5 Tips for Planning a Wedding Reception at Home

When it comes to your wedding reception, there is really no place like home. If you or your family own property that is special for you and your fiancée, such as a lakeside house or a family country cottage, then you can really cherish your big night in a place that is extra meaningful. The following tips will help you get organised so that you can throw a party to be remembered right in your own backyard.

Stay on Level Ground 
Before you even begin to plan a wedding reception in your backyard, check to make sure the ground is level. Chairs, tables, the stage and the dance floor are all things that need to be on even ground. To test it, you can simply put a table and some chairs out to see for yourself, or you can hire a landscaper for a couple hours to do a more thorough check.

Tend to the Green Space
You will want to take care of this as early as possible, as plant life generally grows on it’s own terms. The success you have with your lawn and garden will depend greatly on what season you have your wedding in and how early you start planning. If you want a spring wedding, start talking to your landscaper in autumn about reseeding, replanting and sodding your lawn. The same goes for perennials: they need winter months to take hold, so the autumn before your big day should be when you do last minute planting. Annuals also need to be planted early enough that they have time to fill out, and be sure choose varieties that will be in bloom around the time of your wedding.

Hire Your Supplies 
Chances are good that if you are having a wedding reception in your backyard, you will need to hire your party supplies. Items such as tables, chairs, dinnerware, table linens and place settings are all little extras you will need. You will also need some larger structures such as pergolas or tents, a stage, a dance floor, a bar set-up and a portable bathroom depending on how many guests are attending. It is best to book these things well in advance so that you aren’t left in the lurch.

Set Up Boundaries
Having the wedding reception at your home is a recipe for having to play host all night long, and the next morning, too. Unless your house is a mansion and you have butlers, you won’t want wedding guests staying over night – especially since it is your first night as a married couple. Make it clear to people that the party is over at a specific time of night by either stating it on the wedding itinerary or by booking extra rooms at a nearby hotel.

Have Backup
Having a plan B that is just as good as your plan A is really important. If your house is too small for your guests, you should have a back-up venue available in the event of unexpected weather. Your plan B could also just be a few extra party tents that can withstand more punishment from the elements. Stifling heat can pose just as big a problem as rain, so have a few extra fans, shady areas, cool drinks or portable air conditioners available to keep all the party people happy.

And most of all, enjoy every moment, of this most important and special occasion. 

Small River on Old City Area

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Kali Baru, the small river that flows around the old city area of Jakarta, Indonesia. I captured it when I visited the area months ago.

The Weekend in Black and White

How to Choose the Best Flower Arrangement for Your Home

There is a lot to consider when looking for the best floral arrangements for your home. Flowers as decorations are very effective at setting the mood of your choice in any room, so you will want to decide what that mood should be before you get your flowers. There are limitless combinations to the arrangements you can have, so it’s always good to play around with different varieties of flowers, vases and ways of presenting them. The following are some tips for choosing the best flower arrangement for your home.

Location 
Where you decide to place your flowers in your home can really change the tone of a room. Displaying them as a centrepiece on a kitchen or coffee table will immediately attract the attention of guests, whereas flowers on bookshelves or in sconces on the wall will make a great addition to your home’s ambiance without taking centre stage. Bouquets in the bedroom, as opposed to more public areas such as kitchens or living rooms, can help create a sense of intimacy and comfort. Of course, the mood also depends a lot on the type of flowers you choose for the arrangement.

Type of Flowers
You can choose different varieties of flowers depending on what feeling you want to create in your home. Sunny flowers such as daisies, tulips, carnations and sunflowers will make your space look bright, vivacious and inviting. For a more modern and classy look, you can choose orchids, lilies, baby’s breath or roses instead, or simply make an arrangement out of all white or light coloured flowers. You can also create warmth in the bedroom by choosing deep, rich colours of red, blue or purple, such as violets, lilacs, bluebells, irises, carnations or hydrangeas.

Season
Your floral arrangements should change with the seasons. Different seasons set different moods and your interior decorating should complement these moods. In the winter and autumn, use rich-coloured flowers that are deep shades of red, orange and gold. This will bring the much-needed warmth into your home during the cooler seasons, and will create a cosy atmosphere that will make you want to snuggle up with some hot tea and a good book. In the spring and summer, use vibrant colours and light shades, and better yet, mix many colours together in one bouquet. Lots of yellows, pinks, oranges and pastels should be used. This will give bounce to the ambiance of your home and inject feelings of excitement, anticipation and new beginnings that these seasons embody.

Events and Holidays
Depending on the festivities, flowers can go a long way in setting the mood for any holiday or event that you are planning in your home. For formal events such as dinner parties, use elegant flowers such as calla lilies to set the mood. For a touch of style, you can use pretty much any flower standing alone in a classy vase. A single orchid bloom floating in water in a small crystal bowl will add a classy edge. Holidays such as Christmas always call for a festive touch when it comes to home decorating, and a beautiful poinsettia is sure to do the trick. 

How Professional Cleaning Saves You Times and Money

Using a professional to clean your carpets can prolong their life and keep them looking like new for longer. Carpet cleaning by an expert is also sure to save you time and money as they have the right tools and knowledge to keep your carpets fresh, stain-free and in top condition. It is also important to have your carpets cleaned regularly if family members suffer from allergies.

Expert tools and knowledge
While your average household vacuum does a good job at picking up obvious dirt and debris, professional cleaning gets deep into the carpet to remove the grime you can’t see. Expert cleaners use specialised equipment to get deep into the pile and pick up all the dirt and dust a standard vacuum can’t. A professional carpet cleaner will start by vacuuming your carpets to remove surface dirt and debris before using a specialised cleaner to get that deep-down dirt. This can be either dry or wet cleaning and both are designed to draw out the dirt from deep within the pile. This is why professional cleaning is also perfect for all families who suffer from allergies. A professional clean removes the triggers of hayfever, such as dust and pollen, to help keep the sneezes at bay.

Say good bye to stains
Not only are stains unsightly, but the longer they are left unchecked the faster your carpet will deteriorate. Even the best quality carpet will suffer in the long term from stains. Although you may do a thorough job yourself removing that unsightly red wine stain or the ground-in dirt left behind by the family pet, the results professional cleaning achieve often need to be seen to be believed. Treating the stains with high quality cleaning products at the same time as having them professionally cleaned will achieve optimum results. It’s a good idea to have major stains treated by a professional sooner rather than later to ensure the longevity of your carpet.

A fresh, clean smell
Professional cleaning does more than remove the dirt and make your carpets look their best. It also removes odours that can be trapped in the fibres that are virtually impossible to remove using a standard vacuum. If you have pets or a smoker who lives in the house, regular carpet cleaning will help eliminate odours at the same time as removing the dirt. It is not just the removal of dirt and odours that professional carpet cleaners can carry out. Carpets can also be restored using a special process or protected by using a sealing process. Many professionals can also clean your rugs, lounges and sofas too.

How often should carpets be professionally cleaned?
To keep your carpets looking their best and to prolong their life, they should be professionally cleaned at least once a year. But the older your carpet gets, the more often it should be cleaned to ensure it lasts for as long as possible. High traffic areas will require cleaning more than once a year, as will carpets that are exposed to odours, such as pets and cigarette smoke. For families with allergies, it is worth doing a couple of times a year. In the end it comes down to how much you use your carpet – the more often it is exposed to dirt, stains and odours, the more frequently it should be professionally cleaned.

If your carpet is looking a little worse for wear and is in need of a little TLC why not get the professionals in? You’ll be amazed by the results.