How to have a Love Actually Christmas

When December swings around, many of us indulge in one holiday tradition or another. For some it’s setting up a Christmas tree just so, for others it’s to go on a wild gingerbread house-baking spree.

One thing that everyone seems to hold dear is a go-to holiday film they screen every year – and one of those is Love Actually. Octopus costumes! Dancing Hugh Grant! First love! Emma Thomson bawling her eyes out to Joni Mitchell. Personally, I have to say I am not a Love Actually fan, but I know alot of you are – and for those of you who are not but believe in love, here’s how to have a lucky in love Xmas Love Actually style…

♥ Dance like nobody’s watching: CC: Hugh Grant The Prime Minister. And Sarah when she (nearly) bags Karl (sob).

♥ Create a new swearword: Go on, get creative and make something Billy Mack would be proud of. Someone is bound to piss you off royally during the silly season.

♥ Seduce a politician: Or two, if you’re a bit of a Natalie.

♥ Learn a musical instrument to impress your true love: If it worked for young Sam, and countless nerds who have gone on to become rock stars, you’ve got a shot.

♥ Go skinny-dipping: We have the good fortune of our Christmas being in Summer, plus glorious beaches – so no need to dive head first into a conspicuous lake.

♥ Spend Christmas in a foreign country: If the geeky awkward guy managed to bag a bunch of babes via his cheeky accent, perhaps you will too.

♥ Embrace the emotive female-driven pop: Dido, SugarBabes, Girls Aloud, Mariah… need we go on?

♥ Tell someone you love them: Holding up giant cards declaring, “Just because it’s Christmas” “(and at Christmas you tell the truth)” :’(

♥ Spend some quality time with a close mate: Christmas doesn’t have to be all about family, you know. Bring over a bottle of something and reminisce about the years gone by.

♥ Christmas wrap like a BOSS: Who would have thought Mr Bean was such a precise prezzie wrapper?

♥ Perform your favourite Christmas song with ‘new and improved’ lyrics: Performance must include saucy back-up dancers.

♥ Throw a dress up party: We hear lobsters and octopi make great costumes, even if eight is a lot of legs.

♥ Stand up for yourself: Prime Minister Hugh was not going to just stand there and let President Billy Bob violate “Britain”, so if you’ve got something to say, now’s your chance.

♥ Flirt in a strange situation: It will make for a great story later – and after all, it panned out for John and Judy.

♥ Embrace the PDA: Go on, propose to your partner with a whole Portuguese village watching, or launch yourself onto your lover at the airport, we won’t judge.

♥ Surrender to the total agony of being in love. Sam may be young, but he knows what’s up.

Soulmates

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From the author of Eat, Pray, Love.

Best Marriage Proposals ♥ Art Museum

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This moment when a woman asked her girlfriend to marry her has gone viral, and it’s mostly thanks to the reaction of a bystander – look at that excitedly shocked face of the woman in the background : )

Reportedly the happy, stylish couple are Jessica Rodriguez and Chelsea Miller. Jessica got down on one knee and asked for Chelsea’s hand in marriage at the Art Institute of Chicago – a venue chosen because of the couple’s shared love of art.

“If someone could describe our love it could only be done through a work of art,” Jessica wrote on Instagram. “It is happy, fun, chaotic, inspiring and strong.”

How beautiful.

Word is they’ve been in contact with the older woman in the photo, and even plan to invite her to their wedding!

We wish this beautiful couple all the best with their planning.

Here’s the video!

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Dream, Wish & Believe ♥ Disney Weddings

I just found a site called Disney Weddings – I know some of you are big Disneyland fans so you are going to love this! It looks like you can have a totally Disney wedding complete with fairytale castle and amusement rides – or enjoy the pretty park like grounds and grand venue halls. I think my favourite would be a fun engagement shoot.

Check real love stories out here: Disney Weddings

May the Force Be With You ♥ Star Wars Wedding Ideas

In the wake of the sad news of Carrie Fisher/Princess Leia’s passing I think it’s time to review how to have an out of this galaxy Star Wars themed wedding.

Let’s be honest: a Star Wars wedding can be tricky. You want it to be over-the-top fun, but you also run the risk of making it feel like a kids’ party.

Of course you don’t all have to dress up in costume – hiring a few Stormtroopers or Darth Vadar to make a brief appearance or having your Groom walk down the aisle to the Imperial March are really good ways to pay homage without overshadowing every other element. This couple and their amazing bridal party do it really well though…

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Check out some very cool Star Wars Wedding Ideas here: http://bridalguide.com/planning/the-details/theme/star-wars-wedding-ideas#162532

Just don’t ask me to dress up in this costume!! ; )

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May the wedding-planning force be with you and the spirit of Princess Leia.

You’ve Just Got Engaged ♥ What Not To Post On Social Media

Congratulations on your engagement! While committing to a lifetime to your loved one is certainly an exciting moment, there’s a few things to note before you splash the news all over social media and announce your upcoming wedding day.

Photography by shuttershock and words by NZ Weddings

We live in an age of digital over-sharing, thanks in part to social apps like Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook…

But when it comes to memorable life milestones such as an engagement it’s important to not let your excitement get the better of you.

Here’s what to be mindful of when shouting out about your decision to marry.

♥ DISCUSS WHAT YOU’LL SHARE WITH YOUR PARTNER

You might be Insta-mad, but your to-be-hubby might not be overjoyed that the news of you two being hitched is rapidly being ‘liked’ by one and all. Be sure to discuss what you’ll be posting where – and when – before you hit ‘publish’.

♥ PERSONAL TOUCH

Remember the good days of phone calls and in-person visits? It’s time to go old school. Tell your nearest and dearest about your life decision in a personal way. It’ll further enhance the special time for you, and they will feel touched that you’ve made the time to inform them the proper way.

♥ RING IT IN

While a snap of your engagement ring is always adored, there’s no need to go mad on discussing the style, carats, or cost. People would rather hear about your engagement story and the love you share than the materialistic element.

♥ WEDDING DAY DETAILS

You might have been planning your nuptials for decades, but as you’ll soon discover, the process of planning a wedding (and the costs involved) can change the way you thought your ‘perfect’ wedding would look. Hold the event details for the save-the-dates or invitations – likely to be months if not a year down the track. Now is the time to simply enjoy being engaged.

5 people you want at your wedding

Every couple wants an amazing wedding, here’s five people you should invite to push it from great to out of this world awesome.
1. An awesome wedding celebrant

Your marriage celebrant is the first act of the day. The first person to get on a microphone and set the tone for the whole event. They speak life into your marriage and they inject a personal meaningful shot into the arm of your wedding. You can not fail by inviting an awesome celebrant into your wedding. Hint: Lucky in Love Marriage Celebrant Kimberly Sanders – me ; )

2. A spectacular DJ

Wedding DJs are way better than they used to be. Not only do they bring the good audio gear so your tipi feels like a nightclub, but they know how to make a party with music. Search for a DJ that knows the music you love and knows how to work the dancefloor into a frenzy and the canapés into a jive fest. Check out www.dj4you.co.nz

3. A rocking musician

Live music, there’s nothing like it. Get one of these guys into your ceremony, your cocktail hour, your dinner party, the dancefloor, you can’t go wrong with a vocalist and a guitarist. If you want to go extra fancy get the whole band.
4. A kickass bartender

Whether they’re manning the whiskey bar or popping caps off craft beers the bartender is the secret service of your wedding. They know everything, everyone, and they’ll make or break your party.
5. A photographer with social skills

Your wedding photographer is going to be hanging out with you all day. Find someone you don’t want to lie to about why everyone is going into the next room without them. It doesn’t hurt if they take sweet pics too, but if you can’t get along with your wedding photographer like an old mate over a beer then fire them quickstart and find a person with a camera with a sense of humour quick! BLUSH Photography will put you at ease and capture your beautiful memories.

What a fabulous end to a great year!!!

It was with great pleasure I officially married the lovely Mr and Mrs Lee.
Our couple held their ceremony and reception at historic countryside La Valla Estate in South Auckland. The special touches were so pretty, lavender colour macarons, paper doilies and a picnic lunch on the sprawling green lawn.
I love this photo of the happy couple at the altar.
Thank you for choosing me as your celebrant. I wish all the happiness for your future as husband and wife!!

New Year’s Eve Proposal

Planning on popping the question this New Years? Here are some reasons why you definitely picked the right time!

There are many times throughout the year that can be marked as the perfect day for proposing. But a New Year’s Eve proposal is extra magical. Here are some reasons why…

♥ Symbolic Meaning

You’re about to embark on a new journey already with the New Year approaching– why not start a new journey in your relationship as well?

♥ He/She’ll already be dressed up

While some boys/girls won’t admit it, we all secretly hope that we’ll look drop-dead gorgeous during our proposal and New Years Eve is the night your partner will be glammed up already.

♥ Share the moment with friends

It can be a headache to organize all your loved ones in one place randomly throughout the year if you want to share in your proposal. But New Year’s Eve gives you the perfect excuse to be able to propose in front of your favorite people. If your partner values sharing moments with friends and family, they’ll definitely enjoy a New Years proposal.

♥ Bubbly is already on standby

For many couples, toasting to the next step in their relationship comes later at an engagement party or when telling the parents over dinner. However for New Year’s Eve proposers, chances are you’ll already have champagne on hand!

♥ You can’t forget your Proposal-versary

Let’s face it– it’s hard enough to remember your wedding anniversary let alone when you propose! If you propose on New Year’s Eve– you’ll never ever forget when that special moment happened.

Good luck and happy New Years proposing!

♥ Engagement Rings ♥ Would you trust your partner to choose?

‘It’s a measly diamond, you didn’t get down on one knee and WHERE’S my flashmob?’ Fifth of women left disappointed by their man’s proposal…

Wow! The pressure is on these days to really WOW with a ring and a unique proposal.

Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a fairy-tale proposal complete with the perfect diamond ring.

Maybe it’s just the heterosexuals but a survey says one in five women are left disappointed by their partners efforts.

A new survey has revealed that 21 per cent of engaged, married or divorced women were left disappointed by their marriage proposal, but they didn’t say anything to their other half and now wished they had.

Some (lame) reasons are: Engagement rings that were too small, no ring at all, failing to organise a ‘special’ proposal, not asking parents’ permission for their daughter’s hand in marriage. And one in 10 would turn down proposal if they didn’t like ring and half would consider making a financial contribution to get a better ring!!

And 13 per cent of those said they were so disappointed by the proposal that they wanted to cry after it had failed to live up to their expectations.

Women were also offended by their men not proposing on bended knee, as tradition dictates, as well as failing to organise a ‘special’ proposal.

Several couples even had an argument following a less than perfect proposal – whilst other respondents confided in friends about their imperfect proposal rather than turning to their partners.

And it seems that modern would-be brides are so desperate to bag their dream engagement ring they are chipping in to the cost themselves.

Clearly getting an engagement ring and choosing the right one is of the utmost importance – more than a third of women surveyed (38 per cent) said that an engagement ring matters because it is a symbol of how much their partner loves them.

And 12 per cent of the engaged, married or divorced women who were polled said they would change the style of their engagement ring with 10 per cent saying they would change the size of their diamond – presumably for a larger one!.

Nearly a quarter of all respondents (24 per cent) said they didn’t like any of their friends’ engagement rings; one in fifteen ladies (7 per cent) admitted they do like their friends’ engagement rings, but would never tell them.

Some women had modelled the design of their own engagement rings on friends’ rings – whilst others had made sure their engagement rings were ‘bigger and better’ than their friends’.

The classic Tiffany solitaire ring is the favourite design of engagement ring, with almost 1 in 5 women (20 per cent) saying that is the one they like the most.

The second favourite is a trilogy ring with a diamond representing the past, the present and the future, with 12 per cent voting for this design.

A close third is the former Kate Middleton’s famous blue sapphire oval cut engagement ring, with this being the firm favourite of 11 per centof the women polled. The engagement rings of celebrities Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow were also popular.

If you partner reacts this way, as a registered Marriage Celebrant my professional advice is – RUN!!!!!!!

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