Category: wedding hacks

Celebrant Secrets

Published on by angelaportLeave a comment

All you need is love and … some insider info from a celebrant.

shannon and sean
Shannon and Sean

I’ve been lucky enough to do a job I adore and have been the celebrant at a lot of weddings, and every single one, I try and learn something from, especially the one’s where things maybe don’t go according to the plan.  I thought I would put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard in this case and share some of the things I’ve learnt to assist you in your wedding planning.

  • There will always be someone who turns up in jeans, regardless of the dress code.  My personal belief is that there are only two occasions where you should show your respect for an occasion and dress accordingly and that is a wedding and a funeral. Unless of course the dress code is super casual (eg jeans and t-shirt) you should always put on a nice pair of pants.
last chance
http://www.etsy.com
  • There will always be that one person who thinks it’s funny to say “There’s still time to run” to the groom before the ceremony.
  • Make sure your dress fits properly.  Make sure it is tailored specifically for your body, so you don’t have any gaping areas, or are not worried about ‘the girls’ accidentally falling out at any time.  It will look better for photos and you will feel and thus look better if you know it fits perfectly.
  • Make sure that grooms/groomsman have ironed their shirts and not just pulled them straight out of the packaging moments before the ceremony, and in advice from another celebrant you can read about here: People we love: Nicola Wall – Celebrant, make sure the gents have also tried on their pants, to make sure they are the right length, especially if they have been tailored for them.

    Every bride looks beautiful on their wedding day

  • Allow a lot more time for everything the week and day of the wedding, everything will take longer than you anticipate, in my experience with brides, especially hair and make-up. It will be easier to fill in extra time (think a sneaky champers with the girls) than to be in a panic because you are late. If you are having your photos before your ceremony then making sure you have budgeted enough time in the morning will make sure you have ample time to relax and get those awesome photos.
  • Weddings bring out the worst in people.  Especially family. Make sure everyone is on the same page with duties and expectations, otherwise it will drive you crazy and take the shine off your wedding.

loll

  • Lollipops are awesome distractors for little people on the big day during the ceremony.  Lollipops encourage them to generally stand still and they find it hard to make too much noise with their mouth full of lollipop.
  • Even the most chilled out bride will be stressed the day before the ceremony.  The key is to be organised, not just yourself but your groom, family and wedding party.
  • Don’t leave writing your vows till the day/evening before your wedding. It will put too much stress on yourself and make your celebrant tear her/his hair out.
  • Remember your wedding day should be a reflection and celebration of your love, not what great Aunty Fanny thinks you should have.
  • Have a plan B, just in case.
  • Every wedding is beautiful, whether it is big, small, expensive or on a budget.

I am absolutely honoured every time I get to bring together two people who have decided that they want to spend the rest of their lives together.  Every wedding is full of love and joy and those looks that lovebirds share with each other, and it makes my heart sing to be able to witness and share that each time.

Wedding Hacks

Published on by angelaportLeave a comment

All you need is love and … some real life wedding hacks.

 

We all know planning a wedding is stressful even for the most organised person, and we all know that millions of people have done it a million different ways before you, so why not learn from their wisdom.

  • Heel protectors – these cute/simple devices slip onto the heel of your stillettos and allow you to walk and stand gracefully on the grass on your wedding day.  They are a life saver and a must for all brides who are going to be walking on grass at some stage of their wedding day.
  • Have a 2-3 tier cake for display/cutting at the reception – but serve guests from a more inexpensive sheet cake thats hidden in the kitchen.
  • Number the back of your RSVP Cards – place a small number on the back of your rsvp cards then have a corresponding guest list.  That way if someone’s writing is illegible or they don’t fill the card in you’ll know who it’s from.
  • Limit your guest list – I know you want to invite everyone but when you’re on a budget it’s just not possible.  Think to yourself would you be happy paying for a dinner out for this person? (because that is technically what you are doing) and if the answer is know, they don’t get invited.
  • Ditch unnecessary extras – no-one really remembers and/or uses the wedding favours that may have cost you alot of time and/or effort.  You don’t always need to send save the date cards to everyone.
  • DJ? – Save yourself some money by making a play list on your ipod or even a smart phone and use that for the music during the reception.
  • Think creatively when it comes to venues, for either your ceremony or reception. There can be hugely varying prices between venues, look around and think creatively. Can you use the local park, library, movie theatre?
  • New wedding shoes – Rub the soles of new wedding shoes (girls and guys) with samdpaper to de-slick them, especially if what are wanting to get down on the dancefloor.
  • Magnetic veil weights – I did not even know they were a thing, but they make complete sense to me for holding that veil in place, especially for an outside wedding.
  • Hand the phone over – Appoint someone ‘Official media person for the day’ Hand your phone over and let someone else intercept the texts, tweets etc on your big day.
  • Write your thank you notes as your receive your gifts – this will stop you from freaking out after the wedding when you are faced with a mountain of thank you notes to write, and will make sure you don’t get confused with who sent what.

Someone smart once said ‘People will only remember two things about your wedding day. The food and the feel of your wedding’  Stick to that plan and you’re bound to have a great day.