WeddingPath News 2nd Nov 2007

Margo - Fri 02 Nov 2007

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We had a fabulous LoveIt competition last week, and I will tell you who won in a moment. First off, though, I am going to tell you about a very exciting development.

Earlier in the year Colin the donkey and I went to Milton Keynes for a wedding. On the drive there we played that game where you get one point for each red car, two for a blue one etc. Colin and I were neck and neck for a while, but then I called '247 points for a lime green car with yellow stripes and two inflatable sheep in the back'. Sure enough, a few minutes later a lime green car with yellow stripes and two inflatable sheep in the back came around the corner and Colin was soundly defeated. He went into a sulk and stopped giving me directions to the venue, so we got lost and ended up arriving 20 minutes late. Dashing into a wedding late is very embarrassing - especially if it turns out to be the wrong wedding.

When we got back to the office, we developed a plan to make sure we would never get lost on the way to a wedding again - and you are going to love this! Ladies and gentlemen, drum roll please…

If you are getting married in the UK then your WeddingPath will automatically have this fantastic new feature added. Your WeddingMap page includes:

• Your personalised map - a clear and legible map with addresses and markers for your ceremony and reception.

• Driving directions - your guests (or yourselves) can put in their postcode and get driving directions to the ceremony and reception venues.

• Weather forecast - an up-to-date weather forecast for your venue, so your guests know if they need sun-tan cream or a brolly (or both!).

• Accommodation finder - guests can see local, available accommodation (including last-minute availability) on the map and click through to book their rooms.

Colin has done a fabulous job with the WeddingMap page, and I am sure you will all love it and it will be a great help for your guests. To thank Colin for all his hard work, I bought him a season ticket to 'Mamma Mia', so he can go every day! To learn more about your new WeddingMap then click here.

Your bridal wear: minimising mishaps

"Your dress may be the star of your bridal ensemble but it’s nothing without the extras! Sarah Richardson outlines what to consider when choosing those all-important accessories."

"When choosing a veil, it's worth considering the following: Length. If you are 5'3' or under, an elbow-length (around 30' long) or shorter veil is likely to give more flattering proportions than a longer style. Equally, those taller than 5'7' often find a fingertip (around 40' long) or cathedral (around 120') length particularly suits them. But these are just guidelines - no two brides are the same!" Read on.

We have loads of great articles, plus wedding stories in the news here.

Last week we had a LoveIt competition, with a prize from buy-our-honeymoon.com - free honeymoon gift list (worth £69)…

We asked you which gift-list provider are you thinking of using? You can see other members' suggestions here.

We picked a name out of the hat and the winner is: MrsOliver2b. Congratulations MrsOliver2b email me and I will tell you how to collect your prize.

P.S. If you run a relevant business and would like to supply a prize for a LoveIt competition, drop me a note to discuss.

Traditionally, a hen or stag party took place the night before the wedding. This is not a good idea - a hangover on your wedding day is bad news! Actually, a hangover on some else's wedding day is bad enough.

I would suggest having the party at least a week in advance. If you are up for doing something a little more exciting than pub/club/chip shop then check out our friends at Freedom Ltd, who offer some fantastic tailor-made and package options for your party.

If you have any questions then don't forget to pop over to the forums and ask away. I love our forums, as our members are so nice and are full of great advice and ideas.

Have a wonderful week. Love and apples!!!

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WeddingPath News 26th Oct 2007

Margo - Fri 26 Oct 2007

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We have a fabulous LoveIt competition this week, but first, Halloween is around the corner and it reminds me of a story…

A little while ago, I was approached by a major publisher to write an autobiography. I told them I know nothing about cars, but they told me autobiographies are books about famous people, such as me. I explained to them that I am a very busy monkey, going to members' weddings, researching what is hot in the wedding world and, of course, acting as an agony aunt to countless celebs. These celebs don't half moan on a lot -I had to give David Hasselhoff a right good talking to last week because he kept whingeing that he couldn't fit into his Baywatch trunks any more. I did suggest he removed the padding (he calls it 'protection', but it is padding really).

Anyway, I digress. The publishes told me it was fine that I didn't have time to write the book, they would have a ghost writer do it for me. Whoever heard of such a thing! I mean, how on earth would they hold the pen - it would keep slipping through their spectral fingers. I suppose it is the publishers' way of getting cheap labour though.

For Halloween this year Colin the donkey and I are going to really confuse people. I am going to dress as a donkey and he is going to dress up as a monkey. If we turn up at your house please don't give Colin too much chocolate as he gets unbearable when hyper.

Weddings are expensive affairs, so I want to tell you about this fab article to help you get the most for your budget.

Money-saving Hints

"It should be the happiest day of your lives, so why spend so much of the lead-up worrying about costs? A little forward planning and some handy hints can save you a fortune on getting married, says Louise Hartnett."

"Saturday’s girl is full of woe... because she paid more than someone getting married on another day of the week! Many venues offer substantial savings to those who marry on, say, a Friday or a Sunday instead. You might also want to consider having your big day outside the peak summer period. An autumn or winter wedding date is likely to give you more bargaining power with suppliers, who are often less busy during these months. The time of day you get married at can also affect your bill. Starting the proceedings well after lunchtime could mean that you will only have to provide one meal for guests. Otherwise, you are probably looking at paying for an evening buffet as well as a wedding breakfast."

You can read the full article here.

For this week's LoveIt competition, buy-our-honeymoon.com is offering the lucky winner a free honeymoon gift list (worth £69)…

'Buy Our Honeymoon is an exciting new online service where you can create your ultimate fantasy wish list to transform your honeymoon into the trip of a lifetime. Your guests reserve any of the experiences and activities from your honeymoon gift list, and pay the value of their gift to you directly. We offer total flexibility and independence, zero service charge, beautiful design themes and a free, no-obligation 7-day trial.'

All you need to do to win the free honeymoon gift list is tell us which gift-list provider are you thinking of using?

Enter by going to this forum post and leave the www address of the site that has the gift list service you are thinking of using. Also, tell us why you choose this particular company. The winner will be picked at random from everyone who entered, and announced in next week's newsletter.

P.S. If you run a relevant business and would like to supply a prize for a LoveIt competition, drop me a note to discuss.

lauren_and_chris has started this week's winner of my Hot Topic Wall of Fame. I think I am going to pick one of the hot topic winners and give them a nice prize soon, so if you are a vendor and have a little something you think they might like then email me. Otherwise, I think I will award them a big bag of Colin's carrots.

Lauren_and_chris started: "Getting to know you!"

This is a fun little game, and has had over 1600 views, so you know it is popular.

When choosing bridesmaids' dresses, the bride chooses style, colour and fabric. The dresses should complement the bridal gown, but it is good manners to take the bridesmaids' style, budget and colour preferences into account.

If you have any questions then don't forget to pop over to the forums and ask away. I love our forums, as our members are so nice and are full of great advice and ideas.

Have a wonderful week. Love and apples!!!

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WeddingPath News 19th Oct 2007

Margo - Fri 19 Oct 2007

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I am a bit worried about Colin the donkey at the moment as he has been particularly tactless, and I am afraid it may be a symptom of an underlying malaise. We were at a wedding just the other day and he said to the bride's MIL: 'love the dress, but if I had realised it was a costume party I would've come in drag as well'.

I think Colin might have got that 'foot-in-mouth' disease, so I have given the poor lad the week off and told him to take it easy. I just called to check up on him, and asked 'What are you up to?'. He said 'Page 83', so I think he is feeling ok.

Involving your loved ones in your wedding day not only makes them feel part of everything, but it also keeps them out of mischief. You do have to give people the right tasks though. At my cousin's wedding, Auntie Mildred got rather tipsy before the service and tried to get the vicar to do the can-can (again!). In retrospect, having her open 72 bottles of red wine for the reception 'to let them breathe' might have been a bad idea.

Your Wedding: 10 Ways To Involve Loved Ones

"As the person with the biggest stake in this day, the bride is usually the one who oversees the look and feel of the wedding. But every creative director needs some advisers, and bouncing ideas off creative friends or family members can only enhance the end result. It’s also more fun than doing it all on your own!"

"If you're decorating your reception venue yourself, a team of willing helpers is vital; the last thing you want to be doing on your wedding day is blowing up hundreds of balloons or lugging tables and chairs around."

You can read lots of wedding and beauty-related articles on the WeddingPath NewsWire.

I just wanted to remind you that if you are thinking about ideas for hen and stag nights you should check out our partners at Freedom Ltd. I had Colin research hen and stag nights, and this is what he said:

'If you are planning on popping down the local with a few mates, hitting the nearest nightclub and topping it all off with a bag of chips and curry sauce then all you need to worry about is a pile of aspirin and some stain remover. If you are up for something more ambitious, then you might want to book via someone who offers various hen and stag night experiences, as they can become an organisational nightmare.'

We like Freedom Ltd, and they are the UK's leading hen and stag party organisers. Colin and I choose this company for several reasons - they have a unique range of parties not found elsewhere, offer fantastic value for money and are bonded agents.

mrsMcRae2b has started this week's winner of my Hot Topic Wall of Fame.

"My mum asked about if i was doing order of service, i'm not sure what it is? Can someone please enlighten me? "

As usual our lovely members had the answer, plus some great samples for an Order of Service. You can see the samples and read more here.

When you are shopping for your wedding rings, try to think about which metal you would like before hitting the stores. If you can't decide, a good jeweller will be able to explain the differences (price, durability etc) between silver, platinum and the different varieties of gold. Beware of the pushy salesperson who tries to talk you into the most expensive option if it isn't what you want. You need to choose what is best for you, and not what is best for them. Lastly, if you are considering buying your ring online, start by reading the handy article here.

If you have any questions then don't forget to pop over to the forums and ask away. I love our forums, as our members are so nice and are full of great advice and ideas.

Have a wonderful week.

Love and apples!!!

Would you like to sponsor a WeddingPath newsletter? Email here for details.

Posted in category: Newsletter Archive

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