Guest Blogger :: The honeymoon gift list – a wedding registry with a difference

This weeks Guest Blogger is Andrew from Buy Our Honeymoon. Andrew has kindly written a post about the honeymoon gift list.

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Traditionally, wedding gifts were to made help newlyweds establish their first home together, but of course many couples now live together before they get married. If you’ve already stocked your kitchen, or you’re combining two households, a traditional department store wedding registry might make you feel that you’re simply replacing or duplicating things you already have. For some couples, a High Street wedding list might seem forced, or wasteful of their guests’ generosity and kindness.

But although you wouldn’t want any of your guests to feel obliged to get you a gift, most of them will want to. Your guests will be eager to contribute to your future happiness as a couple, to participate in the celebration of your wedding, and many will want to give you a present as a token of their love. So what do you do if you don’t need a new blender or set of towels, but the thought of simply asking for cold hard cash fills you with dread? Is there another option?

Well, we’re all become used to worldwide travel and amazing holiday experiences. Wouldn’t it be great to really push the boat out for your honeymoon, to have the holiday of a lifetime?

A honeymoon gift list works in a very similar way to a traditional department store gift registry, but instead of kitchen implements or fresh towels, you put together a list of experiences and activities for your honeymoon. Imagine champagne chilling in your upgraded hotel suite, a gourmet meal in the flickering candle light as the ocean laps nearby. The honeymoon of your dreams!

Some honeymoon wedding list services operate as extensions of travel agencies, allowing guests to contribute financially towards the overall cost of a couple’s honeymoon. This keeps the process simple, but guests can sometimes feel that their gifts aren’t very personal, and are measured only in terms of the amount they’ve spent.

Other services, such as buy-our-honeymoon.com, cater to the independent traveller, so you can make your travel and accommodation arrangements in whatever way suits you best, taking advantage of the best deals available on the internet.

On your wedding list, you then itemise different aspects of your honeymoon — from activities, meals and shows, to contributions towards your first night’s accommodation, or a taxi ride from the airport. You can add anything you like, including a mixture of honeymoon upgrades and traditional household items for guests that remain more comfortable with concrete goods instead of experiences.

It’s all so much more appealing than an assortment of spoons — and so much more appealing for your guests, too, who’ll feel that they’ve given you a really special treat instead of merely contributing to an anonymous pot of cash. Your wedding list can become as much an expression of your personalities as your wedding itself.

For more information on how to make the most of your honeymoon gift list, visit Buy Our Honeymoon at http://www.buy-our-honeymoon.com/ or call 0845 224 0189.

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Thank you very much to Andrew from Buy Our Honeymoon for proving this insightful post on honeymoon gift lists.

Louise ♥

Bow Occasions is looking for guest bloggers. If you are interested in guest blogging for the Bow Occasions Blog, please contact me or visit the submissions page for more information.

Guest Post :: Choosing your Wedding Stationery

The aim for the Bow Occasions Blog is to be a great resource for couples to get advice and inspiration for your wedding day so I asked the lovely Sophie from Cards by Sophie to provide some expert advice on choosing your wedding stationery.

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Hi everyone, I’m Sophie from Cards by Sophie. I’m thrilled to be guest blogging today on the Bow Occasions Blog.

As wedding stationery is my passion, I thought I’d give you a few tips on choosing your wedding stationery and the various items you can choose. Your stationery can, in fact, set the scene for your wedding. It is an exciting way of giving your guests an idea of what your day will be like and it’s often the first glimpse they will get into your special day.

The first items to consider are save the date cards. These are usually sent as soon as you know your wedding date, at least 9 – 12+ months in advance of your wedding. I always say just choose some save the dates you like the look of! It doesn’t have to match in (mine didn’t for my wedding), but it can give you some ideas on what you’d like to go for with the rest of your stationery too. We offer postcard style and folded A7 cards to select from and we’re experimenting with magnetic save the dates at the moment. Some couples skip save the dates altogether and move straight onto the next step… invitations.

Invitations are the first key step to setting the tone and choosing them may help you decide on your flowers and other accessories. Think about the sort of clothes you love, your ideal décor, and the place where you are getting married. This will help you decide whether you’re going for something traditional or modern. What colours do you love? It could be your favourite colour, or many of my brides choose ribbon colours on the stationery to match the bridesmaids’ dresses and send me a swatch of fabric so I can create the design in the right colours.

We recommend sending out invitations at least 2 months prior to the wedding. You’ll also need to allow enough time for your stationer to make the items (we ask for around 3-4 weeks after approval of a proof). Consider having Pocketfolds or Cheque books; they contain not only the invitation but an RSVP and information card for details of hotels, directions etc. inside – we love making life simple!

Other items of stationery we term ‘on the day’, this is anything to be used on the day itself such as order of service, menus, place cards, table plans, favour boxes and much more. These items can be ordered much nearer the wedding day (usually around 8 weeks, earlier if you can!). They can also coordinate with the rest of the stationery, in fact it looks fantastic if you can match everything throughout. Of course, we are happy to help couples who just wish to order on the day items. This doesn’t have to cost the earth, a few menus on the tables and place cards for all the guests sets the reception scene really well. Our table plans are very popular too, they are made on a boxed white canvas and again take your design and colour theme. Certainly less hassle for you and they look very smart!

If you need any further information or have a stationery related question, please contact me through the website or email me at sophie@cardsbysophie.com

Sophie x

Thank you so much to Sophie from Cards by Sophie for this wonderful guest post. Cards by Sophie offer various different designs through their website, and they are about to launch a new printed range too so keep a look out! Cards by Sophie welcome bespoke orders too, so if there is something you’ve found or a particular item that has become your inspiration for your wedding, be sure to let them know.

Louise ♥

Bow Occasions is looking for guest bloggers. If you are interested in guest blogging for the Bow Occasions Blog, please contact me or visit the submissions page for more information.

Want To Get Married Anywhere, Anytime?

Do you wish you could get married anywhere, anytime? If so, you’re not alone.

Disillusioned by outdated marriage laws, Sussex wedding photography duo Tino&Pip Photography have begun a petition to legalise marriage anytime, anywhere in England and Wales.

The Any Campaign is aiming to encourage the government to modernise marriage laws which have seen inadequate change since 1837. Currently the law states that a wedding ceremony venue in England and Wales must have a roof, be moored to its foundations, and licensed by the local registrar. Furthermore, the ceremony must take place between 8am and 6pm. This rule was drawn up when civil marriages were first introduced and it was designed to stop people marrying the wrong partner in the dark in the days before electricity! The Any Campaign therefore requests your help in getting these laws relaxed so that we can all have the wedding of our dreams! In many countries, like the USA, it is the celebrant that is licensed rather than the venue, so a wedding can take place wherever the celebrant is willing to go. Even in Scotland, you can get married pretty much anywhere as long as the local council approves. Enough with the teasers on the wedding blogs featuring stunning outdoor weddings in foreign climes – we want outdoor weddings too!

So what can we do to get the laws in the UK changed to bring them into the 21^st century?

Firstly, sign the petition!

Although loads of people are viewing the petition, many are not signing, or just clicking the Facebook ‘like’ button – please, please, please sign, as that’s how we get the government to reassess current marriage laws!

Secondly, bloggers, Twitterers, Facebookers etc, are really grabbing hold of this and pushing it out there, and reaching further than we could manage on our own. This is something we’ve thought about for a while, and from the responses we’ve already had we can see that it’s not just us that feels this way! The momentum of social networking sites and blogs is really important – so many people read the wedding blogs and see gorgeous outdoor weddings from abroad, but don’t realise that they could potentially help change the law in the UK, and have their own dream wedding!

To find out more about The Any Campaign visit www.theanycampaign.co.uk. Alternatively you can follow The Any Campaign on Twitter and Facebook

I think this is a great idea and as a wedding planner I would love the laws to be changed. I have always admired outdoor weddings where a couple can get married wherever they please and just think of the endless possibilities.

Louise ♥

My favourite Vintage Eras {Queens & Bowl}

Hi, I’m Kate Bowl and I run Queens & Bowl wedding accessories – an online boutique offering gorgeous wedding shoes, jewellery and headpieces. I love vintage style and all of my products are either inspired by vintage fashions and trends or are created from genuine vintage pieces. I stock amazing, award-winning designer names including Rachel Simpson, Halo & Co and Magpie Vintage.

One thing I’m really keen to do on my site is to provide inspiration for brides planning or thinking about having a vintage wedding. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback from brides on my ‘Inspiration Pages’ so I thought I’d share a couple of my favourite eras here as part of Vintage Week on the Bow Occasions Wedding & Events Blog!

First up are the 1920s….

I love 1920s for the dramatic change in women’s fashion that took place during this period. Women were asserting the independence and liberty they’d tasted during WW1 and there was a real sense of rebellion in the air! It was also the decade that first brought us the Art Deco movement and screen legends like Greta Garbo and Clara Bow who are still mysterious, enigmatic figures even today.

The most iconic 1920s fashion was of course the Flapper style which became popular in the mid 1920s. This look is probably the most recreated ‘20s look for modern brides and needs these key touches to pull it off:

♥ A loose knee-length shift dress that shows off bare arms. They were often heavily beaded with a scalloped hemline. The alternative if your figure doesn’t suit this style is to choose a drop-waist dress of longer length.  Drop-waists were popular throughout most of the 1920s.
♥ Mary-Janes with a single strap or T-Bar shoes like the Hettie or Mimi styles by Rachel Simpson
♥ Pearls – and lots of them. Long length pearl necklaces, made famous by a certain Coco Chanel, are ideal. Our Luxe Pearl Necklace by Stephanie Browne is made of Swarovski crystal pearls and features 2 Swarovski crystal Deco brooch pieces that are detachable.
♥ A close-fitting headpiece worn low down, towards the forehead. The Tiffany pearl and diamante headpiece by Ivory & Co is perfect.
♥ Feathers – Headpieces with feathers (try our Vienna headpiece by Ivory & Co) or a shrug like the Paris by Sasso add an authentic 20s vibe.

Finish the look with finger-wave hair and dark red lips, re-applied at regular intervals!

Image credits: Rex, Rosa Clara, Photorazzi, Ritz Hotel London

Next up, the 1950s….

….another period of fun mixed in with elegance and I love the pure glamour of the decade. Speaking of glamour, how much more glam can you get than Hollywood screen siren Grace Kelly marrying into royalty in the South of France!

So many enduring icons came to fame in the 50s – Liz Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and of course, Marilyn Monroe. The timeless fashion of the 1950s also became iconic and is very much growing in popularity amongst brides. Here’s what to focus on for a ‘50s wedding theme:

♥ A knee-length dress with plenty of under-netting to give the A-line shape. If you have a bigger bust, a strapless style top is idea, if not, go for a higher neckline like a boat-neck or slash-neck. Lace or taffeta were the signature fabrics.
♥ Pearls – but keep it simple. Go for either small pearl stud earrings or a short, single strand pearl necklace. We have some beautiful freshwater pearl necklaces by Magpie Vintage featuring original vintage ornaments.
♥ Sparkle – As Marilyn Monroe could testify, the ladies loved their diamonds, so look for vintage-style jewellery featuring large crystals or diamante, such as our glamorous Boucheron earrings or detailed Astor bracelet.
♥ Bows and lace details. Both were popular in the ‘50s and contributed to the femininity of the look. The appropriately named Marilyn bridal shoes by Rachel Simpson fit the bill perfectly.

Image credits: Rex, Shutterstock, Photorazzi, Candy Anthony

Whichever vintage era you choose, you’re sure to have a truly timeless and elegant wedding. For more vintage inspiration, visit the Queens & Bowl blog and feel free to leave your comments!

Kate. xx

Thank you so much to Kate from Queens & Bowl for this fantastic guest post. Be sure to stop by the Queens & Bowl Website www.queensandbowl.com

Guest Post :: Top 10 Tips for Choosing Your Wedding Jewellery

Today I have the lovely Rebecca from Chez Bec guest blogging on the Bow Occasions Blog. Rebecca has been kind enough to put together a fantastic article for you – Top 10 Tips for Choosing Your Wedding Jewellery.

Chez Bec launched in 2006 and is now regarded as one of the UK’s leading providers of Wedding Jewellery having won the Award for Best Bridal Accessories at the Wedding Ideas Awards 2010 as well as being nominated on one of 3 Finalists for Best Bridal Accessories in the Wedding Ideas Awards 2008 and 2009. Chez Bec was also short listed as one of 5 Bridal Jewellery Finalists in the UK Jewellery Awards 2008.

Your wedding day is the single most important day of your whole life, especially if you are the bride. Months and months and often years and years are spent planning for the perfect day. Each and every detail is meticulously chosen and one of the biggest details when it comes to the bride’s outfit is the Wedding Jewellery. The right Wedding Jewellery will complement the wedding dress perfectly and will complete the bride’s outfit. Here are our top tips when it comes to choosing your Wedding Jewellery.

1. Don’t start to think about your Wedding Jewellery until you have chosen your dress. Your gown will influence the style of your accessories and you don’t want to spend money on something that doesn’t match.

2. Use wedding magazines and wedding websites for inspiration for your Wedding Jewellery and to get an indication of the range of styles, trends and the latest prices.

3. Set a Wedding Jewellery budget but allow a 10% leeway just in case you see the perfect pieces, which might be a little over budget.

4. Leave yourself plenty of time to find your Wedding Jewellery. We would recommend at least a month of searching if you timescale permits. Finding the right sparkles to finish your wedding look can often take a lot longer than expected.

5. Bespoke or ready to wear Wedding Jewellery? Having a bespoke creation is a wonderful experience but might cost more than buying a ready made set and it will invariably take longer for you to get your jewellery.

6. Colour? Don’t think that you have to choose Wedding Jewellery, which matches the exact colour of your dress. This is often impossible anyway given the many different shades of white, ivory, champagne and other coloured dresses available today. If you are going for pearls, then ivory freshwater pearls will go with both white and ivory dresses perfectly. They will also look fabulous and contrast wonderfully with other coloured dresses as well.

7. If you can’t decide between several different sets of Wedding Jewellery, or you are worried about whether a particular set will go with your dress, see if it is possible to take all of the jewellery along to a dress fitting so that you can try each piece on with your dress before you make a final decision.

8. Decide how you will be wearing your hair and if you will be wearing a veil or not. This will help you to decide whether or not you are going to need a tiara or other bridal hair accessories as many Wedding Jewellery retailers stock tiaras and hair accessories to match their Wedding Jewellery or can make them to match for you.

9. Don’t forget your bridemaids’ jewellery! Give them their jewellery as a thank you gift on the morning of the wedding. It will allow for some special moments between you all and it also means that you don’t have to buy both their jewellery and a thank you gift.

10. After your wedding day, make sure that your Wedding Jewellery is clean and in tact before wrapping it carefully and storing it away somewhere safe. It is best to keep pearls and sterling silver jewellery wrapped in a soft cloth or jewellery pouch placed inside an airtight plastic bag. This will prevent it tarnishing.

Thanks you so much to Rebecca for this helpful article. If you are looking for gorgeous jewellery for your wedding day, be sure to visit www.chezbec.com

Much Love,

Louise xx

Guest Post :: Five Fantastic Honeymoon Destinations

Thank you so much to Emma from The Honeymoon Project for this weeks guest post.

Choosing a honeymoon can feel at times like a bit of a minefield – you want it to be special, and so you want to go somewhere that feels special, yet there’s a mind-boggling array of destinations that would fit the bill. I’ll let you into a bit of a secret: wherever you end up going will be special, because nothing can beat that “we’ve just got married” feeling. But if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration, here’s my top five honeymoon destinations.

The Greek islands
Close enough to home that you won’t have to worry about jet-lag, yet far enough away that you’ll step off that plane feeling like you’re miles and miles from normal life, the Greek islands make a fabulous honeymoon choice. Santorini has a reputation for being one of the most romantic of the islands – and with the beautiful views from cliff-side Oia, it’s hardly surprising – but with each island offering its own attractions, you’ll find yourself spoilt for chocie. Think hot, lazy days on the beach, leisurely strolls through the villages, and long dinners of freshly caught fish, overlooking the sea.

Credit: Henrik Berger Jørgensen

South Africa
The great thing about South Africa is that it’s one of the most accessible African countries, and is easy to tackle either as part of a pre-arranged package or independently. A typical honeymoon itinerary here usually includes a stay in Kruger National Park to check out the “Big Five” but there’s a huge number of other game reserves to choose from if you want to visit other parts of the country. In addition, expect amazing food and wine, beautiful coastline, friendly people and mind-blowing scenery. South Africa also works really well teamed with a stay on one of the Indian Ocean islands.

Credit: Arno Meintjes

Mauritius
If a beach honeymoon is what you’re after then you’re really spoilt for choice with the islands of the Indian Ocean. My personal favourite is Mauritius – it’s got the picture-postcard beaches, gorgeous luxury hotels and good diving and snorkelling, but there’s also an excellent, eclectic cuisine that reflects its diverse population, a lush interior worth exploring, and interesting small towns. You’ll also find a decent range of cheaper hotels and resorts, so it’s doesn’t necessarily have to be out of the question if you’re on a smaller budget.

Credit: One & Only Saint Geran

Malaysia
From tranquil islands with idyllic beaches and secluded beach huts to vibrant, multi-cultural cities and verdant rainforest teeming with wildlife, Malaysia has enough variety to suit any kind of honeymoon. The profusion of cheap flights makes it particularly easy to get around; one minute you could be sampling the hawker stalls at a night market in Kuala Lumpur, the next be face to face with orang-utans in Sabah or diving off beautiful Tioman Island.

Credit: Jess Cheng

The Pacific Coast Highway: San Francisco to Los Angeles
One of America’s most iconic drives. Kick off in laid-back San Francisco before heading down the coast towards Los Angeles – though maybe swinging up too Sonoma or Napa first for a spot of wine-tasting. Although it is possible to drive the route in a day, plan to take at least a few days to make the most of it, stopping to explore quaint seaside towns and to soak up the many gorgeous vistas, before arriving in the idiosyncratic City of Angels.

Credit: Stewart Butterfield

If you have a honeymoon related question, you can contact Emma via one of the means below.

CONTACT:
Website: thehoneymoonproject.com
Email: questions@thehoneymoonproject.com

Guest Post :: Why Use A Make-Up Artist

Why use a Make-up Artist on your wedding day?

I’m sure that’s a question many brides-to-be have asked themselves. Or indeed, been asked by their fiancé/mother/mother-in-law?!

“You do your own make-up every day? Why get someone in to do what you already do yourself?”

I’m going to take you through all the factors of bridal make-up and explain the hows and whys.

As a make-up artist with 14 years’ experience, I’ve done the make-up for more brides than I can count. Each one had an individually designed look. Some wanted dark smoky eyes, others wanted soft, barely there neutrals and everything imaginable in between. The one factor they all had in common? They all wanted to look their absolute best. The wedding day is the one day when looking perfect is imperative!

So you need to take into consideration these aspects;

Longevity – This make-up needs to last all day. And night!

You don’t want to be touching up your eyeshadow and re-concealing half way through the day. Good make-up artists have tricks a plenty up their sleeves when it comes to achieving that long stay finish. I always pay close attention to the skin and address any underlying issues before I even touch it with base! Then there’s setting the make-up without looking dry and powdery, stopping the eyes from creasing, liner from smudging.

Photography – Flash photography can have a huge effect on the make-up you wear.

It can change what looks like a natural make-up into a ‘nothing at all’ look! That smudge of kohl pencil and quick coat of mascara won’t stand up to the job. Without enough definition around the eyes, they’ll disappear (not literally, just photographically!). The art is having enough on so your features are defined but not so much that you feel over done. I have a technique where I press liner into the roots of the lash; this gives the right amount of depth just where it’s needed. Plus, it’s waterproof, of course!

When it comes to foundation, having a base on that doesn’t reflect well can lead to a washed out complexion. I’m a stickler for ensuring the skin looks as flawless as possible without even looking as though there is any make-up on. A make-up artist will have a variety of shades in his/her kit, that way, if you’ve had a spray tan or used a self tan at home, your face will match your body exactly. There’s nothing worse than your face looking like it’s stuck onto someone else’s body!

I painstakingly custom blend the foundation on the day to get the perfect shade and texture. Also, be very careful not to use light reflective products, unless they’re being used for clever highlighting and contouring, they can reflect back a white tone, especially around the eyes and can be spotted a mile off.

The look – We, as women, are super critical when we look in the mirror! It’s hard for us to be objective when it comes to our own faces. That’s why we so often get stuck in make-up ruts. A make-up artist looks at you differently.

I look at my client and I see the beauty in her face. I see what I want to enhance and emphasise, as opposed to what I want to cover. This gives a fresh take on styles and colours that you may have never thought of. A good make-up artist will bear what you do every day in mind and create you a look that combines your own style with new ideas. The idea is not to make you look like someone else, just a more polished, perfect version of you! Don’t be afraid to show clippings from magazines of make-up that you’ve seen. Sometimes it’s easier to show than to describe. That’s what trials are for!

Time – Don’t underestimate how manic the morning of your wedding can get! I like to take the bride off into another room to do her make-up. This gives her a break from the mayhem and lets her focus on the most important thing, herself!

It’s one of the things my brides always comment on, how relaxed they feel by the time their make-up is done. Between myself and the hairdresser, we get the bride ready first and then it’s time for the bridesmaids, mother-of- bride and everyone else! Then, when everyone is done, I return to the bride.

By this time, she’s hopefully had something to eat and drink. It’s time for a small sip of champagne and the last touch ups. I put her lips on last; check the bride has her touch up items in a little bag. I then have a look at her back, shoulders and arms for any blemishes that need camouflaging, get those covered and sealed and wait for the dress to be put on.

Finally, I take a picture on my digital camera to check there’s nothing reflecting badly with the flash. Then I show the bride so she can see how amazing she looks.

Thanks to Katy from www.makeupbykaty.com for submitting this article. If it’s helped you, please let me know.

If you’d like to talk to Katy about your own wedding make-up, please feel free to drop her an e-mail on katy@makeupbykaty.com and have a look at her website to see more of her work www.makeupbykaty.com.

Katy also writes a really informative and entertaining blog about all things beauty and make-up related www.makeupbykaty.blogspot.com – I’ve learned from it myself and can highly recommend her advice!