One of the most fun parts about a wedding is getting to customise it to suit your every desire. Every aspect of your celebration can be a reflection of you and or your partner. Some people opt for monogrammed napkins, while others go for signage to celebrate their union.

If you want to do more to personalise your nuptials, why not add a signature wedding drink into the mix? You don’t have to be a professional mixologist to throw a good drink together. There are a few simple tips to follow, and you should be good to go.

Here’s how to do it:

– Start with your preferences 

Think about your go-to drink or your partner’s go-to. What flavours do the two of you like, what flavours do you not like? This is a great place to start, because the last thing you’d want is to have a signature wedding drink you don’t even want to have a sip of yourself.

– Opt for two 

Everyone has different preferences, so its best that you provide more than one option.

– Trendy flavours 

Leanne Strickler, head mixologist at an establishment in Chicago, told Brides that it is always a good idea to add trendy flavours. Use something like a vodka soda as your base, then add fun and popular flavours to it. “Tea is very popular, and there are lots of different flavours,” Strickler says. “It’s a great way to add flavour to a drink really inexpensively.”

– Keep your theme in mind 

A cocktail in a mason jar is a bit inappropriate for a more formal wedding, the same way a cocktail in a martini glass is odd to serve at a barn wedding. Particularly for presentation, the theme is very important to take into consideration.

– Try for universality 

It’s best to opt for drinks that most people enjoy like vodka and rum, rather than ones that often polarise people such as gin and whiskey flavours.

– Punch up presentation 

Add fun tags, a decorative stirrer, and anything else you’d like to make it look personal. These decorative additions also help to have the drink fit in with your wedding colours. It’s best not to fiddle with the colour of the drink, or else your guests may all be walking around the purple lips due to the food dye.

– Name it 

Once your drink has come together, decorations and all, you get to add the final touch by naming it whatever you’d like! Get creative, make it funny, you can serve it at all the dinner parties you throw together as a newly married couple and even years on into your marriage – so make it memorable.

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While at first you may think that choosing a wedding venue is as simple as finding the one that you consider the most beautiful, unfortunately, that is not the case. There are quite a few other things you need to take into account before you pay the deposit.

Wedding venues are quite expensive as it stands. The last thing you’d want is to run into extra, unexpected costs because you didn’t take the time to think of all the little things that you would need out of a venue.

Here are some things you should consider before committing to a venue:

– The basics 

Of course, things like availability for your preferred date should be top of mind when venue hunting. Find out about all the dates available around the time you’d like to get married.

Other things you should look into are seating capacity, the exclusive use of the property given to you on the day (so that strangers are not lurking during your wedding reception), and the availability of accommodation on the property.

Additionally, find out how many hours are included in a basic rental of the venue and whether they charge extra for after-hours use.

– Saving your bank balance 

Find out about the deposit, cancellation policy, and final payment due dates. This will help you to budget better.

Further, you should ask the venue owner what is included in the total, so that you don’t get hit with an unexpected service charge or cleaning fees after the fact.

– For your guests 

If you have guests with special needs, for example, some who may require the venue to be wheelchair friendly, you should take all of those things into account.

Make sure to also find out about the availability of a generator, on-site parking, noise restrictions, bathrooms, and other things that may affect your guests.

– More about the venue

It’s important to take into account what the venue provides so that you know if there are extra items you need to cater for.

For example, if you want an outdoor ceremony, will there be facilities for sound equipment? Consider whether chairs provided for the ceremony and reception, if cutlery and crockery is provided, if the venue comes with waiters and staff, and so forth.

Furthermore, many venues charge extra if you outsource a caterer or bring your own wine. If you’re planning on any of these, find out about kitchen charges and corkage fees. In the same breath, find out about catering options such as halal, kosher, vegan, or vegetarian.

Venues may also not allow certain decor or items, such as candles. If you want to make use of these types of decorations, ask them about it specifically.

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Wedding favours are the perfect way for newlyweds to thank their guests for attending their special day. They’re often tailored to the couple, and range from edible treats to easily DIY-ed wonders.

Hangover kits are cute and tongue-in-cheek, but not so appropriate for little ones. If you plan on inviting chidren to your wedding, make sure they feel special with a wedding favour designed specifically for them.

Here are some adorable ideas:

Sweet as candy

Colour me impressed

Roast ’em up

Story time

A dough-lightful day

Tic-tac-toe, away we go

Fishing for compliments

Hot chocolate thunder

Also read: How to entertain kids at your wedding

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Some believe you make your own luck, others hold fast to age-old traditions and superstitions. We’re not here to judge. In fact, many cultures swear by certain dates and times as being good for marriages, while naming other months as a wedding date will undoubtedly extract a gasp from some.

An old rhyme would guide many in choosing their wedding month through the years (although it does seem to revolve around the weather of the northern hemisphere, so you might want to take it with a pinch of salt). We take a look at some of the months that will see you have a long and happy marriage, and which months to steer clear of.

When to say ‘I do’:

February: “Married in February’s sleepy weather, Life you’ll tread in tune together.”

June: “Married in month of roses – June – Life will be one long honeymoon.”

July: “Married in July, with flowers ablaze, Bitter-sweet mem’ries in after days.”

August: “Married in August’s heat and drowse, Lover and friend in your chosen spouse.”

September: “Married in September’s golden glow, Smooth and serene your life will go.”

November: “Married in veils of November mist, Fortune your wedding-ring has kissed.”

December: “Married in days of December cheer, Love’s star shines brighter from year to year.”

When to say ‘I don’t’

January: “Married in January’s hoar and rime, Widowed you’ll be before your prime.”

March: “Married when March winds shrill and roar, Your home will lie on a distant shore.”

April: “Married ‘neath April’s changeful skies, A chequered path before you lies.”

October: “Married when leaves in October thin, Toil and hardships for you begin.”

The rhyme and its wisdoms sourced from Chest of Books.

Also read: Lucky and unlucky days to get married

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