Planning Your Wedding? Some Tips On Flowers

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21/05/2014

Cameron Ingalls Photography via Style Me Pretty

Flowers are the the most important visual factors of your wedding day. The recommended florists in MyDreamWedding.ie have some important considerations for all brides to be..

1. When to order

Do not leave it until the last minute. Allow time to make sure that decisions will not be made in haste. Best Dublin florist can often bo booked up well in advance, mainly to Friday and Saturday wedding ceremonies. We recommend you appear and speak to us when you have picked out the wedding dresses.

2. Options

When chosing your florist word of mouth is often the most reliable advice. As an alternative, look at the florist’s website for customer reviews. We carry quite a few customer feedback on the website.

Yazy Jo via Style Me Pretty

3. Suggestions

Bring your ideas to the florist by means of journal cut-outs, sketches and cloth samples so that we’re able to realise your dreams. The more details you’ll be able to provide us with, the simpler it will be to exceed your expectations.

4. Time of year

Keep in mind the time of the year you’re getting married. It’s true that all flowers can be purchased practically all all year; however it is usually fine to use flowers relative to the time of year.

5. Design and style

Modern means funky, vibrant colours, clean lines and wild style and design. Vintage often means conventional, pure white looking blooms, or perhaps Bohemian where you shell out particular attention to flowers of the season in naturally collected arrangements.

Luke Simon via Style Me Pretty

6. Colour

There are lots of colours in the rainbow, however, the majority of colours can be put into two pockets – a) cool colours such as pinks, whites or b) warm colours for example burnt oranges, burgundy, reds.

7. Budget.

It’s advisable to consider your budget early. Almost everyone have to work with their limitations whether or not large or small. As soon as deciding on priorities, the bridal party’s flowers are those most exposed and are photographed non-stop. Beside these one of the most closely viewed are often the table decorations. So perhaps these should be thought about first along with the choice for church flowers later.

8. Trends

Exactly like fashion, flowers follow trends and certain flowers become “in vogue”. However, you should not necessairly let trends to dictate, as often the trendy flowers many not to be ideal for a conventional wedding.

Erich McVey Photography via Style Me Pretty

9. Harmony is key

Start with your dress and the ones of the bridesmaids, you’d put your heart and soul in to selecting these dresses and therefore the idea behind this would run all the way through. The bride’s bouquet should emphasize the gown, as well as bridesmaid’s bouquet should compliment the bride’s bouquet, as should the groom’s boutonniere, the mother’s corsage, the church pews, the cake flowers and table decoration etc. The link to harmony might be so simple as colour, style or flower wide variety, or perhaps go all the way and choose a topic – medival, country garden, winter wonderland, baaroque or celtic. Whathever the link, the continuity of harmony ought to run all through.

White Daisy Photography via Style Me Pretty

Caribbean Resorts with the Best Pools

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My Dream Wedding

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20/05/2014

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By:

Jill Fergus

Taking the plunge. It’s a phrase that’s bandied about with some abandon during the wedding build-up. And when it comes to the honeymoon, it’s certainly one of the verbs you’ll be wanting to experience on your Caribbean vacation. Just which pool you choose to dip your toes into may needa bit of expert sleuthing. Which is why we tested the waters to uncover the best pools across the Caribbean.

Infinity Pools

CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa, Anguilla
The infinity pool at this whitewashed villa resort on Rendezvous Bay flows all the way to the beach (though you can only swim in the top part). And it’s definitely photo-worthy. Alternate between the pool and ocean and when you’re sufficiently waterlogged, dry off before sampling the resort’s celebrated, organic West Indian cuisine and decadent spa services (room rates start at $475 a night; cuisinartresort.com).

Photo courtesy of CuisinArt Golf & Resort

Grace Bay Club, Turks & Caicos
It’s hard to compete with Grace Bay Beach, one of the Caribbean’s most celebrated strands with aqua water and powder-soft sand, but this eye-catching infinity pool comes pretty close. As you unwind — your arms hanging over the pool’s translucent edge — you soon realize that your snorkeling cruise will have to wait (room rates start at $620 a night; gracebayresorts.com).

Photo courtesy of Grace Bay Club

Four Seasons Resort Nevis
This breezy British Colonial-style resort on Pinney’s Beach has three swimming pools, but the most breathtaking is the adults-only infinity-edge pool in a private, peaceful location. As you float dreamily, ponder whether to get a papaya scrub in the spa or take a sunset stroll on the beach (room rates start at $375 a night; fourseasons.com).

Photo Credit: Don Riddle

In-Room Pools

Jade Mountain, St. Lucia

With no phones or TVs in yoru open-walled hillside room, you can observe the spectacular backdrop of the verdant Piton peaks and the cerulean sea from the comfort of your pirvate infinity pool without any buzzy distractions. When you’re ready for some beach time, head down the hill to sister property Anse Chastanet (room rates start at $995 a night; jademountain.com).

Photo courtesy of Spa Jade Mountain

Hermitage Bay, Antigua
The island’s quaint town of St. John with its boutiques and colorful markets is inviting, as are the sugar-soft beaches all around the island. Even so, it will be hard to tear yourself away from your suite’s private pool tucked into the lush hillside overlooking the neighboring island of Montserrat at this exclusive resort (room rates start at $1,182 a night and are all-inclusive; hermitagebay.com).

Ladera, St. Lucia
Rooms at this lush hilltop hideaway are built without a fourth wall, leaving one side open to jaw-dropping panoramas of the island’s marquee Piton peaks. After a day of hiking through the rainforest and swimming in sulphur springs, slip into your private plunge pool — mango daiquiri in hand — to watch the glorious Caribbean sunset (room rates start at $400 a night; ladera.com).

Sandals Grande Antigua
Some of the top rooms at this couples-only all-inclusive on Dickenson Bay are the Rondoval garden suites — luxury cottages with hour-glass-shaped freshwater pools enclosed by towering pamls and bougainvillea that are perfect for privacy-seeking honeymooners. Need a bite to eat or another frothy cocktail? Just call your butler (room rates start at $490 per person, per night and are all-inclusive; sandals.com).

Lagoon-Style Pools

Zöetry Agua Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
The lagoon-style pool at this luxe Punta Cana resort with 51 luxury thatched-roof suites flows through lushly landscaped grounds offering plenty of private nooks. Rum tastings, cigar-rolling classes, yoga and four restaurants, such as the newly renovated Dominican-inspired Amaya, round out the experience (room rates start at $528 per person, per night and are all-inclusive; zoetryresorts.com).

Photo courtesy of Zöetry Wellness & Spa Resorts

Grande Bahia Principe, Jamaica
This all-inclusive Victoria-style beach-front resort at Runaway Bay on Jamaica’s northern coast tempts guests with three free-form pools amid tropical foliage, all linked together and encircling the resort, creating a meandering mega-pool. Late-night fun includes a sports bar, karaoke and a reggae club (room rates start at $240 per person, per night and are all-inclusive; bahia-principe.com).

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Dorothy And Philip wedding by Ewa Figaszewska

By

My Dream Wedding

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19/05/2014

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Enjoy amazing photos of Dorothy and Philip beautiful wedding. Pictures were taken by an amazing Ewa Figaszewska.

Ceremony: St Conleth’s Church, Newbridge, Co. Kildare

The reception: Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge, Co. Kildare

The flowers: Bud and Berries

The dress: Smart Brides

Photography: Ewa Figaszewska

Preparing for Your Wedding

By

Sarah

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19/05/2014

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There’s nothing easy about planning a wedding. Even picking out the perfect invitations for all of the guests can take hours or days to finalize. That’s why it’s always a great thing to have a little assistance whenever possible. We’ve gathered a few of the best Do’s and Don’t ‘s for new couples planning their marriage. These tips will help you save the date and ensure everything is ready on time, while avoiding a few of the common pitfalls that new couples make with their wedding. These tips alone won’t guarantee that you enjoy that perfect wedding, but they’ll certainly help make that dream a little easier to achieve.

Do have a checklist

Have you created a checklist yet? This is probably one of your most powerful tools while you are planning a wedding. When you realize there’s something else you need done for the wedding, just add it to the bottom of the checklist. Try to include every job, goal, and task that needs to be accomplished, no matter how minute or trivial. Your checklist will be your guide through the following months and will help you track your progress adequately. Staying organized throughout the entire process will help things progress smoother and on schedule. It’s amazing what a single piece of paper and a clipboard can accomplish for your wedding! (Check out our wedding countdown).

Do call your friends…fast

It doesn’t take long for all of the required work to build up and become completely overwhelming. Luckily, you probably aren’t alone in the world. You’ve probably got a few friends or family members who won’t mind helping where they can. Enlisting a few friends to help where possible saves time, money, and frustration. Not to mention, adding some friends to the mix can turn a boring, tedious task into something a little more fun and entertaining. Don’t be afraid to get them involved from step-one and even help them each create their own individual checklist with a few of the jobs that come from your master checklist. This will help everyone work on their own specific tasks and get things done quicker.

Do have an open bar

This tip is here for all of those new couples who just aren’t sure if they should have an open bar or not. True, a wedding is expensive and an open bar is just another expense, but an open bar is viewed as a must by most people who have been married or been to weddings. While it may be your perfect night, it’s not exactly everyone’s perfect night. Whether they’re drinking because they’re sad, enjoying the night, or want to have fun, an open bar can ensure that the guests don’t get bored and leave early. After all, you can’t have a bunch of drunk guests driving off in the middle of the ceremony! If anything, you should at least have an open bar during a certain portion of the night. Some guests may not be able to afford more expensive drinks, especially after forking over money for a wedding gift. An open bar is a gift to all of your guests.

Image credits:
Wedding planner organizer Embellishe Designs
Wedding checklist note pad Paper Please Studio
Bridesmaids and cute couple Creative Weding Photography

Instagram Your Wedding Pictures

By

My Dream Wedding

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17/05/2014

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Instagram is one of the most popular photo-sharing mobile apps available today! You can add filters, frames and fun effects to your photos and share them with family, friends and the public. If you want to try something a little bit different on your wedding day why not Instagram your Wedding and this infographic will show you how!

The first section looks at the best Photo sharing apps on the market and the best thing is all 5 of these apps are free! Whether you simply want to be able to see your guest’s view of the day through their photos or if you want an app that can help you co-ordinate the day, one of these apps should be the perfect fit. While your professional photographer will help you capture your special day it is also fun to have a few DIY shots to remember the day, the next section of this infographic ‘Fun and Unforgettable Wedding Photo Ideas’ should give you and your wedding party some inspiration!

‘#Instagram Your Wedding’ provides helpful hints about hash tagging your photos to ensure they are all available to view under the one grouping. The final section of this infographic gives you some hash tagging ideas from including your pets – ‘#IWoofYou’ to getting the kids involved – ‘#CandidKids’. Get creative and get hash tagging to have some fun photo memories to look back on from your special day!

Setting the scene for wedding photographs

By

Sarah

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16/05/2014

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A series of wedding photographs are designed to tell the story of the bride and groom’s progress from two single people to a happily married couple and as such are something which should be looked back on and cherished. They are just as important as the wedding venue and the reception and should be planned with equal care.

The wedding photographer
A wedding photographer will put a lot of homework into creating a set of wedding photos. The photographer should first ask the bride and groom about the type of pictures they want to be taken, whether classic and formal or modern and casual. They should also ask about group photos, so they know which family members or friends are to appear in which images. It may be helpful for the bride and groom to provide the photographer with a list of all the shots they would like taken. This can also help to save a great deal of time on the actual wedding day. The photographer may also want to scout out the wedding venue, so he or she can determine, ahead of time, the best locations.

Classic poses at the wedding

Classic locations for wedding photographs include outside the church, usually just outside the front door. These should feature just the bride and groom, as well as with both sets of parents, bridesmaids and ushers and friends. Then there should be shots of the entire wedding party, perhaps outside, but sometimes at the altar of the church. One photo should be of the bride and groom exchanging a kiss after the ceremony with the rings on show, the recessional, where the couple walk back down the aisle together and one of the father giving the bride away. In all these cases, the venue’s architecture and interior will provide the backdrop to the photos.

Alternatively, if the wedding has been held at a different type of venue, such as a registry office or even outdoors, the bride and groom may want to pose beneath an archway of flowers, which will need to be arranged beforehand, or standing next to an impressive fireplace.

Classic poses at the reception

Things can become a little less formal once at the wedding reception. Here, the stress of the ceremony has dissipated and the couple can enjoy themselves knowing it is all over. There are still some classic poses to be captured, however, such as the arrival of the married couple, their viewing of the gift table and guest book and the all-important cutting of the cake. In the last pose it is important to capture as much of the beautiful wedding dress as possible, so a cake set on a glass dining table would help the photographer to achieve this.

For a little fun, there are always the bouquet and garter tossing scenes to be shot, as well as the couple’s first dance together. The wedding guests should not be forgotten; neither should shots of the musicians and those who give toasts and speeches.

Image credits:
Church Jake + Necia Photography via Style Me Pretty
Couple at the church Creative Wedding Photography
Garden kiss Charlotte Jenks Lewis via Style Me Pretty
Couple with family Creative Wedding Photography

How to find a venue for your reception

By

Sarah

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14/05/2014

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The majority of wedding receptions in Ireland take place in a hotel, simply for convenience, size and experience, but when faced with the huge choice of venues, it’s often difficult to narrow it down to just one. Here are a few tips to make sure you make the right choice.

Finding a venue for your reception is possibly the most important financial decision you have to make when planning a wedding, as by far it should be the most expensive item on your list. Traditionally the venue was dictated by the bride’s family hometown, but these days couples feel much more free to choose their dream venue, no matter where it is. Plus, even if the couple were restricted due to their choice of ceremony venue, there’s usually a good selection of venues in the surrounding area – with most guests driving, it’s a lot easier to choose a reception venue further away from the ceremony venue.

Before even looking, you must sit down and work out your budget and your guest numbers. Knowing how much you can spend and how many people you need to accommodate will narrow down your search.

Think about distance from your ceremony venue. The reception venue should be as close to the ceremony location as possible, but a maximum 45 minutes to an hour’s drive away.

When working out how much per head you can afford, work out if this is just for food, or does It include wine with the meal, welcome drinks, evening food, drinks for the toast etc. Most hotels cost just for food, so you’re generally expected to pay for drink on top of this.

Think about the sort of meal you would like to serve, as this will help you in your choice of venue. For instance, a buffet might offer a different type of wedding meal experience.

If guests are travelling, you may want to choose a venue with rooms, or adjacent to a hotel or guesthouse.

If you have a big interest in wines, you might want to bring in your own. If this is the case, make sure that your chosen venue offers corkage. Check if this is negotiable too.

Every experienced venue will have a dedicated wedding/events manager. Meet with them at an early stage and establish if the venue is a possibility for your type of wedding.

Try to get testimonials from previous couples who have held their receptions there. Even googling the venue on the internet might bring up some reports on the venue.

If you are booking a wedding for a year or more in advance, get a good Idea of the price before you book. Generally prices rise about 5-10% every year, but check that the expected rise is in line with your budget.

Read the small print – some hotels can charge extra for certain items or may require a minimum number for evening food.

Make sure you see the room/venue at an early stage so you can see if it’s a serious contender or not. If you are still interested, arrange to see the room when it’s done up for a wedding.

If possible, arrange to eat at your venue or sample the caterer’s menu. Some venues offer a menu tasting – enquire If this is possible.

See what extras your venue might offer, for instance, champagne on arrival, free room decoration, discounted rooms for guests, 1st anniversary dinner etc.

While hotels offer a relatively hassle-free wedding option, don’t rule out any other venues. For instance, a castle can make a stunning setting for a wedding, and many venues have recommended caterers attached to them who will know the venue and the possibilities of it.

Image credits:
Hotel Daniel J Photography via Style Me Pretty
Venue 1 Tory Williams Photography via Style Me Pretty
Venue 2 (outdoor) Viril Bunao Fine Art Weddings via Style Me Pretty
Venue 3 Aaron Delesie Photography via Style Me Pretty
Venue 4 Jeff Sampson Photography via Style Me Pretty

Legal Requirements For Getting Married In Ireland

By

Sarah

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13/05/2014

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To help you get started with the state requirements to get married in Ireland, we’ve visited Citizen Information to get the necessery information.
Getting married is a big decision and is one of the most significant events in someone’s life. Aside from the excitement involved in planning your big day, there are rules and procedures you must follow in order to marry in Ireland.
Aside from the rules about how and where you can marry, marriage will immediately affect lots of areas of your life. You may not be aware but your legal status, your inheritance rights, and pensions are just some things that will change. Many other areas of life will also change and we examine these and other issues in this document.

To contract a legally valid marriage in Ireland the parties to the marriage must:

have the capacity to marry each other
freely consent to the marriage. Free consent may be absent if, at the time of the marriage, a person is suffering from intoxication, brain damage, mental disability, mental instability or insanity to the extent that he/she is not able to understand the implications of marriage. Additionally, if someone agrees to marry because of threats or intimidation, his/her apparent consent may also be invalid and the marriage may be void.
observe the necessary formalities

Capacity to marry

To be legally entitled to marry, both of you must fulfil all of the following requirements at the time the marriage takes place. Both parties must:

Be over 18 years of age or have a Court Exemption Order if this is not the case.
Have given the Registrar three months notification of the marriage (or have a Court Exemption Order if this is not the case) and have been issued by the Registrar with a Marriage Registration Form.
Be either single, widowed, divorced, a former civil partner of a civil partnership that ended through death or dissolution, or have had a civil annulment of a marriage or civil partnership or a valid foreign divorce or dissolution.
Be of opposite sexes – for legal purposes, a person’s gender is deemed to be the one he/she had at birth, even if he/she subsequently had medical procedures to alter his/her gender.
Have the mental capacity to understand the nature of marriage
Not be related by blood or marriage to a degree that prohibits you in law from marrying each other. If you are related to your proposed spouse by blood or by marriage, you should contact a solicitor to ensure that you do not fall within the prohibited degree of relationship.

If either party doesn’t fulfil even one of the above requirements, any subsequent marriage ceremony is legally void.

Wedding gifts to cherish

By

Sarah

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13/05/2014

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You are invited to the wedding of two of your closest friends and you wish to give them a gift they will cherish for a lifetime. As a close friend, the gift should be personal, exceptional and the answer to “what our best friend gave us for our wedding”. If you get this right you will be remembered forever.

Most couples will create a registry or “wish list” with one or more of their favourite department stores or with an online retailer. Using the registry is the safest way to purchase a gift because you are assured that the newlyweds actually want or need the items placed on the registry.

Justin DeMutiis Photography

Often the couple will include expensive items on the registry such as high-end bedding or pricey kitchen equipment. It would be a delightful surprise to the bride and groom to receive one of those gifts, even if you have to share the costs with one or more guests or friends.

A lovely idea for a wedding gift is something that the couple can share or do together. How about a trip to a day-spa that features a massage for both of them? Consider giving the married couple an overnight stay at an up-scale hotel or a multi-course meal at the hottest new restaurant in town. These ideas are made extra special if you arrange in advance for the couple to receive exceptional newlywed treatment. These types of gifts are also good for a 6-month or 1-year anniversary present.

Jose Villa Photography

You can never go wrong with gifts for the couple’s home. Even if they have lived together for years and seemingly need for nothing, a gift for the home should reflect their new marital status. Romantic crystal champagne flutes, sexy satin sheets and bed coverings, his and her monogrammed silk robes and a framed picture of their wedding rings, are all simple yet touching wedding offerings.

Extraordinary gifts for the home can also include works of art, sculptures, wall hangings and ornaments. These types of gifts can serve as a reminder to the couple of a special or life-altering event, such as where they met or when they first fell in love. For instance, did the couple meet at the zoo? Then how about a sculpture of an elegant creature to remind them of the meeting?

KT Merry

Is the happy couple health conscious? How about a one-year supply of hand-delivered farm raised organic produce? Are they wine enthusiasts? You can purchase bottles of wine and gift baskets as a monthly subscription. Following this idea, you can subscribe the couple to periodic delivery of a variety of different products; beer, chocolates, coffee and bacon are some examples. This wedding gift option provides something for everyone.

Do they commute to work? How about a 6-months rail or underground rail ticket? Do they love music concerts or sporting events? Three to six months of tickets to these events would be a thrill to receive. Did they meet walking their dogs? How about a dog grooming service for a year? If the couple already have a child, you could give a family gift, such as a day at the local amusement or family fun park.

Choosing just the right wedding gift requires a lot of careful thought. Always focus on the happy couple’s unique tastes and characteristics and gift giving will be easier than you think.

Alisia and Richard wedding by Ewa Figaszewska

By

Sarah

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12/05/2014

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Alisia and Richard live in America, she’s Irish and he’s American.Their wedding was in Ireland. The ceremony was at Our Lady Star of the Sea church in Ballycotton, Co Cork and the reception at Ballymaloe House, Cork. Pictures were taken by an amazing Ewa Figaszewska. We love the way they express themselves on pictures! Hope you’re gonna like them too!

Ceremony: Our Lady Star of the Sea church in Ballycotton, Co Cork
The reception: Ballymaloe House, Cork
The flowers: The Village Florist, Castlemartyr
The makeup: Solas Health & Beauty, Cloyne
Photography: Ewa Figaszewska

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