Winter 2012
An Advertising Supplement
TheUltimateGuideto PlanningYourWedding
LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED
■ WINTER WEDDING: Although you’re not guaranteed a snowy winter wonderland for your wedding day, this time of year is a nice time to marry with Christmas on the way
Get the planning started in good time
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ROM childhood dreams of fairy-tale weddings to years of planning the perfect ceremony, it's only natural that you'll want your big day to be just right.
And if you’ve chosen a winter wedding, congratulations, as it’s undoubtedly one of the best seasons to tie the knot. A magical time of year, the glistening frost and winter weather transforms everything around it into a picture postcard scene, and with so many great venues, as well as bridal fashions and a range of decorations to complement the season, you can guarantee that your wedding will be a winter wonderland. There is much to be done before the big day arrives, however, and it’s best to start by writing down any ideas that you may have and researching what's available. Excellent organisational skills are the key to achieving your perfect wedding, and it's well worth visiting wedding fayres and bridal stores as well as looking on websites and flicking through bridal magazines to get plenty of
inspiration for the big day. Many couples choose to begin by finding a venue and setting the date. One of the most important parts of the day, the venue will be responsible for setting the tone for much of the wedding and with a wealth of superb hotels, churches, stately homes and castles plus many other venues all offering beautiful surroundings for your big day, you're sure to find the ideal match. Alternatively, perhaps you want to follow in the footsteps of others and hot-foot it abroad? An increasingly popular choice, the world is your oyster – and whether it's a picturesque wedding in the snowy foothills of Canada, a beach-side ceremony in Hawaii or a rustic castle in Tuscany, there are an excellent range of venues to choose from. Likewise, finding your dream wedding dress, along with the groom's suit and bridesmaid dresses, will also be at the top of your agenda. Whether it's a sleek and sophisticated dress or a stunning gown fit for a princess, there are dozens of beautiful wedding dresses to suit every bride.
And it doesn’t stop there! In addition to the venue and bridal wear, there are a wealth of other essential factors to arrange. From sorting out the transport, catering, entertainment, flowers, rings, photography, favours, cake, accessories, table decorations, honeymoon, stag and hen nights to finding a hairdresser and beauty salon that you trust, you'll find everything you need right on your doorstep. All equally important, the finer details can have a huge impact on the day and as such deserve as much time and thought as the main arrangements. Don't be afraid to delegate jobs to close family and friends, either. Planning a wedding can quickly become a full-time job in itself, and it's easy to let things get on top of you, so make sure you enlist the help of your parents as well as the bridesmaids, ushers, maid of honour and best man to share duties out accordingly. But above all, just remember that this is your big day – so remember to sit back and enjoy it!
■ BRIDE: Look stunning on your big day
THE BRIDE
From fairytale gowns to real vintage designs
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HOPPING for your dream wedding dress is one of the most exciting parts of getting married.
■ DRESS: Choose a gown to feel comfortable in and have a day to remember
From fairytale ball gowns with diamante embellishment to vintage lace with a sophisticated fishtail, there are hundreds of beautiful gowns to flatter every figure and ensure that you feel beautiful on your big day If possible, give yourself ample time to shop for your wedding dress. The more time you have, the more relaxed you're likely to be. Invest in a good set of underwear for your appointments. Strapless bras are usually the best choice, as they will stay hidden under most gowns and will give you a better idea of how the dress sits. Plus, a stylish new lingerie set will help make you feel even more special. Choose who to take to appointments with you carefully. It's important (and exciting!) to share the day with others, but try ■ BEAUTIFUL: to keep numbers to a minimum as too many opinions can be confusing. Keep an open mind and listen to the experts. Most bridal boutiques have a great eye for spotting what styles will suit your shape, and it's well worth trying
on the dresses that you'd never consider on the rack. The vast majority of wedding dresses will look completely different on and most brides are surprised by their final choice. If you can't decide how much you like a dress, ask yourself how you'd feel if you found out it was discontinued and you couldn't have it anymore? If you're indifferent, the chances are it's not the dress for you – but if the thought makes you want to run out and buy it now, you have your answer. Trust your gut instinct and how you feel in the gown. Quite often brides-to-be have a criteria of what they're looking for, but always remember the most important thing is how you feel – not if it 'ticks the right boxes'. Think about comfort. You'll want to be comfortable on your wedding day, so check you're not constantly tugging it up or pulling it down. Remember to check if any dresses with an elaborate train can be adapted for dancing in the A stunning bride evening. Once you've chosen your dress, go back after your make-up trial for a sneaky peek to see how beautiful you and your dress will look on the day. Last but not least, enjoy yourself!
THE BRIDESMAIDS
Fashionable looks for your bridesmaids A
LTHOUGH it’s true that the bridesmaid dress may never be worn again, it's important for the bride to remember that her friends are going to be photographed for posterity - and that she still wants them to be her friends at the end of the wedding day.
■ CHURCH: Part of the bridesmaid’s role is to ensure the bride gets to the service on time
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Happily, the days of the bridesmaid as walking fashion disaster seem to be waning, and the bridesmaid dress is evolving into something fashionable, more personal and significantly less humiliating. The first step to choosing a bridesmaid gown is to determine the formality, style and fabric of the wedding gown. The bridesmaid dresses shouldn’t overpower or clash with the wedding gown. For today’s more simple bridal styles, nice detailing in the maids gowns creates a good look for the group. Back accents like straps, halter tops and simple beading are important for ceremony photography. A quality gown of good fabric and construction is necessary for the active bridesmaids who will be walking, dancing or running around for the bride. Who needs to worry about seams splitting apart or buttons falling off during the wedding? Some larger girls feel comfortable in spaghetti straps or even strapless gowns, but many would rather have at least a short sleeve or perhaps a shawl. The smaller girls can usually wear any style. A-line styles look good on most everyone. A two-piece style with a longer top covering the hip bone is another good style. A new marketing trend for bridesmaids is the idea of separates. Most manufacturers now feature at least some of their styles in separate tops and skirts. Separates offer some flexibility for the maids as they are able to choose different sizes for the top and skirt and can ■ COLOUR: Ensure your bridesmaids dresses continue the wedding colour accommodate many different figure types. theme The bride can also choose the colour and manufacturer of the separates while letting the maids have the freedom to create a style they will be comfortable in. Try to dress your bridesmaids for the season. If it’s cooler, then select a deeper shade for the dresses, if it’s warm, something lighter might be an option. Try a champagne colour or a nearly white option. Not only will this look clean and classy, but you will also avoid the trap of looking too much like the bride herself. Fashion experts are tipping the hottest looks as Parisian and Spanish chic in exciting new fabrics. Shot tafettas, glamorous lace and soft chiffons make a real impact on the new season's wedding fashions. Whilst ivory is still a favourite this season, rose pink and ‘clotted cream’ is making a huge impact. A new wedding colour, chocolate brown, is expected to be a big winner so watch out for this fabulous new colour which is ideal for a winter wedding. With all the choices in bridesmaid gowns available, every member of the wedding party should be happy with the final results and spend the wedding day celebrating with the bride and groom.
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THE BRIDEGROOM
It’s the groom’s big day as well N
EVER let it be said that men don't take as much pride in their appearance as women. So looking good on the big day is of as much importance to the groom as it is to the bride.
■ COUPLE: Both the bride and groom need to look great on their special day
The groom's outfit might seem to be rooted simply in the traditional, but there is a lot more scope for men to put something of themselves into their wedding attire then you may at first think. Unlike the bride, grooms have much more freedom in terms of colour and modern takes on traditional styles. It is a good idea though to check with your bride before making a rather outlandish choice and a possibly life threatening decision! Traditional looks are common once again this year, but don't be afraid to try something a little bit different. Don't go overboard but perhaps look to alternative colours under the formal jacket. Sky blues, lilacs, oranges and lemons will give a lighter brighter look to the traditional garb, give a degree of originality, but retain the smartness
that has underlined the groom's look throughout marital tradition. Remember that the groom and best-man should try not to wear anything too similar. Styles and colours that make you feel comfortable are most important. The traditional items grooms will be looking for include a dark or grey jacket, trousers to match, waistcoat and wing collared shirt plus either a bow-tie or a formal tie. Don't forget dress shoes plus any accessories such as cuff-links or a top-hat. Remember to be yourself and try to push your personality out through the formal wear. Maybe go for a stylish cut at the barbers, rather than a traditional look. Remember, this is your wedding day, not a job interview! You do need to look smart, but the suit will tend to that. You'll want to look as good as possible on your wedding snaps and feel as confident as possible as you stand before the congregation.
■ WELL GROOMED: Make sure the bridegroom looks his very best
Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue
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Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday the best day of all. Thursday for crosses, Friday for losses, Saturday no luck at all. And as for the colour of the dress, an old rhyme might stop the trend for scarlet and burgundy dresses in its tracks:
OMETHING old, some-thing new, something borrowed, something blue.
Every bride knows the rhyme – and lots probably follow it – but why? According to superstition, something old ensures friends will be faithful when they are needed and something new is supposed to promise success in her new life, something borrowed means she may take with her the love of her family and blue symbolises fertility. If a girl marries before her elder sisters, they should wear green garters at the wedding. This is believed to date from a medieval English custom whereby part of the costume of an elder, unmarried sister at the marriage of a younger sister was green stockings. It is a long-held tradition that the bridegroom should not see the wedding dress before the ceremony but traditions surround the dress for the bride too. Before the day it is supposedly unlucky for the whole outfit to be tried and very unlucky to try the veil on with the dress. The bride should look at herself in the mirror only at the last moment and then any final adjustment should be made. It is a common practice to leave a few stitches of the hem to be completed on the morning of the wedding but take care to leave no pins; they are unlucky, while a spider caught in the folds of the dress will bring good fortune. To wear the old bridal veil of a happily married woman is lucky. Many girls choose to wear their mother’s or grandmother’s veil for that reason. After the wedding, don’t let a friend try on your veil – it’s supposed to mean she’ll run off with your husband! There are far fewer superstitions surrounding the bridegroom, but it is said to be unlucky if he drops his hat, although a small horseshoe carried in his pocket will bring good luck.
● Marry in white you’ve chosen aright, ● Marry in blue your love is true, ● Marry in pearl, you’ll live in a whirl, ● Marry in brown, you’ll live out of town, ● Marry in red, you’d be better off dead, ● Marry in yellow, ashamed of the fellow, ● Marry in green, ashamed to be seen, ● Marry in pink, your spirits will sink.
■ WEDDING TRADITIONS: Read up on all the old traditions before organising your big day Changing the date of the wedding is considered unlucky unless there are exceptional circumstances. To marry during a full moon is lucky, but doing the same during Lent is a poor choice. As the
saying has it: ‘Marry in Lent, you’re sure to repent’. Saturday has, in modern times, become the most popular day for marriages but it was not always so. An old English rhyme advises:
Even the flowers you choose to carry on your wedding day have their own set of traditions. Now purely decorative, it is thought that the custom of the bride carrying a bouquet harks back to the belief that the aroma from a posy, including strong-smelling herbs from the onion family such as garlic or chives, would drive evil spirits away. It would be a brave – or unusual – bride who opted for those particular plants these days, but she can give her good luck a boost by choosing more fragrant and appealing blooms. According to legend, apple blossom heralds better things to come, ivy in a bouquet signifies good luck and eternal fidelity, lily spells purity, roses bring beauty and happiness and anyone hoping for fertility and happiness should plump for a bouquet brimming with orange blossom.
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CARS AND VENUES
Consider all the various options for your venue
■ VENUE: Wedding receptions can be chic and contemporary or very traditional, depending on individual tastes. Decorate your chosen venue to tie in with your overall colour scheme
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HE most important day of your life deserves a venue to suit the occasion. Whether you are planning an intimate family do or a lavish ceremony and party with friends and family, it is important you choose a wedding venue that meets all your requirements.
If you’re having a church wedding or a ceremony in a separate venue from the site of the wedding reception, then there are considerations such as travel and distance between the venues. If you opt to have both the ceremony and the reception at the same place, then you need to consider how many people you can invite to each and how best to keep your guests happy between the ceremony and wedding breakfast. Those who want a religious ceremony will probably want to get married in either their regular place of worship or somewhere
nearby. If it is to be a church wedding, then there are a number of things to bear in mind. The internet is a good resource for researching a traditional religious ceremony, and your denomination will likely have its own website with advice on booking your ceremony. The Church of England has a comprehensive site, www.yourchurchwedding.org, which takes you through all the things to consider, such as choosing the right church, what to ask the vicar, costs and rehearsals. And, even if you are not a member of the Anglican Church, the website tells you how you may still hold your wedding in one of its churches. Of course, not everyone wants a church wedding, and you can always add a religious blessing to a civil ceremony. Maybe the best thing about a civil ceremony is the wealth of amazing and beautiful places you can choose to hold it in. It
has to be a permanent structure that is roofed and open to the public, but can include anything from hotels and stately homes to your local football stadium! This helps maximise your choices, and with more than 3,000 venues to choose from which are licensed to hold wedding ceremonies, the range is excellent. If you are going for a small wedding of family and close friends, you need to make sure you find a suitably intimate venue and, by the same token, if you are hoping to invite a large amount of guests then you need to find the venue and setting which is just right for the size of your party. Similar consideration should be given to the hosting of your wedding reception. Most venues will be able to offer a choice of rooms able to cater for different numbers of guests with prices to suit.
Get me to the church on time in a fabulous car T
HE big day arrives, and you look and feel amazing. The hair is complete, bridesmaids are ready and parents are snapping away with their camera.
■ CAR: Arrive in style with wedding transport from Cartwright’s Cars
The only thing left to do is arrive at the church in style. Well, luckily for you, West Yorkshire has a great variety of businesses, ready and waiting to get you to the church on time. From cars and helicopters, to horses and carriages, you will find something to suit the theme of your wedding. If you’re having a summer wedding then what better way to arrive then in a 1930’s convertible Beauford? This fancy motor is definitely a fashionable way to arrive, and will
The Perfect Wedding Venue COUNTRY INN & HOTEL
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make a fabulous background for your photos. For those having a traditional wedding, then a beautiful Rolls Royce is exactly what you need. It will provide a smooth and sophisticated journey to what will be an amazing day. Although riding to your wedding on Black Beauty may seem appealing, is it really practical? Furthermore, if you haven’t had any horse riding lessons, you’ll more likely hobble down the aisle rather than saunter like a blushing bride. But, if you have your heart set on arriving like Cinderella, then a horse-drawn carriage will do the trick. You can hire a carriage with all of the trimmings, and a superbly dressed driver to take you along the way. Just make sure the weather is
warm so that it doesn’t get too breezy. ● Huddersfield based Cartwright’s Cars appreciate how important your wedding day is. You can book your bridal car with confidence knowing that every detail relating to your transportation will be attended to. Cartwright’s pride themselves on providing a tailored service that is designed in full consultation with the bride and groom. The company also guarantees to do only one wedding with each car per day which is unique as most companies book two to three hours and then add surcharges. All the cars are immaculate and will beautifully presented with co-ordinating flowers and ribbons on your wedding day. The cars have been carefully selected to ensure easy access for even the fullest dress.
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CartwrightsCars.co.uk ESTABLISHED 1990
Expedition 4x4 - Carries up to 8 passengers
Pink Cadillac - Carries up to 5 passengers
Chrysler 300C - Carries up to 4 passengers
Ferrari F430 - Carries up to 1 passenger
Rolls Royce - Carries up to 4 passengers
Bramwith Limousine - Carries up to 6 passengers
Bramwith Limousine - Carries up to 7 passengers
Bramwith Limousine - Carries up to 7 passengers
Beauford Convertible - Carries up to 4 passengers
Beauford Convertible - Carries up to 4 passengers
Beauford Convertible - Carries up to 4 passengers
Beauford Convertible - Carries up to 4 passengers
The Imperial - Carries up to 7 passengers
The Imperial - Carries up to 7 passengers
The Imperial - Carries up to 7 passengers
Regent Landaulette - Carries up to 6 passengers
ALL OUR CARS ONLY VISIT ONE WEDDING PER CAR PER DAY GUARANTEED
Royale Windsor - Carries up to 4 passengers
For bookings, further info or to request our full colour brochure Tel: 01484 428 709 or 07850 784 200 Email: enquiries@cartwrightscars.co.uk To view our cars in more detail visit www.cartwrightscars.co.uk Find us on FaceBook
Albany House, Albany Rd, Kirkheaton, Huddersfield HD5 0QS
Yorkshire’s largest fleet of wedding cars and limousines.