Tag Archives: wedding

Honeymoon on a budget

Posted on by

When planning a Wedding, you have to plan a honeymoon. When you are on a budget you want your destination to be as romantic as it can but don’t feel you need to spend a fortune to have a wonderful time.

Wooldown Holiday Cottages, Cornwall

There are so many beautiful and historically interesting countries in Europe and surrounding areas, and while exploring far-flung shores can be wonderful, so is travelling closer to home. You could not only save money on travel but get an extra day or two of your honeymoon!

For those looking for a luxurious retreat closer to home with outstanding countryside and sea views, Wooldown Holiday Cottages Offer cosy country cottages and ultra-modern apartment style barns with super-king size beds, spa baths, walk in rainfall showers, some even have copper baths in the bedroom to make your honeymoon that extra special!

Explore all Cornwall has to offer, from romantic walks together along part of the stunning south west coastal path, to the pretty fishing villages of Port Isaac, Rock and Padstow and take a stroll through the Victorian seaside town of Bude with Summerleaze and Crooklets beach. The world famous surfing beach at Widemouth Bay is not far away and offers the perfect opportunity to surf the waves before enjoying a candlelit dinner.

Gadlys Coastal Cottages, Wales

Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, near the beautiful Church Bay,Gadlys Coastal Cottages offer peace and comfort in a pretty rural setting near Church Bay in Anglesey, North Wales. A small delightful bay with rock pools and sandy beach and beautiful coastal walks it is an ideal place for relaxation or activity from boating, fishing, hiking, horse riding, windsurfing and more.

The newly renovated and extended Gadlys Farmhouse has gorgeous sea views, a traditional oak inglenook fireplace to enjoy a warming log fire, master bedroom with balconette overlooking the sea, relaxing spa bath, all within five minutes’ walk from the beach and fantastic seafood restaurants.

Olympic Lagoon Hotel, Paphos

All-inclusive honeymoons can be great value for couples looking for luxury without additional hidden costs.  The Olympic Lagoon Hotel is a new and highly innovative five-star hotel in a truly fascinating resort.  Featuring an array of sublime swimming pools and water features, this hotel has a premium all-inclusive programme with five fabulous restaurants and five bars to choose from. An island paradise and a unique hotel-within-a-resort concept featuring romantic facilities and services exclusively for adults.

Royal Palm, Mauritius

The most prestigious of honeymoons can be booked for substantially less when you take advantage of latest special offers and deals. Said to be the finest hotel in Mauritius, Royal Palm is a tranquil haven ideally located on the sheltered north-west tropical coast. Stay in an elegantly decorated suite with a stunning sea view. This 6-star hotel by the sea is surrounded with pure white sandy beach, and offers the ultimate luxury honeymoon experience, boasting a choice of three pools, spa, sports centre and an award-winning chef for the finest in haute cuisine.

Greek Islands

You could save hundreds of pounds by honeymooning for one week instead of two when you jet off to a hot climate just a short flight away.  A gorgeous coastal setting in the Greek island of Skyros.

This is a honeymoon for couples who can choose to hide away from the rest of the world or join a vibrant community and take part in classes in yoga, paths to finding happiness, windsurfing and even trapeze. Courses are held outdoors by the sea, on stone terraces surrounded by pine forests. Enjoy the tranquillity of the bay during the hot daytime and then choose to attend local parties.

 

Bridal shower planning

Posted on by

The big day is almost here and things can get a little stressful and hectic. Planning a wedding can take up months of a bride’s life and can leave her feeling more relief to get the day over with than excitement for the day to come. Because of this, it is important for the bride to take a day off. A day to relax, eat cake, spend time with friends and family, play games and receive some gifts. Throwing a great bridal shower will be just what the bride needs to regain some of her sanity after months of wedding planning.

Plan Ahead

Usually the maid of honour, bridesmaid, mother or sister will be responsible for throwing the bride her bridal shower. It does not all have to fall on one person though. It is actually a good idea to have two or three people assist in the planning and covering costs. You should allow yourself about 6-8 weeks to plan the shower. Some of the first things you need to work out: What kind of party will this be? Formal or casual? Where will it be hosted? Your home, someone else’s home, a restaurant, a park, etc.? Will there be a theme? Sometimes it can be fun to have a wedding gift theme; such as, lingerie, travel items or kitchen ware. Once you have these basics nailed down, send out the invitations as quickly as possible. Purchase generic ones and fill them out or have specialty invitations printed that match the theme or colours you have chosen. This is a special day to be shared with people that are special to the bride, so have her help with the guest list.

Primarily, bridal showers are about both relaxing and getting gifts that are both fun and useful for the bride and groom. However, it is also important that everyone, both the bride and the guests, have a lot of fun. The most popular form of wedding entertainment for a bridal shower are games.

There are lots of resources online with lists and lists of different games to play. It’s important to choose games that match your bride’s personality. If she’s a shy person by nature, don’t pick the games that will embarrass her and make her uncomfortable. If the bride does not want games at all and wants the shower to be more of a party, then book entertainment. For a larger party, you might want to hire a jazz band classical ensemble or strolling violinist to provide background music as your guests mingle. It would also be interesting to hire an impersonator of one of the bride’s favourite celebrities for a meet and greet and to take photos with the guests. If the location for the shower is appropriate for it, perhaps you could hire a comedian or hypnotist to put on a short show for the guests.

 

Should you invite the work colleagues?

Posted on by

When planning a wedding, the age old question of what to do about inviting work colleagues to your wedding is one that troubles many engaged couples time and time again. So when it comes to your wedding, is there a particular party you agree with or are you still a little confused on the right way to do things? The first thing you need to think about is that there are no rules, just common sense in relation to the work situation you personally have. Only you will really know what is acceptable in your workplace but here are a few things to consider…

Consider whether your office is formal and traditional

Traditionally in larger and more corporate companies it is generally expected that you will invite your boss or bosses, especially if you are inviting your co-workers. If you know your office is a lot more relaxed, then again assess the situation and think about how close work in relation to your boss on a day to day basis.

Ask around to see what others did

Hopefully for you, there will be people who have got married before you in the office who you can quiz on what they did. If there is a recurring theme of whether they invited everyone or just a very selective few, then consider following suit.

They’ll probably need a plus one

If your work colleague is married, engaged or in a long term relationship, then it’s likely they’ll need to have a plus one. Again this is entirely up to you but if you are offering plus ones to the rest of your guests, it makes sense that they should have one too.

If you choose to be selective, don’t shout about it

It is totally okay to choose just a few colleagues and many people do, so you shouldn’t feel guilty about it. But if you’re going to do so – don’t make your wedding a common topic of conversation in the office, especially if there’s just one or two people you’re not inviting. You want to be as subtle as possible to avoid getting people’s feelings hurt.

Think about the size of your office

Do you work for a large corporate or a smaller regional office, shop or start up? Have a think about the dynamics in your workplace and how closely you work alongside your colleagues. If the whole company works in real proximity to one another, it makes sense to not just exclude one or two people from proceedings but if you work solely in a team that is one of many, then perhaps consider just inviting your team and your boss. As we say, it’s common sense so just assess the situation appropriately.

Remember, they don’t need to come for the whole wedding

If you’re worried from a budget and space point of view, then there is absolutely no harm in just inviting them to the wedding entertainment evening do. Again, if there are some colleagues you are closer to than others, then invite them to the ceremony and reception and then make it a more open invite to the others for the evening after dinner and speeches.

 

Get you to the church on time

Posted on by

A traditional wedding car is not the only way to get you to the church on time. So, if you’re ready to swap a classic motor or sports car for transport that makes a statement, start with these six wedding car alternatives, fit for every wedding style and theme.

Big red bus

Perfect for a vintage or London city styled wedding, why not hop onto an iconic big red bus to move from your ceremony to your reception? This will be of the most popular wedding car alternatives with your guests because they can join you for the ride. Keep a Polaroid handy to document the journey together!

Land Rover

If you fancy the idea of a private moment together after the ceremony, then transport for two (plus your driver) will be just the ticket. This old Land Rover is dolled up beautifully for the occasion, ideal for any rustic or barn wedding.

Horse and carriage

Traditional couples might feel safe choosing a vintage car for their drive, but a horse and carriage is much more theatrical! The carriage’s old-fashioned style will suit more traditional church and country house weddings.

Tractor

For those who want to make a big impression at their country wedding, go all-out with a vintage tractor! Just make sure it gets a good clean up first and you’re good to go. Once you’ve reached your destination, see if you can have the tractor park up outside as a great backdrop for wedding photographs. Perhaps the driver could even provide rides for your younger guests to keep them entertained?

Helicopter

If you want to arrive at the aisle in style, no mode of transport could be more glamorous than your own private helicopter! You’re getting married, so you’ll be on cloud nine. Why not let your transport take you up into the clouds too for a truly memorable journey? Choose this for your wedding if you’ve chosen a country house, tipi or marquee – somewhere with room to land!

Boat

There can only be one winning showstopper when it comes to water friendly wedding car alternatives – a boat of course! Whether your arrival involves rowing up to a pretty jetty or you choose to set sail after the ceremony with your new spouse, a boat will give your beach, river or waterfront wedding the wow-factor. It was good enough for George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin after all…

 

How to get there

Posted on by

Wedding transport comes in all sorts of weird, wonderful and classic styles. From tractors to trailers as well as Rolls Royces and royal carriages. There are loads of ways to get to the aisle in style.

One major rule is to consider the time of year. Will a classic car be able to make it down a snow-covered country lane? Or will you look to arrive in style in a sporty wedding car that’s in your budget. Maybe ask a friend with a beautiful vehicle to do the honours? If you’re holding your ceremony and reception in the same place, you could just hire a classic car.

Our top tips for booking wedding transport

 

  1. See the actual vehicle BEFORE you book or pay a deposit, so you can’t be blamed for scratches or dents after collection.

  2. The car may well be the backdrop to your photos, so make sure it’s in keeping with your colour scheme and wedding theme.

  3. Think about how many people need to travel to the venue. You may need two or three vehicles depending on how many bridesmaids, pageboys and flowergirls you’ve got.

  4. Ask for a bottle of champagne to be chilling in the back of the car so you and your new husband can have a celebratory drink on the way to the reception.

  5. As with all suppliers, double check your booking a couple of days before so you’re not left in the lurch!

 

Be unique and have fun and get to your wedding venue the way that suits your personality and make it personal to you!!

 

Wedding Breaks

Posted on by

Where to spend your first break as husband and wife

Wedding breaks are fast becoming a must for newlyweds. They’re not a minimoon for a few days or a honeymoon for a week abroad. Wedding breaks are a post-wedding, pre-honeymoon getaway for a night or two, somewhere nice, near home. When planning a dream Wedding think of a small break away especially if you can’t spare the time…

Radisson Edwardian Heathrow

Just two miles from Heathrow airport, the Radisson Edwardian Hotel is the perfect stop-over for early-morning honeymoon flights and wedding breaks. This slick West End-style venue has a lively atmosphere that’s buzzing until the early hours. The Pegasus Health Spa and Gymnasium is the perfect place to begin unwinding after your big day. Expect to be pampered with a huge variety of treatments on offer, ranging from herbal saunas to massages and facials.

For the rooms, try The Presidential Suite – it’s perfect for wedding breaks for newlyweds. The other 458 rooms and suites boast all mod cons plus rich fabrics and marble bathrooms. This looks more like a chic central London hotel than an airport stopover.

The Scarlet

Perched on a clifftop overlooking the stunning beach at Mawgan Porth, The Scarlet is a luxurious hotel perfectly positioned on the Cornish coast. Cornwall is filled with pretty villages to visit and views to swoon over, but if you fancy something more active, it’s the perfect place to learn to surf. The hotel can arrange private lessons or why not join the surf school?

Not to be missed during your stay is The Scarlet Spa, where total indulgence awaits. The Spa focuses on wellbeing as well as beauty, offering a fab range of eco-friendly treatments. With chic interior design and furniture, plus the comfiest beds around, you’re guaranteed a good night’s sleep here. They have 37 stunning bedrooms in the hotel spread out over five floors. Each room boasts its own outside space, from private terraces to balconies – perfect for watching the sun go down together.

Peak Edge Hotel

The Peak Edge Hotel is the gateway to the Peak District in Derbyshire. Aside from the panoramas of rolling dales from every window, there is great local food cooked to perfection in the adjoining 17th-century inn, beautifully designed décor and an extensive activities package to keep you busy here. There are 27 brand new boutique bedrooms with picturesque views and sumptuous finishes. Bathrooms boast double-ended baths, rain showers and underfloor heating. You’ll also find LED flat screen TVs, decadent bedding and Wi-Fi internet to enjoy inside.

Blakes Hotel

Blakes in London is the sort of hotel that makes you want to stay in your room, sipping Champagne, indulging in room service! Locally you’ll find shops galore on Kensington Church Street, and Harrods is a short taxi ride away, as are the V&A and Natural History Museums. Each of the 47 rooms is designed by internationally acclaimed designer Anouska Hempel, and each is daringly different. We recommend the Corfu Suite, which boasts a huge four-poster bed, a separate dressing room, huge bathroom, wooden floors and distressed white mother of pearl embossed furniture.

The Royal Scots Club

The Royal Scots club is a members’ club situated in one of Edinburgh’s finest Georgian streets. It’s about a two-minute walk from the main shopping areas of Edinburgh, and it takes about 25 minutes to get to the hotel from the airport by car.

It’s quite a formal place to stay, oozing sophistication and class. It’s perfect for couples looking for privacy. There is no place for jeans and t-shirts here, especially at dinner time. The restaurant serves indulgent dishes, which are an absolute must try. The decadent decor, beautiful furnishings and the luxurious rooms create a cosy country manor house feel, despite their size.

Less travel more holidays

Posted on by

There are over 1.8 billion transits and stopover flights annually that are more cost-efficient than long-haul direct flights. So instead of avoiding the extra hours, why not enjoy a longer stop and have two holidays instead of one? So that means if you’re going on your honeymoon, you can explore a new location and stay at one of these select hotels before taking their next flight. From stretching your legs riding a bike in Amsterdam to a rejuvenating jetlag therapy treatment in Bangkok,

Amsterdam

The Dylan, Amsterdam;

This stunning hotel is a destination for a swift visit. Wind down with a glass of delicious seasonal wine and savoury amuse-style bites, finely selected by the executive chef Dennis Kuiper. Guests can also stretch their legs and explore the Dutch city on one of the hotel’s private bikes.

New York

Loews Regency, New York

Guests can relax and restore in this stunningly renovated hotel after a long flight or even after a day of sightseeing, with Loews’s special restoring package. This includes two cocktails at The Regency Bar as well as a reviving spa session at Julian Farel’s salon in midtown Manhattan.

Zurich

Baur Au Lac: Zurich

Let time fly in the beautiful city of Zurich with Baur Au Lac’s delicious afternoon tea, and enjoy the historical atmosphere of the location through this culinary delight. Taste homemade scones, exquisite sandwiches and pastries in the hotel’s Le Hall after a tranquil walk by the lake.

So when planning your perfect wedding, think about travel that’s involved with these destinations and play it smart. Happy honeymoon!!!

 

Beautiful winter weddings

Posted on by

The number of winter weddings taking place every year is increasing. Although off-season rates are a factor for many couple’s, there are lots of fun reasons to have your big day during the winter months.

  • As dusk falls early, you have an extended evening to celebrate. With endless possibilities for candles, fairy lights, and fireworks to light up the night sky, winter weddings are a great excuse to have fun with lights.

  • Every winter bride dreams of a magical sprinkling of snow. If you get married north of the border, the chance increases even further.

  • Most wedding venues and wedding suppliers will have off season rates, but many will also provide tempting incentives. Scottish venue Dundas Castle is offering complimentary bubbly, fairy light ceiling, and sparklers to all winter weddings in January and February 2017 as part of its ‘Winter Sparkle’ promotion.

  • Why not welcome your guests into your wedding venue that has a roaring open fire? You could also reflect on your day with a nightcap as the fire crackles – one of the great pleasures of winter weddings.

  • Winter is full of memorable dates to make your chosen day even more special. You could have a festive Christmas wedding, a romantic Valentine’s weekend wedding, or even start the New Year as you mean to go on – as a married couple.

  • Fly to the Maldives during Summer, and you’ll hit a monsoon! Winter is southern hemisphere honeymoon season, with no school holiday supplements. The chance to ski or get some much needed winter sun makes it a honeymoon triple whammy!

  • Getting married in winter totally eliminates ‘Will it? Won’t it?’ weather related stress. Guests will be expecting colder weather, so the focus will be on what’s going on indoors. That way, any snow or winter sun comes as an added bonus.

  • Your guests may have ‘wedding fatigue’ by the time your summer wedding comes around. A winter wedding will be a seasonal highlight too. This gives you and your guests a great excuse for a post-Christmas knees up.

  • Winter is still low season, making getting your ideal Saturday date a breeze. It’s also much easier finding accommodation for your guests, or bagging your dream photographer or wedding band.

  • Last but surely not least, a winter wedding is your chance to sport some stylish bridal wellies. If you’re less adventurous, winter offers a plethora of clothing options. Why not go for fake fur, feathers and capes to tempt the fashion conscious.

 

Entertain kids on your Wedding day

Posted on by

When planning a wedding, you don’t want to leave the kids out. You also want all your guests to come along to your wedding and not to refuse if they can’t get a babysitter. Here’s what to do if you want to keep the kids amused at your wedding…

Clowns

There’s nothing better than having a clown at your wedding! Able to put a smile on everybody’s face, clowns can entertain children at your wedding with a fun show that focuses on a variety of skills including magic and comedy. Perfect for the young and young at heart.

Face Painting

A simple and traditional idea and one that always goes down brilliantly, face painting is a hugely popular affair at every event and wedding. Whether children would like to go for a tiger look or a butterfly, there are numerous options available to ensure that every single child is happy on your special day.

Balloon Modellers

There are a number of fun balloon modellers to hire that can entertain children in a variety of ways. Not just for children’s parties, these superb artists can make pretty much anything out of their very special balloons. Whether a child would like a dog or perhaps even a hat ‘made’ from Pineapple and other delights, our balloon modellers are more than up to the task. Unlike other children’s entertainment, you might just find your adult guests wanting to get involved as well!

Petting Zoo

The best thing about hiring a petting zoo is that everybody can get involved and enjoy having animals at your wedding. Just like balloon modellers, this idea is perfect for guests both young and old, with a particular highlight being  a Pony. Children will be in their element as they pet the animals inside the enclosure and they may just be allowed to feed them as well!

 

A Wedding Under £1,000

Posted on by

With wedding dresses alone averaging out at over £1000, is it really possible to plan the perfect wedding under £1,000?!

Given that the average UK wage is just under £28,000 per annum, it’s clear that getting married is an expensive pursuit. Not only that, it’s one that puts many couples in a huge amount of debt, and at a time when life should be a carefree bed of roses.

It may not surprise you that it’s possible to get married without breaking the bank, and it is, in fact, possible to have a perfect wedding day for less than £1000. Being savvy in your choices and concentrating on what really matters can mean you still have the day of your dreams, as well as enjoying a debt-free marriage! Start married life wedding debt-free with a guide to wedding planning for less than £1,000!

1. Do it yourself

You can delegate almost every job to a wedding planner, other than saying ‘I do’ and spending the rest of your life in marital bliss. Save the cost and do it yourself.

2. The Guest List

The idea of a lavish crowd might excite you, but keep it to close friends and family and you’ll be saving thousands of pounds. Aim for a list of 40 for starters and do your best to stick to it.

3. Use the talents of your guests

Do you have a keen photographer, DJ or cake baker amongst your friends and family? Then use them. Although professionals will tell you differently, there’s not an awful lot to baking three wedding cakes and stacking them on top of each other.

4. The Venue

Have a budget, shop around and source your own venue – village halls are a good starting point – then decorate it with the help of friends and family. Go local and save time and money on a wedding car – delegate a friend to drive and glam it up yourself.

5. Food & Drink

Many wedding venues will allow external catering, and buffet food is cheaper. Marry later to avoid serving two meals. And does anyone really want vol-au-vents and finger food, when a massive plate of serve-your-own hot dogs will fill the hungry.

6. The Outfits

Purchase or hire suits from the high street, ask the best man to wear his own and colour co-ordinate with matching ties. High street brands are all jumping on the wedding attire band wagon and offering affordable ranges of wedding and bridesmaid dresses for under £100, and for some of them, no one will be able to tell the difference.

7. The Honeymoon

You’ll be exhausted following your big day, and may just want to sleep and indulge in whatever else newlyweds get up to. Save money on a massive holiday abroad for a time when you can afford it after the wedding.

Essential Costs

  • Detailing essential costs will let you know how much you have left to ‘splash out’ on non-essentials, be these hair, jewellery, flowers, decorations etc.

  • Marriage License & Fees: approx. £150

  • Venue: Village hall hire from £20 per hour x 7 hrs = £140

  • Food & Drink: 40 person self-service buffet catering from £5 per head; buy your own booze for £250 (average 50 bottles of wine or 30 crates of beer)

  • Outfits: Men’s suit from £49; wedding dress from £69

  • Rings: Matching titanium bands from £35

  • Total Essential Costs: £893

  • Budget left for non-essentials: £107