Landwades Hall is a beautiful country manor house situated in the grounds of the Animal Health trust with its own private entrance and is surrounded by fabulous acres of private gardens and parkland. 
 
The hall is stunning and each of the four rooms are quite different from oak wood panelling to a light and airy morning room, which is neutral in colour and suited to all colour schemes. Outside you have a terraced garden and a ‘secret’ sunken garden (It’s beautiful, if those walls could talk!)

Landwades is very flexible and if you would prefer to use the gardens for your wedding rather than the house, then you could book a suitable marquee or tipi to use instead. They had a fabulous festival style wedding last summer.

Thank you to Brian Egan Photography for these two images.

The venue hire is the dry hire charge for the venue and adjacent gardens. It's £4,250.00, although this does include tables and chairs. Please note this hire charge is correct at the time of posting for 2014 and 2015.

Sophia the wedding venue co-ordinator has put together a preferred suppliers list, which is a listing of wedding suppliers that have either worked at or have been out to do a full viewing and fully understand how this venue
works.

 Capacity:

Two licensed rooms – 60 and 90 guests.
Sit down meal – 70 for a sit down meal, the numbers can be higher if a more informal dining option is chosen.
The tipi wedding shown was for around 100 people, although larger numbers can be accommodated on the terraced gardens.
 
There is no accommodation on-site but there are some great local hotels within a short distance including:

Tuddenham Mill Hotel – 15 rooms www.tuddenhammill.co.uk
The Paddocks House Hotel – 13 rooms www.paddockshouse.com 
Bedford Lodge Hotel - 77 rooms www.bedfordlodgehotel.co.uk

For more information:

Email:  weddings@landwadespark.co.uk
Tel: 01638 555620
 www.landwadeshall.co.uk

This weekend there are some great venues hosting their wedding fairs and open days this weekend. Giving you an opportunity to view these venues, taste the food offerings and to meet various wedding suppliers.
 
A few tips:

Get a copy of the exhibitors list beforehand and do your research on the suppliers you are interested in.

Put together a list of questions that you have for each supplier and what you want to achieve from meeting each of
them.

Consider the venue and supplier’s stands – how creative are they? What image do they convey is it the type of company you want to deal with for your wedding? Do they greet you as you walk towards their stand?  How personable are they? How much interest do they show in you as an individual wedding couple? Do they ask about your wedding plans rather just your wedding date? Also take photos of the stands that are relevant and again pictures of the venue if it’s one you are considering. These will help you to evaluate everything at a later date.

After you have visited all of the suppliers you want to see, take some time out have a coffee and make sure you have gained everything you had tasked yourself to achieve. If you still have some questions pop back to the relevant suppliers.

Don’t feel pressurised to make a decision there and then by any on the day promotions. Any reputable venue or supplier should have a reasonable booking window for any ‘show offers’. 

Take someone with you, not all grooms enjoy visiting weddings fairs. If your man is one of them, leave him at home instead of him walking around with glazed eyes and take one of the girls with you and have a fun day out instead!

Tuddenham Mill wedding open day – 2nd March 2014
11am – 4pm
For information please click here

Ravenwood  Hall Hotel wedding fair by Take my hand wedding fairs – 2nd March 2014
11am – 4pm
For information please click here

Easton Grange open day – 2nd March 2014
11am – 3pm
For information please click here

Later this month if you fancy a trip into London then I highly recommend. 
 
Brides the Show – Battersea Park London – 22nd & 23rd March 2014
 9am- 6pm each day
For information please click here

Happy planning!

Marie x
 

There is a couple of great wedding fairs happening in Suffolk this January. If you are just starting out on your wedding planning or if you are just trying to find those final touches visiting a show can be a good way to meet a number of wedding suppliers in one go.

Take My Hand Wedding Fair is coming to The Apex on Sunday 5th January 2014. 

This is our second fair after the success of the first fair back in September, we've invited Bury Bridal Rooms along again to present their fashion shows at 12.30pm and 2.30pm. Brides to the previous show loved the fact that they could get so close to the dresses as the models glide past on the catwalk. Acoustic duo Cupid's Wish will provide the musical accompaniment upstairs, with over 40 exhibitors on hand to discuss all sorts of ideas for your wedding day, from traditional cake makers and florists through to crazy golf courses and pianists. 

Admission is completely free, a café and bar are open all day for food and drink and there is plenty of parking available around the Apex. The fair is open at 11am and runs through to 4pm. We'll see you
there! To find out more information please click here

Newmarket Wedding show at Newmarket racecourse Sunday 19th January 2014

This Show has been running since September 2007 initial at Homerton College in Cambridge. In 2009 it moved to the Millennium Grandstand. There will be approximately 120 exhibitors at the show on Sunday spread over three floors including an inspiration room where exhibitors are challenged with a wedding theme to dress a table. There is also a bridal gallery, where you can meet nine different bridal boutiques to view their dresses. 

The show is open 11am to 4pm, with free admission. The self service restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch options also serving hot and cold drinks all day.

To find out more information please click here to be sent to their website for further information.

Its always worth doing your homework before visiting a wedding fair. Research the suppliers that are exhibiting, put together a list of exhibitors that you are wanting to see and have a list of questions/information that you are wanting to gain from speaking to them at the fair. 

Good luck!

Marie x

 
  

A few months ago I had the pleasure of looking around a new Suffolk wedding venue – Easton Grange. 
 
Easton Grange is situated on the edge of the village of Easton in Suffolk. They opened in July 2013 in time for their first wedding. 

The reception venue comprises of two barns, one being the refurbished 16th century Tudor barn for the reception. This is connected to the new section comprising of a bar and lounge area, with the new barn where the civil ceremony would take place. There is also a central courtyard patio that overlooks the beautiful Suffolk countryside, where you can walk over the lawns down to the riverbank, where you are likely to see the resident swans. 

Venue capacities:
Civil license up to 150 guests.
Wedding breakfast up to 150 guests.
Evening reception up to 200 guests.

Also included is a bridal changing room, where you and your bridesmaids can get ready. The room includes a shower room, salon-style chairs and mirrors for hair and make-up. There is also a seating area where you can some nibbles and bubbly while you are all getting ready. Another great plus point is this is in the main building, so there is no battling with the elements on your walk to the ceremony.

The main guest accommodation is the farmhouse, which is a traditional 16th century Suffolk longhouse which comprises of seven double en-suite bedrooms that are individual designed with a contemporary feel. Breakfast is included in the
rate, which is served at a large breakfast table in the farmhouse overlooking the riverbank.

The Bakehouse which is the bridal suite is a private building allowing you some time to yourselves. It includes a living room and kitchen downstairs and a stunning bedroom and en-suite bathroom upstairs. 

Easton Grange current special offer:

Easton Grange - The drinks are on us... 
Visit Easton Grange and we'll give you £500 to spend at the bar! 
For all remaining dates between 1st January 2014 and 31st May 2014.
Visit, book and pay your catering deposit before 31st December 2013*

 * Offer not available to previously confirmed bookings or transfers of date and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

There is also a wedding venue open day on Sunday 2nd March 2014 11am till 3pm.

For further information please visit their website www.eastongrange-weddings.co.uk 
Tel: 01728 440649

1. Budget - Sit down and prioritise your must haves, this way you will know which items you can save on and what items you want to spend a little bit more on.

2. Drinks - Instead of using champagne, use Prosecco as an alternative. This can save a considerable amount of money depending on your numbers.

3. Overall costs - Consider having your wedding mid-week, this could save a huge amount of money through discounts from your suppliers on their standard rates.

4. Stationery - Don’t use save the date cards, design a lovely email to your friends and family. If you are unable to do this yourself, have a look at fivesquid.com or fiverr.com they can put together a lovely design for you.

5. Stationery – Do you really need to print an order of service? You could always have a wedding website, where all of this information is communicated before the wedding or have an itinerary up for your guests to see on the day.

6. Flowers – Choosing flowers that are in season for your wedding will save you on this section of the budget. Also stay clear of big florist peak times i.e. Valentine’s Day and Mother’s day.

7. Honeymoon – Ask for holiday vouchers instead of gifts this can then make a big difference to where you can go for your honeymoon and will mean you don’t need to put as much of your budget towards this.

8. Overall costs – Get married later in the day, this will reduce the amount you need to organise for your guests, which in turn will save money.

9. Food – Use your wedding cake as your dessert, this won’t save money at every venue but it could save a considerable amount.

10. Flowers – Arrange for your ceremony flowers to be moved through to your reception, whether this is from the church to the hotel or from your ceremony room to your reception room.

11.  Stationery – Combine your place card and favour, so you are only purchasing only one item.

12. Overall cost – Reduce your bridal party, this will save on outfits, flowers and gifts.

13. Overall cost – Minimise your guest list, consider not giving your single guests a plus one unless they have a partner. You could also consider not having children or work colleagues or at least not inviting the whole office!

14. Bridal accessories – Borrow a close friends headwear or jewellery that they wore at their wedding. This will also be your something borrowed.

15. Venue hire – Think of different types of venues that are not wedding venues. These charge a fraction of the hire charges that some venues do. Maybe you have a pretty village hall in your local area or a museum or another attractive hire only venue.

16. Decorations – Make your own decorations, favours and many other items. Arrange a few evenings with the girls provide some food and drinks and you have a lovely girlie evening in.

17. Drinks – Instead of having an open bar why not serve a custom-made cocktail or you could pick one each. These could be your favourite cocktail or a cocktail that fits with your colour scheme or theme. It’s another great personalised touch to your wedding. Your other option is to just reduce your cash bar to beer, wine and soft drinks.

18. Decorations - Don’t start buying table decorations and the like until you are completely happy with your theme and design. Buying early can mean that you change your mind and then you have loads of unused items that eat into
your budget.

19. Photography - Don’t purchase expensive disposable cameras as everyone has a camera on their phone these days. Get your guests to upload their photos straight to your wedding website or save them to Dropbox or something similar.

If you have any other top saving tip you would like to share with others, leave me a comment in the box.

Aren’t wedding planners just for the rich and famous?”

The majority of wedding planners offer different packages to suit different requirements, and most will also build a bespoke package for you depending on your needs. You might be happy to organise your own wedding but would like a couple of hours’ support at different points during the wedding planning process. It maybe that, at six weeks out, you want a wedding planner to take over the reins and carry on your work, allowing you to relax and enjoy the final run up to your special day, knowing you have someone working to your plans and following your direction. Whatever your requirements are, a bespoke package can be built, which doesn’t have to have a rich or famous price tag.


“I don’t need a wedding planner; I have a wedding coordinator at our venue.”

There is a huge difference between a venue wedding coordinator and a wedding planner. The main difference
 is a wedding planner works for you! Depending on the service you book, they can support you from start to finish. They would be with you from first thing in the morning right through to the first dance and even later, if you want them
 to be. They will be there to advise and support you on all aspects of the wedding and to work with all of the suppliers as one team. The venue coordinator that you have built a relationship with over the past months might not even be there on the day. In a lot of venues they work Monday to Friday, and pass the details over to the operations team who will be running your wedding on the day. If this is the case, make sure you ask for a handover meeting with your coordinator and the event manager who will be there on the day. They should offer this, but make sure you ask for it if they don’t. 
 

“We don’t want to lose control of our day.”

Your wedding day is your day. A wedding planner is there to make your vision come alive and to tie the details together, ensuring that everything goes to plan. If something doesn’t go to plan, the wedding planner will have a plan B up his or her sleeve to put into action without anyone being aware. They are there to help you, advise you, to give suggestions if you require them but it’s certainly not their wedding! Sometimes it’s a comfort to know you have someone on your side,
  and that they are focusing on you and your day. Wedding planners often end up being a confidant, someone to call on to be a supportive shoulder or a listening ear when you just need to get a few things of your chest. 
 
If you have any other questions, please pop a comment in the box below and I will happily answer these for you.

 Marie x

“My love of the preparation work that goes into a wedding emerged early in my career over twenty years ago. Working in event operations, there was something almost magical about creating the backdrop for a fabulous wedding reception from an empty function room. It always felt like a great achievement to me. As we set up the room, the anticipation would grow, layer by layer, as the other wedding suppliers came and added their elements to the beautiful displays. The finished room was always wonderfully personalised and, by now, the excitement was bubbling. We would greet the bride and groom, handing them a glass of champagne, with their guests following behind. There was always a moment when the bride saw the room for the first time and I could see the joy in her eyes. Then came the soft gasps and smiles from passers by seeing the glowing bride, her proud groom and their excited guests. I always came away with a lovely warm fuzzy feeling when I worked weddings over any other event. 

When I moved into event management, my love for weddings grew. I always felt honoured to be involved in a part of the bride and groom’s preparations. I loved meeting new brides and grooms-to-be, discussing their ideas and showing them how they could work, and finally greeting them on their wedding day and bringing their plans to life.”

In a few short years, I had moved into senior management of large event coordination teams. I personally coordinated hundreds of weddings, events, charity balls, training courses, and national and international conferences over this time. But my heart stayed where it had begun – with weddings.

I started Weddings for you by Marie because I realised that life’s too short not to follow your heart. As an events coordinator, it always saddened me to see so many brides being stressed through the different stages of wedding planning. I knew that with the right support and an experienced hand to hold theirs, it didn’t have to be that
way. I decided to offer my experience to take away that unnecessary stress.

Your wedding – and the build up to it – is one of the most special times in your life. The memories you make
of your engagement, right through to your wedding day (and, of course, the fun of your honeymoon!) are memories that you will cherish forever. 

Marie x

All of the time and effort that has been ploughed into making your wedding day as special and unique as you and all that remains are a set of out of focus, not properly lit or composed images, which don’t reflect the story of your special day as it unfolded.
 
When my husband and I decided to get married, it was an amazing day from start to finish. I’d love to say that our wedding photographs reflect everything that took place on the day, and live up to our expectations, but they just don’t. The one image that I have of myself full length in my wedding gown (which did cost a small fortune), and the dress is tucked under at the front. It makes me sad just thinking about it.
 
Having gone through this myself, I know how important it is to find the right wedding photographer – someone who will provide you with a set of images that you will be proud to share with friends and family and cherish for years to come.


I would never have considered launching my business unless I had been through the rigours of training with some of the most respected in the industry, immersing myself and working hard to be the best that I can be. I don’t think that I will ever stop learning either, nor would I want to. I am a member of The Guild of Photographers and the Society for Wedding and Portrait Photographers. Since joining The Guild, I have gone on to win numerous national awards.

The reason that I mention this is because it’s important to know that whoever you choose to capture your special day is serious about their photography, and is continuing to improve their craft with the support of a professional body.
 
Your wedding day should (touch wood), take place only once in your lifetime. Having a professional on board who understands how to create beautiful images that complement the lighting and ambience available on the day should not be underestimated. Your images, hopefully not just on a disc, but in a beautiful album, will be part of the legacy that you can pass on to future generations.
 
Can Uncle Fred hope to capture your day in the same way? Great if he understands the technical side of things, but what happens if half way through the day he decides to retreat to the bar to enjoy proceedings? If it’s all about keeping the cost down, there are so many other areas that can be trimmed or personal touches that can be hand-made. But cutting
corners on your wedding photography will only lead to a lot of regret, and let’s face it, weddings are all about celebrating. What better way to do that, than to have your special day captured as it should be, by a professional?

Nicola Rowley – www.nicolarowleyphotography.com
 
To contact Nicola either:
Email: nicola@nicolarowleyphotography.com 
Tel: 07932 656685
Facebook: Nicola Rowley Photography
 
Nicola Rowley Photography offers Stylish and
Creative Wedding & Portrait Photography is based in Surrey but also covers
across the UK, locally covering London, Sussex, Essex and
Kent.
 
Images above are provided by Nicola Rowley Photography to accompany this blog post.

After that so important moment when your partner proposed, you probably started to think about everything that you need to get done before the big day. Choosing the venue, finding the perfect wedding dress, hiring a photographer and the list keeps on growing.  I’m sure that at some point the thought of getting an amazing wedding bouquet crossed your mind. 
 
So what do you need to take into consideration and why choose an alternative wedding bouquet?

First of all it has to match YOUR personal taste. After all, it is your wedding day and the only other opinion you need to account for is your fiancé’s. So are you going to be a traditional bride or a modern one? Are you going to add quirky details to your day or are you going to play it safe?

Then you need to choose the dress. Why? Because the perfect bouquet will enhance it! It will help to frame the dress in the photos and most of all it will complement your wedding dress without overshadowing it.

Now you may be wondering what the benefits are of breaking the norm and choosing an alternative origami wedding
bouquet.

These are my top 5:

Lightness - You’ll be holding the bouquet all day. While flowers, buttons or brooches are heavy (we’re talking about holding the equivalent to a bag of rice) an origami bouquet is light enough to be comfortable even after hours of having it in your hands. 
 
Unique - Your wedding day is supposed to be as special as possible and you not only want to have a day that you’ll never forget but also want your guests to cherish it for years to come. An origami bouquet will give you a WOW factor.  Your guests will remember your wedding for having something so special and so unique that very likely they have never seen before. 
 
Environmentally friendly - Did you know that only 5 to 15% of the flowers sold in the UK are actually grown here? So for your flowers to arrive fresh on your wedding day they are transported by air which leads to a big carbon footprint. Most paper I use is made in Europe, preferably choosing recycled when available, and transported by land. Also because it’s paper it will last as long as your love so over time the carbon footprint will virtually disappear.

Control – With an alternative bouquet you won’t have to panic on your wedding morning. You can receive it days, weeks and even months in advance avoiding any nasty surprises on your big day. You will have full control and the colours you choose are the colours you get.

Allergies – Flowers can easily cause a sneeze attack to those who suffer from hay fever or other allergies. Even if you don’t suffer from allergies it is likely that someone in your close circle of family and friends do. You wouldn’t want your day tarnished because one of your guests spends the whole ceremony sneezing, would you?


Are you closer to making your decision now? If you’re tempted to have a professionally made origami bouquet it would be an honour to do it for you. I’m available to discuss your ideas and wishes at cathy@theorigamiboutique.com

I’m Cathy, the artist behind The Origami Boutique, specialising in bouquets and jewellery to make you stand out from the crowd. Everything is carefully handmade to the highest standard and due to the nature of the materials used a water resistant finish is added to all pieces ensuring durability.


Website: www.theorigamiboutique.com
Email: cathy@theorigamiboutique.com
Tel: 07773 042787

Hello beautiful bride to be...
Congratulations xx

You must be so mega excited with all that getting married brings, busy planning your big day and ensuring everything is organised and perfect. Life is so fast paced these days but it is so important to slow down and look after you and your inner health, after all you want to look radiant and glowing on your big day not burnt out and tired right? 

Having being a bride myself I understand how you want to look your best and be in the best shape possible so it is important to start your nutrition/fitness  & Lifestyle regime early avoiding last minute crash diets that are really a big no
no..

I would suggest that you need to be making small changes now and then 6 months prior to the big day really ramp it up and give yourself lots of love and attention. 

Small changes to make now:
  
Start drinking more water daily- great for the skin and also flushing out toxins built up in the body. A great way to start the day is a glass of warm water with a slice of lemon!!
   
Cut down on processed foods and take away these are full of sugars chemicals and other nasty things that really are no good for you. Even the ones that say low fat no fat / healthy get rid of them and start introducing fresh foods.

Add in a little exercise get moving, even if it is a short walk each day just doing a little bit of something each day will have you seeing some difference. It will also make you feel better in yourself.

6 Months to go:  It’s time to smile:
 
Yes the thing you do with your mouth!! Remember you will need to be doing lots of this on the day... Smile at strangers at family and friends more... When you connect with others you feel more connected with yourself, not only that but
others feel uplifted by a smile and you tend to air more confidence when smiling.
 
4 Months to go:  Shake that booty: 

Lets get moving that body and I mean really moving that body, I am not encouraging you to go and sign up to a gym find something fun that you love, swimming, running, classes, dancing.. Why not enlist the help and encouragement
from your bridal party get them on board and make it something you all do together to have  a laugh but also to get in shape for the big day!! 

3 Months to go:  Nourish your body
 
Get creative in the kitchen and start preparing meals from scratch. Getting your food right is the key to loosing the fat and the exercise will then help you shape and tone up your body… Plan your meals and get organised this is key to
stick to a healthy eating regime.  We have lots of recipes for you to choose from on our website (www.thelifestylestudios.com) so pick and choose mix and match and why not get you Fiancé on board as you want him looking hot too!! 
  
2 Months to go:  Learn to relax:
 
Ensure you take at least 30 minutes a day to yourself, please don’t say I don’t have time, just miss corrie after all there is more exciting things going on in your life.  Enjoy a nice soak in the bath with some essential oils, light a candle and lay back and unwind. Such a simple thing to do but yet the feeling of letting go all the days’ stresses is just unreal. Why not listen to a meditation for ten minutes and try and zone out lots of apps to download onto the I-phone.  Curl up with a book something girly and easy to read. Doing something like this even every other day will have your pre wedding stress levels dramatically decrease.
 
1 Month to go:  Get buffing and brushing 

Body brushing -If I could only choose one body-improving trick to impart, then it would have to be, without a doubt, Body Brushing. Ensure you invest in a good Body Brush. 

Body brushing can help in the elimination of cellulite. Dry body brushing daily increases circulation, improves metabolism, eliminates dead skin cells, and helps the body’s natural detoxification process. 

Getting started:  Use the brush on dry skin only. Begin at the soles of your feet and then continue working up the front and back of the legs in an upward direction towards the heart using long, gentle sweeping strokes. The pressure should be invigorating not sore. Move on to the hands and arms including the tummy and back but do not brush over the face and chest. After a few days you will start to notice that your skin is feeling much softer and more even in texture.

Moisturising - The skin is the largest organ in the body and has
a surface area of two square meters. As this organ is so large it is important
to keep it healthy by protecting it everyday.  Applying moisturisers are a great way of
protecting skin. When your skin lacks moisture it can become dry. By using
a moisturiser you are helping to normalise cell turnover, as when your skin is
dry, cells are shed too fast, leading to your skin become
flaky…

1 Week to go:  Keep Calm and Carry on your good work:
 
With one week to go things will be so exciting people will want to be celebrating before the celebrations even start drinking going out for pre wedding dinners calling round to see you... Remember that 6 months ago you started all this hard work to look as amazing that you do... 1 week off track and off the rails could undo all that hard-work. You will be looking radiant glowing leaner and toned don’t let it slip this week leading up to the big day... Yes have a glass of
champers just don’t have the whole bottle as this then leads to binge eating and will have you bloated and skin looking dull in no time..  Keep Calm things may go a little off plan some things are completely out of your control go with the flow and it will all turn out fine.. 
  
The Big Day – Beautiful Radiant Bride you Rock!!

Today is your day to shine both inside and out. You will look and feel radiant and in your best shape ever. Take the whole day in your stride. Have a nice filling breakfast remember it is going to be a long day ahead, so ensure your breakfast
is protein rich to keep you full, sip on some water in the morning whilst getting ready and then why not have a nice calming chamomile cuppa just to settle you down a little. I loved every moment of getting ready and having my
Bridesmaid around me take some time to stop and pause and look around take capture the special moments in your heart and mind…
 
Enjoy Your Special Day 

Claire
xxx 
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