Once the big day is over (and believe me, it will go quickly!), all of a sudden, everything you have been preparing for will be complete, and you will be off on your honeymoon. Because the honeymoon is after the event, preparation for it can be left until the last second, and can be another cause of stress, particularly if you are heading overseas. If you are crossing borders, the biggest cause of stress is making sure you have all of your documentation ready.

If you don’t already have your passport, then you must do this months in advance, because it can take a while to process, and should you have any hiccups, it’s important that you have plenty of time to sort them out. Once you have your passports, then you also need to make sure you have your visas sorted out, which can often require you to send your passport to an embassy. This can be a really big source of stress if organised too late, so please get all of this done early.

Finally, make sure you have your luggage and usual accouterments like toothbrushes and pajamas (or onesie if into that craze), as well as something cheeky like new lingerie or a burlesque costume to spice things up a bit. Also make sure your documentation is stored safely, including a proper passport holder and travel wallet for your passports and plane tickets, so that they will be adequately protected, and you can easily grab them when needed. Then, relax, kick back, and enjoy your honeymoon!

While they are not a new concept, masquerade weddings have made a comeback recently. It’s not surprising really, as weddings are traditionally about providing a new start for a couple, as well as creating anticipation and surprise. Wedding veils are the traditional method of hiding the bride, as well as not letting the groom see the bride on the wedding day prior to the service itself.

Wearing masquerade masks brings the guests in on the act as well, while a adding a touch of elegant mystery to the whole occasion.

One problem with having a masquerade wedding is the fact that you really need to get the guests involved, and they might not all be willing to go and fork out the cash required to purchase a mask. If you’re going to go down this path, make sure guests are made aware that they can purchase and wear their own mask if they wish, but it’s a good idea to have a supply of masks available on the day, should guests not be able to bring their own, or if they forget.

As for the bride and groom’s masks, have some fun! You can choose each other’s mask, or choose them together, and if you buy great quality masks (shop somewhere like www.masquerademaskshq.com.au instead of ebay), then you will be able to use them as a beautiful display in your home for the rest of your life. You can even mount them on the wall if you like, as some masquerade masks are pieces of art in themselves.

So, it’s a great idea for a unique wedding, but as I always say, make sure you plan well ahead!

This might seem like a less important purchase than your engagement ring (usually because he simply doesn’t care as much as we girls do!), but this is precisely why it can be a major cause of last minute stress. This is one item to get out of the road early, so you aaren’t racing around a few days before the big day trying to figure out what size he is, and what metal will suit him best.

You have to understand that men have a tendency to destroy their mens rings pretty quickly, which is precisely why there are so many non-traditional choices out there like titanium rings (Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium) and tungsten  rings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungsten). They all have their positives and negatives, weaknesses and strengths though, so it’s really important to do your research early and figure out what metal he a) likes and b) will suit his lifestyle.

It’s supposed to be perfect. The happiest day of your life even. So why are there so many horror stories and bridezilla attacks that plague one of the most special days of any bride’s life?

The problem is that most Brides put an enormous amount of pressure on themselves and those they need to help them, without having much experience with planning such an event. Not all of us can afford to hire a dedicated wedding planner, so we’ve created this blog to help you plan better, shop better, and help you take a lot of the stress off both yourself and those around you, while still having a perfect wedding.

We’ll help with planning tips, as well as how to shop properly for what you need. This list of what you will need can seem endless, from wedding dresses, the perfect wedding veils, flower girls dresses, mens wedding rings, a tiara that will actually look good, a bow tie for the groom (or bow ties for the groomsmen), mens ties, a cravat, bridal fascinators, cufflinks, wedding cake toppers, and maybe burlesque costumes for the wedding night… the list goes on and on!

So grab a cup of tea, sit down, take a deep breath (preferably while steaming your favourite relaxing essentail oils), and let us help you plan a better day!