On Location - Taplow House

Taplow House Hotel is an exclusive wedding venue located on the edge of Maidenhead and the historic Burnham Beaches. This elegant mansion dating from 1598 is situated in 6 acres of picturesque woodland, lending itself perfectly to an English Country wedding.

As you sweep into the driveway the gardens with our impressive trees present a magnificent location for any wedding. The house has been beautifully restored throughout and tailor made wedding packages are available to suit the wishes for any couple.

All our 32 bedrooms are spacious and elegant exuding country house charm and comfort with complimentary accommodation offered for the Bride and Groom. Each room is individually designed and beautifully restored to the style of the period as well as including everything you may need for a stay away from home.

We have 2 suites licensed for civil ceremonies, The Tulip Tree licensed for 110 and The Grenfell Suite licensed for 80 guests. The rooms are beautifully presented with antique mirrors and period features. The Tulip Tree has doors that open onto the terrace overlooking the grounds. Either room will provide the perfect setting for your perfect day.

The Wedding Manager Melissa Docherty has vast experience in all areas of weddings at event planning and oversees the wedding department at Taplow House Hotel. Once you have made that all important decision of picking your venue, Melissa or our Wedding Coordinator Aimee Dale will take you through each stage of your day and introduce you to the many options you have within your wedding package as well as choosing the many optional extras we can offer. We can recommend suppliers for flowers, photography, and much more as well as being a useful source of advice. Our one bride policy and on the day attendance guarantees that you will be given all of the attention and dedication you deserve.

We have been lucky enough to host many highly successful weddings over the years. Drawing from experience we have created four unique packages designed to give you the best possible experience on your day. We appreciate that every wedding is special; our Wedding Manager Melissa will be delighted to advise you on the options and help you choose.

For further information please visit the website or follow them on Twitter

Supplier Spotlight - ByGina

I am thrilled to welcome ByGina who offers handmade Swarovski jewellery and wedding stationery.  In her own words, Gina talks about her passion for jewellery, stationery and all things wedding.

"I used to work in hotels and my favourite part of the job was working with weddings, seeing the bride and groom on the day was always a highlight! When I left the hotel industry I wanted to find a way to still be involved in weddings without the long unsocial hotel hours. I started experimenting making wedding stationery and then moved on to jewellery.

I haven’t had any professional tuition...I taught myself as I went along and I love it. I have now been making stationery and jewellery for the past 4 years.

I love to work with Swarovski crystals as they have a brilliant cut and shine and come in a huge array of colours. This means I can personalise all of my designs to match colour schemes. I also pride myself on making my products affordable. Everyone is feeling the pinch with the credit crunch and I recognised a niche in the market to offer high quality items, at affordable prices, so that Brides and Grooms don’t have to compromise on quality in order to afford their dream wedding.

I only use Swarovski crystals and pearls and sterling silver fitments in my jewellery so they are perfect to keep and wear in the future.

My stationery is made using the finest card, Swarovski crystals and Beresford ribbons...I believe that you can have the best without paying a premium. I like to keep my designs simple...but add a touch of sparkle. All of my designs can be adapted to fit in with different colour schemes. We don't have a minimum order value and sell in any multiples, so couples don't have to order more than they need.

We have a new tiara range coming soon as well as 2 new websites...so 2011 is shaping up to be a very exciting year!

See http://www.bygina.co.uk/ for our full product range."

Supplier Spotlight - Love Bouquets

I discovered this wonderful company through Twitter and I've been hooked ever since.  Love Bouquet create totally fabulous and unique vintage crystal & brooch bouquets for that special day.

Natalie, and her then mother-in-law to be, first made a crystal bouquet when they were planning her own wedding back in 2009 after falling in love with one in a bridal magazine that was out of their budget.

What started off as a one off DIY project soon turned into a business after posting pictures on a well known bridal forum, and they started getting emails requesting that they make them for other brides. So in 2010 they set up a website, the orders came flooding in - and they haven't looked back.

All of their bouquets are made using the best quality crystals, fresh water pearls, vintage brooches and buttons.  They also use fresh touch flowers with the brooches and crystals for something even more unique.

This fantastic duo offer bouquets for the lower budget bride...they are able to do this by keeping everything pre-wired which helps to keep the costs low for their customers and it also means that they can take on last minute orders.  They also offer mini versions for flowergirls so they can join in and play princess for the day.

For further information check out their gorgeous website or follow Natalie & Sheila on Twitter

Supplier Spotlight - A Laaaaa Garcons

If you are looking for the ultimate in surprise entertainment for your wedding then why not book A Laaaaa Garcons Singing Waiters or Singing Guests show?   It is the perfect form of wedding entertainment that your guests will be talking about for years to come.

Have them mix and mingle either as singing waiters or as singing guests, in the disguise of your choice before they burst into song and dance and get your wedding breakfast or party going with a swing.  They are professional singers and actors so for them to take cover stories when mingling with your guests it is very easy. Imagine the look on your guests faces when the boys suddenly start singing something like “This Is The Moment” or “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” from different points in the room.

They can also tailor the music program to suit you and your guests taste. Your wedding is about you so it makes perfect sense to base the music around songs that mean something to you. As long as the song is commercially available and in the range of a male baritone they can learn new songs especially for you. As singing waiters they can also take on any costume or disguise you wish from waiters to guests, to firemen or any kind of uniform you want. The possibilities stretch as far as your imagination does, within reason and decency of course!!

On top of this they can also add tribute shows such as The Rat Pack, The Best of the Boybands or a Take That duo to the package at no additional cost, making it better for your pocket, providing real value for money.  A Laaaaa Garcons can also add a disco to your package to give you an all in one entertainment solution, all for the cost of your average party band. There are other optional extras available including extra waiters, a singing chef, dancing girls and your favourite celebrity, all of which can be added into the mix.

For further details check out the website at http://www.singingwaitersx2.com/ or contact Jamie on 01695 682055.

Supplier Spotlight - Smooch

I am delighted to introduce Smooch who offer some sound advice on the tricky business of buying your wedding rings.

Do you know which metal do you want? Gold, platinum, white gold, titanium, palladium... 9ct, 18ct, 22ct?  Do you want it to be engraved?  Would you like diamonds?  Perhaps you've got an unusually shaped engagement ring, and just can't find a wedding ring that sits nicely with it.  Add to these questions the problem of being in a busy high street jewellers on a Saturday morning, being pushed around by other shoppers, staring hopelessly through glass display cases, trying to get the attention of the sales staff...

Phew, I'm exhausted just thinking about it!

Instead, how would you like to curl up on the sofa at home, cup of tea in hand (or better still a nice glass of wine) and browse a massive selection of rings at your leisure? If you decide to have a free, no obligation appointment with one of our advisors, that's exactly what you can do.

Smooch specialise in shaped wedding rings, and our highly trained advisors will offer you the best advice, and help you decide what's best for you. After all, a wedding ring is for life, so you need to make sure you get it right! You can also be sure of getting the best deal with Smooch as we offer a price match guarantee.

To help get you started, here are a few tips on things to consider when choosing your ring.


Set your budget and stick to it. At Smooch, we will always offer honest advice, and not try to sell the most expensive ring. We also provide an interest free payment scheme on all of our rings, so you can make monthly payments, which can be a big help with budgeting whilst planning for your big day.

Don’t be tempted to over-complicate the ring, especially if you have an elaborate engagement ring. Your wedding band should complement rather than compete with the engagement ring.

Make sure your ring fits perfectly - it should be loose enough to spin on your finger if you move it but tight enough so that you need to give is a slight twist to take it off.

Large cluster or unusually shaped engagement ring? Consider having a wedding band that is shaped around it, they will sit together better on your finger.

Select an odd number of diamonds for your wedding band - for some reason it always looks better than an even number.

Get a guarantee that covers you for resizing, re-polishing and replacement of diamonds, this should be for at least 5 years. Smooch gives a lifetime guarantee on all of our rings.

Keep engraving messages simple, and don’t be tempted to be too jokey - it may not be so funny in 20 years time.

Remember that all jewellery metals will scratch but over time the scratches will blend together and become less noticeable. However if you buy from Smooch we’ll re-polish your rings at any time Free of Charge.

Buy your rings as early as you can. Precious metals tend to go up in price regularly so you can save a lot of money by buying early.

Don’t buy the first ring you see, take your time, it will be with you for decades so making the right choice is essential.

For further information or to arrange a consultation please visit http://www.smoochrings.co.uk/

Real Weddings - Ginny & Kaysa's Spanish Romantic Getaway

When I first heard about this wedding I was so excited to see a fabulous couple who wanted a wedding that was outside of the box and I am so thrilled that I am able to share it with you on my blog.

Ginny Hendricks and Kaysa Kumar met in Amsterdam, and between them they have Chinese, Celtic, Indian, and American/Canadian in their heritage, so there were many customs and traditions for them to consider when planning their wedding.

They were together for 8 years before getting married, both being unsure about the institution of marriage but very sure of each other. When deciding what was important to them on their big day they didn't take advice from anyone, they just wanted to "be true to ourselves."

They designed the wedding invitation from scratch, telling their story so they didn't have to explain it all on the day! Once this had been sent out they invited guests to visit the wedding website for further information and updates.

They planned for their wedding to be a weekend to rival their many parties, to be relaxed and to do something that represented them, creating memories that they'll always be proud of. They spent money on experiences not showiness, the wedding was fun not formal with the bride & groom being approachable at all times and there was no "getting ready girly fru-fru bollocks."
The wedding was held in The Palaceté de Cázulas an exclusive and private mansion set in Andalucian countryside that can accommodate up to 24 guests. They had all their close friends and family stay in a villa so that they could have lots of chilled-out meals and poolside catch ups. As soon as they saw the venue they started dreaming up fun things to do to surprise their guests e.g. jump in the pool fully clothed instead of a first dance - which they did!

The couple had a private religious ceremony in the chapel set in the grounds with just close family members. This was followed by a ceremony conducted by their best friend in the grounds of the villa, for all of the guests, where they wrote their own vows.

They also wanted to acknowledge Kaysa's Chinese maternal heritage so they held an abbreviated Chinese tea ceremony. To take the edge of the seriousness they had everyone hold and let go of a red balloon and then blasted out NENA's "99 Luftbalons" to much hilarity.

Ginny & Kaysa had so many personal touches throughout the weekend such as the 'Ginny Hendricks' pre-ceremony welcome cocktail – using Hendrick's Gin of course! They also wanted a nod to the Dutch guests so served platters of bitterballen at midnight.

When asked what lessons did you learn about yourself while planning the wedding they replied “you have to work really hard to keep it relaxed - at every turn people expect formality but we stuck to ours guns and it was both relaxed but meaningful”.

Thank you so much to Ginny & Kaysa for sharing your special day with Ruby Weddings.

Contact us to find out more about Ruby's Wedding Planning packages.

Supplier Spotlight - Masquerade Masks

‘Masque Boutique’, set up by Tanith Harvey-Smith, aims to provide a unique service to customers and brides-to-be, by offering bespoke creations of her masquerade masks and mini top hat fascinators, at the same prices as her pre-made designs sold on the website.

Inspired by her time living in Italy and having married in Venice during the famous ‘Carnivale’ (complete with a traditional Venetian mask of course), Tanith set out to create a continual range of products that would not only be completely unique to the person wearing them, but also affordable.

As every person has their own style, this meant that the ranges included everything from romantic lace designs right through to Gothic themes, with nothing being too much trouble to design.

‘When I first started designing the launch range, I wanted to create something very different from what I had seen already online, but keeping within realistic price ranges. I scoured antique and vintage shops and online stores for inspiring jewellery, laces and materials as I wanted to mix them up with more contemporary accessories, allowing for the fact that although the traditional Venetian masks are incredibly beautiful, they don’t always cater to our more modern tastes and dress designs.’

With the increasing popularity of Masquerade Weddings, Tanith uses her own experience of organising her own masquerade wedding reception, to help brides with ideas and organising masks for their guests. Brides are encouraged to send in images of their dress or outfit and any samples of the materials so that a mock up of the mask or hat can be put together for design approval.

Tanith works closely with her clients offering advice as to what is comfortable to wear and working within a budget which can be anything from £20 up to £100 depending on materials and the design. If guests are expected to wear masks, then Masque Boutique can also arrange for bulk orders at discount, budget mask ranges or a discount code giving up to 20% the website prices.

For the full range of Masquerade Masks, Mini Top Hats and Fascinators, please visit http://www.masqueboutique.com/ or contact Tanith on 01743 341160.

Supplier Spotlight - Jezebel Make-Up

Jezebel make up was created in 2009 by professional make-up artist Shelley Brown who is based in Essex, but takes appointments all over the country. Jezebel make up offers professional make up for weddings, special occasions, proms, fashion and editorial shoots, group make up parties and individual lessons.

“As a makeup artist it is really important to me to help women achieve the look they desire by stripping back to the basic ‘rules’ of makeup. So many people spend hundreds of pounds on the most expensive products, but the reality is if you don’t understand the basic application techniques, you may be wasting your money.”

A bride of course wants look and feel beautiful on their big day and by enhancing natural beauty, Shelley can help to achieve a flawless look. Her creative and professional approach enables her to achieve beautiful make up for each and every one of her clients. After all, skin tone and face structure is unique and deserves a bespoke approach.

Jezebel Make Up Bridal Service
When considering if you require a makeup artist for your day, firstly think about how comfortable you feel at doing your own make up; especially on the morning of your wedding. It is likely that you will feel a little stressed and having a makeup artist is one less thing to worry about and takes the pressure off you.

A Jezebel make up bridal make up appointment includes a pre-wedding trial and a cleansing facial which will help to prepare and cleanse your skin before the day. At the trial you will discuss ideas, share photos, talk about skin care etc. It is really important that Shelley gets to understand your ideas and skin type so she can achieve the look you want and also the look that suits your skin type and face shape. Something brides seem to worry about is looking too ‘made up’ on the day. As a professional makeup artist Shelley will only use products that are made to last longer, as opposed to layering the makeup on.

Just need some advice?
If however you do decide to do your make-up yourself on the day, you could benefit from a Jezebel makeup trial only appointment. Shelley can come to a location of your choice and advise on colours, skin care routines and application, which will help give you more confidence to apply the makeup yourself on the day. This service is also really useful for destination weddings and brides getting married abroad, who won’t necessarily have the benefit of a makeup artist on the day.

Stick to what you know
Be very careful if you are thinking about changing your skincare regime or make up products too near to your wedding day. Not only may your skin reject the product, with a few changes/stresses going on with the wedding plans, you may find that your skin changes too. The last thing you want is to start breaking out as your skin tries to adapt to the change. If you are concerned about your skin being dry, spotty, oily etc, then Shelley suggests one of two options;
• if your budget stretches, invest in a facial at a salon once a month or;
• if your budget strings are a little tighter, do it at home. Invest in a cleanser, toner, exfoliator, serum and hydrating moisturiser, and allow a little beauty time once every two weeks or once a month

For further information or to arrange a consultation visit http://www.jezebelmakeup.com/ or follow Shelley on Twitter.

Supplier Spotlight - Choccywoccydoodah

I am absolutely thrilled to have the fabulously named Choccywoccydoodah on my blog today, I know that January is usually a month for denying ourselves chocolate but this is something very special.  If the name itself isn't gorgeous enough for you - feast your eyes on the treats below with a commentary from Gavin Munro, Directors' Assistant at Choccywoccydoodah.

Choccywoccydoodah is an art and design focused chocolaterie based in the bohemian city of Brighton. We specialise in chocolate one-off sculptured fantasies, bespoke wedding cakes using only the finest chocolate and ingredients, chocolate gifts (small and thoughtful, as well as extravagant gestures), birthday cakes with a choice of flavours decorated in chocolate, slabs of chocolate, chocolate fantasy pets, really, really naughty stuff ...

All in chocolate!

We use only the finest Belgian chocolate couvetures and coatings, where we can we source ingredients from local Sussex suppliers.

A choccywoccydoodah chocolatier undergoes a huge amount of intensive training, and is actively encouraged to use their own initiatives to design and invent wonderful, delicious chocolate creations. It takes three years to become a fully trained chocolatier.

We have 2 chocolatier florists whose sole purpose is to hand make, from solid chocolate, the most astonishing chocolate flowers. The top secret technique is completely unique and doesn’t involve any pastes, fondants or glycerine! Just chocolate. Our chocolate floristry is constantly evolving – by researching nurseries and flower shows we are able to adapt our skills ahead of fashion.

In addition to our chocolatiers, we have, in our opinion, a superb front of house team with customer service skills second to none. They are trained to have an extensive knowledge of the chocolate we sell and are happy to spend time with each customer to ensure the customer has made an informed decision of their purchases.

In our Brighton bar du chocolat, our team of chocalistas serves the best hot chocolates, slices of cake, dipping pots, milkshakes, and sundaes in an atmosphere of lavish extravagance.

Between us all, we have a dynamic, talented, experienced and unique team of people whose ambition and desire is to provide our customers with much more than they could have ever anticipated.

And if all that wasn't enough for you there is the Choccywoccyboudoir - Our intimate boudoir will be yours for two delicious hours of sheer decadent self indulgence.  An extravagant chocolate feast will be served to you and your guests as you relax with a sumptuous hot chocolate made from pure Belgian chocolate. As well as our mouth watering pure Belgian hot chocolate, you will be served gorgeous icecream milkshakes, slices of our famous chocolate cake, chocolate dipping pots served with strawberrys, marshmallows, Turkish delight, hand made Belgian chocolate truffles, bowls of beautiful chocolate buttons and much much more. 

The whole of the bar and boudoir can also be reserved for special occasions - perfect for a hen party!

Click here to see more images from their Bespoke Gallery.

For more information visit http://www.choccywoccydoodah.com/ or follow their adventures on Twitter & Facebook.



Real Weddings - Fabio & Samantha's Italian Adventure

Fabio, a secondary school teacher in the UK, was on his summer holidays visiting his family in Italy when he met Samantha at a friend’s wedding in 2009. After a long distance relationship between Milan and Reading, the couple were married on 10 July 2010 in their native Italy.

Their intimate Italian wedding took place in the beautiful Santuario delle Beata Vergine de Carmelo church in Montevecchia on one of the hottest days that locals had experienced in living memory, with the temperature soaring to 42°C!

The stunning location, at the top of Montevecchia, can only be reached by climbing a stairway of 174 steps lined with cypress trees. Once you’ve caught your breath at the top, you are rewarded with stunning views over the Lombardia region.

After the emotional Catholic ceremony inside the beautiful church, the guests gathered on the steps to throw rice and pose for pictures.

Fabio & Samantha then led their guests back down the hill to join a convoy of cars which took the guests to a fabulous restaurant in the nearby town of Briosco.

Ristorante Lear is privately owned and set in a renovated nineteenth-century complex, combining tradition with modern times.

Hidden in the vast grounds are unique sculptures ranging from stone archways to brightly coloured modern art and even giant bears watching over the restaurants entrance.

Guests were treated to a feast of no less than 8 courses of fabulous Italian cuisine with local wines and gorgeous potted fir trees as favours. After the sumptuous meal, everyone retired to the terrace for the speeches and cutting of the cake, a homage to the English guests, whilst the staff reset the main room for the evening entertainment.

The groom enchanted everyone when serenaded his new wife with a song that he had written especially for her and the evening closed with a rock n roll band who played well into the early hours. It was a very long & hot day but the Italian hospitality was in abundance and a thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all.

The bride and groom departed the next day for a 2 week honeymoon to America, where they journeyed along Route 66.

Thank you to Fabio & Samantha for sharing their special day with Ruby Weddings.

Venue: Ristorante Lear http://www.ristorantelear.it/

Find out more about Ruby's Wedding Planning packages.