Tag Archive: west auckland wedding celebrant

Winter Wedding Tips

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I know it’s spring, but it still feels alot like winter and I have a few ‘winter’ wedding coming up so thought some tips would be handy!

Winter weddings just aren’t as popular as spring or summer ones – but I think that makes them all the more mysterious and intriguing. Of course, winter weddings’ limited popularity also means there aren’t quite as many tips out there for planning one as there are for summer weddings. We’re going to change that today, and give you some pros and cons of a winter wedding, and ways to make sure your winter wedding is even more memorable than its more common summer sibling.

With winter wedding planning, you have a few great things going for you. Venues are often less expensive in the winter than they are in the summertime. Because winter weddings are less popular, you’re less likely to run into problems finding a venue for the date you want, which can be a bonus if your friends have taken all the available summer dates for their weddings!

On the other hand, winter weddings can be a tad tricky in a range of categories, so there are considerations you’ll want to take into account when you’re planning. Here are just a few you’ll want to think about before you start sending save the dates.

Timing

First, consider holding your ceremony earlier in the day, so you can ensure you have enough time after the ceremony for outdoor group shots. Second, if you know you want glowy, bright wedding photos, talk to your photographer ahead of time to make sure he or she thinks this is possible based on your venue for the time of year.

Warmth & Weather

If you are the kind of person who loves cozy woollen sweaters and faux fur stoles, a winter wedding might be right up your alley. For a winter wedding, you’ll need to keep the weather in mind. Check with your venue or church ahead of time to make sure the building will have had time to warm up before your ceremony or reception. There’s nothing worse than your guests not being able to concentrate because they’re freezing cold! If you expect there to be a chill, set out a few blankets for your guests to cozy up in.

Photography

Likewise, if you have a long list of relatives and friends you want in your photographs – and you want those photographs taken outside – keep in mind that not everyone can look cheerful while their teeth are chattering. Depending on your location, you’ll have to make it quick if you want your bridal party to stand out in the cold and not start to turn blue!

Even if your wedding is taking place in a warmer place, you should also keep in mind that guests from snowy states might have trouble traveling depending on the weather, and you just won’t be able to predict that.

Color Scheme

Winter color schemes can be beautiful, but the season does lend itself to different pairings than summer weddings. Opt for muted tones or mix in metallics or bits of nature like pinecones or boughs.

Flowers

Certain flowers will, of course, be more expensive or downright impossible to get during the wintertime. But that doesn’t mean you’re completely limited. Talk to your florist about what’s in season in the winter, and work from there. Greenery like eucalyptus lends itself well to a winter wedding, and branches can be downright elegant (and inexpensive!) as centrepieces. And where you can’t go overboard with flowers, you certainly can go wild with candles. With the darker, shorter days, candles will make a bigger impact than a summer wedding starting much earlier! So load up with candles of varying heights and light ’em up!

Thanks to the Wedding App

Rave Review ♥ Above & beyond the call of duty…

What a wedding dress!!

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Former All Black Josh Kronfeld got married recently in Rarotonga.

Check out his Bride’s lacey white wedding number!

Designed by NZ designer Tanya Carlson it’s a showstopper – although I’m not sure just how many Bride’s could actually get away with this!!?

The cutest thing about this pic is the little boy though!!

Namaste Mr & Mrs Brij

marriage celebrant auckland kimberly sanders lucky in love mendhi ring   photo 3-4

I was honoured to be invited to a stunning wedding a few weeks ago. This Bride and Groom are lucky enough to have two weddings! I’m going to officiate for them next year at their ‘party’ wedding – and this first wedding was their traditional Indian Hindu ceremony.

Never having attended a Hindu wedding I was very excited, thinking of the very beautiful 90s film Monsoon Wedding and all those colourful Bolliwood movies and copious amounts of marigold flowers!

The Groom didn’t enter by horse drawn carriage or elephant as I was told happens at some Hindu weddings, but I wasn’t disappointed, the Groom looked like a maharajah from a bygone era and the Bride was stunning, decorated in gold jewelery with incredible mendhi designs covering her hands. Reading about the origins of mendhi (henna) the decoration ritual is often one of the most important and fun filled pre-wedding ceremonies. And appropriately it represents ‘awakening the inner light, with traditional Indian designs representing the sun. Very fitting for a wedding ceremony.

There are a few key rituals common in Hindu weddings – Kanyadaan, Panigrahana, and Saptapadi, which are respectively, giving away of daughter by the father, voluntarily holding hand near the fire to signify union, and taking seven steps with each step includes a vow/promise to each other before fire. The Hindu wedding ceremony can take up to several hours, with celebrations starting days before and carrying on after. The primary witness of a Hindu marriage is the fire-deity (or the Sacred Fire) Agni. The seven step ritual is the most important ritual. Each step corresponds to a vow the groom makes to the bride, and a vow the bride makes to the groom. The vows are pronounced in Sanskrit in long form, or short quicker form, sometimes also in the language of the groom and bride. In my beautiful Bride and Grooms wedding, this was performed around a fire; and after each of the seven oaths to each other, the groom and bride perform the ritual of agnipradakshinam – walk around the fire, with the end of their garments tied together. The groom usually leads the bride in the walk. After this the couple are considered husband and wife.

The other extraordinary thing about the wedding was it was held in a beautifully decorated outdoor altar -during a week of nonstop rain and dark skies – but miraculously the sun shone the entire day for the happy couple!

Being a traditional wedding the priest who performed the ceremony spoke mainly in sanskrit, so the only thing I understood was ‘namaste’ which we say in yoga class. The reason behind namaste according to wikipedia is a deep spiritual significance recognizing the belief that the life force, the divinity, the Self or the God in me is the same in all. Acknowledging this oneness with the meeting of the palms, we honor the god in the person we meet. And you know, when you do it, it makes you feel quite centred and humbled.

Namaste Mr & Mrs Brij.

Top Tips for Bridesmaids

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First of all, rent the movie ‘Bridesmaids’ for what NOT to do!!
As hysterical as that movie was it would not be so funny in real life.

Avoid any misunderstandings and make sure the Bride & her Bridesmaids are on the same page right from the start with these top tips to help you make it to the wedding day unfrazzled…

Maid of Honour
This duty is like a head Bridesmaid – she will be in charge of all the Brides needs on the day – and delegating – basically she needs to be a bit bossy!
Chose your most reliable friend and not your teenage neice.

Dress & Shoes
Usually Bridesmaids will cover the cost of their own dress and shoes.
Agree the maximium cost before starting to shop, keeping in mind the dress will probably never be worn again.
Alterations are not allowed unless with the Bride’s approval.
If the Bride has the budget – she can certainly gift this to her Bridesmaids.

Hair & Makeup
Because the Bridesmaids are paying for their own dress and shoes – as well as the Hen Party, they deserve a little love from the Bride.
Makeup artists will give you a good discount for a bridal party booking.

Bridal Shower & Hen Party
This is a fun bridesmaid responsibility. Bridesmaids should cover the creative development and costs involved – but consult the Bride regarding definite DO NOTs! Some Brides just are not into tequila slammers or strippers and some really are!!
Check this Hen Party How To out.

Wedding Rehearsal
Bridesmaids, like the rest of the Bridal Party and key people, must attend the rehearsal so they are confident in their role on the day.

Good luck!!

Outrageous Ozzie Wedding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmPdVJKqNF4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct-vdEn-fu4

Can you believe this???
The pre-wedding teaser video is pretty cool though!!
And super scarey (if this guy can get a mayoralty, is it possible for the Don to become President)?

Stuff.co.nz has this to report.

Surprise Wedding Proposal!

How cute is this??!!!

American couple Tyler and Chelsea Pulse were married on April 25 of this year. That also happened to be the date of the bride’s first cousin Megan’s eight-year anniversary with her partner Brett.

Because of this coincidence Chelsea hatched a plan with Brett and didn’t let fate decide the outcome of the bouquet toss. The result? Pure unbridled joy that brought tears to our eyes.

 

 

A wild winter wedding

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Congratulations Billy & Felicity!

What a spectacular wedding day at ruggedly beautiful Piha Beach this weekend.

I couldn’t believe after days of stormy weather, the clouds parted and the sun gloriously shone for this very much in-love couple.

While the groom waited with the expected nervous anticipation on the beach, we all watched the pretty bride make her grand entrance emerging from the dunes in a romantically billowing white dress with lace detail.

They exchanged heartfelt vows while the wind whipped up around them and the white caps floated across the black sparkling sand, setting a scene true to their unique personal style.

Judging from this wild day, their relationship is going to weather any of life’s challenges – with a long range forecast of sunshine!

Wedding Party Responsibilities from laurenconrad.com

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Hey, I just found the most GORGEOUS website Lauren Conrad laurenconrad.com – remember her? She had a reality show, what was it called? The Real OC or something that was as ridiculous as Keeping up with the Kardashians Kim Kardashian but about over-priviledged teens that once you tuned in it was hard not to get sucked in.
However she seemed to be the most sensible, went off to work at Teen Vogue and has redeemed herself with this cute little website which includes wedding tips. Have a read:

http://laurenconrad.com/blog/2013/03/wedding-bells-the-duties/