Long-lasting marriages require a lot more than believing in Cupid or romance. Building a rock-solid foundation of a wonderful matrimony ahead isn’t a destination, but a perpetual journey. So, what actually makes a marriage work wonders? There are no hard and fast; but here are a few pointers that should always be at your fingertips for a successful, thriving marriage life.

1. It’s perfectly okay to go to bed angry

Contrary to popular belief on ‘never going to bed angry’, such myths have been deemed unrealistic. Some arguments will naturally cool off and die down in short periods of time; leaving it highly unnecessary to set an arbitrary deadline of a bedtime. So go ahead – go to bed angry if you feel the need to, but make sure you come to a closure after waking up; with less rage and a more level head. After a good night’s beauty sleep, you might even wonder what you were even arguing about in the first place.

2. Remember your Ps and Qs

It’s easy for us to take things for granted. When you’ve been married for a while, the nice things you and your other half do for each other soon become a routine. Whether you want her to make you a cup of coffee or if he helps out by picking up the kids when you can’t, a simple ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ coupled with a pleasant smile will never fail to brighten your partner’s day. It’s the little things that matter; it will help you both feel more appreciated and loved too!

3. Make your partner a priority

Marriage isn’t the end of the game; it’s only the beginning of a new journey. Remember the times you would whisper sweet nothings into each other’s ear or when you were each other’s whole world? Although it is far-fetched to sustain that immense, blazing passion and that saccharine-sweet feeling forever, never let your partner slip to the bottom after the stork delivers your new bundle of joy.

Sure, it may be a whole new ballgame with the new addition to the family, but this just makes it all the more exciting, doesn’t it? Regardless of the responsibilities, obligations and commitments constantly treat your other half as if it is your first date and make him/her feel like your utmost priority.

4. Respect your spouse’s privacy

Sure, you both may share many things. What is yours may be his, and what is his may be yours. If you ever feel the rising need to go through belongings that isn’t yours, quit the suspicions; let the faith and confidence in your spouse prevail. Even if it is out of curiosity or boredom to ‘check’ on your partner, ‘personal’ properties like drawers, bags, documents and yes, even online accounts, should be kept away from your prying eyes. Privacy is a fundamental need to anyone – husband and wife or not – so be sure to respect the boundaries and develop a higher level of trust between the both of you instead.

5. Make time for fun

The bottomless list of work, kids, responsibilities and deadlines may wear you out; making you feel less inclined toward romance. This is normal, but passion is one of the main elements that keep a marriage exciting! We all know the effects of schedules and stress – it leads to short tempers and fatigue. Always make time for relaxation and play. Do things together, be it washing the car, taking a walk in the park or catching a movie. Indulge in togetherness and spend quality time as often as you can to keep the fun and romance alive.

Should this fail, all work and no play will only make Jack and Jill dull marriage partners.

6. Give each other some space

As counter intuitive as this may sound to the previous tip, it is important to remind yourself that above all, you are both unique individuals with different thoughts, opinions, interests and activities.

Yes, marriage shouldn’t make you conjoined twins at the hip!

While doing things together is encouraged, make an effort to also cultivate and appreciate your own individuality and personal interests at the same time. What are your hobbies outside your marriage? Such will make you more interesting and appealing, as you find yourself learning more and more things about your partner that you might not have known initially. You will both feel more interesting to each other, more vibrant and armed with more conversation topics at hand!

7. Those sweet gestures

A little, thoughtful effort can go a long way. It’s always the little things that matter the most, doesn’t it? Don’t let things go stale. Make an effort towards making your other half feel loved and go the extra mile to surprise him/her whenever possible.

Leaving little love notes, giving each other kisses at least upon waking up or going to bed, giving each other back rubs, asking each other out on dates, sweet and simple text messages, cooking his/her favorite meal, pay compliments to each other – the list is endless! This will certainly carve a smile on your spouse’s face when he/she least expects it.

Remember, a happy couple is the bedrock of a happy marriage!

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The Chandelier collection by Jo Barnes which we featured last week was such a hit with so many of our readers that, we’re pleased to feature more beautiful headpieces from Jo Barnes right here.

While the Chandelier collection draws more specific inspiration from The Great Gatsby era of the 1920s, the pieces shown in this feature are a selection of Jo Barnes’ best-sellers, which have subtly broader influences while always maintaining the unmistakable feeling of timelessness and elegance.

In contrast with the Chandelier collection, these pieces do not incorporate the hanging flairs but are rather more classic in their design. When we look at these pieces, the divine images of fabled Greek goddesses and muses are invoked in our minds.

These pieces are particularly natural and organic, with a number of them seeming like they were real olive branches taken from nature itself and its beauty captured forever.

The timeless appearance of these pieces makes them brilliant accessories for brides planning a vintage wedding, while also being truly spectacular for modern brides looking for outstanding yet undeniably tasteful accessories to enhance their look. Such is a trademark of Jo Barnes, the ability of her pieces to look perfect no matter what the occasion is.

We would love to thank Jo Barnes for the opportunity to feature yet another one of her stunning collections and would like to give credits to the following vendors who styled and shot these wonderful photos:

Photography: Ria Mishaal

Stylist + Headpiece Designer: Jo Barnes Vintage

Wedding Dresses: Exquisite Bride

Hair stylist: Tori Sturgess

Makeup Artist: Katy Phieffer

Venue: Nonsuch Mansion

Models: Holly Drinkwater and Sarah Then

Prepare to feast your eyes on this amazing collection by Canadian designer, Lea-Anne Belter. Belter’s commitment to elegant simplicity shows through yet again with gowns that are not over-embellished nor complicated, while being effortlessly seductive. This can be easily seen in this casual yet sophisticated display of Belter’s 2013 collection set against a garden backdrop. This shoot proves to us that not only are the gowns in this collection absolutely gorgeous, but are also perfectly fitted and oh-so comfortable for the bride, allowing her to look beautiful AND actually enjoy wearing the gown.

With an array of styles, we’re sure you’ll fall in love with at least one (if not all) the gowns in this collection, just as we have!

1. Adele

2. Bella

3. Bernadette

4. Cali

5. Charlize

6. Coco

7. Constance

8. Courtney

9. Emily

10. Farrah

11. Greta

12. Helene

13. Ingrid

14. Janelle

15. Josephine

16. Kenzie

17. Meredith

18. Meryl

19. Natasha

20. Penny

21. Persephone

22. Reese

23. Roberta

24. Stephanie

25. Willow

All images are used courtesy of LEA-ANNE BELTER 2013

The complete collection can be viewed online at http://www.lea-annbelter.com/

We’ve spent hours going through the photos from this incredibly inspired wedding, trying to select the very best ones for your eyes to feast on. Really, we probably would have featured all the photos if we could. Today, we’d like you to meet Julie and Danny, who went with a vintage Hollywood inspired theme for their wedding reception. We fell in love with this wedding because of all the little touches that really brought the theme together. The couple played their parts beautifully in this love story because of course, they’re madly in love with each other! These amazing photos were snapped by wonderful photographers Vince and Carla.

Gorgeous, elegant and racy gown by Paloma Blanca and forever stylish shoes by Jimmy Choo guaranteed that the bride would fulfill her lead actress role with an award-winning look.

The groom looked sharp, while also able to let his fun personality show through.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen wore black to complete the simple, yet extremely alluring and handsome look.

We love the bold use of black lilies for the bride’s bouquet which is definitely not often seen, but in this case gives a strong yet fitting contrast to the white gown.

The colour scheme was carried through to the impressively decorated venue at the super glamorous W Hotel Hollywood in Los Angeles, California, which also introduced a splash of red to give that unshakable red-carpet feeling.

The aspect that we really love about the design of this wedding is the extent of which the Hollywood inspired elements were used. From the invitation design, to the favours and the small flairs in detail, right through to the photographers equipped with their old-school cameras that give you the sense that you’re walking on the red carpet of a blockbuster premiere.

The eye-catching candy girls and champagne glamour girl handing out champagne near the entrance is just the kind of over-the-top design elements that you would expect from a Hollywood theme and as such, they turn out great.

You just have to check out the cake! It fits the theme perfectly in terms of colour and style while making a grand statement with splashes of bling. The couple had fun cutting and eating it too it seems.

A lot of fun was had during the night too, with a silent movie inspired presentation, tear-jerking speeches, the throwing of the bridal bouquet to eagerly awaiting bachelorettes, dance performances and more, the kind of things you would expect to see at a Hollywood event we’re sure. One more idea that we love is the poster of the couple that invites guests to sign and write their well-wishes on. Once put in a frame and/or mounted, it will certainly prove to be a wonderful memento of the night.

We’d like to thank Vince and Carla for the photos. Also to The Wedding Chicks for allowing us to publish this fantastic wedding. All the vendors involved in putting everything together are listed below. And of course, to Julie and Danny, we wish them a joyous and everlasting marriage.

DREAM TEAM

Photographer: Vince and Carla

Venue: W Hotel Hollywood

Hair: Margaret Kiester & Jennifer Hasper from Beyond the Fringe Salon

Cinematography: Matrimony Pictures

DJ & Lighting: SOS Entertainment

Dress Designer: Paloma Blanca

Flowers: Flowers by Claire

Shoe Designer: Jimmy Choo

Prop or Furniture Rentals: No Strings Attached Costumes

Piano Accompaniment: Cliff Retallick

Jewellery: Margaret Rowe

Event Designer: Goose on the Loose Productions

Makeup: Serina Hughes

Officiant: Rev. Paul Montoya

Meet the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur team at the Kuala Lumpur Wedding Expo 2013 and confirm your wedding with them to enjoy the following exclusive offers!

• Complimentary one (1) table for every 15 paying tables confirmed
• Additional one (1) night stay in Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur’s Bridal Suite inclusive of breakfasts for 2 people (for a total of 2 nights).
• Complimentary usage of function room for ‘Tea Ceremony’ on the actual wedding day (subject to function room availability)
• Free corkage for all hard liquors or wines brought in for the event
• Chance to win fabulous Lucky Draw prizes for those who sign up during the expo

The Kuala Lumpur Wedding Expo 2013 is being held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 27 July 2013 to 28 July 2013. You may meet the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur team there at the following times and location:

27 July 2013 | 10:30am – 9:00pm

28 July 2013 | 10:30am – 8:00pm

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Exhibition Hall 5, Booth Number B103

Please visit Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur’s website for more information at www.sheratonimperialkualalumpur.com or contact the following personnel:

Jennifer Lai | T: +603 2717 9870 | E: jennifer.lai@sheraton.com

Verene Char | T: +603 2717 9825 | E: verene.char@sheraton.com

Today we have an absolute treat for all you brides-to-be out there who are looking for that special little touch, that beautiful accessory, that spectacular piece of jewellery that not only completes your signature look, but may even turn out to be the centerpiece of your entire ensemble. We’d love to introduce to you the Chandelier collection of gorgeous headpieces by Jo Barnes Vintage.

Inspired by The Great Gatsby which was set in the roaring 20s, this collection comes out at a really great time, with the movie of the same name having just recently been released in cinemas. Whether affected by the buzz surrounding the release of the movie or not, many weddings and pre-wedding photoshoots we’ve seen pass by our screens recently have taken inspiration from The Great Gatsby. In short, this style is really hot on the scene!

This collection uses crystals and pearl drops generously, taking cues from the dressing style of the glamorous and fashionable vixens of the 1920s. The designs also do incorporate a modern twist which makes them truly versatile, able to look absolutely in place in a vintage themed wedding, while also being brilliant and stylish in a modern setting.

Jo Barnes’ foray into bridal accessory design began when she was planning her own wedding and she handcrafted a bouquet using her grandmother’s vintage brooches and pearl necklace. Realising that she had a hidden talent in creating beautiful accessories, Jo went on to design her own headdress for her wedding and things took off from there.

Since starting Jo Barnes Vintage, Jo and her team have garnered glowing reviews and has grown a reputation for outstanding customer service and of course, beautifully crafted bridal accessories. Jo Barnes has also won multiple awards for accessory design in the wedding industry. Her accessories are available from online stockists and selected fine jewellery outlets around the world. Jo also offers bespoke services. More information on Jo Barnes’ collections and how to purchase these gorgeous accessories can be found at Jo Barnes Vintage.

So, do continue to treat yourself to the rest of the photoshoot of these wonderful headdresses and be inspired to add a touch of flair to your look, no matter whether you’re planning a vintage themed wedding or a traditional yet modern one.

We’d love to thank Jo Barnes for giving us the opportunity to feature this collection and credits to the following vendors who styled and shot these wonderful photos:

Photography: Ria Mishaal

Stylist + Headpiece Designer: Jo Barnes Vintage

Wedding Dresses: Exquisite Bride

Hair stylist: Tori Sturgess

Makeup Artist: Katy Phieffer

Venue: Nonsuch Mansion

Models: Holly Drinkwater and Sarah Then

We love to feature weddings that show different cultures being brought together in a simple yet respectful way. Of course, what interests and touches us the most are the love stories behind these weddings. Introducing Suresh and Mei-Sann, with photos by Click4Loves.

The wedding of Suresh and Mei-Sann was particularly unique for a number of reasons, it brought together Indian and Chinese cultures, it  was a destination wedding, and had a mixture of Western and Eastern influences too.

More than 60 of the couple’s guests were from outside of Malaysia, with many of them showing the bride support at the traditional Chinese style ceremony.

Mei-Sann’s parents wore fetching Chinese costumes and carried out some of the traditional ceremonies before the groom arrived. Meanwhile, Suresh’s mother was also present at the Chinese ceremony dressed in a traditional Indian sari, lending a hint of cross-culture influence.

Mei-Sann looked radiant in a classic and outstanding cheongsum while the groom was smart in a traditional Chinese samfu.

Both the bride and groom have a undeniable love of food and this passion of theirs translated to them paying very close attention to all aspects of food selection and presentation as can be seen by the simple yet gorgeously designed cake and sweet little customised biscuits to suit the occasion.

Suresh and his entourage could not escape the customary challenges that await any groom and his groomsmen at a Chinese ceremony. After all the events of the day, the bride and groom depart, again, in very customary fashion. Held over two days, the evening reception was held the next day, allowing the couple to take a good rest and prepare for their grand, yet relatively intimate affair of less than 90 guests.

Deciding to celebrate in a luxurious fashion, the couple decided to hold their evening reception at the very newly completed Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur. As a matter of fact, their event was held on the very first day of the hotel’s operation! The couple were fans the rooms, the exceptional service, the views of KLCC and incredibly impressed with the array of food on offer.

The couple’s colour scheme for the reception was green and off white, portraying a theme of freshness, vitality and growth. This theme represented the way the couple feel about their love and life, of freedom, nature and the earth, all intertwined to create them and all life.

The favours were custom-made individual-sized chocolate mud cakes by LadyM Boutique Cakes. The cakes were dressed with royal icing, and scattered with ivory and green flowers, that were in line with the theme. Each cake was wrapped with green and white wedding ribbon, and a clear window at the top of the box allows recipients to see the gorgeousness of each cake design.

The grand elegance and luxurious styling of the hotel was the perfect backdrop for this selection of shots taken of the lovely couple by lead photographer Jackal Cheng from Click4Loves. The couple gave glowing reviews to Jackal and his team, describing him as professional and an expert in the field. He captured the very special moments of the wedding in an artistic manner, making them truly memorable.

For the evening reception, Mei-Sann wore a lovely flowing Australian-designed dress with silk cap sleeves, and swarovski crystal and white pearl embellishments. The dress was paired with ivory coloured heels. The ensemble proved to be not only the perfect look for the bride, but also comfortable too.

Meanwhile, Suresh wore an Italian-designed suit inspired by the fashion of the 1920s. The suit was sharp, full of cunning detail and gave the groom a particularly dashing look. A slight departure from the norm, the suit was a decidedly handsome navy blue colour.

The theme palette was utilized throughout the evening, from the favour cupcake decorations, to the maid of honour’s dress, and from the table settings to the flowers and place cards.

Traditional ceremonies were carried out throughout the wedding in respectful, memorable and touching manners.

Suresh and Mei-Sann’s love of food was on display yet again in the fully customised menu entitled “Taste of Asia”. Led by Executive Chef Tommy, Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur‘s kitchen delivered course after course of exquisite dishes with inspirations from around Asia, with Indian inspired canapes, Thai style appetizers, a Chinese entree and Malaysian cuisine for the mains. Truly mouth-watering if you ask us.

The biggest surprise of the evening for the couple was the unveiling of the dessert buffet. In a spectacular display, the back of the ballroom was opened up to reveal a dessert station with dry ice carpeting the area, resulting in a dramatic presentation of delectable desserts including Heston’s upside-down cheesecakes, banoffee pies, Malaysian kueh, tropical fruits, ice cream sundaes and cocktail candies. Surprising and incredible.

Entertainment for the night was primarily provided by a 3-piece band from Mosaic Music Entertainment, performing love songs and stylish jazz pieces.

In addition, Mei-Sann’s grandmother did a special performance, singing a traditional Chinese song, blessing the marriage and praying for lots of great grand children. This song must have been incredibly effective, as Mei-Sann is now 4 months pregnant!

Mei-Sann’s cousin also performed a solo piece as a wedding gift, singing and strumming his guitar. It was yet another special moment in a night full of special moments.

In an informal interpretation of the typical speech session, the couple walked around the room and talked to family and friends, while some would stand and give quotes, advice and tell embarrassing stories.

What we adore about the events of the night are all the special performances and contributions by family and friends, it really gives a very personal and heartwarming touch that will surely be remembered by the couple and guests alike.

We asked Mei-Sann what her advice would be for couples planning a destination wedding:

“Get a wedding planner. Make sure you are both on the same page and that you have a good working relationship with this person. Any dreams or ideas that you have, will come to fruition if you have a good wedding planner to execute this.”

And what was her experience like hosting such an event:

“Its magical… Everyone is in holiday mode, so they are bound to have a brilliant time. You just need to wear clothing that suits that particular destination, ensure that you can get as much done prior to the wedding, so you can kick back and enjoy the special day.”

We’d love to thank Mei-Sann and Suresh for allowing us to share in detail their wonderful wedding!

DREAM TEAM

Wedding Planner: Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, Wedding Team - Christina and Vikkie

Photographer: Click4Loves, Lead Photographer – Jackal Cheng

Florist: Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, house florist

Baker/Caterer: Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur - Executive Chef Tommy

Wedding Favours: LadyM Boutique Cakes 

Entertainment: Mosaic Music Entertainment

Pronovias is a family firm that began life in El Suizo, a prestigious Barcelona store founded in 1922 that specialized in the lace, embroidery and high-quality silk fabrics demanded by the brides of Catalonias’ high society. The company presented its first collectionof pre-aporter wedding gowns in Spain in 1964 -  a great novelty in the sector at the time. The Pronovias brand was born during the same decade and in 1968 it once again took a pioneering step; it opened the first specialised bridal shops in Spain.

Over the next decade, Pronovias opened 80 shops in Spain and new routes for international expansion with the opening of new European markets through affiliates in France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany. Pronovias continued to expand during the 1990s’ with the introduction of affiliates int the United States and Canadian markets and opens the first Pronovias stores in Europe.

In 2006, Pronovias opened its first shop in the UK, at London’s pretigious New Bond Street, and also an in store boutique in Harrods. Continuing with its expansion plan, Pronovias has opened in 2008 its Flagship store in New York, a seven-storey building on 52nd Street and 5th Avenue.

In 2009, Pronovias opens its first Flagship in Italy, one of its most important shopping districts. Nowadays, the Pronovias Group dresses brides in more than 80 countries, making it the international leader in the sector.

Pronovias Collection 2013 was a collection full of flowers with extremely elegant choices for brides in all styles. From romantic gowns with very flowing skirts to cosmopolitan styles for a softer, textured look. Bold yet light and comfortable wedding dresses in lace, chiffon, tulle and gazar. Classic patterns and silhouettes inspired by flowers and petals are a triumphant success. Rather than pure white, these models have a ‘nude’ base, which subtly emulates the bride’s skin. Gowns are fashioned over this with sheer ivory lace, guipure and Chantilly, each worked individually by hand. Scissor cut tulle is also used to create original looks with points, flowers, bows and other details.

Another trend for 2013 is the ‘double dress’. One of  buttoned tulle, very easy to wear, which gives the bride great aplomb during the ceremony, however, when the party begins this can be removed, revealing the perfect figure-skimming mermaid dress.

When it comes to embroidery, rather than creating contrasts the trend is to create iridescent effects with transparent and white paillettes that reflect natural light and blend beautifully with the sparkles on the dress itself. Small pieces of mother-of-pearl and ivory are also used, tracing tiny handcrafted branches of coral and flowers.

Strapless and asymmetric necklines are still the most popular choices, along with spaghetti straps and sheer tulle sleeves. Dresses with trains abound in this collection, long for religious and short for civil ceremonies.

The veil, the bridal accessory par excellence is here this season with guipure lace applique finished with broderie anglaise. As an alternative, there are tulle, chiffon and organza capes and capellettes, which tie at the neck and flow out generously, as well as figure skimming boleros and jackets that form part of the dress. The keys to the season are plunging backs and the waist, which is emphasised with ribbons, knots and belts.

Superman fans are almost beside themselves in anticipation with The Man Of Steel hitting cinema screens worldwide in a couple of weeks’ time. If you’re one of those fans, treat yourself and be inspired by this photoshoot by Ireland-based photographer Donal Doherty. Even if you’re not a Superman fan, or haven’t picked up a comic book in your life, there’s still inspirations galore in the following images.

Styled by Annette Hughes at Look Crafty, this shoot expertly shows that you don’t need to go overboard on a theme to be able to show your personality and get your story across. By using the unmistakable yellow, red and blue colour combination synonymous with Superman, and a small assortment of visual cues, the image of The Man Of Steel is clearly invoked in our minds.

A simple flowing red cloth reminds us of Superman’s red cape.

A telephone booth photographed here is a subtle reference to the many times Clark Kent would change into Superman at the nearest telephone booth to him.

The yellow, red and blue colour combination is effectively used here in the floral design.

And oftentimes, the successful execution of a theme is in the little details. With small, direct and simple visual cues, there’s no mistaking that this is a Superman themed shoot, without being over the top (like having the groom wear red underwear over his pants, for example), which is a tip you can keep in mind when creating your own signature wedding or theme.

Location: Drenagh

Photography: Donal Doherty Photography

Hair: Margaret Johnston at Honey Hair & Beauty

Make-up: Rosemary Wright at Asburn Image

Event Stylist: Annette Hughes at Look Crafty

Cake: Cakes by Miriam

Bridalwear: Petticoat Lane Bridal

Groomswear: Different Class

Florist: Cheryl Thompson at Flowers & Frills

Models: Azin Fathia & Emmett Dillon

Captivated by photographer Henry Fok’s work, Shang Shang and Tian Yi’s engagement portraits were inspired by old world Hong Kong charm. As native Hong Kongers, the couple shared a very interesting tale in their adventure in their homeland, embracing its familiarity and, at the same time, discovering things they hadn’t noticed before. It was like a little romantic adventure, captured and made timeless through the lens, and etched deep in their treasured box of memories.

Photos by Henry F. Photography