Wedding resources

To conclude our wedding series I thought it might be a good idea to share some great resources I have come across:

Pinterest:

One of my favourite places to find inspiration! and it's an excellent way to keep track of all the great ideas you find online. Simply pin all your finds to your board and you will easily be able to get back to them. And use the search function to find lots of other great ideas from people around the world. Here's a link to our wedding board: http://www.pinterest.com/pixieparty/weddings/

I also recommend: Hostess with the Mostess - they have heaps of boards and quite a few are wedding related so have a look through the list.

And just type 'weddings' in the search box to find heaps more!

Facebook:

Weddings in New Zealand is a new facebook group which has just been set up to help people getting married make connections with those in the wedding industry, in New Zealand. It's a closed group so brides can speak openly and ask questions of suppliers without 'giving anything away' to friends & family - if you would like to join here's the link to request to be added: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weddingsinnz/

Wedding magazines:

There are heaps to choose from at your local bookstore but don't forget all the free online magazines as well. Head over to http://issuu.com/ and type 'wedding' in the search box and you will find heaps to choose from including Magnolia Rouge which is published in New Zealand - it has a beautiful images, lots of inspiration, and features weddings from around the world.

And a lovely new wedding magazine has just been launched in New Zealand - Blush. Blush Magazine is a bridal journal and bridal lifestyle magazine all rolled into one and features real wedding stories, fashion shoots, interviews with people in the industry, a men’s wear section and articles on couples from their first date to the moment they fell in love, and so much more, all laid out on gorgeous organic wood free paper.   The editors are Aleisha Liebezeit from "The Love Collective Ltd" and Renee Calder from “Renee Calder Design”.  Based in Nelson but selling New Zealand wide & overseas. Magazines can be bought direct here. And we are lucky enough to have one of their first editions to give away - check out our facebook page to find out how to enter!

Regional guides:

Here's a few regional guides which will help you connect with local suppliers in these areas:

Auckland: www.aucklandweddings.co.nz

Christchurch: www.christchurchweddingplanner.co.nz

Dunedin: www.dunedinweddingplanner.co.nz

Wedding Expos:

Here's a few I've seen advertised lately that are coming up over the next few months:

Hitched Wedding Show, Rotorua - 1st June 2014: www.rotoruaweddingshow.co.nz

Waikato Wedding Expo - 29th June 2014: www.weddingexpo.net.nz

Mid Canterbury Wedding Expo - 27 July 2014: www.effortlessevents.co.nz/wedding-expo-ashburton

These are just a few resources, I'm sure there are 1,000's more! Feel free to post links to other resources as a comment below. 

And don't forget to pop over to our facebook page to find out how to get in the draw to win a copy of the first edition of Blush magazine (NZ residents only, will be drawn 8pm NZ time 10/5/14)

If you are planning your big day have lots of fun planning a magical day and we hope our wedding blog series has been helpful and provided some inspiration :0)

Including your pet in your wedding

Continuing with our wedding series, Kelly O'Neill from Happy Pawes shares some ideas for including your pet in your special day ...

As much as we want our wedding to just be about being a happy bride and groom it really does become a family affair.

We have all been there choosing our guests, deciding who is in the bridal party and most importantly of all who will keep hold of the rings at the alter? Will it be the very reliable bestman or our wonderful dog who is being a part of your big day and who has been asked to be ring bearer.

 Having your pet take part in the wedding ceremony is now becoming more common than you think, most dogs will either have the rings clipped to their collar so that they are easily accessible or they will wear a little cushion on their collar to show off the rings while walking down the aisle.

Some families even choose to have their dogs as bridesmaids just to add a bit of cuteness, they of course do not wear a dress but they may have a little flower clipped to their collar of the bridal party colours.

Lots of outside venues in Auckland are allowing dogs to be part of the wedding party, it doesn't suit all dogs as they must be able to respond to their name, sit patiently and quietly and walk nicely on the lead, for some dogs they need just a little bit of training but for some the reality is it would be to stressful for their dog to take part.

We really do see our dogs as part of the family and we really want them to be involved as much as possible on a day that is so special and we at Happy Pawes try and help to make the process as easy as possible which includes some basic training if required, making sure your dog gets to and from the venue and looking after them during the ceremony.

I have to say it is a fun part to the job we do and so lovely to see how much impact our dogs have on our lives and also to be a part of our clients special day.

To find out more and get in touch with Kelly and the team at Happy Pawes head over to their website or facebook page. As well as this great service for weddings they also have other services including a doggy daycare. dog training, cat training and cat minding.

7 must have items for your wedding day emergency kit

In this issue of our wedding blog series we have asked Annalise from Little & Sorted to share a few of her tips for what you should pop in your wedding day emergency kit ...

It’s your wedding day and everything is going to be perfect.  Isn’t it? Well, in reality most wedding days do have a few hiccups here and there.  Perhaps it’s a bit windy, and your hair goes a bit crazy for the photos, or you spill your coffee on your gorgeous (and very expensive!) dress.   These little things can be easily fixed by thinking through the possibilities, keeping calm and being prepared.

It's clear that a wedding day emergency kit is a great idea.  But what should you put in them?  We have done the thinking for you - here are our top 7 must have items for your Wedding day emergency kit – and they each have an alternative use:

Lip stick

You will most definitely want to touch up your lipstick before the photos, reception, or even just before the ceremony.  Check with your make-up artist exactly what colour she is using and purchase your own to add to your kit.

Alternative use – With the right shade of lip stick you can use it as a blusher as well if you need a touch up.

Stain Remover

Arguably the most important item in a wedding is the dress, and generally it is white or close to it, so it will be unforgiving if you spill something on it.  And of course – all eyes will be on you!  Having some stain remover wipes on hand means you can wipe away the stain and no one will ever know!

Alternative use – If you don’t end up spilling on your dress, you can use the wipe to clean your shoes too!

Handkerchief or tissues

Both the ceremony and the reception can be emotional events, so it is nice to have a lace handkerchief on hand to wipe away those tears.  Even the groom might have a tear in his eye.  Tissues will also do the trick, but a lace handkerchief is that little bit nicer.

Alternative use - You can also use a handkerchief to blot your face before photos to take away the shine.

{image source: chicagoweddingdjs.com}

Pain killers

The stress and emotion that weddings bring, often bring with them a headache, which is the last thing you want to spoil your big day.  So having a few painkillers of your choice in your kit are a must. 

Alternative use – if you don’t need them on the day, keep them for the next day.  You might need them!

Comb and bobby pins

Hairspray can hold that gorgeous style in place, but if you are outside and it is blowing a gale, you will be very thankful to have a comb and some bobby pins on hand.

Alternative use – if your zipper pull breaks off, you can use your bobby pin to pull up your zip.  Or they can be used to hold speech cards together.

{image source: weddbook.com}

Toothbrush, toothpaste and floss

You want to look perfect on your wedding day, and parsley stuck in your teeth is not a good look.  So make sure after eating you brush and floss your teeth to make sure you are looking the way the beautiful bride should. You could also use a dental wipe if you don’t want to take your toothbrush and toothpaste along.

Alternative use – your toothbrush can also be used as a eyebrow comb and the toothpaste can be used to get marks off white shoes.

Bottle of water and a straw

Getting married is thirsty work, especially if it is the midst of summer.  Make sure you have water on hand to keep hydrated.  And drink through a straw to keep lipstick intact.

Alternative use – Use the water to wash your hands after touching up make up to make sure you don’t transfer it to your dress.

Other items to consider:

Sewing kit	Earring Backs	Bandaids
Deodorant	Mirror	Blotter Paper
Sunscreen	Pen	Paper
Hair Ties	Paper Clips	Hand sanitiser
Mints	Tampons	Chapstick
Moisturiser	Cotton buds	Hair spray
Nail polish	Nail polish remover	Corsage pins
Black socks	Heal protectors for walking on grass	Spare underwear
Double sided tape	Lint remover brush	Energy drinks
Snacks	Bluetac	Medicines
Rescue remedy	Hair ties	Safety Pins

You can always start your wedding day emergency kit off, with a Little and Sorted Wedding Assistant kit.

These cute little kits (RRP $29.95) from www.littleandsorted.co.nz  include: 

• 2x Bobby Pins • 1x Earring Back • 2x Safety Pins • 2x Clear Bandaids • 1x Dental Finger Wipe • 1x Dental Floss • 1x Comb • 1x Compact Mirror • 1x Sewing Kit • 1x Sunscreen Sachet • 1x Lace Handkerchief • 1x Stain Remover • 1x Deodorant Wipe.

You can check out more of Little and Sorted’s handy little just in case kits over on their website, facebook page, on Pinterest, Twitter or sign up to their newsletter here

How to find a wedding photographer

In this issue of our wedding blog series we have asked the very talented Sheera of Sheera Gordon Photography for some tips on how to find a wedding photographer ...

1. Research

I guess the first step to finding a Wedding Photographer is research. The most obvious and usually the first port of call is the Internet. Most brides to be like to look at wedding blogs, Facebook pages and sites like Pinterest for inspiration and through that you will find lots of great Wedding Photographers.  Another great way is to ask friends, family or colleagues.  You can’t beat a word of mouth recommendation.

2. Style

Once you've started researching online or in magazines you will be drawn to a certain “style” of wedding photography.  Whether it’s soft and ethereal, dramatic, formal or candid.  Once you know what kind of style appeals to you it makes your search easier, you can then narrow down a list of possible photographers and start the ball rolling on getting in touch.

3. Contact/Meet Up

Personally I like to meet potential clients face to face, usually over a coffee.   It’s a chance to discuss what you, as the client wants and what you can expect from your Wedding Photographer. It’s also a great opportunity as a client to see if you feel comfortable with the photographer and you hit it off, this is very important, as you will be spending a lot of time together on your big day. You will look stunning on your big day and you want that reflected in your photographs so you need to be relaxed and trust your Photographer.

4. Finally….

Once you've made a decision, book, book, book!  Wedding photographers book up quickly each season so make sure you don’t miss out on your first choice.  Once you're all booked you can relax as one more thing has been crossed of the list of thing to do.

To see some of Sheera's fabulous portfolio including weddings, food, lifestyle, portrait and beauty please check out her website: www.sheeragordon.co.nz