{Advice} Part 6: Your Marriage Officer

Finding a good marriage officer for your ceremony is as important as finding a good caterer for your reception! You need to keep in mind that if you've decided on a religious ceremony you need to find someone who can give you one. If you already have a minister in mind, find out if he or she is willing to conduct the ceremony at your chosen venue. Some marriage officers, for example priests, will not conduct a Catholic ceremony outside of a Catholic church. Likewise, some ministers will insist that you become a member of their church if you want them to conduct your ceremony. Always be sure that whoever you choose can give you the ceremony you want.

{Inspiration} Vintage Blush and Grey

A little wedding inspiration to beautify your Saturday!

I found this blush bridal gown on Pinterest, and it is just too gorgeous to not share with the world! I love that this creation is a departure from the traditional white or ivory, and those ruffles! I don't usually go for frills and fuss, but this is done to perfection. Pairing it with dove grey in a vintage-inspired setting would make for a gorgeous affair. Throw in a few fun elements, such as this Scrabble tile favour or a pink ombre wedding cake, and you have an event sure to keep people talking for months to come!

I'm a bit batty for tulips at the moment, so these simple tulip bridesmaid posies and marquee details set my heart a pitter patter! So simple yet so elegant! Spice up the decor with some proteas or peonies in vintage vases and mason jars, and your guests will weep at the beauty of it!

{Advice} Part 5: Flowers and Decor

Your flowers and decor play a huge role in setting the mood of your wedding, so pay particular attention to it. Many venues have in house florists who will assist with your decor needs. Some venues may even insist you use their florist. Regardless, always make sure your florist understands what you want, and send pictures to be sure - the last thing you want is to arrive on your wedding day to arrangements you didn't order.

{Advice} Part 4: Catering For Your Wedding

Catering is one of the cornerstones of a successful wedding. Guests may not remember what flowers you had or if you wrote your own vows, but they will remember if the food was good! Most venues have in-house caterers that cost a fraction of what an independent caterer might charge. If this is true of your chosen venue, arrange to have a food tasting before choosing your menu. Nothing is more disappointing than having a beautiful venue but sub-standard food. For this reason many couples now choose to have a food tasting before booking their venue. A food tasting will also help you finalise your menu, narrowing down your choices to two or three dishes. Ask your co-ordinator to send you a menu of available dishes, so you can get an idea of what to expect from your venue.

{Advice} Part 3: Finding Your Venue

Tres Jolie, Ruimsig

Your wedding venue is one of the most important aspects to consider when planning your wedding, and the good ones go fast! If you've already decided on a venue, great! Make a plan to visit the premises as soon as possible, if you haven't already - often something can look great in pictures, but in reality it may not be quite what you expected. On your visit also consider the atmosphere of the venue - remember, you will be spending the better part of a day there. Some venues may be too informal or too smart for your taste, or you may just not like the vibe. And it is imperitive that you do!

{Advice} Part 2: Your Guest List

Before you can get to the fun stuff, like scouting venues and choosing your decor, you need to decide how big an affair your wedding will be. Whether you decide on a smaller, more intimate affair or a larger celebration, numbers are critical! Some venues can only host smaller weddings, so before you set your heart on that dream venue, check your numbers. Your guest list will also help you build your budget. Catering, on average, takes up around 50% of any wedding budget, so decide who you want there and stick to it.

{Advice} Part 1: Announcing Your Engagement and Setting Your Date

Hello friendlies!

For those of you who missed my previous post, over the next two weeks I'll be sharing advice on planning a wedding via a series of ten posts based on an article I wrote a year ago (dork alert!).

But before I begin... Just to be clear - this series is not gospel; it is simply advice from one bride turned wedding planner based on her own experiences and seasoned with a little common sense.

That said, I hope it comes in handy!

Announcing Your Engagement

Whatever happens, make sure that you tell your family and close friends that you're engaged as soon as possible. You don't want them finding out via the grapevine - it could create tensions that are easily avoidable. The rest of your friends and acquaintances can find out via friends, Facebook, etc., there's no need to make a point of telling everyone you know  - people talk, so let them spread the word.

Two Weeks of Advice

Hi all!

I was browsing through my business folder on my laptop and came across an article I wrote (for the fun of it, because I'm a dork like that) about a year ago, on wedding planning advice for brides. Because I'm a little Type A, it was broken into sections covering just about everything!

So, for the next two weeks, starting Monday, I'll be posting this article in said sections! Hopefully those brides out there will find it useful, and perhaps, just perhaps, it'll help those brides realise that everything is do-able if you just take it one step at a time!

Woooooo-zaaaaaaaahhh!

So check back in every week day for another piece of the puzzle! Or better yet, follow my blog and join the conversation! I'd love to hear what you guys have to add!

Until next time!
Peace and Love!

Emma & Willie {A Vintage Romance}

When Emma and Willie met at university in 2008, she started dating someone else. But Fate wound their paths back toward each other and, as Emma says, "the rest is history"...

{DIY} Wine Bottle Table Numbers

Yes, it's another DIY!

Over the last week or so I've been asking friends to help a girl out and keep all their empty wine bottles, so I can create these simple yet gorgeous wine bottle table numbers - and boy have they helped a girl out! All told, I probably have in excess of thirty wine bottles of different shapes and sizes - which is great in terms of my stock closet, but perhaps a little disturbing in terms of the amount of wine consumed by those friends over said week or so...

My business is scarcely a year old, and building up a decent body of stock can be a costly endeavour. So I have embraced the do-it-yourself approach with much vim and vigour! I love that it allows me to create one-of-a-kind items by personalising however much I choose.

I found this pic - yes, you guessed it! - on Pinterest (follow me!), and I can't wait to get started! I adore DIY decor, if you haven't already begun to figure it out, and these especially tickle me. It really doesn't get simpler than this! Sometimes I do wonder how I don't think of these things myself!

When I consider all the wine bottles I've discarded over the years, a small part of me cries, but with friends like mine, I'll soon be swimming in bottles to create stock enough for a royal wedding! *Insert winking face here*

I do tease, but a huge thanks to Kes and Robo for helping me out! It's great to have my girls still at my side!

I'll be posting photos as soon as I've started, to showcase my (hopeful) skill! And of course, if you try this out, do share your pics, I'd love to see them!

Until next time, happy DIYing!
Peace and Love!

{DIY} Coloured Mason Jars

I am unashamedly on a bit of a DIY kick at the moment, basically living on Pinterest (follow me!) and pinning as many great DIY projects I can find! And this one is especially awesome! Not only is it really simple, but it looks great! Perfect for a DIY wedding or event, or even just for home decor, these jars can be customised to any colour you can imagine!

I found this project on Craftberry Bush - an awesome blog if you're into your crafts! Check it out for some great - and inexpensive - DIY projects!