Who wouldn't be nervous? All the weeks/months/years spent planning and the day suddenly seems to be approaching with the speed and subtlety of a juggernaut. What's the best way to calm those jangling nerves?
The easy fix would be to start with a relaxing hen party, rather than a razzy one. But as they all tend to involve champagne and carousing (you can still sip bubbly in the jacuzzi, we reckon) maybe that isn't going to chill you out as much as it should. And after all, the hen is all about creating memories (even if you'd rather forget them later) so we have to encourage you to go for it, if only to make sure we've got something to write about!
Maybe the real answer lies in the planning. Nothing seems as scary when it is part of 'the list' - admittedly, the wedding list may be long, and can appear scary at first glance, but don't run away screaming, embrace the list-making (Illustries Mum#1 is a brilliant lister, colour coding, mini lists and cross referencing a speciality) and relish the ticking off of every task (we add things we've already done to ours, just to enjoy the strike-through).
Planning includes finding great suppliers, people you trust and a venue you love. If you possibly can, use a wedding planner - there is simply nothing like it for keeping you looking like the beautiful swan of you dreams while they do all the frantic paddling for you! And the best ones are not only great organisers, they have great ideas, a brilliant contact book and the patience of a saint., all while turning your dream into a reality. Fairy godmothers, we think!
And don't forget, there's always the option of a steady supply of your chosen tipple to steady the nerves. We're partial to tequila ourselves, but perhaps a drop of champers may be marginally more appropriate on the day itself. We've got great memories created by both drinks. Too much of the second on the night before Emma's wedding led to a hangover from hell on her wedding day but crystal clear recollection of every detail, which was a bonus. Too much of the first is a recurring theme of all Illustries planning days and nights out: memories, yes. Hazy round the edges? To say the least...
A couple of wedding planners we like the look of (and that we enjoy tweeting with!)
http://cerendipity-events.co.uk/ - a lovely blog, and some great tips via twitter and facebook too
http://www.ladyamyweddingdesign.co.uk/- Cotswolds based, great local contacts and again, a lovely blog!
http://www.pocketfulofdreams.co.uk/ - in our neck of the woods, loads of lovely ideas and great suppliers. Check out the DIY tips and ideas, very generous
At Illustries, we're all about memories: remembering, celebrating and enjoying all those special times that can pass too quickly. We think memories deserve to be shared, and so we're sharing. Here, in our blog, we are creating a Library of Days. Our own as we build our business, and yours as you celebrate weddings, births, big life events - you name it, we'll celebrate it!
Monday, 13 June 2011
Friday, 10 June 2011
Illustries North West calling...
Not sure if we've told you that Illustries is a two-office operation? We think that makes us sound cool, maybe we should put it at the bottom of our letterhead - although maybe not, when rather than 'Illustries: New York, Paris, London, Tokyo', it's "Illustries: Ombersley, Lytham St Annes' (not Blackpool, as Samantha likes to keep telling people).
Working together but at a distance is a bit of a balancing act, but it's one we love. Samantha is one of those incredibly artistic designery types, so she needs her creative space (darling). And Emma does lots of noisy interviews, so it's good that we get to work on our own sometimes. That said, Skype, Dropbox and Yousendit are some of our closest friends, and our email traffic is pretty frequent.
But sometimes, there's no substitute for a meeting. A proper chat, one with tea and biscuits. Ooh, and we love a white board (flip chart not a bad second). The Illustries get together days are brilliant - we somehow seem to get loads done, even when we have consumed way too much tequila (see left). We're just starting to plan our wedding show season - our first! - and the opportunity for outings is so exciting. We can't wait to show our Illustries to more and more people, so we'll let you know where and when we'll be on parade. And if you think there's somewhere we should be, please do let us know!
Working together but at a distance is a bit of a balancing act, but it's one we love. Samantha is one of those incredibly artistic designery types, so she needs her creative space (darling). And Emma does lots of noisy interviews, so it's good that we get to work on our own sometimes. That said, Skype, Dropbox and Yousendit are some of our closest friends, and our email traffic is pretty frequent.
But sometimes, there's no substitute for a meeting. A proper chat, one with tea and biscuits. Ooh, and we love a white board (flip chart not a bad second). The Illustries get together days are brilliant - we somehow seem to get loads done, even when we have consumed way too much tequila (see left). We're just starting to plan our wedding show season - our first! - and the opportunity for outings is so exciting. We can't wait to show our Illustries to more and more people, so we'll let you know where and when we'll be on parade. And if you think there's somewhere we should be, please do let us know!
I is for In-Laws...
Some of us are blessed with spouses-to-be who in turn are blessed with fabulous families. And let's face it, some of us aren't. One bride we know was asked to step aside so that the photographer could snap her brand new mum-in-law with what the she described as "MY family" - imagine, the bride standing folornly waiting for the family photo call to finish up!
When you're planning your wedding, we guess you've got two ways of dealing with any tension: give the rellies something to do (and embrace their efforts) or make it clear that contributions are not needed (or welcome!). We went route one, and both mums did us proud, happily baking our favour treats. Dads-in-law can get a bit pushed aside, so it might be nice to give him a job - transport, buttonhole collection or maybe toastmaster, if he's a confident speaker. And if you don't want to include your other half's siblingsin the bridal party, then ushers work really well, with female ushers a nice twist, while asking any family member for a reading is a great way of involving both sides in your big day.
The most important thing to bear in mind is that in-laws aren't just for weddings - you've got them for life! We all LOVE Dr Phil, he of Oprah fame with his soft tones and hardline advice, so it is over to the Doc for Dr Phil for his guidance on the in-law issue...
• No divided loyalties - you and your husband are family first
• Good fences make good neighbours - all about boundaries
• Conserve your energy - only so much 'you' to go around
• No-one will break - don't be afraid to talk about your limits
• The other woman in every man's life is his mother
• They won't shoot the messenger - if the message comes from their child!
• Get on the same page - with your other half, don't assume
• Don't diss - your other half's relationship with their parents is their own business
• Solve your relationship problems before you share - don't endlessly discuss them with family
• Your parents only know what you tell them - if all you tell them is problems, that's all they'll think you have
When you're planning your wedding, we guess you've got two ways of dealing with any tension: give the rellies something to do (and embrace their efforts) or make it clear that contributions are not needed (or welcome!). We went route one, and both mums did us proud, happily baking our favour treats. Dads-in-law can get a bit pushed aside, so it might be nice to give him a job - transport, buttonhole collection or maybe toastmaster, if he's a confident speaker. And if you don't want to include your other half's siblingsin the bridal party, then ushers work really well, with female ushers a nice twist, while asking any family member for a reading is a great way of involving both sides in your big day.
The most important thing to bear in mind is that in-laws aren't just for weddings - you've got them for life! We all LOVE Dr Phil, he of Oprah fame with his soft tones and hardline advice, so it is over to the Doc for Dr Phil for his guidance on the in-law issue...
• No divided loyalties - you and your husband are family first
• Good fences make good neighbours - all about boundaries
• Conserve your energy - only so much 'you' to go around
• No-one will break - don't be afraid to talk about your limits
• The other woman in every man's life is his mother
• They won't shoot the messenger - if the message comes from their child!
• Get on the same page - with your other half, don't assume
• Don't diss - your other half's relationship with their parents is their own business
• Solve your relationship problems before you share - don't endlessly discuss them with family
• Your parents only know what you tell them - if all you tell them is problems, that's all they'll think you have
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