Supplier Feature; The Best Job in the World

Thank you to Alison at Daisy Cupcakes for this amazing insight into "the best job in the world".

Yes, you read right – I have the best job in the world! I am a Registrar, and it is my privilege and my pleasure to spend my days marrying people and I LOVE IT!

I love it because it’s obviously such a wonderful thing to be able to do for a couple, being present on such a happy day and making their dream come true. But I also love it because I absolutely adore seeing the beautiful dresses, flowers, shoes and jewellery and smelling all the fabulous fragrance in the room!

My work is not full time, I am what is called a peripatetic Registrar so I am not based in an office. So how does it all work?

The Superintendent Registrar co-ordinates all the wedding bookings and prepares a staffing schedule usually three months in advance, so all the weddings I am due to attend are then put in my diary. As a peripatetic Registrar, I play a dual role – sometimes I am the Deputy Superintendent Registrar who takes the ceremony and sometimes I am the Deputy Registrar who does all the paperwork at the wedding and makes the entry in the Marriage Register.  There are always two Registrars at a civil wedding to cover both roles.

On the day of the wedding, we arrive at the wedding at least half an hour before it is due to begin and we are shown to our interview room. We always meet first with the photographers and videographers to ensure they know the photography policy and when they can take photos, and we also see any musicians to make sure they know when to stop and start for the ceremony.

And then it’s time to prepare to interview the lovely bride and groom to check all the details are correct.  First the groom, so that he can then go to the ceremony room and make sure all the guests are getting seated, and then the beautiful bride. This interview time is very precious, it gives us as Registrars, an opportunity to understand exactly the ‘feel’ of the wedding, and it gives the bride and groom a tiny bit of quiet time before the ceremony. We explain what is going to happen to settle their nerves and check that we have got everything right, so that the ceremony is perfect.

I love the atmosphere when walking into the ceremony room! Everyone looks fabulous, there is a lovely smell in the air, happy music is playing and the level of anticipation is sky high! I ask everyone to turn off mobile phones (!) and remind the guests not to take photographs until the end of the ceremony and then IT’S TIME!

‘Would you all please stand to receive the bridal party’

And now the bride makes the entrance she has been rehearsing for a lifetime – it’s magnificent to watch, and I feel so lucky to be there at that moment. And 20 minutes later -

‘Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to present to you for the very first time, the brand new Mr and Mrs .......'

Supplier Feature; Military Weddings Press Release

                            

Military Wedding Discount Launches across the UK and USA

Military Wedding Discounts is a great new website that has been designed to help members of the armed forces in both the UK and the USA save money when planning their wedding.

www.robgrimesphotography.co.uk

Emma and Terri decided to set up Military Wedding Discounts in order to help troops save money on their big day and to also help raise money for two charities Help 4 Heroes based in the UK and Operation Gratitude based in the USA.

www.robgrimesphotography.co.uk

All categories are covered from dresses and suits to catering and cake and from stag and hen do ideas to photographers and jewellery.  The website offers suppliers both in the UK and USA who are offering special rates to the military personal and 50% of all advertising fees are donated to the charities.

www.robgrimesphotography.co.uk

Emma Said: ‘supporting a military charity is something we both wanted to do for a long time and have combined it with our love of weddings. We are also looking into organising fundraising events of our own to help raise more money for both the UK charity Help4Heroes and USA charity Operation Gratitude’

www.robgrimesphotography.co.uk

There is also a section on ‘Real Military Weddings’ where brides and grooms or photographers can submit their wedding to be featured on the website. If you are a wedding supplier who would like to advertise with Military Wedding Discounts or are interested in becoming a sponsor, please see the ‘Advertise With Us’ page for further info.

For more information check it out at www.militaryweddingdiscounts.com

Real Weddings; Glen and Wonky

A big thank you to Libra Photographics for sharing this beautiful wedding. 

Glen and Wonky (aka Veronica) had a different wedding thanks to the stunning location of the brides parents, their garden backs onto the beautiful Poole harbour. Veronica's Dad also owned a Morris Minor and an Austin 7 (complete with winding handle) these were the wedding cars for the day.

After a fun filled preparation in the morning with the bridesmaids doing a fine job of lacing up the dress and stopping any chance of the bride breathing for the rest of the day, everyone jumped into their cars and rolled on down to the Church in Poole, apart from granddad who's car wouldn't start so I picked him up on the way (photographer/recovery vehicle).

After the church we headed to a view point over the harbour for a few photos and I have to say that Dad was a great sport when I asked him to drive up to the cliff edge in his Austin 7 mounting a couple of curbs with those spoked wheels whist I preyed that my idea did not damage his treasured possession. The photos sure were worth it so a big thank you to him!

Then back to the house where Veronicas brother, a marquee company owner, had put up the biggest marquee I have ever done a wedding in. It had decking, lounge, bar, chillout area, dining room and a dance floor, where he's had to avoid trees and rosebushes he made a feature of them in the actual marquee. A true artist!  

Although this was an extremely sunny day it was also a blustery one, 80% of the attendees to this wedding we water sports fanatics from competitive sailers including the groom to kite surfers, you could see the torture sitting looking out to sea with perfect conditions, this did not stop them having any fun when the party got started which is where I left them to enjoy without my camera seeing it all.

I hope you all enjoy these images as much as I enjoyed taking them.

More information on Libra photographics is below:

I graduated with a BA(hons) degree in photography 1997, and worked in photography ever since. I started Libra Photographics in 2000 with medium format film gear going digital in 2004. I do miss the days of film but digital has bought a whole lot of extras with it. I am a bit of a control freak so it is nice to be in control from start to finish.

Based in Poole Dorset my local area is Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon and Somerset. But I travel farther if asked, I have even shot weddings in the Lake District on a paddle steamer! 

I have now split my company in two as I believe my weddings and my portraiture have evolved differently, I have weddings at www.libraphotographics.co.uk and portraiture at www.eamesphotographer.com. I find this has free'd me up to pursue a lot more creativity in both.

Real Weddings; Jen and Chris

A big thank you to Libra Photographics for sharing this beautiful wedding. I love the bridesmaid dresses and the cars are amazing ;0)

I met Jen when my Daughter was born... literally, she was my midwife! Whilst my other half was having contractions in Poole hospital I started chatting about what I do for a living and found out Jen was getting married, offering her a good deal as a thank you for looking after my two girls seemed like the right thing to do, and I'm glad I did as this was a great, fun, wedding.

Turning up at the house for the preparations I quickly realised that Jen was uber organised along with her two bridesmaids, one of which I am photographing her wedding in October, when all the details had been nicely presented and thought out, instead of the usual stuff thrown all over the bed and dress in a bag. This was a pleasant surprise and allowed me more time to focus on the job in hand (I usually end up giving mirrors a quick wipe etc).

Jen  had picked out some beautiful dresses for her bridesmaids, a fifties look which looked great on her bridesmaids, I couldn't miss the shot of these two sat on the chaise longue looking twee to compliment the fifties look. I have to say one of the things I like about Parley Manor is the waiting area whist the bride is with the registrar, a large bay windowed drawing room flooded with light. Always makes for a few great shots before the ceremony kicks off after a short walk down the garden. to where a nervous Chris was waiting.

Jen and Chris have a passion for cars, a certain make of cars, Lotus. Although Jen turned up in a Rolls Royce, the guests had turned up in their lotuses, including the groom. I could not resist the urge to get these cars lined up outside Parley Manor for a few shots in the sun. I'm sure you'll agree it was worth it!

More information on Libra photographics is below:

I graduated with a BA(hons) degree in photography 1997, and worked in photography ever since. I started Libra Photographics in 2000 with medium format film gear going digital in 2004. I do miss the days of film but digital has bought a whole lot of extras with it. I am a bit of a control freak so it is nice to be in control from start to finish.

Based in Poole Dorset my local area is Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon and Somerset. But I travel farther if asked, I have even shot weddings in the Lake District on a paddle steamer! 

I have now split my company in two as I believe my weddings and my portraiture have evolved differently, I have weddings at www.libraphotographics.co.uk and portraiture at www.eamesphotographer.com. I find this has free'd me up to pursue a lot more creativity in both.

Guest Blog; Wedding Make-up Tips

By Eve Ashby – Professional Make-up Artist

www.eveashby.co.uk

The real trick to wedding make-up is to create a more groomed version of how you would normally look. This way you will feel comfortable but still in keeping with the glamorous image you are creating with your elegant wedding gown and styled hair.

Because this is not a look you would normally wear day-to-day it’s a good idea to have a trial run-through. Not only will this give you some time to adjust to your new glamorous self but it also means you can check any new products for allergy reactions.

When you practice your make-up it is important to do so in natural daylight. It’s surprising what a difference lighting conditions can have on the colour of make-up. Often dark colours can seem much paler under artificial lighting and this can encourage you to applying much more than you really need, making the look much heavier and more dramatic then you intended it to be.

Your wedding day is not a time to be experimenting with new, bright or high fashion make-up colours, as this will quickly date your photos. Instead I always recommend you opt for natural tones to create a classic look that will never go out of fashion.

The first thing people always see are your eyes and this is why it’s so important to get this part of the makeover right. On young skins shimmery eye shadows look fresh and bright but on older skins this shimmer can emphasise fine lines and draw attention to puffy or overhanging eyelids. So for this reason it is always best to put matt textures on older skins and keep shimmery eye shadows for younger brides.

If you have never shaped your eyebrows before you will be amazed at what a difference it can make. Not only will it make you look more groomed but will also open up your eyes. Another trick for a wide-eyed look is applying a few false eyelashes. You don’t need to go for a whole strip as this can look overpowering and feel heavy on your eyes. Instead a few individual lashes on the outer corners of the eyes work wonders and really finishes off a glamorous look.

If you have small lips opt for light or bright colours and lots of lip-gloss, as the shine will give the illusion fullness. Try to avoid darker colours on small lips as they can make them look even smaller. Lip liners have a waxy texture, which lasts longer on lips than the soft moisturising texture of lipsticks so it’s a good idea to apply lip liner to your whole lip area before applying lipstick.

The big thing to avoid on your wedding day is make-up containing light reflecting partials. The main culprits of these being under eye concealer pens. These pens work by reflecting light away from the skin to hide dark shadows and can do a fabulous job when people see you close up. However the flash from the camera will emphasise this reflection and all you’ll see are bright white areas wherever you have applied the product.

Whichever look you chose on your wedding day the main rule to make-up is blend, blend, blend. There should be no harsh lines and each colour should seamless merge into the next. If you follow this tip than your make-up won’t fail to look natural and perfect. 

Wedding Cake Trends for 2011

In a word the Wedding cake trend for 2011 is Tall and Skinny.

I love this particular cake trend as I feel it brings an elegance to cakes that wasn't quite there before. Instead of having a three tiered cake of 6, 8 and 10 inches, you can now stretch it up and have a five tiered cake of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 inches that will truly be a fabulous centre-piece for your Wedding. To add additional height tiers can be separated with spacers.

Although white cakes will always be popular, this year cakes will be getting brighter with more use of colour to tie in with the colour schemes of the day. Earthy colours are popular such as mocha, grey, dusty pinks and peaches as well as brighter colours of orange, yellow and various shades of green and blue.

Sun-washed vintage colours and styling have retained their appeal with cakes being adorned with sugar lace and embroidery. Cupcakes are still popular although miniature cakes will always be the more sophisticated choice.

My new collection, released within the next few weeks has examples of these trends.

Whoopie pies are making their way over from America and cake pops are quickly becoming very popular as favours or on a dessert table but these should, in my opinion, only be served as part of a very relaxed affair.

Janet Mohapi-Banks is an award winning luxury bespoke cake designer based in
Epsom and working in and around London, Surrey and the UK. Featured in the
country’s leading wedding magazine and on national television, Janet Mohapi-Banks provides cakes of excellence for discerning clients. http://janetmohapibanks.com

Acknowledgements for: 

Styling by Cherry Topped Bespoke Weddings - www.cherrytopped.co.uk,
Flowers by Woods Florist -www.woodsflorist.co.uk 

Stationery by Ivy Ellen - www.ivyellen.com
Photography by Sugar & Spice Photography - www.sugarandspicephotography.co.uk

Green Inspiration Board

For one of my upcoming weddings, I have put together a green inspiration board. I am especially loving the shoes!


Thank you to everyone who sent me their photographs.

Green Inspiration Board

Inspiration board credits

Cake - Cakes by Krishanthi  

Bramble Tiara - Katie Vale Designs

Cupcakes - Cats Whiskers Cake Design

Green shoes - Alexander McQueen

Green short Bridesmaid dress - Alfred Angelo

Green Bridesmaid Bracelet - Beady Eyes Designs

Earrings - Crystal Jewels

Tiara - Crystal Jewels

Wedding Invitation - Delightful Occasions

Candles - One Stop Pamper Shop

Wedding Invitation - Delightful Occasions

Steel Tree Table Centre - Elegant Sparks

Steel Trees - Elegant Sparks

Wedding Dress - Alfred Angelo

Long Bridesmaid Dress - Alfred Angelo

Real Weddings; Lucy & James

Huge thanks to Markus MacGill for this stunning real wedding based in Devon. 

I absolutely love the cake (how amazing!) and the rural village feel to the entire day which was brought through by the little  finishing touches - the table centres, table plan and ice cream tricycle. 

Lucy and James had a truly rural wedding, bang in the middle of a field in deepest rural Devon. 

Most of the people living in the small village had a part to play in the day, so there was lots of personal detail. 

Local people were involved in sweeping up the tiny little wooden church and organising a hog roast. With milk churns for the flowers, this was authentically rural, except perhaps for the posh Portaloos! 

Hopefully the rural feel of the day really comes through in the pictures. 

Thankfully it was one of many hot summer's days last year - I can only imagine what that farmer's field would have been like soaked in rain.

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