Adam Anderson, Chief Commercial Officer at The Fragrance Shop reveals the notes that will knock the socks off your spouse on the big day.
Our sense of smell is powerful, which is why the fragrance we choose to wear can have such a huge impact on the way people view us, form first impressions and define us to others. This is never more important than on your wedding day.
If you’re getting married soon, there’s a good chance that your mum will be by your side every step of the way. Mums are often integral to wedding planning; from the moment you announce the news to the time you say I do. Yet many wedding traditions are still geared towards the father/child relationship. With Mother’s Day in March, we’re throwing the spotlight on all the special mums out there. And with the help of expert wedding planner Liz Taylor, we’ve outlined some lovely ideas about how to honour your mum at your wedding day.
Borrow something from her wedding
Couples wanting to exchange their vows in the boughs can do just that, courtesy of the luxury treehouses at a County Durham hotel.
Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa on the outskirts of Durham has just unveiled its multi-million pound creation – three luxury treehouses which are the epitome of opulent accommodation.
And along with being the perfect location for a get-away-from-it-all break, the new treehouses are also now licensed for intimate weddings.
The treehouses are perfect for anyone who just wants a small wedding party – or even just the couple themselves – of up to 30 guests who can enjoy the unique surroundings.
Historic Royal Palaces has announced that the world-famous Tower of London - one of six venues cared for by the independent charity – is now licensed to host weddings and civil partnerships following sustained demand from both UK and international couples to get married at the popular World Heritage Site.
The Botanist, known for being leading drinks innovators, have announced the launch of their new cocktail collection, with an alcohol free selection. To celebrate, they’ve given us some at-home cocktail recipes for you to enjoy on your wedding day!
The first cocktail to be launched is a twist on the signature cocktail, The Botanist, and is served in a crystal cut glass with crushed ice:
The Botanist (alcoholic)
What you’ll need:
I’m sure you’ve seen them before, those tiny little blue bear gummies that are used by all the biggest celebs on Instagram! The Kardashians and Jenners absolutely love these vitamins, but have you ever wondered what they do and how they can help you?
Our social media marketer, Jane Davis, was recently sent a 2 month supply of Sugarbearhair gummies - so if you’re looking to boost your hair health before the big day, read her review of the cute, famed gummies below…
SugarBearHair gummies are an easy-to-use, vegetarian vitamin complex designed to help with hair and nail growth, strength and shine. They have a natural berry flavour and are free of artificial sweeteners and flavours.
In the run up to your big day and honeymoon, it’s well worth considering your hair removal options as part of a fuss free beauty regime, and one less thing to worry about as your prepare for a busy time in your life.
Peter Mcguinness from innovative laser hair removal brand Primelase has given us the low down on all things hair removal, to help you decide which is the best option for your wedding day!
Laser Removal
This high-tech method uses light to actually destroy the follicle, leaving you with fuzz-free skin.
Developing your own D.I.Y. flower displays is the perfect way to add a special touch to your wedding day and the brand new Forever Flowerz from Craft Buddy are an amazing cost-effective solution to more traditional floral decorations, allowing you to create your own features that will never wilt.
The Forever Flowerz kits come with everything you need to make incredible flowers in simple, easy to follow steps that will have you mastering the skill in no time turning you into a green fingered flower making machine! Here are a few examples of the ways you can use them for your wedding day:
A good night’s sleep is just what you need to look and feel your best on your wedding day. But how can you make sure you get enough rest? Phil Lawlor, Sleep Expert at Dormeo, offers his advice for soon-to-be-weds looking to get their forty winks.
After all the planning, organising, and last-minute jobs, the night before your wedding can be one of the most restless that you’ll ever experience. Whether it's down to pure excitement, sheer anxiety, or just being in a strange environment, losing sleep before your wedding day is all too common.
Wedding speeches, who’d give them? They wreck your nerves; you study endlessly beforehand and sometimes (don’t say it out loud) they’re not good. However, tradition is still routinely followed and that means the groom, father of the bride and the best man are usually the ones taking the mic to share outrageous anecdotes, flatter the bride and attempt to make the crowd laugh.
Over the last few years, with a noticeable renaissance in the rise of feminism, perhaps spiking after Meghan Markle took the mic at her own wedding, women are now delivering bride speeches.
Throughout history, humans have always painted their faces, and what could reasonably be the birth of modern cosmetics began around 7,000 years ago in ancient Egypt. Cleopatra used lipstick made from ground carmine beetles, and the more mortal Egyptian women used clay mixed with water to colour their lips.
But why do we wear makeup? And how did it come about? And it’s not just the women — increasingly, men are putting it on too. Let’s explore the reason behind humankind’s obsession with what is essentially face-paint, among other things.
When you are planning a wedding, no matter how organised you are even the best laid plans and budget can easily fly out of the window if you don’t take control. Having been involved with two family weddings recently, I soon realised how many similarities there are between business and weddings.
Here are some top tips learned from years helping companies applied to the serious work of wedding planning!
1. Have a Vision
Just as you have to set your commercial horizon and think through what you want your business to be – do the same for your wedding. What do you want it to look like, the feeling to be, the memories you will have? Make sure you communicate it clearly to family and friends.
Wedding planner Rianna Elizabeth has been in the industry for the past decade and has experience organising lavish weddings in Florence and Paris through to smaller, intimate affairs in London.
With the start of Spring just a few weeks away, we’ll soon be entering wedding season.
Planning the perfect day can be a daunting prospect for some people. But regardless of your budget and whether the task excites you or slightly intimidates you, a few useful pointers from those in the know can never go amiss,
Many of the weddings that we plan are either destination weddings or weddings that are far enough away that guests spend the night in a hotel. We have found that a really lovely and personal touch to treat guests who travel from both near and far is to surprise them with a welcome bag upon arrival to wherever they are staying. It really sets the tone for the wedding and kicks the weekend off on a positive, cheerful note! They are a great way to say “Hello! We’re delighted to have you celebrate with us.” As well as little treats, the welcome bags contain useful information about the celebration and the local area.
With your Big Day fast approaching, it’s time to add those all-important final touches. Assuming you have the dress, shoes and make-up sorted, there’s one last accessory that will ensure you wow on your big day… body confidence.
Barreworks classes are designed to work out your whole body with low impact, high intensity movements that help to lift bottoms, trim thighs and define arms. Because classes promote increased muscle mass and metabolic rate, you’ll even burn calories at rest.
Planning your wedding is one of the most exciting times of your life – trying on dreamy wedding dresses, sampling extravagant wedding cakes and picking out beautiful flowers…there are so many amazing moments. But it can also get pretty stressful. From deciding who makes the guestlist to staying on budget to agreeing on seating plans, there can be lots of tricky decisions and you can guarantee everyone around you will have an opinion…
But the most important thing? To look after your own wellbeing – there is no point in planning the perfect wedding day and then being too burnt out to enjoy it.
By Milena Gorska Wedding & Private Events Manager at The Brewery
Women have come a long way in the last century, from a time of not being able to vote, hold positions of power or have autonomy over our own bodies and relationships, we have seen first-hand the revolutionary changes being made. The world has made significant advances towards gender equality and female empowerment; we have seen the number of women in the workplace and in leadership positions rise, pay levels are starting to equalise and gender diversity and inclusion has become a priority for many organisations. Yet still, to this day, many archaic traditions remain – including the ideology that only men can propose to women.
Marrying someone from a different culture
By Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, Founder of La Féte
As long as I can remember, I’ve felt very drawn to Mediterranean and Spanish culture in particular, from my teenage summers there learning the language to my regular visits for Fería in Seville. Over a decade, I built a network of friends in the south of the country, became intertwined with their lives and thus, began dating: a pretty natural evolution, which tied me closer to my quasi-adoptive country. Things continued the same way until I met my now husband. An incredible, imposing and open-minded man who had big dreams and who would move to London within the first 6 months of our first date, set up by mutual friends.
To celebrate the big day, Bolney Wine Estate has hand-picked a selection of award-winning wines guaranteed to impress your guests.
Under £15
If you are looking for a red that is the perfect accompaniment to a crisp cold winter’s night, then Bolney Wine Estate Lychgate Red at £14.99 is a fantastic match for those party nibbles and canapes. Aromas of blackberries, black cherries and peppery spices give it a smooth, smokey and velvety finish.
With the average cost of a UK wedding in 2019 rising to £31,734 due to increase in pressure from Instagram[1], award-winning wedding experts at Dine, are telling attendees to leave the ‘Gram firmly at home with the launch of their Wedding Etiquette Guide for the Roaring 20s.
The guide helps couples and guests navigate the seventh most-stressful life event[2] with weddings trumping being fired and even pregnancy - by identifying the five biggest wedding etiquette faux pas to avoid this decade.