Archive for the ‘Essex Weddings’ Category

Hiring a country manor house lock stock and barrel for your wedding need not be a pipedream. Prested Hall in Feering has been offering this unusual and special experience to wedding couples for many years. 107 couples tied the knot at Prested in 2011, enjoying the relaxed house party atmosphere, with Prested’s ever helpful staff looking after all the details. To herald in the New Year, Prested has launched some exciting new packages and offers, which have been met with much enthusiasm.

Once you’ve decided a Prested wedding is for you, the fun begins. Now you can add your personal touch, planning how to dress the Hall, what your colour scheme and style will be, the menu, the music, the entertainment, the flowers and all the other details. You may even choose to theme your wedding. If you need advice, the staff are there for you, and have a wealth of experience and knowledge of local specialists.

15th century in origin, The Hall has several elegant reception rooms, each with handsome features. Where you hold your ceremony, your wedding breakfast and your evening celebrations is your choice; the house will be prepared just for you. During the summer months, you can even get married by the water’s edge under The Gazebo and enjoy your wedding breakfast in the traditional marquee on the lawns.

You will also need to decide on your guest list for The Hall’s 12 beautiful bedrooms, and will enjoy the pleasure of gathering for breakfast together the day after your wedding. Additional accommodation, a boutique hideaway for your wedding night, Prested’s spa and fitness facilities and their onsite hair salon are all other options for you to consider.

Whatever you decide, everyone at Prested will endeavour to make you wedding fantasies come true and deliver you your perfect day.

So you’ve set the date, booked the venue and chosen your dream dress, but have you thought about how you’re going to ensure you look like a beautiful, glowing bride on your big day?
Make-up by Kelly Hollands believes that your skincare routine in the run up to your wedding is as important as choosing your dream dress. After all, you will be captured in photos forever!

Here is a checklist of all the things you should be doing in order to look radiant and ravishing on your big day:

Eat healthily – adopt good habits now and for the future. A sensible eating regime is essential in the lead up to your wedding day. Cut down on sweets, chocolates and crisps and incorporate fresh fruit and vegetables into your daily meals.
Eat small meals little and often, but whatever you do, do not starve yourself otherwise you will end up looking very unhealthy and you run the risk of not fitting into your dress.

Exercise – not only does exercise makes you look better and healthier it also helps you to breathe – which you may be forgetting to do as your stress levels begin to increase! It’s also a great way of eliminating toxins, which can make the skin look dull and lacklustre.

Drink plenty of water – to keep your skin looking fresh and radiant. Still mineral water is the best as fizzy will just bloat you.
Try to drink at least two litres a day to keep skin hydrated and to avoid dark under-eyes. Increase your water consumption and at the same time, decrease your caffeine consumption!

Sleep – make sure you get a good night’s sleep in the weeks leading up to your wedding to ensure you and your skin look and feel great.

Flawless skin is a must as you’re going to be photographed all day long so you’ll need a picture perfect complexion.

If you don’t already have a set skincare routine, now is the time to get one! If you have any concerns regarding your skin you are best to visit a qualified Dermatologist or Skin Specialist to determine any treatment you would require and what products would best suit your skin type.
There are plenty of skin care products on the market ranging from high-street brands to high-end price tags! If you are unsure where to begin and what would suit your skin type (be it dry, oily or combination), then pop along to your local beauty salon or beauty counter.

I often get asked what products I would recommend and what I use on myself on a daily basis. I swear by Dermalogica, Elemis and my favourite everyday must-have, Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. However, what works for one person may not work for another, so you are best to find a brand specifically for your needs and skin type.
Dermalogica offer a free face mapping analysis for your own personal product prescription. Visit their website at www.dermalogica.com/uk for your nearest stockist.

Your daily skin care routine should consist of Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise both morning and night. Make sure you adjust your morning and night time moisturiser.
The one you use at the end of the day should be specifically for ‘night time’. It may feel heavier and more oily than your day moisturiser but it needs to be able to work 8 hours plus to repair, re-hydrate, rejuvenate and refresh your skin ready for the day ahead.

When adopting a new skin care routine you may find your skin feels and even looks worse to begin with. At this point many people will ditch the new regime and go back to their old ways and brands.
Skin takes 28 days to fully renew itself so it may need to go through the process of ‘looking worse before it feels better’! Try to stick with the new ritual and products that have been selected specifically for you as your skin will soon be reaping the rewards and looking fresh and glowing.

Alongside your daily cleansing routine your skin will require weekly exfoliating. Exfoliation is a simple process that removes dead skin cells from the surface of the face/body.
There are many exfoliants on the market – some have tiny, sand like particles and others have much larger. By gently rubbing these particles on your face it helps to remove dead skin cells and expose newer ones, thereby leaving your skin looking and feeling healthier.

Try to have a brightening/hydrating facial once a month in the run-up to your big day.
The final one should be done about a week before hand. Any nearer to your wedding and you will run the risk of breakouts and blotchy skin! Don’t worry if you do wake with blemishes on your big day.
If you have booked a professional make-up artist you can feel safe in the knowledge they will erase them in a flash!

This guest blog post was written by Kelly Hollands – Regional Winner for Best Wedding Make-up Artist by The Wedding Industry Awards 2012.
For more information from Kelly, or to discuss your wedding make up, please visit her website www.KellyHollands.co.uk

Judging by our Google Analytics visitor stats report, there were plenty of people who found themselves getting engaged over the Christmas period, so if you’ve just found our website for the first time, a huge warm welcome to you.

Essex Wedding Services is now in our 4th year, and we have grown considerably year on year and we now boast a directory of hundreds of brilliant wedding services based in Essex who are all eager to help ensure your wedding day is the best possible. Now that you’ve found our website, make sure you follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook and add our website to your browser’s favourites. That way you’ll be sure to find us when you consider booking anything for your forthcoming wedding.

It’s easy to find suppliers here, just browse through our list of categories and take a read on which individual business has to offer, you will find so many experts, all with unique ideas for your special day. But don’t feel you need to just contact one or two people, use the “Email” buttons alongside all of the listings to send a message to as many as you’d like to hear from, everyone is friendly when it comes to wedding planning in Essex, so don’t be shy to ask as many questions of the suppliers as possible.

We also list some of the best wedding venues in Essex so make sure you take a look at what our wonderful county has to offer for your big day.
Our blog section has dozens of useful and fun wedding articles if you want to read through them for ideas on your wedding planning.

So whatever stage of planning your wedding in Essex you’re at, you’ll be glad that you found our site. Wedding planning is one of the most exciting times of your life, and we believe that Essex is the perfect county to start your wedded life together.
If you have any question, then please complete our contact form to get in touch with us, we love hearing from brides and grooms to be.

For any bride getting married in 2012 the organisation has already started. The venue has probably been booked, the date is firmly set in the diary and the table plan is already in the back of their mind!

The exciting prospect of dress shopping has begun and all the wedding magazines and wedding blogs are buzzing with what dresses will be hot for next year. But what make-up and hair will complement that special dress in 2012?

Wedding hairstyles in 2012 will be all about the ponytail, and luckily a ponytail is the start of many wedding hairstyles that you can choose from! They are the foundation for buns, chignons, some half-up dos, messy dos, and also the more structured updos, so you have plenty to choose from whilst being right on trend.

The brides wanting a more relaxed look should go for a bouncy pony either high or low on the head with the lengths being curled with a tong. The curls should be left soft so that they swish when you’re walking, dancing or air kissing.

And for the make-up? As always, a bride’s skin should look flawless, fresh and glowing whilst still lasting all day and photographing well. The hottest look at London Fashion Week was neutral eyes with lips that looked ripe for the kissing. Colours varied from subtle to striking pinks, oranges through to tomato reds.

If strong lips aren’t your thing then take inspiration from Valentino with neat eyeliner to define your peepers. To really make your eyes standout use false eyelashes, either strips or individuals, to really make those eyelashes flutter.

The bridesmaids can also be on trend and follow the Jaeger models at London Fashion Week who were sporting a low, polished, side ponytail with the hair concealing the elastic band, finished with gorgeous curls. The runways were buzzing with inspiration for bridesmaid dresses with citrus shades making an impression. If bright dresses aren’t part of your vision then just add a citrus coloured hair clip to your bridesmaid’s hairstyle. You can find some gorgeous ones at Glitz4Girlz.com and Accessorize.

For more inspiration visit www.essexweddingbeauty.co.uk or to discuss your look with a professional Make-up Artist and Hairstylist contact Lisa on 07850 024 603 or lisa@essexweddingbeauty.co.uk.

Are you planning a Hen or Stag do in Essex ?

Television company TwoFour are currently looking for a fun group of London / Essex based Hens or Stags that are willing to be filmed as they look for fancy dress costumes to wear on a night out.

If you and your group of friends are interested in participating in some filming towards the end of September 2011, then we would love to hear from you!

For more information, please get in touch by sending an e-mail to Anthony.White@Twofour.co.uk asap.

Essex Wedding Fayre - Heart FM

Essex Wedding Fayre at the Brentwood Centre – Heart FM

Heart FM (previously Essex FM) have announced the 2012 dates for the biggest regional wedding show in the UK.

Heart’s annual wedding fayre and show is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2012, when it returns to the Brentwood Centre in Essex during the weekend of Saturday 18th February and Sunday 19th February.

2011′s show saw around 5,000 people attendeding, and a similar amount are expected over the two days again in 2012. The show will be sponsored by Three Rivers, golf and country club.

There are 150 stands available in the main hall and 24 marquee spaces available. To find out more about the Essex Wedding Show, call 01245 524519 or email jane.ellis@heart.co.uk

For those of you planning your wedding in 2012 it is a very good opportunity to meet a whole host of wedding services from around the county.
However, if you’d rather save your money and remain in the comfort of your own home, then please take a good look around the categories on the left hand side and get in touch with any of the wonderful wedding services we have in our huge wedding directory for Essex.

Fish Pedicure Hen Night Fun

If you’re looking for Hen party ideas, and if you’re not too fond of the usual L plates, the veil and the blow up man tied to your arm for the night, then an Essex based company may of come up with a more subtle yet fun idea for you.

Body and Shoal Limited specialise in hiring Garra Rufa fish tanks for special events, and a night with the girls seems like the perfect idea for such a pampering event.

For those of you that have not heard of fish pedicures by Garra Rufa fish, the idea is quite simple, the fish love to eat the dead skin from your feet, leaving your feet feeling rejuvenated and refreshed!

They will arrive at wherever you are holding your Hen party before the event starts, and set up all of the necessary equipment. Then their two uniformed staff are available throughout the evening to ensure all your hens enjoy themselves, and will even teach them all about the fish.

And just in case you were worried about spillages or slip-ups, Body and Shoal are fully insured, to give you full peace of mind.

So if you’re looking for a Hen night idea that is completely different, and the idea of a pamper night is more your thing, then take a look how to hire garra rufa fish for your hen night – or get in touch with Body and Shoal on 07724 817220.

Storm Photography wins British Institute of Professional Photographers Contemporary Wedding Photographer of the Year

Local photographer Tony Bramley ABIPP, of Storm Photography has won the title of Contemporary Wedding Photographer of the Year 2011 with the British Institute of Professional Photographers, London & East Region.

Tony, a previous wedding winner in 2008, also received a further Award of Excellence in the Contemporary Wedding section and also an Award of Excellence in the Classic Portrait section. The awards were judged by world renowned
photographic judge Ray Lowe FBIPP FMPA FRPS QEP MCPPA.

Tony comments: ‘I have continued to develop my modern style of wedding photography to ensure I stay ahead of the more regular wedding photographers.

Last year has seen one of the lowest years for weddings nationally and to keep business levels high during this time you need to differentiate yourself from your competition and I do this by having, and continually developing, a very distinct style with a very high level of competency.
Every wedding, whether it is 30 or 300, Saturday or a weekday, receives the same attention to detail and I am always looking for the next ‘killer shot’.

Contemporary work requires a lot of creativity to produce something that will jump out of the page or off the wall. Essentially I am looking at the same sort of image that would make a newspaper headline. General photography skills are not enough, it has to be dynamic and make the viewer stop and look.

Mixing modern styles with older venues is always a real challenge but allows me to get a very new twist on classic settings with a different viewpoint.
I am not scared to move out of the normal comfort zone, having placed brides on windowsills, using architecture to increase dynamics, and even a plasma TV screen as a background to a bride.

I look for light all the time and love any source of good light. I am just as happy shooting into strong sunlight if it produces the result I am after, as using a swinging pendant lamp to get something more direct and controlled at the right moment. I often use a professional video light for effect even though I shoot stills.

People these days are looking for something different that compliments the modern lifestyles that couples are now demanding. No wedding is a regular job to me and I strive at every wedding to shoot new ideas and different interpretations of poses and lighting, even if I have been there many times before.
The critical parts to my work are the lighting, the concept and the design of the image, this is what will produce dynamic images that stand out from the rest and allow me to produce a very different product to our competitors.

I have just recently been booked for a wedding in Ireland as the couple had seen my work from another wedding and could not find a local photographer to match the results I produce. There are many photographers out there, which becomes a minefield for customers wishing to book a photographic service and the awards and qualifications of the British Institute of Professional Photographers helps photographers rise above this and show people the true quality of the best photographers in the region.

My wedding portrait and commercial work is complimented by a range of superb contemporary albums that are made for us in Italy by Graphistudio”.

http://www.stormphotography.co.uk

info@stormphotography.co.uk

Welcome to 2011, with every year we all start today with high hopes and ambitions for the new year.

Maybe you’re planning to lose weight, get fit, stop smoking, learn a new language ? Maybe you’re reading this blog post because you’re planning your wedding in 2011 – whatever your aims for the new year are, we at Essex Wedding Services wish you the best best of luck.

No doubt hundreds of romantic men proposed to their girlfriends over the Christmas and New Year period, so if you are one of those lucky ladies in Essex whose boyfriend just became your fiancée – then many congratulations to you, you’ve already started thinking about your wedding or you wouldn’t of found your way to this website

So if you have just found yourself amending your Facebook status to “Engaged” – then the excitement starts here. Not only does Essex Wedding Services have this blog, which is packed with ideas and articles to help your wedding planning, but we also have over 60 different categories in our wedding directory, all full with Essex based wedding professionals.

Our website is celebrating it’s 4th year in 2011, and during that time, some of the finest wedding professionals have listed their business with us, and helped many brides and grooms enjoy a fantastic wedding day.

So whether you find yourself looking for a DJ or wedding flowers, a wedding dress or suit hire – sit back and spend some time browsing through the pages of Essex Wedding Services, click the “Email” buttons alongside the listings in the directory and let the professionals know what you’d like for your wedding. We also have a fantastic list of Wedding Venues in Essex.

Wedding planning is the most fun and exciting time of your life, so enjoy it without any stress or worries – bookmark Essex Wedding Services and keep coming back when you’ve decided what you want from your wedding day, and whilst you’re thinking about it, here are a few wedding articles to help you plan your special day :

Wedding Insurance

Avoiding Wedding Day Problems
Wedding Cake Ideas
A-Z of Weddings

Happy Wedding Planning in 2011 from everyone at Essex Wedding Services.

As well as being rather fond of weddings and wedding planning, our other main interest is of course the county of Essex, so every now and then, we wander off the wedding talk path, and decide to discuss all things Essex too.

Today we want to tell everyone about a brand new Forum – designed just for people of Essex to discuss goings on from around our beautiful county.
Essex Forums www.essexforums.co.uk has just launched and is looking for new members to sign up and join in the discussion.

The forum covers everything from businesses to what’s on in the area, shopping, parenting and even has a jobs section. The only thing missing at the moment is members.
We signed up straight away, and hope to discuss Essex, business, weddings, sport and whatever else comes up on the message boards. So don’t be shy, sign up today, it’s free to join, and no doubt will become a great place to meet new contacts, share ideas and talk about Essex related news.

Follow this link to join Essex Forums and get signed up today.