SocialBrides.co.uk|Social Network,Wedding Blog & Chat Sessions, Online Wedding Fair 2012

One of my favourite things about winter weddings is the feeling of intimacy and excitement that can be created with a snowy backdrop, a roaring fire and lots of twinkling candles.

Obviously, a candle is a big part of many weddings, with the candle lighting being a ceremonial act within the marriage - but candles have their place at the reception too.

If flowers are all a bit too 'much' for a winter wedding, why not cover the tables, sideboards and mantlepieces with glittering sequins, pearlescent beads and glass pebbles with various decorative candles in different sizes, shapes and scents on saucers, inside kilner jars, squeezed into wine bottles and anywhere else that'll fit. The twinkly, flickery light will look so magical and the eccentricity will make your reception venue one to remember.

My best friend, bride-to-be bought her wedding dress at the weekend. It is absolutely gorgeous and it was great to go and see her trying it on, knowing that we could go back and 'visit' at any time until her bespoke one was finished. It was lovely to see the fabric and compare it to the colour of her hair and try on tiaras and veils knowing theat it was exactly how it would look on the day.

We even took the bridesmaids' dresses along and stood in a row to ensure that the two styles complemented each other perfectly.

But, it was so expensive. I can't imagine spending so much money (I won't say exactly, but it's about 4 times what my car is worth!) on a dress. We got talking about buying dresses over the Internet to save money...

The internet is a great way to shop and get exactly what you want without spending a lot of money.  Is it a good idea, however, to buy something as important as a wedding dress online?  Today many brides are doing it and saving bundles of money to be spent on other fun wedding features, or even the honeymoon!  Buying a wedding dress online is not about being brave or taking risks, it's about knowing how to go about making an important online purchase such as this one. 

 

Begin the search for an online wedding dress by, contrarily enough, going to some bridal stores and trying on dresses!  Each specific designer and style of dress will look differently on any given bride, and it's a good idea to have a solid idea of what you like before making an online purchase.  Remember the idea is not to fall in love with a dress, but to decide whether a strapless dress suits you, whether a Vera Wang fits best on you in a 2 or a 4, and whether snow white or cream best suits your skin tone. This important step can keep brides from imagining themselves into a dress that would never work on them in the real world!

Now that you've got an idea about design, brand and style, it's time to figure out budgeting.  Mark down the prices of your favorite dresses in bridal shops, then head to the internet to contrast and compare.  Following a few 'sample' dresses that are close to what you think you might ultimately by can tell you whether or not the prices change over time, whether or not the item would be cheaper in a retail store, and exactly how hard the dress might be to find.  Spend at least a month researching dress prices before setting a firm price point.  Be sure to include in your overall budget the cost of wedding dress 'extras' like undergarments, shoes and a veil. 

 

As it nears time to order the dress, make sure to know your exact measurements.  Going to a professional tailor or seamstress and getting the right figures can be a lifesaver when ordering a dress online.  Keep in mind that most people have to have their wedding dress fitted anyway, and include this cost into the budget price.  Take a guess at the undergarments you'll be wearing and include any extra material or padding in your overall measurements. 

 

If you're picked out the perfect dress at the perfect price, and that is pretty darn close to the perfect fit you may think it's time to order, but not so!  First, take time to research the seller.  Look for testimonials from other women who have used the website (keep in mind these might not be posted right on the website itself, especially if they are negative), and see whether the company can be counted on to deliver a quality product, and deliver it ON TIME!  The deal of the century on a wedding dress is no good if it arrives within a week before the wedding; a week before is already too late should anything go wrong!  Check out the dress from the front, back and side in photos to avoid any surprises when it arrives.  Should everything check out with the dress and website, it may be time to buy!

When purchasing anything expensive on the internet it's important to pay with a secure source like an online pay account or a well protected credit card.  This will allow you to fight back should the website turn out to be a dud after all.  If the dress is not delivered in a timely fashion or found to have any defects, you'll want the time and ability to send it back to the seller.  Always ask about how this process would work before purchasing, and ask about the possibility of a full refund in case the dress is simply unusable.  Remember purchasing online may mean trying a few times before finding exactly the right dress and look.  The real question is not whether the perfect wedding dress can be purchased online, but whether each bride is willing to put in the time and effort to find it!

This article was written by Mona Pennypacker who runs a business specialising in web site design in Colorado.

As you may already know, I am going to be the maid of honour for my two best friends, J&A. J and I went to college together and both studied music, she played the clarinet, I played flute, she is an alto, I am a soprano, the perfect team!

A and I have always got on really well, he was a 'techie' boy at our college who played the drums and hung around with us. The fact that A and I have almost identical tastes in music and humour meant that we spent loasds of time together and became best friends.

At the same time, I started going out with one of A's drumming friends, so the 4 of us were pretty inseperable. And now they're getting married and I cannot wait!

J&A have recently moved into a 'blank canvas' new home and are adding their personal touches as they go along. I know that next summer will mainly be spent on wedding preparations, but I was wondering which things I could buy fot their home and a wedding gift.

I saw this article on bathroom gifts and think I might do that, there are 2 bathrooms is their house & I think that bathroom accessories would be a great gift for them. After all, if anyone knows their taste better than them, it's me!

Wedding gift ideas – bathroom accessories

 

 

On gift registries, many people shy away from choosing bathroom accessories.  To many buyers, the bathroom is a place of utility, not of luxury, and so they prefer to buy items for the living room, dining room, kitchen or even the bedroom.  When it comes to weddings, however, a great gift of a bathroom accessory or two might be far more appreciated that the gift giver could ever imagine.  Adding a little bit of luxury to any bathroom can help a newlywed couple really relax and feel fresh and clean after long days, giving the pair more energy to work on what really matters, their relationship!  If looking for a wedding gift for a friend, loved one or family member, some of the suggestions below will be surefire hits. 

 

While a rain shower head might seem a little too do-it-yourself and a jacuzzi tub doesn't wrap up very nicely, there are many gifts that fit right in the budget and luxury box where a wedding gift should fall.  A great, classic example are his and hers bathrobes.  With a wide variety of materials available in a wide variety of colors, go for super luxurious, super classy, super soft, or even completely personalized with their names or their wedding date stitched into the fabric.  Try to stick with neutral colors that would go with any design scheme, unless you know the couple extremely well and know something a little wackier would be greatly appreciated.  The same goes for bathroom lounge wear.  Something sexy, silky, or simply comfortable can be a great way to feel on cloud nine after a tough day at work.

 

For a gift that not only feels great but looks great, bath oils, soaks, washes and salts can be the perfect wedding gift kit.  There are many companies which put together custom packages that fit exactly what the couple might need, or the adventurous gift giver could put together a package him or herself.  Choosing top quality products with aesthetically pleasing bottle designs and colors can really help any bathroom go from blah to beautiful as can a nice touch like a well made woven basket to store them in.

 

A truly romantic bathroom gift might be a set of bathroom friendly wine glasses, or even a wine holder meant for chilling a bottle of champagne or white wine on ice while the couple takes time to relax together.  Such wine sets generally come with wide set glasses to decrease the chance of spillage, as well as a tray for setting the glasses on while lounging around in the tub.  To add a real splash to this luxury bathroom accessory, throw in a starter bottle of fine champagne or wine!

 

Finally, every woman would love to have her very own space to get ready for the day, so why not try a luxury bathroom accessory that any woman would love and any man would appreciate, a vanity.  Whether a standalone vanity, or simply some luxury vanity items can really make a bathroom sparkle.  Anything from a vanity desk to a set of crystal soap and lotion dispensers can do the trick, and still be a classy and appropriate wedding gift.  Make sure before buying a piece of furniture (like luxury loo seats) that the size and dimensions, and of course design work well with the couple's decorating scheme!

They say that marriage is no walk in the park, though it would seem that this applies for the run-up to one’s marriage as well.  For the bride-to-be in particular the weeks and months prior to her wedding can be very demanding what with all the things that need to get done, from picking out all the dresses to scheduling appointments to, well, getting in shape.  This last task can often turn out to be the most challenging of them all and it is usually one of the highest priorities for any woman about to tie the knot.  Indeed it is important to get in shape because any person, man or woman, is going to want to start out their new life on a healthy, solid footing.

There are many things that can be done to help the bride-to-be to lose those extra pounds and to wind up looking just the way she wants to in her dress, and exactly which will be used will depend on her schedule and lifestyle.  Most important of all is to ensure regular cardio workouts over an extended period prior to the wedding, as it is the most efficient way to shed excess fat.  Whether it’s going to the gym and using the treadmill, the stationary bikes or some other cardio machine, or whether it’s going out for regular runs or even playing a sport, there needs to be a minimum of about three workout sessions lasting no less than a half an hour in order to make the cardio workouts worth it.  And we’re not talking about a light cardio session; we’re talking about getting your heart going near full-throttle and keeping it there throughout the half-hour period.

Though this will provide most of the desired results the bride-to-be had in mind, cardio workouts are not likely going to tone up certain areas such as the arms, the abs, and the derrière.  It will take muscle-toning weight exercises to firm things up in these places, so the bride-to-be should get someone on the staff at her gym (or their personal trainer if she has one) to put together a workout routine to tackle those areas.

Any opportunity for the engaged couple to engage in these activities together should be taken advantage of as this helps in part to construct a healthy and balanced relationship, which is groundwork that will desperately be needed once the marriage is official.

Of course we can’t address the issue of exercise without also addressing the issue of a healthy diet, as they are both prerequisites for obtaining the body we all want for ourselves.  Brides-to-be only too often end up recurring to drastic measures regarding their diet and fail to understand that simply eating in moderation and ensuring a high variety of ingredients (rather than eating a lot of one particular thing) is going to be the best path.  Cutting back on red meats will help and in their place a higher intake of fish would be appropriate, and fruits and vegetables should be given more preponderance than carbohydrates by a fairly wide margin. 

 

The idea is to get the bride to the wedding in shape but healthy, not lacking any of the nutrition she’ll need to look absolutely radiant on the big day.

About the Author: Victoria Crowdell works for SportsEquip.co.uk, leading suppliers of ‘capital’ sports equipment including football nets.

 

Going to the gym after work today after I got  shock when I tried on my dress for the wedding. In a nutshell, I am definitely not a size 10 any more!

Then, when I get home, I'll be making a start on an article for this website on how to make sure you're in the best shape for your wedding.

I promise I'll start practising what I preach!