YOUR SPRING WEDDING GUIDE
This Spring, Topic is paying very special attention to the weddings of the midlands, especially as many couples have had to postpone their special day several times over, to fall in line with restrictions that keep changing monthly. There is nothing that we like more though, than offering suggestions and ideas for the most momentous day of our lives and we hope this feature will guide you to make your wedding day plans as easy as pie!
If you’re planning on declaring your commitment to the one you love this year by joining in matrimony, there are ample local resources available to make sure your special day will be the best day of your life. Topic has all the information you need in this feature, regarding local resources – hotels, venues, wedding open days, photographers and videographers, salons, and beauticians, as well as all the tips and advice necessary for you to ensure your special day will go as smoothly as possible.
It’s All About You!
First things first – remember that your wedding day is all about you – and the person you have decided to spend the rest of your life with. If you are getting married, remember to relax and enjoy the day, as well as the months of preparation necessary for the perfect wedding day. Sometimes it will seem as if your preparations are daunting, but try not to stress too much. A wedding day is essentially a party, the biggest party of your life, but still a party. Parties are supposed to be fun. The planning of the party can be equally enjoyable if you keep things as manageable for yourself as possible.
Wedding Insurance – For Peace Of Mind For The Bride And Groom
Weddings can be stressful enough for a bride and groom without their worst fears becoming a reality. To give the happy couple a bit of peace of mind that in the eventuality that anything does go wrong on their special day, opting for wedding insurance is a key move and something every couple should budget for from day one.
Wedding cancellation insurance is one of those aspects of your wedding that can feel wrong. It can almost feel like you are making some sort of assumption that suggests you have concerns and worries about the success of your marriage, but that isn’t the case. In today’s world, you just have to be practical! Like most insurance policies, wedding coverage is tailored to each insured’s personal needs and wants. Policies generally provide rescheduling, replacement or reimbursement for things such as cancellations, stolen gifts, lost rings and protects you against the loss caused by the failure of many of the traditional elements of a wedding.
When buying wedding insurance, it’s all about getting the right level of cover for your needs. There is cover to suit all budgets, with those on small budgets being advised to go for limited cover, but if you are organising a lavish spread, perhaps it would be wise to make sure you have comprehensive insurance. Speak to your local insurance company to get a general idea of how much coverage you require or can afford.
Tips For The Big Day
The ever growing list of things to do may seem tiring but rest assured that you and your partner already have the most important part of the wedding covered, by finding each other.
BUDGET
First and foremost, make a budget. Set it and don’t change it and don’t be persuaded to change it by anyone else! Make your budget realistic and easy and make sure you both know how much money you’ll need for each component (including keeping some cash for the day), so there are no surprises later.
DATE
Set the date after reviewing your budget. You’re not likely to come up with a date that suits everyone on the first try so use some key deciding factors, like weather, seasons, other events on that day (bride or groom’s birthday, etc). Keep your eyes peeled for special deals in hotels and venues for events – it can also be a deciding factor for that special day.
INSPIRATION
You both probably have visions of your ‘perfect wedding day’ and it’s important to make as many of those visions and wishes come true as you possibly can. Now’s your chance! Make a list of ideas with your spouse and see what is workable without making it stressful. So what if you want to dance down the aisle together – it’s your day – just make it happen!
MEMORIES
Photographers and videographers, like the venue, are in high demand, so start looking early for professionals to capture the special moments of your big day. Examine previous work online or in person, by photographers; most will have a portfolio for you to look through. Check wedding forums for feedback on recommended professionals. As always, you’re better off to stay local as you’ll always have a much more personal service and often the most competitive prices.
TRANSPORT
Wedding cars can be simple or extravagant, depending on your preferences and how you want your arrival to the church to be remembered. Whether you’re planning a simple country wedding with a modest Rolls Royce or an extravagant, celebrity-style entry in a stretch limo, there are a choice of vehicle hire providers to suit your needs. If it’s a fine summer’s day, you may even want to consider arriving on the humble bicycle. Old is gold.
THE DRESSES
The bride’s gown is undoubtedly one of the most significant aspects of the wedding planning, since it will take centre stage on the big day. The ideal gown should make the bride feel and appear stunning. It’s easy to forget that making the groom look handsome is equally important and takes a lot of work. Be sure to speak with your partner about colour coordination and ideas. The main thing is that you should both be super comfortable as you will be in these clothes for a full day, probably never to have them on your back again.
FLOWERS
Flowers set the scene (and scent) for any occasion but especially for a wedding. From the bride’s bouquet to the flowers that adorn the venue, flowers are an important part of wedding planning. Traditionally, Bridesmaids’ dresses usually set the tone for floral colours, so you may want to keep that in mind while picking a colour scheme.
ENTERTAINMENT
Choose your entertainment for the day wisely. It’s up to everyone to enjoy themselves but if you have a good band or nice relaxing music at key points in the ceremony and throughout the wedding day, you can be sure guests will relax and thoroughly enjoy themselves.
The type of entertainment you select is very much your personal preferences as a couple. If your budget permits, consider having a few different types of music – perhaps a classical string quartet at the entrance to the reception, a live music band after the meal to get everyone up and dancing and a DJ for those all night revellers who really want to make the most of every hour on the dance floor!
Make sure you get to see a live performance of the band you pick, before your big day and as always, online wedding forums can also be a great source of tips for music on your special day.
Say “I Do” on the Shores of Lough Ennell
Stunningly perched on Lough Ennell’s waters edge, the beautiful lake setting and picturesque gardens matched with superb facilities and sumptuous food make the four star Bloomfield House Hotel a truly romantic venue, perfect for every style of wedding. This stunningly situated, spacious hotel, full of history and romance, is renowned for excellent service, terrific atmosphere and a strong emphasis on customer care. Choose from the four beautifully appointed suites that are elegantly decorated providing a backdrop of luxury, comfort and warmth.
Make the most important day of your life just that – important and say “I Do” on the shores of Lough Ennell. Host your ceremony and celebrations within this one spectacular venue. The lawns at Bloomfield House Hotel, surrounded by rolling meadowland with the stunning backdrop of Lough Ennell, offer the perfect outdoor setting to exchange vows. By the lake shore, The Bridal Garden offers spectacular panoramic views across the lake. It features a rustic stone wall with an array of seasonal plants and colours while the wooden jetty, stretching across the water allows wedding couples to capture the full beauty of Lough Ennell and use the gorgeous waterfront backdrop for those treasured photos.
Tucked away from the hustle and bustle, this country location ensures your guests remain with you in comfort on your day. From the cosy armchairs and candle lit foyer on arrival to the luxurious bedrooms where guests retire for the evening, Bloomfield House Hotel creates the perfect ambience for your special day.
The choice of stunning suites including the newly added Lakeview Room, ensure all the boxes are ticked for a truly memorable wedding with excellent all-inclusive packages to suit all budgets and sizes. Boasting 111 guest rooms, this four star venue is not just for the big day – it is ideal for pre wedding get togethers, rehearsal dinners, post wedding celebrations, lakeside barbeques and much more. The on-site Spa, Pool, Gym and Thermal facilities add additional opulence for your stay.
With over four decades of hosting truly wonderful weddings, the team use their many years of experience and tradition in excellence to create your perfect Wedding Day. They offer invaluable advice and support right from your first meeting and are always on hand to advise and guide you in making your day unforgettable. The dedicated wedding team look forward to answering any questions you may have and showcasing this lakeside wedding hotel to you. Visit our website for more information and photographs at “http://www.bloomfieldhousehotel.ie”; Email “weddings@bloomfieldhouse.com”, or call 044 9340894.
The Legalities Of Marriage
In the excitement of preparing for your wedding, it can be easy to forget about the legalities and practicalities that surround the sacrament of marriage. There are three general types of wedding that take place in Ireland: Catholic, Civil, and Other religions. Whatever style of wedding you choose, keep these important points in mind for your big day:
1. NOTIFICATION
Whether you are getting married in Ireland, or are an Irish citizen hoping to marry abroad, couples must give a minimum of three months notice to the registry office in order to get married. An appointment is made in plenty of time. You may need to also inform the Irish Embassy abroad of your intention to marry and be in the country at a particular time as certain formal documentation may be required to be filed by the Irish Embassy in that country. Check with a registered legal advisor in advance just to be sure.
2. PRE-MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE
Catholic marriages require couples to partake in a marriage preparation course and the certificate from this must be given to the priest prior to the marriage ceremony.
3. PRENUPTIAL ENQUIRY FORM
This applies to Catholic weddings and must be filled in the presence of the priest in the parish that you live in. When filling in this form, the couples must bring baptismal certificates, confirmation certificate, and pre-marriage certificate form.
4. SOLEMNISING THE MARRIAGE
Once you have registered you will be issued with a marriage registration form which grants you the authorisation to be married. This must be presented to whoever is solemnising the marriage, be it religious or otherwise.
5. RETURNING FORMS
Following the celebrations, the registration forms must be returned to the registrar within one month for marriage to be registered and recognised.
6. STATUS CHANGE
Now that you are married, your status changes in regard to lots of things i.e. life insurance, pension, inheritance, taxation etc. etc. the list goes on. The CitizensInformation.ie website is a great help and can guide you on what you need to change your name on, as well as other useful status changes that you need to take note of now that you are a married person.
Wedding Trends 2022
Our list of the greatest 2022 wedding trends is getting us so excited for the year ahead, with striking colour palettes, smart decor, bold bridal style, and unconventional themes/venues! Pssst! Don’t worry if you don’t find something that makes your heart sing here! Allow yourself to set the trend with your own one-of-a-kind wedding and watch as the rest of the world follows in your fashionable footsteps!
1. Back-Garden Weddings
Over the last two years, couples have been flocking to romantic back-garden weddings and weddings at locations with enchanted gardens, taking advantage of the beauty (and increased safety!) of magnificent, greenery-filled outdoor areas. While back-garden weddings require more planning and are limited to the warmer months, they also allow you to host your wedding day in a very special location that serves as a completely unique venue for your guests, have more control over the look and feel of the day, and (depending on your neighbours), party as long as you want!
2. Cake Arches
Cake tables are becoming increasingly popular these days, thanks to personalised cake hoops and cake arches! These unabashedly excessive cake displays are great centre points in any dining room, whether they’re topped with fresh flowers, dried foliage, or left plain for a modern, minimalist vibe.
3. Weekday Weddings
With the wedding industry facing a massive backlog of weddings due to Covid-related postponements, this is one new trend we can’t overlook! While weekday weddings involve a bit more effort from your guests in terms of scheduling time off work, many 2020 and 2021 couples were happy to reap the rewards, which could include lower prices and increased venue and supplier availability.
4. Virtual Save-the-Dates
With so many couples needing to rearrange their wedding dates in 2020 and 2021, virtual wedding invitations surged in popularity as stationers and graphic designers transformed digital invites into stunning new designs! Virtual wedding invitations are great for modern, tech-savvy couples since they can accept last-minute alterations and, depending on how they’re made, can be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Remember to print copies for any guests who may not have access to the digital versions.
5. Unusual Reception Table Layouts
During the pandemic, wedding stylists and venue organisers designed some pretty unusual table plans and room layouts in order to keep people safe, and some of them worked out better than anyone could have expected! As a result, we’re seeing a lot of unique table arrangements for 2022, including square table groupings, infinity shapes, U shapes, T shapes, X-shaped long tables, single-length dining tables, and double-width long tables. These unique layouts give your dining space a hip, contemporary feel if you have the space and your guest list permits it.
6. Bouquet Preservation
It’s no wonder that many brides want to keep their bridal bouquet after all the work that went into making it! In 2022, bouquet preservation, a long-forgotten post-wedding practice, is set to resurface. Brides are turning to artists for new ways to preserve and show their wedding flowers, from pressing flowers, preserving in epoxy resin, or dipping in wax, to unique bridal bouquet paper flowers and paintings.
The perfect colours for your perfect day
We can’t get enough of spring weddings, with their fresh flowers and delicate colours. Whether you’re having your spring wedding in a garden, a forest, or a sophisticated downtown venue, these elegant colour combinations will brighten your day.
Wedding trends, like any other form of fashion, are constantly changing and evolving. Bridal colour trends have evolved over time, just as the traditional wedding gown has. If you’re searching for some ideas, we’ve put together a list of our top wedding trends for 2021/2022.
LIGHT BLUE AND BLUSH
Light blue and blush is a soothing colour combination that has a romantic and tranquil effect. Combining these two colours will give your wedding a bright and airy mood that is wonderful for spring! When choosing light blue and blush as your wedding colours, make sure you strike the proper colour balance. Light blue on its alone can feel a little chilly, but too much of it and you’ll lose the way it balances the gentle blush tones.
SAGE AND GOLD
Sage is a lovely, relaxing colour that comes to life when coupled with gold and becomes a truly upmarket, premium colour. The beauty of this colour scheme is that it can be used for a wedding at any time of year, and it is expected to be popular in 2021/22.
Gold and sage are two traditional colours that may be simply mixed and matched with ornaments and flowers to create the ideal colour palette. Sage foliage is inexpensive and a terrific way to add colour to any theme, and there’s a lot to choose from!
DUSTY PINK AND SAGE
For the past several years, dusky pink has been a popular wedding colour theme, and it’s not going away anytime soon! The soft colours of dusky pink will create the ideal setting for your wedding. It’s a great idea to add splashes of sage to complement the colour; remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect; let the ivy flow and it’ll look wonderful.
These colours are pleasing to the eye and are well-liked by all. Dusky pink and sage may be used in any setting, so it’s a terrific scheme to go with if you want to be versatile.
EMERALD AND GOLD
Because both emerald and gold are such attractive colours, they produce a lovely combination when combined. With gold vases and a lot of ivy in your flower arrangements, you can easily accomplish this colour palette.
Emerald bridesmaids will stand out against a white bridal gown, and the colour is flattering on all skin tones and hair colours, making it a crowd-pleaser!
LIGHT BLUE AND NAVY
For a few years now, navy has been a popular wedding colour theme. Blue is the most popular grooms suit colour since it’s easy to get, looks great, and goes with most skin tones and hair colours. This is a wonderfully versatile colour theme that can be used at any time of year, so it’s a good one to think about if you haven’t decided on a wedding date yet.
Choosing a wedding colour scheme that incorporates both popular navy and trendy light blue is a winning combo. The gentle light blue contrasts with the navy and breaks up the monotony of the navy colour scheme. To suit their likes and skin tones, vary the hues in your Bridesmaids dresses. Ombre flowers are ideal for this style and will offer a vibrant pop of colour to your wedding.
