Posted on 3 Comments

The Groom’s Guide—How involved should you be in wedding planning?

1Congratulations on your engagement! Now that the inevitable’s happened, and your lady love has agreed to share her life with you, what do you do next?

Don’t be surprised if your level-headed and practical fiance has already taken on her new part-time job—wedding planning, and while you are wondering about what colors and flowers she talks about all the time, don’t forget that you too have to be involved in planning your marriage. Well, atleast to a certain extent! If you thought the safest thing to do is to nod “Yes honey”, we have some news for you! Better listen to what’s going on, or you’ll regret it later.

While your bride goes ahead with planning “most” of the wedding, here is information on where you should step in and lend a hand!

Money matters

When a woman becomes a bride, cutting down costs suddenly becomes an alien concept. This is where you enter the show. Be there when she plans the guest list and the venue. This will account for a huge part of the wedding budget, so make sure you help with sorting out who has to be there and who doesn’t.

Similarly, set a maximum amount for booking the venue and decorating it. Women are often taken in by the look of a place, and once they are bowled over, there is no taking it back. So, take the initiative to search out alternate venue locations before going to see her suggestion. Ease her into the idea that she can get what she wants for a lesser price. Make it your responsibility, and not only will your bride remember how considerate you were to help her, you will also save some money.

Often ask about the wedding, and offer to help

There is usually a point in the engagement when the bride bursts out into tears and complains that the groom doesn’t care about the wedding. Well, you do, but not with the obsession that she has! But, for her sake and yours, ask about the plans and progress every now and then. Lend a ear when she pours out her frustrations over which shade of peach goes with the green in the décor. You may not have the slightest idea of what she is talking about, but peace with reign!

Your few responsibilities include finding a good tux, picking your groomsmen and getting in shape for the wedding. So, do these with gusto, and she will be proud of you.

Be involved in things that matter to you

You do not have to touch the invitations, flowers or wedding shopping. Let her handle it. Where the cake is concerned, make suggestions only if you are asked. Nevertheless, go along and enjoy all the tasting sessions she plans.

Instead, concentrate on the wedding music. Be involved in deciding which songs ought to be played, and definitely those that shouldn’t be.

One mistake grooms make is to avoid the wedding registry. It’s your folly. If you want other gifts besides than silver tea cups and pretty home ornaments, you will have to register at places of your choice too. So, make sure you do!

For more wedding related tips and advice both for the bride and the groom, check out our website at Best for Bride.

Posted on 1 Comment

Why Loose Curly Hair is Perfect for Weddings

simple curly wedding hair

I am due to get married to my long term partner at the end of November and because I only ever plan to get married the once, I want absolutely everything to be perfect. Like most brides however, my biggest concern is regarding how I will look during the ceremony and as such, I have spent the last few months experimenting with different styles of makeup and hair. I am still undecided regarding which colour of eye shadow and lip gloss I will don for the event but I have decided that I will be wearing my hair in ringlets.

But why I have I chosen to have curly hair for my wedding? Here are just three reasons I want to wear a curly do on my big day:

  • Curly hair is a traditionally romantic style
  • Curly hair is far more comfortable than other styles of wedding hair
  • Curling you hair for a wedding is easier than you might think!

Loose curly hair is a traditionally romantic style

I studied a module of Greek mythology during my time at university and I have to say that I have become pretty obsessed with Greek Goddesses since then. Many of these fabricated – yet powerful and classically beautiful – women had long curly hair, including Aphrodite (the goddess of love and beauty) and Hera who is fittingly, the goddess of marriage, women and childbirth. Curly hair was considered the most beautiful hair style in Ancient Greece and there are worse things to look like on your wedding day than a goddess!

Numerous studies have also been conducted with men over the years to determine the “flirtiest” of hair styles and unsurprisingly, curly hair came up on top. Maybe that has something to do with the temptation to twirl such around your fingers? A recent news story even announced that some academic research has discovered that those women who don curly hairstyles in the work place are also taken less seriously by their male peers due to the supposedly flirty aesthetic.

It might make me sound like I am not pure enough to wear a white dress but I like the idea of looking a little flirty and attractive to other male onlookers at my wedding – why wouldn’t I want people to be jealous of the groom?

Loose curly hair is far more comfortable than other styles of wedding hair

Although many traditional wedding “up dos” look pleasant enough, they are usually pinned to the head quite tightly and this can cause the scalp to pinch. Some women might be happy to live by the sentiment that “pain is beauty” but I don’t want to be uncomfortable throughout that day that is supposed to be the happiest of my life!

Arguably, I could wear my hair up for the ceremony and undo it for the reception but after affixing an up style using several styling products, the hair is not easily reworked into another style due to the build up of product – I definitely will not have time to wash and restyle my hair between the two sections of the event.

Wedding up dos are also usually also built up around the position of the veil. I really don’t want to have to wear mine all day and because mine if the kind that has a hair grip built into either side of the band, it will be far more easily removed from locks that are loose than those which are tightly bound with bands and hairspray.

Curling your hair for a wedding is easier than you might think!

My hair is naturally poker straight and as such, there would usually be a little pain involved in transforming my locks into beautiful curls due to overnight techniques such as ragging, pin curling and hair rollers. Thankfully, I discovered a product that makes sleepless nights whilst curling a thing of the past; Curlformers.

I don’t want to bore you with the details regarding the application of these wondrous curling tubes (details of this can be found on the official website) but here are the reasons I love the product so much;

  • They do not require heat to work and so they do not ravage your hair;
  • They are incredibly easy to apply and remove from the hair;
  • Curlformers produce incredibly defined curls for whoever uses them;
  • The curling tubes are really flexible and so are not uncomfortable to sleep in;
  • The tubes are of really high quality and are pretty much indestructible and so make for a very worthy investment;

If my marriage lasts as well as the curls one can achieve with Curlformers then I’ll be in marital bliss forever!

 

Jacqueline Green is convinced that there is no better way to achieve curly hairstyles than with Curlformers kits – she really has never used a better hair curler!

Posted on Leave a comment

How To Be A Truly Traditional Bride

Classic beauty never goes out of style – if you’ve always longed for a traditional wedding with all of the bells and whistles, you’ll need a wedding gown that is truly timeless.

Traditional brides keep it classy – nothing is too flashy, bodices don’t dip too low for good taste, and wedding shoes, veils, and accessories are simple and elegant.

If you’re looking for tips on becoming the most classic, lovely bride you can be, you’ll enjoy our quick guide to timeless beauty for today’s traditional brides:

Rituals And Traditions Will Add Meaning To Your Wedding

Today, traditional brides always choose white bridal gowns – this ritual began in Victorian England, and it was instituted by Queen Victoria, who believed in the purity and angelic symbolism of pure white.

Other early 19th century rituals were also taken into account before brides-to-be selected their wedding dresses – for example, it was considered unlucky to marry in a gown you made yourself. The truly traditional bride will always choose a bridal dress created by someone else…

If you dream of a very traditional wedding day, the charming custom of wearing “something old and something new, something borrowed, something blue” should also be a part of your wedding rituals.

Something old symbolizes your old life as a single woman…and something new illustrates your journey into a new life as a married woman.

Something borrowed echoes the influences of your friends and family…something blue is derived from ancient Jewish wedding traditions…this soothing color is believed to be a symbol of faithfulness in love…

English brides in the Victorian Age also put a silver coin (sixpence) in their shoe…this tradition was believed to bring good luck and material success to the new couple after their wedding…

Traditional Beauty Is Simple And Feminine…Never Overdone…

Creating traditional beauty in your wedding ensemble can be as simple as wearing a circlet of wildflowers in your hair…brides in the Emerald Isle followed this ritual for centuries.

If you prefer a classic veil, you may enjoy knowing that it is symbolic of chastity! The first wedding veils worn in ancient Greek ceremonies were yellow – in Rome, they were red!

Simple makeup and soft, touchable hair are the hallmarks of the classic bride – whether you hair is worn up or down – both styles are quite traditional – it should be classic and feminine.

Don`t wear too much powder – keep your skin youthful and dewy with a great moisturizer…blotting papers are a cute, and very traditional, way of cutting shine without adding more powder!

Look at works of art from online gallery tours – women of previous centuries were always captured while showing off flowing curls, luminous skin, and natural beauty.

A fake spray tan may look great at the beach, but it won’t really evoke classic beauty at your wedding. It’s all about making the most of your natural hair texture and your God-given coloring!

Embrace your own beauty with a classic wedding gown, elegant veil, and dainty wedding bands.

Other Fun Wedding Traditions To Enjoy

Today, many brides also follow the ritual of not being seen by their groom-to-be before the wedding – being spotted by your future husband before you walk down the aisle is thought to be bad luck.

In certain cultures, a ritual bath is practiced by brides before they are dressed in their wedding gowns – this cleansing ceremony is believed to purify the bride-to-be before her marriage.

Plan Your Trousseau

This fun tradition is French in origin – the word trousseau mean “bundle”. Your trousseau is a special set of clothing and accessories, designed to be worn on your honeymoon. If you’re interested in wedding rituals, you’ll truly enjoy filling a trunk or suitcase with a “bundle” of new items! This may not be as wonderful as finding perfect wedding dresses, but it can still be very fulfilling! Traditionally, the bundle may also include some new items for the home…

We hope you’ve enjoyed this look at traditional bridal rituals. Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life…if you value the rituals of the past, add in some of them to your own wedding day. You’ll connect with history and symbolism as you prepare to start a whole new chapter in your life!