Way back when, the traditional wedding list could be guessed in its entirety by friends and family before even seeing the list. From kettles to pans to iron’s ‘The List’ comprised of everything the happy couple needed to set up home.

Nowadays the ‘traditional’ list is a thing of the past. The vast majority of couples live together before even getting engaged so though the odd Le Creuset casserole dish might appear on the list, couples by and large are already kitted out for married life.

A new age of list is upon us with even the Nintendo Wii creeping into the top 10 of ‘must have’ wedding gifts. Silver photo frames have been replaced by digital frames and kettles have been replaced by Nespresso Coffee Makers. 

Selfless couples are jumping on the celeb bandwagon and opting out of lists completely by requesting charitable donations for needy causes! Others are being more practical and asking for contributions to honeymoons and houses and even new baby funds.

At the end of the day the list is only a guide! No member of the congregation is contractually obliged to buy a gift and at MBS we are sure that no matter how big or small your gift will be very much appreciated by the blushing bride and groom!

MBS x

Whether a wedding is child free or child friendly it is totally up to you. It is a very personal decision and a bride and groom should never feel they ‘have’ to invite children just because there are children in the bridal party. Just because you dote on a niece or nephew does not mean you have to put up with your beloveds work colleagues screaming monsters.

That said if you do decide to request the pleasure of everyone’s company no matter how little, MBS have put together some suggestions on keeping the youngsters entertained so you can enjoy your day safe in the knowledge the congregations little darlings are being looked after!

Hire Help – Not all wedding budgets stretch to Norland Nannies but there is help out there to fit every budget. Ask friends with Kids about there babysitters or au pairs or ask your vicar if any youngsters in the congregation could help – for some extra pocket money of course! Have a child friendly zone dedicated in the reception and let them play under a couple of watchful eyes.

Table Art – Paper table cloths and crayons! Simple, cheap and very fun! Pop in some glitter pens and the kids will be good to go!

Bubble Machines – What is it with children and bubbles? No matter how old, kids love bubbles, set up a bubble machine in the grounds of your venue and watch the kids go wild (chasing them will tire them out for later too!)

Entertainment Experts – Bring in the experts by hiring clowns or children’s magicians. Get them to sit down with the kids and teach them tricks and jokes but make sure you have an area set aside for this, you don’t want speeches interrupted by the sounds of squeaking balloon animals!

Outside Activities – If you are lucky enough to be holding your reception at a country house or by the beach utilise your outside space. Get staff to make up assault courses or ask your babysitters to take the kids to the beach to fly kits and build sandcastles.

Whatever you decide on your big day it will be fabulous with or without the little ones!

MBS x

It seems Autumn/ Winter 2011 is welcoming the return of Tartan from the catwalk to the high street tartan is everywhere this coming season. Everyone from Burberry to Tory Burch and everywhere from New York to Milan have adorned their models in tartan and Scotland couldn’t be happier.

This gives our Scottish brides the excuse to not only don their family fabric but also to be uber en vogue whist walking down the aisle. Sometimes there is nothing better than a splash of colour on a wedding dress and you cannot often beat something as sentimental as tartan.

Anta hand sew some of the most fantastic bespoke wedding dresses on offer in Scotland, with a touch of tartan of course! Truly beautiful tops with boned corsets and skirts made to your exact specifications make Anta brides the Quintessentially Scottish Belle. Traditional white wedding dresses can be transformed into tartan masterpieces during the reception by simply turning a corset inside out or changing a skirt.

If you fancy adding a bit of Tartan to your big day but you want a bit more subtlety why not look at the M&S Autumn/Winter 2011 lingerie collection. With some absolutely fab tartan Bras and matching knickers – your man will be impressed whether he is Scottish or not!

MBS x

Whether we are watching Gok Wan or Trinny and Susannah (going back a few years I know) the one thing these stylist’s agree on is the fit of our bra and the shape of our knickers.  At the back of our minds we all know a good fitting bra and some well made briefs can change the way we look instantly and on our wedding day this is as important as ever!

Whether you are willing to splash out on Rigby and Peller’s Vollers Sweetheart corset or just want to get a little matching set from M&S it is important to have the right fitting underwear to make you look and feel a billion pounds during your big day!

We know a few brides who get through their day in well built comfort then slip into some much sexier attire before the big send off, sneaky! If it is sexy you want then look no further than the Agent Provocateur bridal range. If it is good enough for Beyonce then it is good enough for us and you cannot beat their striking Penelope Basque or Florence suspender belt – totally gorgeous and we bet your new hubby will think so too.

No matter what you wear ‘under your dress’ on your big day you will look and feel darn sexy – great lingerie just might give you a little extra help along the way.

MBS x

In the UK the one thing we can NEVER predict is the weather and much to the anxiety of every bride this applies to our wedding day too! I was once at a wedding on 29^th July a seemingly perfect date on the British meteorological calendar. But oh no sure enough the claps of thunder could be heard above the hopeful melodies of all things Bright and Beautiful!

That said why shouldn’t us British Brides (and Grooms) investigate something a bit different for our summer weddings? There seems to be something mysteriously romantic about saying our vows outside with something of the Midsummer Night’s Dream about it.

So MBS has been thinking (as long as you have a back up nearby) why not get married under the sun? Here we have put together a couple of places to get married outside…. We hope you get some inspiration!

Set on Scotland’s rugged west coast, Turnberry is a five star resort with a lot of passion. Get married on their beautiful outside terrace at dusk looking out to sea or for a more dramatic setting tie the knot by their famous lighthouse right along the rough coastline.

Hold your ceremony underneath the 260 year old Cedar tree known locally as ‘the loving tree’, in the grounds of Bunchrew House, for the ultimate in romance. Then head inside the 17^th Century Scottish mansion for a sumptuous banquet prepared by re-nound in-house chef Walter Walker.

The Lodge on Loch Goil really is impressive, built in 1864 this beautiful lodge is set right on the loch but with a beautiful mountain backdrop. Perfect for intimate weddings; tie the knot in their truly amazing treehouse – one of the only licensed treehouses in the World! Then head back to The Lodge’s Victorian Dining Room for a wedding breakfast to remember.

MBSx 

I think saying our vows in an echo-y church in front of our nearest and dearest is nerve racking enough but to add dancing after a Bellini or two into the mix quite rightly can fill us with dread! But now with the help of expert choreographer we can sit back and relax during the wedding breakfast safe in the knowledge that our Viennese Waltz or Thriller routine is faultless!

Jo Richards a personal Trainer who specialises in dance is on hand to take you through your steps…step by step! Jo has performed in a dance troup at the Edinburgh Fringe for the past 3 years and has helped couples choreograph routines from the Foxtrot to the Cha Cha Cha for 6 Years.

Whether you want the easiest of ballroom dances or want to perform a quirky mish mash of songs Jo can guide you through so it’ll be less first dance fever and more Saturday night fever on your big day!

MBS x

In the wake of the Chelsea Flower show it all seems to be about blooms at the moment!  Flowers are something of a necessity at your nuptials but what do these flowers say about us? For centuries flowers and their unique meaning have been used as a way of communication known as ‘floriography’.

Dating back to biblical times flowers have had meanings attached but no time in history have flowers been so important as the Victorian times and even today the Victorian meaning attached to flowers are still commonplace. So why not make your bouquet bespoke by using flowers with a meaning that is important to you.

Below is some inspiration

 MBS x

Veil – the term synonymous with the wedding day dress. There is no other time in a girl’s life when she will wear one but there is also no definitive or authoritative reason not to. So does the ‘ritual’ of putting on the veil make the big day’s ‘dress’ complete or nowadays, do flowers, feathers or braving a bare head suffice?

This dilemma seems to be the ‘splitter’ amongst modern brides. Why do some see it as the ultimate bridal accessory but others as an unnecessary extra? Those amongst us who go against the veil tradition have come up against a lot of criticism, but why?

The veil dates back to the 13^th century BC and is widely seen as a symbol of modesty and virginity with the ritual of lifting the veil symbolising the groom taking possession of his bride. Nowadays it is more of a tradition than a rite of passage and in the age of the ‘teenies’ why shouldn’t we be allowed to break tradition?

With so many practical and aesthetic reasons to break this age old custom more and more women are vetoing the veil. Some have beautiful dresses with detailed backs which shouldn’t be covered others have splashed out on top hairdressers (you do not want a veil hiding your quaffed locks!) and others more importantly do not want an added stress (of impaired vision) whilst walking down the aisle!

But at the end of the day the decision is up to you – embrace your individuality and whether it is flowers, feathers, a hair piece or the veil your day will be a super special one whatever you decide!

MBS x

Not much about the Royal nuptials was a secret but did you know the beautiful brunette actually walked down the aisle in flats? Let us all breathe a sign of relief… if the most photographed woman in the world can rock a pair of flats this surely gives us carte blanche for comfort on our wedding day!

This choice has caused a sensation amongst brides to be and the recent surge of pretty ballerina flats has as much to do with our new Duchess of Cambridge as with the winter ballerina blockbuster ‘Black Swan’. But whatever we can put the beautiful array of pumps on the high street down to - flats are bang on trend for this season’s weddings.

MBS x