Super-chic Bridesmaid Jewellery

How cool are these necklaces? The words are perfect presents for bridesmaids at an urban, funky wedding, while the key and initial could be good if your big day is going to be more traditional. Made out of stirling silver wire, every one is handmade and individual, and totally awesome! Check out Piano Bench Designs to find out more.

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Summer Wedding Hint

Hands up who organised a Summer Wedding? In Adelaide we are heading towards five days of HOT weather with 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday (100 degrees Fahrenheit) so we at Wedding Style Guide thought it was time for a Summer Wedding Hint for your man!

The groom’s job is to look gorgeous, fresh, unflustered and perfect in every photo all day but Summer has ways of bringing even the coolest customer undone. 

Guys tend to just grab the jacket and go. But when it’s off to be married on a summer’s day, when the thermometer hits record highs, you can’t rely on getting through the most important day of your life without planning for the heat.

To look good you must be comfortable. Choose a light fabric for your suit, don’t be caught in a winter-weight weave. If wearing a vest, make sure it has a satin back which will be more suitable.

You could even choose a vest that looks good WITH the jacket off! 

Check out the suit without the jacket. In extreme heat and later when dancing, the jacket will probably be removed; the pants have to look flattering.

It’s not a regular day, most grooms are nervous and nerves can lead to more sweating than usual. Add in the heat factor and a perspiration condition can really kick in. Carry a crisp, white cotton handkerchief to wipe a glistening brow and damp hands. Tissues can disintegrate quickly and leave you without the help you need. There will be a lot of handshaking, your hands should be wiped dry, nobody likes to touch a clammy paw.

It’s a long, long day with many potential grooming pitfalls like the shirt getting soaked with sweat early in the day or red wine being spilled down the front later in the evening. It’s all happened before; a wet shirt is not a good look. Hot feet perspiring and starting to smell as if they were in a pair of gym sneakers is embarrassing. Perspiration can be a nightmare on hair, making it fall flat. It’s wise to have wardrobe and grooming quick fixes on hand to make sure you look your best and the photographs show a great looking groom, not a damp one.

Pack a smart looking bag and include all the emergency grooming odds and ends that will end up saving the day by making you feel fresh and look crisp.

Include:

• a spare pair of socks
• hanky
• a spare shirt on a coathanger, so it doesn’t get creased,
• deodorant,
• hair product,
• shoe cleaner,
• breath freshener.
• If a five o’clock shadow tends to appear at 3pm, throw in the shaver and some aftershave. Don’t use a new aftershave for the first time on your wedding day, it won’t smell like you and it could cause an allergy and skin rash.

You may not need to turn to these reserves, but if you do; it will be a lifesaver. Pop the hold-all into the boot of a car of someone you know will be there until the end.

Being one of the two stars on the wedding day is a bit like running a marathon, look after yourself from the start with a good breakfast. This will help get you through the day and give energy to battle the heat.

Reassess the wedding day’s morning activities.

A game of golf with mates might sound like a great idea, but if it’s 40 degrees, you might exhaust yourself and not feel 100% for the wedding itself. Heat stroke is a real possibility. Take it easy on the morning of your wedding.

Have bottles of water handy all day, don’t become dehydrated, or you mightn’t feel on top of the world. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated, so drink lots of water.

Most of all have a great day
and keep your cool!

Real English Fête Wedding: Sally & Mark

Themed weddings make for a truly stand-out and memorable day, so if you're looking to make your wedding different from everyone else's next year, then take a look at this fabulous fête wedding! Sally and Mark celebrated their big day in the gorgeous English countryside near Salisbury, and drew inspiration from old-fashioned fair, complete with bowling coconuts, tonnes of bunting, fling the horseshoe game, and a competition for their guests with prizes! I'm loving all the vintage details, the unpretentious Village Hall reception, the cheese wedding cake {yum!} and the fab photography by My Love Story. Sally and Mark both looked gorgeous in their wedding outfits, and don't you just love Sally's red polka dot shoes? I'm totally obsessed with their hand-drawn wedding invitations too - I love that they invited their guests to camp! Now that's quintessential English fun! Do take a look at Sally's list of suppliers and advice - scroll down through the photographs to the end.

Before the Big Day Mini-Questionaire
* Date of Wedding: 27/08/11
* Location of Wedding Ceremony and Reception: Salisbury Registry Office and Cholderton village green and hall
* Overall theme / colour palette for the wedding: Village fête, a bit of vintage, yellow and red
* Dress and Shoe designers: dress - Honeypie Boutique
* Suit designer: Trousers and shirt by Reiss, waistcoat by Orvis, bow tie by Peckham Rye
* Bridesmaid Dress and shoe designers: Dress by Kalico, shoes by Kurt Geiger
* Stationery Designer: The groom designed an evite online
* Photographer: Alex at My Love Story
* Flowers / Centerpieces / Tableware: Vintage bottles from eBay and borrowed from my parents, flowers grown by my parents!
* Jewellery worn: Kitsch plastic heart ring from eBay, red and white spotty earrings from Camden Market
* Advice from the Bride: We were extremely lucky to have a brilliant 'wedding team' of family and friends - including parents who picked up wine from France, made the bunting, and grew the flowers - so that helps if you can get that!
* Hair: Fascinator by Katie Vale Designs
* Any regrets? None - although it would have been nice to have a couple more hours the day before so I wasn't in Tescos at 8pm instead of relaxing in the bath - but I'm sure everyone thinks that, and the relaxing bath was never going to happen really!!
* Best decision made: Staying true to our original ideas and concepts, while managing to keep costs relatively low! And camping in a teepee instead of going to a hotel!

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Suitably Dressed Morning Suit Groom's Guide

Morning dress has always been a popular choice for those hankering after a traditional wedding with all the trimmings. But did you know that not under any circumstance should a morning suit be worn to a wedding that starts after five in the afternoon? Morning suits are a great choice for those weddings to be held in the colder months too!	Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Four Weddings and a Funeral	Hugh Grant was the ultra-attractive groomsman in full morning suit regalia in Four Weddings and a Funeral. It's entirely possible that his heartstopping good looks in the formal outfit single-handedly prompted the renaissance of this classic!
Don't worry if it's not a morning event despite the name, morning dress can be worn into the afternoon to weddings held before five o'clock.
The morning coat or cut-away is usually black or dark Oxford grey and has tails. The shape differs from a traditional tail coat and is closer to a frock coat in style, the skirt of the coat is knee length. Formal trousers, traditionally worn with a morning coat, are grey striped with one pleat on each leg and should not have cuffs. Custom prescribes a grey, buff or white waistcoat, double or single breasted; weddings are the only occasion that colour variations are permitted. Braces should be worn to prevent the waistband from appearing beneath the waistcoat. Etiquette dictates that only the father of the bride and the groom wear grey morning coats; other bridal party members wear black coats. These days this rule is rarely enforced but a rule is a rule!
At weddings an Ascot tie or cravat is worn with a wing collar, however in more recent times a plain black long tie is acceptable, worn with a turn down collar. If the shirt has a turn down collar it should have sleeves with a double cuff fastened with cufflinks. On a wing collar shirt there should be a single cuffs fastened with cufflinks; a shirt with detachable collar and cuffs is the more traditional option. The shirt can be either pleated or plain, the most formal shirt colour is white, however if a coloured or striped shirt is worn it should have a contrasting white collar and cuff.	Ascot Tie How to make an Ascot Tie Beautiful "I Do" Wedding Cufflinks
In The Man's Book (2006) by Thomas Fink it states that if ever there was a time to wear a buttonhole, this is it. A simple white carnation or other white bloom attached to the lapel is most appropriate for morning suits.	The Man's Book by Thomas Fink
	Shoes should be a plain black Oxford style with laces and without brogue detail; never patent leather which is reserved for formal evening occasions. Black or dark grey silk or wool socks are appropriate.
For the ultra traditionalist a grey or black top hat and grey gloves completes the ensemble. According to Vogue's Book of Etiquette, in the 1940s a walking stick or umbrella was the height of correctness to complete the tradtional morning suit look.	Vogue's Book of Etiquette

Amazing Wedding Offers from Before the Big Day

It's a bit late, but all the best Christmas presents come a little late! It's for all you regular wedding blog readers - a fabulous selection of wedding discounts from my favourite suppliers! All you need to do is mention Before the Big Day wedding blog to get the discount. Also, check out Big Day Discounts for more amazing offers. I hope you had a very Happy Christmas! xx

David Charlwood Photography
Wedding photography can be one of the biggest expenses on your wedding day, but it's also the most important. Now you can enjoy the amazing skills of David Charlwood Photography with 10% off! Check out his fine-art pictures and unobtrusive style.

Laura Babb
Brilliant wedding photographer Laura Babb is offering 10% off to readers of Before the Big Day. You'll love her quirky, contemporary, photography that's both beautiful and budget friendly!

The Beautiful Wedding Company
Need some pampering and a helping hand? Of course you do! The Beautiful Wedding Company are offering lucky Before the Big Day readers 10% off their Final Countdown and On the Day Wedding Co-ordination services. The Beautiful Wedding Company offer a full wedding planning service combined with an exclusive bridal beauty boutique, so you get two services for the price of one!

Akimbo
Get 10% off wedding stationery from Akimbo. This fantastic Aussie boutique stationer ships worldwide, and they make the most incredible wedding invitations, guaranteed to leave your guests oohing and aahing.

♥ Better Off Wed are offering 15% off their personalized shabby chic wedding cake toppers. They're gorgeous and you'll love them, and all you need to do is quote the discount code BEFORETHEBIGDAY.

Dreamday Films
Worrying about your budget for your wedding video? Worry no more thanks to Dreamday Films. They're offering a 10% discount on their fabulous wedding videos. Short and sweet, their films of no more than 15 minutes in length combine unobtrusive recording and contemporary editing, ensuring that your special day is captured just as you’d like it.

Lash Lab
Get £10 off a full set of incredible semi-permanent eye-lash extensions thanks to Kym at Lash Lab in London. I've had them done, and they look amazing!

nkd diet
Get 5% off the amazingly effective nkd diet with the code bigday (exact spelling), and get a honeymoon-svelte body. Click here for more info on this bargainous deal! They say you can drop 2-3lb a week on the nkd diet. Sounds good to me.

The Vintage Wedding List
Get 10% off amazing vintage furniture and home accessories from The Vintage Wedding List. Simply call and quote the code Big Day. This is the best place for original items for your wedding list.

If you'd like to offer a special discount to Before the Big Day's brides, do get in touch! If you don't want to miss a single offer or competition, sign up for our free newsletter.

DIY Christmas Wedding Favours

Edible wedding favours are always popular, and these gorgeous gingerbread men are the best addition to a winter wedding. Get your girlfriends baking, and encourage them to use their imagination in the decorating. Just imagine a gingerbread man bride and groom! These would also make a fantastic extra Christmas present - DIY your own with this recipe from The Primrose Bakery Book via Daily Candy.

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Winter Wedding Place Markers Inpsiration

These may well be the most adorable winter wedding place markers I've ever seen. I've long been a huge fan of the humble pom pom as the best DIY wedding project ever. Meanwhile pine cones are SO in this season, and they'd work perfectly for a countryside wedding, even in the summer. Plus, with the festive season well and truly started, they'd made a great craft project for Christmas Day as well. If you're not up to the DIY, or you've got 200 to make and not enough time, then head over the Potter and Butler to snap these up.

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Channel 4 Beauty Best Wedding Blogs ♥ Before the Big Day!

Woohoo! Christmas has come early for Before the Big Day! Channel 4 Beauty have chosen us as one of their Best Wedding Blogs - and I'm thrilled. It's been a fantastic year here for Before the Big Day - not least because it's the year we actually got married! My love for weddings it still strong - I can't wait for another year of wedding inspiration to start.

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Perfect Wedding Stationery & Paper Blogs

My secret treat is stationery. I spend a lot of time dreaming about the perfect invitation, and with my own wedding on the way next May, I'm struggling to pick a designer. There's too much talent out there, and with blogs like Oh So Beautiful Paper and Paper Crave, it's easy to OD on creativity. Here are a couple of the graphic designers who are floating my boat this week, one from the US, and another all the way from Australia!

{Product Credits} - Just Another Day and Follow Studio

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Wedding Style Guide Latest Poll

In November we presented a selection of RED wedding gowns for you to decide which you like the most. The poll ended up a DRAW with two clear winners!	Dress 4
Dress 8	You can see all of the dresses and full results of the Red Wedding Dress Poll by clicking here.
Wedding Style Guide is pleased to annouce the winner of the Red Wedding Dress Poll that closed on 15th December. Lauren Pool of Victoria has won a dozen South Australian wines! Congratulations!
Today we have released the latest POLL You can vote on THE BRIDE'S GOWN We have taken a small selection of gowns that feature in our Latest Look Book, The Bride's Gown and put them in a Poll for you to choose which one you like the most! Vote and go into the draw to win a VALENTINE'S DAY BASKET for the one you love! Below are the gowns you can vote on! Included are new release Bridal Gowns from the 2012 collections by Angela Marcuccio Haute Couture, Karen Willis Holmes, and Romance is Born to mention just a few ! 174 pages of bridal gowns for your inspiration: The Bride's Gown Look Book.