When it comes to your wedding you may want to splash in order to make your day as amazing as possible, but for some brides who have been through the process before, creating a budget and sticking to it, is much more rewarding as it allows for less stress on and after, your big day.

The View Boutique Hotel & Spa have some advice for bride’s needing to create the wedding they have always dreamed of, but one that they can afford in the long run.

Tammy Bogusch, the General Manager and banqueting specialist at The View Boutique Hotel & Spa in Doonside, on the KZN South Coast, gives some tips taken from her experience in dealing with an array of weddings, both large and small.

1. Wedding Dress

When it comes to your dress, it is always exciting to start early, and it may be more beneficial as you would have ticked this item off the wedding checklist and if it is over budget, you could always pay a deposit and opt for a monthly repayment, should the store allow this.

2. Wedding Invites

With the move into digital media it is easier for bride’s to send out a digital invitation via email or create a personalised website featuring all the wedding details. This way, you are cutting the costs of the materials for the invitations and the petrol to drop them off. This money could be used elsewhere in your budget. Plus, using the digital method allows for a quicker turnaround time for RSVP’s and you can also send a reminder, just in case the invitation was lost in the post.

3. Deciding on the guest list

Although you might be tempted to have everyone you know on your guest list, it doesn’t make financial sense, plus most venues cannot accommodate more than 120 people. Always remember that less guests also allow for a more intimate wedding and the best way to narrow the list, is to focus on family and close friends that you are certain will show up, and then you can add work colleagues and extended family if you have space. You may find that you are chopping your list quite a number of times, before a final number is determined.

4. Going “in house” for various checklist items

If you are big on enlisting the help of talented guests for your wedding, then this could be a cost saver – especially if they are willing to help you out.

If you have a friend that is a photographer then why not ask them to do your photos as a wedding gift or perhaps there is a baker in the family; they too could assist with the wedding cake as a gift to you. This also makes it extremely personal, and you will not have to cater extra seats and catering for the added persons you would be paying to provide a service.

5. Choose simple décor with minimalistic use of floral arrangements

Instead of spending boatloads of money on flowers that will die shortly after the reception, keep it simple but elegant — for instance, a single rose for each bridesmaid and a very small bouquet for the bride. If you know someone with a rose bush, you can actually make your own bouquets the day before the ceremony by cutting the roses yourself and trimming away the thorns.

To find out more about the affordable wedding packages on offer at The View Boutique Hotel email info@hoteltheview.com

The use of water for therapy has been carried out for hundreds of years and now forms a fundamental part of homeopathic medicine practices.  Many of us are unfamiliar with the concept of hydrotherapy and how beneficial it is for our well-being.

Hydrotherapy is the use of water to treat discomfort and promote physical well-being. A variety of therapeutic treatments and methods carry out the healing properties of water for relief of pain, as well as to enhance our health.

The Spa at The View Boutique Hotel offers a variety of hydrotherapy facilities giving you the opportunity to take advantage of the many positive effects of water therapy. Hydrotherapy encompasses a variation of treatments, including the use of hydrotherapy pools, steam rooms, and detoxing floatation therapy, which can all help to improve numerous conditions. Modern day therapies are also enhanced with extras such as aromatherapy or Dead Sea salt.

6 Health and Healing Benefits of Detox Hydrotherapy:

1. Reduces muscle tension and relieves pain

The weightlessness you feel when emerged in water relieves tension in the limbs, supporting aching muscles and easing body movements as opposed to being on land.

2. Treats Depression

Hydrotherapy stimulates the release of endorphins, which acts as a natural pain reliever, further more relieving muscle stiffness.

3. Rehabilitates injured muscles

Being immersed in warm water raises the body temperature, increasing blood flow around the circulatory system and alleviating muscle soreness. The improved circulation will assist in healing injured tissues and rehabilitate damaged muscles or joints.

4. Encourages detoxification

Steam rooms induce a substantial amount of sweating; the body’s primary way of excreting toxins and cleansing the body of impurities.

5. Relieves stress

Hydrotherapy treatments can help reduce blood pressure caused by stress, slowing down the body’s reaction to anxiety.

6. Treats Cellulite

The elimination of toxins prevents the appearance of cellulite.

For more information or to book a session, email spa@hoteltheview.com or call 031 903 1556. The spa is open every day from 08h00 to 20h30.

Other spa specials available for the month of March include:

• March Ladies Express Special
• March Ladies Grand Special
• March Couples Express Package
• March Couples Grand