Wedding Week Notes 12/05

If you missed out on any of the news & events at WeddingPath this week, just click on the links to read some of the highlights!

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12/05 FASHION Runway Bride... catwalk trends

13/05 GROOMS Shaving Rooms... men's treats
13/05 REAL WEDDING Highland Fling... castle day

14/05 FASHION Apprentice Bride... Sir Alan?
14/05 WEDDING GOSSIP Girl in a White Dress 11

15/05 VENUE Country House... county retreat
15/05 HONEYMOON Hit the Beach... what to wear

16/05 GIFTS Great China!... fab new plates
16/05 RECEPTIONS Say Cheese.. not cake

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PLANNING Less Stress

As the wedding season fast approaches, the team at top London event planner and caterer, Red Snapper Events is no stranger to an anxious bride or two. However, having recently celebrated its 5th birthday, there is a wealth of experience on hand to make the run up to the big day a whole lot less stressful. Damian Clarkson, Managing Director, shares his top ten tips to staying organized whilst keeping the fun alive in planning your wedding.

1. Table Talk

The politics of table plans can often be stressful. Make them more lighthearted by picking names out of a hat. You’d be surprised who will chat to who once the party gets into full swing.

2. Entertain Me

Kill two birds with one stone - when talking to caterers and other suppliers, enquire as to what else they could do for you and what other suppliers they work with. Tasting sessions are a great chance to do this and preview table settings, wine and flowers for example as well as food.

3. Party Girl

Arrange planning parties with girl friends at home, I’m sure the ideas will get flowing along with the wine.

4. Free Time

Approach friends and relatives who are not working or have some spare time on their hands and might be willing to help take on some organising for you – especially helpful if they are local to the wedding venue. Be very careful, however, not to pressurize people into helping and be sympathetic to other commitments they may have.

5. Control Freak

On the other hand, don’t let them take control of the wedding and get carried away with their own ideas. Remember it is your special day – no one else’s!

6. Personal Touch

Allow your wedding to be individual and reflect your personality. Keep things as simple as possible by picking a theme or idea based on your own instincts and sticking to it. You don’t always need to keep up with the Jones’ and latest top fashions.

7. Early Bird

Try and set deadlines early on, make an event plan incorporating everything, possibly input it into a spreadsheet with contact details and whose responsibility every task is. You could even post it onto a wall at home or in the office to keep you on track.

8. Nice to Meet You...

Make meetings with planners more interesting by socializing with them – meet for lunch or a cocktail after work.

9. Phone a Friend

Ask the people around you for initial tips and recommendations - friends or work colleagues, who have recently got married, could prove invaluable for a few corner-cutting suggestions!

10. Get Focussed

Above all don’t loose sight of the fact that a wedding is supposed to be a social, happy and fun occasion. Guests attending are there to celebrate with the happy couple and wish them luck, not criticize their choices.

©Freeman Photographics, Red Snapper Events

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PLANNING Wedding Webinar

Planning a wedding is great fun and once you start you'll be amazed at how much advice and ideas are out there! This week we talk to wedding planner, Trisha at Indigo Sky about getting help from a webinar.

Trisha Dash-O'Toole wanted to share her wedding planning expertise. And being web-savvy came up with the idea for a series of webinars. She piloted the first webinar, The Perfect Proposal, on Leap Day this year and was amazed at the results. “The feedback has been excellent and visitors have really enjoyed the immediacy, accessibility and personalised approach of the webinar format. Plus, I guess few of us can resist a few professional inside tips!'

As Trisha observes, ’No two weddings are the same and nor should they be. Even couples planning the most traditional wedding want to put something of themselves into the day’s itinerary.' Trisha's first webinar Personalising Your Wedding looks at ways to inject your own style into the big day, starting with venues and personalising your vows. She also shares secrets on cakes, favours and briefing the photographer to make sure your wedding photos are stunning!

The second webinar goes live this Friday, but WeddingPath viewers can get a sneak peek here at The Planning Process. With helpful tips on the whole wedding planning process, you'll see a behind-the-scenes pictures of the lead up to the big day, including the nitty gritty of dealing with suppliers.

To view the next two webinars scheduled over the next few weeks go to Indigo Sky Events. Topics to look out for include Good Advice for Grooms-to-be and Getting the Most Out of your Wedding Planner.

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Wedding Week Notes 05/05

If you missed out on any of the fun at WeddingPath this week, just click on the links to read some of the highlights!

05/05 FASHION Runway Bride... catwalk trends

06/05 GROOMS Get Shirty... perfect dress shirt
06/05 REAL WEDDING Red, Red Wedding...

07/05 FASHION In Coleen's Bag... hen secrets
07/05 WEDDING GOSSIP Girl in a White Dress 10

08/05 VENUE To the Manor Born... country house
08/05 HONEYMOON Taste of the Tropics... Mauritius

09/05 GIFTS It's a Gift... choose to stay
09/05 RECEPTIONS Ice Cool... icecream bar to hire

©A Wedding Less Ordinary

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PLANNING Butler Service

Hen heaven is happening at a cinema near you. Or at least in Bristol where the Odeon Cinema is showing a private screening of the long-awaited movie, Sex and the City, with a few added extras.

In celebration of the much anticipated Sex and the City movie, the Odeon Cinema in Broadmead is the venue for the perfect girls' night out. On 3rd June, starting with a champagne reception at 7.30, you will be served drinks and nibbles by Bristol-based Butlers in the Buff. Shown to your seats by Bristol's handsome butlers, the screening starts at 8pm. After the film, head with the girls to the Rummer Hotel for a Carrie-style cocktail - Cosmopolitan of course!

Tickets for the event are £12, including screening and complimentary drinks and nibbles. Cocktails at the Rummer Hotel are a separate event. To book, call Butlers in the Buff on 0117 377 7928 - tickets are expected to sell-out quickly, so don't hang about. Or if you just want the butlers and the champagne for your own Sex and the City hen night, go to butlersinthebuff.co.uk.

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PLANNING Wedding Planner's Blog 12

Those of you that have followed Every Detail's blogs over the last couple of months should have gathered lots of good ideas from each of the team by now. This week they continue to share their knowledge and advice with a thought for some of the others at your wedding.

Barbara's advice

Now as hard as it is to hear this ladies, your wedding isn't entirely about you. Your hubby-to-be needs a little care and attention too. Men are quite often too scared or embarrassed to ask what they, their best man and their ushers should be doing on the big day! Take time to discuss the mens' role on the day, so that he can have a sensible chat with the best man and ushers. Finally make sure the best man is briefed for his speech - keep it respectful - your parents and grandparents still look on you as their little girl and you will for a long time yet! If you want a copy of a fact sheet I have prepared called ‘Grooms Guide’ feel free to contact us via our website (www.everydetail.co.uk) and I’ll send it over.

Top tips

For those of you planning trips away for your hen/stag do’s try to pre-arrange as much as possible. I’ve heard so many stories from brides and grooms about their parties not being able to find anywhere to eat as it was too busy or restaurants that wouldn’t accept groups. Also, make sure you (or the chief organiser) has an account of who has paid for what. If for instance, everyone has paid for taxi’s in advance, then arrange that money into the correct amount per taxi, and put the money in separate envelopes so you can give one to each taxi when you get in. Remember to take photos of your stag/hen event! Why not make a display at the reception or get a group photo framed as a gift? Remember that everyone involved in your wedding will have gone to some kind of effort and expense - so show your appreciation with a thank you gift.

Nice idea

With the evenings getting longer, I enjoy weddings where guests can make the most of the gardens and outside space. This week we have helped couples with outdoor lighting ideas and found found some well priced lanterns and shepherd’s hooks. I’ve also ordered some luminaries (little lights in bags) from America – I love them, I think that they’ll really create a romantic feel.

A day in the life….

I have been very lucky this week and went to try out a new spa that I shall definitely be recommending to our clients. However, this one was male-friendly too. I've been to so many weddings where the men have had grubby, chewed and occasionally, worryingly long nails. We recommend that you try to convince your groom to have a manicure (and yes it may be a bit girly) but his hands will be in a lot of pictures, cutting the cake, ring pictures and just general holding hands shots. We're not suggesting nail varnish but clean, moisturised hands with nicely shaped nails can make all the difference.

And finally,

Try to imagine the wedding day through your guests' eyes. What is obvious to you might not be to your guests. If you have a message tree – will they know what to do and how will they use it? Do they know that the favour is for them and they can take it away? If you have guests arriving in a group on a coach, is there someone stationed to meet them on arrival? Make your guests feel comfortable and everything else falls in place!

For those of you getting married in the coming months, the best of luck and we hope our advice and tips will be useful and put to good use.

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Photo ©Late Night London, Confetti, Marc Wallace, A Wedding Less Ordinary

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Wedding Week Notes 28/04

Want to catch up on the highlights this week at WeddingPath? Click on our favourite articles.

28/04 FASHION Mum's the Word... elegant outfits

22/04 GROOMS Groom-zilla!... the new buzz word
22/04 REAL WEDDING Snowy Dream... Lapland

23/04 FASHION Girls' Pearls... accessories
23/04 WEDDING GOSSIP Girl in a White Dress 9

24/04 VENUES Let it Snow!... UK snow slope
24/04 HONEYMOON Pure Paradise... Mexico

25/04 GIFTS Monochrome Home... gift ideas
25/04 RECEPTIONS Beautiful Bouquet... floral tips

©Yarwood-White

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PLANNING Wedding Planner's Blog 11

VENUE SENSATION!
The girls at Every Detail have been on the road this week looking for new wedding venues and have loads of tips and advice for WeddingPath brides.

Claire's advice
As your wedding day approaches you’ll be dotting the I’s crossing the T’s, so I wanted to share a few tips I always give my couples as their day draws close.
•Get plenty of rest - keep pre-wedding celebrations to a minimum.
•Chat to your hair stylist/beautician about final hair/skin preparations.
•Be prepared to make an impromptu ‘thank you’ speech at work.
•Practice your first dance - it will help eliminate nerves.
•When packing, remember bags for your dress and groomswear.

Nice idea
Now this is something that was mentioned in the Q&A session last Monday but it’s such a good idea I just had to mention it again. As thank you gifts to both sets of parents, why not ask a guest that isn’t too involved in the wedding, (a friend’s boyfriend is always a good bet!) to take photos as everyone leaves the church. Arm the friend with a digital camera, pre-bought frames and directions to a decent printer/photo shop and hey presto, thank you gifts! Just make sure you pick some one who can take a decent picture, is a dab hand with wrapping paper and who knows how the printer works.

A day in the life of a wedding planner
It is a good job I enjoy driving as I’ve been doing a lot of it this past week, venue hunting from Cornwall to Cardiff - and I’ve found some beauties. It’s time-consuming, but great fun searching for venues If you’re unsure where to start on the great venue hunt then please send me an email at claire@everydetail.co.uk and I’ll be more than happy to give you a few pointers. There was one venue this week that stood out more than any other and that was St David’s Hotel and Spa in Cardiff, absolutely gorgeous with stunning views over Cardiff bay.

And finally...

For those of you at the start of your wedding planning journey, you have so much fun to come! Our advice is to try and keep a clear vision of what you want your day to look like. Over the coming months you’ll see so many good ideas, styles and be tempted to change your ideas over and over again. If you’re struggling with bringing your ideas together, put together a mood board.

©iStockphoto, Oliver Bonas

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Wedding Week Notes 21/04

Where did the week ago! Catch up on some of the highlights at WeddingPath by clicking on the articles.

21/04 FASHION Straps Off... more strapless dresses you'll love

22/04 GROOMS Drink Matters... expert advice
22/04 REAL WEDDING English Garden... marquee

23/04 FASHION Veiled Beauty... wearing a veil?
23/04 WEDDING GOSSIP Girl in a White Dress

24/04 VENUES Tandoori Nights... Cinnamon Club
24/04 HONEYMOON Off the Scales... cool gadget

25/04 GIFTS Flower Power... new gift service
25/04 RECEPTIONS Reasons to be Cheerful... 'what if' scenarios

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PLANNING Reasons to be Cheerful

In all the excitement of planning your wedding day, a finger waved about insurance and 'what if' scenarios is not fun. Having someone tell you 'I told you so' is not much better. So, we have got the low-down from Ros Urbanowicz, financial adviser at independent insurance broker, The Wilson Organisation on taking out wedding cover.

With the average wedding now setting couples and families back a staggering £16,000 to £25,000, a few financial precautions need to be taken. Unless the likes of Hello and OK! magazine are picking up the hefty bill, then the first step is to start planning exactly who will be paying for what.

The major expenses of a wedding are the reception, rings, honeymoon and bridal dress. Then there are the flowers, photography, church and registrar fees, car hire, invites, wedding cake and numerous other costs to think about.

Confetti.co.uk has reported that around 80-85% of couples don't take out wedding insurance. We know having to look at policies can be boring compared to choosing your dress or looking forward to your hen night, but taking out adequate cover should be on the 'to do' list. Not convinced? Then read on...

Top Ten Common Claims:
· Bankruptcy of supplier
· Damaged wedding attire
· Loss of rings
· Theft of wedding gifts
· Public liability - property damage
· Cancellation because the venue was double-booked
· Transport fails to arrive
· Caterers fail to turn up at the reception
· Cancellation due to illness or bereavement
· Re-staging photographs due to photographer not arriving

Top Five Unusual Claims:
· Emergency transport to get the vicar to the ceremony
· Replacing stolen tableware and cutlery the evening before the reception
· Road assistance for a stuck wedding vehicle
· The bride falling over in the aisle and breaking her ankle
· The marquee washing away

You’ll be insured by most companies against the main items such as damage to your wedding outfits, rings, flowers and cake, and even re-staging photographs and videos at a later date. Some policies cover everything from the marquee washing away, the guests injuring themselves, and the church burning down. You should be looking to take out insurance before you pay the deposits on any bookings made in case the supplier goes bankrupt or can’t fulfil your order or reservation.

None of these policies will cover you if someone has a change of heart, or if your photographs are not how you planned because your partner had a large spot on the day or it started to rain, or even if you had simply run out of money and had to cancel the wedding. You will also not be covered if you or your fiancé injure yourselves whilst playing sport or riding a motorbike leading up to the wedding.

It is advisable to first sit down and work out exactly what you need cover for. For example, if you’re getting married abroad you’d want insurance that covers you for the flights if they’re delayed, and the transportation of your wedding dress in case it gets lost or damaged in the airport.

There is also the question of insuring wedding presents when you go away on your honeymoon. It is a good idea to increase your home insurance. Make sure you check your policy and declare any expensive heirlooms, plasma TV’s, new leather suites or similar high-value gifts, before you go away.

If in doubt, ask plenty of questions and seek external advice from an insurer to get the right cover for what could be the biggest, most extravagant but happiest day of your life.

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