by Hanami Dream | 15, January, 2016 | blog, guest post, tips
According to the infamous shampoo advert, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Whilst you have been living and breathing all things to do with your wedding, the first time your guests have any idea about your big day is when your wedding invitation or save the date card lands on their doormat.
This important piece of mail will set the tone, theme and your guests’ expectations of your special occasion. What you say, when you send it, to whom you address it and what it looks like all provide the first experience your guests have of your wedding. So it’s really important that you pick your stationery wisely to make the best first impression.
Look out for a forthcoming post on the wording of your stationery. Meanwhile, focusing on what it looks like and to help you wade through the sea of stationery, the hugely talented Suzanne from Paper Tree Design has put together this guide to help you find the right stationery for your budget.
You have set a date and secured your venue so your mind turns to stationery, where to start? The options are endless and mind boggling, and when you are surfing stationery sites from the sofa sometimes it is difficult to understand why pricing can be so different between suppliers. When you are choosing your venue there are things to help you with this, star ratings, facilities and services, but when it comes to stationery the differences in service, technique and embellishments are what makes your stationery either basic or premium.
The Service
There are 4 levels of service in stationery that will effect the pricing, Off the shelf, semi-customised, customised, and bespoke, in short, the more time the stationer spends on making your stationery, the more it will cost:
1. Off the shelf –This is the cheapest option and is exactly as it sounds! You purchase a pack of pre-printed generic wedding cards for you to fill in the date, location and guest name. These are the cheapest because the supplier gets thousands printed at a time and there is no extra art working for the supplier to do.
2. Semi customised – This is where you choose an existing design from a supplier and they place your copy in to the invitation (venue, time and date etc.)
3. Customised – A customised design is where you have the option to personalise an existing design to fit in with your theme. This can include changing colours, having your initials added in to the design, and having a choice of card types or trims etc.
4. Bespoke – If you have a specific idea in mind for your stationery and you cannot find an existing design to reflect this, then bespoke is for you. You will work closely with the designer who will design something around your theme ideas. This is at the premium end of the stationery market because you are paying for a designer’s time to create something for you. If you are considering this option then it is wise to allow at least a month for a design to be fully approved and ready for production.
The Product Quality
There are all sorts of card available for use in stationery in different weights (thickness), textures, and finishes, the thicker the card the more it costs, as it will any with specialist finishes and textures. The weight of card used can be the difference between an invitation looking ordinary or luxury so when you are comparing prices have a good look at what is being used, if it is not stated on the website then ask.
When you start reading the information on a stationer’s website you will come across all sorts of terms, litho pint, digital print, letterpress, embossing, hot foiling, laser cut, paper cut, duplexed, spot varnish. What do they all mean?
Printing – Printing on a invitation is more likely to be digitally printed these days as digital is suited to smaller quantities. Litho requires the making of a printing plate which makes small quantities much more expensive. A printed card on a standard board with no extra finishes or embellishments will always be the cheapest option. It is worth remembering that digital printing may not be suitable for some of the specialist papers.
Letterpress Printing – Letterpress is a traditional printing technique which involves inking a plate (printers tray filled with raised blocks) and pressing in on to the card stock, which leaves a deep impression. These days there are more hi-tech ways of making the printing plate but the process is the same. For small quantities it can be expensive but if you have a large number of guests it is more affordable.
Finishes
There are all sorts of lovely finishes that can turn a standard invitation in to something a bit more special, but bear in mind that for every finish you add cost. Below is a list of a few terms and what they mean:
1. Hot foiling – This adds metallic areas to the design.
2. Spot varnish – This adds a shiny or mat surface to areas of the design.
3. Embossing/ debossing – This adds texture to the card, either raised (embossed) or pressed in to the card (debossed).
4. Duplexing – If a card is duplexed, it means it is made up of two different boards sandwiched together of different colour or texture.
Laser cut, die cut, paper cut
The process of cutting out shapes or patterns from card (or other materials), the main difference being if it is laser cut then the gaps in the design are burnt out with the laser, if it is described as die/machine/ paper cut then it is cut out using a tiny blade. Cut invitations are usually made up of 2 or 3 layers (the cut, an inlay card & printed insert) which makes for a more luxury product.
Trims
The use of ribbon, baker twine, crystals and other trims to finish off your stationery can really help to make it look special, but beware when you are looking at and comparing prices between stationers. You may see a beautiful photo of your chosen stationery suite tied together with twine and finished with a gift tag or other embellishments, and the costs look in budget, however some stationers charge separately for these extra finishings and you can find yourself paying £1.00 or £2.00 more per invitation than you had budgeted for, for the invitation in the picture. Anything that has any element of hand finishing adds time and therefore cost to the stationery, so check the small print!
Top tips
1. Help yourself – If you are really struggling for budget enquire about what could be provided in kit form in order to save on price.
2. Buy in bulk – Think about all your stationery in one go from the outset (invites, order of service, name cards, table numbers, menus, table plans etc) rather than separate pieces at different times. You can save if you buy ‘before the day’ and ‘on the day’ stationery all from the same supplier.
3. Compare the quality – Read the descriptions carefully and make a list of the differences in a notebook together with the prices, so you don’t forget when you start comparing price.
4. Beware the hidden extras – Double check the price list and ask if it is not clear.
5. It never harms to ask – If you have your heart set on something but you are worried it is out of your budget, then just ask if it can be modified to help with the price.
For more information go to www.papertreedesign.co.uk or contact suzanne@papertreedesign.co.uk
@PaperTreeOxon
@PaperTreeOxon
Paper Tree Design
@PaperTreeOxon
by Hanami Dream | 12, January, 2016 | blog, tips
Your wedding day is one of the happiest days of your life. When you look around the room you’ll see all the people that you love, however you may also notice all the people that are missing from the celebrations too.
Not to put a dampener on proceedings but inevitably there may be some people who won’t be able to join you on your big day perhaps due to distance, illness or because they have passed away. Telegrams are often traditionally read by those who couldn’t make it and sometimes a toast is raised to absent friends.
My own wedding day was tinged with some sadness as my father suddenly passed away 9 weeks before we got married. It was a huge shock and at one point we considered whether we should postpone the wedding. I guess this is why we bought wedding insurance but I didn’t want to be sat around on our chosen date commenting that we would’ve been getting married today. We decided to go ahead and it gave our family something positive to focus on.
I certainly didn’t anticipate having to organise a funeral in the midst of wedding preparations but it did give me some clarity for the day. My father wasn’t around much when I was growing up and he wasn’t always that reliable. He had been unwell for some time prior to his death and so we didn’t know if he’d be well enough to be a part of the day at all, let alone even turn up. Or if he had turned up whether he’d been ill at the reception. Although it was unpleasant circumstances, at least I knew whether he would actually be there or not!
We had already asked my mum to do the ‘mother of the bride’ speech and my Grandad proudly walked me down the aisle (which was fitting as he was such an influential part of my life), and my husband toasted our absent friends in his speech. We didn’t want the day to be dominated by the recent sad events, so we chose not to do anything more public – everything was still too raw to cope with anything else.
I knew the day was going to be emotional but we also had this immense warm feeling of love from all our friends and family who were there and all knew about the ‘elephant in the room’. They were so caring, supportive and encouraging. 
There was torrential rain the day before we got married (it was August – thanks British weather!) and again the day after. Yet on the day of our wedding it was glorious sunshine and the grass was a lush green and the flowers were all blooming after being refreshed from the rain. In the car on the way to the church, my Grandad told me that he thought the sunshine was his late wife (my Nanny) shining down on us.
I know that my other Nan still watches our wedding DVD back frequently so that she can see her now late husband enjoying the day. The photos too are a snapshot of the people that were in our lives at that time and who we were fortunate to share our special day with. There were poignant moments but the sadness didn’t dictate the day. It was certainly a day of huge celebration. We didn’t forget those that has passed but we didn’t dwell on their passing.
Here are some suggestions of ways to privately or publicly remember lost loved ones at weddings:
- Photographs – framed photos set up on a table or part of a family tree, hanging in photo charms on your bouquet, hanging from shoes or placed in a locket
- Jewellery – wear heirlooms or gifts from the loved one, wear their wedding bands tied round an ankle or wrist, wear or melt down their wedding band to make your own
- Embroidery – material from a piece of their clothing stitched in your wedding dress, use their handkerchiefs or ties, have monograms of their initials stitched in your dress
- Candles – a lit candle in church or on a table in the reception
- Flowers – use their favourite flower, have a single flower in a vase, put your bouquet on their grave afterwards
- Ceremony – dedicate a reading to them, include a tribute in the order of service, get the celebrant to mention them
- Chairs – have a reserved seat for them at the ceremony (although this may be a little emotional to see an empty chair there)
- Reception – name tables after them, toast them in your speech, place a drink for them at the bar, use a special piece of music
- Favours – donate to a relevant charity or place a charity pin as a favour
- Releases – let balloons, Chinese lanterns or butterflies float off in to the sky
‘If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.’
A. A. Milne
If you like reading our blog then we’d really appreciate your support. So please vote for Hanami Dream in the wedding category of the UK Blog Awards #UKBA16 http://www.blogawardsuk.co.uk/ukba2016/my-entry/hanami-dream.
Voting is open until Monday 25th January 2016 at 9pm. You can vote once a day, so please keep voting for us.
by Hanami Dream | 6, January, 2016 | blog, tips
We are nearly a week in to this brand new year already and I’m sad to be taking the Christmas decorations down with the arrival of Twelfth Night. I used to really enjoy Epiphany celebrations when I lived in France – eating the delicious galette des rois and finding the little charm so you could wear the king’s crown!
It is a bit of a relief to have the season of endless lists safely tucked away for another 11 months though (what with Christmas card lists, present lists and food shopping lists to name a few). Don’t get me wrong, I really like Christmas and I LOVE lists (hey, I’m a wedding planner, lists are what floats my boat!) but things seem to get a little crazy in December.
Then at the end of the year there always seems to be lots of compilations celebrating and commemorating the best bits of the year. Goodness, even Hanami Dream got in on the action this year with our top 10 most popular wedding blog posts in 2015 and our top 5 most popular blog posts overall in 2015. Some of our favourite compilations of the year included:
But I do love this time of year. It’s a time of new beginnings: a new year, new year’s resolutions (*see some of mine at the end of the article), new goals, new plans for the future and the days are finally getting longer again! It’s when our metaphorical diary is full of blank pages yet unwritten. It also seems to be a time when there are an abundance of engagement stories after Christmas or New Year proposals. And with Valentine’s Day just over a month away and it being a leap in 2016, we’re sure there’ll be a few more stories to add to the pot shortly.
So the start of the year often spurs on people to kickstart (or reignite) their wedding planning too. I adore weddings – which is a good thing really! Weddings are such a wonderful celebration of love and marriage. There’s not many times in your life that you have all the people that you care about in the same room at the same time and they’re all there just because two people fell in love with each other. When else would you bring all your circles together in one place? (even Google+ keeps your circles separate!)
For me, I always wanted to get married and admired both sets of my grandparents who celebrated their diamond wedding anniversaries (and beyond). I was determined to aspire to have the same thing for myself despite experiencing the sad adverse reality of my own parents’ marriage. On top of this, my romantic notion was peppered with weddings in films and television programmes that influenced my youth such as:
- Scott & Charlene in Neighbours (I still can’t believe that programme has been going over 30 years!)
- Charles & Diana (who can forget the puff ball sleeves and the huge long train!)
- Monica & Chandler in Friends (how beautifully romantic to fall in love with your best friend)
- The One with All the Wedding Dresses episode in Friends (even though my husband thinks it’s a crazy idea I still want a wedding dress party with my friends for my significant birthday in a few years’ time! I’ve no idea if I’ll be able to fit in my wedding dress by then – so maybe that’s another goal to add to the list!)
- Pride & Prejudice (who didn’t fall in love with Colin Firth as Mr Darcy)
- Four Weddings and a Funeral (the stammering Hugh Grant, the whole ‘will they, won’t they’ story line had me hooked)
- Saved by the Bell (yes, Zack and Kelly did get married eventually after being childhood sweethearts. It was a cheesy episode set in Las Vegas but proved that your first love can be your last love too)
- Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (how did Lois not spot that Superman and Clark Kent were one and the same gorgeous man?!)
- Prince William & Kate (they got married the same year that we did so this event heightened the build up to our big day)
Probably the most influential and meaningful weddings that I was honoured to be a part of (prior to my own of course) were those of my two closest friends in July 2007 and August 2008. It was wonderful to be one their bridesmaids (although at the time I thought I was destined to only ever be a bridesmaid and not a bride. I even thought about being a professional bridesmaid at one point!) It feels so wonderful to share someone’s special day and be part of the wedding party.
I waited a long time for my own Prince Charming (honestly I thought the film 27 Dresses was written about me!) but was over the moon to have my own fairy tale day eventually. It was whilst planning my own wedding in 2011 that my real passion for wedding planning took over. I realised how precious it was to have all the people I cared about in one room at the same time. In the space of 18 months I encountered birth, death and marriage (not in that order!) which had a life changing effect on me. So my new beginning was to make Hanami Dream a reality. I decided I wanted to help others to celebrate their own personal milestones. I find that organising these types of occasions is much more rewarding than my old corporate life.
This year has already started with great excitement as I am thrilled to be entered in the UK Blog Awards.**
If you like reading my blog then I’d really appreciate your support. So please vote for Hanami Dream in the wedding category of the UK Blog Awards #UKBA16 http://www.blogawardsuk.co.uk/ukba2016/my-entry/hanami-dream
Voting is open until Monday 25th January 2016 at 9pm. You can vote once a day, every day for 3 whole weeks! So please keep voting.
Thank you and Happy New Year!
*Some of my resolutions for this year include learning to hula hoop (I always think it’s something that I should be able to do but confirm the opposite when I pick one up! And I hope this skill is easier to pick up than the year I attempted to learn the running man!), eating more veggie meals (I’m currently in love with Lorraine Pascale’s Eat Well Made Easy recipe book) and moisturising more often (hmm, with two small children and a husband to look after, time to myself is often in short supply so we’ll see how this one goes!) Hopefully I’ll be able to manage at least one of these by the end of the year!
**More than just a wedding blog, Hanami Dream Wedding and Special Occasion Organisers provide inspiration and help you to celebrate the personal milestones of your life. The blog looks at wedding tips, trends and traditions with real life stories and examples from my own family history. Looking at examples from the past and future trends to provide inspiration to couples who are wedding planning and celebrating milestone occasions.
by Hanami Dream | 11, November, 2015 | blog, guest post, tips
We don’t have a television at the moment. After some building work before the summer we moved it and have never reinstated it. We haven’t missed it at all and what it has meant is that we only watch something that we really want to watch now (rather than flicking through channels if we are tired) or do other things instead.
I’ve taken to watching iPlayer whilst I cook and found some great period dramas over the summer to watch such as The Duchess of Devonshire, The Scandalous Lady W and Lady Chatterley’s Lover. I soon discovered that there’s a common thread through these and realised that all of these films made me feel really lucky to be a wife of this century. Plus along with the recent film release of Suffragette, I’m very grateful that I have choices and rights that my ancestors wouldn’t have had.
The vows I chose to make when I got married were promises rather than laws. I didn’t become the property of my husband and I chose not to ‘obey’ him in my vows. However a few centuries ago people didn’t have this same luxury. We live in a time when marriage is about partnership, lifelong companionship and equal rights.
The wording of the Church of England traditional wedding vows includes the bride promising to ‘obey’ and the groom vowing to ‘worship’ his wife. However some couples choose to leave out these words nowadays and alternatively choose ‘to love and to honour’ or ‘love and cherish’.
Traditional vows
‘I, (name), take you, (name)
to be my wife/husband,
to have and to hold
from this day forward;
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish,
till death us do part’
Traditional promises
Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her,
and, forsaking all others,
be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?
Whilst traditional vows still hold a lot of meaning, relevance and importance, we are also able to choose to make those vows more personal depending on the type of ceremony. Especially in humanist or non-religious ceremonies where you can personalise and express yourself completely when writing your own vows. Whilst sometimes the amount of choices we have in life can be overwhelming, I remain grateful that we have choices.
Over the past four years, Zena Birch has worked very closely with couples to help them create their own personal vows to go alongside or precede more traditional ring vows. Here are some of her top tips for writing your own vows.
In a humanist ceremony instead of holding themselves accountable to a god or a deity, couples are actually asking those gathered to hold them accountable as they witness their public declarations. Therefore the words they say as they make their vows and their promises to each other are more important than ever.
In today’s age it is possible to live very happily together without getting married, so when a couple decide to take this extra step it is a deeply personal commitment. Your vows are to be celebrated every year you manage to uphold them, but they should also be the words that hold you fast when times get difficult and as such it is important that the vows you say to each other are made up of the values and commitments you are willing to stand by.
My couples and I work together to discover just what those words/promises might be. It can be very daunting – faced with a blank page and some of the most important words you are ever going to say, so the advice I tend to give is to make sure they:
- sound like you, they should have your tone of voice, they should be authentic – if you tease each other, there is no harm in an element of this being reflected within your vows, this is just as important as a sense of solemnity. Capturing the twinkle in your eye as well as the sincerity in your heart is key.
- reflect what you have both agreed to commit to one another. Although many couples decide to say their vows as a surprise to each other on the day, it is important that the process involved in creating them is shared so that they are in agreement with their core values.
- Enjoy creating them!
We are lucky to live in an era where our own words hold validity. Writing your own wedding vows is a very enriching experience and one which can really help lay the foundations needed for a long and joy filled marriage.
For more information on a humanist ceremony go to www.zenabirch.com or contact zenabirchweddings@gmail.com
@humanistwedding
Zena-Birch-Bespoke-Humanist-Ceremonies
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by Hanami Dream | 20, October, 2015 | blog, guest post, tips
There was a time when I thought I’d always be the bridesmaid and never the bride. I thought the film 27 Dresses was written about me! But despite being a bridesmaid more than three times, I’ve luckily now been a bride too. Before being married, I was a flower girl as a toddler, a bridesmaid twice as a child and a chief bridesmaid two times as an adult. My roles at the weddings were to look cute, to play a part in a family wedding and to provide support and guidance to close friends (in that order). It was certainly an honour to be part of the wedding party and enjoy the celebrations and their special day.
Plus one lasting part of being a bridesmaid is being able to enjoy wearing the beautiful dress again at other occasions after the wedding (although the orange puff sleeve dress from when I was a bridesmaid in the 1980s sadly doesn’t still feature in my wardrobe!)
Traditionally bridesmaids would’ve worn exactly the same as the bride to confuse evil spirits and protect the bride from bad luck. Nowadays bridesmaids are chosen to support the bride and to honour the part that friends and family have played in the bride’s life.
According to Cool Daily Infographics, there are around 11 million bridesmaids a year, brides have an average of 5 bridesmaids each, with 64% of brides dressing their bridesmaids in identical outfits.
Here is some wonderful insight from the lovely and highly talented Mrs W Tutus on the growing trends in bridesmaids’ dresses and why you should choose a tutu for your bridesmaids.
I’ve seen a lot of bridesmaids dresses over the years – as the eldest daughter of a Vicar, when you are very small an exciting Saturday afternoon excursion is to go and watch the arrival at Church of the Bride and her Bridesmaids/Flower Girls and swoon over the pretty dresses in front of you!
The wide ranging choices for dressing the littlest members of your Bridal party (and the big members for that matter) can seem hugely overwhelming – do you opt for something traditional from a Bridal boutique, scour the High Street for the right choice or opt for handmade?
Unsurprisingly, I am a big advocate for all things handmade – the benefit of choosing to have something made specifically for your little ladies is you get to have EXACTLY what you have been picturing in your mind during the dreaming/planning process and can be sure that no-one else will have dresses like yours!
Whether your wedding is going to be an incredibly traditional religious ceremony or something a little more outlandish and out of the ordinary, chances are there is a Tutu or Tutu Dress out there (or somewhere within the depths of your imagination) that will fit perfectly with your chosen theme.
If Traditional or Classic is your style, then choosing to put your little maids in either of my Taffeta Princess or British Belle styles offers a wonderful balance of pretty fluffy tulle coupled with the elegance of a taffeta overdress, all the finer details of which can be chosen and customised by you, whilst the Crochet Princess has a lovely Vintage feel to it, thanks to the hand crocheted bodice and wonderful oversized bow at the back.
If quirky or over the top is more your cup of tea however, opting for the Pomander Fairy or a full length tutu teamed with a Princess Streamers Bustle may be the way to go – both of these styles offer incredible amounts of wondrously fluffy tulle and most definitely appeal to the inner Princess of any Bridesmaid or Flower Girl!
Tutus are a great choice if you are choosing a Rustic theme for your wedding – a knee length tutu skirt teamed with a simple leotard are an excellent alternative to a potentially more traditional dress…….add a matching Tulle Crown and Wand and you have a great way of expressing the individuality of both the Bride and the young lady wearing it!
Another option to consider is a custom Tulle Petticoat to go under a more traditional dress – a flash of rainbow colours adds both fun and volume to an outfit……and is guaranteed to make everyone smile, courtesy of all the twirling that will be going on!
Once the Wedding Day is over, all these things make lovely additions to any little Princess’s dressing up box and can continue to be worn for many years to come!
Absolutely everything from Mrs W Tutus is handmade by herself and as well as existing designs, she is always excited to create something totally unique based on your own ideas – she has 42 colours of tulle that you can choose from, be it a single or mix of colours and some of which come in both sparkle and glitter tulle, so you can be confident that it will be a perfect match for your chosen theme.
For more information, go to www.mrswtutus.co.uk or email kate@mrswtutus.co.uk
@MrsWTutus
Mrs-W-Tutus
Mrs W Tutus
by Hanami Dream | 15, September, 2015 | blog, guest post, tips
My phone broke the other week and I lost all my photos. I was gutted I’d not backed it up recently. It made me realise how important pictures are to me – a lasting memory of a moment in time never to be replayed. Luckily technology nowadays allows us to have a back up, prepare for the worst and gives us options should accidents or the unexpected happen. Surely we should apply this same back up plan mentality when thinking about one of the biggest (and most expensive) days of our lives? Here are some things to think about, courtesy of those nice people at Silk Thistle Wedding Insurance.
When planning your wedding, insurance is probably the last thing on your mind. After all, there are so many important decisions to make: Finding the perfect venue, planning menus, colour schemes and flowers. Would you like your bouquet cascade or would a single flower make more of a statement? Should you have a traditional three-tier cake or one made of cheese or even a pork pie wedding cake? Would you prefer a vintage Rolls Royce to take you there or something a little different, like a double decker bus or a Hummer?
Even wedding photography has got more complicated; drones, videos and photo booths are all available, as well as some amazing wedding photographers, but who or what do you choose? There are wedding trends you had never even thought of: Boho, Gatsby, Rockabilly and Fairytale to name a few. Your wedding dress will reflect your style so it’s essential to get it right. And what about the shoes?
You plan everything down to the minutest detail. It’s like a military operation. What could possibly go wrong……?
Well unfortunately, things don’t always go to plan. What if the hotel you had booked your reception at went into receivership, along with your hefty deposit just two weeks before the wedding? Or the bridal shop burnt down, along with your dress? What if your Dad had to go into hospital suddenly? The seating plan would be the least of your worries as you would be more likely to postpone the wedding altogether. It’s all very well planning for a little rain, but what if the weather was so bad you and your guests couldn’t even get there? What would you do if the photographer’s equipment was stolen and all those memories lost or the wedding cake got damaged in transit?
Wedding Insurance can protect against such eventualities by covering you financially should things go wrong. At Silk Thistle Wedding Insurance, there are six levels of cover to suit every budget, as well as optional extras like marquee, ceremonial swords and public liability cover. They cover things like the rings, venue, dress, cake, suppliers and even photography (if only they covered losing photos on smart phones!)
With the average wedding in the UK costing over £20,000 they don’t come cheap. It is a large financial commitment, probably the biggest you’ll make after buying a house and a car. Wedding Insurance is probably one of the smallest expenses of your wedding budget. It could be the best money you’ll ever spend on your wedding!
For more information go to www.silkthistle.co.uk
www.twitter.com/Silk_Thistle
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by Hanami Dream | 10, September, 2015 | blog, guest post, tips
Booking your band is often one of the more enjoyable tasks when it comes to planning your wedding, however to prevent any hiccups on your special day (apart from those caused by the Champagne) have a read of the 5 essential tips below expertly compiled from the lovely people at Matchbox Music.
1. Size, does it matter?
Some say size doesn’t matter, but if you get to your wedding night and you haven’t checked your measurements you could be in for a disappointing end to the day.
I am of course talking about the size of your band. Although it might sound obvious, you should always check that your band is actually going to fit in your venue. If you are unsure, just send your band leader the dimensions of their performance space. Any professional band will be able to give you a size estimate for their act prior to the wedding.
2. Money, money, money
When trying to work out how much to spend on a wedding band, a general rule of thumb is to take the number of musicians and multiply it by £250. This can be used as an estimate for the starting price of a band excluding travel expenses, so for a 3-piece band you can expect the cost to start from £750. Make sure you confirm with the band how long and how many sets are included for the price, you can expect on the above price an average two 1-hour sets or three 45 minute sets.
You might have found your dream band for a price that fits your budget, but if the band has to travel 500 miles to get to your wedding, you’re going to have to pay hefty travel expenses or even pay for accommodation. Instead if you find a band that is more local to your wedding venue, the money you save on travel expenses can instead be used to pay for longer sets of music, a larger band or even getting the band to play your first dance.
3. Technical difficulties
Checking that the technical requirements of the band can be met by the venue is hugely important. Imagine booking a band to play outdoors at your wedding, only to find out on the day that the venue has no way of providing power for the band, it would be a disaster that could easily of been avoided.
A simple way to avoid such situations is to check the rider. A rider is simply a list of technical and general requirements that the band need in order to perform which you as the client are responsible for providing. Typical items to be found on the rider will be the number of power sockets required, providing a changing room for the musicians, and providing the band with a meal. If all items on the rider are not met, the band are within their rights to not perform, so it is important to carefully read through it.
Once you have read the rider, check with an appropriate agent at your venue that all the requirements can be met. It is better to do this sooner rather than later so any problems can be rectified.
4. Using a booking agent
Using an agent makes the process of finding your wedding band a lot simpler and more enjoyable. A good agency will have an easy to use website, which will have bands for every budget and genre. You can seamlessly browse through the acts, comparing their promotional videos, set lists and testimonials until you find the band that is perfect for your special day.
Using an agent can sometimes cost a little extra, but that money is well invested in the knowledge that you have support should any issues arise during the lead up to your wedding. In the event of the unexpected, such as the band breaking the contract, you won’t find yourself in a situation where you have no band with only a week until the wedding!
5. Superstar DJs – here we go!
To keep your guests dancing the night away even after the band has finished you’re going to need some music, and for this you will need to book a DJ… or do you? A way to potentially save money is to choose a band that offers a DJ package. Each band will offer different DJ add-ons ranging from a simple iPod playlists to a full DJ with decks. Whatever the case, if the band offers a DJ service it is probably going to be more cost effective than outsourcing an independently booked DJ.
With these top tips you’ll be set to dance the night away. If you’d like to find out more about booking a wedding band visit www.matchboxmusic.co.uk or contact Matchbox Music at info@matchboxmusic.co.uk
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by Hanami Dream | 31, July, 2015 | blog, tips
If you’re thinking about changing your name when you get married there’s a few important documents that you’ll need to update (including your passport if you’re travelling in your married name on honeymoon!)
Here’s our list of documents and organisations that you might need to tell about your name change.
HOME:
- Mortgage company or management agency
- Council tax
- Electric board
- Gas board
- Telephone company
- Cable / satellite company
- Mobile company
- TV licence
- Water board
- Contents insurance
- Buildings insurance
- Storage
- Home Emergency
MONEY:
- Banks
- Building societies
- Credit cards
- ISA
- National savings
- Premium bonds
- Child benefit
- Card protection
PROFESSIONAL:
- Pension companies
- Life Assurance
- Inland revenue
- Solicitor
- Accountant
- Professional bodies
- Work
CAR:
- Driving licence / DVLA
- DVLC / V5
- Car tax
- Motoring associations
- Vehicle insurance
HEALTH:
- Health insurance
- Travel insurance
- Optician
- Doctor
- Dentist
- Dental insurance
OTHER:
- Passport
- Sports clubs
- Library
- Catalogues
- Magazines
- Electoral roll
- Flying clubs
- Store / reward / loyalty cards
- Charities
by Hanami Dream | 14, May, 2015 | blog, tips
Having your friends and family all together and celebrating your special day is often the best gift you can have on your wedding day. Some guests may have travelled a long distance, helped out financially, given their time, skills or support to help with the day. So whilst your guests may be showering you with gifts, it is often customary to give your guests and wedding party a gift to thank them for their involvement too.
Favours for guests
Gifts for your guests can be great mementos or souvenirs of the day showing a token of your appreciation whilst also matching your theme or colour scheme.
Favours originate from European aristocrats who gave their guests Bonbonnieres at high class weddings. These were small ornate and embellished boxes that often contained sugar or sweets. Back in the thirteenth century, sugar was not only considered a luxury item (especially as it was more expensive and harder to get hold of) but it was also believed to be medicinal too.
The tradition of favours spread, with couples in Greece giving sugar covered almonds and Middle Eastern couples giving their guests five almonds. Sugared almonds are now a very common tradition in weddings worldwide. Typically the number of sweets or sugared almonds is an odd number, significant as it cannot be divided between two. Also, the number five is indivisible which symbolises a strong union between the newlywed couple. Plus, the number five has special significance for Christians to represent Health, Wealth, Happiness, Long Life and Fertility.
As weddings used to be seen as a lucky occasion, couples wanted to pass on their good luck to the wedding guests by giving them a favour.
When wedding favours first came to England, in the sixteenth century, couples would give ‘love knots’ made of ribbons and lace to their guests. Nowadays couples are choosing more unique, personalised, dated and themed gifts. Here’s a pick of some of our current favourite favours to eat, meet, keep or have as a treat:
Edible
- Traditional sugared almonds
- Chocolate bars with personalised wrappers
- Retro sweets (think flyer saucers, dip dabs and flumps)
- Loveheart sweets (brought up to date with new slogans such as ‘text me’!)
- Lollipops in a communal bowl on the table
- Cake pops
Ice breakers
- Games to play with other guests on the same table
- Cameras to snap candid shots
- Colouring books to keep children entertained
To wear at wedding
- Flip flops for when your heels are hurting your dancing feet
- Sun glasses for an outside wedding on a sunny day
- Umbrellas for an outside wedding when the weather isn’t as sunny
- Moustaches just for fun
- Temporary tattoos
Grow
- Packets of seeds to grow vegetables
- Dried herbs to add to meals at home
- Succulents or other potted plants
Drink
- Alcohol miniatures
- Loose leaf tea
- Shot glass
Decorations
- Scented candles
- Soap
- Fridge magnets to always remember the couples’ wedding anniversary
Or how about a lottery ticket to share a bit of the good luck from the day?
Gifts for wedding party
In addition to your guests, you may also want to give special gifts to thank those in the wedding party (such as the best men, bridesmaids and parents) for their support. Options for these gifts can be really personalised to the individual, however here are some of our suggestions to get you started:
• Handkerchief embroidered with monogram
• Pocket watch
• Cuff links
• Hip flask
• Wallet
• Pen knife
• Tankard
• Bottle opener
• Leather wash bag
• Compact mirror
• Photo frame
• Artwork
• Fruit tree
• Jewellery
0 anniversary presents
Last, but by no means least, you might want to buy your new spouse a gift to celebrate your wedding day such as:
• Cuff links
• Jewellery
• Photo album
Whether you give favours or not, don’t forget to thank all your guests in your speech for their presence and send thank you notes for their presents.
by Hanami Dream | 1, February, 2015 | blog, tips
Are you looking for inspiration for ways to pop the question to your loved one this Valentine’s Day? Or maybe, like us, you just love hearing how people get betrothed. If so, then here are some beautiful (and very romantic) proposal stories from real brides that might offer some tips for how to sweep your intended off their feet (or just make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside).
Say it with chocolates
It was summer time and I was a bit sweaty after doing a Davina workout DVD. I was seeing my boyfriend that evening but as I thought he was going to dump me I didn’t even bother to have a shower. He had been a bit quieter than usual and more distant. He even went to London and didn’t invite me. (However I later found out that this was because he had been sorting out my engagement ring!) We went for a picnic by a local river. At the end of the meal he asked me if I would like dessert and he presented me with a Kinda Egg. Oh yes, I love a Kinda Egg! As I opened the yellow plastic yolk, I noticed that instead of a tiny toy there were rose petals and in the centre of the rose head was a beautiful diamond ring. (Apparently it had taken my boyfriend quite a few attempts to open the chocolate and reseal it after putting the ring inside to make it look untouched!) My boyfriend got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was so happy that my smile went from ear to ear. Then quick as a flash, a bit like a James Bond movie, he dived into the river. Powerful strokes took him to the other side where he picked up a waterproof bag and then brought it back to the bank. Opening it he revealed champagne, flutes and rose petals which he showered around. Well that’s how I remember it – he says he waded into a muddy, weedy river and sort of scuttled to get the bag. If all those surprises were not enough then two swans swam over to us and looked at us both before gliding off – I believed them to be a beautiful symbol from God of how long and happy our marriage was to be. He’d also left flowers with some people on a barge that he collected as we walked back home so I got yet another surprise.
Joni – Engaged July 2006 / Married July 2007
Get your timing right
My boyfriend proposed down on one knee, at the stroke of midnight, outside a pub where we were watching a New Year’s Eve fireworks display. I had hoped he would ask me for a while but I was very surprised when he did!
Becky – Engaged New Year’s Eve 2009 / Married March 2011
Use your favourite song lyrics
I was preparing for Christmas Eve. I had just dropped my daughter off at her cousin’s for supper and had returned to finish off ours – roast beef slowly cooking in the oven! I got back to find my other half dressed up smartly for our quiet dinner for two. Candles were lit, drinks poured and a medium sized square box and card sat on the table…it looked too big to be a ring! I placed my small gift on his side of the table and we agreed to open our presents after our supper. It was a lovely evening and just before pudding he suggested we open our gifts. I opened his card first as my mother had always told me that was polite. I was also excited to see what he had written this year as he is always lovely with words and very romantic. He had written the words to a song that reminded him of meeting me and he had made a few changes. It was lovely and I was so touched. He then said ‘Well…you haven’t answered’. I read it again and the second verse spoke of hoping someone like me would one day marry some one like him (good old Kings of Leon!) I hadn’t really taken it in on the first read and of course I said YES! ‘You better open the box then’ was his reply. That paper came of the box so quickly! But it was a candle box!! So I opened the candle box and there was a smaller box. Inside that was my beautiful engagement ring AND wedding band – what a surprise, totally unexpected. He explained he was looking for the right moment since my birthday on 19th December. He also explained that is why he told me to go away one afternoon a few weeks before when he’d said he was busy doing HIS Christmas ‘stuff’
Geraldine – Engaged Christmas Eve 2012 / Married May 2014
Make a toast
We got engaged in Rome while sharing a plate of miniature cakes while I drank, my favourite, thick and indulgent Italian hot chocolate. Then we drank Prosecco and went to a sensational performance by the Three Tenors. Fantastico. I had a feeling that he might ask me but, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting it while we were away. He didn’t go down on one knee, but that’s good because I probably would have run away if that happened in a public place.
Rose – Engaged October 2014 / Wedding date tbc
Keep her guessing
We had just got back from an amazing two week holiday in Mexico. We had been to some stunning places whilst away and I kept thinking that maybe they’d be good spots for a proposal but nothing materialised. The week after our return, my boyfriend surprised me with a weekend away. I thought it was a bit odd to be going away again so soon after getting back, so I wondered if now was the time! He gave me some clues as to where we were going but kept all the details a secret. We left on a Friday afternoon and I was really pleased that we ended up in beautiful Bruges. The next morning I was very excited that it could be the day I would get engaged but although we enjoyed each romantic hotspot there was no gesture of further commitment. Even at dinner that night, I kept thinking that it would happen but still nothing. On the Sunday, we went on a beautiful tandem bike ride but there was still no sign of a proposal. By this stage I thought that I had completely got the wrong end of the stick and this was just a lovely weekend away and I’d obviously read too much in to the situation. We had a delicious last dinner and walked back to our hotel and I resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t getting engaged this weekend. It wasn’t until we were actually back in the hotel that he did pop the question. I was over the moon! Even though he’d left it until the last possible moment, I know that good things come to those who wait.
Nicola – Engaged August 2010 / Married August 2011
Spell it out
Unbeknown to me, my boyfriend asked for my dad’s permission when we were away on holiday in Madeira in February 2014. He then secretly started planting carrot seeds on his dad’s allotment in March. These were planted to spell out his big question. He wanted to ask me in April but we had so much rain that the carrots didn’t do very well so he had to replant them again! Finally, on a lovely sunny Sunday in June, he took me and our daughter to his dad’s allotment as we were meeting his dad and step mum for lunch nearby. As we approached, he took us down a different path to usual and began to tell me not to spend too much on his father’s day present, as he didn’t need anything and was happy with things as they were. In fact he wouldn’t want to change anything, apart from…my last name. As he knelt down, he pulled a ring from underneath a flower pot. Then I saw that he had planted carrots to form the words “Will you marry me”. Meanwhile his dad and step mum were hiding behind a shed taking photos, and at this point they appeared and pulled a bottle of fizz and glasses from a basket in the shed! We immediately toasted… I of course said yes through happy tears!
Vikki – Engaged June 2014 / Wedding set for August 2015
Say it with flowers
It was 13th February 1999 and I was presented with a huge bouquet of tulips before being whisked away to Amsterdam for the weekend. We were very late catching our flight and just as we were about to go through security, my boyfriend decided he needed to make a phone call and ran off, leaving me to go through on my own! I was getting really worried that he wouldn’t make it back in time and that I’d be going to Amsterdam without him! He made it through just before the gate closed. It was an icy cold weekend in Amsterdam, and on Valentine’s evening we took the tram to a cosy little restaurant. Towards the end of a lovely meal the conversation returned to our stressful airport experience, and after my boyfriend seemed reluctant to discuss it I started to get annoyed. We sat on the tram back to our hotel in silence, and it was snowing heavily. When we got back to the hotel, he pulled out a beautiful engagement ring and all became clear when he told me that he’d suddenly become worried that the ring, which had been hidden in his trouser pocket, would set off the alarm as we went through airport security and that the surprise would be ruined – he’d gone to the back of the queue and waited until I was out of sight! I said ‘Yes’ and we were married in 2000. Every Valentine’s Day my husband gives me a bunch of beautiful tulips as a wonderful reminder of our special day 15 years ago.
Melanie – Engaged February 1999 / Married June 2000
Whisk her away
I had no clue at all!! We were in Paris, on a weekend away with friends. My boyfriend managed to get the ring through security in his hand luggage without me having a clue. Then when we went out for lunch on our own he got down on one knee in the restaurant and proposed. I of course said yes, everyone around cheered and we had a wonderful rest of the weekend celebrating with our friends. I couldn’t stop grinning, and it still brings an instant smile to my face. One year after the proposal, we went back to Paris as a married couple… a really thoughtful wedding present given to us.
Helen – Engaged November 2007 / Married August 2008
Good luck if you’re going to pop the question soon and congratulations if you’ve already put a ring on it. Take a look at our romantic Pinterest board if you’re looking for more inspiration for your special day.
