The Perfect Chemistry

The best piece of advice I received when planning my wedding was from my aunt Zully, she told me to save pennies on anything EXCEPT the photographer. The food, decoration, cake and everything else will all last for one day, but the pictures are our keepsakes, for us to have for the rest of our lives.

With this in mind I set out to find the perfect photographer, and considering I had to pick someone from a distance, without meeting him or her beforehand, this was quite a mission, but in the end it came down to instinct.

To say that I spent weeks looking at photographers in Cancun is an understatement. I had notes with the information about their prices, coverage time, packages and demands, I made pros and cons list for each of them and looked at their pictures so many times they eventually started blurring into one. But I was determined to pick the right one for us and with perseverance I narrowed them down to my top three.

Here is where the instinct comes in, not on my part but from my hubby. I presented him with the top three contenders, gave him all the facts and showed him each photographer’s work. He took one look at them all and within 10 minutes chose Citlalli Rico. When I asked him why, he simply replied saying he liked her style the best because of how versatile she was, the other photographers did great pictures but they all seemed to come from the same mould, and Citlalli’s pictures were not only beautiful but they were varied, she had every style, every angle and found a way to get the most breath-taking shots.

This is why we work as a couple, I make rational choices, he uses intuition, and our joint efforts led us to Citlalli. Best decision ever.

From the very first moment Citlalli made us feel comfortable and at ease, she patiently answered all my questions and added me on whatsapp so we could exchange ideas about what Tom and I wanted for our big day. I didn’t actually meet her until the day before the wedding when she came to our hotel to have a chat, and I was instantly reassured that we had made the right choice. She came with her husband Jimmy and they were both warm, friendly and cheerful, smiled a lot, and just had this incredibly positive energy.

When our day finally arrived, Citlalli and her photography team, comprised by Jimmy and her sister Tamara, were just amazing, it was like a team of ninja photographers, they were everywhere but just seemed to blend in and didn’t at any point interrupt the flow of the evening, they were taking pictures from fantastic angles and capturing every moment, whilst at the same time keeping us on our toes regarding pictures with the guests. They did a fantastic job and for the past 10 weeks I have been itching with anticipation to see the fruit of their labour, and finally, the wait is over.

Below is the slideshow that Citlalli and her team put together for us, and to see more of our fantastic pictures, check out my Mexican Wedding page.

http://www.citlallirico.com/slideshow/Nena-Tom-Xcaret-Wedding/

To any brides considering getting married in Mexico, I can honestly tell you that Citlalli and her team will capture the essence, beauty and love of your day. And if you are not getting married in Mexico then I can only hope that wherever your dream day comes to life, you can find your very own Citlalli Rico.

Best wishes, Gaby xXx

Alberto and Dayana's Love Story

“We have a lot of dreams, and together we will make them come true”

Your theme is one of the most important details when planning a wedding, it sets the tone for the whole event. When I asked my sister (in law) Dayana what her theme was she simply replied, “our wedding theme was obviously Love, we chose fuchsia for bridesmaids and the bouquet, and the design of the cake was a gift box because marriage and love are gifts from God”. Of all the answers ever given to that question, that is certainly my favourite.

Alberto and Dayana met on their first day of University in 2002 and instantly forged a unique and special friendship, they soon became best friends, sharing all the things they had in common, supporting one another and learning from each other. It would only be three years into their friendship that they became a couple. Since then they have experienced so much together, from graduating college and moving to a different country, to starting their life as a married couple and planning a family.

Their wedding took place on December 18, 2010 and began with a ceremony at Lakewood Church in Houston, followed by a reception at the Crowne Plaza hotel and an after party hosted by Dayana’s cousins Andres and Shaddia. Simple, classic and elegant, their big day had a unique welcoming touch, which I believe was because it was planned by family, with the exception of the ceremony at Lakewood, organised by Kathy Trevino.

Dayana and Alberto’s wedding holds a very special place in my heart, not just because he is my brother and I love her like a sister, but because I helped make it happen. This was my first real planning experience, I remember arriving in Houston exactly a month before the wedding and asking the bride what she had ready, to which she replied ‘the church and the dress’. Granted these are the most important things but in order to make their day truly memorable I would have to put my organising skills into overdrive, and that I did. From finding a hotel to host the reception with short notice, picking a menu and going cake tasting to DIY decorations, online invites and wedding favours… we made it happen.

ASK THE BRIDE 

How did you find your dress?

I selected the wedding dress online while we were still in Venezuela, but as soon as I came to Houston I went to Camille La Vie Bridal to make sure it was the perfect dress for me… and it was.

What did you feel walking down the aisle?

I was happy and excited, I felt thrilled seeing the faces of the people there to share our love, and my excitement was unexplainable when I looked at my fiancé and saw the smile on his face, it was an unforgettable moment.

What was the most important part of your wedding?

Sharing that special moment with our families and realising that we would be together for the rest of our lives. A great journey was starting for us in that moment.

Favorite part of your bridal experience?

Starting out as best friends and ending up married. From the actual wedding the best moment was standing before God and our families choosing to be together forever.

Worst Bridezilla moment on the day? 

The stylist wasn’t at the salon when I got there, so I went to her house to pick her up.

Best souvenir or keepsake?

We had these clear picture cubes that were placed on each table, they looked great and we kept one for ourselves.

Something old, new, borrowed and blue?

Something new: the dress and tiara. Something old and borrowed: the necklace and earrings my cousin Nola lent me, they were the same accessories she used for her wedding. Something blue: the garter.

“The secret to our success as a couple is that I married my best friend”

Wedding Soundtrack

Don’t you love it when you’re watching a movie and just in the right moment the most perfect song starts to play, bringing deeper meaning to that scene? Don’t you sometimes wish that you could have a soundtrack to your life? Well, if there is a day for that, it is definitely your wedding day!

Whether you and your fiancé connected when you glanced at each other at the exact moment when the right lyrics were playing, or whether you both just picked a song you enjoyed, your wedding soundtrack will not just bring a little of both your tastes into the mix, but it will also provide you with memories, because for the rest of your life, when you hear that song, all you will have to do is close your eyes and you will be transported to that moment, when you laid eyes on him as you walked down the aisle, when you walked into the room as you were introduced as Mr. and Mrs., your first dance…

The likelihood is that you already have a few songs in mind that can not be missed on your big day, but if you haven’t, don’t underestimate the power of music and put a little thought into the songs you would like to have as your wedding soundtrack, because they will forever remind you of one of the happiest days of your life, and that definitely deserves some attention!

Here are some of my favourite wedding related songs:

Christina Perri: A Thousand Years

I love the lyrics to this song, I close my eyes and imagine that walk down the aisle, nervous and excited, as you forget any doubts and confidently look straight at the man you love, knowing that this is the moment you have been waiting for all your life. I used it twice during my celebrations, I had the instrumental cover by The Piano Guys playing as I came into the room at the registry wedding and then the original as our first dance during the church celebration. The thing I love the most about this song is that it takes me back to that dance. We were surrounded by dozens of people but on that stage, it felt like it was just us, so intimate and romantic, and I will always love this song because it gave me that moment.

Bruno Mars: Marry You

Now, the lyrics to this are more reminiscent of eloping in Vegas than carefully planned nuptials, but the tone of the song is just so uplifting and carefree, and personally I like the thought that sometimes you should just follow your heart, if you really love that person then throw caution to the wind and forget reason, go with the moment and just be happy. Hubby and I used this one for our grand entrance as we were being introduced as Mr. & Mrs. and I loved how everyone was cheering us on and clapping away to the rhythm of the song as we made our way into the room.

Little Big Town: Little White Church

Ok so this may not be the most appropriate song for the actual wedding day but it is good fun. If you’ve never heard it and you like country music then you’re in for a treat! It tells the story of a girl who is sick of empty promises and puts her foot down, no more hanky panky until he takes her down to that little white church! You gotta love a girl with attitude who has the courage to say what she wants. Here’s a little insight as to why I love it: before getting engaged I was living in Bolivia and hubby came to visit from England, he asked if I would ever considering moving back to Britain, and I replied ‘Not unless I’ve got a ring on my finger’, a week later I was engaged.

Matt Nathanson: Wedding Dress

I love this song because of how moving it is. The beauty of music is that everyone can interpret it in a different way, regardless of what the meaning was when it was written. Personally I feel this song is about sticking with it during the hard times, no relationship is perfect, but even in the tough times, when everything around you is falling apart and you’re surrounded by darkness, hold on to each other, remember the happiness you felt on the day you chose to join your lives, a day that changed you both forever, have faith in those feelings and never forget how much you love one another. I believe holding on to those memories and feelings can only make your marriage stronger.

98 degrees: I do (Cherish you)

I do. Those words will change your life, they mark the moment when you chose to become somebody’s wife, companion, soul mate and best friend, until death do you part. This song is beautiful because he talks about the amazing feelings that his love brings out in him and promises to cherish her forever, with all his heart.

Backstreet Boys: Safest Place to Hide

Not necessarily a wedding song but most certainly a marriage song. Things in the relationship are bound to get hard, but if you continue trusting each other, being one another’s rock, supporting and loving each other, then you can only go from strength to strength, no matter how long you are married for, you should always be each other’s safest place to hide. This song is a tribute, from a man in love to the woman that keeps him sane and his heart safe.

Lots of Love, Gaby xXx

To Top It Off...

The devil is in the detail, and one of the details that you can use to really personalise your wedding is your cake topper. Now, toppers may not be very high on your planning agenda, but depending on just how personal you want to go, it’s best to start looking early.

There is no shortage of creative cake toppers online, there are cute ones, funny ones and even custom ones. Personally, I was determined to have the most unique topper I could find and the concept of having a fully customised topper was just the perfect way to achieve this. Horror stories and online reviews about this kind of product made me more than a little skeptical, but despite my reservations I decided to go for it, and could not be happier.

My cake topper was exactly what I wanted, a miniature version of us, down to the detail in my dress, they were certainly a topic of conversation amongst guests and everybody loved them! I could not have better words about this company, they kept me in the loop during the entire creative process and patiently carried out each and every one of my little tweaks, which considering how much of a perfectionist I am, is not easy! 

Here is a selection of the other toppers considered when it was my time to cut the cake!

Precious Moments Dancers

You are my dream come true. As a long time Precious Moments fan I just love this topper, unfortunately these are not available with brunette hair, but for blonde brides out there, if you want an adorable and romantic topper, this is your winner.

Runaway Groom

As funny ones go, this one has my vote. It was actually my groom who spotted this and requested it be considered. Very funny (she says sarcastically rolling her eyes). But in all honestly, it will certainly bring some humour to the occasion.

Puzzle People

For the couples who just fit like a puzzle, make it literal with the puzzle people, they look cute, are out of the ordinary and can be personalised with little veils and bow ties! 

Silhouette of Love

If you’re looking for a classy and elegant topper, something that exudes sophistication, this would be my pick. I love the smooth finish, the delicate flow of lines and the romantic, statuesque pose.

Love Monument Topper

A miniature version of Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture, this topper is a bold statement that literally states you are all there to celebrate your love for each other. The Love Park in Philadelphia is one of the ‘places to visit’ on my bucket list so it just had to be considered for my big day.

Wooden Toppers

This is another way to customise your topper without going into too much detail. Some people may not like miniature versions of themselves, but may still want their topper to have some unique identifying details. That is why I love this little pair, they are so whimsical and sweet… simply adorable.

Our Wedding Toppers

Last but not least, I chose these for my first wedding, the registry celebration. My husband is English and the top hat just seemed so quintessentially British, also this little couple was too cute to resist for me! 

Hope you've liked my picks and can find the perfect topper for your big day!

Lots of Love, Gaby xXx

Pinteresting Brides

Tonight I met with my friend Nix for the first time since finding out about her engagement (congrats sweety!), and when I started talking about my own planning experience in a bid to help her start her bridal journey I realised that there is one particular tool that has been my shining start since the very start of my wedding planning days: Pinterest.

For those of you who don’t know, Pinterest is a free digital pin board, where you can create as many different boards as you like and you have a great variety of categories to search through. It is an amazing source of inspiration and a great way to keep all your digital ideas in one place, it’s like an environmentally friendly planner!

For those of you who are familiar with Pinterest you will know it is highly addictive, you can spend hours scrolling through other people’s pin boards and pinning images on to yours, and although you can get distracted and go off on Fashion or DIY tangents, you can also find a lot of hidden gems, wedding ideas that you never would have thought of.

Personally, I have 37 pin boards, only five of them specifically dedicated to wedding planning:

* Wedding Ideas: This was my first board. Initially all wedding related pins went on this board but as I realised my need for a more organised system, I branched out and created more specific categories to cater for my bridal needs. Now it mainly consists of all general ideas, venues, planning tips, thank you cards, cake toppers, table numbers, champagne flutes, cake cutters, themes and colours, invites, wedding favours, bridesmaids dresses… and the list goes on!

* Here Comes The Bride: This board was born when I realised I wanted to share my wedding ideas board with the groom to get him involved and find out his opinions, WITHOUT letting him see what kind of dress I was looking for or how I would have my hair. As every other bride, I want my look on that day to be a surprise for him so this board is more for me. Here you can fin beautiful bridal gowns, tiaras, jewellery, shoes, rings, floral bouquets, hair styles and makeup.

* Wedding Photography: It is impossible to look through photographers pictures and not think ‘I want that shot’ about a million times. Whether you’re just browsing the web as a newly engaged girl, gathering ideas for when he finally pops the question or looking for someone to actually photograph your wedding, having all your desired shots in one place is a huge help. With my wedding being in Mexico I had to pick a photographer from afar and being able to compare all the images I’ve saved with each of their styles was a big help in making my choice, not to mention the fact that I don’t even have to tell them what kind of photography I want on my big day… I can show them!

* Xcaret Weddings: It’s well enough having pictures that I would like to have but there are certain shots that can only be achieved in certain places. I am an Xcaret bride, this is the magical place where I get to say ‘I do’ and it is only logical that I look at past Xcaret brides for inspiration. There are many shots from my wedding photography that I could only have in daydreams, but these, I can make happen. Needless to say my photographer has already been sent this link and is ready to recreate some of these stunning shots!

* Wedding Cake: My cake tasting is the same week as my wedding, and even though I can’t pick the flavour of the cake from thousands of miles away, I can certainly pick the style! I’ve always wanted a lace cake and since my theme is rainbow, these were the two main criteria when adding cakes to this board. Of course when discussing the cake with Mexican bakers, showing them what I wanted was a huge advantage in picking the right place, I sent all the candidates the link and they submitted their proposals, this allowed me to see who could best interpret my vision and I picked the perfect gal for the job!

Long story short (who am I kidding, I never keep anything short!), Pinterest is a fantastic tool for every Bridezilla to be, an endless source of inspiration, a way of translating your vision into pictures and allowing people to see through your eyes. Use it and abuse it, you won’t regret it!

Best wishes, Gaby xXx

The 5 P’s of Planning

A big part of planning your own wedding is knowing how to get organised, because this is the only way you will be on top of everything. There are a few wedding websites that provide you with all the information and ideas you could possibly need, for free!

I used www.theknot.com, where not only do they have an unlimited amount of inspiration but when you create an account they give you a month by month to do list, so that you can know what you should be doing at each stage of your preparation. I suggest you use that as a guide and create your own list based on your priorities and the time frames to get things done in your chosen country.

Another essential in the planning process is a wedding book. It doesn’t have to be one of those expensive wedding planners, you can just make your own! In my case mine was a gift from one of my Maids of Honour, a very pretty and colourful book from Paperchase, which she divided into sections and labelled accordingly.

Once I started my planning I added more sections and labels as I went along. The benefit of having a wedding planning book is having everything in one place, whatever information you get, be it over the phone or email, write it down there straight away so that when you need the information you know where it is!

So let’s assume you have your planner at the ready, complete with your ‘to do’ list. Now it’s time to go digital. Don’t underestimate the power of a spreadsheet. Get one started early and it will be a great ally. Create different tabs for what you need, in my case I created the following: Groom’s guest list, Bride’s guest list, Yes RSVPs, Gifts and Budget.

Within those tabs you have the power to organise yourself, here’s an idea of the criteria I used (names, numbers and addresses have been made up):

Finally, if you’re the kind of girl that will rely on your Filofax or phone calendar to get you everywhere and anywhere, then use what you’ve got girl! Set yourself reminders of when you have to do things so that you never miss a beat.

And remember, proper planning prevents poor performance!

Proper: If you put all your effort on things from the start you won’t have to be revisiting things that should have been sorted, closer to your date, when you’re out of time.

Planning:  Organisation is the key. Use it and you can open any door.

Prevents: You don’t want to be dealing with last minute issues, thinking ahead and preventing instead of fixing, means that when the time to worry comes, you won’t have to.

Poor: The quality of wedding you DON’T want to have. Aim for greatness and dreams that come true.

Performance: This will be a day to remember, one where you are the star and your planning will make sure you get to enjoy it.

Best wishes, Gaby xXx