RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!!! ....

I will keep this blog post short and sweet! Yeah!!

The number one Wedding Planning Tip I would advise to be is to .....

RESEARCH!!!! ⃟

Research Everything and Everyone you are hiring for one of the most lavish and memorable days of your lives! With respect, there are couples who are frugal and who can keep their expenses to a minimum, please send me your tips and Ideas! I would love to share a few here! ;)

When you are planning your wedding, even to hire a wedding planner, it is vital you get some sort of feedback from previous clients, preferably directly from the person too. A friend of the supplier is Not GOOD ENOUGH! If you want to spend your hard earned money, or someone else's if you're lucky, don't waste a cent, dime until all your questions are answered, you are satisfied the supplier you are looking into meets your expectations and your 'inner voice' which is your gut instinct, follow it. It NEVER lies! 😉

As a supplier myself, I will never 'churn' anything out, made or designed by myself if I wouldn't accept it myself nor would I take on any clients I couldn't meet their expectations too. I have seen soooo much and heard from good reliables sources, suppliers 'white lies', letting their clients down, or making arrangements behind their clients backs and on the day a replacement is there. I cannot imagine how anyone would feel if this was the case. I know things pop up last minute, family crisis etc, but going away on holidays or been booked for another wedding is simply just NOT ON! 🙅

Here are my few tips: 

• LISTS! Oh, boy I love Lists! 
• Write everything down or email. 
• Price compare.
• Have YOU got wedding Insurance? Yes! It is very advisable these days to purchase it! 
• Check out like minded social media wedding groups.
• Have you seen what you want in person? Be careful of purchasing off some advert sites. A lot of convincing people are out there. If you're purchasing anything, use PayPal. You don't need an account.
• Wedding Dress hunting. PLEASE PLEASE purchase from a reputable store! You may be in a position and willing to pay a lot of money on this special gown. Do check out are they open long? Have they won any awards? Do a background check and search for business details online. You will find a wealth of knowledge doing one of these checks. How long in existence? How many directors? and so on.
• Set up a Skype, FaceTime or Video Message account and speak to you supplier. Majority of people are on Social Media. I always get a pain in the pit of my stomach if someone immediately tells me they cannot do a video call and it's not because they are not used to social media. Not in all cases, but in most, they are not legit. You can make up your own mind. This is my own point of view and I have been correct majority of the time. 😉

Have you any tips to add here? I will give your name a wee shout out! 😉

Ciao for Now! ~ Vanessa ~ 

Embracing Life Ceremonies Services

Alternative Ceremonies

Alternative Wedding Ceremonies

Handfasting - Pagan - Reiki - Crystal - Sage - Douser

I believe waking every day, what is for me won't pass me. Everything I see or do, it is an opportunity to change, move forward to enrich my life, thus enriching lives around me. 

During my journey, my early years in solace, I believed I had something different. It wasn't until, after many disastrous roads, failed attempts to be someone who I wasn't, just to fit in, by default, I was pushed back onto the path I am now. 

In the beginning it didn't make any sense but somehow, I just knew. I felt I was at home, somehow, but when I left the 'community' of people, back into the real world, I was suffocating. When I met with 'like minded people', I learned many skills. Reading different 'Cards' such as the Tarot, Angel Cards ~ AA Raphael and AA Michael cards, to Oracle cards, attended workshops and mediumship meetings and so on. 

In 2009 I completed Reiki I and later to complete Reiki II in 2013. That was an amazing experience. In my Reiki Masters words "What you saw, Vanessa, a young Reiki healer wouldn't know yet..... Vanessa, I strongly advise you finish off your Reiki and become a Master yourself! I couldn't and won't describe what I saw, but believe me it was powerful. I was in a vulnerable situation, emotionally at that stage so maybe, because of the path I was on, it opened my spirit and I could connect more freely. I still today have to finish my Reiki but I will do, when the time is right and I believe that time will present itself to me when I'm ready. 

Dragon holding a handmade Handfasting cord made by myself, presented with a certificate and gift box. Made to order. 

Now, you may be asking yourself, sure what has that got to do with a wedding ceremony? I believe my couples will come to me. I have noticed, no matter how much I advertise; pay for marketing this and marketing that, my couples appear to me from nowhere, not linked to my time spend advertising? We cross paths in this world for a reason and mine is no different. 

Each bead and piece is placed and sewn.

I have noticed more and more lately, couples are asking me to perform 'Pagan Wedding Ceremonies’ and to be honest, when I started doing them, I felt I was going to be out of my depth, but when I was performing them, the feedback I received, from the couple and their guest were breath taking. Again, this was another realisation, on my path; I am doing what I am supposed to do on this earth plane. 

When I make a Handfasting cord, I charge and envoke the cords with properous intentions.

When I am performing a cleansing ceremony, I incorporate Sage and use crystals to magnify the clearing and cleansing. At times I may require only to cleanse one individual, maybe due to a troubled past or illness. There are times when I have to cleanse a room before guests arrive. I need to be alone doing this so the energies are not interrupted. 

Another design, a Heirloom Wedding Certificate, signed by the couple.
Background, a dragon buring Dragons Blood and blue sage. The fragrance created a unique ambiance, a first for many to experience. 

During a wedding ceremony, by request, I will wear a white cloak. This is okayed by the couple beforehand. It is not everybody’s cup of tea but I have discovered many couples are surprised I have one and opt for it too. This is only worn during the clearing, cleansing and the handfasting ceremony. 

During the handfasting ceremony, I sage the handfasting cords after they are placed on the couples hands. I sage my own at this stage too so I don't transfer my energies. As I am performing the ceremony, I explain what I am doing to the guests, who are very inquisitive at this stage. This ritual provides many photo opportunities because of the intimacy created during those moments.

If you would like to know more or ask me any questions, you can catch me on Facebook on my Page: https://www.facebook.com/Embracing.Life.Ceremonies.Ireland or email me at Vanessa@embracing-life-ceremonies.com 

Blessed Be. xx

~ Vanessa ~ 

Would a Photo/ Video App be up your Aisle?? Part I

I LOVE THIS APP!! 

Excuse the 'overly' enthusiastic text squeal!!! 

I'm still getting the grip of writing a blog and I find my blogs are based on fact and info. You are going to see another side to me. I'm a tech and app Geek!! Love functional apps, ones that make our day to day lives more fun, sharing our experiences with our closest and fondest loved ones. Unfortunately my iPad doesn't have enough GB's to hold all the apps I have downloaded over the years! Believe me, there are quite a few!  (O.o)

Well, today, finally, I have had the time set aside to 'play' with this 'new to me' fab app, which I have been wanting to investigate for quite a while. I can advise, it does drain the battery life of my iPad, so if you don't need it, just delete and download when you need it again. 

Anyway to my amazement, the abundant features automatically installed, I can agree it must be the #1 Wedding App out there today and what's more, IT IS FREE!!! Yes, you did read that correctly, it is FREE!!! 

In this blog, I'm going to go through as many features as possible without boring you to tears. It is mainly an image based blog to show you what it looks like so you don't need to waste your time investigating it, soooooooo, here we go. 

The images are taken from my Apple device as screen shots. Android users may have a slightly different view. 

So, to start off with, this is what the developers say about the App in the Apple Store. 

https://www.wedpics.com/

        

Apologies for the large and slightly blurred images. I hope you can make out the text information thou. So, after downloading and launching the app, the following screen appears. You have the option to set up as a bride and groom or join a wedding also cleverly to sign up or use as Demo, which I did just that. 

Next, I logged in with my personal Facebook profile with reassurance they wouldn't post on my timeline through Facebook. Thumbs up for that!

Still Curious?? Read on! I think the Project Tester is coming out in me, (past life career!)

So as the Demo has already been set up by the developers, dummy names and dates are used. From here you can join an album, create your own, print etc. I'll get to that later.
My name Demo is in pink and there is a notification welcoming me to the app.

From here, you have the option to view the photos already uploaded, you have the chance to include your own photos or you can order prints! *brill*

Below you will see you can add Video content too! How cool is that?!?!

Obviously access permissions are required. 

If you are a guest, this wedding photo/ video app allows up to 20 photos to be uploaded from your library! Saves time so you can enjoy the celebrations as they are happening!

Below you can choose an album to add your photos to.

Here you see I have uploaded a few photos from a recent wedding fair, my showcase table and myself included. See here where you can Tag Friends, place them in an album already created or create your own and allow other guests to include their photos to collaborate one large album.  

The next images are self explanatory. 

 Uploaded Photos.

Ok.... I think that just might be enough for now! ;D 

Part II is coming up soon very soon!

www.embracing-life-ceremony-certificates.com (World Wide Delivery) 

Need to chat to me but location is an issue. 

Contact me to organise a video conference. Skype, Facebook Messenger, Blab... I love Apps remember! ;-) 

www.embracing-life-ceremonies.com 

Vanessa 

Help! I cannot find an available Celebrant for my wedding date!

Does the above statement look familiar to you?
Are you stressing out over, calling multiple celebrants, enquiring who is available to perform your wedding ceremony at a time and location that suits you?
Yes?
Embracing Life Ceremonies can help! 

Ireland and our Equality Laws have changed for the better in 2015. Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex under the Marriage Equality Bill 2015. This is fantastic news but it does come with a little headache. The flood gates have been opened so you are finding registrars and secular celebrants in Ireland are booked up. You are finding dead ends and all hope to get married is fading fast; you just cannot find a Registrar to perform your Ceremony!!

Many couples who are planning their wedding may not know the following.

You do have two options, either wait for an available Registrar/ Secular celebrant or you can speak to someone like myself, a trained and qualified Independent Celebrant to perform ceremonies, write a personal and unique ceremony reflecting who you both are as individuals and as a couple who want to dearly make a commitment to spend the rest of your lives together.

There is so much more freedom involved in booking an Independent Celebrant. We do not have restrictions on venue locations, time of day or day of week. We travel anywhere in the world. We perform many rituals required to your needs and at the end of the day, we aim to see you both smile, laugh, entertain, maybe shed a tear but most of all, share Your story with your loved ones present in body and in essence.

If this is something you would dearly love for your day, drop me a line here.

Planning your wedding? Are you stuck? Overwhelmed?

Belated Happy New Year to you, 2016, the year of the Red Fire Monkey! The Chinese New Year begins on 8th February, a New Moon Day.

Are you wondering what I am waffling on about? Well, in the holistic world, the New Moon day is a good day to set good intentions, make a plan for the month ahead and take a note of it every day. If you stick to it, you will see within that fortnight on the Full Moon, you have taken many steps forward. By continuing onto the next New Moon, you will feel some self satisfaction you have achieved something.

What is this got to do with Weddings, you ask? Well, I can only imagine, having been there myself many moons ago, no pun intended, planning your Wedding from start to finish is a daunting and for some overwhelming thought! So, where do you start?

Take a slow deep breath right now, right down to your tummy and then let it go, exhale. Do this slowly, just a few times or you may feel lightheaded.

I love the idea of starting something on a New Moon. Still curious, well here's my explanation.

It is not a requirement to start your list on a New Moon, but it is considered a new moon is about new beginnings, fresh start, making plans and I use it as a tool to set goals for myself and if you want to discipline yourself, start your To Do List then. Your list doesn't need to be fancy. It is just a list with headings of what needs to be booked, ordered etc. When I was planning my wedding I purchased a jotter, tore out pages, wrote the headings on the top of the pages and stapled them together! When I was finished or completed something, I would remove the page and obviously keep it near by for reference.
So to start off, section off your list onto separate pages ie Photographer on one page, Hair on another, Hotel maybe keep two or three pages, Ceremony, Music...  When you make contact with the vendors, make a brief note of who you spoke to, when you called and what you discussed and note these details. Soon you will see, 'Your Planning Bible' will start to work for you, keeping you on track.
If you combine this with the Mrs2Be Wedding Planner Guide, you will be the best organised and stress free couple.

So, make it your mission this week to purchase a nice notebook and a few tabs. Section the book off into the different vendor categories and when you have completed your booking, make a note of it.
For appointments, take a note of them but also duplicate them into a diary.
Tip: If you have access, use Google Calender and add invitees so everyone is kept in the loop.

In a fortnight, you can review all your hard work and see how far you have become!

Below is a quick list of heading ideas to start you off! ;)

• Ceremony Venue
• Reception Venue 
• Room Décor
• Ceremony Music
• Reception Music
• Entertainment (photobooth, magician, dancing, dinner entertainment)
• Photographer
• Videographer
• Hair 
• Makeup
• Suits (if applicable)
• Dresses (if applicable)
• DJ
• Florist
• Cars
• Honeymoon
• Invitations
• Cake

Research is Key but don't get too bogged down thou. Pop over to my Pinterest page to get some wonderful ideas on diy projects, wedding theme colours, tips, hairstyle ideas, beauty tips etc... There is something for everyone! 

Happy Planning!!! 

~Vanessa~ 

Save the Date ! ! ! . . Personal Wedding Websites

  Save The Date! ! !  . . . . . . 

Today most of us are on line, nearly 24/7! Emails, text messages, social media, instant messaging, never before has technology been so 'important' in our lives, with our friends and families moving further away, wonderful technology has brought us closer together. All the websites mentioned are easy and fun to use. Here are my Top 3!!! 

First up is WiX.com

     

WiX is a wonderful platform to use. Just simply pick your template and upload your images and text.

As time passes you can 'blog' your Wedding Journey to keep everyone up to date.

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Another beautiful free and easy to use Wedding Website is mywedding

Here on this multi-functional website, you have built in tools in your 'Menu Planner' as well as an option to build a website too. With over 600 website designs to choose from, your own personal Wedding Website is a great way to show of your Wedding theme, even with the option to match your website with Wedding stationary! 

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For the more Modern Contemporary Bridal Couple squarespace is an another beautiful, easy to use website. 

You have options to pick your own domain, RSVP and lots of templates where you can choose colours, fonts, layouts, to create the look you wish. You can also be rest assured there is an award winning 24/7 customer care service team to help you with any questions you may have. 

Short and Sweet but I think you will find the best possible website for your needs out of these 3 fantastic options. 


                                                 

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Tips: 
* Collect all your friends and families mobile contact numbers and add them to a list. Use one of the group apps on your mobile device so when you have compiled all the contact numbers you need, add them to your Wedding Guest Group. When your Website is live, you can simply send the same message to everyone announcing your Wedding Date, Time, Location of the Ceremony and Reception venue etc!!! 

* Update your website with random photos of how your plans are coming along. If your a DIY Bridal couple making booklets, why not share with your family and friends the fun you are both having!! 

* Best to test and play around with the functions to create the perfect page for you both and don't forget to save, preview and spell check before going 'live'!! 

* And most of all ..... Have Fun!!!!