High Tea is a great way to celebrate your Kitchen Tea with family and friends.

Below is a recipe for the delicious and irresistible melt in your mouth Melting Moments.

Not only are they a great treat for your Kitchen Tea, you can also package them in pretty jars or cellophane bags and give them to your guests as a take home treat.

Melting Moments

Biscuit Ingredients

170g of Butter (softened)

1/3 Cup of Icing Sugar

55g of Custard Powder

170g  of Plain Flour (sifted)

Icing Ingredients

4 Tablespoons  of Icing Sugar (sifted)

2 Tablespoons of Butter (softened)

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

Makes Approximately 24 (to make 48 double all of the ingredients)

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C

Grease your baking tray and place baking paper on it

Biscuit Dough

Cream the butter and icing sugar together.

Add the custard powder and flour and mix well

Roll the mixture into little balls and place on the prepared tray(2cm apart)

Press the balls down with the back of a fork

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes

Set the biscuits aside to cool

Icing Biscuit Centre

Combine the icing sugar with the butter and vanilla extract until smooth

Spread 1/4 of a teaspoon onto one side of the flat side of a biscuit

Sandwich together with the flat side of another biscuit

Enjoy  :)

Your Name: Cassie Cook

Your Husbands Name: Justin Cook

Date of Wedding: 5th January 2013

Bridesmaids Dress Style: Heidi by Ellie Hope

Bridesmaids Dress Colour: Geranium 

What was most important to you when choosing your bridesmaids style and colour?

The most important thing for me when deciding on style was to make sure all my four bridesmaids felt fabulous and looked their best. One of my bridesmaid was 4 1/2 months pregnant and one bridesmaid just had  her baby two weeks before the wedding. Style was important because it needed to be able to be adjusted quickly and expanded to fit a growing belly but also flattering. I loved the geranium colour because it popped in photos and i wanted to stay clear of traditional beachy colours.

Did you have a theme for your wedding and if so what was the theme?

Our theme was simple and understated ‘love anchors the soul’ tying in my husband’s love of sailing and my love for the ocean.

How did you co ordinate your bridesmaids dresses into the theme?

Flowing and understated, yet elegant.

Describe the accessories your bridesmaids wore to complement the dresses?

All four bridesmaids wore a simple silver bracelet that had the word love and I sourced from Ebay some anchor charms to add to their bracelet to link to the theme and simple crystal inspired studs.

Approximately how much should a bride or bridesmaid budget for her bridesmaids dress and accessories?

Its tricky but I recommend talking with your bridesmaids about your budget first and what they are willing to contribute. I believe $250-$400 for the dress. Accessories can always be borrowed or found cheaper by using eBay or going to the markets  so under $50.

Describe your flower bouquets and how you decided on your flower arrangements?

I wanted to tie in the colour purple but not be too matchy, matchy. We have visited Thailand a couple times and were inspired by the Singapore Orchids and their rich colours. The pop of purple orchid on the groomsmen matched the bridesmaids simple trailing bouquet. My bouquet was a sheath style bouquet of white roses and white Singapore Orchids with modern greenery, I really wanted my bouquet to be loose and relaxed to fit the theme.

How did you co ordinate the groom and groomsmen to complement the bridesmaids?

Each groomsmen and the groom had matching anchor cufflinks ( sourced from Ebay) to complement the theme and the girls. They also had matching purple orchids and wore grey suits to make it feel more casual and suit the summer season.

Do you have any tips or advice for future brides that will assist them when searching for bridesmaids dresses?

Ask around, have a Google search, look on Pinterest and bridal blogs and see what other Brides have done. Don’t be afraid to try new things and different styles, you never know until your bridesmaids try the dress on. Ask the shop assistant questions and any queries you have.

What is the most valuable tip you can give to future brides when planning their wedding?

To laugh and remember that no one is going to remember what colour you used on the tablecloths so enjoy the day and don’t sweat the small stuff. Remember your just planning a one day event but preparing for a beginning of marriage as well. Laugh, smile and relax!

Did you have anything unique or were there any surprises at your wedding? 

We wanted our wedding to have special touches of us, I am a primary school teacher so I had drawings done by my students of me on my wedding day, placed onto the tables. My husband is a landscaper, so instead of the guests signing a guestbook, they signed pebbles which are now displayed in our herb garden.

We had handmade touches, with the bonboniere being a simple tealight holder with a chalkboard black wooden heart glued on to pegs to become a cute name place tag for the tables and simple candlelight from the holders gave our wedding an intimate feel. My bridesmaid made our heart shaped cakes using KitKats and M&M’s to give it a special modern twist.

We used painted wooden frames with our favourite quotes and glued black wooden numbers  on to be used a table numbers. Simple, inexpensive and special things like that made my wedding day an amazing success!

Describe your experience with Exclusively Bridesmaids?

 Exclusively Bridesmaids were terrific to work with. They have a huge range for bridesmaids of different sizes and are up to date with trends and styles. There is a massive range of colours and found just the right purple I was looking for. My assistant was so helpful and was able to cater for my two pregnant bridesmaids and put my mind at ease.

It was so simple to order and it was great getting emailed  the details instead of having to wait for a phone call. The dresses were perfect and delivery was right on time.

Photography By Gareth Christian Photography

Your Name: Sarah Taylor (nee Robins)

Your Husbands Name: Murray Taylor

Date of wedding: 14 April 2012

Bridesmaids Dress Style/Styles: Henry Roth full length halter neck “Winona” Style gown

Bridesmaids Dress Colour: Stone

What was most important to you when choosing your bridesmaids style and colour?

The ceremony was being held in St Mary’s Cathedral and being such a gorgeous church, we wanted to have the bridal party as formal as possible. The groomsmen were dressed in evening tails, therefore it was important to balance the bridesmaid with a long evening gown to not only keep with tradition, but to also feel we were being respectful to our surroundings. A soft and neutral colour was essential to compliment the brides dress and not look out of place.

Did you have a theme for your wedding and if so what was the theme?

We had our own logo with a grey and white striped theme carried right through from the first ‘save the date card’, to our invites, Order of Service, readings cards, menus, pew decorations, rickshaw signs, cake and thank you cards. So much so, we have maintained the stripes in our married life and we stumbled across matching wrapping paper for any birthday/celebration gifts and people are slowly realising the connection and associating the paper with us.

How did you co ordinate your bridesmaids dresses into the theme?

The dress colour needed to remain neutral to keep in with the grey and white striped theme and to also match the Church and the Reception venue. The stone colour my bridesmaid and I chose complimented all these perfectly.

Describe the accessories your bridesmaids wore to complement their dresses?

Given the dress was a halter neck, any accessories around the neck would have been lost. My bridesmaid chose her own earrings which were simple diamond studs and wore her own wedding rings. We thought the dress spoke for itself and we were very happy with the ‘less is more’ feel.

Approximately how much should a bride or bridesmaid budget for her bridesmaids dress and accessories?

How long is a piece of string! I only had one bridesmaid simply because I feel it’s a privilege for your best friend to share your special day. I didn’t want my bridesmaid to be out of pocket with anything to do with her outfit and it all came out of my budget. I put aside approximately $1,000 for the dress, shoes, accessories, hair, make-up and gift and I was about spot on with my estimate.

Describe your flower bouquets and how you decided on your flower arrangement?

My flowers were actually the most difficult part of the wedding. I went to quite a few florists and they either didn’t listen to my brief, or the simply didn’t get back to me. I finally found PoHo flowers in Potts Point, who were amazing. I wanted soft green and white colours to again compliment the stripes, as well as my gown, the bridesmaid colour and the groomsmen’s evening tails. My bridesmaid and I felt that sizing was important and we didn’t want to detract from our dresses, so we chose lovely posies to ensure guests were taking in the whole outfit and not mesmerised by a giant bunch of flowers. We also felt that the colouring was the perfect fit for the elegance of the church and surrounds as too much colour would have been completely out of place.

How did you co ordinate the groom and groomsmen to complement the bridesmaids?

We wanted the bridal party to be very formal due to the Church, so we felt the traditional approach of a gorgeous long evening gown would balance out the bridal party with the men’s evening tails. The stone colour was a perfect match to the formality of the men’s tails.

Do you have any tips or advice for future brides that will assist them when searching for bridesmaids dresses?

Make it a priority to decide on your colour or theme at the beginning of your wedding preparations so other elements fall into place and your bridesmaid dress becomes an easy choice. Also choose your dress according to the location of your ceremony. We felt the long dress was in keeping with the gorgeous church and evening tails, and anything else would have been completely inappropriate and out of place.

What is the most valuable tip you can give future brides when planning all aspects of their wedding?

My saving grace was a wedding spread sheet and budget I set up right from the word go and it travelled everywhere with me on my USB key ring. That way if I stumbled across new idea or concept, I was able to add it to my list of “things to do” straight away and could carry out any research at a later date. The more organised you are right from the beginning means you don’t tend to miss the little things, which can then add stress later down the track.

Did you do anything unique or were there any surprises at your wedding?

My husband came up with the idea of using 4 rickshaws to transport the bridal party around Hyde Park and St James station where we were having our photos. Such a quirky idea which worked fabulously well and saved the girls weary feet from walking too far! The rickshaws then transported us down to our reception venue which was two blocks away from the Church.

Being a lover of cheese, we also had our reception venue provide a farmhouse cheese table as a feature of the room, which was replenished all night and meant that our guests were never hungry and always had something to nibble on.

Describe your experience with Exclusively Bridesmaids?

Exclusively bridesmaids were fantastic. Be sure to make a booking prior to going, and I’d recommend taking some time off work to go during the week. We were given the utmost attention and felt very VIP when people who walked in off the street were told there would be a wait until we had finished! The sales staff are knowledgeable, friendly and very helpful when we were wanting to try different styles. We were given a swatch to take away with us so we were able to match the colouring of our shoes. Such an easy and stress free part of the wedding!

Who were your top 3 wedding suppliers (excluding Exclusively Bridesmaids)and in one sentence describe how they assisted in making your day special?

Food Society – Reception Venue  

http://www.foodsociety.com.au/

Contact:  Sonia (Sonia@foodsociety.com.au)

The ever amazing & fabulous Sonia and Brendon are function pros, and at no time did we doubt that everything was in its place and as it should be on the day – they bent over backwards to ensure our night was spectacular, and the food was simply to die for.

Sherry Bridal Couture – Bridal Gown

http://www.sherrybridalcouture.com.au/

Contact:  Sherry (sherrytamin@gmail.com)

Sherry was the most accommodating seamstress a girl could ever want, especially with her beautiful studio and personalised attention, it was incredible to see my lovely couture dress being built from the ground up and added to the excitement of getting married.

Shoes of Prey – wedding shoes and bridesmaid shoes

http://www.shoesofprey.com/

Jodie Fox is the co-founder and (hunter@shoesofprey.com) is the sales/enquiries department

What a fabulous way to find the perfect wedding shoes… design them yourself!  It takes the stress out of finding the perfect colour and fit and you can do it all from the comfort of your own home.

Photography for this blog was by: Daniel Robertson-Jones and Stuart Robins

Date of wedding: 14th October 2012

Bridesmaids Dress Style/Styles:

My bridesmaids dresses were full length gowns, silk/satin material. It was a dark purple and had a low cut front and back which I loved. It was a very different style compared to all the other bridesmaids gowns I have seen.

Bridesmaids Dress Colour: Dark Purple (Concord)

What was most important to you when choosing your bridesmaids style and colour?

The style was extremely important. I wanted my girls to look different from all the other bridesmaids I have seen in magazines. Therefore I went with a dress that had low cut at the front and back. Lucky for me my girls were all roughly the same size and the style worked well for all.

Did you have a theme for your wedding and if so what was the theme?

I did not have an exact theme in mind. I wanted my wedding to be elegant but also simple and fun.

How did you co ordinate your bridesmaids dresses into the theme?

I had the flowers at the reception match the bridesmaids dresses.

Describe the accessories your bridesmaids wore to complement their dresses?

I am not a fan of over accessorizing. The girls wore matching bracelets a ring and large size earrings which we bought from Colette. Very simple.

Approximately how much should a bride or bridesmaid budget for her bridesmaids dress and accessories?

To be honest, I initially budgeted for $200 per dress but because I couldn’t find anything I wanted I ended up paying $400.00 per dress. It was a little excessive I must admit. But I am glad I did it in the end as the girls looked amazing.

Describe your flower bouquets and how you decided on your flower arrangement?

I worked with a lady from Booshi. She was fantastic. She knew straight away what direction I wanted to go with my flowers. Mine was a mix of white orchards, roses and sweet peas. The girls also had dark purple roses with a hint of white roses. They were stunning.

How did you co ordinate the groom and groomsmen to complement the bridesmaids?

The boys wore grey custom made suits by Montagio. And the colour contrast worked well with the girls dresses. I think if they wore black it would have overpowered one another. Both being very dark colours.

Do you have any tips or advice for future brides that will assist them when searching for bridesmaids dresses?

Go with what you like not what you have budgeted for. Relax and enjoy the planning process.

What is the most valuable tip you can give future brides when planning all aspects of their wedding?

Delegate!! Your family and friends are there for a reason. Let them be apart of it somehow. And go with your gut! If it feels right then it’s right.

Did you do anything unique or were there any surprises ate your wedding? 

We had our wedding at Taronga Zoo so we had a surprise guest attend after the ceremony.. an Echidna

Describe your experience with Exclusively Bridesmaids?

A wonderful experience, the girls were lovely very helpful and when I emailed them several times someone emailed me back within a few hours or a day.

Who were your top 3 wedding suppliers (not including Exclusively Bridsemaids) and in one sentence describe how they assisted in making your day special?

1. Fiona from Pinnacle Design Studio www.pinnacledesignstudio.com.au – She created our wedding invitations.  She was absolutely great to work with, very patient as I made several changes and her designs are beautiful and affordable.
2. Solution Red www.solutionred.com.au – Our Suppliers of all ceremony and reception decorations. Fantastic people to work with and knew exactly what we wanted only after meeting them once.  Very Creative.
3. Booshi Flowers www.booshi.com.au – Kristy at Booshi flowers knew exactly what I was after.  I may have sounded like a Bridezilla but she was very patient and helpful.  The flowers were amazing.

Searching for Bridesmaids dresses when you are plus sized can be very disheartening when there is nothing in your size or close to your size to try on.

It is very important that you feel comfortable with the bridesmaid dress style that you choose and also with the store that you are purchasing from.

Although many stores will be able to order the dress you want in a plus size, they may not have every style in a plus size sample to try on.  But as long as they have some styles that you can try on and if you have a really good consultant, they should be able to use their skill and flair to try and create the look that you are after so that you can visualise how the overall look will be.

I am often asked by my clients what styles would suit a plus sized bridesmaid as they want to make sure that she is comfortable in the design that has been chosen for the bridesmaids to wear.

My first response is always “Most styles will suit any size as long as you purchase it in the right size according to your measurements”; However I do understand that like most women we have our own grievances about certain parts of our body and therefore certain styles will feel more comfortable and be more flattering than others.

For bridesmaids looking for a flattering and comfortable plus size style, I have given you my Top 5 Picks for Plus Sized Bridesmaids Styles.

Erica 

I know that many plus sized bridesmaids fear strapless gowns as they are concerned about the bust support.  Bust support is very important and sometimes you do need to wear a good fitting bra underneath to feel supported.  Although Erica is strapless she does have a fantastic boning structure which carries all the way down your waist so therefore you will feel more secure and comfortable. Her sweet heart neckline is very flattering and the rouching wraps around the bodice and pulls in nice and tight. The draping effect over the skirt softens your waist and hips and elongates your length.  This gown is comfortable and very elegant.

Rosie

Rosie is a good choice if you are looking for a gown with a strap that is elegant and complements your dress style.  You will feel comfortable that you have the option of wearing a bra with Rosie.  Her floaty skirt allows you to feel free and comfortable rather than feeling constricted. This empire line style full length gown elongates your figure and the drapes at the front slimline your shape.

Charlotte

Charlotte has been a fantastic seller for the fuller figure, this gown has been intricately designed to allow all shapes of women to try her on and feel glamourous!  She has a one shoulder strap for support along with a corsetted bodice underneath the pleated chiffon to show off your shapes and curves.  The assymetrical and diagonal pleating and draping elongates and flatters your body.  I highly recommend trying on Charlotte when you visit our store.  You will look and feel amazing.

Lily

In my experience if you have a vast array of sizes and heights in your bridal party, longer dresses do seem to be more accommodating to bridesmaids.  However if you do prefer your girls in a cocktail gown, my recommendation is the Lily.  Another one shoulder gown which has great support in the bodice.  Her flouncy bodice and skirt allows you to feel comfortable all day without worrying about any visible body parts.

Arabella

If you are looking for a more formal and structured gown for your bridesmaids then my choice is the Arabella. Her bodice is fully corsetted all the way down to your hips, allowing you a slimline and flattering look.   Most bridesmaids do not need to wear a bra with this style but you can still wear a strapless bra if you feel more comfortable. The rouching on the bodice is firm and tight allowing you to show off your shapely figure.  The diagonal lines elongate your body and the soft drapes in the skirt soften the hip area and allow you room to move.  The back is lace up so that you can tighten or loosen the dress however you feel comfortable on the day.  Arabella is definitely my pick for someone who wants their bridesmaids to look like they have just stepped off the red carpet.

Well there it is my pick for top 5 plus sized bridesmaids styles.  We have loads of other styles in store which are perfect for plus sized bridesmaids.

If you are a little concerned about fitting into a dress perfectly we do offer custom made for selected styles.  Or you can take us up on our perfect fit guarantee which allows you to have free alterations on the bust waist and hip of any dress.  But please remember that this special offer is only available at your first visit to our store.  Be quick as this offer is limited.

Until next time

Happy Planning

Gisella

Don’t you just love summer with it’s long days, warm balmy nights and endless parties during the festive season?
Not to mention summer is smack bang in the middle of the wedding season

Although during the summer temperatures can sky rocket and heatwaves are a popular occurrence. Couples still flock to the summer months to tie the knot.
Summer weddings are constantly increasing in popularity as are the summer colours which come in vogue for the season.

Last summer saw an ever increasing popularity in the neutral colours as brides said goodbye to pastel tones and instead opted for the timelessness of shades such as cappuccino, latte, mocha and cream. For a hint of colour many brides opted for a dusty rose or a light charcoal.

This summer brides are testing the limit with colour and shade and have truly embraced the season of fun and warmth with bright and bold colours making an appearance. Orange, Tangerine, Mango and Sunset are just a handful of the many vibrant and colourful hues of this summer season.

If you are a little hesitant to test the boundaries with bright and bold colours remember that your colour theme does not have to be all about the bridesmaids dresses. Bursts of colour can be used in your wedding theme without focusing solely on what the bridesmaids are wearing.

Colourful bouquets can be very effective in creating a burst of colour as can bold shoes or accessories. The best way to visualise this look is to create a mood board with your colour theme in mind so that you can see how the colours will work together.

If bright and bold hues are your style then summer 2012/2013 is your season to shine as we embrace the endless ideas of wedding themes in these vibrant Summer colours.

The Lovely Andrea and Her Stunning Bridesmaids in colours Firecracker, Ginger and Flame

As a little girl you have probably had many a dream about your wedding day.  What will you wear, who will be your bridesmaids, what colour will they wear, where will you get married and what theme will you have.

These are the millions and trillions of thoughts that run through any girls head as she dreams about her perfect wedding day when she marries her true soul mate.

However in many a girls dream there is never a wicked mother, overbearing mother in law or self centred bridesmaids.  The dream is all about the brides wants, thoughts and ideas, as she plans her special once in a life time day in her head.

Unfortunately when it comes to actually planning your wedding day, you can sometimes be faced with many obstacles and hurdles, usually in the name of “Mother”, “Mother in Law” and “Bridesmaids”.  Although at the time it seems like these three groups of enemies are conniving together to voice a negative opinion about anything you have dreamt of for your special day.  Most of the time it is just women being their typical selves offering advice where it is not wanted and becoming sulky and offended if you don’t take their opinions on board.

If I had a dollar for the amount of times a bride has told me (either in secret or over the phone) after a consultation, that they are having difficulty with a bridesmaid who has become a “frenemy” or a mother who just cannot keep her opinions to herself.  I would right now, be cruising in my Private cruiser on the Caribbean sipping cocktails by the pool.

So now do you get the picture?  When it comes to having difficult and opinionated people to deal with and keep happy, you are not alone.

Unfortunately these people have talked themselves into thinking that they have your best interest at heart, when really all that they are doing is thinking about themselves and what they would do and not sparing a thought at all for your thoughts, ideas or dreams.

So what do you do? How do you convince this close knit group of friends and family that “You are the Bride and it’s Your wedding”.

Open up over a coffee

The first thing I recommend is to invite each individual person to meet up with you for a coffee.  This will give you an opportunity to have a one on one chat with each person and a chance to voice your ideas about your wedding.  By meeting up with everyone on a one on one basis this will eliminate the rest of the party interrupting or influencing each other during your meeting.

You need to really stress how important your wedding day is and how you value their opinions but they do have to respect that it is your day and your decision is final.  They need to understand that you want them to support you during your wedding planning and to be happy with your decisions.

Do Your Research

Try to do your research on what you want and where you want to get it from before you invite your mother, future mother in law and bridesmaids on a shopping expedition.

By doing this you can spend time discussing with the service provider your needs and wants for your wedding.  It will also give you an opportunity to speak with many wedding vendors and to get a feeling of who you like and would like to work with when planning your wedding.  As some wedding services do run by appointment only, you can discuss your dilemma regarding overbearing bridesmaids over the phone before your appointment. That way your consultant may be able to assist you at the appointment to overcome their strong opinions and get what you want without offending anyone.

Communicate

As you do your research and begin to create a picture of where you are heading with your planning, communicate this information with all parties involved via email.  This will keep them all in the loop so that no one will feel left out.  By communicating via email you are letting everyone know what your decisions are and they then have time to digest them.

Be Strong

My final note is to stay strong.  Remember that it is your day and they will all have their day (if they haven’t already) someday.  You are putting all of the time, money and effort into planning your dream wedding and therefore it needs to be exactly what you have envisioned.

You do not want to look back at your wedding photo’s in years to come and say the good old phrase “If only I chose exactly what I wanted”.  You do not want to live with regret and you do not want to forever wish that you could have the day again to have exactly what you wanted.

It always a little confronting when you have people in your close knit environment who want to take over and forget about what really is important to you.  However by following these tips above you should have the confidence to conquer all of their negative thoughts and move on to planning one of the most memorable and special days of your life.

After all you are marrying your soul mate not your bridesmaids, mother or mother in law.  So they can all take a backseat as you and your fiancé enjoy the ride of planning a wedding day to remember.

Happy planning

Gisella

When planning your wedding so many factors have to come together to ensure that the day turns out exactly as you had envisioned.  Themes, colours and styling are so important when you are trying to co ordinate so many things to complement each other.

So you have chosen the ceremony location, the venue and your wedding gown.  Now it is time to get down to the nitty gritty of the bridesmaids dresses and the colour theme for your wedding day.

Colour does play a very important part in your wedding as it will guide you with your bridesmaid’s dresses, flowers, invitations, cake and decorations of the reception venue.

Although everything will not be exactly the same colour, the styling needs to be right so that everything complements and flows nicely together.

So how do you visualise the look when you may not be able to see the item in the exact colour that you are after.

When it comes to visualising the bridesmaid’s dresses, ask your consultant if they have any “Real Wedding” photo’s of previous bridesmaids who may have had the same or similar colour.  This will assist you in seeing the dresses on various girls of different skin type and hair colour as well as having an opportunity to see how they have complemented the floral bouquet with the chosen dress colour.

Another great idea is to try on another dress style in store either in the colour you desire or a similar shade.  This will assist you in visualising how the colour will work for your bridesmaids.  At the same time ask one of your bridesmaids to put on the dress which you have chosen for them.  This way you can switch your eyes between the colour and dress and this will assist you in visualising the desired look.

If they don’t have a dress in the exact colour that you are looking for, they are sure to have a dress of similar tonal shade.  Thus by asking your bridesmaids to try on the dress in a similar tonal shade this will assist you to see how this tone works with their skin type and your wedding theme.

You must always remember when you are looking at colours for the bridesmaids, most women wear white, cream or ivory when they marry and it never washes anyone out.  This is due to the fact that we have our hair and make up done, plus spray tans and jewellery to complement the gown and to finish the look.  So please bear this in mind when looking at lighter colours.  Once the hair, makeup, spray tans and jewellery have been taken into consideration they should be glowing and look fabulous!

Mood boards are also a fantastic way to visulalise your whole wedding look and theme.  Your wedding service provider may have some of these at hand to show you. If not you can look on websites such as Pinterest www.pinterest.com and they will have many mood board photo’s which will assist you in visualising the theme for your day.  You never know they may even give you some great ideas for decorating your reception venue.

Florists will also have photo albums of past customers bouquets which you can use to gain inspiration for your own bouquets. Or they may even be able to assemble a small bunch of flowers for you to see how they will all work together.

Reception venues will have many images of their venue all dressed up in various colour and style themes.  Not only will this help you to visualise how the venue will look once it has been decorated.  It may give you ideas on how to decorate the venue.

If all else fails and you are still in a dilemma as you just cannot picture a particular colour theme.  Don’t be afraid to call your wedding service provider as they will be more than happy to think outside the box to find a way to assist you in visualising the final product.

Until next time….

Happy planning

Gisella

There is nothing worse than when you have spent countless hours visiting numerous bridesmaids stores to finally find “The Dress” only to find out that it is significantly out of your budget.

Where do you go from here?  What do you do? How can you get the dress you love without breaking the bank?

Below are a few tips on ways you can get what you want without leaving a massive dent in your bank account.

• The first thing you really need to ask yourself is “Is my budget realistic?”, I know we all have ideas about how much we should be spending on certain things and how much something should be worth but are we really being fair to the product?  When comparing prices and gowns you have to compare “Apples with Apples”, Maybe the dress that you love is of better construction and quality, it may be a better fit. Or it may come from a more reputable and trusted designer.

• Can you stretch your budget a little?  Although the dress you love may be out of budget, if you love it you may be able to stretch your dress budget a bit further and budget more tightly on something else such as shoes. The dress is what all your guests are going to notice most about your bridesmaids and it will be in all your treasured wedding photo’s.  If you can stretch it a little to get what you want then do it.  You don’t want to look back at your photo’s with your bridesmaids in another dress and wish you had gone for the one you love.

• Enquire about paying the dress off in installments. Some dress stores insist that you pay the full 100% up front.  However there are bridesmaids stores which will let you pay the dress off in installments. By paying the dress off in installments you will have time to budget your savings, cut back on something else to get the dress you love e.g. You can cut back on take-away dinners, catching the latest movie or having that morning coffee.  Remember this cut back only needs to be short term, before you know it you will have saved enough to buy the bridesmaids dress of your dreams.

• Find out if the store you want to purchase your gowns from has any special offers.  Sometimes stores will have special offers if you order during their quiet period or if you order many things from them such as dresses and accessories etc. I know sometimes it is difficult to ask the question as you don’t want to seem desperate for a discount.  However if you ask you may be presently surprised with the answer.  It may not be discounted enough to meet your budget but it may be enough to convince you that this dress is meant to be.

Now that you are armed with some tried and tested solutions to nab your ultimate bridesmaids dress you can breathe a sigh of relief.

It’s now time to decide on the best option for you and then call your bridesmaids and tell them that you have found “The Ultimate Bridesmaids Dress” for them.

Happy Planning

Gisella

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Happy Planning!

Gisella