Tag Archives: The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity

The Best Non-Fiction Books For Christmas

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theilluminatiThe Illuminati by Robert Howells

An interesting and well-researched book. Worth a read.

The Illuminati: The Counter Culture Revolution-From Secret Societies to Wilkileaks and Anonymous

howtodevelopabrilliantmemorytoolkit

How To Develop a Brilliant Memory Toolkit By Dominic O’Brien

This excellent toolkit has a book, a poster and cards.  Dominic O’Brien is an eight-time world memory champion and knows what he is talking about.

From amazon.co.uk and waterstones.com

greatbritainincolourbook

Great Britain in Colour: Images that define Great Britain by Paul Farrell

A bright, beautiful and unique book. Truly wonderful.

Great Britain in Colour is available here.

howtohygge

How To Hygge. The Secrets of Nordic Living By Signe Johansen

Hygge has been huge in 2016. No wonder as it has been a tough year. This great book is all about Nordic living. From recipes to outdoor activities. Hygge roughly translates to ‘cosiness’ and Signe Johansen shares the secrets of Nordic living and shows you how to adapt it to your life. The Nordic countries are constantly rated as the best for quality of life, this book helps to add to yours.

How to Hygge: The Secrets of Nordic Living is available here.

theartistswayjuliacameron

The Artist’s Way By Julia Cameron

A classic book for writers and artists. Essential reading and worth the hype.

The Artist’s Way is available here.

kenclarkekindogblue

Kind of Blue. A Political Memoir by Ken Clarke

A great insight into politics and government.

Kind of Blue: A Political Memoir is available here.

insidehteclintonwhitehouse

Inside The Clinton White House. An Oral History by Russell L. Riley

A riveting and exciting book. It gives a wonderful snapshot into history.

Inside the Clinton White House: An Oral Histories available here.

 

Our editor has three great non-fiction books:

howtobeasuccessfulactor

For actors and aspiring actors

How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur

Has had great reviews on both sides of the pond. It has all of the information that any actor needs to make the best career possible.

How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur is available here.

theultimateguidetobecomingasuccessfulblogger78654

For bloggers

The Ultimate Guide To Becoming a Successful Blogger

Has everything you could possibly want to know about blogging, and being successful at it.

The Ultimate Guide To Becoming a Successful Blogger is available here.

weddingbook

For those planning a wedding.

The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity

Gives couples all of the knowledge they need to plan a wedding while removing the stress. An essential book.

The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity is available here.

leanin15

Lean in 15 by Joe Wicks The Body Coach

#leanin15 has become huge and rightly so. Joe Wicks helps people get into the best shape of their lives without depriving themselves, All while exercising less. What’s not to like? Great book.

Lean in 15: 15 Minute Meals and Workouts to Keep You Lean and Healthy is available here.

sadanimalfacts

Sad Animal Facts by Brooke Barker

We really loved this book. It is just so original and funny and perfect. It has brilliant illustrations, sad animal facts, and the animals reaction to the fact. One of the best books ever. Endless fun.

Sad Animal Facts is available here.

tonyrobinsonnocunningplan

No Cunning Plan: My Story by Tony Robinson

A wonderful and engaging autobiography from one of Britain’s best, and most prolific, actors. A must read for fans, but also actors and Blackadder fans.

No Cunning Plan: My Story is available here.

Bad Things That WILL Happen When You Are Planning Your Wedding

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Credit: Vanessa Bailey

 

Weddings. There is a reason so many films and books are set during a wedding. They have it all: family, friends, stress, lots of money at stake. My husband and I got so stressed in the run up to our wedding that we both were not sleeping and felt ill. In fact, stress contributed to my husband being hospitalised on our wedding day! But I learned a lot and we ended up getting married and made it all the way to the reception. I took the experience and knowledge and put it all in my wedding planning book.

Weddings are hard work but like everything that is hard work, it tends to be worth it in the end. So here are some bad things that will happen when you are planning your wedding. Keep an eye out for them.

 

Your relationship with some of the people in your life will be changed forever.

This may seem like a big claim but people have egos. There relationship with you may be different from how you see it. Or you may love them just as much, but they don’t fit the role of being a maid of honour or a best man because they are not organised. Some people will take it personally if they are not in the wedding party. Family members will also have their own opinions when it comes to your wedding. If they do not get their way they may hold a grudge or even hold it over you. Kindly point out to these people that the wedding is about you and your partner committing to each other for life. Your wedding is about no one else so if they don’t like the fact you have not invited someone they wanted, or they are trying to bully you into a specific venue, it might be worth reminding them!

 

You will probably fall out completely with at least one person.

Unless you are having a big wedding there will be people you want to invite that you will not be able to. People who do not get invited, or are not invited into the wedding party, might not talk to you again. Ditto those difficult, self-obsessed people who think your wedding is about them. Or those people who just can’t be happy for you. If it is someone you can remove from your life holding the grudge and being bitchy, cut them out. If it is a family member, try to not let it get to you. Ignore them and don’t let them get to you.

 

There will be at least one person who makes it All About Them.

And there is a special place in hell for these selfish people. Either ignore them, tell them off or smile and nod when they are being demanding and rude.

 

It will be stressful.

But as long as you try and limit the damage as much as possible, that is okay. The logistics will be hard but it will all work out in the end. Every now and then take some time off and do something with your fiancé. And never forget why you getting married in the first place.

 

But the most important thing.

Is that you are married by the end of the day and have good memories. Ever notice that in Don’t Tell The Bride it pretty much always works out? That is because in the end you are just happy you pulled it off and that today is the first day of the rest of your life with your new husband/wife. That feeling cannot be beaten. After my husband and I married and we walked back down the aisle it was the most amazing feeling. Ditto walking into our wedding breakfast.

 

So good luck and don’t let the bastards get you down (because that is what they want).

 

If you are getting married then get your hands on a copy of The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. It has great advice on planning your perfect wedding. It is also available in Ebook format and is a great guide for wedding planning.

 

 

Planning Tips For Your Dream Wedding

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wedding, weddings, wedding planning, wedding book, wedding advice, wedding tips, wedding planning tips, wedding survival guideMany women have dreamed of their wedding day since they were little girls. Although I didn’t and had no idea what I wanted on my big day after getting engaged. I had to start getting some ideas together and make what felt like a million decisions. It was fun but it was stressful. To cut down the stress for other brides I wrote my wedding planning book. Hopefully it will make the journey easier for other brides. In the meantime, here are some tips for creating your dream wedding.

Your Dream Wedding: Wants And Compromises.

You may have a specific idea of your wedding in mind but the reality will probably be different. This doesn’t need to be a bad thing. Just choose the things that you are not willing to negotiate on. When you know what is most important and worth spending money on you can focus on that and then look at cheaper options for other things. Or rope family and friends in. Most will be happy to help.

Budget.

This is the tough one but you need to work out what it is and then you need to stick to it. Enquire if any family members can help and then sit down with your fiancé and have a proper discussion about what you can and cannot afford. There is no point in going into debt for a wedding or taking out a loan. It is only one day of your life, an important one, but one day. You can have an amazing wedding on a small budget. No one should start their married life in debt. Watch out for the ‘W’ bomb. As in ‘wedding’. The W word makes everyone vastly put their prices up.

Guessing cost.

Always overestimate. That way you won’t be left short. Always remember VAT. Some venues and suppliers will be coy about whether VAT is included but ask them and get a direct answer and then make a note of it.

How much it will cost.

This is the question. The answer is: quite a bit. My husband and I managed to get married for less than £10,000. We paid for the majority of this ourselves but did have some family members contribute. Not bad when the average wedding costs £21,000. Spreadsheets are your friend. Negotiating will also be your friend. Try to get money off everything. Don’t take the first quote and rope family and friends into the planning if money is tight.

Controlling Costs.

This is very important. Watch out for VAT and always account for everything. Use a spreadsheet if you can. Keep an eye on the small things as they can all add up.

Dealing With Suppliers.

When dealing with suppliers always remember that you are the customer. Be polite but always be firm. Read the small print and make your wishes clear. More importantly, don’t pay any final invoices until everything has been checked. One supplier charged us for VAT despite the fact they said they wouldn’t. Hmm. Always be careful.

Hatton Gardens. 

Hatton Gardens is the area in London where all of the jewellers are located. You can get a very good deal here.

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are your friend. If you don’t know how to do one then quickly brush up your skills. They will be your saving grace. Have one for your wedding budget and one for your wedding guest list. For the wedding guest list one, leave space for information such as dietary requirements, RSVP received, gift given and thank you card sent.

Organisation Tips

Have everyone’s contact details to hand. Use spreadsheets and have plenty ‘to do’ lists. Make sure your partner pulls his or her weight. Weddings are hard and stressful to organise, don’t go it alone.

Wedding Planner: To Go It Alone Or Hire Help.

If I had the money I would have hired a wedding planner in an instant. However, they are expensive and you don’t really need one. I am not saying that in a rude way, they will save time and probably a lot of money but weighing up the cost is important. Your venue might have a wedding planner or venue coordinator onsite. If so, this is a tremendous bonus.

If you get a wedding planner make sure you check their recommendations and also have a clear idea of what you want. It is their job to take your ideas and make them into the wedding of your dreams. Don’t accept anything less, budget permitting.

If you are getting married then get your hands on a copy of The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. It has great advice on planning your perfect wedding and is written by our editor, Catherine Balavage. It is also available in Ebook format and is a great guide for wedding planning.

 

 

How to Plan a Wedding on a Budget

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Ceremony_Short.Still008When I first started planning my wedding I was daunted. The cost of most weddings is over £20,000. It seemed insane to spend this on one day of our life. The majority of our wedding was paid for by my (now) husband and I so I had to keep things cheap. I decided to stop panicking and start researching instead. This research became my book, The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. I have an excerpt on wedding planning from my wedding book below. I hope this eases the stress and helps a little. You need it when planning a wedding.

Tips For Saving Money On Your Wedding

Cutting the guest list.

This is the best and easiest way to cut the budget. Every single person who comes to your wedding costs you money. So be ruthless and don’t feel you have to give everyone a plus one. Cutting children from your wedding will also save money but if you do this make it a rule across the board. If some guests have gone to the expense of hiring a babysitter and then see other children running around they are probably not going to be happy about it.

Cut the hours

The longer the wedding the more it will cost to feed people and give them drinks. You don’t have to have a long wedding, just do whatever you want. This will be easier if you have to be out of the venue at a set time but don’t feel like you have to use all of your allocated time, or pay to entertain your guests for the full amount of time. As long as you feed people and give them a certain amount of alcohol then they should be grateful and not too bothered if they have to put their hand in their pocket at the end of the night.

Marry off-peak

Getting married during the week will save money not only on the venue, but also with suppliers too. Your guests will have to take a day off work so factor this in. An autumn or winter wedding will also be cheaper.

Go Online

Buy things cheaply online and also check for cheaper deals than you have been offered. Car boot sales and charity shops will also have cheap stuff that could come in handy.

Getting Organised

Being organised and booking things in advance will save lots of money.

Minimoon

This is a mini honeymoon that couples have when they have to delay their honeymoon. You can also extend your first night hotel stay into a mini honeymoon. Staycations are best for minimoons. There are plenty of amazing places in the United Kingdom where you can have a romantic getaway. Cornwall, Brighton, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Devon, London…the possibilities are endless.

Have Your Honeymoon in Europe

If you live in the United Kingdom then not only will having a honeymoon in Europe be easy to get to, it will also be a lot cheaper. There are plenty of beautiful, romantic places to go.

Have Prosecco Instead of Champagne.

It is cheaper but tastes just as good. As long as you buy the right one.

The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity is available in print, ebook and Kindle. The Kindle version is only £2.99.

 

 

Frost Editor Catherine Balavage Interviewed By Writing Magazine

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If you have ever been curious about Frost Magazine editor Catherine Balavage’s writing day then grab a copy of the April 2015 edition of Writing Magazine. Catherine is interviewed by Lynne Hackles. She talks about Frost, writing books and her acting career.

Catherine Balavage, my writing day, writer, writing, magazine, interview, acting,

Catherine is not the first Frost team member to be interviewed by Writing Magazine, contributing editor Margaret Graham was also interviewed about her writing day in a prior issue.

Head down to a newsagents and get your copy now. Available at WHsmith.co.uk, Waterstones.com, all good newsagents or the Writing Magazine website.

 

 

This Month’s Top Books

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It is still bloody freezing outside, so what better time to curl up with a good book? Here are some of our top books for this month.

I Should Have Said Daisy de Villeneuve

ishouldhavesaiddaisydevilleneuve

The French have a particular expression for when words fail – ‘’Pensées d’escalier.’ It refers to the inability to think of the perfect response in painful or awkward situations until you’re out of the door – a scenario many of us can relate to at some point in our lives.In I Should Have Said, London born illustrator, designer and writer Daisy de Villeneuve pools together her personal experiences of friendships, flirtations and full-blown romances to equip you with quips for when dialogue dramas strike.From forthright frenemies, bemusing boyfriends or lukewarm liaisons, Daisy’s artistic, anti-romantic antics will be your armour against unrequited amour so that shocked silences, desperate dilemmas and wavering words are a thing of the past.

We loved this book. Wonderful illustrations and witty retorts. Daisy de Villeneuve is effortlessly cool and this book is fun and entertaining.

I Should Have Said…: Quick-Witted Comebacks I Only Wish I’d Said – to Friends and Lovers is available here.

 

100 Ideas That Changed Advertising Simon Veksner

100ideasthatchangedadvertising

Like it or not, advertising shapes our lives. This book is thorough, entertaining and educational without being boring. Perfect for anyone with an interest in advertising. 100 Ideas That Changed Advertising takes a look at the key concepts and developments that have shaped the world of advertising, from the early Twentieth century to the present day. Divided into mini-essays, it explores the socio-political and cultural factors behind these changes and the impact that they have on the ads we’re exposed to every day.

Illustrated throughout with hundreds of examples of classic and contemporary ads from companies such as Apple, McDonalds, Dyson and Coca Cola, it’s an accessible and informative read that offers a fascinating insider’s insight into the ad industry.

100 Ideas that Changed Advertising is available here.

 

Obsession in Death J.D Robb

JDRobbobsessionindeath

Another brilliant crime thriller from J.D Robb AKA Nora Roberts. Entertaining and indulgent.

A crisp winter morning in New York. In a luxury apartment, the body of a woman lies stretched out on a huge bed. On the wall above, the killer has left a message in bold black ink: FOR LIEUTENANT EVE DALLAS, WITH GREAT ADMIRATION AND UNDERSTANDING.

Eve Dallas is used to unwanted attention. Famous for her high-profile cases and her marriage to billionaire businessman Roarke, she has learned to deal with intense public scrutiny and media gossip. But now Eve has become the object of a singular and deadly obsession. She has an ‘admirer’, who just can’t stop thinking about her. Who is convinced they have a special bond. Who is planning to kill for her – again and again…

With time against her, Eve is forced to play a delicate – and dangerous – psychological dance. Because the killer is desperate for something Eve can never provide – approval. And once that becomes clear, Eve knows her own life will be at risk – along with those she cares about the most.Nora Roberts published her first novel using the pseudonym J.D. Robb in 1995, introducing to readers the tough as nails but emotionally damaged homicide cop Eve Dallas and billionaire Irish rogue, Roarke.

With the In Death series, Robb has become one of the biggest thriller writers on earth, with each new novel reaching number one on bestseller charts the world over.

Obsession in Death is available here.

 

At The Break of Day Margaret Graham

margaretgrahamatthebreakofday

Another brilliant novel from Frost favourite Margaret Graham. Brilliantly researched and engrossing. A must read.

It is 1946, and as Europe slowly picks itself up after the trauma of war, Rosie Norton faces a bright future in America. Evacuated in 1939 by her grandfather, she escaped the cramped streets of London to a new world in Pennsylvania.Suddenly, at the age of sixteen, she is called home to a Britain bruised by war and still suffering the hardships that America knows nothing about.While struggling to become accepted again by her family she is supported by her childhood sweetheart Jack.Until Jack is sent to war in Korea and a homeless Rosie, together with the child he doesn’t know they have, is left to fend for herself in London.

At the Break of Day is available here.

 

When I Met You Jemma Forte

whenimetyoujemmaforte

The new novel by best-selling author and TV personality Jemma Forte. When I Met You is the third book from Jemma. Jemma writes about a range of hugely relatable issues with reverence and emotional intelligence including family, illness, life decisions, romance, love and growing older. This is the perfect novel to lose yourself in. Imaginative, clever and addictive.

Marianne Baker is happy. Sort of. She’s had the same job for 15 years. She’s 31, still living at home with her mum and sleeping in a single bed. Playing the violin is her only real passion – but nobody like her does that for a living.Then one night everything changes. The father who abandoned Marianne as a child turns up on the doorstep, with a shocking secret that changes her live forever. Suddenly her safe, comfortable world is shattered. If her father isn’t the man she though he was, then who is he? And more to the point, who is she?

When I Met You is available here.

 

And if you are getting married…

Check out our editor’s book The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity by Catherine Balavage. It has had some five star reviews and covers every aspect of wedding planning from the perceptive of someone who survived planning their own wedding. It is well-researched and entertaining.

wedding, weddings, wedding planning, wedding book, wedding advice, wedding tips, wedding planning tips, wedding survival guide

Engaged? Daunted by wedding planning? Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, this book is a no-nonsense guide to planning the perfect wedding no matter what your budget. With time and money-saving costs, advice on handling difficult relatives and hints and tips to plan your perfect day. This is the only wedding book you will ever need.

The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity is available here.

 

 

 

Benedict Cumberbatch Sends Wedding Invites By Email

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Benedict_Cumberbatch_SDCC_2014Would you send your wedding invitations by email? He announced his engagement in The Times in November but it seems in other areas Benedict Cumberbatch is less traditional. In fact, he sent his wedding invitations by email. The actor is expecting his first child with fiancé Sophie Hunter, a theatre director. It seems they are in a rush to marry and friends say they will marry “within months”. The couple got engaged after dating for a year. Benedict is up for an Academy Award for his work in The Imitation Game.

A friend told The Mirroer “The invitations have gone out already which is very quick, It’s shocked a few people but they want their special day to happen before they have the baby. The details have been sent out in an email rather than a paper invitation as time is of the essence.”

The wedding is top secret but the source also said “They’re planning the perfect day, Life couldn’t be much better for them at the moment.”

When my (now) husband and I got engaged we send out our save the date cards by email but posted out wedding invitations. I wrote about finding good but inexpensive wedding invitations here. Sending wedding invites by email is much more environmental friendly and we did think about it, in the end we thought our older relatives would like a memento that they could keep.

What do you think? Is it okay to send wedding invitations via email?

If you are getting married then check out my book The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity, it has everything you need to know about planning your dream wedding.

 

 

 

The Stages of Writing a Book

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Ladies and gentlemen, I am in the process of writing my third book. Three-quarter of the way to be more precise. Which puts me at number 7 on this list. Writing and publishing a book is amazing. The feeling when you have your published book in your hands is like no other. You did it. It is not easy however. It took me years to get my first book published. Mostly due to procrastination. My next one was finished and published within five months. Not bad for someone with acute morning sickness. My third has so far taken seven days to get three-quarters of the way through the first draft. Which is not bad. You can check out the first two here. I will get into how tedious and hard it is writing a book with my list of the stages below, but before we get to the list I will leave you with this amazing quote from Amy Poehler in her amazing book Yes, Please.

“Everyone lies about writing. They lie about how easy it is or how hard it was…No one tells the truth about writing a book…the truth is, writing a book is this: hard and boring and occasionally great but usually not. Even I have lied about writing. I have told people that writing this book has been like brushing away dirt from a fossil. What a load of shit. It has been like hacking away at a freezer with a screwdriver.”

The Stages of Writing a Book

 

  1. Hopefulness.
  2. Excitement.
  3. Despair.
  4. First quarter done. Glimmer of light.
  5. Despair.
  6. Epic melt down. Tell everyone you give up and would burn the book if it wasn’t on your computer.
  7. Resignation, decide that since you started you should finish.
  8. Wonder what breathing in fresh air is like.
  9. Get into the flow of it, it might be okay after all.
  10. Finish first draft. realise it is only the first draft. Cry.
  11. Read first draft. It’s awful. Cry some more.
  12. Despair.
  13. Start editing. Ignore the boredom and the fact there are so many more fun things to do than this.
  14. Realise that it’s not actually that bad.
  15. Finish editing first draft.
  16. Hope
  17. Happiness
  18. The possibility of it all being over soon
  19. Get draft back from proof reader.
  20. Despair
  21. Try to ignore the amount of grammar and spelling mistakes you made.
  22. Final edit, go through all suggestions and edit accordingly.
  23. Finish book: go on week-long champagne binge.
  24. Get cover back from designer. Has spelling error. Cry.
  25. Get cover fixed.
  26. Get book formatted for the different eBook and print versions.
  27. Despair.
  28. Finally see finished book: elation.
  29. Publish book and it starts selling: happiness like no other. Feel huge sense of achievement.
  30. Start writing next book.
  31. Despair.

 

What do you think? Are you a writer? What do you think are the stages of writing a book?