Blog Posts from My iPhone

For when I'm struck by inspiration out and about, I have got a blog writing app on my phone!! I love having an iPhone!!

Wedding Insurance

To Insure or Not to Insure?

Wedding insurance is an emotive subject. Some will vehemently suggest that wedding insurance is essential to cover anything that may go wrong, but others will say that it’s a waste of money.

In 2007, 20% of the 300,000 weddings that year took out wedding insurance. That’s quite a scary statistic when you think about the money involved in weddings.

In 2008, the average cost of weddings in the UK was £17,000 with South East and London weddings costing in average of £22,858 (up from £21,901 in 2007). That’s someone’s annual salary spent on one day, day during which your friends and family watch you sign a bit of paper.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love the romance and the commitment of the day, but if you strip that away, when else would you pay someone up to £1,000 to drive you half a mile down the road. When would you spend £500 on flowers or pay for everyone you know to have a five course meal and drinks? It’s an enormous amount of money to spend on one day! And in 2008, 53% of couples paid for their weddings by themselves.

Considering all this, would you spend yet more money on wedding insurance?

What Happens When You Make a Claim

When making a claim, it can be a bit long winded. They will ask you for some details over the phone and then send you a claim form. When you send back the claim form you will need to include all the relevant documentation.

Make a photocopy of everything you send them! They will probably need the originals, so make sure you retain a copy. I cannot stress this enough. Retain a copy of any documentation you send to a wedding insurance company.

Additional documentation would include any cancellation fees, receipts, damage (either the damaged item or photos of the item), an estimate for repair/cleaning or a letter from relevant tradesperson confirming the damage is beyond repair/cleaning or a medical certificate from a general practitioner.

Once you make a claim, the claims handler will process your claim and you will be told if you will be reimbursed or not.

Finding the Insurer That’s Right for You

First, calculate roughly what your wedding will cost. It is worth paying a little bit extra on your policy to make sure you cover all the costs.

I would recommend using a well known provider. You may have to pay £3 or £4 more on your policy but I think it’s well worth it to make sure you’re getting the best protection.

Debenhams, John Lewis and American Express all offer wedding insurance. Wedding Plan is at the top of a lot of recommended suppliers. Each insurer offers different policies but similar cover. Think about what’s right for you and the cost that you’re prepared to lay out.

The internet has a wealth of information about different insurers.

• Debenhams wedding insurance
• John Lewis wedding insurance
• Wedding Plan wedding insurance
• Money Supermarket wedding insurance suggestions

Pros

• Depending on your policy, you will be covered against loss of wedding rings, service providers going bust or for some reason, the wedding being cancelled.
• You will have the piece of mind knowing that if something does happen that you won’t lose all your money.

Cons

• The cost – when you’re already spending a lot of money on one day, do you really want to spend more?
• It can be difficult to claim, make sure you document every tiny party of your wedding with receipts and written quotes.

To insure or not to insure?

H2b and I have decided to take out wedding insurance. We paid almost £86 to insure us against loss and damage, public liability, gifts, the photos going wrong, breakages and all sorts for up to £18,000. I feel better knowing that if the worst does happen, all our money won’t be wasted.

Whether or not you choose to have wedding insurance, the decision is yours. It will depend on how much of your budget will be available to spend on insurance and how much you can afford to lose if you don’t take out insurance. How much will you gain if you don’t get it? How much will you gain if you do?

Your Florist

Must Ask Questions for Your Florist

Choosing your flowers is difficult. I saw three florists and thought I’d never be able to choose a florist before I finally settled on Flowers by Andrew.

Here are some must ask questions for your florist:

1. Can we see examples of your work?
   It is essential that you see some examples of their work just to check that they can actually do what they say they can. Look at their arrangements, are you impressed? Do you think it’s beautiful?
   
2. What ideas can you give me within my budget?
   Your budget is a huge factor in every element of your wedding. Finding a florist that can work within your budget is essential. Your florist will also be the expert in providing a service that fits inside a budget, so this is a very important question.
   
3. Would you be prepared to do a mock-up of a bouquet before the day?
   Not all florists will do this as it will cost them money. It might be included in your quote. However, it does give you an idea of how your bouquet will look and feel for The Day.
   
4. Will I have to pay travel costs?
   This will depend on the distance the florist will have to travel. I would always recommend choosing service providers that are either local to your reception or ceremony venues.
   
5. When would I need to make payments?
   You will be expected to leave a deposit when you book the flowers and then a final payment would be at some point before your wedding day.
   
6. How far in advance would I need to place my order?
   You know from reading my blog that I believe booking as early as possible means cheaper prices, however that’s not always true. Ask your florist for advice on when the best time is to book.
   
7. What will be delivered, when and where? Will you need access to water?
   The answer to this question will depend a lot on what you want for your wedding day. The main things you will want delivered will be the buttonholes and the bouquets. To save money on delivery, you could ask a friend to collect the buttonholes to get them to your fiancé and his groomsmen.
   
8. Who will set up the flowers?
   Usually the florist will set up the flowers themselves. A good florist will show pride in their work and will want to display it to its best. Some florists will deliver the flowers to your venue and allow your venue people to put the flowers out.
   
9. How long will you need to set up?
   Your florist will no doubt ask you what time your wedding is, to ensure the bouquets are delivered well in time. S/He will want to know what time your reception starts to ensure that everything is set up at your venue well ahead of time.
   
10. Do you charge for breakages?
    The answer to this question will more than likely be: yes.
    
11. Do you provide bay trees and other accessories?
    You might want other little touches to your wedding such as mirror plates and tea lights which some florists provide. There may be a charge but some florists will throw those in for free.
    
12. Can you get flowers in unusual colours such as green or black?
    A good florist can. A friend of mine wants green gerberas in her bouquet and her florist will provide them. She is going to have to use ink to change the colour of the flowers but it can be done.

Good luck choosing your florist! You could leave a comment here to tell me about your florist experience.

My Florist

Choosing My Flowers

Flowers are a very personal part of a wedding. We all have different tastes and everyone has their own particular favourites. And if you’re anything like me, you don’t know the names of flowers.

I started looking through flower magazines and finding arrangements that I liked.

It’s all about your personal taste. I cut out all the arrangements that caught my eye from the magazines and made a collage in  my wedding folder.

Once I knew what I wanted, I went to wedding fayres armed with my wedding folder knowing roughly what I wanted. I got spoke to florists and started to book some appointments.

The first florist we saw was Lynne at Fine Flowers. I booked an appointment for Lynne to come to us to show us her portfolios. Her flowers were absolutely breath taking! She talked to us in a lot of detail about the flowers we wanted, what sort of arrangements we were after, who would be carrying the flowers, delivery and set up. My h2b was bored to bits! He was fidgety all the way through and eventually asked me if I minded if he went to do something else. Then my dad showed up, a gardener! That sorted everything out! I wrote down everything Lynne said so that I could compare it to other quotes.

The next florist we spoke to was recommended by our venue, Annie Hayes. We met her at the venue and chatted about what she could offer. Dad came with me, I’d learnt my lesson about asking h2b to come. (Flowers aren’t really my h2b’s thing, unless he’s buying me some, then I think he’s an expert.)

I would definitely recommend asking a friend who has some expertise in an area to help you book a supplier. You might have a friend who is into fashion who could help you with wedding dresses, you might have a friend who’s really into music to help you choose a DJ. My dad has been gardening and allotment-ing for longer than I’ve been alive so I took him as my flower expert.

Annie really knew her stuff and she gave us a lot of really good ideas. Chatting to florists really opens your eyes to the possibilities for your wedding, and they are endless! They are only limited by your budget. We spent a few hours with Annie and we found out a lot about her two very cute dogs.

The next florist we went to see was Floral Fantasies by Lorraine Voss. Lorraine was the  most expensive florist of the ones that I spoke to but she was also one of the best. She really talked about our options and gave us a really good idea of what was available. It helped me to solidify my ideas for flowers and I was able to get a very succinct idea of what I want.

The more I spoke to the different florists, the more I was able to gather my ideas for flowers. They offered cheaper alternatives to the flowers I wanted, different flowers that were the same colours that I wanted and alternative arrangements that I hadn’t even thought of.

The last florist we saw was Flowers by Andrew. By the time we went to see him we had a really good idea of what we wanted. We described what we wanted and took a quote away to look at. I got a good feeling talking to Andrew and I felt that he was someone that we could really work with. We went back a few weeks later to leave a deposit.

I think I chose my florist based on my gut feeling. I liked all the florists and I think they each had some really lovely flowers, that’s why we arranged to have an appointment with them in the first place.

Flowers are very personal, I chose orchids because my name in Chinese uses the word ‘orchid’ and my h2b is Chinese. It was just a little personal touch; I will have orchids in my bouquet and my h2b will have an orchid buttonhole. Plus, I like orchids. The rest of the gents will be matching the bridesmaids and be wearing tulip buttonholes because my bridesmaids will have tulip bouquets.

I think it’s important to use flowers that mean something to you.Tulips and gerberas are my favourites… actually, a lot of flowers are my favourites. But I do like gerberas and tulips, so I chose tulips as they’re a Spring flower and I’m getting married in Spring. It’s all about what you want and what you can afford.

Hymns and Readings

Adding Atmosphere to Your Church Wedding

If you’re not the most avid church visitor you might  not be sure of what hymns and readings to have at your wedding. Well never fear!

When I went to the National Wedding Show last April, I was able to speak to the people at the Church of England stand and they gave me heaps of advice!

Hymns

If you do choose to have hymns at your wedding your vicar or your organist will be happy to help you choose some, and also you can visit yourchurchwedding.org for more tips on choosing hymns.

The top five hymns are:

• Amazing Grace
• Give Me Joy in My Heart
• All Things Bright and Beautiful
• Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
• Lord of the Dance
• Shine Jesus Shine

But there are many more you can choose from. Maybe you know some favourites. But do remember, these songs have lots of verses so make sure you only choose two or three songs.

Readings

All weddings in the Church of England include one or more readings from the Bible. You  could include a favourite poem as well, or maybe your friends could write you a poem.

• The most popular reading from the Bible is 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13
  ’… Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails….’
• A love poem between two lovers, Song of Solomon, Chapter 8, verses 6 & 7
  ’Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death.’
• Having the perfect relationship, Colossians, Chapter 3, verses 12-17
  ’.. And over these virtues put on love, which binds them together in all unity.’
• Being a good lover, 1 John, Chapter 4, verses 7 – 12
  ’Dear friends, let us love one and other, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God..’

Poems

An alternative reading for your friends who may not want to read a Bible passage is a nice, romantic poem. You may have a favourite, but here are a few popular poems:

• Sonnet From The Portugese XLIII Elizabeth Barrett Browing (1806-1861)
  ’How do I love thee, let me count the ways. I love thee the depth, breadth and height
  my soul can reach…’

• This Day I Married My Best Friend, Author Unknown
  ’This day I married my best friend
  ...the one I laugh with as we share life's wonderous zest’
  

• Today I Married My Best Friend, Rachel Elizabeth Cooper (b.1977)
  ’Today I married my best friend,
  Our bond complete, it hath no end…’
  
• Love's Philosophy, Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) [Bysshe is pronounced Bish]
  ’The fountains mingle with the river,
  And the rivers with the ocean;
  The winds of heaven mix forever,
  With a sweet emotion;’

A Heavenly Wedding

Planning Your Church Wedding

When I was at the National Wedding Show last April, we bumped into the Church of England stand and it was actually quite useful. I want to get married in a church, not everyone does, but I found the fliers they handed out really useful. I wanted to pass on that information to other brides.

Find a Church

First, find a church. You can find your local church using a church near you.com. However, if you want to marry in a church that is not your local parish church then have a look at your church wedding.org.  This website will tell you about the law and where you can marry. I found that very useful as we have to sort this out for our wedding as well.

Get to Know Your Vicar

Secondly, call your vicar. Let him (or her) know the good news and set up a time to discuss your wedding plans. When we went to book the church for our wedding we just gave over the details that would appear on the wedding certificate.

Vows Discussions

Then, attend the church counselling sessions. They will discuss the points that will be raised during your vows. Some couples find it useful to have some time to think about the vows they will be making. I’ve spoken to other brides about this and they said that they came out of the sessions arguing with their husbands. They will ask questions about who gets out of bed first, who will do the dishes, and discuss the answers for these questions.

The Banns

Next, listen to your banns being read. I think this is a legal requirement to listen to the banns being read, three times in a row. This may have changed since I was told this. Plus, it’s a nice experience to hear your banns being read out in church. It can be very special and moving.

Just Before the Big Day

A day or two before your wedding you will have the chance to rehearse the wedding. This will sort out timings and who’s going first, who’s going second, where everyone is going to stand. Your bridesmaids and groomsmen will be keen to do things right for you and subsequently may be a bit nervous. A rehearsal is good for everyone, and it gives the vicar a chance to get to know a bit about your wedding party.

Your Wedding Day

On the day, your vicar will do his best to make sure that you and your h2b have a meaningful, special and spiritual day celebrating your marriage. He should add some personal touches to his sermon and will hopefully make it an enjoyable experience for all.

Your Anniversary

It might be nice to visit your church on your first anniversary and mention to the vicar. He would say something in his sermon to help you both celebrate your first anniversary.

Update!

Things are Progressing

We have now booked our DJ are looking into booking a beautician. I’ve got a few I’m considering.

My method to choosing a service provider is to compare prices and services and then to go with my gut. I’m waiting for a quote from a lady I met at the Mount wedding fayre, Judy Pendrill, who I really liked.

We have booked our DJ through our venue which means he’s a little bit cheaper. It also means that our wedding coordinator at the venue will sort it all out for us so we don’t need to really think about that part of the wedding for a while.

Most things on our list have been ticked off! We’ve just got wedding gifts, the beautician and female clothes to sort out. Once that’s done, all that needs to be updated is the fine detail. I’m actually looking forward to the fine detail more than anything else! It’ll make the wedding all that little bit more real. It still seems so far away, that’s the problem with planning a wedding two and a half years in advance.

Florist

How to Choose Your Florist

The flowers are one of the main aspects of the day along with the venue, the dress and the photographer. Your guests are going to be looking at your flowers as the flowers and arrangements you choose will reflect your preferences and your personality.

My h2b could not be less interested in flowers so I’ve been very lucky and had free range to choose the flowers and the colours by myself! Yay!

The first thing you do is:

Look through wedding magazines or flower magazines and choose arrangements that you like. If you’re anything like me, you wont know a narcissus from a delphinium, all I knew were the colours I wanted and the pictures from a magazine.

A florist can put together a beautiful display for your wedding but she won’t know the flowers you like. This is why it is essential that you put together an ideas collage of flower arrangements you would like to have. They will be able to expand on the ideas you give them, offering cheaper options if necessary. They will also be able to tell you if the flowers  you’ve chosen are in season.

Next:

Go to wedding fayres and look at the flowers the florists bring to display. This will help you get an idea of what the different florists are offering. You will be able to speak directly to the florists and give an idea of your budget and what they can offer you. I will also help you to get a feel of whether or not you’d like to work with this person.

You can also trawl the internet. I spoke to Lynn at Fine Flowers at a wedding fayre, and then looked her up on the internet. I was impressed with the range of flowers she was able to tell me about, and then I was able to check out what she was saying through her website.

If you google for florists in the West Midlands you will find a range of different service providers. My advice is to look through their websites, get a feel of whether or not you want to work with them, and then arrange an appointment to discuss your requirements.

Meeting with a florist:

I spoke to three different florists before I decided to book the fourth florist, and each time I spoke to a florist, I had a better idea of what I wanted for our wedding.

I would absolutely recommend speaking to your florist face to face. Your flowers are a key element to your wedding, you don’t want them to go wrong. Its fair enough to email your florist but for a real discussion and a real understanding of what you want, I think you can’t beat a face to face meeting.

Look at their previous work:

Do you like the arrangements they show you in the pictures? Do the pictures look up to date and modern or are they a bit old fashioned? Are they willing to work with you or do they keep saying that your idea is wrong? Are they paying attention to you and seem interested in what you’re saying? Do you feel comfortable with this florist? A gut feeling is always a good indicator. Go with your gut.

Questions to Ask

• Ask if arrangments in the pictures have been done by the person who will be arranging your flowers.
• After giving your florist your ideas, ask for their opinion or ideas. You don't have to take their advice but at least take the time to listen. You never know, you might like their ideas better then your own.
• Additional costs? Delivery charge? Setup costs?
• Will they rent you the vases, mirrors and candles?
• If you change your mind, what is the cut off point for having what you want?
• What times will the flowers be delivered to each location?
• Will the florist transport ceremony decorations to the reception location? Is there a fee?
• Can they make a sample of your bouquet and centrepiece? Some florists will, some won't.
• Will they write you up an itemized quote? Some won't in fear that you will bring it to other florists for a better deal.
• Are the flowers you've chosen in season? What flowers are in season for your date?
• You're on a tight budget, can the florist work with a mixture of silk and fresh flowers?
• Are there any additional or hidden costs?
• Is the florist familiar with your reception and ceremony locations?
• 1 month before your wedding date, call the florist and ask them if they can get the type and colour of flower you wanted?

Things to bear in mind:

If your wedding is, like mine, around a flower time of year such as Valentine’s day, mother’s day and Easter, your flowers will be a bit more expensive.  This can’t be helped. Also, your florist may be a bit busy around this time.

You don’t have to book right away. I took the quotes from the florists I spoke to and compared them to quotes from other florists. This way I felt that I was getting the fairest deal.

If you choose flowers that are out of season and need to be imported from Holland, this will cost you more as it will cost your florist more. I’ve tried booking flowers that are in season for my wedding. Besides, I have chosen to have a spring wedding, why not have spring flowers!

I hope this helps you in your search for a florist. Please feel free to share your experiences and leave a comment below!

Dress Silhouettes

What Shape Will Suit You?

Many girls have dreamed about their wedding dress for years. We catch a glimpse of wedding dresses in the boutiques, our friends get married and we all have an idea of what we want.

It is good for a bride to take a look at wedding dresses and make a list of the things you’d like on your wedding dress, for example: buttons, ties or zips at the back? Chiffon, satin or lace? Sparkles or no sparkles? Sweetheart neckline, square, strapless, rounded, halter neck?

However, and trust me because this is absolutely true, when you start trying the dresses on, your opinion will will change.

Taking all that into account, it’s important to be able to tell the lady in the dress shop the type of dress that you want. Armed with this little bit of information, you will be able to tackle the world of wedding dresses well prepared!

A-Line Silhouette

This classic and simple style flares out from the waist or hip to the ground in the shape of an A. It’s structured and boned, best suited to stiffer fabrics.

Who this dress suits

Everyone! The A-line hides and minimises bums and hips. It is the most universally flattering dress style, the A-line hug the waist and hides everything you don’t want to be seen, creating a slimmer waist line.

Dress tips

When choosing an A-line dress, think about the top half, try to get something that suits you and the dress. Also, long dresses to the floor can make a short person look shorter.

Ball Gown

This is a typical dress shape, usual for wedding dresses. It’s the fairy tale dress! As featured frequently on Big Fat Gypsy Weddings.

It has a fitted bodice, a natural waistline and a full, floor-length skirt.

Who this dress suits

The ball gown shape is really good for brides who will want to add curves and create a fuller bust.

Dress tips

Buy shoes that match with your dress. If you are planning on dancing the night away, then wear heels that will feel comfortable while dancing.

Column/Sheath Dress

This type of dress is very sophisticated. The basic shape of this dress is a column, as it goes straight up and down and gently nips to fit the body. It’s a very versatile dress shape.

Who this dress suits

Generally, very slim brides wear sheath or column dresses however, a lot of dresses are boned and tailored to tuck and squeeze in all the right places.

Dress tips

If you're going for a column wedding dress shape, go for all out glamour with your accessories.

Empire-Line Dress

An empire line appears slightly under the bust, as seen in Jane Austen films. The dress could have different types of skirt, or a ball gown or A-line dress could have an empire line detail. This is a very romantic style of dress.

Who this dress suits

This is a great shape for every woman and really good for showing off a cleavage - even if you don't think you have one!

Dress tips

If you have a large bust and want an empire line, I’d suggest a minimising bra. Also, think of the hair style and accessories you choose to go with your empire dress as this will add to the over all effect of the dress.

Mermaid Dress

A mermaid dress is a bit like a sheath dress but the skirt flares out at the bottom. It’s an elegant cut and can be very flattering. It’s usually off the shoulder, fitted from the bust down to the knee where it flares out.

Who this dress suits

Like the column and sheath dresses, this style of wedding dress generally suits a very slim bride, however with the right cut and style, anyone could look good in a mermaid dress.

Dress tips

The key to wearing a mermaid dress is to get the neckline right and make sure that the curve on the waist and hip is just right.As always, great underwear is an absolute must, so a really good bra which lifts your boobs will do wonders for the mermaid shape dress.

You will probably have a preference of the dress type you would like to wear for your wedding. My advice is to look through magazines or google on the internet and cut out pictures of dresses you like. Show these pictures to the lady in the wedding dress shop and she will help you find the dress that’s right for you. However, be open to trying on dresses she suggests. She will have dressed hundreds of brides and will be able to guide you to your perfect dress.

Flowers

Bouquets

It’s difficult enough to choose your flowers for your wedding, however your bridal bouquet will be the centre piece of your outfit. There are mountains of flowers to choose from, and many different bouquet styles. I’m going to give a quick over view of all the different bouquet types.

Cascade Bouquet

Also known as a tear drop bouquet or a shower bouquet, this is the type of bouquet I’m going to have. It’s also the most expensive type of bridal bouquet, depending on the number and type of flowers you want. A tear drop is a tighter, more shaped bouquet and a shower is a looser flower arrangement. It depends how perfect you want your bouquet to be and which flowers you’ve chosen.

These bouquets became popular in 1910 and got quite exaggerated until the 1930’s when WWII broke out.

This bouquet is best suited to a bride with a big dress. The idea of a bouquet is that you can see the dress behind it. With a small dress, a cascade bouquet would simply swamp it. This bouquet is for the bride who wants an A-line dress, or a ball gown dress, or a dress with a large skirt.

Also, there are only certain flowers that look good in a cascade bouquet. A lot of the flowers used will also have to be wired which adds to the price of the bouquet. Your florist can tell you more about that.

Posy Bouquet

This is your most popular, most traditional arrangement for a wedding. The posy can easily be held in one hand, it is small and round. In general, there are two types of posy, although florists can be very creative. One is a loose, hand tied bouquet that’s fairly unstructured and the other is a formal, wired bouquet where flowers are constructed to make a lighter bouquet.

The natural flowers are then wrapped in ribbon and sometimes detailed with diamantes and the like.

This type of bouquet generally suits a small-ish dress. If you’re a bride who doesn’t want a wedding dress, or has a short wedding dress at the knee, this could be the bouquet for you. It works really well with those 60’s wedding dresses.

Again, only certain flowers will look nice in a posy bouquet. If you speak to your florist they will be able to tell you exactly which flowers will look best.

Nosegay Bouquet

You may be thinking what’s the difference between a nosegay and a posy. Well, I’ll tell you! A posy is just flowers, a nosegay has flowers, herbs and more greenery than other bouquets. It’s not much of a difference but there is one!

Nosegays went very much out of fashion but came back in the 1980’s and I think they are lovely, My bridesmaids will be having tulip nosegays. It’s been reinvented using ribbons and satin and larger arrangements.

A nosegay suits any type of dress, and the herbs and greenery really add a romantic touch to any wedding.

Typically, if you choose a nosegay for yourself and for your bridesmaids, the florist will make your bouquet larger than your bridesmaids’.

Arm Sheaf Bouquet

This is a bouquet that rests in your arms, a bit like a baby would. They became popular in the early 1900’s inspired by bouquets given to actresses.

Only certain flowers look good in these bouquets, flowers with long stems like lilies and irises, daffodils, gladiolus, orchids, long-stemmed roses, delphiniums, and larkspur.

It is a stunning alternative to the traditional style of bouquet, however it is best suited to modern weddings. This type of bouquet only suits a few types of dresses. Usually, brides who have sheath or mermaid dresses tend to go for this type of bouquet.

It is a beautiful style of bouquet, very unique and stands out as a different choice.

Pomander Bouquet

Cute, unique and different, often chosen for flower girls or younger bridesmaids, the pomander is a lovely style of bouquet.

A pomander is a ball of flowers suspended from a pretty ribbon. Some are adorned with a variety of sparkly diamantes and ribbons and look very different.

This sort of bouquet would sort a 60’s style wedding dress, or a fun and different wedding dress. This isn’t the sort of bouquet a bride would have at a traditional wedding but then I believe a bride should choose the bouquet she wants on her special day!

If you have a flower girl or younger bridesmaid, this would be a lovely idea for something different that she could carry.

Which ever bouquet type you decide to choose, remember to consider your wedding colours and choose flowers that you like. Your florist should have heaps of ideas and be ready to give advice where needed.

Leave a comment and let me know which flowers you used in your wedding. How did you choose them?

Booking Your Date

When is the Best Time of Year to Get Married?

It depends what you want from your wedding. If your idea of a perfect wedding is a snow covered winter wedding, everyone wearing luxurious warm clothes, reds and golds and holy and winter flowers, I would suggest that a winter wedding is for you. However, if your idea of a perfect wedding is set on a beech with thong sandals and roasting sunshine then a summer wedding really is the way to go.

However, if you’re not sure when you’d like your wedding to be here are some benefits and draw backs depending on each time of the year.

If you don’t mind what time of year you get married, here are some basic tips for cutting costs:

• The cheapest time of the year to get married is in the off peak season, between October and April, with the exception of Christmas.
• Also, prices go up during school holidays so choosing a wedding date well away from school holidays is a bonus.
• Week days are obviously cheaper than weekends, Sundays cheaper than Saturdays

But it’s not always about money, here are some tips for those of you not sure what time of year to get married.

Spring

Spring weddings are beautiful, bright and full of beautiful flowers. I’m having a spring wedding! Cherry blossom begins to bloom on the trees, the weather starts to warm up after winter and sunny days become more and more frequent, without being too hot.

You may worry that you won’t be able to get the flowers or the colours you want in spring, however there are a wide range of flowers available in spring, including:

• Daffodils
• Bluebells
• Primrose
• Crocus
• And roses are available pretty much all year through

Other reasons for having a spring wedding include a slightly cheaper honeymoon than going in the summer. It is unlikely that other people will have booked your wedding date as most weddings happen during the summer months, so you can be sure you can be fairly you will be able to secure the date you want if you have a spring wedding.

With the men in your wedding dressed up in expensive suits looking gorgeous, the spring weather means that they won’t get too hot and will stay in those suits for as long as possible.

I chose a spring wedding because I thought it might be marginally cheaper for our guests coming from abroad to attend our wedding, and that it would be a bit cheaper for our honeymoon. However, as we are limited by school holidays, it’s not making a lot of difference.

Summer

Bright sunshine, strong wedding colours, gorgeous sunflowers and exotic honeymoons, it’s no wonder that the summer is a very popular choice for weddings. Teachers tend to choose the six weeks holiday for their wedding but July and August have always been popular wedding months.

Reasons for choosing a summer wedding include:

• Chances of a sunny day are more likely (although I’m not sure how true that is with a British summer)
• It’s usually lovely and warm perfect for an outside wedding!
• It’s wedding season!

Beach weddings are more popular during the summer when the weather is warmer, and they are a wonderful, informal way to celebrate your day.

Flowers you can have in the summer include:

• Sunflowers
• Marigolds
• Orchids
• Iris
• Rhododendron
• Delphinium
• Roses, of course
• And many many other flowers

Most of the weddings I’ve been to were during the summer months. They were fabulous! The weather was lovely for all and it was warm enough not to need a coat, and as I was a bridesmaid at two of them, that was a bonus!

In Britain, the weather can’t be guaranteed, but it’s likely that the weather will be better for the summer.

Autumn

Autumn weddings are framed in golden, red and orange colours, sometimes with some very sunny days. I was proposed to amidst golden trees in the middle of autumn and this time of year has always held a special spot in my heart.

Reasons for choosing autumn for your wedding include:

• You are unlikely to have extreme weather, not too hot, not too cold.
• venues are likely to be cheaper, especially after October.

You may think that this is the time that the flowers are starting to die off, but not so! There are many flowers available to an autumn bride including:

• Lily
• Dahlia
• Narcissus (bit like daffodils)
• Snapdragons
• Hydrangeas

Autumn wedding photos could be absolutely amazing with all the autumn colours. Golden colours in the background add a real touch of romance to photos. A good reason for anyone to have an autumn wedding.

Winter

Winter weddings are growing in popularity. These days it’s more and more likely that we will have snow in the winter, and snow makes a stunning back drop to any wedding. Romantic, cosy, full of golden reds and natural greens, winter weddings can be breath taking.

Reasons for having a winter wedding include:

• Breath taking winter colours
• Romantic, cosy winter atmosphere
• No need to worry about the heat (unless your venue is cold)

It is unlikely that your guests will want to go outside, so ensure that with a winter wedding your venue is big enough to keep everyone warm.

You might think that there aren’t many flowers available during the winter, but you’ll be surprised! A good florist will be able to give you the flowers you want, however you may have to pay a little more if you want flowers that are really out of season. Other flowers available in season are:

• Aconite
• Snowdrop
• Viburnam
• And of course, roses!

Roses are a fairly solid and very popular flower that’s available all year round.

Whatever time of year you choose, there are benefits and draw backs to all. But none of these will matter as your day will be fantastic!

Write a comment and tell me what time of year you got married or will get married, and why. I’d like to know what reasons other people have for choosing their wedding date.