Image by Milena Dekic

Being a celebrant isn’t a glamorous job. It’s really, really hard work.

I do know I’m at the bottom of the wedding food chain – at least until the Big Day itself comes along. Mine is one of the few jobs at a wedding that isn’t pretty. It isn’t tangible. I can’t show you the beautiful photos I take, or the gorgeous blooms I arrange. I can’t dress you in layers of silk, or do your makeup to turn you into a princess. I can’t prove it. You have to believe me.

Being a celebrant is not about making a wedding look good, it’s all about how it feels. I’m in charge of making the most important part of your Big Day wonderful, romantic, real and gloriously, delightfully happy. Its about setting the tone for the rest of the day. Its about  celebration. And that’s a big thing.

My beautiful brides and gorgeous grooms gave me back a bit (a lot, really) of that happy feeling, this month, when they voted so hard for me that I won the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Award for Marriage Celebrants, NSW. First place! I was so surprised……(and really, really chuffed!).

They gushed about ceremonies that made their mothers cry and their friends laugh. They wrote that they couldn’t imagine a moment more perfect, or more fun, or anyone else to be there for them. They rated me as the best part of their day, over and over again. They blogged and voted and tweeted and facebooked how happy they were. (And in this age of online-everything, sharing is so, so good!).

I was gobsmacked that after only 3 years as a celebrant (and about 260 weddings) I had made so many people happy.

Me? Just doing my thing. With a smile and lots of laughter and my hugs all-round mantra and my determination to give every single one of them the most amazing moment they ever imagined…

This fairy-godmother just can’t wait for the next year of beautiful moments. Because that’s the bit makes all the hard work worthwhile. I’m inspired all over again.

Ms Gingham says: It’s all about the love and it’s so nice to see a bit of that love coming back to someone who works so hard to make every one of her weddings special. Congratulations Robyn from all of us here at Polka Dot Bride. xx

Robyn says: “I am quite possibly the happiest marriage celebrant in Sydney! Weddings are my thing! Nothing makes me happier than a really happy couple – every time.”

Read more wise words by Robyn here.

Tags http://www.robynpattison.com.au/ | Ceremony Wisdom, Industry News, Wisdom | Comments 0

If you have a love for flowers then you should experience a visit to the flower market at least once in your life. What a way to kick start your day! As principal florist at Blond Flores my morning starts with a 2:30am wake-up call followed by driving through the dead of night to the market 3 to 4 days a week, as if you are the only soul on the road. I line up in the sleepy conga line of trucks and vans waiting for entry (which secures my pole position!) while I enjoy early morning coffee with suppliers I now call my friends. The chaos and the commotion commences once the conga line starts moving and the doors creak open to merchants spruiking their wares and the race to get in and hand-pick the most perfect bunches is on!

A lot has changed at the markets in the last ten years and what I truly admire are suppliers that still operate by the old school values of specialising in particular varieties. Craig is one of my favourite suppliers who specialises in Australian natives which never cease to amaze and surprise me. As I was born and raised in Sweden, Australian natives are somewhat exotic to me, causing excitement and awe in the never-ending array of colours, textures, shapes and styles.

Serena and Gaetano, another team of specialty growers also have that amazing ability to get that certain something out of their product. One variety in particular they grow which I personally love, are hydrangeas and they have to be seen to be believed! It has taken Serena and Gaetano at least 5 years to get their experimenting right but their patience and continuous hard work has definitely paid off. Their hydrangeas are simply perfect, full blooms bursting with life available in every varying shade of blue, pink, white, purple and green. They are enough to make any bride melt.

Being a florist is not only about the creation of beautiful arrangements, it’s also about being business savvy. Knowing your clients, knowing your suppliers, thinking on your feet and making educated changes when quoted varieties are not performing at their best. In addition to this you need to be an accountant (which believe me is not always easy at 5am!) and a floral scientist to have the knowledge on how to look after your bounty once you are back in the studio. Most mornings you are all these roles plus the sales manager, marketing manager and business development manager all rolled into one before most people are out of bed! It’s far from glamorous, though it’s all worth it when you leave with a van full of gorgeous blooms you can now transform into gorgeous arrangements.

Images by Blond Flores

Ms Gingham says: I thought bakers had it tough! I had no idea that florists like Helene are up so often at 2:30 am. I have a whole new appreciation for how exacting a task it is to source gorgeous fresh blooms.

About Blond Flores: At Blond Flores we buy and design exclusively for the wedding and event markets and are passionate about hand-picking the best the market has to offer.

Tags http://www.blondflores.com/ | Behind The Scenes, Flower Wisdom, Wisdom | Comments 1

In the immortal words of John Lennon – “another year over and a new one just begun”… we revisit the best of the wisest blogs of all – Wisdom.

1. Do You Suffer From WIP: Wedding (Planning) Induced Perfectionism?

Image via My Queendom Come from Do You Suffer From WIP: Wedding (Planning) Induced Perfectionism?

This post is one of my favourites. Packed with realistic and good advice with a light sense of humour it makes for a good read.

2. The White Wedding Dress, Bendigo

Image via The Bendigo Art Gallery from The White Wedding Dress, Bendigo

I’m a real nerd when it comes to the history of things and the evolution of the wedding dress I find absolutely fascinating. Geoff Makin of Wendy Makin shares his visit to The White Wedding Dress exhibition with us.

3. Try Before You Bias

Sarah Janks “Aeryn” Bias Cut Dress. Photo from Sarah Janks Couture via Try Before You Bias

The wedding of style icon Kate Moss, created a real interest in bias cut dresses. If like me, you have heard about them but have no real idea what makes a dress bias cut, then this post by Sarah Janks of Sarah Janks Couture will clarify things for you.

4. Rah Rah Florals

Image by Hello Blossoms via Rah Rah Florals

Time for some floral inspiration and it doesn’t come much better than this. Floral expert Georgia from Hello Blossoms shares her love for lunar buds and shows us how to coordinate them to make stunning arrangements.

5. You Can, You Can, You Really Can … Have a Laugh at Your Wedding! (and Love It!)

Image by Scott Thomas 0414 235 520 via You Can, You Can, You Really Can … Have a Laugh at Your Wedding! (and Love It!)

The gorgeous Robyn Pattison Civil Marriage Celebrant shares her memories of some of the funnier moments of ceremonies. Funny, touching and so well written.

6. A Birdy Good Time

The Bird Collective in the photo-booth at Tim & Kate’s wedding

Great use of a photobooth. Love the vendors having some fun and a great shot at that!

7. Animated Engagement Story

A cool animation by The Animated Bride that tells the story of Michael and Ruby’ meeting and subsequent engagement. Very sweet and stunningly creative.

8. These Boots Aren’t Made For Walking

Image by Cake Occasions via These Boots Aren’t Made For Walking

It’s a wedding cake? It’s a wedding cake! Check out the making of this one and prepare to be astounded!

9. Rain on Your Wedding Day

Image by Photography by Nerida McMurray Photography via Rain on Your Wedding Day

Is there a bride and groom out there that’s not glued to BOM (Bureau of Meteorology) the days before their wedding? No matter how many times you check though, there’s still a chance of rain. Here’s some tips to make sure you come prepared.

10. What Style Suits Me?

Image by Craig Paulson, Hair & Makeup by Amy Chan

If you’re having a little trouble choosing your style of hair and makeup for your wedding then this is a must read. Some great advice from professional hair and makeup artist Amy Chan

Tags http://www.amychan.net/http://www.cakeoccasions.com.au/http://www.helloblossoms.com.au/http://www.neridamcmurray.com.au/http://www.robynpattison.com.au/http://www.sarahjanks.com/http://www.theanimatedbride.com.au/http://www.thebirdcollective.com.au/http://www.wendymakin.com/ | Blog News, Wisdom | Comments 0

Image via The Art Of Ice Scultpures

Ice artistry has turned into a jaw-dropping decor trend, making a comeback with fresh designs, as well as new life in a functional manner as a tiered display for caviar and other keep-em-cool cocktail party indulgences. And of course there’s the ice flue that delivers flavored vodka right into your glass. Gone are the days of the ho-hum, cliche lovebirds, the big rounded heart with the bride’s and groom’s names, the swan… unless you want those kinds of things. Now, it’s all about architectural designs: tall, braided effects, columns intricately carved from ice, cut-outs, and etched-in wording or monograms. Lace designs to match your dress.I’m seeing these masterpieces not just at the cocktail hour, but as decor within the reception room, and they’re also showing up in smaller form at rehearsal dinners and morning-after breakfasts.

Image via The Art Of Ice Scultpures

Ice sculptors tell me the design is just part of the masterpiece. The element that really makes an ice sculpture pop is the lighting. Here are just some of the ways to light an ice sculpture:

• Set color-complementary LED lights around the base of the sculpture, and borrow the hi-low effect that’s so big with floral centerpieces right now by commissioning tiered ice levels behind your sculpture. Those tiers will hold LED color blocks to add extra glow for dramatic  effect.

• Set your ice sculpture on a special light-up base. Wedding coordinators and ice sculpting masters can hook you up with specialty light bases just for uplighting decor items like your ice sculpture.

• Set your ice sculpture on a sturdy, specialty glass-topped table — don’t DIY this, since ice sculptures are heavy — and set white or colored flashlights beneath the table to shine up and through your ice design.

Always remember that LED lights don’t get hot, so they’re not going to melt your ice sculpture, nor will they cause a fire hazard when set beneath a table or by table linens. My hat is off to the fabulous ice sculptors who took an age-old art and modernized it with intricately-detailed designs. With so many artisan skills fading away, this is one skill that’s only going to grow in time, giving us gorgeous decor pieces that are truly cool.

Ms Gingham says: I love the gelati bar!!! The sky’s the limit with designs and as Sharon says, these decor pieces are so cool!

About Sharon: Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 wedding books, including her newest: “Bridesmaid on a Budget”, “Smart Guide to Wedding Weekends”, and “1001 Ways to Save Money and Still have a Dazzling Wedding”. Her two books for the mothers of the bride and groom are bestsellers, and she has appeared on such top shows as Good Morning America, ABC News, Lifetime, Inside Edition and more – sharing tips and insider secrets to help you plan your dream wedding on a budget, personalized to your love story. Visit her site Sharon Naylor for more on her books, free worksheets and appearances. She lives in Morristown, NJ with her husband Joe and is at work on her next two wedding books.

Read more by Sharon here

Tags cocktail party decorice sculpturesreception decorstation decorwedding decor | Wedding Planning Wisdom, Wisdom | Comments 0

In the rush of preparing everything, it’s easy to forget to make sure your home is ‘photography ready’ on your wedding day. You may have seen stunning images in your photographer’s portfolio of bride prep, and are hoping for the same result. Some things to remember are…

• In order to achieve these shots, there needs to be a beautifully clean space and environment, with lots of natural light. Consider getting ready in the room of the house that has the best natural light and the most space (and the least clutter).

• Your photographer also may want to take you out the front or back of the house for photos – so it’s a good idea to make sure the verandahs have been swept and mopped and the dog poo has been collected from the lawn! Many times I have been to a beautiful home with incredible garden areas but the verandas were so dirty the bride did not want to walk outside.

• If you’re in a hotel you won’t have to worry about the outdoor shots – but its’ a good idea to get any room service debris removed from the room, prior to your photographer’s arrival.

Bride prep is one of my favourite parts of the whole day and I love  capturing the details, the laughter, the nerves, the embraces, the tears and everything that goes into the moments before a bride walks down that aisle.  It’s so very special and with a tiny bit of preparation, you can have some beautiful images to help you remember the day.

Images by Nerida McMurray Photography

Ms Gingham says: So many things seem to be just common sense but it’s these little things that can sometimes be forgotten. Great advice.

Nerida says: “I love weddings and I feel blessed that my job is a significant element of a very special day for people. Giving the couple their photos after their honeymoon, and seeing the delight and joy on their faces as they reminisce over one of the most memorable days in their lives, is one of my favourite parts of my job.”

Nerida is a regular contributor to the Wisdom blog with advice based articles like what to do if it rains on your wedding day. Read them all here.

Tags http://www.neridamcmurray.com.au/ | Photography Wisdom, Wisdom | Comments 0