Recommended by Damien's Irish Weddings Online

Health & Beauty

Let's Make Up

The key to perfect make-up is finding the balance. Your make up must be camera friendly - not too dramatic and definitely not pale and uninteresting. If you do decide to do it yourself, follow these tips to enhance your own beauty.

It's All In The Application

Choose a foundation that matches your own skin tone, otherwise your face will acquire the look of a mask on the photographs. Blend using your fingertips or a damp sponge, preferably in natural light and please, avoid that dreaded tidemark!

Making Eyes At You

Softly outline your eyes using a brown kohl pencil. Blend your chosen eye colours into your own natural eye shape. Remember, you are enhancing your own features, not trying to create new ones.

The eyebrows frame your face, so ensure they are well shaped and symmetrical. If necessary use a light brown pencil to further enhance them.

Luscious Lips

Exfoliate your lips first with a toothbrush. Moisturise and then allow some time for it to be absorbed. Apply lipstick with a lip brush, blot, and then apply lip liner in a similar shade all over the lips. This helps "set" the lipstick so that you won't be left with that tell tale outline. Dot a little lip-gloss onto the centre of your bottom lip to create a pout effect.

Finishing Touches

Dust a little translucent powder over the face, and then apply a little blush on the cheekbones and temples to define your bone structure.

Now all you have to remember is to smile.

See our selection of Image Consultants

Making That Special Wedding Speech

Practice makes perfect, so we suggest writing the speech well in advance and practising when and where you can. This will give you more confidence. Be yourself, be honest - within reason - and enjoy yourself.

The Traditional route to take is:

A welcome by the bestman or Toastmaster.
And in the end everyone toasts everyone else.

There are no standard routes when making a speech. Sit down with the happy couple long before the wedding and agree who is going to speak and in what order and then add your own personality and you're there.

There is no doubt that you'll be nervous, what best man isn't? Just keep one thing in mind - you are among friends. Remember the best time for speeches is before the meal so that you and the newlyweds can then sit back and enjoy that meal they've paid so much for.

The Music

Music - the language of love - plays a pivotal role in setting the tone for your wedding. In whichever music genre your passion lies, there's no shortage of performers to choose from.
Remember to:
Choose the band/performers with care
Listen to a demo of the band or hear them live first
Agree a price in writing

See our selection under Music

The Attendants

For many, the attendants can add the final touches to the overall wedding and provide a necessary support mechanism for the bride.

The ring bearers and flower girls walk just in front of the bride and her escorts. Flower girls lay a trail of petals for the bride to follow.

Trainbearers usually walk in pairs holding the train of the bride's wedding gown.

Groom's Cakes

Groom's cakes are usually smaller and a lot more diverse than the usual multi-tiered traditional cake. They can be any colour, flavour or theme, within reason!

See our selection of Cake Companies under Wedding Cakes

Wedding Photography

Whatever your memories of your wedding day will be, it is wonderful to have them captured for posterity in a photograph album that will become a treasured piece of family history. Whether you decide to record your formal wedding in an elegant set of portraits, or capture the fun and frolics in a more casual candid or reportage style, your photographs will be the lasting record of the biggest day of your lives.

Couples marrying these days have a wonderful range of options open to them and there are many truly excellent photographers working in Ireland in the specialist area of wedding photography. In the section that follows, we have taken a look at some of these specialist photographers, many of them artists in their own right. Their creative skills and professionalism will help you to relax and enjoy your big day, and you will have a record of your precious moments to treasure forever.

The wedding album is traditionally the most treasured of the post wedding memorabilia.

You should entrust this responsibility to a professional. Book early, the best are reserved first.

Here are some questions you should ask:
What packages are on offer?
How many photos does each package include?
Are you allowed to keep the "proofs"?
Is there a deposit - How much?
Can you buy the negatives?
What is the cost for extra time or photos?

Keep in mind that most photographers have their own style, so make sure you see plenty of examples before finalising your decision.

See our selection of leading Photographers

Florists

Florists come in all shapes and sizes, and essentially prices. Some are wedding specialists; some have shop premises while others work from home. Whatever type of florist you opt for, it is advisable to do the following:

Shop around - price ranges are staggering
See examples of previous work (especially in progress)
Talk to people who have used the service
Know exactly the type of arrangement you are after
Check regularly with progress
It's better to go with tried and tested florists

It is usually more advisable to opt for a florist who specialises in weddings, who has experience in delivery and arrangement. As prices can fluctuate dramatically, ensure that if you agree a price with the florist, get it in writing. There's no chance a promise will be remembered ten or eleven months later.

See our selection of Florists