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…

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

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

This is why creative design companies never cease to invent new ways to seduce the eco-conscious client. But would you dare go to these lengths to make your wedding eco-friendly?

Yes! is the answer…if you are an open-minded couple looking to surprise your guests! So, are you ready to consider purchasing recyclable cardboard tables and chairs for your wedding banquet? This may sound completely wacky but a company called Orika proposes a whole range of furniture made out of recyclable cardboard (which is 100% recyclable) for use in your home or for events such as weddings. No glue is used, only ingenious folding techniques and environmentally-friendly paint. Not only is the furniture extremely strong and solid but also esthetically pleasing. You don’t believe us? Check out some of their designs…

Why not choose this as an economic and eco-responsible alternative to the traditional tables and chairs one sees at all weddings? They can be painted to match any wedding theme!

This should only be considered, of course, at venues where furniture hire is necessary. Needless to say that it’s an idea guaranteed to put a smile on the faces of each and every one of your guests and provide a real talking point long beyond the wedding day!

For more information and to request a price quote, visit their website at Orika!

CVW Blog : What are the legal requirements associated with having a civil wedding in Sweden? What paperwork must be provided?

The legal requirements are quite simple actually. I’m even wondering if it isn’t simpler than actually getting legally married in France, even as a French citizen. No translations were needed for any of the documents. We had to send over to the French Consulate in Stockholm:

• our full birth certificates,
  
• copy of our passports,
  
• a document proving our address of residency like an electricity bill for example with both our names on it,
  
• a form that we downloaded from the Consulate website and that we each individually filled out
  
• a large envelope for them to return the documents to us after the ceremony
  

Before the ceremony, on the morning of the wedding, we need to go to the Registrar’s office to legalize the documents they will have prepared. The documents will, of course, be in Swedish so we will be accompanied by our Swedish wedding planner (WP) and translator.

After the wedding, the WP will take care of sending the signed certificate to the French Consulate in Stockholm. They will legalize the wedding here in France automatically. A few weeks later we will receive all French documents justifying that we are now married.

CVW Blog: How does this compare to Italy and France?

It is quite similar to the documents and procedure for foreigners to get legally married in Italy. There is just one extra step in Italy, this is especially true for non-European citizens. Couples must also go to the Embassy of their home country upon their arrival in Italy. Depending on the city where the bride and groom choose to get married, they will need to arrive 2 to 5 days before the wedding to go to the Embassy and then to the Prefeturra which is the equivalent of the Registrar’s office.

In France, foreign citizens are not allowed to get married legally except if they hold a French passport or long term residency visa. However, it is interesting to note that the Swedish and Norwegian consulates in Paris do agree to civil legally binding ceremonies to be held within the consulate/embassy here in Paris only. The interior of the Norwegian consulate is beautiful. One of my Norwegian couples got married there a few years ago. They then had their religious wedding ceremony and reception at the Romantic Royal Family Chateau!

CVW Blog: What is the progam for your Swedish wedding day?

I just spent several hours putting together the program for the wedding weekend. It will be printed on silver paper with shiny glitter decorations and a pretty ribbon securing it to one paper snowflake cutout! I will be handing these to my guests at the airport in Stockholm while we wait for our connecting flight to Kiruna where the Ice Hotel is located.

On the day of the wedding, after going to the registrar’s office in the morning, we will have breakfast with all our guests and then probably start getting ready.

Once we are ready, we will have an intimate photo session in a romantic location in the village, just Tony, me and our photographer. This is the moment we will discover each other in our wedding attire for the first time. I want it to be very private and will ask our guests not to be present.

Afterwards, the bus will come pick us up at our hotel to take us to the Ice Chapel at the Ice Hotel. The ceremony is scheduled at 4pm.

After the ceremony, we will go for a tour of the Ice Hotel and take some fun pictures in the different Ice Suites of the hotel, on the beds or the Ice Sofas and chairs. We will finish off the afternoon with an Ice Drink at the Ice Bar of course.

The bus will then take us back to Kiruna where we will have some champagne and appetizers followed by dinner in a cozy local restaurant alongside a warm, open fire.

CVW Blog: We are intrigued to know what you have chosen for your Swedish wedding menu? Does the venue provide a wedding cake?

I have tried to keep the menu as “local” as possible. There will be a reindeer mousse with a berry chutney on dark bread as a starter followed by pepper baked salmon with garlic roasted potatoes and a herb sauce.

I have chosen a typically Swedish dessert called Sapmi Laffsa. We have no idea what this is, only that it is served with an orange sorbet and vanilla cream! If you know what it is, then please drop me a line! J In any case, we prefer having an authentic Swedish dessert rather than choosing one of their “international” desserts.

After dinner, we will be going back to our hotel that has kindly offered to lend us a private room with a bar. They will be making a nice chocolate cake for us. They don’t really do the usual wedding cakes in Sweden, so we haven’t been too fussy and are just expecting it to taste really good. I have planned to bring little figurines to place on the top of the cake.

CVW Blog: What fun activities do you have lined up for your guests while in Sweden?

We will be arriving in Kiruna on Friday evening, a bit late, so we will probably all just want to go to bed.

On Saturday we haven’t planned much. I want to go to the restaurant where our wedding dinner will be held to order some flower decorations for the table and give them the table decorations I have purchased (you’ll have to wait for a later episode to discover what these are)!

On Saturday evening, we are leaving for a snowmobile tour during which we hope to see the Northern lights (those greenish lights in the sky that look so amazing). Hopefully we will see some. We will be stopping halfway for a Sami dinner in an authentic wooden cabin.

On Sunday, we have to get up early to be ready to leave for a full day of snow fun! We will learn how to make an igloo, walk around in the fresh snow with racket shoes, and most of all learn to drive a sled with the so cute Husky dogs.

Monday is the big day and we return home on Tuesday (boo hoo).

That’s all for this episode, stay tuned for the next installment when you will find out all about Caroline’s dress, her hair and make-up trials, table decorations, gift bags and wedding photographer! Don’t miss it!

Here is a snapshot of 10 of the ways you can make your destination in France “Formidable”!

1. Cheese and wine tasting
   

   One cannot come to France and not savor the local cheese and wine. Why not transform your welcome buffet into a cheese and wine tasting? You can have local producers bring an assortment of cheese and wine to your venue or visit a local “cave” (wine cellar) for a guided tour and a tasting afterwards. Délicieux!
   

2. Gift basket of local goodies
   

   Spoil your guests who have travelled from far and wide to attend your destination wedding by providing them with personalized gift baskets. Include some local specialties such as a mini bottle of champagne if you are getting married in the Champagne region, Calissons d’Aix (mini almond marzipan cakes see photo) for weddings in Provence, Foie gras for weddings in the south-west, a bottle of white or red wine depending on the region…to name but a few.
   

   
   

3. Creative wedding transportation
   

   You can take the couple out of their home country but you can’t take their home country out of the couple. To add a surprise touch and tongue in cheek glimpse at your own origins, why not hire a real yellow school bus or red double-decker London bus to transport your guests to and from your ceremony and/or reception venue? You could even hire an authentic black London taxi for the bride and groom depending on where you are getting married in France.
   

   
   
   

4. Guest book with a twist
   

   Instead of providing a traditional guest book for your guests to sign, why not jazz it up and place a Polaroid camera alongside it so that your guests can snap themselves before sticking the photos in your book and signing alongside. Should you be getting married in Paris, why not take a trip to the artists square in Montmartre a few days before your wedding and have an artist draw your caricature on a large piece of paper and have your guests sign it as a real souvenir of your trip. The caricature could also be done in your home country and transported on-site with you.
   

   
   
   

5. A show stopping ceremony exit
   

   Forget about the traditional bird seed, rose petals and rice, why not orchestrate a unique ceremony exit by providing guests with bunches of lavender or paper airplanes or having a butterfly release or dove release to mark the end of the ceremony? Fun music also adds punch like the theme tune to Star Wars or Superman or your favorite hit song like Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol? Your imagination is the only limit!
   

   
   

6. Unexpected wedding music
   

   A string quartet is lovely, but you’ll blow guests away with a Gospel Choir to sing during the wedding ceremony. To get the party going during the cocktail hour, look into hiring a mariachi band or a cotton club jazz quartet for some seriously memorable melodies.
   

   
   

7. Entertaining wedding favors
   

   Get creative when contemplating your wedding favors. To pack out your dance floor, distribute maracas or kazoos or even rally towels for a bit of fun. Think about your female guests comfort level by providing comfy flip-flops so they can dance all night or provide personalized pashminas (shawls) to fend off the chill of an outdoor wedding.
   

   
   
   
   

8. A surprise choreographed dance
   

   Everyone expects you to opt for a slow dance or the traditional waltz to open the dancing so why not surprise your guests by learning a sultry tango or a high energy swing or rock ‘n’ roll routine. It only needs to last 2 – 3 minutes but imagine the looks on your guests’ faces when you glide or jive around the dance floor like real pros! Strictly Come Dancing has nothing on you!
   

9. Traditional French wedding cake
   

   Consider having a traditional French wedding cake to wow your guests. A Croquembouche or Pièce Montée is the traditional French wedding cake. They are impressive pyramids of puff-pastry choux balls filled with cream (like profiteroles) and a coating of crystallized caramel. You can have the classic pyramid shape or it can be designed to fit your request like the Chateau de Chenonceau cake below. Yum yum! The French love to make a fanfare by dimming the lights, playing some up-beat music and putting sparklers in the cake as the chefs bring it out. A great photo opportunity. These cakes are not the easiest to cut into and feed one another so make sure the chef is on hand to help you!
   

   
   

10. Midnight crepes
    

    Nothing is more French than hot crepes doused in sugar, chocolate spread or jam and served by a French chef to round off the day! This is guaranteed to tantalize your taste buds and energize your guests after several hours on the dance floor. If you want to propose a savory touch, consider adding a buffet of cold meats (charcuterie) that the French do oh so well or a cheese buffet…oh là là!
    

We have lots more ideas to share with you if you are interested…just send us a comment and we’ll be happy to respond with other suggestions!

Photo Credits: Dream Limousines; Butterfly Release Wedding; http://www.prixmoinscher.com; Event Merchandising; Wikipedia ; http://www.studiocabrelli.com/

If you are planning a wedding in Paris, there is a company called Easycart that rents fun electric vehicles, perfect for short journeys to the church from your hotel or to your reception venue. Some of them can even carry up to 8 guests.

Imagine the look on the faces of unsuspecting bystanders as you amble through the streets of Paris in your electronic mini-hummer or white roaster convertible. We can imagine the photos!

For more information and to request a price quote, check out their website at Easycart.

Happy travelling!

Earlier this month, The Knot featured an article entitled “10 New Year’s Resolutions for Every Bride”. We liked it so much that we have decided to share some highlights with you and add a few of our own…

1. I will create a wedding website for my destination wedding

This is one of our own additions to the list. You should never underestimate the importance of a wedding website, especially for destination weddings. While you may be used to hopping on and off of airplanes and hiring cars or taking trains in foreign countries, not all of your guests may be as well-travelled and confidant as you. This can cause real anguish for some of your guests. Make it as easy as possible for your guests to get to your destination wedding by creating a user-friendly, comprehensive wedding website. Don’t forget to include the following information: links to airline websites proposing direct flights to your wedding destination; links to public transport websites where guests can book train tickets or hire cars; links to B&B/hotel/campsite websites and a price-fork for each one (if all of your guests cannot be lodged at your wedding venue); tell your guests if you will be providing transportation on the wedding day; include information about local tourist attractions; tell your guests what weather they can expect and the dress code on the wedding day; describe the wedding venue and give a full run-down of your wedding day and/or wedding weekend activities. The aim is to reassure your guests and let them know that attending your destination wedding will be easy and that once on-site they will have a great time!

2. I will not use my Facebook status as a personal wedding journal.

While you are understandably engrossed in your own wedding preparations, it does not follow that all of your Facebook friends necessarily share the same enthusiasm for the color scheme you have just chosen or the pretty table plan you just purchased. We’re not saying that the everyday details are not interesting, just that you are perhaps using the wrong platform to share this information. Why not create your own wedding planning blog so that your friends can keep up to date on all the ups and downs when they choose?

3. I will trust my Wedding Planner

This is another of our own additions to the list! Planning a destination wedding can be fun and exciting but also daunting and challenging, especially when planning across oceans, time zones or language barriers. In this instance, your choice of Wedding Planner takes on additional importance. Once that decision has been made, he/she effectively becomes your ears, eyes, nose and taste in your destination country. They know better than you what the local traditions are, where the best cakes can be found, which is the best wedding band and the most reliable caterer. Don’t underestimate their knowledge and local know-how and learn to trust them! That’s why you chose them after all!

4. I will not feel guilty about having an adults-only wedding

Don’t lose sight of the fact that it is your wedding and that your happiness on that one special day of your life is paramount. If this means that you would prefer not having toddlers running around screaming and tripping up your elderly aunt or babies crying during the ceremony then that is your decision and you are entitled to it. Nobody will be offended so long as you remain consistent and do not make any exceptions. Be upfront on your invitations and on your wedding website and don’t feel bad!

5. I will actually eat the dinner at my reception (that includes cake!)

You have worked so hard to plan your wedding, it would be a shame not to savor the food that you took months to decide upon! With all the excitement on your wedding day, brides (and grooms) often forget to take the time to eat their wedding dinner. You have spent months dieting to make sure you fit into your wonderful gown. You look fantastic, your wedding ceremony was a touching, moving experience, you have had the photo session with your professional wedding photographer so you deserve a piece of your delicious wedding cake with a glass of bubbly! Don’t deprive yourself of this amazing memory!

The full article can be found on The Knot.

Happy planning!

]]> http://blog.chateauandvillaweddings.com/news/new-years-resolutions-for-every-bride/feed 0 http://blog.chateauandvillaweddings.com/news/wedding-poem http://blog.chateauandvillaweddings.com/news/wedding-poem#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:02:17 +0000 sharon http://blog.chateauandvillaweddings.com/news/wedding-poem  

We would like to share this fun yet meaningful wedding poem with you. It is a great poem for either a man or woman to read during your wedding ceremony. We know its not easy to find appropriate wedding poems so when we come across them we love to share them with you! Enjoy…

Today is a day you will always remember – the greatest in anyone’s life.
You’ll start off the day just two people in love and end it as husband and wife.

It’s a brand new beginning, the start of a journey, with moments to cherish and treasure.
And although there’ll be times when you both disagree, these will surely be outweighed by pleasure.

You’ll have heard many words of advice in the past, when the secrets of marriage were spoken, but now you know that the answers lie hidden inside, where the bond of true love lies unbroken.

So live happy forever as lovers and friends, it’s the dawn of a new life for you, as you stand there together with love in your eyes from the moment you whisper, “I do”.

And with luck, all your hopes, and your dreams can be real, may success find its way to your hearts.
Tomorrow can bring you the greatest of joys, but today is the day it all starts.

Anonymous author

Jeanette and Peter
Hometown: Singapore
Wedding Date: December 30, 2009
Wedding Colors: Silver, red and black

Wedding Location: A charming, neo-classic style Palace with breathtaking views over Lake Annecy, nestled in the mountains, in the heart of the splendid French Alps. Send us a comment at the end of this posting for more details!

Wedding highlights: We had lots of fun organizing this four-day event for Jeanette and Peter. A gift basket with locally made chocolates and personalized water bottles awaited each guest as they arrived at the Palace from all around the globe. A special shuttle service was organized to bring guests from the local train station and Geneva international airport. After enjoying a welcome buffet at the Palace, guests were free to relax and discover the grounds of the Palace.

On the day of the wedding, after much pampering by our professional hairdressers and make-up artists, Jeanette stole away with Peter and our photographers and videographers to have some intimate photos taken before the ceremony took place at 2pm within the Palace. One of Jeanette’s friend’s hand-made the beautiful aisle runner, making the ceremony that much more special.

Cocktails were served in the restaurant with a panoramic view over the lake before guests were invited to step outside to view a spectacular fire-eater show. Guests were then asked to line up opposite each other and form an arch with their arms held high and lighted sparklers as the bride and groom ran under them and into the banquet hall.

The angled, U-shaped, rectangular table configuration blended perfectly with the contemporary style reception room. A troop of Brazilian Samba dancers dressed in beautiful bright costumes and ostrich feathers regaled guests with their lively music and dancing between each course and encouraged participation from the guests. The rest of the evening’s music was provided by our favorite wedding band that follows us all over France!

A private tour of the old city of Annecy was organized for a group of 30 of the guests on the afternoon following the wedding with an English-speaking guide. Since the day after the wedding happened to fall on New Year’s Eve, Jeanette and Peter took advantage and we organized a New Year’s Eve buffet dinner in the restaurant to celebrate this special event. Lots of red, orange and yellow balloons helped to create a party atmosphere. The dress code was black tie and everyone had to come wearing a Venetian mask! An oriental menu was served and between courses, guests were entertained by an oriental dancer who brought accessories with her and dressed up some of the guests and had them dance with her. Our fantastic wedding DJ then took over and kept everyone on the dance floor until the early hours of the morning.

All the best to Jeanette and Peter! Thank you for trusting us to help you organize your fantastic winter wonderland wedding in the French Alps!

Photo Credits: Studio Cabrelli

CVW Blog: With the date confirmed and venue selected, what did you do next?

Caroline : I started to talk to all my friends and family about the venue we had chosen and the date of November. Everyone thought it was great we chose a winter wedding and a long holiday weekend as well. Choosing the caterer, photographer and musicians and florist wasn’t the hardest part as I do have my favourites. Although I really wanted them to understand what we were looking for and expecting. I searched for a lot of photos in magazines and online for the florist to get an idea of what I liked and didn’t like, and for the caterer, I first talked to my parents about what they wanted to serve and then started to discuss with the caterer. This allowed less back and forth and waste of time with the different providers. The hardest part was the invitations. We didn’t find anything out there that we liked and that was our style or the style that we wanted our wedding to have. I had sleepless nights searching online for something nice, days contacting different providers…

Costs were so high for just a piece of paper that most guests loose anyway. I didn’t want to spend that much of our budget on something that for me wasn’t the most important element. However, it is the first glimpse to your wedding day for guests, so you do have to choose the right type of invitation, something that will set the scene for the day itself.

Finally, after ordering some invitations, we ended up changing our minds on the colors as well… and therefore just completely changed the type of invitations to a simple double card with our photo on it. We had lots of fun for about 1 hour with our favourite wedding photographers posing like stars in front of the camera. The invitations look great and we have something unique! We also got to practice having our pictures taken, and getting to know the photographers better. This was a real high point.

CVW Blog: Crunch time…when are the deposits due?

Caroline : Once I had negotiated the rental fees of both locations we were using for the ceremony and the reception, it was time to get out our checkbooks. That is when Tony reacted…first he fell silent and then he admitted that that he didn’t think it was the wedding that best fit who we are. I thought he was going to announce that the wedding was off! Yikes! He explained that he didn’t imagine himself in front of 150 guests saying “I do” and that he was really dreaming of a tiny ceremony, more like an elopement type and that he wanted it to be in the snow. His perspective on things was that when I talked about our wedding with the large traditional wedding idea we had at first, he had the impression of just listening to me talk about another of my couple’s weddings, not OUR wedding. He wanted it to be different. So after a complete rethink of our wedding plans and going through Lisa Light’s, international destination wedding planner book called Destination Bride (Lisa is a good friend of mine), we found a fantastic location for our wedding: Sweden, the Ice Hotel! A true winter wonderland wedding, snow and ice guaranteed! We have set the date for March 15^th 2010.

CVW Blog: How did you feel about this about turn?

Caroline : At first I thought that family would be against it, saying that a wedding should be for everyone to participate in and enjoy, with a large reception and party. But it was also the setting of my dreams, even before I met Tony actually. Strange to find out only at that moment that we both had the same dream of a snow wedding! We had just never talked about it considering the fact that a wedding must be traditional in our minds and parent’s minds. But once we had decided that we were getting married for ourselves and creating a special day for ourselves, we were able to move away from the idea of a traditional wedding and go along with something more suited to our style.

CVW Blog: How did your respective parents react to the abrupt change?

Caroline : At first, our parents thought it was a great idea but hadn’t understood that it meant we were cancelling the traditional wedding day. Therefore we came to an agreement of 2 weddings: one in Sweden with just close friends and one in France in the Pyrenees for family and more friends, thus also limiting the number of guests to a number that felt comfortable to all of us. Tony’s father particularly thought that this was also more his type of day than a big formal wedding and was quickly on board! My parents were thrilled with our idea to do a very informal garden party type wedding around the old chapel were we all got baptized. A very charming venue, everything outside, long rectangular tables and a garden theme decoration to stay away from a formal traditional wedding. Going back to this tiny chapel for them on my wedding day meant a lot. It ended all conversations instantaneously.

CVW Blog: What compromises and concessions had to be made?

Caroline : fixing the date was a bit hectic. Budget constraints as well. However after several weeks of putting together pricing and ideas for parents to review, we were able to come to a compromise. As more and more couples pay for their own wedding, we decided to pay for the Swedish wedding and help as much as we could for the French wedding. Our parents are firm on saying that they are giving us this gift of a very special day for us in France.

CVW Blog: Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

Caroline : Yes, the date and venue have finally been booked in Sweden and the date and venue confirmed in the south of France…The only disappointing part of all this is that our parents on both sides decided that we should do the elopement wedding in Sweden with just our closest friends/witnesses/brothers and sisters and not with our parents present. They feel it should be a trip for the “younger” ones to enjoy but that they will enjoy seeing the photos and video we have planned to do on-site.

Don’t miss the next episode when we will discuss the following…

Choosing the wedding dress

Wedding favors for Sweden

Paperwork for the legal ceremony

With the FIFA World Cup coming up in 2010, here is a warning message to all Brides2B whose fiancés are football mad! Choose your wedding date VERY carefully! Check out the official FIFA World Cup website for a preview of the match dates and those which could be dangerous!

Don’t make the same mistake one of our poor, unsuspecting brides made several years ago. Her wedding was scheduled on a day when the England team was playing in an important qualifying game. She finally relented to the pressure of her H2B and his footy mates and installed 2 large screen TVs in the reception room. The only consolation was that there was no sound! What a way to spend your wedding day…

Don’t make the same mistake and become a football widow on your wedding day!

This new non-profit organization has been very well received by the community. A large number of kind-hearted wedding vendors have pledged their support and are becoming involved in this endeavor which is constantly building momentum. Originating in New York, they will be launching their first 4 nationwide chapters next month.

They are looking for highly-motivated experts to grant wishes to terminally-ill patients. For more information click on this Wish Upon a Wedding link and email them if you would like to be considered as a chairperson or volunteer. They are actively looking for event coordinators, PR/media whizzes, fundraising go-getters and medical outreach professionals. So spread the word, please for this good and heartfelt cause.

We are pledging our support from afar and can’t wait to launch the first European chapter of Wish Upon a Wedding when the time comes.

Best wishes for a successful 2010 to Wish Upon a Wedding!

Occasionally we are contacted by someone who knows exactly what they want for their wedding, it’s rare but it does happen. This was the case this past summer when we helped a French couple organize their 30^th Wedding Anniversary celebration at one of our favorite Loire Valley venues, the Dream Renaissance Castle.

Indeed, Mrs S. knew exactly the type of atmosphere she wanted to create for her 80 guests. It was a breath of fresh air and quite a change for us to work with someone who had a precise vision of how the day would unfold. So, we simply called upon our trusted suppliers and partners and put the pieces together to make the perfect day. Mrs S. was not disappointed. Here are some of the day’s highlights…

Relaxing morning…

Without the stress of preparing for a wedding ceremony and the turmoil that inevitably surrounds a new bride, Mrs S. was able to relax on the morning of her 30th Anniversary. She took breakfast with her guests before retiring to her suite to be pampared by our professional hairdresser, ready for the first part of the day, a Chic Picnic that was to take place in the pretty tree-lined Italian Alley with the backdrop of the castle and peaceful surrounding countryside.

Chic Picnic…

With staggered round tables descending the Alley and ivory parasols to protect guests from the hot June sunshine, we created a Chic Picnic with wooden folding chairs, cappucinno colored table cloths, transparent crockery and take-away centrepieces. Indeed, each guest was invited to take home one of the small zinc plant pots containing a plant or herb which doubled up as a centrepiece and favor.

The food was carefully selected to add color, flavor and variety. The presentation and impeccable service rendered the Picnic a unanimous success.

Afternoon games…

During the afternoon, guests could relax around the pool, play tennis on the tennis courts or join in the golf driving tournament which was improvised on-site. The younger crowd enjoyed playing football and frizbee. As evening approached, everyone disappeared to their rooms to freshen up and prepare themselves for the evening celebration.

Baroque ‘n’ roll…

This is where we really enjoyed ourselves! The theme for the evening was baroque ‘n’ roll. A mix of the “Baroque” style which originated in Italy in the early 17^th century and is characterized by free and sculptural use of the classical orders. It uses forms in elevation and movement to create a dramatic effect. Architecture, painting, sculpture and the decorative arts work to combined effect. This was spattered with a touch of rock ‘n’ roll.

The color theme was black, silver and purple. Deep velvet purple Calla lilies with sweet peas and peonies helped to create a bold, harmonious effect. Black table cloths with purple satin ribbons adorned the tables along with silver chairs and crystal candlestick holders as centre pieces filled with black candles. The tables were named after famous rock ‘n’ roll singers and menus placed in silver picture frames.

We even had fun with the table plan which consisted of silver spray-painted empty picture frames with flowers suspended inside mini glass vases and attached to the top of the frames.

All that remained was for our caterer to regale the guests with more delicious food and our DJ to fill the room with rock ‘n’ roll tunes. The rest is history…

Thank you to Mr & Mrs S. for sharing your special day with us! We’d love to organize more wedding anniversaries!

Photo credits : Studio Cabrelli

Here is the first in our series of insider interviews with Caroline.

Bride: Caroline Berthe

Groom: Tony Altimani

Bride’s profession: Wedding Planner

Groom’s profession: IT consultant

CVW Blog: So, when, where and how did Tony pop the big question?

Caroline : It took Tony 7 years to pop the question but he finally planned a very simple but romantic proposal during a special 2 day stay at Disneyland Paris. We just love rides and acting like two children for a few hours, laughing and screaming together. He booked a suite in the really nice Disney hotel. After a full day of rides and adventures, we went to the spa, then had a romantic dinner and on the way back to our hotel, he suggested we sit for a while under a gazebo. The trees all around us were twinkling with white fairy lights, it was really cold out so we huddled up really close together, and then he asked me. Although I knew my answer was yes and had known for ages, it still came as a shock and so I was left speechless for quite a few seconds (that probably felt like hours to Tony).

CVW Blog: Were you surprised? How did you feel?

Caroline : I knew it was getting closer and closer as my 30^th birthday was coming up. But he had planned the Disney weekend so far in advance that I didn’t guess it was going to be at that time. I thought it was just going to be a fun weekend away together. So I was totally surprised, stunned even when the moment came. I was floating on my little cloud for a long time afterwards…

CVW Blog: Tell us about the ring…

Caroline : He had the ring made specially and even designed it himself! I couldn’t make up my mind whether I preferred white or yellow gold with diamonds. So he did both with 3 little diamonds. It is delicate, discreet and elegant, I love it! It is my own personal ring, no one else has the same. That makes me feel even more special J

CVW Blog: What was the first thing you did after the proposal?

Caroline : Strangely we didn’t talk about the wedding plans right away. With the job I do of course everything seemed easy to plan and didn’t need much thought at first. Our families started asking us “So, when is the wedding?”, and we couldn’t even answer them, we didn’t even have a date. But we soon discovered how difficult it is just to find the right date! And imagine with the job I have too, all my wedding season weekends are booked or almost and I didn’t want to have my own wedding with several other weddings to plan around it.

CVW Blog: Did you already have a good idea of where and how you would like to get married?

Caroline : Yes and no. I knew I didn’t want to do it at a venue where I had already organized a wedding myself. That would have felt too much like working! After a full day of visiting venues, we found a venue that suited us really well. It is like a big glass conservatory with exotic trees and plants everywhere. For a winter wedding we thought it would be ideal to have so much natural light. It felt very summery inside although the wedding was planned for mid November 2010. We fell in love with it right away when we saw it. That made me think of the advice I always give to my couples, that they will know it’s the one as soon as they see it.

We didn’t want a traditional wedding though, so thought about a long cocktail reception with lots of canapés and live cooking stations. That way we could eliminate the starter and skip straight to the main course, followed by cheese and a huge dessert buffet. We wanted everyone to start dancing as early as possible, to start having fun.

CVW Blog: What was your first step (choosing the date, venue, caterer, invitations, etc.)?

Caroline : We first started with a list of guests asking both sets of parents how many people they had planned to invite and then made a list of our friends. You have to have an idea of the number of people attending the wedding to be able to choose the venue. Although it is a ballpark figure, it still helps with your research afterwards. Then we looked at dates, and that wasn’t an easy part. Our families finally ended up agreeing to a date in mid-November as we had hoped so we were happy when that was resolved. We then planned a full day visiting lots of venues together. But after the first venue we had already fallen in love with it and really went to see the others just to make sure we weren’t making a mistake. It was easier for me because I already knew what was out there. Actually deciding on the venue wasn’t a big deal…

While France does not recognize same-sex marriage, gay couples can have a romantic symbolic wedding ceremony in France. Symbolic wedding ceremonies are not legally binding in France but they have the advantage of being able to be celebrated in any location you choose. You can therefore be legally married in your own country and come to France for a symbolic wedding celebration, reception and party.

Here are just a few suggestions which we hope you and your life partner will enjoy and want to know more about…

Castle Weddings: The Loire Valley is undoubtedly the wedding castle capital of the world! Choose from impressive and grand castles such as Chambord and the Dream Renaissance Castle or opt for a more intimate and romantic castle like the Royal Family Chateau or the Loire Valley Castle. Your guests will never be at a loss for places to visit in the region. And access could not be easier with the high speed train running direct to the heart of the Loire Valley in less than one hour. Private guided-tours of the most famous castles with wine tastings and/or cooking classes for you and/or small groups of your guests can be organized.

Villa Weddings: For an outdoor setting, the South of France is where you want to be with Provence, the French Riviera/Cote D’Azur, Cannes or Monaco, Nice or St.Tropez, Antibes or Monte Carlo. Plenty to do, lots of sun and glitz, if you like grand villas and beautiful yachts this region is the friendliest region in France.

Seaside Weddings: Choose from the small fishing villages of Brittany and Normandy, the grandiose Mont-Saint-Michel, St. Mâlo, Honfleur, Deauville, Trouville and Bayou. Naturally, the French Riviera is sure to please any couple, the possibilities are endless…

Mountain Winter Weddings: If and your soul mate love to ski or long for a wedding ceremony at a mountain resort then it is a must to explore the French Alps ! They are home to snowy mountain peaks, alpine lakes and lush green valleys and are most known for their outdoor activities of skiing, paragliding, mountain climbing and rafting. You will find great skiing in the winter, chalets dotting the skyline of mountain villages and scenery that will take your breath away! Although there are a great many wonderful 3 star hotels in the Alps, complete with spas and gourmet restaurants, you must stay in one of the beautiful and charming chalets. The Savoyard chalets come straight out of a pretty picture post-card, with balconies adorned with geraniums and begonias, honey colored walls, and russet-brown or moss-covered roofs; they perch dramatically on the green slopes of the mountains and foothills of the Alpine region. In brief, just imagine you and your future life partner arriving at the ceremony in a one horse open sleigh, both your laps covered by a white mink blanket to keep you warm…

Wine Region Wedding: The wine regions of France are simply breath-taking! If you are a wine aficionado then a wine region wedding is for you. Whether you prefer the full-bodied Bordeaux red wines, the sweet and delicate white wines of the Alsace region or the exciting wines that Burgundy has to offer including Beaujolais and Chablis, you will be spoiled and never at a loss to host your wedding in the beautiful wine region of France. There are no less than ten major wine regions throughout France consisting of: Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Côtes du Rhône, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire Valley, Provence, Corsica and the South-West.

Cruise and Nautical Wedding: Whether you are an avid sailor or just love the water, beautiful yachts and grand old ships, then a nautical wedding is just the ticket. Picture a grand yacht on the River Seine which will take you and your guests on an unforgettable journey of discovery through the City of Lights! You can choose from an intimate yacht complete with a fireplace for up to 6 people, a luxury yacht with its own outdoor deck or a larger private yacht where up to 65 guests can dine and party until the early hours.

This is only a glimpse of the type of wedding venues that await your special Gay and Away wedding ceremony and reception in France. Happy planning!

In the second installment of Stephanie Meyer’s phenomenally successful TWILIGHT series, the romance between mortal and vampire soars to a new level as they delve deeper into the mysteries of the supernatural.

For those fans who have already seen the second film, New Moon, it will not have escaped your attention that several scenes were shot in Italy. While the book refers to the town of Volterra, the movie scenes were actually filmed in a city called Montepulciano.

Located in the heart of Tuscany, Montepulciano is a beautiful, quaint medieval town perched on a hillside about 1 hours drive south of Sienna. Surrounded by its world famous vineyards, this picture postcard town is an ideal wedding location. Here are a few photos of the city and the main square where the movie scenes were filmed.

We are able to organize civil wedding ceremonies in the Town Hall of Montepulciano, pictured below, however, there are no reception venues, except for a few restaurants, located within walking distance of the Town Hall.

The best solution would be to hire transport and drive about 15 minutes from Montepulciano where you will find some authentic Tuscan villas where wedding receptions can be held. Further afield, between 45 minutes and 1 hours drive, you will find some beautiful castles. Here is a small selection of photos to help you envisage where your dream wedding could take place!

So, if you are a fan of the TWILIGHT series and would like to follow in their footsteps, just give us a call and we’ll bring the adventure to life for you!

In our experience, one of the major considerations associated with having a destination wedding is not the cost of the wedding itself, this has usually already been put aside either by the parents or by the bride and groom themselves. No, the main barrier is the cost for your guests of attending your destination wedding. This is especially true during difficult economic times as we are currently experiencing all over the world.

But you still dream of having a fairytale wedding in Europe and don’t wish to abandon this idea? Here are our top 10 tips on how to make your destination wedding in Europe affordable for your guests and thus transform your dream into reality:

1. Choose a location where major airlines run regular charter flights or where cheaper, low-cost airlines travel to. In the latter case, you will likely need to consider smaller, regional airports and not the main airports. These will not necessarily be further away from your wedding venue, they may even prove more practical and less intimidating for those of your guests who are not accustomed to international travel.

2. Do your homework before confirming a venue. Either choose a venue that can accommodate all of your guests on-site or request a list of local hotel accommodation. In the latter case, make sure there is sufficient accommodation close by (preferably within walking distance) and that the selection includes a number of reasonably priced alternatives. Consider proposing small bed and breakfast establishments rather than large chain hotels to make your guest’s stay more intimate and why not include a camp site option for those of your guests travelling with small children or who like backpacking.

3. Create a wedding website as early as possible and communicate this address to all of your guests. You can even have your guests RSVP via the website to ensure they consult it. List everything of interest and importance TO YOUR GUESTS on this website. This includes the following: local accommodation options with links to B&B/hotel/campsite websites and a price-fork for each one; links to airline websites that fly to your chosen destination with current pricing; links to car rental firms that provide rental cars from the airport; confirm that you will be providing transportation on the wedding day (and day before/day after if applicable), etc.

4. Consider organizing airport transfers for your guests if you are all able to stay at your wedding venue or within close proximity (20 km radius). The price for a minibus for two days (for arrivals and departures) is not going to blow your budget and may be one of the determining factors in your guests’ decision to attend your wedding or not.

5. In our experience, it is imperative to organize transportation on the wedding day to and from your wedding venue. Book a coach to pick everyone up at their various hotels/B&Bs, etc. (unless everyone can be accommodated on-site or within walking distance) and provide 3 return trips from midnight onwards. Why not add a fun twist and book a double-decker London bus or an old American yellow school bus instead of a normal coach?

6. Make it as simple and inexpensive for your guests once on-site as possible: consider contributing a certain amount per room to make room prices affordable for guests (if you have the possibility of lodging people at the venue itself); organize a welcome buffet the day before the wedding, lunch or picnic baskets on the day of the wedding and an informal BBQ or brunch the day after to limit the additional expenses for your guests. Should you choose a venue such as an ancient castle that does not have any on-site bar or restaurant available, consider organizing an on-site brasserie service at lunchtimes and during the afternoon to provide snacks and drinks. You do not have to cover the costs for the food, your guests can pay themselves, but they will appreciate the convenience and practicality. Make sure you communicate about all of these things on your wedding website.

7. Pitch your chosen destination as a holiday venue for your guests. Talk about the weather, local tourist attractions, local beaches (if applicable) and encourage them to extend their stay to make it a vacation as well as attending your wedding. This will also favorably impact the price of the accommodation (weekly rental prices are more attractive than single night accommodation at villas or self-catering establishments.

8. Why not give your guests the chance to win something while at your wedding? Make sure you communicate how fun your wedding will be. Why not, for example, ask each of your guests to contribute 2 euros to a sweep stake. The money will be collected during the cocktail reception. Each guest should guess how long the speeches will last and the winning person will win all of the money. Or, why not put together a quiz containing questions about the bride and groom. Distribute this in your guests’ rooms and the person who gets the highest score will receive one night’s accommodation paid for by you or a free lunch or dinner in a local restaurant.

9. Distribute a welcome letter and gift basket to each of your guests in their rooms. The basket could contain a selection of local goodies but also some more practical items such as a metro map and book of 10 metro tickets if you are getting married in Paris or beach towel or flip flops for a beach wedding, etc.

10. Finally, think about choosing a date during the off-season when flights are cheaper and when hotel prices can be negotiated.

You are not, of course, obliged to propose all of the above, you can pick and choose those that are most relevant to your wedding and chosen venue, those that you think your guests will be most receptive to and those that correspond to your budget.

Don’t forget that organizing a destination wedding will automatically reduce the number of guests attending the wedding, thus allowing you to allocate the additional budget to spoiling your guests and making their stay more affordable, comfortable and unforgettable.

Good luck!

Photo credits : shopflipflops.com; Studio Cabrelli

Wherever we go, whatever we read, either online or in the press, and whatever we watch on the television at the moment, we are constantly being reminded that we are in a recession, that these are difficult economic times and that we need to be careful with our money. Indeed, the expression “credit crunch” seems to be on everyone’s lips…

But you are still dreaming of having a destination wedding in Europe and don’t wish to abandon this idea, right? Well here is a solution. Why not opt for a Weddingmoon? What is a Weddingmoon we hear you ask? It’s a destination where you go to not only get married but also celebrate your honeymoon, therefore saving on two separate trips!

Many fabulous choices abound. Here are just a few examples of the Weddingmoons we have already organized in Italy and France (but you are by no means limited to these!):

Italy

Amalfi Coast: Sorrento, Positano, Capri and More (10 days)

Florence and Tuscany (14 days)

Tuscany Amalfi Coast and Rome (14 days)

Venice (7 days)

Amalfi Coast and Sicily (14 days)

France

Paris (+/- 7 days)

Paris and Burgundy (9 days)

Paris and Geneva (Switzerland) (10 days)

Paris and the French Riviera (10 days)

Paris, Normandy, Loire Valley and Burgundy (12 days)

Dordogne, Provence, Riviera (+/- 7 days)

Drop us a line if you would like to hear more about these or other ideas and for a list of wedding venues in each of those regions/cities.

Also, stay tuned for a special article that will be posted next week entitled “How to make attending your desination wedding affordable for guests”. It will include lots of tips and ways to reduce the bill for your wedding guests.

In the meantime, here is a small selection of photos of Italian and French landscapes where your dream Weddingmoon could take place! Get packing!

It was with great pleasure that we attended a sneak preview of the new reception rooms available for private hire at the famous Rodin Museum in the heart of Paris last night.

Our visit began with a tour of their new exhibition MATISSE & RODIN which can be visited until 28 February 2010. The former chapel, a newly renovated building with a now contemporary, pure and refined decor, stages this unique exhibition. Through a wide-ranging selection of sketches and sculptures, we discovered the affinities, similarities and differences between these two outstanding, creative artists. The story of the encounters and relations between these two major artists is one that has remained unexplored until now. By selecting certain specific works and using a thematic approach, MATISSE & RODIN successfully captures the points of convergence and divergence in the sculptural and graphic work of the two masters. A truly artistic discovery!

Our visit concluded with a cocktail reception held in the hall of the Biron Mansion. Situated in the heart of the museum’s main building, this beautiful hall with its magnificent columns, checkered black and white tiled flooring and sweeping staircase provide a truly historical backdrop and would be the dream setting for an impressive wedding banquet!

After having organized several weddings at this venue, we can assure you that a symbolic wedding ceremony held in the finely manicured gardens with the museum in the background is truly a magical experience. Outdoor cocktails follow the ceremony and photos can be taken around the gardens and among the sculptures. It is only after the cocktail reception that your guests will discover the Biron Mansion hall where dinner and dancing can now take place.

Exclusivity can only be granted on a Monday (all day) or after 7pm in the evening on other evenings when the museum is closed.

Here are a few photos to help you visualize how special this venue is:

Photo credits: Champar; Musée Rodin, Paris, photographer Jean de Calan

We thank the Rodin Museum for inviting us to discover these exciting new reception areas.

 A bientôt with more lucky brides and grooms!