A must-have for all DIY enthuasiasts. Packed full of projects, and cheap as chips on everyones fave online shop amazon.com.
DIY Projects for Brides to Be.
Buy your Wedding DIY Book here
Also by the same author:
Craft Projects for the DIY Bride
Buy your DIY Wedding Book here
Wedding Suit Hire Disasters
Hiring a suit can be more difficult than you think! Make sure you research the company well before handing over your cash.
In the last few years a very well-known Irish suit-hire company has appeared to lose its sparkle. I used them for my own wedding in 2003 and everything went according to plan. However reports have been rife on missing shoes, wrong sizes and shoddy accessories.
Here are some things you must check before your big day:
- Ring the shop to check all the bridal party have been measured and fitted.
- Get your bridal party to make note of their sizes (which can be checked off on collection.)
- Request that you collect the suits at least two days before the wedding day. If you collect them the night before and by the time you get home, it might be too late to exchange.
- Get your bridal party to try on shoes, trousers, shirts, cufflinks, every last clip should be fastened before the eve of your wedding!
Feel free to add any tips you may have in the comments below.
After a year of nominations we had a superb shortlist with some of Ireland’s top wedding suppliers, of course we had to narrow it down and here is the list of the winners voted by you!
Some statistics on the awards:
It was Ireland’s very first Online Wedding Awards
There were over 800 postal entries
There were over 950 email entries
There were 10,688 votes counted online
Links to the winners websites: (COMING SOON)
Due to the phenomenal interest in the awards 2009, we’ll soon be releasing information for the 2010 awards, so keep an eye out on the website for more information.
Earlier in the year RealWeddings.ie launched the very first online awards recognising the hard work and dedication from wedding suppliers.
We’ve received hundreds of nominations to date, and after the closing date we will be announcing the shortlist on the blog for you to vote once again for your favourites.
September the 30th is the very last day you can vote for your fave supplier.
Nomination Form – To get yours:
-You can copy and paste from below
-Email us on awards@realweddings.ie
———————————————————————————————————————————–
NAME:
DATE OF WEDDING:
Other Comments:
You can email your nomination form back to awards@realweddings.ie
Postal Address: RealWeddings.ie, Supplier Awards 2009, 44 Seacrest, Balbriggan St, Skerries, Co Dublin.
If you’ve ever been to a wedding fair, you’ll have seen all the elegant well turned-out stands. The work that goes in to each stand is really important, as it is what the bride first sees and gets attracted to. Sinead and Lorraine and Rosiedays.com put so much effort in and got lots of comments from the brides, that we thought we should post some before and after pics.
The result as you can see was a fab vintage style stand. Don’t forget to check out the blog next week for some close-up’s on the bouquets by RosieDays.com
We chatted to the owner of IrishRedCarpets.com last week and here is how is went:
RW: Why does a bride choose a red carpet?
IRC: The bride and groom might choose to have the red carpet to make their ceremony venue a little bit more special. Our carpets are brand new and they can really make a difference in any church or venue. Some couples also choose to have one if the current carpet or lino in their church is a bit tired.
RW: Is it really necessary though?
IRC: Nothing is absolutely necessary, it is entirely up to the couple what they would like out of their big day. We are very aware that the current economic climate will tighten up a lot of belts, so we offer a competitive rate for our services.
RW: Explain your typical day with a wedding.
IRC: Most of the time we will visit the church prior to the wedding day. On the actual day itself, we travel to the venue. Lay the carpet (It takes two), and ensure it is secure and nobody will be tripping over it! We wait for the bride to arrive and then during the mass, we might pop off for a coffee. After the mass and everyone has left, we roll up and get ready to go home.
RW: Have you ever had any unusual requests?
IRC: Well we’ve been asked to cover and entire room with our carpet, the room was for a reception.
RW: Can you cover small aisles?
IRC: Yes, we have a range of carpets, from the short to the very long.
RW: How about a discount for RealWeddings.ie users?
IRC: Of course! Just mention RealWeddings.ie when you are booking and we will look after you.
RW: Any advice to brides and grooms?
IRC: Just have a wonderful day, and if you are looking at getting a carpet contact us and we can guide you through everything.
RW: One more thing, can you show us a recent wedding photo you did?
IRC: Sure, here you go.
A fairytale wedding is what a lot of girls dream about growing up. Now you can have it!
Markree Castle is one of the most stunning venues you will ever see in your life. The authentic Victorian atmosphere seeps from every wall. The gardens alone will amaze both you and your guests; the perfect location for your wedding photographs.
We sifted through the wedding pack, and were amazed at how reasonable it actually is to hold your fairytale wedding at Markree Castle. Here are some excerpts of the wedding brochure for 2009:
Your Fairytale Wedding
In our magnificent restaurant you will play host to up to 170 guests, having first entertained them to a lavish reception in front of a blazing log fire or in our beautiful mature gardens on warm summer days. Our wine cellar hosts a selection of over 200 wines for you to choose from, and evening receptions can be easily tailored to your wishes. Dance the night away on our large dance-floor and enjoy a complimentary bar extension.
We have 30 guest bedrooms, each unique and individually styled, with views over the gardens or surrounding countryside, and are happy to offer a discount to all wedding guests. Our neighbours, Homefarm apartments, only a few minutes’ walk away, can accommodate many more.
Your Banquet
Our castle cellar contains some 200 bins from which you can choose your wine. Samples of our house wine are included in your tasting though you are welcome to select anything off our list for the big day! You are also free to bring your own, for a reasonable corkage fee.
Wedding Banquet (per person) €56.00 Wine from €20.00 per bottle
with Soup/Sorbet Course €59.00 Wine Corkage €12.50 per bottle
Your Castle
We are delighted to be able to offer you Markree Castle as your exclusive venue for your big day. Your guests will be amazed by its splendour and privacy. Markree is your castle for the day and we will tailor everything to suit your individual needs. Use of the castle and gardens will be reserved for you and your guests alone, making for the ultimate, unique celebration of your new life together.
Friday – Saturday Sunday – Thursday
May-September €3000 €2000
October-April €2000 €1000
New Year’s Eve €4000 €4000
Included in Exclusive Use:
Your Ceremony
We are delighted to be able to offer the castle wedding room, in the former family chapel, as the location for your wedding ceremony. New legislation allows you to use this very special venue for your civil marriage ceremony. The restored Victorian chapel is also available for blessings of every denomination and religion. This stunning venue for your union makes Markree the ultimate location for couples looking for a unique and awe-inspiring wedding and memories that will last a lifetime. The Sligo area is also home to many of Ireland’s architecturally renowned and beautiful churches and we would be happy to provide you with details of these.
To discuss your civil ceremony and check the availability of the registrar, please contact
071-9155100.
Alternatively ask us for contact details of local churches. Hire of the former Chapel is €250 per day, including set up and flower arrangement.
Download the full brochure. Alternatively give them a call on
Phone: 071 9167800 . International: +353 71 9167800 . Fax: 071 9167840
Not everyone wants to get dolled up in white for their big day, but there are lot of options for brides who want to escape white/ivory.
Here we show you some great examples of wedding dresses in various colours:
1. Hope from Scarlett Bridal. Co. Clare http://www.scarlettbrides.com/
2. Bliss Bridal, Co. Limerick http://www.blissbridal.ie
3. Belladonna. Co. Galway – http://www.belladonnagalway.com/
4. Amore Bridal. Co. Cork http://www.amorebridalwear.com
5. My Dress. Carrick-on-Suir http://www.mydressbridalwear.ie
We had the ultimate pleasure in tasting a cake created by Sweet Jepsons. It is one of those things you eat and cannot stop thinking about it. So Karen if you ever have any spare cakes left hanging around, please send them on to the RealWeddings.ie offices and we’ll look after them no problem!
Delicious!
Here are samples of Cake types & flavour:
Here are the samples of fillings & icings:
Karen who runs Sweet Jepsons is based in Skerries, Co Dublin can be contacted by:
Phone: 01 8492774
info@sweetjepsons.ie
Web Contact Form
We wanted to get to the bottom of prices in Ireland of engagement rings in particular. No surprises here when we discovered a massive mark-up on all diamond products. We traveled to DiamondLand in Antwerp late last year and were shocked at the price difference.
We compared some jewellery sold in Antwerp with Fields Jewellers in Ireland. Fields has a reputation of good value, so we took a closer look.
First of all we saw this ring, they are similar in size and the 4 C’s
Fields Jewellers
Fields Jewellers €4,500
DiamondLand
DiamondLand €1,926
Fields Jewellers
Fields - €3,950
DiamondLand
DiamondLand - €1,828
Quite a difference in both those rings, but they were just a couple to choose from a wide range. Check it out for yourself.