Wedding away

I am just back from a wedding away in NZ ... it was stunning! The location was a small, surfing town with incredible views. Raglan, two hours from Auckland has world-class waves for the surfers and beautiful walking tracks and kayaking for the rest.
When we were first invited to the wedding I was a little apprehensive about how much money it was going to cost as well as the hassle of travelling with a one year old, but once we decided to go it was easy to get exciting. The weekend was incredible, the scenery was breathtaking, the wedding was beautiful, our one year old thought it was Christmas and we are glad we made the trip.
One of the best aspects of a wedding away is that all your friends are in town, you bump into each other having lunch, looking at the shops or just having a coffee and of course at the wedding. A wedding, where everyone is holidaying together allows the guests to bond and creates a warm, happy and excited tone for your wedding.
The downfall is that not all your friends, including close friends, will be able to afford the trip, which may put a dampener on your day. The upside is that you will enjoy not only an evening with your friends and family, but a whole weekend with them! Just be sure to suss-out if your closest friends and family are likely to afford the trip before you start planning away.
I will post some pics soon - as they say... watch this space!

Dates to remember

There is a buzz in the air - footy-lovers all over the country are adorning themselves and their unwitting children in team colours, hearts are pounding and cheers, chants and yells can be heard from lounge-rooms across the country - the footy season is here.
You may think, so what? But think again! It prompts the thought that there are some very important dates to work around when you are organizing your wedding... that is if you want your groom to attend! If you set the date for your nuptials on a significant footy date, you may be hard-up finding enough guests to fill your reception - it would be cheaper, but probably not as enjoyable.
To make sure you don't lose your guests, here is a list of dates to kick off your possible wedding date list:

• Bledislow Cup - 31st July, 7th August, 11th September.
• State of Origin - 26th May, 16th June, 7th July.
• 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final - 25th September.
• Remember to also check out when your groom's team is playing if he is in one.
  

So get your diary out and put a big red line through these dates and avoid double booking your hubby-to-be.

Rain, hail or shine

Brides around the country are shaking at the knees, they're lying awake at night not getting their beauty sleep and resorting to fattening hot chocolates! All this, because the weatherman is shaking things up and keeping us guessing. It is a fact - the climate is completely unpredictable it seems and we must all be prepared for anything, no matter what season your wedding is planned for.
If you are prepared for rain, hail or shine then you won't fall victim to wakeful nights and ugly bridezilladom. Here are some tips you may like to run your eyes over to ensure you are able to roll with punches.

• If you are having your ceremony at an outside location, either have some tarpaulins ready to go (you can get some wedding appropriate ones) or check with the reception venue to see if they have any under-cover or inside areas you can use in a weather emergency.
• Organise a wet weather plan with your photographer - they will usually have some good ideas, especially if they know the area well.
• Many transport companies offer a red carpet service. Now, you may find this a bit over-the-top - but it's a good option to keep your dress clean when the ground is muddy and wet.
• Accessorize yourself and your bridesmaids. Check out these funky and quirky gumboots and umbrellas - ideal for making a statement.

If you have all of these points covered you won't stress a bit! Also, keep in mind that on the day you will be filled with so much emotion that you probably won't even notice it's raining.

Wedding budgets

I know, i know - this is the boring part of organising a wedding and unless you are made of money it can be the daunting and disappointing part. The best way to tackle this hurdle is by getting things straight for the word GO, or should I say 'YES!'
Modern Wedding has taken the guessing game out of what you should or may spend on each item for your wedding. All you have to do is put your total budget into our calculator and using average wedding expenditures we will instantly calculate a budget plan for your wedding. This, of course, can be altered and customised by you - for instance if you are not hiring transport, simply delete that part and we will recalculate.
Check out the budget calculator under the planning tools at www.modernwedding.com.au - remember you need to register to use this, but don't worry it's free!
Have fun.
Image by D&VPhotography

Oscar inspired wedding gown

The Oscars are over, there is a buzz in the air and conversations around the world are all filled with the best and the worst dressed on the red carpet. Now is the time to grab your pen and paper, write down what you loved including fabrics, styles, embellishments and accessories, then ring your dressmaker or couturier and start designing! Find your inspiration from the star's amazing dresses and outfits - there are a lot of incredible designs to swipe your ideas from!
The biggest trend we found was the stunning use of metallics, which is also a major trend in the wedding industry for 2010! Check out the metallic gowns worn by Sarah Jessica Parker, Sandra Bullock, Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, just to name a few.

Don't forget to fill out the poll on whose dress you loved the most.

Here is a video of the best and worst dressed to discuss with your bridesmaids - see if they agree with your taste.

Wedding theme colours

Looking for a fresh wedding theme? How about glorious green?
Modern Wedding has featured a number of fabulous colour palettes in their new mag.
Here is a sneak peak at one of them.
Fresh green - perfect for a summer, garden wedding!

Photo courtesy of CHP Image Studio




Image courtesy of Society Photography


Image by Stuart Leal Photography


Photo by Inlighten Photography





Photo courtesy of Photography by Design
















Image by Pulse Digital



Image by Society Photography

For more amazing colour schemes check out the latest Modern Wedding magazine. Go to www.modernwedding.com.au to buy the latest issue.

Twilight wedding

It has been brought to my attention that as girls around the world eagerly await the next installment of the Twilight Saga, the seductive romance of the vampire underworld is starting to infiltrate our weddings! Are you a Twilight obsessed bride who has fallen victim to the delicious temptation of adding red, black and anything dark and mysterious to your wedding?
I think it is a fabulous phenomenon, being Twilight obsessed myself, it is adding a new, dark and romantic element to weddings. Here are a few fab pics I found in the latest Modern Wedding to inspire the vampire-ess within!














This stunning glam-gown is by Brides of Sydney.



Check out Modern Wedding Shop for more deliciously vamp items!




















Stunning reception in The Great Cask Hall.














Beautiful pic from Allegro Function Centre







I hope this has given you a few ideas to get your Vampire-ess ready to hunt for the perfect wedding products to make your wedding tastefully and luxuriously vamp.

To really get you in the mood - check out the latest official trailer of Twilight Eclipse.