Blog entries in "Advice"
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Bridal Blogger: Fallon finds 'the one' to walk her down the aisle!
Like a lot of brides-to-be out there who don’t have a father to give them away for whatever reason, I’ve had to ponder the question, who will give me away? I count myself very lucky to have grown up surrounded by fantastic male figures between uncles and cousins, so my predicament isn’t trying to find someone but picking the right person.
When I got engaged first, I asked an uncle to give me away but over the past few weeks he has backed out, with no hard feelings on my part at all. It’s not an easy task and my uncle just didn’t feel that he would be comfortable on the day having to speak to a room full of people, which I can understand completely. I certainly couldn’t do it! I want him to look forward to my wedding and enjoy the day, not dread the thoughts of it.
For me, the person has to be someone I’ve known all my life, who’s been around and taken part in all the major milestones and, most importantly, someone who I feel on the day will make me feel at ease. I think about that last moment when I’m waiting to walk up the aisle, bridesmaids are gone and it’s just you and this other person. I want someone who I can look at and think – ‘I’m glad you are the one who is here with me.’
I know a lot of you will think why not have your mam give you away? I also think this is a lovely idea and my friend Leanne, who was in my last blog post, did that at her wedding, but it’s just not for me or my mam.
I think unless you’re in the position where you have to ask someone to give you away you don’t realise how emotional it can be, or is that just me? It’s a declaration of sorts, like standing up and saying this person is important to me. So, over the past week or so I’ve sat and thought about it and made my decision, which to be honest really wasn’t a hard one. All I need to do now is pick up the phone and ask the question. I’ll keep you posted on what the response is...
See more of our real bridal blogger, Fallon's blog posts.
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Fallon loves Weddings Abroad, Turns 30 & Bags a Bargain!
Well, what a hectic couple of weeks it has been! In my last blog post, I mentioned that I was heading off for my first foreign wedding in Nerja, Spain. I really didn’t know what to expect but I have to say I had a ball! From the moment we arrived, the bride and groom had an action-packed few days planned for their guests. Nerja itself is a very beautiful town with winding cobble streets, quaint little buildings and the prettiest stone church right in the centre. I was concerned about the heat, but on the wedding day we were in and out of the shade so much that I really didn’t notice it. What a difference the sunshine makes though, everyone was sitting around sipping their drinks with their shades on. I can’t wait to see the pictures! I’m sure they’re going to be stunning. When the service was over we all piled onto coaches to head to a beautiful mountain location for the reception. I didn’t know what would be served food wise but it was just like home, delish! We then danced the night away until 6 am, the whole day was amazing and the bride was stunning, as you can see!!The Big 3-0!
When I got back from Spain it was then my (gulp) 30th birthday. I originally wasn’t going to celebrate but thought, sure how often so you get to have yourself a little party? Eh, never! So that’s what I did. I got all of my favourite people into one room and bopped until I had to have a little sit down, because ya know, I am old now.
Bridesmaid Dresses
On the wedding front I purchased my bridesmaid dresses before I went on holidays and I couldn’t be happier with them. I went for navy, which I think will be nice for winter. I got them in Coast, Kildare Village and I honestly think that for any brides out there on a budget the outlets are a must-see. My dresses were nearly half their original cost! They are very simple and elegant and the girls are going to be gorge!
Next on my list in is to sort out my invites and pick up my bridesmaid’s shoes and jewellery so I can tick them off my list too! Watch this space!
See the rest of Fallon's blog posts!
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Our Real Bridal Blogger Fallon Gets Over the Wedding Planning Hump!
WOL's fabulous bridal blogger Fallon Wasser is getting ready to marry her fiancé Darren Dunne on December 7th, 2012. Fallon is taking us on her wedding planning journey, through the ups and downs, highs and lows and is sharing her wedding planning tips and tricks with us along the way!
Since my last post, I dug a little hole in that wedding planning wall and I finally made it through. Last weekend myself and a buddy of mine, Louise headed over to Dundrum Shopping Centre for a little retail shoe therapy. I'd done a little research in advance online and I knew I wanted to go to Dune, Aldo and House of Fraser.
Now ladies, I love a sale, who doesn't?! But when I'm looking for something specific, the last thing I want to do is go through racks and racks of shoes all thrown together, whilst trying to battle the shopper beside me for the last size 6! Luckily for me, I spotted a couple of pairs which I thought were going to be perfect in Dune, not on sale unfortunately, isn't that always the way? Anyway, I tried on a few pairs and fell in love with my choice. Very comfy, I got the 'I can dance the night away' vibe from them straight-away! They are elegant and I'll definitely wear them over and over again. Total winner!
The other thing I wanted to make a decision on was whether to wear a veil or a shrug. So, after giving it some much serious thought... I haven't actually made a decision as such, but my dress is due to arrive in The White Room in September, so I'm going to wait until I try it on again and then decide what to do. See - kind of a decision made - I said 'kind of'!!
Next weekend I'm off to my friend's wedding in Nerja in Spain. I cannot wait! I haven't been to a wedding abroad before, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they differ from here. I think when you're getting married yourself, you become a much more observant guest, don't you think?
Are there any sunshine brides out there in need of any inside info, because I can do a little recon for ya!?
Also, how did you pick the perfect wedding shoes to dance the night away in?
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Our Real Bridal Blogger: Fallon Hits the ‘Wedding Planning Wall’!
WOL’s fabulous bridal blogger Fallon Wasser is getting ready to marry her fiancé Darren Dunne on December 7th, 2012. Fallon is taking us on her wedding planning journey, through the ups and downs, highs and lows and is sharing her wedding planning tips and tricks with us along the way!
L: Bella Bleu, Cork | R: Carla Ten Eyck Photography
Well, it’s been far too long since my last bridal blog post and I’ve a good reason, honest! In the couple of weeks since my last post I lost my job, visited the depths of despair, found a new job and then experienced the amazing sense of relief that goes with it! That’s a good reason, right?
During that time I really didn’t do a thing for the wedding and now I found in the last week or so that I’ve hit what can only be described as the ‘wedding planning wall’. Yep, I’ve hit it hard and head on. I just can’t seem to get motivated at all. Is it just me or has anyone else ever felt that way? Please say yes and that I’m not a bad bride-to-be. I’ve a list of things as long as my arm that I need to get done, but I just keep putting it off. Sometimes it feels there is so much to do that it all gets a little overwhelming. So, instead of looking at an endless list of things, I’m going to take it one project at a time.
The very first thing on my list at the moment is to finish me! I need shoes, jewellery and underwear and because I’m getting married in December I can’t decide on whether to wear a shrug-type-thingy over my shoulders to try keep a little warm or if I want to wear a veil – decisions, decisions! If there are any winter brides out there, what are you going to do to keep warm or are you going to be a slave to fashion and freeze? Can I wear a shrug and a veil together or is it too much? I definitely need some advice on this one!
I’m giving myself the next two weeks to source, price and make a decision on all of the above. I think once I get one thing finished, the wedding planning ball will start rolling again and I’ll be back on track! Watch this space!
See the rest of Fallon’s blog posts and feel free to leave a comment for Fallon here, or chat to her in the WeddingsOnline Forums!
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Step-by-Step Bridal Beauty by Marie Joseph
Makeup artist Marie Joseph kept beautiful bride Orlaith’s make-up really simple and youthful for her big day. “Prepping the skin is so important when it comes to wedding day make-up. Matching skin care and foundation to skin type keeps the make-up in place for the whole day, because it’s the look that has go the distance,” explains Marie.
Photos by PhotohouseHow to acheive Orlaith's look:
- To get started, Orlaith’s skin was prepped by cleansing, toning and moisturising and then Clarins Beauty Flash Balm Primer was applied.
- Time for foundation, M.A.C. Studio Sculpt was applied with a flat foundation brush and then the foundation was polished with a M.A.C Fiber Optic brush; this gave an airbrushing effect and delivers a flawless finish.
- Concealer - my preference for applying concealer is with an eye shadow brush, a small amount was needed under Orlaith’s eyes. To avoid creasing, keep the application to a minimum, with a very light dusting of loose powder.
- Prepping the eyes for eye shadow is as important as getting the skin ready for foundation! To begin, Clarins Instant Light Perfecting Base was applied on Orlaith’s eyelid and set with a little loose powder. Staying with prepping the eyelid, an application of base eye shadow, in Brulee shade, was added from lash line to lid. It’s at this point, the foundation was set with a light dusting of a very fine milled loose powder - Makeup Forever.
- Eye Shadow - using a medium shader brush, I contoured the socked with shadow, blending well. Using Jest shadow on Orlaith’s eyelid, highlighting the brow bone with Snow White, to finish a touch of Nylon Iridescent shadow to the inner corners of the eyes to light them up!
- Mascara and Eye Liner - the lash line was defined with Clarins Kohl black liner, followed by Clarins mascara. A couple of individual lashes and viola, Orlaith’s eyes looked amazing!
- Brows - Orlaith’s brows were groomed and defined with Omega eye shadow.
- Blusher - Orlaith’s cheekbones ere contoured with Cinnamon Blush. For the apple of her cheeks an application of Pink Swoon Blush was added!
- Lips - I outlined the lips with Pink Soar Lip Liner. For the grand finale, an application of Clarins Joli Rouge 06 Lipstick.
List of makeup products used - Clarins Beauty Flash Balm Primer | M.A.C. Foundation Studio Sculpt | Crème De La Mere Concealer | Makeup Forever Loose Powder | M.A.C Eye Shadow Brulee, Jest, Snow White and Nylon | Clarins Mascara | Clarins Eye Liner | M.A.C Blusher Pink Swoon and Contouring Blush Cinnamon | M.A.C Lip Liner Soar | Clarins Lipstick Joli Rouge 06 | Individual eye lashes
Contact Marie about your wedding day: Website | Email | Phone: 087 2290360
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Step-by-Step Bridal Beauty by Sian Sharkey & Alyson Smyth
Hair stylist Sian Sharkey styled beautiful bride Helen’s hair into a bridal masterpiece, complete with elegant, traditional curls, vintage accessories pins and finger waves. Helen's make-up artist, Alyson Smyth, kept her look classic with flawless skin, a soft smoky eye and natural lips.
How I achieved Helen's bridal hair, by Sian Sharkey:
"Helen had long hair past her shoulders and was inspired by vintage, classic hairstyles. To start, I sprayed Helen's hair with Label M Superstar Spray (see below) and dried it in to the hair so it wasn't too silky. I then curled all the hair with a GHD, pin-setting the front section where I was going to secure the finger waves.
I sectioned the hair in two parts - front and back. Backcombing the roots and dusting with Label M Resurrection Dust, I began to secure the back section into the shape I wanted to achieve, spraying with Bed Head Masterpiece Hairspray as I went.
I then brushed the top section, maintaining the height Helen wanted and secured, to blend with the back.
I took out the pin set and shaped the hair into the finger waves at the front. This can be a slow process and requires patience! Spraying and pinning and spaying again, then removing the pins on view when the hair has set in position.
Finally, I added her vintage hair accessory - a vintage broach from Jenny Vander and her veil!"
Contact Sian about your wedding day: Website | Email | Phone: 086 8819600
Hair products used - Bed Head Masterpiece Hairspray | Label M Resurrection Dust | Label M Superstar SprayHow I achieved Helen's bridal make-up look, by Alyson Smyth:
"Helen chose a vintage style with her hair, so I kept her make-up really classic with flawless skin, a soft smoky eye and a natural lip.
I applied Laura Mercier’s Oil Free Foundation in Sunny Beige, which gives a fantastic natural, all-day coverage. I used MAC Powder Blush in Swoon on the cheeks creating a gorgeous shape to her face.
For extra definition on Helen’s eyes, I applied some temporary individual lashes from the outer corner of her eyes across to the centre.
Eyeshadows used were MAC Brule, Satin Lights, Espresso and MAC Paint Pot in Constructivist – these colours combined were used for the glam factor!
To complete Helen’s classic, elegant look, I kept her lips soft by using MAC Dervish Lip Liner and nice Buzz Lip Gloss to keep the colour in place for longer!"
Contact Alyson about your wedding day: Website | Email | Phone: 086 8107969
Make-up products used (clockwise) - Laura Mercier’s Oil Free Foundation in Sunny Beige | MAC Powder Blush in Swoon | Buzz Lip Gloss | MAC Dervish Lip Liner | MAC Paint Pot in Constructivist | MAC BruleWedding Photographs by Naoise Culhane
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Our Real Bride Blogger: Finding the Perfect Wedding Venue
WOL’s fabulous bridal blogger Fallon Wasser is getting ready to marry her fiancé Darren Dunne on December 7th, 2012. Fallon is taking us on her wedding planning journey, through the ups and downs, highs and lows and is sharing her wedding planning tips and tricks with us along the way!I don’t know about you ladies, but for me the hardest thing about organising my wedding to date was definitely picking the venue. When I got engaged and started looking at all the different places, I had myself a mini-meltdown! There is just so much choice and it can all be a little over whelming. Luckily for me, I had my friend Louise on hand. She got married last year, so she was in the loop in terms of what a good package should contain and what questions I should ask the hotel. So we sat down one evening over a bottle (or three!) of wine and I must have given her about ten different venues that I liked for various reasons. You see, I love the old country house feel with creaking floorboards and chandeliers but I also wanted the comfort and luxury of a modern hotel. Honestly, I’m really not that fussy, I just wanted everything! We went through the various hotels that I picked and narrowed it down to three, which were all around the Meath area, one of which was Dunboyne Castle. The plan was to make appointments for a single day and Louise and I would go and do a little research on them. If there was any that I liked I would bring himself down and do the hard sell on him.
Winding Staircases
When we arrived at Dunboyne Castle we had a lovely lunch. The food was fab and the service from the staff was really great! The castle felt like the perfect combo of new and old that I was initially looking for and I fell in love with the old house with its beautiful winding staircase and period features. We met with a member of the events team to go through some details and get a proper tour of the hotel. She asked me to fill out some forms and when I looked down at the page Louise’s name was down for the bride and my name was down for the groom. She thought that Louise and I were a couple, which we had a good giggle about!
So home I went to convince himself that it was perfect, luckily for me on our return visit the following week he loved it just as much as me and we booked it! I’ve been back down on a couple of occasions since and have never been disappointed with the level of service. Sinead and the events team have always been extremely helpful with my many questions over the past few months and I know I’m in safe hands.
You're onto a Winner
For any bride and groom out there in venue hell, I would say sit down and write down what’s the most important thing to you about the venue and what can’t you compromise on. Make sure you look at the package available and price up the extras that aren’t included, because it’s the hidden extras that will hike up your overall cost. Any decent venue will want to work with you and try and facilitate your big day as much as possible - it’s all give and take. The last thing would be to read reviews, there are always going to be people who have had a bad experience at some point but as long as the overall vibe is positive you’re onto a winner!
In Fallon’s next bridal blog post, she looks for the perfect wedding shoes to help her glide up the aisle and dance the night away!
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Meet WeddingsOnline's Real Bride Blogger, Fallon Wasser!
Meet our new bridal blogger, Fallon Wasser, who will marry fiancé Darren Dunne on December 7th, 2012. Fallon will be taking us through the ups and downs of her wedding plans and has promised to share any wedding planning tips and tricks with other brides-to-be along the way!Fallon and Darren met ten years ago through mutual friends in a night club called Club Diva at the Red Cow Hotel. When Fallon first met Darren she thought he had a great smile and was confident in himself and that he was a bit of a flirt too! When Darren first saw Fallon, he thought she was beautiful, "I knew I wanted to see her again," he told us.
Darren proposed to her on their ten year anniversary. "I came home from work thinking we were just going to have a normal dinner together," said Fallon. "Darren told me to sit down at our kitchen table, then he popped into the other room and came back with a beautiful bunch of red roses. I thought it was just an anniversary gift until I looked at the card which said 'Will you marry me?' on it. To say I was shocked was an understatement. He had told family and friends that he was going to propose and they were all standing by for the party."
'The One' - Fallon's First Post
The one makes you go weak at the knees, can bring tears to your eyes and can make you feel like the most beautiful woman on earth. I'm not talking about himself, I mean the frock, the guna, your wedding dress. When you know it's the one you just know, isn't that what people say? It's such a bazarre thing because I have heard friends talk about just knowing and I always thought 'yeah right' until I had my own experience in The White Room in Mullingar. Let me fill you in.
Last November, off I trotted to The White Room. This was a full year in advance of my wedding but my objective at the time was to try on as many different shapes and types so I could narrow it down to a certain style of dress. That was when the real search would ensue, or so I thought.
Before I get into the dress-trying-on part, I'd like to say how important it is to have the right people with you for this experience. I personally wanted to keep it to one or two people. You don't want too many different opinions being thrown at you. So my Mam was an obvious choice. Now my Mam, bless her, would have told me on the day that I looked great in a white plastic bag. The emotion of it all really got to her seeing her only child in a wedding dress. She's not the most critical person in the world so I knew I needed to have someone who has similar tastes to mine and who, more importantly, would tell me straight out if I looked like a sack of potatoes, so I asked my cousin Tamlyn, who had recommended The White Room, to come along also.A Little Girl's Dream
When we arrived for our appointment we were greeted and brought upstairs to our own private fitting rooms, complete with dressing area, a seating area for those accompanying you, full length mirrors and a box thingy to stand on that you see in the movies. The woman in the shop told me to go through the many, many racks of dresses and pull out as many as I wanted. She advised me to try all the different styles, not just what I thought I wanted and that's exactly what I did. Ballroom, fishtail, 1920s, lace, no lace, fitted, sleeves, no sleeves - you get the idea. Each time I changed a dress, my little dresser friend was there to help me in and out and pin me together. I cannot rave enough about the level of customer service that I experienced in The White Room and the quality of the dresses. I can only imagine how many times they get tried on but they were all immaculate and the show room itself was like a little girl's dream, rows and rows of dresses, a veil section, jewellery, shoes and an area holding an assortment of boleros etc. Amazing!
It is so surreal putting on a wedding dress for the first time, whether you like the dress or not, seeing yourself in head-to-toe wedding get-up is just mad. I tried on around 10-12 dresses and after the first few, I knew that a fitted dress was going to work best for me. I then put on the last dress that Tamlyn had picked up as a "sure ya might as well try it" type thing. So there I stood in my little curtained off dressing area with my little dresser friend standing behind me closing me up and literally as she did so I started to well up. Yes, I actually had myself a little moment! I was in love, I'd met 'The One'. I stepped out from behind the curtain to show my mam and Tamlyn and then they had a moment, we were all a little glassy-eyed. I'd like to think my little dresser friend had a moment too. She popped a veil on and told me to stand on the box thingy and well, it was game over. I was sold. A couple of days later I paid the deposit and haven't been inside another bridal shop since.
I can never understand other brides-to-be when they say they have seen a dress that they love but are going to keep looking just in case. Let me tell you this; if you're still looking, it's not the one. Stop stringing yourself and the dress along and end it. Window shopping is okay, we all want to know what's out there, but trying on others behind your dresses back, well that's just not right! Occasionally I go onto the designer website just to have a look at her and each time I get a little flutter in the pit of my stomach that tells me "yes she's still the one".Fallon will have a regular WeddingsOnline blog spot, feel free to leave a comment for Fallon here, or chat to her in the WeddingsOnline Forums!
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Wedding Customs and Superstitions
Wedding Customs and Superstitions
By Amy Croffey
Since it's Friday the 13th today, tradition says it’s bad luck to get married, so we put together some more Irish wedding traditions for couples. Some of you may stick religiously to these superstitions, others won’t bat an eyelid at them, and many might follow them ‘just in case’, whatever you decide, here are the customs that we believe are either most noteworthy or bizarre:
Blue - Wearing something blue is considered to represent purity and fidelity.
Bonfires – In some parts of the west of Ireland, neighbours light bonfires outside their homes to wish the bride and groom good luck on their wedding day. Neighbours and friends will stand at the fire and wave to the couple as they pass to their reception.
Cat – If you feed a cat out of an old shoe, your wedding day will be a happy one.
Confetti - Throwing rice or confetti as the couple leaves the church is meant to bestow fertility on them.
Dress - It is unlucky to try on your whole outfit (dress, shoes, veil, the lot!) and look in a full length mirror before your wedding day, but if you leave off a shoe or a hairpin you can fend off the bad luck. Phew!
Earrings - The earrings you wear on your wedding day will bring you luck and happiness for evermore.
Groom - The groom should pay everything with an odd sum of money on his wedding day, or else bad luck ensues.
Rain - If it rains on the wedding day, the bride will cry all of her married life.
Ring - If the bride has to assist the groom when he is putting the ring on her finger it means he will be ruled by her in the future. (Get him a smaller ring ladies!)
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe - The something old should be from a happily married woman, the borrowed should be an object of gold and the sixpence should be worn in the heel of the left shoe as a symbol of wealth.
Sun - It is believed that if the sun shines on the bride on her wedding day, it will bring good luck to the couple and their children will be beautiful.
Surnames - It is unlucky for a woman to marry a man whose surname began with the same letter as hers.
Veil - It's good luck to get a happily married woman to put your veil on, but bad luck to put it on yourself.
If you are anything like us, you’ll probably take many of these customs with a pinch of salt, so instead of using these customs, make your own for your wedding day.
We got most of these superstitions from the ladies on the WOL Forums, if you know of anymore wedding customs, superstitions or traditions from Ireland, or anywhere around the world, leave us a comment below!
Shoe image by Studio 33 all other images by Elizabeth Messina.
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*A WOL Christmas Wish*
Happy Holidays to all our Wollies!
2011 was a great year for us, like everyone else we had our ups and downs, but they were mainly ups thanks to you!
Here’s hoping that 2012 will be filled with happiness, laughter, prosperity and most importantly and aptly, love for you all.
Best wishes,
The WeddingsOnline Team x
Image: Emily Johnson Anderson
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Staying Focused on your Wedding Day -Laser Eye Sugery
This article is sponsored by Ultralase Laser Clinic, Ireland. Picture it: It’s your special day, and you’re marrying the love of your life. You and your bridesmaids have spent all morning having your hair styled and make-up applied. You have the dress of your dreams - the kind you’ve been fantasising about since you were three, the kind thatyou used to draw with your friends at school and the kind that took you many stressful hours to find. Your husband-to-be who, let's face it,is a bit of a scruff, has scrubbed up well and looks rather dashing in a suit and tails. All in all you’re one happy girl. Or you would be if youcould see it all sharp and in focus.
Whether you’re long or short sighted, I can speak from experience as a best man that it gets old very fast having to put on then take off your glasses constantly throughout a wedding ceremony, depending on what’s going on. And though they are useful, I’m sure you, as a bride, wouldn’t want to wear a glasses chain around your neck all day and ruin your outfit. Of course the next best thing would be contact lenses (if you can get over the whole ‘touching your eyeball’ thing) and though your day will be seen in splendid clarity, you will have to take them out at night time which may interrupt other activities!
So when you’re making a list of things to do for your wedding day to make it perfect, fixing your eye sight at an Ultralase Laser Clinic in Ireland might be something you would overlook or that wouldn't be at the top of your priority list. But think of it this way – as one of the most important days of your life, surely you would want to enjoy it all and soak it all up? Surely you'd want to be able to look out from the alter after kissing your husband and see all your friends and family basking in your radiant happiness? And to do that, you would need perfect 20/20 eye sight.
With laser eye surgery, a plethora of vision problems can be treated – from long and short sightedness to the natural condition of Presbyopia which can affect those in their middle-ages – giving you no excuse not to get the most from your big day. Many clinics offer free consultations to help you decide whether it is right for you, and these will usually involve:
- An extensive eye examination by an Optometrist which features a mix of tests you will be familiar with - such as the eye chart vision test - and some that will be new, as well as the forum to ask and be asked questions about the process.
- You will then have your eyes mapped to give the Optometrist a full understanding of your lenses. This will be more in depth than the previous test and is performed in order to give you the best advice possible.
- With your eyes fully analysed, the Optometrist will explain which eye surgeries are suitable for you, discussing the advantages of each vision correction treatment and helping choose the best for you. You can ask any further questions that you might want answering and can book in immediately if it suits you.
Other clinics may also include a patient forecast which will detail the full results of your eye test, break them down into easy to read graphs, and feature impartial feedback from former patients of your age range and prescription who have had the surgery. Many clinics also offer lifetime aftercare for free to give you the best possible results and to make sure your life with perfect vision goes without a hitch - these include follow up appointments, and access to 24/7 aftercare advice phone lines.
With laser eye surgery offered from as little as £395 per eye and priced on a sliding scale depending on the strength of your sight, it's a procedure worth thinking about in order to make your perfect day just that little bit more effortless and enjoyable.
Contact Details
Phone 1800 40 20 20
Web www.ultralase.ie -
Wedding Photography Checklist
For your big day, you want to ensure that your wedding memories are preserved forever, so think about making a list of pictures that you would like captured most. Speak with your wedding photographer beforehand, so you can check off the essentials (see below). You could also add some of your own ideas, like a location you would like to be photographed in or various creative shots of friends and family.
You could also assign a trusted family member or friend to assist your photographer. They don’t have to miss out on the fun and frolics of your wedding day, they just need to be available to help round-up various members of the clan for the family pictures.
Most wedding photographers have their own wedding photography checklist, so you don’t need to give them too much guidance, as you'll want them to have some time to capture impromptu shots.
Use the list below as guidance:
At Home
Bride getting ready e.g. getting hair and make-up done, putting on the dress / Wedding dress hanging up / The bride's shoes / bouquetMother of the bride fastening the bride's dress / Bride in her dress / Bride pinning corsage or boutonniere on mother and father /
Bride with her mother/ father and then both parents together / Bride with her maid-of-honour / Bride with her bridesmaids / Bridesmaids only
(David McClelland Photography)Flower girl and page boy / Mother and father of the bride together / Bride and her father in the wedding car
Groom getting ready e.g. tying tie, putting on jacket / Groom helping groomsmen get ready or vice versaGroom and best man / Groom and his attendants / Groom with his mother/ father and the both parents together /
Mother and father of the groom togetherCeremony
Guests walking into ceremony / Bride arriving to the ceremony
Bridesmaids walking down the aisle / Bride with her father walking down the aisle / Groom at the top of the altar waiting for his bride / Groom seeing bride for first time – our favourite! / Father of the bride handing over his daughter to the groom
Bride, groom and attendants at the altar / Shot of the guests from the bride and groom's point of view / Saying the vows
The exchange of rings / The kiss / The signing of the register / Bride and groom walking up the aisle / After the Ceremony
Bride and groom in the receiving line / Bride and groom outside the ceremony venue / Guests throwing confetti
Bride and her attendants / Groom with his attendants / Bride with groomsmen / Groom with bridesmaids
Bride, groom and their attendants / Bride, groom with their families / Bride, groom with his family / Bride, groom with her family
Mother and father of the bride / Mother and father of the groom / Both mothers together/ then both fathers together
Everyone in attendance / Bride and groom in the wedding car / Bride and groom in 'lovey-dovey' shotsReception
(David McClelland Photography)Bride and groom entering the reception / Decorations e.g. table centrepieces/ table settings / guest book etc.
The top table / The speeches
Guests' reaction to the speeches / Wedding cake / Cutting the cake / Bride and groom feeding each other cake / The first dance
(Christina Brosnan Photography)Bride and father dancing / Groom and mother dancing / Guests dancing / Groom removing the bride's garter / Bride throwing her bouquet
Creative Images
Bride & Groom having breakfasT / Bride & groom drinking champagne before the ceremony
A close up of the bride and groom’s shoes from under the dress/ and tuxLooking for a wedding photographer with their very own wedding checklist? Find one in the WOL Suppliers Directory.
Related Content
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Interview with Tara Fay
In case you haven't heard the best wedding news ever, let me enlighten you, Tara Fay, Ireland's premier bespoke wedding planner will be holding a wedding masterclass at Solis Lough Eske Castle Hotel in Donegal on September 26th and 27th!
So let me break this down...this means you can get wedding tips and advice from Ireland's best wedding planner at one of Ireland's bestest 5 star venues (and WeddingsOnline.ie Wedding Venue of the Year)...it's a no brainer. Oh and Joanne (the WOL Customer Service Manager) and I will be there too! I will be the girl grinning like a little school girl in the front row.
So here is an interview with the master herself, Tara Fay of Xena Productions.
What is your job exactly?
I am a wedding planner, the best way to describe what I do would be to say, I am your stage manager and you as the client are my directors. So I will take direction from you, but help and guide you in your decisions, but ultimately it is always your decision, as it’s your wedding!
How long have you been in wedding planning?
I set up Xena Productions in 1997 when I returned from Los Angeles where I worked with a party planner there, on weddings, parties and events all over California. I was the first company In Ireland to specialize in weddings and private parties.
What do you love most about your job?
Even though I work on all types and sizes of events, I love weddings the most. You are sharing in one of the most important life events of your client. I still keep in touch with loads of clients and get sent photos of new babies etc.
What do you think every bride should know before they start planning a wedding?
That it’s their wedding, so take advice but it’s your decision ultimately. Remember to enjoy it!
What’s the biggest mistake you see brides and grooms make?
Trying to do too much and keep too many people happy, that they forget about themselves and the commitment they are making to each other, and it’s only the week of the wedding that it hits them.
Why did you decide to team up with Solis Lough Eske to hold a wedding masterclass?
I think Lough Eske is such amazing venue (in fact it has been chosen as one of the most romantic venues in Ireland to get married and will feature on UTV next year), it really has tailored itself specifically for weddings, I would be hard pushed to find fault with it and believe me, I have looked! The fact that they are so focused on weddings and minding the couples gives me such confidence to partner with them for this masterclass. Also the venue is so relaxing it will enable the couples or the brides to relax and ask the questions they really want to.
What will the class entail (besides a chance to learn from the best!)?
Attendees will really have time to spend with each expert as there are times assigned for mini seminars, also the fact that each expert is on site for a day or two, will give couples the chance to ask questions face to face or come back and ask questions later, I always find couples remember the most important question five minutes after a meeting.
Will there be any tips for the budget conscious bride?
Each expert will be including budget and costs in their presentations, an amazing opportunity for brides and grooms to pick the brains of some of the industry’s best.
What are some practical wedding planning tips that attending brides will learn?
The hotel itself will talk people through planning a menu, stationary and calligraphy expert will talk through ordering the invitations and the time involved. I will be giving an overall planning masterclass and will be available to answer questions over both days. So in essence, it’s nearly a one to one consultation for each couple at the masterclass.
To book your place at the masterclass contact Solis Lough Eske Castle Hotel + 00353 (0) 74 97 25100!
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My Montage (every bride needs one... I’ve decided)
I was spending some time on the Budget Savvy Bride's blog and saw that she made a wedding montage of her wedding theme, colours, etc. I am a really visual person, so it is great to see how things will look side by side and as a whole. Obviously the montage is just your basic ideas and every good bride knows that ideas are anything but concrete, but it's nice to have a personal template for your wedding. Something you can come back to for inspiration and something that can keep you from getting sidetracked! You can find images on blogs and wedding websites. I got most of mine from theknot.com (because they literally have thousands of photos of everything you could possibly imagine) and the blogs Style me Pretty, Snippet and Ink (great for colour swatches and montages) and The Wedding Channel.
My head is filled with ideas and there are so many things I want! I made a couple montages before with different colours (and some of the same images) but blue is my final decision! I am really trying to reign myself in and stick to blues and cream. I think things could get very circus-like if I don't keep it simple.
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My Beauty Diary
This is an article in the latest issue of B Magazine, but I thought I would put it up because thanks to all the help I got, this beauty regime works...try it!
I have always feared being high maintenance. I strived to be the girl who wore hardly any make-up, who could be ready in 20 minutes and who was happy to throw her wet hair in a pony tail and call it good. It was not until I started working for a magazine that the reality hit me...I am high maintenance and... I like it. I don’t go anywhere without make-up on, I need at least an hour to get ready and I style my hair every day, I have about 15 different types of shampoos and conditioners and about 30 different types of hair and skin products that I use on a regular bases (not to mention the other 15 for special occasions) and my strict skincare regime is as constant in my life as my three meals a day. I know beauty is fleeting and that there are far more important things to worry about than the shade of my teeth, but I want to feel confident and beautiful as I walk up the aisle. So I called in the experts; I talked to Laura, owner of the reputable Advanced Laser Light.
Week 6: Beauty Reality Bites! I am going to need more than facials, mud masks and exfoliations to get my skin in tip top shape, so I made an appointment with Laura from Advanced Laser Light in Dublin.
Laser Acne Treatment: I was nervous at the thought of lasers, but I heard it was the best way to get to the core of problem areas. It was obvious Laura knew exactly what she was doing. The first thing she does with every bride is a consultation which includes something called skin mapping. She put my face under a special light which showed every single blemish, clogged pore and sun spot...to say it was frightening is an understatement, it was horrifying. All my years of sun beds and beach holidays have left disgusting marks underneath my skin; it made me want to cry. But Laura, being the kind and encouraging person that she is, was there to console my deepening insecurities by telling me that what I saw on my face is normal. She reminded me that the point of the skin mapping is for her to see how she can make my skin look the best it can, not make me want to cry.
She decided my most problematic area was the spots and pores on my chin and to do a low dose of the laser acne treatment for the area. Once again, the word ‘laser’ threw me a little, especially considering my extremely low pain threshold. But the treatment took about four minutes and felt like a little pinch, and then it was over. The lasers bring the bacteria to the surface in order to clear the pores. Laura warned me that I would break out after having the treatment. I have had quite a few spots the last couple days.
Find skincare products: I am trying Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturiser and La Roche Posay Effa Clar. I know that it is not the best time to be trying new products, but I have heard great things about these two. They seem to be just the thing to tone down breakouts and smooth my skin.
Hair Masque: I love Pureology, so I decided to try their Essential Repair Masque. The best thing to do is use it weekly from now till the wedding.
Week 5-The Tanning Bed Confession.... I have been completely stressed out this week. I am moving into a new apartment, and trying to get all our invitations out. My beauty routine is really the last thing on my mind; I did manage to fit in another trip to Laura at Advanced Laser Light.
Get a Facial: After my laser treatment last week, the next step was a Medibac facial. The facial lasted about an hour and half and was like heaven. It was just what I needed this week. Laura started by cleansing my skin, then a two part exfoliation and then she did the extractions (in laymen’s terms ‘spot popping’), she then did a relaxing neck and shoulder message and finished by applying a mask. I felt really refreshed and relaxed, and my skin is looking great.
The tanning begins! Confession... I use sun beds. I don’t condone it, but I abhor fake tan and the beds really are the most natural tan without actually going somewhere with sun. I started with five minutes; I am hoping to go a couple times every week, gradually adding minutes.
Week 4-Swine Flu Protection I haven’t been sleeping, my mind refuses to switch off at night and for the first time in my life, I have developed mouth ulcers, which I am told is caused by stress. I checked on WeddingsOnline.ie and it seems to be a common occurrence with brides.
Stock up on Vitamins: The chemist suggested I start taking a dose of vitamins every day which will help the ulcers and give my immune system a boast (one of the reasons I am not sleeping is fear of catching the swine flu). So I bought a daily vitamin drink full of all the different nutrients, I also picked up a pack for H2B!
Eye Brow Trial:My sister gave me a good piece of advice; get an eye brow wax trial a month before the wedding, this avoids the ‘missing half an eye brow’ disaster the week of the wedding.
Week 3- Skinsational Results My skin is looking great! After a couple weeks of breakouts from the various treatments, I can really see a big difference in how smooth my skin is. It is so rewarding to see the results after all the hard work.
Thread Vein Removal: I went into Advanced Laser Light one last time to have a couple unsightly thread veins removed around my nose. In all honesty, I had never paid attention to them before, but now that they are gone, I can see a big difference.
Exfoliating Facial: Laura was happy with the progress after the acne treatment, but wanted to do one more facial for deeper exfoliation and to close the pores to prevent further break outs.
Dermalogica Products: She sent me away with two items she calls miracle workers; Dermalogica Active Moist and the Daily Resurfacer. She said they would be just the thing to give my oily, acne prone skin that dewy bridal glow. I am using the Resurfacer for exfoliation every other day.
Week 2- Final Touches This week is about getting things done. I tried to be as prepared as possible, but with all the other wedding odds and ends, I have found it quite difficult to fit everything in.
Starflower Oil: Laura is known as my new best friend around the office. The woman is amazing! She recommended I start taking Starflower Oil tablets every day. Hormones are one of the major causes of blemishes, and the Starflower helps control the effect hormones have. I started yesterday and can already see a big difference
Final Hair Cut and Hair Dye: I want my hair to be as long as possible for the wedding day so I asked for a slight trim. I want it to look healthy, but also want to leave a bit of time for it to grow out again if there was a chopping disaster. I usually get a half head of highlights but this time I went for the full so that no matter which way I wear my hair, it would be covered.
Teeth Whitening: I picked up a pack of white strips. They are supposed to be used twice daily for 14 days. As an avid coffee drinker, my teeth desperately needed a little polish!
Week 1-So this is what it feels like... Even though I have been planning it for months, it’s the weirdest thing in the world that it’s actually here! I feel stressed, exhausted and genuinely happy. All I can think is...wow I am getting married (and gosh, my skin looks awesome)!
Hair Trial:I would have done this much earlier but my wedding is in America, so this is the only time I can do it. I scoured the internet and magazines before our appointment and brought a photo into show her what I wanted. I had used the stylist before for a wedding so I knew I liked her, and my trial went great!
Final Tan: Five days before the wedding I had my last tanning session.
Make-up Trial:Again, this would have been better much earlier but I am very pleased with what we have decided to do.
Massage:Stress causes breakouts and under eye circles, so the massage was a must (or so I told my penny pinching fiancé).
Get Some Sleep: This is much easier said than done, my mind is going a million miles a minute. I really don’t want to be exhausted on my wedding day and that tired droopy eyed look is near impossible to hide.
Contact Laura at Advanced Laser light:
Advanced Laser Light
Dublin, Cork, Limerick
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