Wildgeese might just be for you...

Wildgeese is really a good Zimbabwe wedding venue option if you are still look to settle on an exellent wedding venue. Wild Geese Lodge is just a 15 minutes drive from central Harare along Alpes Road. It's graced with stunning views of Msasa trees, Savanna Grasslands and the Iron Mask Range of Hills making it an ideal location for that outstanding wedding.

The picture above shows a garden wedding at Wildgeese. Check out more pictures here

You may call them for rates on +263 - 860466/860274. After the ceremony, the staff usually have welcome drinks as you have your photographs taken. The is a nice wide pavillion adjucent to the garden and wedding reception venue which can be used to host a braai or bridal party.

Check this album out of guys who had beautiful wedding there captured in pictures.

To Your Special Day!

Review: Executive Chef Caterers

You might just be one of those who prefer bringing in your own caterers to serve your guests on your special day. This has both advantages and disadvantages. One of the things outside caterers always cause is running stormachs after the wedding due to poorly done salads and things like that. If you should decide to go for outside caterers we would like that you try The Executive Chef

These guys have served us before and we think they are professionals. In fact we know their executive chef manager personally, Geeta White. They are a division of SERVCOR the specialists in the food industry. They are based at Royal Harare Sport Club were they operate as in-house caterers. They serve all the golfers there! You may give them a ring as follows;

The Executive Chef

5th Street Extension

Royal Harare Sports Club

Phn: +263-4-702927/9, 790965/7,702920

Cell: +263-4-0912213307

by the way, they also have excellent friendly service a quality we always consider before we review anyone on this blog :)

To Your Special Day!

What we would look for in a wedding venue

At the centre of wedding planning is the venue. In fact much time is lost by couples going to and fro failing to decide on a venue. This is understandable simply because a venue is more than just a place you want to have your guests gathered. It's place that you will identify with for a greater part of your lives. You will always say 'our wedding which we had at so and so in that so and so year'.

So when we personally consider wedding venues, there are few key factors we carefully take into account in the context of the type of wedding we have in mind. However, many things are common for all venues but some are determined by the type of wedding you would like to have. The following is a list we think will help you settle for venue that suits your needs;

1. Accessibilty - is your venue accessible? The answer to this question can both be in the negative or in the positive. If your wedding is for the invited few, then a venue out of town like Mbizi Game Park or Borrowdale Brooke or Pandhari Lodge is ideal. In this case, you are expecting your guests to be driving or at least having access to private transportation. If your wedding involves busing-in the whole village, then a venue like Old Mutual Sports Club in Emerald Hill will do just fine. Public transport can get your guests there with little inconvinience.

2. Garden - are you into well kept gardens? Venues with gardens (we mean well kept gardens) are ideal if you plan to have both your ceremony (including photos) and your reception at the same place. This will serve you much needed time to get your ceremony done and photos taken at the same venue with reception. So a venue with a beautiful or at least well kept garden like the Rainbow Towers (formerly Sheraton hotel) would do provided you don't mind the human traffic!

3. Bathrooms - Please ensure that you take a personal physical inspection of the bathrooms or ablutions. Most guests who talk about your wedding afterwards amongst the top of their agenda is your cake, the food, the bridal team and the bathrooms. If there is anything you should ensure is that your venue is got reasonably well kept bathrooms. As a foot note, ensure that the cubucles have toilet rolls!

4. Friendly staff - Unfortunately, the attitude of the staff at your venue is usually summed up together with your wedding perfomance. Chat with the venue staff and check them out in as far as their attitude is concerned. Also make it known to management at the venue that you are counting in their staff as part and parcel of your wedding planning team so that you get their best cooperation. Further just being generally friendly and appreciative of their service during the planning days will reap you sweet rewards on the wedding day. So try by all means not to alianate venue staff. You need them, at least for that day. Letting them know in advance that there will be a thank you bowl going around will sure motivate them in these difficult times! You may further consider instructing your MC to give them a special appreciative mention at the begining on the programme.

So there you have it, we think these few tips will make a great difference on your wedding day!

To Your Special Day!

Are You Strict With Your Wedding Check List?

We hope you are being strict with your wedding checklist/to-do-list. Weddings are "boring". Really "boring". many little things keep poping up on the great day. Little things like - "ooh -there are no camera battries" or "Nhingi forgot to do so and so thing". These are all issues that pop-up in many a wedding the night before or that very morning.

Take your time to prepare a proper checklist/to-do-list taking into account all anticipated issues even the small ones that your friends or relations might have experienced during their own weddings. Your experience with other weddings is simply to help you perfect your own and avoid the very same problems that other encountered. Make your list in point form indicating who is supposed to do what and by when. When that date comes, check if those things have been done. Be strict with yourself and this will definately pay-off. Aim for excellence no matter how low budget your wedding can be.

Manage people properly so that nothing is left to chance. NEVER accept statements or feedback from your team that leaves too many things to chance. We know our environment in Zimbabwe is difficult at the moment, but try your very best to ensure that there is certanity in all your dealings at all times.

To Your Special Day!

Gweru Has The Village

If you are based in Gweru, The Village might just be the place you want to consider for your wedding; your garden wedding.

It's a new place just about 5km from the city centre along Harare road. Give them a try you might just be impressed. Check them out here.

You may call them directly here;

+263 (54) 231760 - 2,
Fax; +263 (54) 231763.
You can also email malto:staywithus@thevillage.co.zw or reservations@thevillage.co.zw

Your Body Shape and Wedding Dress

by Kerrie Giles

Before you even start trying on those wedding dresses, stop for a minute and think about your own natural body shape. For you to look amazing in your dream wedding dress you need to buy a dress that compliments your body shape.

Below are the main body types with the corresponding wedding dress styles that will help you look like a million dollars on your wedding day.

If you're a pear shape (bottom heavy) a ball gown style wedding dress would be perfect for you, it will give you a waist and cover those larger hips, on your wedding day, you really do not want to be asking the question "Does my bum look big in this?".

If your tall and thin, well, frankly you've been blessed (even though it doesn't feel like it when your shopping for clothes!) - You will look fantastic in a slim wedding dress, such as a dress made from satin that skims over your body, highlighting your perfect features to the full.

Petite brides need to stay away from ballroom type wedding dress, you do not want to be a little head poking out from a mountain of white. Also keep away from wedding dresses with dropped waist lines as these will make you look shorter too. A-line or a Princess A-line wedding dresses with natural waistlines will elongate your silhouette making a petite you seem to appear taller.

If your a bit bulkier than you would like around your waist then go for a wedding dress that has a high waistline. Brides with thick waist look their best in empire gowns which have a high waistline. Empire waistlines are usually right below the bust line that flow into long slimming skirts. You would not want to look huge on your wedding day, so stay away from natural waistline wedding dresses such as the A-line or Princess A-line which would emphasize your waist.

If you are one of those lucky woman who have a hourglass figure an A-line wedding dress with a dropped waist would absolutely amazing on you. Show of your best assets with a low cut bodice.

To Your Special Day!

Jewellery Special Offers!

These guys based in Harare have a 20% discount on jewellery; we have not been really down to their shops to confirm that the jewellery is worth your vist over there, but you just may never know;

1) Queens Jewellers, Shop No8, Southampton Life Centre, Cnr jason Moyo Ave/2nd Street
2)Shanutu Jewellers, Rainbow Towers, Mazzanine Floor (M1)
3)Eastgate Jewellers, Shop No. 31, Eastgate Mall, Cnr Second Street/ Robert Mugabe way

All the best.

To Your Special Day!

Pandhari Lodge May Just Impress You

We find Pandhari to be an excellent venue for that wedding of a lifetime. It frankly provides a rare combination of stylish accommodation, state-of-the-art wedding facilities with attention to detail and service excellence.

check them out here; http://www.pandharilodge.co.zw/ we are also impressed by their site presentation.

their address is 3 Barlow Close, Glern Lorne right in Harare. You call them on +263-4-494918/21 or 2931010

Roonys is a great option for a great wedding

One of the ways to make the burden lighter as you plan your wedding is to consider employing hiring services to do all the donkey work for you. However this will command a meaningful portion of your pocket. Rooney's is a great hiring service based in Harare.

We especially like them because they are really professional in thier approach. You could engage some of the many hiring services around but the mighty question at the end of the day is whether your wedding will still mantain its glory. Below we feature Rooneys, listing some of the services they have to offer. For more information please head to their site HERE

Rooney’s Marquees/Tents Hire

Rooney’s has probably the widest range of marquees/tents in Harare, Zimbabwe, ranging from our 80m x 30m Alpine marquee to a simple 3m x 3m Gazebo. Rooney’s reputed for offering the latest imported range of tents, which are state of the art designed and meet international safety standards.

Rooney’s also manufactures own range of traditional peg and pole tents and gazebo’s. Their marquee range includes the following tents:

Alpine Range
Alu Frame Tents
Himalayan Range
Aladdin Range
Canadian Range
Peg and Pole Range
Gazebo’s

Rooney’s Edge

At Rooney’s, these products:

HK Audio PA Systems
Gas Patio Heaters
StarBursts
Cocktail Tables
Rope and Fairy Lights

Rooney’s Tables

Rooney’s is able to offer you a great selection of tables for your function. Depending on space, your theme and layout – we are certain they will have a table to accommodate your needs. They have the following ranges that will seat 12, 10 or 8 guests:

Round Tables
Oval Tables
Trestle Tables

They can also able to offer you conference tables and cocktail tables amongst other function spefic tables.

You may give them a call here; +263-4-748 621 / 7

To Your Special Day!

Wedding Master Of Ceremonies - 10 Sure-Fire Tips For Success
By Brad Murray

Most people are so thrilled when a friend or family member asks them to be their wedding master of ceremonies. It's only later that they wonder what does a mc do at a wedding?

The wedding master of ceremonies is basically responsible for ensuring the various events that take place during the wedding reception run in a smooth and orderly fashion and on time.
It is at this point many a prospective wedding mc will start to panic. There is a lot of standing up in front of the wedding guests and making announcements.

After all the wedding mc duties will include making announcements for the arrival of the bridal party, the serving of dinner, the cutting of the wedding cake, the bridal waltz, the tossing of the bouquet and the departure of the bridal couple.

And of course you will also introduce each person who is making a speech or toast.
Even though the wedding master of ceremonies does not make a speech (unless they are also the best man) the thought of speaking up in public fills many with fear and trepidation.

Here are some wedding mc tips to help

1. Don't forget your notes and reading glasses if you need them;

2.Take some long deep breaths beforehand. As you exhale tell yourself to relax;

3. Hold your head up, look around the room and give everyone a big smile;

4. Don't mumble. If there is no microphone speak loud and clear so everyone can hear you. In the days and weeks before the reception practice projecting your voice. If using a microphone make sure you know how it works.

5. Establish eye contact with a person, hold for a few seconds then find someone else to look at;

6. Keep your introductions short;

7. Wedding mc jokes must not offend or embarrass anyone;

8. Speak naturally and in terms all the wedding guests will understand;

9. Try to look confident even if you are not feeling it; and

10. Accept it is natural to feel a little nervous

And remember the more time you spend planning and organizing for the big day the easier it will be for you to relax and enjoy the occasion.

If you are considering a wedding in Harare, the following are ideal places to consider;

Pandhari Luxury Lodge
Excellent facilities
+263-4-494918/21 or 494692

Mbizi Game Park
Recent renovations on the tea garden
Great out-door facilities
+263-4-700606/8 or 2935032 or 2915737

To Your Special Day!