Ruby Weddings Blog

Supplier Spotlight - Meet Daisy the Vintage Ice Cream Van

2012-02-28T10:28:00.000Z

I’m thrilled to introduce you to the loveable character that is Daisy The Vintage Ice Cream Van, resplendent in cream, chrome and lilac, Daisy brings vintage fun and glamour wherever she goes. She will amaze, delight and excite your guests at weddings, parties, events, special occasions, festivals, fetes and fayres.

Fully stocked with delicious luxury Cotswold ice cream, sorbets, retro ice lollies, Champagne, Pimms, hot chocolate and winter warmers, served by Daisy’s handmaiden Tara in full 1950s vintage style dress. Perfect for summer or winter weddings Daisy will deliver mouth watering treats and that extra special wow factor. Dressed in fabulous bunting and fresh flowers, Daisy is the prettiest Vintage Ice Cream Van you will ever meet.

“I really love being able to personalise Daisy a little bit for each of her wedding and party bookings, from specific colour of flowers, to a personalised message I write on the back window, or working with a bride and Groom to invent their own special ice cream sundae, it's one of the best things about being a small business that you can adapt to your customers, my customers always get to choose the treats Daisy stocks for their event including all the flavours of the ice cream and sorbets.” Tara, loving owner of Daisy.

Serving the truly delicious and award winning Winstones Cotswold Ice Cream there are a host of flavours to choose from including; Strawberries & Cream, Chocolate Chunk, Creamy Vanilla, Raspberry Ripple, Banoffee, Cookies & Cream and Lemon Meringue or delicious Taywell Sorbets including; Pink Champagne, Orange, lemon, Elderflower, Raspberry, Strawberry, Gin & Tonic, Pimms, Limencello – the choice is never ending!

Tara can even include ice cream and sorbets for diabetics and the dairy Intolerant, and offer the option of a small pot rather than a cornet for the wheat intolerant and gluten-free cornets.

For those of who yearn for your childhood favourite lollies; Fabs, Mivis, and Cherry Brandy, Lager & Lime, Cider ice lollies are also available alongside a delightful array of old fashioned sweet jars for your guests to choose their own pick & mix including cola bottles, liquorice allsorts, sherbert lemons, love hearts and jelly beans.

New for this year Daisy will also be offering fresh strawberries & cream, delicious, bursting with flavour and locally sourced, a true English summer classic. Between May and September Daisy can be stocked with luscious fresh strawberries topped with the best yummy whipped cream or of course you can choose to have ice cream.

A real treat for your guests – why not let Tara devise for you a fabulous personal sundae with your choice of flavours and extras, then you get to give it a name, it’s your day so why not have your own personal sundae?

To find out more or to follow Daisy’s adventures follow Tara on Twitter or check out the website.

With so much choice the only problem you will have is trying to decide which flavour ice cream to go for – I think I’ll have a pink champagne sorbet please!

Love & Sparkles

Supplier Spotlight - Unique wedding themes from the Oxford Rosette Company

2012-02-23T13:54:00.000Z

Today we are talking rosettes – maybe not a first choice for your wedding theme but for anyone who is a horse lover, gymnast or even a prize vegetable grower and looking for a way to incorporate your passion into your wedding, The Oxford Rosette Company could be just what you are looking for!

With products ranging from greeting cards, gift tags, bunting to wedding invitations, all items can be personalised creating a perfect gift or decoration.

Using the theme of rosettes in some way or another but they can also incorporate other materials to either give a vintage or perhaps even a modern touch. Buttons, sparkles, feather, fluff, leather and even tinsel can be used to create the rosettes. Proving very popular especially with horse lovers and farmers who would like a subtle theme of country life incorporated into their special day.

Do you fancy a day out at the races – why not have a wedding reception with the theme of racecourses? Jennifer sourced vintage race pass cards and used them to create table markers, the guests sitting at each table then had a rosette place tag to match the table marker.

Save The Date rosettes can be any colour theme and personalised with details of the wedding including location, date and names. These can come with either magnets or with a safety pin attachment.

Thank you Cards – why not give an unusual gift and co-ordinate with the bridesmaids dresses!

The website is coming soon but for now orders can be placed through their Folksy shop or follow Jennifer on Facebook and Twitter. If you are after a special theme or colour that you can't see shop please contact them and they will be happy to help you design something unique.

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves ~ Saturday Special

2012-02-18T09:55:00.000Z

The week of love and what a week it has been! With everyone going crazy over Valentines Day and questions flying all around - is it just an over rated cliche invented by the card companies? It may well be but I say what is wrong with one day of the year being dedicated to love and all things red, sparkly and pretty!?! Check out my blog for some great gift ideas - not just for V Day!

Here's a little selection of the things I'm loving this week:
Y Wedding dresses made out of toilet paper! Y Midweek cocktails with friends Y Jimmy Choo goes bridal Y Surprise flowers from my boyfriend Y Amazing stories of courage and the kindness of the human spirit Y Winning a Aussie Hair competition Y Friends romantic proposal stories Y

This was also a sad week with the shocking loss of the amazingly talented, some times troubled but always beautiful Whitney Houston. Miss Moem, another lady with a fabulous talent, paid tribute to her with a poem 'In Memory Of Whitney Houston'. RIP Whitney, you will be missed.

Love & Sparkles

Supplier Spotlight - Next generation photobooths with Fotopod

2012-02-16T09:53:00.000Z

Unique. Quirky. Different. Fun. What will help make your wedding stand out, ensure your guests enjoy themselves and make your wedding memorable? What keepsake will help you remember your guests, and the fun they had?

FotoPod are using touchscreen iMac’s and a super-slick and stylish application to capture your Big Day like no other photo booth company can. Their photo guest books are truly gorgeous, and unlike any other I've seen. Most photo booth companies are offering on-the-day guest books, with photos tapped or glued into a blank album which guests then leave a message next to.

It is obvious that FotoPod has put a lot of thought and effort into their photo guest books. Using their online customisation portal, you choose the design template, page layout, colour scheme, font style, cover type (e.g. leather, photo hardcover) and inscription. You can even choose to include an About Us page, and can include up to 25 of your own pictures, either from your photographer, or photos from holidays, childhood, etc.

On the day, your guests use the FotoPod touchscreen kiosk to have their picture taken and then leave a handwritten message using either the FotoPod digital pen or an ink pen of your choosing. The application links guests’ photos with their handwritten message. Following the day, you upload your photos and can edit your guestbook design choices. FotoPod designers then put together your custom guestbook. Once your approve the final design, the books are printed on high-quality archival paper with lay-flat binding. The finished product is beautiful.

The FotoPod photo guestbook is not the only thing that separates them apart. Their modern, low profile, stylish photo kiosk is very different from the average step-inside booth. Incorporating 21-inch touchscreen iMac’s, the flexible and versatile set up is mobile, and enables them to meet your bespoke ideas. If, for example, you would like the kiosk in one location during cocktail hour and a different location for after dinner, this is easily done. Minimum set up involves a 21-inch touchscreen iMac’s, professional studio soft box lights, high-speed HiTi photo printers, and a poseur table. Beyond that they can provide 2m x 2m x 2m cube light tents, and backgrounds of various sizes and colours.

The FotoPod application itself is fully customizable and packed full of great features. Top quality photo booth pictures print on the spot in less than 10 seconds, giving your guests something to take home. Unique features include multiple prints of the same photo for those group shots, and custom colour settings where the guest can choose whether the photo is printed in colour, black & white, or sepia toned.

Another super impressive function is their fotoShare feature, an excellent alternative to disposable cameras. Your guests visit the FotoPod kiosk, slide their camera memory card into the universal card reader, type their name in, and select which photos they want to share. The FotoPod application does the rest – your guest’s pictures are captured for you to enjoy.

My Fotopod experience at the National Wedding Show

When it comes to photo guest books and photo booths, FotoPod have certainly set themselves apart from the rest – this is a truly unique and bespoke product and service. Better still - FotoPod is currently offering a 10% discount for Ruby’s Readers for all 2012 weddings!

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves ~ Valentines Day Inspiration

2012-02-14T09:05:00.000Z

Are you stuck for ideas this Valentines Day? Bored of chocolates and flowers? Want something a little unusal? Well look no further, I've picked a few of my favourite ideas for a romantic Valentines day treat!

www.iwantoneofthose.com

This set of wooden Russian Dolls comes in the 'sweetheart' theme. Decorated in red and white colours, with heart decorations, the dolls are perfect for the sweetheart in your life! If they are set out beside each other in size order they display the message, 'I will love you all day, everyday, forever'.

www.gettingpersonal.co.uk

Go retro and make a Mix Tape!! The 64MB memory stick is housed in an old school style cassette case, in true nostalgic style the stick stores up to 60 minutes of quality recording time and can be re-used as often as required.

Get glammed up and hit the town! Follow Fearne Cotton's look, from this weeks BAFTAs, with a stunning vintage-look coral dress by Moschino, with a ruched, embellished neckline and a pretty black waist bow. Keep it simple with polished curls and complete the look with a sparkly bangle on each arm.

www.esemeefascinators.com

This quirky fascinator will tick both the chocolate and unusual boxes at the same time, although they are real chocolates they aren't really for eating!

http://www.fyeoportraits.com/

Spice things up with a personalised boudoir picture for your loved one! Your specialist, body-sculpting boudoir photographer will look after you throughout your entire photo shoot experience. She will shape your body into sensational poses, creating stunning photos that you will LOVE! From initial consultation, right through to putting the finishing touches of your collection together, your photographer will help you every step of the way. Your experience will be very comfortable because it's just the two of you in your private studio.

http://www.fabulousflowers.biz/

Make a real love statement with half a dozen Birds of Paradise in an amazing handtied bouquet - so much more imaginative than a boring bunch of roses!

www.williamandson.com

Who said diamonds are a girls best friend? You can't go wrong with this sort of bling! A red garnet ring from the Whirlpool Collection with 18ct white gold mount pave set with just a few diamonds.

http://www.baileys.com/

Valentines Day wouldn’t be complete without a tasty cocktail, why not try the Baileys Heart recipe. You'll need 50ml Baileys; 10ml Raspberry liqueur; and 25ml Grand Marnier. Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass, serve with whipped cream and a heart-shaped strawberry. 1.5 units of alcoholic loveliness.

Whatever you get up to on V-Day, I hope you have a wonderful time!

Love & Sparkles

Ruby Loves - Saturday Snow Special

2012-02-11T14:18:00.000Z

Will it ever warm up? I must admit to feeling the cold this week, it has been as low as -9 in my town!!!!

Here's a round up of what I've been loving this week:
© A Day off to celebrate my 3 year anniversary with my BF © Getting ready for the next Big Fat Gypsy Wedding © Domino's pizza © Being interviewed for my local paper © Finding a bottle of Glühwein in the cupboard © Making snow angels in the garden © Heart shaped cake pops ©

From http://www.flickr.com/photos/janoid/

Love & Sparkles

Ruby Loves - Luxury Vodka with a Precious Twist!

2012-02-09T09:30:00.000Z

The Sparkly Bit
Precious Vodka is bottled in a unique diamond shaped bottle, every bottle of Precious Vodka contains a beautiful natural gem stone from a collection of fully certifiable precious stones which include sapphire, emerald, ruby, topaz, and peridot.

The gem stones are specially crafted so that customers receive only the finest genuine jewel stones. The gem stones add a unique quality to the overall experience that is only available when you purchase a bottle of Precious Vodka.

The Science Bit
Precious Vodka is produced from distiller grown and harvested winter wheat and post glacial subterranean spring water of central Bulgaria. The wheat used in Precious Vodka is carefully selected with only the top 10% of the seasonal harvest making it to the distillation process.

From there master distiller distills 6 times to produce the distillate, which is then diluted using locally sourced natural spring water. The water is high in mineral content and adds a very strong citric aromatic and peppery nose.

To find out more about this exciting new product check out the website or follow the precious vodka journey on twitter.

Wow - for the ultimate indulgence this is a must for the vodka connoisseur and a perfect gift for Valentines Day, the question is which gem stone would you choose? I think I'll go for the ruby!

Love & Sparkles

Supplier Spotlight - Bespoke Bridal Wear from Lottie-Emile

2012-02-07T10:46:00.000Z

I first discovered Charlotte when she saw my blog about my AntiBride photo shoot last year. She is a dream come true for any bride looking for something unique and personal to them, designing and making bespoke wedding gowns, creating everything with her own hands. She has an infectious enthusiasm for design and I love her motto "More is More!"

"I love Ruby’s idea of the Anti-bride, a girl who wants to be herself when she walks down the aisle, many brides who I make for actually feel unsure that white suits them. In fact, the idea of a white wedding dress worn to be married in was not popular until Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840. Before this date, blue amongst other colours, was popular choice.

So why not choose a bright coloured dress for you wedding gown, dare I say it? You could wear it again! But let’s not get into bridesmaid territory! You can still stand out wearing a coloured dress instead of white on your wedding day.

I have a motto that I use, and that is ‘More is more!’ When designing a dress, I like to make a dazzling sensory overload of bright and clashing colours and crunchy and sparkling textures. Mixing and layering lace and flowers, beads, vintage jewellery and sequins. I like to hide details, special things to be discovered, things that only the bride knows about. I love this idea of such extravagance that jewels can be hidden amongst the layers of the dress.

For me, I have to feel like every bead, every stitch, is positioned to be show its best and to be special, it must look beautiful as part of the whole, but also stand out in it’s own beauty. Some people like to have one special detail that stands out, a pair of shoes (like my gold, silver and pink studded stilettos), or a sparkling belt - but why not have it all, or at least all that you want!

I love a bride who can’t make up her mind about what details she wants to incorporate into her design, because then I get to say “Let’s just use them all!!”

You can’t deny however, that my brides here look fantastic in white! They have chosen other bold elements for the wow factor. Daring Linnea wanted to go super-mini in her 60’s styled swing dress, using 100 metres of tulle alone in the skirt!

For Amber, we used beautiful french chiffon, cut up her Mother’s vintage Edwardian embroidered veil (eeek), which she had worn for her own wedding. I embellished it with multi-silver tones of Swarovski which gave a very much stated, vintage sparkle.

And for Laura, I made a beautiful 50’s style corset and Dior inspired tulle skirt, complete with giant bow at the back. All over the bust, I painstakingly cut out hundred of petal templates, paired them all up, and embroidered them one by one, with tiny glass bead clusters in the centre of each one. But it was worth it, Laura looked amazing!

I am creating a collection, but it’s mostly to display what I can do with my various techniques and talents, and to provide a little inspiration for my brides. A bridal gown is a special purchase, a once in a lifetime, and I don’t think I’ll ever depart from designing bespoke bridal dresses. I get a huge sense of satisfaction to know that one of my brides has an absolutely unique dress, to which they have collaborated on in its design. A wedding gown is almost an imprint in time of the bride and her wedding day, memory, good times, feelings, her style, her dress size."

For more fabulousness and inspiration check out Charlotte's website. Watch this space for a future special feature on the bespoke design process - how exciting!!!

Lots of love, glitter & sparkles

Ruby Loves - Saturday Special!

2012-02-04T12:36:00.000Z

Brrrr it has been cold this week, so cold that I am wrapped up in many, many layers - I have been rocking out in my purple stripey fingerless gloves, my purple fur stole and my leopard print faux fur coat - I might not always be co-ordinated but I am always warm! The things I've been loving this week are:

Saying good riddance to my roots © Seeing David Beckham in his pants! © Plotting a new secret project © Hot chocolate with mini marshmallows © Bridal capes © A weekend off with my boyfriend (rare) © Good news from an ill relative © Booking flights to Edinburgh for my birthday © Laughing at Asda's Budget Valentine cards

I feel like I am juggling lots of projects at the moment but I am loving it!

Have a great weekend and keep warm!

Love & sparkles

Supplier Spotlight - personalised coast line wedding rings from Damson Jewellery

2012-02-02T09:01:00.000Z

If you are looking for a truly unique wedding ring then look no further! Damson Jewellery specialises in luxury handmade jewellery that can be tailored to the individual from some of Britain's most innovative and exciting designers so if it's extra diamonds on that ring that you want, they're yours!

The romantic 'coast' ring with matt and polished interlocking halves is truly original and makes the perfect personalised gift. The join of the ring is created from a stretch of coastline you choose yourself, making your ring unique.

Enter the details of the stretch of coast you would like on the Damson website, you can specify a general area such as Cornwall or a more specific stretch of coast, for example between two towns.

Founder, Fiona McInroy sources jewellery that combines originality with fantastic workmanship creating a collection of covetable, contemporary pieces you’d never find on the high street. Everything is made in small quantities guaranteeing a unique piece and, upon special request, Damson can often adapt a piece just for you – adding a sprinkling of diamonds for example or making a ring in white gold instead of yellow gold.

I love the idea of a wedding ring that tells your own personal story and what could be more personal than the coast line between the towns in which you live or your favourite beach!

To find out more check out the gorgeous website.

Which coast line means something to you as a couple? Were you proposed to on a beach? I'd love to hear your stories!

Lots of love

Ruby Loves - New Year, New Start!

2012-01-31T08:44:00.000Z

Can you believe it is the last day of January already - doesn't Christmas feel like ages ago!?! I've been a bit quite on the blogging front since Christmas - I have been busy moving my blog onto my website and it is almost ready, I hope you agree it was worth the wait!

This time off has also given me some time to reflect on all of the things I achieved in 2011 and more importantly on the targets I want to set myself for 2012. I have set up a new Facebook page to go alongside the business page that I have because many of my brides want to stay in touch, which is fabulous, but I am still keen to keep my private Facebook page, well private - my brides don't need to see what I get up to on a Saturday night out or hear me moaning about the weather!!!! So far the page has been popular with over 100 people joining in just 1 day! - so if you want to chat to me or just check in for a bit of gossip check it out here.

I have also got more photo shoots planned for this year but you'll have to wait a bit longer to see and hear about those. I will continue to blog 3 times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday focussing on lots of lovely wedding planning tips, venues, trends and new suppliers.

I feel that with the new year I have a new spring in my step and I am ready to face the challenges ahead of me, here's looking forward to a fabulous year with lots of exciting things planned and of course many, many more weddings!

Lots of Love

Ruby's Roundup - 2011

2011-12-31T10:22:00.000Z

Wow - what a year it has been for Ruby Weddings, when I started to look back over my blog posts for the year I surprised myself at all of the things I have achieved. So here is my little review and highlights of 2011 and wishes for the coming year:

January - I attended the Wedding Ideas Awards ceremony in London, it was a fabulous event and great opportunity to network with fellow wedding people. Definitely a goal for the future to be nominated and to win an award, especially if they resurrect the Best Wedding Planner category!

February - I began working part time at Hawkwell House Hotel as their Wedding Co-ordinator. This was a great move from working full time in my previous job (that I hated), it gave me more time to focus on building Ruby's business and reputation, plus I've been lucky enough to work with so many fabulous brides throughout the year.

March - My birthday!!!! Always a highlight for me and I milked it as much as possible with visits to friends, lots of cake and a special VIP visit to the Mill & Old Swan!

April - I was involved in a naked photo shoot for the Social Sirens calendar - still available to buy here, and who could forget the epic Rock n Roll Bride party where I wore a fabulous Esemee chocolate box fascinator!

May - The world went crazy for the Royal wedding and I was interviewed on Heart FM about it.

June - Gay marriage was legalised in NY - I helped celebrate Ellie Sanderson's Oxford boutique's 1st birthday and even had some handbag therapy!

July - I went on a fabulous trip to Ascot with my girlfriends and was published in Wedding Ideas magazine giving tips on winter weddings.

August - My boyfriend and I had a wonderful staycation with lots of RnR, I modelled for the epic AntiBride photo shoot and the last ever Cosmo Bride was published :( I was also reunited with my long lost cousins and got to know their new families.

from Tino&Pip

September - I was invited to the fabulous Choccywoccydoodah Party on the Pier in Brighton and got involved with the Curiosity Project.

October - The AntiBride photo shoot was featured in the Choccywoccydoodah documentary on the Good Food channel.

November - I had a Sex and the City Afternoon Par-Tea with my girlfriend in London. The AntiBride photos were launched on Boho Events blog and had a great reaction and some lovely comments from everyone.

December - I had a tinseltastic night out in Reading and was reunited with my best friend from years ago - a few tears were shed over cocktails! Loved ones have had brushes with cancer this month, my fingers and toes are crossed for them all. Even more people close to me have announced that they are pregnant (is there something in the water!?!), August is going to be a very busy month next year!!!!!! And I had what I can honestly say was the best Christmas ever - I was surrounded by my boyfriend, family and friends who I love dearly.

On a personal level 2011 has been an epic year for finding lost family and friendships, I am so pleased to have these people back in my life - I really do feel blessed. My wonderful boyfriend has been so supportive and encouraged me to do things outside of my comfort zone, without him none of this would be possible. I've met some truly amazing and talented people in the wedding industry, I learn from you all everyday, you keep me sane through the wonders of social media and I look forward to working with you all soon. All in all it has been a fabulous year, my hair has grown longer, I feel a little wiser and I can not wait to see what 2012 has in store for Ruby, I have many great things planned and many, many more gorgeous brides to work with.

I hope you all have a wonderful New Years Eve and I'll see you on the other side!

Lots of Love, glitter and cocktails

Ruby Loves Christmas!

2011-12-08T08:47:00.000Z

I hope you are all looking forward to Christmas as much as I am - my tree is up, the presents are wrapped and now it is time to share my sparkly Christmas card with you all.

I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas and a fabulous 2012.

Lots of Love

Ruby News - The AntiBride, Choccywoccydoodah and me!

2011-11-17T10:07:00.002Z

Wow - what a week, my AntiBride photo shoot has finally been featured on a fabulous blog (see The Boho Wedding Blog here) and at last I can share the images with you! It has literally been killing me to keep the shots to myself so I hope you agree it was worth the wait!

Who is the AntiBride?
For me the AntiBride represents the total polar opposite of the traditional blonde haired, angelic image of a skinny model dressed in a white dress, that so many photoshoots and magazines make us believe a bride should look like. I was the 'bride' in the styled photo shoot and guess what, I've got bright red hair and I'm not a size 6 - so not your 'typical' bride! I think a bride should dress exactly how she wishes on her wedding day and if a traditional white dress is your thing, then great - but if you are looking for something a bit different, then the AntiBride is right up your street!

The Plan
The idea was simple - approach our industry friends and suppliers to work with us on the shoot, everyone kindly volunteered their services and time for free, after all this is a fantastic way for all involved to promote themselves. The dream team were Tino&Pip, Paula Rooney Weddings, Choccywoccydoodah, Joyce from Brides & Beauty and Thornbury Castle, with invaluable contributions from many, many more fabulous people.

The Story
Over time the AntiBride developed a personality and a story grew about her as we thought about the images we wanted to capture to deliver her message. The shoot took a theatrical gothic style as its guide and the Hammer House Horrors as her muse.

The venue
We were totally spoilt by the stunning location that is Thornbury Castle. The staff were so generous and gave us a free pass to use their stunning Tudor Hall and breathtaking Bedford Chamber. Paula truly blew us away with her attention to detail in her styling of the room, her floral bouquets and centrepieces were amazing.

The Cake

We were totally over the moon when Christine from Choccywoccydoodah agreed to make a bespoke cake for the photoshoot and not only that but she wanted to include the story in Choccy's documentary series on the Good Food Channel - more on that soon!

We were thrilled with her ideas and enthusiasm for all things AntiBride, she described a four tier dark chocolate cake with a raspberry coulis inside that captured the AntiBride theme perfectly, covered with black calia lillies, roses and moths - we knew instantly that we had come to the right place!

Not your typical romantic story; the AntiBride gets her heart broken when she discovers that her love is cheating on her with not one but both of her bridesmaids.

She takes out her anger on the cake and then seeks revenge, axe in hand, from those who have hurt her most, before returning to her room to drown her sorrows.

I can't thank the massive talent that is Brides & Beauty and Tino&Pip enough for making me look so good - they are really amazing! I have met some wonderful industry gems through the whole AntiBride project and I'm sure you will agree that their hard work and team effort has truly come together to create something beautiful!

Lots of Love

Photographer: Tino & Pip Photography
Event Stylist & Florist: Paula Rooney Weddings & Events
Hair & Make Up : Brides & Beauty
Venue: Thornbury Castle
Cake: Choccywoccydoodah
Bridesmaids: Joanna Dickinson & Francesca Hodge
Groom: Lee Broderick
Butlers: Butlers in the Buff
Brides Dress: Veromia
Bridesmaids dresses: Fairy Gothmother
Grooms outfit: Angels
Fascinators/hats: Esemee Fascinators
Jewellery: Models own & Kloof and Kandy
Umbrellas: Love Umbrellas

Ruby Loves - Sex and the City Afternoon Par-Tea!

2011-11-15T10:13:00.000Z

On Saturday my girlfriend Vickie treated me to an early Christmas present and we went to the Hyatt Regency Hotel - The Churchill, London for afternoon tea with a fabulous twist! Our Sex and the City themed afternoon Par-Tea in the Montagu restaurant included savoury dishes inspired by the city of New York and include pastrami on rye, and New York bagels with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Mini burgers (named after Jack Berger, one of Carrie's boyfriends) and mini New York hot dogs with a light drizzle of mustard add a little Manhattan glamour to the tea.

For the sweet tooth there was a selection of pastries, created with each of the girls in mind. For Carrie, a strawberry-flavoured chocolate pink stiletto; for Charlotte, a pink strawberry cupcake; for Miranda, glazed doughnuts and last but no means least for Samantha, an appletini jelly in a mini martini glass.

You could also choose from a fine selection of teas that have been chosen to reflect each of the girls: For Carrie, 2007 Organic Silver Needle White Tea: Light, delicate quenching flavours, yet surprisingly full textured with a satisfying velvety finish. For Samantha a Flower Osmanthus, an explosion of variegated green tea leaves out of the heart of which unfolds the flame-coloured petals of the osmanthus. For Charlotte the traditional Sapphire Earl Grey, refreshing and bright, a perfectly focused classic and finally for Miranda; Darjeeling 2nd Flush; sprightly, lively, sappy and refreshing. As a non tea drinker I went for the lightest option - the Carrie and it was delicious, I drank the whole pot!

All of these delights were of course washed down with a glass of champagne too! It was a fabulous afternoon and I can't recommend it highly enough, whether you are a SATC fan or not!

After a few hours of eating, drinking and catching up on gossip we went for a wander down Oxford Street to check out the Christmas lights which are truly magical and really got me in the festivie spirit. My favourites were the enticing winter wonderland of Selfridges and a glamorous, sparkly stiletto shoe!

I love visiting London at any time of year but in the lead up to Christmas it is just the most amazing place with sparkly treats around ever corner!

Tune in on Thursday for an update on my AntiBride photo shoot.

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves - Meeting my Curious Friend!

2011-11-03T09:40:00.000Z

Unless you've been living under a stone you will have heard about the fabulous Curiosity Project - the creation of Tiffany Grant-Riley. I have been reading her blog over the last few weeks watching such lovely stories unfold as people send in photos of their gifts from fellow Curious Friends.

I sent my box of treats to Nat (who I now know to be my Curious Friend) on Monday and have ever since been waiting to see whether she liked the gifts I'd sent. Today, to my relief, her comments were posted on the blog and she was happy with what I had sent to her.

In the meantime I came down with a horrible cough and cold so was feeling quite low and sorry for myself, then on Wednesday afternoon a knock at my door signalled the arrival of my box and I instantly felt a warm glow. I was beyond excited, I took the wonderfully wrapped parcel into my bedroom and began to delve into its contents.

After opening the beautifully wrapped outer layer I discovered a box tied with string with an enticing label 'Open Me', inside under layers of turquoise tissue paper were a gorgeous photo/memory box, a set of silver beaded coasters and a white wicker heart.

Further thrills came when I looked inside the photo box and discovered a 'Curious Happiness Kit' and a beautifully handwritten letter from my Curious Friend.

The note comments on how the written word is a lost art and how nice it is to receive - so true! The note also describes what is included in the Happiness Kit:

A tea bag for those great moments of contemplation
A plaster to patch things up if they ever go wrong
Marbles, for when you lose yours
A coin, so you can never say you are broke
A candle so you can light your way
A battery for those times when you lack energy

I am delighted with all of my gifts - thank you so much Tiffany for creating such a delightful opportunity to put a smile on a strangers face!

For those of you wanting to join in, there is a new Christmas Project to sign up to but you must be quick, the registration deadline is the 7th November!

Stay curious my friends and spread the word!!

Lots of Love

Photography Corner - Dulwich Picture Gallery Wedding from Tino & Pip

2011-11-01T09:31:00.000Z

I'm thrilled to feature this gorgeous wedding captured by the fantastic team that is Tino & Pip, aka Penny and Martin. Here they describe the day in their own words......

"Imagine if you will a wedding with elements of an English country fair, a trombone, bagpipes, bold stripy dresses, a church with a stunning contemporary geometric entrance fused onto a traditional Victorian shell, and an incredibly cerebral reception venue filled to the brim with classical oil paintings.

In your head it seems a bit bonkers, right?! Well somehow the reality worked, and Hester and David’s day was brilliantly unusual, and a pleasure to work on!

As David greeted their guests at the fabulously restored All Saints’ in West Dulwich, Hester was just two minutes walk away, getting ready in her childhood home.

Having donned the stunning veil that had been passed down through several generations of her family, Hester began the walk downstairs accompanied by ‘Here Comes the Bride’ on her father’s trombone!

A lovely ceremony was beautifully finished by one of Hester’s friends soloing on the cello, and we headed for Dulwich Picture Gallery, where Hester and David spent a few minutes relaxing in the grounds before heading in for nibbles and drinks!

And what a quirky yet beautiful backdrop it was for their reception........

Still the surprises hadn’t ended – as the couple left the gallery, they spotted their car, decked out with soda cans and ribbons, ready to take the off into their future life together! We wish you both the very best!"

Thank you so much to Penny & Martin for sharing their work with me - stunning as ever!

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves ~ Saturday Special!

2011-10-29T12:51:00.001+01:00

Wow - what a week it has been, I've been rushing round like a mad thing all week! The weekend is here at last and here is a little look at what I've been loving this week:

AntiBride cake from Choccywoccydoodah

Y Autumnal leaves on the trees Y Being 'famous' for five minutes on Choccywoccydoodah Y Wearing my faux fur coat Y Vera Wang’s Fall 2012 Bridal Collection Y Testing out Penhaligon's Juniper Sling Y Jelly & Ice Cream at my niece's 1st birthday party Y Wedding photos that make you squeal Y Catching up with my girlfriends over pizza YGoing back to Stargazer Rouge Y Fireworks party Y

I hope you have a fabulous weekend.

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves - Penhaligon's new luxury fragrance, Juniper Sling

2011-10-27T09:42:00.001+01:00

Introducing Juniper Sling, an intoxicating new luxury fragrance created by fine British perfumery Penhaligon’s. Inspired by the most iconic and atmospheric of spirits, London Dry Gin, this unisex fragrance was created for Penhaligon’s by Master Perfumer Olivier Cresp. Juniper Sling is a playful, chilled and mysterious homage to the Bright Young Things of London’s roaring twenties.

This playful ‘mock-umentary’ has been created to celebrate the launch of Juniper Sling and takes a tongue in cheek look at the ‘Juniper Sling effect’ in action; young ladies wafting the fragrance become flappers, the famous short hairstyles of the 1920s are attributed to the gin inspired scent, scandalous parties abound and its aphrodisiac properties cause a baby boom! It’s not long until the government is forced to act; Juniper Sling is banned!

Brace yourselves Guys and Gals, because Juniper Sling is back! For enigmatic boys and girls, Juniper Sling is a crisp cocktail shot of gin with the freshness of juniper, cool measures of angelica and brandy and a beating libertine heart of black pepper, cardamom, soft leather and orris. A gourmand base of brown sugar, black cherry and amber add sensuality to this luxury fragrance.

Travel Atomiser

A beloved and iconic tipple has been transformed into a complex and compulsive perfume. Apply liberally and drink in. Buy Juniper Sling online now!

When I was ask to review a new fragrance called Juniper Sling I jumped at the chance - I mean what is not to like; a fine fragrance based on a gin cocktail - I'm there!

I wore the fragrance for a few very busy days rushing around with work and to dinner with my girlfriends and I was impressed at how long it lasted, it is not my usual floral fragrance but it is light, delicate and with a hint of gin (without smelling like an alcoholic of course!) it is just delightful! Try it for yourself and let me know what you think!

Lots of Love

Photography Corner - Stunning Wedding Images from Haywood Jones Photography

2011-10-25T09:41:00.000+01:00

Wow - when I first saw the images on Bethan's website I was blown away and when she contacted me about being featured on Ruby's blog with a sample of her work, I didn't hesitate to feature her, in fact the first image (shown below) made me gasp with delight!!!!

Bethan lives in Coalbrookdale, Shropshire with her gorgeous hubby and three kooky cats, and from here she runs Haywood Jones Photography. I asked Bethan, in her own words to introduce the company, explain her passion for photography and give us a taste of her unique style.

"Since studing photography, I discovered photographing people was my main passion, and especially love the relaxed, candid and unaware nature that reportage photography held. I know every photographer will (or at least should) say this but I TRULY love what I do and the people I get to meet, especially those who offer to make me a cup of tea when I visit - you rock!

I work throughout the UK and love to pile my little wagon high with my camera gear and photo booth props and trundle all over the place, it is such a perk of the job to never be tied to one place and to meet new people all the time.

I would love to think that my business is special because I truly go the extra mile for people. It is part of being passionate about taking photographs and I am never clock watching or hiking prices. I often stay much longer than arranged and with on average two weeks work, from meetings/prep/editing and the actual day, itself going into each wedding, I think I am fairly priced to reflect the effort I put in.

No matter what I am booked for, be it an engagement, cherish the dress or wedding day itself, I always give every shoot my all and you have me with beans baby! (Good beans not bad, we all know what beans can do to you.)

I especially love the quirky and unusual, where people have been brave enough to really reflect who they are in their wedding, doing it with their own style. I love taking photographs that hold a little piece of that person in them, whether it be a special location, a personal item or just the people they love and adore in it.

Photographs are the key to dusting off old memories, remembering good times and reflecting who we are.... sounding too soppy? Well, just go dig out some old photos from the back of your cupboard and I dare you not to smile whilst looking at them :)

I offer a range of services from love shoots to portraiture, weddings to live music and everything else in between. If you have an idea for a shoot or would like details about covering your wedding, just drop me an email and quote RUBY for a 10% discount on normal prices.

For more information or just to drool over the beautiful images, visit the website or follow Bethan on Twitter.

I hope you love Bethan's style and sense of fun as much as I do and with a fabulous 10% discount for Ruby's Readers, you'd be crazy not to book her for your wedding photography!

Lots of Love

Ruby News - The AntiBride, Choccywoccydoodah and me!

2011-10-20T09:29:00.000+01:00

It has been so hard keeping this amazing project a secret for so long but I can finally tell you what I've been up to over the last few months!

A while back I met with Joyce from Brides & Beauty for a coffee to catch up and have a gossip! I mentioned that I was looking to do a series of photoshoots to promote the face behind Ruby and she told me about a fabulous idea she'd had brewing for ages but she hadn't found the right person to work with. After more coffee, and of course cake, we agreed on the shoot title 'AntiBride' and we both went home buzzing with ideas!

I will show you more and introduce you to the team that made the shoot realise its ambition very soon, and the images will first be launched on a blog with a larger readership than mine but for now tune into the Good Food Channel tonight at 9pm to watch Choccywoccydoodah and see what we got up to.

Let me know what you think!

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves - Autumn nights!

2011-10-18T09:28:00.000+01:00

I never thought I'd admit this but I am actually liking the change in weather recently. I am usually a summer person but this year as the nights are drawing in I am looking forward to cosy nights in drinking hot chocolate, wearing big fluffy jumpers, hot water bottles and giving my faux fur coats an airing!

A friend of mine has recently uploaded some of her wedding pictures onto Facebook and I thought this image was quite suitable for this time of year.

©Caroline Crisp

My blog and website are currently undergoing some maintenance and a bit of a re-vamp so I will be a bit quieter on the blogging front for the next week or so but keep you eyes peeled on the Good Food Channel at 9pm on Thursday for a special appearance from yours truly!!!

Lots of Love

Real Weddings - Going from Green to Gray!

2011-10-13T09:33:00.000+01:00

Sara Green is an old school friend of mine and when I saw her wedding pictures on Facebook I managed to twist her arm to let me share her images and romantic story with you.

Sara and Nick got together at a mutual friends wedding in South Africa back in April 2009. Nick was living in Sydney and Sara was in the UK, it was tough but they had a very long distance relationship until Sara moved to Sydney just over a year ago. Nick's family are in South Africa and Sara's are in the UK, and originally they were planning on getting married next year in Australia.

A few months ago they decided to elope and have a celebration with their families at the end of next year instead. They are keen to start a family and neither of them wanted to have a huge wedding so they chose French Polynesia as it was their dream honeymoon destination. It was the perfect wedding for them, almost completely hastle free and in the most beautiful setting.

An amazing arrival for both the bride & groom

Traditional ceremony on the beach

Their Polynesian wedding certificate

This has to beat a horse & carriage!

A spot of dancing!

Some time alone for the newlyweds

After a long day every bride needs her beauty sleep!

Although they would have prefered to have their family and friends with them, due to distance it was just not possible at such short notice, but now have an excuse to celebrate again next year.

I hope you enjoy their photos in what I'm sure you will agree is a beautiful and such a romantic setting. Many congratulations to Mr & Mrs Gray.

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Keep children entertained at your wedding with Create n Make

2011-10-12T09:30:00.000+01:00

Michaela Clarke was made redundant last year and whilst looking for a new job she came up with the idea for a new business, she runs 1st Henley-on-Thames Brownies in her spare time and thought that she would use her creative skills and her love of working with children to create and make a new art and crafts business. The company name then became obvious and Create ‘n Make was born!

As well as running arts and craft after-school clubs, holiday workshops and themed parties Michaela believes that her fun creative children’s entertainment is a great alternative to the traditional wedding entertainer of a puppet show, clown or a magician.

Most children love to make things and having a Create ‘n Make session at your wedding gives the children special mementos to take home from the day. It also allows the parents at your wedding reception to relax and enjoy their meal and the speeches knowing that their children are having fun and being supervised a safe environment.

Create ‘n Make children’s wedding entertainment can be tailored to the bride and grooms ideas, the children’s ages and of course the budget. There are endless possibilities of things the children can make from photo frames to horseshoes, bride and groom puppets, to a special teddy or keep sake boxes. Create ‘n Make provide all the equipment and materials and are fully insured.

For further information and ideas visit the website or follow Michaela on Twitter.

Inviting children to weddings can be a difficult decision for the Bride and Groom but that inviting Create ‘n Make to keep the little ones happy is the perfect solution to make it a special day for the children too.

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves - Choccywoccydoodah Series 2

2011-10-06T07:34:00.000+01:00

My love affair with Choccywoccydoodah continues - next Thursday series 2 of their fly on the wall documentary is aired on the Good Food Channel. Tune in for much chocolate madness and eccentricity from the fabulous team and watch out for a special appearance from Ruby in the episode 'When Cupid Strikes' where you will see the amazing cake they made for my secret project earlier this year.

For now though check out the trailer for a taste of what is to come....... Choccywoccydoodah Series 2 Trailer

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves - Saturday Special

2011-10-01T10:24:00.001+01:00

Hasn't it been a busy week and the weather has been most odd - although I'm not complaining! This week I have mostly been loving:

New Strictly Come Dancing & Len shouting SEEVERN! Y Plaiting my hair and watching it curl Y September SUNSHINE Y Nigerian wedding taster Y Celebrating my niece's birthday with Choccywoccydoodah chocolates Y My girlfriend visiting me and telling stories of her new love Y A cheeky BK vanilla milkshake Y SUNSHINE Y Meeting new suppliers at the National Wedding Show Y Sneaking to the pub on a sunny afternoon with my boyfriend.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend.

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Glamping it up with bell tents from Strawberry Hills

2011-09-29T09:30:00.001+01:00

Wedding Bells, by Strawberry Hills sell and hire canvas bell tents, which look beautiful decked out in bunting, lanterns and sheepskins. They can be used for many, many things - sleep all of your best friends on your stag and hen nights or create your very own wedding festival on the night of your wedding. A bell tent can even be used as a little creche area on your wedding day..... the possibilities are endless… and Strawberry Hills love their brides and grooms to get creative!

They noticed a trend for people choosing alternative wedding venues, such as barn conversions, stately homes or farmland, where couples can express themselves and craft a day which is personal to them. Many of these venues have limited guest accommodation and the great thing about Strawberry Hills glamping tents is they can be set up anywhere…… you can create a truly unique bell tent village for you and your guests.

One of the joys about their tents is they can look very pretty when decorated with a wide range of accessories, such as beautiful bunting and lanterns to choose from. These can be used throughout your venue as well as to decorate the bell tents.

Canvas bell tents have been around for centuries, but the Strawberry Hills tents are modern day versions…retaining the vintage look, but they have been treated to be completely waterproof and with plastic groundsheets that keep moisture and bugs out. This is luxurious camping at its best!

For more information check out the website or follow Strawberry Hills on Twitter.

And if that wasn't enough for you - Ruby's readers can claim a complimentary Bridal Suite, for all bookings of five or more guest accommodation tents. How great is that!?!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Modern Jazz from Lucy Ward

2011-09-27T09:06:00.000+01:00

Lucy Ward was raised on jazz and blues…and Simon and Garfunkel (but she doesn't talk about that). Having a mix tape of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Doris Day tunes blaring out of her Walkman on the way to school didn’t exactly make her top of the cool kids list. But hey! Who wants to be ‘cool’ when cool means wearing tracksuits and listening to happy hardcore (no offense to all you hardcore happy hardcore fans). She got the jazz bug and she has stuck with it ever since! In her own words, Lucy explains her love of jazz and her passion for music.

"I was lucky enough to get picked up by The Well Swung Big Band and yikes what a debut! Performing with thirteen brass players blowing the back of your head of is quite a baptism of fire! If you’re looking for a big bombastic swing sound then the Well Swung Big Band is for you. We can do anything from a 12 to a 17 piece band or if you want to be extra indulgent we can add in a 10 piece string section. Playing a wide range of music from the early 40’s Glen Miller dance band tunes to swinging Ella Fitzgerald numbers to get your toes tapping.

For the more intimate wedding The Lucy Ward Quartet is perfect to set that sophisticated jazz club style. The quartet is a little outfit of incredibly talented jazz musicians playing a vast number of songs from The Great American Songbook, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and the Gershwins a plenty!

What makes us different than every other jazz band out there? Well we have a specifically slinky, smooth, swing style and we play pop tunes….in a swing style. The arrangements were originally written for the Well Swung Big Band but they work just as well with the Quartet and can turn your relaxed sophisticated jazz club scene into a on your feet, swinging party.

Mr F (that’s my piano playing husband) and I loved the song Filthy/Gorgeous by The Scissor Sisters and thought we could really make it fit our svelte jazz image, so we did! Other pop conversions include Kylie Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out Of My Head, Bon Jovi’s Living On A Prayer and Bonnie Tyler’s Holding Out For A Hero to name but a few. We just love watching people on the dance floor trying to work out what the song is before the chorus kicks in!

So if you’re looking for smooth jazz or a swinging party then visit the website or follow Lucy on Twitter and Facebook.

Lucy's voice is just beautiful and would complement any wedding reception or ceremony - simply stunning.

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Stunning centrepieces from Table Art that put the ‘WOW’ into a wedding

2011-09-22T08:58:00.000+01:00

With over a decade of experience, Table Art have been designing and developing beautiful, contemporary table centrepieces that really are works of art. Table Art creates all of its products in-house at eco-friendly workshops at its Warwick HQ, with solar panels installed across their workshop allowing them to charge the battery packs used in all of their centrepieces - they literally light up your event with energy from the Sun!

Offering centrepieces that perfectly match the theme for the Big Day, in terms of colour, size, shape and lighting, centrepieces can even be personalised with the bride and groom’s initials to make the wedding day even more unique.

The Ice Bucket is the new addition to the range. This centrepiece combines style and beauty with perfect functionality; the three lit buckets, holding the guests choice of drinks are positioned on a rotating platform enabling guests to reach the tipple of their choice. This sophisticated twist on a classic design is a sure winner for weddings, especially with the added feature of an optional ice block, above the buckets. Anything can be frozen in ice such as themed items relevant to the table or the lives of the bride and groom, table number or a message to guests - making this centrepiece an even more tailor-made talking point.

Candelabras stand proud in the centre of the table. They can be lit in any colour of choice or even used without light to give a magical effect of real candles floating in mid-air! A classic centrepiece with a truly modern twist.

Fishbowls are stylish centrepieces that can be low level or raised and can be lit in the colour of choice; these glass bowls contain a delicate lily. This is a classically, simple design perfect for any wedding.

Flower Explosions add a real delicate beauty to any wedding; they can be lit in any colour or set to change throughout the event with DMX controls and are simply stunning.

Flower Floats will bring a cool sophistication to the wedding. With 3-5 real flower heads per centrepiece floating in water, that can be matched with the flowers and table settings, these minimalist designs can be lit in different colours or fading through several colour choices.

These are just a few of the table centrepieces created by Table Art, others include; Martini glasses, Ice Melts, Mirror balls, Lily Vases and Star Fountains. Table Art’s centrepiece designs will work in harmony with any choice of floral arrangements or table settings they also have an extensive range of furniture and themed items that perfectly complement its table centrepieces and help to create the perfect ambience for an unforgettable day!

For more information and inspiration visit the website or follow them on Twitter.

I am so in love with these lit up centrepieces - they are a perfect way to change the mood from day to night at your wedding, the tough decision is which to go for. My favourite is the ice bucket with the glittery mirrorball (not that I'm a magpie at all!) - a great way to treat your guests at your evening reception.

Lots of Love

Ruby News - Social Sirens - behind the scenes video!

2011-09-20T09:27:00.000+01:00

Back in April I gave you a sneaky peek at the behind the scenes photos of the charity calendar I am featured in for 2012 (check out the blog post here) and now I am thrilled, and more than a little scared, to introduce the behind the scenes video filmed by the fabulous FX Films!!!!!!

The charity calendar has been produced to help raise funds for PC David Rathband’s Blue Lamp Foundation and Help 4 Heroes.

You can Pre Order your Calendar by visiting the website now for only £10 with £1.50 postage and packing. The calendars will be sent out at the end of October, start of November.

For further information or to get involved please visit the website or follow the Social Sirens on Twitter.

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves - Brighton Rocks at the Choccywoccydoodah Party on the Pier!

2011-09-17T11:42:00.001+01:00

Choccywoccydoodah are a fabulous bespoke cake and chocolatier company based in Brighton (check out my earlier post on them) and last night I was lucky enough to be one of 200 people invite to party with them on Brighton pier to celebrate everything fabulous that is Choccywoccydoodah and the new series of their fly on the wall documentary on the Good Food Channel.

On arrival at Horratio's Bar we were greeted by the two of the tallest drag queens I've ever seen - Billy & Spice were so fabulous, gorgeous and with their heels on about 7 feet tall - I just knew it was going to be a good night!

Once inside the smell of chocolate was intoxicating, there was a deliciously tempting chocolate, cake and candy bar with every delight you can imagine.

The centrepiece of the display was an amazing sculpture of a bathing beauty riding on a carousel horse, just as depicted on the invitation - the wonderous creation was entirely made out of chocolate, these guys are true artists!

After filling up my sweet bag of goodies we were then treated to fish and chips washed down with a bottomless glass of champagne.

The room began to fill up with a host of characters (yes that is me with Anneka Rice), the band started to play, the candy girls started working the room and I got in the queue for the fortune tellers!

Ruby meets Anneka Rice!

Ruby & Dave aka Captain Creative, the Senior Designer at Choccywoccydoodah

A clash of hair colours as Kat aka the RocknRollBride arrives

My tarot reader from Calmer Karma

Thank you Choccywoccydoodah for inviting me to share in your fantastic night and it was great to see all of the team getting the chance to let their hair down. They all worked so hard and it paid off - I had a wonderful time and I can't wait to see the 2nd and 3rd series of their documentary which will be shown on the Good Food Channel on 9th October - watch out for a special appearance from Ruby!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Put the fizz into your wedding reception with First Class Products (Oxford) Ltd

2011-09-15T08:50:00.000+01:00

In October 2007 young entrepreneur Tom Ellis founded First Class Products (Oxford) Ltd from his room at St Edwards School in Oxford. It all began by sourcing and supplying tennis balls to individuals and schools. However, it quickly became apparent that the tennis season was extremely short and a new product was required to build the business.

By chance, a family friend brought a bottle of Leroux-Mineau Grand Cru Champagne from Epernay as a present. Having enjoyed a couple of glasses and discovering that Leroux-Mineau had never been exported to the UK, Tom, using his A Level in French, successfully negotiated an exclusive UK import arrangement in October 2008.

He saw a gap in the market for an exceptional Champagne which could be offered to UK consumers at realistic prices. After several visits to the Champagne region he learnt that Champagne is classified according to quality and this is determined by the particular area in which the grapes are grown. Champagnes are classified according to the Cru, or village and there are two 'top' levels to look out for. The really best Champagnes are produced with grapes from just 17 villages and only Champagnes from these specific villages can be classed as Grand Cru. The next level down after Grand Cru is Premier Cru, of which there are 42 villages and a further 243 villages make up the rest of the Champagne region.

Leroux-Mineau is a truly exceptional Grand Cru Champagne, independently owned and run by Thierry and Corine Leroux. They produce a Blanc de Blancs (100 % Chardonnay), Rosé and Vintage Champagne. Leroux-Mineau are one of only 8% of all champagnes able to display the Grand Cru label for outstanding quality. Their vines grow at the heart of the Champagne region in Northern France in the famous Cotes Des Blancs Grand Cru village of Avize.

As the sole UK importers of the exceptional Leroux-Mineau Grand Cru Champagne to their temperature controlled distribution facility in Oxford, First Class Products are able to offer a unique and exclusive label Champagne and you don’t have to pay anywhere near the price of the high profile brands. The prices online include VAT & delivery to your door and Tom feels it is very important that there are no hidden charges 'the price you see is the price you pay'. The Blanc de Blancs retails at £22.00 a bottle in a case of 6, however a case of 3 bottles is also available or individual bottles can be purchased in a Maple presentation box.

For further information please visit the website or follow Tom on Twitter.

Who doesn't love Champagne, especially when it is as good as this!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Unique Wedding Stationery from Carol Miller Designs

2011-09-13T08:47:00.000+01:00

What initially started as a hobby has become a very successful business which is no doubt due to the beautiful designs and passion that goes into every item made by Carol Miller Designs.

There are many wedding invitation designs to suit all tastes and budgets but the unique wedding scroll invitations are by far the most popular product being shipped to Las Vegas, Spain, Portugal & Holland to name a few.

The scrolls are available in every colour scheme you can imagine with an extended range to include many variations on the original designs. They are lovingly assembled with the finest intricate embellishments and swarkovski crystals giving them that special look of luxury.

Carol Miller Designs pride themselves in being able to make a truly unique personalised scroll for every bride and groom to be - aiming to give your guests the ‘wow’ factor!

They are proud of their designs and customer service, something that is reflected in their very positive customer feedback. Also providing a bespoke service, if there is something in particular that is required, they are able to provide wedding post boxes, wedding seating plans and all the accessories to make your wedding day special.

For more information, please visit the website or check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

I absolutely adore the scroll designs - they are just that little bit different, a great way to make a statement with your wedding invitations.

Lots of Love

Ruby News - Get Curious!

2011-09-10T09:48:00.000+01:00

I recently signed up for the super exciting Curiosity Project, which is the love child of Tiffany Grant-Riley aka The Vintage Planner. The idea is simple (and fabulous), the Curiosity Project is a mass exchange of personally chosen gifts between anonymous participants. I give, you receive, you give, I receive.......

Once signed up you are paired with a stranger for who you have to fill a box with gifts up to the value of £20, they can be anything, something silly or serious to tell them about yourself, what you do or simply because it is something pretty! After heading off to the Post Office with your parcel in hand, you wait for your box of delights to arrive. Then we all have to take photos of the contents and send them to Tiffany who will collate them all and feature them on her blog.

So the pressure really is on now - what shall I put in my box? What box shall I put my gifts in? Any ideas?

I will report back when my box arrives - it is just like Christmas has come early and I LOVE Christmas - I can't wait!

Lots of Love

Ruby's Tips - How can I help you?

2011-09-08T08:26:00.000+01:00

I am starting a new feature on my blog to help couples with their wedding planning woes BUT I need your help!

image from http://www.shutterstock.co.uk/

What are your wedding planning dilemmas and nightmares? Are you stuck for the perfect theme? Are you stressing out about wedding etiquette or not sure how to make your day personal to you?

image from http://www.bridalcoach.co.uk/

Ask Ruby and I will try to help - you can comment below, send me a message through Facebook, Twitter or send me an email. All questions gratefully received - no matter how big or small your problem!

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves - A Family Filled Weekend!

2011-09-06T09:16:00.001+01:00

Last weekend was filled with my family and it was just lovely. Friday was my Dad's 63rd birthday so we all gathered at my parent's house for one of my Mum's famous roast dinners - and she did not disappoint. We were all totally stuffed, although we all managed to find a little space for her lemon cheesecake!

Millie (my super cute niece) was on good form and delighted us all with her antics, I got major brownie points in the Auntie department for the very pink umbrella present aka the 'princess umbrella' which we all had to sit underneath one after the other to make sure we didn't get wet - even though we were inside (I do love the imagination of children)!

Saturday was another family day with my cousin's daughter Evadne being Christened and my Auntie Christine did us proud with a lovely spread in a marquee in her beautiful garden.

It was a day of sadness too because it was Evadne's grandfather Mick's birthday - he sadly passed away suddenly last year before she was born, but it was a beautiful sunny day and the family marked the occasion with a bulb planting ceremony around the tree that had been planted in his memory. All of the children got involved and it was a lovely way to remember him.

This week I am busy preparing for a wedding on Saturday and filming the last stage of my secret project - all will be revealed soon!

Have a great week and stay fabulous.

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - The Delicious Cake Company

2011-09-01T09:22:00.000+01:00

Like so many fabulous wedding suppliers The Delicious Cake Company was set up when a pleasurable hobby took over and turned into a business!

Jem is so passionate about what she does and about providing a complete service to couples whether that is recreating a cake they have seen or developing with them the cake of their dreams. Each cake is tailor made for each couple so even if they choose an existing design she will try and go that little bit further to make it extra special and to add a personal or unique touch.

Couples can be as involved as they wish, choosing from a variety of flavours and fillings, toppings and finishings or Jem is just as happy for them to describe what they want and leave her to it - she loves it when her creative juices get flowing!

Every cake is made with the best and freshest possible ingredients to get an outstanding taste and one which all the guests will remember well past the wedding day. Also on offer are miniature versions of the wedding cakes - perfect for the first year anniversary gift!

Jem is very comfortable and confident in what she does and many people that start off as customers become friends and repeat orderers. Many a time she makes the wedding cake, then christenings, birthdays and anniversary cakes all for the same couples!

"Each cake is created in my kitchen and delivered to the chosen venue where it is lovingly set up as if it was my own wedding cake. I understand how important a cake is and becomes. It’s not just a mixture of flour and eggs; it becomes one of the main parts of a wedding with the joint task of the bride and groom cutting the cake symbolizing their first joint task in married life!"

As well as the more traditional wedding cakes Jem can also offer cupcake towers and cookie favours to really add that something special and take the stress out of another part of the day.

If that isn't enough deliciousness for you - Jem is offering a 10% discount to anyone that mentions Ruby Weddings at the time of booking - how great is that!

For more ideas check out her website or follow Jem on Facebook and Twitter.

Lots of Love

Ruby News - Back to work

2011-08-30T09:01:00.000+01:00

I've had such a lovely time off during the last week - lots of RnR and some well deserved time out, my batteries feel re-charged and I am now raring to go!

My time off has given me time to reflect and re-evaluate what is important to me, my business and my life. It has made me realise the importance of taking time to spend with your loved ones - something that can so often be neglected when you get absorbed in work. Sometimes just having a bit of time out to think and be self indulgent can teach us important lessons.

Lots of Love

The Awesome Rubystaycation - Last few days!

2011-08-27T10:30:00.000+01:00

Goodbye to a fabulous magazine

As my Rubystaycation comes to an end I look back at the weeks highs and lows.

My favourite things have been:
Hanging out with my boyfriend © Sleeping © Eating Choccywoccydoodah chocolate cake © Playing hide & seek with my niece © Photo shoot © Catching up with friends in Brizzle © Watching Harry Potter (at last!) © Nearly being on the BBC news © Meeting Butlers in the Buff © A clear inbox.

Things I am sad about:
The last ever Cosmo Bride · Leaving my washing out in the rain · A spilt snow cone in the park · Being chased by Speedy Gonzalez the spider · Hurricane Irene - Please stay safe America, my thoughts are with you all.

Lots of Love

The Awesome Rubystaycation - A Lazy Day of Rest!

2011-08-25T09:57:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was definitely a day of rest - after the previous days activities (all will be revealed soon) it was well deserved! I was mainly to be found in my bed either sleeping, catching up on emails and social networking or eating leftover Choccywoccydoodah cake - big yum!

In the evening I visited my parents and helped my dad out with a little charity project he is working on. My dad is a Lion (not a real one!) - a volunteer with the Wantage and Grove Lions Club, they do loads of community project work including sponsoring up and coming local talent and day trips for the elderly. I'm helping them come into the 21st century by updating their website and introducing them to the wonders of Facebook - they haven't got many fans yet so why not pop along and like them!

As for today - I've got my cousin and her four children visiting, we're hoping for a sunny day so we can have a picinic in the park - keep your fingers crossed for us!

Lots of Love

The Awesome Rubystaycation - some time out!

2011-08-23T22:40:00.000+01:00

I'm having a little 'Rubystaycation' this week with my boyfriend so my blog posts will be much shorter than usual. We haven't had a holiday this year so we are both taking some time out to catch up on sleep, spend some much needed time with each other and generally just chill out - we have also got some day trips and visits with family & friends planned for later in the week.

However, it won't all be quiet in Ruby's world - this week, today infact, I was working on a secret project that has been in the pipeline for a few months now - I'm really not sure how I've been able to keep it quiet all this time but the day has finally arrived.

I spent the day in the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside with some of my Twitter pals aka the Dream Team - Joyce from Brides and Beauty, Paula from Paula Rooney Weddings & Events and the fabulous Penny & Martin from Tino&Pip. All will be revealed soon but today is a very exciting day and we are all bursting to share our project with you..........watch this space for some sneaky peeks coming up over the next week or so!

Lots of Love

Ruby Loves - ‘Can I Keep You?’ New Music Video from Nikki Loy

2011-08-20T10:14:00.000+01:00

I've known Richard from FX Films for some time now - he has filmed me in my underwear so we are quite close (see Social Sirens blog)!!! Anyway when he invited me to a private screening of a special project he had been working on, I was there in a shot!

Richard and Nikki met at a wedding they were both hired to cover, he was the cinematographer and Nikki was the singer. Richard, who has filmed many, many weddings said that he was blown away by Nikki's voice and very quickly suggested that they work together, not long after they agreed on a collaboration to make a music video for Nikki's song ‘Can I Keep You?’ After a good few drinks one evening, an idea for the storyboard was birthed: A memory box full of keep sakes from a relationship with a questionable future.

Filming started on a sunny day in April - with the first shoot in Camden Markets and other classic London spots Primrose Hill and Carnaby Street. The second shoot was similar but this time they choose Oxford for the locations. The third and fourth shoots were at the home of friends Mike and Kiki in their fabulous home The Old Rectory in Leafield.

Richard edited the shoots like lightning and then last month there was a very successful launch night at The Ultimate Picture Palace, Oxford where the video was screened for the very first time to the excited and expectant audience that turned out for this little piece of history in the making.

I have to say that Richard has done a fabulous job as ever, in producing this video - but I'll let you watch it and judge for yourself as Nikki's voice is simply stunning. I hope this is the start of many good things to come for this very talented singer - just remember you saw her here first!

For more information about Nikki or to book her to sing at your wedding, please visit her website or follow her journey on Twitter.

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Wedding Shoes to die for from TLC Creations

2011-08-18T08:58:00.001+01:00

Prepare to be AMAZED!!!! - when I discovered these shoes last week, through a link from Kat at RocknRoll Bride, I nearly fell off my chair with excitement!! The designs are so unique and inspiring, they will blow you away - they take bridal shoes (and just for the hell of it shoes!) to a whole new level. To tell you more about these beautiful shoes, I am handing you over to the delightful Tess to tell us more in her own words.

Purple Sparklers - Cinders Revenge

"It is our delight to create gorgeous and unique shoes for your wedding. Every pair is crafted by hand according to your specifications. We can create a design that works with your wedding theme or colour scheme. We've designed shoes for brides with vintage wedding themes, garden party themes, floral themes. Whatever you can imagine, we can create.

Something Blue

What makes us especially unique is that we are not limited to simply matching a colour by using dyable silk shoes. We can actually give you a wedding shoe that has a patterned fabric over them. We often use vintage floral fabrics or embroidered linen fabrics on the shoes. One of our favorite patterns to use is tartan. Some of our brides have asked us to make shoes for them that will match their groom's kilt. You can see some examples of that in our 'Tartan' section of the website.

We invite you to send us personal and meaningful items to incorporate into the design. Some of our brides have sent us pieces of lace from their mother's wedding gown or buttons from their grandmother's gown. We can incorporate photos into some of our designs as well to make the shoes even more personal.

Pink Lacey

You can order our wedding shoes to be made exactly as they are seen on our website, or you can request any adjustments you'd like to be made to the designs. We are here to create your ultimate, fantasy wedding shoes.

Broken Heart - AMAZING!

Many of our designs include vintage and antique lace. We often use vintage jewellery pieces in our designs as well. We use Swarovski crystals to add richness and glamour to many of our designs.

Cute Twinkle Toes flats for later on in the evening!

One of our most popular styles is called Cinderella's Wish which is completely encrusted with over a thousand crystal, glass and pearl adornments. Each piece is carefully and permanently applied to the shoes by hand.

Cinderella's Wish

We also have a number of our designs at a reduced price in our 'Wedding Bargains' section. These are shoes that have been used as samples or for photo shoots, so we have decided to offer them on the website for a lower rate than the customer order price.

Perfect - Ruby Slippers!

For more inspiration or just to ~~drool~~ dream - visit the website or follow Tess on Facebook.

The only thing wrong with this Tess' designs is that there is just too much choice - I want them all!!! I couldn't possibly decide which to go for, but I managed to narrow it down to Cinders Revenge (in purple), Broken Heart (I'm loving the cute bow to soften the design) and of course Ruby Slippers!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Sherbet Sorbet Wedding Stationery Design

2011-08-16T08:51:00.000+01:00

Sherbet Sorbet design traditional, contemporary and bespoke wedding stationery for your special day. Using the finest quality materials they create exquisite invitations, save the date cards, menu cards, table plans, thank you cards and much more – including wedding websites.

Ranges include elegant, timeless designs for the classic wedding to contemporary and fun designs for something a little different. For something truly unique they also offer a bespoke design service. Working closely with you they can create stationery tailored to your exact requirements.

Their personal approach and attention to the finest details sets them apart from our competitors and to prove this, they're recommended by some of the most exclusive wedding venues in the UK.

With the majority of their work being promoted online, they are comfortable serving customers from all over the UK, always delivering the same high level of service and relationship with the customer, taking all feedback on-board and letting the bride make all the decisions in her own time. They know that there's nothing worse than being rushed! Whether they have six months or six days to produce a wedding stationery order, they make sure it is delivered on time and in prefect, beautiful condition in gorgeous boxes tied with giant ribbons, direct to the door.

In a short space of time and a competitive niche industry, Sherbet Sorbet have proved their stand-out quality and dedication to helping brides make their wedding days perfect events. Local clients recommend us through word of mouth and send their friends in to the welcoming studio in Hampshire.

Recent client testimonial: "Thank you so much for all your help and efficiency, Absolutely amazing thanks. The table plan is the best I've ever seen! We would definitely recommend you!" Helen Masters.

Sherbert Sorbet are running a fabulous Special Offer until the end of November - recommend a friend and they'll give you a free Nails Inc manicure voucher. Don't worry - to make sure your friend doesn't feel left out they'll send her a fab Nails Inc gift bag too. Just ask your friend to quote SSNails11.*

*Each gift can be redeemed once recommendation is verified and a deposit is received. Verified order must exceed £99 in value. Verified order must be placed before 30.11.11. Sherbet Sorbet reserve the right to withdraw or change offers and promotions at any time, without notice.

For more inspiration check out the website or follow them on Twitter.

I love Sherbet Sorbet's designs - they really do have something for everyone and more importantly every budget!

Lots of Love

On Location - Escape to Bank Top Cottage

2011-08-13T09:56:00.000+01:00

Bank Top Cottage is a new, luxury holiday cottage situated at the southern end of Druridge Bay, a beautiful award winning seven mile sweep of golden sands that is a real jewel of the Northumberland Coastline.

During the summer months the cottage's glass-fronted balcony terrace gives you the perfect opportunity to dine outdoors with uninterrupted million dollar view of the sea and of the coast all the way up to Coquet Island in the North, whilst in the winter months the view can be enjoyed from inside the cottage with panelled glass doors allowing light to pour in from the living landscape of sky, sand and sea beyond.

Every attention to detail has been paid to the furnishings of this luxury cottage, from the beautiful Egyptian cotton sheets on the king size bed to the handy wine cooler in the kitchen, which is ready for use after a day on the beach.

Accessed from a narrow private road within the pretty village of Cresswell, Bank Top Cottage is a haven of sea front calm. Ideal for honeymooners who really do want to get away from it all.

For more information or to book, please visit the website or follow on Twitter.

This property really does look like a little piece of heaven, perfect for a honeymoon or minimoon retreat!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - A new approach to wedding gift lists with Honey Money

2011-08-11T09:04:00.000+01:00

For couples who have already set up home and have no need for the usual wedding list of towels, toasters and tea-sets, then a honeymoon wedding list service is the ideal solution.

With a HoneyMoney wedding list, couples create a ‘wish list’ featuring various elements of their honeymoon they would like to receive as wedding gifts. Dividing the honeymoon up into affordable items means that guests feel they are buying a memorable gift rather than just giving cash or a voucher. Gifts could be anything from Champagne on Arrival, to a Sunset Cruise or even an Elephant Trek.

You create your own HoneyMoney list from a template, allowing you to include as much personal detail as you want (e.g. instead of ‘night in hotel’, you can put ‘Junior Suite with views over the Serengeti’ etc) to make the gift seem even more personal. You can add anything you want, and can also opt just to ask for monetary contributions, if you prefer.

The HoneyMoney list is a ‘virtual’ list – at the end of the day they collect the money on your behalf and then transfer the total to you at an agreed date. They are not a travel agent and do not book any part of the honeymoon, nor are they tied to any travel companies, so this leaves you free to book with whomever you like, allowing you to shop around and find the company that suits you and the best deal.

HoneyMoney provides notification cards for your invitations and you receive an email whenever someone buys you a gift with any message they have left for you. You can also log into your account at any time to view your ‘thank you card manager’ which lists all gifts that have been bought together with any message left by the buyer, and shows a running total of all contributions. When you register you will be allocated an Account Manager who is on hand at all times to help you with your list.

HoneyMoney is currently running a promotion to waive the set-up fee for a HoneyMoney list. All you need to do is enter the code PRMT21 in the appropriate box on the registration form.

Visit the website for more information or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Don't let this happen to you!
A funny story I came across when I googled 'too many toasters'
http://tgr.ph/FXP8g

I love the idea of using your gift list as a way to boost your honeymoon - so many couples live together before they get married and it can be hard for your guests to know what gift to buy you. The only difficult decision you'll have is choosing what to add to your wish list - champagne dinners, upgraded rooms, day trips....the list goes on!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Hand-made cute, affordable & completely personalised wedding cake toppers from Teenymees

2011-08-09T09:09:00.000+01:00

Teenymees are a perfect way to personalise your wedding day without breaking the bank! These adorable figurines are made out of Fimo - a non-toxic craft clay which comes in a huge selection of bright, fade-resistant colours. It is pliable until baked it in the oven so a photo of the finished Teenymee is always sent to the customer for approval before baking. This allows for changes and for you to have ultimate control over your order- they will happily make as many changes as you request, although they often find that it only takes one tweaking session before getting the go-ahead to bake the Teenymees.

When designing a set of Teenymee toppers, they take inspiration from what the customers tells them about themselves and what they are planning for their wedding day and are also happy to suggest some artistic inspiration if couples are not quite sure what they want their Teenymees to look like.

Finishing touches can also be added to your Teenymees with paint and tiny accessories such as glasses, pets, and even other members of the wedding party. Most recently they even painted a tiny replica Liverpool shirt for a groom with a very steady hand and a VERY teeny paintbrush!

Teenymees are not just for wedding cake toppers - why not give your bridesmaids a replica of themselves as a wedding favour or add a cute accessory to your baby's christening cake! All sorts of celebrations can be commemorated with a Teenymee!

With very competitive prices Teenymees really are very small (standing at approximately 6cm high) and so are offered at an affordable price as we know a lot of couples budgets are tight but they would still love a personalised finishing touch.

Teenymees are meant to resemble a cute cartoon likeness and not a exact replication of a couple. For more ideas and examples of previous work, please visit the website or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

For the rest of 2011, you can get a fantastic £5 discount if you quote RUBY WEDDINGS when placing your order - an even tinier price for a Teeny topper!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Handmade Bath Melts and Bath Truffles from Bodycare Luxuries

2011-08-06T10:03:00.000+01:00

Today I'm pleased to introduce Elina, the owner of Bodycare Luxuries, a family run business located in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, who makes handmade soaps and other bath and body care products.

All products are made by hand and contains only carefully selected high quality ingredients, there aren't any harsh chemicals in their products as they want them to be as natural as possible.

Elina says "My business is my passion and I put a lots of love and attention in creating quality products for my customers".

They offer a range of Handmade Bath Melts and Bath Truffles which are perfect as wedding or bridal shower favours and they can custom labels and packaging designs to match the style and overall theme of your wedding, with an average turnaround time for wedding orders of 1-2 weeks.

For more information and inspiration check out the Etsy shop, Blog or follow Elina on Facebook and Twitter.

Don't they look good enough to eat! If that wasn't enough fabulousness for you - visit the Etsy shop and enter coupon code RUBY10 at the checkout for a 10% discount for Ruby's Readers.

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Fabulous new Oxford salon Electric Hair

2011-08-04T00:11:00.000+01:00

I'm thrilled to introduce the Electric Hairdressing salon group who are taking the UK by storm and are already being labelled one of the most forward thinking and innovative salon groups in the UK today. With a down-to-earth, accessible and friendly approach, they achieve what many hairdressing salons cannot.

Each client has a bespoke and well cared for experience and yet there is nothing pretentious about this group, they simply work with their clients in mind 24/7. All staff offer cut and colour services, giving you a seamless and personal experience with your stylist, without being handed from one expert to another.

Over the last few years Electric has emerged as one of the UK’s most exciting and rapidly expanding hairdressing brands – a statement backed up by a raft of national industry awards. Merging clear vision and raw passion, with the experience gained from establishing and running successful salons in Brighton, Reading and London, and now Oxford, this group of highly trained hairdressers offer a bespoke, intimate, friendly, accessible, unique and unpretentious salon journey.

All the beautiful Electric salons are based in striking and interesting buildings with outstanding interior design and the Oxford salon in St. Ebbes Street is no exception, with a striking contrast between luxurious chocolate accents and industrial fixtures.

So what do these uber talented stylists think is happening in wedding hair this year? Louise, Manager at Electric Hairdressing, Oxford says "Trends for wedding hair this year is loose and relaxed with the Vintage inspired bridal wear seen to be very popular with Lilly Allen's cute vintage lace, and Kate Moss opting for a roaring 20's do. Bridal hair is becoming softer, more undone, think Jennifer Aniston when she married Brad Pitt.

The news for all brides is that wedding hair is all about using relaxed versions of classic styles. There isn’t anything forced about wedding hair this year. Taking on a more 20's feel, the 1920’s bob can be stunning with maximum impact and can work on all hair types and face shapes. For longer hair try elegant rolled curls, side swept fringes and hair loosely pinned at the nape of the neck. Use subtle body and height at the crown and sweep into a sleek ponytail or loose clasp at the back for a very dreamy finish".

For more information or to book a consultation, visit the website or follow Louise on Twitter.

I fell in love with the Oxford salon when I visited recently and I'm sure you will too! Keep you eye out on Ruby's blog for a future feature with Electric Oxford, with some 'how to' styling tips with a familiar red head as a model!!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Fabulous wedding stationery from Lucy Ledger Designs

2011-08-02T09:02:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the wonderfully quirky world of Lucy Ledger Designs where designer Lucy lives and works from home aka Ivy Cottage, thriving on it's inspiration for her designs. A Wedding Ideas Magazine Awards finalist earlier this year, Lucy's designs capture the fun side of the vintage theme that is so popular at the moment.

With Lucy Ledger Designs you can be sure of a completely personal service because you are dealing directly with her...all the time! Everything is produced by her own fair hands and with absolute care and attention. She can easily handle large orders with a lead time of only two weeks on any product and every item will be quality checked before it is shipped.

Ever since planning her own wedding Lucy very quickly became aware that there just weren't any stationery designs out there that fitted her personality, so she introduced wedding stationery to Lucy Ledger Designs as she wanted to create something fun and personal for the special day.

The 'scrapbooking' style she has adopted has turned out to be perfect for weddings. It is important to Lucy that her stationery reflect the fact that a wedding is an important time in life and an opportunity to gather together memories of that special time. The style also evokes a wonderfully informal and personal sentiment for the big day.

Check out the Wedding Boutique to see all the collections for many more ideas. You can also follow Lucy on Twitter and Facebook or keep her company through her wonderfully quirky journey on her delightful blog Lucy Ledger Loves.

Lucy's designs are truly a joy, she puts her heart and soul into them and thrives on building relationships with her brides to ensure that they get the stationery that they dream of. I especially love the Rock n Revolution range inspired by a recent photo shoot from her good friend the RocknRollBride!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Country Garden Wedding Flowers from Foxgloves & Roses

2011-07-30T00:05:00.000+01:00

Nicola from Foxgloves & Roses creates exuberant and joyful country garden wedding flowers that have a just picked from the garden feel. Just like the flowers Kate Middleton that chose for her wedding flowers earlier this year.

The style of Foxgloves & Roses flowers is different from traditional florists. Nicola likes to keep in tune with nature by using flowers that are in keeping with the season (she says it's cheaper for brides too) and has a love for real plants and flowers whether that’s long stems of honeysuckle, sprigs of scented viburnum, almost forgotten favourites, perennials or summer flowering annuals. She also likes to use plants from beyond the garden like branches from wild apple trees, prickly briar roses and brambles with their luscious purple blackberries.

Working from her home in East Hendred, one of the downland villages in South Oxfordshire, Nicola is surrounded by a frequent source of inspiration as well as material for arrangements - she knows all the best spots nearby for catkins, rosehips or blackberries. Her garden is often a starting point for ideas too. As well as the usual flowerbeds and vegetable patch there is an old-fashioned cutting garden full of beautiful flowers like snapdragons, larkspur and cornflowers that she raises from seeds.

She started the business because she loved the idea of being able to go into the garden and pick what she liked to fill a vase or two without feeling guilty the borders were being denuded of blooms. Now she cuts flowers from March to October and sells bouquets locally.

Nicola likes to get to know her brides and develop a rapport - how else can she create their perfect wedding flowers. She always starts with a free wedding flower consultation, usually at the bride’s home or at her chosen venue. She’ll show her portfolio, find out about the bride’s wedding plans and talk about ideas for themes and colour schemes. Then she’ll go away and create a plan for the bride’s perfect wedding flowers.

For more information and inspiration please visit the website.

I love the style of Nicola's displays, they are perfect for a country wedding looking to incorporate a vintage theme.

Lots of Love

Ruby News - A Day out at the races!

2011-07-28T08:54:00.000+01:00

Today's blog is a little self indulgent and not at all wedding related but I don't care! I had a fabulous weekend with my girlfriends, we all got dressed up and spent a day at Ascot for the King George IV Race Day. I wore a polka dot Monsoon dress with my favourite butterfly fascinator from the Fascinator & Hat Shop, I first wore it last year but I love it so much that I decided to wear it again this year!

The day started early, a 9am rendezvous at the pub for bacon sandwiches and bucks fizz but such was our level of commitment to the day that we endured the early wake up on a Saturday morning! So with picnic hampers packed, many, many bottles of fizzy and plenty of picnic blankets we headed on our merry way.

After queuing up at the entrance for what we later discovered to be a random check point (we are all too honest) we made our way into the race track. For those of you who haven't been to Ascot before, it really is a sight to be seen.

In the winners enclosure - can you spot Prince Harry?

The VIP boxes towering above us, champagne bars, music from the bandstand and the well maintained grounds are simply stunning, we weren't lucky enough to be in the VIP section but we secured our spot in the picnic area, pitched our blankets, cracked open a bottle and settled down for the afternoon.

The atmosphere all day was fantastic and the excitement and tension during a race was electric with everyone hoping for a win. There were so many different groups of people from all over the country, next to us was a group of work colleagues from a gym, behind us a group of girls on a hen do and to the other side of us was a family enjoying a day out together.

It was a day filled with lots of girlie chat, laughter, people watching, interesting outfits (some stunners and some dodgy choices), very posh men in top hats smoking cigars and lots of ladies in big hats. After several bottles of champagne, a few wins and a few losses, we made our weary way home, stopping off on the way for a Chinese takeaway - who says we don't have class!!!!

Lots of Love

On Location - Country charm at the Old Swan & Minster Mill

2011-07-26T08:47:00.000+01:00

Enviably set within some of the most handsome gardens in England, when you arrive at the historic Old Swan & Minster Mill, it is hard to imagine a more picturesque and magical location for your wedding in the Cotswolds.

Set in the village of Minster Lovell, the Old Swan & Minster Mill couldn’t be more romantic if it tried. The village has a timeless air untouched by modern-day living, golden thatched cottages with picture-book gardens that line the main thoroughfare to the church and weeping willows frame your views. With the hotel sitting alongside the beautiful River Windrush, set in 65 acres of magical gardens, wild-flower meadows and woodland. They even have their own chickens!!!

The venue has two fabulous locations licensed for civil ceremonies; the Garden Temple on the Mill Pond lawn and the Minstrels Gallery for a more intimate feel.

In 2012, the new Great Hall will be complete. Overlooking the idyllic gardens and the River Windrush, this magnificent room will accommodate up to 150 guests. The Great Hall with its cathedral-style beamed ceiling and grand inglenook fireplace has been designed to blend into the surroundings of the warm honey-toned Cotswold stone. Although traditional in character, the building will be brimming with modern technology and be environmentally, very friendly. The Great Hall will provide a reception area for drinks, dining and unique glass dance floor over the river. Check out the video too see what this fabulous room will look like.

For more information please visit the website or follow the Old Swan & Minster Mill on Facebook and Twitter.

I was lucky enough to stay at the hotel earlier this year, on my birthday, and I have to say I totally fell in love with its charm. My boyfriend and I arrived for an early check in and after a delightful tour of the venue we visited the snug in the Old Swan to sit in front of a roaring open fire with a glass of wine.

We were later treated to a sumptuous dinner before retiring to our room for the night, which was wonderfully comfortable with an enormous bed! On checking out I was delighted to be offered a box of eggs, laid by the hotels chickens just the day before. I really can't wait until the Great Hall is completed, it will be an amazing wedding venue, especially with the glass dancefloor over the river!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Tailored outfits for flowergirls & page boys from Little Eglantine

2011-07-23T00:32:00.001+01:00

Come into the world of Little Eglantine, and your flower girls and pageboys will receive the personal, warm and sophisticated touch of French 'Haute Couture' which sets their collection apart.

Little Eglantine, created by the French designer Stephanie Staub, offers luxury made to order dresses for flower girls and outfits for pageboys, for weddings, Christenings, Holly Communions or parties.

What makes Little Eglantine so unique not only lies in the exceptional and innovative designs Stephanie offers, but also in the choice of her embroidered, or plain silk taffeta fabrics.

“Childhood is queen with Little Eglantine. My creations source their essence in French refinement and good taste, whilst also retaining children’s mischievousness and innocence.”

With her attention to detail and refinement, the designer will help you choose and develop designs that will look beautiful and exquisite on children.

“I approached Stephanie without a clear idea or colour scheme for my wedding and she came up with the perfect idea for the wedding. It was all down to her keen eye for colour which was perfect on the day. The garments were beautifully crafted, original and bespoke. Totally unlike anything one would find in a retail establishment.” A happy bride.

So why treat yourself (and your flower girls) to a touch of Little Eglantine and let Stephanie‘s unique talent and taste deliver the opportunity to have a creative input into the design of the outfits for your junior bridal group.

For more information check out her website or follow Stephanie on Twitter and Facebook.

What is not to like with these adorable fabrics and designs, I especially love the full skirts and big sashes - too cute!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Vintage Inspired Embroidered Wedding Accessories from Extra Special Touch

2011-07-21T10:27:00.000+01:00

Vintage is a huge theme in weddings at the moment and it is a trend that doesn't seem to be going anywhere fast. I was thrilled when I got an email from Heidi from Extra Special Touch introducing her range of embroidered products which fit perfectly within this trend.

She specialises in personalised embroidered napkins to give your wedding breakfast table a unique extra special touch, you can match the design of your own wedding stationery, or you can use their matching stationery which uses the initials of the happy couple as a background design.

They come in a range of colours and font choices, traditional to contemporary styles and are created using only quality cotton napkins which can be embroidered in any colour to match your wedding colour scheme.

They are ideal to use as a unique favour for your guests to save as a souvenir of your special day, and they are great to use in your new family home for years of happy marriage.

You could even have individual guests names embroidered and use the napkins as place settings. Don't forget the all important bridal garter - so cute with this vintage style brooch.

Also on offer is a range of personalised embroidered gifts for the wedding party, including Father and Mothers of the Bride and Groom, Bridesmaids, Pageboys, Best Man and Groomsmen.

Heidi loves to undertake commissioned work, so please visit the website if you would like something extra special. You can also follow Heidi on Twitter and Facebook for even more ideas for your wedding.

Embroidered napkins are such a great way to give your guests a personalised gift that they can use again and again - I love them! With the huge range of items on offer from Heidi the only limit is your imagination.

Lots of Love

On Location - Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel offering 50% off available dates in 2011

2011-07-19T09:10:00.000+01:00

Nestling in picturesque Gloucestershire countryside, amidst acres of beautiful private grounds, lies Tortworth Court, a place so magical that it seems made for weddings.

It is a place where, in the past, Lords, Knights and Dukes all played their part in weaving a rich, historical fabric.Today it is where Victorian splendour combines with contemporary luxury, to create a wedding venue that dreams are made of. With a number of rooms licensed for civil ceremonies and they can cater for anything from a small, intimate gathering, to a large, lavish wedding. With an array of exquisite settings for your special day you can choose from old-world character to contemporary elegance.

Moreton’s

Originally the library, Moreton’s Restaurant has been sympathetically restored to its former grandeur.With its extensive oak panelling, regal archways and ornate windows overlooking the manicured grounds, Moreton’s is a majestic setting for a civil ceremony and can accommodate 96 guests for a wedding breakfast.

The Orangery

Once a grand conservatory, which housed exotic plants, the Orangery now makes an enchanting wedding venue, adorned with natural light from the extensive glass panels. It is licensed for civil ceremonies and can accommodate 96 people for a wedding breakfast.

The Westminster Suite
This magnificent, self-contained suite benefits from floor to ceiling windows overlooking the beautiful grounds and has a large dance floor, stage and bar. It is licensed for civil ceremonies and can cater for up to 220 for a wedding breakfast or 280 for a wedding reception.

Marquee

Set against the alluring backdrop of Tortworth Court, the marquee makes a divine setting for a wedding breakfast or reception. During the summer, why not make the most of the spectacular grounds and have a barbeque or a hog roast? The marquee can accommodate 150 for a sit-down meal or 170 for an evening reception.

Special Offer

Book your special day in 2011 and receive 50% off your wedding breakfast. Various late availability dates available Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout August, September and October 2011. With wedding breakfast packages start from as little as £59 per person inclusive of private room hire, a master of ceremonies, three course wedding breakfast and a complimentary bedroom for the bride and groom.

For more information about this wonderful hotel please visit the website or follow the Four Pillars Group on Facebook and Twitter.

I love this hotel, it is Victorian glamour at its best with wonderful grounds and such flexibility for your wedding, and with a massive 50% discount on offer you need to get your skates on!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Chic, Boutique & Unique Maps, Wedding Invitations, Save the Dates and much more from Cute Maps!

2011-07-16T00:12:00.000+01:00

These whimsical handmade creations are individually tailored to depict an enticing visual story and lasting memory of that special day. Wedding guests will be WOWed with this perfect twist that every Bride looks for in her wedding stationery.

Cute Maps are currently available as Design Only, Standard & Large Postcards or Greeting Card formats, in 3 different colour options to suit all tastes and budgets. And with 100 Standard B&W Postcards coming in at £110 including design, this is the perfect budget, green and yet very unique alternative.

These flexible designs can be sent as Save the Date postcards, invitation inserts or even the invitation itself! Recent clients have created magnets, signs, stickers & tote bags from these fantastic designs. The possibilities are abundant and are always impressive!

Each map begins its journey at the hands of creator Sheree who conceived the idea during the design of her own wedding invitations. “I was on a very modest budget but wanted something with a bit of individuality and personality. So I created a ‘cute map’ that added a functional yet whimsical twist.”

She then went onto design a website and launched http://www.cutemaps.co.uk/ with instant orders coming in from across the world! Cute Maps are also now available to buy at www.notonthehighstreet.com/cutemaps

Sheree is currently developing a further range of ‘cute’ products to match her creations so watch this space!

For further information, images or samples visit the website or follow Sheree on Twitter.

I adore these maps, they really do live up to their name and are a perfect alternative to traditional invites, especially if many of your guests are from out of town.

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Hen party fun with Theatre Workout!

2011-07-14T08:52:00.000+01:00

Hen parties can be so predictable, aren’t they? Wouldn’t you prefer to do something different for your pre-wedding celebrations? Something fun, entertaining yet cultured? Theatre Workout have been working with all the big West End shows for years and offer a unique package for your hen party, teaching song and dance routines from Chicago, Dirty Dancing, Grease and many more fantastic shows. They’ll also organise theatre tickets, meals and hotels in London for you, so you can just turn up and have fun.

Theatre Workout also offer private coaching and lessons for your first dance as a married couple - ideal if you or your partner have two left feet! Whether you want a simple waltz or something more memorable, they’ll work with you to make it just right.

For more information check out the website or follow their stories on Twitter and Facebook.

These workshops look like so much fun - the perfect way to get all the girls together for your hen do, but which dance routine would you choose?

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Amazing music to keep your guests dancing all night from MADHEN

2011-07-12T08:58:00.000+01:00

MADHEN were formed in 2001 with the aim of providing high quality musical entertainment for any occasion. If you’re looking for something different, memorable, fresh and exciting then they may just be the band you’re looking for. They pride themselves on high-energy performances, and playing a great selection of songs that will keep the dance floor busy all night!

All members of MADHEN are full time professional musicians with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the entertainment industry. As well as MADHEN being a great party band, they also have a wide range of tribute acts that we perform including 'So 80's', 'So Blondie', and 'Scizzor Sisterz'.

The band has performed all over the world for many prestigious clients, from private parties and weddings to film premieres, magazine launches and large corporate events. Many clients and events organisers use MADHEN time and time again.

Just as important as the performance on stage is the service they provide behind the scenes. They will do their best to make your evening stress-free. These high standards have helped secure their place as one of the country’s finest and most in-demand party bands. They can advise on all aspects of production (sound/ lighting) and work with some of the finest DJ’s.

Check out their website for further information, follow their adventures on Twitter and Facebook or visit their Youtube page to see them in action.

I was lucky enough to see Madhen perform at a friends company party recently and I was totally blown away by their energy, perfomance and range of songs. I've never before seen a crowd react so well to a set list that included 'I Don't Feel Like Dancing' by the Scissor Sisters, 'Sex is on Fire' by Kings of Leon followed by 'You Can't Touch This' by MC Hammer! If you are looking for first class entertainment to wow your guests and keep them dancing all night, then look no further than Madhen.

Lots of Love

P.S. I have totally got a crush on Matthew the lead singer!

Supplier Spotlight - Quirky, interesting and fun stationery with a sprinkling of vintage from Golden Apple Designs

2011-07-09T00:02:00.000+01:00

I am so excited to be featuring the beautiful wedding stationery of Leah from Golden Apple Designs. The majority of her designs include hand drawn illustrations so they are totally unique - you can even have a bespoke illustration created especially for you, ensuring that your invitations are really personal and a great reflection of you as a couple.

She offers everything from save the dates and invitations to on the day items such as table plans, banners and favours, and can help you to tailor your on the day stationery to suit the theme of your event, from vintage, shabby chic and retro to gothic, alternative and rock and roll!

Leah's inspiration comes from general doodlings - she made her first ever invitation after sitting with a sketch pad and a fine liner pen and seeing what came out! She came up with the ‘Meadow’ design which can be seen on the website, and the designs just kept on coming!

A hopeless romantic, Leah is really inspired by love, fairytales and magic! Her newest invitation designs are the ‘Princess & the Frog’ & ‘Love is the Key’ designs, which feature cute fairytale inspired illustrations and are finished off with tiny details such as tiny diamantes on the princesses crown and a 3D handcut key that make the invites extra special.

Look out for new alternative seating plan ideas that are coming soon - including the ‘School Days’ seating plan (featuring HB pencils and clipboards) and the ‘Tea Party’ seating plan, which features tea bag place names with different flavoured teas for each table.

There will also be calligraphy on chalkboards and mirrors on offer soon, for a creative alternative menus, order of ceremony and table plans.

For more inspiration check out the fabulous website or follow Leah on Twitter.

I hope you love Golden Apple's Designs as much as I do, in a world full of wedding stationery, her designs are fresh, exciting and above all refreshingly different! Could you find a more perfect well to dazzle your guests than with her wonderful artwork to show your unique personality on your wedding day!

Lots of Love

On Location - Fantastic New Year's Eve Offer at Hawkwell House Hotel

2011-07-07T08:45:00.000+01:00

Hawkwell House Hotel are delighted to offer this special package for one lucky couple getting married on New Year’s Eve with a massive saving of over £1500!

This amazing offer includes their Prestige Wedding Package for only £79 per person (a £10 per person discount) with complimentary ceremony room hire, disco until 1am and a sparkling toast at midnight for all guests*

Prestige Wedding Package

Red carpet treatment and a personal welcome on arrival
The assistance of experienced wedding co-ordinator
Use of hotel grounds for your photographs
Hire of the main suite for your wedding breakfast & evening party
Prestige flower arrangements tailored to suit your colour scheme
Arrival champagne drinks reception with canapés
Hotel’s round or square cake stand and knife
Toastmaster
White linen napkins, tablecloths & chair covers with sash
Four course wedding breakfast including cheese course
Half bottle of house wine per person
A glass of Champagne per person for the toast
Evening Buffet for all daytime guests
DJ for evening reception
Bed & breakfast for the happy couple in the bridal suite
Wedding menu taster

*based on a minimum of 80 guests.

For further information check out the website or to book call the Wedding Co-ordinator now on 01865 332109 or email weddings@hawkwellhouse.co.uk

Hawkwell House really is a lovely wedding venue in Oxfordshire, close to the city centre but in a quiet village setting - perfect for exclusive hire too!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Cake Pop Princess

2011-07-05T08:55:00.000+01:00

Bianca Benn, aka the Cake Pop Princess, has been making delicious handmade cake truffle lollipops in her 4* rated home bakery in Kent since late 2010. Available in a variety of flavours, such as chocolate, choc-mint, choc-orange, choc-coconut, lemon & white chocolate, and carrot, although her personal favourite is rich chocolate, with rich fruit cake, brandy, chopped nuts and coconut.

It is often said that cake pops are the new cupcake, and it's not hard to see why. They're moist, chocolatey, and the best thing about them is that they're so portable, not to mention cute! They don't need to be eaten straight away, so are great for favours or for guests to take home. You can tie them into your theme through colours or characters, and they can make a gorgeous display on a sweet table. Personalised tags also give that extra special touch.

Bianca says, “I've always loved cake decorating and used to watch my grandmother make wedding cakes when I was a little girl. It was October 2010 when I first heard of cake pops and I decided to make some round ones for my childrens' christening. I posted pictures of the results on Facebook and a friend asked if I could make ponies. It was then I discovered the world of character and novelty cake pops and it all went a bit crazy from there!

I think what I love most about it is that I can be truly creative - most of my orders are completely new ideas that haven't been done before, so I have to experiment to see what works the best. It doesn't always work out to plan, but I've been quite lucky so far."

Unlike most other cake poppers, Bianca doesn't use buttercream or frosting in her cake pops. This means that they last longer and don't need to be refrigerated, unless there is a real heatwave. The cake pops are made a week or so in advance, so you get them in plenty of time for your function or event. One less thing to worry about on your big day!

Prices start from £1.50 each for simple pops with drizzles or sprinkles, or from £2.25 for characters. Bespoke pops, such as the Beagle shown below, are priced on request. For larger orders, plenty of notice is required as spaces are limited and she's often fully booked.

For more ideas visit the blog or follow The Cake Pop Princess on Twitter or Facebook.

I absolutely love the new trend of cake poppers, Bianca has a great creative talent and I'm sure you'll agree these tasty treats look (almost) too good to eat!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Gorgeous word art from More Than Words

2011-07-02T11:33:00.000+01:00

More Than Words was launched in 2010 by creative designer Lisa Long. Her lifetime love of interiors and typography, combined with a search to find a piece meaningful and high quality artwork for her own home, led Lisa to design what is now the ‘original Memories canvas’. She was soon inundated with requests from friends and family to design a piece for them…and from there More Than Words was born.

Just one year on, Lisa's typographic artwork has been commissioned by customers all over the world. Some of her high profile clients include Dannii Minogue and screenwriter and film director Richard Curtis. Lisa also works closely with interior designers and More Than Words artwork decorates the walls of several well-known corporate businesses, including the headquarters of one of the UK’s leading bridal magazines.

Lisa was a finalist in the 2010 Mumpreneur UK awards for ‘Most Unique Product’ and is currently shortlisted from thousands of nominated UK businesses in the UK.COM awards as ‘Best Creative Business Idea’, judged by Sarah Beeny and an elite panel of entrepreneurs.

More Than Words produces bespoke typographic designs in a range of themes using your words and precise colours. Lisa also offers a collection of limited and unlimited designs.

Each unique piece is hand-finished in the UK to fine art standards onto your choice of acrylic, canvas, a beautiful framed print or the signature More Than Words ‘vintage framed canvas’.

For more information visit Lisa's website, blog or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

I love these really personal images, they would make the perfect wedding keepsake or gifts for your bridal party.

Lots of Love

Photography Corner - Introducing Isaac Weddings - plus free iPad offer!

2011-06-30T00:03:00.000+01:00

I am thrilled to introduce Wayne from Isaac Weddings, a company he has built up over ten years of enjoying photography, he has worked on portraits, fashion, commercial and private projects as well as weddings. With his photography Wayne loves the challenge of trying to get emotion and character from every image.

He offers an engagement shoot before the big day, which gives himself and the couple a great chance to get to know each other, get some really fun photos and get those bridezilla moments out of the way ;) He loves to capture couples at the place where they first met, their favorite coffee shop or even the venue where they will be getting married.

Couples usually show these off before the wedding or he has even had some couples get their suit and dress back on for a fun bridal shoot in crazy colorful locations, although he is still waiting for a couple daring enough to shoot underwater :)

For Wayne the wedding doesn’t just end with the photos on the day either, afterwards you can choose from a bespoke range of albums or wall mounted frames. It’s quite a design process to create an album as the images aren’t just randomly placed into the album but really shows the story of the day. From metal and perspex front covers and a variety of sizes, its really something that isn’t going to be kept hidden in a drawer.

He has a great range of bespoke frames so they will be something you will not be able to get elsewhere. Couples love the range of collections I can offer for wall portraits as they really want to show off all the images.

Being a bit of a self confessed geek he also loves being up-to-date with technology and that’s why he also offers a digital album in the form of an iPad which the couple can take away with them on honeymoon with their images ready to display and show everyone else.

As a very exciting special offer, Isaac Weddings are offering a FREE iPad with any of his packages purchased - just mention Ruby Weddings to qualify for this amazing deal. Check out the fabulous website for further information.

I hope you love Isaac Weddings unique style of photography as much as I do and well, what is not to like about his fantastic promotion - why not spoil your groom with this great gift!

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Introducing Kitson Photography

2011-06-28T08:51:00.000+01:00

Rhiannon Kitson has been involved in photography for over 5 years through which she has gained invaluable experience of photographing a variety of subject matter including festivals, music gigs, travel, club nights and commercial events.

Through the positive peer pressure of her nearest and dearest friends she set up her own photography business at the end of 2010 and her business has been thriving ever since. Specialising in portrait and wedding photography Rhiannon has proven to be not only creative and contemporary in her style but experimental and bold in her approach.

She captures the emotion and fun expressed in the faces of those she photographs through colourful and elegant imagery in a relaxed and unobtrusive way. The results are dazzling and her clients cannot thank her enough. On receiving their wedding photographs last month newlyweds, Rich and Kelly Fort, thanked Rhiannon by saying “you've really captured the spirit of what was mine and Kelly's happiest day. Thank you so much for bringing back such amazing memories.”

Rhiannon's Tips
It is important that you meet with your photographer before any event. An informal meeting is a great way to get to know each other. When I meet with my clients I always like to check that my style is exactly what they are looking for, but also to discuss the finer details of the day and to make sure that we all know where we have to be throughout the day so that we can all work as a team. In this way I can make sure I capture exactly what you want and get the best possible results for you.

You should always choose a photographer that you can have fun with and one who will make you feel relaxed. The best photographs I have ever taken are those where the people in the photo are completely at ease with me. My job has been nothing but fun so far and I intend to keep it that way!

For contact information, quotations and portfolio please visit the website.

It is great to see new photographers embracing their passion and starting a new business doing what they love - I want to wish Rhiannon all the best in her new venture and I hope to work with you in the future.

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Personalised Verses from Amy at I Want A Poem

2011-06-25T10:07:00.000+01:00

Amy founded I Want A Poem in 2007, as a way to create magical personalised poems for special occasions. Brides all around the world were quick to adopt the tradition of sending a bespoke love letters to their husband to be on the morning of their special day and Amy was happy to write them for them.

Her wedding poems proved extremely popular and after having written literally thousands of rhymes, this year has seen the release of her first ebook of Wedding Poems - entitled Love And Marriage. She was also commissioned by Derwent to write a poem to commemorate the Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, which was presented to the happy couple inside a Maple Presentation Box containing 500 pencils, dubbed The Majestic.

Amy writes under the pen name Ms Moem and has also published a book of motivational poetry. She just can't get enough of poetry for remarkable people, here she demonstrates her poetic talents in a poem about sending and receiving personalised poems on your wedding day.

Love Letters Straight From The Heart
It's the morning of your wedding
And you're getting ready to go
Your groom has sent you a poem
Just to say he loves you so.

He cannot wait to see you
Dressed in your gorgeous gown
And as he says 'I do' to you
He'll be the proudest man in town.

You've also sent him a poem;
Your love story in beautiful verse
You've had your ups and downs
But love each other for better or worse.

You giggle as your nickname is mentioned
And things that you've both done or said.
You've both told each other you're devoted
And simply cannot wait to be wed.

You smile as you get to the altar
Recalling the memories you've shared
He said he can't wait for the wedding night
So you have your best lingerie prepared.

10 years later, it's your big anniversary
And you stumble across your personalised rhymes
Then as you re-read them, you feel it;
It's the happy tingle that you felt at that time!

Amy says "I love being able to play a small part in the happiest day of people's lives, it is a real privilege. I have read so many happy love stories, and tales that have defeated the odds, and those are the moments that make a couple. Getting married seals it, and on that special day, there is nothing more romantic than telling your partner just how much they mean to you. I always be grateful that I have seen so much love. It is really special."

Amy with the lovely Theo Paphitis

Thank you so much Amy for the lovely poem - you truly are a star! If you would like more information on Amy's services please visit her website or follow her on Twitter.

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Beautiful music from The Classical Songbirds

2011-06-23T08:51:00.000+01:00

Jemma and Terésa are the Classical Songbirds, two classically trained singers with a passion for making your day incomparable. They say "You've probably dreamt of your wedding day since you were small and every detail of it is as special as the next. Our job is a joy as we help to make dream wedding days come true.

In fairness, it’s not often considered when thinking about what you want on your day, but every bride we sing for, whether it’s instead of a hymn or whilst they sign the register, is bowled over by what it adds to the day, which is something really wonderfully magical. We don't just sing classical songs, our repertoire ranges from Delibes' Flower Duet through Eva Cassidy's Songbird, all the way to Disney's a Whole New World - if it's special to you and we’ll sing it. We have different packages to suit your needs, the most popular being singing whilst you sign the register – we can chat through any ideas for your day.

We’ve been singing together for three years and have been lucky enough to sing at weddings all over the South West of the UK. Our fees are incredibly reasonable and we work with you from the day you book us to ensure that we know what songs you want and when you want them. From then, we take away any element of stress and the next time you’ll see us is when you’re in your beautiful dress (or suit!) standing next to the person you adore."

It that wasn't enough for you - the lovely ladies are offering a fantastic 10% discount to Ruby's Readers, simply quote LOVESONG when making your enquiry. For further information visit their website or follow Jemma on Twitter.

Lots of Love

Supplier Spotlight - Artificial Wedding Flowers from C & L Floral Designs

2011-06-21T08:56:00.003+01:00

C & L Floral Designs is a family run business with years of professional florist experience offering a wide range of artificial wedding flowers and accessories that can be delivered within the UK and abroad.

In their online shop we have a vast range of wedding flowers in stock and ready to dispatch which makes it great for the Bride-to-be as they can have their flowers the next day. They are also happy to make custom designed wedding flowers up to match in with bridal wedding themes.

They take great care and attention in hand wiring the flowers. This means that each object of your product (flower, leaf, bear grass, diamonte etc) is attached to a florist wire and positioned perfectly in the final design.

Artificial wedding flowers have come along way over the years, flowers that are being produced now look very realistic. Here are just a few reasons to choose artificial flowers for your wedding:

Artificial wedding flowers last a long time, long after your big day has passed your flowers will be there to transport you back to your special day.

You get exactly what you want. You can have any combination of colours and flowers to ensure the wedding flowers you have always dreamed of will be exactly as you imagined them to be. Forget the limited pallet and seasonal range of fresh flowers, with artificial wedding flowers you can have whatever your mind can design.

You can take delivery of your flowers well ahead of the ceremony so there will be no surprises on the day. If you have buttonholes for guests or posies for bridesmaids these can be allocated well before the wedding or used to match dresses.

Your flowers will compliment your theme. Real flowers can radically differ in colour and are not predictable, with silk flowers you get the colour your theme demands.

Allergies can be a real problem for some people and nothing spoils a wedding more than a sneezing attack from hayfever sufferers. Artificial flowers are the perfect antidote.

Lastly, artificial flowers represent fantastic value for money. You can give a button hole to every guest, posies for the bridesmaids, wands for the younger bridesmaids, magnificent table arrangements and a stunning bouquet for the bride for less than a single fresh flower bouquet. The beauty is that no one will be able to tell.

To see the wide variety of designs on offer check the website out for inspiration, testimonials and real brides wedding pictures.

For the budget savvy bride, artifical flowers are a quick way to save money without having to sacrifice having the flowers they really want. What do you think? Would you have artificial flowers over real blooms?

Lots of Love