Horse Carriages for Weddings

The slow plod of the horse in front of you. The sweet smell of fresh air and leather. The pure romance of all that is a horse and carriage ride. It’s really quite fairy-tale like. But is it for you on your wedding day?


Arriving at your ceremony in a horse and carriage is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular entrances you can make. It adds an air of romance to any wedding and looks amazing.

As well as providing a unique form of transport, a horse and carriage also provides a fantasic backdrop for your wedding photos.

When considering whether a horse and carriage is right for you, there are a number of things to think about.

Point to point

Before selecting a horse and carriage as your mode of transport to the ceremony or between the ceremony and reception venue, think carefully about the distances between the venues and the route that needs to be taken to reach those places.

Realistically, a horse and carriage should only be used where the distance to be travelled is relatively short. A distance of 20 kilometres between venues will not be practical, given that a horse and carriage’s top speed is about 6 km per hour!

When planning your route, aim to avoid any main highways. Check your intended route with the horse and carrige provider when booking it to make sure that there are no problems.

Keep it clean

It is a great idea to inspect the carriage before hiring it to ensure that you will be happy sitting in it in your wedding dress. This will also give you a chance to see whether it will fit everything that you will be taking (including your future husband!). If you wish to have the bridal party ride in the carriage with you on the way to the photo shoot, check whether the carriage is large enough for this.

If the carriage is open to the weather, find out whether there is a roof available in the event that the weather turns nasty. Getting drenched on the way to your wedding isn’t the best way to start your day!

When considering your route, check to see if the road you will be travelling on has any unpaved stretch: old carriages aren’t as impervious to dust and mud as more modern forms of transport.

Animals allowed?

It pays to check with your venue as to whether they have any restrictions on allowing horses in the vicinity. Although this is rare, it is better to ask!

Lastly, and as with all vendors, make sure you check what the contract for hiring the horse and carriage covers. Is the hire by time or by trip? Is there a difference if you have a different number of people? What happens in the event of a rainy day?

Prices for a horse and carriage varies significantly depending on how long you hire it for and the size of the carriage. Some firms hire out by the hour (expect to pay from $250 per hour), while others have wedding packages (these tend to start from around $850).



A horse and carriage is an extremely romantic way to travel and, as long as you do your homework, you can have the fairy tale entrance of your dreams!

engaged, july 2009

Capturing the Love

This month we have invited Marijke Smith to showcase a few of her favourite wedding images.

Marijke (pronounced Ma-Ray-Ka) has an amazing sense of timing, capturing the true character of those who she photographs.

Enjoy her stunning photos!

engaged, july 2009

Doing it the Easy Way

With the big ‘R’ upon us, many couples are seeking to dramatically reduce the cost of their weddings. Elopement and registry offices are now not dirty words: for many people they are an economic necessity.



There is also a romantic side to it: there is a growing trend for couples to focus on the marriage, not the wedding. Falling in love and marrying the man of her dreams becomes the focus instead of the big party and expensive dress.

The Basics:

A registry office wedding takes place at, you guessed it, a registry office (please see www.bdm.govt.nz for contact details). The Registrar will solemnise your marriage in the presence of two witnesses.

Prior to the wedding, you need to apply for your marriage licence, stating which registry office will conduct your ceremony. You should make arrangements with the Registrar for a time and date for the ceremony so this can be included on your application. Registry office weddings are conducted during normal office hours, which are Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 4.00pm.

The date for the ceremony must be at least three days after you give notice of your intended marriage, but not more than three months after the marriage licence is issued.
As mentioned earlier, the marriage needs to be witnessed. If you do not have suitable witnesses, the registry office can provide these.

For further details on the legal requirements for marriages, please see the very first issue of Engaged.

For Richer or For Poorer:

The cost of a Registry Office is NZ$170.00, which includes the ceremony and your marriage licence. Very cheap, when you consider the cost of hiring a venue and engaging a marriage celebrant.

But does a registry office mean a ceremony devoid of beauty and colour? Most definitely not! You are free to take your own flowers, wear your own gorgeous gown, have your man wear a suitably handsome suit, take cake! Or you can wear something both you and he feel comfortable in – how about what you wore when you first met or when he (or she!) proposed? You get to make your own choices. The ceremony can be all you want it to be, without the cost.

Shhh…

What about those who elope to a registry office to get married? Before all the friends and family reading this groan in dismay about missing out, think about why a couple would elope.

Aside from the cost factor, often weddings can be a very stressful event. There is pressure from family members as to how it ‘should’ be done, the migraine-causing choices involved in guest lists and table seating, political choices about bridesmaids and what they wear… Of course, the majority of the time, it is not like this and some couples revel in making wedding-related decisions and choices. Others do not.

For those that find all the decision-making tiring, the focus can get taken up by minute details, and quite quickly, couples can forget why they are getting married: it’s not for the big party and pretty dress, it’s because they are deeply in love with each other. Many couples are choosing to concentrate on their loved one the entire day and on the marriage.

Sometimes this needs to come at the expense of upsetting parents and friends and the easiest way to avoid this is to romantically run away and elope! Whilst family members might be hurt, gently remind them why you choose this route and that they should love you and the love between you and your spouse.

But of course, friends and family do not have to miss out – there’s always the party or celebratory drinks afterwards (or when everyone finds out)!

engaged, july 2009

Wedding Candles

Like moonlight, candlelight conjures up images of romance. With the ability to add shine and sparkle to a room, candlelight is one of the most flattering lights, bathing everything in a soft, warm glow. So how do you incorporate candles into your wedding? Read on...



There are many ways that you can incorporate candles into your wedding, both at the ceremony and the reception: they can be used in your ceremony, on the tables as centrepieces at your reception, in free-standing candelabras around the venue… the possibilities are endless. They are a great way to add an air of romance to any venue.

The choices for candles are endless. If you can think of a colour, you can probably find a candle in that shade. You choose a scent, and you can probably find a candle with that fragrance. Different heights, shapes and sizes are all available, so it should be no problem incorporating them into any wedding theme (OK, so choosing from so many varieties is hard, but a girl loves choices, right?).

To ensure that the candle gives the desired effect and lasts for as long as you want, you need to think about is the material the candle is made from and the burn time of the candles. No one wants a puddle of wax in front of them at the dinner table! As burn times will vary due the quality of the candle, the size, the shape and the wick, it is best to buy a couple of candles and test them out before buying the whole lot.

Types of candle

There are a number of different materials that candles may be made of. Each one has its benefits and disadvantages and may be more suitable for various uses.

Parafin:

The most widely available type of candle is made from paraffin. You will most likely find a greater range of candles available in this material. Quality does vary however so make sure you try them at home first. Softer candles (which have a higher oil content) burn faster than harder candles. Candles that are in jars are often softer than, for example, pillar candles.

Soy wax:

Soy wax candles are fairly new to the market. Developed as an alternative to petroleum or paraffin based waxes, soy candles are plant based and produce a clean flame, with relatively no soot given off. They burn for longer and give a brighter flame, reducing the number of candles needed to give the same light. They also burn at a lower temperature than paraffin, which means that candlesticks or containers won’t heat up as fast and be in danger of splitting or cracking. And then there are the arguments for and against the environmental and health advantages of soy candles – something we won’t go into here as the jury is still out!

Soy candles are more expensive than parafin candles, but this cost can be negated by the fact that they normally burn for longer than the parafin candles, which results in you needing less candles.

Don’t block my view!

Another issue with placement of candles is thinking about whether they could potentially block anyone’s view. This applies to both candles on tables as well as free-standing arrangements.

Try to keep table candles at a height that guests can see over, rather than them having to peer around them to talk to others. Place candelabras around the edges of the room or behind tables so that guests can see the bridal table and the speakers.

Bees Wax:

An alternative to soy wax is beeswax. Another natural product, beeswax is clarified from honeycomb cells, often soften with vegetable oil to make it easier to work with. Again, there is some argument that beeswax candles burn more cleanly that paraffin-based waxes, but this is something that can be affected by the quality of the paraffin used. It is said that beeswax candles have a warmer, yellower flame than paraffin. They also have a rich natural aroma.

The sweet smell…

As well as providing a beautiful light, candles can emit wonderful fragrances, helping to create a mood in itself. Aromatherapists believe that true aromatherapy candles can help to alter the mood of your crowd. Try lavender to relax, bergamot to uplift or for outside candles, or try citronella to keep those pesky insects at bay!

Safety First!

It goes without saying that candles can be a fire hazard. Accordingly, placement is extremely important.

Candelabras should not be placed in walkways or where there could be children running. Table candles should be placed in the middle of tables, well away from people’s sleeves! Likewise, be wary of placing candles too close to curtains or floral arrangements or near open doorways where gusts of wind could cause flames to jump. Finally, beware of dripping wax and the potential for it to fall on someone or something, causing harm or damage.

Make sure that you talk with your venue before you purchase any candles to see where you will be able to place them and whether they have any restrictions on the type of candles that you use.

Safety talk over!

engaged, july 2009

How to choose wedding hair accessories

You can picture yourself in your dream dress holding those flowers you’ve always imagined walking up the aisle... But what are you wearing in your hair?

Wedding hair accessories are often left to the last minute to purchase, but are a vital part of your entire bridal look. From a traditional veil to an avant-garde hair piece, there are so many option out there it is hard to choose your perfect accessories. Here are some tips to help you finish your look for your big day.

Working with your dress and jewellery

When choosing hair accessories for your wedding it is important to take into account how they will look with your dress and any other accessories you already have.

• If you have a lot of beading and embellishments on the top of your gown, try a simple necklace or no necklace, with a beaded hair piece to complement your gown.
• If your gown has beading and embellishments around your waist or hips, try a more elaborate necklace with either a collection of beaded hair pins or a fabric flower that matches your gown fabric.
• If you have a bit of colour in your gown, bring out that colour by wearing a coloured hair piece or beaded pins.

Veil or no veil?

The traditional wedding veil is a timeless classic, but many contemporary brides are choosing alternatives to veils, or trying newer styles of veils.

• If you have always imagined wearing a veil on your wedding day, remember there are heaps of exciting options. Veils can be made in more than just white. Or try going vintage, with a box veil or face veil.
• If you wear a veil, you can also wear other hair accessories. A great combination can be beaded hair pins worn in front of your veil and through-out your hair.
• Remember, you probably won’t wear your veil all day, so think about how you want your hair to look without your veil in it. You can always have a complementary beaded hair comb in your handbag, and swap it in when you remove your veil.

What works with what?

When buying hair accessories keep in mind what colour your hair is and how you want to wear it on the day.

• Up or down? If you are choosing to wear your hair out, don’t think that this means you can’t have hair accessories; a beaded comb to hold back a fringe, or some hair pins that suspend pearls or crystals down through your hair. If you hair is up, try placing 10 or 20 small pearls or crystals throughout your hair for that subtle glamour, or wrap a gorgeous hair vine around your hair.
• Combinations: Be bold by combining two different hair accessories. A hair band, vine or tiara with scattered single beaded hair pins, or a hair comb with complementary fancy hair pins.

What’s hot?

This season wow your wedding guests with the hottest hair accessories. Hair accessory trends for 2009 are:

• Hair Vines – A great alternative to a tiara, a hair vine can be worn at the front, side or back and can be woven into or around your up-do or out-do.
• Vintage – Box veils and face veils. Think finger curls and feather combs.
• Pearls – The classic pearl is back, and don’t just think it can be worn around your neck. Try individual pearls scattered throughout your hair or a Pearl Comb or Headband for that classic glamour.

engaged, july 2009

Tematic links:

• Hair & Makeup