Wedding Breeze

At Position 1 – The top favourite venue to get married is Mexico!

Mexico entices couples with its warm, sunny weather, colourful culture, spicy cuisine and great choice of accommodation.
Position 2 – Jamaica
An abundant island, Jamaica has beaches, waterfalls and mountains to explore. There are so many all inclusive holiday deals here than anywhere else in the Caribbean so it is no wonder that its such a popular place to go with couples who want a wedding abroad followed by a beach honeymoon
Position 3 – The Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has not only great boutique hotels and competitive all inclusive holiday bargains.
Position 4 – The Bahamas
Off the coast of Florida lies the beautiful Bahamas, offering couples everything from excitement to total relaxation, depending on whether they go for developed Nassau, Freeport, Paradise and Grand Bahama Island or one of the lower key Out Islands.
Position 5 – Hawaii
Bearing in mind that it is a long flight to Hawaii from almost anywhere, it is still a fact that couples flock to these gorgeous islands in order to have a memorable wedding in one of the most spectacular places on earth.
Position 6 – United States – USV1
Being a United States territory, it could not be easier to marry in the USVI. Couples island hop from St. John, which is a large nature preserve, to St. Croix, which is really a shopaholics dream.
Position 7 – Aruba
This is south of the hurricane zone which makes it dry. Wedding parties are welcomed all year round. Its clean, wide sweeping beaches are an attraction to lovers by day and its dozen or more casinos keep the action going till way into the night.
Position 8 – Fiji
Beautiful and exotic Fiji, with its gentle culture and castaway island charm, is the choice of couples who want an unusual getaway from it all wedding destination.
Position 9 – Cruises
Surprisingly cruise weddings can be affordable. They give the couple an opportunity to sail on their honeymoon to several ports immediately after their wedding. Many ships have special wedding chapels on board and also port side weddings can be arranged.
Position 10 – Castle Wedding
Many women have always dreampt of getting married in a castle or a maybe a grand stately home. Well it certainly need not be just a dream because there are a lot of places in the United Kingdom offering this service now.  You will need to meet a few requirements, but it is perfectly possible to have your dream wedding venue in a castle!

Weddings abroad are growing tremendously in popularity more and more people are jumping onto a plane and going to get married abroad. A lot of people decide to get married abroad after going on a Caribbean holidays and loving it over there.

There has though been a huge bought of cold whether to hit the UK shores that has brough along a handful of snow. The whole of Britain seemed like a winter wonderland, folks were just so much more enjoyable in themselves and although a lot of people could make there way to work it was as though the country came to a complete standstill.

Thinking about weddings, if we constantly had guaranteed snow here in the UK would it be better to have a beautiful white wedding? Or would people still prefer to get married abroad in a hot country, let’s take a quick glance at the reasons a person would choose one or the other

Snowy UK vs. A Wedding in a Hot Destination
1) If you are llucky enough to get snow on your wedding day then make the most of it, as its a once in a lifetime opportunity.
2) Although a wedding in the snow would be amazing it may stop a few people from turning up due to being snowed in.
3) If the snow falls to much you could get your wedding cancelled.
4) Travelling to your honeymoon resort may well get cancelled.

Whatever way you look at it getting married abroad is a much better solution. The only downside is that most of your family and friends will not be able to attend unless of course you pay for them all.

For great All inclusive holidays

If you are looking for fun wedding that your guests aren’t likely to forget soon, maybe you should consider a 1920s wedding theme at a wedding in France?

Jazz was all the rage at this time so if your budget permits hire a jazz band.  Women threw away their corsets, cut their hair, wore trousers, smoked cigarettes and drove fast cars To emphasize their new found freedom. Life was for living.  Sounds like a perfect wedding theme for a wedding in France.

Think about The Great Gatsby (remember all those gangsters in Wing Tip shoes?). Ostrich feathers, dresses shorter in the front and longer in the back. But be warned—this type of wedding party is not for the faint-at-heart!  The 1920’s girls wore provocative make-up, showed their knees and abandoned themselves to the wild rhythms of Jazz, Charleston and the Black Bottom. They listened to the songs of Duke Ellington, Al Jolson and Fanny Brice and marvelled at the dancing of Isadora Duncan.

A term popular during Prohibition to describe an establishment selling illegal alcoholic beverages. In order to gain entrance, you had to speak in a low voice through a small opening in the back door and tell the attendant inside who it was who sent you to the place. The term itself (which dates in print to 1889) may derive from the English “Speak-softly-shop,” an underworld term for a smuggler’s house where one might get liquor cheaply, its usage in this sense having been traced back to 1823.

[First, you’ll need to think about your invitations. These will set the theme for the party, so you’ll want to make sure that they are eye-catching. ~You could look for a vintage invitation, or you could be really unique and include a homemade CD with a selection of 1920s jazz to get your guests in the mood for the event.]

You might want to add “1920s dress encouraged” on your invitations.  It is the best way to liven up your party would be to ask your guests to dress as one would in the 1920’s. If you do opt for guests in costume give a best costume prize on the night. 

With decorations, you should be able to transform just about any building into a jazz nightclub. Think silver, red and streaming ribbons!

You’ll need to organize certain events that will set the mood for your event. Swing dancing and the Charleston were popular forms of dance in the 1920’s. In addition, you could have a dance contest at the end of the evening to see who learned the most number of moves!

- Set up an old-fashioned, deep-claw bathtub near the bar. Fill with ice and add bottles of “hootch”, “bathtub gin”, “red ink” (homemade wine),  “bootleg”, “moonshine”. (The bottles won’t hold real liquor, just water and printed labels created on a computer. Find the appropriate types of bottles for “moonshine”, etc.)

 Hang beaded curtains in doorways

 Some famous faces are: Jimmy Cagney, Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Laurel & Hardy, WC Fields, Mae West, Louise Brooks, and Buster Keaton.

You will want to look the part, especially since if your guests will be dressed for the occasion. The bride could wear a dress that is short in the front and long in the back—a style common to this era. Instead of a veil, you could wear a headband, complete with ostrich feather. Coco Chanel, Sir Norman Hartnell, Jean Patou, Madeleine et Madeleine and Worth were all famous designers of the era.

A zoot suit with ascot tie, and a felt, roll-brimmed fedora hat or zoot suit hat really hits the spot. Another option is to wear a double-breasted 4 button jacket with wide-lapels, cuffed trousers, ascot tie or white scarf, white gloves, spats (shoes), black top hat and a walking stick.

Pinstripes were also popular during this time if the groom wasn’t that brave.

For your photographs, you should think about having some of them done in black and white so that they will go well with the vintage dress and decor of the wedding hall.

Play casino games such as blackjack, poker, craps.  Have empty violin cases as props scattered around.

A citroen traction 1920s vintage car is a nice touch and looks very gangsterish.  We know of a vintage gangster car driver with a ZZ-Top moustache which looks fabulous in photos.

Black and white theme can play nicely with a 1920s wedding theme.

If you have short hair a 1920s theme will look fabulous – forget up dos.  Think a classic short, neat bob cut or the shorter Shingle, which showed the back hairline and was curled at the sides – think french chic and Coco Chanel.

A champagne pyramid is decadent and in keeping with the style. By having a 1920s theme wedding party for your wedding in France, your guests will likely be talking about it for years to come!

For the most part, the bride is usually much more into planning the intimate details of her wedding than the groom, but this does not mean that you can just hand everything over to your future wife. You can find a balance between not being involved at all and having to sign off on every little detail. Striking this balance can be difficult, since men tend to be less insistent on details than women. To keep peace before the wedding, there are a few things you can do.

First off, you need to find out what you are up against and what may come up during the wedding planning process. If you know what arrangements and details will have to be dealt with, you can at least minimize the number of surprises. It would be wise to call a wedding planner and layout your situation so that you can get a professional’s opinion of the ceremony and ideas of how you can make things easier on yourself. You should also have some conversations with married people to get some opinions of things they like and don’t like, especially people who are close to you and your bride. Top on the list of married people to speak with are your parents and her parents. They will be able to give you some pointers to help make the process easier.

Although knowing what to expect will help immensely, your fiancé will likely have several items or details she is set on. Your best bet can be to just go with the flow, unless she is proposing something you consider outrageous. In some cases, your fiancé may want you to be involved in every step of the process, down to what kind of flowers, what color flowers, and how many. Although the flowers at your wedding may be of little consequence to you, this and other wedding planning issues could be huge for her. One phrase you should learn to help you get through this time is, “What do you think.” By asking this question you can see what is on her mind, because although she wants your input, she most likely still wants to make the final decision.

Although deciding on every aspect of your wedding may not be fun, your future wife has certain expectations for her wedding day. To ensure that you live to see your wedding, you will need to negotiate an arrangement that will not leave you responsible if she is not happy with some part of the wedding, but will make sure that you have some part in the decision making.

Choosing music for wedding ceremonies is a very personal process. There are many types of music to choose for your wedding.

The music you select to precede, underscore and follow your wedding ceremony is perhaps the most immediate and effective way you can create the mood or establish the tone for your event. 

Many couples select music that will enhance a special theme that they have chosen for their wedding such as Baroque, New Age, Classical, Jazz, 1920s etc.    Often chateau wedding brides chose baroque music and sometimes to carry the theme through they have the musicians dress in baroque costume.  It is a very nice touch and incredibly romantic. 

Brides who are marrying for the second time or more often select a less formal musical selection.  The music you choose can, depending on the formality of your wedding, be an additional means of expressing your feelings for each other.

{If you’re like most brides and grooms, the wedding music that will be used during your marriage ceremony is very important to you – but you may not have a clue how to go about selecting your wedding songs~If you are like most people the wedding music that will be used during your marriage ceremony is very important to you – but you may not have a clue how to go about selecting your wedding songs}!

An important factor in choosing your wedding music is the setting for your ceremony. The music you choose will be determined by the nature of your event (religious or civil; formal or casual), your own musical tastes, the attitude of your officiator and the abilities of your musicians.

If your ceremony will not be in a religious setting, you can choose just about any kind of music you like — although you will want to stay within the bounds of good taste! Popular songs can date very quickly.{  So ask yourself: Will the music I choose from my wedding today be the memory I want in the years to come~So remember to ask yourself: Will the music I choose from my wedding today be the memory I want in the years to come. In ten years time you do not want to be cringing when watching your wedding video because of a poor choice of popular music}?

On the other hand, if your ceremony will be in a church or synagogue, or conducted by a clergy person at another location, you will probably need to stay within guidelines set by the clergy person or the church. {Some churches limit music choices, so before you start choosing music, check with your clergy about any restrictions that may be in place~Because some churches limit music choices, so before you start choosing music, check with your clergy about any restrictions that may be in place~before you start choosing music check with your clergy about any restrictions that may be in place because some churches limit music choices}.  Most religious denominations consider a wedding ceremony to be a form of worship service.

For this reason, churches generally do not allow “secular” music (non-religious popular music) during a wedding. Some will allow secular music while the guests are being seated, but not during the ceremony itself. Check with the church where your wedding will be held for its specific guidelines.

{Before you begin searching for the best wedding musicians it is recommended that you first develop a storyboard of any wedding music that you feel will capture the right mood of each step of your wedding as it happens, and make a list of those songs you want to play during each phase of the wedding~It is a great idea before you begin searching for the best wedding musicians to first develop a storyboard of any wedding music that you feel will capture the right mood of each step of your wedding as it happens, and make a list of those songs you want to play during each phase of the wedding~We recommend before you begin searching for the best wedding musicians to first develop a storyboard of any wedding music that you feel will capture the right mood of each step of your wedding as it happens, and make a list of those songs you want to play during each phase of the wedding~We recommend that before you begin searching for the best wedding musicians to first develop a storyboard of any wedding music that you feel will capture the right mood of each step of your wedding as it happens, and make a list of those songs you want to play during each phase of the wedding~A great piecde of advice is that before you begin searching for the best wedding musicians to first develop a storyboard of any wedding music that you feel will capture the right mood of each step of your wedding as it happens, and make a list of those songs you want to play during each phase of the wedding}.

{What about the instrumental-only music for your wedding ceremony~You may want to conside instrumental-only music for your wedding ceremony}? {Your choices here may include the church organist or pianist, a string quartet, a harpist, or other instrumentalists~Your choices here may include a string quartet, a harpist, the church organist or pianist, or other instrumentalists}.

A string quartet is a perennially popular choice for larger weddings, and with good reason. {A quartet has a very wide repertoire ranging from classical to jazz and, requiring no electricity, can easily be moved from place to place – useful if the weather turns~A beauty of a quartet is that they have a very wide repertoire ranging from classical to jazz and, requiring no electricity, can easily be moved from place to place – useful if the weather turns~The great attaction of a quartet is that they have a very wide repertoire ranging from classical to jazz and, requiring no electricity, can easily be moved from place to place – useful if the weather turns}!  For something different you could ask for them to be dressed in baroque costume which would be stunning if you are hiring a heritage property like a wedding chateau.

You may be allowed to select some pieces for the prelude, one piece for the processional where the bridal party enters, another for the bride’s processional, and another for the recessional.

Prelude:
This is the music played while the guests are being seated and  sets the mood as people arrive, and is usually soft background music.

Processional:
The processional music is played while the wedding party and bride walk down the aisle.  If the wedding party is large, some brides opt to have 2 pieces–one for the wedding party, and one for the entrance of the bride (such as the traditional ‘Here Comes the Bride’). {The first notes of the processional music announce the arrival of the Bride and inform the guests to stand~The first notes of the processional music announce the arrival of the Bride and for the guests to stand}! Music for the entrance of the Bridesmaids is usually more formal, and presented at a higher volume than the pre-ceremony music.

{The best processionals are pieces that can be performed at a walking tempo and that can be easily ended at various points during the performance~The best processionals are pieces that can be performed at a even walking tempo and that can be easily ended at various points during the performance~The best processionals are pieces that can be performed at a steady walking tempo and that can be easily ended at various points during the performance~The best processionals are pieces that can be performed at a easy tempo and that can be easily ended at various points during the performance~The best processionals are pieces that can be performed at a comfortable walking tempo and that can be easily ended at various points during the performance~The best processionals are pieces that can be performed at a slow walking tempo and that can be easily ended at various points during the performance}.  This allows for different sized wedding parties,  the length of the distance they have to travel, and the speed at which they walk.

Here is a tip.{Give the music a trial run~Try the music out at home~Make sure you try the music at home~Practice walking to the music at home~Try walking to the music before your wedding day~Give the processional music a trial run before your wedding day~Try the processional music out at home~Make sure you try the processional music at home~Practice walking to the processional music at home~Try walking to the processional music before your wedding day}.  Measure the distance from the back of the aisle to the altar and practice walking the length with the music playing.  This way you will know if your selected song is a bit too short or way too long.  You don’t want to find yourself standing at the altar waiting and waiting for the number to finish any more than you want to have the music run out while the bridesmaids are still making their entrance.

{Some of the most famous of wedding repertoire include such pieces as Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, Handel’s joyful Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel~Some of the most famous of wedding repertoire include such pieces as Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel and Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, Handel’s joyful Arrival of the Queen of Sheba}.  These all sounds great on the harp, or a string quartet or violin and cello duet and can be easily tailored any length necessary. {Their mood is gentle and flowing~They are gently flowing}.

Here Comes the Bride by Wagner is a traditional wedding march best used for the entrance of the bride only.  Its mood is majestic.

Wedding March by Mendelssohn is the another traditional wedding march.  It also works on the harp and can be used solely as the bride’s music. {Its mood is grand and majestic~It is majestic and grand}.

{Processional by McDonald As its name implies, this piece was specifically written to be played as a processional and is an upbeat and joyous processional~Processional by McDonald As its name implies, this piece was specifically written to be played as a wedding processional and is an upbeat and joyous processional}.

Others couples prefer to choose popular music that is meaningful to them. {You don’t have to include a march as your wedding processional, you can walk down the aisle to your favorite song if permitted by your church~You can walk down the aisle to your favorite song if permitted by your church – you don’t have to include a march as your wedding processional}. 

Recessional:
The recessional music is played as the bride and groom, wedding party, and wedding officiate walk back out down the aisle.  The music is usually upbeat and celebratory, and does not have to be very long.  It is often accompanied with the ringing of church bells or chimes.

{{ Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” is the music selection chosen by most newlyweds at the conclusion of their wedding ceremony~Most newlyweds chose Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” as the music at the conclusion of their wedding ceremony}.    Other recessional music to consider are  Renaissance Pavane by P. Wachs (joyous and majestic) and Trumpet Voluntary or Trumpet Tune both by Purcell (which herald forth the newly wedded couple like a fanfare).

You may also have solos during your wedding ceremony.  The musical version of the Lord’s Prayer by Albert Hay Malotte can take the place of the congregation reciting the prayer aloud, and can be played solo or as a duet with a singer.  Ava Maria is a nice touch when signing the register.

Postlude music is a nice touch if the wedding couple are meeting the guests in a reception line as they leave the church.

Now you have selected what you would like played at your ceremony you need to find the musician/musicians.

Consider:

- their familiarity with the church, chapel and their music protocol and also that at your selected wedding venue,  or wedding chateau .  If they have never played their before do not be too concerned as all of this can be established with a site visit and a phone call or two.

- what will they wear?  Elegant suits for the gentlemen and long gowns are the traditional attire and make them pleasing to the eye as the music is to the ear.

- can you have a recording of their music to sample their style. Some quartets may even provide you with a CD of your chosen wedding music, giving you a wonderful keepsake that can act as a personalized wedding favor or help you relive those romantic special moments.

- how loud will the music be.  It should be loud enough to be heard, whilst not being so loud as to intrude upon the conversation of your guests. The “right” choice will depend on your own taste and the number of guests.

- ask for references. First hand knowledge of how an ensemble, looked, played and behaved is the best way to guarantee that your choice is the right one

- ask about their price and how many hours that entails

- ask if you will be charged travelling and their valet parking

- ask about cancellation policy

After the ceremony it is nice to have music continuing for cocktails and canapes and for the wedding breakfast. 

You may want to have an ipod wedding reception.  You or an appointed guest can put together a play list and you need to have an amplifier and speakers.  Just watch out for those cables though.

Remember it is the music that sets the mood and creates the atmosphere.

WEDDING VENUES

Choosing Wedding Venue’s is almost as important as choosing a bride or a groom. The wedding venue gives you memories to cherish years later, be it through photos, videos or just simple thoughts. The ambience, settings and theme of the wedding venue should be exactly correct for the wedding to go well. The wedding venue reflects upon the personality of the couple and must be chosen with a lot of thought.

There are many places that are suitable for a wedding in the UK. Some of them are: the Allerton Castle in North Yorkshire – with 200 acres of lovely garden land and beautiful rooms, including suite to stay the night. The Mansion situated in the north of Leeds, Nostell Priory in West Yorkshire, Harewood House in Harewood, Ashmount country House in Yorkshire, and Parkstead House in Greater London. These are just a few out of the many beautiful locales available as wedding venues.

A wedding day is something that one treasures for their entire life. Therefore, making the choice of a wedding venue is a tough decision. To help choose the perfect wedding venue, there are various agencies like wedding planners, wedding consultants etc, who can research and make very good suggestions, and sometimes even assist in planning out the wedding. However, sometimes, the couple themselves might have selected a wedding venue that suits them, like their parents ancestral home, or a special place where they had spent time or where they met etc.

When hiring a venue for a wedding, the cost element also comes into the picture, because the cost for a venue can differ based upon the kind of wedding you want. For a simple wedding where only a ceremony is to be held, a room or hall at any wedding venue is suitable, which would cost around £530 to £765.

The idea of giving promotional gifts has been there for fairly a elongated time. The promotional gifts are given by many businesses at various events in order to secure the relations with their customers as well as regulars. Giving the gift according to the instance becomes extremely important to create the right value of your reward.

There are different instances to offering your promotional gifts such as trade shows, events, exhibitions etc. In any instance, it is essential to do something bizarre that can create a different identity of your brand name. You should not give notepads along with pens just as other businesses offer. You want to furnish something that can be more inspiring along with memorable than the rest. Various great promotional gift proposals are mentioned below:

1.) Calculators – Calculator is definitely a wonderful tool if you want to associate with your patron. You can be reminiscent them about your company whenever they would make important calculations.
2.) Stress Balls – Stress ball is also a magnificent reward suggestion that you can offering your spectators. A large rang of stress balls are found these days that would fit according to the suggestion of your company.
3.) Magnets – There are precise businesses where magnets are an idyllic choice. They may not be very pricey along with classy items, but they are ideal for corporations with smaller promotional budgets who wish to create remembrance in the customer’s minds. 
4.) Mouse Pads – Mouse pads prove to be magnificent promotional gifts because we employ them every day along with thus they continually jog your memory you client and customers about the name along with services of your business. The mouse pad is definitely an superlative tool in this statistics age that helps in promoting your company.
5.) Tote Bags – At many junctures the tote bag also proves to be a magnificent souvenir thought. the tote bags are definitely very useful for many junctures in addition to they make an excellent choice for not only your present patrons but also your potential consumers.
6.) Jackets – The jackets would prove to be an elite promotional item that you can give to your audience. However, you might have to do a superior venture in this, though it makes a magnificent promotional gift. You can easily advertise your company with the help of the jackets to not only one individual but also to those you see that human being who is bearing that promotional jacket. You can have a big exposure of your business with the help of jackets.
7.) Travel Mugs – Travel mugs is a cool choice for your promotional gift.   This is one item that trustworthy clients along with regulars will utilize repeatedly. The more your promotional gifts are exercised, the more they would remind people of your brand name.

Promotional gifts are a wonderful manner to attach with the potential consumers and regulars. You can make the paramount utilization of the opportunity that is given to you in addition to you can also create a different identity of your company by gifting bizarre reward items.

 How to beat the credit crunch when it comes to your wedding

Where there is a will there is a way.  Every bride can be a princess bride in the dress of her dreams.  There are lots of tips on saving money on your wedding if you really want that an impressive wedding. 

Save money on your wedding next to buying a house or car your wedding will be the next most expensive thing in your life. Some brides believe

‘To spend thousands of pounds or end up in debt for a wedding which lasts a few hours is ridiculous.’

Negotiate with venues, change the day from a weekend to a weekday this will make a substantial saving. Use one supplier to do your venue and church decoration this can result in a saving as well. Look at suppliers websites see what they do, some companies only do one thing, use a company that does more than one thing and get a wedding package price.  In these tough financial times a destination french wedding package can be incredible value.  Make sure you pick a venue that can offer flexible options with their wedding package.

When selecting your wedding location – for savings think destination wedding, weekday wedding, off season. Get married later in the day so you have less catering to provide to your guests.  This will save you a packet. 

Brides can be quite clever when it comes to getting the look they want at the price they can afford. The whole idea is to keep things affordable without ever looking cheap. These are some ways that real brides have found to do just that.

Wedding dresses unless you are using a designer and having one specially made look in the wedding gown shops if you check the labels 90% of them are made in China so cut the cost go direct to there web site and order direct saving up to 70%. Yes it does work we had a friend of ours order her daughters prom dress and saved a fortune and it was the same dress they looked at in an expensive dress shop.

You can pick up a dress for next to nothing on eBay. Recently, one well publicised bride found an antique dress for only 5p.

Have a look on eBay for your wedding and bridesmaid dresses. You may think that the gowns will all be second hand and that you don’t want to fork out a few hundred quid on something you’ve not even tried on yet… BUT.. theire are brides out there who have managed to pick up their new wedding dress up on eBay from as low as £15 plus postage and packing.

One resourceful bride won the auction, and the seller sent her a form to send back all her measurements and any special requirements.  Some have even bought lovely bridesmaid dress on eBay for her sister for £30. As it was an eBay shop, the seller has various dress sizes of the same style.

It may appear to be risky buying from an unknown seller, but check out their feedback… the more feedback score they have the more reliable they generally are.  Check negative feedback before bidding.

Another bride had found the perfect dress on the internet – an ivory satin gown with diamante beading on the bodice  – apart from the small matter of the £1,500 price tag.
Undaunted she managed to get her hands on it for a mere £2.50 courtesy of ebay.
She placed a rock-bottom bid for the Chinese-made gown on auction website eBay and was astounded when she won it.

As that was out of reach, she found an exact copy of it on eBay with no reserve price, and waited until the last moment to put in her bid.
‘There were no other bids so I thought I had nothing to lose by typing in £2.50,’ she said yesterday.
‘I got an e-mail back from a man in Shanghai who said he would make my dress for me, and asked for all my measurements. I thought that if the dress didn’t arrive within six weeks, I would have enough time to get another.’

Five weeks later she had heard nothing and began to get worried, however.
‘I was a bit nervous because I’m not very good with computers and thought I’d done something wrong,’ she said.
‘So I emailed to ask what was going on, and immediately received an apology – he was really busy with Chinese New Year celebrations.
‘He told me the dress was on its way and wished me luck with the wedding. He was very kind and helpful.’
 Bargain hunter: Emma Dunn, who bought her brand new dress on eBay for £2.50

If you are good on a computer make your invites and wedding stationary yourself there are plenty of free programs you can use just buy some nice expensive paper and envelopes. Use the same program to do your order of service for the church and seating plans and place settings for your venue.

Flowers can be one of the most costly design elements for both your ceremony and reception. One way to cut back on the ceremony expenses is to forgo the traditional bouquets for the entire wedding party. That does not mean that your bridesmaids will have to walk down the aisle empty handed. A very elegant alternative is to have each attendant carry one single perfect flower instead of the big costly bouquets. Choose a flower that has a strong presence, such as a long stemmed rose or a fabulous lily.

Cakes are another place that a creative bride can save a little money. One thing that brides have been doing for years is to have the baker create a fairly small wedding cake to display, and then to make a large sheet cake in the same flavor. This way the bride and groom can still have the traditional cake cutting moment, but you will save an enormous amount on the price per person.

With wedding photography negotiate a price for digital images and arrange the printing and compilation of the wedding album yourself.  Have disposable cameras left on your guests’ tables. You never know you might get some attractive shots that you can use.  

WEDDING PLANNER

A wedding planner is someone who helps couples in planning a wedding if they do not have time enough or if they need assistance in planning their wedding. A wedding planner will assist with either the entire wedding or just some particular part of the wedding. This can be either the selection of the venue or the planning of the catering services, decorations etc. a wedding planner has basically 3 main functions: the creation, the innovation, and the coordination of a wedding.

Planning a wedding, designing a wedding and managing a wedding are the main duties that a wedding planner has. They are the back bone of the entire wedding situation. The planner will initially have a consultation session with you, making note of all details necessary for the wedding. They discuss information like the kind of place they want to have the wedding at, the number of guests that are expected, the style of decorating the place, the budget involved etc. after gathering all this, they plan the wedding out for you, sometimes via group discussions and sometimes through their agencies.

Once the wedding planner submits the plan to the couple, the couple has to then work with the planner, setting things up, and eventually the wedding takes place. The wedding planner will be present on the wedding day as well, making sure that nothing goes wrong on the big day.

Wedding planner agencies are available almost everywhere. However, while choosing one, it is preferable to go with a well-known agency, as everything about the wedding would depend upon them. There are some wedding planners who don’t work out of an agency, but work as freelancers. These kinds of planners should be hired only if the have been recommended by someone, because they might not have the experience enough to handle such a big endeavour.

Saying “I do” in a french wedding chateau is as fashionable as carrying the latest Louis Vuitton handbag for Hollywood celebrities today.Katie Price AKA Jordan apparently made it fashionable.

French Wedding Horse and Carriage
 
Anyone, especially non-celebrities can rent a french wedding  chateau venue and get married in France and have a fairytale castle wedding of their dreams.  For the true fairy tale princess wedding, a horse drawn carriage is an essential. Cinderella, you shall get to the wedding.  

Some advice on selecting a horse and carriage for your castle wedding.

- a pair of horses makes more of a wow statement.  Also this offers you a back up if one of the horses at the last minute is lame and not able to pull the carriage.  This is of course provided the horses are of such a size to be able to pull the carriage singly.  Ask the carriage providers if both horses work in pairs and drive singly as well.  As if they have single and pairs wedding harness. .

- how big is the carriage.Will it hold you and your wedding dress comfortably. You do not want to be squished.  Carriages for smaller horses are smaller inside as well.  A carriage pulled by a pair of horses over 16 hand high is roomy and makes a great impression.  You will not feel squeezed and your wedding dress will not get all crushed. 

- think about the weather.  Does the carriage you are considering have a canopy or a glass cover.  Victorian carriages and Landaus are popular for this very reason.

- Ask how the carriage is going to be decorated – at the very least you should get a pair of brass lanterns and flowers. Do the horses wear plumes? Ask what colour schemes they can offer or if you can provide flowers of your colour scheme.So the flowers do not get blown to smitherines, companies usually use artificial flowers.  If you want additional colour real flowers can be added for your static photos. 

- Do the pair of horses match – colour, height, blaze and socks and stepping action.A pair of matching black or bay or brown horses will look much more impressive than an unmatched pairs.  Ask to see a video if at all possible.  Long white socks and blazes look stunning and are very popular.    You could ask if the company will braid the horses manes with your colour scheme.  It is just my opinion but I think that Friesians albeit looking very majestic also look very funereal and over-bearing being all black with no socks or blaze to lift their appearance.  I think they are best selected for funeral processions and not weddings.

- If you are going to have a video think about the stepping action of the horses.  Horses bred with some hackney blood have a lovely knee-high stepping action which looks incredible.  Dutch bred gelderlander horses usually have some hackney blood in them for that high stepping action.  It seems a shame to go to the expense of a horse and carriage and then not have a horse that looks the part – fine and elegant.    The Dutch really know their carriage horses.  It is a national past-time.  They run the KWPN register of the most prestigous warmblood horses in the world.

- Ask what attire the driver and groom (not your man – the one holding the horses) will wear.

- Think about the distance that you need to travel.  Horses do not go at 100 kilometres per hour and are limited on the distance that they can travel.You do not want to spend all of your wedding day travelling from your home to the church and then to the reception venue. 

- Think about safety.  Unfortunately in some countries wedding carriage drivers are not regulated and you get some cowboys.  Check that they are experienced  – ask to see photos of different brides.    I have seen carriages for shetlands hitched to a cob.  Not only does it look ridiculous but it is down right dangerous. Check that they have insurance.  Ask if the carriage has hydraulic breaks.  

Destination weddings are a thriving business with 16% of U.S. brides choosing them last year, up 400% ten years ago.  While the price tag for a celebrity castle wedding often runs well over a $1 million your typical chateau wedding can be done for far less. European chateaux are being booked by non-celebrities in droves

However, a destination wedding at a luxury wedding castle attended by 30-40 people might run to $10,000-20,000 a day, not including airfare. 

At our french castle our horses and carriage are offered to  our wedding clients with compliments for their fairytale wedding.