Buckingham Gate Visit

Buckingham Gate

It’s been a busy summer and after many rearranged appointments I finally made it The Private Rooms at Buckingham Gate at the invitation of Aali Ghufran the Conference & Private Rooms Manager.

So one rainy Friday morning Akansha from Vivah Weddings and Ericka from Fluttery Fly Events (we have found a real benefit in meeting up every couple of months just to talk & brainstorm about the world of wedding planning) and I arrived in Buckingham Gate which is just a short walk from some our most famous and beautiful landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the Royal Parks.

Just walking into the lobby area gives you a feeling of grandeur and aristocracy and this was before we even started our show around.

We set off from the wonderful courtyard garden with its famous Victorian Fountain, where you could hold your Civil Ceremony or Drinks Reception surrounded by the most stunning architecture all around you.

It was then off to Spa at Fifty One which is included in Harpers & Queen’s Worlds 100 Best Spa’s and from the moment you walked in you were greeted by the most amazing aromas from the Anne Sémonin spa treatments and oils, the Spa is used by many a famous face who may be staying at Buckingham Gate whilst on tour, filming or appearing in the West End. Of course we were keeping an eye out for familiar faces.

Whether you want an intimate candlelit dinner party or your Wedding Reception the historic private dining rooms are a perfect location. Ornately furnished with turn-of-the century chandeliers make this a stunning back drop for your event and the location could not be better.

Aali kindly invited us to have lunch with him and I would highly recommend doing so the food like everything else was exquisite and we were truly spoilt.

We were all in love with The Private Rooms and discussing endless possibilities by the time we said good bye to our host Aali.

I have to say that this gem which has played host to Presidents, Princes & Her Majesty the Queen along with sportsmen and film stars is definitely a venue with sophistication, elegance, consummately professional staff not too be missed.

A Guide to a stress free wedding!

Getting married should be the happiest time of your life but it can also be the most stressful!

To try and elevate the stress element get organised!

Keep a wedding file and store all your wedding information together in one place. Have sections for each element of your wedding such as ceremony, venue, photographer, music, cake, transport etc and file all the relevant information in the correct section. Type up a status report for your wedding, covering all aspects and up date this regularly and keep it in the front of your file.

Don’t be afraid to delegate to your friends and family, they won’t mind a bit. In fact they will be honoured that you asked them to help you, especially your mum! Try to remember this is a big day for her as well.

Always remember though this is you and your partner’s big day and you will drive yourself mad trying to please everyone. Be polite and thank them for their thoughts, suggestions and ideas but at the end of the day please yourself!

If you have a budget stick to it! Don’t feel that you have to have bigger and better than friends or a wedding straight from the pages of magazine. Remember that after the wedding day a phone call from your bank manager will be something you will not want.

At don't let yourself get stressed about the weather, it is the one thing that you just cannot do anything about, everyone hopes for a sunny day but a rainy day can be just as much fun & your photographs still fantastic.

Don’t let your wedding stress take the fun out of being together, have date nights and make them ‘wedding free’ nights – so that you can chill out and remind yourself why you are getting married in the first place.

ISIS Weddings – 13th November 2009

Business of Brides Association of Bridal Consultants Convention

Business of Brides Association of Bridal Consultants Convention

Wedding Video.com produced this video to promote the 2009 Business of Brides Annual Conference to be held this year.

http://www.weddingvideo.com/videos/business-brides-association-bridal-consultants-convention

You can’t help but fall in love with Indianapolis at the 2009 Business of Brides Annual Conference. Join hundreds of your colleagues November 8th, 9th and 10th at the Hyatt Regency where you’ll attend informative seminars, workshops and panel discussions.

This year’s conference will feature master Bridal Consultant Frank Andonoplas, Etiquette expert Peggy Post, Destination wedding guru Rebecca Grinnals and celebrity cake maker Sylvia Weinstock. At this year’s Business of Brides conference, you will obtain valuable information guaranteed to advance your skills and increase your income earning potential.

You will enjoy program topics that include how to develop a media campaign, marketing strategies, blogging for the bridal business, administrative management skills and the inside information on planning destination weddings. Attending The Business of Brides will be a solid investment in your future.

Thank you http://www.weddingvideo.com/ for allowing us to use your footage.

Wish I was going!

Trevor Godfree

Trevor Godfree - Wedding Photography for Sarah & Barry's Wedding

Trevor kindly allowed us to use images from Sarah & Barry's wedding for their blog entry and I asked Trevor about himself and his wedding photography style.

'I specialise in shooting natural, vibrant, unrehearsed photographs, to capture the emotion, colour, texture as well as those unexpected magical moments.

The most important thing for me is that couples are able to relax and enjoy their day without having to worry about the photography.

I pride myself on a calmness which tends to radiate out to those who are perhaps not so calm on the day.

Over the past 25 years I have covered nearly 2000 couples weddings (I am getting the hang of it now! ) and many have stayed in touch over the years and have brought their families to the studio for portraits. It is a privilege and great fun to the job that I do, and wouldn't ever want to change it.'

Trevor

http://www.trevorgodfree.com/

Sarah & Barry

When Sarah & Barry asked us to look after their wedding day for them we knew it was going to be good fun!

Getting married on the 4th July was just the start.

The couple got married at the beautiful St Peter's Church Boughton Monchelsea which over looked the deer park and the famous Weald of Kent.






The boys finally all ready and off to church..........in a Red Ferrari and a Black Bugatti

After some last minute preparations The bride was ready and off to the Church in a beautiful Vintage car that her father had spent the previous year lovingly restoring for her wedding.

The Ceremony was lovely and the couple said their vows and signed the registrar to the singing a Gospel Choir



It was then time to go back to Barry's parents house were a huge marquee had been set up with a stunning red carpet to greet the Guests.


It was a lovely hot 4th July and the Guests enjoyed drinks and canapes whilst listening to a very funky Steel Band.

As the Guests were invited into dinner they were able to admire the stunning flower decorations by Amanda at Distinctly Floral.

It was soon time for speeches and the cutting of the Empire State Wedding Cake made by Icing on The Cake.


The couple had a big surprise in store for the Guests as they started their first dance, a slow romantic number which they performed with style and then the music beat changed on burst the most amazing break dancers to take over, entertain and encourage the Guests to join in!

All in all, a spectacular 4th July Wedding!

Michelle & Will

On behalf of Love & Lord the leading Italian Wedding Planning company I had the pleasure of working with Michelle & Will on their romantic wedding in Tuscany.

Despite a torrent of rain, that could have put a real dampener on the day, the couple had a beautiful ceremony in Sienna a historical walled city - a town so well preserved and maintained, free of traffic and full of history and monuments, to be considered an essential part of the world's cultural heritage.

At the Town Hall, Palazzo Comunale where the civil ceremony was held, Michelle walked down the aisle to join Will and he was blown away by how beautiful she looked.

After the ceremony we managed to get a few photographs in the Piazza del Campo among the tourists and Guests before getting back on board the coaches and making our way to Villa Vignamaggio in Greve, Chianti.

The Villa of Vignamaggio, surrounded by an elegant Italian garden in a stunningly beautiful corner of the Chianti countryside, offers an authentic testimony of country life during the Renaissance period. The main part of the villa dates back to the 14th century. The Gherardi family who bought the villa from the Gherardini at the end of the 16th century, were responsible for its present appearance.

Mona Lisa, the daughter of Anton Maria Gherardini, was born at Vignamaggio in 1479. It is rumoured that Leonardo's Mona Lisa painting was of her in fact those are Tuscan hills in the background. The film Much A Do About Nothing was also filmed here making good use of the lovely Italian Gardens.

Due to the weather the wedding breakfast was held inside but with the stunning flowers of every colour that Michelle had chosen the room looked amazing.

It was then time for the dancing, and of course that was going to be a fun time as well.

Julie & Guy Wedding

Congratulations to Julie & Guy!

Joshua Rhys has arrived weighing in at 6lb 14oz and perfect in every way!