What is a Wedding Planner - Kathryn Evans

Kathryn Evans, Personal Wedding and Events Planner for Being Bridal discusses the full time
role of being a wedding and event planner and offers advice on how to choose one thats right
for you. 

What is a Wedding Planner?

Very few brides-to-be are experienced in organising an event as large and important as a wedding.

Planning a wedding can be a full time job! The average bride spends 250 hours organizing her wedding - that's equal to 6 full-time working weeks! Few couples have the time in their schedules to successfully plan, manage, and execute such an event effectively. And sadly, many couples don't realise or acknowledge this until it is too late, when parts of their dream wedding have already fallen apart leaving behind huge disappointments.

Your Wedding Planner can do as much or as little as you like. From discussing a budget to organising flowers, cake, hair and makeup and every other detail that goes into planning a wedding, you choose what you would like a helping hand with. Wedding planners have an abundance of creative ideas and insider's know-how. They have connections with the best suppliers in town and have learned to become polished negotiators to get you the best deal and value for your budget. They can manage the overall event and ensure that everything goes exactly as planned right from the initial stage to the closing stage. They can assist you in making the right selection and choosing the perfect wedding vendors and venue, and also help maintain a balance in what is happening, when it is happening, who is doing it, all the while keeping a strict watch that everything remains within your budget. Importantly, a wedding planner will help you set a realistic wedding budget, based on how much you have to spend, and in most cases, a wedding planner will save you money.

Should you decide to proceed with this service is when the costs are incurred. Travel expenses and the time spent planning your wedding are both taken into account, the costs - like the functions of the wedding planner - depend largely on what the bridal couple wants.

Being Bridal charges a flat fee, rather than accepting commissions from the vendors. This ensures that your wedding planner is working for YOU and not the suppliers. Different options are discussed during your free initial consultation, from small weddings requiring minimal assistance, to larger weddings requiring constant attention over 12 months or more.

Hiring a wedding planner might seem like an extravagant extra, but it could be the best investment you make.

Please contact me, if you would like to arrange a time to discuss your special occasion.

Kathryn Evans: beingbridal@hotmail.com

 *Pictures Supplied by Being Bridal

Wedding Hairstyles for Brides with Long and Short Hair

By Julie Ndagire

Every Bride's wish is to look her best on her special wedding day. To full-fill this, you have to choose the right hair do which will make you look great. Create your wedding hairstyles with beautiful hair accessories which matches your wedding dress our outfit. You can opt for an updo wedding hairstyle, a downdo wedding hairstyle a romantic hairstyle among others.

Take a look at some of the wedding bride's hairstyles you can choose from.

wedding hairstyles for blacks

wedding hairstyles for Africans

Wedding hairstyle

Simple Wedding hairstyle for Short hair

Romantic updo wedding hairstyle

Simple wedding hairstyle for long hair

updo wedding 

hairstyle

A Perfect Wedding, By The Wedding Guru’s

We’ve put together for you a little poem (non-rhyming) that covers all of the things that we believe are the most important for couples to remember in planning for and on your big day. We often see couples who are upset that their cars came late or the bride’s makeup was not exactly perfect and these little things go on to ruin one of the most important days of their lives. After putting in so much time, effort and hard work, we don’t want you to miss one single, tiny beautiful moment and so here are a few helpful hints we wanted to share with you!

A Perfect Wedding, By The Wedding Guru’s

A perfect wedding must be planned. Not perfect with ‘things’, but perfect with feelings, memories and sentiment. Where the important things are foremost and the little things forgotten.

Take time in the planning, really speak to each other and create amazing ideas based on mutual love, contribution and respect.

Remember the relationship above all. Spend quality time with each other without discussing the wedding,.

Give your vows much consideration and use them to really tell your marriage partner how much they mean to you. Look them in the eyes when you speak the words.

Don’t get caught up with the little things, whatever will be, will be.

On the day: Stop often and take in your surroundings. See your loved ones, the scenery, your partners hand in yours. It will be over in a heartbeat.

Let your heart remind your why you are there. Not the pretty dress or the lavish party. To stand side by side and pledge your love for eternity.

Find quiet moments in the chaos to just be with the other. Kiss, embrace and thank them for their love.

Don’t get so caught up in the excitement that you forget to just be there for each other.

When you dance, hold each other tight and look into each others eyes as if there is no-one else in the room.

Take the time to speak to each of your guests and thank them for their love and support.

MOST OF ALL…..

Laugh a lot, smile until your face hurts, feel more love than your heart can bear and breathe in every glorious second of it.

A perfect wedding day doesn’t just happen, you must create it with your thoughts, actions and words.

These are the laughs, the tears, memories and feelings that you will recall often with deep gratitude and love throughout your life.

The Wedding Guru’s

xxx

Caleche Bridal House Wedding Gown Collection

Alexandra



Some time ago we brought you the stunning photos from the wedding of 'Ben & Daphne' in which Daphne was wearing a Caleche gown. We had a huge response to that post and wedding dresses is clearly a very popular topic with brides, so we have decided to bring you some of our favourites from the fabulous 'Caleche Bridal' collection. C aleche is a local Adelaide bridal house and we have provided a bit of their story below, from their website at http://www.caleche.com.au/. We hope you enjoy these gowns and they are deifnitely work a look if you are searching for that perfect dress. 

About Caleche Bridal
It all began in 1973 in an Adelaide Hills lounge-room with one machinist and a small bank loan.

French migrants Olivier and Colette Foubert began the Calèche Bridal Centre in such humble beginnings with patterns and fabric spread across the floor. Colette was the designer, Olivier the cutter. They travelled the country for five years, until agents offered to promote their range in Melbourne and Sydney. The business flourished and as their four children grew up, they each in turn joined the business.

Since Colette's passing away in 2003, Elizabeth Foubert, carries on the tradition of European style designs. Liz graduated from the London School of Design and then worked in France before coming to Australia 15 years ago.

Today, Caleche gowns are stocked in selected boutiques across Australia and New Zealand. In South Australia, at the Calèche Bridal House in Norwood, Brides-to-be can view the latest collections or have their dream gown made specially for them.

Allanah

       

Briony

Portia

       

Anna

Cindy

      

Coco

Elizabeth

      

Ellie

Evita

Katie

     

Kimmie

     

Layla

Leah

      

Rachelle

Ruby

Vanessa

       

Riya

What is your Honeymoon Personality?

By Julie Ndagire

After months of planning and finally walking down the aisle, you might be shocked at your partner’s idea of a honey moon. Your personality types may affect your preference of honeymoon destinations. So before you rush to book a honeymoon location, each of you should think about what you would like. Do not concern yourself with finances. Let your mind wander! Think about what you would like to fill your days and nights with. This should help jog your memory;

What type of atmosphere do you see yourself stepping into?
• Do you picture a long stretch of beach?
• Acres of picturesque greenery?
• A lovely petite compound?
• A down to earth but clean and smart place?
• A posh city environment?
• Exotic, wild nature?
• Or it doesn’t matter as long as you have each other?
• Are there many tourists around?
• Are there many locals around?
• Do you see yourself interacting with others much?

Would you rather;
• Stay within the resot and taking advantage of only its facilities?
• Go on guided tours daily
• Stay indoors mostly?
• Create and go in search of your own entertainment?
• Or it doesn’t really matter?

What is more intriguing to you?
• A drink by the pool?
• A never before done activity like snorkeling?
• Do you visualize romantic evening strolls, holding hands and pinching each other?
• Or Romantic candle – lit dinner in the room?
• Or high energy party activities like gambling or dancing
• Or a sleep in with you lover?

Are you eating exotic foods and Pizza?
• Are you enjoying locale cuisine?
• Or it doesn’t really matter?

What would you pay extra for;
• A luxury room?
• A breathtaking view to die for?
• Execeptional customer care?
Awesome guided tours?

• What would you fear most on your honeymoon?
• Boredom?
• Being too secluded?
• Crowds?
• Being in foreign country?

What is most important to you?
• The room?
• The Service?
• The food?
• The facilities?
• The entertainment?

Armed with your answers to the above questions, both of you should agree whether to go to a beach resort, a safari in the wild, a swanky and posh location, a laid back gateaway, an adventure-packed location or a scheduled, romantic location specifically for honeymooners.

Wedding photos – A must-Have guide

By Betty Among

A wedding is a series of events revolving around the bride and groom. Therefore, this should be reflected in the photos of the day. For a day that will be cherished forever, it is essential that every detail of the day be captured on Camera.

Getting Ready for Wedding Photos.

A photographer is usually assigned to the bride’s side although the groom can also opt to have one. Here is a list of shots that should be taken from the bride’s side:

The wedding dress still on a hanger or on the bed or over the chair.
The bride finalizing on putting on the dress
The bride’s mother putting finishing touches to the bride
A close-up of the bride’s shoes.
A close-up of the bride’s bouquet
A close-up of the wedding dress details
The bride and bridesmaids putting on makeup
The bride hugging her parents and other family members
The bride with her bridal entourage
The bride touching up

The bride and her parents leaving for the ceremony.

From the groom’s side

Groom putting on tie
The groom all dressed up
Groom with parents
Groom with the rest of the family.

At the Ceremony Wedding Photos

The ceremony site outside (Church, Mosque, Registrar)
Guest walking into the ceremony site
The bride and the person giving her away entering the ceremony site
A Close-up of the bride before she enters the ceremony site.
The bride and the person giving away inside the ceremony site.
A photo of parents
A photo of the elders all settled in.
The maid of honour
The maids
The ring bearer with the ring
The groom waiting for the bride
The groomsmen
The officiant
The ceremony site inside
The ceremony musicians if any
The handover
The reading of the vows
The guests participating
The exchanging of rings
The kiss
Sigining of the marriage license
The couple on the steps outside the site
The couple with parents, friends and well wishers
The couple getting into the car
The bride and groom inside the car.


Wedding Posed Photos before the Reception (Studio or garden photos)
The bride alone in full length
A close-up of the bride
The back of her dress
A waist-up shot of the groom
The bride with bridesmaids
The groom with the best man
The groom with groomsmen
The bride with parents
The bride, groom and entire wedding party

The entire family together.

At the reception
Outside of the reception area
The guest inside
The wedding party arriving

The bride and groom greeting the guests
The décor
A close-up of the table settings
The high table

The serving area

The musicians or DJ table
The wedding cake
The gift table
Random photos of the couple
Several photos of guests
The speeches
The toast
The couple cutting the cake

The couple serving the cake
The couple receiving presents
The couple’s first dance
Guests dancing
The bride throwing the bouquet
The couple leaving the reception.


The list of guidelines can be explained or scaled down according to the couple’s religious affiliations, wishes or budget. The couple should communicate to the photographer their most important moments. To guide your photographer, you can write down a list of the shoots you need in the order they will happen.

Tip: Try taking photos before the function begins because the make-up is still fresh and the enthusiasm and energy in abundance.

Week 11 - A Korean Wedding Tradition

Welcome to Week 11 in our ’52 Rituals in 52 weeks’

In keeping with our promise of taking you around the world with these posts, this week we have decided to bring you something from Korea. While it will not always be practical for you to use some of these more specific cultural traditions in your own ceremony, we hope that seeing the efforts that some go to in using rituals in ceremony will inspire you to find one that suits you both as a couple or as a family and even perhaps create something different, starting your own family tradition that one day your grandchildren might carry on. All rituals and traditions started somewhere and with someone who found significance in the world around them.

Korean weddings are well known for their eccentric rituals and flair. Long ago it was custom for the couple to practise some long held rituals as part of their ceremony. The groom would ride a white pony all the way to the bride’s residence (regardless of the distance), carrying with him a white goose. The goose was, for Korean’s, a symbol of fertility and presentation of the goose to the waiting bride would ensure good luck when it came time to have a family.

In modern Koreathe Goose still holds the same sentiment, although wooden geese are now preferred given the difficulties of working with live animals!

Koreans are big on forms of representation when it comes to rituals in ceremony and also engage in a tradition whereby a pair of wooden ducks (representing the bride and the groom) are taken by the couple and placed in the home they will share after the marriage.

If the ducks are placed to face each other, then it represents that the couple are happy with each other and are on good terms, but if the ducks are faced outward, with their tails facing then it signals that perhaps there is unhappiness between them. (Pity the poor groom who comes home to find that his bride has faced them tail to tail!)

Let’s hope your ducks all face each other!

The Wedding Guru’s

xxxx

8 Steps to Book your Honeymoon

By Alexa Ondra

Ever heard of the saying; “Proper prior planning prevents pathetically poor performance?” Most Ugandans are guilty of last-minute booking with no planning at all. This creates a headache for both the couple and the travel agents. Start planning your honeymoon along with your wedding.

Set a budget. Decide whether you would like to spend more on wedding or the honeymoon. How much money can you spend on the honeymoon? Remember it is possible to be in a particular location but choose the 5-star, 4-star, or 3-star option.

Lake Victoria Serena Hotel in Entebbe; One of the best honeymoon destinations in Uganda 

Decide what type of honeymoon to take. This is purely based on your personalities. Are you adventurous? Are you the type that prefers to be left alone? Are you water-loving? The choice is yours.

Seek advice from a travel agency. The world of tour and travel even within your own country is complex beyond your imagination. Things like connecting flights are best done by the pros else you end up spending four hours in transit while an agency would have sorted you out better.
With your budget and ideal vacation in mind, take your ideas and talk them over with a travel agent. A good agent should be able to produce a number of options that will be tailored to your preference and your budget.

Research your destination before sealing the deal; the internet, the tourist board or the travel agency can provide you with information. Check out activity ideas and weather.

Know the logistics before you go. Know the distance between your hotel and the other attractions you plan visiting during your honeymoon. Check out hotel amenities.

Find out about necessary vacations or diseases endemic to your preferred area for honeymooning. Visas, Taxes, Know it all.

Let everyone know you are on honeymoon. Hotel staff, restaurateurs, and drivers should be informed of the special occasion for your trip. Do not be shy, because divulging this information often results in special discounts, treatment or gifts.

9 month wedding planner for brides

By Betty Among

• Announce your engagement to family and friends
• Choose a wedding Date and a date for traditional obligations.
• Get cost estimates and work on the budget
• Choose a location and reserve your ceremony and reception site
• Compile a list of requirements for the ceremony. These may include blood test results and letter of consent from girl’s parents.
• Select venue and dates for wedding meetings.
• Select a steering committee.
• Begin a rough guest list
• Decide on who you would like to have as your attendants, especially your maid of honour and best man.
• Purchase a wedding planning book or magazine

Six to four months to the wedding

• Begin shopping for brides maid’s dresses
• Order your wedding goen and buy accessories like gloves, shoes and veil as well as undergarment that you will wear with it  (bring these to all fittings).
• Commence pre-marital counseling
• Choose and book service providers like Jewellerly, printer, caterer, cake baker, decorator, transporter and photographer/ video crew.
• Book your honey moon and verify that you have necessary travel documents including passports, Visas and possibly necessary inoculation.
• Book a room for your wedding night, if you will be leaving for your honeymoon the next morning

Four to two months to the wedding
• Make arrangements to move
• Arrange accommodation of out-of-town guests.
• Finalise your guest list an send out invites, this should be between three to four weeks to the wedding day.
• Purchase luggage and other travel necessities and attire for your honeymoon.
• Schedule an appointment with your beautician and hairdresser for facials and trials.

One Month to Go
• Purchase a guest book
• Plan an outing or dinner with your mum, dad, siblings or close friends.
• Plan to your wedding night room.

One week to go
• Contact your caterer with a final guest count.
• Print out a timeline of events for your wedding party and vendors. Incude contact information and mobile phone numbers
• Finalize details with all service providers
• Finalize your reception music and song list/needs.
• Schedule a final dress fitting
• Pack for your new home
• Pick up your wedding gown
• Pack for your honeymoon.

One day to the wedding day.
• Check your honey moon bag and add your toilet bag
• Treat your self to a day of pampering and sheer indulgence. While you’re at it, do your nails and if necessary part of the hairdo.
• Get your matron to pack an emergency kit which consists of
 Make-up
 Extra under wear
 Sanitary towels or pads
 Toilet paper
 Safety pins
 Comb and brush
 Lotion
 Disposable shaver
 Visine (or any eye Whitener)
 Hanky or tissues
 Needle and thread
 Scissors and razor baldes
 Painkillers, magnesium , anti running tummy, pills and band aid
 Snacks like Pringles
 Breath minths
 Bottled water
 Plus Whatever else you feel would come in handy for you

Best Australian Blogs Comp 2012

Dear readers and blog friends

The Wedding Guru's are sooooo excited to announce that we are entrants in the 'Best Australian Blogs of 2012' competition. You hope you all know how much we have appreciated your loyal support over the last 8 months since we began and we have grown from strength to strength during that time. We honestly couldn't have done it without you all. We have worked really hard to put this site together and we spend a lot of time writing posts, answering questions and sourcing truly insirational photos for you to all be awed by.

So now we have a HUGE favour to ask of you...... If you have ever read one of our posts, appreciated a piece of advice we have given, liked one of our photos or even referred a friend to check out our site then PLEASE vote for us. We are eternally grateful for your support.

In order to vote you simply need to click on the button to the left and then find us alphabetically (got to 'T' for 'The Wedding Guru's'). The only information you will need to fill in is your name and email ( for authenticity). The Sydney Writers Centre who is hosting the competition is a reputable  and professional body so you can be assured it is not going to share your information or bombard you with spam, we promise!

The wedding community is strong and supportive and that's why we love it so much. Thank you in advance and if we become finalists in the 'People's Choice' section it will be all because of you guys.


The Wedding Guru's
xxxxx

Steps Taken in Drafting a Wedding Budget

By Alexa Ondra

After the fairly dust has settled and the fact that you’re engaged to the most wonderful person in the world, there is now need to sit down to set some financial parameters and form a wedding budget.

There are ten most common steps when forming a budget and these include:

Step 1: Have a real long chat with your partner. Discuss what kind of wedding you both want, your dreams, visions, indoor or outdoor, laid back, buffet among others.

Step 2: Make a list of what you’ll need. Each wedding is different but if you want a standard wedding, get the budget from friends who have been there, or wedding meeting minutes to see the list. You don’t have to follow it though, feel free to create your own traditions.

Step 3: Priotise this list. What means the most to you? Is the cake more important to you than music? Select what you want to be handled first.

Step 4: If you’re not fully funding your own wedding and introduction ceremony, meet with friends and or Key friends to get a picture of what they are willing to contribute. Be nice even if they are not contributing financially.

Step 5: Analyse your own finances. How much do you have available or how much can you make available in the near future without going broke? Bear in mind that average Ugandan wedding costs sh15m and above.

Step 6: Come up with a cash plan to raise what you need whether on a personal note or from friends.

Step 7: Start vendor window shopping. Compare prices and do a full background check using other couple’s experiences.

Step 8: Go back to the drawing board; compare estimated costs versus real costs found and adjust accordingly or re-plan.

Step 9: Appoint a finance manager specifically for the wedding incase you are poor at financial management. It has to be a trustworthy person with a knack for accounts.

Step 10: Review your budget after purchases every two days to make sure you’re on track.

Wedding Theme Inspiration

Choosing your wedding setting and decor can be very overwhelming given the endless variety of ideas available to you. In our opinion the first step is to choose a theme, one that suits your personality and style.

 Things to consider when choosing a theme include:

-    Colour - ( ie black and white or purple and silver). Our favourites are soft tones such as ivory, champagne or white with a bold splash of colour such as purple, pink or black to be the most appropriate choice if you are planning for a chic romantic setting. Try to stick to one or two colours to be as effective as possible as more colours mixed in can begin to look a little out of place.

-    Style – Again base this on your personalities. Are you characters of elegance?,  or are you a couple who enjoy the beach, or perhaps lovers of the renaissance or the vintage and antique. Your chosen style can also be arranged around the season of your wedding, if it is an autumn wedding you might like to find an outdoor location amongst the orange of the trees or if in summer, a beautiful beach wedding might be the way to go.

-    Budget – Your theme may be restricted by your budget. Be realistic from early on in the planning stages, remember you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to have a beautiful wedding setting and there are plenty of amazing DIY options available to you. There would be no point in planning a setting filled with arches and vases of lush fresh flowers, crystal candelabras, chandeliers and tea light candles suspended from the ceiling if your budget doesn’t allow. There would be nothing worse than the feeling of having to change your setting plans at the last minute because you have run out of money to pay the florist or hire company.  

Once your theme has been chosen this will guide you in selecting your invitations, wedding and bridesmaid dresses, beautiful centrepieces, bonbonnieres and even food and beverage choices.

To get you started in this thought process we have compiled our top 10 wedding setting pictures as posted by brides and grooms from all over, which we believe radiate romantic elegance and beauty.

 We hope this inspires you towards creating the wedding of your dreams. If you would like to run any ideas past us or if you have a beautiful wedding setting you would like to share please send it in to theweddinggurus@live.com.au for your chance to have your question, idea or picture featured on our page.

The Wedding Guru's

xxxx

Please note: These settings have been compiled from numerous sources including Facebook posts and other web pages. These photographs are not the property of The Wedding Guru's. If you would like any information on the owner of a particular photograph we would be happy to assist.