Royal engagement-the photos

With the wedding date and venue set for Kate and William's big day, we have now had the official engagement photographs released.

 (photo courtesy of dailymail.com)

The Royals chose the photographer Mario Testino to photograph this joyous occasion - a much loved photographer of Princess Diana - Mario Testino worked with Diana on a number of occasions with stunning results. 

The talk surrounding the release of these photos has been very much focused on the outfits chosen by Kate.  In the photo above she is wearing a Reiss dress that featured in last year's collection promoting those with the dress to make some money in selling it on ebay, one seller describing the item as "same dress worn by Kate Middleton in the formal engagement photographs with Prince William"

 (photo courtesy of dailymail.com)

In the more intimate of the two photos Kate is wearing a Whistles blouse costing £95 which is still available in store, it will no doubt already be a sell out. Wearing the stunning engagement ring which belonged to William's mother Princess Diana of course Kate will now be compared to Diana even more however with all these high street outfit decisions Kate really is becoming a fashion icon and will undoubtedly turn into the next "People's Princess".  Wedding world and and the people just cant wait for the wedding - 2011 is set for big wedding fever no doubt!


Frances Edwards

Dont let the weather ruin your wedding day

So you wake up with a smile on your face only to look out the window as the rain clouds arrive, and think "why didn't we decide to marry abroad?".  The truth is you really can make a spectacle out of the weather and it really doesn't need to ruin things! Plus its just another excuse to buy some cute accessories so read on and check out some of our ideas...

 (image courtesey of theourweddingblog.co.uk)

 (image courtesy of www.peoplebyryan.com) 


This lovely image was taken by the talented Jonathan Ryan  who did the photography for one of the weddings to be featured in the second series of Three Grand Weddings on Wedding TV which our very own Melanie is the presenter of.  In this picture gorgeous bride Gemma had to make a dash for it with her Dad as the rain fell just as her car arrived at the Church - but look at the smile on her face!  It certainly didn't badly impact on the day - the sun shone as they came out of the Church! 

(image courtesy of stylecollective.com) 

If you are worried about weather being an issue make sure you have all the appropriate accessories which are out there to make sure it is a success embracing the weather, after all it really can make for some wonderfully quirky photographs. Wellies for you and your partner can be both practical and effective in photographs and grab yourself some umbrellas to make sure you really can make a  light hearted joke of  what may look like a bad situation and you could even get them to match your color scheme.

 (image courtesy of www.kissthegroom.com) 

You don't even look at this photo and see the umbrella as a bad thing - such a great shot!

(image courtesy of www.leighgregory.co.uk)

(image courtesy of www.leighgregory.co.uk)  

Ushers really can have their uses!

And its just for the girls - here at one of our weddings from 2009 the ushers were really enjoying the brollies being an additional part of their duties when the rain crept in just as the bride was arriving!

(courtesy of etsy.com)

The happy couple making use of the bad weather for a photo opportunity and this makes for a really memorable moment

You can buy all sorts of items for bad weather on your wedding. One company allows you to hire umbrellas so you are well a truly prepared come rain or shine, take a look at Hire-a-Brolly for more information. For Wellingtons look no further than a company called Weddington Boots, they customise wellies so they are extra special!  You could even hire them in for your guests - how about a selection of colours and sizes waiting for your guests if you have a marquee wedding and the rain decides to put in an appearance!  The ladies can take off their heels and  be comfortable and embrace the weather as can the men! Anna, a recent bride of Bellissimo, was give a pair by a friend for her wedding down on the farm so they are not just reserved for the rain.

Anna's gorgeous personalised wellies!

And its not only the rain that brides needed to be shaded from - one of our beautiful brides from this summer - Caroline shown below with her stunning antique sun parasol - it was a scorching hot day and this was a welcome shade for the bride whilst photographs were taken and it beautifully complimented her gown

 (image courtesy of www.jennifersinclair.co.uk) 


If you are lucky enough to have a really sunny day your guests may need a helping hand with sunscreen - your wedding planner will come well equipped for this but if you don't have a planner make sure that you give this duty to someone to make sure that people have access to sunscreen and perhaps have access to small bottles of water before and immediately after the ceremony if there is a gap between that and the drinks reception.
 
With the current Winter wonderland conditions we are experiencing (and expecting more of here in the UK) all those brides with weddings booked from now until Christmas and those in the months next year where snow is yet to appear could well be panicking but fear not! That is the last thing you need to do as the snow really does make for some absolutely stunning photographs and a magical backdrop for your entire day. Grab yourself a beautiful fur shrug, get your wedding venue to light their log fires or light lots of chunky candles or tea lights in pretty votives and you will be set for a truly incredible day with a nothing short or beautiful atmosphere.

 Table setting incorporating winter colour scheme and Christmas Tree in the background

 If you are marrying close to or after Christmas have your wedding venue keep the Christmas decorations and incorporate those into the day

 (image courtesy of greatfosters.co.uk)

(image courtesy of english-wedding.com)

If you are caught in a really cold snap which you didn't expect then get your wedding planner or a helper to purchase or borrow a large collection of shawls or wraps or event blankets for the female guests coming along especially if you are having a partially outdoors or marquee wedding - you can drop them on t he back of chair as the chill comes into the air and your guests do not have to worry about getting cold.  Invest in hiring in some patio heaters for the outdoor areas or if its safe to do so what about some outdoor chimneas or fire pits to bring atmosphere and heat to the event. 

If you are worried about the snow and your guests getting to your wedding have your wedding planner or someone who can help you call around your guests for those who have 4 wheel drive vehicles.   At least  if you have a list of those who have one or access to one and the weather ends up being difficult for guests to travel you can try to get guests to help each other out to get to the church/venue by making use of these vehicles to combat the conditions.  

With your food and drink keep your guests warm after the service - serve warm Pimms or mulled wine so your guests can clutch the glasses to keep their hands warm and that way you may even get some outdoor photographs in before your guests need to get inside!  Keep your guests fed with canapes or roast chestnuts before your wedding breakfast is served
 

 Some lovely ideas to embrace the winter wedding theme

 (image courtesy of weddingdiscount.com)

At Bellissimo always make sure we have a good weather and bad weather plan for all of our couples no matter what time of the year it is. An we always come prepared with our beautiful bridal umbrellas within your colour scheme to make sure you stay looking amazing on your wedding day and we are always there to run around where needed to protect the bride on her outside in unkind weather. Rain is meant to mean good luck - so stay positive, make sure you enjoy yourself, and remember that the weather will only add to the uniqueness of your wedding day - it can't ruin it if you are well prepared.

Frances Edwards 

Bellissimo  

Real Weddings - Anna & Nico - Down on the Farm

Ok so we have taken a few months to get this blog perfected for public viewing but here it is!  We are very excited to share with you some of our favourite pictures from this truly individual wedding.  The wedding of Anna & Nico took place at Honeybrook Farm in Wimborne. You may not be aware that Honeybrook is available for your wedding as this is a fairly recent addition to what Honeybrook can offer. The farm is perfect for those who want something a little bit rustic and different in a relaxed and family friendly environment with some really unusual photo opportunities and great space to make your own for your wedding day - thats exactly what we helped Anna and Nico to do

Anna and Nico's wedding day really was something a little different. They decided that they wished to have a very intimate ceremony to start the day with just themselves and their witnesses inside the Parlour Rooms while their guests assembled outside in the cottage gardens for the outside ceremony (oblivious to the fact their friends were getting married behind the doors!).  That was such a lovely touch for them to share that special time on their own and then greet their guests with the "official" bit having already complete.  We think this is a perfect way to share special time together if you prefer a more intimate ceremony.

 The happy couple appearing before their guests following their intimate ceremony in the Parlour Rooms

Anna and Nico enjoying the Cottage Gardens

After that first ceremony Anna and Nico chose to have a second ceremony for their exchange of rings which took place in the gardens of the Farm - under the trees of Alder Tree Grove - perfect outside ceremony which allowed them to have a completely outdoor ceremony which their guests could be part of.  They chose to exchange their rings at this ceremony and also readings were carried out in Nico's native Italian as well as in English and Orders of The Day were also handed out in both languages so that all guests could truly be part of what was happening throughout the day.  We set out all the chairs for them in two semi circles so that Anna and Nico could be in the centre.

Guests were wowed by the stunning voice of a close friend of the couple who sang  Eva Cassidy's "Songbird" and as the couple left their second ceremony the guests formed an arch to greet the bride and groom on to the start of their celebrations

A lovely family shot

Anna with Beccy who sang during the Alder Tree Grove ceremony

Anna and Nico with a photo opportunity with one of the farm vehicles

Even the kids did not miss out on the tractor - they were treated to tractor rides around Honeybrook which was great fun for them and really entertaining between the ceremonies and the reception 

The children were entertained in a field all of their own with lots of entertainment all through the day with tipi tents full of different games and crafts

Even the bride did not get away from a bit of work at this wedding - gifts for the speeches transported in traditional Farm style

One of Anna's friends presented her with personalised wedding wellies for the day - so cute!

Anna sporting her personalised wellies!  The weather was kind but any excuse to get them on to have a wander around the Farm

Lovely picture of the new Mr and Mrs at the stone circle following the outdoor ceremony 

 Anna having some fun with her wedding gown

Anna and her daughter enjoying a performance from her new husband which was a wonderful addition to the reception - he had secretly been rehearsing a song to sing to his new wife in Italian and it was beautiful and not a dry eye in the house!  Well done Nico!

Guests then enjoyed traditional barn dancing in the marquee which we had decorated in true barn style complete with hay bales and lovely handmade bunting which one of Anna's friends had made for her.  A feast of Italian food then followed for the guests before garden games and photographs around the Farm and then onto the evening celebrations 

We decorated the pathways and all the trees leading to the marqee in the Apple Orchard with lots of lanterns and candles and as night fell the place felt magical

The guests moved through to the tipi tent field for a sing song around the camp fire as evening fell

The fiddlers entertaining the guests

The guests set off Chinese lanterns to end the evening

We were asked to come on board to help Anna and Nico just a few weeks before the wedding for our on the day coordination service because there were a lot of elements to their day which had to have a good weather plan and a "not so good" weather plan so there was a lot of coordination required on the day itself and we were delighted to be there to help things run smoothly.  This was certainly not a straight forward day but we know how grateful Anna and Nico were to have us on board to deal with the smooth running of the day and helped to relieve some of that stress which inevitably can creep into any wedding day - especially one as complex as this.  We were delighted to receive a the most wonderful testimonial from Anna for which we are truly thankful.

Our favourite picture of the newly weds - congratulations Anna and Nico on your marriage and we wish you a lot of love and luck for the future and well done on braving a very different style of wedding - bucking lots of trends and being very invidual in what you wanted for your day.  We were proud to be part of it and helping you make it work.  

If you are interested in speaking to us about our on the day coordination service please let us know

Christmas Weddings- hints and tips

With this very "wintery" weather we are experiencing at the moment I thought I would get a little festive with this blog. Christmas time is a time for celebrating with family and friends so why not combine this with a perfect big day with some Christmas theming throughout.

 (photo courtesy of tastefullyentertaining.blogspot.com) 

The Bride

Your probably shivering at the thought of wearing a wedding dress during the festive period. However rest assure that some stunning items can be bought to compliment your wedding dress that will keep you warm!  This lovely fur shrug is just one example.  You could look for a little bolero jacket or a wrap which you could customise with pearls or jewels and remove this when inside for your reception.  Add a little sparkle with a beautiful necklace, and maybe even some ivy and berries in your bouquet for an extra festive feel.

(photo courtesy of brides.com)

 Keep warm with a beautiful fur cape

The Groom

You could go for some silver or gold in your waistcoat to compliment to colour scheme or perhaps incorporate some green and red with a lovely cravat.  Mistletoe and ivy could be used within your buttonhole and maybe if your feeling extra festive a festive waistcoat.

(photo courtesy of flowerdesignstannes.blogspot.com)

The Decorations

Winter lends itself to being a magical time of year. Your venue could be decorated in a number of ways taking inspiration from the beautiful nature of winter or from the festive cheer of Christmas.  You could have a Christmas tree in which guests could hang messages for you instead of the traditional guest book.  Using ivy, holly and berries along with heaps and heaps of chunky church candles could be used throughout the ceremony location and then brought into the reception room within the centerpieces also make sure for an extra magical feel plenty of fairy lights are used whether that be battery operated ones within the center pieces or traditional fairy lights covering areas of the venue. Tying mistletoe around the napkins can be a quirky way to add even more romance to the day.  Table names could be Christmas inspired with names such as Santa, snow, sleigh or why not name them after Santa's reindeers it will most definitely but a smile on the faces of your younger guests!

(photo courtesy of chillipit.co.za)

 Candles used within the center pieces along with twigs and pine cones, creating very inexpensive yet effective centerpieces

 (photo courtesy of weddingbycolor.com)

Tree sprigs sprayed white with hanging jewels are such a simple yet effective centre piece or decorative item for your reception venue

 (photo courtesy of ideas4wedding.com)

Favours 

Christmas decorations could be given to guests as favors so they always have a keepsake of the big day that they could use for years to come. These could be personalised.  You could also have any number of Christmas edible treat as your table favours such as a few tied candy cane as above or gold chocolate coins or maybe a mini Italian Panetone for your guests to enjoy with their coffee or they could take away with them.  The German ginger iced biscuits in a pretty bag with ribbons and a personalised tag/label could look beautiful and really wont cost the earth.  The youngest guests could be given a stocking filled with activities each to keep them entertained for the day.

 

(photo courtesy of weddingfavor.com) 

The Food 

Considering its Christmas time why not give your guests a traditional turkey dinner, placing a turkey in the center of the table and nominating one person on the table to serve to all the guests could be a quirky idea as well as a good ice breaker if not everyone knows each other.  One of our couples from this summer did that with beef and it was a surprise for the nominated "chefs" from each table and hidden under their seats were chefs hats and aprons.  It worked really well and brought some fun into the meal.  Bowls of potatoes and vegetables could be placed in the middle of the table for guests to pass around. 

If this does not suit you or your guests how about chatting with your caterer to design a menu which compliments the season.  Look to have them use seasonal and local produce where available and maybe they could include Christmas vegetables or root vegetables for a warming soup starter or intermediate course.  What about Christmas pudding ice-cream with your dessert? 

Wedding drinks could also have an element of Christmas with serving egg nog, mulled wine and some fruit punch (alcoholic or non alcoholic) or a winter Pimms maybe?

 

(photo courtesy of itwatada.org)

The idea of a Christmas wedding could be very exciting for some yet in some peoples eyes probably the worst time to pick. In our opinion it is a truly magical and romantic time and for all elements of the wedding the time of year can really help out when it comes to theming the whole day. 

We hope that this little set of ideas has gone some way to help couples who may be having their wedding at this exciting time of year.  We wish you a wonderful Wedding Day!

 

Frances Edwards

Charity on your big day.......

With the average wedding day costing over £20,000 and so many items being purchased to ensure the day is perfect, why not give back and add in some charitable items.  We all have a charity close to our hearts and with our Melanie Kiani fully into training for the Moonwalk 2011 for Breast Cancer we thought it was a good time to let you know about the charities are now making it possible for you to have wonderful day whilst giving money to such worthy causes.

A few charity ideas:

The NSPCC have set up a link on there website in which you can purchase unique NSPCC wedding favor cards and pin badges, alternatively envelopes can be ordered which you can send out with your invitations to ask family and friends for a charitable donation instead of wedding gifts.

(photo courtesy of nspcc.com)

Breast Cancer Research have also set up an online link "Celebrate with Breakthrough" for donations to be made online. Also purchase the Breast Cancer ribbon pin and place it as a favor in each place for all your guests. A quote from a Breakthrough supporter bride; 

"I knew our wedding was going to be the best day of my life as well as one of the hardest. I've made sure her influence is there though; from pictures of her and a collection at the bar to pins as favours. Everyone at the wedding will know my mum by the end of the day."

- Hannah Leavett, Breakthrough supporter

(image courtesy of breakthrough.org.uk) 

(image courtesy of thefizz.co.uk)

UNICEF encourage you to share your happiness on your wedding day with children around the world, with UNICEF charity wedding favors. A small card to place on your guest's table with different causes receiving donations from "measles vaccine" to "school things" amongst other items. 

(photo courtesy of unicef.org)

Oxfam have made it so that bride and grooms can have a gift list with them and also have a selection of favours you can choose from: teach a child, bars of soap, animal vaccinations, safe water for 1 person, chicks, bag of seeds, buckets and health check-ups you can purchase this selection on the Oxfam website.

(image courtesy of oxfam.org.uk)

All charities have merchandise that can be used as favors from pins to pens and with favors sometimes turning out to be a very expensive element. It can be a very meaningful and personal touch to your wedding . You may even manage to incorporate the charity with your colour scheme making it all tie together beautifully. 

(photos courtesy of weddingbee.com)

(photos courtesy of weddingbee.com)