After the wedding many brides suffer depression and feel a great sense of anticlimax. The years of planning and preparation are over, the big day has come and gone so now what?
Jenni Scott of Bespoken For reveals how to avoid the dreaded down period.
1. Drag it out - Plan to do something with family and friends the day after your wedding and keep your diary full for a week or two. Meet up for a meal, BBQ, tidy hall etc. but make an event out of it.
2. Create a DVD - It may be a while before your Video or Photo album is ready so in the meantime ask everyone for their photos/videos and run up a DVD slide show. Then make a date with Family and Friends to View it.
3. Start a Scrapbook - Start putting all your bits and pieces together from planning to big day and after.
4. Write about your experiences - Take time to put how you feel into words. What made it great what were your best bits. You could share it with other brides to be on forums or in magazines to help them.
5. Read all your cards - Take time to go through every card
6. Open Presents and start writing Thank you’s
7. Get in touch with all the suppliers who helped you, write them letters or notes about your big day and thank them. They would love to hear all about it, and it will be one ear that hasn't heard it all yet.
8. Find a Focus - Think about the next event and re-focus all you have into that. Write down your wedding do’s and don’ts and share them with other brides to be’s on wedding forums. Make a recommended list of suppliers and their details that you can pass on to friends who are getting married.
9. Go on a date - Take some time out for you and your spouse! go for a long walk, romantic meal. Enjoy the start of your life together.
10. Get a new Hobby - What next? Find something new to try or have fun looking!
Bespoken For September Sale

One week only starting September 1st 2009 Get a massive 30% off all Jewellery
The 2009 Setember Sale at Bespoken For Starts on 1st September for one week only . Save 30% off all the designer handcrafted jewellery wedding accessories and vintage pieces, and up to 50% on selected press samples, only available online at www.BespokenFor.co.uk. Be sure to get your orders in first.
NEW CATALOGUE OUT NOW
Ten Top tips to beat the Credit Crunch & Make Your Wedding Stylish
Whilst we are being bombarded with bad news about the state of the economy it doesn’t mean your wedding or your style has to compromise Here are my ten top tips:
1. Budget – Know where and what is worth spending money on. Remember some things will always be an investment such as photography, wedding rings and jewellery as you will treasure them forever and other things are not an investment although lovely to have. Make sure you invest in what will last and spend sensibly on what will what will not.
2. Family, Friends & Guests – You have a whole list of people with skills, don’t be afraid to ask and use people you know to help with different aspects, they will be honoured to be part of your day
3. Less is More – when it comes to style, a few cut backs can actually benefit you wedding, it is the small finishing touches that can make more of an impact.
4. DIY – what better way to make you wedding your own than actually making it yourself. Dry out rose petals on kitchen paper in your airing cupboard to make confetti rather than buying it, and then roll paper into cones to scoop them up. Or How about making your own stationery? If you are clever with some scissors and card have a go you may surprise yourself, or if you need some help and inspiration Bespoken For’s bespoke Stationery Service are happy to design bespoke DIY stationery for you to make yourself. We design your invitations, provide instructions on how you can make them and source all the supplies you need, then post it to you to make up yourself and of course save some money.
5. Sample Sales – Scour the bridal sales for items you know you will not use again. Bridal stores often have beautiful gowns reduced by up to 50% so you could get a fabulous dress for half the price and you are almost guaranteed none of your friends will have the same dress if you by it a year before your wedding! Also Jewellery Designers and Accessory stores often sell off press & product samples all year round so keep an eye again you make get a great buy.
6. Table Centre pieces – Buy centre pieces for tables you can give away as gifts to those who have helped like candelabras etc.
7. Something Borrowed – For all the items you won’t use again try to borrow them off friends or hire them. Bespoken For offer a Jewellery Hire Service and so many other companies for decorations and more.
8. Entertainment – Again scour your guest list and friends, Someone may be able to do your entertainment as a wedding gift to you, or they may know a talented person who is able to help you out to ensure you have a great party which doesn’t break the bank.
9. Be open minded and prepared for change – Just because it may not be what you originally planned or wanted doesn’t mean it won’t be good. On preparing my wedding my husband insisted on round tables, the venue only had rectangular tables and the extra cost of hiring the tables was an expense that was unnecessary so we went with what we had.
10. First Dance – Investing in dance lessons can be costly but you don’t want to look like you are straight out of a school disco. Check out YouTube to learn some easy dance steps which will impress, and can be practised in the privacy of your own home.
For more advice on saving money can be found in Jenni’s book “The Modern Brides Jewellery Guide” available free from www.BespokenFor.co.uk.