WEDDING GOSSIP Jessica Simpson & Tony Romo

Amanda Hinton - Thu 21 Aug 2008

1424 views - add your comment

CELEBRITY SNIPPETS
It seems that Jessica is happy once again with boyfriend, Tony after her painful marriage break-up. Think Tony is the perfect solution? Read more to find out what we think and tell us your verdict!

WHO: Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo
BACKGROUND: Singer-turned-actress Jessica, only just recovered after her divorce from husband Nick Lachey, seems to have found love again with Dallas Cowboys' American Footballer, Tony. The couple are stronger than ever after their short break-up in May and Tony has been described by friends as being her rock.
LOVE SIGNS: Jessica celebrated her 28th birthday by lunching with Tony’s parents, a sign perhaps that things are getting serious between the pair. Jessica has said to be head-over-heels for Tony and the pair have been stuck together like glue, with Jessica and her sister cheering him on at a special celebrity golf championship. Tony has also commented at how much support he has received from Jessica at various sporting events. With Jessica’s sister Ashlee happily married, is it Jessica’s turn?
OUR VERDICT: Quite Likely
Photo © PR Photos

 click to read more celebrity snippets

Posted in category: Wedding Gossip

Read article or add your comment

HONEYMOON Deep South

Cheryl I'Anson - Thu 21 Aug 2008

2001 views - add your comment

South Carolina might not be an obvious place to spend your honeymoon, but with glorious beaches, a healthy exchange rate to the dollar, fantastic Deep South cuisine and a friendly Stateside welcome, you might want to think again…

Charleston in South Carolina is a wonderful city to explore on foot as the area is set on the coast and is blessed with warm weather for most of the year, and most of the historic sites, restaurants and shops are within walking distance.

Take a boat ride around the pretty harbour to soak up some of the town’s sights, or wander around the craft shops, stopping on the way for the refreshing southern favourite ‘sweet tea’. Or simply while away the hours on the long stretch of beautiful sandy beaches and swimming in the warm sea.

Where to stay
For stylish ‘old world’ charm, head to Charleston Place hotel, in the heart of Charleston. South Carolina’s historic district evokes the ambiance of a grand, 17th-century residence. With 440 luxurious guestrooms including 42 suites, the hotel offers “The Club” floor for the ultimate in bespoke services with a private personal concierge and an array of culinary offerings that are perfect for honeymooners seeking a touch of luxury.

The Spa at Charleston Place is a renowned sanctuary for pampering and relaxation, while Charleston Grill is recognised as one of the best restaurants in the country, offering dishes such as Carolina pheasant breast, diver scallops and Colorado lamb chops. The hotel’s Thoroughbred Club was built to evoke the ambiance of a historic Jockey Club and offers “the best tea in Charleston”. For more information and to book a room, visit charlestonplace.com.

Know before you go
Charleston’s small airport is serviced by the major American airlines, and receives flights daily from the UK via Dallas or Orlando.

The weather in South Carolina is one of the best reasons to visit this interesting and charming part of America. Expect springtime temperatures to average about 25°C from March to May, while the summer humidity and temperatures are extreme, reaching as high as 32°C. The water temperatures in late summer are bath-like, with August ocean temperatures hitting 29°C.

click to read more honeymoon ideas >

Posted in category: Honeymoon

Read article or add your comment

VENUE Irish Brides Are Smiling

Cheryl I'Anson - Thu 21 Aug 2008

2147 views - add your comment

For a fabulous five-star wedding day with a hint of city chic, look no further than the Clarence Hotel in the heart of Dublin.

Owned by U2's Bono, The Clarence oozes rock star glamour and stylish sophistication. Located on the first floor, the luxurious Clarence Suite offers a stunning area overlooking the River Liffey for a truly memorable wedding reception. The suite accommodates up to 70 guests for a meal and up to 120 guests for evening receptions.

After your ceremony, your guests will enjoy a drinks reception in the Study, a stylish and relaxing area, which makes the perfect spot for welcoming guests to your special day.

The drinks reception will be followed by a sumptuous four-course wedding meal, carefully tailored to suit each season, including Niçoise salad with grilled loin of tuna, roasted plum tomato soup, pan fried fillet of Irish beef, with scallion mash, sauté spinach and Madeira jus and raspberry chocolate tart. The summer menu features warm goat's cheese crostini, with aubergine caviar, roasted fillet of salmon, with a crisp fennel salad and sauce bois bourdan and vanilla panacotta, with exotic fruit salad, flavoured with coriander.

A personal wedding co-ordinator will be on hand to help you create the day of your dreams, while personalised menus, place cards and table plan are all included along with lots of tea lights to give an intimate feel and romantic ambiance to the Clarence Suite.

With 49 superior quality bedrooms and suites, The Clarence can offer luxurious accommodation for the entire wedding party, and you and your new husband will receive a deluxe double room for your wedding night free of charge.

The hotel also offers ‘Therapy’, where a tranquil space has been created within the hotel to care, pamper, indulge and awaken your senses, in preparation for your big day.

For more information, visit the website or call +353 1 407 0800.

click to read more venue ideas >

Posted in category: Venues

Read article or add your comment

WEDDING GOSSIP Girl In A White Dress 19

Cheryl I'Anson - Wed 20 Aug 2008

3824 views - add your comment

Our resident bride and wedding expert, Cheryl, is back from her big day and floating on a wedding-induced cloud of loveliness, and will be talking weddings with you every week...

The personal touch (1)
We all know how great and lovely weddings are – if you haven’t had yours yet and are still counting the minutes, you’ve surely pictured the grand aisle-strutting entrance, the gooey vow-saying moment and the amusing speech-telling bit, and probably you know exactly what the flowers, decorations and cake will all look like (because you spent more than a week’s wages in phone calls to the florist and cake maker just to be sure).

And once you’ve got the big stuff out of the way, like booking the venue and choosing the dress, you can start to think about the little details. If you’re a bit flummoxed about where to start, why not think about ways of adding a personal touch to your day.

I know of one brave bride-to-be who is planning to sing ‘Songbird’ by Eva Cassidy

to her new husband after the speeches, accompanied by her bridesmaids on backing vocals, which is a lovely idea and a beautiful song, although a little terrifying if you ask me!

But if you’re no Katie Melua and don’t fancy doing the whole serenading thing, there are loads of other ways of adding a personal touch to your day. Designing your own stationery is a great way of giving guests a preview of your wedding theme, while you and H2B get to have some Blue Peter-style fun with sticky tape and crafty things. Try The Wedding Crafter for fantastic ideas and sample kits.

To add special touches to our day, we made our own stationery based around a beautiful drawing my FIL had done of our venue; and because we tied the knot in Siena in Italy, we named each of the tables after the teams in the famous horse race that takes place in the main piazza there every year.

So until next week, let us know what you did to make your day a touch more special...

Posted in category: Wedding Gossip

Read article or add your comment

BEAUTY Pretty Willow

Cheryl I'Anson - Wed 20 Aug 2008

4377 views - add your comment

We love a bit of organic beauty here at WP - it's kinder to skin as well as to the environment. Which is why we’ve been checking out new organic beauty range Willow.

Willow offers a range of beauty products made with certified organic ingredients for total skin luxury and indulgence from head to toe.

The products contain ingredients from all over the world – with sensual oils from Kashmir and Egypt and hand-loomed Thai silk packaging all formulated within the UK. With products for face, body, hair and home as well as beautiful silk gift boxes, this range is perfect for brides looking to treat themselves to something special – and the box sets make beautiful gifts for bridesmaids and mums.

Based around fragrant fruit and flower oils, all Willow products are created from formulations of five fragrances: Jasmine & Geranium, Rose & Sandalwood, Orange & Lime, Lemongrass & Ginger and Ylang Ylang & Lavender so there is a fragrance to suit everyone.

Willow products do not contain parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate or any artificial chemicals or preservatives and even the candles are made of 100% natural organic oils and no paraffin. And Willow does not test its products on animals and uses only biodegradable packaging.

The new range includes luxury body lotions, bath and shower gels, hand and nail cream, eau de toilette, soaps, scented candles, shampoo and conditioner. Prices start from £15 for 50ml of bath oil. The Twilight Box (see top) containing Moisturising Face Balm, Exfoliating Guest Soap, and a Jasmine & Geranium Candle is £29.

So if you’re looking for something that’s good to your skin – and the environment – Willow is the place to shop this summer.
click to read more beauty ideas >

Posted in category: Beauty

Read article or add your comment

FASHION Play it by Ear

Amanda Hinton - Wed 20 Aug 2008

4560 views - add your comment

Wedding day jewellery is the final finishing touch for your big day outfit. So this week we have got together with the newly-opened Earring Boutique for some top tips on choosing the perfect earrings.

If chosen correctly, earrings can add instant glamour and a touch of subtle colour to your wedding day outfit. As well as adding individuality, your earrings can also direct the eye away from other areas of the body that you aren‘t particularly happy with. Stick to Hannah Sandlings 8 golden rules and you can't go wrong!

• Keep your earrings in scale with your face, small people and huge earrings don’t work.

• Don’t wear large round styles if you have a short neck - they will be too over powering for your overall body shape.

• Choose earrings in a shade that fill your face with healthy colour, not drain it.

• if you have a thicker neck or a double chin, longer earrings will be more flattering.

• Drop earrings are the perfect style for elongating a round face.

• You can use really dazzling earrings to help to draw the focus away from your least favourite feature!

• Avoid wearing too much large jewellery if your are petite, a pair of statement earrings will be enough and will keep the look uncluttered.

• Remember to match accessories to your outfit - so pick up on the little details such as the beading on your wedding dress.

To find out more about The Earring Boutique go to theearringboutique.com.

Click to read more ideas on accessories >

Posted in category: Fashion

Read article or add your comment

PLANNING Happy Days

Amanda Hinton - Tue 19 Aug 2008

6398 views - add your comment

All over the nation, thousands of couples walked up the aisle last week, because the second weekend in August is officially the most popular time of year to get hitched.

What’s more, an increasing number of couples are tying the knot on a Friday rather than a Saturday as you might expect. Over the past five years Friday weddings have increased in popularity by 5%. This equates to around 12,000 extra couples marrying on Fridays every year.

Over the same period Saturday weddings have decreased in popularity by the same amount, 5%. But there are no changes when it comes to August. It remains the most popular month to marry with 1 in 5 choosing this month for their celebration – that’s around 50,000 couples placing their faith in the British summer!

Wedding insurance manager Darren Mabley-Jones says,
“The traditional Saturday wedding in August remains the most popular choice for couples planning to tie the knot. However, many couples are starting to turn to a Friday for their celebration instead, perhaps to ensure they get the venue they want, but also to save money on hire charges."

The least popular times to get married are the month of January and Tuesdays. Less than 2% of couples chose to marry at this time. So if you are hunting out a venue bargain, go for a Tuesday in January - althoug bear in mind, the wedding guests might not be too happy!

These statistics are drawn from weddings Ecclesiastical insures direct and through Marks & Spencer.
* All survey data drawn from over 23,000 weddings insured by Ecclesiastical Insurance.
** 237,000 marriages in 2006 according to the Office for National statistics, 5% of 237,000 = 12,000.

Photo © Freeman Photographics

click to read more planning advice >

Posted in category: Planning

Read article or add your comment

REAL WEDDING Gold Dreams

Amanda Hinton - Tue 19 Aug 2008

7105 views - add your comment

Colette & Paul
26 April 2008

They Met Colette and Paul met over the internet and chatted nearly every night for six months before meeting up. The rest, as they say, is history when Paul got down on one knee and proposed one weekend when he was visiting Colette.

Wedding Venue Paul and Colette started looking for their perfect venue two years before their wedding and eventually found Greenhill Hotel in Cumbria. It was ideal as they could marry and have their reception in the same place and they loved the fact that it had a homely and relaxed atmosphere but was at the same time elegant.

The Theme Paul had decided that he wanted to wear a brown suit which set the colour themes of brown, gold, cream and ivory.

What They Wore The bride wore a gorgeous ivory dress by Hilary Morgan, with gold and cream embroidery, and a touch of sparkling crystals as well as a long train, which could be hitched up, creating a bustle. The bride accessorized with a full crown tiara of diamante and pearls as well as dotted crystals and diamantes in her hair and a necklace and earrings to match.
The groom wore a brown pinstripe suit by Jasper Conran, with a white shirt and a champagne and gold coloured waistcoat with a matching cravat, along with brown shoes from the Officers Club. The groom chose a buttonhole of a large silk carnation with brown foliage, tied with a gold ribbon.
The bride had one bridesmaid who wore a champagne coloured dress with a buttoned back, to match the bride, as well as gold shoes and a gold bangle as a gift from the couple.

The Cake The couple chose a four-tiered cake with two layers of sponge, one layer of chocolate and the other of traditional fruit cake, arranged in a staggered display and decorated with cascading flowers from top to bottom. The cake was made by the bride’s mother who also provided the stand.

The Flowers The bride carried a bouquet of silk flowers consisting of cream gladioli, carnations and roses, interspersed with brown and gold foliage as well as small gold cala lilies with diamante centres. The bridesmaid carried a smaller replica, while flowers at the venue were made up of carnations, roses, baby’s breath and lilies, as well as brown thistles to tie in their Scottish connection - all arranged by Colette’s mother.

First Dance The newlywed couple danced to All I Have by Beth Neilson Chapman just as 14 huge party poppers showered them with streamers - a surprise organised by 14 family members. The dancing continued with a DJ who provided music and singing - and even dressed up as Darth Vader at one point!

A Moment to Remember Colette loved their first dance as husband and wife, as she felt really special to be dancing in front of all of their family and friends with her new husband, as well as the party poppers adding an extra touch of romance.

Honeymoon The couple spent their first night in the hotel where they got married, afterwards going on a two week Mediterranean cruise for their honeymoon, visiting the beautiful Naples, Rome, Cannes, Barcelona and Tunisia.

Any Advice Colette comments, ‘I was always told that the day passes very quickly, so I was ready for this and tried to take everything in. I also held back on the alcoholic drinks - as it is easy to get carried away with the celebrations.’ As well as suggesting to, ‘Have a strong, reliable person to help with the planning. It helps to have someone other than the groom to bounce ideas off.’

Colette & Paul’s Contact Book:
Venue: Greenhill Hotel
Photographer: 01461 206445  Trish Nelson Photography
Dress: Reeta Fashion, Glasgow 0141 552 5101
Groomswear: Debenhams



click to read more real weddings >

Posted in category: Real Weddings

Read article or add your comment

GROOMS Ring True

Cheryl I'Anson - Tue 19 Aug 2008

7180 views - add your comment

If your man is taking a while to pop the question – or has already dropped to one knee but you’re still waiting for the ring – there could be a reason why…

In a recent poll, 67% of married men admitted that the pressure of finding the perfect ring and finding the right time and place to propose meant they prolonged the special moment longer than they intended.

Apparently they found the purchasing process quite daunting, and weren’t sure where to start, what size ring to buy, how big should the diamond be, and how much to spend, etc, etc.

So if your fiancé is one of these men dawdling over the decision making, point him in the direction of online London-based jeweller Rumour Jewellery.

They can take away all the confusion and panic when it comes to choosing a ring by offering a professional, discreet and friendly service.

Rumour Jewellery is online and also has a showroom near Notting Hill in London. Handmade bespoke engagement rings, wedding rings and eternity rings are their specialty, creating bespoke, custom-made jewellery using precious diamond and sapphire jewellery of the highest quality.

They will work with your fiancé’s budget and will advise accordingly, with prices starting from £1000 for a bespoke engagement ring or wedding ring.

Once the ring has been made, which takes around three weeks, your fiancé will be invited back to the showroom to show him the final result as well as adding any finishing touches, such as a personal engraved message. Then it's just up to him to pop the question...

Visit rumouronline.com for more information.

Photo: iStockphoto

click to read more planning advice >

Posted in category: Grooms

Read article or add your comment

COMPETITION Get Snapping

Amanda Hinton - Mon 18 Aug 2008

9230 views - 1 comment

Here is a competition all you budding snappers may be interested in as you could win some handy honeymoon deals, including car hire - or how about a Greek island cruise? It is being run by Stelios of the EasyJet team - so click on the link below to enter.

Following the success of last year’s “Snapped” competition, easyCar.com is once again asking the British public to get creative with their snaps. Moving away from tired landmark pictures, easyCar is driving happy snappers to use their imagination and become amateur travel photographers.

Anyone can enter; from a romantic camping trip in the Cotswolds to intrepid hiking through the Alps, easyCar wants to see some creativity. Replace those boring poses with intriguing shots of hidden gems to make your loved ones back home wish they had been there with you.

Simply upload your best travel pictures to photocompetition.easycar.com and canvas votes and rate others to get the chance to win some fantastic prizes, including free car rental for a week from easyCar, a seven night Greek island cruise for two people on easyCruise Life, and easyJet vouchers.

Photo © iStockphoto

Posted in category: Wedding Gossip

Read article or view/add your comments