WEDDING VENUES

If you had to ask us, when hiring a wedding planner it almost feels like you get yourself a fairy godparent like in all those Disney movies. While it is with a sad and deep regret that we admit that we haven't as of yet acquired magical abilities nor own a fully functioning magic wand, we do have a whole lot of love and care towards creating beautiful weddings. Our super power lies in creating a stress free planning process for the couple and also makes sure that the budget is stuck to as effectively as possible.

Many seem to believe that wedding planners only care about making money and insist that they don't really care about making people happy. However, truth of the matter is, wedding planners do this job out of pure passion in seeing couples getting happily married without having to stress too much about all the logistics. Moreover having guests at a wedding implies the need of giving 110% towards making them happy. A happy couple added to a group of excited and satisfied guests makes a job well done. Being greedy and seeking only money will only kill any sort of future work or success! 

Others believe that hiring a wedding planner is too expensive and the only way a wedding planner would work with you is if you have a large or unlimited budget. This is most definitely not true. Here at My Wedding Planner we strive to bring to our lovely couple the best deals on the market and will make sure to fit everything within one's budget, as tight as it may be. In fact, we also work with on-the-day wedding planners packages especially for people who either, on the most part, want to plan the wedding on their own or else would just need a little extra help on the day itself.

Another myth that unfortunately seems to scare many couples is the idea that the wedding planner will eventually take over their wedding. However, truth of the matter is, the wedding planner will sit with you and create the wedding vision together with you. Then they will find you the necessary suppliers and vendors that will make your dream wedding a reality and supply you with a choice. Like this you have the final say on how exactly your wedding will look like!

If there’s one thing that is for sure it’s that Malta is a country which is able to host weddings coming from different cultures and traditions, including the stunning Indian weddings.

Indian weddings tend to last for an average of three days. The first night would see the priest performing the ganesh pooja. The ceremony takes place at home where only the couple, the bridal party and also close relatives are allowed to attend. The second day is started off with the mehndi ceremony where the bride and her female friends, family members and esteemed guests will get their hands and feet covered in henna patterns. On the same evening the sangeet takes place where guests are invited to the wedding and get introduced to the couple’s families and enjoy some food as well as dance their nights away. The third and last day sees the main ceremony taking space including a cocktail hour and a reception.

If you’re not Indian or at least accustomed to the Indian culture and you are invited to such a wedding you will see a whole new way of celebrating this special day. You’ll get to experience the baraat or the grooms procession. Here the groom comes in on a decorated white horse and the guests circle him dancing to the beat of the dhal, an Indian drum. Following this the ritual continues with the greeting of the groom by the bride and her family and the exchanges of flower garlands as a symbol of each other’s acceptance.

When it comes to the wedding ceremony itself, you will get to see a whole other different approach where the priest, bride, groom, as well as their parents stay beneath the mandap, a construction similar to a canopy. The ceremony starts by the kanya daan act where the parents of the bride give her away and so the couple holds hands and goes around a small fires as part of the ritual - mangal phera. The couple will take the seven steps, similar to what we know as vows where they say how they will support each other and live a happy married life. Closing off the ceremony, the groom would apply a spot of red powder on the bride’s forehead and tie a black beaded necklace around her neck - the symbol of a married woman.

So if you have the pleasure of being invited to an Indian wedding be open to experience a whole new dimension to the start of a married life. Also wear a lot of bright and bold coloured clothing - you will most definitely fit right in!

During the past few years weddings have been slowly changing and adapting to newly formed ideals. One of the changes directly affected the tradition of giving souvenirs to your wedding guests.

Brides and grooms are now deciding more often to donate the money for souvenirs to charities around the Maltese Islands and in return give their guests a small token showing that the money was donated. This item is generally a bookmark showing the charity chosen for donation. This idea allows the couple to hand a small token of remembrance to their guests while giving the bulk sum to a worthy cause and also avoids the chances of souvenirs being thrown out as unwanted gifts or clatter.

The idea of personalisation has also become very prominent amongst young and soon to be wed couples. In fact, many decide to opt for DIY souvenir ideas like bookmarks, small bags of assorted candy, assorted teabags, small plants or some times seeds, many a times coming with either hand-illustrated tags or bags. This type of souvenir is generally very cost-effective and adds  a greater element of gratitude for the gift that your guests have given you on your special day. Moreover the remainder of the souvenir money could also then be donated to a worthy cause.

Here's a list of 6 local charities coming from different areas of society (there are a whole lot more and all of which are easily found online).

      - Inspire’s ‘I DO for Charity’ - Inspire attempts to help people with disability better integrate in society. This organisation supplies couple with bookmark as a token for their donation.

       - Hospice Malta - the organisation for palliative care for terminally ill people.

       - AAA - for all those who love animals.

       - Dar Merhba Bik - which serves as a refuge for people who have gone through domestic violence.

       - Puttinu Cares - which is a local cancer support group.

       - Dr Klown - aimed at cheering hospitalised children. They offer couples souvenir alternatives in the form of cards.

By Nicole Borg

If you want to add on to the romance of your wedding proposal you might want to think a bit outside the box or just add a little something to the surprise to make the occasion even more memorable. What’s more special than highlighting your partner’s likes?

1. When opting for a public proposal

You either choose your partner’s favourite place be it a park, a garden, a hotel, a monument or a restaurant. A place that has significance to both of you like for instance where you first met, or the place of your first kiss. If your significant other loves choral music or brass bands why not her a choir or brass band to serenade them. Or maybe you want to be a bit more adventurous and you send your soon to be fiancé on a treasure hunt.

2. Pop the question when on holiday

If you’re planning a romantic getaway for two you can make the most out of it and use this time abroad as the enchantment factor to your proposal. You can propose while on the plane or when visiting an iconic place in your chosen holiday destination. Another idea would be choosing to decorate your hotel room with candles and roses, as well as a bottle of champaign while your significant other is preparing to go out or away from the bedroom for a little wile.

3. Or maybe you want to do it from home

Starting from photo memories of your relationship, to using a trail of candles in an unlit apartment leading to the ring, home proposals are also very romantic. We’re pretty sure a five-star home cooked meal would also go down very well.

4. Why not surprise them at work?

We all know there are days when hours on end of work make you bored and tired. Popping the question as a surprise while your other half is working or about to go to work could be a fantastic boost to their day. This could be done by leaving some kind of message on their desk or maybe have your partner’s colleagues be in on the proposal.

By Nicole Borg

The more we participate in wedding fairs, the more we realise how important and beneficial it is both for us as a company as well as for the bride and groom, to be present at such fairs. Here everyone’s able to meet with the people who might end up providing a service at their wedding while seeing some products and what they can add to your special day live, helping you make a more informed decision by the end of it. Moreover, you are bound to get some lovely offers and discounts which have been set specifically for the occasion.

Moreover, wedding fairs constantly prove to be the ideal setting where all wedding service providers starting from photographers, videographers, wedding planners, and caterers just to mention a few, are given a platform through which they can show off their work. Brides and grooms have the luxury to compare different suppliers on the spot and test them out to see which ones will cater more for their specific needs.

Wedding fairs are extremely helpful for all those freshly engaged couples who seem to have no idea where they should start with their planning. However, this is not only limited to those couples who are just starting out their wedding planning. You can visit a wedding fair at any stage in the planning process. You never know, you might come across something that could have slipped your mind or completely not thought about.

Before going to the fair, especially if newly engaged, make sure to have a check-list of things you’d like to look into and book and maybe highlight which exhibitors you’d definitely like to visit.

With a whole lot of freebies, food tasting and fantastic discounts you will most definitely leave the wedding fair with a bargain. See you lovely couples at the Say Yes Wedding Fair.

It wouldn't be the first time a bride asks someone she trusts and loves to be her bridesmaid and something happens that causes the bride and her chosen bridesmaid to drift apart. This is why you need to make sure the people you're asking to be part of your bridal party are there to stay. But how could you know this for sure? What do you need to ask yourself?

First you need to make sure you know why you want these people in your bridal party. While some options are obvious, especially when involving your sister or sisters-in-law, others might seem forced. You might believe that because you've known someone for a long time, or because they chose you to be part of their bridal party, you owe it to them to include them in your own wedding preparations. At the end of the day, this is YOUR wedding day and so it is YOUR choice as to whom will get the chance to accompany you on your special day.

Moreover, when including your friends as part of the bridal party, you need to analyse their character and how able they are to handle stress and let go when an argument occurs. If you know someone is hot headed, has a tendency of bailing on you, or does not have the slightest of clues as to how to compromise, then you might want to opt out of choosing them to be part of your bridal party. On top of this, if you can tell someone won't be in your life for the long haul, then do you really want them to be in all the preparations, photos and videos of your special day? But then again, many times it is hard to predict the future.

Another thing you need to make sure of is this: do you think all the members of the bridal party can get along together? If you know two or more of the members don't agree on anything and just love to pick at each other, then it might be an option to opt out of having both of them in the group. Additionally, do take note on the groom's wishes and make sure the members of the bridal party get along with him well enough.

Finally, make sure that the people you choose will be willing to contribute to the planning and can help you out when you get stuck. If you know someone won't manage to be a helping hand, you might want to look elsewhere.

By Nicole Borg

When getting hitched there are many rules you are allowed to bend, break or completely oppose, however some are there to be strictly followed no matter what. Take a look at what we think are the top rules that should not be broken!

1.     The invitation stage

Do not invite people to your hens and bachelors parties if you are not planning on inviting them to your wedding. Make sure not to send invites via a text or facebook message, everyone likes to receive a nice and traditional wedding invitation. If you know it, make sure to add in the name of your guests’ plus one - they will feel more included with such a small gesture.

2. The Marriage license

In reality, to get married in Malta there are a number of legalities that require to be covered. Around three months prior to the wedding, the couple must have sorted all Church Wedding and Civil Banns. With a church wedding we strongly recommend that the couple gets guidance from the priest the second that the church and the priest are booked for the wedding. In case of a Civil Wedding, the wedding Banns need to be registered with the Public Registry, more guidance on this can be found by clicking here.

3. Ta Cana

If you opted to get married in a church, the Cana courses are a must and all couples need to sit through them.  For further guidance on the Cana course you can take a look at the Cana Movement website. If a member of the couple is of a foreign nationality and would like to get married in a church it is also advised to speak to the Emigrants Commission, further guidance can be found by clicking here.

4. Make time for Thank Yous 

Make sure to send out a thank you card/message to all guests giving you wedding gifts. 

5. Feed your vendors

All the people helping you in making your wedding day one to remember have invested a whole lot of time and energy in its preparation. Make sure that you coordinate with your caterers to supply vendors with some food to energise them for the remainder of the day.

By Nicole Borg

Starting the weekend after Easter, the peak season for weddings is seen by many as the most ideal time period for their special day. The peak season reaches its high in May, June and the beginning of July. September is also a popular month, and October brings the peak season to a close. 

But exactly why are these months so popular? Apart from guaranteeing the couple a sunny wedding, it also brings to the table a multitude of wedding themes like an outdoor wedding with a night of fireworks, beach weddings, pool and garden weddings as well as boat weddings. Moreover, the spring/summer season provides the benefit of fresh fruit and vegetables for all the health conscious couples. Last but most definitely not least, the colours of the season derived from nature with flowers for spring and lemons for summer. Additionally it’s the perfect season for a bright colour wedding.

Being the most popular season for weddings, the couple needs to be on top of all bookings and they need to be finalised with ample time in advance. Booking at least two years in advance is necessary when the wedding is on a Saturday or eve of a Public Holiday. Having a contingency plan for your wedding venue is always an important thing to reduce stress in case the weather does not cooperate, especially if the venue chosen does not offer both an indoor and outdoor area.

The same reasoning applies for suppliers. Wedding vendors and service providers are all maxed out during peak season. The couple needs to book the suppliers well in advance, especially when they have specific requests of what they want.

Expectedly, peak season offers higher prices, and its exactly the season to avoid if you’re either running a wedding on a limited budget, or you want to go against the norm. 

By Nicole Borg

One rising trend is that of setting a theme to your wedding. The location of the wedding and timing are two fundamental details that will determine the choice of your wedding theme, so make sure you choose the best setting for your taste. One of the most exhaustively used tactics to choose a theme is that of establishing one colour to be used to accentuate and put together the different wedding elements, including invites, wedding dresses, ties, flowers and decorations. But why stop at that? Below are our top three wedding themes!

The Vintage Wedding

In this hipster generation, one of the most popular wedding themes is vintage. Starting from lacy backless wedding dresses, head pieces, hand written calligraphy on invites, a lot (and yes I mean a lot) of roses, crystal glasses and chandeliers and many many bows, this wedding theme is set to take you and your guests back to the good old fifties.

The Rustic Wedding

If you don’t want to have a wedding theme that is mainstream then you might want to check out this one! Rustic weddings are all for different - starting from water colour invites tied with some lovely yarn string and brown paper envelopes, wooden chandeliers with hanging bulbs, white flowers accompanied by many evergreen leaves, and stunning strapless wedding dresses that look like they’re coming out of a Hollywood movie. And don’t get me started on the variety of wood textured wedding cakes and sweet decorations that look so beautiful they’ll make you want to gobble them up before any of your guests arrive!

All the pastels!

Pastels have very much been in vogue for the last couple of years, including in weddings. Starting from the choice of colour for flowers, mason jars or vases, chairs, cake decorations, the grooms tie and flower and accented wedding gowns secure you a very eye pleasing and relaxing wedding. Some of our favourite pastel colours include lavender, mint, powder blue, baby pink and light yellow.
 
By Nicole Borg

Something many girls dream about is the day they come to start going around shops for their wedding dress. Being swamped with hundreds of styles and makes of dresses, a bride needs to make sure to weigh out all options as well as conditions that the timing and place of the wedding will put on the wedding dress choices.  If you are going to have a beach wedding, then ballgowns are a no go. Whilst if you are getting married in a church,  you might want to lay low on shorter or more revealing dresses.

In order to help you get started, here are a few pointers that you might want to read before your dream dress hunt starts.

The first thing you should do is set yourself a budget, which will also be the first thing you tell the salesperson before they start bringing out their most expensive dresses. In this way you will not fall head over heals for a  dress that you simply do not afford.

Moreover do not forget to set aside some money for accessories, under  garments, alterations, and shipping (if you’re buying from abroad).

Needless to say, don’t stay lingering till the last moment to get a dress. Whilst tailoring a dress takes months, finding the perfect dress from bridal wear shops might take just as long, if not longer. And to save yourself some valuable time, see which shops actually cater for your likings and which ones are approximately in your budget. Make some calls before visiting and make sure that if a shop requires a booking you make one as early as possible.

Do keep an open mind. Whilst some dresses might appear bland on a hanger, they could look dazzling the second you put it on. If you don’t trust the judgement of the sales person, make sure to take your bridesmaids, mother or mother-in-law with you. As long as it’s not the groom - keep that element of surprise there! Don’t worry, the second you’re wearing the right dress you’ll see it on everyone’s faces and the very possible tears of joy.

By Nicole Borg