Tag Archive for: ideas

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10 Honeymoon Tips For An Amazing Trip

You deserve an eventful trip to beautiful places for your honeymoon. Planning a great wedding is crucial, but you also need a perfect honeymoon to complete your experience. Your wedding requires you to be conscious of your guests, friends, and family as you make memories. However, your honeymoon is the real introduction to married life where you and your spouse would get to know each other intimately. This is why you must take note of some essential honeymoon tips to guide you through your trip.

10 Honeymoon Tips For An Amazing Trip

1.   Plan it Together

Marriage is a partnership. You can start living the reality of that fact even while planning for your honeymoon. Make sure that you and your spouse are actively involved in the planning process to ensure that it is not one-sided. Consider your partner’s interests when choosing the right destination, the duration, and the convenient time to travel. Considering these factors would require a lot of compromises and selfless thinking so you can meet each other’s needs.

Santorini Couple Shoot

2.   Plan Early

Planning a wedding is tiring; however, combining it with plans for your honeymoon can be nerve-wracking. This is why you must ensure that everything goes smoothly. Check out for events you both might want to attend and see if you could schedule your honeymoon around that period. Also, take the necessary breaks off work to ensure you can enjoy your honeymoon to the fullest. You can book your flight tickets ahead of time to cut down on costs and even get hotels that offer special services to new couples.

3.   Set A Realistic Budget

To enjoy an eventful trip, you need a reasonable budget that can cater to both of your needs. There’s nothing cheap about a memorable trip for your honeymoon, and it’s best if you set money aside to cater for it. You need to consider the cost of flight tickets, accommodation, food, and other experiences you would love to have during the trip. If you want a worry-free experience, you should settle the financial aspect.

4.   Create The Perfect Itinerary

It’s normal for you to get excited about your honeymoon. However, you can plan hectic activities, touring, and sightseeing that will wear you out easily. Avoid the temptation to do many things within a short time; it would only leave you to steal the perfect moment from yourself. Create a plan with lazy walks across the beach or intimate talks on the balcony. These activities would help you regain energy and make you spend quality time with your spouse. Take out time to relax your nerves; you can even schedule a spa session that would help you achieve that.

couples photography small

5.   Get Some Help

You can always find ways to lessen the workload when planning an eventful trip. Instead of handling it, you can get a travel agent to book a package for you both. Choose the one that covers hotel bookings, tours, and feeding. Also, some agencies offer discounts for new couples that can help them save costs while having the best time of their lives. Perform thorough research to find the best agencies that provide premium service for new couples.

6.   Choose The Right Timing

Most couples assume they have to leave for their honeymoon immediately after getting married. However, that’s only a myth that happens in fairy tales. Planning your wedding can be exhausting and it’s only fair that you get some rest before you go on a trip.

One of the great Honeymoon tips I can give you is take some time to blow off steam from the heavy dancing and singing you’ve done at your wedding reception. Afterwards, you can go on your honeymoon, that way; you’d be refreshed to enjoy the pleasant experience. Timing is key which is why you must carefully consider it when planning your honeymoon to avoid unexpected situations.

7.   Plan Surprises

Since you would be spending the rest of your life with someone you love deeply, it’s only proper for you to make them feel special during the honeymoon. You can spice up the entire trip by paying for an event that you both didn’t plan for initially. Make sure you choose something that would delight your spouse; if your husband loves games, you can find the nearest game centre to get him excited. On the other hand, you can take your wife shopping for new clothing items. Whatever you decide, make sure it suits their needs.

8.   Capture Your Moments

Although you would go on multiple trips as a couple, your honeymoon only happens once. This is why you need to capture every moment to help you remember this lovely event even after you’ve gone home. Imagine showing your children cute pictures from your honeymoon after decades of marriage. You can take a camera along or use a smartphone that captures vivid images. Don’t forget to make videos also because they always have a way of putting a smile on your face when things get difficult.

What would be even better though would be to enlist the help of a local professional photographer for a bit of a photoshoot – similar to an engagement shoot!

Belair National Park engagement photo

9.   Pack Smart

If you plan to visit multiple destinations, it can be burdensome to pack too much stuff. New brides, don’t try to take all of your new shoes and clothes. It’s good that you’re excited but you need to reduce what you pack. Try to study the weather of your destination to determine the perfect clothes to take along. Also, take out materials that would take too much room in your bag.

10.  Try Out New Meals

What’s an amazing trip with great food? One fun part you must explore during your honeymoon trip is the food, especially the ones specific to the culture of the people. This way, you can spice up your adventure and include something new in your archives. No need to stick with boring meals when you can explore new ones.

Santorini Food

 

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Simple Somerton Park Family Photoshoot

I was recently asked to head out for a quick little Somerton Park Family Photoshoot to commemorate the 90th birthday of a family member. It seemed that everyone present had all grown up in the area, but had all moved on with their lives interstaate, so it was lovely to see and hear that most had travelled back to Adelaide for this momentous occasion!

The original plan was to head out to the beach from the bed and breakfast that the family had organised on the Somerton park foreshore, but it was soon realised that getting down there and back up again might be a bit tricky for the older members of the group, so we head to John Miller Reserve to make use of the grassy area there.

I was told that what the family wanted was some very simple shots of each of the gathered groups of the family, nothing too fancy – just wanted some family photos to mark the occasion.

So after spending a little time in the park, I realised that there wasnt much in the way of nice backdrops there other than a few spindley little trees, a chainlink fence and the surrounding roads and houses, so we went for a short walk to a road that was lined with some pretty beach trees that provided some shade and a nicer backdrop. It was here that we had a few other members of the group literally jump off their plane and meet us here.

After using both the middle of the road for big group shots, and then nearby a tree on the footpath for couples and individual portraits, we left the birthday girl at the top of the Somerton Park beach cliff and head down to the beach to finish up.

The beach’s tide was very high so there was some neat sand bars made within the water which we made use of  by climbing over one of the sand bag brides that were put there to fight erosion. On the sand bar we took a few more couple photos and small groups, with a little more fun thrown in – at one point I asked the couple to push each ver – and boy did she lean into the push! 🙂

It was a delightful little family celebration that I was glad to be a part of! Happy birthday to the young birthday girl, and I hope you enjoy the family photos from your Somerton Park Family Photoshoot!

Somerton Park Family Photoshoot

Hugging couple in Somerton Park
Smiling couple on the grass at a park
Smiling couple on the grass at a park in Somerton Park
Three men on the grass
Portrait of birthday girl
Family photo under beach trees
Family photo on the roads of Somerton Beach
Hugs under the somerton beach trees
Laughing couple photo
Family photo under the beach trees
Smiling couple near a tree
Two chaps leaning on a tree
Somerton Beach family photoshoot
Somerton Beach family photo
Walking along somerton beach
Spinning on the beach
Running about on Somerton Beach
Holding one another on Somerton Beach
Kiss on a sand bar on Somerton beach
Family photo on the beach sand bar
Sitting on bench in Somerton park
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Top Secrets For a Fun Wedding Reception

The best way to make your wedding reception stand out is to personalise every aspect of the night event with thrilling moments that keep your guests entertained and wanting more – think of it like a concert, or any other entertainment event – it’s not justb a trip to a restaurant!

For a start, you can take out some of your time to ponder (with your spouse) what both of you represent. Shared interests, travel experiences, and childhood memories are also great sources of inspiration when planning out fun-filled wedding reception.

As much as your wedding is all about celebrating your union with your spouse, it’s also vital that you put your guest’s enjoyment to heart. Here are a few top secrets that will create that spark of excitement during your wedding reception.

NB: If you’re short on time and still want to cop some amazing reception ideas, below are a few areas to put into consideration.

  • Where you both met
  • Your first dinner
  • Mutual interest
  • Your favorite sport
  • Your first travel or holiday trip
Ivybrook Farm wedding first dance

Top 8 Secrets To a Fun Wedding Reception

This list of fun wedding reception secrets is in no defined order as every suggestion is unique in its way to bring some spark of fun to your event.

1.   Strategic Seating Arrangement

As obvious as this idea may sound for a wedding reception, do not make the mistake of discounting the Importance of having a rock-solid seating arrangement. Ensure you strategically place your guests right beside people that you’re sure will easily get along with. This might appear like a matchmaking idea, but you intend to create a more engaging night for your guests.

To make it a little more interesting, you should make your college mates seat beside each other or force your guests to seat with strangers. This will lead to sharing interesting discussions and ultimately an amazing dance party.

Guests cheers

2.   Hire a DJ to Spruce Up The Place

Alright, this appears to be the norm at every wedding reception but there’s the need to make mention of it. This is primarily because music happens to be a crucial part of any enjoyable event. Talk to your DJ about songs that should be played as you don’t want to witness an empty dance floor when an obscure song is being played.

Serafino wines wedding dancefloor

3.   Request For a Song

Do you want your guests to enjoy every moment of your wedding reception? Then proceed to get a request for their favorite song. You can ask all of your invitees to write down what song they would like you to perform on their RSVP card. Another way to go about this is to allow your guests to send their song requests to your email.

If you have a wonderful voice, you can surprise them by performing alongside a live band or take it up a notch by making a duo performance with your spouse. If on the other hand, your voice is not that great, compile the list of song requests and hand it over to your DJ for an entertaining jam all through the event.

Guests having fun on the dance floor

4.   A Short and Sweet Toast Will Do

What other way can you lighten up the atmosphere of a wedding reception other than to make an exciting toast with your guests? When you’re in to give everyone a treat, never undermine the power of a timely toast. Take note of the time when the party enjoyment is building up and pause to make a quick toast that climaxes the reception fun. You can toast to memorable moments shared with friends and family, to carry everyone along with the event

Groom Speech under awning

5.   Step onto The Dance Floor

The perfect opportunity you get to wow your guests is to show them what great dance moves you’ve got. Hit the dance floor with your spouse and start with a slow dance before carefully transitioning into something more energetic like a Latin not break dance song from Bruno Mars.

To leave an indelible mark on the heart of your guests, you can have a few of them join you on the dance floor or challenge a random invitee to a dance battle.

Dancing guest jumping

6.   Prepare The Kid’s Quarter

Remember to keep the kids entertained while their parents have fun on the dance floor. Prepare a designated area for the kids, in a different room and make proper arrangements for a babysitter that will oversee their affairs like organizing crafts, games, and kid-centric parties. A fun wedding reception should be fun for everyone – especially the kids as it keeps them out of the way!

children dancing

7.   Go Neon

There’s no doubt about the charming look of an elegant mirror or wooden sign at your wedding reception. The problem however with these is that everyone makes use of them at their reception. To host your guests in an outstanding way that sends shivers down their spine, opt for a creative sign that communicates your theme. Having a love-centric neon sign as the backdrop of your photo booth will turn the event around for the best.

Bride and groom kiss under neon wedding signs

8.   Map Out a Food Station

Nothing else makes for an exciting celebration other than good food. However, offering great dishes that each guest can customize to their taste makes it even better. Here’s where having an interactive food station comes into play. By considering a sushi rolling setup as well as a mac-and-cheese bar where guests can have suitable bites, you will leave an impression on their hearts that makes them anticipate more fun.

Food platter on display

Here you have it! The 8 top-secrets that promise to crack open the shell of excitement at any fun wedding reception. Although there are a dozen ways to achieve the goal of entertaining your guests, our list has been carefully curated to meet the basic needs of any reception theme.

Have Some Fun!

Enjoy every aspect of your wedding reception to the fullest. Dance with the love of your life and save yourself from worries. Make sure that you keep yourself in a good mood throughout the day. Once you’ve assigned the various aspects to the planners, your job is to show up looking great. Ditch the formalities and make the most of the time to have a fun wedding reception!

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How to Cope with Post-Wedding Blues

The day after your wedding will be a time of reflection. It is easy to fall into the trap of post-wedding blues. The reality is that this on-top-of-the-world feeling you had on your wedding day will not last forever.

You’ve spent days, weeks, months of your time and thoughts with your now husband or wife planning your wedding, and now it’s all over! You may even start to believe that part of your relationship is over! However, this feeling is normal after a major event.

What is Post-Wedding Blues?

What exactly is post-wedding blues, you may be wondering? Simply expressed, post-wedding blues refer to a feeling of melancholy following days after your big day. It’s the realization that the wedding is finished and that marriage has begun. It’s more common than one might believe.

For many couples, planning a wedding is surrounded by great feelings of anticipation, great excitement, and buildup—to the point that the convergence of emotions can lead to loss and emptiness once the wedding day has finally passed.

bride and groom at night in the gardens of Al-Ru Farm

Coping with Post-Wedding Blues

The first step in coping with the post-wedding blues is to acknowledge your feelings and work through them. Trying to pretend that you’re not sad or depressed will only make the situation worse. Taking time to care for yourself is the best antidote for post-wedding blues. You may also want to consider seeking therapy. Whether you are alone or with a partner, self-care is always essential!

Thankfully, the majority of couples are resilient. It isn’t uncommon to feel the post-wedding blues just days after the big day. If you or your partner is suffering from post-wedding depression, it is important to remember that you are not alone. There are many ways to overcome this feeling. In fact, many brides and grooms have friends and relatives who have a similar experience. It may help to share your post-wedding blues with your spouse, as this helps to identify and deal with the common feelings that arise.

While post-wedding blues are a normal part of married life, they should never get in the way of enjoying your marriage. Instead, seek help if needed. It’s normal to feel emotional and anxious after a wedding, so try to stay positive. Below are a few tricks to manage and cope with your post-wedding blues.

Learn a New Hobby

One of the best ways to combat post-wedding blues is to find a new hobby or start a new goal. This could be as simple as learning to dance again or redecorating your current home.

Having a hobby can be quite advantageous to our physical and mental well-being. Hobbies have been proven to reduce stress, improve health, increase social relationships, and even promote joy and happiness.

Try a hobby you and your spouse can do together. Hobbies for couples can include:

  • Hiking
  • Baking
  • Axe Throwing
  • Rocking climbing
  • Running
  • Nature watching
  • Gardening

It may be both entertaining and thrilling to come up with new hobbies that you can undertake as a couple. Sharing a common passion or hobby is a terrific way to reconnect and strengthen your relationship while also making memories that will last a lifetime.

Hugs under the maple leaves

Take a Trip

Another simple and fun way to get over your post-wedding blues is to go on a weekend trip or honeymoon. Having something to look forward to, whether it’s something major like your honeymoon or something small like fun day outings, can make a great impact on post-wedding blues.

You might want to do something completely different from your usual routine, such as going to the beach or spending a day at the zoo together.

This is an excellent time for you and your partner to start forming good marriage habits, such as having regular date nights, to help create a strong foundation. Once you have reestablished some normality, the blues will gradually disappear.

House Boat Holiday

Look at Wedding Day Photos / Create a Wedding Album

Another way to cure post-wedding blues is to look at photos from your wedding day. Wedding photography is a great way to relive those special moments from your special day.

A good photographer can help you relive your wedding day for years to come. A wedding photographer can capture all of the most special moments, including those that most people will never notice. And wedding photographers don’t just capture the happy couple – they capture the entire day, including the moments between the bride and groom, the flowers, the wedding cake, and all of the guests.

The photographs will tell the story of your wedding day, as well as the emotions you shared with your loved ones. Once the photos are developed, they can be shared with family and friends for years to come. One of the best ways to preserve your wedding photos is through a wedding album. Choosing a photo album can be a time-consuming process, but it’s a wonderful way to enjoy your photographs in your home. But even if you don’t want to spend the time to create an album, there are sites that can help you. These websites will help you choose the best photo album for your wedding.

Your wedding photography is an investment in emotion, as well as future moments so you may relive the happiest day of your life. Wall prints and albums, for example, can improve your life and your house in ways that nothing else can, and in ways, you may not even realize!

Wedding photos in album

There are a variety of reasons why people may feel blue after their wedding, and yours may be different from someone else’s. But, when it comes down to it, science shows that sadness following a major event is normal.

Bringing joy and laughter into your daily routine will help you stay connected throughout your marriage. Concentrating on the little things in life that give you stability, peace, love, and comfort on a regular basis. That is what marriage is truly all about.

Eventually, your post-wedding blues will disappear and before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to the real reason for your wedding: the start of your new life together.

 

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15 Conservative Ideas for Bachelorette Parties

While the strip club or having strippers at your party has become synonymous with having a bachelorette party, there are numerous fun things to do besides that. As fun as the more ‘red light’ bachelorette party may be, understand that not everyone likes that kind of party; plus, having strippers at your bachelorette party can be pretty expensive.

Whether you are a bride-to-be or a maid of honour brainstorming ideas for bachelorette parties reading this, here are a few ideas for a kick-ass bachelorette party ideas that will help you celebrate the upcoming nuptials with friends – and none of these plans includes strippers!

15 More Conservative Ideas for Bachelorette Parties

  • Plan a Staycation

With the stress of wedding planning and all, having a relaxing weekend with your best girls is the way to go. It can be a yummy takeout, watching chick flicks, and a board game night. This is an adult slumber party. Have sweets, snacks, nail polish, and a manicurist at your party.
This is a relaxing, low-cost party idea that is sure to provide a lot of laughs and bonding time.

  • Have a weekend getaway

Don’t want a staycation? Don’t want a single day to spend with your girls? How about a weekend gateway. If you would like to do the opposite of the first idea, you can decide to plan a road trip with friends to the beach or the mountains.

If you decide to go with this idea, it is essential to consider your friends’ budgets and schedules. You can go for an inexpensive cabin and plan to cook and drink at home as much as possible.

While not all your friends may not be able to go on this trip, enjoy your time with the friends that will be there.

  • Have a Bachelorette Photo Shoot

Hire your wedding photographer to take pictures of you and your girlfriends during your bachelorette party weekend. This can be very fun and a beautiful way of creating memories

Bridesmaids laughing it up

  • Pre-Wedding Feast

Don’t just think of pumping you and your friends with champagne and vodka; you can gorge on absolutely tasty meals as well. Book with a restaurant that offers degustation menus, and depending on your appetite, you can get to sample four to nine dishes in one sitting.

Food platter on display

  • Sip and Paint

You can decide to plan a night where you can drink wine, eat appetizers, and paint. This plan will relax you and allow you to have fun while talking with your friends.

  • Go Shopping and brunching

You can go shopping – even on a budget that doesn’t accommodate Chanel stores. You can visit antique stores with your girls and look for gift items for each other or the bride, and you would be surprised at how much fun you would have while shopping.

You could also have your friends pick up some outfits for you to wear on your honeymoon.
But before you start shopping, you could start the day with brunch and then after shopping have lunch.

Bridal affects together

  • Take a Class

Taking a new but fun class is the perfect party plan. You could decide to learn a new skill with your girls. From testing your artistic abilities to learning how to cook, pick a fun subject that will allow you and your girls to bond while having fun.

  • Get Spa Treatments

Take the day off to pamper yourselves. Go to the Spa, get that relaxing 60 mins massage and feel the stress of the past few weeks disappear. Don’t forget to relish every minute of it.

  • Book A Luxury Hotel

Luxury accommodations, tasty, beautiful food, wine pairing courses, and physical group activities can happen when you book a luxury hotel.

  • Attend a Dance Class with Your Girls

This idea will be particularly appealing to the fitness-loving bride. You can plan a physical activity such as yoga, a barre or spin class, or a dance class for the group.

After this, you can decide to get a little pampering or spa treatment.

Bride dancing on the dancefloor

  • A Boat/Yacht cruise

If you decide to have your bachelorette party by the ocean, or a lake, having a yacht party or a boat cruise around the waters with a dance floor and open bar is a great idea.
You get to enjoy the incredible city views and the evening breeze in your hair and dance with your friends.

Sitting on the yacht together

  • Yoga & Meditation Retreat

This idea is a must-do for those who want to unwind and stretch on the mat. Go on a yoga retreat with your girls for ultimate zen and pre-wedding bliss. Take all the time you’ll need to combat wedding stress and find your inner peace.

A fantastic side of this plan is that most yoga retreats come complete with meditation classes, nature hikes, and healthy, organic foods. I mean, what better way to prep for your big day!?

  • Go to Disneyland!

This might sound crazy but think about it. Who wouldn’t want to have their bachelorette party in Disneyland?! I’m talking good food, junk, fireworks and lots of fun – who wouldn’t want that? Might be expensive though from Australia – but there are cheaper options closer to home like on the Gold Coast.

  • Attend a Stand Up Comedy Night

You with your girls, laughing and having fun all night – that sounds like a great night.
You can even let the club know you are a bachelorette party, and this will most likely get you the attention of the comedian,

  • Rent a House Boat

If you’re outdoorsy, consider renting a houseboat and having both the bachelor and bachelorette parties together.
From this idea, you get a week, or weekend of fun, laughter and swimming with your friends, and everyone meets each other before the wedding day.

A houseboat holiday may seem expensive but when you get 8-10 people together on a boat is fast becomes quite affordable, and it’s super intimate ebing the only people around for miles!

House Boat Holiday

Here are a couple of ideas for bachelorette parties and you can now begin planning. While you may decide to plan your bachelorette party, I recommend delegating the party planning to someone you trust, say- your maid of honour.

Leaving the planning to another person gives you free tme to rest, enjoy all the fun, laugh with old friends, and soak up all the amazing memories you are sure to make.