Category Archives: Wedding

A Walt Disney World Elopement – Nicki & Brett

This year we went to Disney and I’m missing it already.. Nicki and Brett’s elopement at Walt Disney World could not have arrived at a better time in my inbox from Carmela Blackwell Photography!

Brett & I met at work. We spoke in passing for a few months then one day we went out for a drink after work and moved in together a week later – we have been inseparable ever since (and still work together). We got together, engaged and married on the same date of each different year since we met.

We had lots of details that represented us – Brett loves skulls and I love Disney so the cake, flowers and colour scheme was inspired by the Disney movie Coco due to the Day of the Dead celebrations. We absolutely loved our cake as it was black but with lots of bright coloured details.

The whole day was magical from start to finish; it is hard to pick just one highlight. Our first look at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge was amazing when we saw each other for the first time, made even more special when a little boy shouted “look mummy it’s a princess.”

We loved walking down the aisle together- it was just the two of us at the wedding and it was kept a secret so we loved that we could enjoy every aspect of the day together on our own.

The people we saw around Disney were so lovely. We had pictures in the lounge at the Yacht Club and were given champagne and the baker came out to present us with a gorgeous white chocolate Mickey Mouse statue and balloons.

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Outdoor Autumn Weddings

Many brides look forward to autumn every year because it’s a romantic season to have your wedding. The natural autumnal colors provide a gorgeous backdrop to any wedding, which is why so many brides want to have their autumn weddings outdoors.

There are plenty of reasons to have your autumn wedding outside, but there are also some mistakes you should be aware of so you don’t repeat them on your wedding day.

Read on to learn some important do’s and don’ts of outdoor autumn weddings. You’ll learn what works and what doesn’t work, so your wedding will be a success no matter what.

Do: Watch the Calendar
The day you choose to have your wedding is so important. It has to be a day that’s special for you and your fiance, but it also has to be available for all your guests. Think about major events around this time of year like massive football games, marathons or other festivals in your area that cause a scheduling conflict for your guests.

You should also watch the calendar for autumn weather events – Early autumn counts as hurricane season, so you should be especially careful to watch for developing storms if you’re getting married in hurricane prone areas.

Don’t: Forget About Wet Leaves
Most of the time, autumn weddings will use the changing leaves as part of the decor. It’s an inexpensive way to embrace the season and decorate your venue, but sometimes it’s not so smart to keep leaves out on the floor.

If it rains the night before or the morning of your wedding, be prepared to sweep the wet leaves away. Wet leaves make it much easier for people to slip and fall, even on surfaces that are grassy. Your guests should be able to wear stylish wedding shoes without needing to watch where they walk. Avoid simple accidents by getting rid of any wet leaves and other debris from fall rainstorms before your guests arrive at your venue.

Do: Provide Cold Weather Backup
The perfect autumn weather is the kind where people can wear light sweaters and closed toed shoes, but at night, the temperature can dip into chilly and even cold weather.

Don’t forget that your guests will be hanging out at your wedding after the sun goes down. They’ll need a way to stay warm, especially if the forecast for the day predicts colder weather than you originally expected.
Think about setting up space heaters, piles of blankets, hot drinks and even a fire pit with s’mores supplies so no one is left uncomfortable.

Don’t: Avoid Seasonal Decor
You may wonder if it’s tacky to use traditional autumn decor in your wedding, but don’t worry about it! It’ll look especially classy in an outdoor wedding, when the natural elements are all around you.

Use decor like pumpkins, gourds and even garlands in autumn colors to really pull the season in and embrace the autumnal wedding theme. Make sure to get plastic fruits, so you don’t have to worry about anything rotting before your wedding.

Do: Enhance Your Menu
The same thing goes for your wedding menu–embrace the warm, autumna foods. Food like pumpkin soup, roasted turkey and cranberry sides will fit right in with the season. Just make sure to have some staple menu items available for younger picky eaters, like mac and cheese and salad.

Don’t: Book a Dirt Floor
When it rains in the autumn, the ground holds onto the water longer than in the summer. With no summer heat to dry things up, your venue could be a muddy mess if you book a place with a dirt floor.

Make sure your venue has an area outside with some kind of flooring installed so mud isn’t an issue. If you keep that in mind along with other helpful tips like watching the weather and thinking about seasonal decor, your outdoor autumn wedding will be a major success.

At Home Wedding Reception Planning Secrets

Nothing is more sentimental or comforting than a wedding reception that occurs in your very own home. But while you may be eager to celebrate your vows in your cosy abode, prepping for these upcoming festivities may seem daunting. Fortunately, you can easily pull off an at-home wedding celebration with these 5 secrets in mind:

  1. Secret #1 — Don’t Do All the Work Alone

Just because you’ve decided to host your reception at your home doesn’t mean you have to do all of the planning and prepping solo. With all of the cleaning, organising and executing involved, even Wonder Woman would struggle to put a whole wedding together alone.

Don’t be afraid to hire a wedding coordinator – They’re not just for those who having a reception in a dining hall or church, after all! If you have a crew of eager family members and friends who are ready to offer you their support, take advantage of their willingness to pitch in. When you divvy up tasks, you’ll find that the process of planning a wedding reception at home doesn’t need to involve any stress at all.

  1. Secret #2 — You’ll Need a Plan

When planning for a wedding reception at home, making the actual plan may seem like a given. But far too often, brides get caught up in prepping and making arrangements that they forget to create a step-by-step plan that ensures their wedding day will go by smoothly.

Create a wedding day checklist that clearly defines your goals, events and the details that you intend to manifest during your reception. Do you have enough seating available for the amount of guests you invited? Will you cook your food, or cater? Do you have a back-up plan in case the weather interferes with your arrangements?

Make sure you touch on key aspects of your wedding, such as decorations, food and drink and entertainment. When you have an actual plan mapped out for your reception, everything will be much more correlated and in order for your special day. 

  1. Secret #3 — Make Cleaning Your Home Easy

Inviting guests over for any occasion often comes with the panic of quickly cleaning your home. But after prepping and planning for your wedding day ceremony, the last thing you want to do is spend the weekend scrubbing the toilet before you walk down the aisle.

Sometimes, the best solution is to have someone else who can take the burden off your shoulders. Professionals know just what areas to clean and will leave your home spotless so that you can focus on getting pampered before you tie the knot instead.

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Wedding Dress Alterations – What Can I Change About My Wedding Dress?

When it comes to wedding dress alterations, sometimes people forget that you can change more than just the fit. It is so important on your wedding day that you truly love your dress and feel it reflects your personality perfectly! You can’t always find that perfect dress in the store, which is why it’s important to know just how much of a difference wedding dress alterations can make. From adding details to changing the style, there is so much a professional seamstress will be able to do for you. We’ve teamed up with Alterations Boutique, experts in dress alterations, to let you know just a few of the things you can change about your dress.

Adjusting Your Wedding Dress

The Fit

The fit of the dress is one of the most common and important wedding dress alterations. Having a dress that fits you properly is essential on your big day. You want to make sure that the dress fits as intended all over. When a wedding dress doesn’t fit properly it can change the appearance of the whole dress, so you want to make sure it is sculpted perfectly for your body. Remember, you’ll be in this dress all day, so if it’s too small or too large you’ll be really uncomfortable. 

The Length

The length is an easy changeable feature of your wedding dress. Whether you just want to make the dress the right length, or want to turn it into a shorter version, this can be done for you. Shortening a dress is always an easier job than lengthening, though lengthening a dress is possible. This is only to a certain extent and we would always recommend getting a dress that is too long rather than too short. 

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