Weddings Abroad - Destination Weddings

With This Allen Key I Thee Wed: Australian couple get married in IKEA, saying the homeware store has 'brought them closer together

2013-02-14T18:07:00.000+00:00

If you were beginning to wonder if true romance had vanished from the face of the planet, fear not!

It does still exist, but seems to have emigrated to Australia this Valentine's Day.

An Australian couple have declared not only their love for each other but also for IKEA by tying the knot at the Sydney store on Valenetine's Day.

Click here to read the entire article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2278613/Australian-couple-married-IKEA-saying-homeware-store-brought-closer-together.html#ixzz2KtjKSUEt

Anyone for Cricket? Or an Underwater Wedding?

2013-01-13T13:28:00.001+00:00

WeddingsAbroad.com - Underwater Wedding

Introducing sporting events at weddings is one way to get creative. For destination weddings especially, location-specific sports are included as part of the activities. For instance, at a destination wedding in Kerala, the couple wanted to organise boat races for the guests, says Pereira. And at a destination wedding at a palace in Jodhpur, with more than 1,000 people in attendance, a polo match was organised between the groom’s and the bride’s families, says accessory merchandiser Aashumi C.

Cricket has become a huge part of such wedding celebrations, says Jarret of Marry Me Wedding Planners. Matches are organised to keep guests entertained. Adds Ashumi, for a cricket match at wedding, the couple had organised a cricket match with customised T-shirts and caps — red for the bride’s side and blue for the groom’s — complete with a third umpire and cheerleaders.

Treasure hunts spread out from Bandra to Colaba with clues hidden in 5-star hotels also helps keep guests engaged. And Ashumi recalls a wedding where a fashion show was the entertainment. “Top models had been hired to walk the ramp. Dressed in traditional attire and laden with jewels, the models gave way to the bride and the groom, who were the ‘showstoppers’ for the evening,” she says.

These weddings aren’t just fun to attend, they’re also a lot of fun to organise, say wedding planners who enjoy catering to clients’ whimsical demands. Gaurav Karia of Saffron Celebrations says: “My dream is to organise an underwater wedding. I’m just waiting for a client who can afford it.”

Of course here at WeddingsAbroad.com....we DO Underwater Weddings in the Cayman Islands...to see further details please click here...

To read this entire article please click here.....

Saying "I do" just became easier for couples - British Virgin Islands (BVI)

2012-09-17T09:17:00.000+01:00

Tortola, British Virgin Islands, September 13, 2012 – Saying, “I do” just became easier for couples heading to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) for their nuptials: Brides and grooms can now get married 24 hours after arriving to the Territory!

On September 3, the BVI Government made significant changes by amending the Marriage Act (Cap 272): Residency requirements for ‘Special Licence’ were shortened from three (3) days to one (1) day, a new fee schedule was introduced, and the steps to obtain a licence were all transferred to the Civil Registry for a
‘One Stop Shop’ process.

Couples even have the choice of beginning their wedding application online before arriving in the BVI, by submitting their information through the Government’snew Civil Registry Information System (CRIS) at www.crisvi.gov.vg.

Prior to the improvements made to the Act, couples were tasked with stopping at three different locations to obtain the necessary documentation for the marriage licence application. Through these new changes, couples can complete the entire process at the Civil Registry where they will provide proof of their identity (passport) and marital status (original certified copies of Decree(s) Absolute for divorced spouses or original Death Certificate(s) of deceased spouse(s); apply for their licence, obtain a marriage certificate and present two witnesses.
The Special Licence fee is $220 and the Ordinary Licence is $120.
Additional fees are applicable based on the bride and groom’s wedding specifications: $220 for the Registrar-General or marriage officer to perform the ceremony, $120 for the ceremony to be held in the Civil Registry building and $2 for a certified copy of the marriage licence.

In the BVI, couples have many options for getting married and locations abound for conducting wedding ceremonies that are representative of the couple’s personality and style. The stunning group of islands and cays offer idyllic backdrops such as beaches, churches, yachts, hotels, villas, resorts, private islands, historic
ruins, national parks, the Civil Registry, and many more to suit their tastes.

There are also many experienced wedding, and event planners available to supply their requests. (For additional information visit the BVI Tourist Board website www.bvitourism.com) To apply in person for a marriage licence or any service surrounding the subject of marriage, please visit the Civil Registry and Passport Office, which is located upstairs of Burhym Electrical Services in Wickham’s Cay, Road Town, Tortola.

The office is opened Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. or telephone (284) 468-3442 for more information.

Big fat Indian weddings travel to exotic locations abroad

2012-09-13T13:38:00.001+01:00

MUMBAI: Casino Square is popular among Grand Prix fans for being the best spot in Monaco to drown in the adrenaline-boosting, collective roar ofFormula One racing cars. Horses and elephants are not the kind of four-legged beasts one expects to see on this track. Over here, the word 'horse' is always paired with 'power' to talk about car engines and not about the animal whose female species leads the traditional North Indian baraat.

But on a nippy day in March last year, Casino Square changed gear and the thunder of race cars was replaced by a cacophony of noises that came from a fat, slow-moving Indian baraat. Riding a white mare, the Indian groom, the CEO of a luxury company, led a procession of guests, backed up by two elephants, all making their way to a five-star hotel in Monaco for an even fatter, Rs 44 crore Indian wedding.

Monaco may have not seen anything quite like that, but there are quite a few destinations across the globe where Indian weddings are not a rare sight. In the last three to four years, Indian weddings have not only been exported to unusual venues like Formula One tracks, but also to places conventionally preferred by couples in the West, like beaches, mountains and jungle resorts (in this context, the term, Indian wedding refers to couples who reside in India, but fly abroad with their family and friends to get married). These weddings are multi-crore events and evidently so, it is a niche segment. That is probably the only reason why foreign tourism bodies that are otherwise meticulous in data collection have not yet culled statistics to monitor the growth of the Indian wedding market. But there is enough anecdotal evidence that suggests that the past few years have seen a rise in Indian weddings made in foreign locales.

Last week, tourism officials from Mauritius flew into Mumbai with itineraries that included meetings scheduled with wedding planners. "In the last three years, at least 13 to 14 big Indian weddings with 200-1,200 guests have been held in Mauritius,'' said Micheal Yeung Sik Yuen, Mauritius's tourism minister. Though there are flights between India and Mauritius, Air Mauritius operated about five charter aircraft during these years to ferry the wedding guests. Though Mauritius does not attract as many Indian tourists, it has turned into a favourite wedding destination for the desis. So much so that last year, a special committee was formed by Mauritius to exclusively handle the wedding segment.

Another favourite wedding destination is South Africa, which has made its appearance on quite a few invite cards.

Hanneli Slabber, country manager, SA Tourism, India, said, "We probably receive 10-15 Indian inquiries per year. However, not all these are from Indians living in India, but from Indian couples living around the world. They include multi-cultural weddings where one of the couple is Indian."

Click here to read the entire article....

Japanese magazine promotes Dubrovnik as perfect wedding destination

2012-08-13T18:02:00.001+01:00

See for yourself the amazing selection of destination weddings we offer in Croatia - http://www.weddingsabroad.com/#/dubrovnik/4567235002

Japanese magazine promotes Dubrovnik as perfect wedding destination - Travel News - Croatian Times Online News - English Newspaper

Design your own wedding shoes!!

2012-08-04T14:35:00.000+01:00

This weeks fabulous find - perfect for those weddings abroad or closer to home.....bespoke bridal shoes...design your own wedding shoe...how amazing is this concept? Read a little about the Milk & Honey Shoes website below...if you do order any please pop back here and let us have a sneak peek!

Milk & Honey Shoes

You found your soul mate, now let us help you with your sole mate! It’s your wedding day and you are the bride. Shoes that fit your unique style and match your vision of your perfect day are just a click away. And with our custom-designed bridal shoes, you can even choose to have blue insoles to make your shoes extra special.

Your bridal shoes should be beautiful, comfortable, fun and unique – just like your fiancée.

Create your Own Bridal Shoes

If you don’t see your perfect pair of shoes here, please go to our shoebuilder to create your very own ideal bridal shoe. Whether you’ve been dreaming about a particular shade of bridal pumps, height of wedding sandals, comfortable bridal flats you can wear all night long or style of bridal wedges, your bridal shoes should be exactly what you want, from style, to color to heel height.
Remember, the only thing that makes a shoe worthy of the title “bridal shoe” is that you wear it on your wedding day – don’t feel pressured to get “traditional” shoes. We see brides wearing all different amazing styles of bridal shoes for their big day. Since you’ll never be able to wear your dress again, think about ordering shoes that you’ll get a lot of use out of. You can design your shoes in rich metallic’s or shiny, fun glitter. All of our shoes are made to order, so there’s no doubt you’ll have the bridal shoe that is exactly what you want!

Perfect Union of Design and Quality

With Milk & Honey™, it’s not just about turning your dream bridal shoe into reality. It’s about pulling out all the stops and making bridal shoes that are made from the finest materials. From glitter bridal shoes to elegant ivory or a fun animal print, we can ensure you have a shoe fit for a bride as unique as you. Our bridal shoes have genuine leather soles and extra padding to make sure you stay comfortable long after your first dance as a bride.

Vegan Bridal Shoes

If you are looking for bridal shoes that match your values, we also offer vegan bridal shoes. Using all animal-free materials we will handcraft your shoes using only the finest animal-free materials. From faux leather and faux patent to velvet and glitter, our animal-friendly materials create the look you want without sacrificing fashion for compassion. Soles are rubber instead of leather, and the insole is lined in a high-end, non-leather alternative.

Uniformity, not Conformity, for Bridesmaids

Our bridal shoes are also ideal for your bridesmaids. Milk & Honey™ is a great way to coordinate your bridesmaids’ shoes without sticking your friends with shoes they’ll never wear again. You can select the material and color and let each of your girls design their own shoes. It’s the perfect way to get uniformity without conformity!

For further information....click here to visit the Milk & Honey Shoes site.........

New Weddings Abroad - Dubrovnik Weddings

2012-07-30T18:05:00.000+01:00

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Couples in search of romance are flocking to this wondrous city on the southernmost stretch of Croatia’s coast, as enchanted by its beauty today as the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who once proclaimed, "If you want to see heaven on earth, come to Dubrovnik."

The city has been magnificently restored to its former glory to emerge as one of the most fashionable vacation spots in all of Europe. Dubrovnik's resurgent popularity should come as no surprise, however – this “jewel of the Adriatic,” as the coastal resort town is often referred to in tourist brochures, is breathtakingly beautiful and a magnet for dreamy-eyed lovers in search of a romantic getaway.

The city's fortified old town overlooks the dazzling Adriatic from a shelter of limestone cliffs and its marble-paved streets are lined with marvellously preserved churches, stately palaces, squares, and terracotta-roofed townhouses. Meanwhile, down below, along the seaside coast, fine beaches beckon – as do a slew of offshore islands – making Dubrovnik uniquely appealing to just about any taste. - Source Shermans Travel

Click here to see our new selection of destination weddings in Dubrovnik from WeddingsAbroad.com

Brand new show with Gordon Ramsey and Mary Portas

2012-07-20T06:52:00.000+01:00

Gordon Ramsay and Mary Portas are opening a hotel with a whole host of celebrity friends...who will be running the front desk, the hotel spa and even the bar!

If you'd like the hotel to host your wedding or a special event then get in touch! Or maybe you'd like to check in for the night?

As part of Optomen television's new factual-entertainment series for Channel 4, your wedding or event could be catered by Gordon, coordinated by Mary and staffed by a whole host of celebrities. It will be a day that you and your guests will remember forever!

Perhaps you have a special event coming up that you want the hotel to host?

" The ultimate kids' birthday party?
" A divorce party to celebrate your new found freedom?
" A unique event or celebration you'd like Gordon and Mary to host?

Or maybe you want to check in?

If you fancy a night to remember at the ultimate hotel then we want to hear from you!

If you want to make a reservation, get in touch to tell us why you'd make a great guest
Email: hotelguest@optomen.com
Or call 0203 227 5851

To tell us why your event or wedding should be part of the TV event of the year please contact:
Email: hotelevents@optomen.com
Or call: 0203 227 5979
The hotel is open in the 1st week of October. If you want to know more get in touch!

Please note that whilst there is a charge to stay in the hotel, all money will be donated to charity

Your email will be received by a member of Optomen's production team and they will contact you directly. Optomen will process your personal data in accordance with their privacy policy.

Barcelona FC player Andres Iniesta marries longtime girlfriend

2012-07-10T10:25:00.000+01:00

Barcelona FC player Andres Iniesta marries longtime girlfriend - hellomagazine.com

Want to be on TV? - Newlyweds Documentary

2012-06-14T17:12:00.000+01:00

ARE YOU GETTING MARRIED BETWEEN JUNE AND OCTOBER 2012?

Monkey Kingdom are making a brand new documentary series for a major broadcaster that will follow newlywed couples as they experience their first year of marriage.

From the wedding day to the first anniversary and everything in between, we will film the successes and challenges that come within the first year.

Whether your wedding is intimate, traditional, alternative or extravagant, we would love to hear from you!

If you’re the lucky bride or groom, or you know someone who is getting married get in touch now.

Call 07747 888 884 or 0207 749 3129
Or e-mail marriage@monkeykingdom.com

How's this for a marriage proposal.......

2012-06-13T15:27:00.000+01:00

"I think I wanna marry you" - Portland-based actor Isaac Lamb gathered 60 friends and surprised his girlfriend Amy Beth Frankel with this well-choreographed live lip-dub marriage proposal.

Let us know if you have any favourite proposal videos

Three times lucky: Bride marries in the same dress worn by her mother and grandmother on the same date they tied the knot

2012-06-13T08:55:00.000+01:00

History repeated itself for a family on Saturday when a bride tied the knot wearing the same dress her mother and grandmother had worn before her on their big days. And the family tradition didn't stop there - as Sarah Clark, from Cawood, North Yorkshire, married restaurant manager Jonathan Humphreys, 25, on the same date her parents and grandparents had exchanged vows.

Sarah, 25, said she was delighted to be able to wear her grandmother's dress which was amazingly a perfect fit and, despite being from the 1950s, bang on trend.

The lace style dress, which Sarah's grandmother, Dorothy Sampson, 74, had bought for just £30, has been compared to the Duchess of Cambridge's Alexander McQueen-designed wedding dress.

Thanks to the 'Kate effect' lace dresses are in fashion again, so Sarah banished her concerns about looking out-of-date when she wore her grandmother's dress for her 2012 wedding.

She said: 'Not many people can say they have their wedding dress from 1959. I was a bit dubious as to whether it would still be a dress and hadn't disintegrated. There's a bit of blue confetti that got stuck and has been there since mum and dad got married - I will consider it my lucky charm.'

The Viennese bow fronted gown was first worn by Dorothy Sampson, 74, in 1959, when she married Sarah's grandfather Peter. She bought the tiered back garment made with Chantilly lace and appliqui work from Anne Corbett on Bond Street in Leeds.

Dorothy said: 'I suppose I must have tried several dresses on, but that was the one I liked the best. It is still in perfect condition now. I kept it for sentimental reasons, locked away in a box in the loft.'

The dress was first resurrected when Sarah's parents Catherine and Anthony tied the knot in 1984.

After their wedding, Catherine returned the dress to the loft in the hope it might one day be used again. When her Sarah announced her engagement she bought it out and was amazed it fit her daughter perfectly.

Sarah said: 'My mum got the dress out of her loft where it had been stored in a brown box inside a bin liner for the last 26 years. I put it on the bed and kept looking at it and kept coming back to it but when I put it on it just felt right.

'I hadn't even tried any other wedding dresses on, but I can't really describe it, it just had a homely feel to it. It would cost thousands of pounds to have one similar made today.'

Thanks to all three women being 5ft 11in and having a similar body shape, the only alterations to the dress over the years have been an addition of 25 meters of netting to stiffen the train when Sarah wore it, and an adjustment of an inch-and-a-half to the bodice in 1984.

Sarah said each bride has given the dress their own personal touch. 'We've all worn the dress differently - with the collar up or down and with or without a necklace, we've all put our own spin on it.

'It's looked different on everyone who's put it on. Mum and granny both had the veil towards the top of their heads, but I'm wearing it to the back. It's a bit more modern,' she said.

Sarah hopes the dress will bring her a long and happy marriage like her grandmother and mother have enjoyed before her.

When she married Jonathan at St Michael and All Angels Church in Thornhill, Dewsbury, West Yorks, on Saturday, Dorothy and Peter were celebrating their 53rd anniversary while Catherine and Anthony marked 28 years as man and wife.

In another remarkable family tradition, their wedding day fell on June 9 - the exact date her parents and grandparents had married.

Sarah explains: 'We were already looking at June for a wedding date anyway when mum rang and said 'just see what day June the 9th falls on.' We found out it was Saturday and thought why not?'

Sarah's mum, a rapid response nurse from Wakefield, West Yorks, had previously picked June 9 for her own wedding day as she thought it would be nice to share the date with her parents' silver wedding anniversary.

'When we were discussing the wedding in 1984, we had no special date in mind. We thought we'd make it a special double occasion. I hope that granddaughters will pick the same day and continue the tradition,' she said.

Sarah also hopes if she has a daughter the tradition can be carried into a fourth generation.

She said: 'I wouldn't force my daughter to wear it, I would give her the choice. But it would be nice if she did.'

Click here to read the entire article............

I Love.......Coloured Bridal Gowns from David Tutera for Mon Cheri

2012-06-12T17:34:00.000+01:00

Strapless taffeta, tulle and lace ball gown with finely pleated neckline, hand-beaded and embroidered lace appliquéd bodice, asymmetrically dropped waistline adorned with side three-dimensional flowers, asymmetrically draped taffeta pick-up skirt reveals a tulle underskirt with matching beaded lace appliqués, bubble hemline spills into chapel length train. Detachable spaghetti and halter straps included.

Wow! We love this dress too....

Strapless lace and memory taffeta ball gown with softly curved neckline, hand-beaded embroidered lace bodice with ruched taffeta dropped waistband, voluminous pick-up skirt with side three-dimensional flower accent and chapel length train. Detachable spaghetti and halter straps included.

About the Designers

Leading celebrity wedding and entertaining expert David Tutera partnered with esteemed Mon Cheri designer Martin Thornburg to create the David Tutera for Mon Cheri wedding dress collection. David works closely with Martin to develop an assortment of fashionable bridal designs ranging from traditional ball gowns to modern dresses, and couture fashions to more informal designs. David Tutera for Mon Cheri offers today’s stylish brides with high quality fabrics, hand-beaded Swarovski crystals, and impeccable fit at an affordable price.

Check out these coloured gowns from the David Tutera from Mon Cheri Collection here.....

The longest bridal train in the world: Record-breaking wedding dress stretches over TWO MILES of Italian church steps

2012-06-12T08:23:00.000+01:00

Brides seeking a showstopping dress to ensure all eyes are on them for their big day need look no further.

This incredible silk and tulle concoction, designed by Gianni Molaro, boasts a record-breaking train measuring almost two miles in length.

It was modelled today on the steps of Rome's Trinita dei Monti in Italy to celebrate the opening of Molaro's new workshop, the sheer white material rippling out over the Renaissance stonework to complete the fairytale effect.

Tourists snapped away as three spectacular looking brides posed on the Spanish Steps in front of the Fountain of Four Rivers.

The incredible cream veil was worn by Elena De Angelis for her wedding in the Naples village of Casal di Princice last September.

Her train - which was around 28 times the length of Manchester United's Old Trafford pitch - was carried by an army of volunteers as Miss De Angelis was driven through the streets in a vintage car.

Around 20,000 people attended her wedding to Ferdinand Pucci last year to see the outfit that took dozens of seamstresses months to make.

Made from 1.86-mile (three kilometres) of tulle bordered by six miles of silk, the endless train is apparently tied for the title of world's longest with a design by Andree Salon for this year's Wedding Fair in Bucharest.

A model wearing the silk and lace gown took to the sky in a hot-air balloon in March, allowing the gargantuan train to billow out over the Romanian capital.

Mr Molaro said of his creation last year: 'I was really grateful to be asked to design this veil. I met tens of thousands of people on the way to the church who complimented my idea.

'I wanted this veil to symbolise peace and hope and I think we have achieved this.

'This has been one of the biggest moments in my career as a designer.'

There would be no making a dash for it at the altar in this supersized outfit.

Experts estimate it would take Usain Bolt almost five minutes to run its full length, running at blistering world recording pace.

Click here to read the entire article

Autumn Weddings in Italy - Limited Availability

2012-06-10T17:32:00.000+01:00

Getting married this coming Autumn season 2012 in

Italy

will be the most beautiful time of the year! September and October are the months of the wine harvest, when the Italian countryside is full of the most colorful Autumn landscape.
It is the best time of year to experience the areas of Tuscany, Piedmont, Cinque Terre, Puglia and Sicily.
The backdrop for your wedding can be vineyards in full bloom and rolling hills filled with the beautiful gold’s, red’s, oranges and yellow’s, making for a true Italian romantic dream wedding!
You and your guests can take part in the wine harvest and enjoy the wine tastings to the fullest on properties with the richest vineyards in the world!

Here are a few of our speciality wedding locations in Italy:

Perugia Town Hall

The monumental walls and bristling crenellation of Palazzo dei Priori mark it as Umbria's finest public building. The facade is decorated with symbols of Perugia's past power: the griffin is the city's symbol and the lyon denotes Perugia's allegiance to the medieval Guelph (papal) cause. Among its finely decorated rooms is the Sala dei Notari (1295), originally an assembly hall for the people of Perugia, which is frescoed with scenes from the Old Testament by Pietro Cavallini.

Castle in Tuscany

This property is situated in the Tuscan countryside and is a cluster of Tuscan farmhouses forming a small village on high ground with a spectacular 12th century castle. You can marry and have your reception at the castle and stay in the accommodations.

To find out more about our Italian Weddings Abroad please email info@weddingsabroad.com

I Love......Say Cheese! Paper Props...

2012-06-07T21:31:00.001+01:00

Say Cheese! is out to blow customers minds and challenge perceptions with cutting edge paper props.

Check out their fabulous masterpieces of craft, colour, precision, and unique designs. Shimmery card stock, durable wood sticks, and chic designs have resulted in happy customers who can be witnessed smiling and laughing throughout their events.

Celebrate life’s special moments! Pick a prop, show it off!

Click here to check out Say Cheese! Paper Props

Trends in Asian Bridal Fashion

2012-06-06T22:09:00.000+01:00

Growing up every little girl wants to be a Princess one day. To have her Prince Charming look at her on their wedding day and fall in love all over again. All guests to gasp upon her grand entrance that she (the bride) is the most beautiful bride in the world.

Traditional Asian bridal fashion has come a long way from the simplistic suit look to the most lush and expensive garments designed for the special day today. Many would see this is a direct influence of the changes in British Asian society and women taking more control of their lives and dreams.

Thirty years back, Asian brides would dress in a simple Indian/Pakistani suit, and probably the first time they ever wore any make up. Twenty years back, brides would dress up in a traditional red sari and adorned with Indian gold. The more gold the bride wore would indicate the family status.

Normally, the bride’s mother would choose the sari and the bride would wear this on their big day. But this has all changed now. Young Asian women are taking more control on what they want to wear from their registry office wedding to the traditional Asian wedding. Everything carefully chosen down to the very last detail.

Ten years back the fashion of bridal wear was normally a heavy Lengha either red, burgundy or dark pink. The skirt would be long with not much shape and a tunic top. The Chunni would be very heavy. But now the theme, shades, styles, patterns are dictated and styled by the brides themselves.

Brides to be will visit many of the Asian Wedding Exhibitions up and down the country to physically see what is in this season. Everything from venues, clothes, makeup down to bindis. Some brides work with designers in the UK or even take that trip to India and Pakistan to find their perfect outfit.

Online retailers from UK, USA and India are exhibiting their collections, giving a bride more choice for her to decide on what she wants to wear for her special day.

Dependent upon the theme and colours chosen for the venue, the bride to be would make sure that her wedding outfit would also reflect this in its full glory.

Brides are also going for the traditional white and creams for their registry office weddings, with a hint of the west in the shape and style of the outfits. The lenghas will have a train, and the skirt of the lengha will be shaped to the bride’s body shape. Most popular is the fish tail cut.

The wedding outfits themselves are very glamorous, with sexy cut blouses to match the lengha skirt. At present the tops are very short and the lengha skirt worn just under the belly button. Similar to the new collection of saris that have graced the Bollywood screens.

To combine the two there is the trend of the Bridal Lengha Sari which combines the classiness of the lengha with the elegance of the sari. This give you the choice of wearing the two as one outfit.

For those who are not too comfortable to show off their tummy’s strapless corset tops, off shoulder, halter necks with a slim lined skirt is just as sexy and chic.

Asian women today are not sticking with traditional colours such as deep reds and pinks for their bridal gowns. It’s a whole selection of colours; solid colours such as megenta, purple, brown, mustard and pastels such as violet, blues and greens. Infusions of colours are used such as cerise and peach are also observed in bridal fashion.

Designs are intricate with beading, crystals and threading with semi-precious gem stones which are hand-crafted. Net based pallus, jari and resham embroidery, shiny sequin borders and paisley design motifs are examples of the hand-crafted work on the wedding attire. Some outfits have a touch of Alexandra McQueen and Vera Wang ruffles, layers and train.

To complete your important look do not put the jewellery second place. The wrong jewellery can either make or break an outfit.

Gone are the days to wearing heavy Indian gold. The jewellery that brides choose today is matched in great detail with the outfits themselves. Majority of the time this is designed with the outfit which gives an authentic look and a one off piece.

Based on the colour and theme, Asian brides want their bridesmaids and their mothers to wear a similar colour or a particular colour on the wedding day. The bride’s mother, if wearing a similar colour to the bride, would wear a much more simple design.

The bridesmaids can either wear the same colour or a colour selected by the bride to complement her outfit. Many are choosing contrasting colours such as blue for the bridesmaids and pink for the bride. The bridesmaids can wear saris identical to each other, and when the bride walks into the venue for the ceremony, the bride leads in her stunning identical bridesmaids who follow her. A heavy influence of the West, but works just a brilliantly and an amazing moment for guests to witness.

For the men there is also the trend of using ‘groomsmen’ who are not just a single ‘sarwala’ but a group of men wearing complimenting sherwanis to the groom’s sherwani and colours.

Here are some tips to help the Asian bride on her big day:

Do go to some of the Asian Bridal shows. All very well looking in ‘Bridal Magazines’, but to see what is out there physically will help with what you want to wear, make up, jewellery, and it’s always worth asking some of the experts for their advice.

Work with the designers/suppliers of Asian wedding gowns and bridal wear. It’s YOUR BIG DAY, you should be happy with your bridal outfit.

If you are getting your outfit especially made then make sure measurements and fitting is done physically rather than giving another outfit to use as a guide. Especially, if you are getting it made abroad.

If you are buying a ready made outfit and it needs adjusting, make sure you use a reputable tailor. You don’t want to ruin your outfit by cheap craftsmanship.

Co-ordinate your accessories from shoes, handbags to the colour of your eye shadow so that it all ‘connects’ as a well thought out theme.

Look at outfit colours that you like and feel comfortable with because you are the one who is going to wear it on the day! Keeping in with traditional colours can give you scope for adding other colours to your theme; since the reds, pinks and cerise colours all give a wonderful heritage feel to your outfit should you want that look.

DO go for make-up bridal trials. Take all if not part of your outfit. Last thing you want is your make up not matching your fabulous outfit you have taken time, effort and cost on.

Very important to go for pre-wedding shoots. You can co-ordinate your make up trial the same day. At least you can see what you will look like with the make-up used by your chosen make-up artist. Also you and your partner can bond with the photographer. This will help on the big day. Pictures will not look ‘too stiff’ and will be more natural and artistic.

If you are having brides maids and groomsmen, co-ordinate the colour of the outfits for both sides and make sure that they do not clash with both your outfit or your partner’s attire (same can be said about the bride and groom’s mother’s outfits).

Flowers (if used as centre pieces on the tables ) table cloths, chairs, should also be co-ordinated with the main colours of the bride and grooms outfit. Hence, you create a magnificent colour theme for your special day.

Asian women of today are taking more control of what they want on their BIG day. Carefully planning this production from start till end and perfecting every detail. And your outfit is the pinnacle of the event as everyone will want to see you dressed like a Princess for the Day because the momentous day shall always be a true memory of a lifetime.

Click here to read the entire article by Savita Kaye

Married with meatballs: An IKEA love story

2012-04-26T20:17:00.000+01:00

A first-of-its-kind wedding in the area left some onlookers wondering what the heck was going on.

It was a Tuesday night ceremony, held inside the IKEA store in College Park.

In 2010, 30 years after they last saw each other in grade school, Julie Rodgers and Willie Pittman reconnected through a social website and went on a date at the College Park store.

They ate Swedish meatballs, explored the store's "long natural path" and played on furniture.

"As we're leaving, we get yogurt cones and we're on the way to the parking lot when it hits me," Rodgers remembers. "I turned to him and said, 'This is one of the best dates I've ever had,' to which he said, 'This is a date?'"

Exactly two years later, they returned to IKEA to exchange vows and become husband and wife.

Each has been married before, and Rodgers has four children.

Initially, all Rodgers wanted to do was share some of the store's meatballs and take photos with the man she calls "Bear."

But when she contacted IKEA and told them her love-over-meatballs story, the company offered to give them the space to hold their wedding for no charge.

The store also provided chairs and linens for the event, and, of course, meatballs and other food for the reception.

IKEA's Sharon Black says it's the first wedding ever held inside the College Park store, and she understands the publicity may spark more requests.

"We'll entertain them all, but we'll see where it goes from here. We're not really in the wedding business," Black says with a laugh.

Customers who spotted the wedding party in the upstairs restaurant had mixed reactions.

"This is the craziest thing I've ever seen. Who wants to get married in IKEA?" one woman wondered.

"It's something they're going to remember for a while. It's like, 'Hey, we got married at IKEA,' so it's kind of cool," another man said.

One thing has changed for the couple in the last two years: Both have become vegetarians. Rodgers says that won't stop them from celebrating their special day in the future.

"We're going to have an anniversary meatball. It may only be one or two, but it will be a commemorative meatball," she says.

Click here to read the entire article......

I Love......Bride's Abroad Stationery

2012-03-23T11:54:00.000+00:00

If you are getting married abroad and want some complimentary stationery look no further than First Crush Cards

Check out their full range of Save the Date cards, Invitations, Favour Boxes and so much more....

Weddings Abroad - Tip of the Day

2012-03-23T11:18:00.000+00:00

Enlist Dancing Instructors......

Image courtesy of Flamenco Pasion

Many couples like to include their culture and heritage into their wedding and wedding dances are a perfect opportunity to do so. Alternatively if you have chosen to have your wedding in Spain enlist the help of some professional Flamenco dancers to inspire your guests to get up on the dance floor...it adds great fun to your wedding.

The same can be done if it's a Mexican wedding...Salsa dancers will sweep your guests off their feet. There's no limit to the options... African traditional spirited dancing, Italian Folk Dancing like the Tarantella, Irish Céilí dancing....

11 Couples To Tie The Knot At Disney World On 11/11/11

2011-11-11T07:32:00.000+00:00

Couples Find Special Meaning In Unique Day

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Dozens of couples will tie the knot on Friday, 11/11/11, at Disney Parks destinations around the globe.

If the 11/11/11 number isn't uncanny enough, there are exactly 11 couples who plan to say their vows on Friday at the Walt Disney World Resort, a number that the worldwide marketing and business development director for Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons, Korri McFann, says is purely a coincidence.

McFann says her staff didn't even realize the similarity until they started counting the weddings planned for Friday. Needless to say, it's going to be a busy day.

"You will be hard pressed as a regular day guest at the Walt Disney World Resort not to see a couple somewhere," McFann said.

Friday's weddings will take place at a variety of locations around the resort, including Disney's Wedding Pavilion, Epcot, Disney's Boardwalk and Disney's Polynesian Resort.

McFann says each of the couples has a unique explanation for why they wanted to get married on such a unique date. A Jacksonville couple has made a wish every day at 11:11. For a couple from Pennsylvania, Nov. 11 is the date of the groom's grandparents' 56th wedding anniversary. Another couple from Hawaii took the date more symbolically.

"They thought the 11/11 looked like two people coming together. People are deep!" McFann said. "People really want something meaningful behind their weddings. They want something to remember it by. If you can have a clever date, why not?"

Several of the couples were engaged at Disney. Another, a local Orlando pair, actually met when they were working at Disney's Hollywood Studios together. But not every one of the thousand weddings that Disney helps plan each year started with a mouse.

"A lot of people who may have never been to Walt Disney World travel here. We're known in the destination weddings business of being able to handle absolutely everything," McFann said.

With Florida's weather, McFann says, couples travel here year round to say "I do."

On Friday, four couples will say their vows on board the Disney Cruise Line, three will get married at Aulani, Disney's new resort in Hawaii, and eight will mark the occasion at the Disneyland Resort in California.

In all, Disney says 40,000 couples have married at Walt Disney World, Disneyland and on the ships of the Disney Cruise Line.

And as for 12/12/12? McFann says the requests are already rolling in.

To read the entire article: http://www.wesh.com/themeparks/29738414/detail.html#ixzz1dNb4olfg

Here comes the bride and her TWO MILE train: Italian village brought to standstill by record-breaking wedding dress

2011-09-24T09:55:00.000+01:00

This bride went a tiny bit over the top with her wedding dress with a train that takes some stopping.

They say it’s a day you should never forget – and that’s certainly the case for Italian bride Elena De Angelis and the village of Casal di Princice.

She has broken the world record for the longest wedding dress by arriving to the church with a mammoth, 3km (1.86 mile) long veil.

Hundreds of schoolgirls and their mothers turned out to help the bride-to-be along the streets of her village.

The Gianni Molaro designed cream dress, which is made from 6,000 metres of silk chord, is expected to be confirmed as the world’s longest by the Guinness book of Records.

It’s apparently 28 times the length of Manchester United's Old Trafford pitch and would take Usain Bolt running at blistering world recording pace almost five minutes to run its full length.

Driven to the church in a vintage car Elena was applauded by the entire village.

The veil literally stretched for miles and had to be carefully collected by designers after Elena arrived in the church.

Click here to read the article in full.....

A marriage Jim, but not as we know it: Lesbian couple celebrate civil ceremony with Star Trek-themed service

2011-09-23T10:30:00.000+01:00

A lesbian couple has boldly gone where no-one has gone before and celebrated their civil partnership with a completely Star Trek-themed wedding.

Walking down the aisle dressed in matching white outfits modelled on hero Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Anita Bayliss and Margaret Wood are so obsessed with the cult television show they even forced loved-ones to dress up as characters at the ceremony in Swansea, South Wales.

The couple met on an internet forum and from that shared passion for sci-fi they eventually decided to live long and prosper together by tying the knot.

To look their best on the day at Swansea City's Liberty Stadium the happy couple both got their unique outfits shipped in from Hong Kong.

Click here to read the article in full

A mob of 49 dancing carrots take the cake when it comes to wedding proposals

2011-08-10T19:45:00.000+01:00

We have all heard about unusual marriage proposals, but this one takes the (carrot) cake.

At the weekend Pang Kun and 48 of his friends took to the streets of Qingdao in east China's Shangong province dressed as carrots and he proposed to his girlfriend, Zhang Xinyu, who was out on a shopping trip.

The wacky Chinese man danced away in a square in the suit, which was orange - his girlfriend's favourite colour - and when he finally did get down on bended knee, she gladly accepted his proposal.

Saturday August 6 was the Chinese version of Valentine's Day, and so Pang put some special thought and attention in to planning the proposal.

In all, the idea took three weeks to perfect and execute, and cost him over £9,300.

Pang, who had installed a microphone into his costume, began jigging and then caused shoppers - including his girlfriend - to become bemused by recounting the couple's first date, six months previous.

'Six months ago I met you,' he said as he danced. 'I still remember your shyness on our first date, my longing for the next date, and my excitement the first time I held your hand at the movie theatre.'

And when he began peeling off his costume the crowd chanted to his girlfriend 'marry him, marry him', which she promised to do so.

His proposal has led him to become an Internet sensation, and online users have nicknamed him 'carrot boy', which has temporarily become one of the most searched terms in China.

To read the entire article - click here

Weddings Abroad - Tip of the Day - Outdoor Wedding Weather

2011-03-10T09:28:00.000+00:00

Outdoor Wedding Locations

There are many lovely outdoor wedding locations - beach weddings, lakeside weddings, rainforest weddings, mountain weddings, garden weddings...the options are endless! With any outdoor wedding, it is vital that the bride and groom work with their wedding planner to establish a backup plan in the event of bad weather. If the wedding location is in the grounds of a hotel, coordinate ahead to have a room ready for you in the event of inclement weather. This option may cost a little more, but it will save you worry and potential heartache later! Another option is to plan to have only the ceremony outdoors and the reception inside (or inside with an outside section). In the event of inclement weather, you can simply hold the entire event in the room you planned to have the reception in - without incurring extra costs!