Afternoon!
I hope your day is going well & the sun is out! Not long until the weekend.. yyyaaaayyyy!

I’m very excited about this weekend…
I will be taking Emma out for her birthday on Friday! I’m hoping for lots of sunshine & a gorgeous day…
No doubt there will be plenty of tweeting from us on Friday afternoon!

Bubbles & cupcakes. Lush.

Right now, back to the point!
As I told you in Part I this morning, I am Maid of Honour for Carly next summer & I have researched my role. We have already attended a Wedding Fair of her choice, I bought her a wedding Diary/planner, a Dummies Guide to getting Married Abroad & lots of Bubbly…. what else do I do??? We leave for Corfu in 3 weeks. I need to be ready!

Well, earlier in Part I, I told you about what I witnessed at Louise’s wedding which I thought was a great example of the kind of things I will have to do as a Maid of Honour.

To keep it a bit more simple for you, but not easier I’m afraid, I bring you this list of how I understand my duties.
Please please comment if you have any to add!!! I need as much help as I can get!

From the day you are asked, to her Big Day

*Be on hand to offer advice on the choosing and fitting of the wedding dress. Offer advice on accessories, make up and hairstyles to enhance the overall look.
*Attend Wedding Fairs & help plan the trip if necessary
*Organise the Hen Night is yours! You will need to contact all the brides’ friends that she would wish to attend, communicate the date, location, theme, dress code to all guests- don’t forget your Bride! But be careful not to spill any surprises! (Naked men!)
*When the time comes to choose the bridesmaids dresses, do not impose your own opinion, after all it’s not you who is paying for the dress & even if you are, it’s not your wedding day. Its not a best dressed competition, as the winner is a foregone conclusion!

Its the Big Day!
*Stay with the Bride the day & night before to help her keep calm & to assist with any emergencies (Swan Poop)
*You will have to liaise with the florist, Best man, bridesmaids and/ or flower girls & pageboys so that everyone knows where they should be & what they should be doing (Being the florist if necessary!)
*Be sure to follow all the Bride’s instructions. If she needs you to do something, do it. She hopefully will have prepped you well in advance!!
Big Day MOH Etiquette…
*Be with the Bride early. The last thing she needs is panic or to be rushing around.
*Traditionally you & any other bridesmaids , flower girls or page boys will leave for the venue first. The Bride normally follows in a separate car with her father or the person giving her away
*Be prepared to look after the smaller bridesmaids and pageboys during the ceremony. (Charla & Brenda even missed the vows fulfilling this duty to Louise!)
*Keep your eye on the Bride’s bouquet throughout the day until after the photos, she’s likely to misplace it!
*You will need to be available to have your picture taken during the day & to assist the photographer with finding relatives. (You’d be surprised the stories I have hear about the MOH going MIA!)
*You should also take all enquiries from the caterers, venue staff, guests, florist, vicar etc to minimise the Bride being panicked or concerned. The Bride & Groom’s family will normally assist you on this.
*Traditionally the chief bridesmaid and the Best man would dance together at some point during the night, often after the first dance. Great if you are both looking for love… Erm, maybe you can negotiate on this one?!!

Its simple really, I mean, one day we will all need a Maid Of Honour to be there for us and like you, my need is here now!
I have picked my big sis, Bec. She’s currently cooking me a future flower girl or page boy which is due on Emma’s wedding day! Eeek, but if he/she is anything like its mum, it will be fashionably late.

I’m not saying that I have been a great MOH so far.. but I am working on it!!! Now, if there is anything I have missed or any experience as an MOH you have had, please comment below.

Coming Soon… look out for Greenwood, Kate Greenwood… she will feature here as our MOH extraordinaire! Real life stories from a many-times-over & abroad, Maid Of Honour. We will also have a giggle about what NOT to do…

How am I doing Miss Bell??
Aren’t you glad you didn’t have to tell me all that?? Imagine the look of horror on my face at being told what to do!! Ha ha ha!

Charlotte, Your MOH xx

Also read, in relation to this post;
I am Honoured. Part I
The Morning After the Wedding Before
Charlotte’s Team Bride taking off on a new mission to Corfu
Diamonds at Christmas

Maid of Honour. This is what I AM, not will be, the role begins immediately & lasts until the day after the ceremony.
To be fair, I didn’t really know what a Maid of Honour does! When she asked my head was full of bubbles & my eyes full of tears. I knew it was big, but I also had a sense it was about more than walking up the aisle with her & telling her how fab she looks.
Basically, I knew it wasn’t about me.
The very next day I researched & today I want to share with you what I found to be my duties…. Well, it was what I expected but it really helped me to read it so I really knew the expectations! I’m so glad I did as I don’t think Carly even knows what she needs from me!
So today, I bring you my story in two parts.
Firstly I want to share with you what I experienced at Louise’s wedding this weekend.
The pressure is ON.

On the Day
I was at Louise’s wedding at the weekend, as you know & I was blown away by her non-bridesmaids! She had 4 flower girls including her own twin daughters, but she also had Brenda & Charla, her best friends. They were fantastic. Get a load of this!

‘The Maid of Honour needs to be with the bride helping her to keep calm, get dressed & make her feel good about herself’
The night before Charla got Louise to the bar for the pre-wedding drinks & then Louise stayed in her hotel suite the night before. Charla helped dress her etc the next day & even had the Champers to hand!

‘The MOH needs to make sure everyone knows what they are doing- liaise with the florist, Best man, smaller bridesmaids and pageboys so that everyone knows what they should be doing’
The flowers didn’t turn up for the church, so the day before the wedding Brenda & Charla went to a supermarket & bought flowers. They bought the ties for the stalks, did the arrangements & decorated the church themselves!!
In addition to this they assisted the best man when the marquee went up- just to make sure Louise would love it! They also helped hoover the Swan poop off the grass. That’s right HOOVERED THE SWAN POO UP.

Charla never let Louise’s bouquet out of her sight. Every time Louise went to look for it for a photo, Charla appeared. Like a guardian angel.

Both Charla & Brenda missed the wedding vows as they had taken the twins outside to sooth their crying…

They were non-bridesmaids, nether was a Maid of Honour. They were just friends, being friends. OMG, I have got a lot to live up to!!!

Everyone is different. Our friendships are different. So for part 2, this afternoon I will bring you a comprehensive ‘checklist’ I have found very helpful & you can interperate & adapt for yourselves

I’m up to the job.
Charlotte M.O.H

Also read, in relation to this post;
The Morning After the Wedding Before
Charlotte’s Team Bride taking off on a new mission to Corfu
Diamonds at Christmas

Passport, check. Waxing booked, check. Sun lotion, check. Bikini bod, ermmmm…..
I always get to this point & wish I had taken my diet more seriously & been running just a few more times. C’est La Vie.
Yes that’s right I am getting ready for my holiday! Well, its kind of a ‘working holiday’. My favourite kind of work.
I am off to Corfu in only 4 weeks- ahhhhhh!!!

Dreamy.
Oh & maybe a little paranoid about putting my feet on the sea floor…

I am going with my Bridesmaids for 10 blisteringly hot days of relaxation & wedding shopping! Carly is getting married in Corfu next year- fabulous & as you know from Diamonds at Christmas, I am her Maid of Honour, so naturally we should have a holiday- ash cloud permitting.
We have 10 days for her to choose her venue, caterers oh and yes, pick at date!
We have a wedding Planner waiting in the wings for us & it all feels very Sex & the City (for 3)!

Sorry, I couldn’t resist! One last fling with film 1 before Sex & The City 2 hits fever pitch!
Hurry & get your named nacklaces from Tatty Devine!

Ahhhhhhhh…..So beautiful!

I went with Carly last year to see her family, which will explain the pictures I already have!
But this year we have a wedding to plan & we are bringing the super stylish Harriet. Essential.

Harriet, the Fashion PR guru, is perfect for work & play!

What could possibly go wrong?!
Seriously, what? If you have any idea… fancy giving us a heads up???
charlotte@electricwedding.co.uk

I will be tweeting from ‘the front line’ so make sure you are following @electric wedding
(click at top of page)
Trust me, you don’t want to miss this!

Hits your social network on June 25th!
Charlotte xx

Eyjafjallajokull.

Nope, you aren’t reading wrong – I haven’t gone mad and starting hitting random keyboard buttons in a fit of bridal rage! I’m talking about the biggest threat to hundreds of brides (and grooms!) wedding plans (myself included) as we sit with bated breath waiting to see if the Icelandic volcano will EVER stop.

If you are getting married this summer and are anything like me – you will most likely now have the volcanic knowledge of an expert geologist!

I can’t wait for my honeymoon – two weeks of rainforest adventure in a tree house in Cost Rica (more of this later!). I am flying from Heathrow on July 25th, and even if I have to drive myself to Central America in a taxi, I am not going to let a volcano stop me!

Added to this is the constant striking from BA. I again can sympathise with this. I am flying to Amsterdam with BA at the end of May to celebrate my 30th birthday, and found out yesterday that the strike we thought was off is now back on again.  I hope all of the bride’s getting married this weekend managed to get on their honeymoons with little or no stress! Fingers crossed for you all…

So in the spirit of the great summer of flying restrictions, here is a little ode to the great Flying God in the sky… sing it with me as we pray for happy skys…(best sang with a tambourine to the tune of M.IA.’s Paper Planes)…

‘Oh Eyjafjallajokull could you please try
To stop erupting so I can fly
Your volcanic ash has us to ransom
You have halted even Richard Branson

(Chorus)

Eyjafjallajokull (bang bang bang bang)
Please stop, please stop blowing up
Eyjafjallajokull (bang bang bang bang)
Please stop, please stop blowing up

Eyjafiallajokull (bang bang bang bang)
Please stop, please stop blowing up
Eyjafjallajokull (bang bang bang bang)
Please stop, please stop blowing up

The airports are closing which we don’t like
And now BA have gone on strike
Please please please can you stop soon
So we can all go on our honeymoon!

(Repeat Chorus to fade…)

Sing it loud and proud! Failing this, if enough of us club in we could hire a boat (I can take anyone heading west)….

Love

Emma xxx

Gifts.
A great side-effect of your engagement and an equally great start to your honeymoon.
I just wanted to share with you my ultimate gifts and they are completely my personal recommendations.
If in doubt, Molton Brown.

All images copyright of Molton Brown

Enagagements, weddings, moving home, birthday, Christmas, Molton Brown have it covered. Not to mention… something for the honeymoon!
Bride, Groom & Married…

And in my somewhat penny-pinching opinion, I think they are great gifts at a reasonable price.
Here’s some of my favourites for you to enjoy.
Wilde Fairy Fleur
The new range & for me, a must have hand wash & lotion decanter! Its white china with a light green pattern on the top- gorgeous. Add the White Mulberry Hand wash & Lotion, simply perfect.
The new Wilde Fairy Fleur Body Wash & Lotion is Molton Brown at its best.

Some more of my personal Favourites! What are yours?

Here’s some products I will be indulging in- before, during & after my Big Day!
Heavenly Gingerlily Body shimmer & body oil. If you haven’t smelt this, get down to Molton Brown.

And for some great beauty sleep…

These products are available in all main department stores! So why not add a few to your gift list? Great items for your new home, honeymoon or to simply pamper yourselves! They also do a fabulous men’s range, so you can been seen to be fair…

Sign up to thier site to get some great deals emailed to you, plus they do some lovely events too. I went to one last December in the Regent Street store… glass of champers, nibbles & testers. Lush.
And totally free!

If you pop in, you must must have a sniff of the Heavenly Gingerlily Range.
Oh. My. Favourite.
Thank-you to my big sis for introducing me to Molton Brown, may I never be short of a gift idea again.

Heavenly.
Charlotte xx

Ladies, your pre-marital experience is needed!

There are plenty of brides from weddings-gone-past who can give invaluable advice…. but at Electric Wedding, we want to mix it up a bit & show you all something, well, different.
Not to mention, we would LOVE to get to know you better & to join you down the aisle too!!

If you have a great and/ or funny experience to share about any of the following, then please get in touch asap.
* Your Engagement- How did you meet? How did he propose? in Paris, Under a tree, in bed?
* Your Wedding plans- Do you have a great Autumnal theme (of particular interest to me!), have you found some great suppliers you want to tell us all about? Found a great wedding planner or is your mum doing a sterling job & you want to give her a big shout out?
*Your Wedding Dreams- Is there something particularly special about your day? Planning something unusual?
*Your Wedding, drama- Do you have any advice for all the other Brides to Be? Have your plans caused you problems & share with us how you overcame them.
*A Wedding Abroad- Where? When? Why? Any tips you have to help other international brides?

We can then catch up with you as Mrs Electric Bride & look back on your special day & your journey.

We at Electric Wedding are not all about unattainable perfection & over priced cosmetics.
We want to also be a forum to your experience & to help you have more fun along the way!
Email us; info@electricwedding.co.uk
Please give us a contact phone number & include your images. 5 -10 images at 690 pixels (to accommodate the width of our blog).

Thank you all so much for your emails so far. Its great to hear from you! We will be posting some of them soon.

Charlotte & Emma xxx