What is a Wedding Planner - Kathryn Evans

Kathryn Evans, Personal Wedding and Events Planner for Being Bridal discusses the full time
role of being a wedding and event planner and offers advice on how to choose one thats right
for you. 

What is a Wedding Planner?

Very few brides-to-be are experienced in organising an event as large and important as a wedding.

Planning a wedding can be a full time job! The average bride spends 250 hours organizing her wedding - that's equal to 6 full-time working weeks! Few couples have the time in their schedules to successfully plan, manage, and execute such an event effectively. And sadly, many couples don't realise or acknowledge this until it is too late, when parts of their dream wedding have already fallen apart leaving behind huge disappointments.

Your Wedding Planner can do as much or as little as you like. From discussing a budget to organising flowers, cake, hair and makeup and every other detail that goes into planning a wedding, you choose what you would like a helping hand with. Wedding planners have an abundance of creative ideas and insider's know-how. They have connections with the best suppliers in town and have learned to become polished negotiators to get you the best deal and value for your budget. They can manage the overall event and ensure that everything goes exactly as planned right from the initial stage to the closing stage. They can assist you in making the right selection and choosing the perfect wedding vendors and venue, and also help maintain a balance in what is happening, when it is happening, who is doing it, all the while keeping a strict watch that everything remains within your budget. Importantly, a wedding planner will help you set a realistic wedding budget, based on how much you have to spend, and in most cases, a wedding planner will save you money.

Should you decide to proceed with this service is when the costs are incurred. Travel expenses and the time spent planning your wedding are both taken into account, the costs - like the functions of the wedding planner - depend largely on what the bridal couple wants.

Being Bridal charges a flat fee, rather than accepting commissions from the vendors. This ensures that your wedding planner is working for YOU and not the suppliers. Different options are discussed during your free initial consultation, from small weddings requiring minimal assistance, to larger weddings requiring constant attention over 12 months or more.

Hiring a wedding planner might seem like an extravagant extra, but it could be the best investment you make.

Please contact me, if you would like to arrange a time to discuss your special occasion.

Kathryn Evans: beingbridal@hotmail.com

 *Pictures Supplied by Being Bridal

A Perfect Wedding, By The Wedding Guru’s

We’ve put together for you a little poem (non-rhyming) that covers all of the things that we believe are the most important for couples to remember in planning for and on your big day. We often see couples who are upset that their cars came late or the bride’s makeup was not exactly perfect and these little things go on to ruin one of the most important days of their lives. After putting in so much time, effort and hard work, we don’t want you to miss one single, tiny beautiful moment and so here are a few helpful hints we wanted to share with you!

A Perfect Wedding, By The Wedding Guru’s

A perfect wedding must be planned. Not perfect with ‘things’, but perfect with feelings, memories and sentiment. Where the important things are foremost and the little things forgotten.

Take time in the planning, really speak to each other and create amazing ideas based on mutual love, contribution and respect.

Remember the relationship above all. Spend quality time with each other without discussing the wedding,.

Give your vows much consideration and use them to really tell your marriage partner how much they mean to you. Look them in the eyes when you speak the words.

Don’t get caught up with the little things, whatever will be, will be.

On the day: Stop often and take in your surroundings. See your loved ones, the scenery, your partners hand in yours. It will be over in a heartbeat.

Let your heart remind your why you are there. Not the pretty dress or the lavish party. To stand side by side and pledge your love for eternity.

Find quiet moments in the chaos to just be with the other. Kiss, embrace and thank them for their love.

Don’t get so caught up in the excitement that you forget to just be there for each other.

When you dance, hold each other tight and look into each others eyes as if there is no-one else in the room.

Take the time to speak to each of your guests and thank them for their love and support.

MOST OF ALL…..

Laugh a lot, smile until your face hurts, feel more love than your heart can bear and breathe in every glorious second of it.

A perfect wedding day doesn’t just happen, you must create it with your thoughts, actions and words.

These are the laughs, the tears, memories and feelings that you will recall often with deep gratitude and love throughout your life.

The Wedding Guru’s

xxx

Caleche Bridal House Wedding Gown Collection

Alexandra



Some time ago we brought you the stunning photos from the wedding of 'Ben & Daphne' in which Daphne was wearing a Caleche gown. We had a huge response to that post and wedding dresses is clearly a very popular topic with brides, so we have decided to bring you some of our favourites from the fabulous 'Caleche Bridal' collection. C aleche is a local Adelaide bridal house and we have provided a bit of their story below, from their website at http://www.caleche.com.au/. We hope you enjoy these gowns and they are deifnitely work a look if you are searching for that perfect dress. 

About Caleche Bridal
It all began in 1973 in an Adelaide Hills lounge-room with one machinist and a small bank loan.

French migrants Olivier and Colette Foubert began the Calèche Bridal Centre in such humble beginnings with patterns and fabric spread across the floor. Colette was the designer, Olivier the cutter. They travelled the country for five years, until agents offered to promote their range in Melbourne and Sydney. The business flourished and as their four children grew up, they each in turn joined the business.

Since Colette's passing away in 2003, Elizabeth Foubert, carries on the tradition of European style designs. Liz graduated from the London School of Design and then worked in France before coming to Australia 15 years ago.

Today, Caleche gowns are stocked in selected boutiques across Australia and New Zealand. In South Australia, at the Calèche Bridal House in Norwood, Brides-to-be can view the latest collections or have their dream gown made specially for them.

Allanah

       

Briony

Portia

       

Anna

Cindy

      

Coco

Elizabeth

      

Ellie

Evita

Katie

     

Kimmie

     

Layla

Leah

      

Rachelle

Ruby

Vanessa

       

Riya

Week 11 - A Korean Wedding Tradition

Welcome to Week 11 in our ’52 Rituals in 52 weeks’

In keeping with our promise of taking you around the world with these posts, this week we have decided to bring you something from Korea. While it will not always be practical for you to use some of these more specific cultural traditions in your own ceremony, we hope that seeing the efforts that some go to in using rituals in ceremony will inspire you to find one that suits you both as a couple or as a family and even perhaps create something different, starting your own family tradition that one day your grandchildren might carry on. All rituals and traditions started somewhere and with someone who found significance in the world around them.

Korean weddings are well known for their eccentric rituals and flair. Long ago it was custom for the couple to practise some long held rituals as part of their ceremony. The groom would ride a white pony all the way to the bride’s residence (regardless of the distance), carrying with him a white goose. The goose was, for Korean’s, a symbol of fertility and presentation of the goose to the waiting bride would ensure good luck when it came time to have a family.

In modern Korea the Goose still holds the same sentiment, although wooden geese are now preferred given the difficulties of working with live animals!

Koreans are big on forms of representation when it comes to rituals in ceremony and also engage in a tradition whereby a pair of wooden ducks (representing the bride and the groom) are taken by the couple and placed in the home they will share after the marriage.

If the ducks are placed to face each other, then it represents that the couple are happy with each other and are on good terms, but if the ducks are faced outward, with their tails facing then it signals that perhaps there is unhappiness between them. (Pity the poor groom who comes home to find that his bride has faced them tail to tail!)

Let’s hope your ducks all face each other!

The Wedding Guru’s

xxxx

Best Australian Blogs Comp 2012

Dear readers and blog friends

The Wedding Guru's are sooooo excited to announce that we are entrants in the 'Best Australian Blogs of 2012' competition. You hope you all know how much we have appreciated your loyal support over the last 8 months since we began and we have grown from strength to strength during that time. We honestly couldn't have done it without you all. We have worked really hard to put this site together and we spend a lot of time writing posts, answering questions and sourcing truly insirational photos for you to all be awed by.

So now we have a HUGE favour to ask of you...... If you have ever read one of our posts, appreciated a piece of advice we have given, liked one of our photos or even referred a friend to check out our site then PLEASE vote for us. We are eternally grateful for your support.

In order to vote you simply need to click on the button to the left and then find us alphabetically (got to 'T' for 'The Wedding Guru's'). The only information you will need to fill in is your name and email ( for authenticity). The Sydney Writers Centre who is hosting the competition is a reputable  and professional body so you can be assured it is not going to share your information or bombard you with spam, we promise!

The wedding community is strong and supportive and that's why we love it so much. Thank you in advance and if we become finalists in the 'People's Choice' section it will be all because of you guys.


The Wedding Guru's
xxxxx

Wedding Theme Inspiration

Choosing your wedding setting and decor can be very overwhelming given the endless variety of ideas available to you. In our opinion the first step is to choose a theme, one that suits your personality and style.

 Things to consider when choosing a theme include:

-    Colour - ( ie black and white or purple and silver). Our favourites are soft tones such as ivory, champagne or white with a bold splash of colour such as purple, pink or black to be the most appropriate choice if you are planning for a chic romantic setting. Try to stick to one or two colours to be as effective as possible as more colours mixed in can begin to look a little out of place.

-    Style – Again base this on your personalities. Are you characters of elegance?,  or are you a couple who enjoy the beach, or perhaps lovers of the renaissance or the vintage and antique. Your chosen style can also be arranged around the season of your wedding, if it is an autumn wedding you might like to find an outdoor location amongst the orange of the trees or if in summer, a beautiful beach wedding might be the way to go.

-    Budget – Your theme may be restricted by your budget. Be realistic from early on in the planning stages, remember you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to have a beautiful wedding setting and there are plenty of amazing DIY options available to you. There would be no point in planning a setting filled with arches and vases of lush fresh flowers, crystal candelabras, chandeliers and tea light candles suspended from the ceiling if your budget doesn’t allow. There would be nothing worse than the feeling of having to change your setting plans at the last minute because you have run out of money to pay the florist or hire company.  

Once your theme has been chosen this will guide you in selecting your invitations, wedding and bridesmaid dresses, beautiful centrepieces, bonbonnieres and even food and beverage choices.

To get you started in this thought process we have compiled our top 10 wedding setting pictures as posted by brides and grooms from all over, which we believe radiate romantic elegance and beauty.

 We hope this inspires you towards creating the wedding of your dreams. If you would like to run any ideas past us or if you have a beautiful wedding setting you would like to share please send it in to theweddinggurus@live.com.au for your chance to have your question, idea or picture featured on our page.

The Wedding Guru's

xxxx

Please note: These settings have been compiled from numerous sources including Facebook posts and other web pages. These photographs are not the property of The Wedding Guru's. If you would like any information on the owner of a particular photograph we would be happy to assist.

Week 10 'Ransom of the Bride' - A Russian Tradition

Welcome to week 11 in our '52 Rituals in 52 Weeks'

The Russians have so many absolutely fantastic wedding traditions it's hard to know where to start. Some of these are performed in the lead up to the marriage, others during the ceremony and many more ocurring after. The traditions of many cultures started long ago and have evolved over time, often becoming more modern versions of the originals, while some have sadly faded away altogether.

For Russian couples traditions are still very much practiced with the couple often heading off to the official registration ceremony and then after the newlyweds and of course their guests usually participate in some additional traditional wedding festivities. Some of these include the ‘Ransom of the Bride’, touring the city (progulka), sharing of a wedding loaf (karavay), and a wedding feast.

Long ago in Russia, the ransom of the bride was a true folk theater performance full of color and rich in symbolism. The bride's family would stop the groom by putting things in his way. They would block the road numerous times during the groom's trip to his bride's house and they would not let him pass until he demonstrated that he had some skills and talents. He might be tested on his brute strength, or even perhaps his intelligence. They may also test him on various other things as they so desired. For example, he could be asked to solve a problem or riddle posed by the group or remove large objects that had been put up to block his way. If he failed any of their challenges, he would have to pay them with coins or lollies.



In modern-day Russia this ritual is usually performed on the way to the registry department or on the groom's trip to the bride's house. The organising of the ransom is usually conducted by the bridesmaids and the best man (called "witnesses" or svideteli).

In modern times the Ransom is comprised of funny challenges for the groom, such as composing a poem for the bride, writing her name in rose petals, etc. Although this custom is light-hearted and fun, in certain Russian provinces a ransom literally means a ransom and occasionally passing by babushkas may block the road until the groom pays to pass through.

While we don’t often see such extravagant rituals like this performed regularly in Australia, they are so rich in culture and tradition that they inspire us all to really think about our own cultural traditions and their significance. The Russian’s definitely know how to have fun and have an amazingly memorable wedding day!

The Wedding Guru’s

xxxx

Our picks for the top 100 wedding songs

Choosing songs for your wedding can be a challenging task and it can become a really stressful one if you have no idea where to start.  So, we have put together for you our favourite top 100 songs for you to help you make some choices. Feel free to let us know if there is one you love that we haven’t included.

1. Don't Wanna Miss A Thing - Aerosmith
2. You're Still The One - Shania Twain 
3. Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden
4. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
5. Amazed - Lonestar
6. Angels - Robbie Williams
7. When You Say Nothing At All - Ronan Keating
8. Everything I Do (I Do It For You) - Bryan Adams
9. I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
10. You're Beautiful - James Blunt
11. Shania Twain - From This Moment
12. Van Morrison - Have I Told You Lately
13. All About Loving You - Bon Jovi
14. Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Elton John
15. Tonight I Celebrate My Love - Peobo Bryson and Roberta Flack
16. I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You – Elvis Presley
17. Just the Way You Are – Billy Joel
18. Endless Love – Lionel Richie and Diana Ross
19. Dream Come True – Frozen Ghost
20. Unforgettable - Natalie & Nat King Cole
21. After All - Peter Cetera & Cher
22. All My Life - Linda Ronstadt
23. All My Life - KC & JoJo
24. Always - Atlantic Star
25. Always & Forever - Heatwave
26. A Whole New World - Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle
27. Back At One - Bryan McKnight
28. Beautiful In My Eyes - Joshua Kadison
29. Because You Loved Me - Celine Dion
30. Breathe - Faith Hill
31. Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley
32. Chances Are - Johnny Mathis
33. Colour My World - Chicago
34. Could I Have This Dance - Anne Murray
35. Crazy - Patsy Cline
36. Don't Know Much - Linda Ronstant & Aaron Neville
37. Faithfully - Journey
38. Forever - Mariah Carey
39. Forever and Ever, Amen - Randy Travis
40. From Here To Eternity - Michael Peterson
41. Groovy Kind Of Love - Phil Collins
42. Grow Old With Me - Mary Chapin Carpenter
43. Hawaiian Wedding Song - Andy Williams
44. Here & Now - Luther Vandross
45. I Can Love You Like That - John Michael Montgomery or All-4-One
46. I Could Not Ask For More - Edwin McCain
47. I Cross My Heart - George Strait
48. I Do (Cherish You) - 98 Degrees or Mark Wills
49. I Don't Want To Miss A Thing - Aerosmith
50. I Finally Found Someone - Bryan Adams & Barbara Streisand
51. I Knew I Loved You - Savage Garden
52. I'll Be - Edwin McCain
53. I'll Still Be Loving You - Restless Heart
54. I Love The Way You Love Me - John Michael Montgomery
55. In This Life - Colin Raye
56. I Only Have Eyes For You - Art Garfunkel
57. It Had To Be You - Harry Connick Jr.
58. It's Your Love - Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
59. I Swear - John Michael Montgomery or All-4-One
60. Keeper Of The Stars - Tracy Byrd
61. Lady In Red - Chris Deburgh
62. Look At Us - Vince Gill
63. Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley
64. Love Can Build A Bridge - Judds
65. Love Of A Lifetime - Firehouse
66. Love Of My Life - Sammy Kershaw
67. Masterpiece - Atlantic Starr
68. Moonlight Serenade - Glenn Miller
69. Moon River - Andy Willams
70. More Than Words - Extreme
71. More Than Words Can Say - Alias
72. My Best Friend - Tim McGraw
73. One In A Million - Larry Graham
74. Only You - Platters
75. Open Arms - Journey
76. Power Of Love - Celine Dion
77. Saving The Best For Last - Vanessa Williams
78. Sea Of Love - Honeydrippers
79. Stand By Me - Ben E. King
80. Still The One - Shania Twain
81. Take My Breath Away - Berlin
82. That's Amore - Dean Martin
83. That's What Friends Are For - Dionne Warwick
84. The Time Of My Life - Bill Medley
85. The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra
86. Through The Eyes Of Love - Melissa Manchester
87. Through The Years - Kenny Rogers
88. To Make You Feel My Love - Garth Brooks
89. True Companion - Marc Cohn
90. Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers
91. Up Where We Belong - Joe Cocker
92. Valentine - Martina McBride
93. Waiting For A Girl - Foreigner
94. We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters
95. What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
96. When A Man Loves A Woman - Percy Sledge or Michael Bolton
97. When I Fall In Love - Nat King Cole or Celine Dion
98. When I Said I Do - Clint Black & Lisa Hartman-Black
99. When You Say Nothing At All - Keith Whitley 
100. Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler

52 Rituals/Traditions - Announcement

Over the next 5 weeks we are going to be doing something a little different in our ‘52 Rituals/Traditions in 52 Weeks’.

Our next 5 posts will be some lesser known and more culturally diverse rituals from all over the world.

Some of these are century old customs and others are modern versions of long standing cultural traditions.

Many you may not have heard of before, but they are gorgeous and rich in their depth and sentiment and we really wanted to explore some of these ideas despite the fact that they may be a little more ‘out there’ than many would normally consider.

Remember, any tradition or custom can be modified to suit your particular use for it, however it is always a good idea to do your best to keep enough of the original meaning so as to be respectful to the culture to which it belongs. Rituals mean a great deal to those who practise them so we should always be mindful of this.

We are really looking forward to bringing you some really different ideas over the coming weeks and hope that you will join us in exploring some fun ideas.

The Wedding Guru’s