Outdoor Wedding Ceremony? Things to consider, wherever you are in the world

Having a outdoor ceremony can seem like a dream come true, but there are other things to consider than just how the photos will look and it is important to prepare yourself for every possibility. Here are three great things to bear in mind when planning an outdoor wedding ceremony, wherever in the world you are planning it!

Here’s an outdoor ceremony that I did recently and used all of the below tips. We had a bit of wind but I had towels and umbrellas handy in case of any last minute emergencies!

1) Pulls up a 5-year history of the weather for your wedding date

While you cannot predict the weather, the history can give you a good idea of the future. However, even if the weather has been perfect for the past 5 years, be prepared with a Plan B that includes an indoor venue in case of rain, wind, cold, or extreme heat.

2) Check the bug situation and comes up with a plan to handle it

Insects can be a real problem at an outdoor event. Visit the venue during the time of day that the wedding will take place and talk to the site’s owners or, if the site is public, the local government officials, to find out what can be done to keep bugs at bay.

3) Find out the time the sun will go down

If it’s dark, you will need lights and maybe even heaters to help the guests be more comfortable.

For help organising your outdoor wedding and for further advise and etiquette, contact award winning wedding planner, Weddings by Rachel.

Disposable Cameras – The Pro’s and Con’s

Disposable wedding cameras can be a lot of fun at weddings, however this may be an expensive way for you to get a ‘table shot’ of your wedding guests.

Disposable cameras – in theory – are supposed to let your guests capture fun candids of everyone attending the wedding. Picture this: your photographer is busy shooting you and your new husband blissfully locking lips; meanwhile, your flower girl is dancing up a storm on the dance floor. A guest might spot this cute moment and snap a photo of it. Without the camera on the table, you’d miss out on that adorable moment.

On the flip side, wedding guests who have had too many cocktails get a little camera crazy, and you may end up with pics of less pleasing objects – floors, ceilings and out of focus tipsy dancers – only to find this out when you’ve developed all of the pictures, at a fairly hefty expense.

More often than not, you will only get a couple of great photos out of a dozen disposable cameras. So why not give blank CD’s to guests instead and ask them to send you their digital photos on CD? That way you’ll have a lot of good quality, high resolution photos that you can keep for years to come.

If you are set on having disposable cameras, I would recommend having them put onto CD instead of having them all printed. This will cost a fraction of the price and then you only have to print the ones that you want to keep!

For help organising your wedding and for further advise and etiquette, contact award winning wedding planner, Weddings by Rachel.

Cool Wedding Gifts For Your Groom

So if you are your groom have agreed to buy wedding gifts for each other, you will often find yourself in a position where you have no idea what to buy him! Especially if he has no clear hobbies or passions. If you haven’t had this conversation, it’s a good idea to have it (or maybe mention to someone who can talk to the groom) before you buy him a present – the last thing you want is for him to feel uncomfortable when he didn’t return the gesture!

So, here are five really cool gifts you can get for your groom if you’re really stuck on what to buy him!

1. Cufflinks

These are a great gift because he can wear them on the wedding day. If, however, you want him to wear them again, be cautious about the style you get. Wedding themed cufflinks are beautiful and thoughtful, but will he ever get the chance to put them on after the wedding? Unless you get some classic, personalised wedding themed cufflinks, like these from Not on the High Street.

2. My Gorgeous Groom Journal

This is a stunning journal from Oh So Cherished that contains all of your thoughts and love for your special groom, including space for anecdotes and photos. This is a beautiful gift but, be warned, make sure you buy this nice and early to give yourself plenty of time to complete it in advance of the wedding!

3. Pocket Watch

This is a very classic gift for grooms from his bride, and with some beautifully modern and striking designs around today, this might just be the perfect gift for your beloved. I particularly love the selection from PocketWatch.co.uk.

4. For Your Eyes Only Portrait

These boudoir style portraits are a great gift for your groom as it is something very, very personal. There are a number of photographers throughout South Wales and the UK that offer these packages, but make sure you feel comfortable with whoever you pick! I particularly like the work of Nigel Pullen.

5. Sweet Jars

If you’re hubby-to-be has a sweet tooth, why not go for something a bit more fun like personalised sweet jars – you could even fill them with his favourite sweets. It’s something that’s guaranteed to put a smile on his face! I love these ones from the Gift Experience.

For help organising your wedding and for further advise and etiquette, contact award winning wedding planner, Weddings by Rachel.

When To Send Your Save The Date Cards

Congratulations – you are engaged! It is very easy, at this stage, to get ahead of yourself and rush into decisions and planning…this is normal! So, what is the first thing you should do? Set a date and book a venue. When you have these vital details in place you can send out save the date cards.

Save the date cards are increasingly popular. This pre-invitation officially announces your wedding date and lets guests know that they will be invited to your celebrations.

So, do you have to send save the dates? No. Destination weddings and Friday, Saturday and Sunday weddings are all very popular now so, usually, save the dates are sent to confirm your date as early as possible. They are also popular if you are getting married during holiday season or if guests will need to take time off work. You are not in any way obliged to send one but it will give guests notice about your wedding plans. Between travel arrangements and busy schedules, sending a save-the-date will increase guests’ chances of attending your celebration.

If someone receives a save-the-date and will be unable to attend, they are likely to offer regrets far in advance. You still need to send a wedding invitation as a common courtesy.

So, when do you send them? It’s best to send these out around six months prior to the wedding (or eight months for destination weddings). This will give guests plenty of time to book travel and ask for days off from work. Any earlier, and they may toss the notice aside. Any later, and it might as well be an invitation.

Just send these to the people that you want to come to your wedding. Even if you’ve already received confirmations from certain guests, you still need to send them a save-the-date and please remember, this includes immediate family, bridesmaids etc.

Make sure that all save the dates are addressed to exactly who is invited to the wedding and ensure you use their correct names (no nicknames). This is the perfect opportunity to make guests aware who will receive a formal invitation, for example, if you are having an adults only wedding.

One last tip – do not assume details. Only send these out when you have confirmed your date and location – you don’t want these to change later on!

For help organising your wedding and for further advise and etiquette, contact award winning wedding planner, Weddings by Rachel.

Ann Taylor Style Guide

Ok, so I may have seen this at the fantastic ‘Style Me Pretty‘ blog, but I just had to share it! This style guide from Ann Taylor is absolutely gorgeous and really does epitomise the ‘Classically Chic’ style that it promises.

Thank you Style Me Pretty for, as always, providing such fabulous style for brides!