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As times change, the way we celebrate occasions tends to change with it. Christenings aren’t a given for new babies, birthday cards are sent via Facebook and I can’t remember the last time I went to a ‘house warming’ party. However, there is one event where traditions and customs have stood the test of time, Weddings. We still wear white wedding dresses, follow bridesmaids down the aisle, are ‘given away’ by our fathers and feed each other wedding cake, often without even stopping to question why. While these customs and rituals are comforting for many brides, others are left feeling restricted and controlled as their ‘dream wedding’ doesn’t fit the classic mould. The good news? Many brides are altering expectations or doing away with them altogether in pursuit of their perfect day. Here are some ways you can too!

Ladies, take a knee!

It’s 2018 and the ‘leap-year’ rule is well and truly dated. So if your man is taking is time to pop the question,…

Okay, I’ll level with you. My sister’s wedding is officially 18 days away and while I’ve certainty talked a lot about performing a speech… it may or may not actually be written yet.Unlike the Best Man or Father of the Groom, the Maid of Honour speech is a relatively new addition to the wedding speech line up, meaning that unlike the best man or father of the groom speeches, it’s without a set traditional structure or role. However with a little preparation and some solid one liners, you can give that best man, or father of the groom a run for his money!

Tip #1 Introduce yourself

While it may seem pretty obvious that you are the brides best friend or sister, you would be surprised how many plus ones, extended family members or parent’s friends will be attending, and totally unaware of your connection to the bride. So give your audience a little context by introducing yourself, and a brief story of how you know the bride.

Tip #2 Tell a story about the…

We are all familiar with the timeless ‘bridezilla’ stereotype, a manic control-freak bride, who goes to any lengths to have their Pinterest-perfect day. But what happens if this demanding perfectionist isn’t the bride… but her mother? The planning of a wedding can whip the best of us into a frenzy of excitement and dramatics, so what happens when your usually patient and kind-hearted parent is replaced with an argumentative and demanding Momzilla? While their lengthy lectures and large demands may feel overwhelming, with a little communication and empathy, a momzilla is the perfect person to have in your corner when planning your special day.

1 The Pursuit of Perfection

Firstly, it’s important to understand the reasons for their behavior, as often their love and support can come across as being controlling and selfish. Mother of the bride is a significant role, and can leave moms feeling solely responsible for the success of the wedding day. So remember she isn’t…

You’ve survived chaotic holidays and unfair curfews together. Shared more tubs of ice-cream and pointless arguments than you can count, and while you no longer live in the same house, city, or even country… there is no one you’d rather have by your side on the most important day of your life! So from greeting guests to getting ordained, here are seven ways your siblings can be involved in your wedding ceremony.

1 Join the Wedding Party

The most obvious role that a sister can play is, of course, maid of honour, or bridesmaid. Coordinating pre-ceremony celebrations, delegating tasks and acting as a right-hand during the planning, it’s easily the most responsibility you can give. So make sure they’re up to the job! Have a brother? Then bring him on as a “bridesman” (yes it’s a thing and we so approve!) or ask your fiancé to have him as a groomsman. 

2 One for the performers

Getting loved ones to perform readings is always a popular way to personalize your…

I’m going to go on a limb and say that where weddings are concerned, the groom doesn’t tend to be *ahem* super invested in the organisation and planning of the big day. So for those of you whose grooms may not understand the many (many) little accidents than can happen, it may pay to help them prepare. So here are 10 items that can save the groom (and his groomsmen!).

Slip Ups

Want a quick way to ruin every single wedding photo? Two words; ketchup stain. Get the better of any splatters, splashes or splodges with stain removing wipes. Simply test in a small spot, then apply as soon as possible for the best results.

Itty-bitty kits

You know those little sewing kits always provided at hotels? The ones you never ever seem to use? Well now is where they come in handy! Even top quality suits or tuxedos can have loose hems or buttons. So pack a little sewing kit with needles, buttons, thread, hem tape and safety pins, to fix up any little wardrobe worries.

Extras

Get a…

It may be a month, a week, or the night before the wedding. Your trashcan is full of crumpled first-attempts, the newest blank page is staring you down and suddenly the phrase “Webster’s Dictionary defines love as…” is starting to look like a pretty strong opening. Whether you write for a living, aced high school English, or can’t string prose together to save your life, writers block hits all of us. Especially when you’ll be reading it out to a room of expectant people and have no clue what your spouse has up their sleeve. Lucky for you, we’ve put together the best tips for getting past your vow-writing worries!

Just write

Sit through enough English classes and you will have encountered this top-notch technique. Sit down at your writing pad, laptop, typewriter or phone, set a timer for 2 minutes (or more if you feel fired up!) and start writing with your partner in mind. Don’t stop for even a second until the timer goes off. You may go on a tangent, cut…

You’re sitting amongst a pile of bridal magazines, on the edge of tears and the idea of yet another dress fitting/cake tasting/vendor meeting is making the idea of eloping in Vegas look more inviting every day.If this sounds familiar, then you may be experiencing bridal burn out. The good news? A little awareness, support and self-care will have you excited and energised to plan your big day in no time!

I’ll do it tomorrow…

With a to-do list longer than Kate Middleton’s train, beware falling into the procrastinating trap. Important tasks like booking vendor appointments and deciding venues can feel overwhelming at the best of times. If you find yourself putting these decisions off and dealing with smaller less urgent jobs instead, you may be suffering from burn out. The best fix for this is to break down large jobs into smaller and more manageable tasks, or delegating tasks to trusted friends and family members.

Insistent indecision

When we’re stressed, our…

While it seems simple, choosing the perfect wedding palette is far more complex than picking your two favourite colours and calling it a day. The endless rules and techniques about shades and hues are overwhelming at the best of times, so we’ve put together a list of the 10 most common colour mistakes, and how you can avoid them. 

Mistake #1 Too many colours

Like a kid in a candy store, it’s easy to get excited about all the different colours and palettes you can choose for a wedding. The key here is to keep it simple. With a mix of 2-4 colours, you’ll keep your wedding décor cohesive, making it look polished and classy.

Mistake #2 Staying Strict

While you don’t want your wedding looking like a mismatched rainbow, it’s also important not to fall too strictly into two exact colours and shades. To avoid this, palettes will often include a neutral complementary colour like cream or tan, as well as playing on lighter or darker shades of the primary colours. For…

Let’s face it, social media has changed life as we know it, and weddings are no exception. While some customs like chapel weddings, lace garters and even white wedding dresses are on the way out, there are still some traditions that are key for a classy modern wedding. So here are five top etiquette tips every millennial bride should know.

1Gran before the Gram

The proposal, the ring, the emotions, it’s easy to get swept up in the moment and like us millennials do with most things, celebrate the event with our online friends. While a social media announcement (or hint) is always the most efficient and dramatic way of breaking the news, it’s certainly not the most personal. So before you get posting, snapping or gramming, make sure that the important family and friends hear the news first, face to face or by phone call. Your tech-clueless grandma will appreciate it, I promise.

2It’s Complicated

Much like changing passports or bank statements, the updating of your…

It’s no mystery that weddings are expensive. In fact, the average wedding costs around $30,000. Although most of us wish we could spare no expense on the happiest day of our lives, it’s just not always a reality. So, the question is, how do you achieve a DIY, budget-friendly wedding that is still the wedding of your dreams? Let’s dive into the basics of what you need to know in order to do this at a fraction of the traditional wedding price.

Venue

This will often vary wildly depending on where you live, but if your perfect wedding involves an outdoor ceremony, check with local parks, beaches, and recreation areas to see if a wedding ceremony is allowed. It may be a matter of paying a small fee for a permit to use the space. This could potentially save heaps compared to a fancy venue.Do you know a friend or family member with a house or bach in that perfect seaside or rural setting? Organise a less formal wedding in that space instead of a commercial wedding venue.…