Walking into a cosy, yet beautiful wood panelled room inside ‘La Scuola Grande Dei Carmini’ (where they filmed ‘Casanova’, I might add), the wedding planner smiled and suggested that this might be suitable for our small wedding party, which consisted of just me and my then, fiancé. It was a beautiful room, granted, but my curiosity overcame me and I asked to see the larger room she had mentioned in her e-mail, just-in-case. Awe struck at the magnificent ornate room with painted ceiling that stood before me as she opened the adjoining doors, I decided that small wedding party or not, this was where I would be saying my vows.

I’m pleased to say that overall, our wedding in Venice went without a hitch. It had been a last minute decision to go for Venice, based purely on my visit as a 12yr old and stories of the infamous Carnival they held every February. So, in the January, my fiancé on the other side of the world (don’t ask), and not yet officially engaged, I chose our Italian wedding planners off the internet, and began the journey of a typical bride, but all condensed into two months.

The wedding planners thankfully spoke English as my Italian was a little rusty, but weren’t cheap (from memory, it cost us about £4,000). However, being able to relinquish the stress and responsibility to them for organising the official documents, the wedding translator (for my hubby), the musician, photographer and the flowers was well worth it. Our wedding, you see, was going to be a little bit different to the normal Venetian weddings because we were taking advantage of the Carnevale and dressing in full period style costumes, complete with most important accessory, the ‘masquerade masks’.

28^th February, the day of the wedding, and I’m being squeezed into a divine 17^th century gold and cream gown which had been altered the day before by a team of experienced seamstresses, and taken out to my awaiting husband-to-be. To be fair, he didn’t look that comfortable in his wig and high heels, but we headed out to the private gondola and to the place we would become man and wife. We ended the night at one of the poshest ‘Masquerade Balls’ in town and for the price (approx £200pp), we were entertained with traditional dancing, a feast of never ending gorgeous food and Bellini’s galore.

I can safely say that our wedding was the most extravagant thing we have ever done and probably will ever do. The day was completely ours with no worrying about guests or table decorations (that was all to come a week later when we threw a masquerade ball back in England for our friends and family) and that in itself, will be the most memorable time for us.

Just one thing to note for those who might be considering a similar wedding, there are thousands of masks in Venice but seem to fall into 2 categories – the cheap and the very expensive. Looking at our wedding masks now, with bits of ribbons hanging off, I only wish I had been able to use of my own designs and could have matched it to my dress!

You can have your own masquerade style wedding and wow your friends, have a look at the stunning masquerade masks at Masque Boutique.

Ensure that the main elements of your wedding are planned well in advance; avoid the disappointment of a venue being unavailable by considering getting married on a day other than a Saturday. This could have the added benefit of being less expensive, thus leaving more money to spend on other items. Have a notebook or diary specifically for use in connection with your wedding so that all of your suppliers’ details and all of the relevant timescales are readily to hand. There are lots of magazines and websites that can help you to plan the timing of the different elements, but there are some key questions that you need to ask right at the beginning.

• Where will the wedding take place?
• What time of year do you want to get married, bearing in mind any honeymoon arrangements that you will be making?
• How many guests will you be expecting to attend?
• What is your total budget?

Once these key elements have been discussed you can move on to the other services that will make sure that you have the day of your dreams, a beautiful dress, stunning flowers, delicious cake and fantastic company.

About the author: The UK Wedding Shows has more than 25 years experience in the wedding industry, organising wedding exhibitions throughout the UK and having contact with thousands of brides and suppliers.

The key to having your perfect wedding day is to plan ahead and allow yourself some flexibility in your budget in case you find that special something that will make your day unique. Everyone remembers their wedding day and you can make the memories even more special by having the personal touch. Speaking to different suppliers, seeking personal recommendations and looking at testimonials from other brides are all ways for a couple to ensure that they get exactly what they wish for on their special day. If you don’t know where to start and feel overwhelmed by the choice of wedding services on offer, consider visiting a wedding exhibition for inspiration and to help you focus on the things that you are really drawn to, apart from each other of course! It may be a good idea to combine a wedding show with a visit to relatives who may be playing a key role at your wedding as they may be able to suggest things that you had not thought of. The internet can be a fantastic resource when planning your wedding and Wedding Directories can open up a world of choice for the bride and groom who are looking for something unique whether it is unusual transport options, fantastic flowers or a wedding album you will treasure for the rest of your lives. Talk to other people who will tell you their wedding story and most of all talk to each other about what will make your perfect day.

About the author: The UK Wedding Shows has more than 25 years experience in the wedding industry, organising wedding exhibitions throughout the UK and having contact with thousands of brides and suppliers.

Wedding Jewellery

Apart from the wedding rings, wedding jewellery is something that often gets little thought before the wedding. Jewellery can be worn to compliment the dress and to reflect more of your person

ality into the day. The style of jewellery and tiara or other hair decorations should depend to some extent on the style and colour of your dress, but it should also be something you feel confident wearing.

Hair decorations include tiaras, crowns, fascinators, hair bands, slides, grips or combs.
There is no correct way of wearing your tiara, take it to your hair dresser when you go for a trial run for your style and work out how you are going to wear it.
You should also consider the following when choosing your wedding jewellery:

• If your dress has a distinctive colour or a lot of beaded detail, look around for jewellery which matches or compliments the colour and is made with similar crystals, pearls and or diamantes.Try to co-ordinate your jewellery. If you have been given a necklace to wear as something borrowed, for example, look for a pair earrings and a bracelet to match.
• Talk to your hairdresser before deciding on your tiara as it may not work with your hair style.
• Your jewellery and tiara should be comfortable to wear. If your tiara feels too tight gently bend the ends of the band away from your head. It should also be secure so use hair grips to hold in place if you feel that it might slip.
• If you have sensitive skin, make sure you aren’t going to be wearing jewellery which will set you off in a rash half way through the day.
• Try to keep the bridesmaid’s jewellery and hair decorations simple, it is best to compliment but not detract from the bride’s. If the bride is wearing a tiara perhaps the bridesmaids could wear a decorated band or hair swirls made with similar beads.
• Consider having all of your jewellery custom made for you. Look on the internet for a local designer, often their prices won’t be any more than if you were to buy from a wedding dress supplier and you will have jewellery made especially for you, as a complete set.

By Angela Smith Jewellery

Angela Smith

Angela Smith is a Staffordshire jewellery designer, specialising in bespoke handmade jewellery. Angela designs beautiful beaded jewellery for weddings and other occasions, she has a large range of jewellery to buy off the peg suitable for brides and bridesmaids as well as Mother of the Bride and other wedding guests.
Angela is also happy to discuss your jewellery requirements with you, and designing your own wedding jewellery.

To see examples of Angela’s work please visit angela smiths jewellery website or Angela’s Blog for more recent examples of her work.

Trendy high street store Urban Outfitters are getting into the wedding scene with a new online wedding store, Urban outfitters have always been where the cool and trendy people get their clothes and is slightly more expensive than other high street stores like Topshop.

Urban outfitters are trying the line of Bridal garments online before branching out to stores and are being created by Anthropologie’s designers who will be working with other guest designers to create the bridal range.

If Urban outfitters bridal line is anything like their traditional line these garments will be trendy, and very diffferent to the most other bridal gowns. I doubt they will conform to traditional meringue style dresses but will probably go for either a chic look or a laid back look.

Who knows but I am interested to see what this line looks like as Urban outfitters are probably the least bridal company on the high street with quite an underground style for their shops it is a far cry from the prim and proper bridal boutiques you associate with wedding outfits.

CEO Glen Senk explained.

“We want to offer a community for brides,” he said. “Travel services, wedding planning and flowers are things we could potentially offer. We’re trying not to be just about selling products. We want to help the bride plan the wedding.”

The team aren’t ust going to produce wedding dresses but are looking at bridesmaid dresses, jewelry, shoes, accessories and even invitations.

After the initial shock of the proposal, then the excitement of choosing your bridal gown and the groom’s suit, the next big decision will be your wedding reception venue.  Brilliant!   Your wedding is now planned and booked … other than you have overlooked the one thing that will make or break the party – your wedding DJ.   Just look in your Yellow Pages; there are hundreds of them, each offering you the party to remember.  But beware!  Many of them are part-time and only DJ as a hobby.  That’s why some will quote as little as £50.00 per night.  Some will take your booking and then wait , hoping to get another booking on the same night for more money, totally uncaring in the fact they could leave you stranded and panicking, perhaps, only days before the Biggest Day of Your Life.

Few have public liability insurance and others- the worst kind in my book – will only play the music that THEY like.  So here are a few points that you need to check BEFORE booking your wedding party DJ.

1. Ask them if they have any gigs booked locally, so you can go and spend an hour listening to them and watching how they interact with the audience.

2. Ask to physically SEE their public liability and electrical p.a.t.  test certificates.

3. Ask them to supply you with a playlist where you can add or remove any genre of music that you do or do not want at your wedding.

4. If your wedding breakfast is early afternoon, as if they will play background music until the party starts in the evening and, if so, if there is an extra charge for this (when I take a booking, it is for the whole day.)

5. Beware of the cheap DJ as the sayings go “you get what you pay for” or “buy cheap and you could pay twice”.  By this, I don’t mean go for the most expensive, but if they are too cheap, this should start alarm bells ringing as they will be cutting corners somewhere along the line.

6. And the last question should be to ask for clarification on what you will actually get for your money.   Most DJ’s will  tell you that they have different packages for different prices, this is normally the adding of a few more lights and your wedding quote increasing by a few hundred pounds , so beware!!!  (For example, if I take a booking, you get a top of the range speaker system with crystal clear sound, a state of the art led light and laser show and even karaoke if you require it -  all for one set price).

www.weddingpartydj.co.uk Neil Partridge has been entertaining in and around the Midlands for the last 6 years and will supply quality discos to a wide variety of events and parties, which not only include weddings and civil partnerships, but also engagement and anniversary party night’s, birthday parties, corporate event’s, prom night’s, under 18’s discos, karaoke parties and individually themed party’s to name but a few.  We also carry 10 million pound public liability insurance for your peace of mind and our FIRST CLASS PROFESSIONAL SERVICE starts from the very first no obligation phone call or email.

Maybe you’d just like a list of the most popular first dance songs?  I’m happy to oblige.  For further information please email info@weddingpartydj.co.uk or call my (always with me mobile) 07977 491075 or leave a message on the land line Hednesford 01543 426619.

Neil Partridge is the
www.weddingpartydj.co.uk
For a First Dance that Lasts a Lifetime
4 Coppermill Close | Hednesford | Staffordshire | WS12 4SQ

Jennifer Hudson’s fiance David Otunga is keen for Jennifer to sing at their wedding, he also wants to enjoy her performance whilst him and their six-month-old son David Jr. wear matching tuxedos- cute!

Jennifer Hudson is planning her wedding to professional wrestler David Otunga and her fiancee has revealed he wants her to show off her vocal talents on the wedding day by treating him and their guests to a live performance.

Jennifer first found fame on American idol and the wedding will have performances from other American Idol contestants as well as the Dream Girl herself. Jennifer is a beautiful singer with a powerful voice and it is not surprising David is proud and wants her to show off her talents.

He said: “It would be great if any of the former American Idols sang at the wedding. And it would be wonderful to have Jennifer sing – I’d love that. But I won’t be because I don’t sing!”

The couple – who met at Jennifer’s 27th birthday party in 2008 – have a six-month-old son David Jr. and they are keen for the tot to play a big part on their special day.

David said: “I want my son and I to wear matching custom tuxedos!”

A date has already been set for the nuptials and the couple are busy finalising plans.

He revealed to Life and Style magazine: “We’ve picked a date. And Jennifer has chosen her dress, but she won’t tell me much about that, obviously.

“We know who we want to design the rings – Neil Lane, he made our engagement rings. And he’s a personal friend as well.”

Grappler David – who is one of eight professional wrestlers appearing on the World Wrestling Entertainment’s new reality show ‘WWE NXT’ – recently said he wanted tie the knot in a wrestling ring.

When asked whether the WWE could convince the couple to get married in the squared circle, David joked: “We could do that. I don’t know if Jennifer would go for it, but I’d be up for it.”

Would you sing on your wedding day? I don’t think my guests would want me to sing but even if I had Jennifer Hudsons talent I probably would rather sit back and enjoy the day. However, your wedding day is your day to be a star and if singing is your bag it would be a nice gesture to your husband to sing a special song.

When planning your wedding one of the things most Brides forget about is their underwear, bras or corsets to be worn under the wedding dress.

Once you have chosen your wedding dress style it is important that you choose the underwear to suit this style. We have put together a list of suitable bras and underwear to go with your wedding dress.

So you’ve found the dress of your dreams and you can picture yourself with the perfect hair and makeup but you don’t want to stress out about finding the correct underwear, we have looked at all styles of underwear from Bodies and Basques to seamless or multiway bras. The most popular choices for underwear on your wedding day are Bodies, Basques and corset and the strapless bra!

Bodies,basques and Corsets

The most popular choice for underwear are Bodies, Basques and Corsets when speaking to Brides this seems to be because they feel more special wearing underwear that is a bit different to your every day bra. The Brides we spoke to said that even though you couldn’t see the basque or corset knowing they were wearing something a bit special helped add to the romance of the day.

Another great reason for wearing a Body or Basque is that it can hold you in and help sculpt and shape your figure. Many Baques or Corsets have boning in them which will help push everything in the right place, for tight fitting dresses this can help you feel confident but make sure you invest in one that makes you feel comfortable.

Strapless bras

With the poularity of strapless wedding dresses it makes sense to wear a strapless bra, although even wedding dresses with traps can benefit from a strapless bra. It is important that you look stunning on your wedding day so you don’t want to have to worry about your bra straps showing or slipping. Strapless bras come in all shapes and sizes and even go up to a G cup whilst still offering good support and shape.

Flesh coloured bras

If your wedding dress is a traditional white or sheer then many Brides make the mistake of choosing a white bra or body, this can sometimes show through the dress so it is better to pick underwear that matches your skin tone as closely as possible. By matching your skin colour your dress will be admired for the dress rather than people seeing the outline of your underwear.

Multiway bras

Multiway bras are a good choice if your dress had a cross over dress or an asymetric strap, most brides tend to go for a strapless bra but multiways can be adapted for unusual styles and low backs whilst still offering a lot of support. It is a good idea to try a few styles to see if a multiway offers better support or a nicer shape than a strapless bra.

Seam-free bras

For a close fitting wedding dress or a smooth material, a seam-free style is probably a good choice. Smooth cups will give you a great shape with no lumps, bumps or patterns to spoil the line of your outfit.

Plunge bras

Many Brides like to add a bit of glamour to their wedding outfit and many modern dresses have a low cut style, in this case it is important that your bra doesn’t show. Plunge bras are cut lower at the front and give your breasts a show stopping shape that will make your husband to be proud and the guests jealous.

Whatever style you go for it is important to get measured and fitted correctly for your wedding bra, you should also have your underwear for your final fittings to make sure any sculptings are considered on your final dress alterations.

The Sherrans chose to have their Wedding at Kitley House, situated in Devon it is a historical Country House with loads of history. A listed grade one building that is over 500 years old, was made famous by its old house keeper ‘Old Mother Hubbard’ whose stories are shared with children all over the world and devised to entertain the children of Kitley House.

Kitley is a vibrant venue holding conferences, seasonal events and murder mysteries, as well as weddings.

Kitley House has 600 acres of pasture and woodland and overlooks a beautiful Trout Lake with easy access to the sea (this means the seafood is fresh). To get to the house you need to drive  a mile down tree lined drive with pasture either side, you will probably see  horses and pheasants as you drive down. The picturesque house has been featured in recent films and on television.

The house is easy to get to but still private and they booked the hotel for the 28th October 2009.

Accommodation

The Sherrans booked the whole of Kitley House for immediate family and the wedding party but for any other guests who need alternative accommodation we have a got a list of recommended Bed and Breakfasts as well as Travelodge style places.

Venn Farm ~ B & B www.vennfarm.co.uk
01752 880378

Venn Farm is a traditional Bed and Breakfast situated in the heart of Brixton in South Devon. Surrounded by rural treats there is a pub, farm shop and even a chippy nearby. Venn farm is a family owned working farm on 600 acres of land so you can expect the freshest produce for your hangover beating breakfast.

Plantation House www.plantationhousehotel.co.uk
01548 830741

Plantation house is a stylish hotel situated in South Hams in Devon, the former parish rectory looks out over the picturesque valley and the river Erme. The hotel accommodation includes 8 designer rooms with wellies to borrow for walks around the picturesque surroundings.

The Grange, Waye Farm ~ B & B www.livermoreandree.co.uk
01752 830427 or 07862709825

The Grange Waye Farm is at Ermington in Devon, the farm was used as a Granary and now provides accommodation for holiday makers and travellers who want to see a bit of historical Devon.

Broadmoor Farm www.broadmoorfarmhouse.co.uk
01752 880407

Broad Moor Farm is a 17th Century Farm house that overlooks Dartmoor close to the sea and the River Yealm.The farm house is omly short drive from Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo, both of these villages are packed with restaurants and pubs so if your stayin a few nights to make a holiday of it then you’ll have plenty to do.

Mildmay Colours Inn www.mildmaycolours.co.uk
01752 830248

The Mildmay Colours Inn is full of history, built in 1617, in the times of James 1st and has had many transformations, from a manor house, a farm, brewery and pub. Named in the 1960’s after Lord Anthony Mildmay od Flete who was an amateur jockey who died in a swimming accident. His Grand National colours are displayed in the Inn.

New Country Inn www.thenewcountryinn.co.uk
01752 869555

This old county inn is situated around a courtyard with picturesque gardens, although they cater for large and small, including weddings and banquets, the inn is a favorite with the locals to drop in and have a great meal in the restaurant.

Langdon Court www.langdoncourt.com
01752 862358

Langdon court is a venue for people who want to have a bit of a holiday the hotel is stunning and an ideal location for weddings and other occasions. Great food and fabulous gardens it is similar to Kitley and I would recommend to people who want to take advantage of the time down there to discover the sites of Devon.

St Elizabeth’s House www.stelizabeths.co.uk
01752 344840

St Elizabeths is another stunning location in the heart of Devon, the Georgian venue has maintained its historical feel but with 21st Century comforts. This is another house that is a good option for weddings and is worth checking out if you are staying for a few days.

Moat House
01752639988

Travel Inn
01752 600660

Holiday Inn
01752 639988

Not everyone can afford to go to the stunning hotels in Devon and if your just coming down to celebrate with us, then the Holiday inn is ideal. It is cheap cheerful, clean and you get a breakfast for the hangover the next day.

There is also now a Jury’s Inn close to the Barbican in Plymouth

plymouthhotels.jurysinns.com

I went to look for my wedding outfit on Saturday. I want an outfit that will tone in with the theme, be smart and not get lost among the beautiful bridesmaids and stunning bride. At first i thought of purple, but I would end up getting lost among everyone else, being a bit vertically challenged. So as long as it didn’t clash went with no particular idea of colour.
I called in at The Collection, in Workington, just to see what they had and had a lovely experience! The two ladies there had a chat, and found lot of different styles for me to try on. I am a bit limited in that I am a size 8 and quite a small size 8, and collections for older ladies seem to be more aimed at larger sizes. However there were still about 6 different outfits for me to try in my size.

There was a lovely pink floaty outfit with a corset style top and a jacket, but I felt that was a bit informal. I tried a Chanel style outfit but to me it looked a bit dated, rather Queen Motherish. Then there was a grey silk dress with a floaty stole that looked elegant except it showed up the only plump part about me – my stomach.
By this time I had the two ladies in the shop commenting and adding accessories, pinning this in, draping that. Other customers were getting involved and telling me how it looked. I was tottering around on stunning silver heels, other half was taking photos, coffee was brought out to keep his spirits up as he had to go and keep re- parking the car.
Eventually I settled on a grey silk suit, and I was sat down with a cup of tea while we negotiated the price. It isn’t cheap, but it is being altered slightly, the buttons moved to make the Audrey Hepburn style jacket a better fit and the top straps altered. I am also hiring a stunning fascinator which will be boxed up for me a week before the wedding.
I had excellent personal service, and was never pressurised . It was helpful when the other customer gave her opinion, as she agreed with us! I won’t look like Audrey Hepburn (my style icon) but hopefully I will look smart leading Sadie down the aisle.