage. While some post offices refuse to do this, most are flexible if you pop in during a slow time.

In Advice

Why getting cold feet is normal and how to overcome it

June 21, 2018 No Comments

We’ve all heard of or experienced getting cold feet before big, life-changing events, and it’s a relatively common occurrence when it comes to a few days before your wedding. You may feel that in your heart you are destined to be with your significant other, but still have those fears of taking the step towards marriage.

And it’s completely normal!

Pre-wedding stress after months of planning and organising is no cause for concern. You’re worried about things going wrong on the day, how you’ll look and also taking the steps to legally wed your partner – it can all be a bit overwhelming.

If you’re experiencing cold feet, here are a few tips to help you ease the stress.

1. GIRL TIME

Spend the night with your bridesmaids or some close girlfriends watching movies and pampering each other to take your mind off of any pre-wedding jitters.

2. RELAX

Enjoy a relaxing massage scheduled at your favourite spa for later in the evening the day before your wedding to help you unwind and sleep more easily.

3. MEMORIES

Look back at some old photographs of you and your partner to remember all the incredible times you have spent together, and all the amazing memories you have yet to make.

4. COMMUNICATE

You may not be spending the night with your future husband or wife, but if you really feel you need to, give them a call or message them to let them know how you’re feeling. They are probably feeling the same and you can talk it through with each other.

5. MEDITATE

If it works for you, put on some ocean songs or rainfall sounds and sit or lie down in a comfortable position while practising breathing exercises to clear your mind.

Image: Unsplashed

In Advice

10 steps to write your own wedding vows

June 7, 2018 No Comments

Whether you’re someone who likes to plan things down to the last detail or you just like to let things flow naturally, you should definitely try to write your own wedding vows. It will be so worth it!

We all wish it could be like the movies, where the bride or groom throws away the paper with all the notes they made and speak beautifully from their hearts, but it’s not that easy when it comes down to standing at the altar with all your family and friends watching.

So why not try a few of these tips in preparation for the big day and let your dream partner know exactly how you feel.

1. Jot down words describing how your significant other makes you feel.
2. Write down your favourite memory with your S/O, and tie it into how you knew you wanted to be together forever.
3. Think about all the qualities your partner has that you absolutely love, and write those down too.
4. Write down any promises you want to make to your S/O throughout the rest of your lives, but try to avoid cliches and keep things realistic.
5. Once you’ve gathered enough notes on your partner and your relationship, you can write your vows in a set format, or try to style it so that you are telling a story.
6. If you and your S/O are planning your vows together, try to set a tone and structure, but don’t worry about being formal. You want your feelings for each other to sound natural and not rehearsed.
7. While you may have endless amounts to say to your partner, you should try to keep it short and highlight the most important things you want to say to them.
8. Your vows are basically a public declaration of your love and promises to your S/O, so if you are struggling to find a way to structure your vows you can look for inspiration online, or even from movies (as long as it’s not too cheesy, unless you like that kinda thing).
9. Once you think you have written your vows the way you wish to say them (this can take you a number of tries), make a clean copy and practice them out loud.
10. If you want advice, and you aren’t worried about your partner knowing what you’ll say, you can even practice your vows with your partner to see if it works.

Image: @vsdartistry // Instagram

In Decor

Look book: A modern art themed wedding

May 22, 2018 No Comments

Inspired by artists from Kandinsky to Mondrian, give your food, tableware and stationery an expressive update. Take inspiration from our modern art themed wedding shoot today.

Menu and name tag, both Secret Diary; plates stylist’s own; red-wine glass, Sauvignon Blanc glass (set of 2) and Pinot Noir glass (set of 2), all Wine Essentials; white-and-gold cutlery to hire, Check My China; napkin, Mr Price Home

Malva pudding with naartjie jelly, chocolate caramel sauce and a caramelised red cardamom sugar crisp, Cakes by Wade

Save the date, invitation and name tag, all Secret Diary

Table number, Secret Diary

Orange pound cake with chocolate filling, Cakes by Wade

Sign, Secret Diary; favour box, @home

Mobile stylist’s own; chairs to hire, Urban Tonic; candles each, Sobeit Studio; candle-holders, Indigenous; menu and name tags, all Secret Diary; white-and-gold cutlery to hire, Check My China; napkins, Mr Price Home; plates stylist’s own; red-wine glass, Sauvignon Blanc glass (set of 2) and Pinot Noir glass (set of 2), all Wine Essentials

Styling: Francoise Jeanne de Villiers
Photography: Andreas Eiselen
*Products subject to availability

In Planning

5 ways to include your furbabies on your wedding day

May 17, 2018 No Comments

Nowadays, pets have become one of the most important parts of everyday life, so much so that they have even become a part of bigger life events, such as weddings. If you’re planning your big day and would love to have your furbabies join the party, here are a few adorable ways that you can include your pet.

FLOWER GIRL

Adorn your furchild with ribbon, dog jersey, tutu or even a flower crown and let them lead the way as you walk down the aisle.

RING BEARER

Give your pet the honour of bringing you the rings, which can be placed securely in a basket or on a ribbon around your their neck. If your pet isn’t well-behaved enough to walk straight down the aisle themselves, ask a family member or friend to assist by walking your furchild to you and your soon-to-be spouse.

THEMED SAVE-THE-DATES

Surprise your future guests with DIY save-the-dates including a photograph of your pet/s that will have them ‘aw-ing’ at the cuteness

VIDEOGRAPHER

Want to get a unique view of your big day? Strap a GoPro camera to your pet’s back and allow them to wander around your wedding venue and amongst your guests. You can look back at it after your big day and share some laughs at what your pet got up to! Ask your official videographer to include the footage in your wedding video.

FAMILY PORTRAIT

If you just want a simple reminder that your pets shared in your day, ask your photographer to take some shots of you and your pets during your shoot time. You can even dress them up in little suits, bow ties, tutus or flower arrangements to have them fit with the theme!

Having your pets join you in celebrating your big day is definitely an exciting time, but also remember to be aware of your pet’s personality and behaviour to ensure that they are not overwhelmed or mistreated at the event. If you can, assign a pet-nanny for the day to make sure they are comforted, fed, watered and not getting up to mischief.

Header image: instagram.com

In Decor

How to fold a linen napkin into a bow tie

May 15, 2018 No Comments

If you don’t already know how, we’re teaching you how to fold a linen napkin this week. With minimal effort and maximum style, these bow ties make for perfect modern table decor.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Square napkins
Napkin rings

STEP 1

Iron out a square napkin.

STEP 2

Fold the napkin in half once from opposite corners. Turn it so the longest side is at the top and the point faces down.

STEP 3

Fold up the bottom point about 2–3 cm.

STEP 4

Fold over the top towards the point twice.

STEP 5

Turn the bottom half up and over the top, then turn the napkin over.

STEP 6

Fold the napkin at the two diagonal folds in the middle then fold in each end. Make sure that the folded section lies parallel to the diagonal fold line.

STEP 7

Pinch the napkin into a rough bow shape with your fingers and slide it into a napkin ring. Neaten, then repeat with the rest of your napkins.