Choosing your wedding cake

It is suggested that you decide on the theme of your bridal outfits and reception décor first, and then organise your cake to reflect this.  Having decided how your cake fits into your own theme, will help to shape the discussion with your cake designer and make the whole process smoother and less pressure.   

Your wedding cake is a great opportunity to make a statement about who you are as a couple.  In the same way you design your bridal outfits and flowers and even your wedding vows to reflect your personal style and tastes, you should aim to do the same with your wedding cake. It is a crucial part of your wedding event and should have pride of place in your reception.
Centuries ago your wedding cake would have been made of wheat which is a symbol of fertility and future wealth.  As a fertility rite, the cake would have been thrown at the bride!  Interesting!
These days however your cake is less about fertility and more about a reflection of the themes of your wedding which in turn reflect both of your personalities.  And we can do away with wheat.  Contemporary wedding cake makers of course offer a wide range of decorations that can look amazing on the outside and ingredients that taste fantastic on the inside.

So how do you go about creating this personalized piece of sheer indulgence?


In your initial planning consider the following tips:-

Your personalized theme:
Remember also the sooner you know your theme, the sooner you will have some ideas about your cake and the sooner you book your cake the greater the chance of you having exactly what you want.  Plan early.

Budget:
The size of your cake will obviously be dependant on the number of people you are inviting to your big dayand your budget. Again along with the theme, these details will help your cake designer to advise you of your options and help ensure you have the cake you would really like. 

On a low budget? Well there is room for improvisation. You can order a small cake and have sheet cakes which can be made of the same flavour to serve. The whole set of tiers do not have to be made of real cake.  Your designer will show you how to cut costs.

Dessert or guest takeaway:
Do you want your cake to be the main dessert of the meal or do you want your guests to be able to take a slice home with them?

So you know your themes and your budget, below are some things you may wish to discuss with your cake designer.


Fantastic Insides……
There are many different types of cake to choose from. Classic wedding cakes are traditionally made from rich fruit soaked in brandy for many weeks and covered with marzipan and sugar paste. Although many couples are choosing cakes other than traditional cakes, remember a tier of the cake can be kept to use for an anniversary or for the birth of your first child. Contemporary wedding cakes may be made of fresh Madeira cake or a moist succulent carrot cake with a cream cheese filling.  These ingredients are light and easy on the stomach.
Chocolate wedding cakes are the ultimate in indulgence, a tier of which could be combined with either tiers of the classic or modern style cake types.  Finally you may wish to dispense with a single, tiered cake and provide imaginative, individual cup cakes.
Bear in mind, a number of flavours in competition maybe distracting. Some flavours are overbearing like chocolate.  Make sure you can taste subtle flavours like almonds.
In many ways the sky is the limit but use your designer to help you to see what is possible.     
Whichever cake you finally decide on make sure your designer has offered you samples of the different cakes available and have lots of fun tasting them.  You can’t obviously satisfy the tastes of all your guests so choose the one that makes your mouth water!   Here’s a little something to ponder….. Marie Antoinette  a famous French Queen was reputed to have flippantly said “Let them eat cake” when the peasants had no bread to eat.  Well as the Queen at your feast here’s a variation – Let them eat my cake! As it’s your special day, your guests will no doubt happily join you in your indulgence.

…And Amazing outsides
With the trend towards personalizing cakes, many couples are choosing to use a whole range of uniquely personal symbols on their cakes.  Your hobbies and interests can be a source of imagination.  Are you golf fanatics?  Do you both share a passion for Star Trek? Did you meet at an unusual place and have a symbol for this? Obviously the colours and themes from your overall reception can also be used. A good designer will make every effort to realize your creativity. Check if using fresh flowers whether they have been sprayed with pesticides and which ingredients are likely to melt.
Cake toppers are a way to accentuate your cake. Whether you use a figurine,   traditional, sugar flowers or your own personal symbol, your cake topper can be used for dramatic effect – have fun with it. Designers can show you previous work to get some ideas.
It’s your day, do it your way.

Presentation
Many cake designers consider their cakes to be works of art.  Indeed the time, effort and passion involved would make them worthy of that accolade.  With this in mind your specially created work of art should have a special table in your reception.  Your cake not only says something about the people who created it but more importantly about you.  It will rank high as one of the things people will remember when they recall your wedding.  Decorate the table with your theme. Colours flowers and symbols reflect this. Sumptuous fabrics create elegance. Round tables for round cakes, rectangular tables for rectangular cakes.
In planning your special day be no less meticulous in your hunt for a great cake designer than you would for your dressmaker or photographer. The cutting of your cake is a special ceremony, make sure you find someone who can create something you will enjoy looking at and relish eating

For more information and advice speak to Need-A-Cake in Woodley near Reading (www.need-a-cake.co.uk)

Your UK Wedding Directory is a free UK wedding directory where you can submit links and add articles. We have categories on Wedding Planning, Wedding Caterers, Wedding Cakes and lots more!

Wedding Night Feet

Article provided by Joyce Connor, owner of Brides and Beauty

On your wedding day you should look and feel beautiful literally from top to toe, but don’t forget the wedding night.  When the ceremony and reception is over and your wedding night beckons you want to be confident about every part of you, so don’t ignore your feet in your beauty plan.  After all, with all the rushing about you have done prior to the wedding they will have taken quite a bruising.  Treating them to a regenerating and beautifying pedicure could be expensive, so if you need to save on expense - do it yourself.
Follow my foot care tips once a week for a month prior to the wedding, and on the day before, and you will achieve satin smooth and attractive feet that will look truly elegant when slipped out of your shoes on your wedding night.

For a home pedicure start by removing old nail polish by soaking a cotton pad in an acetone free nail polish (this type is less drying to the nail). Press the damp cotton pad against the nail for 10 seconds and it should soak through the polish for easier removal.

Using a hard skin or callus removal tool slough away the hard skin on the heels and balls of the feet. This is best done on dry feet as it won’t shred the skin like it would on softened, damp skin.

Next soak your feet in a foot spa or bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. Remove the feet and towel dry, but don’t discard the water just yet. Use a granular foot exfoliator (or make your own with olive oil and granulated sugar or coarse sea salt by mixing 1 heaped teaspoon of salt/sugar with a tablespoon of oil) and massage over tops and soles of each foot before returning your feet to the bowl of water or foot spa to rinse off.

Have two hand towels ready and wrap each foot to keep them warm.

When ready unwrap one foot and cut the toenails straight across with toenail clippers. Cut them slightly longer than the desired finished length and use an emery board to smooth and seal the cut edges. Apply foot cream thickly over the whole foot up right up to the ankles and including the soles. Wrap the foot in cling film and put a sock on over this. Repeat with the other foot. Leave on for 10 minutes.

Remove sock and cling film, massage any excess cream into the foot. Push back the cuticles with an orange stick. If you want to paint your toenails de-grease them with acetone free nail polish remover on a cotton pad first.  Always use a base coat before applying nail colour. Paint 2 coats of your favourite polish and finish with a coat of clear topcoat. Now your feet are ready for dancing!

Tools:

• 3 hand towels
• Foot cream
• Foot exfoliator
• Toenail clippers
• Emery board
• Cling film
• Acetone free nail polish remover
• Orange stick
• Bowl or foot spa
• Hard skin / callus remover

Foot Notes
Take special notice of these tips during the month before your wedding:

• Remove hard skin regularly
• Always cut toe nails straight across to prevent ingrown nails
• Push back cuticles regularly to stop them sticking to toenails
• Use a foot cream containing urea as this also exfoliates the dead skin
• Always wear socks in boots to stop bare skin rubbing against the sides as this can cause calluses.

Well cared for feet will enhance, not detract, from your wedding day beauty. Try to make your feet as much a part of your beauty plan as your hands and face, so that the top to toe elegance you achieve on your special day will always be remembered.

Article provided by Joyce Connor, owner of Brides and Beauty

Your UK Wedding Directory is a free UK wedding directory where you can submit links and add articles. We have categories on Wedding Planning, Wedding Hairstyles, Wedding Beauty and lots more!

Wedding Hand and Nail Care

Joyce Connor, owner and founder of Brides and Beauty (www.bridesandbeauty.co.uk)  is a well known skincare and makeup expert who specialises in creating top to toe beauty for brides.

Beautiful Hands on your Wedding Day

The glow and clarity of your skin and the perfection of your make-up is all important on your wedding day, but don’t forget about your hands.  There will probably be close up photographic shots of your hands, holding the bouquet, showing off your ring, cutting the cake and clasping the hand of your new husband so don’t allow them to let you down.  Your hands say a lot about you as a person so to make sure that they look fabulous on your wedding day you should begin working on them at least a month before the big day. Regular manicures will get them into peak condition and ensure well shaped nails and beautifully soft skin in time for the special occasion. If you’re on a tight beauty budget a professional manicure the day before your wedding may be out of the question, so knowing how to do a home manicure will be of great help to you.
When doing a home manicure start by removing old polish with an acetone free nail polish remover. Rinse hands in warm water and massage a hand exfoliator all over hands and nails and around the cuticles and in-between fingers.  Rinse off and pat dry.
Apply one drop of warm cuticle oil or cuticle cream and massage around the cuticle and nail plate. Use a cuticle tool or orange stick to gently push the cuticles back and unstick them from the nail plate. Rinse your nails in warm soapy water. Regular cuticle massage during the month before the wedding will prevent hangnails forming and skin splitting around the nail.
Trim the nails, if necessary, with nail clippers rather than scissors.  Scissors tend to split the nails so I don’t recommend them. Use a soft flexible emery board to file across the top of each nail.  File the nail in one direction only from side to centre, do not use a sawing action because this can cause the nails to split and peel, as do metal nail files. Use the edge of the emery board to smooth away any surplus bits of filed nail.
Once you have achieved the desired nail shape apply a thick layer of hand cream to hands and put each hand into a cotton glove. After 10 minutes remove gloves and massage any excess cream into hands and up your forearms.
If you wish to paint your nails degrease them first with a cotton pad soaked in an acetone free nail polish remover.
Apply a base coat to each nail from base to tip and allow to dry for a minute or two. Apply two coats of your chosen colour allowing a few minutes between each coat for the colour to dry and finish with a clear top coat.

Handy tips

The month before the wedding:

• Don’t use nails as tools e.g. removing staples, scraping.
• Wear an SPF, minimum factor 15, when not indoors to protect hands from sun damage and age spots.
• Wear gloves in winter to protect them from the harsh cold winds and prevent chapping.
• Always apply hand cream after washing your hands or having them in water.
• Regularly use a cuticle oil or cream at bedtime to nourish the cuticles. Buffing your nails is great for smoothing ridges and giving natural nails a glossy shine. It also helps to remove slight nail staining and increases the blood flow to the nail which in turn helps the nail to grow. Only buff from base to tip 3 or 4 times. Never buff the nails horizontally as this causes vertical ridges to develop by drying out the nail plate because the nails’ natural oils evaporate from the surface.
• Always wear protective gloves to do cleaning, washing up dishes and gardening. Harsh chemicals can be very drying on the hands.

Follow these beauty tips and you will not only be prepared for the close up shots of your wedding ring but even more importantly, to give away your hand in marriage to your wonderful new husband.
Article provided by Joyce Connor, owner of Brides and Beauty

Your UK Wedding Directory is a free UK wedding directory where you can submit links and add articles. We have categories on Wedding Planning, Bridal Hair, Wedding Beauty and lots more!

Top 10 Tips For Beautiful Bridal Hair

1. Choosing the style
You’ll want to look wonderful on your wedding day, so take control.  Rule out the styles that you wouldn’t personally feel comfortable with; this will help with the final choice. It does not matter what your mother, sister, best friend or hairstylist like - what really matters is what you want and like.
2. Browse Magazines and the Internet for ideas
Before booking a stylist, try to develop a good idea of what type of hairstyle suits you best. Cut out pictures of your favourite styles from magazines, print pictures from the Internet and take them with you to the trial appointment. If you can't find any pictures, be prepared to give a very clear description to the stylist.
3. Does it go with the dress?
Purchase your wedding dress first and then decide which hair style and accessories will best compliment both you and the dress. Take a picture of your dress with you when you visit the stylist so they can give you the best advice on how to achieve total harmony between dress and hairstyle.
4. Trial Run
Have a trial run before your wedding day. I would recommend this trial run to be 6 weeks before the day itself. If the hairstyle that you dreamed of does not look as good as you’d hoped, you'll be glad you found out before the big day! Bear in mind that the thickness and length of your hair may not be suitable for your chosen style. Make sure you take your veil, tiara or any other accessories along to the appointment.
5. Comfort Levels
During the trial run if the pins or hair accessories are causing discomfort, let your stylist know so they can be adjusted. The last thing you need on your wedding day is painful pins!
6. Take pictures
At your trial appointment take along a digital camera to take pictures. Ask the stylist to take pictures from all angles. The photos will give you a better idea of how the style would look to other people.
7. A Fresh Approach
If you want to have your hair coloured, or to have any other chemical treatments for the big day, try to have these done a few weeks before so that the colour has time to settle down. Have your final trim or cut no later than two weeks prior to the wedding date.
8. No Change Here
Just before your wedding is not the time to try out a drastic new look, such as cutting your long hair into a short style or completely changing the colour. Your husband and guests will be left wondering if it’s the same person!
9. Tall or Short
If you are taller than the groom or you are both the same height, avoid a high hair style as this can add quite a lot of height to the bride. Also take into account the height of your shoes. A bride that is much shorter than the groom can use a ‘hair up’ style to even out the height difference for those all important wedding day photos.
10. Sleek and Glamorous
Try not to have too elaborate a hairstyle. While it is undoubtedly a very important part of your whole bridal look, on the most important day of your life it is beautiful you, not just your hair, that should be the point of your guests’, and your groom’s, attention.

Article provided by Joyce Connor, owner of Brides and Beauty

Your UK Wedding Directory is a free UK wedding directory where you can submit links and add articles. We have categories on Wedding Planning, Wedding Speeches, Bridal Hair and lots more!

Top 10 Health and Beauty Wedding Tips

Two weeks before the wedding:

1. Try to get 8 hours of sleep a night. Getting regular good nights sleep can help improve your skin tone and also help you to de-stress so that you can totally glow on your big day. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid sweets or caffeine before bed and try relaxation exercises such as yoga or meditation. Aromatherapy can also help, so try a few drops of lavender on your pillow and it should help you sleep like a baby.
2. Drink 2 litres of water every day. Drinking lots of water is an easy way of helping to achieve a radiant complexion, bright clear eyes and also gives you that added burst of energy. If you find it difficult to drink so much water, try carrying a bottle with you wherever you go. Or if you find water tasteless to drink, then simply add a few splashes of fresh lemon or lime into it.
3. Full body exfoliation 3 times a week. This is a sure fire way of reducing lines and wrinkles as well as helping your skin look and feel radiant.
4. 15 minutes of stretches every day. Keep limbered and stress-free for your wedding day with 15 minutes of stretches. Stretching regularly will help reduce any build-up of tension, as well as your posture. You don’t need much space and you can even do some at work (www.glo-wellbeing.co.uk/deskercises.html)
5. Have a make-up test run. Whether you are employing a professional make-up artist or doing it yourself, make sure that you have a trial run just to make sure that you get the look that you really want and that you are not allergic to any of the make-up being used.
6. Pamper yourself. Treat yourself to a facial, manicure or massage, so that you feel relaxed and look
   gorgeous. Hen pamper parties are a great way of you and your girlfriends enjoying some beauty and health treatments before the big day.
7. On the wedding day:
   Use concealer one tone lighter than your skin tone. This lightens dark circles, brightens your face and helps you look rested. Lock it in with loose powder applied over the top.
8. Use waterproof mascara. Most brides cry on their wedding day, so make sure you are wearing waterproof mascara – even if you don’t think you are the crying type – why take the chance?
9. Have an emergency health/beauty kit. Make sure that you or your chief bridesmaid has an essential stash of emergency items. Hair spray, clear nail varnish (if your tights ladder), powder and concealer for any blemishes, lip stick, hair grips, hairbrush and a sewing kit , as well as anything else you think you may need.
10. Relax. You have planned so long for this day, so make sure you enjoy it and are totally relaxed. Make sure that you set aside some YOU time on the day whether its by taking a long relaxing bath, lighting some candles of simply reading a favourite book.

If you would like to pamper yourself and your friends with the ultimate mobile spa for your hen party then please contact www.glo-pamper.co.uk / 020 7096 0385 and we can organise everything for you. Look out for any special offers that we might be running too.

Your UK Wedding Directory is a free UK wedding directory where you can submit links and add articles. We have categories on Wedding Planning, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Beauty and lots more!

Grooming Tips For The Groom

If the groom looks good as he waits for his bride to wall down the aisle, he will no doubt help to calm her nerves and reassure her that the day will go without a hitch and all is well. This articles gives some useful tips and tricks to show how the groom can best prepare for his wedding day and present himself in the best possible way for his beautiful bride to see him as she walks down the aisle.

We all know that the bride and her bridesmaids and other female members of the wedding party will not be hesitating to go to a fancy salon before the wedding to be preened and transformed. Their hair will be perfect as will their nails and makeup and she will have planned ever aspect of how she looks on the day. Luckily for the groom, not quite as much time and effort is usually afforded to him, but, that doesn`t mean that he cannot look every bit as good as his bride.

At least two months before you are due to be married, you should think about taking a trip to a hairdressing salon as the perfect style you imagine in your head as you think of your wedding day will take some time to grow through. Think about the style you want and speak to the hairdresser about this. Make an appointment and get the haircut. Having the haircut done this far in advance will mean that the style has time to take and you can make any further adjustments to it just before the wedding day. Then if something goes wrong there is time to change it. You should think about getting your final wedding haircut no sooner than two weeks before the wedding to have it looking at its best.

You should start to think about your facial appearance around 7 days before the wedding. This is a time when although you are close to the wedding you will not be too frantic to fit in any grooming necessary to looking good on the day. When the body is stressed, this can often lead to a breakout in unsightly spots and blemishes. To prevent this, you should consider using facial masks or cleansers and exfoliates for the week to keep skin fresh and spot free. There are now several brands of these products specifically for men and they are worth the effort. They will get rid of any dead skin and blackheads you may have and help you to avoid any embarrassing blemishes. Try not to apply any facial treatments too close to the wedding day as they can leave some redness for a day or two.

Consider getting a shave by a professional barber. They will neaten up any facial hair you have or give you a good close shave which leaves your skin perfectly smooth if that is what you prefer.

Finally, about a week before the wedding you should check that your suit still fits well and make any necessary adjustments and buy any accessories you may need. Check out Rayban wayfarer for more tips. If all is well you should be set to look every bit as good as your beautiful bride on the day.

Your UK Wedding Directory is a free UK wedding directory where you can submit links and add articles. We have categories on Wedding Planning, Wedding Rings, Wedding Flowers and lots more!