One of the most romantic and naturally beautiful venues for a wedding ceremony in Australia is on one of our many stunning, sandy beaches. On a sunny day, there is an atmosphere of freedom and fun that is hard to replicate in any other setting.
That said, with the experience I’ve had conducting beach ceremonies over the last 7 years, I have learned a lot about the difference between a successful, enjoyable celebration and those that have proved to be challenging at best. With a little planning you can be sure to get the most from your beachside location while avoiding some common pitfalls.
Vicky Aldred from The Turquoise Rose is an absolute delight.
Her 16+ years’ experience was recently recognised with her business, The Turquoise Rose, being awarded Top 3 in Australia for Floral Design in the 2018 ABIA Designer of Dreams Awards.
Not only does she create breath-takingly beautiful floral designs for South Australian wedding couples on a weekly basis, she is also warm and friendly and has an almost encyclopaedic knowledge.
So when Unbridely wanted to help couples decode the different wedding bouquet styles that are popular right now and what they actually look like, Vicky was our first pick.
Thank you for your invaluable advice, Vicky!
Like it or not, working out what you (and/or your wedding guests) are going to do with the littlies on the big day is a planning necessity.
In the past, parents would choose to either arrange an off-site babysitter or wrestle/bribe/beg their kids to behave like adults so they can enjoy at least a few hours as a wedding guest. But there are new, inclusive options which mean that children can be looked after and/or entertained in a safe and nurturing environment at the same venue so everyone can have fun.
Win win, yes?
Unbridely spoke with Event Coordinator, Hannah of Adelaide-based Nurturing Nannies, about the things you need to consider when planning a kid-friendly wedding.
DON'T MISS YOUR FREE PERSONALISED KIDS WEDDING ACTIVITY BOOKLET PDF!
(just click the button at the end of the post)
The true value of your wedding photos is not something that you will fully appreciate 6 months or even 6 years after the event; they are a portal through which future generations will see and understand you.
And, while your lives may shift and change over the years, the memories of how you and your guests FELT in those moments will be timeless.
At Unbridely, we believe this is what great wedding photography is all about.
The tricky part though, in the rush and excitement of a normal wedding day, is that these little pockets of time, these tiny opportunities for connection, are fleeting. With so many competing priorities and a schedule to adhere to, there is often the sense that there isn't enough time to take it all in.
So we asked Adelaide natural light wedding photographer, Wes Beelders, for his suggestions on how to create space and make time on your wedding day to ensure that your memories, and subsequently your photos, aren't just a series of frantic, rushed moments, but rather more considered and mindful experiences to cherish for many years to come.
Thank you, Wes!
There are times when the couple gets it right and the kids (and therefore their parents) have a ball and are an awesome source of fun and laughter at weddings. Just imagine a little page boy busting some moves on the dance floor or a sweet flower girl raiding the dessert table before she should; super cute!
It's the sitting still quietly for (what seems for them) a lifetime during a ceremony or waiting to have photos taken that usually doesn't end well.
We've seen the good and the bad (and the disastrous!) and want to make sure that you are armed with the best tips and tricks to get the kiddies onside for your big day.
There are only a handful of phrases in the English language that can so immediately provoke a spine-tingling shudder of fear like when someone says "I'd really like you to do a speech".
Professional speechwriter, Lynda from Silvertongue Speeches hears it all the time.
"So many hate the idea of giving a speech or find the whole idea so stressful it ruins the day, and I have had to sit through so many painful speeches I knew - I want to help make this better."
I asked Lynda if she can help out Unbridely Brides and Grooms (and their bestman, maid of honour or parents as well) with her ultimate tips and tricks to delivering a really great speech.
Thanks so much for your time and expertise, Lynda!
Nanou is a certified Yoga and Meditation Teacher, Mindfulness Instructor and Reijukido Therapist and she has kindly adapted some of her yoga and mindfulness techniques for Unbridely specifically to help stressed and time-poor brides and grooms.
As many of us sit for lengthy periods at a desk, it's only realistic to have access to a sequence that can be practised practically anywhere when you have a spare 5 minutes. Print it out, stick it next to your screen and feel better now.
Stretch, breathe and enjoy!
When you want to keep your wedding small, simple or short and you don't want to spend a small fortune, what are your options?
In Australia, the Births, Deaths and Marriages offices in the states and territories conduct registry office wedding ceremonies where you can attend with your fiancé, two witnesses 18 years of age or older and up to 55 guests.
But there are some compromises you need to consider, such as:
- not being able to personalise your ceremony to align with you and your fiancé's values and preferences
- not being able to meet with your celebrant before the ceremony
- having all photos indoors
- not being able to share food or drink onsite directly afterwards
- not having a picturesque/outdoor photo location
- being restricted by the registry office's opening hours/meeting times
There's always the option of eloping; running away in secret to get hitched privately. Unfortunately, some couples discover after the fact, that the potential for hurt and misunderstandings that come from eloping were not what they had intended.
But what if there were some middle ground?
Mentored by the incredible James Day, Alex is all about connection. His perception of his role in a wedding celebration is not limited to just the art of taking, producing and editing photos, but as a facilitator of wonderful memories cherished for a lifetime.
We were speaking recently about the difficulty in explaining to Brides and Grooms the value of a great wedding supplier and Alex had some thoughts that he wanted to share.
If you're not in Adelaide, you may have missed out on Unbridely's first-ever, interactive wedding planning event; Unbridely Live.
Hosted at the awesome Published Arthouse in the heart of the city, myself and 11 award-winning, experienced and generous local wedding suppliers presented to an eager audience of engaged couples and local wedding industry identities.
Focusing on the core message of creating authentic, imaginative and heart-felt wedding celebrations, the Unbridely Live team pulled together a fresh and entertaining night of equal parts ideas and advice.
From the post-event survey, it seemed that the most valuable part of the evening was the app-driven Q&A Session; 8 wedding pros tackling the attendees toughest wedding planning problems.
While we covered a lot on the night, there were still some questions that we couldn't get to, so I went to the Unbridely Live team and got them to write this article.
And, if there's anything that we can help with that we didn't cover, something you're really dying to ask, drop me a line anytime at hello@unbridely.com If I don't know the answer, I have at least 11 good mates that will!
In the seemingly never-ending search for the ultimate in wedding personalisation, engaged couples are hunting high and low for the next 'must-have' accessory, entertainment, reception decor or upcoming food trend.
But when it's all said and done, when the high of the big day is just a happy (but distant) memory, what will you have to reflect on? What can you pass on to your children or grandchildren, and what will you really remember about your wedding day by the time your teeth are kept in a glass of water on your bedside table?
I sat down with Mike from EverettBrookes to chat about their (relatively) new offering for clients to make their own engagement, wedding or 'whatever celebration you want to mark' ring.
Award-winning Adelaide wedding photographer, Luke Simon, is a big fan of first looks. Unbridely managed to catch him sitting still just long enough to get his perspective on the reasons why a first look helps the couple getting married, their guests and their photographer too.
Not a lot of people (and until recently, me included) know what a professional MC actually does or understands the role of an MC at a wedding.
But what I have noticed, when I talk to my brides and grooms about their wedding planning, is a definite trend towards hiring an experienced MC, rather than asking (read: begging/bribing) a relative to do them a favour.
So is hiring a professional MC the right choice for your wedding and what in the hell do they do anyway?
DJBen gives us the inside story..
I hear (read!) wedding photographers chatting amongst themselves on social media and when I notice the same topics come up time and time again, I write a blog post about it.
Because there's zero point in wedding professionals banging on about how brides and grooms 'just don't get it' when you're only planning on doing this once in your life and you've never been told. You don't know what you don't know, right?
So here are some of the hot-button subjects at the moment and expert tips to help you to form a better relationship with your wedding photographer and in the end, get better photos.
"Get married!" they said. "It's such a great experience!" they said.
And for some couples, it IS their jam:
Friend: "So, how's the wedding planning going?"
Them: "Great! We're having so much fun choosing our photographer/looking at venues/working out colours together etc."
But for many, wedding planning is quite simply a freaking nightmare.
2017s big trends reach back into the past for inspiration (as all the best ones do!), drawing from classic lace accents, vintage color palettes and even 70s styling and bold floral patterns. Texture will play a huge role in the new styles in the form of embellishments like sequins, lace, ruffles and pleats.
There is definitely something for every woman in the bridesmaid’s dress trends for 2017..
I don't know about you, but I love giving really thoughtful and different gifts almost as much as I love receiving them.
So with Valentine's Day creeping up, we thought that we'd do a round-up (to save you time and precious brain-power) of some of the best and most unique handmade Etsy presents that you can give to your S.O. without breaking the bank. We've got something for everyone!
The best part is, these 10 awesome Aussie Etsy shops are offering exclusive discounts to Unbridely readers (yes, YOU!) of 10-15% off their products for a limited time (check each store's details below for the shop coupon codes and other deets).
Jump on them today!
In case you've been living under a rock, you would know that Pantone announced their colour of 2017 as 'Greenery' - "a refreshing and revitalizing shade, Greenery is symbolic of new beginnings. A fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew."
What is super-handy, as far as wedding colour palettes go, is that greenery is practically everywhere in the leaves and foliage that were a massive hit in decor in 2016.
But the next question is: what colours does 'greenery' go with and how can I make it work for my wedding?
We've pulled together the most common causes of newly-engaged angst and how to sidestep them in the hope that you can keep yourself wrapped up in the warm, comfy blanky of your love for just a little while longer..
Rose gold as a core colour for weddings started to become very popular a couple of years ago and there are several excellent reasons why it's not going anywhere in 2017..
