Will you marry “moi” ?

With the Swedish Ice Hotel wedding rapidly approaching (only 1 week until the big day!)…the wedding jitters are starting to set in. In this, our fourth interview with Caroline Berthe, our very own senior wedding coordinator, we learn more about the fun stuff, including Caroline’s wedding dress, her hair and make-up, table decorations, gift bags and wedding photographer…

CVW Blog: Tell us EVERTHING about your wedding dress!

Like all brides2B, I visited numerous wedding dress boutiques with my girlfriends and had fun trying on lots of dresses. This helped me to find the style that suited me, the material I liked, the shape and cut that was most flattering for me and of course the best color to suit my olive complexion.

In the end (as I knew I would), I decided to have my wedding dress designed for me by a great Parisian designer called Olivier Petigny http://www.olivierpetigny.com/. My last fitting was on February 13 and the result is breathtaking! A few of my former brides have had their dress made by him. He is great for matching your dream to your budget (within reason of course).

The dress will be off white, all lace, not too puffy and without a long trail as I didn’t want to have to deal with that in the snow in Sweden. For the Swedish ceremony, I will be wearing a coat that the designer is also designing for me. Something quite warm made out of silver silk. I will also have long, full length, silk gloves. A little “diamond” belt will finish it all off.

I will be wearing the same dress for the summer Pyrenees wedding, but without the coat of course and the diamond belt. Instead the designer offered to store my dress until July (that is very practical) and also customize it to fit the Catalan/Spanish theme we will be having in the south of France. A colorful large belt will be added to the dress in the colors of red, fuchsia pink and orange, with little beads of color.

I’m looking to tone down the dress for the summer wedding as I have asked guests to not come in a formal suit and tie for the wedding. The wedding and banquet will be taking place outdoors, so it will get hot and I don’t want to feel uncomfortable.

CVW Blog: Will you be using a local hair and make-up artist for your Sweden wedding?

I couldn’t find a hairdresser and make-up artist on-site in Kiruna, so I asked my favorite hair and make-up artists here in Paris to teach me how to do my own make-up (I have been practicing for a few months and the result is quite impressive, even if I do say so myself). My hair stylist is preparing a hair piece using real hair to match the color of mine. This means that on the day of the wedding I will simply put my own hair in a ponytail and attach the hair piece to the back of my head. Simple yet beautiful! I think it will look as if I have a real hairstyle in the end and is probably the best solution in my case as I couldn’t find anyone to help me on-site. My Maid of Honor will also be helping me to get ready of course.

CVW Blog: Will a professional photographer be there to capture the highlights of your wedding in Sweden? Was the choice of photographer a difficult one to make?

We decided to invite a professional wedding photographer that I often recommend to my couples. He is also a good friend and it was important for us to have him there with us. The photographer on-site that the Ice Hotel recommended wasn’t the style we had in mind and as I do have easy access to wonderful service providers here in France I thought that it would be more fun and meaningful to have someone come along with us.

CVW Blog: Are you planning to provide any gift bags for the wedding in Sweden?

Yes! And I finally found the gift bags to put them in! It wasn’t easy here in France as it isn’t something common at all. It is more an American tradition the gift bag idea.

I have bought silver gift bags to match our color theme. I will finish them off by attaching a ribbon and a snowflake cutout onto them. Inside the bags, I will be putting some hand-made gloves made out of white fake fur for the men and a matching muff for the women.
This will be for the wedding day so we will have great pictures of everyone with their matching gloves and muffs.

I will include some florescent, light-up bracelets to wear while we are on the snow mobile trip to see the Northern Lights so we can see each other in the dark! I will also include some Nivea special snowflake cream for the cold and some heart shaped pocket hand heaters you snap to start warming and put in your pockets. I’m also planning to get some DAIM chocolates that are typically Swedish at the airport while waiting for our connecting flight to add to the gift bag.

Finally, I have planned to bring some giant sparklers for our guests to hold as we exit the ceremony, it will look fantastic on the photos! These are too big to put in the bags though so I’ll hand them out just before the ceremony.

CVW Blog: What special touches are you adding to the dinner tables?

I will choose and order the floral dinner table decorations when I arrive in Sweden. In addition to that, I will provide some of my own personal touches which will include printed menus matching the programs I have prepared, some snowflakes to sprinkle on the table cloth made out of paper and some matching ribbons to put around the napkins). I am keeping it pretty and low-key as we can’t really do much more in a restaurant where there will be other guests dining.

CVW Blog: How do you feel just one week from your big day?

I can’t wait to jump on the plane! Stress has given way to excitement. We already have our suitcases packed and I get butterflies in my stomach every time I think about the trip. Everything we are about to experience, including all the activities we have planned, are as important to us as the wedding day itself. It is going to be such a fantastic experience with our close friends and family. I know the time is going to fly by. I wish I could live every moment in slow motion and engrave it all in my mind. I’m already anticipating the fact of being back home and the trip being over but having great memories and pictures to look back at in time…

We are constantly seeking fun and original activity ideas to share with our wedding couples. Today we would like to propose a fun workshop that’s ideal for a nature-loving, environmentally conscious bride2B who is eager to share her love of flowers and her creative talent with her best friends on the eve of her wedding.

For those brides who dream of creating their own personalised floral accessories, this interactive workshop is made for you! Invite a handful of your best friends or female members of your wedding party to join you for a few hours at your wedding venue or elsewhere on the eve of your wedding day to create your own floral accessories.

A professional instructor will supply all of the raw materials (flowers, bracelets, ribbons, attachments) and bring along plenty of photos and examples to inspire you. Check out the following photos and don’t be afraid to release your hidden flair for all things natural!

We are sure you’ll agree that this hands-on workshop will not only provide you with hours of fun and laughter spent with your girlfriends but you’ll also be able to wear your handy-work on the day of your wedding, making the memories and wedding photos that much more special.

Contact us for more information or check out the following website CultureZen Events (only available in French).

Photo credits : CultureZen Events

A definite trend has developed over the past 12 to 14 months resulting from the disastrous financial climate enveloping the globe. While couples are just as enthusiastic about organizing a destination wedding in Europe, they are faced with tighter and tighter budgets. As a consequence, many brides are turning to DIY to save money.

As far as Wedding Planners are concerned, two different schools of thought prevail. One is that we should embrace this movement and provide our couples with more affordable alternatives to consider. The second is that we should try to convice brides they can get all that they desire with a professional.

While we are big fans of DIY, especially for those brides who have the time and are creative, our experience has showed us that most brides don’t realize the time and money that goes into DIY, nor have they factored in the challenges associated with transport over long distances or the difficulty in purchasing locally available raw materials.

That’s why we feel a middle of the road approach is the best way to proceed. Let us explain…

On the one hand, planning a destination wedding is very complicated, daunting and challenging, especially when planning across oceans, time zones or language barriers. In such a situation, your Wedding Planner takes on an important role. Not only can they save you a huge amount of time and effort by proposing venues adapted to your requirements, in the region you want, but they can also provide you with valuable local know-how. This is not limited to sourcing the best and most reliable wedding vendors but also includes providing you with local protocol tips and local wedding traditions. These are details that can make a huge impact on your guests and keep them talking about your wedding for years to come.

On the other hand, we understand that organizing a destination wedding is a tremendously exciting prospect for a bride. Not only is she offering her guests the possibility to discover a new country but she is also guaranteeing them new experiences, both culinary and cultural. She wants the wedding to be authentic to her chosen destination but also incorporate some home touches.

Since a wedding planner’s aim is not to spoil this experience nor dampen a bride’s enthusiasm, we suggest you choose a planner who proposes a DIY wedding package. This is one that allows the bride the freedom to be as creative and involved in her own wedding preparations as she wishes. Effectively, she can control as much or as little of the planning as she wishes without having to feel that she is being too picky or stepping on her planner’s toes.

Allowing couples the freedom to choose exactly which aspects of the planning they wish to take on enables them to be in full control of their budget while also benefiting from a planner’s expert advice and presence on the day to make sure everything runs smoothly. A true win-win situation for everyone involved!

Check out our DIY destination wedding package offer on www.chateauandvillaweddings.com