Altitude - London's Premier Venue in the Sky!

One of my dear friend's from Australia informed me today he is coming over to the UK in the summer to attend a family wedding. Check out the amazing new venue where the wedding ceremony is to be held!

Altitude is situated right next to the London Eye, Houses of Parliament and the River Thames and commands stunning views of all of London and her prominent landmarks.

Altitude offers more than London's most inspiring view, we have an exceptional venue matched by impeccable facilities and innovative service. We have delivered unrivalled events for some of the countries leading organizations.

Altitude represents a dramatic showplace for special any event. This brand new, state of the art venue space is perfect for high end corporate events, meetings, conferencing, cocktail parties, launches, art shows, as well as private dinners and family affairs.

I am considering offering my professional services for free just so I can attend :-) So if you would like your wedding or event here...let me know I will only be too glad to help :-)

Happy Birthday Wedding TV – two years old.

Wedding TV launched in December 2006 on the Sky digital platform and has since gone from strength to strength. This year has seen the channel establish itself as a one stop shop for all things wedding and branch out into the women’s lifestyle and entertainment markets.

Wedding TV – A Successful Brand Wedding TV is not just about weddings it also attracts an audience that is not getting married and love the fun content. The channel aims to offer feel good programmes for females everywhere. Whether someone is looking for advice about love, dating shows, real life stories or the ultimate guide to the perfect wedding, with a bit of red carpet glamour thrown in, Wedding TV’s got it all.

Wedding TV is both a broadcaster and programmes producer, currently making 80% of its own output including popular, original series such as Celebrity Brides Unveiled, WAGS’ World, Million Dollar Romance, The Real Ugly Betty, Perfect Days and Happy Ever After.

Coming soon in 2009 is the hotly tipped Help! I Need A Wedding Entertainer a talent contest with a difference, So would You Dump Me Now? an inspiring new makeover show and the adventurous Celebrity Hens and Stags.

Wedding TV – A Global Brand Wedding TV has a 78% female audience of Women 16-45 years old and is currently available to almost 10 million subscribers on the Sky and Freesat platforms in the UK and Ireland. The channel also broadcasts in Russia, Turkey, Poland, Romania and the Ukraine, and there are plans to continue the rollout of Wedding TV worldwide.

Content is available on Web TV platforms worldwide including You Tube, MySpaceTV, Babelgum.com, plus Wedding TV programmes can be seen on BT Vision’s video-on-demand service, and on mobile entertainment.

Wedding TV is supported by a successful website www.weddingtv.com where viewers can catch their favourite shows on the Wedding TV player or get hold of some money saving tips from top wedding industry insiders. The site showcases the best professional services in the business and hosts packed chat rooms where women swap tips, look to Wedding TV experts for recommended products and advice, and have the opportunity to share their wedding albums and videos with other brides.

Tony Prince, Programme Director of Wedding TV and the man behind the idea for the channel said: “It’s been an unbelievable two years for Wedding TV. The first year saw us filling the screens and letting people know we were around. Year two has been spent making the channel more British with self produced programmes. As we blow out our two candles, we’re excited that our channel can now be viewed anywhere in the world via our web site www.weddingtv.com and look forward to the news years fantastic programming. It’s an exciting time in digital television and a great time for females everywhere who are responding so enthusiastically to our happy ending televiewing concept”.

Happy Birthday Wedding TV from all at WeddingsAbroad.com

Bikini weddings on the rise as brides favour foreign destinations

The traditional British wedding is being replaced by brides and grooms exchanging vows on the beach, a report claims, with one in six marriages now taking place abroad.

Put off by the thought of a service in a draughty church or an expensive reception in the local hotel, tens of thousands of couples are now choosing to get married in sunnier climes at a third of the cost.

The market for bikini weddings has expanded by 43 per cent in the past five years alone, research suggests, and is predicted to grow still further as Britain heads into recession.

"Getting married abroad has become an increasingly popular choice for couples looking to tie the knot," according to Tom Rees, senior travel analyst at the market research firm Mintel.

"As the credit crunch bites and recession looms, this could be the perfect cost-saving measure allowing couples to have the wedding day they have always dreamed of."

Official figures show that the number of marriages is lower than it has been for more than a century, as more and more people co-habit or live alone.

For the first time since records began, the number of married couples has dropped to fewer than half of the adult population.

Of those who still do get married, an increasing proportion are choosing to do so abroad, inspired by the lower costs, the higher temperatures and the allure of a more exotic location than the parish church.

Mintel estimates that as many as 51,300 British couples got married abroad this year, 16 per cent of the 320,000 total, up from 35,800 in 2003.

It predicts that as foreign weddings continue to gain in popularity while overall numbers fall, weddings abroad will account for 17.7 per cent of the market in a further five years' time.

The firm says the market is now worth £333million, with a further £566m being spent on honeymoons.

Yet it claims the average foreign wedding costs just £6,500 - compared with as much as £20,000 for a UK-based ceremony.

Cyprus is the most visited destination for British couples marrying overseas, with the Caribbean popular with those who have more money to spend.

However, Mintel says more unusual locations are now being chosen away from the beach, such as Austria, Lapland and Iceland.

Opposition from loved ones appears to be no bar to couples marrying abroad, with Mintel's research showing that only 28 per cent of 2,000 people questioned wanted to have their wedding at home in the presence of friends and family.

To avoid the red tape and legal requirements of foreign countries, Mintel says couples are increasingly having a small marriage ceremony in Britain followed by a larger "confirmation ceremony" abroad.

Mr Rees added: "The market is benefiting from a growing willingness amongst couples to break with social convention and experiment with new wedding styles. From beach ceremonies in the Caribbean to 'snow weddings' in Lapland, this special occasion has certainly become more niche and personalised."

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

Can you help find Bride 2.0?

The search for Bride 2.0 has begun. Can Web 2.0 and social networking stimulate a struggling economy, make 3 brides social media super stars and prove that by simply asking for help the internet and wedding related communities will step up and lend a helping hand? Check out this cool video to learn more about this concept: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp9NU8t1Bls

This concept is the brainchild of wedding planner Ciara Daykin. Visit her website at www.planetplanswedding.com to sign up for her free report “10 Individuals Who Changed The World With One Idea” (and it’s not the regular crowd you might think of at first).

This is such an exciting project, and we at weddingsabroad.com are looking forward to watching the plan progress!

Keep us posted if you apply and succeed!

Want to be on TV?

Lion Television are producing a new feel-good reality series called Hello Good-bye, for Sky One.

We are filming at Heathrow arrivals and departure lounges from the end of October until January 2009.

We hope to take a look at the lives and relationships that come together (and apart) at the airport terminals. Presenter Kate Thornton will meet and greet travellers to explore the stories of emotions bubbling in the crowds at the terminals.

Perhaps you are at heading to the airport to say a joyous ‘hello’ to family members returning to Britain after their wedding in the sun or perhaps you are leaving to get married and will be bidding farewell to your family and friends at the airport.

If you or someone you know is leaving or returning to the UK for a wedding, or has story to share we would love to hear from you.

Please email linzi.small@liontv.co.uk or call me on 0208 846 2191

Kindest regards,

Linzi Small

Lion TV

The £100,000 white wedding for the 16-year-old girl who lives in a caravan!

By David Wilkes

What Daddy's little girl wants Daddy's little girl gets.

So when Missy Quinn insisted on a big white wedding with her boyfriend, her father said Yes. It didn't matter that she was only 16 and the groom 17.

Daddy also said Yes to a £16,000 wedding dress (which looked suspiciously like a crop top and skirt) and Yes to 150 guests at the reception. Then there were the cars, the hotels, the tiara and the £500 bouquet.

In the end, making Missy's wedding dreams come true cost her father - who lives in a caravan and surfaces driveways for a living - a whopping £100,000.

But as his princess, who hasn't been in a classroom since she was nine and wants to be a glamour model, posed for photographs, her father Simon, 35, declared it was worth every penny. 'I'm very proud of her today,' he said.

Missy was just happy to be the undisputed centre of attention.

Her dress, studded with Swarovski crystals, and with a 10ft wide train, was so heavy that it took ten guests to help her struggle out of the Rolls-Royce Phantom that brought her to the church.

'It was huge. I wanted to outdo everyone else's wedding dress,' she said.

'It was extremely heavy and just standing in the church was really difficult. But despite all that, I felt just like Cinderella.'

The bill was around five times the cost of the average British wedding.

Missy said: 'It cost a fortune, but I've always wanted a big wedding and my dad has been saving for ages to pay for it.' She met Thomas at Alton Towers theme park when she was 13.

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

Stunning Celebration and Novelty Cakes

It's no secret that I adore, love and worship the work of my friend Natalie, who makes the most amazing cakes, large and small!

So beautiful and I love the use of the flowers on the miniature cakes, along with various textures. These cakes are works of art and perfect for any celebration...check out Natalie's fabulous array of birthday cakes too.

Based in Mill Hill, NW London, Natalie bakes and ices delicious cakes and then individually hand decorates them to your specifications with elaborate sugarcraft modelling to the theme of your choice.

Click here to see a selection of Natalie's Creative Cakes in her gallery or email her mail@nataliescreativecakes.com

Hello Goodbye - New Sky One Show

Lion Television are producing a new feel-good reality series called Hello Good-bye, for Sky One. We are filming at Heathrow arrivals and departure lounges from the end of October until January 2009.

We hope to take a look at the lives and relationships that come together (and apart) at the airport terminals. Presenter Kate Thornton will meet and greet travelers to explore the stories of emotions bubbling in the crowds at the terminals.

Perhaps you are at heading to the airport to say a joyous ‘hello’ to family members returning to Britain after their wedding in the sun or perhaps you are leaving to get married and will be bidding farewell to your family and friends at the airport.

If you or someone you know is leaving or returning to the UK for a wedding, or has story to share we would love to hear from you.

Please email linzi.small@liontv.co.uk or call me on 0208 846 2191

Kindest regards,

Linzi Small

Lion TV

Wedding bells are ringing, it’s your special day - how would you feel if another girl was wearing the same dress?

MOST girls have been dreaming of their wedding right down to their bridal outfit since they were little.

Lisa Goodhew and Emma Johal - who had never met - were no different.

Both were planning their marriages for over a year and both had bought their wedding dresses many months before the ceremony.

So as they stood on the lawn at the Bickley Manor Hotel, Thornet Wood Road, Bickley, they were more than a little surprised.

Lisa, whose maiden name is Tanner, said: “I was in total shock. I have always dreamed of wearing a big white dress.

“At first I didn’t like it - how could this happen?”

Emma, born Higgins, said: “What made me laugh is that I had two friends who were arguing the week before the wedding because they wanted to wear the same dress.

“They went in different ones in the end.

“Instead I was the one person who was meant to be wearing a special dress, and someone else was wearing it!”

Solicitor’s firm operations manager Emma had just tied the knot with partner of eight years, 31-year-old IT analyst Sukhdeep, at the hotel at 2.30pm.

The 26-year-old bride had then gone outside to have photos taken with her family, when she looked through the window of the hotel to watch another bride sign the registry book.

Emma, who lives in Swanley, said: “I started to say ‘That’s my dress! That’s my dress!’ over and over.”

Lisa, of River Park Gardens, Shortlands, didn’t find out until after getting hitched to 29-year-old Brad, a marine insurance surveyor.

She said: ”I couldn’t believe it when people were saying to me the other bride had the same dress.

“You wouldn’t ever dream of that happening. But it all worked out fine.”

Emma said: “Some people might have found it upsetting but we found it hilarious.”

Click here to read the entire article

Here comes the credit crunch bride... in a £15 Marks & Spencer wedding dress

With wedding budgets being hit, thrifty brides may now walk down the aisle in the strapless, ivory dress, at a fraction of the traditional cost.

The bargain, full-length gown features a boned bodice and comes with a satin ribbon belt.

It also has a net layered skirt and matching stole and is designed to make any bride 'feel like a goddess'.

The dress greatly reduces the cost of tying the knot in the current economic climate with recent research revealing the average traditional gown goes for more than £800.

The cut-price dress, which has been slashed in price from £100, has astounded those in the wedding industry.

Wedding expert Rachel Moschke, editor of Wedding Ideas magazine, said: "I have never seen a wedding dress this cheap.

"If you are on a really, really tight budget then it's great.

"A wedding dress doesn't have to be expensive but it has to give you a wow feeling and give you confidence - if it makes you feel that then great.

"Buying a wedding dress is usually a once in a lifetime experience and it's usually the most expensive dress you will ever buy - although probably not in this case.

"You can go to somewhere like M&S to buy a dress at any time. Do you want to do that with your wedding dress?

"Personally I think the experience of buying a designer dress from a boutique is great. When you pay more the whole experience and one-to-one service is very special.

"To an extent we need to protect our bridal industry. You can spend thousands of pounds but there are manufacturers who can create a dress from 200 pounds in some cases.

"If you can blow the budget on anything it is usually the dress.

"Maybe this is a sign of the times with the credit crunch and will appeal to those trying to save money.

"However, I would say there are so many other ways to cut costs rather than the dress."

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

New rules for easy church weddings.....

The Church of England has pledged to play a greater role in the marriage market as new legislation making it easier to tie the knot in a chosen parish comes into force.

Couples hoping to get married will have a greater choice of churches to choose from under the Marriage Measure, which has become law, the Church of England said.

Up until the law change, a couple could only marry in a parish church where one of them was resident or on the parish electoral roll unless they had a special licence from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The new legislation will allow couples to choose other churches where they have links, for example where one of them was baptised or prepared for confirmation.

The legislation also includes the right for a couple to choose to marry in a church were one of their parents has regularly attended public worship for six months or more in their child's lifetime. A couple might also choose a parish where their parents or grandparents were married.

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

If you are a Wedding Planner PLEASE READ.....Scam Alert....

In addition to brides and grooms, I know a lot of wedding planners and service providers log on to the Weddings Abroad Blog. Today, I'd like to take a moment to warn them to be on their guard for email scams targeting wedding planners. There isn't a week goes by that I don't receive at least three of these emails.

This current scheme has been going on for the past year that I know of, and basically involves sending in a cashiers check for an amount greater than what you've billed them, they then ask you to transfer the remaining funds elsewhere. The cashiers check clears into your account quickly, you transfer them the money, and weeks later your bank realises the check was a fraud and deducts the amount from your account.

Below is an email received yesterday, as usual it immediately raised my suspicion. Basically a groom or bride-to-be contacts you from somewhere in Europe or the USA saying that they need help planning their wedding from afar. See more details of the scam and a copy of a similar initial email wedding planners were sent last year here. The minor details (name/date/location) change, but otherwise, everyone is receiving similar emails.

As an International Wedding Planner, I am asked everyday to provide information on planning a wedding when overseas, but I am now an expert at ascertaining the genuine ones....others may not be so lucky, there are many new wedding planners joining our industry all the time, and may not be aware of this scam yet.

Here is the email I received:

My Name is Mr Cross James Allen,

I am looking for an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange the reception dinner for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony.

The wedding is expected to hold on the 4th of Febuary 2009 and 25 to 40 guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking via credit card once availability is confirmed by you.All checks and balances will be made with you on 13rd October which is the final day of the booking, You are to arrange for a a venue for the wedding (its a christian wedding), a place for the reception ,Videography, Music Entertainment,Photography,cake and flowers.

If there is any these items that is beyond your capability,you let us know so that another company can handle it. Get back to me with your response as we don't have much time with us so that we can process our accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us.

Pleas get back to me via my personal email which is jcrossalen@rocketmail.com

Best Regards,
Mr Cross James Allen
jcrossalen@rocketmail.com

If this blog entry helps one person then it's served it's purpose....especially in the current economic climate we can do without giving away money and wasting our valuable time! If you have received similar emails lately please feel free to add them to the comments of this thread to make everyone aware.



UPDATED 29/01/2009 - Please read the comments attached to this post to see updates on other current email addresses being used on this and various other "scams"......

Wed on the same day, not in the same way!

A couple goes to their wedding ceremony on a go-kart in a group wedding in Guangzhou on Wednesday, September 24, 2008. [Photo: chinanews.com]

28 couples in Guangdong tied the knot in a group wedding on Tuesday, with the bridegrooms receiving their brides in red sedans, horses, bicycles, and even go-karts.

The bridegrooms were asked to draw straws to decide which vehicle they will have to take their brides to a local theme vacation village where their wedding ceremony was held, China News Service reports.

A bridegroom who chose to bring his bride in a red sedan like in a Chinese traditional wedding is the most eye-catching one, as he was led by a parade of people playing trumpets and lion dancing. Meanwhile, the most modern pair was the couple who went to the wedding on a go-kart.

Although it was a group wedding, it was unique for each couple as they choose different vehicles to go to the wedding ceremony. It is probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most of them, a guest surnamed Xu at the ceremony said.

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

Wedding Ideas Magazine Budget Special.....

1000's of ways to save ££££'s on your big day

Check out the latest edition of Wedding Ideas Magazine from your newsagent or subscribe online.

Make sure you have a sneaky peek at the brand new issue of Wedding ideas magazine by viewing their fantastically flippable book!

You can turn the pages just like you would if you were viewing a printed magazine simply by dragging the page corner, and with the built in magnification tool - even reading small text is a piece of cake. So go on, get flipping!! Click here...

Weddings abroad and the current economic climate...

Speaking with several wedding and travel professionals over the past week, it appears that the current economic climate seems to be steering clear of the wedding industry. Many are seeing an increase in bookings for both honeymoons and weddings for 2009.

Increasingly, many couples have opted to get married abroad, with the trend for so-called wedding tourism, increasing year-on-year. Given the average cost of a UK wedding now to be in excess of £20,000 no wonder destination weddings are becoming more popular. With the affordability of low cost flights to many destinations, WeddingsAbroad.com offers exceptional weddings at fantastic locations around the world which are well within couples budgets.

In the current economic climate, the increasing popularity of destination weddings, shows that couples and their families are now taking a closer look at wedding costs, and are discovering that a destination wedding ticks all the right boxes, with the wedding, location, travel and honeymoon costing a lot less than the wedding alone at home would cost.

As the economic storm clouds gather, destination weddings are providing a ray of sunshine to the blushing brides and grooms in these uncertain times, proving that when it comes to getting married, brides and grooms are determined the show will go on.

What a month!

Finally I am back at my desk after a long summer holiday spent on the Balearic Island of Mallorca. We had a fabulous trip spending time making memories with our three precious children. Relaxing it certainly was not! Enjoyable it was! They went to bed only when we did and woke when we did too, so 24/7 in each other's company....hard work but so very rewarding. Also as I celebrated my 40th (sssh! don't tell anyone) two weeks ago I thought being in the sunshine would make it more bearable than the rain!

Yesterday my little boy Sebastian started school, was he excited? He barely slept in anticipation of what lay ahead. All I know is he made a volcano out of sand and ate fish fingers, so by his standard's this school is a dream!

After dropping Seb off, my first full day back to work was spent in Harrogate at the British Bridal Exhibition, wow what an awesome venue and the standard of exhibitors was exceptionally high. Both the Designer and the Bridal fashion shows were breathtaking and inspiring. The new collections were stunning and I don't envy any brides trying to choose a dress, the choice is amazing!

I was lucky to share my day with some fantastic people in the wedding industry, I met too many to mention on the various catwalks, stands and even in Costa Coffee (Hi Joanne and Sue from Amore in Rugby!)...but hi guys and girls, you know who you are!

A special mention must go to my friend and wedding expert Rachel Southwood of Wedding Ideas Magazine, and her colleague Rachel Moschke who is the editor of Wedding Ideas. We spent hours admiring the wares, chatting with fellow professionals and gossiping in the press office! These girls are true professionals in front of the lens too! We were there with Wedding TV filming the event....Simon Withington the Executive Producer is not only very talented and good at what he does but also very quick witted! Olga and Jack also from Wedding TV were super quick and totally professional at getting the job done under pressure. Sorry I wasn't able to join you all at the ball, but next year I shall be there.

So if you are still waiting for an email from me, I promise to get one to you soon. Only about 4200 emails to go through still. Off to the Theatre tonight to see Good Mourning Mrs Brown...and no it's not about me!

The credit-crunch bride who wore a £50 wedding dress says she felt like a 'million dollars' as she weds her man

By Daily Mail Reporter

Her wedding day may have cost just £480 - but radiant bride Odette Fenwick said she felt a million dollars as she married her soul mate Christopher May.

The biggest day in the life of the 19-year-old and her 21-year-old groom Christopher May had a bargain basement price tag - but that did not matter to the happy couple.

And as they celebrated their marriage today, Christopher said: 'The money is irrelevant, it is just a special day.'

Click here to read the entire article

Crunch-hit brides opt for Friday weddings

By Jonathan Petre

The credit crunch has led to hundreds of brides switching their big day to Friday to save on the spiralling cost of weddings.

New research shows that church weddings, traditionally held on Saturday afternoons, are increasingly taking place a day earlier when cars, caterers and photographers are cheaper.

The trend has been growing for a number of years as the cost of getting married has mushroomed, but Church of England clergy say the phenomenon is even more apparent now as couples struggle to pay for their wedding and a mortgage.

Click here to read the entire article

08.08.08 - An Auspicious D8te!!

Russian marriage offices have seen a surge of applications to wed today, due to the supposedly lucky character of the date: 08.08.08, officials and local media said.

In Moscow, registry offices will stay open late as applications to marry on August 8 are up by more than two thirds compared to a normal Friday in summer, a spokeswoman for the city's registry offices Yevgenia Smirnova said.

Normally between 900 and 1,000 marriages take place on a regular Friday or Saturday in summer, she said, but applications had already reached 1,675 by the end of last week.

More than 16,400 Beijing couples have applied to have their marriages registered on the auspicious date of Aug 8, 2008, the municipal bureau of civil affairs said.

On the same day last year, just 3,390 couples registered their nuptials, it said.

The number eight is believed to bring happiness and fortune. The three eights in Aug 8, 2008, therefore, make that day especially popular.

"Eight is such an auspicious number, and with the opening of the Beijing Olympics, the whole nation will be celebrating with us," Li Jun, who will be among those officially getting married on Friday, told China Daily.

"And having 2008-08-08 stamped on my marriage certificate will make it extra special," he said.

Do you know what today? - everyone of my overseas wedding planners are rushed off their feet, we have a wedding just about everywhere, from Tobago to Tuscany!

*New* - Thailand Weddings

We can now arrange innovative, stylish and memorable weddings and celebrations at luxurious resorts on Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Phuket, Thailand.

Our knowledgeable and experienced team in the U.K. and Australia ensures that you can now host your ideal event in Thailand without the concerns associated with dealing with overseas suppliers such as language, cultural and time-difference barriers; being overcharged or misled about what you will receive on arrival; or not having the time to visit Thailand before inviting your guests to your wedding.

Locations in stunning turquoise waters and world-class golf courses are some of the many attractions in Koh Samui and Koh Tao. Hosting your wedding in Thailand is an exciting experience and is a true holiday for you and your guests. A wedding in Thailand provides the perfect incentive for your friends and family to not only enjoy your ‘big day’, but also to provide them with a perfect holiday. Included in our service we offer information regarding the best value flights and accommodation for your guests.

Click here to request further information on our weddings in Thailand

Lapland - Winter White Wedding - New Venue Just Added!

Winter White Weddings in Lapland, Finland

You are sitting in a sledge pulled by husky dogs. It takes you through a magical snow covered forest. The snow is so white that you wonder whether it is real. Finally you reach your destination. A chapel made of ice and snow. You step in the chapel and look around. The chapel is decorated by ice sculptures and it is the most beautiful place you have ever seen. It is totally quiet. In the evening magical lights, the Aurora Borealis, light up the sky. Is this a dream…

Other possible venues in the winter include a small romantic wooden Tieva chapel. For your wedding transportation you can also use a sledge pulled by a reindeer or a husky.

Complete the wedding celebration with a genuine performance of Lappish songs called joiku. If desired the bridal couple can get married in colorful Lapp costumes.

In the evening you can enjoy a very special wedding dinner in our log house restaurant. For your wedding night you have several options including a Honeymoon Snow Igloo, a Wedding Turf Chamber, Glass Igloo or the Queen Suite. The next days you can take part to our optional excursions and enjoy the beautiful and peaceful nature of Lapland.

For further details of our Winter White Wedding in Lapland click here or email me karen@weddingsabroad.com

Surviving the school holidays with your sanity!

Here in the UK we are entering our third week of the school summer holidays. I am very fortunate to have childcare for my children, but some days we stay home, and after a trip to the beach or park I feel the lure of the laptop and need to have a quick fix of "work". I use the term work loosely because my job never feels laborious just completely enjoyable!

On these such days my thoughts turn to those women you work whilst caring for their children, and to them I give my utmost respect.

Many mothers would love to work and be at home with their children, but few know how to do it. Discovering the balance of work and home can be a lot more challenging when your office is your kitchen.

While the roles of stay at home mother and career woman have long been considered mutually exclusive, a growing number of women are showing the world that they can have careers and stay at home with their children.

Here are my top tips for a working mum staying at home:

1.Get dressed. Seriously I always feel I get so much more done when I am showered, dressed and ready for the day. Can you remember the early days and your highest achievement was just to have a shower! Get up before your kids and get a quick shower, it will wake you and energise you for the day. However if your kids can hear a pin drop like mine can, your plan may alter and you find yourself sharing the shower, as I did this morning with my two eldest.

2. Invest in a slow-cooker. I think these are the best invention ever, I love the fact I can chop up everything at 10am and bung it all in and hey presto! come 6pm we have a divine dinner. My husband doesn't agree though as he thinks all slow cooker food tastes the same...overcooked! Hence why he prefers to cooks a scrumptious dinner every night instead...okay so that suggestion might work for some! You could also do as I do on the days I have to make dinner, and learn how to make mince & dumplings in 10 minutes flat and bung it in the oven.

3. Delegate. Delegate to your kids. I say if they are old enough to make the mess they are old enough to clean it up! I also give mine little tasks to do such as stamping brochures or punching holes to file papers. They think it's fun and also teaches them a valuable skill about being responsible.

4. Midnight calls. Identify what you can put off until the evening, and what you need to get done during the day. Email can be checked and responded to at anytime, but calls to clients need to be done in office hours. I am lucky in that I can pick any hour in the day and speak to one of my wedding planner partners somewhere in the world. Often whilst my brood are sleeping I will call Australia or New York!

5. Wireless Working. Make sure you have high speed wireless internet, so that way when you do get to do some work you waste no time. Best of all it can be done in the house or out in the back garden whilst the kids are playing.

6. Schedule. Plan everything before the holidays begin, that includes play time and trips out, don't forget you need to plan into your schedule time out for the kids and lots of fun activities, it is their holiday after all. Also segment your days, activities, downtime, work time and TV time, but it’s a great productivity tool no matter what the ages of your children.

7. Barter. Arrange with your Mummy friends to have play dates at each others home. That way you are guaranteed a few hours off, okay so in return you gain a few more children but it is critical for your sanity.

8. Snacks. Buy loads of healthy snacks and ready to grab food. Prepare cut up vegetables or similar picnic options in the morning, put in plastic containers in the fridge and let them help themselves throughout the day. My kids will play "picnics" happily on a rug on the lawn for an hour or two. Although it does take me an hour to clear the garden before bed, as usually ten dolls and various colourfully clad bears have been in attendance!

9. Creative Combination. Find creative ways to combine your work with your kids. If your client is agreeable, for example, you could hold a business meeting at MacDonald's, or some other restaurant that has a play area for kids. If a client is coming to meet with you in your home, perhaps she could bring her children so your kids could play together while you meet. Take your kids with you when you go to buy office supplies or run other business related errands.

10. Count your blessings. Stop beating yourself up and think of all those working mothers who would love to be in your shoes. Think of the long commutes, no uniform of PJ's and less time they spend with their kids....okay sometimes that's a good thing! Only joking! Working from home means you not only get to work at home but you live there too.....some days to me that is just bliss.....

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If you enjoy this blog, and are craving for more information, then you may want to follow me on Twitter. I was introduced to Twitter by fellow wedding professional, Rebecca Grinnals, a leading wedding and honeymoon expert of Engaging Concepts, by way of a blog post this week. Thanks Rebecca, I am now following you!

Not sure what Twitter is? It’s a next-generation chat room that spills over to mobile devices. Conversations, ideas, and news often breaks there before it does on blogs, and often before traditional news. There are many influencers there (that publish on other mediums), and relationships are being formed.

You can follow me on Twitter (my user name is karentb) and I’ll add you back

If you are on twitter and want to connect with other readers of this blog, leave your link below in the comments so we can all connect. Let’s build a wedding related community.

Today's Wedding Custom - Mexico

In the Mexican tradition, padrinos, who are bridesmaid and groomsman pairs, are considered for different roles in the wedding ceremony.

Padrinos de ramo provide the bouquet (ramo) for the bride. Padrinos de lazo furnish a special symbolic rosary used to show the unification of the couple during the ceremony. Another pair of sponsors, the padrinos de arras, bring 13 silver or gold coins in a special basket or box for the ceremony. They also provide the cojines or kneeling cushions for the bride and groom during the wedding mass.

Younger bridesmaids (damas) and their escorts (chambelanes) are invited to participate. These are usually teenage relatives or friends of the two families. The bride and groom pick a little girl and boy to be the flower girl and ring-bearer for the ceremony. In Spanish they are called pajecitos, which means page, from the royal term for young attendant.

In the Mexican tradition, all of the wedding attendants are listed on the invitation with their special significance as padrinos noted. Also information about the reception and dance are printed on the invitation or included as separate cards. A guest must remember to bring the entire invitation along to the festivities to gain admittance.

On the day of the wedding, everyone is up and dressed early in preparation for the big day. Even the groom and groomsmen who celebrate the American-style bachelor party the night before are expected to fulfill their duties. They must decorate the cars to be used in the wedding party as early as possible. If the couple are not using a caterer for the reception, then family members will be busily cooking barbecue or mole, frijoles, Mexican rice and chile con queso for the wedding reception that afternoon or evening.

The attendants and the bride and her family travel to the church in the decorated vehicles. The groom awaits the rest of the wedding party at the church with the priest. Before the ceremony begins, the priest blesses the couple and the articles, which will be used in the ceremony. A traditional bride will carry a rosary and Bible for the special day. Roman Catholic belief is that marriage is one of the seven sacraments, which a person receives in life. This is a most reverent and spiritual time in a young person's life.

Guests begin arriving at the church, and children of all ages often attend these border celebrations. Little ones are more likely to remain with their parents than be taken to a nursery or to be left home with a sister. Border weddings are truly a family affair.

When the ceremony is to begin, the padrinos begin to procession into the church followed by other attendants and then the pajecitos. All of them take their proper places at the front of the church. As the bride enters, escorted by the father , the congregation stands and watches the bride proceed to the altar.

For the Catholic service a regular mass is held, and the marriage ceremony is conducted. Often in our area the ceremony is conducted in both English and Spanish out of respect for the bilingual community.

During the ceremony the groom presents the arras to the bride as a symbol of support in their married life. Thirteen coins represent the 12 apostles and Christ. He pours the coins into the bride's hands as she accepts and promises to use the provisions for the care of the family.

The couple next kneel on the cojines to take communion together. The priest and the padrinos de lazo place the lazo around the couple. The lazo is two rosaries joined together with a cross. Placing the lazo around the couple signifies that the couple are united as one. The traditional belief of the lazo is that if the couple pray the rosary together every night , their marriage will endure.

The congregation is invited to share in community with the bride and groom. The priest offers advice to the new couple, and the mass is ended with a prayer for the congregation. The church is then filled with the sounds of music, and the attendants precede the new married couple down the aisle.

Following a photo session, the wedding party joins guests at the reception and dance. Halfway through the wedding dance another custom is observed, a blend of Anglo and Hispanic customs. The bride throws the bouquet for a single women, and the groom tosses a garter for the single men. The guests chant, "Beso! Beso!" encouraging the recipients to kiss. They are supposed to be the next married.

And the Bride wore.......

Melton bride Emma Dunn showed how you can get wed without getting into the red after snapping up her perfect wedding dress for just £2.50.

Emma (23) searched for her wedding dress on the internet and eventually found one she liked with a £1,500 price tag. But Emma decided to hold back and see what else she could find. And her decision paid off when she found the same dress while searching on eBay. Emma quickly put in a bid of £2.50 for it. After a nervous wait she got an e-mail back confirming she'd won her dress.

Click here to see the rest of the article...

Creating lasting memories....

I was all dressed and ready to go at 6:45 am on Monday. I'd been up since 4:00 am. Was I a little eager? Of course, it was to be our first girl's trip away just the two of us.... my daughter Georgina and I and we were both incredibly excited.

We decided we would visit London in the school summer holidays, but a "secret" business meeting was requested and I decided to combine both. I know it's all a little cloak and dagger, but I am very superstitious and don't want to tempt fate! As my PR guru Claire would say, this meeting was stratospheric for me and my business....and it went exactly as I wanted, Georgina sat at the boardroom table like a little angel!

The commuting time is approximately three and a half hours but it is three and a half hours of heavenly solitude. No baby wriggling, no argumentative children (Gee was on her best behaviour!) and no husband questioning me on my inability to travel light! Nope, it's just me and Gee – and yes I brought everything but the kitchen sink, but hey I'm the one carrying it!

During the nice leisurely train ride I see families heading to the capital for their holidays, and I think "my kids would love this trip but THANK GOD I don't have them all with me." My mobile rings I look at my caller ID. It's my husband, ALREADY!!! He just calls to wish me well and he says he misses me. How sweet eh? Then he reminds me to remember I have Gee with me, and not to absent mindedly leave her behind, whilst my attention may be drawn to a pair of Cesare Paciotti's!

On arrival at our hotel, Radisson Edwardian Mountbatten we quickly checked in, here I was reminded it was actually 9 years since I had stayed in this hotel.....it only seemed like a year or two, considering in that time my life has changed beyond recognition, then I was "just" one half of a couple now I am that and more...throw into that 3 kids and voila! Gee was very impressed, she thought the receptionist had remembered me personally!

We quickly located the nearest stop for the Original Bus Tour and off we went, we spent the next few hours in the glorious sunshine atop of the open decked bus viewing all the sites. These included Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London, Shakespeare's Globe, Tate Modern, London Eye and more bridges than you can count. When we had done the full circle of this tour, we dashed through the streets of the west end, quickly glancing through the crowds awaiting the arrival of the celebrities, for the London Premier of the latest Batman movie The Dark Knight. We had arranged to meet my Australian niece, currently living and working in London, for dinner. After a rather swift dinner we went to see Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre, no wonder this show has received rave reviews and Olivier awards...one word BRILLIANT!!!

Next morning, off in a taxi to my "secret" meeting, that's all I can say except it was very productive, watch this space. Then we headed for Madame Tussaud's, and thanks to the wonderful lady black cab driver we had, she assessed the queue and said that it would be a 2 hour wait!

So off to the Westminster and a river cruise instead, then onto another bus tour, then to the London Eye. Where I had forgotten I was afraid of heights, only to remember after the pod door had been closed. Those 25 minutes seemed the longest of the entire trip.....once off the London Eye we had a lovely walk along the embankment then onto our final bus tour of the trip.

We arrived back at the West End in time for afternoon tea and some retail therapy, well it was a girl's trip! Once again we were joined by my niece for an early dinner, we then said our goodbyes and then headed for the station for our train home.

Once we had slipped off our shoes and relaxed as the train pulled out the station, Gee asked for some paper and pens. Then she began, oh my word did she begin. Here was I thinking at my "secret"meeting earlier in the day, she had been quietly listening to her Ipod, when in fact she had been taking in every word that was said. She suddenly proclaimed that now going to be a wedding planner, just like Mummy.

Gee then proceeded to spend the next two hours writing down and discussing loudly, every miniscule detail as she planned a wedding aboard a luxury yacht moored at Sydney Harbour. I had to persuade her that stretch Hummer's are not de rigeur for a sophisticated wedding in Sydney. She wanted to know which were the very best local flowers suitable for the bridal bouquet, which location she should look to book the honeymoon hotel, she even drew a carriage and a table plan! This was all to the amazement of fellow passengers within earshot, but everyone seemed to enjoy her stories!

So watch out Georgina may be planning your wedding in the not too distant future :-)

Today's Wedding Custom - Finland

It is a Finnish wedding custom for the newlywed's to sit together in designated seats of honour at the wedding reception. The bride holds a sieve, covered by a shawl, into which guests deposit gifts of cash.

At some weddings, the bride's mother-in-law or godmother puts a china plate on top of the her head when the newlywed's begin their wedding dance, usually a waltz. After the plate falls, the pieces of broken china foretell the number of children the couple can expect to have.

Who am I?

As of yesterday afternoon, both of my eldest children began their school summer holiday. Part of me is delighted. No more frantic evenings trying to get homework done, bags sorted and uniforms laid out. Nor is there any after school multi-skills activities and Saturday school of performing arts are on their summer break too....hurray! Hence why I am still in my pj's and the emptied toy chests are strewn across the orangery floor, the villain-on-wheels ( baby in baby walker) is flying across the floor at speeds Lewis Hamilton would qualify with, and the children are playing outside in the sunshine wearing raincoats under their umbrella's! No more pestering my kids for not realising the importance of being in bed on time.... I have no excuse they know it's the holidays.

Just as the up side to the summer solstice is that the days are getting shorter, the downside to school holidays is that while the children might be out, work is still in. Due to childcare expenses, my usual monthly spend will have been depleted by week one. Demands for increased television time, and fights over who's watching what are already kicking in. By Monday, I'm quite sure "I'm bored" will have been voiced at least once.Not that I'll be home to hear it....

I'm off to London. Ok not fully escaping my parental responsibilities as taking my daughter with me, I'm so excited to spend some quality mother daughter time with my precious girl. Were off to see Hairspray the musical and lots of sightseeing, including the London Eye.

I go to London often for business and leisure but I've not taken Gee (my daughter) since she was a toddler. So we have lots of exciting things planned. I have also been asked to attend a meeting for work whilst there, very exciting, sorry I can't reveal anything at present as it's all under wraps but watch this space! Let's hope Gee's boardroom skills are up to scratch as "the people" I'm meeting are more than happy she comes along.

This week I have frantically being trying to clear my inbox in preparation for both my trip and the school holidays. I have liaised and networked with various wedding colleagues across the globe, planned weddings in Jamaica, Lapland. Hawaii, Malaysia and Thailand. I have written articles and expert hints for several national wedding magazines....in between all this I played football in the park, took the kid's for modelling shots, did all the normal mum of three "stuff" and had a night out with the nursery mum's from school.

After having shared the 10ft x 8ft space, that is the nursery cloakroom, for 10 months with over 20 woman I still only know about 5 of them by name...ok so I lie I only share this space one morning each week,after nursery - Seb my eldest son, aged 4. goes to wrap around care on the other days.

After receiving an invite via a mummy friend, last week I was honoured they even knew my name let alone who's mum I was...so I accepted their kind offer of a drink and pizza.

This invitation was much to the hilarity of my husband, you see he is the only father who religiously does the school run every single day....actually I lie, the morning of the harvest festival assembly, I did take both children to school. Anyway I digress, but after having Theo in November last year Phil's offer to take over my usual Wednesday pick up was duly accepted. Combined by not being allowed to drive for six weeks following my "sunroof" delivery, it was about February before I was back into the swing of things.

I duly arrived at nursery one wet morning to collect Seb, I anchored my specs upon my head and tried to focus on the teacher calling for the children upon recognition of their Mummies! I thought, without my glasses on, that teacher was indicating Seb, my son, was busy and would be through in a moment.

There were all the mums collecting their little cherubs, all huddled together talking, an overcrowded cloakroom obscuring my view of Mrs Teacher. Then all of a sudden Mrs Teachers head pops through the throng of chattering mothers and loudly enquires to me "who are you here to collect"!

OMG the embarrassment! Without my specs I had not realised she was previously trying to subtly ask me who I was, by me just smiling back at her she had waited until she had the full attention of everyone in this tiny room before booming this out.

I'm sure I imagined the sniggers, and shuffled forward to admit that I was collecting Seb as I was his mummy! She tried to disguise her embarrassment as she mumbled something about "oh you look so well I didn't recognise you"...jeez thanks (I thought) I must have looked a car crash victim prior to this day then.

I giggled to myself as I left nursery and took Seb home. To this day I regret ever telling Phil this story, he has dined out on it ever since...."remember your son's teacher didn't even know who you were" :-)

So anyway I did go along for a few drinks and a bowl of pasta the other night, and thankfully almost all the mum's knew my name, what I did and where I lived and guess what? I still haven't got a clue about any them!

Today's Wedding Custom - Poland

The sharing of bread, salt and wine is an important feature of weddings in Poland. The parents of the newly married couple will present them with rye bread, lightly sprinkled with salt, and a glass of wine.

The bread represents the hope that the bride and groom will never go hungry. The salt is a reminder that life may be difficult at times, but that they will learn to cope. The wine symbolizes the desire that the couple will never go thirsty, and that their lives will be filled with health and happiness.

Today's Wedding Custom - Jamaica

Slices of dark wedding fruitcake laced with rum are mailed to all friends and relatives unable to attend the reception.

Traditional island "black cake" is made the old fashioned way and contains lots of rum, raisins and prunes and is a great source of iron and fibre!

Why walk down the aisle when they can Pirouette?

These truly are the prettiest flower girl dresses I have seen in a long time...absolutely perfect for a beach wedding abroad!

Destination weddings are hot!! checkout the latest in flower girl trends at weddingtutu.com for your island wedding….recently spotted in celebrity beach weddings, tutu’s hottest little number the “keiki lei tutu”, for those special beach celebrations and island-style ceremonies. This new design boasts the same full and fluffy tulle skirt with beautiful tropical orchids and plumeria trim….a must-have for any destination beach wedding flower girl (shoes optional). Other new designs include the “l’autumn tutu adorned with real preserved maple leaves, and l’etoile tutu for your little shining star, and several other holiday styles.

These flower girl dresses and wedding tutus are perfect for destination weddings More and more couples are planning their wedding celebrations away from their home towns for a stress free, beautiful and adventurous wedding! Let the beautiful ocean front sunset beaches, palm trees, and crystal clear waters provide the setting for your beautiful wedding - guaranteed stunning photographs and many a happy wedding guests!

They are nothing short of irresistible...little girls will LOVE them! Click here to see the full range.

New Whitsunday Island Weddings......

The sheer natural beauty of this island will take your breath away....Can you imagine a more idyllic setting? Whether you choose to get married in a beautiful island chapel or to break with tradition and have a barefoot ceremony on the beach, Hamilton Island is a spectacular venue for your wedding day.

Situated in the Whitsunday's in the heart of The Great Barrier Reef, Hamilton Island has a range of ceremony locations and reception venues to suit every taste, style and budget. Whether you wish for an intimate celebration with just the 2 of you present, a barefoot Whitehaven Beach wedding or a formal extravaganza for 200 guests, Hamilton Island has an option to suit.

On Hamilton Island, it's more than a wedding day. With 6 styles of accommodation, 10 restaurants and over 40 different activities we can help you organise the wedding holiday of a lifetime for you and your guests.

Contact us now to help create the island wedding of your dreams....click here to view our wedding selection

New Adventure Weddings....

By adventure weddings, I am referring to outdoor recreation events involving your favourite sport such as bicycling, kayaking, horseback riding, rock climbing, skiing or hiking, etc.

If this concept causes you to panic at the thought of Aunt Bessie having to paddle through a rapid to hear you take your vows, relax – it doesn’t have to be that way. I would like to point out that it is possible to incorporate some elements of your favorite sport into your wedding without putting your guests at risk. It is just a matter of logistics, good planning and a creative mind.

Here are a few of the new Adventure Weddings we are offering in Virginia:

A Ski Wedding

A Horseback Wedding

A Rocky Top Mountain Wedding


You are only limited by your imagination.....if it's safe and legal we will endeavour to help you achieve your dream adventure wedding!

Email me and I as always I will try to help karen@weddingsabroad.com

Exciting news from Gran Canaria!

Unlike mainland Spain where its virtually impossible for non-residents to get married due to the red tape etc, Here in Gran Canaria we have overcome all of the previous problems to enable non-residents to come to the island and get legally married at one of the many special and unique venues that we have to offer throughout the year.

We are now able to process all of the legal paperwork on behalf of the couples whilst they sit back and relax as their dream wedding unfolds. They do not have to visit the Island before hand,just submit their paperwork in advance

Many internet sites group Spain into one area,Gran Canaria is totally different as an autonomous region and needs to be treated separately, as we have proved after a lot of determination and money, Gran Canaria is one of the very few places in Spain where getting married is not only possible, its affordable as well. The average cost for a 5star wedding for 100 people is 10,000 euros and a day in the sun to remember, plus we can also arrange the flights and accommodation to create a package that is unique and special to everyone.

Check out our wedding selection in Gran Canaria today....click here

Wedding at a Thermal Spa....

Kalithea is one of the most beautiful places on the island of Rhodes. It is built on a picturesque anchorage full of pine trees, where you can find spa springs, which were built in the 7th century.

Kalithea's buildings were designed in 1930, when the Italian commander named Mario Lago ordered its construction. The Italian architect Pietro Lombardi designed the famous fountain, the square, the entrance and the sanitary facilities.

The wedding ceremony can be held on a platform by the sea or in the rotary building which is beautiful! The rotary is also available to hire for the reception, with plenty of room for a sit down meal, breathtaking view across the sea.

To see further details of this wedding venue click here, or email us info@weddingsabroad.com

Spanish Country Weddings - Ibiza

With its endless days of sunshine, blue skies, perfect med sunsets its no wonder that Spain is fast becoming a firm favourite as a convenient “ wedding abroad” destination .

Few guests and family can not be tempted to a few days or a week in the Spanish sunshine!

Now many of you might think that all that Spain and in particular IBIZA has to offer is romantic beach weddings , with white sand, white linen clad guests and unspoilt local fish “restaurantes” on the beach hosting relaxed chilled out lobster and chilled white wine feasts………

Well yes this can be found, created, and enjoyed in IBIZA, this is true, but there is also another ambience of wedding that has just begun to evolve. Small, traditional country hotels are now becoming the venue for both a beautiful country wedding ceremony and also the perfect location for an intimate family celebration reception.

With Rural hotels and Casas ranging in size from 6 rooms to larger 30 room venues, you are able to find a venue the perfect size you need, for the size of your own personal wedding party.

What are the advantages of this type of wedding you may ask. Well, where else can you take over a hotel entirely for your own guests if you wish too? ………

Think of the joys of having everybody in the right place at the right time and no body having to worry about travelling or driving to the ceremony or back from the reception after a few drinks .!!

Where else can you be tucked away in the beautiful country side, yet only a short drive or taxi away from a beach, secluded cove, a club for those who wish to live it up after the party or during their stay . ( In Ibiza nothing is more than approx 30 mins away from any where!!)

Where else can you be looked after so warmly as in a family run Hotel ,where they see each wedding and each guest as an extension to their family , enjoying and priding them selves on creating a traditional family wedding for you .!!

And if you want a few days away on your own after the wedding you can always book into a sister Rural hotel many often boasting relaxing spas and honeymoon suites and get the best of both worlds!!

If you want your guests to feel the WOW factor at your wedding, try this IBIZA cocktail of sunshine , intimacy, Spanish tradition and the Latin philosophy of just enjoying life to its full at your IBIZA country wedding .

Luxury Weddings Abroad in Ibiza now available at WeddingsAbroad.com

Media Mayhem!

In the blink of an eye, I found myself surrounded by two piles of inanimate objects. In this case, it was three pairs of killer heels (didn't I already mention how highly they feature in my life?), about fifteen pieces of neck and arm adornments, three pairs of jeans, and various bags and boxes. Two problems were obvious to me, my indecisiveness and secondly the amount of choice.

I found my "choices" now by the front door awaiting the arrival of Claire (Claire Barber PR), who appeared like a vision with her basket resplendent of little red riding hood, brimming with yet more "inanimate objects".

If you saw two blonde girls, tottering on their heels, carrying a huge silk wedding gown, a beautiful bridesmaid dress, vintage veils a flowing, Louis Vuitton luggage, a cow print holdall and an rather large inflatable penguin, you must have been in my town yesterday!

Yep, that was us en route to the studio of one of Britain's Top Photographer's Les Pringle.

PR guru Claire, keeps my email box full with media requests, so those photo's I've been touting around for the last year are no longer fresh...or truthful :-)

After another addition to my family and a few more worry lines, let's just say some new true life shots were required. The "boudoir" photo session of last April isn't cutting it anymore, nice while the memory lasted and I shall always have the photo's to prove I did once have a body worthy of the lens....ok so "those shots" for my husband's eyes only, but a girl can dream.

Anyway, I digress, as usual. So Claire and I arranged the plethora of objects we had lugged into Les's studio, and deposited them all over his viewing room sofa and floor. Les can tell you in second what he likes and dislikes from the vast selection of outfits and accessories laid out before him...told you I was indecisive,hence the very full studio !

Then I saw the sign! Oh my goodness,no it can't be, no heels up the stairs or in the studio, what was I to do. Before I started hyperventilating Les assured me it wouldn't be a problem I just had to carry the heels and tip toe on the backdrop, over to the lens....phew panic over! and Armageddon avoided.

What fun I had, Claire asked Les if she could take some shots of him in action, he had no objections, so Claire was able to catalogue life behind the lens, behind the lens.



As a fully qualified ski instructor too, Les is particularly knowledgeable about the full workings of one's skeleton and muscles hence he told me how to stand, where to put my weight add into that his photography skills and he knew where to put my chin and nose too! After about the first hundred clicks of the camera I felt a little more relaxed.

Claire was a great help, I'm sure she's worked on a movie set before, comb in one hand and powder poised in the other. Claire filled my LV luggage to make it look like it had some shape, she omitted to tell me the filling was my heavyweight handbag containing Filofax, Ipod, mobile, make-up bag and every single thing a mother of three carries around. Tottering on my 4 inch heels trying not to mark the floor, I had to look as cool as a cucumber carrying a bag, that Mike Tyson would struggle to lift let alone carry.

Wind machine blowing, the curls I had endeavoured to put into my hair fell out in seconds, but after the heat of those lights the wind was a refreshing change. Oh what fun we had.

Les, the true professional had me turning this way and that, holding my arm here and there and he knew how best to show off the beautiful oyster coloured silk gown I had borrowed to encompass the wedding theme. Many thanks to Truly Madly Deeply bridal boutique in Whitley Bay for the loan of this gown and the veil....thanks again Debbie.

So after the day was "wrapped" Claire and I shot away for a much needed caffeine injection, whilst Les worked his magic on the raw images. Within ten minutes he had got what must have been 200 shots down to 17 ......then his hard work had to begin, I know he's a photographer and not a magician, so my requests for him to airbrush 2 stone and 10 years fell on deaf ears :-)

He then invited Claire and I to watch his professional wedding screen show in the private viewing lounge. Oh my we were blown away at the utterly amazing images and emotions packed into this presentation. No wonder this guy is on the Europe's best...check out his work.

Anyway as they say "it's a wrap".....thoroughly exhausting day but we had such fun.......not sure I would fancy being a model for a living (well if I had the face and body), but boy are the final cuts things of beauty.

If you are ever lucky enough to use the services of a top photographer, please please don't hesitate, just go for it, you will be more than pleased you did.