Fun Ideas For A Wedding To Remember

Weddings are always beautiful, aren't they? We wait so long to see the bride in her gown and then we are never disappointed as she glides down the aisle. But that is only the start of the day! We all know that weddings can be stressful to plan and we want the day to go so perfect. It's a time for everyone to kick back, relax and enjoy themselves. Hopefully, we can offer some fun ideas to help your wedding day go with some fun. 

Money Saving Tips For Summer School Holidays

How are the summer holidays going? We have had an amazing summer. We managed to get to Camp Bestival, A weekend in Cardiff and a trip to Amsterdam and Rotterdam for a week. But 9 months ago it was a very different story. We were struggling financially and I couldn't even afford to go bankrupt. We were up to our eyeballs in debt and I didn't know which way to turn. Then the bailiffs turned up on my doorstep!

With the help of borrowing some money from some really good friends, I got out of debt and I only have a couple more payments left and I am officially debt-free. It could easily have ended differently if I hadn't had a friend to rely on. There are many parents in my position who end up using food banks and struggling to make ends meet. The summer holidays are a hard time for parents and luckily there are lunch club's about for parents to help to feed their kids, and the food banks are at hand to help out but how about some free activities to do with the kids.

5 tips to prepare your bathroom for your wedding day

Planning for the big day usually begins not months but years in advance, which is why you’ll want to ensure no single detail is left to chance.

Picture the scene: You wake up, a bag of nerves and excitement, barely managing to eat a scrap of breakfast. The photographer turns up to take those “getting ready” photos of you and your entourage, when—all of a sudden—you realise the bathroom looks a complete and utter mess! Certainly not the type of backdrop you want for those precious memories!

The “bathroom selfie” has become a bit of a phenomenon in recent times, all thanks to the popularity of social media. Brides and grooms are much more likely to take quick pics of themselves getting ready and share to platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter. Indeed, it’s now common practice for the whole day to be documented through social media.

As with everything in life, the devil is in the detail, and it’s certainly the case when it comes to your wedding photos.

Whilst it’s highly likely, you’ll be preparing for your big day in a place other than your own home (e.g. your parents’ home or a friend’s flat), you’ll need to make sure your wedding day bathroom suite is looking just as perfect as you do.

A quick refresh?

First things first, take a good look around the bathroom you’ll be using on the morning of your big day. What are your first impressions?

If it’s anything other than positive, you may need to weigh up your options. Are there simply some cosmetic issues which could be addressed? Or are the issues more deep-seated?

You’d be amazed at the transformation a quick lick of paint and some new accessories can bring. Sparkly new taps can be purchased and fitted for very little outlay, bringing a whole new designer look to a bathroom. Why not set a little budget aside for this?

Adjust your lighting

One of the reasons your photos don’t turn out the way you intended is due to poor lighting. However, there are plenty of photography tips and tricks you can use when taking pictures indoors.

First off, make sure bright sunlight doesn’t make you look like a ghost! Use blinds or curtains to soften the light. You may also need to use artificial light to your advantage. Introduce some additional lighting sources in the form of an LED bathroom mirror, to bring some glitz and glam to proceedings!

Deep cleansing

With just 7 days to go, it might be worth getting down and dirty with your wedding day bathroom, to ensure it looks the part.

First off, start by getting rid of anything that is old, out of date or simply doesn’t need to be there. Old toiletry containers, expired medication, that talc gift set your Aunty Beryl bought you for Christmas in 2015—get rid!

Next, give all surfaces a scrub and bring back that sparkle to chrome taps and showers by using a mixture of vinegar and water. Clean all mirrors using a squeegee.

For more stubborn stains and mouldy grout lines around tiles, mix a solution of 3 parts water to 1 part bleach and scrub with a toothbrush.

Once completed, ensure everything is back in position. You don’t want to be hunting high and low for misplaced items on your wedding day morning!

Add some personal touches

Many modern weddings are themed to a certain extent, so why not extend this to your bathroom design? Some coloured bunting or accessories can do wonders.

Why not add some treasured possessions which really mean something to you? Like souvenirs from your travels with your partner or some pictures of absent friends and family?

Finally, ensure your toilet seat is down, your towels are folded and all untidy items are hidden from view.

Now your bathroom is photo ready, why not check out these handy tips for the morning of your big day to make sure everything runs to plan.

All that’s left to do is smile, say cheese and enjoy the rest of your wedding day!

What Flooring Is Good For My New Home?

When I moved into my first home, I was pushed into decorating it how others wanted it decorated. ''This is how we have done our walls, so it would work well for you too'' said the parents and in-laws. I didn't know any better and I just went ahead with what others 'recommended'. But it was never my own home. When I got my second home as a divorcee, it was different because it was my home and nobody else's (apart from the kids). So If anyone else is looking for their own home, I always recommend that they add their own touches and don't feel obliged to do it like others want your house to be. In my first home, I was told to carpet all over, but I yearned for wooden floors and unfortunately, I was pushed into carpeting it all over with ugly patterned carpets. so today we are talking about flooring for your new home.

Ways To Improve Your Homes Ventilation

As we spend a lot of our lives indoors, whether at home or work it means that we need to take care that the environment that we live in is not detrimental to our wellbeing. With our lifestyles these days, there is a risk of exposure from different aspects of our life. Things like humidity, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, volatile organic chemicals as well as pollutants from outside that pass into the space we are occupying, these can be detrimental to our health and well being. So we need to have good ventilation in place to ensure we are at optimum health and productivity.

What To Think About When You Get A New Phone

When you are due for a phone upgrade, there is so much to consider like which network provider you want to go with to which brand of phone and even down to the colour that you want. This is a big choice to make because you will have this phone for the next two years until your contract needs renewing. Finding the right phone for you is important and a phone that is right for your friend or partner might not be the best phone for you. We have put a list together of things to consider when you upgrade your phone.

Mother Of The Bride Dress Rules That Are Outphased

Rules were meant to be broken, right? There are many rules at weddings that people used to follow in the past, and the good thing is that today, most of them are outdated. We live in a modern era where a lot has changed. Today, the mother of the bride dresses come in different colours, shapes, and designs. It is good to think out of the box, and the best thing is that most mothers today are receptive to the new mother of the bride dress designs.

Below are some of the mother of the bride rules that are out phased today,


1. The mother of the bride must wear a dress

Typically, people expect to see your mom in a beautifully stitched dress in your wedding, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Today, with the many options available, your mum can decide to dress differently. She can decide to wear a jumpsuit, a two-piece suit, or even a skirt and a pretty top. All that matters is if she feels comfortable in her dress.

2. She can’t wear a white dress

No white or ivory hues for the mom’s dress during the wedding is one of the most cliché traditional rules. I mean, if your mother wants to rock that pretty glamorous white dress during the wedding, then why not. Yes, the bride needs to stand out, and it is still possible for her to do so. The bride always remains the centrepiece of the wedding even when her mother decides to wear a white dress too. So if your mother wants to wear her white lace dress from JJ’s House, then so be it!



3. Black dresses don’t count as wedding dresses

Who said so? If anything, black dresses add some sort of sophistication to the whole wedding. Black dresses are, in fact, not boring. Your mother can wear a black dress that has details that are eye-catchy and indeed appealing. When you google ' mother of the bride dresses' on the internet, most websites have a section where you can choose the colour you want to go for. And when you click on black, you will be surprised at the many results of flattering black dresses that are to die for.

4. Her dress colour must match the bridal party’s

No! Your mother's dress doesn’t necessarily have to match the bridals party’s. If you want your mother to stand out in her dress, then you can choose her a dress that has a colour which blends in with the theme of the wedding. She has the option of either wearing a different shade or even choosing a completely different colour.

5. She has to wear a ‘mother’ dress

If your mother is outgoing, please do not confine her in a box. Do not force her to wear the boring mother of the bride dresses that other mothers wear in their daughter’s wedding. If she chooses to wear a dress with cutouts, so be it. If she decides to wear a short dress, so be it. Remember, your wedding is not only a big day for you, but it is also a memorable day for her too. She needs to feel beautiful in whatever she chooses to wear.

The Importance Of Sun Cream This Summer And Every Summer

When we go to buy sun cream, we are welcomed with shelves full of different brands and coverages, it can all be a bit daunting. So I thought I would write this simple guide to help you choose the correct sun protection that is going to keep you safe in the sun.

Top Tips to Create the Perfect Home Office

Designing an effective home office can be the difference between productivity and procrastination. Whether you’re a freelance designer or a blogger working from home, you need to ensure that your home office has the best environment to produce high-quality work. Working from home is exciting as it offers an opportunity to feel comfortable. However, there must be a distinction made regarding the boundaries of home and work. Before you begin, you will want to consider what you’ll be doing in the space as well as any clients that will be visiting and the equipment required to run a successful office.

Get Creative with Storage
Offices that are overcrowded and cluttered can be distracting, which means it’s essential you have as much storage as possible. Filing cabinets aren’t the most attractive pieces of furniture, but you still need to ensure all of your documents are compiled in the right places. There are so many different ideas to try; magazine racks, display shelves, and so much more. If you need bookcases, you should choose a large one which won’t look overstuffed. If you can have a home office with a built-in closet, then this is ideal for saving space yet still having vast amounts of storage available.

Looking After Your Elderly Neighbours And Relatives In The Summer

I have written before about how to look after your elderly neighbours in the winter and to keep them warm but the summer can be just as hard on them because they cannot cope with the heat and often end up dehydrated or overheating. If they have an underlying medical problem, then it can be made even worse. It's not only that but the elderly neighbours like to go outside in the summer and if their mobility isn't as good as it has been in the past, then they will struggle to get out of the front door. This leaves them feeling isolated and lonely.

Offer To Tidy Their Garden

Everybody likes a nice place to go in the summer and our gardens are our sanctuaries. But often elderly people cannot get out into their garden to make it a nice place to be in the summer. Weeding and gardening come too much for some of the older generations and they need a little help but maybe can't afford a gardener. Why not offer to get out there and trim shrubs back and put some colourful flowers in the flower beds. If their garden furniture needs painting, then offer to do that for them. It will be a lot of hard work, but it will make a difference to someone.