Husband Week

HUSBAND WEEK:

If you have a husband who is your best friend, who works hard for you, who has been with you through thick and thin, who loves you even when you're at your worst, and whom you are PROUD to be married to, make sure you take the time to tell him tonight and leave your wedding date on the comments......

Advice from 'With Bells On'

Today's blog comes courtesy of Tracey of WithBellsOn a fabulous UK National Wedding Directory

This Blogs Lesson : Always 'save as draft' or you will lose an hour's worth of blog work in a blink of an eye!!

 I have been actively marketing 

 WithBellsOn for a couple of months now and am really surprised at how welcomed I have been made in the social networking world, in what I thought was a well established network where everyone would close ranks.  I have made some genuinely nice contacts with people who have been willing to give advice and recommend  
WithBellsOn, asking for nothing in return. I was more surprised how other wedding directories are keen to swap tips and offer advice.  I have made great connections with Kirsteen from Your Wedding at Lochlomond and Irene from Renfrewshire Wedding

WithBellsOn is a UK National Wedding Information Directory which specialises in giving expert advice and wedding information, it holds a directory giving a host of supplier details and also gives small businesses another platform for selling their wedding products.

Since Christmas the wedding directory has expanded not only in the volume of suppliers but in the ways to find the suppliers.  We now have the options of Recently Listed, By Service, By County, Services Search (as below) and the Wedding Services Map

 How do you get on it?Simple! Please follow this link for details and the sign up form

Are those on the directory personally recommended by me?No they are not.  Personal recommendations will be found on this and future blogs.  Personal recommendations come from my heart, either because I have been given exceptional service or I have been left to feel on top of the world.  After all, we hardly ever remember what was said or done, but always remember how we were made to feel!

This Blogs Recommendations :Emma from SIW Chocolate signed up early on to the WithBellsOn Directory and has become a firm social network friend.  She has made many suggestions and given worthwhile advice which has helped me to grow.  I have not had the pleasure of sampling her chocolate yet, but if they are anything like her customer service I am sure they are superb! If you need any wedding favours or promotional chocolates I would recommend you contact Emma.

Scott from Global Prospect needs to be mentioned here.  I know I am biased because he is Mr B.  But without his design and development skills and willingness to give some of his spare time to update WithBellsOn I would not have what I have today.

Amanda from Ardley Weddings has also signed with WithBellsOn Directory and has also become a firm social network friend.  Amanda is a well respected social networker and is often recommending and swapping tips.  I would like to become an events planner in the future and believe she and I will continue to help each other and swap ideas. I would highly recommend you befriend Amanda.  Maybe she could help you or someone you know with their event planning?

This Blogs - Did you Know..."You may kiss the bride" showed acceptance of the marriage contract in ancient times. This was before hand shakes and written contracts; a kiss (usually on the check) was a sign of bonding and acceptance of a contract

Visit  WithBellsOn

Winter Weddings at the Isle of Eriska

 Winter Weddings at the Isle of Eriska

 

Host your Winter Wedding at the Isle of Eriska House, Spa and Golf in December 2011 or January 2012 and take advantage of our Special Rate!

We are offering you the opportunity to host you Winter Wedding on you own private island on certain weekends in December 2011 or January 2012.

For £15,750, enjoy 2 nights dinner bed and breakfast for up to 50 guests on your own island.

The Isle of Eriska is located only 10 minutes from Oban and 2 hours from Glasgow International Airport, connected to the mainland by a small bridge.  Arrive in style via helicopter or our lawn or seaplane at our pier.

We can provide you with local contacts to ensure everything is perfect for your occasion.

With 4 types of rooms, we have something to suit all your guests:

• Standard Double
• Deluxe Double
• Spa Suite – with own private garden and hot tub
• Cottage Suite – with own private garden and hot tub

You will have full use of our leisure facilities:

17m heated indoor swimming pool
Sauna
Steam room
Jacuzzi
Gym
Croquet Lawn
Tennis Court (soon to be replaced with a multi-purpose hall, due for completion February 2011)
Golf Course and Driving Range
Access to our ESPA Spa (treatments additional charge)
Clay Pigeon Shooting (additional charge)

Further information can be found on our website www.eriska-hotel.co.uk or contact our office@eriska-hotel.co.uk or phone 01631 720371.

Benderloch, Oban, Argyll PA37 1SD

Tel:  0044 (0) 1631 720371      Fax:  0044 (0) 1631 720531

Email:  office@eriska-hotel.co.uk      Web:  www.eriska-hotel.co.uk

Company No. 201095

 

 

 

Choosing your Wedding Stationery

Choosing your stationery

Embrace

It is important to remember that the Stationery you choose is the first glimpse your guests will have of your wedding day.  That said your decision should always be based on your own ability to craft and the budget you have to play with.

Here are my top 4 tips on ensuring you have the right stationery for you.

1. BUDGET:  Good stationery companies should be able to offer cheaper alternatives so don’t be afraid to ask.  This said, you need to be realistic as hand crafted intricate work on high quality specialist card will naturally cost more than a printed image on thinner card.
2. COLOUR SCHEME:  Tying in and co-ordinating the colours of your wedding is an easy and FREE way of creating a more expensive appearance.
3. SAMPLES:  Internet browsing is fine if you are not too fussy; however, if you are particular about the feel or the specific tones then make sure you get a sample.
4. BE DECISIVE:  Sometimes in life when you have more choice then the harder it is to make a decision.  This is fine if you have all the time in the world but if you are sending Save the Dates, these really need to be going out 1 year before the wedding so unless you have an exceptionally long engagement and planning process decisions need to be made.



Bute

5. TIMESCALES:  What you should send out when is often a point of stress; however, don’t forget you do have to allow for additional time on top to allow the stationer to make them!  As a rough guide:

         Save the Date – 12      Months Prior
         Invitaitons – 12-8 weeks prior.

Vintage

If you have any questions regarding your stationery, please don’t hesitate to contact me….

Irene McNamee

www.i-craft.co.uk

E-mail

Facebook

Twitter

Isle of Eriska Hotel

Engagement Package

Looking for the perfect engagement setting?  Why not ask that all important question on our private island on the west of Scotland – The Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa and Golf.  Located only 10 minutes from Oban and 2 hours drive from Glasgow International Airport, the Isle of Eriska provides the perfect, romantic experience.

Celebrate your engagement in the midst of luxurious 5 star accommodation with all our rooms individually styled, experience fine dining in our 3AA Rosette Restaurant complimented by our AA notable wine selection, and enjoy the luxury leisure facilities we have to offer. 

Our engagement package includes:

• Luxurious accommodation and full Scottish breakfast each morning of your stay
• Enjoy a candlelit dinner for 2 in our 3AA Rosette fine dining restaurant with a complimentary bottle of champagne
• A bouquet of roses will be presented when she says “yes”
•  Enjoy chocolates and strawberries in the comfort of your own room
• Wake up to breakfast in bed on the first morning of your stay
• Dining on the 2^nd night of your stay, you have the option of a romantic dinner for two in your suite or in our fine dining restaurant
• Enjoy a full Scottish breakfast served in our restaurant on the 2^nd morning of your stay
• Full use of our luxury leisure facilities: 17m heated indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, gym, croquet lawn, golf course and driving range, and multi-purpose sports hall offering a host of activities

Visit our website www.eriska-hotel.co.uk to book into one of these packages today!  If you cannot fine availability on your requested dates, please phone our office 01631 720371 or email office@eriska-hotel.co.uk and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Benderloch, Oban, Argyll PA37 1SD

Tel:  0044 (0) 1631 720371
Fax:  0044 (0) 1631 720531

Email:  office@eriska-hotel.co.uk
Web:  www.eriska-hotel.co.uk

Company No. 201095

Julie's Candy Carts

Renfrewshire Wedding Directory is delighted to talk to Julie of Julie's Candy Carts

A New wedding Business! Julie's Candy Cart

We are a brand new, unusual and unique, wedding business based in South Lanarkshire but are willing to offer our services to the wider area. The idea of a candy cart alongside or in place of traditional wedding favours is a new and quite rare concept in Scotland. The idea derives from the United States of America, being very popular with Brides and Grooms there.

The idea of Julie’s Candy Cart for special occasions came about when Julie decided to hire a candy cart for her own wedding. Not being able to find exactly what she was looking for, her husband-to-be suggested that he make a candy cart for their special day.

The pretty little white Edwardian type cart, with authentic antique wagon wheels, has been hand crafted. Julie carefully sets it up and dresses it according to the colour scheme of the wedding or special occasion being attended.  Pretty organza bows and swags are attached to the cart and also ribbons tied to a choice of glassware, enamelware or sweetie jars, in which the sweets are displayed. There is a choice of different coloured and patterned canopy tops also.  This makes Julie’s Candy Cart more personal to the happy couple’s celebration. The type of sweets can be decided after a discussion between Julie and the Bride and Groom. There are many varieties to choose from and Julie will try to source any special favourites. Have a look at the website.

www.juliescandycart.co.uk 

Money is the most desired wedding gift

Money is the most desired wedding gift

A recent poll conducted by Wedding Magazine reported that forty-five per cent of couples would prefer their guests to give them money as a wedding gift.

It has become the norm for couples to live together before marriage.  As a result, most couples no longer have the need or desire to set up a gift registry with a department store in order to buy household goods such as
kitchenware and bed linen.  Newlyweds are most likely to spend their money on a luxury honeymoon, home improvement or even paying back some of the cost of their wedding.

Notwithstanding the recession, couples still spend an average £20,000 on their wedding. As a result of the credit crunch, it has become much more acceptable for couples to ask for money as a wedding gift.

In other countries around the world, giving money as a wedding gift is traditional.

At Hindu weddings it is traditional to give money as a wedding gift as this symbolises prosperity. The amount should be an auspicious number ending in 1, for example, £51 or £101.  This money is usually placed inside an ornate, decorative money envelope which is presented to the couple at the wedding. 

At Sikh weddings, there is a ceremony called the "Sagaan" that takes place after the ceremony where guests present monetary gifts to the married couple.

In China, money is given in red envelopes (hong bao) from guests who are older than the bride and groom and in Japan, new, uncreased notes are given to the couple to the tune of 30,000 yen (approximately £210) in a festive envelope (shugi-bukuro). 

The "money dance" is a Hungarian tradition where the bride leaves her shoes in the centre of the dance floor and those who dance with her drop money in the shoes or pin money to her dress.  Pinning money to the bride and groom is also a popular custom in Cyprus, Greece and the Philippines.

In Poland, it is traditional for a family member of the bride to hold out an apron whilst the bride is dancing with her father. Wedding guests who throw money into the apron are then permitted to dance with the bride.

In the mid-west of the United States of America, the best man auctions the bride's garter. The best man carries a hat around the reception and the guests put dollar bills into it. Another mid-western tradition is a "wedding
reel", where the wedding guests form a queue and pay a dollar or more to dance with the newlyweds.

Admittedly, it is quite unlikely that brides and grooms across Britain will be adopting these customs any time soon.  Whilst dropping money into shoes and pinning cash to brides sounds like fun, it isn't exactly very British. Fortunately, there are more sophisticated and discreet ways of receiving money as a wedding gift.

The previous taboo surrounding asking for money as wedding gift will soon be a distant memory and given the research conducted by Wedding Magazine it looks like money is fast-becoming the most desired gift for newlyweds.

Article contributed by Gillian Bell, Director of StarWeds Ltd.

Website: www.starweds.co.uk

Twitter: www.twitter.com/starweds

Facebook: www.facebook.com/starweds

Email: contact@starweds.co.uk

StarWeds is the sophisticated and hassle-free way to ask for money as a wedding gift. We provide:

·        A personalised wedding website where your guests can
contribute money:
-  Choice of themes
-  Online guest book
-  Your own blog
-  Personalised web address
-  Directions to your venue
-  Countdown timer
-  And much more

·        Beautiful customised invitation inserts to tell your guests about your site.

·        Your guests can contribute via quick, easy and secure payment methods on your wedding website (i.e. credit/debit card via PayPal, cheque or balance transfer).

There are no set up fees and no hidden costs...all you pay is £50.  You don't have to pay any money in
advance, we simply deduct the £50 fee when you withdraw from your fund. 

Our service is completely hassle-free for both the couples and the wedding guests. Guests don't need to worry about whether or not there will be a money box at the wedding, or which of the bridal party they should give their money gift to for safe keeping, they don't need to stress about sending money in the post or if sending a cheque, whether to make it out to the bride's maiden name or married name. Also from the couple's perspective, they won't need to spend all day at the bank cashing in lots of cheques and cash. We simply send one cheque with all the contributions from their guests.

Please visit http://www.starweds.co.uk/, and if you would like to view a sample of the personalised wedding website, then please visit http://www.starweds.co.uk/sample.