Engaged Wedding Magazine - May 2009

engaged May 2009

UNIQUE VISIONS

Magical real bride photos

LITTLE ANGELS

How to include your children in the wedding

DIAMONDS

CHOOSING THE LOVE AROUND THE WORLD BEST DIAMOND International Wedding Traditions FOR YOUR BUDGET

KYLIE, KYLIE, KYLIE! Kylie and Hooksy get married

MRS E TO B

We put a face to the name

AFTER THE WEDDING Hosting the perfect brunch

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Cover Credits: Hannah Summers and Leighton Williams. Photo by Brett Lees of Unique Visions Photography. Photo has been cropped for editorial purposes.

The countdown is also on for Rebecca details of her wedding day will appear in our next issue, but for now, make sure you read her diary entry about her hens’ night - it sounded like fun!

In addition to following the two lovely girls, Engaged takes a little trip around the globe this month, checking out the wedding traditions in other countries.

We also visit the ‘city of love’, Paris.

Advertising Enquiries: Email: info@engaged.co.nz Phone: 09 8455925 Post: PO Box 137101, Parnell Auckland 1151 Hamilton Media Limited accepts no responsibility for material provided by readers or advertisers. All material supplied is assumed to have been provided with the consent of the appropriate copyright holders Engaged is subject to copyright in its entirety. All rights reserved in material accepted for publication unless initally specified otherwise.

There are articles on teeth whitening, wedding cars, financing your wedding and some lovely ideas for including your precious little angels (yes, your children) in your wedding day!

Apart from that, we have been busy with wedding shows and gearing up for the Bride of the Year contest...the fun never stops!

Tim & Deborah

Notes from the Editors...

Another of our brides is now an old married tart! The very beautiful Kylie and her gorgeous husband Hooksy got married in a lovely ceremony on Waiheke Island last month. Her moving account of their wedding day makes for a great read (and the stunning photos provide some amazing eye candy!).

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THROUGH THE LENS

76

INTERNATIONAL WEDDING TRADITIONS

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LITTLE ANGELS Including your children in your wedding TEETH WHITENING Your guide to having sparkly white teeth on your wedding day

BRIDE DIARY Kylie and Hooksy get married FINANCING YOUR WEDDING

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72

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WEDDING CARS Choosing a wedding car for your big day

BRUNCH The perfect post-wedding celebration

THE REAL THING Beautiful real-bride photos

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table of contents Page 5 : engaged : May 2009

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Christchurch’s Premier Wedding Expo 3 May 2009 Christchurch Convention Centre, Christchurch www.bridalshows.co.nz Nelson’s Premier Wedding Expo 17 May 2009 Trafalgar Centre, Nelson www.bridalshows.co.nz Bay of Plenty Wedding Expo 2009 24 May 2009 Tauranga Racecourse, Tauranga www.tauranga.co.nz/yourlife/events/ ay+of+Plenty+Wedding+Expo+2009

June Manawatu Wedding Expo 7 June 2009 Convention Centre, Manawatu www.expos.co.nz

158 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, Auckland Phone: 09 376 9169 Mobile: 0272 484 409

www.corneliusjewellers.com Page 6 : engaged : May 2009

Brunch

Bunch

T

he big day is done and dusted. Gone like a flash, in a whirlwind of emotions, hugging, toasting and picture taking. All your guests were happy, well looked after and danced the night away. Now it’s the next day and you have to put together the day after brunch or BBQ. What do you do?

A next day brunch can include as many people as you like. If you feel like you would like to host just a small intimate party, then just invite family to the next day. Or if you want to say one last goodbye to all of your guests, then feel free to extend the invitation to your entire guest list. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to include this information on a card when sending out the wedding invitations.

If you know that your wedding day will be a late finish it can be a good idea to start the brunch a little later, for example, 1.00pm and try and finish around 4pm. Make sure you have plenty of time to eat and chat with the brunch guests and not feel rushed. This is the time to relish your new roles as husband and wife - enjoy it!

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The bride and groom, a relative, or friend can host the brunch or each guest can contribute. There are no hard and fast rules with regard to who hosts the brunch.

Generally, the brunch should be held near the wedding location so that guests who travelled from out of town will not be inconvenienced. It is especially nice if someone offers to have it at his or her home. A private home adds such a personal touch. Always try and use what you have got already: if your table arrangements are available, then use them as your decorations for the brunch.

If you would like to stick to the brunch theme, try greeting your guests with a tray of mimosas or Bloody Marys, followed by a selection of trays of warm brioche, French toast, pancakes, Danish pastries, fresh fruit, with freshly brewed coffee and specialty teas.

If you are more inclined to BBQ, then why not try a few of these suggestions: grilled chicken breast with rosemary barbecue sauce, or BBQ lamb bagels served with chunky green salad and a warm potato, rocket and bacon salad.

Your wedding breakfast is one of the major aspects of your wedding day. Its time for your guests to relax together, families to meet, and your wedding to be celebrated.

Ph: 03 443 4129 or 021 304 293

www.wanakacatering.co.nz

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Just try to be aware that you and your guests may feel a little sluggish after an all-night celebration. For a successful brunch, sometimes simple is best. By hosting a brunch that combines stylish decor, fresh food and unique touches, you’ve found the perfect way to bid your guests their final farewell!

Grilled Chicken Breast with White Rosemary Barbecue Sauce White Rosemary Barbecue Sauce: 2/3 cup mayonnaise Grated zest of 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 large garlic clove, crushed through a press 8 boneless and skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each), well trimmed of excess fat 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1. To make the sauce, whisk the mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, and garlic together. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

2. One at a time, place a chicken breast half between two sheets of plastic wrap. Lightly pound with a flat meat mallet or rolling pin until evenly thick (about 1/2 inch). Season the halves with the salt and pepper. Place in a self-sealing plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

3. Prepare the grill. Let the fire burn until medium-hot (you can hold your hand just above the cooking grate for about 3 seconds).

4. Lightly oil the cooking grate. Place the chicken on the grill and cook until the undersides are opaque and seared with grill marks, about 4 minutes.

Turn, brush with about half of the sauce, and grill until the other side is seared, about 4 minutes longer. Turn, brush with the remaining sauce, and grill, turning occasionally, until the chicken feels firm when pressed, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Transfer to a carving board and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut into thick slices, transfer to a platter, and serve hot.

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m u r o F s d n e i r F This month Engaged talks to Charlotte Evers, or as most of you from the www. weddings.co.nz discussion forum know her, “Mrs-E-toBe”! Mrs E has been a bit of a hero on the forums, helping brides-to-be out, offering some very sound advice and generally being supportive. She and Mr E were married in March in Christchurch.

First up, could you give us a little bit of background about you. We know you are a three-dimenational person as well as your on-line persona!

I’m 30, born and bred in Canterbury, work as an office administrator and love shopping, and spending time with family and friends. I loved organising our wedding and want to do it all over again!

For those who don’t know you, how did you and Mr E meet?

We met when we were working together about four and a half years ago. We started out roughly, then became friends, then a little more ...!

You have been a bit of an inspiration to the girls on the forum. What is the best piece of advice you could offer to someone getting married? From a pre-OMT point of view? And after the wedding?

Pre-OMT: be organised! I think the reason I wasn’t stressed in the lead up to the day was because I was so

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organised. I had lists of everything I would need on the day. All the accessories, decorations etc were separated into boxes depending on where they needed to go and each box had a list of what was in there! I had a timeline of the day, broken down into 15-30 minute blocks, and this was given to everyone who needed a copy on the day. I also had a list of everything that had to be done and I would cross off each thing as it was done.

As an OMT: realise that when bad things happen on the day (and something will that isn’t in the plan), you have no control and you just have to let it go and let other people deal with it. The people around you on the day (in the lead up) are there for a reason - because they want to help and make your day special - so let them!

Also, on the day, try to take maybe 10-15 minutes with your new husband to have some quiet time and let everything sink in, otherwise you won’t get a chance until very late at night when you’re tired and ready to sleep!

What, for you, is the best thing about the weddings.co.nz forums?

The fact that you go on for advice and support, and come away feeling like you’ve just had coffee wtih your girlfriends!

Did you form any special friendships or gain any particular piece of advice that was indispensable?

I’d say there are a lot of girls on the forum that I always look forward to hearing from and whose posts make me laugh/cheer me up (Mish with her LOLcats, Sunshine with her sage and “real world” advice, BellVonTeese with her wicked sense of humour ... I could go on)! But all in all, I can count on one hand the number of negative experiences I’ve had or the number of times I’ve totally disagreed or been offended wtih someone’s point of view. What I mean is that all the girls on the forum feel like friends to me!

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Was it strange meeting any fellow forum users in person?

It was to start with, but then you realise that you all have something in common, so that was at least something to talk about! So you could swap stories about invitations, flowers, hairstyles etc, but at the same time you could talk about lots of other things too! Then as each one of us got married, we still had plenty to talk about, because we’d formed a bond in our weddings.

And do you think the friends you made on the forum will now be long-term friends?

I definitely believe I will keep in contact with these “internet” friends - as I mentioned, we’ve formed a bond prior to our weddings because we had a common interest. But now there are other events that have sealed those friendships, and I think our original Christchurch “OMT” group will remain in contact.

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Child’s

Play

Children, especially your own, can play such an important part in your big day. Imagine walking down the aisle behind your daughter, smiling proudly as she scatters petals before you and leads you to meet the man you will marry. Or seeing your son standing in as Best Man? But what about when those little angels turn into little devils?

Engaged discusses the pros and cons of children at weddings, what you need to consider, what you should provide or allow for, and how to include your own little treasures.

Child-friendly/Child-free?

Whether to have children at your wedding is often a hot topic of Page 14 : engaged : August 2008

conversation: you want to share the love with all of your friends and family, and that includes their family, but this needs to be balanced with the risk of children unintentionally overshadowing you on your big day.

The pros: Some brides and grooms can’t imagine their special day without the children in their lives. And they understand how other people can feel about including their children: kids are such an enormous part of a couple’s life; it is only natural that the parents will want to include them in everything, especially such a magical event as a wedding.

Accept us, accept our kids as part of us.

You may have grown up surrounded with these children: they are your cousins, your best friend’s children (who are always sleeping over at your house), even your students (for some teachers). They are a major part of your everyday life. Whilst your wedding day is a big event, it is the everyday people that make everyday life special. They rightly deserve a place in your special day.

Children also provide some delightful moments at weddings, sometimes humorous, sometimes tear-jerking – do you really want to miss those moments?

The cons: Let’s face it: children cry, and often at the most inappropriate moment. It may be that they get overwhelmed by having to get dressed up and the ceremony associated with weddings, or they just may be tired from missing their nap time. Children have no idea that this is the most important day of your life (and frankly, they often don’t care!).

They are also noisy. It is unrealistic to expect a serene, sophisticated affair complete with string quartet and quiet Pimms on the lawn when there are twenty children racing around. In groups (and sometimes alone) children love to run around, chasing each other – no getting-to-know-you small talk like adults – children plunge right into making new friends. You can expect raucous laughter and shouting combined with the odd smattering of tears as children interact and get to know each other.

Older children may very well find your wedding boring. They would prefer to be hanging out with their friends.

Then, apart from the way children behave or feel, there are the parents to consider…maybe they would like a night out without the children?

Decisions, decisions The best place to start is to talk to your future spouse. Discuss what you both want and your ideal vision for the day.

Think about how many children you know and would want to invite (or not). Think about whether you have room at the ceremony and reception venues. Consider your budget. Not only do children tend push numbers up in terms of who you actually invite, there is also a need for more physical space, with all the other paraphernalia that goes with taking children anywhere. Reflect on menu changes required – your venue may provide children’s’ meals at cheaper prices - others may expect you to pay the standard cost per head for a kid that (a) won’t eat as much as an adult and (b) probably won’t like what is being served up!

Once you make your decision, stick with it.

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Communicate wisely If children are invited, let parents know what will be expected and available.

Talk to them about how the wedding can be made most comfortable for them and their children. This will help you in the end.

If they are not…well, that is often the trickier route to go down. But remember it’s your day and that there will always be a few who take offence. There will, of course, be those that will support your decision and will welcome a day and night out without the littlies.

In this case, be as clear as possible in your invitations. State that it is an adults-only ceremony and reception. This gives the guests time to consider baby-sitters and so on and whether they can make it without the kids in tow.

Small things If children are invited, there are a number of things you can do to keep them happy (or, as some like to call it, distract them!). These things also keep the parents happy and make it easier for them to anticipate or deal with any outbursts if they do happen. Happy kids, happy parents, happy guests, happy you!

• Politely suggest to guests with children that they sit at the back of the ceremony venue or at the ends of the aisles so that they can take the child outside if he or she starts to grumble.

• Try to remember that, no matter how well-behaved they are, young children get tired quickly, especially if they have to wait around and, even more so, if they are hot (which is often the case if they are ‘dressed-up’).

To prevent this becoming an issue, make sure that someone is designated to look after them the whole time and have an area set aside where they can ‘play’ while waiting for things to happen (such as waiting for the bride to arrive or while you are having your photos taken).

• Take any photos involving kids early, before they run around and get grass stains on their pretty party dress or suit.

• Talk to the reception venue or caterers about what food can be provided Page 17 : engaged : August 2008

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for children and let them know numbers of children so they can ensure they have enough ‘child-friendly’ food.

• If the kids are a bit older, include them in the toasts by giving them non-alcoholic “mocktails” or sparkling grape/apple juice in champagne glasses. Kids who feel like they are included are less likely to become bored and will feel special and part of the day.

• Let parents know what food and entertainment will be provided for the children and give them the opportunity to bring their own if they think their child would be more comfortable with that.

• Provide some form of entertainment for all stages of the day.

• Talk to your reception venue staff about highchairs – parents should let you know if they are required – and where those highchairs need to be placed.

• Also ask the venue staff if there is a room that could be used for children to play in (or to nap) and also whether there are suitable facilities for changing smaller children.

• Goody bags can be a great idea. Fill a bag with things to suit their age group and ability. Activity books, noiseless toys, puzzles, and with the parents’ permission, something sweet may help.

• A baby-sitter, either in a room at the reception venue, someone’s house or a nearby hotel is always an excellent idea. The children can attend the ceremony and part of the reception and then be whisked away to be looked after!

• And don’t forget to ask the child’s parents if they have any tips – after all, they know the child the best.

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YOUR LITTLE ANGELS What if it is your little angels that you want to involve in the wedding?

Flower Girl/Bridesmaid/Page Boy/Groomsman If your son or daughter is old enough, you always have the option of including them as part of the ceremony. This may be in the role or a flower girl or page boy or, if they are a bit older, as a bridesmaid or groomsman.

The flower girl or page boy will normally walk down the aisle ahead of the bridesmaids and the bride. However, depending on their age, this can be a bit tricky with the child sometimes becoming very ‘shy’ at the last minute and being reluctant to walk down the aisle. In such a case, the first bridesmaid coming down the aisle may have to take the child with them, perhaps holding their hand so it is a good idea to pre plan for this before the day.

It is a great idea to have the children attend pre-wedding functions or rehearsals so that they become comfortable with the other bridesmaids and groomsmen. Remember, even the most confident child can get stage fright!

Ring Bearer It can be a nice way to involve your child by letting them bring the rings up to you when the time comes in the ceremony. Traditionally, a young boy is used, although these days people are less concerned with tradition.

The ring bearer may bring the rings (on a pillow) up the aisle when the bride first comes in (the ring bearer is normally the first down the aisle, followed by the flower girl, maid of honour, bridesmaids and then the bride and her father). If you don’t want to entrust the rings to the child to bring up the aisle, you can just have them waiting up the front (being looked after by one of your parents!) ready for the child to bring take up to the couple when the time is right. This can be a simple way of including the child, without putting too much pressure on them. What’s more, if the child refuses to do it at the last minute, it is easy enough for the best man to come and collect the rings and take them up.

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Speeches If your child is a little bit older, they might like to read a small poem that they have written (most probably with your help!). This could be at the ceremony itself or at the reception. Once again though, you have to be prepared for them to get stage fright when the time comes to stand up and do it so have a ring-in at the ready.

Include Them in Planning the Day The more you can include your child in the planning of the day, the more excited they will be about it (and we all know that an excited child is a happy child!). For, example, if you are going to look at venues, you can always take your child along to some of them (it may be a bit much taking them to all of the venues you look at). You can ask them what they think of the venue and, if you have chosen your venue, why not introduce them to the people who run the venue. This will help them feel comfortable on the actual day and will give them another ‘friendly face’ who they will know.

Invitations and wedding favours If you are making your own invitations, this is a great chance to get your child involved, whether by helping stick things on the invitations or putting them into envelopes for you. The same goes if you are making wedding favours – children are great at putting sugared almonds in little bags (although be prepared for a few to go astray!).

Photos Your wedding is one of the few times in your life where you are likely to have a professional photographer snapping away and you should make the most of it. Get the photographer to take heaps of photos of the kids. If you are going to a separate location for bridal party photos, you could also take your kids with you. However, make sure that there is someone to look after them in case the photos go on for a while – it pays to discuss this with your photographer beforehand to see whether it is going to be suitable.

In the end it, is just a case of making sure that your child feels important and involved in your wedding day - after all, his or her parents getting married is a big deal to a kid and what a great memory it will make for you as a family.

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Roundthe

World

Ever wondered how weddings differ in other countries? Here’s how!

Africa: ‘Jumping the Broom’ is a tradition practiced in African cultures and refers to the bride and grooming jumping over (yes, you guessed it) a broom ‘into matrimony’. The broom symbolises the start of homemaking for the newlyweds.

In South Africa, it is traditional for the parents of both the bride and groom to carry fire from their hearths to light a new fire in the newlyweds’ fireplace.

Belgium: In Belgium the family of the bride takes a handkerchief embroidered with the bride’s name to the wedding ceremony.

This handkerchief is then displayed in the family home, and as subsequent daughters are married, their names are added and displayed.

Bermuda: A tiny sapling (tree) is added to the top of the wedding cake. This tree is then planted in the newlyweds’ garden.

Czechoslovakia: No rice is thrown at a Czech wedding: instead they throw peas!

China: China is rich in wedding tradition. Red is seen as the colour of love and joy and, accordingly, red is the favourite colour for the bride’s dress, candles, money envelopes and gift boxes. The bride and groom also drink out of goblets tied together with red string!

Denmark: Brides and grooms will often cross-dress to confuse evil spirits (ok, this one just seems wrong – it’s all about the dress for us Kiwi girls!).

Egypt: Good and bad traditions here: the bride’s family traditionally cook for the bride and groom during the week after the wedding so that the couple can relax, but before the wedding, the bride’s women friends pinch her for good luck!

England: The English say that Wednesday is the best day to marry and that Saturday is the unluckiest – unfortunately this is also the most popular day for weddings! A spider found in the wedding dress is said to bring good luck.

bouche, but the French also have some other traditions. For example, wheat is thrown instead of rice, and the guests bring the flowers and floral decorations with them to the ceremony. The French also have a special wedding cup, which is passed from generation to generation in many families.

Fiji:

Germany:

A whale’s tooth is traditionally present to the bride’s father by the groom as a symbol of status and wealth.

At a German wedding ceremony, the groom will often put his knee on the bride’s hem when they kneel. This signifies that he intends to ‘keep her in line’. The bride can reassert herself by standing on his foot as she rises!

Finland: Finnish brides wear golden crowns to the wedding. After the ceremony, the bride stands in the middle of a circle, blindfolded, whilst single guests circle and dance around her. The bride then places the crown on one of their heads, which supposedly indicates which one of them will marry next.

At the reception, the bride holds a sieve covered with a silk shawl. Guests slip money into the sieve, with the names and amounts of their gifts announced publicly by a groomsman.

France: Most of us are aware of the ‘French wedding cake’, the croquet-en-

There are also some other very interesting traditions: after they leave the town hall or church, the newlyweds will often be given a list of tasks by their friends – these tasks are completed to show that the couple is willing and able to overcome the challenges of married life.

Greece: Greeks couples wear white or gold crowns, made of long-lasting flowers or twigs which are wrapped in silver and gold paper. The crowns are often attached by ribbons to signify the tie between the bride and groom.

Another popular tradition is the bride

carrying a lump of sugar in her glove: it is said to ensure a sweet life.

Holland: Sweetmeats called “bride’s sugar” and spiced wine called “bride’s tears” are included in Dutch wedding ceremonies. A pine tree is also planted outside the newlyweds’ home as a symbol of fertility and luck.

India: Evil spirits are banished in two ways: the groom’s brother sprinkles flower petals on the couple and a coconut may be held over the couple’s heads as they are circled three times.

Ireland: This is thought to be where the giving of horseshoes (pretty lace ones) originated, with Irish couples being presented with a lucky horseshoe to hang in their home.

symbolise the wedding bond.

Italy:

Japan:

The sweet and bitter of life is represented by sugared almonds, which are both thrown as confetti and used as decorations at each place setting. The Italians also tie a ribbon across the front of the church door to

Instead of red, white is traditionally the colour of choice for bridal ensembles – although in Japan, it is not uncommon for the bride to change her attire two or three times during the day!

Korea: Yellow and red are the colours of choice for brides in Korea. Koreans also believe that ducks, which mate for life, are lucky and they form part of the wedding procession.

Malaysia: The groom arranges for lavish trays of food, currency, and paper money folded into animal shapes and flowers to be (very) noisily delivered to the bride by costumed children. At the ceremony itself, each guest is given a beautifully decorated hard-boiled egg, as a symbol of fertility.

Morocco: The bride baths in milk to purify herself before the ceremony.

Norway: Like other Scandinavian countries, fir trees are planted on either side of the door of the couple’s house. The trees stay there until the couple are blessed with a child. Other traditions include the wedding cake being made of bread: in the past white flour was rare on Norwegian farms so foods made with it were admired.

Guests often wear the traditional bunad: a white blouse, coloured wool

skirt or trousers, embroidered vest, sterling silver jewellery and a gold and silver crown with small spoon-shaped charms. The sound of the spoons clinking together is supposed to ward off evil spirits.

Phillippines: One of the bridal party attendants carries coins prior to the ceremony.

Following rings being exchanged by the bride and groom, the coin bearer gives the coins to the groom. He, in turn, gives the coins to the bride, who then gives them to her Maid of Honour.

The passing of the coins symbolises the acceptance by the groom of his responsibility to provide support for his bride. Also symbolic are the veil and lasso. Members of the wedding party are responsible for lassoing the bride and groom, with a white satin cord draped over the shoulders of the couple as they kneel. Once they have been lassoed, a veil is placed over their shoulders to unite the couple.

The bride and her wedding party all wear the same colour to confuse evil spirit.

Russia: Russian newlyweds give the gifts, with each guest being given a present as an expression of gratitude!

Scotland: The Scottish wedding cake is baked at the time of the couple’s engagement and only one tier is eaten at the wedding ceremony. The other tier is eaten in celebration of the birth of the couple’s first baby.

Spain: The Spanish have a custom of giving ‘monedas or arras’: the groom presents the bride with thirteen coins as a symbol of his ability to support and care for her. The coins are carried in a special purse, or a young girl carries them on a pillow or handkerchief.

Sweden: A Swedish bride puts a silver coin from her father and a gold coin from her mother in each shoe to ensure she never has to go without.

Switzerland: The younger bridesmaids carry coloured handkerchiefs, which can be ‘bought’ by the guests for a dollar, which is contributed towards the couples’ nest egg.

Wales: The groom-to-be would often carve a spoon from a piece of wood and that spoon would be attached to a ribbon and worn by a girl around her neck as a sign of their engagement.

I

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TheFinal

Instalment

Images by www.christinesyme.com for The Wedding Studio.

Kylie reports on her amazing wedding day...

The night before the wedding, the boys were kind enough to give the girls the nice apartment for the night. After a few wines and a family and friends’ dinner we all had a lovely early night. I was really excited and nervous and I knew I would find it hard to sleep, so I decided to take a herbal sleeping pill. Well I think it must have worked too well as when I woke up in the morning my face felt a bit swollen and when I looked in the mirror much to my horror I saw I had been bitten by a mozzie right on my eye lid and cheeks and it was really swollen!

The day was gorgeous; I was so relieved. It was really nice to wake up on Waiheke and have nowhere to travel to to get to the wedding. The bridesmaids and I felt very relaxed and happy, just slowly getting hair and make up done. My friends Amy and Vanessa did our hair and makeup so it made it even more fun getting ready!

My mum and her friends helped out so much getting the final touches on the venue which helped to make our day so perfect: we didn’t have to stress about things!

But before I knew it the photographer turned up and I had only just started make up! The last 30 minutes felt like a huge rush, mixed with excitement and nerves!!

The photographer Christine was just great, she made all the photos seem effortless and not to mention funny: “show me the wattage” and “come on try a bit harder” were her frequent sayings! In a last minute flap the celebrant turned up and I didn’t have any idea where the marriage certificate was or her payment so I sent her down to Hooksy at the venue to get sorted out!

Just as the clock got to 4pm, I thought, ‘yes it is time to leave, I want to be the bride that actually turns up on time’ (after all, I had convinced Hooksy to wear a long sleeve black shirt on the beach, so it was the least I could

Page 30 : engaged : May 2009

do)! But it started to rain.... big grey clouds coming from our apartment and straight to the beach. All we could do was stand inside and watch as the rain came down. Our beach ceremony wasn’t looking so good now!

But luckily for us Hooksy rang and asked for me to come 15 minutes late as his mum was running behind time... I guess that’s fate because just as it got to 4:15pm and we pulled up to the beach, the sun came out and the last of the rain disappeared!

Walking down the aisle is such a surreal feeling. I didn’t think about anything and didn’t know where to look there was so many good friends and family everywhere, but I did have this ridiculous big grin on my face!! I just loved it... and then finally I looked up at Hooksy and words just can’t describe I felt, he looked so gorgeous and happy... and was that a tear in his eye?

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I loved that because it had been raining it got people huddling together and that made the ceremony feel very intimate. We had a very light-hearted ceremony, it just reflected us better. However, my head bridesmaid (and sister) didn’t know that and, even though I only gave her two days’ notice that she would be doing a reading, she came up with something fantastic: “The Places You Will Go” by Dr Seuss. It was funny and lively and just perfect! Our vows were very us and everyone laughed and had a great time.

Then, before we knew it, we were on to the photos. What I loved was that it gave us a great chance to have a good catch up on the lead up to the day for each of us. Poor Hooksy had been on the beach with all the guests while it had been raining. Our little white gazebo built for shade had everyone huddled underneath it and the sun umbrellas where

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whipped inside out from the wind. And the DJ and celebrant were asking Hooksy to make a call about going inside and giving up on the beach.

But I’m so happy he didn’t because it was just perfect.

Our photos were only 40 minutes long, and the perfect length for us. They were just the right length of time before the cheeks started to get sore!

They were so much fun with the bridal party sipping Champagne and clowning around!

The DJ was great and had organised fantastic music to be played throughout the whole day lifting the mood when it needed to be. I think being announced and walking back into the dining hall where all your friends and family are is just an amazing feeling. It is really overwhelming - you truly see the size of your wedding then!

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We did family photos as soon as we got back to The Dunes. We also changed the order a bit and did the cutting of the cake straight after.

The cake was being used for dessert so it made it easier for the flow of the day.

Our MC, Nick, was fantastic and the whole night went like clockwork, all totally to time but it felt so easy as it all just flowed really well. He was funny and gracious and helped pep-talk my Dad into giving a great speech.

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I wanted to make a big effort to get around and talk to everyone on the night, so I didn’t sit at the head table much. It was so nice to talk to people and I couldn’t help it as I was too excited!

All the speeches were fantastic, especially as I knew my Dad and Hooksy’s mum were terrified of public speaking. Hooksy’s mum talked of Hooksy’s imaginary friend ‘The Count’ and made me feel very welcome in the family. Hooksy did a great speech also. He talked about how we first met and how before I came to London I went to a psychic (as you do for fun).

But at this particularly credible one, she told me I would find true love

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and it would be June, July or August of the year I saw her. Being January at the time I was very excited. The psychic said he would be wearing red and that’s how I would know, but it could be red socks, underpants or a t-shirt. But luckily for Hooksy on the day we met he was wearing a bright red t-shirt... well maybe not so out of the ordinary at the time he owned a total of three t-shirts, 2 of which were red!

So quickly dinner was over and it was time for the first dance. Unfortunately we stopped going to lessons after the first one as they were on Sundays and we were usually out the night before at a wedding or hens or stags, it being the summer season and all! So it was Hooksys’ task to come up with a dance routine for us. So straight away he turned to YouTube. He was awesome and taught me all of the first part of our dance. We danced a lovely twirly

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sweet dance to ‘When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Women’ but then just when it seemed like it was over, the music changed into ‘Hammer Time’ and we did the crab and all kinds of crazy dance moves till the end. It was hilarious and, apart from being totally out of time, everyone thought it was just so funny. It really helped to set the pace for the rest of the night on the dance floor - it wasn’t less than three-quarters full all night!

What I loved was that all the formalities were over by 9:30pm. The venue closed at 1am so we had loads of time to talk and party. But I have to admit we were so sad when they played the last song and everyone formed an archway for us to leave. We were walking along the road back to our apartment sad to be leaving all the fun behind!

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It was just magical and that’s how I will always remember it. We talked about it for weeks afterwards and I even rang the photographer and the DJ to say thanks and to sneakily just talk about the wedding again!

All our friends say it was the best day and that every element within it had a piece of us within it, which I think is just the best compliment... mind you, I have the best friends!!

The only piece of advice I would give would be to make sure you have lots of photos with just you and your mum. We had family ones but didn’t get the famous one of mother and daughter and it’s an easy thing to overlook with the day being so busy!

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Amazing

Smiles

Your Guide to Teeth Whitening

W

ant shiny white teeth to match your stunning white wedding dress?

Engaged discusses how you can get that Hollywood actress smile before your wedding day.

There are varied teeth-whitening methods, ranging from a tube of toothpaste bought at the local supermarket to one hour teeth whitening performed at your dentist.

Costs, of course, vary with the method.

One-hour Teeth Whitening Available at The Dental Practice, Zoom is a type of one-hour teeth whitening.

The treatment is performed at the

dentist, using a bleaching gel and a laser light. This is an excellent method of teeth whitening for sensitive teeth, as the dentist can monitor the process.

The dentist will isolate your lips and gums and apply the Zoom Whitening Gel onto your teeth. The laser light then activates the gel, which whitens your teeth. The gel contains a pH balanced hydrogen peroxide.

Teeth Whitening Trays Your dentist takes imprints of your teeth and then makes custom-fitted trays for you to take home to complete the tooth whitening process. The trays are filled with gel that contains either carbamide or hydrogen peroxide.

The strength of the peroxide may

vary (which affects the whitening time required) and is usually prescribed depending on the sensitivity of your teeth.

Teeth Whitening Toothpastes Readily available, tooth whitening toothpastes contain mild abrasives to remove surface stains.

Toothpastes do not actually bleach your teeth, but they are more effective than regular toothpastes at keeping your teeth whiter.

Is Teeth Whitening Everyone?

Suitable

for

We recommend that you ask your dentist before embarking on any teethwhitening program. This is because the stains on your teeth may be due to very different reasons and your dentist will be able to assess the reason and advise on the best method for you.

Tooth whitening is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breast feeding.

Teeth Whitening Strips Also widely available, teeth whitening strips are applied to your teeth for a prescribed number of hours. They work due to the peroxide on the strips.

The result will vary depending on how much peroxide the strips contain.

Other Teeth Whitening Products Chewing gum, mouthwash, and dental floss are some of the newer teeth whitening products available.

Side Effects

What Causes Tooth Discolouration?

Tooth discolouration caused by:

may

be

• Staining from coffee, red wine, or other foods such as spices, sauces or pickles; • Smoking; • Decay;

Teeth may become temporarily sensitive to hot and cold food and drinks. This is caused by the gel used in teeth whitening trays, as well as by the trays themselves.

• Old fillings; • Plaque or tartar build up; or • Medicines taken as a child (when your teeth were developing).

Another thing to be aware of is that some over-the-counter products may wear down the tooth enamel if overused.

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Paying for the

big day...

It’s the day you have always dreamed of. The expensive day you have always dreamed of.

So what happens when a global recession decides to mess with your plans to pay for the big day?

Traditionally, brides and grooms have relied on funding from their families, although there has recently been a swing towards couples paying for their wedding on their own. However, when funds dry up in both your own account and your parents’, it is feasible

to borrow money for your wedding?

Many would say never borrow for anything other than a large capital investment, such as property. Others see borrowing as a means to fund other investment purchases, like shares. But what about a ‘lifestyle’ event like a wedding?

We have spoken to a lot of couples who have borrowed money to pay for their wedding. There is no doubt a wedding is a major expense. But is it worth going into debt for?

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Finance Options If you don’t have the money now and can’t wait for the wedding day, your options are loan finance or putting expenses on the credit card.

On one hand, finance interest rates are cheaper than the interest charges on credit cards. You can also tailor the loan to suit your needs and ability to pay. However, finance loans require regular repayment – banks do not usually let you get away with just making the minimal interest payment, with lump sum payments when you can afford it.

Credit cards are more flexible as, provided you make the minimum payments, you can pay as much off them as you can. The downside is that the interest rates are extremely high.

The other option is if you already have a mortgage. Adding a bit more onto your mortgage may be the easiest way to get credit, allowing for smaller repayments.

However, the old compound interest rule still applies: if you don’t pay the debt off quickly, you will end up paying a lot of interest on the loan.

Some Words of Warning In the current economic environment, lending institutions are wary of lending money that isn’t secured, for example, against you house or car. You need to check with your lender, firstly whether they are prepared to loan funds for financing a wedding. You also need

to very carefully check the terms and conditions of the borrowing. Will it be secured against your house? What are the implications if it is? What are the implications of not being able to pay the loan repayments on the due dates. Think about whether you want to start your married life together with a large debt hanging over your heads.

You may also want to investigate whether you can get loan protection insurance which can help pay the loan in the event that, for example, you lose your job.

You will also need to think about the amount of interest that you will pay on the loan. This can increase the actual cost of the wedding dramatically.

Do your homework. Before you take out a loan, we advise talking to a financial planner or adviser and get expert advice.

Save and Wait If at all possible, we advise avoiding going into debt to pay for your wedding. Remember that some things are worth waiting for, especially if it is the man you love and the day of your dreams.

Sit down with your beloved and consider your budget. All it may take is a slight tweak to your spending habits and you may be able to save for the big day and not have to borrow!

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The

Real Thing

Pageby 47Unique : engaged : August 2008 Photography Visions Photography

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This month, we have invited Brett Lees from Unique Visions Photography to showcase a selection of some of his favourite images.

He has chosen to showcase three weddings, with four images from each wedding. We think you will agree that all of these photos are absolutely stunning...

Previous page, this page and next two photos: Corey Owens marrying Aran Blackmore at Cassels on the 28th February 2009. Page Dress49by Brides Corner Manukau. : engaged : August 2008 Photos at Bethells Beach.

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This page and next three photos: Hannah Summers marrying Leighton Williams at Grace Page 55 : engaged : August 2008 Hill Vineyard 14th February 2009. Photos at Muriwai.

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This photo and next three photos: Miranda Hendry and Dean Kent married on the 22nd February at the Mudbrick,Waiheke Island. Dress by Alfred Angelo Design. This photo by Johanna Herbert, next three photos by Brett Lees.

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B ride Diary Rebecca & Phil les Rebecca and Phil are one of the coup to Engaged is following in the lead up l their wedding. Both Australian, Phi ir and Bec have decided to have the jority of their families and wedding in Australia, where the ma Environmental Manager and friends are located. Bec, 30, is an tion). They met through a ruc nst (Co er ine Eng t jec Pro a is 29, Phil, en together almost 4 years mutual work colleague and have be each other from a far before (although both admit to admiring during a weekend away in they met!!). Phil proposed to Bec Phil popped the question by Wellington in September last year: m (Bec had booked them into organising a surprise 5-star hotel roo champagne, a card with “will a backpackers), a bunch of flowers, ring. Rebecca and Phil have you marry me” and, of course, the n a sustainable wedding. As decided that they want to try to pla mber of challenges... you will see, this has presented a nu night. It was an awesome “I had my hens’ night last Saturday of your friends and family to all for g thin e rar a h suc is it ht: nig common motivation to help be in one place at one time with a believe how many people n’t uld co I ht. nig tic tas fan a ve ha you made the effort to come.

This is when you get to have We started with bare-foot bowls. wl in the other, with lots of bo n law a d an nd ha e on in k drin a

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tween rolling the bowl down standing around and chatting in be very relaxing start to the day, the other end of the green. It was a groups of friends who didn’t and a great ice-breaker for different know each other. l advice on technique and The lawn bowls club provided helpfu the day (heaven forbid we the rules to keep us focused through . It got all the oldies and the stand around chatting for too long!) en did it with her 8-month old young ones involved (one friend ev le may take it up as a hobby! strapped on) and I think a few peop by the end of the session, but Not everyone improved their game ks were cheap and we were everyone had a great time. The drin “Bride to Be” t-shirt, so I got able to BYO nibbles. I got to don a there. heaps of congratulations from others to a nearby restaurant for From the bowling club we headed you-can-eat. A loud venue, dinner. It was a Turkish set menu, allas loud as we liked. I was but that meant we could also be and answers which kept me subjected to a few tricky question lly know Phil, then we got up on my toes about how much I rea were definitely outdone by and had a try at Turkish dancing. We doubt practiced a bit more some amazing belly dancers who no often than us. cktail bar in the next suburb.

Our next stop was a funky laid back co was subjected to numerous From here the games continued, I wheel and I had to perform challenges as each friend spun a a great job, landing free the dare the arrow landed on. I did

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ile wearing a flashing veil. drinks, sexy dances and more, all wh me at that bar, we headed When we had outstayed our welco bar which had an open fire across the road to an even cooler hot chocolates with crème place and booth seats. We drank a lovely way to end a great de menthe in martini glasses – it was night. r big day now. I’ve picked It’s just a couple of weeks out from ou at Mum’s to make sure Phil up my wedding dress and I’ve left it the ceremony. I’ve picked has no chance of seeing it before en wearing them at every up my wedding shoes and have be ortable on the day. opportunity to ensure they are comf smen’s and bridesmaids’ All the bits and pieces for the groom just left to confirm cakes, outfits have been sorted and we are photographer, hairdresser, flowers, celebrant, wedding cars, quite interesting to have to makeup and so on for the day. It is minute intervals – it doesn’t plan our wedding day down to 15 day, but I’m sure everything really fit with my idea of a relaxing effort into planning it now. will run a lot smoother if we put the ewhere that the average On the sustainability front, I read som rbon as one person uses in wedding uses three times as much ca en up the challenge to car a year! Most of our guests have tak save on fuel and electricity. pool and share accommodation to s have purchased carbon The people flying in from oversea offsets through the airlines.

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en’ is certainly a talking The various aspects of ‘being gre are asking if the wedding point with friends and family. They ht to the venue especially cars can be offset if they are boug de sure that we are using (ie. a separate trip). We have ma to the venue in and are family cars that are used to travel My future mother-in-law not bought to the venue especially. the bonbonnieres in and had dilemmas about what to wrap material to use. We have what would be the most sustainable xt morning at the same decided to have breakfast the ne plates and plastic cutlery venue to save of wastage of paper barbecue, which was our that typically come with having a original idea. t the wedding now and We are feeling very excited abou small difference to both hope that we have made some gs they can do to reduce educating friends and family on thin d on reducing the impact their impact on the environment an ve had. I look forward to that our wedding may otherwise ha giving you the next update.�

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Ride on

James..

Your Guide to Wedding Cars

The wedding car... often seen as an easy job that can be given to the groom to look after. In fact, there is more to choosing wedding transport than meets the eye. Not only does it provide transport for the bride to arrive at the ceremony in, it can also be one of the main ‘accessories’ of the wedding, helping to creating a certain style for the wedding.

Today, more than ever before, there is a huge range of transport options. This month, we are purely looking at wedding cars (we’ll deal with other forms of wedding transport such as horse and carriage and helicopters in future issues).

When choosing a wedding car, there are three main things to consider: 1. The look and feel of the wedding. The wedding car should fit in with the style

of the wedding. If you are having a classic traditional wedding, you may want to have a classic Rolls Royce or Jaguar. On the other hand, if you are going for something a little more funky, you might consider a 1950s Thunderbird.

2. How many people can it fit? That’s right, you need to consider the practical

side of the wedding car. Many people will choose to have a special wedding car only for the bride and groom, with the rest of the bridal party travelling in normal cars supplied by friends and family. Others will choose to have two or three wedding cars to fit the whole bridal party in. The other option is to have a huge limousine that will fit everyone in.

What’s Popular There is a huge range of cars available these days for hire.

Here is a selection of some of the most popular: Rolls Royce Silver Cloud Daimler DS420 Limousine Bright Pink Cadillac Lincoln Town Car (1970’s style) 5. Mercedes Benz 600 Landaulet (convertible limousine) 6. Hummer Limousine 7. Lincoln Navigator Stretch SUV 8. Jaguar Mk 2 9. Porsche Cayenne 10. Audi A4 Convertible 1.

2.

3.

4.

3. Price. Wedding cars can get quite pricey and

you should definitely decide together how much you are happy to spend to hire a car. This is especially the case if the groom is looking after the hiring of the car as finding out that you have just spent $1500 on a car is not a surprise that you want to give the bride! But, even if you have a modest budget (which is the case for most people), there are plenty of ways to get some amazing cars without having to spend up large (see the side box for a few ideas).

Cost How much you spend on a wedding cars varies depending on the type of car you rent and how long you need it for. Generally, the classic wedding cars (such as the Rolls Royce or Jaguars) cost around $200-$300 for the first hour and then lesser rates for the following hours. Many companies will have package deals for a set number of hours, especially during peak wedding season. This means that you need to think carefully about how long you will want the car for. Ideally, you don’t want to hire it for any longer than you need it, but on the other hand, you don’t want to feel rushed if you are running behind schedule. It is important to note that, especially in the height of the wedding season, many cars will be booked for two or three jobs a day, so there may not be any chance to extend your hire period if you want to on the day. Make sure that you check with the company before booking what happens if you run over your booked time as most companies will charge additional fees (such as an extra hour) if you go over.

If you have a large bridal party and you want everyone to be transported in style, then it may Page 74 : engaged : May 2009

actually be more cost-effective to hire one of the large limousines that can seat up to 16 (such as the Hummers or Lincoln Navigators).

While these are pretty expensive (some of them are $700 for the first hour and $395 for the following hours), they might end up being cheaper than hiring two or three smaller cars. Plus you get the benefit of everyone riding together!

Benefits of Chauffeur-Driven There are definitely some advantages to using a company that specialises in providing cars for weddings. Invariably, the cars are set up for weddings, with ribbons and other decorations. The drivers usually know all of the venues well, so will know the best place to drop you off, turn around, etc.

Then there will be the little things, like having covers to put over the wheels so that your wedding dress doesn’t get marked when you get in and out of the car.

When booking your car, find out whether they allow you to have champagne in the car (which is a nice touch when travelling to your photo location) and whether they provide umbrellas in case the weather turns for the worse.

Tips for getting cars on the cheap • Ask around friends and family. It may be that between them a few of your friends have some luxury cars which you can borrow for the day.

• Car clubs. If there is a particular type of car that you would really like to be part of your wedding, contact the local car club. Often car club members are keen to show off their pride and joy and may even do it for free (or a donation).

• If you are after something more modern, such as a nice European saloon (think Audi, Mercedes or BMW), and are happy to drive it yourself, there are plenty of car-hire firms that rent them out. These are often quite a lot cheaper than the chauffeur-driven classic wedding cars. This is also a great idea if you are planning on having a honeymoon in New Zealand, as you may want to keep the car for the duration of your honeymoon. If you are just renting for the day, these may be $200-$300 for the whole day, with much cheaper rates if you rent for longer periods.

• Some of the taxi companies offer a wedding service. Corporate Cabs is one that offers chauffeur-driven cars for a reasonable price.

Win Your Wedding Photography!

Unique Wedding Photography is giving you the chance to win their Half Day Wedding Photography Package.

To enter, just print out the entry form from below and take it to Unique Wedding Photography's studio at 204 Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland.

Click here for the entry form

*Conditions: You must be over 18 to enter the draw. Competitions are open to New Zealand residents only. The prize is a Half Day Wedding Photography Package from Unique Wedding Photography Ltd to the value of $1280. The prize is not transferrable and must be redeemed by 31 Aug 2009. Only one main entry per person allowed, and up to 10 referrals.

The prize cannot be exchanged for cash. The competition finishes at midnight on 26 May 2009 and the winner will be notified by email within 1 week of the closing date. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The winner's details will be provided to Unique Wedding Photography Ltd for them to get in touch with the winner.

PLUS: Visit www.weddings.co.nz for another chance to win!

Through the Lens

Showcasing Photographic Excellence

Photograph by VisionWorks Photography

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Amy Schulz Photography

Website: www.amyschulz.co.nz Email: AmySchulzPhotography@gmail.com Mobile: 0211556071 Wellington and Nationwide

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Rob Driessen Photography

Website: www.rdphotography.co.nz Master NZ Institute of Professional Photography

Email: rob@rdphotography.co.nz Phone: 04 479 7769 Wellington

David Kerr Photography

Website: www.thewedding.co.nz Email: dave@thewedding.co.nz Phone: 0800 21 SNAP (7627) Mobile: 021 398748 Nationwide

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Brett Lees, Unique Visions Photography Website: www.uniquevisions.co.nz Email: brett@uniquevisions.co.nz Phone: 09 817 7014 Mobile: 0274 913 061 Qualified Member NZ Institute of Professional Photography Auckland

Photography by Gary Hewlett Website: www.garyhewlett.com Email: info@garyhewlett.com Phone: 09 521 7269 Mobile: 021 439 538 Master NZ Institute of Professional Photography Auckland

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Veronica Gunn Photography

Website: www.veronicagunn.co.nz Email: photographer@veronicagunn.co.nz Phone: 04 976 4493 Mobile: 021 239 2991 BDes Photography, Hon. Wellington

Bruce Millar - The Photographer Website: www.thephotographer.co.nz Email: bruce@thephotographer.co.nz Phone: 09 634 4097 Mobile: 0274 897 587 Auckland

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Christine Syme Photography Website: www.christinesyme.com Email: christine@christinesyme.com Phone: 09 529 7499 Mobile: 027 285 4412 Auckland

John-Paul Pochin Website: www.WeddingPhotography.co.nz Mobile: 021 623 207 Nelson, Top of South Island

Email: John-Paul@WeddingPhotography.co.nz

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VisionWorks Photography

Website: www.visionworks.co.nz Email: tim@visionworks.co.nz Phone: 09 845 5925 Mobile: 021 44 88 17 Auckland

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The City of

Lights

T

he city of love, of romance, of lights. Paris. Sigh...Paris!

It is hard to know where to start when describing a visit to this beautiful city.

Do we start with the iconic monuments?

The myriad of museums? The beautiful parks? The food? The wine?

Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements, which are numbered, spiraling outwards, from the centre of the city.

In the centre of the city, is the Lourve arrondisement, which, you guessed it, contains the Lourve museum. A good place to begin!

Museums: Paris is bulging with museums.

The Musee du Lourve: containing more well-known works such as the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, the Lourve Musuem is mind-blowingly huge. The sheer volume of exhibits and displays means that it is near impossible to make a visit to the Lourve a day-only event. If you only have one day, the recommendation is to select a particular period or section and concentrate on that, or risk leaving the Lourve frustrated about missing so much.

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The Musee Picasso: not only does it include over 3500 of Picasso’s engravings, paintings, ceramics, drawings and sculptures, the museum is also home to Picasso’s own personal collection of works by Cezanne, Modigliani and others.

The Musee D’Orsay: set up in a former train station, the building itself is well worth a visit. But most visitors are there for famous works

by Renoir, Monet, Manet, Gauguin and Van Gogh, to name but a few.

The Centre Pompidou: famous for its ‘inside-out’ architecture, as well as it’s art.

And those are just the more popular ones...

The Monuments: Of course the most famous monument of them all is the Eiffel Tower. Whilst some French call it the ‘metal asparagus’, the tower is the very symbol of Paris. Built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle (World

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Fair) and named after its designer, Gustave Eiffel, the tower stands at 324m high. Three levels of the tower are open to the public and the views are outstanding, not to mention the romance of the place.

But not to be forgotten are the Arc de Triomphe and La Defense. Both offer stunning views of the city (and, in the case of the Arc de Triomphe, a great walk!).

However, our favourite view of the city was at night, from the Basilque du Sacre Coeur in Monmarte. Take a bottle of wine, a baguette and cheese and your loved one to relax on the steps of the Basilque. Soak up the laughter and music from your neighbours on the steps and feel like you are right the real Paris as you look down upon it.

Park life: To escape the museums and monuments, try chilling out in one of Paris’s many parks.

One of the most famous is the Jardin Des Tuileries, located near the Lourve.

Watch the locals as they parade through the park (and yes, the French ‘parade’ - wouldn’t you if you looked as stunning and fashionable as them!!). Or if people-watching isn’t your thing, the park also contains a fun-park section.

Just out of Paris is the Chateau de Versailles and it’s gardens. Laid out in the formal French style, the gardens are famous for their geometrically aligned terraces, flowerbeds, fountains, trees, paths, and ponds.

Streets and Rivers Ahead: Meandering either down the Seine on one of the many boats or on foot down the Champs-Elysee are also a highlights.

And That Brings Us To...

The Food.

French food isn’t all about frog’s legs and snails (which are fabulous in pesto or garlic butter!). And whilst Paris isn’t acclaimed for its cuisine, you can buy almost everything in this city. Some highlights...

There are the bread and bread products: the ubiquitous baguette, the croissant (chocolate and almond!), the cakes and pastries.

The cheese and meat products, perfect for picnics...although we have to warn you, choosing from one of France’s 500 varieties of cheese is very difficult (great excuse to pick more than one!).

And one mustn’t forget the Nutella crepes!

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No, we haven’t forgotten all the delightful wine to try in France. But to head into a discussion about the wine available would highjack this article!

Just try it and enjoy!

in their favourite past time (which is people-watching). A wrong turn could have you facing an exquisite sculpture tucked into a neighbourhood courtyard.

Getting around

The City of Romance

The Paris Metro is fabulous. There is really no more to say, other than there is a station almost everywhere. Arm yourself with a Metro map and you’re set.

There are so many things we haven’t mentioned about Paris. To list all the sights would take days. To truly describe the smells, sights and sounds of the city requires a visit.

Walking is also a joy. You find yourself stumbling upon cute, cobblestoned streets, right out of the last century.

Or stopping at one of the many coffee shops with the chairs all facing outwards so the French can indulge

It really is the city of romance. It also is the city of sights and more than one visit is probably necessary to experience them all!

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Getting Married in France

To be eligible to marry in France, one or other of the couple must be able to provide proof of residence to the civil service officer of the Mairie (town hall) in the town or district in which they are intending to marry.

People temporarily in France (for example, on holiday), with no fixed address or durable ties to the community are not

eligible to marry in France.

Couples who meet the criteria are advised to obtain the list of documents and translations required from the specific Mairie at which they intend to marry, as requirements vary from Mairie to Mairie.

This information has been obtained from www.nzembassy.com. Please ensure this

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CURRENCY: 1 New Zealand Dollar = approximately 45 Euros LANGUAGE: French TIME ZONE: France is ten hours behind New Zealand FLIGHT TIME: Flight times vary, depending on connections. The minimum flight time is approximately 25 hours.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides advice on the security risks of travelling to certain countries. Before making travel arrangements, we suggest you check with www.safetravel.govt.nz.

Travel insurance is always recommended and you should check the details of your policy to ensure it covers your destination.

Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is the main airport in Paris.

information is correct at the time of your application by making enquiries with New Zealand and French authorities. You should also check www.dia.govt.nz.

Air New Zealand, Qantas, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Lufthunsa offer flights from Auckland, Chirstchurch and Wellington, all with differing connections.

We would recommend that you check with your travel agent or the individual airline to find travel routes and connections suitable for you.

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I asked my best friend to be my bridesmaid but she told me she can’t afford it...What do I do?

Well, you have a couple of choices.

Firstly, you could pay all, or part of, her costs. Jut be wary that if you do this, the other bridesmaids may want the same treatment! Secondly, you could offer her a smaller (and less expensive) part in the ceremony, like asking her to do a reading or make a speech.

Can I wear a long wedding dress with a full length train if we are having a garden wedding? It’s not really appropriate: Catherdral trains are more suited to a very formal, church-style wedding. Plus, think of dragging that beautiful train over the grass!

For those wondering ‘Catherdral train’ is:

what

a

Need Advice?

The Catherdral train is generally reserved for very formal weddings and falls 22 inches or more to the floor. Think Princess Di!

Then you have the styles of train:

The Chapel train can fall up to 22 inches to the floor.

The detachable train falls from the waist and can be detached (obvious really!).

The Sweep train falls around six inches on the floor and is for semi-formal occasions.

The attached train flows out from the back of the skirt of the wedding dress.

The Capelot shoulder.

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train

falls

from

the

I saw someone wearing white at a wedding. Is this appropriate?

Generally white is reserved for the bride. And you want her to feel special and stand out, so it is best to avoid white dresses if possible.

Do we have to invite ‘dates’ for our guests. By this I mean, should we invite ‘Rachel and partner’, even if we know Rachel doesn’t have a partner?

If your budget can stretch to it, then it is nice to allow your guests to bring a date. This applies especially if your guest won’t know many people at the wedding. If you can’t afford it, try to accomodate the single people by sitting them at a table with other single guests, or guests of the same age. If someone announces he or she has a serious partner in between you sending the invite and the wedding, considering it on a case-by-case basis, with regard to how serious the partner is is a good idea. And to avoid potential dramas, make sure you keep the policy the same for everyone!

If you have any questions you would like answered, please email us at info@ engaged.co.nz.

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The Checklist

Engaged to 9 months before Task

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

Announce your engagement, including notices in the newspaper Organise for your families to meet, if they haven’t done so already Choose your bridesmaids, groomsmen, MC, flower girls, page boys Discuss the type of wedding you want, including budget Compile a draft guest list (this will help determine venue size) Choose venues for the ceremony and reception Set the date and time for the wedding Choose and book the following: • Photographer • Videographer • Entertainment • Caterer • Florist • Transport • Wedding Co-ordinator • Celebrant Start thinking about your dress (you may need to book a dressmaker) Consider purchasing wedding insurance to cover those things that are out of your control which may result in the wedding being postponed or cancelled Have an engagement party

9 months before Task

Order your wedding dress Choose your accessories: veil, jewellery, underwear, shoes and so on Choose the attire for the rest of the wedding party as applicable: • Groom • Bridesmaids • Groomsmen • Flower girls • Page boys Select stationery including: • Invitations

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Task

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

• Thank you cards/notes • Place name cards • RSVP cards • Seating plan • Envelopes Book a calligrapher Send out save-the-date cards Contact rental companies to hire equipment, marquees, tables, etc Organise gift registry Start thinking about your honeymoon

6 months before Task

Order bridesmaids’ dresses Order/book the groom’s and groomsmen’s suits Help your mother and mother-in-law with their outfits Discuss your beauty regime with your beauty therapist Book in for marriage preparation course if needed Decide on and order your wedding cake Book your accommodation for the wedding night Investigate accommodation options for out of town guests Choose and purchase your wedding rings Make any honeymoon reservations

4 months before Task

Book hairdresser and make-up artist Order favours Discuss menu options with caterer/venue, including wine selection Organise entertainment if you are having children at the reception Speak with the celebrant or minister and decide on an order of service, responsibilities, speech making, readings, etc. Set your rehearsal date Let people know if they will be making a speech, doing a reading, etc Purchase wedding gifts for each other and the wedding party Organise time off work for your honeymoon Renew passports if necessary!

2 months before Task

Post invitations Write your vows Have your hair and makeup trials (remember to take your veil etc)

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Organise dancing lessons for the first dance Organise your hen’s and buck’s nights with the wedding party Confirm: • Flowers with florist – do they fit with the theme, colours, dresses • Menu with caterer • Accommodation for yourselves and your guests Organise any legal work, for example, pre-nuptial agreements, wills

1 month before Task

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

Apply for your marriage licence Confirm and finalise final guest numbers Make a seating plan (allow time for disagreements!)

Have your dress fittings Organise bridal party’s final fittings (including accessories) Confirm groom’s and groomsmen’s outfits are ready Write your speech Confirm honeymoon accommodation and flight bookings Organise a house-sitter for while you are on honeymoon

2 weeks before Task

Confirm with everyone that you have booked for your wedding, advise final numbers and provide a emergency contact number to: • Venue • Caterer • Celebrant/Minister • Photographer • Videographer • Entertainment • Florist • Cake maker • Stationery • Car hire company • Hairdresser • Makeup artist • Favours • Hire company Make a list of everything that needs to be set up and/or taken to the ceremony and reception Have your final dress fitting including accessories. Take your chief bridesmaid so she knows how to how to attach your train etc.

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Make sure the bridesmaids have their dresses, footwear and accessories Have your final haircut and colour before the wedding Make sure the groom has his hair cut Finalise seating plan for reception Write place cards Practise walking around in your wedding shoes Have hen’s night and buck’s night

1 week before Task

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

Pick up your wedding dress and hang it in a safe place Wedding rehearsal (you may like to give the bridal party their gifts then) Pick up hire items, including groom’s and groomsmen’s attire Confirm honeymoon arrangements Pack for honeymoon Have your engagement ring professionally cleaned Pack an emergency kit for the day Final check on arrangements and plan for the day: • Who has the rings?

• Have you paid entertainers etc ahead of time or do you need to take money?

• Who is taking the gifts home after the wedding?

• Who is dry-cleaning your dress the next day?

• Who is returning the suits?

• Make sure the bridal party are aware of their roles • Give a list of important contacts to a trusted family member or friend (can be the chief bridesmaid or the mother of the bride)

The day before Task

Relax and spend some quality time on your own!

Present each other with gifts and remind each other why you love the other Give wedding bands to the best man and/or chief bridesmaid to hold during the ceremony

The big day Enjoy yourself!

Page 95 : engaged :May 2009

Next Issue out 1 June

Page 96 : engaged : May 2009