Alternative Wedding Guestbook

Let your guests have fun creating a unique memory of your wedding day with a Fingerprint Wedding Guestbook from A Few Home Truths - a brilliant way to get everyone talking and laughing!

Why not ditch the traditional book idea for a bespoke print featuring over 50 faces just waiting to be brought to life by placing fingerprints on the faces? The characters' faces are grouped around the images of the bride and groom, forming a heart shape.

To personalise the design, each couple's names and wedding date are added to the print. The characters can be chosen to represent the bride and groom, with plenty of choice of colours for the bride's crown, the text and heart outline.

With a choice between A4 and A3 sizes, the print can be produced on matte art paper using high quality inks. You can also add a finger-sized ink pad for making the funky fingerprint signatures. 

About the supplier

A Few Home Truths is a company fascinated by what makes people tick, both now and in the past. This passion flows over into wanting to create eye-catching, personalised pieces of unique artwork that people will treasure for years to come.

W: http://www.afewhometruths.co.uk/

For even more ideas and inspiration, see our previous post here, with a selection of other alternative ideas for guestbooks. And take a look at our dedicated Pinterest board bursting with ideas!

Fashion Friday: Wedding Rings Guide

We're delighted to bring you a special jewellery Fashion Friday focus this week: wedding bands! They may be the smallest accessories on your wedding list, but you'll be wearing them for a very long  and happy time - and they carry an enormous sentimental value - so careful consideration is needed. The precious metal bands symbolise a union of commitment and love between two people; wearing them acts as a reminder of the promises of love and devotion the bride and groom have made for each other on their wedding day. 

To guide you on your planning journey, we talked to diamond expert Vashi Dominguez, owner of www.Vashi.com - here are the four main things you need to know before hitting the shops: 

Style

Style is down to individual taste and there is no right or  wrong way to encapsulate this in your wedding ring. With that in mind, consider a style that you’ll love for a very long time – your taste is likely to evolve and change, just like you. In tone with tradition, plain wedding bands and diamond encrusted rings are a much better choice than the latest trends with over-the-top embellishments. That doesn’t mean you can’t have bespoke design that matches your engagement ring.    

Shape

Choosing the shape of your wedding band can often leave you spoilt for choice as there are various things to consider i.e. the band width (thick or thin), curved or straight, mixing metals and having a tiered, paved or plain setting. Fancy designed shapes (tiered and paved settings) are a perfect choice for a glitzier styled ring. These settings are ideal for diamond encrusted or gemstone wedding rings. For a more sleek and elegant wedding ring, I would strongly recommend a slim and/or twisted wedding band. It’s important to try on a few different styles to decide which shape suits you best.

Budget
Like every other detail of your wedding, you decide how much you want to spend – it has to feel right for you and fit within your budget. Plain wedding bands tend to be cheaper than fancy styled rings i.e. diamond encrusted or gemstone rings. Another point to consider is your wedding band setting. Wedding bands range from white gold and platinum, to yellow gold and silver. Gold, whether white or yellow, is the most popular and enduring choice. Platinum is the strongest jewelry metal, resistant to damage and tarnishing, making it a great choice if you can afford it. Prices tend to be cheaper for online purchases compared to retail stores – just make sure you buy from a recognised brand, as they can offer additional services for the future.

Matching rings

If opting for matching designs, you must be able to combine both of the partners' style and personal taste. There are many ways to do this: his and her sets, engraving or choosing the same metals. Should you prefer to have individual bands but still like the idea of coupling your rings, why not choose a bespoke service, which allows you to create a ring that combines matching ideas? 

For more information about the rings featured above and a list of prices, visit the website. You should also check out our article about grooms rocking the ring and those who prefer to give it a miss in our summer issue of West Weddings. If our guide got you thinking, come on over to our Twitter and Facebook pages and show us your engagement and wedding ring pictures! 

Miscellaneous Monday: Pretty umbrellas and parasols

We can’t get enough of umbrellas on Miscellaneous Monday this week!  There are so many ways you can incorporate them into your wedding day – after all, you can’t leave anything up to chance!  For inspiration, take a look at our new Pinterest board featuring some of our favourite parasol ideas - repin or make your own board and let us know on Twitter! And if you haven't already, read our West Weddings summer issue, where you'll find more planning inspiration!

Natasha and Ryan - a picture of love under the umbrella  

Accessorize your dress with a matching parasol

Follow West Weddings's board Pretty umbrellas and parasols on Pinterest.

       Ceremony! Outdoor ceremonies are more and more popular and perfect for summer weddings!  If your dream day is saying your vows alfresco, then a perfectly pretty arch made with fresh flowers and beautiful brollies is your best choice for decor.  Say your vows in the sunshine and don’t forget to provide a station of parasols for your guests, too – they’ll appreciate the shade!

 Reception! Create a unique reception style with scattered upside-down umbrellas in your colour theme. This idea works well outside for a summer wedding as well as inside when the weather is cooler– as long as you’re not superstitious! You can also use parasols as centre pieces, by tucking them into flower vases or as place names for your guests. Another idea is to decorate your drinks with mini crochet umbrellas to add a burst of colour.

Evening party! Cluster white or pastel parasols together and some fairy lights for a stunning canopy, which can decorate the dance floor.  After sunset, enjoy your first dance as husband and wife in a magical setting.

Accessories! Umbrellas make great accessories and gifts for your bridesmaids - they’ll keep them dry and shaded on the day and be lovely keepsakes afterwards. Used as props, they also provide plenty of fun photo opportunities!

Fashion Friday: Flower girls faves

We’re so happy to bring you the most adorable looks for your little bridesmaids on this Fashion Friday. Whatever the theme for your wedding, you can keep the young ones stylish and smiling with these sweet outfits that will make them look and feel the part! As to the ‘cute factor’, little girls dressed as princesses will look picture perfect.  

How will you style your tiny tots for the big day? We'd love to hear from you, so leave a comment below or get in touch via Twitter (@WestWeddingsMag). 

Clockwise from top left

Pink Champagne Tutu Dress by Etsy

This adorable dress is made from lace and satin and it has a laced up back so that it’s easy to adjust the fitting. And with the option to customize the colour and style, your flower girls will feel special on the day and complement your wedding dress.

White Knitted Cardigan by Sarah Louise at Childrensalon

This cute cotton bolero cardigan will keep your flower girls warm after sunset. Soft and stretchy, it features delicate flower and pearls detail on the front.

Pink and yellow flower headband by River Island

For stylish headbands, check out this colourful design from River Island. The pretty flowers will go well with long and short hair, and the stretchy band makes it easy to slide on and comfortable to wear. 

Pink glitter corsage pumps by Debenhams
When it comes to choosing shoes, these sparkly glitter pumps are a winner for your little guests. The beautiful flower corsage adds detail and they are extremely comfy and secure, so they can run around all day.  

Mixed butterfly hair clip set by George at Asda

Keep bouncy curls and long locks tidy with these bright and beautiful accessories from the George collection.The set of 2 hair clips and 2 hair bobbles will brighten up any hairstyle for the wedding day.   

Rustic wedding basket by Morgann Hill Designs on Etsy

This beautiful, naturally inspired flower girl basket is perfect for a garden or shabby chic wedding. Made of wood, handpainted in a distressed finish, it allows your little maids to carry a special message and sprinkle rose petals as you make your way down the aisle - so cute!