Final Wedding Planning Tips

May 9th, 2011

So here’s what you’ve done so far:

1) Got engaged
2) Chosen the bestman and bridesmaid
3) Picked and booked the venue
4) Sorted the guestlist (sent out save the date cards)
5) Planned out your budget
6) Ordered the cake
7)Picked your colour scheme
8) Ordered your flowers
9) Booked the wedding photographer
10) Found the wedding transportation

…. so what comes next.

Wedding Invitations

Wedding Invitations

Now the point at which you send out your wedding invitations differs with every person that you speak to. For me personally… I think that you should get in there are soon as possible. You never know who is going to decide to plan a birthday party, holiday or their own wedding on the day of your wedding! The sooner you get your wedding invitations out, the sooner you are booked into the diary. It’s convention however to get the invites sent at least 6-8 weeks before the event. Once your invites are sent, you just have to wait for the RSVP’s!

Bridesmaid Dresses

Bridesmaid Dresses

In the meantime I hope you will have been looking for your wedding dress… because now we’re onto the fun part of the wedding … the clothes. Let’s start with the groomsmen and the brides male family members first. Once you have your colour scheme you’ll be able to easily pick your clothes, but first you need to decide on the style of clothing you would like. Is it a simple wedding as well as casual? Is it extremely formal so requiring top hat and tails? If you go to a reputable tailors who specialise in wedding garments, you’ll be able to explain exactly what you want and hopefully they’ll be able to create the exact look and style that you had in mind. Tip of day! – It’s good to have all the groomsmen matching, so that they look in keeping with the theme of the wedding. The bestman might have a slightly different coloured tie or top hat to show his role in the wedding. But a matching line up of the groom and the groomsmen will look lovely!

The bride may also want her Father and any brothers to wear matching clothes to the groomsmen or perhaps something similar with a dash of difference to show that

The Groomsmen's Wardrobe

The Groomsmen's Wardrobe

they are from the brides side! Variety is the spice of life. Just think clearly about what you want, ask to see photographs from weddings that the tailor has previously dressed or look in bridal magazines to find exactly what you are looking for.

Tip of the day! Make sure you clarify with the groomsmen if they are paying for their suits or if you will be footing the bill. Also allocate someone to collect all the suits on a designated date.

Now it’s onto the ladies.

The bride should have been looking for the perfect dress right from the start… that’s pretty much a given. I’m sure any newly engaged girl will start scouring through bridal magazines and the internet to see what styles are popular and in fashion. But now we’re at the point where we need to choose the bridesmaid dresses. It’s probably easiest to buy the dresses from the same shop that you intend to purchase your wedding dress. That way all the fittings can take place at the same time and you can see what the bridal line up is going to be like. Ensure that you clarify with the bridesmaids who will be paying for the dresses. Choose dresses that are simple, you don’t want them to detact from the wedding dress… also ensure that the colours of the dresses match your colour scheme. Now here is a little bit of advice…. some bridesmaid will moan and gripe about the dress and try and make you feel guilty. If you like a style of dress and think it works well… then stick to it. DO NOT GIVE IN TO YOUR BRIDESMAIDS. They are not the ones organising your wedding, it is your big day and you need to have it the way that you want it. Don’t be rude though and listen to their suggestions.

When you have chosen the dresses and the suits you need to get all the finishing touches. Like cufflinks, shoes for the groomsmen, hair clips and pins, jewellery and shoes for the bridesmaids. If you try and get this all sorted out around about the same time you’ll know that you’ll have everything sorted out and you can tick that off your list.

Along with the clothes you’ll need to sort out the catering. This may have already been covered when you booked the venue. If that is the case, then just reconfirm the

Wedding Caterers

Wedding Caterers

menu and it’s always good to have a taste test just to make sure that you are happy with the food that they are going to serve. If you have to arrange external caterers then get out the yellow pages and get in contact with at least five different companies in your local area. You don’t want the caterers to be arriving from Scotland if you live in Dorset… it’s going to cost you a fortune. First of all do a price comparison, then give them your proposed menu and do a taste test. Make sure you tell them if you require waiter service or if you will be having a buffet. Some caterers do not offer waiters so they should be crossed off the list straight away, you need to have some people at least serving the food or bringing it out to the buffet and dealing with refills!!

Now plan out the seating chart. Some people don’t like seating charts, they just reserve a few tables at the front of the venue for the immediate family and close friends. Everyone else can then sit where they want to. I personally think that is the best idea. It’s less hassle and people are not likely to get offended.

A lot of people will be involved with the planning process whether it is the parents of the bride and groom, the bestman, the vicar, the caterers, the bridesmaids and ushers to name a few… each of these people will be taking time out of their day to ensure that you have the wedding of your dreams. If that is that case then you should certainly remember to thank them. WeddingGifts2U offers a huge range of thank you wedding gifts for you to choose from. They are unique wedding gifts, something a little bit different to show your appreciation. Whether you are looking for a thank you best man gifts or bridesmaid gifts.. there is a lovely selection to choose from.

In our next post we will be providing you with a wedding checklist… it will help with the stress of the big day!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in WeddingGifts2U.co.uk Posts | No Comments »

Wedding Planning Tips

May 6th, 2011

Before we get back to discussing your wedding and how to plan it so there is almost zero stress for you… here are a few tips and tricks of the trade that you might want to jot down or remember. They will help you no end and will certainly make your life a lot easier on the big day! Why are we giving away these secrets I hear you ask?! Because we want you to have the best and most wonderful day imaginable!

Wedding Hair - you wouldn't want to ruin this!

Wedding Hair - you wouldn't want to ruin this!

1) When you’re having your hair styled on your wedding day, you’ll usually have this done before you put your dress on, so as to protect the dress! Wear a shirt. Many brides wear a t-shirt, then struggle to get it over their newly coiffeured head. If you wear a shirt it can be unbuttoned and will not damage your hairdo.

2) Dress the bride first. Lots of people dress the bride last so everyone is ready to help, but if plans start to run behind it will be the bride who is in a rush to get dressed. If you dress the bride first she can get ready at her own pace, feel relaxed and have time to make any adjustments to her dress for maximum comfort. It is not the bride’s job to dress the bridesmaids or any children – make sure you have plenty of helpers to do this so that she can enjoy her wedding day.

Essential Wedding Planning Tips!

Essential Wedding Planning Tips!

3) For the groom and the groomsmen, this may seem obvious, but remember your socks! Far too many grooms get married without socks and it can sometimes be seen on photographs.

4) If your dress has laces or buttons, ask a friend to come and help you dress. Often a bridesmaid or family member will be there for bridal preparations, but it is likely that they may also have false nails for the occasion. If you have a friend present who isn’t in the bridal party they will be able to help the bride to get dressed.

5) Make sure that the mobile phones of the bridesmaids are fully charged in case there are any emergencies. However TURN them OFF during the ceremony.

6) Ideally you should try to go for small heels or flat shoes, you’re going to be on your feet for most of the day and your feet will ache a whole lot. It might even ruin your big day slightly if your feet are in agony.

7) Find a “handyman” – someone who can fix everything and anything. He should be about throughout the wedding and reception just in case something goes wrong. He might not be part of the wedding party but this guy will certainly deserve a thank you wedding gift!

8) If you have any niggling problems that have been bothering you for a while – problem skin, discoloured teeth, excess weight – start tackling them at least six months before the wedding. A quick trip to your doctor or dentist could give you the solution you need to feel confident on your wedding day and on into your married life. This may even be the perfect time to give out your bridesmaid gifts by taking them to a spa to show them just how much you appreciate them!

10) All eyes will be on your hands when it comes to the exchanging of the rings, so don’t forget look after them (or your feet for when you kick off your heels at the reception later). Go for a manicure and pedicure every few weeks for about six months before the wedding and remember to moisturise at least every morning and night when you’re at home. Better still, keep your favourite hand cream in your desk at work and top up whenever your hands start to feel dry.

11) There may be a lot of planning to fit in before the big day, but making sure you get at least eight hours of sleep every night will banish dark circles and eye bags and do wonders for the rest of your skin. It will boost your energy levels and decrease your stress levels too.

12) Your wedding party will be heaviliy involved in your wedding. It’s important to remember the bridesmaid gifts, bestman gifts and other thank you wedding gifts. You want to show your wedding party that you appreciate them.

Can you think of any important tips that the bride and groom might need to remember before the big day?? Add your comments below!

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in How to plan a wedding, WeddingGifts2U.co.uk Posts | No Comments »

More Wedding Planning Tips

May 3rd, 2011

We’re getting closer and closer to the big day and there is still lots of planning to do!

So we’ve got the bestman and bridesmaids, you’ve chosen your Maid of Honour, the venue is booked, you’ve clarified your wedding budget and finalised the wedding list. Now it’s time to start thinking about the details. The first of these being…

The Colour Scheme. A colour scheme can unify the look of your wedding. You should choose a colour that means something to you. It’s great if you can get the trimmings of the groomsmen attire and the bridesmaids dresses to fit in with the colour scheme. It is not just the flowers and the table settings that need to match!

Order the cake. The cake takes a very long time to make… and thus it is a good idea to get it ordered well in advance. A lot of cake makers are booked up well in advance too. Once you have the guest list sorted out it is a good idea to get onto the cake making train, taste a few and see which one you like the best. You may want to have a very unique style of cake designed, and so that might take a bit of planning. A new trend that has become popular over the past couple of years is the ‘cupcake’ – these are a small cake that fit in with the larger wedding cake. Bitsize pieces of the wedding cake and they look beautiful.

Wedding Flowers - Order these in advance!

Wedding Flowers - Order these in advance!

Flowers. No wedding is complete without flowers. The look stunning and smell divine too. Again make sure that they match your colour scheme. The wedding venue may have contacts who can dress the venue with the flowers to your specification or your may need to speak to a florist to discuss your needs. It might be an idea to take the florist to the wedding venue so that they can visualise exactly what you want. Ordering the flowers in advance means that you will know what is in season and also your florist will have plenty of time to get the flowers ready, ordering last minute will mean that you may not get the flowers you want, but not only this the florist may not have the capacity to deal with the order.

The wedding photographer and videographer… during wedding season photographers will be flat out. Great

Choose the right wedding photographer! These are your cherished memories.

Choose the right wedding photographer! These are your cherished memories.

for business but bad for you, unless you book early. You want to get a reputable photographer to take your wedding photos, you never know what you will get otherwise. Look at their portfolio to see work they have already done, don’t just choose the first one that you find… shop around and see what and who else is out there. Your wedding photos are your keepsakes from the big day, you want them to be perfect.

Wedding Car - what will you have?The wedding cars. How will you be getting to and from the venue? Are you having the wedding in a hotel… so will all the guests be staying there with you (with others arriving on the big day)? or will you need to arrange cars to get you too and from the wedding reception? The chariot that will whisk the bride and groom away in to the sunset after the wedding festivities are over is the jurisdiction of the best man. Again look around for a company that specialises in wedding transportation, you may want to arrive on a horse and carriage but be taken to the reception in a limo… whatever you choose just ensure that you arrange this… else you might be arriving to the church in a beat up reliant robin!

There are still a couple of details left to discuss and our wedding check list to come too so stay tuned for more wedding tips!

Tip of the day:

Speak to customers who have used the companies you intend to use for your wedding, photos only show one side of the story… it’s always good to hear feedback. It helps you make important decisions.

If you haven’t found all your thank you wedding gifts yet (bridesmaid gifts, best man gifts and usher gifts) then fear not: www.weddinggifts2u.co.uk has everything you could possibly need for your wedding.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in How to plan a wedding, WeddingGifts2U.co.uk Posts | No Comments »

Wedding Planning Continued

April 28th, 2011

Yesterday we were talking about the first stages of planning a wedding… now let’s move onto what you will need to do next. So just to recap.. you’ve got engaged, chosen your wedding party, picked a date and found the venue. Hard work is done? No.

Oh wait you’ve started looking for your dress too! Good idea.

Now most people plan their weddings over about a year, some need less time. But let’s run with the idea that your wedding is going to take place in about a year. From the point you get engaged and choose the date that gives you about a month and half to find the perfect venue. If you haven’t found it by now… then come on get yourself in gear and find it. The venue will also determine your guest list. If you find the perfect place to get married but can only fit 200 people in it, then deal with that. There will only be 200 people at your wedding!

Moving on to the next item on the agenda – the wedding budget.

You’ll have been thinking about this from the start, you’ll need to know your budget before you book the venue of your choice. Even if you have a rough idea, you’ll know exactly what you have left to play with once the venue is booked. Don’t set your heart on something you can’t afford. Your wedding is supposed to be the day filled with happiness, not stress that you’ve just paid out for something that your going to be paying back for the rest of your life. Decide how the wedding is going to be paid for from the beginning – are you, the happy couple going to be footing the bill for the whole or will other people contribute to the wedding.. i.e. the mother and father of the bride? Using a spreadsheet to keep a track of costs is a very good idea. When you think you’re about to go over budget, you can have a rethink about what you’re going to do instead of, or think of how you will cover that cost without causing problems elsewhere.

The venue determines the guestlist. Some people prefer to write the guestlist first and then find the venue. Personally I think if you know where the wedding is going to take place, it will help make the decision of who you should invite and who you should cut from the list. It’s good to start with the family first… afterall they helped raise you, then move onto friends and after that think about the people who have had a positive impact on your life and who you believe will be a great addition to your wedding. Your parents will suggest or maybe demand to have certain people at the wedding. You have to be strong at this point, it’s your big day afterall not theirs. But at that same time, remember that they are just as excited as you are, possibly more so. Have some tact before you shut down their wedding guest list suggestions. It is a good idea to have a finalised list before you even start writing the invites. Send out the the invitations about there months before the wedding. Alot of couples now send out save the date cards about 6 months before the wedding just to make sure that no other plans can be made!

Decide whether you will be having a religious ceremony or a civil ceremony. You might already have this covered when you choose your wedding venue, or you might have to organise this seperately, especially if you intend to married in a church. Just like the venue this needs to be booked well in advance. The type of ceremony you choose is something that you will need to discuss with your partner to make sure you are both happy.

These are the important things to remember when your in the beginning stages of your wedding planning. When you have both the place where both the wedding and the reception will take place you can start thinking about colour schemes and seating arrangements. When you have the guestlist you can start thinking about wedding favours.

Tip of the day!

When you are looking for your wedding dress remember to try it on with the shoes you intend to wear at the wedding. The height of your heels can completely alter the style of the wedding dress.

You will need to buy thank you wedding gifts for your bridesmaids, bestman, ushers, mother of the bride etc and all these wedding gifts will add to the cost of the wedding, it might be a good idea to start purchasing these gifts while you are planning the wedding to spread out the cost. Just an idea.

Tags: , ,
Posted in How to plan a wedding, WeddingGifts2U.co.uk Posts | No Comments »

Wedding Planning

April 27th, 2011

Wedding Planning

Wedding Planning

How to plan a wedding?

I’ve decided to write a few posts about wedding planning and the problems that are associated with it. Being from a very large family, there have been numerous weddings in my family but not only that I’ve been involved and invited to so many throughout my life too. I love weddings, but I can always see how stressed out and angry people get during the planning process and to be honest that is not something that should be happening, a wedding is a happy occasion and a chance to celebrate! Remember that and some of these tips… I intend to expand on them in future posts, but this one is just to give you a quick crash course in planning a wedding.

Firstly as the bride and groom you need surround yourself with people that you can trust and rely on. Before you even think about the venue I believe that you should choose you bestman and bridesmaids. Your parents will be there for you no matter what, and probably get a little more involved than you would like them too. Your bestman and bridesmaids are there just for you. You’ve asked them to help you so that your big day can run as smoothly as possible and so that your stress levels stay as low as possible. That’s a lot of the reason why we suggest thinking about giving bestman gifts and bridesmaid gifts to show how much you appreciate how much they’ve helped you. Once you’ve picked these “aides”, you can move onto the next point of attention. One thing to remember while you’re planning the wedding is who has helped you and got stuck in and involved – when it comes to choosing thank you gifts you want to ensure that you don’t forget anyone.

Tip of the Day! – Keep a note book and pen to hand, you’ll see things all the time, like people helping, flowers that you like to the look of or a shop that you need to go and check out as that might be the place that has your perfect wedding dress! You’re not a superhero, you can’t remember everything. Write it down. I’m not getting married and I still have a notebook and pen in my handbag, just in case I see something that will be worth writing about, something that might help those of you who are planning a wedding.

Before you do any planning you need to work out two main things, the first is the date. If you don’t have a date, you can’t book a venue, if you don’t have a venue where do you seat everyone? Wedding venues get booked up so far in advance, if you leave picking the date and the venue to a few days before you send out the invites you’re in a bit of a mess and unless you are printing the invites yourself… you’re going to need to know well in advance so that the details can be printed on to the invites. Pick a date. Then choose the venue, get this out of the way, well in advance… once you know the venue, you can choose colours schemes, flowers, table decorations and bridesmaid dresses. All of this can be finalised once you have the venue sorted out!

So these are my first few tips… when you’ve done that come back for the next installments. So to recap, you need to do the following:

1) Get engaged
2) Choose your Bridesmaids and Bestman
3) Pick a date
4) Find the perfect wedding venue…

Ok… you can also be looking for the wedding dress during this time too. The males of the wedding party have it easy, they will probably wear exactly what the bride tells them too, the bride however has a tougher job of finding the perfect dress… the dress in which she is going to marry the love of her life. This takes times… so factor that in. In fact start doing that as soon as you decide you’re going to get married. Get magazines like “Brides” and you’ll be able to see what is in fashion and also look at the most wonderful designers. You may not have the budget for a designer wedding dress, but magazines will certainly give you an idea of what you might want.

So..
5) Start looking for your wedding dress.

Check back soon for more wedding planning articles, we will also be developing a wedding checklist for you to help with your planning. Having a wedding planning checklist in front of you might help you remember things that you haven’t jotted down in your notebook!

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in WeddingGifts2U.co.uk Posts | No Comments »

Champagne Gifts As A Bride Gift

April 26th, 2011

Champagne Sets

Champagne Sets

Champagne Gifts As Bride Gifts.

When you find out that your best friend is getting married… how do you feel? Joyful, excited and happy. That’s exactly how you should be feeling. She’s decided to spend the rest of her life with the man she loves. If you are close friends with the bride and want to give her a special gift for her wedding day to show her how happy you are for her exciting future then I think that you should consider giving a champagne gift. Champagne is one of the few drinks that we associate with celebration and what more of an occasion to celebrate than at a wedding. When you give a bride gift you want to give something that shows you are excited as well as supportive of her new life ahead of her. A champagne gift does just that. There are a few types of champagne gifts that you give – personalised champagne (our personalised champagne allows you to design your own champagne label by either uploading photos and graphics to the label and then adding text to the label. It’s a simple idea but creates a beautiful and memorable gift. Some people have no idea where to start when it comes to designing but that’s ok… we’ve designed a whole range of labels that you might want to choose from), engraved champagne is another option, a luxurious gift. There is something about engraving that gives a class that extra bit of class. However the only thing with champagne is that once it is drunk, it is gone.

There is an alternative, that still has a champagne vibe… this alternative is engraved champagne flutes. Champagne flutes really are a beautiful gift especially when they are engraved. They just look luxurious. The nice thing about champagne flutes is that you can engrave each flute with a personalised message and create something really unique. Engraved flutes really do make a lovely bride gift… something special.

If you want to combine a champagne gift and a set of engraved champagne flutes you could also give both? Why not…? It’s a wedding and a celebration afterall. I’d give both… the champagne can be drunk, drunk out of the flutes that I gave. The bottle will be thrown away (perhaps) but the flutes will be kept and hopefully used for years to come. Although a champagne gift makes a wonderful bride gift… and you could give it at the bridal shower, it also makes a great gift for the groom too! I’m sure he’ll be quite happy to sample a drop of champagne.

A lot of our customer give the happy couple a set of engraved flutes, quite simply because flute can be engraved with a message for the groom and the other flute can be engraved with a message for the bride… although it is a gift for the couple, the flutes are also individual gifts too. Personalisation gives the gifts a sense of sentimentality too.

Whatever you choose to give as a Bride Gift., remember the bride only intends to get married once… give a gift that shows how happy you are for this union.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Bride Gifts, WeddingGifts2U.co.uk Posts | No Comments »

Usher Gifts

April 15th, 2011

Ushers

Ushers

Usher Gifts:

Our focus yesterday was on best man gifts, today let’s talk about another set of groomsmen – the ushers. Who are the ushers and what do they do? The ushers are chosen by the groom and his best man and are usually brothers, close relatives or friends (which covers just about anyone!) of the bride and groom. As a general guide you will need an usher for each 50 guests. Traditionally the ushers are the responsibility of the best man, who ensures they know their duties. But what are the Usher duties:

- Arrange to purchase or hire clothes and agree who will pay for them
- Confirm final travel arrangements with the best man and any other ushers, including the time of arrival at the church or register office.
- Obtain for the best man a list of family and guests who should be personally escorted to their seats.
- Attend the wedding rehearsal if required.
- Collect any hired clothing and accessories.
- Collect buttonholes and order of service sheets from the brides home.
- Arrive at the church at least half an hour before the ceremony is due to start.
- At the church Help with car parking facilities.
- Greet the guests and hand out the buttonholes, order of service sheets and maps showing the route to the reception.
- Ensure the officiant has order of service sheets for the bride and groom.
- Seat couples with young babies and children near the exit.
- Escort the brides mother and appropriate guests to their seats.
- Assist the photographer.
- Ensure the church is left tidy and check for any left property and unused order of service sheets.
- Ensure all guests have transport to the reception

The ushers are the troops of the Bestman, they make sure that everything runs smoothly and help the bestman achieve full efficiency! So yesterday I mentioned that the bestman deserved a big pat on the back for his contribution to the wedding festivities, but it seems to me that the Ushers do a pretty good as well as important job too, so doesn’t it seem fair that they should be shown appreciation too. The ushers are like the bridesmaids of the groom, like the bestman is the equivalent to the Maid of Honour and just as the bridesmaids are given thank you wedding gifts, so should the ushers. Below are a few suggestions as to what you could give the ushers as thank you usher gifts:

Usher Engraved Gifts

Usher Engraved Gifts

1) Engraved Cufflinks: These are a simple gift, that can be engraved with either a short thank you message or the initials of the ushers. Although a very simple gift, they are a thoughtful gift as any engraving takes time and planning. You may choose to give the same engraved cufflinks to all the ushers but the fact that they are each individually personalised means that they will have sentimental value. Cufflinks are also used on a regular basis, in fact quite probably everytime a suit is worn!

2) Engraved Whisky/Engraved Vodka: These are a fun gift as well as a sentimental gift. Depending on whether your ushers prefer a drop of whisky or a shot of vodka, each of the bottle gifts can be engraved with a personalised message of your choice. These are a very popular gift for ushers.

3) Engraved Lighters: Lighters are also really simple gift. Perhaps they could just be seen as a

Engraved Lighters

Engraved Lighters

token gift too. But an engraved lighter is something that can be used on a regular basis. If one of your ushers is a smoker then this would make a great gift for him. Engrave it with a personal message to create unique gift. If another of your ushers likes going camping and is a big fan of the outdoors then an engraved zippo lighter would be the perfect addition to his camping kit.

4) Personalised Champagne: This is a really fun gift as you are able to design the champagne gift label with a design of your choice either by uploading images and graphics and adding them to the label, and then adding a personalised message to the label. Or by choosing from one of the many thank you designs that we have create for you. A lot of our customers upload photos of them with their ushers as well as adding a special message to the label too. It’s an interesting and unique thank you gift.

5) Engraved Champagne: If you like the idea of giving a champagne gift but what to give more of a luxury gift idea then engraved champagne seems like the perfect gift to give to your ushers. Engrave the bottles with a personalised message of your choice. Although you can’t add images or graphics to these engraved bottles, they do make beautiful thank you gifts.

Those are just a few usher gift ideas there are plenty more to choose from. To see our full range of specially selected usher gifts, follow this link: www.weddinggifts2u.co.uk/usher-gifts.htm

What would you give as an Usher Gift?

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in WeddingGifts2U.co.uk Posts | No Comments »

Top 10 Bestman Gifts

April 14th, 2011

The Bestman

The Bestman

Top 10 Bestman Gifts

So yesterday we were talking about the bridesmaids and how we should thank them for all their hard work making the brides big day as special as it can be. But what about the groom’s side? Let’s talk today about the Bestman. He too has to put up with a lot… here is a list of a few of his duties:

- Organise the stag party.
- Prepare your speech for the reception.
- Compile a list of close family members who should have special seating arrangements at the ceremony and share the infomation with the ushers.
- Visit the ceremony and the reception venues with the bride and groom to check on timings, parking arrangements etc.
- Check the groom has all the necessary documents for the ceremony and the honeymoon. Double check their passports and visas.
- Attend the wedding rehearsal.
- Liaise with the ushers on the final arrangements.
- Check for roadworks, diversions, carnivals etc taking place on the wedding day that may effect timings or the route.
-Arrange transport for the groom and self to ceremony.
- Arrange transport to and from the reception.
- Arrange going away car for the bride and groom from the reception if required.
- Make a note of details and availability of emergency taxi companies.

These are just his duties before the big day even arrives. There is a lot of pressure on the Bestman so just like your bridesmaids it’s important to show him how much you appreciate him with a great bestman gift. I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 bestman gifts that you could possibly give:

1) Engraved Cufflinks: Men regularly wear suits and a fine addition to any suit is a set

Bestman Cufflink

Bestman Cufflink

of cufflinks. We have a wonderful range of engraved cufflinks for you to choose from. Each one could be engraved with the initials of your bestman or even a short message. Engraved cufflinks are the kind of gift that would be used for years to come after the wedding.

2) Engraved Whisky/Engraved Vodka: If your bestman likes his tipple then one of our engraved spirits would make the perfect bestman gift for him. It’s a fun gift idea as well as thoughtful. The engraved whisky or engraved vodka can be personalised with an engraved message… you can write pretty much anything from a simple thank you note or a special saying that you and your bestman – lots of customers like to put verses about the importance of friendship. It’s up to you, but it’s a great gift idea.

3) Engraved Pens: An engraved pen seems like a very simple gift to give someone but we use pens all the time. Maybe giving an engraved pen wouldnt be such as bad idea as it would be used quite regularly… and every your best man writes with that pen he’ll remember that you gave it to him as a thank you for being part of your wedding. It’s the simplest things.

4) Engraved Champagne: Champagne is the drink of choice when it comes down to

engraved champagne

Engraved Champagne

celebrating and what better reason to celebrate than at a wedding. Your bestman deserves a celebration too, so a bottle of champagne seems like the perfect gift to give him to say thank you. Engraved champagne is a luxury gift, something really special. Your bestman is a special guy, show him you think so too with a bottle of engraved champagne.

5) Engraved Lighters: Lighters are just like engraved pens, a really simple gift. But something that can be used on a regular basis. If your bestman is a smoker then this would make a great gift for him. Engraved it with a personal message to create unique gift. If your bestman likes going camping and is a big fan of the outdoors then an engraved zippo lighter would be the perfect addition to his camping kit.

6) Engraved Tankards: It’s great to head out for a beer with the boys, so an engraved tankard seems like a great gift. Your bestman can put his feet up and take a swig from his very own beer glass. There are lots of engraved tankards available both engraved glass tankards and metal engraved tankards.

7) Engraved Wine: If you don’t have the budget for wine and your bestman is not too partial a drop of whisky or vodka then a great bestman gift would be a wine gift. Engraved wine is just as much a luxury gift as champagne and in the same way that a bottle of engraved champagne can be personalised with a unique message, so can a wine gift. It’s a simple yet thoughtful gift idea.

8) Engraved Hipflask: This fun gift is a great idea if you are looking for a unique bestman gift. There are some great designs to choose from and each engraved hipflask can be individually personalised with a unique message just for your bestman!

9) Personalised Shot Glasses: If your bestman is a fan of vodka or something similar, but you don’t want to get him a bottle of tipple, then perhaps a set of engraved shot glasses is just what you are looking for. Once the alcohol is drunk, it’s gone. But with a set of glasses, these can be used for years to come.

10) Personalised Champagne: In the same way that I suggested engraved champagne, I suggest personalised champagne if you don’t have the budget to get a champagne gift engraved. Engraving can be expensive but a with a bottle of personalised champagne you can design the champagne gift label with either your own design or you can choose from one of our designs. Personalise the label with a unique message too. A lot of our customers upload photos of them with their bestman as well as adding a special message to the label too.

What would you give as a bestman gift?

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Best Man, WeddingGifts2U.co.uk Posts | No Comments »

Top 10 Bridesmaid Gifts

April 13th, 2011

Bridesmaid Gowns

Bridesmaid Gowns

Wedding season is fast approaching. Many of you who are getting married this summer have probably got most of your wedding planning out of the way. The venue is booked, the dress is bought and the guests are invited. However have you thought about what you are going to get for your bridesmaids as thank you wedding gifts? They spend a lot of time looking after the bride, making sure that her special day goes off without a bang! Here is a list of the Top Ten Bridesmaid Gifts that you may want to consider when choosing gifts for bridesmaids:

1) Personalised Champagne: Champagne is the drink of choice when it comes to celebrating

Personalised Champagne

Personalised Champagne

at a wedding… and who better to celebrate than your bridesmaids. Personalised champagne is a very unique thank you wedding gift because you can design the champagne label yourself! It’s kind of like a photo frame on a bottle. You could use a photo of you and your bridesmaids on a night out or anywhere where you are all together having a great time and then add a special message to the label too. It’s a really simple gift idea but it’s thoughtful. Designing a champagne label takes time and you want you bridesmaids to feel like you think they are worth making a fuss over! If you like the idea of personalised champagne then a great place to design your own thank you champagne label is here: http://www.winegifts4u.co.uk/personalised-champagne.php – you can either design your own label or choose from the range of labels that have been specially created for a range of different events and occasions.

2) Engraved Champagne: Continuing on the theme of champagne, engraved champagne is also a great idea if you are looking for a luxury bridesmaid gift. It is still a personalised champagne gift but it has added value because it is an engraved gift. The engraved champagne can be engraved with a special message of your choice. WeddingGifts2U allows you to choose from both Rose Champagne and Standard champagne. If you don’t have the budget for champagne though, you could always choose one of our beautiful cavas, that taste exquisite. You can find our range of engraved champagne here: http://www.weddinggifts2u.co.uk/engraved-champagne.htm

engraved champagne

Engraved Champagne

3) Engraved Wine: If you don’t have the budget for champagne but still want to give an engraved gift as a bridesmaid gift then a bottle of engraved wine is the perfect choice. You can choose from rose wine, white wine and red wine so there’s something for everyone. Rose engraved wine is very popular as a bridesmaid gift. There is a fantastic range of engraved wine gifts available here: http://www.winegifts4u.co.uk/engraved-wine.htm

4) Engraved Compact Mirrors: Every girl keeps a compact mirror in her purse! It’s a

Engraved Compact Mirrors make wonderful bridesmaid gifts

Engraved Compact Mirrors make wonderful bridesmaid gifts

standard as most girls want to look their best at all times. There are also some beautiful compact mirror designs that would make lovely gifts. http://www.weddinggifts2u.co.uk/engraved-compact-mirror-gifts.htm. Engraved compact mirrors can be engraved with a personal message to give the gift extra value. Many of our customers choose a range of compact mirrors in the same price range and have each one engraved with a unique message. It’s a simple but special gift.

5) Personalised Chocolate: A really simple personalised gift, but great if you are on a budget and still want to show your bridesmaids how much you appreciate their help. Chocolate is often a girls best friend and so personalised chocolate makes a wonderful gift if you are looking for a simple yet thoughtful bridesmaid gift. There is a great range of personalised chocolate available here: http://www.winegifts4u.co.uk/personalised-chocolate-bars.htm

6) Trinket Boxes: Every girl has her treasures and a great place to keep them is in a trinket box. A beautifully designed trinket box with an engraved message would make a wonderful bridesmaid gift.

7) Engraved Champagne Flutes: Following on with the theme of champagne, a set of engraved champagne flutes would make a lovely bridesmaid gift. Many of our customers give a single engraved champagne flute with a special message rather than giving a set of flutes. Engraved chapmagne flutes also make a wonderful wedding gift for the bride and groom as well. Just something to bear in mind.

8) Personalised Jewellery Boxes: In the same vain as the trinket boxes, personalised jewellery boxes are just a bigger version and a great place to keep all your special treasures. It’s also a great gift because it can be used on a regular basis. Our personalised jewellery boxes are engraved with a plaque. Anything can be written on the plaque, whether it’s just a simple thank you message or a inspirational verse.

9) Personalised Wine: Just like personalised champagne our personalised wine is a great idea if you are looking for a unique personalised bridesmaid gift. You can design the label by uploading photos and adding text or you can choose from one of our specially designed labels. It’s up to you.

10) Engraved Wine Glasses: Last but not least we have a great gift idea that you could give as a bridesmaid gift. Wine is one of those drinks that is drunk quite regularly so a set of engraved wine glasses would make a wonderful addition to any cupboard. Engrave the glasses with a special message and you’ll create a gift that will not only be used on a regular basis but will also be cherished for years to come….

Do you have any other suggestions for bridesmaid gifts?

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in WeddingGifts2U.co.uk Posts | No Comments »

Personalised Teddies as Personalised Gifts

December 3rd, 2010

Shaggy Personalised Teddy Bear

Shaggy Personalised Teddy Bear

We haven’t posted for a while, so we apologise about that for regular readers and subscribers. We have been busy sourcing products and getting them ready for Christmas, so writing has been a little neglected.

I don’t know whether you know, but we are always trying to find new gift ideas to add to our already massive portfolio of Personalised Gifts including personalised bottle gifts, gift sets and hundreds of Engraved Gifts too perfect for the bride, groom, bridesmaids and best man for example. Our latest personalised gift addition are Personalised Teddies. Personalised teddy bears are so cute that I am wondering why we hadn’t put them on the website sooner!

Soft Personalised Teddy Bear

Soft Personalised Teddy Bear

There is currently one to choose from, which is a 12″ shaggy teddy bear with a white t shirt all ready for you to personalise: Shaggy Personalised Teddy Bear. This cute teddy bear has black eyes, a brown nose and lots of shagginess(!) perfect for cuddling. This brand new personalised gift is ideal as a romantic wedding gift for the bride for the groom. We have also had customers in the past (we do offer personalised teddy bears already on one of our other sites www.WineGifts4U.co.uk) who have ordered personalised teddy bears to ask their partner to marry them! Hopefully she will say yes if you choose to do that – with these cute teddies it is simple enough to write “Will You Marry Me?” on the t shirt.

Soon (within the next couple of days) we will also have another honey teddy bear to choose from; this one is a little smaller at 10″, but still looks great. This personalised teddy bear is softer with brown eyes, a black nose and brown paws too.

Give either of our personalised teddies as personalised wedding gifts for the bride from the groom for example, or give one to bridesmaids, flower girls and page boys as suitable thank you gifts that can be treasured and cuddled for many years to come.

For more information on personalised teddies, check out the following resources:

Personalised Teddies for Personalised Gifts News

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Bride Gifts, Bridesmaids, Wedding Gifts, WeddingGifts2U.co.uk Posts | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »