The Bride is Always Late: Irish Wedding Blog from WeddingDates.ie » Wedding Resources

9 Things To Remember For Your Italian Wedding

ClaireB — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:00:15 +0000

1. Budget

Your budget will most likely be more for a destination wedding than for a traditional home based wedding. Can you afford this additional expense? Your guest’s budgets also need to be taken into consideration. Can they afford to travel to an overseas location? Ultimately you need to decide if the destination or the people are more important.

2. Language

Language in a foreign country can be a problem, especially if English isn’t the first language. You will need to make sure that your wedding planner has a fluent grasp of English to ensure that all the arrangements they are making will run smoothly. You will also need to budget for interpreters if you will be using local officiants for your service.

3. wedding planners

It is highly recommended that you get a wedding planner who is based in the country you wish to get married in. As accessible as everything and everybody is via the Internet, Social Media and Email, from experience we know that our brides reduced their stress significantly when they worked with local wedding planners. Speak to our very own Ornella Giuliano if you have any questions.

4. Traditions

Do not assume that all weddings are the same everywhere. In most cases they differ significantly from country to country. It is important to ask your wedding planner about these differences so that you can decide if you want to include them in your own plans or if you want to keep to your own cultural practices. If you choose to keep to your own traditions then you need to explain these to the people who are working with you to plan your day.

5. Accommodation

When weddings happen locally, accommodation is only a concern for those travelling from abroad. These guests are in the minority in most cases. When you have a destination wedding, it is the opposite. Everyone needs accommodation. Check that your Italian wedding venue can accommodate everyone or that there is accommodation in the nearby vicinity.

6. The Decor

DIY weddings are very popular nowadays and involve the transport and creation of a lot of very personalised wedding decor. Take into consideration how these will be transported to the destination or if they will be made on site. Both options have budget implications. Make sure that you can work within your budget.

7. The Dress

You will need to transport your wedding dress as well as all the clothing for the bridal party. These clothing items are generally fragile and need to be handled with care. Will this cost you more? Have you taken these costs into account. Consider using a wedding storage box.

8. A civil ceremony

Every country has it’s own wedding laws that need to be followed. Will your wedding be recognised in your own country once you return? Does it make sense to have a civil ceremony in a registry office in your home country to ensure the formalities are in place before heading abroad? Read up about civil ceremonies via Citizens Information and the Register Office to ensure that you know what is involved.

9. Have fun

There is something especially unique and beautiful about having a destination wedding. Soak up the surprises you discover along the way and don’t be too rigid in your planning. Allow the culture you find yourself in to surprise you.

{Image by Dimitra Tzanos.}

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Don’t Forget The Groom! Creative Ways To Include Him…

guest — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:00:14 +0000

So, you are busy with your wedding planning, the hen party is organised, the bridesmaids are helping out and everything is falling into place.

Out of the blue your Husband-to-Be announces that he would like his favourite song played at the reception and his cousin to be an usher at the ceremony.
How dare he?
Does he not realize that for months (maybe even years) you have been planning your wedding day?
You have everything under control. You have dreamt of your wedding day. After all, it is your wedding. Right? Wrong! The wedding is about two people; the bride and the groom.

There are lots of ways to get your Husband-to-Be involved in the planning:
Is your groom creative? Perhaps he will have great ideas on making your wedding “extra special” and personal?
Is your groom a “foodie”? Perhaps he has some ideas on your wedding reception meal.
Is your groom good with budgets? Ask him to keep track of everything. (Or maybe not!)
Is he a wine connoisseur? Ask him to handle this aspect of the wedding.
Give your groom some groom power. It is a website full of tips on speech writing, honeymoon planning, stag parties and lots lots more!

Also, why not plan a surprise for him?

There are so many ways in which you can surprise your groom on your wedding day.

Have a look at Mini Me. These handcrafted cake toppers are guaranteed to raise a smile & impress your new husband! Make a model of you and your husband that you can keep for life.

Visit Salingers. They offer a made-to-measure service for formal wear, which means that your groom can have a suit made for his wedding – one that he likes, feels comfortable in and can wear again!

Ask the hotel or caterers can they serve his favourite dessert on your wedding day?

Write a poem about your time together – he will never forget it!

Put a playlist together for the DJ of the groom’s favourite songs.

The most important thing is that both you and your groom relax and enjoy your wedding day. So if this means that the groom has an official photograph for the wedding album with the football team, so be it.
Allow him the pleasure of wearing his converse comfy shoes!

It’s his day too, make sure he knows it!

{Post by Karen Buchanan from Weddings With Karen Buchanan. She is a regular blogger for Wedding Dates and sure knows how to plan an incredible event. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook. Image by Steve Rideout.}

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Budgets and Weddings

guest — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:15:55 +0000

Budgets and Weddings: two words we don’t like hearing together when planning our wedding.

Your wedding budget is one of the first things to do. It is hugely important and forces you both to ask lots of questions and think about your wedding day.

When planning your budget consider:
• What are your financial circumstances and are they likely to change?
• Are you in a position to save for your wedding? Consider your mortgage/rent? Car loan repayments to make?
• Are your parents contributing to the wedding?
• How many guests would you like to invite? Will your parents have an additional guest list that you may not have considered?
• Would you like your wedding in a castle, a hotel, or a foreign destination?
• How much do you want to spend on your wedding? (sometimes it’s easier to think of what you don’t want to spend!)
• What’s important? Where do you see yourself spending the most? And the least? You dress? Your flowers?

Be realistic when drawing up your budget. If you would like your dream wedding in a castle, can you really afford it? Try not to build up your hopes as this may lead to disappointment. Be realistic with what you can afford and what the wedding suppliers can provide you with, for your budget.

There are some great tools available for keeping your wedding budget in line. The National Consumer Agency website have a great wedding budget calculator.

Unplanned Expenses and Extras:

There will be costs coming up to the wedding that you may not have considered. Do you need to buy suitcases for honeymoon? Do your passports need to be renewed? Presents for the page boy, a tip for the hotel staff at your reception, vaccinations for your honeymoon, hair and beauty treatments in the months before the wedding.

Also, bear in mind that there may be lots of shopping trips in the run up to the wedding. You pop into town, try on a dress and purchase because you are getting married! I have met brides and their wardrobes are bursting at the seams by the time they married!

DIY as a budget saver:

Wedding Chicks have super ideas to add personal DIY touches to your wedding that don’t have to cost the earth. Ask your bridesmaids for help! Just because you are sticking to a budget doesn’t mean you can’t add your personality to the wedding.

Keep an eye here on Wedding Dates for features and offers for you and your budget.

{Karen Buchanan is a regular blogger for Wedding Dates. She writes extensively about wedding planning and wedding resources. She runs her own company ‘Weddings with Karen Buchanan‘. You can connect with her on Twitter and Facebook. Image CC: Ken Teegardin}

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The White Event: Calling All Brides-To-Be

ClaireB — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:39:41 +0000

Calling All Brides-To-Be!

Brosnan Photographic and The Bridal Lounge have teamed up to bring you The White Event. The White Event is a fresh concept in wedding inspiration and education.

This event will bring together brides and vendors with the same goal – to create unique, fun, non traditional weddings. We believe every wedding should be beautiful and above all personal to the couple getting married.

The White Event will be an intimate evening of inspiration, banter, and tasty treats. We’ve invited along some fab ladies in the wedding industry who will be speaking on current trends, ideas, and giving helpful tips for your big day.

Here’s our guest speaker lineup:
Ciara O’Halloran (Style Serendipity) – Ciara will be sharing her personal experience of breaking away from a traditional wedding.
Naoise McNally (One Fab Day) – Naoise is going to give us tips on finding the right vendors to suit your budget and style.
Jemma Cassidy (Hip Hip) – Jemma will be spilling the beans on all the latest trends from the states and helping us find our inspiration.
Deirdre Hynes (Ruby & Bloom) – Deirdre will be giving her planning and styling tips to help you create a personal and individual wedding.

If that isn’t enough we’ll be styling the event to perfection to add extra inspiration and get your creative juices flowing. We like to think of it as a ‘mini wedding’ and you’ll be our guest! Our fab vendors include Pretty as a Picture, Cloudberry Bakery, Me Auld China, Dirty Fabulous, Best of Buds Florists, and many more.

What you’ll get from The White Event is:

new ideas
ways to create and communicate your vision
a relaxed evening of sharing

There will be open discussions and time to chat with the creative vendors involved.

Date: Tuesday the 24th of April. 18:30 to 21:30.
Place: The Back Loft Studio at La Catedral on Saint Augustine Street in Dublin.
Reason for The White Event: The alternative wedding industry took America by storm and it’s slowly making it’s way overseas. We’ve seen a need to help brides find their inspiration and create something totally original. We’re here to help you find ways of creating what you’re seeing abroad in a way that can be translated on Irish soil with Irish weather for Irish couples.
RSVP: As we’d like to create a relaxed evening there is a limited 24 spots available. Seats are €20 per person. You can register by emailing Christina or call her on 0863047444.

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We Love Style Serendipity, You Will Too

ClaireB — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:00:02 +0000

A few minutes in Ciara’s presence and you will definitely want to get to know her better. We asked her 10 questions and were delighted with the answers she gave:

1. Inside your office, what happens that is magical?

My office is currently wherever I end up with my trusty mac, which
definitely varies day to day! Finding beauty in the most unexpected things
and translating them into a blog post or inspiration board is where the
magic starts happening for me. Getting to make those ideas a reality at a
shoot or real wedding has to be one of the most satisfying, exciting and
magical aspects of it all though.

2. Tea or coffee in the morning?

I’m typically Irish when it comes to my daily tea habit, but if I happened to
live with a barista, I imagine my penchant for cappuccinos would be a full-
blown addiction!

3. Do you know what passion is? Do you feel in it in your work?

Passion, to me is losing your self in something for hours, without noticing a
second has passed by. It should light up your day and make you feel alive,
motivated and excited about your world and what it contains. I’m so lucky
that what I get to do on a daily basis fills me with this energy.

Not everyone knows exactly what it is that gives them this feeling, but once
you find it, be sure to grab it with both hands and pursue it!

4. What bores you to the point of yawning?

Admin! I know it’s a necessary aspect of every job, but doing figures and
paper work has never been the highlight of my week.

5. We like the quirky factor at Wedding Dates. Your blog tells me that
you do too. Tell me about some of the recent things you have seen
that you absolutely loved?

I’m so excited by the creativity and personality that Irish couples are
starting to bring to their wedding day. No else in the world is like you and
your loved one so I think it’s so important to celebrate your love in a way
that’s authentic and a true reflection of who you are.

I attended Joy Thigpen’s wedding styling workshop in Georgia recently and
her way of looking at the world through moods, values and emotions really
resonated with me. She also has an innate talent for expressing these
values through colour and texture.

In terms of specific trends, I’m intrigued by the creative ceremony
backdrops couples are starting to embrace as an alternative to the
traditional alter. I’m also a fan of the idea of a having a whole variety of
mini cakes, instead of one big wedding cake, and the natural free flowing
forms of flower arrangements and bouquets that are starting to appear.

6. If I was to whisper to someone about you, what would they whisper
back to me?

That I like to think I can do it all- blogger, musician, stylist, teacher….not to
mind wife, daughter and friend.

7. I am a fan of string theory. Word is you play on them? Tell me more
miss.

I’m not sure my experience of string theory is quite as compelling or
informative as that of particle physics, but I have been lucky enough to
play the violin since I was four years old!

My mum is a cellist, so music has been part of my world for as long as I
can remember. In my average working week as a violin teacher, I get to
make music with students from as young as three years old, all the way to
university and adult students.

Playing music for weddings with my string quartet Sound of Serendipity is
quite a special experience. We get to be part of the emotional memories of
the day and I know hearing the pieces we play will transport a couple back
to those significant moments years later.

8. My home is full of stuffs that I have found in scrapyards and in
abandoned buildings. Can I find such things in your marketplace
too?

I would love for the marketplace to become a treasure trove of items that
people can use as part of their wedding day. It’s a free listing service for
couples to buy and sell used dresses, décor, and accessories for styling
a wedding with character. Ideally things that could either be used in their
home after the event, or be sold on to be shared with other engaged
couples.

I think often Irish people are turned off doing something a little bit different
with the styling of their wedding day, as they either can’t get the items they
need or if they can, it’s really expensive. I hope the preloved marketplace
will give people a space to find beautiful, unusual and special items to
decorate their day and also find their dream dress, shoes or accessories at
a budget friendly price.

So if there’s anyone out there with beautiful wedding items that they would
like to sell, this could be the perfect place for you.

9. What makes you the Ciara that we love?

I hope I have put a bit of myself in Style Serendipity, the bit that says
aesthetics with substance are a valuable and important form of expression.
I hope that people are inspired by what they see, not necessarily to
recreate it like for like, but instead to become open the creative potential
that a one of a kind event, like a wedding, can give. I’d like for it to be a
space where people can dream big and if they need any help making the
styling a reality, I’d be delighted to play a role in that too.

10. I’m hungry Ciara, what are you having for dinner this eve?

Sticking to the old (and quick!) reliables tonight, chicken stir fry with plenty
of fresh crunchy veggies.

If you have enjoyed Ciara as much as we have, connect with her:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

{Image Credits: Christina Brosnan, Jose Villa, Martha Stewart Weddings, Elizabeth Messina, Rian O’Dwyer and Anna Naphtali.}

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Finding The Perfect Wine: How To

ClaireB — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:01:36 +0000

It’s important to have just the right wine for a wedding. Nothing complements a fine meal as much as the perfect bottle of wine. Special wines make special weddings. On the other hand, the wrong wine can practically ruin the meal. That is why it’s critical to spend the time to find the wine that brings the meal together.

Don’t count on hear-say. Pursue the matter by attending a wine tasting. It makes sense to sample the options if you want to enhance the flavors of your meal. There are two basic rules to use for choosing a wine:

1. Red wines go better with heartier, heavier meats like beef, veal and pork. The complex flavors in a red wine are more evident with more savory foods.

2. White wines work better with lighter meats like chicken, fish and seafood. Their delicate flavors balance beautifully.

Buy the best wine the budget can stand. See if it’s possible to return any unopened bottles. If the liquor store won’t accept returns, use the extra bottles as presents. Hardly anybody’s going to complain about a red wine gift. A local liquor store is more likely to give a sweetheart price by the case.

Knowing The Basics:

• When taste-testing wines, try five red wines and five white wines. Include some low and high priced options, so you can compare what you’re getting for the dollar.
• If it’s desirable to have something bubbly, pick a nice sparkling wine instead of champagne. Sparkling wines are a great deal. Nobody will know the difference or ask the cost of the wine.

• Pick a wine that people are familiar with, like a chardonnay or merlot. It’s not your job to educate your guests. Give them something they already know and love.
• Don’t be afraid to look outside the US. Believe it or not, it can actually be cheaper to buy imported wines from places like Argentina or Sicily.
• Check out the wines offered by the catering hall. It could be cheaper to go with a better house wine than to pay corking fees for wine that you bring to the wedding.

A wedding happens once in a lifetime. Make sure the wine is as perfect as the rest of the celebration by taste-testing and following the advice of a professional!

{Brandon Gray works part time for a wine delivery company and has a personal affection for wines and food. What appears to be missing in wine writing is the personal attachment to wine in one’s writing – the soul, the desire to not just drink a glass of it but maybe drown the whole bottle because it tastes so good to the meal one made for himself / herself. Isn’t that, what wine should really be about? The desire of tasting something that gives you an instant feeling of being taken either to Tuscany enjoying the fabulous grapes and cherry notes while eating classical Spaghetti, or to French Riviera wearing your big shades while sitting in a restaurant at the boardwalk being all tied up with yourself and the glass of Bordeaux Chateau de Selle and Chateau de Saint-Martin in Taradeau.}

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Make The Morning of The Wedding Fun with Ring Pillow Diva

ClaireB — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 07:00:59 +0000

Ring Pillow Diva are now offering all manner of fab products that help you add sparkle and personality to your wedding: lose the stress of having to source these items and let the Diva do the work for you.

On the morning of the wedding, all the girls get together to have hair and make up done. An upcoming trend is to have the bridal party wrapped in Wedding bathrobes, that also make an ideal gift for your bridesmaids and a wonderful, long lasting keepsake for the proud mother of the Bride & Groom.

The bathrobes are available in Egyptian cotton and Waffle cotton and can be personalised to your wedding party. Bride, Bridesmaid, Mother of the Bride etc. The embroidery thread colour can be chosen to match your wedding colour scheme.

Wedding shoes painful by the time dinner comes around? Why not opt for a sparkling wedge heel Flip flop to dance the night away, These are ideal as the height ensures your gown doesn’t trail as you mingle with your guests. These are also ideal for your honeymoon if you are heading to a warmer destination.

We are now specialising in gift hampers for the house of the Bride and the Groom, ready for the morning of the wedding.

Grooms Hamper can include:

Bathrobes for the Groom, Best Man and Mother of the Groom
Wedding socks for the men in the wedding
Funky Cuff links for the men in the wedding party
Wedding Crew T-shirts for the men to wear for the morning shave/haircut
Ring Security T-shirts for the Best Man and page boy
Under New Management T-shirt for the morning after the wedding
Hip flask for the Father of the Groom and groomsmen

Brides Hamper can include:

Bathrobes for the Bride, Bridesmaid, Flower Girl and Mother of the Bride
Wedding Socks & Hip flask for the Father of the Bride
Wedge Heel Crystal Flip Flops for dancing later that night
Bride & Bridesmaid Tote Bags

Also, let the ceremony shine with some of the new ways of marking your walk up the aisle: from Silver Rose Ring Holders to personalised ‘Here Comes the Bride’ banners .

Contact Tracie or find Ring Pillow Diva on Facebook to see some of these unusual products that are sure to make your day memorable.

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Choosing Wedding Colours and Themes: 3 Useful Sources

ClaireB — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 07:00:08 +0000

Your mother in-law wants one colour. You want something else. Your groom has his say and then your mother gives her two cents too. How about consulting a few sources as a starting point:

1. Pinterest
This is a virtual pinboard where people pin up all their favourite things. The various pinboards might not be related to weddings but just strolling through the categories and various boards will get you thinking about themes and colours.

2. Flickr
Flickr has thousands of groups that will get your creativity flowing. Use the link above as a starting point and dig deeper from there. You will be amazed at what you find along the way.

3. Compfight
Compfight is a Creative Commons search tool but you can use it in a unique way for your wedding. By typing in a colour you can bring up multiple search results with images that have been tagged with that colour. The images will not only provide decor inspiration but they will give you a good idea of complimentary colours and also hues that clash.

Happy colour hopping… you might just lose yourself in the colour spectrum!

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Pearly Whites for your Wedding Day

Ciara Crossan — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:30:00 +0000

One of the perks of this job it has to be said is that some businesses offering services to wedding couples ask me to try it out for myself so I can relate to what our brides and grooms to be are going through. Well, this month I got my teeth whitened to try out this relatively new phenomenon of everyone wanting that “hollywood smile”.

Dennehys Cross Dental offers this service and are in huge demand not only with wedding couples, but also with mothers of the bride, bridesmaids and groomsmen and even wedding guests – everyone wants to look their best at the wedding!

The treatment in Dennehys Cross Dental is called Solus Pro which is a “light activated enahancement whitening process that lightens discoloration of the enamel and dentin.” What does that mean? Basically they put a gel on your teeth and point a bright light towards your teeth for 3 sessions of 10 minutes each, one after the other.

All in all,you’ll be there for about an hour, between the 5-10 minutes prep and the treatment itself. Some patients say they experience some sensitivity, but (thankfully!) I didn’t get anything more than a little tingling. For 24/48 hours after the treatment, you are suppossed to have a “white diet” – ie, no red wine or strong curries etc.

Rest assured, you are not going to come out looking like Simon Cowell afterwards, people won’t need to put on shades to talk to you! If you take a look at the before and after photos, you can see the difference that the treatment made – I was delighted with the results!

Depending on your diet, if you get this treatment done it should last about a year or a year and a half. So, great value at the €199 cost!

To find out more about teeth whitening and to book your appointment, go to Dennehys Cross Dental Care >>

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White Vintage Wedding Inspiration: Think Creatively For Your Day!

ClaireB — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 07:00:08 +0000

Your day needs to reflect you. Use this gallery as an inspiration board to get you thinking out of the box.

white vintage wedding inspiration for weddingdates.ie, a gallery on Flickr.

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