Tom Versluys 3/2/18 Tom Versluys 3/2/18

Benefits of a Midweek Wedding

After getting engaged, one of the first things you’ll want to do is to decide on a wedding date and venue. Saturday is the most popular day of the week to get married, but have you ever thought of a midweek wedding – they’re certainly on the rise. But why exactly are people moving away from traditional weekend weddings in favour of other days of the week?

Cost

It’s no secret that weddings are costly affairs, so it makes sense to save money where you can. With brides and grooms looking to cut costs, they’re turning to handmade decorations and a more economic wedding menu, but a midweek wedding is one of the most obvious ways to save a bit of dosh.

People within the wedding business are constantly inundated with requests for Saturday weddings, so you can often find yourself struggling to book the services you truly want. However, requests for a midweek wedding are less frequent, so you’re more likely to be able to secure exactly who and what you want and can possibly compromise on price.

Because midweek weddings are less popular, it’s a simple case of supply and demand. Wedding venues and suppliers will have more negotiable rates on midweek weddings than they will for Saturday weddings. They’ll often offer lower prices and discounts in order to fill the gaps in the calendar, meaning that you can save on the cost of your big day.

By being more flexible with your wedding date, you can save up to a third on the cost of your wedding, meaning you could have your dream day at a fraction of the cost. What you do with those savings is completely up to you.

Availability

As we touched on before, choosing a midweek wedding over a Saturday wedding will dramatically increase your chances of securing your dream venue, florist and wedding pianist for your big day.

With popular Saturday weddings, you may have to book years in advance for your dream wedding suppliers, however, with less popularity comes more availability. By planning a weekday wedding, you’re much more likely to secure the suppliers you want for the date that you want them, helping you to bring your dream wedding to life.

After all, with only 52 Saturdays per year, there are only so many weddings which can take place. However, by choosing any other day between Sunday and Friday, you’ll more than likely be able to avoid fighting off other couples for the same wedding vendors for your big day. This will hopefully make your wedding planning just a little less stressful.

Flexibility

If you’re after a little more flexibility for your big day, then a weekday wedding is the perfect solution for you. Not only does it increase the number of wedding dates available for you to choose from, but it also makes it much more likely that you’ll be able to book that wedding pianist that you’ve had your eye on.

A weekday wedding will also help you to think outside the box and make your wedding truly unique. How about a classy champagne brunch on a Sunday? Or continue your Thursday wedding celebrations into the weekend to truly make it an event to remember.

Togetherness

If you don’t want to venture too far from the traditional side of things, you might be reluctant to plan a weekday wedding. However, getting married on a weekday can actually make your traditional day of love just that little bit extra special.

Given the potential difficulty to take time off, your weekday wedding can provide a more intimate setting for your big day. As long as you ensure that you give your guests enough notice, you can guarantee that your closest friends and family will be there with you on your big day, making it a truly special occasion.

Undivided Attention

Speaking of making your big day an extra-special occasion, a weekday wedding increases the chances of your wedding being the only one on your wedding suppliers’ agendas. This means you’ll receive their undivided attention, from the venue’s manager to the florist – you’re sure to receive some extra-special touches.

As your supplier is less busy during the week, you’re sure to receive their undivided attention on the big day. This will help them to feel more relaxed and less rushed, boosting the quality and effort that they put into everything to make your day just as you envisioned it to be.

That’s not to say that your vendors won’t put their full effort into a Saturday wedding, but if they’ve got other clients to attend to on that day, then they might not have as much time to spend with you. A midweek wedding will take away this stress, making the whole day more relaxing and enjoyable for everyone.

Christmas Weddings

The rise in weekday weddings can be compared to the increase in Christmas-time weddings as opposed to the more popular months in summer, as they share similar benefits.

Whether you decide on a weekday wedding, a Christmas-time wedding or otherwise, if you’re reasonably flexible with your wedding date, organising your big day will be much less stressful.

About the author:

Benjamin Clarke is an established musician with over twenty years’ experience in the industry. He is a skilled pianist, keyboard player, trumpet player, singer, song-writer, arranger, composer and music teacher. Benjamin specialises in weddings and special events and has performed in some of the country’s most sought-after wedding venues, corporate events and luxury cruise ships. Discover more about Benjamin’s services on his website: www.theweddingpianist.co.uk

Tom Versluys 2/18/18 Tom Versluys 2/18/18

Make Your First Dance Something To Remember

One of the sweetest traditions of a wedding is the first dance of the newlyweds. But this can also be quite a nerve-wrecking thing for the bride and groom, especially if they are not dancers. Unless you are professional dancers, you shouldn’t expect your first dance to be a spontaneous masterpiece: it should be a well planned, practiced and choreographed dance, and this is how to make sure it’s just perfect:

Research and get inspired

There are so many different styles of dance; the only option is for you to start researching. Look at different first dance videos, ask around with your friends and family, and see what is out there. You can go for a standard, timeless English waltz, a retro quickstep or jive, and even something completely modern and contemporary. However, while looking, make sure you don’t fall in love with someone else’s interpretation of the dance, but rather try to imagine yourself performing it. Does it suit your style and your abilities and will you feel good doing it?

Get the pros involved

Nobody is born knowing how to dance. It is a skill that is trained and developed over time, but if you never learned to dance while you were younger, you might feel like you are completely clumsy and uncoordinated. But you have to remember that all of that is just a lack of practice, and the best thing you can do is enroll in some adult dance classes that will help you get your rhythm in check. Your best bet is to go through a series of group classes to learn the basics of dancing, and work privately with a choreographer to make your vision come to life. Start early, get enough practice in, and most definitely practice by yourselves at home, and not just in class. With an activity as fun as dancing – why wouldn’t you?

Pick the perfect song

Music is one of the most emotionally stimulating arts, and we all have songs that hold special places in our hearts. Set one evening aside and make a playlist of all of your favorite songs. Make sure you include all the songs that have special meanings for each of you, and songs that you both love. Then listen to the playlist and see what songs feel right. Make a selection that consists of two to five songs and take them to your dance teacher. They will be able to tell you which songs work well for what you want, and which should be saved for another occasion. If you are having a live band, make sure you tell them the song choice well in advance, so that they have time to rehearse it, and ask them to notify you if they will make any changes to the rhythm or tempo.

Plan the scene

The first dance is not only about the dance itself. It is usually the first entry of the couple and the first steps they take together as husband and wife. For this reason, it is important to not only plan the dance, but the entry and exit, and all of the props. Will you walk in, hand in hand, while a smoke machine covers the floor? Or will you enter the room on the opposite sides and meet in the middle for a swift twirl? And when the dance comes to a close, should your guests then join you on the dance floor, or will you walk to your table and wait for the speeches to finish until you reopen the dance season?

Your first dance will be a wonderful memory for both of you, and even if you forget your steps, step on each other’s toes and completely go off-beat, you will still smile when you look at each other and laugh at the beautiful time you are spending together. Make sure the dance is video recorded, so you can watch it again down the line and remember that moment from your special day.

By Georgia Selih

Tom Versluys 2/2/18 Tom Versluys 2/2/18

What You Wish You Had Known Before You Planned Your Wedding

Your wedding is a once in a lifetime celebration of love and commitment with your partner. To plan this auspicious one-day celebration, you should do a proper planning; otherwise, you may end up regretting some of the things all through your life.

Here are some of the things to take note of to make sure that your wedding day is perfect and will be a lovely event to remember.

There are many people who wish that someone could have told or reminded them of certain things before their wedding day.

Here are some of the things to take note of to make sure that your wedding day is perfect and will be a lovely event to remember.

1. Making Decisions

There are people who don’t like to make personal decisions when it comes to their own wedding. They don’t want to decide when and where to go for shopping, what kind of silverware should be on the table and all the other little details. They leave all of the decision-making to the wedding planner and then find out that there are things that they don’t like. When it comes to making decisions for your wedding, remember:

· It is essential to know what you want and don't want when it comes to your wedding.

· It’s your special day, and you have to make individual decisions to make sure that things will go as perfect as possible.

2. Splurge on the Most Important Things

Your wedding day is the most important day of your life. You want to make sure that you’ll have beautiful memories about it. So, in the process of scrutinizing every little detail of your wedding, you might become too stressed out. Don’t worry. Tackle one thing at a time.

· Remember to make a checklist so that you won’t leave anything out.

· Regardless of your budget, you should focus on the things you will remember the most. Don’t stress about the rest.

· You can select a place which is affordable enough to accommodate your close friends and family members.

· With the help of a wedding planner, you can break a deal and come up with top-notch arrangements, perfect wedding cake, and food.

· Splurge on the essential things while remaining thrifty with the less important ones.

3. Thoroughly Explain What You Want to Service Providers

Even if the service providers are recommended by your wedding planner or by someone you know, make sure that everything is according to your liking. For example:

· Discuss the songs you want to be played in each part of the wedding with your DJ.

· To be precise, you can request for a video portfolio of their previous performances.

· In this way, you will know how they perform live. This prevents any confusion like playing music from different genres and other wedding announcement mistakes.

4. Make a Checklist

Similar to the point above, you should make checklists and ensure that all the service providers know how you want things to happen. Instead of regretting afterward, you can make it perfect by thinking things through and making checklists. For example:

· You can create different checklists like a photo list for the wedding day.

· You can have a collection of diagrams for a better understanding of the event.

· You can make checklists for various other things related to your wedding.

· You can save them to Dropbox, Evernote, or your wedding folder, and use them as needed.

5. Skip the Rituals That Don’t Matter To You

There are some rituals that don't matter or are not really required.

· The “bouquet throwing” ritual in which the bride throws the bouquet and other bridesmaids or female guests tries to catch it, may be relevant to some and not really for you. If you do not like this ritual, know that you have to option to skip that.

You should not feel obliged to include anything because it was on someone else’s wedding template or just because it is a tradition.

6. Don’t Break Your Ankle Right Before Your Wedding Day

Just before your wedding, do not indulge in unnecessary, unusual, or dangerous activities. Even if it is a fun or enjoyable sport, you should avoid it. Can you imagine yourself walking down the aisle with a crutch? Of course not, so try to avoid anything that may cause accidents. As a friendly advice:

· You should not stress.

· Take care of yourself. If you do so, your wedding day will be fantastic.

· Regardless of the level of preparations, if you are well and healthy, everything will happen beautifully.

In a nutshell:

These are some of the things that you should know before your wedding. Most people do not see these things and end up unnecessarily stressed-out. Hence, savor the most beautiful day of your life. It’s your special day. Do your best to enjoy every moment of it.

Written by: Anthony Briggs

Anthony Briggs has worked with some of the major hotel chains in the world. He currently works for Tuki Retreat. He enjoys working in the hospitality industry and is dedicated to providing clients with the best accommodation experience available.

Tom Versluys 10/29/17 Tom Versluys 10/29/17

Small vs. Large Weddings

When you first start planning a wedding, there are so many things to decide that it can be a little overwhelming. One of the biggest decisions to make is the guest list. Here at Boulevard Gardens, we offer wedding packages to cater for all size parties, big or small. Everyone has a different preference when it comes to the size of their wedding, so if you're still unsure whether you should go big or go small, here are some tips for knowing which to choose.

LARGE WEDDINGS

For some people, grand, sweeping weddings are all the rage. With more guests than you can count on two hands and enough smiles to last for a life time, these style of weddings are sure to get even the shyest guests into their party shoes. When your guest list starts to push into the hundreds, it's guaranteed to be quite an affair, although certainly not for the faint-hearted. Large weddings may be too much for some people, but they will certainly be remembered for many years to come.

SMALL WEDDINGS

Perhaps you want a small, more intimate event, with only your closest family and friends. Although not as grand as some large-scale weddings, a smaller function provides a cosier environment for those who attend, making it all the more special. It is more likely that everyone will know each other and get along well, removing the drama that some people associate with weddings. Smaller weddings are also more cost effective. If you are on a tight budget, it might be more realistic to plan for a small wedding that is within your desired price range.

Written by Jessica Kennedy.

Tom Versluys 10/22/17 Tom Versluys 10/22/17

Top 5 Groom's Fashion Trends for 2017

One of the most important parts of your wedding day is how you're dressed when you're ready to say, "I do." Although the bride will be the centre of attention with her wedding gown, you'll also stand out and get plenty of attention. If you want to look stylish and trendy as a groom, there are a few fashion trends to model for 2017.

Navy Suits

Navy suits look sleek and stylish compared to the traditional black or white suit that is typically worn at weddings. Navy suits pop when paired with colours that include blush and ivory when you want to still look masculine at the romantic event. With a pair of brown shoes and a white bow tie, you'll look sleek and presentable for your bride. Those who want to stand out even more and are getting married in the spring or summer season can opt for an electric blue suit that makes more of a statement.

Single-Breasted Jackets

Single-breasted jackets are one of the latest trends for men because they're slimming and structured, creating a sharp look when you want to look polished on your wedding day. Sack style jackets are also available with single-breasted jackets, making them comfortable to wear for different body types. Because they're meant to be worn buttoned-up for a more formal look, two to three buttons are often used.

Burgundy Wedding Suits

Burgundy wedding suits are also increasing in popularity for their bold colour shade that will draw just as much attention to the groom. The unique colour shade will allow you to mix or match with your wedding party and looks ideal when the groomsmen wear gray suits. You can also match the bold suit with navy suits for your groomsmen to prevent it from looking too dramatic.

Slim Suits

Slim suits are incredibly slick and will allow you to feel confident when standing at the end of the aisle as you wait for your bride to appear. In past years, men have opted to wear baggy pants that are roomy but are straying towards slim pants that look sharp and will allow you to look fit. The style is youthful and will allow you to look slender when you want to have a fitted suit that complements your body type.

Skinny Ties

When you want to embrace a retro look that is a blast from the past, consider wearing a skinny tie to create an edgy style that will allow you to look cool on your wedding day. Slim ties are a step up from traditional ties and will allow you to wear a unique accessory that is eye-catching. Choose a skinny tie colour that is neutral to prevent the tie from looking too bold with your suit. A black or gray tie can complement different colours of suits and will work as the main focal point of the outfit.

You should feel confident and masculine on your wedding day, making it necessary to research the latest trends in the wedding industry for grooms. When it comes to your attire, it's important to choose accessories or a specific suit that looks bold and will allow you to turn heads while standing next to your bride.

Author bio: Ivette works in Digital Marketing at POLITIX, a leading Australian-based brand that specialises in contemporary men's fashion clothing. POLITIX is known for their original design, expertise in fit, tailoring, and ultra attention to detail.

Written by Ivette. Produced by Jessica Kennedy.

Tom Versluys 10/2/17 Tom Versluys 10/2/17

A Beginner's Guide to Wedding Planning

Wedding's can be overwhelming. There is a lot to do, a lot to plan, and even more to worry about. Wedding planners can assist wherever possible, and make the bride and groom's life much simpler.

Wedding's can be overwhelming. There is a lot to do, a lot to plan, and even more to worry about. Wedding planners can assist wherever possible, and make the bride and groom's lives much simpler. But before you can get to that stage, it is important to be prepared and at least think about certain aspects of your wedding.

The dream

Some brides have been planning their weddings since they were children. They probably have countless Pinterest boards, follow every wedding Instagram account available, and have a scrapbook of ideas at home that they've been filling up for years. Perhaps you are not one of these people. Regardless, it's important to know what you want before you talk to a wedding planner, because they won't be able to tell you what you want.

The guests

Other than the bride and groom, the next most important people at any wedding are the guests. Generally close family and friends of the couple, the guests make up the majority of the party, and will determine the size and rowdiness of the ceremony. It's a good idea to at least know the number of guests you intend to bring, if not the exact names, before heading to a wedding planner.

The budget

One of the biggest worries about planning a wedding is the overall cost. Most people know that weddings are expensive, but it's useful to know how much you would like to spend. Even if it's only an estimate, and it does change as time goes on and plans change, it's better to know what your limits are at the beginning.

The ceremony

Do you want a large ceremony, or a small one? Do you want it to be a grand, sweeping epic, with dramatic music and thousands of flowers, or a more low-key, intimate event, with a minimalist style and only your very closest friends and family members? Before you start talking to the professionals, try and get an idea of what you picture the ceremony will look like, so once the wedding planner starts asking questions, you can at least answer some of them.