Twin Towns Bridal Expo

On April 19, Weddinglinks hosted the annual Twin Towns bridal exhibition.

It was a huge success with brides and friends streaming through the doors all day.

There was a lot to see, from photographers, venues, beauty, stationery to beautiful wedding gowns and loads more.

All brides received a showbag with goodies to help them with planning that special day.

The next Weddinglinks bridal exhibition is at the Gold Coast Art Centre on June 14.

For more information, go to http://www.weddinglinks.com.au/default.asp

Bridal Expos

Bridal exhibitions are the most convenient way to gather ideas for your wedding.
Everything you need is under one roof and quite often there is a bridal fashion show, showcasing beautiful wedding gowns. I find these fashion shows very popular with brides to be.
I do recommend to attend with a friend, husband to be or someone who is helping to organise the wedding.
The best thing to do at a bridal expo is to gather as much information as you can by way of brochures, business cards and also talking to the exhibitor.

There is a bridal expo coming up in April. It is the weddinglinks bridal expo at Twin Towns. These expos are always popular.
Click on this link for more information and to also register online for half price entry

Wedding Etiquette For Brides

I came across this article on Wedding Etiquette for Brides.
Emily Post is the well known Miss Manners on Wedding Etiquette.

Here are a few tips which would help all brides out there to follow as per Wedding Etiquette.

# 1. The wedding gown:-
According to Miss Manners, the modern day Wedding Etiquette is not all that stern. Brides of today do not have to stick to the traditional ultra white, crème and beige wedding gowns. They can rather experiment with their favorite pastels or even with any color which would go along with the theme especially in case of a Destination wedding. An aquamarine or turquoise colored gown to match the fresh sea water is a great option in case of a beach wedding.

It is more important that you select a dress which would compliment your skin tone and the one which would, at the same time, accentuate your curves in the best way possible.


#2. The shoes:-
Ankle strap and open toed wedding shoes are allowed by Wedding Etiquette say, Miss Manners and white is no more the indispensable color for the wedding shoe. Crème, beige, ivory or even a red colored shoe can be worn to go with a wedding gown in ultra white.

In this regard, comfort and style score high. Miss Manners say, less ornamented shoes are most preferred, though rhinestones do not confront Wedding Etiquette in any way.


#3. Announcement of the engagement:-
For the first time brides, the most economic and simple way to announce the engagement to close friends and family is during a dinner. However, in case you are ready to burn a hole in your pocket, an engagement party can be hosted specially for this purpose or an announcement can be made for the same in newspapers, say Miss Manners.

Miss Manners suggest second time brides to speak to their kids before making an announcement in public. Secondly, it is necessary to discuss about the plans to their parents prior to their ex-spouse. Wedding Etiquette is, however, not breached if the bride, who may not have an offspring from her ex-spouse, has neglected to tell him about the engagement. Unless the bride has joint custody of children with her ex-spouse, she is completely free from any kind of obligation towards him.


#4. Who are to be invited?
In the opinion of Miss Manners, it is totally in the hands of the hosts of the wedding to actually decide who are to be invited and who can be avoided or neglected. However, the parents can have a say, in case they host the wedding jointly. In general, it is the bridegroom and the bride who decide who are to be invited, as it is the day of their lives.

The bride’s father cannot invite the ex-guy or ex-spouse of the bride, who may be his best employee, if the bride and/or groom are not fine with it, though he might be the one who has hosted the wedding.

#5. Cash gifts and wedding registry:-
Cash gifts are a complete no-no as stated by Miss Manners. It is one of the greatest errors of Wedding Etiquette. Miss Manners also say that asking for a cash gift would make the groom and the bride look materialistic. Miss Manners is not in favor of persistence of cash gifts even if it is for the purpose of charity.

Wedding registry cards are fine with Miss Manners though they should not be enclosed with the invitation. Online registry is an enhanced option to inform guests who would like to gift according to the couple’s wish lists.

By following this, Wedding Etiquette is conserved and it would also present a pretty picture of the bride and groom, rather than presenting them as pushy people.

For more wedding ideas, take a look at http://www.weddinglinks.com.au/

Have You Set Your Budget?

Have you got a Budget?
Your very first step should be to set yourselves a realistic budget. Sit down with all the parties involved, work out who will be paying for what and how much each party has budgeted for.

It is important to remember that a gorgeous wedding is available to every bride and groom, regardless of budget. The key is to be realistic from the start about your finances and to agree in advance on who will pay for what. Then, do your best to stick to your decisions. Whether this is your first, second or third marriage, the most important part of your planning is to make your wedding a reflection of you as a couple and the commitment of love you are making.

Try to look past other people's expectations and envision the wedding that both of you will enjoy and that you, or your families can afford.Planning the budget for your wedding may lead to a tough conversation about money with your spouse to be and your respective families, but it is good to begin the process with a practical discussion about wedding costs. Discuss your fantasies and then try to figure out a way to adapt them to the reality of your chequebook. Once you have made your basic decisions, you should revaluate your total budgeted cost. The number of guests you invite, the location, and the food and beverages served will add up to the major portion of your expenses. Using the worksheet, pencil in the amounts you think you would like to pay for these essential items. If the total is more that two-thirds of your budget, you need to rethink these categories and trim expenses.As with so many wedding traditions today, the customary rules of who pays for what are becoming outdated. Some couples find it useful to set up separate bank account earmarked for the wedding.

Any way you decide to split the cost, don't let the budget bog you down and cause you to lose sight of the reasons you became engaged in the first place.

Traditionally

The Bride and her family pay for: Invitations Ceremony, Reception, Brides Attire, Grooms Wedding Ring, Flowers and attendants gifts.

The Groom and his family pay for: Celebrant, Brides Wedding & Engagement Ring, and Attendants Gifts. Reception beverages, Honeymoon.

(Wedding Links does have a Wedding Budget Planner available in excel format. This planner indicates what you will need to allocate your budget to, plus it gives you a percentage % indication of how much you should allocate to each area.)