Archive for December, 2008

If you’re in the planning stages of your wedding day, then we highly recommend you look into buying a book or two for your coffee table.
Not only will this inspire you with great wedding ideas, but it’ll serve as a great reminder of what you’re busy saving away for.

One of the terms often used when attending a wedding is WEDDING ETIQUETTE – So if you’re looking for a wedding etiquette book that will assist you choose the right wedding flower colours, find bridesmaids dresses and create beautified clones, worry about the font types of the invitation words then don’t buy this book!

Written by Jeanne Hamilton, Wedding Etiquette dumps all the rules that are associated with stuffy wedding traditions that typically gets labeled as “etiquette”.

Wedding Etiquette is an hilarious tongue-in-cheek collection of wedding day faux pas and etiquette no-nos, giving the bride and groom advice on what not to do on one’s wedding day, with tips on how to gently sack a bridesmaid, deal with your drunken best man, handle an embarrassing hen night party, and much more.

We were contacted recently by Sara Evans who is getting married in Essex in 2009, she was looking for a little advice about what to do when it comes to wedding guests paying for drinks at the bar, and whether or not to opt for a free bar at the wedding.

We informed her that every wedding is unique, and that she and her groom should make a desicion based on what they felt was right, and what was within their wedding budget. Our thoughts are simple, you should never, ever, plan your wedding around what others may expect.

This thought led us to this very blog post though, what do wedding guests expect when it comes to the bar at the wedding reception ? Is it traditional for the bride and groom to pay for all the guests drinks or is it even expected by the guests ?

Wedding traditions have slowly changed over the last ten to fifteen years, the idea of arriving at your wedding day on the back of a horse drawn carriage may not be everyone’s idea of a nice entrance, however beautiful it may look. A great deal of couples are planning less formal, more low-key weddings and deciding for a bigger party as the wedding reception.

Organising larger wedding receptions and smaller more intimate wedding ceremonies is a good way of saving costs on wedding catering, but the big party in the evening leaves the bride and groom worrying about the cost of the drinks, so here’s a few ideas on how to organise your bar :

DIY bar
If you’re hiring a marquee for your wedding, the likelihood is that the owners will allow you to provide your own bar, bar staff and drinks. If this is the case, then a trip to Tesco for the wine and spirits, and a conversation with a local dealer of keg beer and equipment could provide you with everything you need to keep the wedding guests flowing with “free” drinks without costing you a fortune.
Ask friends and relatives if they know anyone that would be happy to work behind the bar at your wedding.

Inform the wedding venue of your drinks rules
If your wedding reception is being held at a wedding venue that operates it’s own bar, then they’ll have set prices for all the drinks. Ask the wedding venue for a copy of the drinks prices in advance, perhaps even before you book the venue.
If you decide to go ahead and pay for some of the drinks, inform the venue which drinks come from your credit and which should be paid for by the wedding guests. For example, you could simply inform bar staff that you’ll pay for red and white wine by the glass, and draught beers only. That way if a wedding guest wants a double brandy and coke, they can pay for it themselves. Also consider telling the bar staff that younger wedding guests need to be accompanied by their parents at the bar otherwise they’ll be nipping up there for a new glass of lemonade every 15 minutes.

Set a limit
Instead of just deciding that you’ll buy all your wedding guests drinks, set a limit with the wedding reception venue and inform them that once that limit is reached, then they need to start charging the wedding guests for their drinks.

Consider a late free bar
If you’ve decided to pay part of the bar costs as a way of ensuring all your guests receive at least one drink from the happy couple, as a thank you for attending your wedding, then consider opening the free bar at the end of the night, instead of the start.
This option means that your wedding guests would of been enjoying their drinks for a good few hours before the free bar opens, meaning they would of slowed down quite considerably. You know yourself at the start of the evening everyone is a little more “thirsty and eager” and the bar. Leaving your free bar until later in the evening will mean that all wedding guests receive a drink without the tab drying up in record time ! Remember to inform the bar staff that things like large tequila’s are still paid for – there is always one chancer !!!

Wedding guests pay
There is absolutely nothing wrong with your wedding guests paying for their own drinks, after all they are your nearest and dearest friends and family. If you don’t have the budget or the desire to provide your wedding guests with endless booze, then don’t worry about it at all. The fact is that it’s your wedding, they are privileged to be invited and they’ll enjoy the wedding regardless of what the bar costs or doesn’t cost.

Happy Wedding Planning !

Here’s a classic example of what happens to couples on their wedding day when they decide to cut corners and not pay out for a professional wedding photographer.

We imagine the conversation went something along the lines of :

“Let’s make sure we get a lovely photograph of the beautiful bouquet to remind us in years gone by how wonderful it really looked”.

The outcome of asking your mate and his cheap camera to take the shot is this :

Delightful Wedding Bouquet

We’re not being critical, well maybe just a little. But let’s face it, a quality wedding photographer would have included the bride and groom’s hands, showing off their sparkling new wedding rings, and the whole thing would of looked delightful.

You see this image and think – “Staircase needs a coat of paint !”

Seen worse ? Comment below.

If you’re looking for great hen party ideas, then there is really no need to travel abroad for your hen do.
It is becoming more popular for the bride to be to jump on an aeroplane and spend a weekend somewhere in Europe for their hen weekend, but with the Pound particularly weak against the Euro at the moment, and the “budget” airlines raising prices to cover themselves against the credit crunch – we recommend you spend your hen party in Essex.

To help you with a couple of Essex hen party ideas, we’ve found two different ideas to ensure you’ll have a great hen party to remember, both are available in Essex so you needn’t spend fortunes travelling anywhere else for your fun.

Hire a hot tub for the weekend
Don’t waste money at expensive spas, hotels or bars – hire a jacuzzi for the weekend and get all your hen party friends round for one massive great laugh in your own back garden.
www.partytubs.co.uk hire hot tubs in Essex for any kind of party and are just perfect fun for a hen night.
They even collapse down into boxes so they can squeeze them easily through your doorways and can install the hot tubs virtually anywhere.
Prices for hiring the hot tub for your hen party start at just £99 for a midweek night, or just £130 for a full weekend. This means that the hire costs less then most flights around Europe if you were considering a hen weekend away.
Delivery is free within 20 miles of Colchester, Essex, and can fit upto 6 people, so this is a simple, affordable and fun hen night idea for Essex girls of all ages.
Get the drinks from your local supermarket, crank up the stereo and have a fun hen night in the cosiness of your own home by hiring a jacuzzi.
For full details visit www.partytubs.co.uk and tell them you heard of them here.

Pole Dancing lessons in Essex
Get the girls giggling all night long and discover your inner foxyness with pole dancing lessons.
Under the guidance of a professional instructor you and all the girls on your hen party can learn how to transform a 10ft metal pole into one of the most erotic activities your husbands and boyfriends can imagine.
The hen do fun is suitable for all ages, shapes and sizes and allows all the girls to leave their inhibitions behind and let their hair down for one big fun hen night.
The hen herself of course has the most fun, where she gets to show off her newly aquired skills in front of all the hen party at the end of the night! It’s no holds barred as the girls get to shed as little or as much clothing as they dare to.
Get in touch with www.chillisauce.co.uk for full details of how to have the liveliest hen party in Essex.

Follow this link for more details on Essex Hen Parties – or take a look at this page for all your hen party accessories.

Make sure you let us know how you get on, and more importantly send us some photos for our hen party stories page !

Christmas day wedding in Essex

A couple from North Essex will be celebrating their Christmas day in a slightly different style this year, by getting married as part of a church service.

Peter Jeary, 53, and Jane Englefield, 42, will embrace the true Yuletide spirit by getting married in a five-minute section of the Christmas morning service at St Mary’s Church in Great Bentley, Essex.

When asked what made them choose such an unusual day for their wedding celebrations, Miss Englefield replied “It is very special. Christmas is our favourite time of year – everyone is in the mood and the idea of going to a church at Christmas is still important to most people.”

Although we think it’s an utterly fantastic day to get hitched, we are a little suspicious of Mr Jeary’s motives and suspect that he choose the date so that he would never forget his anniversary.
Either that, or perhaps he’s trying to avoid buying two gifts

Either way, Essex Wedding Services wishes you both the very best of luck for the forth coming wedding, and happiness for your future together.

Planning a wedding on a special day ? Let us know all about it, fill out the comments box below.

We’ve been reading up on weddings around the world again, and delving into our wedding traditions to see what everyone else is up to. I guess our own weird wedding tradition is the lucky chimney sweep, perhaps not everyone’s perfect idea of a lucky charm beside a white wedding dress.

So if you’re curious or maybe if you’re looking to add a little international flavour to your wedding day, then read on. If you come from one of the countries mentioned below, please contact us and let us know if our research is correct or not !!

So let’s start with African weddings, now as you know Africa is a huge continent, with a vast array of different cultures, so here are just a few customs from African weddings -

Morocco: The bride takes a bath first thing on her wedding day symbolizing purification. I hear you asking “would you not normally take a bath on your wedding day then?”. Then next she is painted with henna on her hands and feet. Once the vows have been exchanged, the bride walks around her new home three times as if to claim her new status as “lady of the house.” Why not four times ? Odd scale 4/10.

South Africa: On the day of the wedding, both the parents of the bride and the groom bring a burning coal from their respective households and start a fire in the home of the newlyweds symbolizing the coming together of two families. Or perhaps just the coming together of a coal fire ? Odd scale 3/10.

West Africa: Another symbol of two families joining, and similar to our traditions, the mother of the bride and the father of the groom walk together while the mother of the groom and the father of the bride walk together to the ceremony. We tend to do it at the end of the ceremony though. Odd scale 1/10.

China – Said to ward off any evil spirits, the wedding processional starts with a big bang – drums, gongs, and firecrackers — leading from the groom’s house to the bride’s home. Lets hope this doesn’t leave them without fireworks on the wedding night Odd scale 4/10.

Finland – The Fins are special people as far as we’re concerned. Their tradition is, as the bride and groom begin their first dance as husband and wife, the groom’s mother balances a plate on her head. (WHAT THE..?) When the plate falls to the floor (depending on how much wine she’s had) the pieces are counted and the pieces represent how many children the couple will have ! Brilliant, we love it. Odd scale 8/10.

Greece – Symbolizing sweetness and abundance, the bride carries a lump of sugar in her glove down the aisle. For those that don’t want to attract ants or peckish horses, it is also common for wedding guests to smash plates at the reception for good luck – but not on anyone’s heads. Odd scale 5/10.

Mexico – The Mexican bride sews yellow, blue and red ribbons to her undergarments hoping this will bring an abundance of money, food and passion in the marriage. (No idea which colour represents which, or why?) Pearls are considered very bad luck to Mexicans as they symbolize tears and grief.

Philippines – Philippines choose marriage witnesses also known as sponsors. The sponsors they choose have the characteristics and qualities that the couple would love to gain amongst their married life. So really, they just surround themselves with their friends who they like, not really a tradition is it. Odd scale 1/10.

India (Hindu) – Firstly, the happy couple pray to the Hindu god Ganesha, who is the remover of obstacles and negative energy. Instead of exchanging rings, the couple will exchange marigold garlands (not marigold gloves) as a symbol of their everlasting commitment. Odd Scale 2/10

Ireland – Claddagh rings are exchanged in the Celtic tradition. The Claddagh ring portrays two hands holding a crowned heart. It is said that the hands represent friendship and faith, whilst the heart stands for love, and the crown symbolizes loyalty and honor. Odd Scale 1/10.

Italy – Like the Greeks, Italian tradition means smashing up things from the kitchen. The bride and groom break a glass or vase into as many pieces as possible. The number of pieces is said to represent the number of years they will remain happily married. They are obviously intending to live to be several hundred years old then. Odd Scale 6/10.

Japan – The bride wears a long, wide-sleeved robe tied with a sash known as a kimono. During the course of the wedding day the bride will wear several outfits. For the main wedding ceremony itself, the bride is covered head to toe in white. Her hair is covered with a white cloth, her face is painted white and she will wear an all white kimono symbolizing the beginning of a new life and the death of her childhood. Lets hope the fake tan doesn’t run then. Odd scale 3/10.

Russia – The Russian bride and groom race each other to the altar where they will say their vows. We cannot confirm whether or not this means they arrive in trainers looking a little sweaty on their wedding day. The winner is declared the head of the household. We assume the groom would be hell-bent on whizzing there first, but they actually aim for a tie. Odd scale 9/10.

Scotland – The night before the Scottish wedding, the bride’s friends hold a feet-washing ceremony for the bride as a ritual of purification and honoring (and to get rid of any cheesy odour). One of the married women in the group places her wedding ring in the water and the woman who finds the ring is said to be the next one to marry. How big is the foot-washing bucket then ? Can’t be that hard to find a ring ? Odd scale 7/10.

Heard any more wedding traditions from around the world ? Let us know below….

A very spectacular end to your wedding day is to go out with a bang and splash out on a fireworks display.
When deciding on whether you’re going to have fireworks at your wedding, you’ll need to ensure that you have the wedding venue’s permission, as well as the space for them.

Obviously the larger the firework display you opt for, then the larger the area you’ll need around your wedding venue.
There are many alternatives, ranging from just a firework drawing to a full display and, ideally your firework company should be offering many variables and clearly setting out all costs.

The fireworks can be quite stunning and most can be personalised to the bride and groom by the supplier. The firework displays should be value for money – check to see the total quantities of items – and once again there are many alternatives available to you.

Finally, do inform your photographer/videographer in advance about the display so they can be prepared to capture the spectacle. If they require any specialist knowledge on the filming of fireworks, the firework company should be able to assist.

Most importantly, especially in the summer months, make sure it’s going to be dark enough at the time you want to set them all off.

Visit our main website for details on wedding fireworks companies in Essex

Whilst stumbling around the internet last week, we found a website that really caught our attention.
So being the cheeky people that we are, we contacted the owner of the site, told them how wonderful we thought their work was, and asked if we could run a feature on them….. to our pleasure, they agreed.

We’ve often been contacted in the past by people looking for different or unique ideas for their wedding, this is one of the reasons we started this blog. But something we’ve never really written about in the past are poems for weddings, the main reason being – quite simply we aren’t very good at things like that !
Therefore we were delighted when we stumbled across www.TheWeddingPoet.co.uk

The Wedding Poet creates a uniquely written poem or fairytale completely tailored around the happy couple.
This amazing bespoke wedding idea is just perfect whether you’re looking for a romantic poem, a funny poem, or a full-blown love poem.

Sounds great doesn’t it, so who is this wedding poet ? Well, her name is Kate, and she is a widely published author of children’s books, and also novels and rhyming texts.
We caught up with Kate and asked her where this great idea came from, “It all started when I got married, I found it hard to find a wedding poem to read out to the wedding guests that really summed up just what was special about our relationship.” Said Kate.
“I wanted something that was both personal and a little humorous, and when I couldn’t find anything to fit the bill, I wrote the wedding poem myself”.

Unlike many faceless websites where you enter a few personal details and it churns out a mechanical poem, Kate is a real person who spends time writing a work of poetry that is completely bespoke and tailored to suit the individuals. On top of that fantastic service, Kate will also provide you a framed keepsake of the poem for you to display in your home and remind you of your perfect day.

The wedding poet not only offers to write a romantic or humorous poem for the happy couple to share at the wedding, but can also write something for any member of the wedding party, such as sisters or mother-in-laws.
On top of that, should you decide you really want to put together your own verses, then Kate can help you give it that professional touch, and can even help assist you with your reading out loud skills.

Below is an example of the wedding poet’s work, entitled Kicking up Sand.
Melanie and Arthur are an older couple who have both been married before. They felt really lucky to have another chance at love. They live a lovely life taking time out every couple of months to go traveling together.

Kicking Up Sand

(Melanie)
How did I wait all my life
To find my love so true?
What a joy to come so far down life’s path
And then find someone like you

(Arthur)
How did I wait all my life
To be so greatly adored?
By someone who fills their jeans so well
With whom I never get bored.

(Melanie)
How did I wait all my life
Without knowing that you would be it?
My generous, caring, self-assured man
With whom all the pieces fit.

(Arthur)
How did I wait all my life
To find such fantastic rapport?
For sunshine and laughter and dancing
With a woman I love more and more.

(both/one of you/line by line each – final line together)
Let’s race through our life now together
In an open-top Spider car
Let’s visit the souks, and piazzas
And check out every bar
Let’s dance and dine
On good food and wine
As more and more our souls entwine
Kicking up sand
Hand in hand
Forever, with you, my love.

©Kate Tym 2008

If you still have dry enough eyes to be able to read this text, and you’d like such a fantastic wedding poem or story written for your wedding or civil partnership, then email Kate at kate.tym@btinternet.com or visit her website at www.TheWeddingPoet.co.uk – we don’t think you’ll find a more unique or special wedding idea elsewhere.

These are all (allegedly) true stories about what we like to call strange, unique or just bizarre places to get married around the world.

The top of Mount Everest

Imagine receiving an invite to this wedding, what do you respond, “sorry I can’t make the trip?”
A Nepalese couple exchanged their wedding vows on top of Mount Everest, the first people ever to marry there in 2005.
They briefly removed their oxygen masks and wore plastic garlands, whilst the groom symbolically applied red powder on the bride’s forehead.
They had kept the plan secret as there was no guarantee they would reach the top of the world’s highest peak.
Arriving back in Kathmandu, the bride said it would not have been possible to meet all the religious requirements, so they did what they could with what was available.
The couple stayed on the peak for a mere 10 minutes which gave enough time for the ceremony and for friends to take photos.
There is no truth in the rumour that the bride’s 95 year old grandmother plans to renew her vows at the pinnacle herself.

A Funeral Parlour

Oh yes, a beautifully calm and happy wedding venue indeed.
A couple in the US (are you surprised to read that bit?) chose an unusual spot for their wedding – inside a funeral parlour.
Jason and Rachael Storm, both 24, decided to tie the knot at the Starks and Menchinger Family Funeral Home in Michigan, where Mr Storm is a funeral director.
The wedding reception, including dinner and dancing, also was held at the funeral home, but the couple had to reassure some guests there would be no corpses or coffins present.
What a romantic Mr Storm must be, if getting married at your place of work isn’t dull enough….!

Wedding at McDonald’s

Yes, we’re in the US again for a lovely restaurant setting for the wedding.
Fairborn, Ohio – Co-workers Tyree Henderson & Trisha Lynn Esteppe chose to exchange wedding vows at the place where they work, McDonald’s. The two met each others there 3 years before.
The wedding took place not far from the counter where customer continued to place orders, presumably no wedding cake was sold with the fries.
Esteppe stated that she could not imagine a more romantic setting for their wedding (we certainly could). A traditional wedding ceremony was performed in the establishment where a white aisle was laid on the restaurants floor.
OH MY GOD !

Looking for nice wedding venues in Essex rather then a crazy place to get married ? Check out our main website.

There are a few ways to arrive at your wedding day, ranging from the sweet and simple to the most extravagant.
Some brides who have spent a lifetime planning their wedding will want to arrive in style, others are just as happy to catch a lift with a friend. Whichever option you choose for your wedding, make sure you arrive feeling fantastic and looking every inch the bride !

Horse and Carriage
The classic, timeless way to arrive at a church ceremony is in a fantastic carriage pulled by white horses. Not only will you feel like a princess, you’ll look like one too.
It’s a delightful feeling, sitting in a carriage on the way to your wedding, with your father beside you, knowing that the man of your dreams is soon to be your husband.
As the horses pull you through the streets, the crowds will be waving and cheering you on. If you’re planning a fairytale wedding, the best option is to arrive by horse and carriage.

Classic Cars
The traditional classic cars make a delightful way to arrive on your wedding day. Chauffeur driven 1930′s style cars are a relaxing and very comfortable drive for the bridal party. These days, the cars are often replica’s meaning that they are more reliable and cosy inside.  Hiring two cars so that your bridesmaids and mother of the bride can also arrive in style, these beautiful cars also make a lovely backdrop in your wedding photos.

Limos
Stretched Limousine hire is perfect to transport an entire wedding party to the wedding venue. 8 seater cars or even 12 seater is large enough for the bride and her entourage to travel too. Great fun to travel in, and certainly something you won’t do every day of your life. Feel more of a celebrity arriving at your wedding in a stretched limo.

Sports car
Possibly one for the boys really, but there are some fantastic sports cars available to hire for your wedding day. Consider the size of your dress when looking at hiring a sports car for your wedding arrival, the inside of a Ferrari or Porsche is pretty small. However, if you’re looking for a different idea for your wedding, hiring a sports car without telling the groom could be a wonderful surprise for him when you are leaving together.

Helicopter
Could you ? Why not ! Arriving at your wedding day by helicopter is certainly the ultimate option. Obviously it totally depends on where you’re actually getting married, but if you can….. you should !
Just make sure it’s something you’re sure about, there will be nothing worse then arriving at your wedding day feeling a little bit ill !

Taxi
If you’re not planning a big expensive wedding, who can blame you. Sometimes there is no need for extravagance, an a simple arrival to a perfect day may be just what suits you.
Taxis are of course a wonderful professional service, but you may just want to make sure you tell the company that the car is being used to transport the bride to the wedding, just to make sure you get the best car available.

Do you know anyone who arrived at their wedding in a different or unique style ? Leave your comments below.