Posts in category: Relationships

If you have a wedding coming up, you will probably be keen for it to be as successful as possible. How you might define that will vary from person to person, but there are some factors that most of us would probably consider essential.

For instance, you’ll generally want to make sure it goes off without a hitch and that there is no particular drama.

In this post, we’ll look at what you can do to make your wedding less stressful, so that you can hopefully get a lot more out of the experience and enjoy it as fully as possible.

Plot everything in detail

One of the main things you can do to make your wedding a lot less stressful is simply to plot everything out in as much detail as possible.

When you do this, it generally has a way of ensuring that nothing gets ignored, and that means it’s much more likely everything will turn out as it should.

So don’t overlook anything and try to make sure that you remember everything you can – this is going to make a huge difference to how the whole wedding turns out and how much stress you experience.

Get help with planning

In fact, most people find that it’s vital to have some help with the planning of the big day, so you might want to think about finding a professional wedding planner to help you out.

As a professional, they will know exactly how to prepare for your wedding, what major points need to be considered, and how to ensure that you are going to have the best possible day.

All in all, it is a much better and easier experience when you have someone like that on your side, so be sure to seek them out early on.

Look after your mental health

As in other times in your life, here too it is vital to make sure that you are caring for your own mental health, because that helps to keep stress down too. It is also just generally an important thing to make sure you are doing.

When you are doing all you need to in order to take care of your own mind, that will mean that you are much more likely to enjoy the whole experience more, so it’s really important that you are thinking about this. Do whatever self-care you need to and you should find it really helps.

Make it yours

One way to make a wedding less stressful is to not try and please everyone else. It is your wedding, after all, and you need to make sure that you are making it yours as best as you can. This means being true to yourself, rather than doing what other people might want you to do.

If you can do that, it’s going to make a huge difference to how you ultimately approach the wedding, and you will find that you are much less stressed out when you are not running around trying to please everyone else.

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post

It goes without saying that giving your partner an unforgettable, thoughtful gift on your anniversary is the ultimate way to show them how much you care.

However, if you’re like most people, coming up with something unique might seem impossible. Even if you’ve struggled in the past to find the perfect gift for your partner, don’t panic.  

With some imagination and a little help from this article, you’ll be able to come up with something special. So read on for some unconventional ideas to make this anniversary even more memorable than the last.

A book of your memories

If you and your partner have been together for a long time, you probably have a lot of memories together.

A great gift idea is to create a book of these memories, where you write down your favourite memories of you and your partner. You can also have your partner add their memories to the book if you want to. For a more visual partner, create a Mini Photo Book of your best memories.

If you’re going to put everything into a digital book, you can print the book out if you want a physical copy.

A trip together

It may sound cliché, but a trip together could be the perfect romantic idea for your partner. Especially if they have a bucket list, they haven’t been able to complete. You can go on a trip anywhere in the world, at any time of the year, making it much easier to find a gift that suits your partner’s interests.

If you don’t know where to start, look at your partner’s interests, hobbies, and even work life to find a trip that suits them. If you’re struggling to find something, a trip is an incredibly thoughtful gift. And it’s something that you both get to enjoy, making it even more special and memorable.

An experience

One of the best gifts you can give your partner is the gift of an experience. For example, if your partner loves learning new skills, you can get something like a pottery or woodworking course.

You can even make the experience more memorable by going on dates around the city before or after each class. If your partner is adventurous, get them a skydiving or rock climbing lesson if they’ve always wanted to try those things.

There are so many different experiences you can give to your partner, making this an extremely creative gift.

A personalised item

Suppose your partner has a particular item they often use, such as a mug or a piece of jewellery.

In that case, you could personalise it for them. For example, if your partner loves coffee, you could get a mug with a special quote or saying.

You could also get them a mug with a picture of the two of you on it. Likewise, if your partner often wears a particular piece of jewellery, such as a necklace or bracelet, get it engraved with something special to you both.

A playlist

Music can be incredibly powerful and a reminder of special times in your life.

Go old school and make your own playlist or create one on Spotify with songs that have special meanings. You can make playlists for special occasions, such as weddings or anniversaries.

Or you can create a general playlist with songs that remind you and your partner of your relationship and memories. If your partner likes to workout, you can make a workout playlist for them too.

Bottom line

When finding the perfect anniversary gift for your partner, you want to make sure you find something special and memorable. While it’s a good idea to find a gift that reflects your partner’s interests. It’s even better if you can find something unique. 

So think outside the box, and you should be able to find something that works perfectly. And now that you’ve read this article, you should have no problem finding the perfect gift for your partner. 

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post

Moissanite is an extremely rare and precious white gemstone, formed from the naturally occurring mineral, silicone carbide.

This mineral was first found in a meteorite crater in Arizona and from then on it was developed by experts into an amazing mined diamond alternative. 

Moissanite is extremely rare in nature (more than a diamond!) and almost all jewellery set with moissanite is lab grown. Only gemology experts can tell the difference between lab created and natural moissanite.

The way we produce moissanite has become close to perfect in recent years, through various growing processes with specialist laboratory equipment and scientists. Moissanite is grown by simulating the natural conditions and high pressures needed for moissanite to grow naturally, and are used to create a physically identical gemstone to that of a naturally occurring moissanite. 

Moissanite is brilliantly sparkly! 

Moissanite rings should be viewed as a unique gemstone in itself rather than a direct substitute of a diamond. It beholds its own unique attributes, that displays the true brilliance and quality of moissanite gemstones.

Due to the chemical structure of moissanite being different to a diamond, the rate it can bend, slow down and refract light is also different.

Its refractive index (RI) is more than a diamond, with a refractive index number of 2.65-2.69 that emits a ‘rainbow-like’ effect.

Moissanite is suitable for everyday wear 

The durability of moissanite is another very desirable attribute of this fabulous gemstone! Many will argue that the durability of your engagement ring is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing the ring you’ll have for life.

It is well known that diamonds are the hardest gemstone on the planet, which is what makes them such a popular choice for engagement rings. Diamonds come in at a 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, which is a scale used for measuring the scratch resistance of minerals.

Moissanite scores just behind diamonds as the second hardest mineral used for setting in jewellery, with a Mohs Scale of Hardness score of 9.25. Making moissanite an amazing choice for jewellery designed to be worn everyday, such as engagement rings. 

Moissanite has ethical and sustainable credentials 

As moissanite is grown in a laboratory, the mining processes are completely eliminated, which reduces the chances of any unethical practices occurring to communities or unsustainable environmental impacts. Unlike mined diamonds, lab grown jewellery such as moissanite and lab diamonds have a significantly smaller carbon footprint as all of the ethical implications involved with mining practices are eliminated. 

The origins of mined natural diamonds can be very difficult to trace as there is such a long production process, the production and manufacturing transparency can often be lost.

Whereas all moissanite sold by Lily Arkwright are produced in a lab and all come fully certified, giving you complete peace of mind as to where your gemstone has originated from. In today’s current climate, consumers are becoming more aware of the ramifications of their purchases and that’s why we’ve seen a rise in lab grown jewellery.

More and more couples are opting for moissanite as an alternative green choice that also happens to look gorgeous!

Moissanite is budget friendly 

Moissanite is far more affordable than diamonds and this is a key factor for why more budget savvy couples are opting for moissanite as their feature stone in their engagement rings.

Moissanite costs dramatically less than diamonds, and can cost up to 90% less than a traditional mined diamond engagement ring. Therefore, choosing a moissanite centre stone provides you with more carats for the price! Allowing you to have a much larger carat weight (gemstone size) or higher clarity gemstone for a lower price point. 

Considering a moissanite engagement ring? 

If the idea of moissanite engagement rings has piqued your interest or you would like to find out more information about Lily Arkwright and their lab diamond collections simply call them on: 0161 537 6773, or alternatively you can email their jewellery consultancy team at: hello@lilyarkwright.com or book an in-person consultation.

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post

R&B icon Stevie Wonder famously sings about not needing a special day to say the three words everyone wants to hear from someone special. However, the most romantic day of the year is here again, and fortunately, it falls on a Monday. So, you could keep Valentine’s going all week, starting today and ending on Friday, or even going full-on into the weekend.

Throw a party

Who doesn’t love a good party? A Valentine’s party might seem a little weird, but, like Halloween, it’s another one of those days where adults get to act like kids again. And you can make your party a little more adult. Not like that! You can do many fun activities, such as Booths by Lux, for capturing unforgettable memories with your friend and partner.

However, being at the start of the working week, it’s probably a good idea to check you have Tuesday off or entertain yourself with some of the tremendous new alcohol-free beers, ciders and wines available.

Give a small gift each day

If you feel that one day isn’t enough, making Valentine’s week will extend the love between you and your partner. Rather than one lavish gift, one small gift per day will give your partner something to look forward to each morning.

Or you could give one elegant gift each day if you feel like splurging. Of course, there are many typical Valentine’s gifts, such as heart-shaped chocolate boxes and roses. But people feel special with personalized gifts. For instance, inscribed jewellery will put a smile on the face of most, as will romantic dinners.

Sync your holiday days

One of the best ways to enjoy the company of your partner is by syncing your vacation days. This can take some planning, but it isn’t impossible. And what better way than spending your hard-earned days off than a romantic Valentine’s week together? Of course, self-employment makes this easier.

First, however, ensure you can pay yourself for time off. But should you have some vacation days stored with an employer, now is a great time to use them up before the imminent end of the tax year on April 6th. Otherwise, you will might risk losing them forever.

A romantic getaway

If you can sync your holiday days, getting away for a week is a fantastic way to spend some romantic time together. Even if it’s a couple of days in your favourite seaside town less than 100 miles away, you can leave your troubles behind, if only for a moment.

Then again, you can check for last-minute deals on popular travel websites or Airbnb. Due to Covid-19 losing many operators’ businesses, you can find great deals if you look. However, if you plan to travel internationally, keep a close eye on Covid-related travel news as you may get stranded.

Get on one knee

December is statistically the most popular time to get engaged, with 40% of proposals occurring between November and February. Yet the romantic connotations associated with Valentine’s Day makes this a special time for you to get down on one knee or whatever your preferred method. Although a spectacular wedding might be low on your list right now.

Still, you could do many of the things mentioned and leave your proposal to the last day of your special week with each other. If a ring isn’t for you, lockets, charm bracelets, and tattoos are popular alternatives.

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post

As any parent will know, it can be hard to find time for yourself let alone your other half! 

In between playdates, birthday parties and parent’s evenings, getting some quality time with your partner can prove more than a little tricky. 

However, scheduling some time together just the two of you can massively help you to reconnect and catch-up with one another. When you’ve (eventually) gotten through the baby stage, getting away on a trip together can become more of a reality. 

With that said, here are a few trip ideas for you and your partner to plan for! 

Romantic rendezvous

It can’t get any more romantic than Paris – right? 

With Paris just a train journey away from the coast of England, there’s no excuse as to why you can’t whisk yourself away for a long weekend. 

With so much to see and do, including tourist favourites like the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre, you won’t be short on things to do just the two of you. 

Stop in a local patisserie, get yourself a table on a quiet cobbled street and tuck into some authentic croissants and coffee. This is the ultimate short-stay break for parents who need a little time to themselves – and who doesn’t! 

Beach dwellers 

If you’re looking for something a little more far-flung, jet off to a beach location for some real downtime. Kicking back on a sun lounger with a cocktail in hand is the absolute dream for any parent. 

If you’re looking for an even more secluded break, you can book yourself into a private villa, like the ones from Villa Plus. Getting your own villa is the ultimate private retreat so will give you two plenty of time to fully relax away from the crowds. 

Adventure seekers 

Maybe you and your partner prefer to be up and about rather than sitting by the pool. In which case, an adventure break will be right up your street. Scandinavia is the ideal spot for getting your thrill-seeker fix with an abundance of activities on offer. 

A hike with your partner gives you some rare alone time and working together with your map reading skills will help you to realise why you make such a great team! 

If hiking isn’t your thing, why not rent out some bikes for a couple of days cycling? Or, make it a water sports theme and head out windsurfing, kayaking or sailing to name just a few. 

Staycation weekenders 

If heading abroad simply isn’t an option for you as parents, why not make a romantic staycation your priority? 

With so many beautiful spots right here in the UK, you’ll be spoilt for choice on places to go. Any of the national parks, such as the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District would be an excellent choice for couples looking to escape the everyday.

With such stunning scenery, you’ll hardly believe you’re just a few hours from your home. This countryside retreat is great at any time of year. Summer will give you plenty of walking while winter will give you cosy fireside evenings – perfect for parents! 

Heading on a holiday as a couple is a perfect way to take some time away from both the kids and the hassles of everyday life as a parent. There are plenty of couple holiday ideas out there, so get researching and put something in the diary! 

Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post