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..
It seems pretty clear-cut..
You hire a great wedding photographer, they take photos of your big day and you get the photos to do what you want with afterwards, right? Simple!
So answer me this:
- Are you allowed to upload those photos to Facebook?
- Can you and your family make copies of your photos?
- Do those copies have to include the photographer's watermark?
In short, do you know who owns the copyright (and moral rights) of your wedding photos and what that actually means?
For many couples, planning their wedding is the first and only time they come into contact with, book and work with a professional photographer. To get the most out of your experience and the best result possible (gorgeous photos of one of the most significant moments of your life and hopefully a great relationship with a photographer you can trust for future shoots), it is really smart to know your rights and obligations when it comes to copyright.
Bianca follows bridal fashion religiously - it's her passion. She has helped to style everyone from high-profile, London society brides and celebrities to Persian princesses. She knows where it's at!
Unbridely are thrilled to welcome Bianca Velt-Herron to our ever-growing list of wedding professionals and guest bloggers.
Bianca trained and worked at Harrod's London and is currently the Australian representative and stylist for American label, Jasmine Bridal, and several other international brands (follow on Facebook or Pinterest)
This week Bianca offers us a look at 5 slightly unconventional, but fun bridal styles that allow a bride to express her personality more freely than with a classic princess silhouette: Sequins, Rockabilly, Spanish Senorita, Modern Grecian Goddess and Red Carpet.
We hope you love her take on these Unbridely styles and in particular get some inspiration from Bianca's top styling tips and accessories suggestions!
This week Unbridely welcomes guest blogger from across the ditch, Megan of She Said Yes - a digital wedding magazine and practical guide to planning your own wedding.
Megan is only recently married herself and has some handy and relevant tips for those couples planning their wedding.
She is also the creator of The Little White Book - Wedding Diary and Organiser and has generously offered a special discount for Unbridely blog readers (the coupon code is at the end of this article).
Thanks for sharing your words of wisdom, Megan!
Quick Vows by Unbridely is a simple way to get a little of you and your fiancé into your wedding ceremony. It's a basic, 1 minute process and is meant to be a starting point for more detailed and intimate vows; a springboard for your creative genius to flow.
Have a go and remember to share it with your fiancé!
Lee Bouras, from award-winning Wyld Orchids, runs an unique and thriving floral online consultation and design service based in Adelaide, South Australia.
Wyld Orchids creates bespoke and artistic wedding flower arrangements to enhance and embellish the look and feel of an entire wedding; from churches to civil ceremonies, receptions and all types of bridal flowers.
In Lee's 2nd post for Unbridely, she talks about how hiring an experienced, talented and personable florist can make all the difference to your big day - saving you undue stress, time AND money.
Thanks again, Lee!
Pssst! Are you a little over wedding planning?
Do you even remember the last conversation that you had with your fiancé that wasn't about the guest list, your accommodation or the menu?
Then it's time to get back to basics and revisit why you guys are getting hitched in the first place. And we have a handy resource to help you do just that; nurture your connection and step away from the planning folder (and Pinterest) for a while.
Check out our 50 ways to reconnect!
Many wedding couples would like to include the refined elegance of string ensemble music to their celebration, but don't know which songs would be best, so we've pulled together an amazing resource for you!
We have created an easy, 1-page downloadable pdf for you to refer to: the 8 most requested processional (bride's entry) songs with professional quality audio and video recordings of each as performed by Amicus Strings.
This week it is all about the processional songs and in the coming weeks we will also cover music for the signing of the certificates and the recessional.
You can Pin it HERE!
The Australian Psychological Society (APS) advises that learning to handle stress in healthy ways is very important - whether it's in the leadup to your wedding or just on an average Tuesday.
Fortunately, it is easy to learn simple techniques that can help you almost immediately and in the long term too.
Here are the APS top 7 ways to look after your mind and body and reduce stress and its impact on your health:
We can certainly empathise with how, when you are considering ordering rehearsal dinner centrepieces, bouquets, boutonnieres, ceremony aisle decorations, flower petals for the aisle, arrangements for the bathrooms or entrance of the reception, bridal table and guest table decorations and hanging installations, your wedding budget for flowers can take a big hit.
But we've got 3 clever styling tips that will have your bridal blooms doing double duty, which can stretch your budget further, all while making your wedding celebration look and feel more beautiful.
Some brides and grooms shriek with dismay when I let them know that, for their 100 guests to actually hear them, they will need to speak into a mic during their ceremony; "oh, I HATE the sound of my voice!"
Apart from having a mildly sadistic streak (haha!), there are 3 other excellent reasons why making the effort to use a mic will make your ceremony so much more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Researching potential venues, photographers, florists and the like is a critical stage in your wedding planning process. And it's usually when your first understanding of what's available and the associated costs come to light.
Let's face it, you can pin hundreds upon hundreds of images of your perfect wedding, but there are no price tags on Pinterest.
We also understand that many couples are reading up about and contacting their wedding suppliers on their lunch break (because you wouldn't dream of doing it during work hours, right?)
So knowing all of this, why don't all wedding suppliers advertise their prices?
Kiera Blanden is a little obsessed with colour and texture.
"I could quite happily spend an entire day in Bunnings or trawling through Spotlight and (apart from missing my adorable family) walk away feeling completely energised and inspired by a heap of new ideas."
As the founder and team leader of Rapture Events, Kiera has worked on almost 900 beautiful celebrations. Recently rebranded as Kiera Blanden Events + Styling, she has an excellent eye for design and an almost intuitive understanding of which style elements work best together to create an exceptional wedding experience.
One of the growing trends in weddings is for Brides to take on the task of styling their big day themselves - which is why Kiera also offers her couples the option of hiring out her elegant and extensive range of furniture, accessories, linens and games.
Unbridely asked Kiera to give us some insider tips for styling your own wedding. We feel honoured to be given a glimpse 'behind the curtain' and to tap into her 7+ years of experience.
You know you should be looking after your skin, but what exactly does that mean?
What should you be doing in preparation so your complexion is at its absolute best on your wedding day?
Liv Rooney is a professional makeup artist based in Adelaide, South Australia, who believes that "every woman on this planet is beautiful and unique."
We love her work and her attitude too.
Unbridely are happy to have Liv give us some realistic (i.e. no botox involved) advice on how to make the best of what we've got.
Thanks Liv!
