A Wonderful Day

Maximise Your Impact (Part Three)

Making your wedding special while saving costs is never easy. But with the tips below, and in part one and part two, you will be able to create a huge impact while saving money.

Happy Snappy

Ask friends and family to snap extra photos for your album, especially in the evening to cut down on the time the official photographer will need to stay.

Regular visitors will know how important I feel photographs are to the successful running of a wedding, After the wedding is over, the only way to remember it clearly in all it's glory, is through the pictures. They are something to share with your children, your grand children, and something to bore all the people at work with!

Keeping Guests Informed

Wedding websites are often free and are a very inexpensive way of giving your guests information about your wedding. Local hotels, times and places, maps and address, wedding websites provide all the information that would otherwise be in the invitations. Some stationers charge quite a bit of money for inserts, this could be an excellent money saving idea!

Hen Do Excitement!

Things Are Getting Organised!

My chief bridesmaid (CB) has been emailing me about my hen do and I’m getting really excited about it!!!!

I think hen do’s are really personal to the bride. Before CB got married, I imaged all hen do’s as mad, wild excuses to get drunk and be incredibly silly for 48 hours.

However, the hen do should fit the bride. If you’re not into getting drunk and being silly, you shouldn’t have to waste your money and your time doing that.

Personally, I would love to let my hair down. I have a job where I can act silly, but I still need to be professional and fairly straight laced. It would be fantastic to let my hair down and go wild for a weekend.

But what is out there for the bride who doesn’t want to get paralytic?

The Spa Break

Relaxing, pampering, calm, a really good girlie weekend, a spa weekend is perfect for the bride who doesn’t want to go wild.

Spa hotels offer a wonderful place to stay while at the same time a pampering holiday!

It will also help you to look relaxed and beautiful for your wedding.

The Great Outdoors

A camping holiday is full of bonding, tent building and chats over the camp fire. If you’re the outdoors type and don’t want a mad hen do, a camping holiday will be a different and memorable trip for your friends.

There are fantastic locations around the whole of the UK, close to home or further afield. Most camp sites have access to bathroom facilities and some have on site entertainment.

Casino Girls

You have been lucky in love, maybe you’ll be lucky at the casino! A night of gambling for you and your girl friends may be just the thing.

A glass of wine, the atmosphere in the casino, feeling lucky and dressed up, you may even win big which will help contribute to wedding costs!

The Orient Express

Take a ride in style on the Orient Express! There are a number of different destinations on the Orient Express, it tours lots of different countries. There are a variety of prices for the trip as well, matching any hen do budget.

The tours of Europe and further afield are amazing, and all meals and accommodation are taken care of on the train.

Farmers Wife Hen Party

Spend an afternoon baking bread, feeding the pigs and collecting eggs! Milk a cow and dance a jig to really lift the spirits of the party. And for the hen - paint her life story on the barn wall - high art meets low gossip! Find your inner rhythm at the bodhrán (Irish drum) class. Take the tractor and trailer through the forest and enjoy an ancient Irish pedicure - walk barefoot in the bog! And after all that activity relax in the best local hotel for a gourmet dinner, nightclub and luxurious night's sleep. Follow this link to find out more.

Women Are the Best Drivers

Be it a tank or a formula one car, or even a go kart, a driving hen do is a lot of fun! It does mean that there won’t be much drinking going on, but donning the safety suits and heading out for a dangerous drive can be a real buzz for any hen party.

A definite consideration for whomever is planning your hen do!

Not a Drinker?

There are a lot of unusual and different hen do choices out there for the bride who isn’t into the drinking and being wild.

I noticed that some hen do arrangements are called ‘sophisticated’. I think it’s important to remember that a bride who doesn’t want to get paralytic isn’t any more sophisticated than one who does (me!), it’s just that everyone has their own way of celebrating and no one way is better than another.

What ever you decide for your hen do, if any of the ideas on this page have help, have a fantastic time!

A Memorable Wedding

Maximise Your Impact (Part Two)

Brides and grooms are often looking for something memorable for their wedding, however budgets don’t always stretch to have high impact extras. Below are some tips on saving money without losing any style and keeping it memorable!

Fabulous Fabric 

Fabric is often a lot cheaper than premade sashes and can look as good!

You can use ribbon to decorate your tables, chairs, flowers and if you’re having a marquee well place ribbon strips can add a dash of colour in all the right places.

Creative Favours

Get creative with your favours. Guests love the personal touch; a stone with the guest’s name on it, cupcakes, cookies, a special thank you card, guests really appreciate the time it takes to thank them for attending.

Shabby Chic

Antique shops are great places to find unique, quirky vases for your table centres.

You could even source some interesting glass bottles which create a really nice effect at a simple summer wedding.

Guests love these quirky details to weddings, and they make fantastic photo opportunities.

Personalised Table Plans

I am going to make our table plans, firstly to save costs, but also so that I can personalise it to our wedding. We are naming out tables after streets in Ankh Morpork, a city in the popular fantasy novels by Terry Pratchett. They are my absolute favourite novels and h2b has let me bring my favourite novels into our wedding!

You can personalise your table plan any way you like! Guests will love to see photos of you and your h (he won’t be 2b at that point!) incorporated into your plan. A lot of couples are naming tables after the years they’ve been together, which gives guests a little insight into your relationship.

Lovely Lottery

A lovely touch to weddings, and affordable wedding favours, are scratch cards or lottery tickets.

Your guests can share in the joy and excitement of your special day while at the same time having the chance to win the big bucks!

The only problem is that if they do win, you won’t get a share!

Savvy Saves!

More posts coming soon! To see the previous post, click here.

An Amazing Day

Maximise Your Impact (Part One)

While planning a wedding, couples are always looking for ways to save money and at the same time creating a memorable day. Below are some suggestions on how to make it memorable, cut costs and create style!

Get Organised

I have had two and a half years to plan my wedding, thanks to me being a student, and that has spread the cost across the time. It has also given us a long time to save up and pay for things gradually. While I’m a bit fed up of waiting for the wedding (270 days to go!!), it does mean that we are now in a position where everything is booked!

Any problems that arise can be easily sorted out because of all the time we have to sort things! I would completely recommend brides to have a long engagement, but perhaps not as long as mine!

Copy Wills and Kate

One of the main talking points of the Wills and Kate engagement was the ring.

Using a family heirloom will mean much more to you than a new gem and it will remind you of the family that couldn’t be there with you.

Wait for the Sale

In this economic climate, sales are more than once a year. If you keep your eyes peeled for the bridal shop sales, you might be able to pick up a fantastic dress for a bit less.

I started looking for my dress in April which just happened to be sale time at Francesca’s and I was able to buy my dress for 20% less than in another bridal shop! Bonus!

A Little DIY

You could make your own invitations! My sister-in-law took a week off work to make all their invitations for their wedding, plus matching stationary. I thought they looked fantastic and really followed the theme of their wedding.

Home made wedding invitations add a personal touch to your wedding, and your guests will appreciate the time and care it took to make them.

Hackney Carriage

Traditional black cabs are available in most cities and are classic ways to travel. Instead of fancy classic cars or an overpriced limousine, consider hiring several black cabs for you and your guests.

Settle Your Debts!

If you are able to pay off the big costs (the dress, the venue, the church/ceremony venue) early then you will have a better idea of how much money you have left for the smaller items, such as gifts or favours.

Keep a spread sheet (how unromantic but really useful) to keep track of all your out goings. I’m useless with money but I’m maintaining the spread sheet for our wedding and I’m keeping a good eye on what we’re spending.

Savvy Brides

More posts will follow soon!

Budget Buds

Achieving Fantastic Flowers on a Small Budget

Savvy Saves!

Rule #1

Be honest with your florist. Be clear with what you want but be definite with your budget. If your budget is tight, be aware that some expensive and out of season flowers may not be viable. However, a good, creative florist will be able to create beautiful arrangements regardless of budget.

Rule #2

Plan out your budget! Plan to spend about 60% of your floral budget on your table centres and remember vase prices. Try to spend 25% on bouquets and buttonholes, and 15% on the ceremony. You may be lucky that your ceremony venue will only require a voluntary contribution to the flowers, depending on the time of year, so you could redirect those funds.

Rule #3

Go seasonal! Work with your florist to choose flowers that are in season. Roses tend to cost the same whatever the season but flowers like tulips, gerberas and others will be more expensive depending on the time of the year.

Rule #4

Be aware of hidden costs. Ask your florist for a complete quote, including delivery and set up costs, and the costs of hiring any extras like plates or mirrors.

Rule #5

Don’t get wired! Wired flowers take more time to prepare and are subsequently more expensive than hand tied flowers.

Rule #6

Bouquet or corsage?
If bouquets for your bridal party are too expensive, consider corsages or flower accessories for bags or hair. Bridesmaids look lovely walking down the aisle with their flower accessories and don’t always require a bouquet that will only get left on a table by the evening.

Budget Buds

Flowers are quite expensive, as I’ve found out, but it is possible to get beautiful arrangements if you are flexible on the flowers. More foliage and in season flowers look wonderful, smell great and make a good photographic impact!

I have lots of posts about flowers including bouquets, knowing the name of your style, tips on choosing your florist and must ask questions.

Drastic Action

Going Under the Knife for Your Wedding

With the pressure on brides to look their best for their weddings, more and more brides are resorting to plastic surgery to perfect their looks.

From boob jobs to botox, brides are splashing out to get the to look their absolute best for their perfect wedding photos.

The Cost

For many brides, the cost makes any cosmetic surgery completely impossible, but for others the cost is only something to aim for.

Below are the average costs for several procedures.

Breast Enlargement	£3,400 - £5,000
Breast Reduction	£3,700 - £5,500
Breast Up-lift	£3,250 - £5,500
Ear Correction	from £2,800
Eyelids	£2,850 - £3,600
Face lift	£4,200 - £5,800
Liposuction	£1,550 - £5,000
Rhinoplasty	£3,000 - £4,000
Abdominoplasty	£3,800 - £5,200
Veneers	£300 - £1500 each

The Benefits

Many brides wish to look their best on their wedding day, and with a little work on areas where you feel a little insecure (mine are my tummy and arms) this would certainly be possible.

Often, with only a little change, the boost to your confidence can make the biggest change to your look.

Obviously, the benefits of cosmetic surgery are that you will theoretically look better than you did before.

For women with very large breasts who would like a breast reduction, cosmetic surgery can mean a new lease of life, an end to back pain and an enhanced quality of life.

With wedding photographers costing anything between £400 – £4000, it is understandable that brides want to look their best in their photos for years to come.

The most popular procedures for brides are botox, boob jobs and liposuction.

The Risks

The cosmetic industry do list the benefits of cosmetic surgery as being a boost to self confidence, self esteem and self image. However, it is medical websites that list the risks.

There are a lot of risks with procedures going wrong, of patients being allergic to the chemicals used in the procedure and of a bad reaction once the procedure is finished.

The biggest risk in cosmetic surgery is with scaring from a procedure, such as a boob reduction or enlargement.

Bleeding, infection and hematomas are possible after surgery, but if these complications are caught early on they can usually be treated. Nerve damage is a serious complication that people considering plastic surgery must be aware of.

Cutting Down on the Risks

Before you undergo plastic surgery it is important to have blood tests and a physical done to ensure that you are a good candidate for surgery. In addition you should make sure to look into the procedure you are considering and learn about the risks involved so that you can be as prepared inside and out for your transformation.

It is important to check that a surgeon has all the appropriate certificates and qualifications to perform cosmetic surgery. First, check online that your surgeon is registered with the General Medical Council (GMC), or you can call 0845 357 3456.

"Preferably, you need to find someone with a surgical qualification, who's registered in the UK, and ideally has a specialist qualification in plastic surgery," says Professor Simon Kay, vice president of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons.Whatever qualifications your surgeon has, you should always ask about their experience in doing the procedure you want.

A surgeon who has the letters 'FRCS (Plast)' after their name is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and has passed specialist exams in plastic surgery. They're trained to carry out all kinds of cosmetic surgery.

Other narrower specialist surgical areas that would be appropriate to specific areas of cosmetic surgery are:

• FRCS (GenSurg): specialist fellowship in general surgery.
• FRCS (OMFS): specialist fellowship in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
• FRCS (Otol): specialist fellowship in otolaryngology (for ear, nose and throat surgery).
• FRCS (ORL): specialist fellowship in otorhinolaryngology (head and neck/facial plastic surgery).
  

Questions to Ask

The Royal College of Surgeons advises that if you are thinking about having cosmetic surgery, ask a surgeon the following questions:

• How many years' experience do you have in the procedure I'm interested in? How many similar operations do you perform each week?
• Do you think that what I want to achieve from surgery is realistic?
• Could there be anything in my medical history that would affect the surgery?
• What will happen during the operation and what anaesthetic will be used?
• How long will I stay in hospital?
• Will there be any pain or any stitches and how long is the recovery time?
• How long will the results last?
• How much will it cost?
• Who will be doing the operation?
• What are the risks?

Any Alternatives?

Botox
An alternative to botox could be a fantastic and rejuvenating skin regime that makes your skin feel fresh and new. If you start your skin regime early enough, the benefits can be long lasting.

Liposuction/Abdominoplasty
Marks and Spencer's (and other chains) make fantastic granny pants (my official name) which tug and pull and tuck you in, in all the right places! With full body suits that even squeeze your arms to make them appear slimmer, it is a cheaper and much healthier way to look slimmer than surgery.

Breast Enlargement
Instead of having the implants inside your breasts, many bras come with gel pads to increase the appearance of cleavage and to encourage the breasts upwards in a very attractive way. Again, much cheaper than surgery and a lot less permanent.

Personally?

For me, the cost of cosmetic surgery makes it prohibitive so it’s not really an option. However, if I could afford it I would consider having my stomach, arms and thighs done. I would need more information from a doctor and would want a consultation before I seriously considered anything.

I know that my bridesmaids would be very cross at me for even considering surgery, but they’re a lot slimmer than I am!

My wedding day is the last day I would want to feel insecure about my body so I am doing my best to eat healthily and take regular exercise.

It is important to remember that whatever the benefits of cosmetic surgery, the healthiest and most beneficial way to get the body you want is to eat healthily and exercise every day. The changes to your body will last through your wedding day into the rest of your life and keep you healthy in your old age!