Why you need a day of wedding coordinator

Even if you are a type A bride,  who is super organised and have enough time on your hands to plan the perfect wedding; You still need a professional Day Of Wedding Coordinator to ensure that your hard work and plans are executed smoothly, so you can have peace of mind, more time to spend with your guests and a have wedding day that is all round a wonderful experience for you and your guests.

If you are a bride planning her wedding for 2016, i would love to come on board to help you coordinate your big day.
Email: info@yourweddingexpert.co.za for a complementary consultation and for more details.

Don't  forget to download your  FREE Wedding Venue Site Visit Checklist, that i personally created and  use when scouting for the perfect venue for my wedding planning clients. I have made this resource available for you, the bride who is planning their own wedding, in the hope that it will make the process of searching for the perfect venue for your wedding easier. Download HERE

Hello Spring

"A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms."

Rensche Mari Photography

 Spring is here, and flowers will soon bloom. I love a change of season because it reminds me to take a moment, reflect and regroup. Happy spring day everyone.

4 Mistakes to avoid when choosing your wedding dress

Rensche Mari Photography

Your wedding dress is one of the most important purchase you will ever have to make for your wedding. Wearing a dress that does not suit you will only make you feel uncomfortable throughout one of the most important day of your life. Here are a few mistakes to avoid when choosing your wedding dress.

1. Ordering a size you hope to be; Most brides to be have an ideal weight or dress size they hope to be on their wedding day, and because they start eating healthy and exercising to achieve this ideal dress size, they get tempted to order down instead of ordering the size they actually are. Although some brides do end up meeting their fitness goals, most do not. It is better to be stuck with a dress that is a few inches too big (which can be altered) should your efforts succeed, rather than a dress that will not button up because it is too small.

2. Not doing the movement test; As much as it is important that a wedding dress looks good on you, it is equally as important that you move easily in it. It is important to remember that you will be walking, dancing, seating, bending down, turning, looking over your shoulder and lifting your arms  in the dress on your wedding day. It is essential to test how the dress looks and feels during each of this movements before buying it.

3. Ordering from a disreputable place to save money; Where you buy your gown is almost as important as which gown you buy. So be sure to buy from a reputable boutique that has been around long enough. These boutiques are usually trustworthy with experienced staff whose advice will go a long way in helping you choose the perfect dress, and you are usually guaranteed quality.  Ask your friends and family for referrals. 

4. Taking too many people along when going dress shopping; Going shopping for your wedding dress is supposed  to be a fun and exciting event. For this reason, it may be tempting to take all the important women in your life. However taking with you too many people may lead to too many opinions causing unnecessary debate, that will only lead to stress and confusion for you. Take along one or two people whose opinion you really trust and let the choice be yours. 

Time & Light Workshop/Wedding Planner's retreat

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Time & Light workshop/wedding planner's retreat in Clarens Free State.

 The weather in Clarens was really cold, but that did not stop us from having a wonderful getaway. I got a chance to meet amazing wedding planners and photographers.

Great fun was had by all as we created wreaths and worked on a styled shoot

I had the honor of styling a table with my fellow wedding planners Nadia Mangels from Shepstone Gardens and Maxine Dean du Plessis from Milorho Weddings and Events. 

 after an effortless teamwork, i must say, we we were really please with the results. 

We ended the retreat on high note with a beautiful gala dinner. The night was filled with great ambiance, good food and wonderful conversations.

Photo Credit: Rensche Mari 

10 Facts About Me

Hello!

If you are here chances are you have been following my wedding planning advice blogs, today i would like to chat on a more personal note, and give you a little glimpse into who i am, as i hope to connect with you on an authentic level. I thought writing 10 facts about myself would be a fun way to do this, so here goes; 

1. I am a sucker for a good dose of inspiration, i could listen to inspirational talks all day

2. My sisters are my best friends, and i am a middle child between the two of them

3.Give me sea food any time of day and you have given me the best meal in the world

4. I am 32 years old + 6 Months (there, i said it)

5. I joined the wedding industry part time in 2008 and full time in 2011

6.I have thought of quitting my business three  times in the last four years. Yep! that's how hard it got    sometimes, but no more of that nonsense.

   

7. My Bachelor's Degree in Town and Regional Planning, is happily gathering dust in a document 

   case under my bed. I think we are both happy about that. :-)

8. I am Xhosa, but cannot speak it, i hope to take up lessons one day.

9. December 19th  marks my 6 year wedding anniversary to a wonderful husband and August               the 17th is the 5th birthday to the sweetest little girl to whom i am a mummy.

10. I was orphaned at the age of two, and believe that hugely  molded who i am today. 

Thanks for Reading 

P.S Newly Engaged? don't forget to claim your FREE! Wedding Venue Site Visit Checklist that i designed to help you choose the correct venue for your wedding. Just go to this page's side bar and click on resource 

Supplier Sport Light; Phatsima Jewellery Designs

From the moment a man decides to propose to his future wife, to when they make an everlasting commitment in front of their friends and family on their wedding day, a ring is usually at the center of this joyous occasion. Traditionally a symbol of eternity, a ring has no beginning and no end therefore signifies infinity.

Today i am  chatting  with Nontando Molefe, the founder and creative brain behind Phatsima Jewellery Designs, to learn more about what it takes to create awe inspiring jewellery. Besides being super excited about this interview  i am thrilled that Phatsima will be sharing a 10% off  Voucher with our readers. 

      Your Wedding Expert: Tell us a little bit more about Phatsima Jewellery Designs

Nontando Molefe:   Phatsima Jewellery Designs is a company which specializes in high end custom made jewellery.

1     YWE:  When was it established?

NM: The vision of Phatsima has been alive for many years but the company started trading in 2009.

2    YWE: Do you have a formal training in  Jewellery designs and creation, if so tell us more about it?

NM: Yes I do. I have a National Diploma in Jewellery design and manufacturing from the University of Johannesburg. I am currently doing a Post Graduate course of Advanced Jewellery Designing through the Jewellery Council and Damlin.

1     YWE: What influences your designs and from where do you draw your inspiration?

NM: I draw inspiration from everything around me which catches my attention such as nature, culture, current trends and I also love ornate patterns. My main inspiration is from my clients. It is amazing how each person is different and each client always takes me to a different place and I absolutely love that! All Phatsima clients have a unique piece of jewellery which has their own personal touch.

2    YWE: What is a typical design process like at Phatsima, when designing engagement and wedding rings for a couple? Take us through the process, from the first correspondence with a couple to the finished custom piece

       NM:  

•      The process begins with a phone call. I speak to the client about what they are looking for.
• ·    I then send them an email of different wedding ring designs for them to choose from and we schedule a meeting. Some clients already know what they want and there is no need to send them new designs.
•      During the meeting we finalise the designs, the gem stones sizes and the quality they would like, ring sizing as well as the budget.
•       I then send a quotation of their final ideal rings within 4 working days depending on how rare the diamond is. If the ring is a completely new concept I send sketches of the design with the quotation.
•           Once the client is happy with their choice and the price I then require a 50% deposit to start the manufacturing process.
•       Week 1 of the manufacturing process:  Depending on the complexity of the design I send the client a 3D design of how the ring will look and I only proceed once given a go head from the client. The 3D design shows you exactly how the final product will look. We then print and    manufacture the jewellery and order the required diamonds
•       Week 2: The client is given an update of the manufacturing process
•       Week 3: The client is given the day in which the jewellery piece will be ready and we prepare    for collection.
•        The balance is then settled before the rings are collected or delivered to the client.

Choosing the right venue for your wedding

One of the most important elements when planning your wedding, is choosing the right location from which  it will be held. Picking the correct venue for your wedding is absolutely essential, as it will  act as a canvas that will set the tone of  the experience you and your guests will have, the aesthetic of the wedding as well as the overall cost to your wedding budget.

Knowing what to look for and which questions to ask when scouting for the perfect wedding venue can  help you properly compare the venues you visit and easily determine which venue best works for you and your vision for your wedding. 

So what do you need to look for and what are the correct questions to ask when you visit a wedding venue for the first time? The one list i always take with me when visiting a venue i have never worked with, is my "Venue Site Visit Check List." I created this list to help me get all the important information about the venue on the very first visit, so that there are no surprises after i have committed my client's wedding to take place there.  

  Today i am thrilled to share this "Check List" with you, to help you determine if  a venue is the perfect fit for your wedding?  Click Here to download this helpful FREE resource

Happy Planning 

DIY Wedding? 3 things you should leave to the pros

You have heard it once and maybe too many times, that weddings are a bit costly. with this fact in mind, many brides choose to go the DIY route with the hope and aim of saving a few rands along the way.
As a wedding planner i am always for saving money and ensuring that my clients stay within their budget. However if you are going to have a wedding, it is best to do it right. While you can save money by doing your own wedding favors, or skimping on that rental Rolls Royce and opting for your beautiful Audi for transportation instead, there are certain things you cannot DIY without risking your wedding looking disorganized and somewhat sloppy. 

Below are 3 elements that i feel you cannot get away with, being DIY for your wedding;


1. Wedding Planner/coordinator 

Ok, ok, i know i am a bit biased when it comes to this one, as i am a wedding planner and would probably love for my phone to start ringing off the hook from brides hoping to book my services right after they read this.. (hahaha). However, jokes aside, not only will a professional wedding planner save you money in a long run, because they have a team of reputable suppliers to pair you with, but they will ensure that your vision is flawlessly executed, taking the pressure off of you, your friends and family who should enjoy themselves as guests on the wedding day. The biggest miss conception is that your everyday bride cannot afford a wedding planner and i am here to dispel that myth.  
Wedding planners have and array of packages that they tailor to suit various needs and budgets. It is  just up to you to choose a package that suits you best.


2. Photographer

So you have a friend who has a fancy camera and has learned all the editing techniques on YouTube. Why bother hiring a professional photographer when you can save thousands of rands, you ask?  Well a professional photographer is more than a fancy camera and editing techniques. They have invested thousands of rands in state of the art equipment and education. They know how to utilize lighting, poses and angles to guarantee that your wedding pictures are perfect. A professional photographer will take your day seriously, and is solely there to get the job done. They, unlike your friend, will not be seen taking time off to mingle or cue up at the bar, in the process missing important shots. 
99 percent of couples who hire armature photographers regret it as soon as they receive those blurry, unflattering images of their wedding, that failed to capture the true beauty of the day. You only have this one day, and this one day only, there are no do-overs, so make sure you get the right person to capture every important minute of it.

3. Caterer 

One of the things that people will remember about a wedding is the food. They will rave about it being delicious, but they will also talk a lot about it being bad. We all have that one person in the family who can cook like a five star restaurant chef... OK maybe not a five star chef...but you know what i mean. That person who is trusted to cook for all the small family gatherings. It might look like a great idea to save money by asking them to cook for your wedding. However, your wedding is one of the largest events that you are most likely to ever plan in your life, and there are a lot of logistics, details and knowledge  that goes into catering for an event of that magnitude. Not only does a professional caterer  know how to cook for a large number of people, but they know how to create a menu that caters for various dietary requirements, (which is essential when you are catering for  large crowds) and have the capacity to transport all that is needed safely to the wedding venue.

I say, you cannot put a price tag on peace of mind, and a bit of guaranteed quality that comes with hiring a professional to do the job.

The Simplified Guest List

One of the few things a couple must do on their own, even if they have enlisted the help of a professional wedding planner, is decide who they will invite to their wedding.
This is because they know best who they would love to share their special day with.
This task can often be daunting, especially when you have a limited guest count for your wedding (which is usually the case) How do you decide?

A fun and easy solution I give to my clients is The Simplified Guest List Info-graphic. If you are getting married soon and you find yourself struggling with your wedding guest list, i would like to share with you this info-graphic and hope it makes things a bit easier for you.

Happy Planning

Xo Nonceba

Wedding planning tip of the week

With about only 52 Saturdays in a year, and hundreds of couples getting married in your area each week, Saturdays are bound to be a high demand day with venues and suppliers. Consider other days of the week for a cost effective wedding.

Xo Nonceba

Wedding Day Coordination Service

How to achieve an unplugged wedding

We now live in a world where advanced technology and social media keeps us wanting to capture and post every moment we experience, instead of being present in the moment. This is especially true for those special moments in our lives and the lives of our family and friends.  Having witnessed many weddings, I have seen this habit grow more and more problematic. Guests holding iPads, phones and cameras to try and capture every moment of their loved one's wedding to quickly tweet, share or Instagram it. OK! I must admit that I have been guilty of this myself, but this was before I knew any better. But when you know better, you do better.

So what's wrong with your friends and family snapping away at your nuptials?
Here are a few reasons why you should consider putting a stop to this at your wedding and have an unplugged wedding.

1. An unplugged wedding means your guests will be fully present during each moment of this important day of your life. Instead of being distracted by trying to take the perfect shot.

2. It will keep the devices out of your guests faces so that the official professional photographer can take proper photographs of all the guests at the wedding.