Let the Deli on Duncan do your Candy Table

Candy tables are a wonderful way to incorporate a trend into your wedding and a great alternative to the usual plated or buffet desserts. The Deli on Duncan (in Hatfield, Pretoria), which makes the most divinely succulent pastries and sweet items, now offers the candy buffet service for brides. Whether your preference lies with candied biscuits, macaroons, meringues, cupcakes or cake pops, the helpful chefs are ready to advise you on your perfect candy table. You can contact them on 012 362 4054 or pop into the Deli on Duncan, in the quaint Duncan Yard centre.

{Aisle Say by Candice}: Including little ones on your wedding day

It's Friday, which means it's Aisle Say by Candice day here at Teapots. Also a very happy Freedom day to all our readers! We hope you have a great long weekend!

How to include the little people on your wedding day

Marriage is a meaningful new chapter for you and your husband. It’s also the creation of a new family, if either party already has little ones. Whether it’s a first or second marriage, you want your child/children to feel included and a part of your celebration.


Photo credit: {etsy.com}

A flower girl or ring bearer is the perfect role to include your little one(s) in the proceedings of your big day. Plus they get the chance to dress up in a smart dress or suit, which adds to the excitement!

The key is to make them feel as comfortable as possible. Here are some great tips:
• A designated ‘baby sitter’- a family member who’ll be with them during the ceremony, keep an eye on them throughout the day and be the exit strategy if they start to cry
• A change of clothes - at the reception, they can eat and have fun without ruining their nice outfits
• A little gift/toy - after the ceremony this can be given to keep them busy and you can add a couple of their other favourite toys to play with
• A walk about – showing them the ceremony surroundings before-hand will make them familiar and more comfortable come the big day

In terms of ceremonies, you can make them feel even more a part of the day by including them in the following:

Unity candle: Have one candle for the couple, a candle for the child/children and a big unity candle. The couple will light their candle together and the youngster(s) will light their candle. Then together they will light the unity candle.

Sand Jar:You'll need different coloured sand for the Bride, Groom and child/children placed into separate glass containers and then together they will pour and blend the sand into one big glass container.

If you are including children anywhere in your wedding day, whether it be your own or a niece/nephew, remember that children will probably not do things exactly as you anticipate. They may suddenly become shy or grumpy, but they’re always cute and will be guaranteed to add some laughter. So, go just with the flow.

Tip for the Bride-to-be: Have an allocated area away from all the noise for the little ones who may need to have a nap.

Contact Candice* at Live Love Dream and invest in a Pre-Marriage Course to ensure your Happily Ever After...

*With a Degree in Psychological Counselling, Candice Luck of Live Love Dream specialises in presenting fun, modern Pre-Marriage courses, that assists couples in building a marriage based on communication, transparency and connection.

Glamorous White River Wedding

We don’t often feature weddings outside of Gauteng, because we’re a Gauteng wedding blog after all, but this one was just too gorgeous to resist! And so we just had to share... Claire and Ross’s stunning wedding, shot by Alexander Smith Photography, was held in the little town of White River in Mpumalanga at the Casterbridge Hollow Hotel and Magnolia Restaurant. All we can say is, “WOW!”. Infused with glamour and detail, every aspect of this wedding is to die for! The dress needs its own blog post actually...but the table settings and venue were equally beautiful. Have a look at let us know what you think... For a look at the rest of the wedding, click here.

Tuesday Shoesday

Pretty in pink.. Photo credit: {pinterest.com}

Wedding Inspiration: Metallics

With Autumn in full swing, we decided to do an inspiration board fit for an Autumn or Winter wedding. Sorbet-lik pastel colour palettes, so often favoured during the warmer months, tend to looking washed out in the colder months, and one way to spruce it up is to incorporate metallics. Combine deeper hues of pinks, purples, or blues with golds, silvers and ivories and you'll have an amazing and detailed look...



Photo credits: Clockwise from top
{emmalinebride.com}{moidecor}{www.weddingchicks.com}
{citified.blogspot.com}{moidecor}{stoneblossomflorals.com}{www.colincowieweddings.com}{www.rocknrollbride.com}{www.thisnext.com}{sophiesfavors.com}

{Aisle Say by Candice}: The Big Budget Decision

Avoid starting your marriage with a financial cloud looming above your heads

Where do you begin? I know it’s meant to be the wedding of your dreams but there’s a serious reality check needed and this saying sums it up: “Marriages are made in heaven but lived on Earth.” You have to get real!

Photo credit: {www.bridefinds.com}

Firstly, have a discussion with your fiancé about his ideas of the ideal wedding day. As the Bride-to-be, you’ve had it pictured perfectly since you were 12 years old but you have to get on the same page as your Groom-to-be and meet in the middle by agreeing on an estimated budget.

Next, make a list of the essential expenses such as the venue, catering, dress & suit, rings, décor and honeymoon. Get quotes from vendors and suppliers that’ll give you a good idea if you need to ‘tweek’ your ideas.

The guest list is a big factor in the budget. It’ll determine the size of venue, the catering cost, how many invites to print etc. Be thorough and only invite close family and friends. Otherwise before you know it your budget will equal a down-payment on a house!

Remember, it’s who you know! So, get resourceful by speaking to the right friends and family. Spread the word through the grapevine and you’ll get many offers coming your way. Every bit of saving helps.

The ‘little things’ such as the wedding favours, hair & make-up appointments and jewellery accessories easily creep in and start adding up, so be aware of this.

If you start going over budget, you need to push the ‘pause’ button and prioritise. Whatever you do, do not max out the credit cards or start a new personal loan! It will just add extra and unwanted stress into your marital equation.

You want to be able to look back and smile with joy rather than look back with regret if it takes you 5 years to pay off your wedding day!

So, get real and get budget wise!

Happy planning…

Tip for the Bride-to-be: Get organised with a wedding file and keep all your receipts, proof of payment, vendor’s contact details etc. so that you can easily keep a weekly check on the budget and stay on top of the to-do list.

Contact Candice* at Live Love Dream and invest in a Pre-Marriage Course to ensure your Happily Ever After...

*With a Degree in Psychological Counselling, Candice Luck of Live Love Dream specialises in presenting fun, modern Pre-Marriage courses, that assists couples in building a marriage based on communication, transparency and connection.

Save The Date Inspiration

Save The Date is something that sets the tone for your wedding and is a way of showing everyone your personality as a couple. In days gone by, the Save The Date came in the post, in the same style as the invitation which would follow a few weeks later. Nowadays, it is usually bundled up with a photographic e-session (engagement shoot), and allows you to be creative and present the world with a unified coupled up identity. You need not spend thousands on a Save The Date. With social media being one of the main ways we communicate now, it can be a simple pic that is emailed to your guests or put up as a Facebook cover photo. Alternatively a printed photograph that acts as a fridge magnet to continually remind everyone of your impending big day is also a cute idea. We have put together an array of our favourite Save The Date photo ideas just for you!



Photo credits:{rachelschultz.com} {jpbeato.net} {etsy.com} {loveolio.com} {Bp Blog} {Pinterest.com} {www.stylemepretty.com}

Tuesday Shoesday!

We love red shoes with wedding dresses!



Photo credit:{carolien & ben photography}

Autumn/Winter Wedding Flowers

When it comes to flowers and fauna in general, my vocab is really limited to: roses, baby’s breath, our proteas and perhaps succulents. Other than those staple wedding flowers, I know not much (ok, maybe Lily of the Valley). So I decided to do a blog post on flowers that are in season now, as we enter Autumn and Winter to a) educate myself and b) provide you with some flower inspiration other than the usual rose/baby’s breath/ succulent inspiration boards.Because as you know, seasonal flowers also mean affordable flowers. Enter the fabulous locally grown tuberoses, daffodils and ranunculuses!

Tuberose

Soft and willowy, they also carry their own lovely scent. You can have them as the sidekick or on their own. Pretty if used for bouquets or centrepieces.Photo credits: {pinterest.com}{www.weddingchicks.com}{www.weddingchicks.com}


Daffodils

Delicate little flowers of joy, these happy flowers are so down to earth you can’t help but love them. Potted, they make lovely favours AND can double up as centrepieces. Now, these babies might scream “it’s spring” in the northern hemisphere, but here the Tahiti, Ice Folly and Flower Carpet daffodils are readily available in our winter months.Photo credits: {www.elizabethannedesigns.com}{www.marthastewartweddings.com}


Ranunculus

This pretty bulb of a flower has intricate detail and can really spruce up a bouquet or centrepiece. Pink is available from June – October with the deep purple, white and yellow gold being available from July.Photo credits: {www.iappreciatethat.com}{www.brides.com}{dustyroseevents.blogspot.com}

{Aisle Say by Candice}: When the Bride-to-be turns into Bridezilla

Happy Friday! We’re excited to launch our weekly advice column, Aisle Say by Candice, today. With a Degree in Psychological Counselling, Candice Luck of Live Love Dream specialises in presenting fun, modern Pre-Marriage courses, that assists couples in building a marriage based on communication, transparency and connection. With Aisle Say, she will address some pertinent and personal issues that you may be experiencing as a bride-to-be (or a friend of one)...

How to approach a Bride about her mood swings

Photo credit: {weddingclan.com}

The spotlight is on the Bride, she is planning the wedding of her dreams, she has a hundred things on her mind, she has an overwhelming amount of decisions and choices to make and her stress gremlins are starting to surface… It’s not as critical as an intervention but it's pretty close!

As the Bridesmaid, it's your duty to keep the Bride feeling on top of the world and in control. This sounds easy, but we all know how tough it can be. When you start to see signs of the obsessive, bossy Bridezilla emerging, book her into her favourite day spa immediately. A full body massage will ease the tension out of her body from head to toe and your best friend will be returned to you as her usual self and will now be more receptive to hear what you have to say.

Make a plan to meet up for a relaxed coffee at one of your usual spots. You have to approach her with confidence, a dollop of humour and a touch of gentleness… Reassure her that you are there to assist as much as possible and that you are concerned about her stress levels. Let her know that the Bridezilla is starting to creep in and that it is your aim to banish that monster, to keep her as calm and glowing as possible.

Together create a fun trigger word like: ‘Whoooosaaaa’ or ‘Goooosefraabbaa’ and when the Bridezilla barometer is starting to rise, use the trigger word to snap her out of it… Remind her to stay cool, calm and collected!

When she looks back she will thank you for being a true best friend who saved her from embarrassing Bridezilla episodes!

Tip for the Bride-to-be:
For the sake of your sanity and that of your loved ones, find a healthy exercise activity to de-stress. Start Bikram yoga and sweat it out or try some kick-boxing to punch it out…anything that you can physically do and enjoy will make all the difference! Plus, you will benefit by getting trim and toned to slip gracefully into wedding dress.

Contact Candice at Live Love Dream today for a Pre-Marriage Coaching Course to ensure your happily ever after!

Wedding Hair Inspiration: {Braids}

We are totally in love with the biggest hair trend for 2012 – the messy braid. It’s bohemian, vintage and classical all in one. Whether it’s to the side, swept in an updo or running across, this romantic style is one of our favourites and suitable for both bride and bridesmaids...



Photo credits - clockwise from top: {www.stylemepretty.com}{pinterest.com}{www.brides.com}{pinterest.com}{greenweddingshoes.com}{behindthebutterfly.tumblr.com}{lindseyortonphotography.blogspot.com}{www.keikolynn.com}{www.weddingguide.com.au}{pinterest.com}

Tuesday Shoesday!

We hope you had a wonderful Easter this last week! Here is some pretty shoe candy to start your week xxx


Photo credit: {ido-dreams.tumblr.com}

Wedding dress types for your body

Your wedding dress is probably the most expensive (and important) dress you will ever wear. Not to worry though – read the tips below and you’re well on your way to finding your perfect dress!

Consider:
* The type of wedding you are having. Formal/ outdoorsey/ traditional?
* The season. A heavy, princess ball gown is pretty, but isn’t the best idea in the height of Summer. Neither are thin sheathed column dresses in July;
* Having bridesmaids? If not, time to rethink that princess ball gown mentioned above because going to the bathroom isn’t going to be possible much;
* The type of veil/ jewellery you want to wear;
* Have an open mind. Your ‘ideal’ dress that you’ve been dreaming about since you were 6 years old doesn’t look as nice as the one you hadn’t ever considered before. If you watch that show on DSTV’s TLC channel called “Yes to the Dress”, you’ll know what I mean.

You also need to think about the do’s and don’ts of your body type:

Pear shaped:
Do: A skirt that gradually flares out in an A form from the natural waist to the floor, highlighting the narrowness of the midsection and floating away from the hips and thighs. A boat or a V neckline will showcase a more slender upper body.
Don’t: Wear a mermaid or trumpet style dress. It will do nothing for your hips and it jets out at the widest part of your body – which will make you look even bigger.

Photo credit: Romantic Trousseau Bridal

Busty
Do: A dress with a scooped/sweetheart neckline will open up your face and display your décolletage without showing too much cleavage.
Don’t: Choose a neckline that goes straight across as this will make you look like a javelin thrower.

Photo credit: www.bridalgowntoronto.com

Small chested:
Do: A ruched bodice, as the extra fabric will help fill out your upper body and create the illusion of curves. Lightly padded halter styles will also work. Alternatively, self-adhesive silicone bra cups can also add fullness.
Don’t: Choose a sweetheart neckline on a dress that is too big. The ‘sinking’ neckline effect which exposes too much non-cleavage does not for good photos make.

Photo credit: wedwebtalks.com

Apple:
Do: A dress with a textured boduce that cinches in at the smallest point on the waistline, then flares out into a gradual A shape. Ruche or lace on the bodice will create a corset-like effect. The most flattering neckline for you is one with a deep V, which will draw eyes vertically.
Don’t: Choose trumpet/ mermaid dress styles, which emphasize the area where your body is widest and flare out at the legs and the knees, where you are most slender.

Photo credit: www.1stdresses.com

Tall:
Do: A simple silhouette which will emphasize your natural shape, where every aspect of the dress reflects your longer proportions (think lower waistline, a floor-sweeping hem).
Don’t: Over embellish. Too many bells and whistles, like ruffles and rosettes, can come off as ‘twee’, particularly on a tall person. Also, long sleeves need to go past the wrist or else the dress will look too small for you.

Photo credit: wedwebtalks.com/

Straight-lined/Tube:
Do: A dress that'll create curves in places where you don’t have, such as a sheath dress in charmeuse that’s cut on the bias. The curving side seam will give you a voluptuous silhouette. Or a ball gown that cinches in at your natural waist and descends into a full, flowing floor-length skirt. It will enhance your slenderness and camouflage a lack of hips.
Don’t: Wear a plain and simple dress that just hangs on you like a curtain. Choose embellishments that enhance your lack of curves.

Photo credit: Topofblogs.com

Plus-sized:
Do: An Empire dress with a skirt that begins just under the bust and flows into a gradual floor-length A-line. For a softer, romantic look, choose a stiff base with a soft sheathy overlay.
Don’t: Choose a loose empire dress as this will look like maternity wear and make you look bigger.

Photo credit: Romantic Trousseau Bridal

Petit:
Do: The trumpet (mermaid), sheath, and modified A-line gowns are all fine here. The fabric is up to you as you can pull off a high sheen. Detailing should be small and limited to the bodice, to draw the eye upward.
Don’t: Wear ball gowns as it's easy to get lost in that voluminous skirt. Avoid anything calf-length, which will make your legs look short.

Photo credit: Romantic Trousseau Bridal