Ribbon ties

How do you tie everything together at your wedding? Ribbon!


From your hair to your chairs, ribbon will tie your wedding together. Literally.

Tradition confetti has been banned in many venues for many reasons, and while I do love bubbles, it's a bit over done and not who wants to be photographed with a puffy 'blow' face? Ribbon wands will tie your wedding colours in while your guests get to twirl and wave with excitement. You won't be breaking any rules, or your budget. If you buy the same ribbon in bulk, you can ask for a discount. It's loads of fun, really pretty and something different.


Hire chairs are often white, bland and boring. One big, fat sash tied around it reminds me of those big bows bridesmaids were forced to wear on their bums in those shocker 80s dresses so why not add a whole heap of pretty ribbons to your hairs? Sure, it might take a little bit of time but I'm sure there's some more than willing volunteers. Rainbow colours looks amazing but try lace, blue hues or any colour palette! Get creative by using thin and thick ribbons together. 




Heshan strips are very vintage and if your bouquet is tied with heshan then why not tie some heshan strips from your reception chairs? The dark wood contrasting with these heshan strips looks chic and much prettier than a stock chair sash, don't you think?


"Look up" is what I always say to my brides when they come to me saying "I don't know what to do next". Think about your venue like a stage. If you've ever been involved in theatre, even a school production, you'll know about set design and lighting design, channel those ideas into decorating your wedding venue. Look up, look at the walls, they probably don't match your wedding theme but does that mean you just have to put up with them? No way! Get creative. If you're getting married in a garden why not tie ribbons from the tree branches to sway in the breeze? What about hanging between beams on the ceiling? 

Dress for Summer

You're getting married in Summer? The month where it peaks around 43 degrees in most of the Southern states? Why are you going to wear 3 kilograms of satin, lace and tulle?
Dress for the weather. What? The weather's not going to be perfect for my wedding day? Are you kidding? No, I most certainly am not kidding. I've photographed weddings in gale winds and on scorching 40 degree days, and you can never predict the weather when you pick a date, whether that date is next week or next year. So what can you do?

Check the average temperature and weather conditions for that date for the past few years for starters. That'll give you a rough idea of what's going on, have a look over the last 10 and see if you can pick a trend. Is it getting hotter, wetter? Checking the bom.gov.au website for weather probably wasn't on your to do list, but it should be. It won't take you long and it may help you to plan!


If you're getting married in the Summer, wear something appropriate. And let your groom wear something appropriate too. There's no rules. And if you want him in a full vest, suit, tie and slacks then pick a date that will allow him to wear that without perspiring everywhere and stinking out the reception. When else would you wear 3kg of clothing? When would he wear more than 1 layer? Not Summer.



So you've always wanted to wear the big dress? Well, once you've tried one on, you'll know it's heavy. Beading, corsetry, tulle skirts, layers and layers. You're going to be hot and tired because it's heavy and hot. I promise you! I always see brides needing a break because she's absolutely wrecked from wearing her dress!! 


Get married in Autumn. It's often that brides resort straight to Spring and Summer to be married, whether their influence is on the flowers or the holiday season. You're going to find it hard to find a venue that's not booked unless you're planning 18 months in advance, you run the risk of it being 40 degrees and there'll be no off-peak discounts. Is an Autumn wedding appealing to you yet?


Rain. Yes, you are risking rain. But Rain isn't a bad thing. Umbrella's and marquee's are gorgeous, as are ballrooms which will no doubt come with an off-season discount. 

If you insist on getting married in Summer, wear something appropriate!

Dress by Morgan Le Fay

Tacky Tiara

 I've yet to see a tiara that looks amazing on anyone except Kate and Mary. They look cheap and tacky. We have a fascination with all things princess. There's nothing wrong with that. But by now, you've found your prince and you're about to marry him so that's enough princess don't you think? 

This is so unique, I've not seen anything like it and it's beautiful.

We love to think that we can be a princess and have it all, and so came the evolution from Diana's royal crown on her big day to the commoners attempting an imitation. Now, let me remind you that there are hundreds of diamonds, ruby's and emeralds in her crown, it's a family heirloom and tradition. Does your tiara fit into any of those categories? No? Then put the thing down. It's just not going to look good. You'll look vein, I promise you and that's not something you want to look ever, let alone on the biggest day of your life when everyone you know will be taking photo's of you. The combs always show and they never sit right. Just take a minute to think about a tiara, what shape is it, would you wear it to a ball or a dinner? What makes your wedding different to that? Other than the fact that you're marrying the person you love? My point here is that your wedding is about you marrying him (or her). You, you. If YOU don't wear a tiara at any other time, why would YOU wear one on your wedding day? Weddings are about expressing yourselves and your love for each other. Where do tiaras fit into your life?

Don't feel bad that you thought about wearing one, we have these ideas in our minds about what a wedding is and for most of us, we only get married once, so it's not something we've had any practice at. That's why you should do some research, like reading this blog. 


When thinking about your wedding, it's easy to get overwhelmed because the possibilities are endless. They really are. If your wedding is going to be grand occasion, of two pedigree families joining than perhaps a tiara is traditional and you don't have a choice because your Mother won't have it any other way. But if your day is about you, then look like you. Show your true style in what you wear. Don't wear something because it's "bridal". 


Unless you're really into the idea of being a princess on your day, I would stay away from crystal (en)crusted tiaras and explore something new.

If you're going to go big, make a statement. And if you're thinking simple, then stay simple. Don't stuff around somewhere in the middle. 

This is the look a lot of brides are aiming for, paired with some kind of chignon. But don't be fooled, this is not a tiara, this is a headband. 

Dare to be hair

Photography By / Red Fly Studio

Think about your favourite celebrity. Whether it be Nicole Kidman or Taylor Swift you no doubt have seen them grace a red carpet in a gorgeous gown. Now Think about their hair styles. If that's too hard, here:

Gorgeous, right?

Wow, check out how it frames her face.

So pretty, right?

Don't you think this is really feminine?

Who doesn't love Taylor Swift's hair, honestly?!

Notice anything? Their hairs down, flowy and full of bounce. Why we think we need a particular hair do as a bride, I will never know. But what I do know is that I really don't like 90% of the Bridal hair do's I see. It looks fake and if it needs 100 pins and a whole can of hairspray to stay that way, then maybe you're not doing it right. Hair shouldn't be stiff. There's never been a shampoo advert that tried to sell you a product to make your hair stiff and hard, so why would you want hair like that for your wedding?

Katherine Middleton

If you never wear your hair 4 inches on top of your head, why would you on your wedding day? And wasn't the last time you stuck flowers all through your hair back in the 90s when butterfly clips were trending? You shouldn't have more metal in your hair than a teenager with braces has in his mouth.

It seems like everyone in the planet saw Kate Middleton marry her Prince, we all loved Pippa's dress and envied her perky bottom but did you notice Kate wore her hair down?

You can still have a braid, just don't have it so tight or so sprayed stiff that it no longer resembles hair!

Accessories are definitely encouraged but add to your face shape, compliment your outfit and leave your hair full of bounce and life.

Doesn't she look gorgeous?

When you leave the hairdresser after a new cut and colour, they blow dry it out and you leave the salon with this spring in your step that you really can't get anywhere else. You feel like a total glamour, a star, sexy, pretty and gorgeous. All because your hair is beautiful, thick, fresh and bouncy. Why then, do you want to stick it all back, shove 50 pins in it and make it stay that way until you have to pull it all apart and pray it doesn't snap off?

I don't know where we got the idea that we had to have "bridal hair" but I hope when you're talking to your hairdresser about it that you mention words like "bouncy", "full of life" and not "slicked back like I'm wearing a swim cap".

Here's some more beautiful brides wearing their hair down.

I adore this casual ribbon. It looks so much nicer than a cheap, tacky tiara. 

Ok so she's not necessarily a bride but she looks incredible

Photography By / Erin Hearts Court

Photography By / Agnes Lopez

Photography By / Max Wanger

jameschristianson.com

Photography By / Hillary Maybery Photography

Wedding PA

J-Lo's the Wedding Planner set brides minds at ease by relieving all Mother's from planning (cough...dictating) duties and passing all the stresses off to a wedding-guru. A goddess of wedding knowledge, a harmony of harps playing your way gently toward your wedding day. Forget your Godzilla like wrath of anger, the usual panic attacks and break downs and put your wedding day into someone else's hands.

You will no longer need to worry about checking yourself into Glenside because you can have your very own Wedding Personal Assistant. 

So how much do you pass over? As much as you want. If you want a little direction, a few lists, some pointers, then get that. If you want someone to go with you to the flower market, than get that! It's that simple. An initial consult shouldn't cost you anything, but bounce a few emails back and forth before hand.

"Wedding Planning for Dummies" or outsource?

Tradition

I ended my last blog with this “If you’re going to be traditional, hire fancy cars, say vows, walk an aisle, then have a traditional registry!”

I see a lot of weddings in my job as a wedding photographer (who knew?). I also get to talk to the brides during the planning process. I hear a lot about “tradition”. Most couples are forgoing traditions like the first dance because they don’t want to do it, for whatever reason. But many are still locked into the entire wedding experience based on what they know, tradition.

Yes, we’ve seen bridesmen and groomswomen, and sure, couples are choosing no to have the first dance but what about everything else? And I mean, EVERYTHING.

Cars - $600-$800 for fancy cars. Ok, if you go to the car shows every year, you love cars, vintage, muscle, whatever. Then yes, fork out $600 for a $40 cab ride. And ok, say your bridal party is a bit bigger than that an nobody wants to drive because they want to toast champagne. Make it $120 for 3 cabs. You’re still saving  $500.

Cake – do you like cake? By 9.30pm does anyone eat the cake? I’ll honestly tell you that most people aren’t in their seats when the desserts come out. They’re socializing and dancing and the wait staff have whisked it away into the kitchen before anyone’s even noticed. Think about why you want to cut a cake. In the 5 minutes in your wedding reception, what will this mean to you? Is that 5 minutes of putting a knife through a red velvet sponge worth $400? Instead of putting $400 into one cake (not everyone likes orange and poppyseed), get a small cake made and put the rest into a lolly buffet that everyone can enjoy and it can double as your wedding favour!

Meals – when was the last time you sat down for a 3-course meal? If you’re inviting 75 guests at $115 a head you’re looking at $8,625.  Even at half the price per head it’s still over $4,000 – four thousand dollars. Are you kidding me? A lot of the pretty venues you want have a minimum guests and minimum dollar per head. But tell me again why that venue? Really? The standard tables are overwhelmingly beautiful? The hideous carpet is exactly what you always dreamed of? There are a tonne of places you can hold your wedding reception where you can be in control of the décor and not have to spend thousands on a 3 course meal that will mostly be average and probably end up in the dumpster of the venue. And tell me, last time you went to dinner with friends, and didn’t order a three course meal, did you all eat only chicken or beef?

Think outside the square. Ask a restaurant what it would be to hire it for a night, what about a nice warehouse space. Have a hunt through the commercial listings in your favorite area and send off a few emails asking if the owner would mind lending their space to you for 24 hours. You’ll get 10 instant ‘No’ replies but you could also end up with a blank canvas.

If you choose to have bridesmaids, let them pick out their own dresses. This will not only save them some money, it will ensure that the dress they pick flatters their own body type. Plus, you don't have to choose just two or three of your best gal pals to be your maids. Everyone is happy! Even better, they really will be able to wear it again. 

Grooms don't have to miss out either - what's the point of having six maids if he's only got one groomsmen, right? Well tell the boys the same thing. "Here's the colour palette, just match this". Personally, I love the look of mismatched bridal parties. It adds so much texture and dimension to a photo. Everyone looks happy because they're comfortable. And it adds a little quirkiness to the photos. When, besides school photos or sports team photos, have you ever dressed the same as everyone else? 

Think about your to-do list you wrote down when you first started your planning. Now look at that list and think ‘why are we choosing this’ and ‘is that reason worth $XYZ’.

Shifting the balance

15-20 years ago wedding guests brought home wares for the newly weds, the couple were going to be moving in to a new home and starting their lives as together. Coffee machines, mix masters, BBQ’s, soup tourines and toasty machines were wrapped and piled on a table at the reception. The average price of a gift was around $60, some more traditional families would exceed $100 or more. We still see this tradition everyday, Grey's Anatomy's Christina asked Bourke's Mama to remove them after Bourke walked out, goodness knows how many 'Wedding Movies' we've seen the bride sitting amongst meter high piles all around a living room feeling overwhelmed, and Chandler getting the blame for losing the gift list in Friends.

This gift giving brought a balance to weddings. Price per head is what? $115 + the bonbonierre but in return the couple had a whole house full of new home wares to start their lives together. It was also tradition that the Father of the Bride pay for the wedding (if not a large portion) so that took some of the sting away.

In more current times, couples live together for a few years before they get married and often they already have all the home wares they need, although they may not have the Russel Hobbs toaster or Sheridan sheets. Instead, now they opt for their guests to donate to their honeymoon or renovations fund.

As we’ve become a more independent and less traditional society (overall) couples are choosing to foot the bill for their weddings themselves, thanking their parents for putting up with their teenage years. Shifting the balance of cost into the B&G's piggy bank. So now the majority of the bill is paid for by the couple, with perhaps parents on both sides chipping in for the reception venue, dress or bar tab. Gifts have become non-compulsory. 

We still have brides wanting to out-do the last wedding she went to by being bigger and better. The goal is to have everyone entertained at every second of the day.

What do you do to shift the balance back out of your pocket?

Register for gifts. You probably have towels, but do you have nice Egyptian cotton bath sheets? Or at least have a think about the list, do the math and find out the grand total of the list and the average gift price. And use that figure to determine how much you will spend on your guests? Sounds cheap? Well, you’re not going to start your wedded life extremely broke after forking out $10k and you’ll have some awesome new bath sheets and home wares to ease the pain and restore the balance.

Part of the wedding experience, I believe, is to enjoy a wonderful day by joining both families through awkward chicken dances, followed by a honeymoon consummating your marriage and to come home to an elevated luxury in your new lives together. 

If you’re going to be traditional, hire fancy cars, say vows, walk an aisle, then have a traditional registry and start your lives in a little luxury!