Top Wedding Tips 28 - Putting on your gúna

It is the bride's prerogative to be late so take your time putting on the dress. Enjoy it and don't rush. Make sure your bridesmaids are there to help you and if possible make sure it's in a well lit room. Follow all these little rules and it will make for some gorgeous getting ready pictures.

Top Wedding Tips 28 - Dinner

"Do you always get fed at weddings?" - it's a question I get asked more than you'd think.
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. It's no problem either way.

However I do always discuss with my couples beforehand what they want to do at dinner time. It saves any awkwardness on the day. So may sure you discuss with your Photographer and Videographer beforehand whether they are being fed or not.

Top Wedding Tips 27 - Time

I've talked about scheduling before but now I'm going to talk about time.

Give your photographer time to get all the shots you want. Realistically they're not going to get all the photos of everyone in  your family if you only allocate a half hour for photos.

Give your photographer at least an hour for formal photos and couples portraits. All going well you'll be back to join the party in no time.

Supplier Spotlight - MPT - Mobile Personal Training

I met Andy from MPT through his girlfriend who I just happened to go to college with. I'm in my 4th week of training with Andy and I can't believe the difference already. I have lost 6lbs of body fat and it really didn't feel like that much effort.

The workouts are so much fun, don't get me wrong, you're sweating and red faced afterwards but you feel like you had fun doing it.

I caught up with Andy the other day to ask him about how is service could benefit my brides to be.

What brought you to the world of personal training?

That’s a great question! It consisted of a few things really. I spent 8 years working as a fitness instructor in Carlow and for the past number of years was commuting almost daily to Waterford to train in my sport, Mixed Martial Arts with Waterford MMA. I had looked into the idea of finding work in Waterford in the leisure industry but instead of waiting for something to happen I took the plunge and started MPT with a good friend of mine Alan Butler, who is based in Carlow. I graduated from Waterford I.T with an Honour’s degree in Recreation and Sport Management. What I really enjoyed most, both in college and in the gym was working with people on a daily basis, designing and implementing  programs and motivating them to succeed. This has really served me well with MPT.

What advice would you give to brides to be?

I’d have to say don’t put yourself under any undue pressure and enjoy the whole experience. You’re marrying someone that loves you for you. In relation to exercise, I would definitely recommend some form of physical activity as it does serve as an excellent destresser and gives a sense of accomplishment and achievement after each training session. The overall health benefits of being active are far superior to simply looking at a number on a set of scales. I personally work off an 80-20 ratio in that I work hard on my diet and training for 80% of the week and then allow myself that 20% to still be human and enjoy the treats in life. Everything in moderation and balance. Exercise and diet should help improve your lifestyle, not the opposite and sometimes we can forget that.

How far before the wedding should a bride start their workout?

Again, it really depends on what the bride’s goals are and the individual themselves. I’ve worked with brides-to-be as far as a year out but also as little as 4 weeks before their big day. Each individual is different but it really is never too late to start in order to achieve some of those overall health benefits before your big day.

Any diet and nutrition tips for brides to be?

Every body type is different therefore the needs of the individual can differ depending on what sort of shape a bride hopes to be on the wedding day. What I would say is that a bride to be should try to consume a minimum of two litres of water a day in order to stay adequately hydrated and flush toxins out of their system. Also, try to consume plenty of fruit, anything that ends in berries is always excellent as they are full of antioxidants and are great for your skin and provide good natural sugars. 

In my past 8 years 90% of people who I have designed a program for have said that their main goal is to ‘tone up and lose weight.’ You have to realise that a workout is on average one hour of your day and there are 23 other hours free. You cant outwork a bad diet so try make sure that your workout compliments a healthy diet and try stay clear of starchy, fatty foods and fizzy drinks. My biggest tip, is to start your day with a good breakfast that contains some form of protein, this will set you up for the day and reduce hunger pangs. The protein is used for growth and repair so will help shape and define those muscles that you’ve worked during your exercise session.

What does a typical personal training session look like?

Each session is different depending on the individual however there are a number of things that remain the same. I always arrive at a client’s door and introduce myself with a smile. Once introduced I assess the individuals body composition analysis. This is strictly confidential and allows the client to get a print out of their Weight, BMI, Fat Percentage, Fat Mass, Fat Free Mass and Total Body Water, which we keep track of throughout our training process. I then give out a diet sheet and discuss the client’s goals and find out what they’re looking to achieve. 

A typical session lasts an hour and consists of a warm up, dynamic stretch, advanced warm up, main phase consisting of both full body cardio, strength and conditioning, cool down and post stretch. The workouts are fun and adaptable for all fitness levels from complete beginner to the advanced athlete. The service is unique in that it enables clients to exercise in the comfort and privacy of their own home. Clients are also encouraged to message me for advice throughout the week so they can receive the constant support they need in order to achieve their goals. I feel that this is a vital part of the service as believe it or not the training is the easy bit. The support network is important so clients can feel free to ask questions on their diet on a difficult day to ensure they stay on track.

What do you like to do on your day off?

To be honest I’m never really switched off as I’m constantly trying to help motivate my clients or am in the gym training myself. You’ll either find me training Mixed Martial Arts with my coaches and teammates at Waterford MMA, catching up with friends and family or chilling at home with my girlfriend Marina.

Sweets or savoury?

Sweet. Hey I’m human too!!! But as I say to everyone, everything in moderation! 80-20 Remember!!

Check the guys out on their facebook page, and maybe book a session, trust me you won't regret it

Supplier Spotlight - Jill Blanc Designs

Jill has a computer degree (which hasn’t been used in 8 years!?!). She's Irish, from Waterford City, went to college and met her husband in Dublin City University and settled in Naas, Co. Kildare. She two beautiful kooky daughters. She's partial to an over-the-top hair accessory She believes there is beauty in symmetry. She goes through a crazy amount of false eyelashes because she likes to wear two pairs at a time. She really hates having to wear glasses. She could quite happily live in a TK MAXX store.

She is also a super talented stationary designer and was kind enough to take some time out to talk to me about her work. More over on her website here.

Straw Flags & Tags - Photo by Lucy Takes Photos 

What brought you to the world of design?

I suppose I’ve always been a little bit creative, loved art in school, loved painting, drawing and sewing but doing my degree in IT I didn’t get much of a chance to continue with it. So when I started working in the real world, it was surprising that I always seemed to fall in to the web design/graphic design roles despite being hired as a software engineer – I guess my employers saw that arty side of me. So being allowed to learn on job, I taught myself how to use various graphic design programs by trial and error {this was before tutorials on YouTube – God, I feel old!}. So I suppose you could say I am self-taught. Then after I got married I left fulltime employment, and had two daughters, Cara and Abby, but kept sewing and making wedding stationery for friends and it just progressed from there.

Steampunk Invitation - Photo by Chemistry Photography

What is your favourite design trend at the minute?

I’ve never been one for anything understated, so I have to say I still absolutely love the vintage trend that has been around for the last few years. In my book, more is more.

Ramona&Paul

What products can you not live without?

Microsoft Word – This might sound a tad blasphemous to graphic designers out there but I do most of design work in Word! *ducks*
GIMP {GNU Image Manipulation Program} –http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIMP - think free Adobe Photoshop
Sissix Big Shot – for all your fabulous die-cutting needs
Pritt Stick – yer only man for sticking

Favour Tags

What advice would you give to a bride when planning her big day?

Don’t try to please everyone, it’s impossible, and you will only stress yourself out and end up annoyed and unhappy– be true to yourself and it will all turn out amazing! {from my own wedding experience!}

Flower girl Flag

What trends do you think will be popular with this year’s weddings?

From my correspondence with brides, popular colours this year are coral, peach and grey. Brides are definitely getting more adventurous which is just fabulous! Really inspirational!

Candy Stripe - photo by Dennigan Photography

What do you like to do on your day off?

Day off?!? LOL  When I do decide to take some time out from making stationery, housework, and children, I really love getting dolled up to the nines and going for a cocktail somewhere special.

Dessert Table Signage

Sweets or savoury?
Sweets OF COURSE!!

L: Perry Cake Bunting R: Woodland Photoshoot - Photo by Dennigan Photography

Top Wedding Tips 23 - Arriving at the Ceremony

It's not a race between your driver and photographer. Idealy your photographer should be there to photograph you as you arrive but trust me it's a mad dash from the brides home to the church for the photographer so tell your driver to slow down and enjoy the ride.

Also if it's not lashing rain, ask the driver to roll down your window, this makes for some stunning photographs.

Top Wedding Tip 21 - Getting Dressed

It's the moment you've waited for your whole life, you're getting in to the dress. Allocate time for this. It's is a brides prerogative to be late so don't rush it. Your photographer will want to capture this moment for you and some of the best images of you and your bridesmaids will be at this point. Take your time and don't rush. Most importantly, don't close the door on your photographer.

Top Wedding Tip 20 - Walking Up The Aisle

I know I know, it's terrifying, those doors open and boom, your confronted with what seems like a mile long aisle and everyone you know and love has turned around to stare at you. Your first instinct is to leg it as fast as you can up that aisle dragging your dad behind you.

Don't.

Take a deep breath and slowly walk up the aisle. Leave enough space between you and your bridesmaids for your photographer to get the shot.

Enjoy it. Watch for his face as you get to the top. It takes all the will in the world for him not to turn around.

Katie's Tips - Tip 4 Booking a Photographer

Having met my fair share of couples over the years I have come to the conclusion that there are four main things to consider when choosing your photographer.

1. Have they much experience?
Do they know what they are doing? It's all well and good to get Uncle Tom from down the road to do your photos but does he know what he's at? Does he know how a wedding should flow? Your photographer is an integral part to your day and will help you out a lot throughout the day. Pick wisely.

2. What's their style?
Every photographer has a different style of photography. This will influence their albums and design of albums also so make sure you like what they are doing.

3. How much have you got?
This is usually the deciding factor. Make a list of all your priorities, put them in order of importance, then allocate a budget to each one and begin shopping around. If you find a photographer who costs more than your budget allows go to the bottom of your list and see what you can knock off down there.

4. Are they sound?
Ok they're a super talented photographer but are they nice. Do your personalities gel? I've heard some nightmare stories from couples about wedding photographers taking over the day because of their gra to get 'that shot' your photographer should suit the both of you. Remember you'll spend a good percentage of the day with them

Katie's Tips - Tip 2

You're only going to get married once, right? So you can be forgiven for not knowing the run of things. One of the most important things is to schedule your day. It is so important to schedule time for wedding portraits of just the two of you, these are photographs that you will treasure for years to come. It is especially important to schedule these portraits if you are getting married in Winter monts as the light fades a lot earlier than in the Summer. Make sure to discuss the schedule with your photographer before finalising and ensure that all suppliers on the day know the lay of the land. This will ensure a hassle free day for all involved.

Katie's Tips - Tip 1

Sit down with your photographer before the wedding and outline what photographs you want taken on the day and what ones you definitely don't want to do. A handy tip is to assign someone outside of the bridal party and not a family member who knows everyone who needs to be around for formal portraits at the venue. They can be responsible for rounding up the troops leaving you free to enjoy the day. It will also reduce the photo taking time leaving you even more time to enjoy yourself.